Jin blew a raspberry. "The chances of that are less than point zero five percent."
Kira raised an eyebrow in question before realization dawned. "You sneaky pile of bolts, you've been analyzing them, haven't you?"
Jin's voice was smug. "Of course, why do you think I insisted on playing with thechaterlingfor so long?"
Kira stuffed down her laugh, knowing her friend didn't need any encouragement. "You know Jace told you not to because of the treaty."
The sound Jin made was rude. "Since when do I take orders from him? Besides, the treaty doesn't apply to you because you're Tuann."
Kira was pretty sure it didn't work that way, especially given what Graydon had shared the last time they'd spoken. She'd done some digging courtesy of material they'd given her and found the Tuann were very odd in a universe filled with odd things.
They had an aversion to AIs. She hadn't gotten to the why of it yet, but their laws had seemed pretty definite. Couple that with a slightly feudal society, and they were a walking contradiction, possessing advanced technology with old values.
"Just make sure you're not caught, will you?" Kira said.
He snorted. "I'm not the one who always gets caught."
She shot him a dirty look. He might have had a point, but she didn't have to like it.
"What's that?" Jin asked.
She looked out the viewing screen taking up the entire wall, creating the impression of nothing between her and open space, not even the slim reassurance of triple plated, ballistic glass.
"What?"
Jin emitted a low sound and the viewer zoomed in on a spikey shaped sphere.
"It looks like a porcupine," Kira said. Or an ancient naval mine from humanity's distant past.
"There are hundreds of them," Jin said in fascination.
She stiffened, as she became aware they were no longer alone on the observation deck.
"It's the defense net," Amila said, moving closer and breaking the bubble of space she and Baran normally afforded Kira. “It’ll prevent any unapproved ships from approaching the planet.”
Kira frowned as she turned her attention to the mine. She’d never seen anything like it. She would have liked to get closer, maybe run tests on it, see what it could do.
"It is nearly time to disembark," Amila politely informed her. "We've been asked to report to the shuttles."
Sounded good to Kira. Whatever it took to get this over and done with.
"Where's Baran?" Kira asked, noticing her second shadow was nowhere present. While Amila and he took turns following her around, she had assumed both would be present for this transfer.
"He's been given another task," Amila said.
Finally. One person watching over her would be a lot easier to shake than two.
Kira and Jin followed Amila as she led them to the shuttle bay which was filled with several small spacecraft. Kira took a moment to admire the many shapes and sizes, noting their differences and wishing she had the chance to fly some of them.
Amila led them to a midsized surface-to-space shuttle. Inside, a dark wood accented the pilot seats, each one slightly different from the next. Graydon and the rest of hisoshotawaited inside.
Kira looked around, noting the lack of any humans. "Where are the Curs?"
Graydon’s smile was dangerous, the light in his eyes taunting. "They’re taking a different shuttle."
Kira narrowed her eyes. That was not the answer she wanted.
His smile broadened as he sent her a look inviting her to do her worst. He'd better watch out. She might take him up on his offer.
