The rest of those in the formation remained locked at attention, their bodies rigid as they kept the rifles uplifted. No one spoke. No one breathed for fear the masters would turn their focus to them.
The boy's gasping sobs could be heard as he was dragged out of the formation, stripped and then whipped, the flogger creating long streaks of red the rain washed away.
"We have to leave tonight. The distraction is already prepared. If we wait any longer, we'll be the ones they experiment on next," someone whispered as the boy collapsed and was dragged toward the gaping maw of the door.
Flash. The sky all around, ground to air artillery fire lighting up the air under their feet.
Flash. A Tsavitee demon class, its maw opened wide as it hammered at their armor.
Flash. A scream ripping from their chest as they destroyed the thing they feared.
Flash. The bridge of a ship as humans moved around them.
It was a strain, but Graydon managed to separate his consciousness from Kira's, not allowing himself to be dragged fully into the memory this time.
"You're good to launch, Whiskey One. Stay safe out there," a female said.
Kira limped into view, her foot encased in a cast.
"Don't forget to tell Phoenix to take care of that foot of hers. The rest of us will be happy to pick up her slack," a female said through the comms.
"Ha, fucking ha, Elise," Kira said with a carefree smile that startled Graydon. This Kira seemed younger than the one he knew, only a hint of the shadows he'd glimpsed in her eyes.
She was happy, he realized. Totally and completely.
"Try not to damage the deck on your way out," Kira was saying.
"Never, Nixxy. We'll leave that to you."
"Don't take it to heart, Sunshine," a man drawled. "You know the Phoenix can't stand being cooped up. Goes a little stir crazy."
Kira rolled her eyes as the humans around her ducked their heads, hiding their amusement. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, chuckle britches. I'll make sure to remember that next time I'm leading PT." Her expression became serious. "Stay focused out there. I don't want anyone damaging my perfect record because they got careless."
"Not to mention, I'd prefer we didn't look like complete idiots in front of our guests," a man said, stepping onto the bridge.
Seconds later, someone cried, "Commander on deck."
Those present snapped to attention. Kira was slower to move, as if going through the motions was almost more effort than they were worth.
"How are we looking, Captain Forrest?" the man asked, crossing the bridge.
Kira straightened from where she'd been leaning over a console. "Talks have begun, Commander. The rest of the Curs are sitting in their chutes, locked and loaded, and awaiting our orders."
"Very impatiently, I might add," someone said through the comms.
"When aren't you impatient?" Jin groused.
"Kids, let's not fight in front of the parents," the one Graydon had heard called Elise said. "The Phoenix doesn't like it."
The Phoenix in question made a sarcastic face at the console as those on the bridge grinned. It was obvious they were used to the byplay.
That was the way of things for those among the warrior class. They weren't always easy with your feelings, more prone to finding the spots you'd like to protect and then poking and prodding until a hard callous formed, but they were there when it counted.
And Graydon had a feeling this moment in time had counted for Kira.
The shadows he sometimes saw in her had their origins in this memory.
"Look alive out there," Kira said. "No games. We can't chance anything with the entire universe watching our every move. Get in, make sure the comet's not hiding any nasty surprises, and then get out."
