The Tuann had secrets humans never would have guessed. Technology her former people had only ever dreamed about in fiction.
Kira was surprised to see the gate was located midway down a tall cliff, ledges and staircases carved into the rock, leading both to the land above and to the ocean below.
Gone was the airy lightness and delicate architecture of the Citadel of Light. It was replaced by a world of grays and blacks, austere in a way that called to the depths of her soul.
To survive here, you'd have to be strong. Both mentally and physically.
It was simple, but there was beauty in simplicity.
The air contained a bite to it, fall giving way to winter.
She shivered slightly, the clothes Liara had given her—simple pants and a lightweight tunic—did nothing to keep her warm. The small pack of clothes that had been a gift from Liara during her time on Ta Da’an held none suitable for the climate.
The gate spat out several more people. Among them, Graydon's oshota.
Solal inhaled, tipping his face up to the sky and then exhaling. Kira knew that look, had seen it on countless soldier's faces. Solal had the look of someone coming home for the first time in a long time.
"You live here," Kira realized.
Graydon leveled a thoughtful gaze on her head. "Correct. How did you know?"
Kira nodded at where his oshota gathered, staring around them with happy expressions. "They're home."
Graydon smiled. "This is the capital planet. Almost all Houses have a presence here, including Roake."
"Luatha?" Kira asked.
Graydon made a small sound of assent.
"Why didn't they bring me here?" Kira asked, puzzled.
"Ta Da'an is their stronghold. Having you there guaranteed privacy," Graydon said.
Which had the added benefit of keeping her far from Roake's influence. Of course, it also restricted her access to the Tuann in case she presented a safety threat.
That made her wonder why hadn't Roake done something similar and taken her to one of the other planets?
"This is the Tuann's home world," Kira said, slowly looking around.
Graydon shook his head. "Our original world has been lost to us since ancient times. Ta Sa’Riel is one of the planets we sought sanctuary on when we fled our first world. The emperor calls this his home, which is why it’s the capital."
"This doesn't look like House Roake," Kira observed.
"Of course not," Quillon said, stopping beside her. "Having the gate located in the fortress would present a great strategic weakness. An enemy could send a force through the gate and attack from the inside. House Roake would never risk itself in that fashion."
The mindset told her everything she needed to know about these new people. Paranoid. Militarily minded. Obsessed with security.
She'd be impressed if those same accusations hadn't been lobbed at her more than once.
Raider staggered out of the gate, looking slightly white. His face had that pinched look Kira always associated with fear.
"I don't like this form of travel," Raider said through gritted teeth.
Kira grinned. "What's wrong? You don't like breaking the laws of physics?"
"No, I don't." Raider cast a sharp look at the gate. For a moment, Kira caught a glimpse of the feral side Raider hid well. The one that made him so effective against the Tsavitee.
"If I can't kill Shandry, I don't think Roake would be happy about you blowing up their gate," Kira said lightly.
