Access denied.
A high-pitched growl escaped Kira. That little—
Kira's motions were jerky as she popped off the panel. "Lock me out of my own ship? We'll see who's laughing soon."
She pulled out a few wires, crossing them and then splicing another set before slamming the panel in place as the circuits rebooted. Kira waited, barely resisting the urge to tap her toe as it came back online.
Kira stabbed the buttons as she inputted her override code.
Raider didn't comment as she worked.
The light flashed green, and the ramp started to lower.
Jin was the first through, slipping into the narrow gap as soon as it was wide enough. Kira and Raider were forced to wait until the ramp was fully extended.
It hadn't even touched the ground before she was striding up it, her footsteps an angry accompaniment to her mood.
Kira headed straight for the room they called the bridge. Consisting of two chairs in front of the ship's controls, it was small and usually unoccupied since Jin mostly ran the ship's functions and didn't need to be on the bridge to do so.
Today, however, one of the chairs was occupied by a slight figure wearing a cloak.
"You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady," Kira snapped.
The figure turned her head, the cloak's hood sliding off. Curly hair the color of gold slipped free as the occupant looked up at Kira with a crooked grin.
"Auntie, took you long enough to find me. I was expecting you an hour after I shot the general."
Kira's eyes narrowed. "I was trying not to draw attention to you—something you should have been careful about yourself."
The waif seemed less than intimidated as her gaze alighted on Raider. Wonder crossed her face as she scrambled upright, her legs hitting the deck. She brushed her hair from her face and adjusted her clothes.
Her gaze darted from Raider to Kira and back again. "Is that him?"
There was yearning and excitement in the girl's eyes, as if Kira had brought the best gift she'd ever received.
Kira exhaled. This was why she hadn't wanted to bring Raider. It was also the reason she couldn't force herself to leave him behind.
It was time—even if it would upset any gains Raider had made toward trusting Kira again.
The girl nearly bounced with excitement. Seeming the same age as Joule, her hair was short, and her eyes were a vivid amber. A bandanna wrapped around her forehead, hiding ears Kira knew were as pointed as her own.
"Yes, it's him," Kira said.
The girl clapped her hands together and raced forward. Kira stepped into her path, leveling a hard stare on the girl. If she thought she was getting out of trouble because of Raider's presence, she was mistaken.
Chastened, the girl backed up, finding her seat again.
"What are you doing here?" Kira asked. "I left you planetside with someone who would look after you for a reason. Does that person know you’re here?"
The waif shrugged, pulling her legs up and crossing them under her. "I got worried when you went radio silent. I hitched a ride on a transport and tracked theWandererto O’Riley.”
Kira should have anticipated this. The girl’s caretaker should have as well.
“When I broke into the ship, your friend was here,” the girl explained. “She needed a ride but couldn’t get the ship to work. Since you keyed me into the controls, I decided to tag along."
"Odin," Kira ground out.
When she got her hands on the woman, she was going to strangle her for putting the waif in jeopardy.
