"What are you doing?" Jace asked, his attention swinging to Kira.
"What I have to," Kira said, not second-guessing herself. She focused on Kent again. "Regulation 5.63—any service member who has served their first two tours can put in a packet to end their service if they have not been called to a combat rotation for the preceding three years."
Raider made a choked sound.
Kira took a deep breath. Was she really doing this? Yes. Yes, she was. She wouldn't bow to the dictates of someone like Kent.
This move was drastic, but it would give her room to maneuver. More importantly, it meant none of her actions beyond this point could be used against the Consortium.
"I won't be trapped again. I've defended humanity above and beyond what most ever hope to commit. I've sacrificed again and again. This was the last time."
"This won't work. That packet has to be hand-delivered," Kent warned.
"Nothing in those regulations says it has to be done by the person submitting the packet."
Kira and Kent were locked in a staring match. Each daring the other to blink. Only this time, Kira didn't plan for it to be her.
"You're bluffing," he said finally.
"Tell me again how you order me to give up my freedom for a few ships that won't even protect you when the Tsavitee come," Kira dared.
Fury and stubbornness lit Kent's eyes. He was going to do it. He was going to force her hand.
"Kira, think. You can't take this back," Raider said urgently.
"It should have been done a long time ago," she said softly. "There's no going back. Only forward."
It hurt to break Kent's gaze and look at her longtime friend, sometimes enemy.
Jace was silent, frozen disbelief on his face.
"You wouldn't dare," Kent said. He didn't realize she was a wolf whose leg was caught in a trap, willing to chew it off.
A knock sounded from out of sight.
Himoto met her gaze, his lips twitching. "This is unexpected. Quite the element of surprise."
"I learned from the best."
His head dipped in a nod. "Come in."
Kira thought she saw momentary surprise flash across his face before he composed his expression.
Graydon shifted, the tension rolling off him drawing Kira's attention like a bee to honey. His eyes were fierce, his shoulders tense.
That's right. Breathe it in. She'd outmaneuvered him.
"I win," she mouthed.
His eyebrows snapped together.
"That doesn't mean anything," Kent tried.
"For someone of your position, you're not particularly smart," Jin said. "The Tuann are sitting right here. What kind of people do you want them to think you are? The kind who would sacrifice your own people? The kind who lies for your own self-interests? You're not really presenting humans in a sympathetic light here."
"J1N, shut down," Kent snapped. "That's an order."
A chuckle rolled from Jin. "I don't take orders from you, meat sack."
