“Then we still don’t know their destination,” Harlow said.
Caius hit a few buttons on his armor before sending the data through. “Not in a way that is meaningful. However, a few of mine were able to analyze likely trajectories.”
Harlow brought up the information Caius had sent, his expression darkening as he put it in the holovid. The planet of Ta Sa’Riel shimmered into being.
“You think they’re coming here?” Graydon asked.
Caius’s expression was serious as he nodded. “My person isn’t often wrong. It won’t get you proof enough to have the emperor launch a full-scale search of all Houses’ territories, but it can give you an idea of what you’re dealing with.”
“The Tsavitee are here,” Harlow stated, sprawling in his chair.
“The question is why and what do they want?” Graydon said.
Caius shook his head. “I’ll leave that for you to discover. Try not to die, won’t you?”
With that the commander signed off, leaving Graydon and Harlow to sit in silence as they studied the information Caius had sent
“I will inform the emperor of this. Caius was right in that it isn’t enough proof to justify trespassing onto House territory, but he can put some of his own resources on this,” Graydon said, standing. “I trust you will do the same.”
Harlow nodded. “In addition to Caius, I have a few people I can place on this. See if we can pinpoint where they landed. If they’ve infiltrated our House, we will find them. The same can’t be said if they’ve infiltrated one of the other Houses.”
“Leave that to the emperor. He has contacts he can reach out to. It’s not a perfect solution, but tensions are already high because of Ta Da’an,” Graydon said.
“Before you go, there’s one last matter I want to discuss,” Harlow said, tapping a button on his desk.
Information scrolled above it.
"Care to explain this?" Harlow inquired.
Graydon's frown morphed into a scowl. "I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out."
Harlow gaze held Graydon's for several long seconds before the corner of his mouth twitched. "I expect you will."
Graydon was on his feet and out the door in the next instant. He had a certain woman to track down and demand information from. This time he planned to get it.
TEN
Kira dangled upside down, patiently waiting as she basked in the crisp morning air that contained more of a bite than normal. Snow was in their future.
She shook her hands and cupped them to her lips, blowing on them as she trusted the cable attached to the harness around her waist would hold her. The movement caused her to twist slightly, changing her view from the rock face of the monolith she hung next to, to the forest stretching below.
"I don't know how you can be so calm with only a few pieces of wire to hold you up," Jin grumbled in her ear.
Kira's grin was brief. This from a being whose antigravs enabled him to reach heights much higher than her current one.
"It's safe enough," Kira assured him.
"Tell me that again after you've been splattered into a pancake," he snapped.
Kira touched one foot to the cliff, halting her rotation. "If the nets work the way Wren said they did on the first day, it shouldn't be a problem."
Jin blew a raspberry, his lack of faith in Tuann technology unmistakable.
"I don't understand your fascination with heights," he said.
"They make me feel free and remind me that limitations can be circumvented."
Movement came from below, and Kira placed a second foot along the wall, straightening her legs until she stood parallel to the monolith’s surface as she faced the ground and those below.
