He picked up on her thoughts. "You should be careful not to rile her too much. She's the oldest of us."
"Is that the only reason you want me to be cautious?" Kira asked, glancing at Yukina's oshota.
He stood on the right side of the stage. Despite his face once again being concealed by the disrupter field in his hood, Kira couldn't shake the feeling he was watching them rather than his Face.
Graydon's expression didn't change. "Sometimes it’s better not to ask questions."
On the stage, Yukina slid into a low lunge before extending her arm and the closed fan out before her.
The fan snapped open. Yukina leaned back before leaning forward again and sweeping the fan before her.
This set off a chain reaction as it collided with the flecks, sending them dancing in a hundred different directions.
They revolved around her as she straightened.
Her dress swirled as she gracefully turned, her arms coming up and around as she bent and dipped, advancing in a steady fashion.
Every once in a while, the fan snapped open as she spun, snapping closed again in the next instant.
The tempo of the music picked up, several string instruments joining the flute.
Yukina never hesitated, one movement flowing into the next until she stood before the Haldeel.
Behind her, the specks of light rotated in several different directions, creating a pattern in a pattern. A flower took shape as a sphere spun around it.
Yukina sank into the final pose, the fan open and held in such a way that it hid the lower half of her face.
Applause broke out at the sight.
The Haldeel on the stage broke into a smile, his posture announcing his pleasure in the outcome.
"The Tuann have impressed us with their elegance and sincerity," Alexander announced.
The platform lowered.
As soon as Yukina and her challenger cleared the way, a second Haldeel disembarked from the pyramid.
He strode across the floor, stopping in front of Himoto. As the first one had, he bowed. "Honorable guest, I have come to challenge you."
"The Consortium answers your challenge."
At a nod from Himoto, Jace moved forward.
"Don't be so hasty, Admiral," Kent said. "Such actions would lead our hosts to believe you speak for all of us."
A hush fell.
"Is he really that much of an idiot?" Jin hissed.
"I'm going to go with a yes."
Why else would he do such a stupid and pointless thing?
The way the Haldeel had approached Himoto made it clear how highly in their esteem they held him. Challenging their decision in such a public forum was not only disrespectful to the host but could also affect the standing of the Consortium as a whole if the Haldeel chose to take offense.
"He strikes me as the sort of man who allows ambition to cloud his better judgment," Graydon observed.
"Should we intervene?" Jin asked.
