"Do you really think I'll believe that?" Kira asked.
If the Haldeel had arrested her and arranged her transfer to Almaluk, they were sure of her guilt.
Kira simply didn't understand the why behind it.
Until she did, there was no point in continuing this conversation.
"Where are you going?" Elise asked as Kira made to stand. For the first time there was a hint of concern in her words.
"I've learned what I need to know," Kira said.
"What about Rothchild?" Seeing Kira's hesitation, Elise chuckled. "Didn't you ever wonder why the moon exploded?"
Common assumption was that the miners had set off the charges to ignite the smaralta which caused a massive chain reaction in the tunnels under the moon's crust.
What no one except for Kira, Himoto, and Jin knew was that those charges had failed before they ever saw use.
Her superiors had been in the process of ordering her to use her burst, when the moon unexpectedly exploded early.
In Kira’s nightmares, she sometimes wondered if she’d somehow unknowingly used her burst, directly causing the deaths of the people she cherished the most.
"We both know you didn't do it. You were too busy playing savior. Haven't you ever wondered who was responsible?"
A sick feeling filled Kira's stomach as Elise gave her a cruel smile.
"Someone had to do what you weren't willing to."
Kira shook her head. "You couldn't have."
Kira had reviewed the recordings from Rothchild a hundred times. There was no way. Elise had been too far away at the time of detonation.
"Sister dearest, you're not the only one able to use the burst. Granted, mine is only a fraction of yours, but a small spark was all that was needed."
Kira couldn't reconcile this woman with the one she'd known.
There was no emotion in those words. No care for the fallen.
It was like they didn't even matter.
"Why?" Kira ground out.
"Himoto." Elise’s playfulness turned spiteful. "I tried to tell you a thousand times he was linked to the camps, but you never wanted to listen. He saved you which meant you were willing to ignore everything else."
Kira opened her mouth to respond when the station bucked around them.
"What was that?" Kira asked as the station shuddered again.
Glee spread across Elise's face. "The show has finally begun."
"A Tsavitee fleet appeared next to Jettie's moon." Jin sounded distracted as he tapped into the communication network of the station.
Jin’s horror flooded their link. "Kira, they've started bombarding the planet."
Kira felt like she was hearing those words from a great distance. Fear she hadn't felt in years welled up.
"I hope you don't have any friends down there. Chances are they won't make it," Elise crooned.
Stricken, Kira’s gaze met Elise’s. Elena was still down there.
