"Which way do we go?" Raider asked, turning in a circle.
This time there wasn't a handy body left behind that they could use as a compass.
"I don't know."
"Do we split up?"
"I don't know!" Kira yelled.
She took a deep breath immediately after.
Focus, Kira. One foot in front of the other until you accomplish your mission. Losing control won't help anyone, least of all Jin.
Raider paced, his movements almost frantic. "You go that way. I'll go this way."
"We can't split up," Finn objected. "The enemy is too powerful. None of us stand a chance if we meet up with them alone."
And by none, he really meant Kira and Raider.
"We don't engage then," Raider argued. "We hang back and notify the others."
Finn sent a pointed look in Kira's direction that seemed to mock that suggestion. Noticing the look, Kira could only shrug. Even she knew the chances of that working were small.
It wasn't just her. Raider was as likely to run into the fray as her.
"We don't have a lot of options," Raider said, unwilling to back down.
Static filled Kira's comms.
"—tie."
Kira frowned and pressed a finger against her ear.
"Auntie, are...there?"
"Elena." Kira closed her eyes in relief.
At Elena's name, Raider took a step toward Kira.
"Is that Elena? Is she okay?"
Kira held up a hand as she moved further into the hallway in the hopes of strengthening the signal. By now, they had to be out of the protected section of the station. That had to be why she was suddenly able to hear Elena.
"I've been trying you forever," Elena burst out, sounding close to tears.
"I know. Some things happened. The place I was in must have blocked unauthorized signals."
"Do you know what's going on down on the planet?"
Kira started to answer but paused.
"Where are you?" Kira asked.
"About that—" Elena drawled.
"You're on the station," Kira answered for her.
Elena's silence was answer enough, her guilt traveling down the line as clear as her voice had.
