Finding the nearest port off-station sounded like a good idea in theory. For a station the size of Almaluk, the port would be humongous, and with all the ships currently docked for the quorum, it would be impossible to search all of them in time.
Also, the port wasn’t the only way off Almaluk. Kira didn’t want to overlook something because she was too impatient.
She needed to balance the desire to close the gap between her and Elise with the knowledge that making the wrong choice would put her too far behind the other.
"Come on, Odin," Kira urged.
Finn waited patiently. Raider less so.
There was a certain frenetic urgency to his movements that screamed of his need to act until he was practically vibrating in place.
"Kira, I think I've narrowed down the location," Odin said suddenly through the comms. "It's not precise yet, but I have a general direction."
"Where?"
"They've headed for the lower decks in the Day Lily sector. Sending the map to Muscles now."
Finn jerked like someone had stung him.
Odin’s ability to hack the interface in his synth armor was surprising. The use ofkiin the Tuann’s networks made their technology nearly impenetrable to traditional hackers.
It was like being on two separate networks that had no way of talking or even hearing the other.
It figured Odin would find a way around that eventually.
"Patch Raider into our comms in case we get separated."
Raider touched his ear and then nodded at Kira to say he'd received Odin's message.
"Everyone ready?" Kira asked.
Finn and Raider nodded with serious expressions.
"From here on out, we go silent unless there's an emergency." Kira didn't want to risk alerting the enemy of their approach.
"Finn, you're our compass. I'll take point. Raider, protect our back."
Their formation was different than what an oshota would prefer for their sword, but it was necessary. With Finn preoccupied by the map, he wouldn’t be able to pay as much attention to his surroundings.
Most importantly, this formation fit Kira's personality.
"Let's go," Kira said, taking the lead.
The other two chased after her, careful to keep their movements as silent as possible.
They raced through the station, Finn tapping her shoulder every now and then before indicating where to go.
In this fashion, they advanced, diverting around the small pockets of fighting they encountered every now and then.
Nearly twenty minutes later, Kira and the other two slowed as they neared the docks. The area they found themselves in was adjacent to the port and contained a maze of shipping containers stacked until they nearly reached the ceiling two stories above.
Along one side was a massive opening, the atmosphere inside contained by a thin membrane that allowed the entrance and exit of freight.
"You're getting close, Kira. I can't narrow his signal any more than this," Odin said softly into her ear. "I'll see if I can access the feeds, but it'll be difficult from here."
Kira tapped behind her ear twice, knowing the sound would carry to her comms to show she understood.
To Finn and Raider, she sent them a hand signal to be on guard.
