Not one to let others know something he didn't, Jin scanned the document over Kira's shoulder.
"You're going to enter one of the hoverboard races," he guessed.
Kira ducked her chin in a nod.
Odin drummed his fingers against his knee. "It would take care of the most pressing of your problems."
"Not your; our." To Odin's argumentative expression, Kira added, "You're the reason we're in this mess."
Kira wasn't entirely sure he hadn't orchestrated this whole scenario. She wouldn't put it past the manipulative bastard. The question was how complicit was Elena in his schemes.
Knowing she wasn't likely to get an answer that would satisfy her, she left the matter alone.
"You're awful quiet." Kira glanced Finn's way. "Have anything to share? Of all of us, you're probably the most knowledgeable about the quorum."
The quorum was still a relatively new concept for humans. To them it would seem like a particularly extreme version of the Olympics—simply more deadly for contestants and with a lot more political moving and shaking.
The Tuann, on the other hand, had participated for centuries. Of them all, Finn would understand the undercurrents best.
Finn took a thoughtful sip of his chai. "There are no restrictions on who may participate. Whether you're sponsored by one of the three powers doesn't matter. Any may showcase their abilities and rise or fall under their own merit."
How egalitarian of them.
Of course, the truth of the matter was a little less transparent. Although any could compete, the odds were tilted very much in favor of those who had a powerful backer. Housing, food, equipment—even the credits needed for registration—all of those had to be taken into consideration.
For most, the price of competing would simply be out of the realm of possibility, no matter how talented.
That didn't even touch on the specialized training you'd need to be competitive in your chosen field.
From the dossier Odin had put together, the hoverboard races were relatively new as events went. It was why Kira had picked them as her point of entry. The field would be much more even with humans holding a slight advantage. The rest of the galaxy wouldn't be as familiar with the rules, whereas hoverboard racing was one of the most popular sports in human space.
Add in Kira's history with the sport and the fact she already held a waveboard license, and it was the easiest avenue to take to accomplish her goals.
"If you don't qualify, you'll be kicked off the planet," Finn warned. "Only the support staff of a contestant or those who have won an event in the past are exempted from the requirement."
Kira could see why the quorum was such a big deal. Its structure was flawless, feeding into the psychology of all three races.
They’d limited attendance to make those with a coveted slot perceive it as a rare honor. Throw in the chance to brush elbows with the most powerful individuals in the galaxy while fostering an environment where issues of state could be discussed unimpeded, and you had an irresistible recipe for success.
With one move the Haldeel earned their spot as one of the most influential and powerful in the galaxy—and they'd done it without having to fire a shot.
“It’s decided then. I'll resurrect my old alias so as not to draw attention,” Kira said.
It was her only choice.
Graydon and Roake were almost guaranteed to be there. While they wouldn’t necessarily assume she was also in attendance, it paid to be cautious.
She didn’t plan to evade them forever, just until she got Elena’s situation sorted.
Even Finn couldn’t argue with her logic.
"If that's settled, I'll be in my berth." Odin jumped off the counter, only pausing to send a sly look Jin's way. "You're always welcome to join me if you'd like. Maybe I can fix that little problem you're having."
"I can fix my own problems," Jin snarled.
"Have it your way."
Odin strolled out of the galley.
