“You’re not supposed to be playing at all, Meat Sack.” Jin circled Raider’s head.
Raider batted one hand at him. “Get away from me, Tin Can.”
“It’s Tin Man. Get it right!”
Kira ignored the two as the comms panel lit up, indicating someone was trying to contact the ship.
“That is an interesting tactic in the face of certain death,” Torvald observed, studying Jin and Raider as they fought over who would be the pilot.
“This is my ship! I should be the one at the helm,” Jin argued.
Kira spared them a quick glance as the ship tilted left and then right. “You get used to it.”
“You have a history of making bad piloting decisions,” Raider snapped back.
“That’s Kira. Not me.”
Kira rolled her eyes as she opened a channel to Graydon.
“Who is the one responsible for burning out the engines on Castaway?” Raider pointed out. “Who flew us into that asteroid in the Kuiper belt? You, Tin Can. Both times, you.”
Graydon’s face showed up on the screen, making Raider and Jin fall silent. “I’m glad to see you three are taking the situation in stride.”
There was a carefully hidden tension around the corners of Graydon’s eyes that betrayed the fact he wasn’t as at ease as he seemed.
“It’s good to hear your voice,” Kira admitted.
Graydon inclined his head. “As it is yours.”
She offered him a tight smile. “I don’t suppose there’s anything you can do about this situation we’re in.”
“No.” Fury cracked the hold he had over himself before his expression was wiped clean again. “I’ve already tried.”
Kira nodded slowly, disappointment making her voice soft. “That’s too bad.”
Just once, she’d like to take the easy route. Not have to fight tooth and nail to survive. Was that too much to ask?
“I don’t have the authority to override the system defenses.” Graydon paused, his gaze sliding to a spot over Kira’s shoulder where Torvald stood. “The emperor is the sole person with that right.”
Kira and Graydon stared at each other as Jin made a soft sound of understanding.
Kira muted the line, freezing the video link at the same time. Raider’s forehead furrowed in confusion as Kira swiveled to face Torvald.
“I don’t suppose you have any insight into whether the emperor will intervene or not?” Kira prodded.
A growing suspicion replaced Raider’s confusion. “Wait. Don’t tell me—“
Torvald regarded Kira. “He will not.”
Raider banged his head on the back of his seat.
“You’ll die too,” Kira pointed out.
“I doubt that.”
Kira wanted to admire the man’s arrogance, but a part of her knew he was right.
He would survive.
