A coiled sense of danger rolled off Finn as his expression tightened further. “What happened to ‘not a scratch?’”
“I improvised.”
Fire lanced through her, stealing the rest of what she wanted to say. Kira’s mouth dropped open on a silent scream as her back bowed.
“Breathe through it,” Torvald instructed in a soothing voice. “You’re in really bad shape. My ki can help your body repair most of the damage. It will be painful though.”
The last was said almost as an afterthought.
Tears leaked out of the corner of Kira’s eyes. She kicked the wall, wanting free from this agony as a whine fought its way past her lips.
Concern replaced the anger on Finn’s face as he made an aborted movement toward her.
“Better?” Torvald asked a second later as Kira blinked up at the ceiling in surprise.
Actually, yeah.
Torvald took her arm to help her up.
“Jin, how are things looking outside?” When no answer came, Kira looked up. “Jin?”
Static crackled over the comms.
Kira pushed Torvald’s hands away and forced herself to her feet. “Someone answer me.”
Raider’s response was slow in coming. “You should return to the bridge.”
Kira didn’t like the sound of that.
Finn caught her arm when she would have staggered to the door. “Is that necessary? She’s injured.”
“Do you really think you can keep her out of the action?” Raider asked.
That was a good question. Kira arched an eyebrow at her oshota.
Resignation settled on Finn’s face as his grip changed to one of support.
“I knew you’d see it my way,” Kira said.
“Every day I question what I did in my youth to deserve a sword like you.” Finn’s response was dour as he helped her hobble into the hallway, Torvald and Joule shadowing them.
By the time they reached the bridge, Kira was feeling a lot steadier. She pushed away from Finn as she made a beeline to where she sensed Jin’s presence.
She found him still and motionless, resting in the copilot’s chair to Raider’s left.
It felt odd seeing Jin so inanimate. Her friend was a force. Sometimes for good. Others for chaos.
But he was always there. A comforting presence. Her support and her champion.
With a hesitant hand, Kira reached out to touch the cool metal of his casing. Most of the time she could forget Jin’s limitations.
Although his exterior was that of a machine, his personality shone through to such an extent that it was easy to forget he wasn’t flesh and bone.
It was only in times like these where he was abnormally quiet that she remembered again.
Relief filled her as she sensed the deep current she associated with Jin, running through the metal.
He was dreaming, she realized with a soft smile.
