Understanding dawned. They must have caught Odin's shift from male to female and assumed they were two different people.
"Observant," Kira said, playing along.
"They showed up a few years ago. Said they needed the Vega for something important."
"And you just let them on the ship?"
That wasn't the Diesel she'd known. That Diesel had been a hard ass who didn't give most people the time of day.
"Normally I wouldn't have, but they came highly recommended."
At Kira's interested look, Diesel's smile widened. "Jin."
"No." Kira shook her head. "That's not possible."
"Hand to the divine entity responsible for creating life in this messed up universe that I am not lying." Diesel raised his hand. "The All Father had a video letter and Jin's authentication code. Jin said the twins were helping you with something important. I didn't see much point in arguing after that."
Another thing Jin had kept from her. All these secrets were beginning to add up.
Diesel nodded at the silhouette of the ship peeking over the tree tops. "The reason the Vega is down here is also because of your friend. Those two came up with the plan to retrieve the ship and crash landed it on Rothchild. The rest of us just did as instructed."
Kira's frown was troubled as her gaze lingered on the ship.
She could see Odin taking advantage after the Vega was already on the ground. But to make the plan and head the project to retrieve it?
That was something different. Odin didn't exactly work well with others. They tended to avoid authority figures by all costs necessary. Something that wouldn't have been possible with a task of this magnitude.
Odin must have wanted the Vega badly. What was so damn important about that ship that Odin had chosen it as their base?
Its connection to Kira? The manner of its demise?
Or something else?
Diesel rested his cup on the arm of his chair. "Brie can escort you to Odin but I'll have to ask your companions to wait here."
"That's not going to happen," Graydon said, prowling toward them.
Diesel eyed the Tuann carefully. "You've got pretty good ears if you heard that from all the way over there."
Graydon's smile was faint. "It's okay. Just a little better than average."
Diesel seemed unconvinced, his bushy eyebrows lowering as he glanced at Kira in speculation. "Be that as it may, the All Father isn't a fan of visitors. My instructions are not to let anyone but Kira or Jin into Yggdrasil without their permission." Diesel bared his teeth. "You could call this nonnegotiable"
Graydon's face hardened. "She's not going in there alone."
"I never said she had to. Jin will go with her." Diesel glanced at Kira. "That's him in that other one's hood, isn't it?"
The lie rolled easily off Kira's tongue. "He's having a little bit of trouble with his positioning algorithm. A side effect of the planet's magnetic field."
Diesel relaxed in his chair. "You should have been here for the immediate aftermath. It got pretty wild for a few years."
"I can imagine," Kira said. To Graydon, "I'll be fine. Jin will watch my back. Wait here until I return."
Graydon's expression went hard, well aware that 'Jin' wasn't going to be watching much of anything.
Kira touched his hand, asking for patience. "I promise. Jin and I will be fine."
Graydon's jaw tightened as he stared her down.
