The base bustled with activity, an air of apprehension running throughout. The last time Kira had felt energy like this was in the early days of the last war. They knew a storm was on the horizon, but not exactly how bad it would be. That uncertainty would be the worst part. Knowing you were on the cusp of the abyss but not how to navigate it.
"Have you always been Jace's aide?" Kira asked, sidestepping a pair of humans wearing the red vests of the flight deck's ordnance crew. They hurried past her, guiding a cart filled with crates. Attached to each of their hips was an oxygen mask that would serve as an emergency supply of air should the hangar bay experience a decompression for any reason. There were also tether hooks on their waists meant to tie into any of the various safety leads located throughout the hangar to prevent them from being swept out into space.
"No, I originally served Admiral Himoto in that capacity," Grace said shortly before muttering under her breath. "Not that it's any of your business."
Kira pretended not to hear as they made their way through the corridors. "I didn't see any of the ships Luatha gave you out there."
"That's considered classified information. You don’t have the necessary authority for me to answer that question."
Kira's eyebrow twitched upward at the woman's harsh tone. "As the person responsible for procuring those ships, I beg to differ."
Grace led Kira and Finn through a set of double doors guarded by a pair of humans. One opened the door while the other stepped to the side, nodding a greeting at Grace before sweeping an assessing gaze over Kira and Finn.
"Any ownership you had of those ships ended the moment you handed them over to Admiral Skarsdale," Grace declared with an insincere smile as she gestured for them to enter the hallway. "What happens to them after that is no concern of yours."
Well played, Kira praised silently. Under normal circumstances, Grace would be right. Except she'd forgotten one thing.
"Maybe that would be the case if not for Luatha sending several of their people to help your scientists decipher their engineering," Kira said, waiting for the other woman to join them.
The ships were one thing. Centcom was unlikely to have gotten far in reverse engineering their construction in the short time they'd had them. What Kira was really interested in were those Luathans.
Kira's smile was sharp and just as hypocritical as Grace's as they stopped in front of a room with a plaque that had Jace's name and rank on it. "Now, unless you want me to mistake your actions as holding our people against their will, you'll tell me what happened to the Tuann that Luatha sent to accompany those ships."
"They're at a research base," someone said from the opposite end of the hallway.
Grace’s expression went stiff as a woman with features that pointed to a Japanese heritage that derived all the way from Old Earth walked up to them.
"What are you doing here, Mei?" Grace asked as the woman stopped in front of them.
The woman nodded a greeting at Kira. "Forrest."
"Lieutenant Himoto," Kira responded, using her rank as was appropriate in a situation like this.
Humor touched the lieutenant's eyes. No doubt she understood, as Kira did, the insult Grace had intended by using her first name.
In the military, it was custom to refer to another by their rank and last name unless you were particularly close or a superior officer addressing your subordinate in a private setting.
To call Himoto by her first name in front of an outsider was Grace's subtle way of putting the other in her place. Not flagrant enough to be called out on but enough for everyone, except Finn, to understand Grace's intentions.
"It's good to see you again," Lieutenant Himoto said, the corners of her eyes creasing in a faint smile that made Kira's breath shorten from how much she looked like her father in that moment.
It was the same expression he always got when he was pleased about something.
Seeing it on Lieutenant Himoto's face was like a punch in the gut, reminding Kira of the grief she still felt at her mentor's passing.
Lieutenant Himoto's hair hung in a straight sheet down her back, one side brought forward to lay over her chest. The other tucked behind her ear to present a neat appearance. She was dressed in a tailored leather trench jacket that hit her at mid-thigh. Its color somewhere between silver and a deep brown.
"As to my presence, it's because Admiral Skarsdale asked for it," Himoto explained coolly. "You can return to your duties. I'll take over the escort from here."
Affront showed on Grace's face.
"Oh, before I forget," the lieutenant said, pausing. "In future, I'd appreciate it if you refer to me by the rank I've earned. We're not close enough to be on a first name basis."
Grace looked like she'd been slapped, her embarrassment deepening as she shot a glance at Kira and Finn. With an angry huff, she turned and stalked away.
"I see you have your father's way with words," Kira observed, watching her go.
"I usually prefer a less aggressive approach, but that woman makes it impossible," Himoto explained, sounding tired for a moment.
