"We'll do this," Jace reiterated, ignoring Raider as he focused on Kira. "But I want a plan. A real one. Not one of those half-baked plans you're famous for."
Graydon's lips curved as he shot Kira a look. "So, I'm not the only one who has noticed that habit of yours."
Kira sent him a dirty look.
"I guess that means I'm up," Aeron drawled.
The humans flinched, seeing him reach for Odin's device. Aeron paused, a droll look on his face as he made a show of reaching for it again. Slower this time.
Bechler and Shepperd eyed him carefully but made no further movements.
Aeron tapped Odin's device. The star map shifted. A planet forming over the table.
"You're not going to be able to take this planet with the puny number of forces you currently have," Aeron started.
"How do you know our numbers?" Bechler asked sharply.
"Please." Aeron sneered. "We've been studying you for years. Our spies have infiltrated every walk of life. We’re in your government. Your military. Your civilian population. We know everything we need to know."
"I doubt that," Jace said.
Aeron blew out an impatient breath as he rolled his eyes. "Yes, we know about the ships you received from Luatha. And your attempts to reverse engineer them. We also know you've had limited success with the help of Kira's cousin and her people." Aeron pinned Jace with a look. "Like I said—we've been watching you."
The humans went silent, their expressions fierce as they stared at the general.
Aeron ignored their antagonism, continuing with his presentation. "The home world is heavily defended. In addition to a large ground force, there is a fleet patrolling the neighboring sectors. Trust me when I say, if you were to encounter it, your ships would be shredded before you get anywhere close."
Shepperd tapped the table thoughtfully. "A distraction might work. If we can draw their forces far enough away, it might give us enough time to get in and do some damage before getting out again."
"Did you not hear what I said?" Aeron asked.
Shepperd waved him away. "Yeah. Yeah. They'll make mincemeat of our ships. Don't worry. I don't think it'll be as easy as you assume. Us humans still have a few tricks up our sleeves."
Kira was beginning to like this brash captain of Jace's. She could see why the other man had made it into her friend's inner circle.
"Even if you’re able to distract the fleet long enough to attack the planet, you'll find the surface guarded by a network of automated defenses. If by some miracle you make it through them, you'll be up against the ground to atmosphere energy cannons which will target any unauthorized ship attempting to land." Aeron's face was grim as he looked at Kira. "This is a suicide mission. Even for someone as powerful as the Phoenix."
Maybe so, but Kira wasn't willing to give up. There was always something. Some little detail or overlooked chink that she could leverage.
She absolutely refused to walk away. Not when they were so close.
"We do it like we did on Paxus," Kira said.
Graydon and the rest of the Tuann showed confusion as the humans turned stiff.
"What happened on Paxus?" Graydon asked when no one spoke for long moments.
Raider shifted uncomfortably as he darted a glance at Kira. "We nearly died."
"But we didn't," Kira responded.
And that was all that mattered.
"Would it work?" Jace asked.
Raider considered before nodding reluctantly. "The Curs might be able to do it."
"We do what Shepperd suggested," Kira said urgently. "We create a distraction to move the bulk of their fleet away from the planet. Then the rest of us go in for a targeted attack."
