"You know I really hate it when you become the more reasonable of the two of us," Kira told him.
Raider's chuckle followed her as she strode over to Joule.
Kira regarded him carefully. "I thought you were on a mission. What happened to re-establishing your House?"
Most members of Joule’s House had perished in the attack that had broken its foundation and claimed the lives of its Overlord and many of its high ranking personnel. Joule, Ziva and a few others were all that remained.
As long as she'd known him, his sole goal was to resurrect his fallen House.
Now that he had passed his adva ka, he actually had a chance to do that. But not if he let himself get dragged into other people's battles.
"The Tsavitee are a threat to us all," Joule said with a stubborn lift of his chin. "Dealing with them takes precedence." His manner eased as a cocky smile graced his face. "Besides, I need to gain a reputation if I want to rebuild. Fighting the hostile race that assisted in attacking the adva ka would buy me credibility that would otherwise take decades to accumulate."
"How long did it take you to come up with that excuse?" Kira asked.
"I had a lot of time to think while we were waiting to see if the Mea'Ave would reopen the adva ka or not," Joule returned.
Kira’s gaze shifted to Devon. "And you—you're the only son your father has left. Are you really fine with possibly making him lose you too?"
Devon's expression was harder to read than Joule's, but Kira caught the glint of obstinance. "I won't abandon my brother."
Well, fuck. How was she supposed to argue with that?
"Fine, you can come," Kira said, giving in against her better judgment.
"Yes." Joule pumped his fist as relief showed in Devon's expression before he buried it.
Ziva broke toward the crew quarters. Kira caught her. "Whoa. Not you. You're staying here."
Raider, seeing she had her hands full and not wanting to stick around for when things got emotional, sent her a nod. "I'll leave you to take care of the rest."
"Coward," she called at his back as he disappeared into the corridor. "And you'd better not interrogate him until I'm present."
Aeron was her prisoner. She hadn't broken him out of prison just for Raider to steal the best part.
Ziva threw Kira's hand off her shoulder. "I can tell on you. Same as them."
Kira regarded her patiently. "No matter what threats you make, you're not coming."
Ziva's lip trembled. "She said we were sisters. Sisters don't abandon each other."
"Truer words have never been spoken," Kira said, her voice softening.
She wasn't so different from Ziva. While Kira would never have uttered such sappy words, she'd spent her life embodying the principle. Family didn't abandon family. All of the risks she'd taken to find Elise proved that.
The difference was that Kira was an adult. Not a child with her whole life ahead of her.
Kira squatted in front of Ziva. "Listen to me this once."
The girl avoided Kira's gaze. Stubborn to the very end.
Kira took her hand, waiting until Ziva looked at her. She supposed if she wanted the girl to listen, she'd have to offer up something of value. "If you stay, I promise to become your seon'yer in truth when I return."
Ziva's tears evaporated. "Deal."
Kira blinked. "That was quick."
She'd expected an argument. Maybe even a tantrum.
