"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.
Ziva's grin was impish as she darted around Kira.
"I think she just took advantage of me," Kira said, watching the girl race down the ramp and out of her ship.
"I'd say so," Talon drawled.
Devon and Joule had departed at some point during her conversation with Ziva.
Kira looked up at the Tuann. "You sure you want to do this? You can still opt out."
Talon pushed off the bulk head. "I'll take my chances."
"I hope you don't regret this," Kira told his back as he sauntered deeper into the ship.
Alone, she stared at the view outside. It was strange. She'd been planning her departure from this planet almost from the moment she'd arrived. This was what she'd worked for. Her entire reason for undertaking the adva ka. To leave.
Now that the time was at hand, though, she was loath to part.
Kira took it all in. The way the night lay heavy and somber. The dim outline of Roake's Fortress of the Vigilant. The sky as it spit the last sprinkles of rain.
Somewhere out there were the last remnants of her biological family. A family she would have once sworn she was better off without.
A figure with burgundy red hair standing on the space port directly opposite her ship caught Kira's attention as she touched the button to raise the landing ramp. His amber eyes never left hers as the ramp slid up, the opening narrowing to a tiny slice until it finally closed.
"Goodbye," Kira whispered with a tiny catch in her throat.
Five
A hiss announced the ship's pressurization. Kira dropped her hand from the control button and stepped back from the exit hatch as the Wanderer's engines fired up. The deck's vibration brought a familiar comfort that helped her shake off the sense of longing plaguing her.
Kira took the corridor in front of her, heading to the bridge. She found Blue seated in the captain's chair, her hands on the controls. Devon sat beside her, studying her movements with a fascination that said he was committing everything to memory.
Joule glanced over from his chair behind the other two.
Kira waved him off, taking in the subtle changes to her bridge since she'd been here last. Additional chairs had been added behind the captain and pilot's seat. As if Harlow suspected Kira's crew would grow to need them.
Beyond that, it didn't look like much had been changed. At least not outwardly. Except for the additional seating, the layout was identical. You'd never know that Roake's ship masters had touched the place.
Relief filled Kira's chest. The Wanderer had been her home for so long. With Jin gone, she needed the familiar more than ever.
"Blue, a minute?"
