In a rare display of obedience, Pallas straightened from the wall, dropping his hands to his side as he looked over in Ryan's direction.
"We're not here to fight. Pallas, answer the question," Ryan instructed. "Why is he here? You were told to bring her alone."
Kira checked Alexander's expression for his reaction to the news that Pallas hadn't been acting on his own. Rather, he’d been following orders.
Alexander gave little indication of his thoughts. Other than a faint tightening at his jaw that might signal anger, or an attack of gas, his face was as stoic as ever.
Pallas dropped into his seat, crossing his ankle over his knee as he leaned back and spread his arms over the back of the stands. "What can I say? He followed me all on his own."
There was a stir as the forty three looked at each other in surprise. Their shock discernible even without Kira and Graydon being able to see their faces.
"You're lying," a man in the stands behind Ryan said.
Pallas twitched, his easy smile turning predatory. "I'm not actually. If you don't believe me, I'd be happy to defend my honor through combat."
There was a scoff from the other side of the arena. "As if that would prove anything. You never lose."
"You never know. There are a few among us who might make the outcome uncertain." Pallas swept a playful look over the crowd, his gaze lingering in several places as if to make it clear who he meant.
Ryan was one. Alexander too. As for the rest, their identities were difficult to ascertain due to the shadows they were using to hide. The few who sat where the moonlight could reach them all wore masks. They had even covered themselves with cloaks to make it impossible to guess at the composition of their bodies. Whether they were lean or muscular, stocky or thickset. About the only thing Kira could tell was if they were tall or short. And even that could be misleading.
"This isn't why we're here. Let her have her safety blanket if it makes her feel better," a woman declared impatiently.
She was one of those in a mask, sitting in a section of the stands that faded in and out of visibility as the moon's face was periodically covered by clouds. The mask's silhouette was that of an etair, a surprising homage to a Tuann animal similar to that of a horse.
"Agreed," someone else said.
For once, Kira found herself in agreement with her siblings. The endless posturing was a waste of her time. They'd be here for hours if this continued.
She shot a concerned glance at the J1N, mercifully silent until now.
The drone had kept close, hovering in a position not far away. A few feet over her and Graydon's heads.
Still, there were small signs that said something wasn't quite right.
His unnatural silence for one. The real Jin would never have been this accommodating. He would have already completed two circuits of the room, using his night vision to betray their identities on each round.
That was if he didn't use his anti gravs or built in weapons to fuck with them.
Kira supposed she should be relieved his 'eye' was at least pointed close enough to the right direction to seem plausible. Even if it was slightly off kilter.
The fact no one had questioned his oddities was a relief. If she could fool the forty three, people who had studied them and knew their habits, there was a chance she could do the same to her enemies.
It was the one silver lining in this messed up situation.
"Why did you bring me here? I thought we had an agreement to stay out of each other's way,” Kira said.
"Your current plans have left us concerned," Ryan answered.
Kira would have really liked to find that response surprising, but she didn't. Nothing out of any of their mouths shocked her anymore.
Kira gestured for him to get on with it. No doubt whatever he planned to say would piss her right the fuck off. "Alright, let's hear it. Might as well get this over with."
The sooner the better.
The resulting stilted silence was broken by a twitter from high in the stands.
"Going after the Tsavitee endangers us all," Ryan said.
