Blue looked at Kira in startlement. "Now?"
"Now."
"But—" Blue gestured at the ship's controls in wordless explanation.
"Devon can handle it," Kira instructed.
Devon's face showed surprise for a brief second before he nodded with the most enthusiasm he'd shown since Jin's disappearance.
Kira moved away before Blue could complain. A vexed sigh came from inside the room before Kira heard Blue give Devon a rundown of the most essential things that needed to be done in the next few moments.
Kira waited patiently for Blue to join her. It didn't take long.
"You do realize Consortium made ships aren't like Tuann ships," Blue said conversationally as she stomped over to Kira. "Just because you know how to fly one doesn't mean you're an expert in the other."
"Maybe for most people."
Not for Devon. The boy's familiarity with the waveboard, a decidedly human invention, during the Quorum was atypical for the Tuann, who saw their technology as superior to the Consortium's. Judging by the amount of attention he'd been paying to Blue's pre-flight inspection, Kira was willing to bet that interest extended to other Consortium aircraft as well.
"Besides, I have a task that I think you'll enjoy," Kira said.
Interest replaced Blue's annoyance. "Do tell."
Same old Blue.
Kira held up the J1N between them. Blue snatched the drone out of Kira's hands, cradling the J1N to her like he was an injured baby bird.
"What did you do to him?" Blue demanded.
"That's not Jin," Kira said in resignation. Raider had been right in that they wouldn't be able to keep the truth from Blue for long.
"Why would you say that?" Blue shifted the J1N slightly behind her as if in doing so she could protect the drone from emotional hurt.
"That's his body but that's not Jin."
Blue's stare held confusion.
Kira sighed as she debated her choices. Few people knew the truth behind Jin's circumstances. That his soul had been attached to the drone when he was a boy. Blue's familiarity with the limits of human science and how far they'd advanced artificial intelligence meant she had to realize that there was more to him than either he or Kira had ever shared. But she’d never asked about it. Content to ignore all the little signs of a mystery she should have been itching to unravel.
"What does that mean?" Blue asked, her expression turning ugly.
For the first time, she looked like she might attack Kira.
"Like I said, that is Jin's container, but the thing that makes Jin, Jin isn't there anymore."
Some of Blue's anger drained away as she looked down at the J1N. "Where is he then?"
"With Elena."
Blue was an intelligent woman. Kira didn't need to say more than that for her to pick up on the obvious.
"He downloaded his consciousness into one of those spawn he made," Blue guessed.
"More or less."
If by consciousness she meant soul.
"And you want me to get his original body working so your enemies don't realize he's missing."
