The Tuann—not to mention Kira—weren't going to be happy when they learned about that. Except for a few carefully selected planets that they'd allowed humans to find out about, they were careful to keep any further information—including the number of planets under their control and their location—out of human hands.
Raider cast a look at the Tuann around him, noting the stony expressions on Wren and Finn's faces.
He was certain neither had expected Roake's technicians to miss that when they were retrofitting Kira's ship. He had to hand it to his fellow humans. They could be cunning when they needed to be.
Talon's expression remained easy and laid back. The topic seeming to be of little concern to him.
"Where is Kira by the way?" Jace asked, scanning the air behind Raider in confusion.
He knew as well as Raider did that it would take a life altering event for her to allow someone besides herself to take command of her bridge during a crisis like this.
"There was a small hiccup. We got separated."
Raider didn't go into details, not wanting to share exactly how that had happened. It seemed his time among the Tuann had changed him. He now knew that there were some things best kept to himself.
Raider blamed Kira. That woman had a way of corrupting people.
"Sounds like you've had quite the journey," Jace said, not seeming too surprised about Kira having wandered off.
Then again, there was precedent.
"I look forward to hearing the details." Jace gestured to someone off screen. "There's room in my ship's docking bay. We can talk more once you're on board."
Raider's hesitation showed on his face. "About that—"
"Don't test me," Jace warned. "I don't care what you and Kira were up to. It's time to come back into the fold."
Raider kept his expression under rigid control, allowing none of the frustration eating at him to slip through.
Jace's expression held a warning as he reached forward. "I expect to see you soon."
The communication cut off before Raider acknowledged the order.
"Fuck!" Raider punched a wall, the momentary pain as the skin on his knuckles split clearing his head a little.
He ran a hand over the back of his head. "I was hoping that would go a little better."
He'd banked on Jace's history with Kira. One that predated even Raider's own. They'd come up the ranks side-by-side. If not for Jace's ambition, he might have had a chance with Kira. Instead, he'd chosen power, unwilling to play second fiddle to someone else.
That had always been the difference between him and Raider. Raider had never cared what position he filled as long as he could be with the woman he loved and respected. Second-in-command. Last. It didn't matter to him.
He'd have laid himself beneath his woman's feet if that's what it took.
"Will he be open to negotiation?" Wren asked.
"Unlikely."
"We could always tell him the truth," Blue volunteered.
"Not an option," Raider said at the same time as both Wren and Finn gave an emphatic, "No."
"This is Jace we're talking about. Not some faceless commander. He'll understand if we tell him about Elena and what she is to you," Blue argued.
Raider leveled a serious look on her. "It's nonnegotiable."
And not just because of paranoia either.
There was no certainty that him knowing about Elena would make a difference. Considering his mentor was Himoto, a man who had always chosen the greater good over the self-interests of even his closest confidants, there was a real chance Jace wouldn't care about what they had to share.
