"I hear you faced similar challenges," Himoto said.
"Water under the bridge now."
If those people were already going after Lieutenant Himoto, they were probably also targeting Jace. Only his rank and the contacts he'd cultivated in Centcom's upper echelon would protect him somewhat.
He'd have to walk the straight and narrow for a time to avoid falling into any traps.
What that meant for Kira and her plans was the question.
Himoto's voice stopped Kira as she reached for the door of Jace's ready room. "My father told me you never believed the war was over."
Kira paused to look back at her. "Is that a question?"
"No question. Just a hope that the Phoenix's near future will be as glorious as her past."
Kira pulled open the door to the ready room. "I'm afraid your security clearance isn't high enough for me to offer a response to that statement."
"Exactly how I'd expect the woman my father raised to reply."
Without having to be asked, Finn moved to stand guard beside the door. His intention to remain outside clear.
Kira stared, barely believing her eyes. "What's gotten into you?"
His smirk was a little sinister. "I wasn't the only one who found your abrupt departure from the ship upsetting. Have fun in there."
"Get your ass over here, Nixxy," Raider called from inside the room. "We don't have all day."
"Ah, damn," Kira cursed, stepping inside the room and letting the door close behind her.
She knew what this really was now. An ambush.
Raider looked over from where he was slumped on the settee in the middle of the room. His arm was stretched over the back and one leg crossed over the other.
"You were supposed to meet me in Rothchild days ago," Kira informed him, going on the attack as she threw herself into one of the armchairs across from him.
The room was only half furnished. As if it had been thrown together as an afterthought. A flimsy-looking metal desk sat in one corner. A chair behind it. The walls lacked decorations. Not to mention paint.
Overall, it was one of the most bare-bones ready rooms she'd ever seen.
Jace stood in front of the only item in the room that could be called luxurious. A bar cart with several crystal decanters filled with various colored liquids.
Kira punched the cushion of her chair. "Where'd you get this chair?"
It was amazingly uncomfortable.
"Are you here to criticize my design choices?"
There was the clink of ice as Jace finished preparing a drink. He set the spoon he was using aside before snagging the three glasses of amber liquor.
Kira raised an eyebrow as he set the drink in front of her. "Alcohol? At a time like this?"
When an attack could come at any moment and from anywhere?
"Desperate times," Jace answered, taking the armchair across from her.
"What's going on?" Kira asked Raider as Jace took a large swig of his drink.
"Will you look at that, Nixxy poo?" the J1N crooned, drifting down from overhead. "We've finally driven our knight in shining armor to drink."
