Jace's gaze lifted to hers. "You realize if I say yes, I could be court martialed."
"Only if we fail."
And they weren't going to fail.
"Besides, who doesn't have a court martial or two on their record," Kira said dismissively.
Jace was the only one of them who'd avoided such a blemish. That was probably why he'd ended up as a rear admiral and they hadn't.
"You still have no plan," Jace told her.
"You know that won't stop me."
Jace's low laugh was disbelieving as he shook his head. "All you have is a location. You have no intelligence on the size of the army we'd be facing. You don't know what defenses their planet has. Nor the number of ships they have protecting it."
Kira tilted her head at Aeron. "Good thing I brought someone familiar with all those details."
Jace scoffed. "You want me to trust the word of an enemy? Are you out of your mind?"
"Sometimes," Kira admitted. But she didn't think this was one of those times. She leaned forward. "Wouldn't it be nice to fight this battle on someone else's home ground for a change?"
Her words got through to at least one of them as Shepperd nodded in agreement.
"You know you can't win a war built on defense. Centcom already tried once. The Tsavitee will gnaw away at your lines little by little and it'll be the civilians who pay the price."
Bechler looked at Jace. "We have our orders."
Impatience moved through Kira. "Orders you know come from corrupted officials working with the Tsavitee. That's who you're going to listen to?"
"She has a point," Hollis said.
At Kira and Jace’s look, the other woman shrugged. "I can read the writing on the wall just as well as you two. I know there are issues in our government and Centcom. This latest bullshit regarding the treaty is evidence of that." Hollis focused on Jace. "Ultimately, this decision is yours. You’re the one they'll go after if we fail."
Jace was quiet, his head bowed as he stared at the table. No one spoke as they waited for his decision.
Kira held her breath. Come on, Jace. You know this is the right play.
"Alright," Jace said, his gaze finding Kira's. "You win. We'll do this."
Raider slapped the table. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."
"We'll do this," Jace reiterated, ignoring Raider as he focused on Kira. "But I want a plan. A real one. Not one of those half-baked plans you're famous for."
Graydon's lips curved as he shot Kira a look. "So, I'm not the only one who has noticed that habit of yours."
Kira sent him a dirty look.
"I guess that means I'm up," Aeron drawled.
The humans flinched, seeing him reach for Odin's device. Aeron paused, a droll look on his face as he made a show of reaching for it again. Slower this time.
Bechler and Shepperd eyed him carefully but made no further movements.
Aeron tapped Odin's device. The star map shifted. A planet forming over the table.
"You're not going to be able to take this planet with the puny number of forces you currently have," Aeron started.
"How do you know our numbers?" Bechler asked sharply.
