"I'm recalling Raider and Blue," Jace announced.
"Is that so?" Kira asked, her stomach sinking.
"I'm afraid so."
Kira squeezed the ends of the towel still around her neck. "That's regrettable. I thought you'd want to maintain at least some semblance of contact with the Tuann given everything that's happened."
Jace's sigh was heavy. "That's exactly why I need them. The Tsavitee just attacked a major mining camp. We lost hundreds along with access to a primary source of material we need for our engines. There were also incursions near Epsilon and Rosetta. People are terrified and want something done."
"Guess they shouldn't have ended the alliance then."
Kira had little sympathy for idiots. Their Consortium was the one who landed them in this situation.
"It might not have mattered. I'm getting reports that Osiris was hit too. The Haldeel's royals are mustering forces as we speak."
Kira stilled. "The Tsavitee have never gone after Haldeel territory before."
It was one of the reasons a treaty with them had been so attractive to the Consortium. Being under their umbrella had meant protection. Understandable given that the Haldeel were technologically superior to every race Kira knew. The Tuann and Tsavitee included.
If that had changed and the Tsavitee no longer feared their retaliation, Kira didn’t know what that meant for the rest of the galaxy.
"You see now why people are so scared. I need my best at my back for when we deploy."
"I understand where you're coming from, but ultimately, two people won't make much of a difference to your success or failure," Kira tried.
Jace's lips quirked. "You did your job a little too well during the last war. The Curs have a reputation now. When people hear they're entering the battlefield, it gives them hope. Boosts morale. We could use all of that we can get."
No wonder Raider looked like someone had pissed in his bed. This was the death of everything he’d worked for. The career he'd built over a decade. All going up in flames before his eyes.
Raider couldn’t ignore this order. Not and get away with it. If he failed to comply, he’d be court martialed when Centcom got their hands on him. Desertion during a time of war sometimes carried a death penalty. Minimum, he'd spend time in a brig.
He was between a rock and a hard place.
"This is awkward," Kira drawled.
"How's that?"
"I'm on a mission for House Roake. It's not convenient for us to re-route at this point. We're weeks away from human territory, and I'm on a time crunch. Your needs will have to wait."
Jace's eyes narrowed, suspicion forming as he squinted at Kira. "That's interesting. I didn't realize your status in House Roake had advanced to the point you were being given missions."
“A lot has changed in the last few weeks. You understand, don't you?”
Jace's expression had gone blank as he tapped his desk in thought. “If I remember right, you never submitted your exit packet either. Technically, you're still under Centcom's command.”
“That trick won't work on me this time.”
She was now a fully-fledged member of House Roake. Protected by the full might of her House. Humans couldn’t touch her. Jace knew it too.
"Don't worry," Kira said with a smirk as she reached forward to end the transmission. "Next time I'm near a Consortium planet, I'll make sure to put these two on a transport. Until then, you'll have to make do with the Curs you still have."
The transmission shut down before he could respond.
Raider kicked the back of a seat. "This is bullshit."
"You can come in, Blue," Kira called.
Blue poked her head around the door frame. "Is it over?"
