"There was never any doubt of that."
As if Graydon would let anything stand between him and his coli.
"We'll meet you on Rothchild," Graydon told the others, stepping through.
Wren’s voice followed him into the darkness. "Good luck. May the Mea'Ave protect you."
Nine
Kira - Somewhere else
The rift spat Kira out in the same manner in which she entered. Tumbling backwards, ass over tea kettle like the newbiest of novices. As if she hadn't spent nearly every day of the past 92 years training to be the biggest threat in the room.
Her back hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of her. Dots of black ate at her vision. Her stomach heaved.
Don't throw up. Don't you dare throw up.
That would be the cherry on top of this sundae of spectacular failure.
Pallas sauntered out of the rift while she was still trying to get her bearings. "I was expecting more from that ship of yours. It's a tiny bit run down. Somewhat lacking as a flagship of House Roake's heir. What's the matter, Nixxy? Your house experiencing financial difficulties?"
"Pallas," Kira snarled.
The world heaved as she flipped onto her stomach. Kira was forced to stop and breathe lightly through her nose as the motion set the world to spinning.
Fuck spatial dislocation and her idiot brother. Tuann teleportation devices didn’t cause this kind of reaction.
No. This awfulness was limited entirely to the use of Pallas's messed up little ability.
"Is it because they don't support your suicide mission? Is that why they half assed your ship's retrofit?"
Kira tuned Pallas out, his babble a low drone as she pushed herself upright. Devastation settled slowly over her at finding herself no longer on the Wanderer. Or any ship for that matter.
Stone walls had replaced metal ones. The floor she knelt on was made from the same material. The chamber was massive. Not something you'd find on a ship in space.
Its architecture wasn't of human design. Not Tuann either.
This place felt old. And abandoned. Dust had accumulated on the floor and stairs, disturbed by Kira and Pallas's arrival.
Three steps as wide as the room's length led up to a landing. Beyond it was a giant door that seemed almost narrow given the breadth of the rest of the space.
"What the fuck did you do?" Kira's question was spoken in a low tone. Her manner outwardly calm.
Pallas pointed at his chest in fake surprise. "Me?"
Kira stared.
His hand dropped. "I thought you'd be more grateful."
"Grateful?" The word was almost a hiss. "You kidnapped me!"
He'd taken her from her ship. She was alone. Against the greatest trial she'd ever faced. On a planet whose location she didn't know the first thing about.
"You ruined everything! I had a team. A plan. And now it's gone."
He didn't even look sorry.
A deranged smile played on his face as he watched her meltdown. As if he found all this vastly amusing.
