“The briefing she gave Liara.She indicated that I might need to go incognito at some point and to bring garments that would aide in that endeavor.”Caution finally caught up to Roderick as he noticed the increasingly dour expressions on the faces of those around him.“I thought everyone knew.”
The muscles in Finn’s jaw worked as he gazed at Kira.“No—somehow she forgot to mention that.”
“I didn’t warn you?”Kira asked.
“No.You didn’t.”
“Must have slipped my mind.”
Finn’s jaw ticked as he leveled a narrow eyed stare on her.
Kira gave him a sickly smile, trying not to feel guilty.If he was this upset about Roderick getting a free pass, he really wasn’t going to like what was in Kira’s bag.Her own jacket, brought all the way from Ta Sa’Riel for this exact purpose.
Bez frowned and plucked at the fabric of the jumpsuit he’d managed to get into place over the rest of his clothes.“It doesn’t fit.It’s bunching in weird places.”
“That’s because you’re not supposed to wear it with other clothes,” Kira said, the effort required not to laugh at what had to be the universe’s largest wedgy was immense.
“I will not let this offal touch my skin,” Bez declared with an offended dignity that nearly broke Kira’s composure.
“It’s not that bad.”
“It smells.”
Yes, it did.
“You’re welcome to stay here,” Kira offered.
“That’s not an option,” Bez protested.
“Then I guess you know what you have to do.”While she was on the subject, Kira swept a glance over the rest.“I want to be clear before we set foot off this ship.No one knows we’re here and it needs to stay that way.”
They were too close to the section of space that Graydon was supposed to be investigating.Word couldn’t get back to Torvald that they’d strayed into matters they’d been explicitly ordered away from.
“This is a human run station.Speak human standard when on it.Nothing else.”
Bez raised his hand.“What if we don’t speak human standard?”
“Then you don’t speak.”
It was as easy as that.
“Bez and Az, you can see about getting Pye medical attention.Roderick can go with you if you need an interpreter.”
He had basic knowledge of the language.
“Arly and Maksym, I want you with your ears to the ground.There are some strange things happening on this station.I want to know what they are.”
Their lack of contacts remaining on Titan disturbed her.To the common lay person, the power struggle currently taking place wouldn’t be immediately apparent.But there were small signs for those familiar with the former dynamics.Something was going on.
“What about you?What will you be doing?”Bez asked.
The entire ship jolted.
Kira lost her balance, Finn catching her before she could be sent face first into the closest bulkhead.Bez toppled sideways, hitting the wall hard.
Maksym barely stumbled, shrugging into his oversized sweatshirt like this happened all the time.
Roderick caught Az, steadying her before letting go of her arm.
