“Thought it was the kind of thing that would be easier to swallow in person.”
Jace’s forehead creased as he looked between them.“What exactly is it you’re asking of me?”
Kira glanced at Jin.
He already had the images cued up and ready to go on his scroll.
Sliding it across the table, Jin pointed to the one of the tattoo.“Any and all information you have about the group using this symbol.They’re a clan called Belladonna.”
Graydon sat up abruptly.
Kira glanced at him to find him laser focused on the tattoo.
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he recognized it, but she held back.
From the way Graydon’s face shut down, it was clear he didn’t want to talk about it in front of Jace.
“That’s it?”Jace asked sarcastically.“No requests to borrow my fleet or co-opt my personnel for a search of the station?”
“If you’re offering,” Kira drawled, trailing off pointedly.
He might jest but Kira wasn’t going to rule it out.She’d do any and everything to save those children.And Caius.
Jace scrubbed a hand over his face, laughing humorlessly to himself.“Sure.Why not?How about a kidney or a lung while you’re at it.”
“Keep your organs.Tuann medicine is more effective,” Kira tossed back.
Jace leaned against the table.“I’m starting to dread these little visits of yours, Nixxy.Trouble always follows you.”
“Sorry.”
There was nothing else she could say.She hated that she was once again asking him to stick his neck out for her.If word got back to Centcom that he was aiding them, she wouldn’t be the one paying the price.It would be him.
“Don’t be,” Jace said on a sigh.“There’s not much more they can do to me at this point anyway.”
If Himoto was alive, Jace wouldn’t have been in this position.But hanging onto the what if’s and should have been’s wasn’t constructive.
You played the hand you were dealt.
Always.
“I’ll get you what I can.It won’t be much,” Jace warned.“Since my reassignment, I’ve been brushing up on the various clans.I don’t recognize this symbol or the name Belladonna.That means they don’t have much of a presence here on Titan.”
“Anything you have will be helpful,” Kira said.
Jace would have been focused on the larger clans, the ones who threatened Centcom and the Consortium’s bottom line.Those clans who were merely a nuisance went largely ignored.
Jace took two palm sized boxes out of his pocket and slid one across the table to Raider.The other, he handed to Kira.“Before I forget—I took the liberty of fast tracking your exit packets.Congratulations—you’re both retired.The Force thanks you for your years of service.”
Raider flicked open the box’s top, exposing the ribbon and medal inside.
“Duty, Service, Sacrifice,” Raider read before snapping the box closed.“Thanks for this.”
“Much as it pains me to admit, I can see that your future lies elsewhere these days.Given the current political climate, that’s probably for the best.”Jace’s smile was wry.“We both know your low tolerance for bullshit would have seen you court martialed when you inevitably disobeyed orders.”
Kira set her box aside.“I’m surprised you managed to push this through.Centcom couldn’t have been pleased.”
They would have looked for any reason to obstruct Jace’s wishes.Raider’s career and future would have been simple collateral damage to them.
