There were easier and better ways that didn’t involve sacrificing two of his best soldiers.
Jin hit a button, expanding one of the dozen mini feeds on his scroll before flicking it over to play on the wall.“There.”
The government level came into focus.Specifically, the garden bordering the spine and the warren of elevated walkways created from the massive tree’s branches.
“Beautiful,” Graydon commented.
“It is,” Kira agreed, her gaze locked on the trio waiting somewhere in the midst of the canopy, smaller branches partially obscuring the camera’s view.
Jin squinted.“Where’s Pallas?I don’t see him.Do you?”
Tinsley and Rhett were easy to pick out.As was Alexander’s tall, muscular form off to the side.
Pallas, however, was nowhere to be seen.
“He exited our company a few days ago,” Graydon explained.“My understanding was that he’d link back up with us on Titan, but that appears not to be the case.”
“That’s not like him,” Kira said with a frown.
Once Pallas got his teeth into something, he didn’t let it go.
“I agree.”
Something in Graydon’s voice had Kira shooting him a quick glance.“What aren’t you saying?”
Graydon’s hesitation was slight.“Something Kashori’s heir showed him seemed to have had a great effect on him.”
Kira could guess what that something was.
Poor Pallas.
Of all the forty-three to pose that question to.It had to be him.
Kira’s sigh was long and heartfelt.“I was hoping for a happy ending.”
“I’m sure House Kashori was too.”
“Are they going to be a problem?”
Kira wasn’t sure how much Pallas had exposed, but judging from Graydon’s neutral expression it was quite a lot.This was the reason the forty-three had kept their distance for so long.None of their hands were clean.Not even Kira or Jin’s.They were victims, yes, but also perpetrators.It was something none of them could forget.
House Kashori might not understand that.In their grief, they might seek retribution on the very person they perceived as the one to blame.
Pallas.
Even if he’d just been defending himself.
“That depends on who else survived.”
Kira doubted it would be that simple for everyone.Tinsley’s sister would have had parents.Grandparents.Maybe an uncle like Harlow.The survival of other children might not be enough to soothe the pain and grief of their own loss.
“What are they doing?”Jin asked, staring at the feed of Alexander and the other two.
“It looks like they’re waiting for someone.”Kira glanced at Graydon.“Are the forty-three why you’re on Titan?”
“Not entirely.”
“Here.Let me,” Jin said as Graydon tapped at the forearm of his synth armor.“I’ll put it up on the screen so we can all see.”
