"You seem very certain."
Dhomhes raised his dark eyebrow. "Never been more certain. They won't let anything happen to them. I promise. I know the refinery works. My father is Protector of the New Kingdom. His entire place in the Coalition is to protect and speak for the refinery and their workers."
"And make sure the citricite continues to be produced," Stron said.
"I promise you, no one on the Coalition wants the profits to stop. So, the refineries are the safest place on Kantenan right now."
He had a point.
Khalzin wasn't crazy about the idea for the same reasons Dhomhes believed it was safe--the dangerous nature of citricite. It could easily be blown up and kill plenty of humanoids. Kantenan or otherwise.
But they had minimal options. The Coalition kept the planet closed from incoming or outgoing transports for the time being.
The three of them stepped aboard the ship and in the passenger area of the transport. His eyes went straight to Janae, who was sitting with Adryel in a seat near the rear. Another female was sitting with them, and she leaned over and whispered something to Adryel.
Kantenan guards were around the perimeter of the passenger area, and the Galactic Alliance passengers were seated. Most all the seats were filled, though there was a strong feeling of unease on the ship. Too many whispers about this change.
They attempted to keep this move as quiet as possible, telling the fewest people possible to make it happen.
Dhomhes and Stron headed forward to the front of the ship, and Khalzin stayed in the back.
He was looking over a datapad for a moment when Janae appeared in front of him.
"I figured it out," she said.
"Figured what out?" he asked.
"The picture. The hologram. The one that had me as the number one target."
He guided her away, out of hearing of anyone around. "What are you talking about?"
"I didn't say anything at first because I thought it was nothing. It just seemed odd, that image. I couldn't figure out what about it seemed wrong."
"I remember you turning it and flipping it." It had merely been a hologram of her. He didn't see anything unusual about it. Consumed by rage that someone would put a bounty on her head had taken over his focus. "What did you see?"
"Where it was taken," she said.
He blinked. "What do you mean?" He pulled it up from his files on the datapad. "What did you--Hell!"
He saw it as soon as she showed it to him. And he felt like a fool for not seeing it himself. It was right there, in front of him. She had on the same dress she wore the day they were at Terra North.
"It's your bedroom, Khalzin."
He nodded.
"The only time I was in your bedroom--"
"Was when you were caring for me after I was hurt."
He met her gaze.
"Your mother took that hologram," she said.
He nodded. "Come on."
He turned to walk off the transport.
"Where are we going?" Janae asked.
