by T. A. White
Because Jin hadn't always been a machine, made of metal and spare parts. Once he'd been flesh and blood, just like her.
Kira readied herself, prepared to defend Jin and Elena if Harlow or Graydon decided they were monsters to be exterminated. It'd kill something inside of her to hurt either one of them, but she'd do it.
Blissfully unaware of the danger, Elena continued, "When the others fled, Auntie and Uncle Jin made their own escape. For years, each group suspected the other had perished that night, but they had no proof. Then the war with the Tsavitee came, and out of its ashes a woman known as the Phoenix rose to acclaim. Hearing the stories, the others sent someone to investigate.”
“Elise,” Raider said flatly.
Elena nodded happily. "Yes, Mother."
Kira's expression was carefully blank as Raider studied her.
"They feared this unknown woman would expose their existence—or worse, that she was a trap laid by their former captors," Elena continued. "Never in their wildest dreams did they think they'd find the two they'd abandoned."
Nor were they entirely happy when they did.
By then, Kira and Jin had made a name for themselves, drawing attention from the very sort of people the others wanted to avoid.
"Mother had orders to stage the Phoenix's death and bring her into the fold where it was safe. Only, the Phoenix refused to go, and not even Mother could force her."
Raider focused on his daughter as he compared Elena to the woman he'd once known
Physically, Elena was an almost exact replica of her mother. Enough so that Kira had been tempted to think she was a cleverly designed clone when they'd first met. Jin had been the one to assure her he'd found genetic material in her DNA that could only have come from Raider.
Her ears were as pointed as Elise's and Kira's had once been before they were docked. She had the same delicate features, complete with a pert nose, lips in the shape of a cupid's bow, and a pointed chin that only made her look more mischievous.
"Mother struck a deal with the rest. No matter how bad the war got or how much she needed help, the Phoenix would never reveal their existence by word or deed. She would face her enemies alone with no help from the rest."
What Elena left out—because she didn't know—was the fact that Elise had tried to kill Kira a time or two before they came to that happy compromise.
While Elise was the sister of Kira's heart now, she hadn't always been that way.
Not that Kira blamed her or the rest. At that time, she'd been an unknown entity, and their existence was precarious.
None of them had wanted to chance being someone's science experiment again.
Kira understood.
There was no way she could assure them that humans wouldn't resurrect the project again, their aim to create a super-soldier.
Alone, Kira had been deemed a freak, her abilities mostly kept under wraps and categorized as top secret, courtesy of Himoto. Only people like Raider and the Curs knew the full extent of what she could do. Everyone else had simply thought there was a new weapon or that the Curs were exceptionally lucky.
If the others came forward, the Consortium might have considered how they could replicate their abilities, and then the whole nightmare would have started again.
Knowing how painful this subject was for her, Elena slipped her hand into Kira's and squeezed. "Mother couldn't abandon the Phoenix so she joined her. For a time, the Phoenix and Sunshine were happy. Then Mother became pregnant. Sunshine knew a child of hers would draw the attention of those who sought nothing but death and destruction. To protect her child, she hid her—even from her lover and sister. In fact, she hid the child so well that it took the Phoenix and Tin Man years to find her again."
Raider was quiet as his gaze lifted to Kira's. "Did you know back then?"
"Raider," Kira started.
"Did you?"
"No," Jin said, answering for her. "It took a long time to put the pieces together. Kira was still in her coma when I finally tracked Elena down."
Raider's eyes held a glassy sheen as he dropped his gaze to his feet.
"I knew it was too dangerous for Elena to be in our vicinity, especially with Kira out of action. I placed her with a guardian I trusted," Jin said.
"Did you never think I had the right to know?" Raider asked through gritted teeth, clinging to control by only the slimmest of margins.
"I couldn't do that without risking Elena's safety."
Raider made a harsh sound rife with disbelief.
"Think about who you were then," Jin snapped. "You were damn near crazed. You both were. You'd just lost your surrogate family. Kira threw herself into the war. She damn near killed herself a dozen times. What did you do?"
Raider started to turn away.
Jin didn't let him, invading his space and hovering menacingly over Raider. "Because I remember the words you said after it all went down. How you wished it was Kira who died. I remember the messages I sent that you ignored."
"So that justifies keeping this from me?" Raider roared.
"Of course not," Jin snarled. "But it helps explain it. The war had just ended. You and any other Cur who survived were being shielded by the military, your whereabouts considered classified so our enemies didn't try to kill you. You were all targets."
Raider's eyes flared. "Do you really expect me to believe the great Jin couldn't have hacked that information?"
Jin scoffed. "Of course I could have, but not without arousing suspicions and possibly revealing Elena's existence."
Interest crossed Graydon's face. "Why would they have cared?"
Elena perked up, the tilt of her head coy. "Because I'm the first of my kind. Tuann, human—and other."
Kira tensed as silence descended.
Graydon and Harlow were still, motionless, as if they barely dared to breathe.
Kira watched them for signs of aggression.
Several long seconds passed as they considered each other.
Kira waited.
"That explains some things," Graydon said thoughtfully.
"Maybe to you," Raider spat. He glared at Kira. "Explain."
Elena opened her mouth, only for Kira to cover it before she could speak.
"I think you've done quite enough for now," Kira told her niece.
Elena glared unhappily over Kira's hand. Kira waited for a sign of grudging agreement before letting Elena go.
"It's simple, Raider," Kira bit out, emotion making her unwise. "Elise was in the same camp as me. A camp ultimately controlled by the Tsavitee. Genetic manipulation was one of their favorite experiments. Understand now, or do you need me to continue?"
The mood in the air went electric, the tension threatening to turn explosive.
Raider bared his teeth at Kira, looking an inch from going for her throat. In retrospect, sarcasm probably wasn't the best tactic to take.
He pointed at her and shook his head, aggression pouring off him. Even then, he didn't trust himself to speak, slamming off the bridge without another word.
Kira scrubbed one hand over her face, regret at her hasty words giving rise to the sick feeling in her stomach. "That could have gone better."
Jin snorted. "Really? I thought it went great. He didn't try to kill either of us. I count that as a win."
This was true. Raider wasn’t a turn-the-other-cheek kind of guy. He was notorious for seeking retribution for any and all insults.
And Kira had wronged him way worse than any before.
The situation could have easily ended with blood shed. It hadn't. His restraint had been admirable—and unexpected.
He’d retired from the battlefield with barely a shot fired.
Kira didn't know whether to be relieved or worried.
A hurt, lost sound distracted Kira from her thoughts. Her niece's lips quivered, cutting Kira to the quick.
She closed her eyes, wishing for a split second she could kick her own ass. Great job, genius. Look what you've done.
&nb
sp; Kira knelt by Elena's side, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry. You should know his reaction has nothing to do with you. It's entirely my fault."
Elena's nod was small, reminding Kira that her niece was still very much a child. Elena might act with a bravado and cockiness only present in the very young, but she had the same need to be loved as all children. The desire to be part of a family.
Kira's hand closed into a fist and knocked Elena softly on the head. "Cheer up, buttercup. He'll come around in the end."
Even if Kira had to spend a little time beating sense into that thick head of his.
TWO
ELENA FINALLY SMILED. “I suppose this means I should have listened. Maybe the big reunion would have gone better that way.”
“Reality rarely lives up to our expectations,” Jin said. “It’s not wrong to want what you don’t have. Kira’s right; he’ll come around eventually.”
Elena perked up. “Does this mean I have permission to disregard your orders next time?”
"No," Kira and Jin both said at the same time.
Elena sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she pouted. "Mean."
Elena’s upset didn’t last long. After only a moment, she sobered and looked at Harlow and Graydon. “I’m not only here to find Auntie. The others wanted me to pass a message to you.”
Kira felt a sense of dread as her niece conspicuously avoided her gaze.
“Elena,” Kira started.
Knowing Kira would try to stop her, Elena’s shoulders straightened as the words poured out of her. “The others wanted you to know they’re watching and waiting. What you do next and how you treat the youngest will determine the direction they take.”
Kira bit back some choice words that wanted to escape. She was going to kill whoever had sent her niece here with that kind of message.
Bad enough they had a habit of sticking their noses into Kira’s business, but now they were using her niece for the same purpose.
Seeing her growing anger, Harlow finally spoke. “I think we could all use some time to come to terms with this situation. Come. We'll discuss the rest at home.”
His reasons for getting them off the ship were obvious. He didn’t trust either of them remaining behind while he wasn't also on it.
Kira was afraid this was coming.
Elena had practically handed House Roake what they wanted most in this world—to recover the children lost in the Sorrowing. Nearly a century had passed, but for the Tuann it was barely a breath. No way was Harlow or Graydon going to let them walk away that easily.
Leaving her anger behind for the moment, Kira prodded Elena in the shoulder when her niece didn't move. "He means you too."
Elena straightened and blinked at Kira. “I can return to the ship, right? After we've had this 'conversation'.”
Jin guffawed. “That's not how the Tuann work.”
Especially not House Roake, who was overprotective in the extreme.
The only bright side of this was that Kira now knew Harlow didn’t care that Elena’s DNA had a little bit extra in it. Neither Harlow nor Graydon were the sort to pretend an acceptance they didn’t feel.
If they saw Elena as a threat, they would eliminate her here and now.
That wasn’t to say the rest of Roake or the Tuann in general wouldn’t have an opinion about that if they ever learned of it.
At least Harlow and House Roake had a chance of keeping her niece on lockdown rather than let her gallivant halfway across the galaxy on a whim.
Elena sent a furtive glance at Graydon and Harlow. "Didn't that person talk to you about Mom? We have a location. We can go there now."
"First—what is this 'we'? There is no 'we' in this plan. If by some miracle we've found your mom, you will not be anywhere in the vicinity when we go after her."
A mulish expression crossed Elena's face.
"Second—even if the intel is right, there is no guarantee your mom will be there when we finally arrive. This has always been a stab in the dark."
The chances of success were small. Minuscule. Despite that, Kira couldn’t make herself give up. The girl in front of her was a small piece of that.
"Finally, do you think either of those two will let us go anywhere?" Kira tilted her head at the two in question.
The Overlord of Roake stared at them, his expression reserved and uncompromising. They were getting off this ship even if he had to drag them.
By contrast, Graydon’s enigmatic gaze did nothing to conceal how entertaining he found this predicament of Kira’s.
Elena waved her hand at them. "Can't you do your thing and take care of them?"
"My thing?"
Exactly what did her niece think Kira could do against two highly trained Tuann warriors?
At her peak, Kira might have been able to take one of them. If she was lucky and they erred along the way. But both? Not unless she had many, many more years of training—or reverted to her primus form. Even then, Kira judged her chances of success as iffy.
She'd never seen Harlow fight, but she had seen Graydon—and Harlow was the one who trained him. He’d be every bit as good as the Emperor's Face, if not better.
Elena crooked her fingers in what Kira was pretty sure were claws and made a "rawr" sound before swishing her hands through the air like a bomb exploded.
"Yeah. Your thing."
"I learn so many interesting things with your niece around," Graydon observed as Jin broke down in hysterical giggles. "I'm not entirely sure what the second was, but the first was pretty clear."
Kira ignored the mountain-sized pain in her ass in favor of bending toward her niece and fixing her with a hard look.
Elena blinked innocently up at her. "What? I didn't say anything."
Kira flicked Elena in the forehead with a finger. “Charades and hand gestures count too.”
Harlow and Graydon weren't stupid. With enough hints they'd put things together.
Even if Kira wanted to go against the two, it wasn’t possible. The inhibitor she still wore suppressed a large portion of her powers—though not as much as when she’d first dawned it. Part of the reason she ended up in House Roake was to see if they could fix her.
Until now, her ki was killing her slowly. Harnessing it and building up her inner ki channels was a necessary component for her long-term survival.
Until the healers of Roake determined she was strong enough, the inhibitor wasn't going anywhere which meant there would be no flashy saves.
"Up." Kira's tone left no room for argument.
Grumbling softly to herself, Elena climbed from her seat. "How long am I supposed to stay on this rock?"
"Until I decide otherwise." Harlow headed for the exit ramp without giving Elena time to argue.
"Chances are it'll be a while, kid," Jin told Elena. "They don't even think Kira can take adequate care of herself."
Elena’s eyes widened in protest. "Auntie!"
"Don't look at me. I'm not the one who got caught."
Elena sulked.
"I'm beginning to see the resemblance," Graydon murmured in Kira's ear.
Kira ignored him, following behind as her niece dragged her feet on the way to the door.
"Will she be safe here?" Kira asked, unable to resist.
Graydon's expression thawed. "He will protect her as his own, and if by some chance he doesn't, I can make alternate arrangements."
Kira closed her eyes in relief. Graydon didn't make promises he couldn't keep. If he said her niece would be protected, Kira trusted he meant it.
"Thank you."
Their little group was somber and silent as they made their way to the belly of the ship and the landing ramp.
Elena slowed as they approached, finally coming to a stop at the top of the ramp. Her gaze dropped to her feet, appearing deep in thought.
Kira was the first to notice, stopping a foot past her niece. Graydon continued a few steps down the ramp before looking back with a questioni
ng expression. In the lead, Harlow had already reached the bottom of the ramp.
"Elena?"
Elena nodded to herself as if listening to some silent voice.
Oh no. Kira knew that particular combination of determination, stubbornness, and guilt. Usually, such an expression boded ill for Kira.
"Sorry, Auntie. I've decided I don't want to stay here. I've come up with a new plan. A better plan." Elena licked her lips, her gaze darting to Harlow and Graydon. She reached for the smart watch on her wrist, pressing the side.
"Wait!" Kira shouted.
Too late as the ship came alive around them.
"Intruders detected. Defensive actions will be taken. You have t-minus zero seconds before you're singing with the fishes," a recording of Jin's cheery voice came over the speakers.
“Fuck,” Kira cursed, grabbing a handhold and gripping it tightly.
The deck heaved violently as the ship's thrusters roared. The nose of the ship shot into the air. The deck bucked, much like a horse who suddenly found itself with an unwanted rider.
Only these riders didn't have a saddle.
The violent movement spilled Harlow to the ground where he landed in a crouch.
Graydon leapt toward Kira, concentration and determination twisting his expression. His fingertips missed her by mere inches. The ship bucked again, expelling him.
The landing ramp began to raise.
Jin squawked. "Don't you dare leave me here."
He powered toward the opening of the ship. The ramp slammed closed seconds before he reached it.
"Captain's override!" Kira shouted
"So sorry, but not sorry. That command isn't recognized."
Kira cursed.
"Kira! Open the ramp! I'm still outside," Jin shouted through their comms.
"I'd love to, but I'm currently locked out of the ship."
"I thought you reset the command codes."
"I did."
"Apparently not, or this wouldn’t be happening!”
Kira gritted her teeth as she reached for a second handhold, muscling her way further along the wall. "I suggest you figure out a way inside so you can fix it then."
