The question was a challenge. As was Jace's unfriendly smile.
Graydon looked up at Kira. "That would be up to her. Given it's her mission and all."
Jace didn't like that response. Nor did the two captains. Hollis's expression remained neutral. An interested bystander for the moment.
"It's fine." Kira touched Graydon's shoulder in a request for him to tone down the antagonism. "Jace and I reached a tentative agreement."
Whether that would continue to be the case depended on what Odin had to share.
"As you wish," Graydon murmured.
Kira took a seat beside him, Finn taking up a stance behind her as Raider threw himself into a chair at the other end of the table.
Jace glanced at the man positioned beside the door. "Bring them in."
The man acknowledged the order with a nod, stepping to the door and opening it. Quiet murmurs came from outside.
They didn't have to wait long before Odin strode into the room. The lack of an earring pointed to the Sye being in his male aspect.
The humans barely had time to register Odin's presence before the person behind him claimed their attention. Chairs scraped against the floor as those across the table from Kira came to their feet.
There was an exclamation from both captains as they yanked their pulse pistols out of their holster to aim them at the general in front of them.
Hollis retreated from the table, giving herself room to maneuver as she did the same. The guard on duty beside the door plastered himself against the wall as he fumbled his weapon out of its holster before finally pointing it at Aeron's head.
"What is one of them doing here?" Shepperd demanded.
His companion, Captain Bechler, didn't speak, his expression strained as he remained focused on the enemy in front of him.
Joule moved in front of the general, a shield already activated in the event someone got a little trigger happy. Devon flanked him, his sword held at his side.
Aeron took in the room with a sneer. "I can't believe we lost the war to you idiots."
Talon sauntered around Aeron, taking in the weapons pointed in his direction like he thought they were cute. "It would be a very bad idea to fire those at any of us."
"Oh yeah?" Shepperd asked, his finger flexing on the trigger of his pistol. "And what do you call letting that monster on our base?"
Talon's smile widened. "Tactics."
Shepperd drew in a sharp breath, looking about three seconds from doing what Talon had warned him not to do.
The oshota at Wren and Graydon's side shifted. Finn's face was blank. The oshota showing little concern for his colleague.
"Lower your weapons," Jace ordered tiredly. "You can't shoot him."
Jace's unhappiness about that fact showed in his voice.
Hollis was the first to partially lower her weapon. "You knew about this?"
Jace glared at Kira. "You could say that."
Kira leaned back in her chair, stretching her legs out under the table as she returned his glare. If he didn't want his people to overreact, he should have warned them before letting a general loose among them.
"The prodigal daughter returns," Talon declared, spotting Kira. "Did you have fun without your oshota?"
Kira quirked an eyebrow. "Define fun."
"Kill anyone?"
"A few here and there."
Talon snickered as he moved further into the room. "Sounds like a good time to me."
Shepperd and Bechler finally lowered their weapons, but they remained standing where they were, keeping plenty of distance between them and Aeron.
Odin plonked a device the size of a fist on the table. "Can we get down to business now? There's a lot of ground to cover and we don't have a great amount of time."
Shepperd gestured at Odin with his gun. "Who is this?"
"I'm the All Father," Odin announced with grave importance.
Shepperd squinted at him before turning to Jace. "Who is this?"
Jace's face was unhappy as he stared at Odin. "That's not what is important."
"No, it's not," Odin agreed.
Shepperd gave the room a disbelieving look. "Somebody please explain to me what's going on?"
Bechler nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't mind that either. We're in the midst of preparing for deployment. What is so important that you called us away from our duties?"
Hollis moved closer to the table, still careful to give Aeron a wide berth. "He has a point, Admiral Skarsdale."
Aeron lifted a lip in disdain, dismissing the humans as he focused on Kira. "What took you so long?"