Smart. A move worthy of Himoto's successor.
"You have the general to thank," Odin said, satisfied with their reactions. "If not for him, I'd still be scratching my head."
"How certain are we that this is accurate?" Hollis asked, reluctant to look away from the star map.
Odin gave her a cold look. "Very certain."
Raider focused on Jace. "This is what you requested, right? A location? Well, you have it. Now, what will you do?"
"Watch yourself, Chief Petty Officer," Hollis warned. "You're still a noncommissioned officer in this fleet. You will conduct yourself with respect."
Raider flicked a glance at her. "Maybe not for long."
Her eyebrows lowered. "What does that mean?"
Raider didn’t answer, focusing on Jace as he stared down at his hands in thought.
"Defying Centcom's orders will carry consequences," Bechler murmured.
"You're saying we should ignore this chance?" Sheppard asked scathingly.
"Not at all. I'm saying we need to consider all outcomes."
Kira ignored them as she looked at Jace. "Raider's right. You wanted something concrete." She nodded at the star map. "There you have it."
Whether he planned to do anything with that information was up to him. Kira wouldn't force him. Humanity was responsible for their own decisions.
Kira hoped they would seize this chance. If only because it seemed fitting that those who'd been with her at the start were there for the end.
Jace's gaze lifted to hers. "You realize if I say yes, I could be court martialed."
"Only if we fail."
And they weren't going to fail.
"Besides, who doesn't have a court martial or two on their record," Kira said dismissively.
Jace was the only one of them who'd avoided such a blemish. That was probably why he'd ended up as a rear admiral and they hadn't.
"You still have no plan," Jace told her.
"You know that won't stop me."
Jace's low laugh was disbelieving as he shook his head. "All you have is a location. You have no intelligence on the size of the army we'd be facing. You don't know what defenses their planet has. Nor the number of ships they have protecting it."
Kira tilted her head at Aeron. "Good thing I brought someone familiar with all those details."
Jace scoffed. "You want me to trust the word of an enemy? Are you out of your mind?"
"Sometimes," Kira admitted. But she didn't think this was one of those times. She leaned forward. "Wouldn't it be nice to fight this battle on someone else's home ground for a change?"
Her words got through to at least one of them as Shepperd nodded in agreement.
"You know you can't win a war built on defense. Centcom already tried once. The Tsavitee will gnaw away at your lines little by little and it'll be the civilians who pay the price."
Bechler looked at Jace. "We have our orders."
Impatience moved through Kira. "Orders you know come from corrupted officials working with the Tsavitee. That's who you're going to listen to?"
"She has a point," Hollis said.
At Kira and Jace’s look, the other woman shrugged. "I can read the writing on the wall just as well as you two. I know there are issues in our government and Centcom. This latest bullshit regarding the treaty is evidence of that." Hollis focused on Jace. "Ultimately, this decision is yours. You’re the one they'll go after if we fail."
Jace was quiet, his head bowed as he stared at the table. No one spoke as they waited for his decision.
Kira held her breath. Come on, Jace. You know this is the right play.
"Alright," Jace said, his gaze finding Kira's. "You win. We'll do this."
Raider slapped the table. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."
"We'll do this," Jace reiterated, ignoring Raider as he focused on Kira. "But I want a plan. A real one. Not one of those half-baked plans you're famous for."
Graydon's lips curved as he shot Kira a look. "So, I'm not the only one who has noticed that habit of yours."
Kira sent him a dirty look.
"I guess that means I'm up," Aeron drawled.
The humans flinched, seeing him reach for Odin's device. Aeron paused, a droll look on his face as he made a show of reaching for it again. Slower this time.
Bechler and Shepperd eyed him carefully but made no further movements.
Aeron tapped Odin's device. The star map shifted. A planet forming over the table.
"You're not going to be able to take this planet with the puny number of forces you currently have," Aeron started.