His status as Pallas's yer'se was just barely within the realm of possibility. Just barely. She could picture Pallas picking up an apprentice from some back alley somewhere and taking him for his own.
To apprise him of matters pertaining to the forty three? No. Nuh uh.
If true, it would make Pallas the biggest hypocrite alive. All the shit he'd given her. The threats if she ever told the Curs about them. Then for him to turn around and bring a stranger to their super-secret meeting.
She'd kill him. Maybe not in reality. But in her head. Over and over again. In increasingly creative ways.
"Enough to not understand why you’re here, trying to steal this ship, rather than with your adoptive family."
Kira relaxed, lounging in the captain's chair as if it was her own. "Let's just say, my relationship with the forty three is a little complicated. We have history."
A long, fucked up history similar to that which biological siblings might have shared.
"You're angry with them," Lathan guessed, moving closer.
"You could say that."
She was also disappointed and hurt.
For some reason, she kept hoping that the forty three would act like the siblings they named themselves as. And every time they did something like this, she was reminded of how vast the chasm between them really was.
Kira was aware she wasn't being entirely rational or fair. After all, she still hadn't apprised them of Jin's predicament or what it could mean for Kira.
Maybe it would have mattered. Maybe it wouldn't have.
Damn it, Elena alone should have been enough to compel them to action. She shouldn't have to drag Jin's name into this to get them to see reason.
"Pallas advises me not to allow emotion to blind myself to reality," Lathan said.
She gave him a sardonic smile. "Does he now?"
How very ironic.
"How did you two meet, anyway?" Kira asked, curious.
"Is that relevant?"
"Not really."
Whatever the story was, it didn't seem like Lathan wanted to share. Kira's gaze dropped to the lenacht curled around his neck. Its wings fluttered at her attention. "Aren't you supposed to be finding this little one a home?"
"Lenacht roam until they find a place suitable for their needs. That could take decades. A century or more in some cases."
"I see," Kira said, staring at the lenacht.
It wasn't lost on her that she felt significantly better. Its very presence doing the same thing her garden oasis had. Offering her respite and healing simply by existing.
No wonder the Tsavitee's masters had wanted to get their hands on one. They were a valuable panacea that the masters would wish to exploit for their own purposes.
There was a clatter from under one of the consoles.
Kira and Lathan looked over to find the J1N caught underneath, struggling to find its way out despite the opening right next to him.
"Are you sure he's okay?" Lathan asked.
"Internal glitches. Nothing to worry about."
Lathan didn't look like he believed that lie as Kira fished the J1N out from under the console, tossing him into the air.
The J1N dropped, almost hitting the ground before his anti gravs caught him.
"Ah, good. You've introduced yourselves to one another already," Pallas said, striding into the room. "That saves us time."
An incomprehensible series of squawks, bleats, and oddly the grinding of gears, issued from the J1N a second before a shrill alarm started.
"Enemy detected. Kill on sight authorized."
The J1N's primary weapons whined as they charged in preparation to fire.
Pallas gave the drone an incredulous look. "Is he seriously targeting me?"
Kira lunged out of her chair. "Don't you dare. J1N, abort. Abort now! Authorization not granted!"
The siren's wail almost drowned out Kira's words.
"Do not hurt him, Pallas," Kira shouted just as the J1N fired its primary laser.
Pallas thrust a hand forward, a sheet of black ki blocking the laser in midair. A bang shook the room.
Kira snatched the J1N out of the air, maintaining her grip on it despite its struggles as she backed away.
Fury tightened Pallas's features as he reached slowly for the sword on his back.
"I wouldn't," Graydon said, holding his en-blade to Pallas's neck. "It would be a shame if I had to kill you right after the agreement your siblings and I just made."
Pallas went still. "You wouldn't dare."
"Threaten Kira or the drone again and you'll find out."
"Without me or this ship, you'll be stuck on this planet. You won't be able to go anywhere."