Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles #1) - T.A. White Page 0,31
on her was unhappy, as if he laid the blame for everything at her feet.
The man beside her let out a small chuckle before saying in his heavily accented standard, "The mark responded. She is Tuann."
Graydon turned toward Himoto, a severe expression on his face. "Your people are in violation of our treaty. We will be taking her and returning to our home. Expect a formal declaration terminating our alliance."
"I said I'd listen, not go anywhere with them," Kira protested.
The man beside her grabbed her shoulders, restraining her as the rest of the Tuann prepared to leave.
Jin floated higher, a high buzz emitting from him, weapons arming as he prepared to act.
She made an aborted attempt to struggle before forcing herself to stop. Not yet. Not while Himoto could talk sense into these people. Attacking now would make the already tense situation worse.
"Wait, Jin," she said softly as Himoto whirled on Graydon.
"Lord Graydon, we need to talk about this," Himoto said, his face calm and his words meticulously polite, despite the alarm Graydon's threat would have caused.
Graydon gave Himoto no more attention than he would a fly, snapping out orders to his people.
"Lord Graydon, Kira is a citizen of the Consortium. You may not remove her from our airspace without permission," Himoto said loudly.
"And you don't have it," Kira added—in case that helped.
Graydon spared her a dark look. She smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment at his severe expression.
"However, as a member of our military, she can be ordered," Himoto said.
That wiped the smile from Kira's face as her gaze turned toward Himoto. "You wouldn't dare."
He sent her a warning glance, one that said he'd dare that and more. "We need this alliance, Kira."
"I'm retired. Your orders have no effect on me anymore."
He knew this. He was there when she told him she was done.
Himoto's eyes were dark pools as he turned to her, his feelings and thoughts carefully hidden. "Rear Admiral Skarsdale, if you please."
Jace stepped out from behind the shipping containers, several humans in the uniform of station security flanking him. He walked toward Kira after a long look at Himoto.
He handed her a thin tablet, the memo already pulled up.
Himoto explained as she read. "You never formalized your retirement. It gave us room to recall you to service. Your orders are included in that packet as well."
Kira felt a dull horror at his words. Jin drifted lower so he could read over her shoulder.
"Is he right?" she asked.
Jin had made a point of studying all the laws and regulations of the Consortium. It was easier to circumvent the system when you knew exactly what loopholes to employ.
"Yes."
The tablet dropped to her side as she glared at the ground. Damn it. What was the use of knowing every law and regulation out there if they got caught in the damn loopholes?
Jace's gaze was unsympathetic when she looked up, his face hard and closed. He probably thought she was getting her just desserts. She couldn't really blame him given the manner of their parting, but still, a wild feeling surged in her chest as the sense of being trapped closed in all around her.
It'd been a long time since she got that feeling. It used to be, anytime she stepped foot on a ship or space station she had to beat it back. Now, she was better, except she was struck by the urge to lash out until this nasty feeling in her chest was gone.
Seeing he had her right where he wanted her, Himoto said, "Kira won't be going anywhere without our say so."
The threat was clear. If Graydon continued to push to have the alliance dissolved, then Himoto would make it so his people never got their hands on her. She would feel more comforted by that if she didn't know Centcom would do anything to preserve the alliance.
Where the Haldeel were slightly condescending to the younger humans, they at least were helpful—there when they were most needed and willing to let humanity's best and brightest into their territories where they could study at places of learning and interact on a regular basis.
The Tuann, by contrast, seemed to want nothing to do with humans. They had only interfered under the most extreme circumstances during the war when the threat of casualties on their side were almost nonexistent or when the Tsavitee had strayed too closely to their borders. They didn't have time for humanity, and they made their disdain perfectly clear.