Trials of Conviction, page 32
The snow had evaporated, leaving charred ground behind.
There was no longer any sign of the Tsavitee snipers.
"That's one way to handle it," Kira said as Graydon hopped down.
"We should do this again," he said, taking in the devastation with a pleased expression.
Kira shook her head as Brie climbed to her feet. "I'm so glad to see this is fun for you."
Graydon nodded. "It is."
Brie gaped at the destruction. "What did you do?"
"Tuann weapon," Graydon lied without changing expression. "Don't worry. I made sure no humans were in the vicinity first."
Brie's nod was distracted, her gaze still on the swath of forest that had been laid to waste.
"How much further?" Kira asked.
That seemed to snap Brie out of her daze. "A few miles."
Graydon sauntered past them. "We should get moving then."
They had only gone about a mile before the sound of battle up ahead had them slowing.
Kira joined Brie as the other listened carefully. "Is that where the ship is?"
Brie looked troubled as she shook her head. "We're still a couple miles out. There aren't any settlements in that direction either. Not for over a hundred miles. That's why Diesel chose it as a landing site for the smuggler’s ship."
Kira considered for a moment. If that was the case, then there was only one explanation for a battle to take place where there should be no people.
"Odin," Kira guessed.
Brie's expression said she agreed.
Kira and Graydon shared a look.
"We can't leave Odin behind," Kira told him.
He inclined his chin. "I guess that means we need to do our best to rescue them."
"And hope we don't die in the process," Kira muttered.
From the sound of things, Odin and their escorts were taking heavy fire. It was going to be difficult to save them and make it the rest of the way to the ship without encountering any casualties.
But abandoning Odin wasn't an option.
For one thing, they still had the J1N. No way was Kira leaving without her friend's body. The Sye was also still Kira's best chance to locate the Tsavitee home world.
Either way, Kira had to save the All Father.
"I don't suppose you'd let me handle this on my own," Graydon said, seeing the look on her face.
"Not a chance."
He smirked and walked toward the sound of battle. "Very well, then."
Brie's face showed nerves as she glanced uncertainly at Kira. "Is this a good idea?"
"Probably not," Kira admitted, starting after Graydon. "But we're going to do it anyway."
Still uncertain, Brie shouldered her combat pulse rifle before following.
A short time later, Kira and Graydon slipped through the trees like ghosts. Graydon a short distance in front of her and to the right. A dark shadow that seemed at home with the rest of those present in the forest.
Kira focused on the sounds of battle up ahead. They weren’t far now.
They'd left Brie a short distance behind them. In a sniper's perch where the human could provide cover if things went south.
Sensing something up ahead, Graydon signaled Kira.
She nodded. She’d heard it too. They were getting close.
As planned, they separated. Graydon circled to the right; Kira to the left.
She didn't have to go far before she spotted a reaper. As dumb as they were big, reapers were typically used as shock troops. The first choice when the Tsavitee had a difficult target they wanted to obtain and expected heavy casualties.
Humans liked to refer to them as demons, due to how closely they resembled illustrations in old religious texts.
This reaper stomped the ground, pawing at it like an angry bull.
Kira followed its line of sight, noting the flash of muzzle fire from a mound of dirt a hundred yards away as a human laid down suppressive fire. There was movement next to the human as someone popped up to lob a pulse grenade at the clump of Tsavitee who were trying to get close.
Odin's escorts, Kira was guessing.
If they were there, Odin was too. Probably crouched out of sight while they tried to hold out.
Having ascertained the situation, Kira snapped the akieri into its sword form. Then she waited for the signal she and Graydon had agreed on.
She didn't wait long. A wail of pain came from the forest to her right. It was followed by a loud crack and then the sound of trees falling.
Kira slipped from her hiding spot, staying low as she crept closer.
Those firing on Odin and the rest paused, turning to see what happened.
The reaper was no different.
Taking advantage of Graydon's distraction, Kira sliced the tendons in the reaper's ankles. He fell forward, crying out in pain. Before he could figure out what had happened, Kira was there. Her sword cutting across his throat, leaving him to choke on his own blood.
"Hello, there," Kira crooned with a smile when the Tsavitee glanced at her.
She was moving before they could recover, slaughtering them before they could bring their weapons to bear.
A shot sounded, a second before the last Tsavitee could be dealt with.
It dropped to the ground, dead.
Kira nudged it. That was a pretty decent shot. Unnecessary but appreciated nonetheless.
She waved in Brie's direction as a thank you, knowing the other woman probably still had her scope trained on her.
Graydon glided out of the trees, sending her a nod. "That's all of them."
A shot impacted the tree next to Graydon. He stopped, glancing from the hole to Odin's companions.
"I suggest they don't do that again," Graydon warned.
Hearing the unspoken threat in his voice, Kira hurried to stop the humans from doing anything stupid. "Hey, Odin. It's me. I saw you were in a spot of trouble and figured you could use the assist."
"Kira?”
There was a commotion on Odin's side.
"Wait," a human snapped. "Don't go out there. It could be a trap."
"The moment the Tsavitee are able to reliably impersonate the Phoenix is the day you can kiss the future of your race goodbye," Odin said, slapping the person's hand away.
Sensing the danger had passed, Kira stepped out of the cover of the trees.
"About time you showed up," Odin growled.
Before either of the humans could stop him, the Sye strode toward Kira. To her relief, he was carrying the J1N.
"You brought him."
"Of course, I did," Odin said, seeming offended.
"Does he work?"
Odin lifted his hand and let go of the J1N. "You tell me."
The J1N remained floating, its 'eye' pointed at Kira.
"Where have you been, Nixxy?" the drone asked. "We've been looking all over for you."
Kira released the breath she'd been unconsciously holding and nodded. "Good."
That would do.
Odin looked back as the humans crawled out from behind their natural barricade, the earring at her ear glinting. The humans, a man and a woman, both dressed in clothes meant to blend with the snow, made their way cautiously toward them.
"Where'd you two come from?" the woman asked, her face suspicious.
Kira wasn't sure she appreciated the other's hostile tone.
"It doesn't matter where she came from," Odin said impatiently. "Show a little appreciation. She just saved your ass."
The woman rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else.
Odin gave Kira a look as if to say "see what I have to deal with."
The two humans weren't so bad. A little trigger happy. A touch aggressive. But all within the realm of acceptability.
They were on edge and afraid. Young enough that this was likely their first dust up with the Tsavitee. No amount of training could truly prepare you for the first time your life was on the line.
A surplus of adrenaline was probably swimming through their systems, making them more reactionary than they would have been otherwise.
Still, they were obviously skilled. They'd managed to hold out against at least fifteen Tsavitee and still protect their primary target.
Not bad.
A rustle came from the trees. The humans acted like scalded cats as they trained their weapons on the sound's source.
"Whoa." Kira held up a hand. "She's with us."
Brie stepped out of the trees, her expression blank.
The woman lowered her rifle. "Don't scare us like that. We almost shot you."
"That's why I announced my presence before stepping out, Sykes." Brie's expression was warm as she nodded a greeting at the other man. "Alvarez."
Alvarez propped his rifle on his shoulder, the tip pointed in the air. "You got tapped for this too?"
"I volunteered."
Sykes made a face. "Crazy."
Brie didn't seem offended, patting the other woman on the shoulder. "Rothchild always pays its debts. You know that."
"Here, here," Alvarez said.
Sykes sent a pointed glance at Kira. "Let's just try to avoid blowing up any moons on this trip, shall we?"
"Unless you think it's necessary," Alvarez cut in.
Sykes shook her head in disbelief.
Kira ignored their antics. "How much further?"
"Less than a mile," Brie answered.
"Alright then, let's get this show on the road," Kira instructed. "Alvarez, Sykes—you take point with Brie since you three know where we're going. Graydon and I will bring up the rear. Odin you're in the middle."
In the most protected position.
"What about me?" the J1N asked.
Kira's sigh was impatient. "As always, you're on overwatch."
The real Jin wouldn't have needed her to explain this to him. He would have already been up there performing his duties.
"Woohoo," the J1N cried as he zipped toward the treetops.
Kira's eyebrow twitched as she watched him go. Was it too late to leave him behind?
Odin patted Kira's shoulder in sympathy as she started after the rest. "Just a little longer."
Graydon stopped beside Kira. "Everything good?"
"Just dandy." Kira slapped the back of her hand against Graydon's abs. "Let's get moving before they leave us behind."
His chuckle followed her. "As if that's possible."
Kira bit back her smile, not wanting to feed his ego.
The group set a punishing pace that didn't allow for much talking as they traversed the last mile or so of terrain. They stayed on alert. Tense and expectant, knowing an attack could come at any moment.
To everyone's relief, there were no further confrontations with the Tsavitee. Their passage unobstructed. All the way until they spotted the break in the tree line where a clearing and their destination awaited.
"There it is," Sykes called over her shoulder.
Nearly blending in with the boulders and snow around it, the ship sat quietly. Its engine silent. Its lights off.
Kira slowed. "Something is wrong."
Apparently not listening, Sykes stepped out of the timberline.
"Sykes, wait," Alvarez called. "We have to clear the area."
The human was too eager, already crossing the open area to the ship.
Graydon frowned, scanning the area suspiciously.
Odin stopped as well, sending Kira a questioning look. "What is it?"
Kira shook her head, still trying to figure out what about this scene felt wrong. A second later, she had it. The ice under the ship. It shouldn't be frozen over like that. With an extraction under these conditions, the pilot would have kept the ship running to enable them to take off immediately in case their passengers came in hot.
More importantly—
"Where's the pilot?" Kira asked.
Sykes reached the ship, banging on the side. "Come on! Open up!"
"Get away from it!" Kira screamed as danger shrieked across her senses.
Graydon leapt at Kira, hitting her a split second before a loud boom rocked the area. They crashed to the ground as a percussive force exploded outward, sweeping the branches of the trees backwards.
Graydon pushed onto his elbows from where he'd shielded Kira's body. "You okay?"
She nodded, taking inventory. "Nothing broken."
There was a groan from the side. Odin struggled out of the mound of snow that had fallen as a result of being shaken loose from the tree tops.
She ruffled her short hair, getting rid of the snow clumped on it. "What just happened?"
Kira pushed Graydon off her, freezing at the sight of the charred clearing. There was nothing left of the ship or Sykes. Just a smoking ruin of twisted metal. The blast had even evaporated all of the snow in a fifteen foot radius.
"Oh my god," Kira said.
"Sykes!" Alvarez screamed.
Brie's face showed shock and loss as she stared at the place where her fellow soldier had just been.
Wind buffeted the tree tops as a Tsavitee ship swung into view, its cannons pointed at them.
Alvarez lifted his rifle, firing at the ship as he ran into the clearing. "Over here, you mother fuckers!"
"Alvarez, stop!" Brie called.
Graydon hauled Kira to her feet as Alvarez attempted to draw its fire. He dug a pulse grenade out of his vest, popping the pin with his teeth and rearing back to hurl it at the ship.
"Shit!" Brie snarled, firing at the ship from the cover of the trees as it prepared to fire its cannons. "Move!"
She ducked behind a tree as Graydon threw up a shield to protect him and Kira. Even with it, the percussive force behind the explosion nearly knocked them off their feet.
"J1N!" Kira yelled.
The drone popped up at Kira's side. "Right here, Nixxy."
"What happened to overwatch?"
His sensors should have picked up the Tsavitee ship hiding overhead and warned them
"Is that what you should be concerned about right now?" the J1N asked as the cannons twisted to target them again.
Graydon moved in front of Kira, using his larger body to protect her as much as he could. His hands flew as he built a ki shield in front of them. It glimmered like a black diamond, its structure incredibly complex given the short time he had.
Still, it wasn't going to be enough. Not against a weapon powerful enough to pierce twenty buildings in a row and keep on going.
Knowing there wasn't time to run, Kira grabbed Odin and pushed her down to cover the Sye's body with her own.
Odin looked up at Kira in shock. The pupil of her uncovered eye constricting to a pinprick.
"Find them; save them," Kira ordered.
If only one of them survived, she needed it to be Odin. The Sye was the only one with a chance of finding her niece.
Odin's face was solemn as she tilted her chin down in agreement.
A bead of light formed in the cannon's mouth, brightening until its light eclipsed all else.
I'm sorry, Jin.
Kira hunkered over Odin, strengthening her body with ki as much as she could.
The air screamed as the cannon prepared to fire.
An explosion ripped the Tsavitee ship apart, sending its pieces careening into the trees beside it.
Graydon faltered.
Kira lifted off Odin. "Did that really just happen?"
They looked at each other.
"We have incoming," Brie called as the sound of a ship's engine reached them.
A second later the branches in the trees rustled as the backwash from the engines buffeted them.
"Hold your fire," Kira instructed Brie. "I recognize that ship."
A hatch on the ship's side opened and Pallas stuck his head out of it. "Well, look at that. Someone needed my help, after all."
Kira glanced at Brie. "I thought you said he left."
"He did." Brie's face showed confusion as the ship went to land in the only part of the clearing that hadn't received damage from the Tsavitee ship. "At least, we thought he did."
"Don't blame yourself too much. He's good at things like that."
Odin got up off the ground, knocking the snow and dirt loose from her pants. "I, for one, am glad for his timing."
Kira was too. For once.
As Brie and Odin started for the ship, Kira paused next to Graydon.
She couldn't forget how he had placed himself directly in front of the cannon's path to protect her.
Seeing her expression, Graydon's eyes warmed. "Words are unnecessary between us."
"Next time—don't throw yourself in front of certain death."
He would have handled that situation differently if he wasn't so intent on protecting Kira. Rather than adopting a defensive posture, he would have tried to take down the ship.
Kira rose onto her tiptoes, pressing a kiss against Graydon's lips. "Thank you, my love."
She appreciated the gesture even if she would have preferred him to protect himself first in a situation like that.
Graydon's hand slid around her hip as he tugged her into him more fully. Their kiss lasted only a short time before he let her go, nudging her toward the ship as the wail of a Tsavitee tracker came from the trees behind them.
"It's time for us to leave this place, coli," Graydon announced, facing the source of those sounds. "You go first. I'll be right behind you."
Kira didn't argue, knowing time was of the essence.
Brie and Odin had reached Pallas's ship, the latter having already gone inside by the time Kira got there.
"What are you doing?" Kira asked. "Go in."
Brie shook her head. "I can't abandon my unit. I have to go back."
Pallas jerked his head at the tree line as the first wave of the Tsavitee hunting party broke through the forest's edge. "I fear that would be a truly terrible idea."
Graydon stood between the Tsavitee and the ship. The air around him glimmered and sparked, ki manifesting as he pulled heavily on his reserves.
Pallas whistled. "I'm impressed. It looks like your lover has his uses after all."
Graydon roared as a flood of black flames surged from his body. They obliterated everything in front of him.
When it was over, the Tsavitee were gone. As if they and the trees they'd come through were nothing but a dream.
At least a quarter of a mile of forest and hills had vanished.
