Raider and Blue nodded their assent as Loudon walked toward Kira, indicating she should follow. She easily fell into step with him, Finn shadowing.
"I apologize for the accommodations," Loudon said. "This is not how a daughter of the House is usually greeted."
Kira lifted a shoulder, dismissing the sentiment. "As Raider said, the rooms are plenty big enough."
Her room on the Wanderer was about the same size. She wasn't here to be pampered. She was here to heal herself and maybe learn a little about controlling her ki if she was lucky.
"Still, it can't be the homecoming you were expecting," Loudon said, his gaze sympathetic. "Your uncle is a hard man to understand, but he usually has a reason for doing things the way he does."
Kira had no doubt, but whatever his game, she had no intention of playing it. Her mission was simple. Heal. Pass the adva ka and achieve some measure of control before going her merry way.
Simple—even if the execution was not. Whatever politics or maneuvering her uncle or anyone else had in mind, she wanted no part in them.
Kira didn't bother explaining any of that to Loudon. It was clear he was her uncle's man. Even if he seemed sincere, he wasn't an ally nor a friend.
She made a noncommittal noise she hoped he would take as understanding.
"This is you," Loudon said, stopping beside a door several down from Raider's and Blue's.
Kira opened it, unsurprised to find a room even smaller and sparser—if that was possible—than her former soldiers in arms. Like theirs, there was little furniture. A bed made up with the sort of military corners and crisp lines a few of her past NCOs would have been overjoyed to see.
The bed and wardrobe looked worn out and well used, chips and dings obvious even from here. A hole had been punched into one wall. Kira raised an eyebrow, impressed. It would have taken a lot of strength to crumple the stone like that.
There were no rugs or decorations of any kind. Nothing to soften the austere interior. That suited Kira well enough. She hadn't grown up with such things, and even now, they were few and far between.
After Loudon's hint, she read her uncle's message loud and clear. He didn't care if she was here against her wishes. She'd be treated like everyone else. That was all right. She was used to making her own way.
"Home sweet home," Kira said with a look around.
"I'll leave you to get comfortable," Loudon said with a partial bow.
She murmured a quick goodbye as Finn lingered at the threshold, the faintest edge of uneasiness in his posture.
Kira said over her shoulder. "I don't think this room is big enough for you to watch me sleep as you did on Ta Da'an."
That had Finn straightening. "My duty is to protect you."
Kira gestured at the small space. "Not a lot of ways to attack me in here. You can guard me from outside."
His jaw ticked, his teeth clenching as he considered his argument, but quickly discarded it. Kira's words had been the truth. There was no other egress or ingress than the door in which he still stood. The quarters were comfortable for one, but two would be tight.
"Don't you trust Roake? They're your people," Kira challenged.
"Dangers can come from within and without." Finn's words were stilted.
True enough.
Kira crossed to the door, a distance of only two steps, as she grabbed the door handle. "I'll take my chances."
She shut it in his face before he could argue further.
Kira grinned and patted the door. "That was way more satisfying than it should have been."
She faced the room. "Now, then, let's take care of that other matter, shall we?"
She lifted the bag and threw it toward the bed, not bothering to be gentle.
It lay there as she folded her arms across her chest and frowned. "Are you really going to make me do this?"
There was no answer—not that she'd really expected one. She shrugged. "You never were good at making things easy on me."
That was fine. It was more fun this way.
A knock came before she could deal with the problem on the bed.
"Come in," she called.
Somehow, she wasn't surprised when the door opened to reveal Raider, Finn standing over his shoulder, scowling.
Raider sauntered in like he owned the place. His hair was damp, evidence of a shower, and he'd taken the time to change.
"Where did you get a shower?" Kira asked.
She hadn't seen any door leading to a bathroom in the brief glimpse she'd gotten of his room.
He indicated a plain part of the wall, before touching a small indentation. The stone façade disappeared as a doorway took its place.
"Huh, guess they really don't like doors in this place," Kira said.
It made her wonder if there were other hidden doorways around.
"Blue's the one who found it and then showed me," he said.
Somehow that didn't surprise Kira. Of all the Curs, Blue adapted the quickest, and her always restless mind had no trouble ferreting out secrets.
"It's good you're here. Maybe you can help me with something."
Raider raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
She jerked her chin at the bed. Understanding settled on his face.
"When did you find out?" he asked.
She lifted a shoulder. "Does it matter?"
"I suppose not."
She let him see her irritation, not that it bothered him if his amusement was anything to judge by.
"Don't blame me. This wasn't my idea," he told her.
"You helped. This is your problem too." She pointed to the bag.
His gaze was unrepentant as Kira scowled.
Her shoulders relaxed as she nodded at the thin rod at his hip. She made a “give me motion” with her hands. With a sigh, he unclipped the rod and flicked his wrist, the asp baton unfolding to the length of Kira's forearm.
There was the slightest movement from the bag as he handed the asp over to Kira. Her grin was slightly maniacal as she faced the bag, lifting the asp before bringing it down with all her strength.
The asp whistled through the air as the door behind them opened. The bag jerked right, seconds before the asp connected. It rose, floating in midair as a strangled sound of disbelief came from the doorway.
Kira looked over her shoulder to find Finn's wide, disbelieving eyes on the tableau.
His hand dropped to the en-blade at his waist. "What is that?"
He didn't wait for her to answer, the en-blade clearing its scabbard in the next second.
"Would you believe it’s a poltergeist?" Kira inquired politely as Finn stepped fully into the room, kicking the door shut behind him.
His presence was less than ideal.
Ah, well, beggars couldn't be choosers, and plans rarely survived first contact.
Finn's glare burned; his tone flat. "No."
That was really too bad. Things would likely have been so much easier if he had.
In the resulting silence, Kira's gaze fell to his en-blade. "Oh look, you've already primed a second weapon for me. How kind."
She grabbed the weapon from him, slightly surprised when he let her.
She didn't waste time, her foot already sliding back as she swung. The blade hummed in her hand, energy running along its length and assuring her it could cut anything she wished.