Graydon inclined his head. "Yes. That is the best option for them. If he were to pass, it means he would be considered strong enough to protect his household and he’d be allowed to hold their fealty. However, such an event is unlikely. There are those who would wish his House to fall into memory. They will make his journey as hard as possible."
"You said best case. What is the worst?"
"Those who aren't accepted will seek shelter with other Houses, their former affiliations dissolved. It is not an easy fate."
And because they'd once been loyal to another, they were unlikely to find another House to take them in, Kira finished for him.
“Why can’t Joule wait till he’s older to attempt the adva ka?” All he needed was a little time to become seasoned and grow into his abilities.
“He could do that,” Graydon conceded. “But his path will be twice as difficult. He’d need permission from his new overlord to verify he was ready. Even then, it would likely be too late for the rest. There is no going back in time. They would have been affected by the years apart, and reassembling them would be twice as unlikely and unwise.”
What he didn’t say was time had a way of changing you despite your best intentions. New experiences shaped you and molded you, forcing you to adapt or perish. Even if you remembered those you left behind with fondness, they might not be the same person when you caught up with them. Their loyalties could have changed, their needs evolved.
This still didn't answer how he thought she could help them. As much as she felt for them, there was little she could do. She was here for a specific goal. Getting distracted wouldn't help her achieve that.
"Don't think I've forgotten about the Curs," Kira challenged, changing the subject.
His teeth flashed, dark amusement on his face. "I wouldn't dream of it, coli."
He moved away before she could respond.
“Arrogant ass," she grumbled to herself as she headed toward Joule and Ziva.
"Graydon has excellent hearing," Amila said in a neutral voice.
A wicked smile curved Kira’s lips. "I'm counting on it."
Amila blinked at her, the idea someone would purposely pull her commander’s tail obviously never occurring to her.
Kira reached Ziva and Joule and took a seat beside them. She ignored the way Ziva's face lit up as soon as Kira arrived, something like hero worship shining from her eyes.
Kira shifted, uncomfortable at the sight. Things never ended well when people looked to her as a hero. She always proved a disappointment, eventually.
Jin zoomed above their heads, completing a circuit of the area before settling in the seat beside Kira. His antics caught both of the children's attention, their gazes fascinated.
Amila stopped, her expression disconcerted. Jin had taken the last seat. It meant Amila would have to sit in the row behind them with Liont and the others instead of beside her.
"Move. Someone else might want to sit there," Kira ordered Jin.
"They can find another seat," he returned. "I need to be strapped in for re-entry just as much as you do. Do you see any cargo straps around here? Because I certainly don't. I'm not risking my safety if we crash. I plan to be strapped down, nice and proper."
Kira narrowed her eyes at him. "You'll survive."
Probably better than the rest of them, given his ability to magnetically attach himself to anything metal. Nothing would be able to pry him off, not even doing Mach two in a planet's atmosphere. Kira knew, because he'd attached himself to the outside of a hull to test the theory once.
Jin made several rude sounds while flashing his lights at her, letting her know what he thought of that idea.
A frustrated sigh escaped her. She'd forgotten how irrational he got during re-entry. It was probably one of his biggest fears and no matter how much logic you applied, he'd refuse to budge.
Kira sent Amila an apologetic look. There wasn't going to be any reasoning with Jin right now. He'd stick himself to the seat like a barnacle and no amount of arguing or manhandling would be enough to move him. She recognized the signs.
Amila clearly wasn't happy about the events, aiming a glare at Jin before taking a seat in the row behind them.
Kira shook her head at Jin. Sometimes his ridiculousness amazed her.
"Thank you for sitting with us during the return," Joule said.
Kira turned her attention to the two sitting in front of her, facing her.
The two traded a glance, having a whole conversation while Kira watched, with not a word exchanged.
Finally, Joule focused on her. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Kira tapped her finger on her leg as she studied him. She should have known that would be his question.
"Many places," Kira finally said.
Her training may have started in the awful compound of her earliest memories, but it continued for long after her rescue. She'd studied every type of martial arts she could find, adapting them into her own style until they'd become something new. The crucible of war had further honed those skills, sharpening and testing them until what emerged was a weapon, dreadful and deadly.
"Can you teach me?" There was an ache to his voice, as if his entire future rested on her answer, the fear of disappointment in his eyes.
Kira shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable as she tried to find a polite way to tell him no. This was no easy thing he was asking. It would take years to build him into an adequate warrior. Years she didn't plan on devoting to the effort.
"Why do you want to learn?" Jin asked.
Joule stiffened, his chin lifting. "I need to be able to protect us."
"There are other ways of protecting yourself," Jin said, his voice emotionless. "You don't have to become a warrior."
"There aren't," Joule snapped. "This is the best way. We never want to be as weak as we were before. I won't watch anyone else die in front of me while I stand by."
Kira felt an ugly twist inside.
"He's just like you at that age," Jin said wryly.
"Just as stupid too." Kira sat forward and fixed Joule with a dark gaze. "I'm not going to help you down that path, kid. I don't have the time, and honestly, I don't want to."
His mouth formed a stubborn line as he scowled at her.
Ziva sat up tall. "What about the move you used on the Tsavitee?"
Kira flicked a glance at the girl. "Not possible. You need a strong foundation both physically and conceptually to perform that move, which neither of you has. Do it wrong and you could do more damage to yourself than your opponent."
Both of their faces fell, leaving Kira feeling like a monster.
"Why me? There seem to be plenty of warriors here," she said. "Ask one of them. Liont and Fari seem willing."
The two traded another glance.
"They tried, but they can only teach us so much. The others won't help." Joule said. "We're not of their House, and we have the potential to grow into an enemy. Even once our name is wiped away and we're added to another House, it's likely neither of us will be trained as warriors since we'll never be considered one of them."
Kira shrugged. "That doesn't sound too bad to me. Find something you like doing and live a life of peace."