They rounded the corner to find four guards standing sentry in front of the room—two wearing black, the other two in green.
Finn called a greeting in Tuann.
They looked from him to where Kira stood behind him, Jin hovering over her shoulder. Boredom and disinterest showed on the faces of Roderick's men. Those in black remained wary, their expressions cautious as they frowned at them.
"Why is she here?" the Luathan soldier asked in Tuann.
Jin’s translation program was running, allowing her to understand most of what was being said.
"She needs to see the humans," Finn said crisply.
"She doesn't have permission," the same soldier from before replied.
Noor and Isla exchanged a glance, something in Finn's posture or presence alerting them.
They shifted to the side, keeping the other two guards in sight. Their hands lowering toward the en-blades at their sides.
Neither Luathan guard noticed the movement, but Jin and Kira did.
Jin rose a little so he'd have a better vantage point and room to maneuver. Kira edged back, not wanting to be in the line of fire.
"She doesn't need Roderick's permission. The Emperor's Face will allow the visit," Finn said smoothly.
The man and woman exchanged a glance, then turned to Finn, hostility peeking through.
"He is not Luathan," the woman said in a flat voice. "He does not command us."
Jin bobbed overhead, drawing her attention as he asked silently if she wanted him to take care of them.
Kira hesitated. She'd like to avoid violence if possible. There was no reason to assume these two were part of the conspiracy. Once they used force, there was no going back.
She held up two fingers at her side. It was a signal to wait and see.
Finn sighed and shook his head. "As long as I've been here, you'd think I'd learn. You lot always do things the hard way."
The two frowned in confusion. Finn lashed out, grabbing one and jerking him forward. The other drew her blade, a startled cry escaping. Isla kicked it out of her hand, following up with a brutal punch to the throat. The woman dropped to the ground choking.
Isla leaned over, lifting her, then slamming her head into the ground. The guard sagged unconscious in her grip.
Finn straightened from where he'd already rendered his opponent unconscious.
Kira glared at the bodies. Guess Finn hadn't gotten the message they were hoping to avoid unnecessary violence.
"This was your grand plan?" Kira asked, spreading her hands to indicate the two unconscious guards. "Knock them out?"
"It worked," Finn said.
Kira gave him a disgusted look.
"Good god, it's like stumbling into a planet of Kira clones," Jin murmured.
"If I wanted to knock them out, I could have done it myself," Kira said. "Now I can't ask them questions to determine if they're part of this."
"Would either of you like to explain why we just assaulted these guards, possibly signing our own death warrants and starting a war between Luatha and the emperor?" Noor asked in an irritated drawl.
"Play him the recording," Finn ordered as Kira moved to the door and swung it open.
She stepped into the other room as Jin brought the two up to date. There was a tight feeling in her chest, that loosened when Jace glanced up.
None of the relief she expected to see was in his expression—only denial and anger.
"Please tell me you aren't this stupid," he said.
She stopped in the doorway and cocked her head. "Not really the greeting I was expecting."
"We were fine," Jace snapped. "They hadn't hurt us and weren't going to. You've destroyed any chances of the alliance withstanding this debacle."
Kira raised her eyebrow at him as she sauntered into the room, taking in the rest. All the Curs were here. Nova sat up from where he had stretched out on a couch, and Maverick turned from the window he’d been staring out, hands in his pocket.
Next to him, Blue straightened from her bench, hastily trying to disguise the odds and ends beside her.
The faint glow on some rods told her Blue had used her time to take apart a few pieces of Tuann technology to examine.
Tank and Raider walked in from the other room, their expressions hard to read.
"That's some thank you you're working up to," Kira observed.
Jace let out a frustrated sigh. "At least tell me you didn't kill them."
Kira raised her hands. "I didn't lay so much as a finger on them."
Finn and Noor dragged the two unconscious Luathans into the room.
Jace stared pointedly at them and then raised his eyebrows, silently asking if she'd like to try that lie again.
"I didn't. I swear," Kira said, feeling a touch of amusement at the situation. She wasn't the cause this time. Jace and the rest would be able to claim ignorance of any offense.
Jin zoomed in. "Strange as it seems, she's telling the truth. Finn and the two giants in black did all the heavy lifting. All she did was stand there."
Jin's assurance seemed to reassure him. Jace relaxed slightly, although worry set in quickly.
He wasn't dumb. He might half-believe Kira would wreck a chance for alliance by attacking Luathan guards in the misguided notion she was helping him—she really wasn't that foolhardy or brash—but there was no way Finn or the other Tuann would have helped her.
Which meant there were only a few reasons for her presence here. None of which were the sort you wanted to consider.
"We need to go," she said. "Right now."
Jace didn't argue, picking up on some of her urgency. He looked at his people. "Let's move."
Finn backed into the room quickly. "This way is no longer an option."
"All the windows are guarded," Blue said quickly.
Kira gave the three Tuann a considering look. They'd been so handy in disposing of the first two guards. No reason they couldn't do the same to the ones outside the window.
Finn shook his head, already guessing where her thoughts were going. "I'd like to avoid harming any more Luathans than we already have."
"Perhaps now is a good time for you to break down the situation for us," Jace said.
"Maybe later. Suffice it to say, the Tsavitee are here, they're working with the Tuann and all of us are first on their to-do list."
"We knew that," Jace said.
"Not the last part," Blue corrected.
"They're also planning to bring down the defense grid. Tonight," Kira finished.
Jace nodded, his lips tightening. "Good enough. Blue, show them our exit strategy."
"Roger that," Blue said, grabbing several of the items she'd tucked under her leg before scrambling over to a decorative table.
"What are you doing?" Isla asked.
"She's going through the vents," Jin said, sounding impressed.
Blue shot him a crooked smile. "Right you are, Tin Man. They go on for miles and are big enough even Tank can fit through if he doesn't mind crawling."
"The escape tunnels," Finn said thoughtfully. "They're a defensive feature of the Citadel."
"Are they safe to travel through?" Kira asked.
He nodded slowly, his mouth set in a thoughtful frown. "Yes, as long as we don't linger. They're an escape route if the Citadel is overwhelmed and its people need a hidden way out. They've never been used."