The rest of his warriors watched him with curiosity, their eyes alive with questions they wouldn't ask in the presence of these humans.
Graydon stepped into the small interrogation room. He grimaced at the space, instantly feeling a sense of claustrophobia. He didn't know how humans could stand such small spaces. It made him feel like he was in a metal box in danger of crushing him.
He put the strange woman and her fierce expression out of his mind. Not an easy task. Something about her warned him she would one day be important to him. At home, you could sometimes feel the coming of a storm when there wasn't a cloud in the sky. He got the same feeling when he looked at her.
Sometimes storms revealed hidden treasures, wiping away the old rot and replacing it with something stronger. Other times they washed everything away, leaving nothing in their wake but devastation.
He couldn't guess which type of storm this woman would bring, but he'd learned to trust his senses. If they indicated she was important, he'd listen.
Not many challenged him so blatantly. Odd to find someone capable of the feat here among the frustrating humans.
He scowled as irritation bit at him for the reminder. He clasped his hands behind him, well aware of how intimidating he would seem to the human and the other Tuann.
"Lord Graydon, I apologize for having to call you in for this matter," the human said, his voice scrupulously polite.
"Why have you?"
Graydon was a busy man. He didn't enjoy having his time wasted on petty matters.
The human grimaced. "I think it's better if I show you."
Graydon said nothing as the human bent to fuss with a device.
He glanced at the other Tuann, his expression severe. A few lowered their chins in unvoiced apology.
Why would they call attention to themselves in this way? While they weren't under his command, Liont had impressed him with his level-headedness, a necessary trait given what he and his people had recently faced.
A holovid started on one of the screens embedded into the walls of the small room. At first, Graydon didn’t know what he was supposed to be looking at. The video stream was of the beehive, the small boats moving from terrace to terrace.
Suddenly, there was an explosion on one of those sailboats, parts of it catching on fire as it began to lose altitude.
Graydon glanced at the others again.
They shifted. All of them were disciplined, showing few emotions, but Graydon caught the smallest slump of their shoulders indicating shame.
On the screen, the woman with the intense stare appeared. She bounded off her terrace and onto the sailboat. She disappeared into the cabin only to reappear seconds later carrying Ziva, Joule trailing her.
Graydon focused on Liont. "Explain."
The human paused the holovid.
"Ziva wanted to ride on the slow boat," Liont started. "Joule humored her."
Graydon reached for patience, knowing the other man wouldn't have started here if it wasn't important.
"Several of us stayed behind to haggle with the human owner of the slow boat." Liont spoke in human standard for the human's benefit. "Other humans began to act aggressively toward us. We were trying to calm them while Vera accompanied the children onto the slow boat. It exploded minutes later."
Grief touched Liont's face. Vera hadn't made it off.
Graydon bowed his head as a sign of sympathy. Liont and the rest had lost much recently. Any death hurt, but this one would burn given what they'd survived.
"Was it a distraction?" Graydon asked, switching to Tuann.
Liont hesitated. "It is hard to say. You know how these humans are."
Graydon's lips tightened. Yes, he did. They were a brash race intent on challenging those stronger than themselves. It made them difficult to deal with at times. They charged when they should run, and ran when they needed to hold their ground.
The human's expression turned thoughtful. "I'll have my people round up those who interfered with your duties. It's probably nothing, but there has been some anti-Tuann sentiment lately."
Graydon's stare was contemplative as he studied the human. The man was more observant than most of his kind to have picked up on the nuances of Liont's story so easily.
"What is your name?" Graydon asked.
Surprise appeared on the man's face. "Jace. Rear Admiral Jace Skarsdale."
Graydon inclined his head. He'd remember that name.
The holovid began playing again, showing the woman kneeling at the boat's railing, her dropping Ziva over the side, then her grabbing up Joule and sprinting for the other side of the boat before jumping.
Graydon watched the holovid all the way up to the arrest of all those on the platform.
Skarsdale stopped the recording and faced Graydon. "As you can see, the woman acted in good faith. If she hadn't intervened, the two children would have likely died."
Graydon's jaw was clenched tight.
"She is marked," Fari said into the silence.
Graydon regarded him, his bland expression not revealing any of his thoughts as he waited for Liont's second to continue. The man was young, but he showed the potential to be a great warrior one day.
"I saw the glyph on her wrist. She must have thought I was attacking her when I tried to get a closer look." Shame reflected in Fari's eyes. "It wasn't my intent to cause her alarm."
"What House?" Graydon asked.
"Luatha," Fari said.
Graydon and Liont shared a long look.
"Strange Luatha would show up here after the attack on your House," Graydon said.
Liont's House, Maxiim, had been attacked by an unknown enemy, the majority of it destroyed. Only a few had survived, including Liont and his men. Joule and Ziva were the sole young left alive, the future of their House if Joule could reach his potential in time.
That someone bearing Luatha's mark appeared, as they stopped in to replenish supplies on their way through the system, was a coincidence that defied belief.
"I apologize for the arrest of your people, Lord Graydon. As you can see, it was a misunderstanding," Skarsdale was saying.
"Your people have violated the treaty," Graydon said, his words having the effect of a bomb.
Skarsdale's expression froze, his gaze turning cool and analytical as he studied Graydon. "I'm not sure I understand."
"The woman who was in here. Tell me everything you know about her," Graydon said, ignoring his statement.
Skarsdale paused, his gaze intent. "I can’t do that."
"You will or I will have this station destroyed."
Both men knew the Tuann were capable of it.
To his surprise, Skarsdale didn't immediately submit. "As I said, I can't do that. The Consortium has a policy about sharing information about its citizens, especially when they've served in a military capacity."
Stubborn. Just like the rest of his race.
Graydon flicked his fingers at the rest.
Liont and his people stood, stepping through the barrier easily. En-blades appeared in their hands as they arranged themselves protectively around Graydon.
Skarsdale didn't blink, as if the sight of the Tuann stepping through his security barrier wasn't a concern. Graydon began moving to the door. If Skarsdale wouldn’t tell him what he wanted to know, he’d find out the information for himself.