aftermath: life debt | the bad batch

xxi. betrayals

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xxi.

betrayals

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•••

"You said I could get off these machines in a few hours," Omega said, sighing. "It's been twelve hours."

"I said that you could if you were lucky," Tech replied. "It's safer if we keep you on the medication for a couple more days."

"But I'm tired of being bedridden," Omega said. "I just want to explore this new ship."

"You're not missing anything, trust me. It's just as boring as the last one."

"The last one wasn't boring."

"Right, I forgot you think everything is interesting," Tech muttered to himself. "Even dirt."

"If you were stuck on an ocean planet your entire life you'd also find dirt interesting," Omega said. "Now please, just let me go explore. I'm bored."

"It's better to be safe than sorry. I don't want you to get worse again. And I don't want Hunter to kill me."

"Do you really care that much? Or do you just not want Hunter to kill you because you know he'll actually go through with it now?" Omega snapped, knowing what Tech would say.

"Both, but mostly the latter," Tech replied.

"You know what?" Omega said, sitting up, clearly frustrated. "I'm a medic. And I say it's time I get off these machines." She undid the IV from her arm, and just as she was about to take the breathing tube out of her nose, Tech grabbed her arm, stopping her. He put the IV needle back in her arm, and sat down next to her.

"Omega, you're not thinking straight. You can't sacrifice your own health just because you want to explore. That's not how it work-"

Tech was interrupted by a static noise. At first he couldn't tell where it was coming from, then he realized it was coming from his comm link. He took his comm link out of his pocket and turned it on.

"Tech!" he heard Hunter yell. Since they were so far apart, he could barely hear Hunter.

"Aren't we only supposed to communicate under emergencies?" Tech asked, confused on why Hunter had decided to communicate, and with such urgency as well.

"They're coming for you guys. Make sure they don't report your post," Hunter replied through the comm link.

"You couldn't keep them away?" Tech asked back, angrily.

"Obviously not!" Hunter yelled. "Look, just keep Omega safe. That's all that matters."

"Not my own safety?" Tech responded sarcastically.

"You know what I meant, Tech."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Now just focus on not getting killed."

Tech put his comm link away, and turned to Omega. Her face was filled with worry.

"Kid," Tech said. "You got lucky." Tech removed both the IV and the breathing tube. "Go explore. When you explore, no one can find you anywhere. Let's use that to our advantage this time. Run. Hide. Stay safe."

"What about you?" Omega whispered, hopping off the bed.

"I can hold them off for a while. You just need to hide. Go, Omega. Don't come out until I come looking for you. Got it?"