The Childrens Rebellion

The Traumatized Teenagers

"So," Niki said. "Good news. No foreign infections or diseases."

"You fucking stuck me with four different hyposprays," Tommy complained, rubbing his arm.

"Yes," Niki said, without blinking an eye, as she threw her gloves into the sanitizer. "You could have had international viruses we knew nothing about."

"Doubtful," Tommy said. "Brooke scanned us when we boarded the Mira."

Niki pointed a scalpel in his direction, and Tommy yelped. "Don't replace me with other medical officers."

"SHE WAS—" Tommy cut himself off and took a deep breath. "Dammit, Niki. Really?"

"Yes," the Merling said, though, fortunately, she'd put the scalpel down.

"You didn't stick them with four needles," he complained, pointing at the other two girls, who were snickering behind their hands at his predicment.

"If you don't have it, they probably don't," Niki told him, raising a pink eyebrow. "Lani and Drista both got two."

"I'm confused why you're here," Drista interrupted, tilting her head curiously.

"...what?" Niki said as she bandaged Tommy's arm again, having just gone over it with some sort of skin sealer.

"Like, the ship shouldn't be fixed by now," Drista said. "After Merikh Rience damaged it, I mean."

Niki smiled. "We got more engineers temporarily," she explained. "They wanted us back in commission as fast as possible. So, yeah, we're all good. They just finished the last of the wiring last week."

"Ah," Drista said. "I never knew that."

"You were in school," Niki said tightly.

"Of course," Lani said bitterly. "Because that ended well."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Are you okay, Lani?" Niki asked kindly, sitting down on the cot next to her as Drista gave Tommy a confused look.

"Fine," the Shulker snapped.

"Clearly not," Tommy said.

"You're not one to talk," Lani said, brown eyes flashing. Tommy flinched at her more than harsh words. "I'm sorry, but are we going to ignore the fact that our entire class is dead?"

Tommy closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillow at his back, suddenly feeling as if he'd aged thirty years. No, he hadn't forgotten. He had wanted to, though, because the added pain did no help to his war-torn mind.

"Are we going to forget," Lani burst out, and Tommy opened his eyes to see the girl leaning on Niki's shoulder. Drista had a hand over her eyes, her lower lip trembling slightly. "That there are now people dead?"

"Because of me," he said heavily. "Aye. I know."

"I never said that," the Shulker said unflinchingly. "I never even meant that. No, Tommy, I do not believe it is you."

"You know why that teacher took our spaceship towards a different location," he hissed. "Towards Arachnid territory. Because of me." He shook his head. "Death has always happened because of me."

"But she did not blow up the ship because of you," Lani said wisely. "It is not your fault that you are who you are."

"I draw others into danger around me," he said hollowly.

"And yet here we are," Drista said, raising her chin. She had tearstains leaking from her green eyes—tears he hadn't seen before. "By your side, all the same."