"You're a liar. If it were you would tell Mi Sun. What's happening to her brother!" If Corporals are going to come after me, I'm going to make them work for it. I stop taking my fury out on the infirmary and run.
I hate Haladay. I imagine how it …
I grab onto some piece of equipment with a snarl and haul on it until something gives. "Why don't you..come and fix that..you wrinkled old pile of stomm?!" For a moment I feel the satisfying weight of some broken part in my hand, then throw it at th…
"Not like that! You can't.." You can't just snarl at everyone who looks at me and call them names! You can't just stab people in the back! I want to just scream at her, shake her..I breathe in to do that, I reach out to do that..
"You can't expect …
Oh, stomm, Ezekiel's right. I just came out of a lockdown area, too.
Coach said Power Team's got cohesion on us, in a serious way. They've been playing together in their configuration for three years running now. We're still trying to get our feet…
I feel myself wobbling, unlike my sibling. How long must xie have been here before me?
"Please." I find my way into a seat, not even for appearances at this rate..this is enough to make me wonder if Terrans have the right of it after all.
"I was p…
I stand up in turn. Zola's right here to defend herself, but Mark isn't. All of these personal needlings are getting to me. "What a little injury. To brag about. Do you need to go back to your pod..with a new story?"
Do I remember this girl or is s…
"Narrow it down. Black Cats suck, Pirates suck. There's a whole half-league. Of backsliders." I take another mouthful of bread-and-indifference while I keep my eyes on this girl.
I watch Ezekiel go. It feels strange now that I've hurt his feelings. He wasn't asking for it, just ignorant. I won't turn back on what I've said though. Even if he's sort of the first person to say Ioanna was amazing in sort of this..unburdensome w…
"Do I look that old to you?" I serve myself, irritated. "Ioanna's dead. She's not amazing anymore." He can't even pronounce it right. I almost like that he can't.
I lean into Zola like we're a two-person squad. "I'm Tabitha. Now stop talking to me."
I frown at Ezekiel; he's mistaking me for Ioanna. "That was someone else."
With a quick look at the other kids, I shake my head and get back to the line. How would he have even known about it? But I don't want to talk to him.
I cruise past the blonde and give him a closer, questioning look. "What's your name, tiz?"
I peel a tray off the top of the stack of trays and tuck it under an arm. If he doesn't have an answer for me, I have an important date with the dessert past…
She doesn't say it back, I notice. I'm not sure if I want her to say it.
I pull my pants and shirt back on, think about our options. We missed a meal and then we practiced. My stomach hurts a little bit.
"Let's get some food. First, at least."
H…
A little unbalanced, I put my arms around Zola for support. "I do love you, Zola."
It does feel like something, to say it. I want to be here next year when she turns 18 and has to get tested. I want to run a good year of speedball with her. I want …
I wad up my towel on the bench between us and lean in, touching foreheads with her as I ask quietly, "How do you know? That I know that?"
Love, it's supposed to mean something. I wonder if that's what I feel for Zola. Could I love more people than …
I'm glad to still have my jacket. I suppose I've just walked through an area without as much sunlight, for all that means.
Back indoors, my ears are brought to nostalgia with the chiming sounds of Alcyonine chamber waltz music. The sort of stuff we…
I hold his gaze, flinchingly, until he's put the pistol away. What really stopped him? The greybox?
"I understand." I find a spot on the floor to stare at.
The welding screens..we're definitely being transferred, to a building or another ship. I s…
Is Ashlee even waiting? I wouldn't want to rope her into stuff with Haladay. I relish Zola's touches, offering to do the same for her. I don't plan to go all the way this time, but I like these shower moments and the feel of Zola's body.
"Hmm. Yeah, let's go." I say that, but I linger a little bit to see if Ashlee will look up at me. I don't get why Zola is especially stomm to Ashlee versus other people.
Glad I didn't have to pull Zola off of her.
I guess I could do what everyone…
The gym is empty, but I hear voices from the bleachers so I walk that way. "Hey. Mi sun wants me to tweak Haladay's nose. I'm going to. Are we practicing more? Or what?"
Of course I tried to listen. Better to hear more than I speak.
"Sure, I'll look into it." I might even try before Lockdown is up, who knows. I give my monitor another look. In the 90s. I look up at Mi Sun to see if she has anything else to say before heading back to the gym.
I frown, unhappy to hear Haladay's name, and that he's being unfair to Mi Sun and Jace. "Haladay is probably. Out of meat mesh and lying about it. I believe you." I keep an eye on the monitor. Not going down as fast as usual.
"I don't know. I could…
It takes me a couple seconds longer than Zola to slow down and stop. I return Ashlee's little half-greeting, surprised that she's here, then get back to assembling words to say as I walk over to Mi Sun.
"Sure, Mi Sun. Can you say what you need. Rig…
Of course I run with Zola. It's infectious, and believe it or not I want to be good at Speedball. I just like running by itself, too. I don't think I can forward flip, though. I mean, if I try it the worst that could happen is I break my neck.
Hars…