“Hey, kid,” I said, trying to keep my tone even despite the anxiety and energy coursing through me.

“Hey!” Sammy said in a hushed tone, his face close to the screen. “Are you almost here? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, of course, but it would be cool if you were because things are getting kind of tense here.”

“We are. What’s going on?”

My heart rate started to speed up. It was already going fast, too fast probably, but now it was even faster. There was a warning flashing in the corner of my vision, my eye mods picking up my stress and telling me to calm down, but I didn’t even bother looking at it.

“Um, well, I made a mistake,” he admitted, looking at someone over the screen.

“It’s okay, tell them,” someone hissed. “They’ll get it.”

I fought the urge to bite my lip at that whisper. I was pretty sure that it was Pav who was speaking but I wasn’t certain.

“What’s happened?” I asked.

Sammy looked at me guiltily.

“So… you know how my brother wasn’t your biggest fan?” he started.

“Yeah?” I asked, trying to ignore the worry that was bubbling in my stomach.

“Well, he’d decided to stay here because he doesn’t trust you and he doesn’t think that what the Council did was actually all that bad because he thinks they have a right to control what’s going on on their planets and stuff but… I tried to talk to him again.”

Sammy’s sad, dejected face gave me pause.

“How’d it go?”

“Well, I didn’t mention you! I just said that if some people were to come to the base to try and save us at some point and just if they were the good ones, not the Council… would he come with?”

There was a moment of silence before I asked, “And?”

Sammy looked down.

“He said no.”

“No, he didn’t,” Pay hissed loudly. “He punched you and put you in a headlock until me and Gemi came to save you!”

My heart seized at the mention of ‘Gemi’, my mind immediately going to Gem. They’d named themselves after her, I knew it.

“What happened?” I said, my tone a little sharper than I expected.

“He wasn’t happy,” Sammy said immediately and I felt bad for snapping. “He said that Mom supports the Council and works for them and if they find out what we’re doing then… she could get in trouble. He said I’m just being selfish and it’s stupid that I’m letting it get this far and that I should just… turn you over to the Council. But, I won’t! Don’t worry! That’s why he punched me!”

I tried not to wince at that but I’m pretty sure I failed.

“I’m sorry, Sammy,” I started.

“That’s okay! It was my fault anyway! I should have known better than to try again. He… he doesn’t get it. He’s a Volunteer and all his friends are Volunteers and, like, I know I’m technically a Volunteer too but all my friends are Draftees so it’s a little different and they told me what it was like growing up in an orphanage. Also, I did research and found out what the Council did and how bad it all was and how terribly they’ve treated you and everything,” he said, his words coming out in a rush. “I know it’s not really an excuse but I just wanted him to get it.”

His shoulders slumped and I almost wanted to hug him.

“I’m sorry, kid,” I said, genuinely meaning it.

“It’s fine. I mean, they don’t have any screens or anything and the tutors took their wrist monitors too so… at least they can’t tell anyone that I spoke to you or report me to the Council,” he said, brightening up.

I nodded.

“Well, either way, we’ll be coming down to get you in just a bit. I need you to…” I paused, glancing up at my crew mates who looked back resolutely. “I need you and the other kids to get as far away from the garage as possible and stay there until I say so.”

There was a pause as realisation came over Sammy’s face.

“Now?” he asked.

“Now. We’re almost at the base and, when we get there, there’s going to be a fight. I can’t have any of you nearby.”

His face scrunched up.

“But… we can help,” he started.

“No,” I said immediately, cutting him off. “Sammy, I know you really want to and that you want to help with all of this but I’m sorry. I need you and all the others to get as far away as you can safely. You’re just kids, you shouldn’t be a part of this.”

“But—”

“I need you to just do as I say.”

It hurt telling him that.

If the kids were there and were armed, we would have more of a chance and I knew it but it didn’t matter. I refused to have them be a part of this fight. The Council wouldn’t hesitate to get them involved and risk their lives needlessly but I wouldn’t do it.

I think Chal was rubbing off on me. All of his talks about how children shouldn’t be expected to fight in wars but instead should be allowed to grow up somewhere far away from the danger were starting to sink in and change everything I’d ever been taught.

I mean, from the beginning, it had never been something I considered. We had always known that we would be expected to join the military and fight as soon as we were well trained enough. It didn’t matter if we wanted to or felt prepared, it was just what happened.

“But… I just want to help,” he said sadly.

“I know, kid, and I do appreciate it. Honestly.” I took a deep breath to steady myself. “But you’re young. It’s not right that you’re a part of this. You deserve to be protected from it all.”

“You’re not much older than us,” he muttered, looking down.

I could tell that his intent was good but it made my stomach clench.

Too many children were prepared to lay down their lives for us. We were a horrible example.

“I know and we shouldn’t have been a part of it either. If you’re there, if you’re anywhere this fight, we won’t be able to concentrate. We’re using non-lethal rounds whenever there are kids about. You need to stay back.”

He looked up at me, admiration too clear on his face.

It was wrong. I didn’t deserve the admiration.

“Okay, but you’ll let us know as soon as it’s safe for us to come out?”

I nodded silently, the weight of the upcoming fight already too heavy on my heart.

“Awesome! I guess I’ll get everyone to under the canteen, that’s probably safest, right? Or, wait. Would under the back dorms be better? I mean, that’s where most of the Volunteers are staying but I’m not sure they know how to get into the corridors so it should be fine, right?” Sammy mused.

I swallowed down my rage.

Of course, they’d put the Volunteers in the dorm building towards the back of the base. It was better than all the other buildings by a lot. It was significantly newer and that was obvious. The facilities were better and bigger and so were the rooms. Of course, Plend put the Volunteers there and made the other kids stay in the other rooms. I wish I’d been more surprised.

“Go to under the canteen. I don’t want to risk it with the Volunteers,” I decided. “Go there and don’t come out until I say so, okay?”

“Okay!” Sammy said, grinning happily.

Glancing up at my crew once more, I took another deep breath in. My skin itched with impatience, wanting me to just hurry up and get to the base to attack.

“Let us know when you all get there then we’ll come down,” I said.

“Yay! Okay! I’ll tell everyone now!”

I swallowed.

“Great. Post on the forum when you’re there, we’ll keep an eye on it.”