The Childrens Rebellion

In my defense, Admiral, he killed my family

Tommy still hadn't spoken to any of the ship's crew members—besides Niki, Tubbo, and Purpled—when they docked on Terra. He still hadn't spoken to any of them when Sniff met them at the disembarking station and hugged him.

"I lost your ship," he told her, ignoring the gazes that drove into his head from the rest of the crew members of the L'manburg. He knew he'd been avoiding them—had locked himself in his cabin after hearing of his trial. He knew they'd tried to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk to them. Not when they would tell him to leave.

He was already going to be kicked out of Fleet school...what did they care for him?

"I don't care," Sniff said. "You saved your crew. That's what's important." And he smiled because she was his friend and forgave him.

"They're not my anything," he said, loud enough that, to his right, Tubbo winced. Sniff subsided into a sullen silence after that, but she did exchange a brief inclination with Phil.

The five of them had a trial that day.

Tommy knew that Wilbur tried to talk to him before they entered the courtroom, but he ducked out of the way of the Phantom, letting the Fleet guards bar Wilbur's way into that part of the courtroom.

There were seven people dressed in black robes, sitting behind counters made of dark wood. Tommy recognized one of them to be the Admiral—or, rather, the Vice-Admiral, who sat to the left of the middle seat.

He did not look behind him as the auditorium filled with people that he had grown to care for—and curious students as well. He stood in the middle, Lani and Drista to his left, and Purpled and Tubbo to his right.

It was like he was the leader of this. Technically, he had been the leader.

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter," the Admiral—the actual Admiral, the Rear Admiral, Tommy was sure—said. "Thomas Innes, please step forward."

He blinked as Tubbo gave him an encouraging smile, and the courthouse exploded into murmurs—because, of course, everyone knew that last name. "Present, sir," he said evenly.

"Cadet Innes," the Rear Admiral said. "You have been called in front of his council today on charges of failing to disobey an order and regulation—not once, but twice."

He huffed a small breath. "It was...technically once. Captain Philza never said I couldn't come on." Lani winced.

"Okay, fine," the Rear Admiral said, dipping his head slightly. "Still...boarding a federal starship?"

"I did do that," he allowed.

"Lani Underscore and Drista Taken," the Rear Admiral continued. "You also did this."

"Yes, sir," the two girls chorused.

"I convinced him to let us come in the first place," Drista continued. "He argued strongly against it, but then eventually let us because we were in a short time frame."

"And this ship...you stole it?" the Rear Admiral said.

"No," Tommy said. "My friend, Sniff, gave it to me."

"...Sniff?" the Rear Admiral asked. "There is no such person in our databanks." Tommy resisted rolling his eyes. There was no way that this guy knew everyone.

"That's my nickname, sir," a girl said, and Tommy glanced over his shoulder to see Sniff standing up in the audience. She met his eyes once as she folded her hands in front of her stomach and straightened her back under the gazes of the occupants in the room. "My name is Sni'yfyer'ich. I have Elytrian parents."