The Childrens Rebellion

so they're not actually dead...again...(again)

"A ship is approaching," Rae said cautiously, poking her head in the doorway.

Tommy spat the green leaf out of his mouth.

"Ew," Drista said, wrinkling her nose at him. He ignored her in favor of scrambling to his feet and rushing past a slightly amused Rae outside, where Sykkuno was standing on the steps, staring up at the blue midday sky.

"Huh," the Avian said. "So the signal worked."

"You're so fucking nonchalant about that," he hissed, squinting and raising a hand to block the sunlight. Indeed, a shiny metal object seemed to be making its way towards the mountain the temple they'd called their home for four days was located at. "It could be an Arachnid ship."

"It doesn't look like an Arachnid ship," Drista said, squinting.

"I can't see that well," Lani complained, blinking harder, as if that would do anything. She had been in the main room, playing around with the heavy fiber that Rae and Sykkuno had used to weave the mats—though she hadn't had much success and refused to ask for help.

Drista smiled and pointed to her face. "Human eyes," she said, and Tommy lifted his eyebrow at her.

"Not so magical now, am I?" he said. Drista, of course, ignored him.

"Well," Rae sighed. "They see us. No point in moving." Her hand itched for the wooden staff that hung across her back—a weapon, Tommy knew, that she used in place of her Avian biology. Sykkuno's was in his hand, and though his grip was lax, Tommy knew that he knew how to use it. He'd seen Rae and Sykkuno practice—apparently, it was a pastime they had since they didn't have any books or anything of the sort.

Tommy drew his knife.

"Oh, yeah," Drista snorted. "As if that's gonna be any help against phasers."

He scowled. "Hey! This is for my sanity, not for actual usage." It made him feel safer, holding the small weapon. Less useless.

"Huh," Drista said, ignoring him entirely as she peered up at the vessel. "It's a Galactic ship."

About twenty seconds later, Tommy realized she was right—that the markings and the designations were nearly identical to that of one of the L'manburg transports he'd been in once, though there seemed to be slight modifications.

"Huh," Sykkuno said, suddenly, as the five of them watched the ship land on top of the canyon two hundred yards away from them. Rae relinquished her grip on her wooden staff. "Wow. That's a really extraordinary occurrence."

"Huh?" Tommy repeated stupidly.

"That's Mira's landing transport," Rae said, her voice slightly hollow. "Oh my God, that's our ship." Tommy squinted, but couldn't make out the lettering on the side of it, though it was of Galactic make.

"What the fuck are the chances of that?" Drista muttered.

"You're sure?" Lani asked nervously.

"Yeah, I can see the lettering," Drista answered before either Avian could. "Come on! Let's go meet them!"

"Drista—" Tommy started, but the girl had already taken off running, going out of the shade and into the hot sun. He glanced back at Rae and Sykkuno. "Uh—"

"Go on," Rae said, smiling nervously.

"Don't you want to come?"

"I, uh—I think we need a minute," Sykkuno responded, putting a hand on Rae's shoulder. Tentatively, Tommy opened his shields and felt the shockwaves of fear-astonishment-desperation-anger-love. He closed the shields before Valkyrae felt his prying mind, wincing slightly.