“Things really haven’t been that bad since you last called,” Sammy insisted, his bruised face taking up most of the screen.

Every time I looked at it, I had to force myself not to wince.

He looked terrible. A dark blue bruise had overtaken most of his cheek and jaw. He insisted that it wasn’t too bad and was even smiling as he was talking to us but I knew that it must have been tough.

My hand started to tap on the table before I clenched it into a fist. I couldn’t have him see how rattled I was. I needed him to think that I had it together. That I still had a hold on my nerves. It was a lie but I needed him to believe it.

“Did you get the list?” he asked, his face lighting up.

“Yes, I have it here, Sammy. Good job. Did you manage to get everyone?” Andy asked, examining the screen before him intently.

It was hard to tell but I knew he was shaken by something. It must have been one of the names. There was something on it that got to him.

My eyes scanned the names again but I still didn’t recognise any of them. Only a handful had constellation names, that jumped out to me immediately. Most of them were old Earthian names which indicated that the tutors were Council supporters otherwise they would have had more normal names.

I mean, come to think of it, Andy was the only tutor I knew who had a non-constellation name. I did ask him about it once. He’d said that he considered changing his name when he was a trainee like the rest of us to get rid of the name his foster family had given him but that he already knew his crew by then and he thought it would be a weird transition for him.

I bet part of the reason he didn’t change it even when he graduated was because of the Council though. They always favoured those with Earth names. I think it’s part of the reason that Harvey hates Cas so much. Cas didn’t need to change his name to a constellation one but he did, specifically to get away from Harvey and his influence.

It was the opposite of what Harvey would have done and he hated him for it.

“Yep! That’s everyone. I had to sneak into the garages to get the name of the new tutors down there because they’ve taken access away from us all and I knew there were a couple of people working down there,” Sammy explained nonchalantly.

“Wait, what do you mean they’ve taken away access to the garage?” I asked, discomfort churning in my stomach.

Sammy glanced at me carefully.

“Well… they had an assembly about it,” he said slowly. “They said that part of the reason that you managed to get away and commit so much treason was because Director Andy let you have too much freedom too soon… Apparently, you didn’t have a chance to learn how to fly properly and how to follow the laws. The tutors say it isn’t just your fault but… yeah. I don’t think it makes much sense but that’s what they’re saying.”

Sammy peeked up at me from under his lashes, clearly unsure if he’d said too much but my head was spinning.

“But… how are you meant to learn if you aren’t in the garage?” I demanded. “And what about engineering class? Are they refusing to let you work on any ships too in case that teaches you too much and you use that knowledge to escape?”

Sammy’s face twitched up into a worried smile but he didn’t say anything.

The silence stretched between us, almost stifling, and I found myself glancing at Andy. His hands had tightened around the screen, his knuckles whitening, and I saw his nostrils flare as he breathed out forcefully.

“Wait…” I said slowly, looking back at Sammy. “You are still having engineering classes… right?”

I knew the answer, of course I did, I just didn’t want to believe it.

He shook his head, a minuscule movement, but still, he didn’t speak.

“Why not?” I ground out. “I placed you in the advanced class. You should be having four classes a week, minimum.”

He sighed, his shoulders sagging.

“Captain… that was when you were in charge. Things have changed. I got pulled out of the advanced classes and I lost my simulator privileges because of this,” he said gesturing at his face with a roll of his eyes.

“What happened?” I asked quickly as fear started to churn in my stomach.

I really regretted having breakfast that morning.

“It’s nothing, really,” he said cagily, his eyes darting around the screen.

“Sammy.”

He sighed heavily.

“I got in a fight,” he admitted quietly.

Confusion washed over me, quickly being replaced by concern.

He didn’t seem like the kind of kid who would get into a fight. Fights rarely happened on the base when Andy was in charge, I couldn’t imagine one happening ever.

“Who with?” Andy asked before I could.

“Some other kid. Daveed.”

Not a constellation name, I noted.

“What started the fight?” I asked.

“I mean… the what is difficult but the who is easier…” Sammy said, skirting around the question.

“Okay, who started the fight?” Andy asked, his tone nonjudgemental.

“Me,” Sammy said simply. “I punched him.”

I took a deep breath. There was more to it than that.

“Why?”

Sammy glanced around the screen again.

“I’d rather not answer that…” he said finally.

“You don’t have to but I’d like to understand what happened, if you don’t mind?” Andy said gently.

Sammy’s dark eyes flitted around the screen again as he checked the motion alarms.

“It was nothing really. Well, it was. A lot of things really. He’d been picking on Pavo because of his hand and then he also said in class that you ran this place into the ground and made it a breeding ground for criminals,” the words burst out of Sammy’s mouth but he still wouldn’t look at us.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Andy but he waited as Sammy kept speaking.

“Plus, he said that your crew were selfish and were cowards and that the only reason you went to Irision in the first place was to watch its destruction and that you never even planned on helping or really even did help. He said that you were just dumb kids and that you didn’t know what you were doing when you started the war. Oh yeah, apparently the Council are going to announce that they’re officially at war with you lot. I don’t know if it’s true but that rumour has been going around for a few days. Apparently, someone overheard it from one of the tutors.”

I swallowed, unable to wrap my head around what he had just said. There had been so much information crammed into those few seconds that my brain felt like it was struggling to catch up.

Guilt coursed through me but it was nothing compared to the shock. The idea that the Council would announce a war was huge.

“What?” I said finally. “They’re going to announce that they’re at war with us?”

I looked at Andy for clarification but the look on his face told me he already knew.

“I was hoping to talk to you about that before the call,” he said softly.

“So, it’s true? This is a war? What can I do to help?” Sammy asked quickly, his bruised face alight with excitement.

“Nothing. You can stay there and stay out of trouble,” I said quickly, the words bursting from my mouth before I could stop them but I meant it.

I couldn’t have someone else get hurt because of me. He was just a kid and he was already suffering for me.

His shoulders drooped visibly and even more guilt ricocheted through me.

“Kid,” I said as gently as I could. “I appreciate everything you’ve already done and I think it’s really sweet that you stood up for us but you don’t need to keep doing that. You’re getting yourself hurt and the Council won’t stop there. They’ve killed people for more information on us. I need you to understand how risky this is.”

Sammy shrugged slightly.

“I know it’s dangerous but… Mom always said that we should try and do the right thing regardless of the consequences. That’s what you did and you were punished for it but you still did it.”

I was at a loss for words but Andy tilted his screen towards me and tapped it lightly. On it were the words, ‘you’re his hero. He’s trying to be like you’.

I swallowed.

“I know we did but we lost a lot by doing that, kid. Sometimes, the smartest action is to play along with what they say and pretend to believe just to stay safe. You’re only, what, twelve? You still have time to save people. For now, just survive,” I said, hoping that he’d agree and wouldn’t push it any further.

He nodded but his face screwed up slightly.

“So, you want me to just stay here and pretend that I believe their lies?” he asked slowly.

“Yes,” I said before anyone else could ask him to do anything else. “For now, and we’ll find a way to get you out.”

“I know you will! Okay, I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if I hear anything else,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks, Sammy. We’ll send you a message again to organise the next call but if you need anything before then, you know what to do, right?” I asked.

“Of course! I’ll put a message on the board asking for Captain Sammers!” he said with a smile.

“Okay, stay safe until then, Sammy.”

“I will! Bye, everyone!”

“Be careful there,” Andy said with a smile and he ended the call.

I slumped back in the chair, the implications of what had been said racing around my head.

“So…” I started, not sure that I wanted to ask but I needed to know more. “We’re at war?”