Tech Scavengers [Humorous, Action-Packed Space Opera]

Jeridan was pretty sure he was going to die. He'd had that feeling plenty of times before and had been wrong, but the odds stacked against him seemed higher than usual.

His head reeled from too many blows. His entire body ached from being shoved and stepped on. A couple of fingers felt broken.

Still he fought for life. With a final effort, he elbowed away a couple of the mob and struggled to his feet, battered on all sides by panicked bodies.

He only made it to his knees. The press of the crowd was too much. They surged toward the airlock door, which he saw had opened fully.

Jeridan clawed his way over a couple of people, desperately trying to stay upright. If he fell to the floor again, he was sure he'd get trampled to death.

An elbow hit him in the neck. Someone stumbled and fell on his back. Jeridan shucked him off, stumbled, fell to his hands and knees, and got up as quick as he could.

Just then, the tide surged the other way. Those in front moved back from the airlock in a screaming panic. Those still in the Interstellar Bus continued to move forward, squeezing Jeridan and the others around him in the middle of two tidal forces of human bodies.

Jeridan caught a glimpse of what made those in front retreat.

A pink combat mech strode into the airlock, its metal feet clamping rhythmically on the deck.

It turned around.

From its speaker, Jeridan heard Aurora's voice shouted, "Poopsie, poop!"

A flap opened up in the back and a canister clattered to the deck.

Within seconds, the airlock filled with a thin white smoke.

Jeridan's head spun, and darkness settled over him.

* * *

Pure relaxation. No stress, no pain, no thoughts, just oblivion.

Of course it wasn't going to last.

Nice things never lasted in his life.

Consciousness first returned as the awareness of a dull ache all over his body. Then came vague memories of being trampled, and the dreamlike image of being defecated on by a robot.

Had that happened?

Not precisely.

Worry came next, a rising fear that he might be buried under a heap of bodies, suffocating.

No, he was still breathing, and he didn't feel any weight over him.

Perhaps I should open my eyes now.

Nah, too relaxed.

Maybe I'll just take a nap and worry about what happened later.

"Are you going to open your eyes? The monitor says you're awake."

Aurora.

Maybe if I just lie here, she'll go away and leave me alone.

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"Are you just going to lie there?"

"Ugh. Is there any reason to wake up?"

"Well, you could wake up long enough to thank me."

Now it all came back. She'd ordered Poopsie to drop a can of sleeping gas on everyone.

Jeridan opened his eyes. He lay in sick bay, a place he had spent way too much time in these past few months. Two of his fingers were in a splint and his body was covered in bruises. Aurora sat next to the bed, looking worried.

"How am I?"

"Two broken fingers, three cracked ribs, and so many bruises you looked like a filet my mom has tenderized."

"Odd analogy."

"You should see her tenderizing filets. She really takes her aggression out on them. Kinda scary."

"You came just at the right time. Thanks."

"Did I do the right thing?"

The kid looked worried.

Young lady, Jeridan corrected herself.

Except at times like this.

He reached out and squeezed her hand.

"You saved a lot of lives, mine included. Thank you."

"So the gas didn't hurt anyone? It was weird to see the whole crowd drop like that. It felt like I killed them all."

He could feel her hand tense up.

"You did the only thing you could do. People were going to get trampled, myself included."

"When everyone went unconscious, I had to let mom out so she could help me and Poopsie untangle the bodies. Some were getting crushed."

"Where is she now?"

"Working with Captain Liu to restore order."

I suppose that's necessary. Good thing Negasi is awake to keep an eye on her.

"Is the riot over?"

Jeridan turned his head and saw a passenger lying on the other bed. Five more were spread out on the floor. All were still unconscious.

"He had me walk Poopsie through the whole ship, dropping canisters as I went. All the passengers are asleep."

"Is Negasi OK?"

"Yeah, he's helping Captain Liu too. He got hit by the gas but he wasn't as injured as you so I gave him a shot to wake him up. Are you OK?"

"I'm feeling better. You injected me with some nanomeds, didn't you?"

"Yeah. But are you OK?"

"What do you mean? I'm healing."

The girl paled. "You looked so scared, like more than I've ever seen you. It was like you were fighting evil spirits."

Like I was fighting evil spirits. Yeah, that just about sums it up.

"Oh. Yeah, well, I rode one of those when I was Mason's age."

Aurora's eyes widened. "You were on an Interstellar Bus? You never told me that."

"It's not something I like to remember."

"Damn, it must have been terrible."

"It was. And being back … it looked the same. It felt the same. Cack, it even smelled the same. All those bodies crushed together. I felt like I was being crushed even before I actually was."

Aurora gave his hand a squeeze. "It's all over now. You're safe."

Jeridan didn't say anything for a moment. "You saved my life. A lot of lives. Thanks."

"We're all one big team. Do you want some tea?"

"Tea?"

"It always makes me feel better."

Jeridan smiled. "I'd love some tea. Thank you."

Aurora hurried to the door.

"Aurora?"

The girl stopped at the door and turned. "Yes?"

"You did the right thing."

She smiled. "Thanks."

Aurora headed out. A minute later, Captain Liu and Negasi came in.

"Feeling better?" Negasi asked.

"Tenderized. Otherwise, I'll heal."

"I apologize for the behavior of my passengers," Captain Liu said. "We had already been in space for several weeks. Things were getting tense. The attack pushed them over the edge."

"I understand."

Believe me, I do.

"Luckily there were no fatalities other than those we sustained in the attack. That was some quick thinking on the part of that teenager. We all owe her a debt of gratitude."

"Yes, we do."

"We've put the passengers in their bunks and we're treating the wounded. There's still a lot of work to do on the engine."

"We'll help with that."

"Not before you have your tea!" Aurora said over the comm system.

"Is there no privacy on this ship?" Jeridan asked.

"You should know the answer to that by now," Negasi said.

"You're my patient," Aurora explained. "I need to monitor you."

"Could you pretend not to?" Jeridan said. "It would be more peaceful."

"Jerk!"

"When's that tea coming?"

"It's going to get poured over your head if you're not careful."

"You have your mother's bedside manner."

"Oh, now you're going to get it!"

Jeridan grinned.

"Well, I see everything's under control here," Negasi said. "Helen and I are going to suit up and work on the engine with a couple of crewmembers from the Renewal. Nova will help with the hull punctures. Take it easy, bud."

Jeridan glanced at the monitor.

"This says I can be up and moving in half an hour. The fingers will take longer. I'll lend a hand once I can. One hand."

"Good. About time you stopped being lazy," Negasi said, punching him in the shoulder. More seriously, he said. "You can work on the engine. Nova can take care of the hull."

So I don't have to go back inside that ship. Thanks, buddy.

Jeridan only nodded. The two men left.

He lay there for a couple of minutes, waiting to heal and waiting for his tea.

Aurora's words came back to him.

We're all one big team.

Are we? Even after all this?

I guess so. That kid has every reason not to think so, and yet she still does.