Human Edge

Today was a busy day. Going to too many places compared to yesterday, being called everywhere. Well, she better get a fair part of the money after working as a field medic, surgeon, and light infantry both. Perhaps nurse, she doubted that anyone else really took care of that kid when she was out, and if anyone would.

Waiting for the mechwarriors to return, she turned on the lights of the compartment N-2 as she entered. If the kid wasn't awake before, he totally was now. She forgot for a moment that he could, in fact, be conscious.

The boy was sitting on a crate, playing with one of the holes in his tunic. When she entered, he glanced up, flinching.

What now?

Rapport was an important part of the treatment. The thing is, Karlotta wasn't really trained to rapport.

"Oh, so you are awake."

"Yeah. Dunno what happens now. I told them about the Slate Eaters. I can't go back there. I can't go home."

"I don't know about any of that, spent the entire day out. Good that someone checked on you, though."

"They wanted answers."

The teen looked a bit gaunt.

"They said a man died. Is that true?"

"Yeah, when the bullets started to sing."

She said it in the most impersonal tone possible.

"Oh hell."

The teen hugged his knees.

"I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. Are you going to execute me?"

"I have not been given any orders related to you. I'm just checking up because that's my job."

She sat on a nearby crate as well.

"You a guard?"

The teen seemed skeptical.