Keelic and the Space Pirates

  *****

  As Keelic got off his bus, he noticed Thom standing nearby with Uban. They said nothing, but they shadowed Keelic into the school. Keelic hopped away from the tripping foot that Uban sent his way as he passed down the hall, and ran hard into another pair of Thom’s friends. They shoved him off balance and he sprawled on the floor, his tablet sliding away. Someone kicked it farther away. Other kids just walked by. A few smirked. Thom stepped forward like he wanted to kick Keelic, and Keelic scrabbled away, running into the wall.

  The boys laughed and Thom looked satisfied. The Chief’s son turned and walked away. Keelic felt his jaw trembling, and clenched it. He stood and looked around for his tablet, but it was gone. He strode up and down the hall searching frantically before the start-class chime.

  Two older boys passing him jeered, "Did wittle Annoboy woose his tabwet?"

  Hurt and rage flowed and he leapt after them, grabbed the hindmost, and yanked him back onto the floor. Keelic dropped a knee on the boy’s chest and raised a fist.

  "Where is it?" Keelic demanded.

  The boy cringed and looked at his friend, who was standing by in amazement, clearly unwilling to take on Keelic’s fierceness. The boy pointed at the restroom door.

  The tablet was in a urinal. Keelic washed it with soap, twice, ignoring the start-class chime. Another visit to the Chief’s office was necessary now.

  Outside the Chief Instructor’s door, he stood, unable to make himself step in. But if he skipped class, he would still have to return here, and for a worse reason. He closed his eyes, and took one step forward into the door’s detection range.

  When he opened his eyes, the Chief was glaring. A long moment of silence passed. Averting his gaze, Keelic waited for the comment he knew would come.

  "I told you not to make visiting me a habit, Travers."

  The Chief’s voice wasn’t as irritated as it could be, so Keelic tried to explain that someone took his tablet, but the Chief Instructor cut him off, tapped on his console, and said, "Get to class."