Disclaimer: Please refer to part one


Several days later, the small war between the children had still not eased and its next battle raged in the most recent campsite that Eden Advance had established.

"I want to ride!" Uly demanded as True rode the bicycle that her dad had made from the plans that Yale had given him.

"You don't know how," True responded, wheeling in a circle around the boy.

"Do so," Uly protested.

"Do not," the young girl taunted as she deftly continued to turn the bike in circles around Uly.

"You fall all the time, and even when you don't, you're all wobbly," she taunted.

"It's my turn, True," Uly cried, running after her as she laughed, speeding up on the bike but still wheeling around in circles.

"Only if you can catch me," True dared the younger boy as she darted away with the bicycle, her eyes turned back to him and not ahead of herself.

Suddenly, True crashed into Morgan. The large containers of supplies that he was carrying went flying as he fell back with a cry of pain and outrage. True herself, went flying in one direction, and the bike in another. The bike landed with a heavy crash, bending the front wheel out at an almost 90 angle to the right.

"What are you doing? You could have killed me! And I think you may have broken my leg!" Morgan shouted, drawing the attention of the other members of Eden Advance.

True was on the ground, crying, mumbling incoherently as Morgan continued to rage at her. The slender man struggled to his feet and advanced painfully on the crying girl, railing at her about her carelessness and disregard for the safety of others.

Uly himself stood back, stunned at what had happened and watching in horror as Yale, Danziger, and his mother rushed to where they were. He looked over to the right and saw Julia coming over rapidly as well, her Diaglove ready. And from the mess tent, Bess was running over, her face full of concern as she heard her husband's raised voice.

As Morgan reached True, Danizger bellowed out, "Back off, Martin!"

"She tried to kill me," the bureaucrat protested.

"And I'm saying if you don't get away from my kid, I'm going to finish the job!"

Morgan started sputtering in outrage as Danziger loomed before him.

"Uly, are you okay?" Devon asked her son in concern.

"I'm fine, Mom. I'm okay," he reassured his worried parent.

When Devon was certain that her son was all right she turned her attention to the situation. "What's going on here?" She asked.

"They're both fine," Julia pronounced. "Just a few bumps and bruises."

"That girl's dangerous," Morgan said indignantly as Danziger glared at the smaller man while he gathered his daughter up in his arms.

"Watch it Martin," John growled.

"Danziger," Devon tried to defuse the situation by drawing the Tech's attention.

"It was my fault," Uly said in a small voice.

All eyes looked to him and Uly shifted uncomfortably under the attention, but in a determined voice, continued. "It's my fault. I wanted a turn on the bicycle, so I chased True. It was my fault, she was trying to take a turn and I was bugging her. She just didn't see Mr. Martin because I was bugging her."

"Uly?" Devon asked in surprise.

"Morgan, Honey," Bess soothed, trying to ease the situation. "I think it was just an accident, and I'm sure True will be more careful in the future. Right True?"

True nodded dumbly and after a few more moments of sorting everything out, the adults returned back to their duties and the chores that needed to get done, leaving the two children standing next to the broken bike.

After a few minutes of silence, True hissed, "Why did you say it was your fault?"

Uly shrugged. "Because I thought your dad was going to get in a fight with Mr. Martin. Besides, I didn't want you to get in trouble."

"Yeah well, I didn't need your help," True replied. "And I don't need you protecting me. I can stand up for myself. Probably better than you can. I been taking care of my dad and me for a long time," she finished defiantly, before she walked away, leaving Uly with the broken bike…

TBC