"Jim, what's wrong?" Matt asked softly.

"What is that thing doing here?" Jim demanded harshly. His heart was pounding in his chest. He backed up several steps. He could feel himself shaking, though he tried to hide that unwanted response.

"What?" Varian frowned as he looked for what had Jim so riled up.

Sy broke out of the crowds of students. "I'm back, guys!" He seemed completely unaware of the monster that loomed behind him. "Aladdin is going to be over in a moment, he just had a question for the teachers. I brought Mel with me, though. That should complete all the trios, right?"

Jim surged forward and grabbed Sy's wrist. With a quick jerk he pulled his friend away from the danger.

Sy stumbled over his feet. "Jim! What's going on?"

"Those things are dangerous, Sy!" Jim hissed sharply. "Where's your friend, we need to get him away too."

Sy's face screwed up with confusion. "What? There's nothing dangerous here, Jim. I promise." Gently Sy shook Jim's hand off his wrist. He turned away and walked directly over to the monster Jim was trying to avoid.

A cross between a scorpion and a spider, the alien was an unwelcome sight. Looking into his eyes was like facing Scroop all over again. Despite the white uniform of a cadet, Jim could see nothing but a future criminal before him.

Sy laid one innocent hand on the ugly alien's claw. "Guys, this is Mellow. Mel, these are my friends,"

Before Sy could introduce them, Jim cut him off. "He's not welcome here."

"Jim!" Matt glared at his friend. "Of course he is."

"No, he's not." Jim answered darkly. "I've met his kind before. He's not welcome here. Sy, I don't want you around him any more. It's not safe."

Mel scuttled backwards and hunched his shoulders. He tucked his claws in closer to his body, as if to hide his natural weapons. His demure act did nothing to reassure Jim. Jim took a step forward and raised his chin. He wasn't a cabin boy any more. He'd faced down this sort before and survived. He was older, stronger, and could hold his own against the best fighter in their year.

He wasn't about to let this thing hurt Sy.

Sy stepped between Jim and Mel. His green eyes held something that Jim had never seen in them before. It took him a moment to identify it as anger. True and utter anger. And it was directed at Jim.

"Sy, he's dangerous."

"He is not," Sy answered sharply. "He's my friend."

"He's using you!"

"No he is not. You don't even know him, Jim." Sy shook his head. The gold flecks in his eyes started to glisten. Sy blinked rapidly to hold back the tears. "Why are you acting like this? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me." Jim countered. He softened his voice, not wanting to upset Sy any more than he already was. He reached out to touch his friend's shoulder. Sy shrugged him off and took a step backwards, towards Mel. Jim's stomach twisted. "Sy, just look at him!"

"Look at me." Matt interrupted the argument. He walked over to stand just behind Sy, beside Mel. He crossed his arms. "How many times have I been called a demon, a devil, or a monster? How many people have refused to work with us, with me, because of my skin and my eyes?"

"That's different," Jim answered defensively. "They just haven't given you a chance."

"And you haven't given him a chance," Matt snapped back. "You're no different than they are, Jim."

"Yes I am!"

"I don't see it."

"I've met his sort before," Jim insisted. "He murdered a man and blamed it on me. He almost killed me!"

Braxton laid a hand on Jim's shoulder. "One person doesn't define a species," he said quietly. "I don't define all cyborgs. You don't define all humans. Whoever you met, he doesn't define everyone like him. We'll give Mel a chance."

Jim tensed, but nodded. It seemed he had no allies among his friends. Fixing Mel with a dark glare he spat, "If you so much as touch a single hair on Sy's head, I am going to make you regret it. You can work with us, but you only get one chance."

Matt gave Mel a grin. "Come join Fishlegs and me. We'll make a great team. Sy, are you working with Jim and Snotlout, or do you want to partner with Varian and Tuffnut?"

Sy hesitated and glanced up at Mel. Jim felt his heart sink. Sy was his partner. They always worked together. He wasn't going to ask to work with Varian just because of the creepy spider, was he? For once Jim kept his mouth shut. He didn't think it was wise to protest Sy being allowed to make the choice, though he wasn't sure he'd be able to say nothing if Sy picked his friend instead.

Before Sy could give his answer, another boy broke out of the crowds to join them. "Hey! Thanks for waiting. I'm Aladdin, Sy said he knew a group I could join?"

Sy smiled. "That I did. Aladdin, this is Varian and, sorry, I don't think we've actually even been introduced?"

"Tuffnut." The stringy blonde stood up straighter and puffed out his chest. "Deadliest weapon in the class."

Aladdin smiled brightly. "It's great to meet you both! We'll make a great team."