An excerpt from The Comet's Curse

Triana, Gap and Lita could hear the violent screams before they reached the Clinic.  Actually, the designers of Galahad labeled the department as the Clinic, while each of the kids on board simply called it Sick House.  Lita Marques was the Council member in charge, but even she relied mainly on Roc to handle most emergencies.  No one expected the room to be busy so quickly.

As soon as they rounded the corner and came within sight of Sick House, they were able to pick out some of the words in the jumble of screams.  Triana heard someone shouting "I saw him," and "turn around, turn it around, we need to go back."  The voice was that of a boy, obviously in a highly excited state.  He didn't sound angry; he sounded frightened.

As soon as she saw him, Triana recognized him as a fifteen-year-old from Canada named Peter Meyer.  But his face was a dark shade of red, splotchy and sweaty.  He was worked up into a frenzy, and Lita’s assistant, Alexa, was right up in his face trying to talk to him while he was held by two other Sick House workers.  Each was struggling to hold onto one of Peter's arms as he jerked wildly back and forth.  Without hesitating, Gap and Lita hurried over and took charge.  They helped to secure the screaming boy, and Triana stepped up beside Alexa.

"What happened?"

"I don't know yet," Alexa said, a small trickle of sweat beading her forehead.  Her blonde hair was held out of her face with a small clip.  "He was running up and down the halls, screaming just like this.  He broke a couple of windows in the Recreation area before a few guys got hold of him.  They managed to get him here, but not without a fight.  They're in the next room, getting treated for some cuts and scratches."

Triana looked directly into Peter's eyes, and putting her hands on his face she steadied him while speaking loudly and forcefully.

"Peter.  Peter!  Stop it, do you hear me?”  She gradually lowered and calmed her own voice, causing the panic in the boy to subside.  Soon he was whimpering quietly.  "Peter, tell me what happened," Triana said.  "What's going on?"

"I... I... we need to turn around... we need to go back," he blurted out between sobs.  "We need to... "  He finally collapsed.  The two workers led him across the room and placed him on a bed.  Triana and Lita stood on one side, Gap and Alexa on the other.

Triana said, "Peter, I need you to relax and talk to me.  We can't help you like this.  Now, take a few deep breaths and tell me what's going on."

Peter lay back, closed his eyes for a moment, and soon his breathing slowed a little.  The panic attack was apparently over.  When he finally spoke, it was almost in a whisper.

"We need to go back.  We can't leave."

"Why, Peter?" Triana said.  "What are you afraid of?"

"I saw him.  He smiled at me.  He…he talked to me.”

Triana and Lita looked up at each other.  Neither could understand what Peter was talking about.  Lita spoke to the boy in a soothing voice.

"Who did you see, Peter?  Who was it?"

He licked his lips and opened his eyes, staring straight up at the ceiling.  His voice was still a whisper.  "I don't know who it is.  He looked familiar, though.  I've seen him somewhere before."

"Peter, you should know everybody aboard.  Try to remember his name."

He shook his head.  "No, he's not one of us."

This time Triana looked across at Gap.  He met her gaze, and his eyes were wide.  She knew he wanted to say something but instead let her handle the situation.  She made a mental note to speak with him later.

"What do you mean 'not one of us,' Peter?" Lita said.  "You mean not one of the crew?"

Peter didn't answer.  Instead he closed his eyes again and put his hands up over his face.  He was still frightened.

Triana placed a hand on his shoulder.  "Peter, we can't help if you won't talk to us.  Are you telling us you saw a kid you didn't recognize?  That's okay, there are 251 of us - "

No!" Peter yelled, suddenly sitting up.  "No!  Not one of us!  Don't you understand?  He was an adult!"