Sven watched Lance out of the corner of his eye.  The kid confused him.  In the month that he'd known him he'd had a nightmare every night and yet he refused to tell anyone about it.  It wasn't that he didn't talk, in fact, he didn't shut up.  It was that when he did talk it was never about himself or his life before the Academy.  Being from a wonderful and loving home, Sven couldn't understand why.
    Another thing that puzzled him about Lance was that though he never paid attention in class or study he always managed to somehow pull off incredible marks.
    Now in their hand-to-hand combat class, he was partnered with the lanky boy.  He stepped forward reaching with his hands to grab onto  Lance's wrist but the kid moved too quickly, before Sven had time to even finish his move Lance had swiped his feet out from under him.  Keith laughed from the sideline and Sven shook his head, grinning as Lance helped him to his feet.
    After class dismissed the three of them headed to the mess hall and having gotten their food they sat at their usual table.  Spying a bottle of ketchup on a nearby table, Sven decided to play a joke on the joker.  Carefully concealing the bottle he began cutting his meat, pretending to let his knife slip he quickly squirted some ketchup on his hand.  "Ow!"
    Lance glanced over at his hand and turned pale.  His whole body went completely rigid and he began to shake.  His normally emotion filled eyes went completely dull.
    Seeing his reaction Sven wiped the ketchup off with a napkin.  "Hey, look Lance it was only ketchup no big deal."  But Lance was caught up in his own world.
    "Sven, let's take him to the Bio Dome.  The fresh air might snap him out of it."  Keith suggested and together they walked Lance outside.
    But Lance's condition was the same.  Sven was about to get the nurse when Lance began mumbling.  He had to bend down next to him in order to hear and when he did he felt his heart cease beating.
    Keith looked at him expectantly, "What did he say?"
    "He said that there was too much blood, he could not help them... He says he's sorry."
    Keith's brow furrowed in thought, "What for?"
    Sven shook his head in frustration, "No.  But I believe it as something to do with his dreams."
   His roommate bent in front of Lance, "Hey, Lance snap out of it.  Sven is fine.  Everything's fine."
    Tearing eyes looked up and Sven was amazed to find the hot-headed guy on the verge of crying.  "My family.  I couldn't save them... The Drule..."
    Sven's 'blood' ran cold as he put the puzzle together.  "You watched the Drule 'murder' your family?"  He didn't intend for the words to come out as harsh as they did but the thought of Drule always brought the worst out in him.
    The sharp words seemed to snap Lance out of his numbed state though.  "Why do you ask that?"  He inquired, slightly confused.
    "Well you said you couldn't save your family, that there was a lot of 'blood' and that the Drule were...  Wait a second...  Keith what was the name of the Planet that the Drule invaded four weeks ago?"
    Not taking his eyes off the younger boy he said, "Talgre."
    Lance's skin lost all noticeable color, and Sven feared he might faint for a moment but he recovered quickly.
    Sven fixed him with a look that would roast the hide off most people.  "Why didn't you tell us?"
    Fire flickered in Lance's eyes, "That's none of your business."  And he stood up ready to storm out of there if it hadn't been for Keith.
    "Lance, we're friends.  You, me, Sven... it's what friends do.  We were just worried about you, that's all.  It certainly wasn't meant to cause you problems.  But you have to learn when to admit when you have problems and if today was any indication... you have a lot of problems you haven't dealt with yet.  Just tell us if you need someone to talk to and we'll be there, okay?"
    "Yah, sure.  Whatever."  But as Lance walked away he began to think it over.