Israfil turned his face with downcast eyes.  People who struggled didn't deserve special treatment, didn't deserve help.  Israfil pumped himself up by slapping his face a few times; he wasn't struggling at the bottom anymore, he was rising to the top!  He turned back to Mike, putting on a cheerier face and attempted more small talk, "Do you have a significant other?"

[hr]
Tera clutched her chest and looked away.  Death.  A concept all sentient life had to grapple with, to not only have to deal with the inevitability of one's own death, but to also have to deal with the persistent memory and loss of those who had once lived.  She thought of the picture she had found and felt deep shame and guilt, realizing how deeply she had violated Blythe's personal space.  "I'm s-sorry for your loss," Tera said weakly, unsure what else to say.

[hr]
"I know," Maya said apologetically, "I've gone over the reviews, and I get notified when you guys train.  I know how much your sister puts in.  The way they evaluate her isn't right, none of this is right.  I can't change what they think of her, but as for myself, regardless of your cogs, I value both of you as people, and as pilots.  The two of you aren't 'just useful' to me.  In the end, we're all just part of this big 'science experiment', but I want to get all of us through this without us all becoming...cogs in a machine..." She chuckled wryly, realizing the irony.