The Troublemaker

Friend pecks at Ophira's abandoned medical supply kit, her curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar scents. Her beak nudges open the clasp, revealing neat rows of supplies inside. The bandages catch her eye, their translucent material shimmering in the ship's lights.

She grabs one roll in her beak, tilting her head as it unfurls like a ribbon. The bandage trails behind her as she waddles across the deck, creating a silvery path. Her tail feathers twitch with excitement at this new game.

Friend hops onto a railing, the bandage streaming in her wake. She struts along the metal beam, wrapping the medical strip around pipes and control panels. Each pass creates another layer of shimmering decoration.

The chicken's enthusiasm grows. She snatches another roll, weaving between chairs and consoles. The bandages criss-cross overhead, dangling like party streamers. Her feet patter across the deck as she adds more layers to her masterpiece.

She pauses to admire her handiwork, head cocked to one side. The bridge now resembles a medical spider's web, bandages draped across every surface. Satisfied, Friend returns to the kit for more supplies. Her golden-brown feathers ruffle with pride as she surveys her redecorating efforts.

Metal hinges creak as Shiro emerges from her cabin. She stops mid-stride, taking in the silvery web of bandages crisscrossing her bridge. Her eyes track the path of destruction back to Friend, who stands proudly beside the ransacked medical kit.

"You're kidding me." Shiro's flat tone makes Friend pause her decorating. The chicken tilts her head, a half-unwound bandage still dangling from her beak.

Friend lets out a defiant cluck, puffing up her feathers.

Shiro steps closer to the scattered medical supplies, studying the bandages Friend has strewn across the bridge. The translucent material catches the light differently than standard gauze - there's a subtle shimmer, an almost imperceptible glow that pulses with microscopic activity.

Her fingers brush against a strip hanging from a beam. The surface feels smooth, almost liquid-like despite its solid form. These aren't ordinary bandages - they're Nano Strips, cutting-edge medical tech she's only heard whispers about.

Friend clucks and pecks at another roll, but Shiro snatches it away before the chicken can add to her decoration. Her mind races back to Arrh's wrapped form, the bandages she'd glimpsed beneath its hospital gown. The same faint glow had been there, barely noticeable in the dim light.

"So that's what you used on him." Shiro's words echo in the empty bridge as she examines the strip more closely. The nanobots within create subtle patterns across the surface, like ripples in still water.

How did Ophira have access to this level of medical technology? But more than that, she chose to use these precious resources on Arrh, a patient most would consider beyond saving.

Shiro turns to Friend. "You just turned several thousand credits worth of Nano Strips into party decorations."

Friend pecks at another loose strip, ready to continue her artistic vision.

"No." Shiro snatches it away. "The nanobots activate on contact with organic material. Which means..." She glances at the strips touching Friend's feathers. Small patches begin to glow with a soft blue light.

Friend flutters her wings, creating a disco-ball effect as the activated strips pulse and shimmer. She hops from foot to foot, seemingly pleased with this new development.

"Great. Now you're a walking light show." Shiro pinches the bridge of her nose.

Friend responds by grabbing another roll in her beak, ready for round two.

"Don't even think about it." Shiro snatches the bandage away, but can't quite hide her amusement as the bridge continues to sparkle.