How Riya Ended Up Here...
Chapter Four: Cat's Out of the Bag
The next afternoon, while Riya was fixing some jammed rifles and listening to an officer scout lecture the Favorite Cadets nearby about the geography of Avangaea, the dragons' home world, he heard a second voice intruding on his thoughts. For a moment, distracted as he was by both the lesson and his menial task, he forgot that he wasn't supposed to be able to hear psionics. He hadn't even quite realized he hadn't heard that aloud.
::Riya, when you're done with that, I want to talk to you outside the barn.::
::Yessir,:: he responded almost automatically. Then he stopped short, blinked, and groaned softly. Now he'd done it. He'd done a good job of hiding reactions to things he'd picked up-- until now.
::I thought so,:: came the response from Mullen. ::The request still stands. Once you've finished, I'll be waiting for you.::
Cursing himself, Riya tossed the last now-unjammed rifle down onto the pile and stood up. A few of the Favorites glanced his way, but they looked back to Esuro quickly, only one keeping his eyes on Riya for more than that to glare at him, obviously annoyed that he had interrupted his train of thought. Riya nodded coolly to the boy, then padded out of the barn and around to the back, ignoring any further looks he received from the Cadets.
Mullen was, indeed, waiting for him. Riya scuffed at the ground, keeping his eyes down, as he approached. One of his worst fears had come true. Now he would probably be kicked out of his position, and if he was lucky he'd end up back in the kitchen and not on the street. Or, perhaps even worse, they might force him to join the military, too, for formal training. God, if they try to make me.... The thought trailed off, half because he didn't quite know what he'd do and half because he didn't want Mullen to hear it.
::So. Riya. How long have you known about your talent?::
Riya had, at least, long since decided what he'd tell Mullen if he ever found out: the truth, or as much of it as he could without impugning himself. So, head hung low with mostly-feigned chagrin and hardly-feigned nervousness, he answered softly, "Since the beginning, sir. When you first called out the Cadets."
Taking his cue, perhaps, from Riya speaking aloud, Mullen did not use his psionics to continue the questioning. "That long?" He frowned faintly, perhaps disapprovingly. "And why didn't you say anything?"
"Because I was afraid to, sir," Riya said with a faint shrug, looking up at Mullen through lowered lashes and thick bangs. Mullen looked puzzled, so Riya added, "I thought you'd either kick me out or make me join the army."
"Make you join?" Mullen repeated, as if he couldn't understand why he'd used that particular phrase. Maybe, Riya thought dismally, some people just don't realize that not everyone likes what he does.
"I'm not really much a military type," he explained, hoping Mullen would understand. "I don't like to fight."
Mullen looked thoughtful a moment, then nodded curtly. "So how much do you know about psionics?"
Feeling vaguely ashamed, but at the same time vaguely proud, Riya said, "Just about everything your Favorites know. I listened and practiced on my own. I did miss a few early lessons, when I had to work in the kitchen or laundry, but I think I've caught myself up." He was pleased to note that Mullen looked at least a little impressed, but also, though Riya hoped he was imagining it, a bit of disapproving apprehension. He just hoped that the captain didn't guess he was listening to more than just the psionic lessons.
"Well," the captain said at last, after a long silence during which Riya forced himself not to fidget, "since we know about it, you can study more openly with the other Cadets. No, I'm not making you sign up or anything," he added as Riya made to protest, much to his relief. "But there are more uses for psionics than just the military, and you might want to take a look at those once you're trained."
Not with UNIS, Riya thought before he quashed that thought into silence and nodded. "Yessir."
"You'll start tomorrow with the others, then," Mullen said smartly, and surprised Riya with a smile-- it shouldn't have been a surprise, for the captain smiled often, but it was nonetheless. "I think you'll do well."
"Thank you, sir." Riya again half-bowed, still refusing to salute and conform to military norms. Mullen motioned that he could get back to whatever other task he had on his list, and Riya trotted back around the barn.
::And Riya,:: the echoey mind-voice told him as he rounded the corner.
::Yes, sir?:: Riya answered, somewhat timidly.
::From now on we talk like this. You need the practice.::
Riya scowled. Great. ::Yessir,:: he sent back, trying to keep the sourness from his tone. Mullen's mental laughter echoed in his head as he re-entered the Barn, but it made Riya smile to hear it. One great fear, at least, was gone.
*****
Riya didn't think he could be this nervous. He knew the Cadets, so it wasn't because he was going to be joining a group of strangers. He was a good psionicist, for all he hadn't had formal training or a lot of practice sending his thoughts, probably better than most of the Cadets themselves, so it couldn't have been fear of failure. Mullen had been nothing but cheerful and encouraging with him, so it wasn't worry of disapproval.
No, Riya thought anxiously as he tied off his braid, it's because all of those things could turn out horribly bad, unless I'm really lucky.... He knew the Cadets, they knew him, and it was likely they would resent his sudden change of status; very few of them liked him very much. He was a good psionicist, so it was likely he would show them up, if he wasn't very careful to seem more behind than he really was, and they would be even more hostile. And, finally, Mullen, for whatever reason, seemed to like him and want him to do well. He hadn't shown any particular favoritism among the Favorites-- Oh, how ironic to think that-- except a bit towards Mister Military, which could have even been seen as a bad thing, since extra attention from a captain often meant extra work. So, again, he was likely doomed to be loathed.
Tossing his braid back behind him with a force that was almost savage, Riya brushed back a few long strands of his bangs from his eyes, leaned over the top of his dresser to see himself closely in his mirror, and tried to force his face into an bland, almost bored expression. I don't need them to like me, he told himself fiercely, loosing his mask almost immediately into a glare that he fixed on himself. There's no way I'll get them to, so I might as well not try.
But, even Riya had to admit it, not having a single friend on the base was starting to wear on him. This place was his first assignment without so much as a partner, and it was hard, he was learning, to have no one who knew the truth about him-- no one who even liked him, really-- to confide in. His glare faded into a glum expression, and he leaned on one arm on the dresser, his chin resting on his palm. At least it'll all be over soon, he told himself, trying to sound reassuring. Next week Jonas is coming with the supply, I can tell him everything he'll believe, and then two weeks after that, all the little Favorite brats are leaving for Aven-side.
He couldn't help feeling another twang of jealousy. The Cadets would all be going off to meet the dragons-- his mind was forced to point out the fact that they were going to go fight with the dragons, but even so-- and Riya would, most likely, be left behind with nowhere to go but back to the kitchens. Even if he betrayed UNIS by his mere existence, even if he wanted nothing to do with the Cadets, even if he hated the thought of war on any planet, he wanted nothing more than he wanted to spend more time with dragons.
They're going to attack Mars, he thought firmly. Better get them into the category of enemy pretty fuckin quickly, or I'll be in trouble once they get here. But that, he knew, was going to be harder even than keeping up this charade on Earth.
The psionics lesson was about to begin. Riya shook his head, straightened up, and gave his shirt a half-hearted tug to smooth it out. Wouldn't want to be late on his first day. At least he would be gratified by the expressions on the faces of Mister Military and Miss Bitch-- Adara now had her own nickname, in his mind-- when he showed up to be taught as an equal by them. This meant, of course, that all his little jokes would have to stop-- he was a known element now, and a disliked element, at that, so anything of that sort would immediately be pegged on him, whether he'd actually done it or not. That was too bad; he had enjoyed his small revenge for the Favorites' snobbishness. He would have to find other ways to pick at them.
And, so, hiding his mood behind a flippant grin, Riya went out into the world again, meeting Mullen just outside the building and across the lawn from the Barn. That was something of a surprise, as Riya hadn't expected to see him until he was inside the Barn with the Favorites. He greeted the man pleasantly enough, managing to conceal most of his nervousness, but some of it must have leaked through for Mullen gave him a pat on the shoulder that was probably supposed to be reassuring before they reached the Barn.
::You'll do fine,:: he sent. ::Don't look so glum.::
::I-I'll do my best, sir,:: Riya returned, a little timidly in this "new" method of communication. Listening was one thing, he had discovered as Mullen pestered him to send his thoughts randomly throughout the day yesterday, while speaking was quite another.
Then they were there, stepping inside, and Mullen-- Oh God, the idiot-- was beaming like some proud father. It was all Riya could do to keep the smile on his face, instead of drooping with nervous despair at the expression on the Cadets' faces as they realized that something was different. Mister Military and Miss Bitch exchanged looks that spoke volumes-- and probably thoughts, as well-- as Mullen introduced him.
::Cadets, I'd like you to meet Riya Keth, well, officially. He well be taking some lessons with you. It turns out that you seven aren't the only ones with psionics.::
The looks ranged from shocked to venomous, but Riya was sure they'd all loathe him soon enough, if they didn't already. Mullen remained oblivious to them and motioned for Riya to sit down, which he did, as far from Mister Military and Miss Bitch as he could manage-- actually, as far from any of the Cadets as he could manage.
::Today I want to teach you about 'blocking'.::
Oh God.... This was going to be boring. Riya had even partly figured that one out already-- at least, he thought he had.