How Riya Ended Up Here....
Chapter Five: Face-Off
Written as a Collaboration with Terry
"Yeah, I heard that we were moving out pretty soon..." During breaks, the group was allowed to talk aloud. Now they were settled around a table in the mess hall.
Andy grinned, "Where'd you hear that?"
The tall girl was always loud, but usually she was cursing or shouting when they were 'fighting', or cackling at her accomplishments. She tended to get angry very quickly, but she could also be incredibly cheerful. "Oh, you know, you just hear things from people. It's called listening, since I'm sure you've never heard of it." She covered a snort by taking a gulp of coffee.
Andy was about to respond when he noticed the Aide standing in the food line, trying to look inconspicuous, but failing miserably. With his disgustingly long hair and non-reg outfit, he stuck out like a sore thumb against the neatly dressed Cadets. Andy held up a hand, a 'hold that thought' gesture, and got up from the table.
Adara, also with them, looked from him to the Aide and back. ::Don't do it, Andy. You'll get kicked out.:: When he started away from the group, she got up to follow. ::Look, I want to hand him his ass on a platter just as bad as you do, but this isn't the time. C'mon, man, have a little patience at least!:: She stopped short of tugging on his arm as they neared the food line. Several of the normal Cadets gave them strange looks, but said nothing. (They were after all two of Mullen's prestigious Favorites). It could have been Andy's grim face and his tag-along's nervous one.
They reached Riya. "Hey, kid," Andy said in a polite, if distant tone. "Mind if I stand here?" Beneath this however, ::I know it was you, don't tell me lies. You fucked up that game and screwed Adara and I over with Mullen.:: The older girl nodded along, listening in. ::What did you think you were doing? You can't just barge the fuck in on my group and go around messing everything up. I ought to punch you in your flat face right now...:: Though his hand was clenched, he didn't quite do it. ::Tell me right now what you're up to, or I'm going to pummel the shit out of you.::
Riya arched a brow and gave Andy a cool, polite smile. "Of course not," he said evenly. He ignored the expressions on the two Favorite Cadets' expressions in favor of taking a tray from the stack of them beside the cafeteria buffet line. It was certainly an experience to be handed the food instead of handing it out-- but Riya always tried to be extra nice to the servers. He knew what it was like, after all, having to shell out muck and get glared at for it all the time.
At all the mental speech, Riya didn't even flick an eyebrow. He'd half expected it, seeing Mister Military coming up with such a face of closed fury. However, he also didn't respond in kind. "If you have something to say to me, young sir," he said, at his most polite, not even looking at Andy and his tag-along, "please, say it."
My God, he has a brain, he marveled drolly. I almost hadn't thought he could observe. I suppose I wasn't exactly discrete the other day, though, so I guess he just needs something obvious.
Then, as if it was nothing at all to be insulted and threatened in his own head, he gave Anabelle, who had been forced into his position once he left, a friendly grin as she dropped what could have been mashed potatoes onto his tray. "Hello, Anabella, you look lovely today." She really didn't, with her beautiful hair pulled up under a little plastic cap, her face slightly pinched from having to deal with so many Cadets at once, and eyes strained with nervousness as Andy all but loomed over her in his less-than-subtle bullying. Even so, she managed a dimpled smile for his troubles as she added some green vegetable casserole to the almost-potatoes, and for that moment she was pretty again.
Andy ran a hand over his short hair, disgusted, more angry now then ever. Young sir? Young sir?! This guy is so full of shit, Jesus... He glared. "Don't tell me you can't hear me. Stop fucking around..." in a low voice, of course. In a bit of a louder, more even tone, he said, "care to take a seat?" It was more of a 'do it or die' sort of phrase. By God he was going to figure out this kids attitude problem even if it meant the whole situation was to come to blows. Actually, he didn't think he'd mind if it did reach that point. It'd be nice to see that smirk marred by a nicely bloodied lip.
"I can hear you fine," he agreed. "And I'll sit with you, if that's what you'd like, though I didn't think you liked to be seen associating with me." He gave Anabella another smile as the server beside her dropped the instant-cooked garlic toast and a water bottle on his tray, completing the "meal". He tried to look reassuring, since she looked a bit nervous for his supposed fate with these two, scooping up one of the plastic sporks. No use eating mashed potatoes and casserole with his fingers, after all.
Then, tray in hand, he let Mister Military lead him wherever he wanted the strange little trio to sit. "Just make sure you let me eat," he warned cheerfully. "I don't have very long for lunch; I have to get back to fixing your field uniforms. Cadet Adara managed to get hers filthy in that last drill of yours, and Cadet Michael ripped a bloody big hole in his somehow."
Thus settled, he forked a large bite of the casserole thing into his mouth, chewed once, made a face and quickly swallowed. "Yech. Food here just keeps getting worse and worse." Another bite down, and he focused on Mister Military. "So. Was there something you wanted to talk about, or are you just strangely interested in my company today?" He grinned and got himself another big bite. He wasn't lying when he said he didn't have a lot of time to eat.
Andy watched him take a bite in silence, disgusted with his easy avoidance of the subject. A plate of mashed potatoes down the front of his shirt would be nice, but wouldn't solve his main problem.
Adara smirked at him quietly, happy that her own little revenge had been effective.
Alright... let's be blunt, he thought to himself. I can't do this quietly, and I can't fix things with a fight. Damnable... if he were another Cadet he would be dead right now... As it was, he couldn't do anything to one of Mullen's hand-picked boys.
"Okay. What were you doing out there the night before last? Or, why?" he used a semi-strained voice, trying to contain further venting. Urge to kill... rising...
"Practicing," Riya said simply. "Same as you. But probably in a different manner. Or, I was until Cadet Adara so nicely tripped over me." More food.
"What the hell? You weren't even a part of this thing until yesterday! What were you practicing on?" Andy sneered. Adara rolled her eyes. At least it had been she who had come out on top.
"I have known I've have this gift ever since you knew, young sir," Riya pointed out. "Found out in the same way. And I like being able to do things to the best of my ability, so I've been practicing. Mostly with protecting my own mind and listening, since I haven't had many people to talk to."
"So you decided to 'practice' conveniently out by our flag. In the middle of the night. And somehow by 'protecting your own mind' and 'listening' you managed to bring down Mullen and his team on us. I know that I sure as hell wasn't the one who did it." Andy had been sitting on the seat backwards so that his arms rested across the back. Now he leaned his chin across his forearms, and stared madly at the Aide. "And stop fucking calling me 'young sir'!"
"I thought you were all interested in getting respect," Riya said with a shrug. "So I was giving you a respectful title." One more bite, then he looked up at Andy, perhaps for the first time since he had first acknowledged his presence. "You know what? I always thought that someone who's spent his whole life being the best at everything, winning at everything, would be able to handle a single loss. Guess I was wrong." And, with a wry little grin, he went resolutely back to his meal.
"Oh fuck you!" Andy suddenly reached forward to bash the tray aside. Adara looked from him to Riya with a mixture of guilt and anticipation. It was clear that although she wanted the Cadet to quit it, she was equally as eager to see the new kid get what was coming to him. Meanwhile Andy was half standing, hands clutching the back of his chair until the knuckles were white. "Wipe that fucking grin off your face or I'll do it for you!"
Riya jumped to his feet the moment the Cadet made his swipe, sending the tray of food flying, barely missing another Cadet and spattering several with potatoes and casserole. But the point was that, now standing, he was out of Andy's immediate grabbing range. "Temper, temper," he said, grin fading but voice still light and eyes twinkling. "And I kind of don't think you'd enjoy fucking me. I doubt you're my type."
Andy shoved the chair aside, face flushed with anger. Any semblance of reason was gone out the door. Urge to kill... high! "That's it. You're dead you little shit head!" He leapt over the table, arms out to grab Riya, preferably around the throat to choke him to death.
Moron... Riya ducked as Andy lunged, quite possibly letting the guy unbalance and land on the table-top or even fall past it. But Riya wasn't easily grabbable there, either, as he had already ducked to his left and skittered out of the way. "Tsk tsk, you really do have some anger issues, don't you? What would the captain say if he saw you trying to beat on poor, defenseless me?"
"Defenseless my ass!" Andy managed to keep himself from overbalancing by continuing over the table and doing some fancy footwork to get back to the floor. He was on Riya's side, now, oblivious to the stares from around the hall. "You're going to call him, aren't you? I can't believe it! You fucking coward!" Andy sneered, though he slowed his advance.
::Who, me?:: The voice was obviously Mullen's, and Andy turned and caught the Captain walking rapidly towards them from the door.
Shit. He actually did it. I don't believe it...
Riya continued backing up from Andy as the Cadet approached, ready to turn and run for it the instant he thought he'd really be in trouble. He nearly said more, holding up his hands slightly as if to ward off whatever blow he expected. He stopped short and his gaze flicked from Andy to Mullen and back again. "For the record, that was coincidence," he said quickly. "A lucky coincidence, for me, but still a coincidence."
Mullen arrived at their table, glaring from one to another. "Hey, break it up, break it up." ::What's going on here?:: He took in the whole situation, watching Riya with his defensive stance, then Andy with his clenched fists and angry face.
::Getting pay-back, sir!:: Andy made no attempt to keep his psi on a private band. He dropped his fists and glared at Riya, not willing to apologize.
Mullen was already looking around at the surrounding Cadets, as if distracted. "What are you looking at? Nothing to see here. Go back to your meals, Cadets!" Meanwhile, with mind-speech that overlapped his verbal speech, ::'Pay back', Anderson?::
For his part, Riya didn't move or drop his hands and wary stance, still half-expecting Mister Military to leap at him. ::I made the mistake of being near his flag in your game the other night, sir,:: he explained, not elaborating further where Andy and the rest could hear them. ::He's blaming me for loosing,:: he added privately to the captain. ::Don't be too hard on him, I admit I provoked him a little. Couldn't resist, he was just so... rude.:: Better to say at least half the truth than to have Mister Military go telling it all from his perspective and getting him kicked out.
At the same time as Riya was privately sending that half-truth to the Captain, Andy was also trying to explain. ::He was impersonating me! I know he was! You know I wouldn't do something stupid like babble out to everyone where we were!:: Andy was still shaking slightly with anger.
Mullen quirked an eyebrow, listening to both of them. "I think the both of you had better come outside with me."
::I told you not to get into this, you dumb bugger,:: Adara sent to Andy, shaking her head slowly. Mullen turned and was already heading outside. Neither of them could just run away at this point.
Andy might have been shaking, but Riya was cool and calm-looking, if still somewhat wary. He continued to watch Andy as if he were a lit fuse to a bomb that might or might not go off, even as he nodded to the captain's command and hurried to follow.
When they were outside and away from the general masses, Mullen turned to face them both. His expression had changed from vaguely annoyed to quite grave. ::Now look here.:: Andy had been shooting daggers at Riya with his eyes, but now he looked reluctantly at the Captain. ::One thing you should both know already. I am not your personal baby-sitter. I am here to teach you what you need to know to survive, but I am not here to settle your disputes and to keep you from killing each other. Either you two get over your differences on your own, or you'll find yourselves in a position I'm sure that you don't want to be.::
Andy gulped. He didn't want to be kicked out, oh please God don't let him be kicked out...
::Do you two understand?::
Andy did, in a way, though he sure as hell wasn't going to say he was sorry. ::Yes, sir.::
::Riya Keth?::
Now, that was quite unfair! ::I wasn't gonna try an kill anybody,:: Riya protested. ::I'm not stupid enough to try and take on a Cadet, and I wasn't going to call you and get you involved-- you're the one who came of your own accord!::
Mullen gave the young man a hard look. ::Are you talking back to me, boy?::
With difficulty Riya swallowed a retort and tried to sound reasonable. This was exactly why he hated the military, nobody listened, they just went by their rules and regulations and didn't care if they had their stories right or not. ::No, sir, I'm just--:: He snuffed that, too, knowing it wouldn't do any good. With a very unhappy expression and something of a dejected tone, he tried again: ::Never mind... I understand.::
Mullen nodded, satisfied. ::That's what I thought. Now I believe that you had some work to do?:: He turned to a slightly smirking Andy, and in a more authoritative voice, ::And I believe that you have some laps to do.:: He crossed his arms, ::Scratch that. The Septic servicemen are in today. I think they could use a hand with the latrines.::
Andy's smirk disappeared completely. His lip might have been quivering, but his voice was was straight. ::Yessir.::
Riya echoed Andy, not really even noting that Mister Military was getting punishment, and drifted off in the direction of the Barn to finish cleaning and repairing field armor. The rest of lunch was, obviously, out of the question... hopefully he could escape to dinner early.