This story was spawned and created within a three hour english exam. Got top marks, and glowing comments and seeing as how it is the one story I have written with characterisation for Theta and Koschei as they are in my head... Well, I thought I'd share it. XD

The thud of the impact left Koschei's hand stinging, but his vicious grin never faltered.

"I said," he purred out, standing over Jelpax's prone form, the boy in question clutching his jaw, where a dark, mottled bruise was already forming, "is anyone going to question me again?"

The other eight members of the group were silent, and Koschei bared his teeth in a savage, smug grin, not saying a word.
For a long moment, the only noise in the room was the distant sound of thudding from the science quarters of the Academy, where young Gallifreyans worked.
After a long moment, Koschei gave a satisfied sigh, and waved his hand. "Meeting is dismissed."
One by one, the members of the Deca – the brightest of their generation and up and coming Time Lords – stood and left; Ushas without a word, but with a scathing look, Drax and Magnus flanking Jelpax through the door, Millennia with a savage glare and stomping feet.

As the door slammed behind her, Koschei rumbled a pleased sigh, and inspected the table for damage where Jelpax had slammed into it.

"You know, that's really not the way to be a group leader."

A scowl settling on his features, Koschei looked up at the speaker, meeting Theta Sigma's dark green eyes. "And you would know?" He huffed haughtily. "They elected me as group leader – I have the right to act as I see fit."

"Do you?" Theta's eyes were sardonically wide, his tone dry. "Do you, really?" Sauntering forward, he placed his hands on the table where Jelpax's head had hit, tracing the wood. His vibrant ginger hair was bright against the clinical white of the room, his fingers long.

Koschei glared darkly at the younger boy, threading his hand through his dark, slicked hair. "They shouldn't complain. They voted me in."

Theta's eyes were searching, knowing when they sought his own a moment later, and a wry smile tugged at his mouth. "You made them."

Koschei stared, a roiling sensation curling in his belly. "They chose."

"Of their own free will?"

"Of course." Careful to keep his tone light, genial, he gave a charming smile. "Why else would they?"

"Oh I dunno." Theta ran a hand through his shoulder length hair, the other resting on his knee. His tone was casual, light. "I mean, you wouldn't threaten to spill their dirty little secrets to Lord Borusa, would you?"

Koschei's gut churned, and his smile took on a chilling element. "Exactly what are you implying?"

"Spoken like a true politician, there."

"Theta."

Theta's jest evaporated in an instant, but still his tone was light, airy as he looked Koschei in the eye and smiled genially. "Just that you better be able to back up your force with words." He winked, lowering his voice as if parting with a secret. "I'd hate to see you expelled if someone found out about your little experiments after all."

Koschei's jaw tightened, and he growled low in his throat, turning it into a menacing hum as Theta poked his tongue out and swung up to sit on the desk.
Getting to his feet, Koschei placed both hands either side of Theta's waist on the table, glaring into his face. "Would you really?"

Something Koschei couldn't identify flashed across Theta's face for the barest moment, before he smiled disarmingly and shuffled forward till they were chest to chest.
"Actually," he said, all seriousness behind the light hearted tone, "I would." His gaze drilled holes into Koschei's eyes, and his robes suddenly felt cumbersome, heavy.
Koschei blinked, slowly, almost feline in a sense, but didn't move away. Theta smiled again, sunny and cheery.

"Taking power by force, Koschei," he admonished, one long finger tapping Koschei's nose, "but solidifying that power; for that, you need the power of words."
Blue eyes narrowed as Koschei considered, a smile pulling at his lips even as the roiling in his gut became a smouldering, slow burn.
"Are you offering to be my right hand man, Theta Sigma?"

He felt Theta freeze for the briefest of seconds, before he relaxed, a lazy shake of his head his only movement before he replied.
"No," he spoke, voice smooth and doing something to Koschei he couldn't identify, didn't want to identify, because this was Theta bloody Sigma – "just hoping you have the charisma to lead the Deca without punching people who disagree with you in the jaw." He smiled charmingly, alluringly, and Koschei suddenly couldn't stand to be near him, yet neither could he move away.

"Remember," Theta said, his voice soft and insistent, and that damned finger tapped his nose again, and warm breath passed over his face, "force doesn't win you the war in the end – its words."

And then, so close he could have tasted them, breathed over his lips -
"Words win wars."