Crimson and Clover

by Fireagle

The set up for the start of a new beginning for the corner of the galaxy called the UPP, like pebbles beginning an avalanche.

Title:    Crimson and Clover

Author(email):  xxfireagle@attbi.com

Rating:   PG? PG-13?  Something.

Summary:   The set up for the start of a new beginning for the corner of the galaxy called the UPP, like pebbles beginning an avalanche.

DISCLAIMER:    Space Cases isn't mine, though any specifics on any of the cultures that is not familiar is mine.  Feel free to use, if you really want to.  I'm not picky.

Note(if any):   Hi!  I haven't posted anything in forever, because I wanted to finish this before I did.  It's not finished, but I don't want to be dead anymore.  This is really my first heavy stab into sarcastic!Rosie, and I'd like any criticisms on how it works, good or bad.  

                If you live away from home for a year, the finer low points are forgotten in favor of all the good memories, like the way your mom acts all worried when your sick, or how your father visits almost every day with a new toy, or picture, or with just a big hug.  Or maybe it's your friends, how they're always happy, always smiling, and always ready to try something new and interesting.  You forget the mind-numbing way classes are taught, or the way your teachers, your parents, and even your friends look at you when you try explaining your latest thought. 

                Or the feeling of being lonely, even surrounded by friends and family. 

                Then you get thrown seven years from home, and your entire former life is like a dream, and not entirely real or true.  Everything gets the misty, faint overcast, and it's easy to doubt most of it happened. 

                The Star Academy looked a lot better seven years away, in all honesty.   I almost forgot all the crap that went on, like the screwed up politics and games that the students played.  Now that I've been tossed into the middle of it again, it's harder to ignore.  But I was doing my best.

                However, doing my best was currently screwing up my schedule.  I made my way for the fifth time in four weeks to the counseling hallway, towards my counselor's office, holding the official-looking note that was going to basically kick me out of Advanced Sociology for knowing it all, and what was the point of being in it?  Never mind the fact I'm loosing more and more credits from being dropped from classes like this. 

                "Again?" Miss Davenport looked up from a pile of files in front of her, giving me a disapproving look.  Or else she was giving the file I had a disapproving look.  "Which class this time?"

                "Sociology.  Professor Castor had me test out, so there was no way I could come back.  I don't think he knows I know." 

                "He looks at the big picture; it's why he's a sociology genius, and not psychology.  Well, this may actually work to our advantage.  May I see the note?"

                I gave it to her.  "Work to whose advantage?"

                "I need to make a call, and then I'll tell you."  Miss. Davenport wandered to a back room, and I sat down in front of her desk.  I grabbed a few of the files, but I didn't recognize any of the names.  They were probably firsties going through a culture shock. 

                I put them back on the desk and just looked around the office.  It was perfectly neat and orderly, just like her office on the Christa.  Paintings hung on most the empty spaces, ranging from famous works by great Martians to a collection from the only art assignment we got as a whole.  Mine looked like an abstract finger-painting, which was as close to realistic I ever got.  Next to Bova's detailed sketches, it looked even worse.  Well, not quite as bad as Harlan's or Radu's, I suppose.  At least mine had colors that were realistic.  My skin had never looked that purple.

                "You know, it goes to show that I have pictures that you guys created.  Most woman have their children's pictures up," Miss Davenport commented as she walked back in and saw where my attention was.

                "We love you, too.  Now can you tell me?"

                "Of course.  Unsurprisingly, you aren't the only person having these difficulties.  I'm seeing Catalina more often than you, Harlan is getting most his credits in Physical, as is Radu, and Bova is Uranusian, so for some reason they're willing to put up with his advance knowledge.  Well, for now, at least.  Wait a week, and I'll probably see him every day."

                I grinned and tried to imitate Bova's aloof matter when pointing out something completely obvious.  "Well, this is what happens when you teach beyond what you're supposed to." 

                "Better that than see you all failing again.  Anyways, I talked to Professor Bradley, and we have come up with a solution to solving your credit problem.  And this way, you don't have to worry about taking a replacement class every time you get kicked out.

                "The psychology and sociology classes have agreed to possibly be part of an experiment, to figure out exactly how the relations between various cultures and races really stand.  We want an honest assessment, with none of the bullshitting that most of the professors would use."

                I smiled; it was Goddard's influence at work, since the old Miss Davenport would never say 'bullshitting'. 

                "We also want the work to be almost entirely up to the students decisions, and so we needed ones we could trust.  That's where you come in, and lovely Professor Castor has given us the perfect opportunity.  The two essays I assigned you covered all of his class work in one great sweep."

                "Those were not easy essays.  But his class seemed far too simple after writing them.  So, who am I working with?"

                "Bova. He's in the psychology class, and Professor Bradley believes he'd get much more out of this.  She's a great believer in humbling Uranusians."

                I could see her point.  Alone, they were grouchy and gloomy, but friendly enough.  In groups, they were suddenly transformed into gods.  It bothered me, to say the least.  "How do you know he'll work with me?"

                "You're Rosie," she sounded faintly surprised.  "He'll work with you, or have to take a bunch of extra classes.  That alone should get him working with an Andromedan.  Plus, between you and me, I doubt Bova is the purist he's playing us all to believe."

                I headed back to my dorm, deep in thought.  Why did I doubt that Bova would be willing to work with me?  We were close while on the Christa, being about the same age and close enough interests to discuss things, or debate them at least.  Then we got into personal stuff…I didn't even feel more comfortable around Radu.  He was always jumpy and insecure, which was endearing, but I could never get as completely comfortable without worrying I'd offend him or something.  Harlan was nice, but he didn't get personal with me.  His problems were told to Radu, or Bova, and once in awhile Catalina or Suzee.  I was in the "little sister" spot, and the little sister doesn't play therapist in his world.  Catalina was great, but self-involved to the point she was always there for you, but rarely was any help in getting over any issues. 

                Yet…I had more faith in them being willing to work on a project with me, rather than Bova.  I tapped out the code for my dorm impatiently, wanting to hide in my little corner and muse.  The dorm was empty, so I was able to wander absently-mindedly to my curtains without having to disengage for conversation.  I flopped onto my bed and stared at my quilt, thinking over my gut feelings some more.

                Why did I doubt he would work with me?  There were plenty of reasons, but I couldn't tell which one was right or not.  I don't think I was being pessimistic, since I didn't do that, even now.  "Realistic" was just a fancy word for pessimistic.  I don't think I was falling for his public image, since I knew him too well for that. 

                The most probable was I was feeling insecure, and if that was the case I should hit myself on the head.  That was a stupid reason, and if I told anyone else, they'd hit me on the head for me.  So, there was no point in admitting this is someone for them to tell me something I already know. 

                If I was anywhere but here, or if it was five years ago, I'd just walk up to him, hug him, and start chatting, ignoring what anyone, including him, thought.  Now, a bit more universe-sound, I know that's not exactly the best way to get him to not treat me like a krebida, or alien-child.  Granted, Mercurians were called krebida anyway, due to long culture patronization.  I like to think of myself as above that, but I'd have to act like it. 

                Which meant that, officially, I didn't know him in public.  And that I'd have to play by Uranusian rules, which details to where each person in the posse stands at certain times.  It was a good thing I studied these politics for my over-all cultural essay, which was my longest and took almost a month to complete. 

                Well, it was going to be a challenge.  I haven't had one of those since we got off the Christa have been having everything fed to us.  I grinned, suddenly and a bit viciously, for me at least. 

                Finally, there was something interesting to do.  

                I mused in my room until Lethe, my only Andromedan roommate and best friend of the four of them, jumped in and pounced on me.  She was odd, with a darker skin tone than Radu and, for some reason, always wore her silverish hair at about twelve centimeters and sticking straight out and up.  She was also a lot more comfortable with touch, always jumping and grabbing at people.  She was just adorable.  She dragged me to dinner, talking on and on about something that happened in the 'Sphere.  Apparently, two Saturnians that were courting got into an all-out argument in the center, so everyone could hear it.  Going by Catalina, I doubt the two cared they were out in front of everyone. 

                "Patia was so embarrassed for them, you can not imagine.  She left during the first five minutes, just as pale as those little white flowers, the ones that look like little spiders?  I swear Radu was going to go with her, either because he was embarrassed himself or just wanted to comfort her, but he stayed and listened.  It was a good thing he did, because he needed something to make him happier after that whole fiasco with Harlan, and the fight soon degraded into a really bad comedy act."

                I was nodding alone, trying to keep up with her quick steps.  Suddenly, one of her statements slapped me in the face, even if I barely heard it the first time around.  "What fiasco with Harlan?"

                "Eh, I dunno, I wasn't there.  Teremin talked about it a little, when I asked why Radu was looking angry.  Must've been a lover's battle," she grinned slyly when she said that, and I just shook my head.

                "You're so bizarre.  First, you basically say he wants Patia, and then you say he's already with Harlan.  Radu isn't a player." 

                "You would know, right?" Lethe winked. 

                "Oh, you hush, we're here.  And I'm sure Radu heard you talking back in the dorm, with how loud you were talking."

                Lethe was the weirdest Andromedan I've ever met, and I've met quite a few.  Most were polite, quiet, proper, and mostly acted and dressed like they wanted no one to notice them or what they were doing.  Lethe, on the other hand, dressed and acted only for attention.  Given her own choice, she'd probably walk around naked, totally ignoring the Andromedan tradition of covering their whole bodies. 

                She was hard to know, in both the fact she's too overbearing sometimes and is really good at not getting personal and 'bullshitting' her way into not getting to know people.  I was lucky, sort of, enough to get past that barrier and actually become good friends. 

                Though, sometimes, I wonder why. 

                "So?  I tell him this to his face.  He just shakes his head and mutters something along the lines 'psycho'.  Tell me something I don't know, for once." 

                I just patted her head, mostly to hear her squeak, and skipped the food line for now.  I had had a snack in my room while I was plotting, so I wasn't very hungry.  Plus, the cafeteria was open for another four hours; I had time to eat later. 

                Surfing through the tables was getting easier each meal, mostly due to experience.  I was getting to know where I had to twist, where to skip, and where to shove.  I found my group of friends easily enough, though.  Most were either Mecurian or Saturnian, with one stray Earther that tended to show up and leave at random times. 

                "Rosie!  Thought you fell out of an airlock.  Join us, eat Yeriki's food," Teri grinned at me from his spot.  He was one of the new recruit Mercurian Stardogs, a rare breed even after I mostly proved that we were more than able at the job. 

                "Shove it, Teri," Yeriki replied, holding his food closer.  He was another Mercurian Stardog recruit, third of the five of us.  Those two were best friends, even before the Star Academy.  They were so cute, like little fuzzy animals.  They were also another of Lethe's, "They are so a couple!" pairs, but she had about a hundred of those. 

                "So, how did Davenport react to you getting booted from Sociology?" Ravina, a Saturnian who had been in that class with me, asked. 

                "She was okay with it, since she thought up a new project so I can make up all the credits I'm rapidly loosing.  But it's top secret, so I can't talk about it."  I wasn't sure about that, but it sounded top secret. 

                "Oh, curious.  Is it interesting, at least?"

                "Very.  It makes being here worth it."  Ravina was the person I was usually around when I happened to be bitchy about that, so she knew most my feelings on still being stuck here.  I may not be as vocal about it, or as angry, but I was still not happy. 

                "How far have you gotten on your research?" Lenore asked.  She was another Saturnian, and my usual partner on projects involving most medical classes.  She wanted to be a base-side nurse, and I wanted to be shipside. 

                "Pretty far.  I have about two hundred bits worth of notes, since I had a new free hour today and Miss Davenport let me borrow her computer, along with the access into some of the restricted files."  I grinned, as I wasn't supposed to let anyone know I had the codes into all the systems of the Star Academy network.  Hacking turned into one of Catalina's specialties, and she updates me with all the codes, even now.  I don't know whether the others get them or not, though. 

                "Way.  If you give them to me in class, I can start picking through them, because the reports only supposed to be twenty bits, and I don't think Professor Toulsin would like us to go over by a hundred and eighty."  She smiled, quick and almost shy.  Lenore was serious and quiet, almost the opposite of Lethe.  Saturnians were wild and unpredictable, not caring what anyone else thought and doing their best to, loudly, take the place they think they deserve.  But Lenore was soft and very private, keeping to herself and just ghosting her way around.

                Come to think of it, I do tend to make friends with those when they're either really difficult to make friends with, or else no one else is willing to. It's odd, that I've never thought about that before.  It makes sense. 

                "Deal.  We can hand it in a week early, too, and get bonus points, if only in opinion." 

                "You're his golden student; I don't think you can get any more points if you tried," Lenore said, looking back down at her food.  Her hands were always shaking, too, for some reason.  I had yet to figure out what it was. 

                "The age thing helps," I agreed, and then scooped out who was sitting nearby.  Most of this particular cafeteria was Saturnian, with a healthy dose of Andromedans and Mercurians, added in with the notable absence of Uranusians and Earthers.  They had their own cafeterias.  They were such snobs. 

                Another Mercurian, Rotik, walked up to our table holding some sort of mechanical device and started talking to Elquert, an engineering-type Saturnian.  Soon, they got in a heated discussion that they dragged most the table into.  My mind strayed, since engineering had never, and probably will never be, one of my prominent subjects.  I knew enough to get by, but barely.

                An odd figure caught my eye.  I did a double take, and then blinked hard.  An Uranusian was making his way through the tables, mostly ignoring the looks being sent his way.  Once he got close enough for me to notice more than the dark hair and gold antennae, I realized it was Bova, heading straight for my table.  I caught his eye and sent an inquiring look I knew he'd get. 

                And he did.  With a quick nod, he turned and left, faster than he came in.  I waited a few moments after he disappeared out of the doors, and then turned to my still-arguing friends.

                "Well, however educational this is," I interrupted, standing up.  "I believe I have somewhere else to be.  See everyone in class?"

                With a chorus of byes at my back, I started fighting my own way through the crowd.  It's a lot harder with the cafeteria almost completely full; no matter how much practice you've had, it was near impossible to surf through at that point.  About the time I reached the door, I felt someone staring intently at me. 

                It had to be Radu, with his weird and not-fully-understandable "powers".  I turned around and, like I had assumed, Radu was watching me from his seat.  He had to have seen Bova earlier, and knew how odd it was for him to show up in the Southeast Café, instead of staying in the North one.  I smiled at him and said, in a normal voice, "Special project Davenport assigned us."

                He nodded and I turned to leave, but realized I didn't know which way Bova turned, and I needed that to find him.  I turned back to Radu, giving him my lost look.  He held up his left hand, and I bailed. 

                Bova was waiting in one of the interconnecting hallways nearly twenty yards away, looking at his fingernails.  "Took you long enough."  He looked up at me with a bored expression.

                "Would've been a bit more suspicious if I just rushed out after you, instead of waiting a little.  Plus, I kept thinking I passed you back twenty hallways.  Takes a little time to check each one."  I looked into the darkened hallway a bit.  "Are we going in there?"

                "If I can open the door."  Bova started walking, slowly and almost lazily.  I quickly fell in step, but couldn't really stay in step.  I was not programmed for walking that slow when I wasn't tired. 

                With his no problems at all at opening the door, I quickly turned on the lights.  He was already taking a seat at the rounded table in the center of the room.  I sat across from him, and was happy it was a smallish table.  It meant I didn't have to yell to talk to him. 

                "Professor Bradley and Miss Davenport filled me in on our little project."  Okay, he still seemed far away, but I think it was more the way he acted, instead of actual distance. 

                "Great.  Where do you want to start?" I asked, shifting in my seat. 

                "I'm not sure.  You've known about it longer, what do you think?"  I sighed.

                "I learned during fifth hour, after I got kicked out of sociology.  That's not much time to plan out a great strategy for anything, except a Gerani game."

                "I didn't ask for a strategy, I asked if you had any idea about where to start."

                Oops.  Can't be so defensive.  "No, not really.  I was thinking mostly that it was great I didn't have to choose any more new classes after being kicked out of another one."

                "Typical Mercurian thoughts."

                I sort of winced.  "No, not really.  I had other reasons for being happy."

                He raised an eyebrow, but didn't push.  I couldn't tell if I was disappointed or not. 

                "Well, I suppose we should start with an outline, if you don't have any bright ideas…?  Didn't think so."

                I bit my tongue to prevent me from snapping at him.  He was acting like such a puritan; I don't know what Miss Davenport was talking about.  "Yes, let's."

                "Well, first we have to decide which groups to study…" his voice started to drone, so it was easy to tune him out.  It's not like he needed me for anything more than a nod. 

                This is why I was so worried.  Makes me feel slightly better, that my fears weren't unfounded.  I wish they were, though, because this really sucked.  Had Bova always been this much of a bastard?  It didn't seem like it, because I had a lot of positive memories with him.  I wouldn't have those if he were.  Still, it was difficult to deny he was now.  Looked a lot like I remembered, minus his decorative beads and braids that he had fun with in our last few years.  Instead, he wore it in a black headband and some cleverly placed bands to keep it out of his way. 

                "Do you think that's a good idea?" I nodded, tearing my eyes from his hair. 

                "Of course it is.  You thought of it," I smiled as I said that, hoping I kept the sarcasm at a minimum.  People tend to be uncomfortable when I was sarcastic; I don't know why. 

                He gave me an odd look.  Odd in it's familiarity, that is.  He almost looked concerned.  "Are you okay?"

                "What?  Why wouldn't I be okay? I'm totally fine."  I smiled, trying to make this one look even more realistic. 

                Didn't look like Bova believed it, but he left it alone.  "Okay.  I think that's good for tonight.  Where do you want to meet tomorrow, during second hour?"

                "No, I still have one of those.  What hour did you have psychology?"

                "Second."

                Ouch.  "Lunch?"

                "No, have to show up there, and you don't want to go to our Café, trust me.  Do you have an eighth?"

                "No, that was my first shoo-out."

                "Great, we can meet then.  You should look this over, to make sure you understand it.  It might be above your level."  He took off before I could reply.  Luckily for him, since I was about to blow up. 

                I was not dumb or mentally slower than even an Uranusian.  I was even faster than most of them in certain areas, like Medical.  I glared at the door, and then glanced at the compupad that he had given me.  At the top, he had written, "I was just kidding.  Lighten up and actually listen for once."

                Okay, so maybe I was off by a little. 

                Managing to dodge out of conversations that consistently based off of gossip or homework, I hid in my corner again, with the compupad.  Bova had done a great job outlining the basics for our report.  The only thing I could tell that it was a bit bare in the specifics.  Well, we had some time before our first turn-in; I'm sure we'll be able to fill the rest in easily.  Especially once we start actually watching people and all that.  Observations should take up a lot of room.

                I still didn't know how to react to Bova, now.  I guess he really wasn't a purist, which is a term that came into existence only lately.  I've never heard it before the Christa.  It usually meant an Uranusian, but really covered all people who believed solely in their own culture and barely talk to those outside of it.  After Uranusians, Andromedans get blamed for being purist.  Understandably, because it still doesn't take much for people to blame Andromedans about something.  Give it a few generations, and it'll only be a vague dislike.  I hope so, at least.

                I decided to start writing out some plans, so he doesn't bitch about doing all the work.  I mean, he will anyways, but this way I have something to counter with.  That's what usually starts the real arguments, because otherwise he'd be able to sulk with what seems like reason.

                Let's do the planning first and reminisce later.  I started writing down logical steps to observing people, mostly starting by just watching the people in classes and really noticing how they act with their friends, so-called enemies, and those that they usually don't interact with.  Then I moved onto staring at these people outright, and then through secretive ways like hidden cameras and things like that.  This was really rather fun.  I wasn't sure if I could get away with some of this stuff, but it wouldn't hurt to try.  I could get really creative, if I put my mind to it.  Except when it comes to painting and drawing; I never really mastered that. 

                "Rosie?  Are you okay?"

                I looked up sharply, seeing Lethe at my curtain and giving me a really strange look.  "What?  I'm fine.  Why?"

                "I heard crazy giggling coming from here, so I had to make sure you didn't jump off the deep end and finally decided to go insane.  What're you doing?"

                "Project.  Special one." 

                "Ah.  It sounds fun.  What's so special about it?"

                "That is none of your business.  If it was, you would've been told about it."  I smiled apologetically at her, but I wasn't about to tell.  I learned my lesson with telling secrets the hard way. 

                "Okay, that kind of special project.  Well, I'll leave you to it, then.  Lights out is in about ten minutes, so I'd fake it for about an hour, and then get back to you work."

                "Thanks," I said, and she left.  I didn't realize it was so late already.  I saved my work and placed the compupad on my travel desk.  With no first hour, I was free to sleep in later than most people.  Being a morning person, by the way, does not automatically make you pleasant in the mornings.  All it meant was that you're able to function mostly normal without any help.  For me, without my normal hours of sleep, I'm not so much grouchy than I try far too hard to be happy and optimistic, because I seriously don't feel like it. 

                But I wasn't able to fall asleep immediately, like I usually do.  Instead, I stewed over my project some more, coming up with ideas I just had to put in when I woke up in the morning.  If I ever fell asleep, that is. 

                Maybe it was my bed.  Sometimes, I got restless and just wasn't able to sleep there.  I got up and moved to the couch-chair thing in the corner and draped myself across it.  It was comfortable, despite the fact my back was propped up on one side and my legs were hanging over the other side.  After some movement adjustments, I was curled up and, very soon after, blissfully asleep. 

                With the worst sleep cramps as I woke up.  I literally fell out of bed and crawled to my alarm, hitting it off.  Yuck.  I stretched and idly wished for an open second period, so I could work out some of the kinks currently making themselves known in my back.  Then again, I had my first in a series of Medical classes, and those were the few classes that I wouldn't be kicked out of.  The teachers all seemed to like me, or at least tolerate me more than, say, Professor Bradley.  I was easily the top of the class, but that was mostly because of all my hands-on experience.  Anyone that can keep Bova off drugs after his "little" ordeal would be top of the class. 

                In fact, I was supposed to be writing a paper about that, but I had to clear it with Miss Davenport, Captain Goddard (we were all so proud of him when he got his promotion, finally), and Bova himself.  So far, the only person that has yet to write back was Goddard, probably because the message had yet to reach him.  Spaceships in the middle of the galaxy were not easy to get a hold of, trust me. 

                No use whining about it now. I quickly dressed and went to the Center Café, the only one that was unofficially "open" to everyone.  That was probably because it was the only one open and monitored all day and night, as well as being the only one the teachers used. 

                I grab breakfast and grabbed one of the tables in the corner that was empty, so I wouldn't be bothered.  Happily munching away on a Mercurian-based pastie, I checked my c-mail.  The first thing was the final copy of the report Lenore and I were writing.  She had managed to interlace both our styles so it didn't look like one of us did all the work, which was impressive.  Also was a 'mail from Bova, which was very rambled.  He started with how tired he was and ended with complaints on how lazy his dorm mates were, with everything else in between.  There was a paragraph or so about our project, in which he said he would start with his dorm and see if he could rig up cameras in their private rooms, but that was about it.  The rest was just kind of random. 

                Okay, I could see no point in this.  This was more something Catalina would do, out of nowhere.  Bova rambled when he was complaining, which did happen a lot, or when he wanted you to do something and refused to ask outright.  Yet, he usually had a point when he rambled.  I could find none in here, and I figured I was one of the best at determining what he wanted. 

                Huh.  I made a note to talk to him about it and scanned the rest of my 'mail.  The rest of it seemed to be homework reminders, which I have always found kind of pointless.  They were sent to the student 'mails, and most students used their personal address.  I didn't, because that was for emergencies and the like. 

                A little thing clicked.  Bova, I'm sure, would've used my personal 'mail for a message, knowing the same things I did.  Instead, he sent his to the address I used most often.  Someone was a perceptive little bastard. 

                I finished my breakfast and headed, a little earlier than usual, to my Medical class.  I had nowhere else to be, and it wouldn't hurt to be a little early. 

                However, running into an almost-brawl would hurt my chances to getting to class on time.  I stumbled onto it about three corridors away from a class that didn't end until twenty minutes, so there was a slim chance of Professor Lowis just happening by. 

                Damn it anyway.  I ran to it, trying to mentally rank everyone involved.  It was difficult, because neither Harlan nor Bova were involved in the Earth or Uranusian sections.  I've memorized, almost subconsciously, their positions in the hierarchy of the school.  Granted, I thought it was sad that the Academy even had a hierarchy.  I had no idea of my place on it. 

                Now was the eternal question:  Do I Get Involved?  There was no connection motivation, so this may be a test of my moral ethics and how much they've fallen since, oh, eight or nine years ago. 

                My, that's a long time.  Not the point of this internal decision. 

                Nobody was jumping out of the hallways to stop my decision, and nothing was stopping these two groups from arguing.  From the looks of it, I was the only one that was even considering it.  Trouble was, I was also considering the effect I'd have on these mostly unknown people.  A Mercurian stepping into an argument was not an odd sight; we were the main mediators of the place.  However, we were also the most outnumbered, and the least taken seriously. 

                Well, it was worth a try.  Whatever happened, Miss Davenport could vouch for me. 

                "What's going on here?" I started, stepping into the middle of the two main males of the "debate" with a bright smile on my face.  "Nothing serious, I hope."

                "Get out of the way, krebida," the Uranusian ordered me, giving me an empathic glare to go with it.  I kept my smile on my face and didn't move.

                "No, I don't want to.  What are you two arguing about?  Right by some classes, that's not too bright." 

                Now both sides were glaring at me.  I wondered briefly if I should play by the Uranusian rules of etiquette, but decided it was probably too late for that.  Instead, I held grown and looked calmly above both of their heads.  That was a tactic that the teachers used sometimes, to distance themselves from the students when the student was being disrespectful.  Warlord Shank used a version of it too, now that I think about it.  His referring to himself in third person was not a sign of mental disturbance, as we had figured for quite a few years.  It was only after actually getting to know him that we realized the balancing of the Spung government and how hard it was to be the supreme Warlord among them all. 

                "What right do you have, jumping into the middle of this?" the Earther asked, his red hair clashing horribly with his yellow shirt.  That was a combination that would make Harlan cringe.  He was the most fashion conscious. 

                "The right of an elder, trying to stop you bunch from getting into serious trouble," I shot back, but still refused to look at him.  Being one of the eldest had a distinct advantage. 

                "You aren't older than me," the Earther replied.  Good, now his angry energies were focusing on me.  I turned to the Uranusian, who had a better grip on who the oldest of the Star Academy were.  He was already backing up, pushing his posse with him.  I raised and eyebrow, and he nodded. 

                Uranusians really were the brightest.  Not the best, but the brightest.  I wondered if he was one of Bova's.  He was a good kid to remember for later.  I turned my attention back to the Earther, who glared right back at me.

                "You aren't going to make me cower," he declared, apparently deciding he had to be a man or whatever. 

                "I'm not trying to," I replied easily, hopefully throwing him off.  That didn't work as well as I hoped.  I was no good at playing the older sibling; my specialty was the younger sibling.  "I was trying to keep you out of trouble."

                "Well, I don't need the help from some Mercurian."  Oh, look, the voice I usually hear when someone says krebida. 

                "You're getting it anyway.  Now, I'd leave like your Uranusian friend before someone more dangerous than me arrives.  They won't be half as nice."

                I could tell he wanted to leave, but didn't want to because I mentioned it.  I just gave him a look, still staying in my "older sibling" character, and he finally turned and left. Good riddance, too. 

                "I'm impressed.  Not many Mercurians could make two boys just itching for a fight stop with just a few words," a voice behind me drawled. 

                Hm.  I didn't know who it was just by voice.  I turned and came face-to-face with another Earth boy; more somber, with a thick thatch of black hair and surprisingly light blue eyes.  I had never seen someone from Earth with such light eyes. 

                "I'm thrilled you're impressed.  Who are you?"

                He surprised me with a quick grin and held out his hand.  "Alexander Marinas.  You must be Rosie Ianni, the closest thing to a doctor out of anyone here?"

                "I don't think I'm more of a doctor than some of our teachers, or of the medical department, but thank you anyway."

                "If only half the things that are said about you are true, you are twice the doctor than the teachers and the medical department put together."

                Wow, he was into exaggeration.  I smiled and nodded, humoring him a bit.  "Well, thank you.  And now I need to be in class."

                "Of course."  He bowed his head slightly and turned away, bringing the rest of the Earth watchers with him. 

                Well, that was a foray into fantasyland.

The rest of my day was pretty normal, thankfully.  Doubt I could've taken any more random people telling me I was far more talented than I actually was. 

                Bova was already in our meeting room when I got there, with files and the like spread around him in chaos.  Some sort of music was blaring; it was a wonder that I didn't hear it outside.  He, of course, was leaning back in the comfortable and big chair with his legs on the table, snoring away.  I took the long way around to sitting across from him to hit his legs off the table, jarring him awake.

                "Took your time, didn't you?" he started, glaring at me.  I shrugged.

                "I had class.  You know, with the books and learning?  Plus, I had to stay after for a few minutes, to discuss an assignment with one of the new student teachers."  I took my seat and started placing files and compupads over my part of the table, organizing by importance of the assignment/project to the class.

                "I hate the student teachers.  They don't know what they're doing."

                "I know that, but they're learning.  So, have a bit of patience."

                Bova snorted, a very unflattering noise.  "So.  Did you get my 'mail?"

                "I did indeed.  What was that?  You rambled and none of it made any connection." 

                "It made a connection in my brain.  Figures you wouldn't get it…" he trailed off, pouting. 

                "I'm sorry.  Anyways, I have some ideas to start research.  I mostly just outlined what we need to research beforehand, because of the whole history and repeating itself and a basis for what we are hopefully to learn through this."

                Bova frowned.  "But don't we want a clean opinion to when we observe, without worrying about what happened before?"

                "By now, there is no such thing as a clean opinion.  I had to break up a fight between some Uranusian and Earther today.  We need to look up history, so we have a stable base to build the rest of the research on."

                "That influences the decisions more than all the opinions we've gained over the years of each other," Bova argued.

                "No, it won't. I'd go in without anything but my own bias, and that isn't pretty."

                "I doubt that.  You're Mercurian."

                "Not…yes, I am Mercurian.  Is that an end-all for my personality?  Is all I have to look forward in my life is a naïve charm that will always have me treated like a slow child?" 

                That could make almost everyone back down, since it hits rather close to home in his or her opinion of Mercurians.  I hate how being simple and optimistic is taking for stupid and slow. 

                "You know I don't think that."  I must have hit some sort of nerve, because his voice was low and gravelly. 

                "I know."  I hoped he still thought I was above that.  "Back to our original argument, though.  If we add in the background, it will look more impressive as a starting point and when they look back at how we started."

                "Fine, you research history, and I'll start observing people."

                That's not what my goal was, but I was out of practice with debating.  I tried, for the most part, to stay out of it.  I nodded and started to clean up my crap, ready to go back to my dorm to study. 

                "Figures.  You're leaving already, just letting me sit by myself in a room that I had to change the codes to myself because Catalina was too busy."

                I stopped. "Do you want me to stay?"

                "No."

                "Liar.  What about changing the codes?" I sat down again.

                "This room is never used, I thought we could use it for our secret study sessions, and that wouldn't work if we had people barging in whenever they wanted.  But when I talked to Catalina, she was busy and told me off."

                "What was she doing?"

                "Reconfiguring the engine in one of the fighters.  Dirty work."

                "So you changed the codes yourself.  I didn't know you could do that."  I certainly couldn't do it.

                "I can do a lot of stuff you don't know about.  What are you taking?"

                I looked over the files.  "By now, mostly medical classes of some sort.  This is for Micro-Medical tomorrow morning."

                "What, all of it?"

                "Except for those two at the end.  That's for Earth History." 

                "Is that all for tomorrow?"

                "Yeah.  I had a few other things due, but I finished them already."  I jumped into the reading, mostly about the very little details of working with a mirco scanner.  Of course, that's what the entire class was about, but it was getting really redundant.  The rest of the class complained a lot, but I could see the usefulness for it.  It was easy to understand why it was only me though; I had a history of being the least engineering-able minded person in the school, and possibly ever.  When I thought it was redundant, I was ready to move to the next step.  It was sad that most the time I didn't have the patience to get to that point. 

                "Wow.  They're piling the entire load on you, aren't they?  You think you're going to finish that tonight?  That's a week's worth of work by itself."

                "Not really.  They aren't very long, and some are already done and I need to look them over." 

                "Why?  You wouldn't catch the mistakes anyway, if you wrote them to begin with."  He turned back to his stuff, typing furiously. 

                "I do catch stuff.  You get a fresh look if you look at it about a week later after writing it."

                "Right.  I'd never get all my work done if I bothered to do that.  I'm not going to get my work done anyway." 

                "Yes you will.  I know you will."

                "How?  We haven't talked at all before this."

                "How could you have stayed in your classes if you didn't finish all your work?  It's simple logic."

                "Maybe they just like me."

                "They wouldn't put up with me actually doing my work.  How would they have dealt with me not doing it?"

                Bova looked like he was about to answer, but thought better of it.  Probably didn't want to be like some big-mouthed Earther. 

                We sat in silence for awhile, working on our individual projects.  I went through my pile quickly, as all of it except for three was just checking on what I answered.  Didn't catch any mistakes, however, which helped make it go by faster.  It's takes a bit longer if I have to revise the whole thing.  Bova finished before I did anyway and decided to take a nap, reminding me strongly of the Bova I knew and lived with and loved.  Probably because he was sleeping. 

                Did I still act the same?  I don't know.  It's harder to tell when it's you, and especially when looking back is a blur that may not be there.  It's changed from the life here being a dream to the life on the Christa being a dream.  There were lots of things I missed about the Christa, but the strongest would be the feeling that life was just us, that was all that was important.  Here, everything else seemed to be the most important, people clamoring to get the attention focused on them.  It's very disconcerting. 

                I didn't try for attention, and therefore I didn't really get it.  I had my friends, I had teachers who knew who I was, and I had a chance at graduating with high honors.  Before, even I didn't dare dream of that. 

                When I finished with my work, I checked the time.  We had an hour left until curfew, just enough time to start on researching a little bit.  I didn't want to bother Bova yet, because he looked so peaceful sleeping.  He looked more like the Bova I remembered, instead of the one now. 

                No use moaning over that some more.  I started writing the history I remembered, most of it from the long days of drilling it in the fourth level history class on the Colony.  It was tedious, but I did memorize it, almost completely.  Which meant I didn't need to search it up and waste time.  Not that it was an issue; I did have plenty of time.

                Time that flew by faster than I thought it would, because the next time I looked, it was about an hour past curfew.  Uh oh was almost an understatement.  I quickly put all my files in my bag and used that to throw Bova's feet off the table again.  He fell out of the chair and landed on the ground with a thud.  That must've hurt.

                "What in the name of Nercorax are you doing?" he snapped, brushing himself off indignantly.

                "We're an hour past curfew," I explained, picking up some of the stray files that fell out of my bag when I pushed him with it.

                "We're what?!  How did that happen?"

                "I lost track of time, I'm sorry.  Though you can't admit you've never snuck back into your dorm past curfew.  I've done it."

                "So've I, but I didn't feel like it tonight.  And if we get caught…"

                "Please. We are so not going to get caught.  I thought Uranusians thought they were above the rules like curfew."

                Bova gave me his withering look. "Do I answer for all Uranusians?  No.  I do what I do, and let them do what they want.  If it's coming back to the dorm at 300 hours, stinking drunk, not my issue."

                I then realized he was as annoyed with the Uranusian "deity" aspect of thinking as the rest of us.  That was a shock, because he seemed to act the same way when it came to things like that.

                But this was no time to try to psychoanalyze him.  That would come later.  Now, I could marvel at the fact my Bova was still kicking and about to start screaming his head off.  That was a relief. 

                My Bova.  He'd probably berate me for an hour on how he didn't want any stinking pet names, thank-you-very-much and go rename my stuffed animals.  Which is unfair, because I only have one here, and he's already gone through a new name every three days.  He doesn't need to have someone encourage me to rename him. 

                Though, despite his misgivings, we managed to get to our dorms without any troubles.  Well, I didn't have any troubles, and he's never mentioned him having any, so that's what I figured happened.  For all I know, they could've caught him and dragged him to some unknown dungeon and flogged him.  But I don't think that happened.  Where would a dungeon be on a space station?  That was just silly. 

                The next few weeks followed a particular schedule.  Get up, go to my remaining classes, work out a bit, do projects, do research over meals, and make observations on the naturalistic behavior of the students of the Star Academy.  Since it was the preliminary stage, all I had to really do was watch and write down notes.  That was easy, and fairly interesting.  There were things that I noticed that I have never noticed before, like the fact Andromedans like sleeping in class.  When did that start happening?  And there are exactly ten Mercurians in school: one teacher, one nurse, five cadets, and three students just along for the education.   Poor way outnumbered us.  Uranusians were most likely to break the curfew rule.  Saturnians were individualistic to a fault sometimes.  Earthers were not all cocky know-it-alls, but they get that reputation because the loudest of them are cocky know-it-alls and spoil it for the rest of them.  Andomedans are nosy little buggers; so subtle you don't realize the extent of the information they've managed to gleam from you.  Trust me, they can get a lot of information. 

                Bova was doing the same as me, and I had to admit his observations were much more detailed.  He was really getting into the project, obviously holding it in higher value than the rest of his work.  The only problem I could see with his reports was that they were all Uranusian observations.  Good ones, but it was very single-mindedly done.  I had a feeling that that was how he was going to start, but detailing each race alone, so I decided to watch how two races interacted.  Later, I'll add in three races, then four, and so on, but two seemed like a good enough start. 

                But who to start with…someone with Mercurians seemed like a good bet.  I could just strike up conversations with random people and see how it goes.  But that really wouldn't work, but I've realized that people don't react the same way to me compared to how they act to, say, Teri or Yeriki. 

                How was I going to do this accurately?  I'll just probably do more watching, and this time study the Mercurians that happen to be around with, whom?  Andromedans.  That seemed to be the closest relationship either of the groups had, and neither wouldn't be really offended if I screwed up and was caught staring.  This whole project would be a lot easier if I had Andromedan hearing.  I could stare at a wall and listen to whomever I needed to have a conversation and come to a conclusion.

                However, I am not Andromedan.  I'm Mercurian.  I'm sure I can talk my way out of any problem that would come up.  That friendly, childlike charisma and stuff.   

                So I went to it.  Andromedans were, naturally, very groupie-like, but I noticed that Mercurians were with them a lot.  I figured the 'Sphere was where most the interaction took place, and so I needed to spend time there, watching. I, however, do not really spend much time in the 'Sphere. A lot of my extra time was spent either in my dorm or in the exercise areas, working on a lot of the hand-to-hand weapons.  I've noticed that having that knowledge can be better used to your advantage than a gun, because no one would expect you to know it, and you wouldn't be totally powerless if you somehow lost your gun.  Plus, with all the new deflector field technology appearing, having "real" weapons will be required soon enough. 

                Granted, not many people had my view on that matter, and did most their work and spent most their extra time in the 'Sphere.  So, today I decided to join them for a while, settling down on a bench and getting started on a study for Medical. Case studies were my favorite part of the medical classes as a whole, but that was probably because I was the best at them.  You learn to be adapt that them quickly when lives depend on that ability. 

                "Rosie!  Who managed to drag you from your hole?" Lethe fell onto the ground next to my bench, with the rest of her group of friends tailing behind at a leisurely rate.  Well, they were my group of friends, too.  As I mentioned before, Mercurians and Andromedans did get along the best.  Teri and Yeriki grabbed the spots next to, or on, me.  Teri acted like such a playful little animal most the time, and most people that were regularly around him were very used to it.  I figured it was a good thing he was so light.  Yeriki leaned heavily on my side, laying his head on Teri's arm and lazily watched the rest of the group settling themselves on the ground. 

                "Ach, I did that myself.  Figured it would be good for me to do some studying out here.  Granted, that doesn't seem to be the case."

                "Well, you'd probably be able to, if you could see your compupad under the pile of Mercurians," Radu pointed out, smiling.  I smiled back and very suddenly missed him.  Well, not him as so much as how close we were before.  Two lonely little cadets, needy for companionship and someone to understand, no matter who they were.  Then he made friends with Harlan, Suzee, and Catalina, and I made friends with Bova, and we kind of moved apart, but remained close.  And then we got here, he had other Andromedans to bond with, and I had my room and studies and adapted so well to be lonely again that I barely even realized it. 

                When I focused out of my thoughts, I realized Radu was giving me an inquiring look.  My thoughts must have been reflecting on my face.  I grinned suddenly and squeezed Teri a bit. 

                "Probably.  Even if I could, I doubt that you'd lot would let me study in peace."

                "What'cha studying?" Teri asked, and grabbed my compupad from my hand easily.  "Case studies?  Why are you studying case studies?"

                "You can never study these too much, trust me. Split second decisions have to be decided from the barest details, and you need to get it right or screw someone up," I lectured, tapping the side of his face thoughtfully.  "Not that'd you know anything of that."

                "Nope!  Glad someone like you is doing that instead.  I could trust my life in your hands."

                "You may have to, depends on how things turn out.  You won't have to worry about that for quite awhile, though.  There's no hurry to rush out yet." 

                "Says you.  If you weren't hijacked, you'd already be out there," Yeriki joined in, giving me one of his ever-patient looks. 

                "Nah.  I'd be home, working under my parents.  And neither of you would be cadets here, so I wouldn't be so quick to judge."

                "Wasn't judging," Yeriki muttered and laid his head back down.  I rubbed the top of his head softly, soothing him a bit.  It's so rare that he's willing to jump into an argument on his own, even a playful one with me and Teri. 

                "Aw, poor boy," Teri rubbed Yeriki's head with his cheek.  "You know we adore you above everyone?"

                Yeriki just grunted.  I turned and focused on the Andromedans that were now in their own conversation, and realized I was doing horribly at my observation job.  Then again, it was supposed to be the two groups together, and we've managed to clump ourselves in the two different racial groups.  Brilliant.  I felt like hitting myself.

                "Hey, Rosie, have you heard about the dance coming up this Friday?" Lethe asked in a lull of their conversation, some time later.  I looked up from the odd angle I was reading my study, giving her a quizzical look.  "You haven't?  How could you not have? It's all everyone's been talking about for weeks now." 

                "You haven't discussed it with me," I pointed out.  Most my current event information came from Lethe and she knew it.

                "I thought someone else would have, asked you to go.  I know plenty of people would."

                "Like who?"  That was pretty unlikely, in my opinion.

                "Well, you're two pets there for two.  Radu, others." 

                I looked at Radu.  He sort of shrugged, looking vaguely uncomfortable.  It was better than all the times I've seen him look distinctly uncomfortable.    "I didn't think about asking anyone."

                "Liar!"

                I let them go into another argument and sort of pulled myself out of it again.  So there was a dance this Friday.  That would mean the Exercise rooms would be pretty empty and I could get the equipment to myself.   It didn't even cross my mind to go to the dance. 

                My study took my attention again, until I felt a fluttering of fingers on my face.  Teri was nose-to-nose with me; something I know would have shocked most other people.  I was able to take it in stride.  "Yes?"

                "That Uranusian keeps glancing over here," he muttered, though I wasn't sure for what reason.  It was probably the close proximity to the face.  He glanced to the left of me, and I followed his gaze. 

                And, of course, there was Bova.  He was with a group of his friends, chatting about something.  Uranusians always looked dreadfully serious whenever they're together, like they never have fun.  It was always business, no play, all work type of deal.  As I watched, his gaze did wander over to where I was sitting, and he met my eyes calmly.  And, with a flick of his eyebrows, he turned back to his conversation and started to talk in an easy manner. 

                "What was that all about?" Teri wondered, laying his face on mine. 

                "Must be boring, with just them to talk to," I replied, nuzzling his a bit.  "Much like sitting in a engineering lecture."

                "Or a medical one," he shot back playfully, and then closed his eyes and sighed.  Yeriki already seemed asleep, a comforting weight on my side. 

                Hint number one that we should head back to our dorms.  Half the Andromedans had already left, and the ones remaining looked like they were going to leave soon.    I sighed and shifted, pushing Teri onto the ground in front of me.  "Come on, pets.  Time to sleep."

                Yeriki grunted.  "That's not news."

                "Time to sleep in a bed, instead of on a person.  Up you go, class tomorrow.  Like every other day." 

                They stumbled off in the director of their dorms, and I followed loosely behind Lethe on the way to my own.  She was chatting with an Andromedan I wasn't familiar with and I didn't really feel like talking anyway.   The fact my little observation plan didn't go as well as I assumed it would made me a bit testy and more worried.  If that happened every time I tried to work on this, I wouldn't get anything done on it.  I was already behind Bova, and the last thing I needed was to deal with his complaining and bragging at the same time. 

                Once I locked myself into my room, I grabbed one of my spare compupads and just started typing whatever came to mind about the relationships at school.

                { It seems like most the teachers miss all the interpolitics of the students in school.  And Kamots knows how much of those there are.  Each culture has it's own specific problems, from the inter-clan issues of the Saturnians and the natural politics that Uranusians play like they breathe to the subtle but powerful Andromedans shows of power. 

                Andromedans don't really ever do that, however.  They seem to naturally accept each person's position and respect it.  I think I've only seen it three times that one had to put another in their place, so to say.  They are the most harmonious together, a strong tie to their culture as a whole, even if we did get the independent 'misfits'. 

                Saturnians…they confuse me, mostly.  They'll squabble and fight like little vicious animals within their own ranks, but I've never seen a group band together so quickly against an outsider.  They don't have structured rules to govern themselves like Uranusians, but who is where doesn't come naturally to them, like Andromedans.  They're mostly civil to everyone else, but not truly friendly, not really.  I can't think of any Saturnian I know, besides Catalina, that I can tell how they felt about their history, rather than just knowing it.  Plus, they have a habit of being tactless and direct.  Their version is a harsh thing to deal with.

                Uranusians have the perfect, structured political lives, which can make then completely mysterious or so incredibly easy to read.  Once you've hit that every movement has a rule and a meaning and plenty of time to watch without being seen, it's very easy to read.  Oh, and having to keep all the separate rules in your head and applying them at the right times, or the moment is gone and you may have missed a vital hint to a power play that will now go over your head because of that.  I don't know how they can stand it.

                It's hard to look at Mercurians objectively.  I could say we don't do politics, but that's not really true.  We don't do them like everyone else.  Being in charge of our group is usually dedicated to the Razeriki, if there is one, or if there's two, to both of them.  Everyone just gets along.  However, there's such a limited amount of Mercurians here, and it's been so long since I've been home, it's possible that I've just forgotten what it's like.

                Earthers are like the Saturnians, but without the ability to band together to defend each other from strangers.  Little bands rule their parts of school, or just survived in it.  Some of them are very nice, very friendly, very smart, and other positive ideals.  Others are just animals wanting a bite out of someone's ankle.  Keeping all the groups and who the allies and rivals are is almost as difficult as remembering all the Uranusian rules, but this is more likely to affect you than missing some signal from a lower-ranked Uranusian. 

                All together, who each group interacts depends greatly on who's involved.  It's impossible to say that Saturnians and Earthers get along the best, because they don't.  No one else does, either.  Except possibly Mercurians and Andromedans, because of the lack of lots of members of both races keep fights to a minimum, and both races are rather stable to begin with.  For the rest of them, it's needed to take a case-by-case basis on how it should be solved, or even what would happen.  }

                I sighed and finished my little essay and sent it to Bova, ignoring his mail to me for the time being.  I could read that in the morning.  A 'mail from Miss. Davenport, on the other hand, should be read tonight.

                Rosie –

                                You are to report in the 5th Airlock at 800 hours tomorrow morning for a meeting with Admiral Lennox.  All classes are excused for the remainder of the week.

                                                                                TJ Davenport.

                I frowned in puzzlement.  Weird.  I wondered what this was about.  I'm sure I haven't done anything negative serious enough to involve an officer, especially a high-ranking one such as an Admiral.  Well, I suppose I'll find out tomorrow.  I threw the compupad on my dresser and fell into bed, falling asleep immediately.