[Galaxy Garrison]
[0100 hours]
[Wing A, aka Teacher Offices and Rooms]
"Shiro, why did you drag me here" Keith huffed as Shiro stared at him incredulously. Shiro knew something was up. He could see it. In the subtle movements, facial expressions. He just needs confirmation. So, he doesn't live with it for months on the trip to Kerberos, which launches next week. He needs to know.
Shiro plopped down on his bed, inviting Keith to join, which he accepted. He has seen the subtle blushes and the love filled sighs every time he saw him after one particular class; Physics. He has even seen Keith smile when he thinks no one is looking. AND THAT IS FREAKY IN ITS OWN. This was Keith he was talking about. The lone wolf. The protagonist in every anime show and/or film.
"Look Keith," Shiro sighed, "I love you like a brother and I have one question", it was still, until Shiro suddenly gripped Keith's shoulders, startling the younger man. "Who is it?" Keith's nose was centimetres away from his, Shiro's eyes blown wide, whilst Keith's strange purple was wide with shock. Keith sputtered. He obviously knows what he is talking about, a red streak appeared on his nose.
"N-no one" Keith supplied. He didn't even try to deny it. Perfect, he's got him unguarded. Shiro huffed.
"Bullshit. I know it's someone in your Physics class."
It was quiet. The room lightened by the single lamp on Shiro's desk, which was covered with hundreds of books. All used for the mental revision and exams before the Kerberos mission. The last exam the very next day. He was suppose to be studying for it, but this was much more important.
Keith shuffled backwards awkwardly and Shiro pulled back.
Keith cleared his throat, "…I don't know his name" Silence.
Actually, the word "silence" was an understatement. It was suffocating as Shiro processed the words. Then he proceeded to erupt into laughter. Bowing down on the side of the bed, borderline hysterical.
Keith sputtered, "I-it's not funny. STOP laughing!" Every time Shiro looked at his tomato red face, he erupted again. Keith gripped the bed sheets as he endured the humiliation. The dark streak that ran across his nose darken further than it was possible, but to his luck, it only made Shiro continue his ridiculousness. Keith's heartbeated faster and faster.
"Falling in love" with someone, yet not knowing their name. h. Shiro gasped, struggling to the control his giggles as he attempt to change into his serious, "dad" face.
"Okay. Okay. Okay. Let me get this straight. You are crushing hard on a guy you don't even know the name of?"
Keith avoided his chuckling stare. Keith looked like he was going to combust on the spot. Then he answered in a humiliating whisper, "…I ran into him once…".
And he erupted again, his chest hurt and it felt like he was suffocating.
He never thought Emo, depressed, loner Keith would have a big fat crush like a middle school girl. And he doesn't hide it as well as middle schoolers do. Shiro wheezed long and hard. I actually felt like he was going to pass out.
Keith grabbed the pillow that laid beside him, awaiting to be slept on, and used it to hide his blushing face. If you can't see them, they can't see you. He groaned into the fluffy cushion, using the feathers as a sound absorber and he continued to listen to Shiro die right beside him. Laughing, chuckling, silence, then wheezing. And the cycle repeats.
He thought he hid it so well.
Keith slammed the pillow back onto the bed and abruptly hopped off the bed and marched towards the door. "I'm going to bed," he turned back to Shiro that was redder than he was. He literally looked about he was about to die from asphyxiation. Well, it didn't bode well with the fiery look Keith had plastered on his face. By skin shade and his eyes. He gritted through his teeth, "and you should study". The closing of the door empathized his lasting sentence.
His eye twitched to when he could still hear Shiro's loud laughter through the walls. Don't punch the wall. Don't punch the wall. He traded the thought with stomping away. The further he walked down the hall, the further Shiro's teasing got. That, he was relieved by.
The stars shone through the sky when he walked pass big, obnoxious windows. The only windows alike in the faculty, as guessed, only in staff and high graded Wings. He walked pass the guards that patrolled the area, none of them saw the need to warn him, as they were used to him walking to a fro with Shirogane. But, he didn't miss the suspicious glint in their eyes when they saw is red face. He was sure of it.
Green and Red lights blinked in the distance, signalling the landing and take-off of aircrafts, either to out post on Mars and Venus or older graduates taking joy flights to build up their hours. His heart still hammered in his chest, and that bright, white smile always popped right back up when he thought about the relating subjects; Physic, Homework, assignment, school, and unfortunately now, Shiro. That bastard just had to ruin it for him, didn't he? He would be ashamed to admit it, but he's fantasized more than once if he was his roommate instead the complaining asshole he currently resides with.
"Mr. Kogane" Keith flinched and he hand urged to grabbed his knife from his back, which he left in his bedside table on his dormitory. He breathed through his nose, trying to relieve the heart attack. It's just Iverson. Not Mr. O'Kalri. "you should be asleep cadet, or better, studying. You have that exam tomorrow morning," Iverson glanced at the watch on his wrist, "or should I say in a few hours." Iverson's eyes bore into him, he hated it that they look so much like Mr. O'Kalri. But, he could not hold that against the Commander. Keith pulled into a tight salute.
"Sorry sir, Shiro dragged me here, sir" Iverson lips curled in a small smile. He was a good man, he just takes someone other than the average cadet to see that.
"I believe he talked to you about…your situation" Iverson looked unsure to the words, but Keith's mouth dropped shortly in horror.
He stuttered, "He told you!". This was it. This is how his carefully constructed reputation starts to plummet. Iverson stood straighter, an uncaring mask on his face, but his eyes betrayed to slight amusement.
"He told the entire staff of his suspicions. Though, I believe the entire faculty knew the person you have your eye on, but we made a pact to not tell him the name of said cadet" Keith's face grew hot, and his lips curled into a snarl. His fists clenched and unclenched.
"I'm going to kill him." His heart beated like no tomorrow, though he wasn't sure if it was embarrassment or anger. Let's go in-between. "And I'll be using his own books"
Iverson's stern hand gripped his upper arm, before he could go stomp off to Shiro's room and actually kill him. If the entire staff knew about it, then Matt knew about it, and he will not leave him the fuck alone. He was going to be repaying this torture in murder.
"Cadet," Iverson's stern voice interrupted his fantasised murder, "get some sleep. That's an order".
Keith's heavy breathing grew softer. That was the wises choice. But, he could use this anger for something else. Shiro did have that saying. It was tense until Keith sighed a few moments later, a groan threatening to escape the back of his throat.
He stood straight and nodded courtly to the Commander, "goodnight sir". Iverson nodded back and walked the direction he came. Keith released the groan and walked down the hall. Feeling like a complete idiot as his pink dusted cheeks receded.
Keith Kogane. "Born Pilot". High reputation. Takes no shit from nobody. Now, having the rest of the semester of Professors watching his back with smirks on their faces. It put the previous day in clarity due to Professor Montgomery sitting beside him giving him some dating tips. That was the most awkward conversation he ever had with the teacher. He doubts he could look her in the eye again. With her knowing smirks and eye…pointing. Whatever it is called. He swears, the next time Shiro has a little boy crush, he's going to literally crush it with his bare hands and-
Dark movement slithered in the corner of his eye. He stopped cold. There were no guards present, nor any late-night grading Professors. Just the inky darkness at the ends of the halls, where unused rooms laid. Hs mind brought him to the knife his mother gave him the he left on his bedside table. Scanning the empty corridors, he spotted it.
Half of a body just turning the corner. The corner in the direction he came. Just a speck in darkness.
He stood at the middle of the intersection. Pondering if he should go back to his dormitory with his annoying roommate or follow the strange anomaly. This evening had already been full of not-Keith-like things, ones that would change people's views of him forever.
He smiled. At the taste of adventure.
Let's do a Keith thing.
[Galaxy Garrison]
[0110 hours]
[Wing C, aka Cadet Dormitories]
It was three hours pass the usual curfew, and was he sleeping? Fuck no.
Was he studying for that exam he has in eight hours? Absolutely not.
So, what was he doing? Tugging on black, skin-tight, kelva pants and kelva, black hoodie all over the bare pieces of Amazonian armour he stole. The one outfit that literally spells out; FUCKING SUSPIOUS.
Lance cringed and flinched when Hunk snored particularly loudly. His arm stopping halfway from grabbing to dark utility belt from the underside of his duffle bag. Only to breathe out a sigh of relief when Hunk sputtered and shifted away.
The dull click echoed in the room, the weight of many tools laid on his hips. Bat's gave him a tip several days ago. Their main target; Iverson, was planning something without the authority's knowledge. Whether something illegal, or something completely different. You cannot overview these things. Which was why he was going to use the small device in his belt's pouch that could hack any computer, all programmed by Tim himself.
Relief and unexpectedly closure spread through his veins the moment his hands curled around the handle of his favourite sword. The ancient, worn leather brought happiness as his lifted it from the bottom of the bag. A swords hilt met his vision. The one he stole from the armours "special" weapons from its history. The one he was always fascinated with on that stand. A sword with a missing blade.
He smiled and hooked it to the hoop attached to the utility belt. A light brown in a sea of black. An alright colour combination.
A little bit of him felt guilt reside in the pit of his stomach at leaving behind the other weapons he still has in his bag, like they were actual things with feelings. Sure, he got a little carried away with preparing for his first mission. It was in the middle of the night. No aunties, no mother, and gods no grandmother. But, a little piece of him thinks he would use them…and he probably will. Somehow.
He tugged his hoodie down and rid up the dark bandana. The only thing of view was his mother's eyes he inherited. He breathed out the nerves that resided in his stomach.
Training with his mother, and his harsh aunts was hell, but it prepared him. Though, the fact this was his very first mission, and he was determined to not fuck it up. He was never as nervous as he is now. His stomach was flopping in his stomach, and his muscles felt tight. Not loose and tense as they should before a fight. All in all, he didn't look or feel as ready as he should be.
The door swooshes open. The sound felt like it echoed through the entire base. It was dark, and the stars that shown through the small window at the back were dim. Just pinpricks in a moonless sky. At 11:10pm, the guards are not to patrol this section of hallway, then he should turn right as guards pass the hallway. It may be the long way to the Iverson and his office, but it was for the best.
His feet padded silently through the halls. A sense of familiarity flooded through him. It was something Bruce taught him. How to say silent, how to move like a shadow. Dick had made jokes that Leandro was pretty much the less trained, superhuman version of a Bat. He might as well be. He did practically live with them. Not that his mother knows it. She was barely around anymore.
In the depths of his mind, he played the (what was that movie Jason showed him one time?) Mission Possible. The situation seemed appropriate enough, especially when he evaded guards he knew were going to walk by or pass him. Advoiding the small flashlights they held like some robber on the move. In black kelva and no skin showing, that might as well be the situation.
It became rhythm. Walk. Walk. See guards. Evade. Walk. Walk. See guards. Hide. Repeat. Before long, he was entering Wing B. The Classrooms and Lecture Halls. He passed the posters he sees every day. One for a club, the other for Garrison career advertisement. The Garrison simulator highlight sheet that was stuck on to the corkboard between Lecture rooms B4 and B5.
The Garrison didn't conduct the simulator on freshmen until semester two. The first semester was surrounding the general protocol and procedure's. Next semester, they will be introducing the simulator to them, and Lance has no idea to be excited and nervous. Even if this mission does go for four years, and he graduates as Lance McClain, his real persona has no use for it. But, at least he as something to do in the meantime.
Lance passed the lecture rooms and moved onto the small classrooms and class labs.
At the sight of his Physics classroom, he was very horribly reminded of the Exam he has the next morning. Every time that professor talks, the words just flow over his head. Physics was so hard. But, he is so happy that Hunk was in there with him. No looks of disappointment or general curiosity of how he got accepted into Galaxy Garrison. That means he's Scott free. Then there's that weirdo who sits behind him, who he swears is staring into his soul. The guy that knocked him over the other day. The asshole with the bikie gloves and (*gag*) mullet. It's like that guy wants to fight. And Lance knows he could beat his ass any day. Regardless of his reputation in the school.
The door with the letter 'A' reached his vision. The entrance to Wing A, or known as the teacher Dorms and Offices. He gripped the forged card from his utility belt, again from Bats, and swiped it through the pad. It flashed blue on the pinprick of an indicator on the top before it morphed into green and the double door swished open.
The moment he rounded the corner, he was met with large windows that showed off the sky. Full body windows on a nine feet height. To admit, this far away from the civilisation, it looked beautiful, almost as beautiful as Thermyscira. Especially with the red lights in the distance. On other times, he would sit and watch and reminisce, but he has a job to do.
A hallway came into his view, the one he would have to take to Iverson's office. This facility was so confusing sometimes, with its hallways and corridors. He turned away from the inky sky and back into the depths of metal walls that felt like they we closing in on him, watching straying guards off schedule before continuing his track. He knows he's at least a third away from Iverson's office. And that's was only half of the mission, next was coming back.
He flinched at the sound of light feet and his hand twitched, begging to use the sword on his belt. It didn't sound like a guard, they shouldn't be going in this route in the first place. It sounded soft, and small. And it didn't sound like any of the Professors he knew. There shouldn't be any cadets here in the first place. He stayed by wall. He was stuck at an intersection. Perfect. Not only does he have no idea what to do, but he doesn't know where this was going and who it was.
Lance stilled his breathing, fighting to urge to cover himself into the wall as footsteps came louder. His heart beated furiously in his chest, but his face portrayed no emotion. If he was spotted, he could easily take them down, without them knowing. But, it would it something was off in the facility, and they would do thorough background checks. He doesn't want to risk it.
He hid in the darkness as the unknown figure revealed itself, and continue walking to way he came. Avoiding the urge to speak the person's name aloud, Lance walk past him with no indication he was in there in the first place. Focus on the mission, Prince.
He tutted to himself as he discreetly rounded the corner.
Keith Motherfucking Kogane.
[Galaxy Garrison]
[0127 hours]
[Wing A, aka literally ten feet away from Iverson's office]
The miniscule remote was held tight in his hands. A finger print sensitive button on top, like a pair of car key's or the remote to a garage. Bruce said, this remote would set up an alarm on the other side of the facility that would require a Leading Commanders assistance with, and beep in alert on said Commanders travel back. That would mean he has five minutes to get in, retrieve the information (which should take two minutes), and get out. Simple for a first mission.
Letting out a breath he hadn't realise he was holding a touched the button. Time stilled as he waited for something to happen. For a moment, he wondered if it was busted, then Iverson door was thrown open and the Commander himself walked briskly down the hall. Like a man on a mission. Worked like a charm.
Silently crossing the hall, he swiped his key card and the door swished open. The smell of a very sterile room met his nostrils. He took a step into the No Mans Zone and observed.
Three words.
Not Lived In.
It's like the Commander doesn't even use this space. Sure, some medals hanged on the walls and a very bare bookshelf was underneath them but the desk and shelves were practically bear. Not a coat of dust. Scepticism curled in his mind. Either, one; Iverson was very much a neat freak, or two; his Spidey senses are tingling with suspicion. Hey! Don't hate Spiderman. Those were his favourite comics in Gotham. Binged-read like crazy.
He mentally slapped himself. The Mission, was plastered all over his mind and he set to work. Working around the oak coloured desk, noting the carpet was a as soft as cotton, he practically, slamming the device into the USB port and the screen instantly flashed onto a coding desktop. Codes of green moved upwards and a loading bar appeared.
[Loading…]
[2.34 minutes]
|/ |
Lance huffed. A red flag was going off. In all of his classes and his time at Galaxy Garrison. Iverson always comes to his office. Whether during class or during break and definitely at night. But, the room looks practically unlived in. Even the smell of new plaster was still wafting in the room, and the carpet was soft, especially under in the chair to the desk. The dark colour wasn't faded in some way, or the crumpled under Iverson's weight all day.
If he wasn't in at his desk all day. Where was he?
He tapped his fingers on the wooden desk and spotted the drawers at the side. With little hesitation, he drew the first drawer open. It contents rattled. There was so little in it. Just some paperclips, pens and a notebook with the numbers and letters on it in crude, small writing.
Z275O6, or 227506
Shutting it back up, he moved to the bottom one and opened. Or attempted to open it. It jiggled at his soft attempt. Any harder and that lock would break off, and Iverson would get a tip that someone was at his office. He chewed on his tongue. Something was in there. And something like that in such a bare room must be important. If anything, Bat's taught him. He glared at the silver lock and moved around to his belt. Opening and closing capsules but none of them had any lockpicks. The Bat made this, he must have some. Batman doesn't take chances.
The device he left on the desk beeped in its low, shrill way and his heart leapt into his throat. It hasn't been five minutes yet. It takes two minutes of general direction to get to that area, he must have gotten information of a non-crisis on his way to the "crisis".
DAMN IT!
His eyes shot up to the loading bar.
[Loading…]
[.58 minutes]
|/ |
He refused to acknowledge the fact that it went quicker than usual, and began to hop form leg to leg, like he was running on the spot, in nervousness. Come on. Come on. Come on. His fingers twitched and he felt like he was going to throw up. Not very heroic. But let him go, this was his very first mission. His heart was working overtime, and his stomach stewed.
If Commander Iverson catches him in his office. That's it. Game over. K.O.
He choked when the bar flashed a hundred and the computer shut off, snatching the USB out of the port and hastily moved to the door and swiped the key card. His hands shook and he could barely put the card into the slot. He felt like an idiot. Getting caught on his first mission, and his mother would put on tighter metaphorical chains than before.
This mission is his ticket to freedom.
He needed this.
The pad flashed green, and all the relief of the world washed over him. The doors opened slower than he ever thought imaginable.
Then stopping dead cold at a pair of indigo eyes.