Hello peeps and peepettes of the internet. After a few much needed lazy days, the next chapter is up for your reading pleasure. Thank you, gracias, grazie, and merci to all those who reviewed, you are all awsome and deserve medals of the gold variety. Enjoy!
Chapter 13: Red Devil
The new suit brought a mixed sense of familiarity and strangeness. Klenon had put on and taken off his suits many times. But this was the first time in a long time that he stepped into a completely new one. Klenon flexed his fingers, testing the suit's flexibility. The rubber material stretched smoothly with every little motion.
Besides the suit, Harris also gave him his very own omni-tool. It was the standard issue, but it meant a great deal to him. Omni-tools were a godsend to soldiers from any military. From making repairs to weapons to converting unused components into omni-gel, the holographic tool often ended up being the end all be all of every battle.
An orange glow splashed across his body. His omni-tool was brand new and Klenon had spent that last hour experimenting with it. There were so many features and functions in the small tool that Klenon had difficulty remembering them all.
His new barracks were nice. They were much larger than the recruits'; at least twice its size. Klenon noticed that they were only seven beds, including the one he was sitting on, instead of the ten in his old dorm. They must have belonged to his new squad. Klenon hadn't received his results from the test, leading him to assume the worst. While Harris' suggestion of working to improve himself rang true, he still wouldn't forgive himself if he scored below average.
A small flash of light drew his attention back to his omni-tool. His knowledge of the peculiar device was limited, but with enough down time he was sure he'd be able to figure it out. His hands danced across the tool, pressing one button after another, hoping to learn what it did. The circular end of the tool where Klenon's hand was rotated one direction before coming to an abrupt stop and moving the opposite way. Soft beeps emanated from it every time Klenon's fingers touched its holographic form.
The soft sound of the door opening interrupted the thick silence. Klenon closed his omni-tool without a second thought as he prepared himself to meet his new squad. Surprisingly, only a single person entered. A young woman with short, platinum-blonde hair walked inside. Her emerald eyes moved lazily about the room, absorbing every small detail until falling on him. She raised a brow, whether from surprise or intrigue, he couldn't say.
"Hey." She said in a monotone voice. Klenon relaxed his surprisingly tense muscles. He wasn't expecting a greeting from her. The usual thing that happened when Klenon met someone new was a question about why he was here. Her green eyes continued to stare at him as if she'd break him in half for saying something wrong.
Realizing she was still expecting a response, Klenon muttered, "Uhh…hi?"
The woman shrugged and went back to surveying the room. Klenon didn't break his stare for a few seconds before going back to his omni-tool. He was just about to get comfortable until the woman broke the silence again.
"Wait, are you the last one?" she asked. Klenon looked up but kept his head facing downwards. The woman was standing in front of him, her hands on her hips. Klenon opened his mouth but said nothing. What did she mean by the last one he wondered?
"Uhh…last w-what?" he stuttered.
"The last squad member." The unnamed woman stated. Klenon's eyes darted from one place to another, looking everywhere except at her.
"M-maybe? I'm…I'm not too sure." He answered her. The woman shrugged again, taking his answer as the best she would get.
"Whatever. Elaine asked for one more recruit. I'll just assume it was you." She said. Klenon was surprised by her cavalier attitude. He was even more surprised when she grabbed him by the arm and hoisted him up from his bed.
"Wait w-what?" Klenon struggled to squirm out of her grasp, but she had an iron grip. She dragged him out of the dorm before turning to him with a bemused expression. Relinquishing his hand, she pointed down the hall.
"The rest of our merry band is down in the P.E. room. Elaine told me to look for you since I was just sitting there. Guess it's a habit of hers to have people doing something." She said, sounding a little annoyed at Elaine's request. Klenon didn't interject. Now having control of his arm again, Klenon walked at a slower pace than her, being just a step behind as they neared their destination.
"E-Elaine?"
"She's the one calling the shots. Either her or the big guy with the attitude." She answered. Klenon didn't bother asking her who the big guy was. He'd find out soon enough. The woman took a sharp turn into a large room that resembled the place where Klenon did most of his workout routines in boot camp, albeit with more things to train on.
Off to his left was a wide window that showcased a shooting range. A dark track encircled the entire room, with various exercise machines standing in the middle. To his right were three large circles drawn into the floor. One of them was occupied by the men sparring.
Klenon spotted a group of people huddled in the corner. The woman steered them towards the group. Before the got close, the woman tossed him a backwards look.
"I'm Kathleen by the way. Probably should have said that before but oh well." She said. Klenon didn't offer a response. This girl was…interesting. She seemed too lax to be in this sort of place.
Shrugging it off, Klenon shifted his way towards them. One of them, a brown haired woman noticed and gave him a sweet smile.
"Ah, you must be our special recruit. Admiral Mowers told me as much." she said. There was a distinct accent in her soft voice, but Klenon couldn't place it. He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to answer. "No need to be shy. Come, we've much to talk about."
Klenon took another step closer. A slap on his shoulder jolted him. Klenon faced the source to see none other than Soren with the same cocky grin he wore on the day of the test.
"Guess we got grouped in together huh?" he said. Klenon gave him a weary smile, uncertain of whether that was a good thing or not. While he was grateful for the effort Soren put into talking to him, Klenon didn't feel comfortable trying to force a conversation with him whenever he tried.
"I'm Lieutenant Elaine Benoit. I am the second in command to our squad." Elaine said with the same soft manner. "Captain Simoni will be here momentarily, he is busying himself with the admiral at the moment. Discussing orders, I'm sure."
Klenon nodded his understanding. Elaine fell back into the routine of talking with the others, allowing Klenon a moment to scan the others. Besides him, Elaine, Kathleen, and Soren, there were two more men in the circle. One with olive skin and a stubble beard, and another with a clean-cut hairstyle and ice blue eyes.
This was his new family. These people were going to be the only ones he could depend on. Just like Kathleen said, 'their merry band'. Klenon had stayed mostly silent throughout his stay here, but even he had to admit that at some point, he was going to have to break out of that if he wanted to survive. He was going to have to trust these people, whether he liked it or not.
"I hope you've briefed the greenhorns, Elaine?"
A gruff and raspy voice sliced through Klenon's thoughts. He, along with the others around him, turned to see a well-aged man walking towards them. His dark hair showed just a fraction of gray as it shined in the room's bright lights. A scar ran from his neck to the bottom of his right cheek. Everything about him screamed 'experience'.
"There's no worry of that, Matteo. I've already gone over it." She said, giving him a curt nod before stepping aside to let him take the reins. The older gentleman put his hands behind his back, a common trait among Alliance officers, apparently.
"Right, well as most of you know, Mowers is in charge of various ground forces, including ours. So be sure to give him the utmost respect." Simoni warned them in a firm, but friendly tone. Like a father gently nudging his son to do the right thing. He took the time to memorize each of their faces, staring at one for a long time before moving on to the next.
All except for Klenon.
At first, Klenon thought nothing of it, but the way his head craned from person to person made it look like he was deliberately trying to avoid looking at him. Klenon tried the read his face, to find some sort of hint to his blatant act of ignoring him, but found it difficult to get an accurate read on him. For whatever reason, Matteo refused to acknowledge him.
A thought sprouted in Klenon's mind, and it only brought a pit to his stomach. It was a morbid thought, one that he was constantly warned about by both Harris and his parents; but it was the only possible explanation for Matteo's strange behavior.
He didn't like Klenon. Most likely it was because of his race, and Klenon felt terrible for it. This man hadn't known him for more than five minutes and he had already grouped Klenon into a list of undesirables. Klenon didn't know if he should feel angry or disappointed that this happened to him again; from his new squad leader of all people.
"Now, onto business."
Matteo lead the group over to the sparring rings. Klenon stayed a few feet behind, imitating his time during basic training. Pointing at them, he said, "Now, let's get a taste of what you guys learned in basics. I think a good sparring will warm you up a little."
Klenon wringed his hands, more out of habit than apprehension. Klenon was sort of a specialist with biotics thanks to the many years he taught himself. Hand to hand combat was very similar. Most of it dealt with focus and reacting to changing circumstances. Initially, Klenon had trouble getting the hang of things. He'd worry too much about hurting the other person that he'd leave himself open for attack.
Two quick pokes found their way to Klenon's shoulder. Soren came up next to him. "You wanna go?"
Klenon was unsure on how to respond but settled for a small nod. Entering the circle, Klenon turned to face his opponent. They had faced off once before, but it ended in a tie. Now they can determine who the better fighter was.
A competitive glint sparkled in his eye as he prepared himself. Soren adopted his own stance as they circled each other. Klenon could make out the other two men sparring with each other, with Kathleen resigning herself to fighting with Elaine.
"So you want any pointers about the others? I've spent a good amount of time trying to get to know them." Soren offered. Klenon tightened his knuckles, ready to move at any given moment. The proposal sounded like a useful thing to know, so he nodded his agreement.
"W-who are the other two guys?" Klenon whispered, being careful not to let the others over hear. Soren smirked and dashed forward, hoping to catch him by surprise. Klenon registered his movements and took a step back, deflecting Soren's punch in the process.
"The guy with the beard is Fredrick Miles. Good guy from what I've been able to sniff out. Most people around here call him Fred though." Soren started. Klenon moved quickly to retaliate. A series of quick jabs rocketed towards Soren.
Soren held up his arms, absorbing the full brunt of Klenon's attacks. Klenon's fists bounced off, doing zero damage. "The other guy is Will. Haven't talked to him much, so I'm not really sure what the deal is with him."
Klenon threw another punch, only to have Soren grab his arm and yank him in. His much larger arms pulled Klenon down as his knee drove itself into Klenon's stomach. Soren didn't use full force, but it still knocked the air out of Klenon.
Soren threw up another knee, hoping to keep Klenon under his control. Klenon responded by holding his hands out from under his stomach, blocking Soren's repeated attack. Before Soren could devise a new strategy, Klenon drove his shoulder into Soren, shoving him away.
Now back on even footing, the two fell into a lull in their fighting. Klenon carefully watched Soren, meticulously looking for any weakness he could exploit. Before he could eve formulate a plan, Soren attacked first, throwing a decisive right hook.
Klenon sidestepped the oncoming blow, leaving Soren open for a counterattack. Klenon kicked the back of Soren's leg, collapsing him to one knee. Klenon seized his vulnerability and delivered a swift blow to the head with his heel. The sheer force of the hit knocked Soren to the ground, clutching the back of his head.
Klenon felt his heart drop. Did he kick too hard? He was too focused on wining that he wasn't actually paying attention to how hard he was hitting.
"Uhh…are you…are you okay?" Klenon knelt down next to him. Soren grunted and rubbed the back of his head, making no effort to pick himself up. With every second that ticked by, Klenon's panic rose. A single coherent thought didn't enter his mind, leaving it filled with hazed worries and blurry actions. Before he knew it, Klenon knelt down by his side. He didn't have the slightest clue what to do.
Klenon could hear the chilling sounds of footsteps behind him. No doubt the others had taken notice of Soren and came to see what was going on.
"What's going on here?" Matteo demanded. His voice was gruff and sharp, the firm but gentle tone from before was all but absent. His hostile question struck on chord in Klenon. It was bad enough that Matteo ignored him for a reason, now he has solid proof to alienate him even more. Klenon stumbled over his words; more so than usual. Any word that could escape his lips sounded frail. Matteo glared at him, seemingly unamused by his incoherent rambling.
Klenon looked between him and the others, his gaze bounced adamantly around the room, looking for something, anything that could relieve the pressure. The muscles in his legs tensed, ready to run at a moment's notice. Klenon's eyes fell on the others, hoping that somebody would provide a sense of empathy.
Elaine looked curious, but understanding, as if trying to offset Matteo's disapproval. Kathleen was focusing her attention solely on Soren's hunched form. Fredrick and Will looked between Matteo and Soren, lacking information about the event taking place.
Even though only Matteo was staring him down, Klenon could swear his gaze was more excruciating than the rest of theirs combined. His mouth hung open, his mind blank. Any sort of defense in his favor was lost on him. Even if he had one, his fragile confidence would make it come out as a plead of guilt rather than the defense he intended.
A shuffling sound broke the thick silence. Everyone looked down to see Soren drag himself to his feet, his hand massaging the back of his head. Despite the serious blow, Klenon was shocked to see Soren still wearing his trademark grin.
"Hey, don't be so hard on him, captain. My fault anyways, wasn't paying attention. He got me off-guard and I couldn't get ready for the blow." He said in his best nonchalant tone. Matteo narrowed his eyes. Klenon couldn't tell if it was from not believing him or being baffled that Soren would space out in the middle of sparring.
"And what exactly would warrant your full attention during sparring, private?" he asked. His previous unamused tone was gone, replaced by a drier one. Instead of answering, Soren took a quick glance at Kathleen, throwing her a charming wink before turning to Matteo again. Kathleen scoffed and crossed her arms, obviously humored by his cover.
Matteo looked less than pleased with Soren's gesture. "I would have to ask that you refrain from these…temptations, private. Don't make it a problem, do I make myself clear?"
Soren nodded stiffly. Matteo gave Klenon another suspicious glance before leaving them to their business. With the head of the investigation leaving, everyone else did the same. All except for Elaine.
"Sometimes you have to maintain restraint, Klenon. It could save your life one day." She said, catching him off-guard. She knew? And she refused to tell Matteo? A warm, thankful feeling overrode the bitter embarrassment that gnawed in his stomach. Klenon wasn't sure what to make of the group overall, but Elaine seemed to at least accept him for who he was.
Soren rubbed the back of his head and turned to face him, the grin never leaving his face. Klenon returned the grin with a blank face. Despite his ongoing streak of never initiating conversation with Soren, he couldn't help but ask, "W-why?"
Soren beamed from covering Klenon. He must take a great deal of pride in keeping people out of trouble. "Because from what I've seen, you aren't all that great with attention. No offense."
Klenon lowered his head. It was still an issue he had to work out. The fact that Soren felt the need to protect him as if he were a child didn't help much either.
"N-none taken…I guess. S-sorry for…you know." He stammered. Soren nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
"Don't worry about it. If anything, it was a pretty good shot." Soren said with a wave of his hand. A sharp whistle caught both their attention as they turned to face Matteo, standing in front of the rings. Everyone formed a line in front of him, with Elaine taking Matteo's side.
"Given your demonstrations…" Matteo stared at Klenon. He finally gave him the same look he gave the others before and it was for the wrong reason. Klenon's head sunk low, but nobody either notices it or comments about it. "I have to say that I've been given command of a remarkable squad. I look forward to working with all of you."
Matteo smiled. It looked sincere, but judging from his recent actions, Klenon was willing to bet it wasn't the least bit. Matteo straightened his posture, as if his already stiff stance needed more refinement. With a casual inflection, he said, "Welcome to the 10th Biotic Division and to the Red Devils."
"Really? We have a nickname? Tacky." Klenon heard Will whisper under his breath. He couldn't help but to snicker to himself. Kathleen crossed her arms, looking restless from just standing there.
"So when are we being deployed, and where?" she asked.
"We're not certain. The Alliance has a good handle on most of our colonies." Matteo answered, sounding none too pleased with sitting around and doing nothing.
"Most?" Soren asked, always being the inquisitive one. Matteo nodded.
"Our settlements out in the Attican Traverse are always a problem since it borders the Terminus Systems. I want to do something about it, but the Council forced the Alliance to enact a hands-off policy. They don't want to risk war with the Terminus Systems; even if it means leaving our colonies high and dry." Matteo explained. Contempt dripped into his voice with every word. The Council were the ones making the calls in what was supposed to be Alliance territory. It'd make sense that Matteo had no love for them if they chose to abandon those colonists. Then again, the way he'd been treating Klenon suggested that his disdain could run deeper than that, "But if I had to guess, I'd say the Skyllian Verge. The blinks have been making a hard push there, more than the news vids would have you believe."
"Blinks, sir?" Soren asked again. Matteo raised a brow, as if he expected everyone to be familiar with the term.
"Batarians, son. We've been in a conflict of sorts with them ever since we jumped into the galactic scene. It's always over territory, which planet belongs to which people. It's not just them either. We have mercs and pirates raiding places out there too. It's one giant, never-ending battle."
Others in the squad exchanged nervous glances. Klenon kept to himself. There were always a few whispers about the fight between humans and batarians, even before Klenon joined the Alliance.
"So, time to stop stalling. Once we get the go-ahead from command we're heading out. I expect all of you to be ready by then." Matteo ordered. Sensing his talk was over, the squad gave him a crisp salute, Klenon included. Even though Matteo didn't give a definite answer on when they'd be deployed, Klenon could feel it in his gut that it was soon. Like a storm cloud floating towards a sunny plain, he felt like he could see when it would happen, when the real work would begin.
He just had to make one last call before he ventured through the storm.
…
Klenon leaned against the cracked leather seat. He was a few corners away from the dorms where his squad rested. There wasn't a soul up or down the short hall, making it the best place for privacy. The white glow of the public terminal he was sitting in interrupted the normal blue hue that filled every deck of the station. Holding his hand up to his chest, he couldn't help but feel a ball of warmth envelop his chest.
His heart jumped at the thought of reconnecting with her. It had been months since they last spoke, but he was sure her usual chipper attitude would stay. Kasumi wasn't the type to have her personality so easily shaken. But in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder. They were light years apart. Combining the months of basic and biotic training, they hadn't spoken for almost a year. As time went on, Mowers discouraged all the recruits from contacting their families until their training was complete. To keep them from being distracted by loved ones. Klenon thought it was absurd, but he had no right to defy the admiral's orders no matter how senseless they seemed.
Klenon let his mind wander as he punched in commands to the terminal in front of him. There was a saying among humans. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder'. It certainly applied to him. Not a day went by where he wasn't thinking of her, of the times they both shared. The memory of that night on the hill was especially fresh in his mind. Every time he imagined her smile, he couldn't resist but to do the same.
Come on, you're not doing yourself any favors if you're just thinking about her. His mind whispered. It was true; he was wasting time just sitting there. After pressing a few more keys, a small line of text appeared at the upper left corner of the screen.
Connecting…
Klenon would have used his omni-tool for this, but for all the amazing things the miracle device could do, it couldn't broadcast light years across the galaxy. The only way to communicate otherwise was to have at least one caller using a public terminal connected to comm buoys, which mean Klenon had to put up with the slow speed of its bandwidth.
Klenon heaved a sigh. The blinking words on the screen ticked by like a clock. He built up as much courage as he could to even start the transmission only to be stopped by this. Shrugging, Klenon leaned back against the worn leather seat. His eyes closed as the rhythmic beeping entered his ears. The sound of footsteps could be heard passing by, but Klenon paid them no heed. He had bigger things to focus his attention on.
The longer he waited, the more disappointed Klenon grew. He always imagined that if anything was going to stop him from talking to her, it'd be someone else. Technology seemed to be his number one enemy today.
"I always heard that Alliance training was hardcore."
Klenon's eyes snapped back open. Kasumi's familiar, soft face filled the screen. He realized he must have looked like he was dozing off right in front of her. Klenon forced out a small chuckle.
"It's nothing like they show in the vids that's for sure. Sometimes I feel like they're trying to work us to death." He said with a grin. A small pause appeared while Kasumi formulated a response, giving Klenon ample time to admire every little detail that's changed about her.
Klenon noticed she was wearing dark clothes that seemed to blend in with the even darker background. The purple lipstick on her bottom lip was still present, evidently becoming a trademark of hers. Her dark brown hair had been cut, leaving it dangling just above her shoulders. Besides that, she looked just the same as when Klenon departed, beautiful.
"Oh? Well since you're here talking to me, I assume you went through it no problem?" she said with a sly grin. Klenon rubbed the back of his head.
"Would you be more impressed if I said yes?" he asked. Kasumi gave an exaggerated eye-roll, but the grin never left her face. "There were some ups and downs and there were a few times where it got rough. But hey, I'm no worse for wear, right?"
"Whatever you say." Kasumi jested, putting her arms behind her head and leaning back. Klenon glared at her, but it wasn't long before his expression softened.
"Well, besides that hardcore training of yours how is everything else? Have you settled in fine?" Kasumi asked. Klenon could pick up what sounded like concern in her voice. He didn't blame her. If their roles were switched, Klenon would be worrying about the same thing. Considering how he acts around strangers, he couldn't fault her for hoping he was okay.
"Yeah. It…took some effort, but I managed to find a comfort zone here." Klenon mumbled, choosing not to bring up the fact that he could count the amount of strangers he's held a conversation with on one hand. As long as he was happy, it shouldn't matter. At least, he hoped it didn't.
"I'm happy for you. I wasn't sure what to expect when you started connecting. Good to see you've erased all doubts." Kasumi said. Klenon leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm.
"I tend to do that."
Kasumi tried and failed to suppress a giggle. Klenon joined her. It was these little moments he treasured more than anything else. Where he could finally talk like himself without worrying about being judged by others. Kasumi leaned forward and copied his posture. A small, dainty smile spread across her lips, unlike the ones she casually wears around others. It seemed to be reserved only for him.
Klenon resisted the urge to talk to her on a more intimate level. He still hadn't asked her about how she was. He had to be a gentleman, after all. "What about you? Why don't we turn the spotlight on you?"
Kasumi shrugged, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear as she spoke, "Probably because that spotlight will never see me."
"Ever the stealthy one, aren't you?" Klenon mused, recalling the day Kasumi snuck into his hospital room.
Kasumi shrugged again. "It's more fun that way."
Klenon removed his head from his palm, opting to sit up straight. "At least humor me."
With an amused smirk, Kasumi relented. "I found a place to stay and managed to find some work; wasn't that hard. The Citadel has a lot more opportunity than I realized."
Klenon nodded understandably. On the other end of the line, Kasumi rubbed her arm, thankful that the camera on her terminal couldn't see it. She was relieved that Klenon usually took things at face-value with her. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty for taking advantage of his trust like that.
Over the past few months the risk, and reward, of her heists increased. What started as a few thefts on ships and storage warehouses went on to heisting people's homes, museums, and the occasional C-Sec evidence locker. A few weeks ago, she even started taking contracts from shady characters. She didn't mind the danger that went along with it. In fact, she always found it more exciting, more satisfying when she got the job done.
Of course, she chose to withhold that information. Even if Klenon was somehow okay with her choice of profession, he'd be worrying about her safety. Cops weren't the only kind of enemies a thief could make.
Hoping to deviate the subject from herself, Kasumi said, "So you're finished with training, right?"
Klenon answered her with a swift nod.
"So do you know where you're going to be stationed?" she asked. The same drop of concern echoed in her voice. Klenon shrugged.
"Not sure. The captain seems to think we'll be out on the Skyllian Verge. He might be right. I remember a few bits about the feud between humans and batarians. It's mostly a little disagreement here or there. Mostly." He replied. Kasumi frowned. Ever since she came to the Citadel, she had been learning more and more about other alien races. Batarians weren't painted in a very pretty light. They were all accused of being slavers, mercs, and drug addicts. Kasumi wasn't the type to believe in stereotypes or conjecture, her relationship with Klenon was proof of that, but it still made her wary.
Klenon's less-than-positive response sent their conversation into silence. Realizing that his reply dampened the mood, Klenon moved quickly to try to allay her concern. "I don't think it'll be all that bad though. There haven't been any skirmishes in years. I doubt the batarians would do something terrible out of the blue. Why would they?"
A vain attempt at consoling her, but it was all he could think of. Kasumi was a bright woman. She could read him better than he could at times. It was obvious she'd see through his thinly-veiled attempt at comforting her.
"Just watch your step, tiger. We still have some loose ends to tie up, you and I." she said. Klenon snorted in amusement. The hint of affection in her tone was hard to miss.
"Yeah, we do." Klenon replied. He wondered whether they should venture further into the implied topic. The terms they left on were good, but Klenon still yearned for more. Maybe it was selfish of him to ask this much, but he could still at least try to see if the feelings were still there. The only problem was trying to say it without making it look overbearing, "So uh…about that."
Kasumi's smile broadened. Her gaze flicked around the room before landing on him again. "Yes?"
Klenon's mind went blank. His mind raced with incomplete thoughts, contrast to his mouth freezing like a statue. It was as if he suddenly forgot how to talk with her. For a split-second, they merely stared at each other until Klenon found the words he struggled to find.
"The…things we talked about… before I left. Are they uh…are they still there?" Klenon sheepishly put a hand on his head, chastising himself for being so nervous. Kasumi gave him a lighthearted chuckle. Heat rushed to Klenon's cheeks, flushing them into an invisible color. Despite her cheerful reaction, Kasumi's face turned thoughtful.
"Klenon, it's only been a few months. Don't worry, nothing's changed. Besides, I still think it's cute when you stutter like that." She said, the delicate smile she so often wore returning in full force. Klenon felt a wave of relief washed over him. A part of him always knew nothing changed, but just hearing her answer swept away any doubt in his mind.
"Huh, yeah…uh that's refreshing to hear." He stuttered. Again, he found his hand awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
Kasumi caught his flustered expression and deftly changed topics. "So, I see you got a new makeover. A perk of beating that hardcore training of yours?"
Klenon looked down at his suit as if to confirm her statement. The dark blue and black of his suit collided with the bright light from the monitor in front of him. "Yeah, it was a gift from Harris. He said that I shouldn't be left out because of…you know."
She nodded, pleased that somebody was looking out for him after all this time. Though what he implied brought a question up in Kasumi's mind. The main reason she worried about him being by himself.
"Is everything all right over there? No…trouble?" Kasumi asked, taking on a sudden serious tone. Klenon would have to have been deaf not to notice it. It wasn't often that she would turn serious in the blink of an eye. It would have to take something very important to change her demeanor so suddenly. Klenon wasn't sure whether to be flattered or worried.
However, he stayed silent. The last thing he wanted to do was worry her with his problems. But he couldn't just lie to her either. He had to be honest to her, he'd hate himself otherwise.
"Um…there were a few instances, but it's been taken care of." Klenon said, "But um…I think that my squad leader may not like me so much."
Kasumi frowned. "Why is that?"
"I don't know. He won't even look at me. And when he does, I can see spite in his eyes. I…don't trust him."
"Well then he doesn't what he's missing." Kasumi assured him. Klenon lowered his head, absently patting the top of his helmet.
"Thanks, but I think the only way to deal with this is to do it directly. I'll adapt to this. I have before, right?" Kasumi nodded in agreement. Klenon looked up to meet her gaze, but kept his head in place. The beginning of a smile began to play on her lips.
"Thanks for asking. It's not fun, having to deal with all this. But what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I guess."
"You'll get through it. You always have. It's kind of charming." Kasumi crossed her arms and nodded, giving an impressed look. Klenon gave her a half-heartened laugh. Her small attempt to cheer up seemingly succeeded.
"That's a first." He replied, holding his head high. Kasumi gave him an exaggerated shrug.
"That you know of."
Klenon crossed his arms and leaned back, acting surprised. "Really? And what would the other times be?"
Kasumi grinned and shook her head. "You'll have to work to find that out."
Klenon began to reply when a man's voice interrupted them; in the most inappropriate, and absurd way possible.
"Are you coming back to bed, Klenon?"
Klenon froze like a statue. Kasumi looked equally surprise before the biggest grin he had seen on her face today appeared.
"My, my, maybe it wasn't the training that tired you out, huh?"
Klenon could feel every drop of his blood rush to his cheeks. His mind shut down and his heart came to a full stop. All he could do was sit there, unmoving. "I…uh…that…I-I don't…"
Kasumi raised a brow, the grin staying plastered on her face. Klenon covered his visor with his hands. He couldn't bear to look at her, or even turn around to confront the source. "Just…why?"
"Hey, I'll talk to you later. Don't beat yourself up too badly, okay tiger?" Kasumi said. Klenon peered between his fingers and nodded.
"Yeah. See you."
Kasumi gave him one last smile before disconnecting. Klenon sighed and pulled himself up from his seat. He took in a sharp breath before forcing himself to face his interloper. The hallway was empty but Klenon was sure whoever it was, was loitering around to see his handiwork.
His prediction came true when he noticed Soren and Fredrick peering around the corner, trying to contain their laughter.
"Bahahahahaha!"
And failing.
Soren held his sides, letting his laughter flow freely. Fredrick was no less amused, leaning against the wall and covering his eyes as if the mere sight of Klenon's rattled state would throw him into another laughing fit.
"I'm sorry Klenon, but when Fred saw you...it was too good of an opportunity to pass up." Soren gasped before his laughing returned. Klenon covered his face and sighed, clenching his free hand more out of awkwardness then anger.
"No hard feelings, man? I do this to everybody. Don't beat yourself over it. Your friend seemed to get a kick out of it too." Fred chuckled. Klenon sighed again and removed his hand from his visor.
"Don't remind me." He muttered. Soren, after finally keeping his laughter under control, leaned against the wall with a knowing glance.
"So…who is she?" he asked. Klenon shot him an icy glare, giving him a silent warning not to dig too deep.
"A friend. She's…travelling." He looked back at the terminal, half-expecting her to still be there. Soren gave a meager shrug.
"Alright. I won't pry…yet."
Klenon responded with another glare. Soren snickered at his touchy reaction.
"Point taken. Let's head back. I bet Matteo would throw a fit if he found us standing around here." He said, pointing back in the direction of their dorms. Klenon looked back at the terminal one last time before following a few feet away from them. He didn't relish the idea of going back there, but he didn't have much choice. Matteo was his commanding officer, whether there were issues between them or not.
Strange how sometimes the person you're supposed to trust makes it difficult for you to do so.