11

Chapter 13

David met Ed by the mess the following morning. They entered suit…heading to the serving line.

"Those beds," David grumbled…rubbing his back.

Ed nodded and chuckled.

"I know. Took me a month to get comfortable."

David filled his plate with biscuits and gravy…licking his lips.

"My roommate kept the window open all night too…"

"Oh yeah…I learned not to do that quickly."

"Those bed sheets aren't even blankets,"

Ed nodded again. He filled a mug with coffee. David grabbed one for himself and they made for a table.

David rubbed his hands together…his plate bringing a smile to his face.

"This is awesome,"

Ed slowly picked at his eggs and bacon.

"Careful," he said. "You never know when they'll run drills."

David acknowledged him with a glance…then took a large bite of a biscuit. Gravy oozed onto his plate.

"Yum,"

Ed took a sip of his coffee.

"So they put me in experimental physics and advanced warp theory back to back. I told my CO I wasn't interested,"

"What? Ugh…that really sounds awful,"

"Yeahhhh…" Ed took another sip of his coffee.

"Are you gonna talk to him?"

"Nahhh…I figured I might as well give it a shot,"

"How many classes are you taking?"

"Eight. Not including those,"

David's eyes widened a little.

"Dude," he muttered.

Ed took a bite of his eggs.

"Oh…yeah,"

He reached over and grabbed salt and peppershakers.

"I really didn't even know what I wanted to study," David mused. "I just signed up for random classes."

"Which ones?" Ed asked through mouthfuls of bacon.

David turned his attention to his food.

"I figured I'd give combat theory a try…I don't know. There were a couple others. I don't remember. Its all on my schedule,"

"You know," he replied thoughtfully. "There is a boxing club."

David perked up a bit.

"Really?" he asked wistfully.

Ed nodded.

"I thought about joining last year…but they only take freshman unless they're 'exceptional'. And this year my schedule is too busy."

He polished off his coffee.

"Besides," he continued. "The head coach is Lieutenant Zim."

David's hopeful look sunk into minor despair.

"Ughhh…whyyyy…"

Ed grinned.

"So you've had the pleasure,"

David set his head down on the palm of his hand…his eyes wandering around the room.

"He's my CO," he moaned.

Ed broke out into a chuckle.

"Oh boy,"

David's eyes darted around the room. He had this hopeful feeling in his chest. He scanned each and every cadet…but couldn't find her.

After a few minutes…Ed noticed David's wandering eyes.

"What?"

David's eyes snapped back to Ed.

"Huh?"

Ed looked bemused.

"You're dressing down the whole room with your eyes,"

David chuckled a little.

"Oh," he replied. "Its nothing."

He cleared his throat a little and sipped his coffee.

"I just met this girl last night in the garden…I don't see her though,"

"Ooooooo…yeah baby,"

David grinned.

"We just talked,"

"David's got a crush. What's her name?"

David took one more sweeping glance around the room. He made eye contact with Dickie again briefly…who was sulking in the corner.

"Sephora," he whispered. His mind drifted to the image of her warm and genuine face.

"Never heard of her," Ed grunted.

David's hopefulness sunk a little.

"That's weird," he whispered.

"Maybe she was just visiting,"

"Yeah…maybe."

Ed finished his plate…and wiped his mouth with his napkin.

"Well…I'd better head off. Got physics in ten,"

He rose to his feet…swiping his stack of books. David glanced up at him.

"Alright…catch ya later, Garrett."

Ed flashed him a gun sign as he left.

David sat there for a while…wondering to himself who she was.

And why she was in the garden last night.

"I'll probably never see her again," he thought to himself.

But his gut told him differently.

A group of teens…about twenty or thirty…lined up in a circle surrounding Zim.

Zim stood on a large padded wrestling mat; the room the group was in was a large, gray gymnasium-esque complex; every sound echoed.

David stood to one end of the circle…Spade at his heels. Dickie stood at the opposite side.

"What do ya think the old fart is gonna do?" Spade whispered.

"Shut up, kid," David hissed…elbowing him.

Zim clasped his hands together…a snarling and ugly grin spreading across his crusty lips.

"Who's first?" he growled.

The group of teens shot him anxious and confused looks.

"What the hell are you waiting for, you maggots!? Show me that you got a pair!"

"Sir?" one of the cadets mumbled.

"Are you asking me a question, Cadet!? Are you in charge!?"

The cadet looked down at his shoes.

"No, sir," he whispered.

Zim stood nose to nose with the cadet.

"I didn't hear you, Cadet!"

The cadet glanced up…fear in his eyes.

"No, sir!"

Zim stepped back a foot.

"Thank you! You're up first!"

The cadet glanced around at his peers nervously.

"Don't look at them! They're not gonna fight you're battles, you maggot!"

The cadet gulped…loud enough for two classes over to hear. He slowly stepped forward…knuckles shaking.

"WELL!?"

The cadet gingerly took a swing at Zim. Zim grabbed his wrist…tossing him flat on his back without even flinching.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ATTACKING ME LIKE THAT!?"

The cadet scampered behind the group.

"Is anyone else man enough?!"

A young human female stepped forward; her arms were muscular…and her eyes looked fierce.

"Show me what you got, old man," she cackled.

Zim flashed a cocky grin; he threw a couple of straights…the young girl dodged each one.

"You think you're some tough bimbo!"

The girl's face turned red; she threw a haymaker to Zim's face…but he countered with a gut-busting uppercut to the chest.

It landed with a loud crunch. She dropped to the ground in a fit of pain.

"I've seen chimpanzees with more balls than the lot of you!"

A young Vulcan male stepped forward; his face was like stone. His eyes were like steel.

The pair circled each other for several moments…eyes locked on another like predators hunting their prey.

"I love breaking Vulcans!"

The pair got within a foot of each other…forming combat poses.

"I am well trained in both Human and Vulcan martial arts, sir," the Vulcan crooned.

Zim threw a jab; the Vulcan countered. Back and forth they went for about ten minutes. Blocking punches, dodging, countering. It seemed that Zim had met his match.

"You're form is good, son. BUT YOU'RE TOO SLOW!"

In a flash…Zim countered a punch and sent the Vulcan sprawling to the ground.

Out cold.

David gulped; his hands arms and legs shook.

"Listen up, you worthless maggots! I want you to pair off! Lets see if you can at least knock the piss out of each other!"

Zim began shouting cadet names…teams of two. The teens lined up in two succinct lines…kind of like they were getting ready to square dance.

"Lets see what you got, maggots!"

David lined up in front of his partner…Dickie. A cold sweat of anxiety washed over him.

Zim went down the line one by one; the pair would form their best striking pose. Then Zim would call his whistle and give them a minute to "Beat the snot" out of each other.

Each cadet's eyes was filled with fear.

David watched as two Andorians brutalized each other's faces; his legs began shaking.

Zim's whistle shrieked; two human females sprawled on the ground with one another…tugging at each other's hair and arms.

"This ain't no goddamn sleep-over!"

David glanced over at Dickie; his legs were shaking two. Dickie noticed him…and shot him a glare…making his best attempt to hide his jitters.

The pair next to David and Dickie began trading blow after blow; each clearly had extensive training in some sort of martial art.

"Very nice, cadets! But don't think you're worth anything!"

The whistle blew. David's whole body vibrated. He feel the anxiety building in the pit of his stomach.

David glanced over at Dickie; he could see the fear in his eyes.

Zim arrived at the pair; he was silent for a moment. He shot an ugly snarl at Dickie…and another strange look at David.

"Cadet Moore," he said softly…for once.

"Yes, sir," David muttered. .

Zim turned to Dickie…that same ugly snarl as before.

"Lets see it, Gentleman,"

Dickie looked David dead in the eyes.

"I'm gonna knock the piss out of you, Moore,"

David said nothing.

The whistle pierced David's eardrums; Dickie threw four or five punches…all colliding with David's head and body. David moved around…but he made no effort to block and return any punches.

When their time was up…Dickie held a very cocky grin. Zim's eyes pierced David.

"Cadet…I said show me what you got!"

David locked eyes with him…turning a shade of red. His whole body was convulsing.

"I did, sir," he mumbled.

Zim's eyes filled with rage.

"Do you think I was born yesterday!? Did you think you could pull one over me!? BOY…I've been training maggots like you for ten years! I wanna see what you can REALLY DO!"

David stared him down for a moment. His anxiety slowly was being replaced with rage.

He turned back to Dickie; Dickie's cocky grin had melted away.

"Dude…I'm still going to knock you down. Whatever it takes," he snarled.

David glared at him; he set himself up into his old fighting pose he used on Orion 5.

"You don't want to do this," David whispered. Dickie's eyes showed fear…but he forced his best war-face.

"Bring it,"

David didn't wait for the whistle.

He threw a slew of punches…all colliding with Dickie with a satisfying smack.

Dickie couldn't land a single blow; David was too fast. Each and every strike he would block, or bob, or counter.

Dickie threw one last haymaker; David ducked underneath and threw a bone-grinding uppercut to his chin…knocking him on his back.

After Zim called the whistle…David tried to help Dickie to his feet. Dickie shoved him away…and fumbled up. His face was blood red.

"Get away from me," he hissed through wheezes.

David turned and began walking towards the rest of the group.

"Is that all the son of Saul Moore can do?!" Zim shouted.

David froze in his tracks. His knuckles became tight and pearly white; his eyes were red like fire.

"That's right," he shouted. "I know who you are! That was disappointing!"

In a blur of rage, David spun on his heels. His arms flew into action…fueled by adrenaline and his uncontrollable anger.

The next thing he remembered…he was standing over Zim's unconscious body.

He stood there for a moment…a feeling of satisfaction washing over him.

He felt a little more like himself.

Then he slowly turned to see the other cadets…staring at him.

Fear and disgust in their eyes.

David turned and ran for the door…as fast as he could.