A/N: Well, it seems this story is off to a good start. There's enough reader interest (yay!), and I've already written to chapter 14 in less than a week. 0.o So I had a lot of ideas for this story and definitely will be continuing it. I'll be pacing my updates though. Writing to Chapter 14 certainly gave me an idea of which direction the pairings would go, and I've decided since I want Max to stay at Manticore, it will be M/A. Logan is kind of...just forgotten. There is no Eyes Only trying to destroy Manticore...yet, as far as I know. I'd rather not kill off Logan though. I probably won't incorporate the Familiar plot. That just makes things a bit...crazy. But we'll see. Maybe if I run out of things to write about. You'll also see a few familiar dialogues from the season two episode Designate This - thought it would make things a bit interesting to see things happening in a same way, but for different reasons. Anyway, thanks to all who reviewed, and I might be looking for a beta, I haven't decided. but if you're interested, let me know. Thanks for reading and please review!
Chapter 2: Sparring
"You must be 452," a voice said from behind her.
"And you are?" Max asked, before turning around and coming face to face with a familiar face, stunning her into silence.
"I am X5-494, CO of Unit 6," he introduced.
Max took a few seconds to get over her shock. As soon as she saw him, memories came back of everything that involved Ben. So he was a twin...or clone. Of course, she had seen Ben die in her arms. There was no way he could be alive. Then again, she too had died, yet they brought her back to life.
"I heard they caught two escapees when you guys blew up the DNA lab. It's all over Manticore," 494 continued as a matter-of-factly. "Everyone knows who you are."
The guy looked just like her brother Ben, yet there were some features that made him noticeably different. His eyes revealed an air of confidence, as did his tone of voice. Ben's eyes reflected creativity and happiness. 494's yielded a hidden darkness, like most Manticore soldiers. There was a coldness in them that sent shivers down her spine. Of all people, this clone had the nerve to bother her on her first day. She wanted to be left alone. She didn't want anyone to get in her way when she would escape this hellhole. That meant no friends, no acquaintances, no one. It can't be too hard – everyone hates me already, she thought. Psy-ops tried to brainwash her into believing her brothers and sisters were traitors and deserters, but that was something they would never manage to accomplish. In her heart, she knew who they were to her, and no amount of psy-ops would be able to change that.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" 494 smirked.
Max clenched her first. She already decided she did not like this guy, not one bit. By now, she was aware that all eyes were on the them. "You just reminded me of someone I know," Max retorted. "But clearly you're not him. He didn't have such a big ego."
494 laughed. "Me, a big ego? Now that hurts. What makes you think I have a big ego?"
Max smirked. "No one's ever told you before? That's a shame. I wonder what other things people haven't told you..."
Now 494 was getting annoyed, but he smiled again as he thought of a new topic. "This is Class Alpha, composed of Units 4 and 6. We're the best of the best, so why are you here? You lack eleven years of training. You'll only slow us down."
"Director's orders," she finished casually. But it was then that the reality of the situation hit her. She wouldn't slow them down, not much, but they would leave her behind. She would suffer the consequences. Renfro stuck her with them so that she could "catch up". These instructors would not excuse her for lacking training. If she didn't learn fast, things would only get worst. The bitch wanted her to suffer. She wondered if Brin experienced the same welcoming treatment.
Their X5 hearing picked up the arrival of their drill instructor (DI), so the groups dispersed and lined up at at attention. As soon as their drill instructor arrived, he inspected the soldiers one by one, stopping in front of Max. "Designation?" he barked.
"X5-452, SIR!"
The drill instructor's eyes, which once demanded obedience, suddenly reflected acknowledgment that he was dealing with the returned escapee. He was not aware that she would be placed in Class Alpha. He had a series of drills prepared for bringing escapees up to speed – he had used them with 734, but 734 had been placed with Class Charlie, and all the drill instructors knew that Class Charlie could always use some review. Class Charlie was generally reserved for soldiers falling behind, whether it be due to injuries, long term missions, escape, or poor genes.
"ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT PLACE, SOLDIER?" he asked, to make sure this wasn't a mistake.
A few snickers were heard throughout the ranks, so the DI reminded them, "EYES FRONT!"
"SIR, YES, SIR. I WAS ASSIGNED TO CLASS ALPHA TO COMMENCE TRAINING AT 1300, SIR!"
So this wasn't a mistake. Well, he wasn't going to slow down Class Alpha's training for her. Class Charlie, maybe, but not Class Alpha. Surely whoever laid down the orders was aware of that and did this intentionally. He would have to discuss it with the other drill instructors later.
"YOU HAVE A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO, SOLDIER. CLASS ALPHA WILL NOT WAIT FOR YOU. ON THE MAT, NOW." Let's see how good 452 is, the DI thought. He was not the only one thinking this, however, as the other X5s perked up in interest.
Max sighed inwardly – it was just as she expected. "YES, SIR!" She stepped out from the line and headed towards the mat.
"319, free spar 452. The rest of you, start with practicing sequence K-1."
As everyone got in their places, 319 and Max started circling each other, waiting for the first attack. The DI stood close by, watching the pair. Of course, he wasn't the only one watching. Every single X5 secretly kept their eyes locked on the sparring pair as they practiced the assigned sequence.
When Max didn't attack for a while, 319 initiated the attack, which Max easily dodged, tripping 319 in the process. Max followed with a kick to 319's shoulder, knocking her onto the ground. 319 kicked up and blocked an incoming punch, throwing Max into a graceful roll. 319 then rushed a series of kicks, some of which Max blocked, some of which made it through. Max ducked as 319 aimed a series of punches. In a split second pause, Max blocked 319's incoming punch and threw her into a roll, just as 319 had done earlier. Before 319 had time to recover, Max blurred and kicked her in the stomach, sending her down once again.
"That will be enough," the DI instructed. "561, switch places with 319."
561 stepped away from his sparring partner and walked up to the mat as 319 went to practice with 561's partner. 561 did not wait much before initiating his first attack. He intended on ending this fast. 319 was a good fighter, be he'll be damned if he let a traitor beat him.
Max saw the determination in his eyes, as well as the tension in the atmosphere. The DI had ended her spar with 319 when 319 went down – it would appear she "lost". 561 was not going to lose. As Max focused on blocking the punches, she missed the kick that seemed to come out of no where, sending her to the ground. "What's the matter 452? Still recuperating?" he taunted.
"Bite me!" Max growled as she rolled to dodge another kick coming down at her before sweep kicking 561, landing him flat on his back.
The two simultaneously kicked up and blurred to attack. 561 caught Max as she was about to punch and flipped her onto her back. "Must've given you a lousy heart."
Max quickly got back up and charged at him in a mixture of rage and anger. No one is allowed to insult her brother like that. At the last minute, she side stepped, allowing 561 to charge right through where she had been standing. She gave him an extra kick in the butt to help him fall face first into the mat. These soldiers were so used to engaging the enemy head-on, she thought. 561 wasted no time in getting back up and blurred yet again to attack. Max smiled as she blurred as well. She couldn't use the same trick twice, so took a leap into the air, flying right over 561 as he aimed an attack of where her face would have been had she not jumped. Just as she landed, she kicked him behind the knee and and elbowed him in the head. Eleven more years of training and this was what they had to show? Surely these were not their best fighters. The fight continued for a few more minutes as the pair exchanged a flurry of kicks and punches, accompanied by throws. Both of them found themselves on the mat at one point or another. The DI finally stopped the spar when 561 landed Max on the mat. Although she was last to fall, onlookers knew that she was far from defeat. But Max was getting tired now. She wasn't sure if she could handle another spar, but luck was against her when the DI called out yet another opponent.
"494, on the mat."
The X5s all stopped momentarily as Unit 6's CO headed to the mat. Unknown to Max, 494 was one of their best fighters.
"Back to work!" The DI yelled when he saw everyone had stopped practicing to watch the match. Perhaps 452 would not slow down Class Alpha too much, the DI thought.
494 smirked as he fell into a fighting stance. "You should know, 452, I'm one of the best here, and I don't intend on holding back."
"Oh shut up," Max snorted as she blurred and initiated the attack, wiping 494's smirk off his face as he dodged the incoming punch. 494 just barely missed another punch. He caught the following one, using it to flip Max on her back. Max kicked him as he advanced, which sent him flying back a few feet and provided her the space and time she needed to initiate her own attack. She blurred and slammed right into him, knocking him off balance. She followed up with a kick to his side and a punch to his face. 494 faltered back a bit but quickly recovered, catching Max's next kick and using it throw Max into the air. Max landed loudly with a thud on the mat with the wind knocked out of her. That was when the DI stopped them.
"Line up!" It was the end of class.
494 grinned as he offered Max a helping hand. Max scowled and got up on her own, lining up with the rest of the X5s. She knew she would feel the battle scars later. She was already exhausted from three continuous spars. Hopefully this would be the only time.
When the DI was satisfied, he dismissed them and headed off to see the director. A soldier just informed him that she requested his presence. On the way, he reviewed 452's performance. For her lack of training, she didn't do too bad, he thought.
Max followed the other X5s to their next course: weapons training. She was not looking forward to this. She had always been against guns for some reason. She didn't know exactly why, but she knew it had to do with the escape. Holding any armed weapon made her uneasy, and she knew the trainers would frown upon that.
Max refused to acknowledge the occasional glances in her direction by the other X5s. She knew she had become the center of attention after her performance in their hand-to-hand combat course. She wasn't supposed to do well, and she didn't, but she could tell from their glances that she didn't do poorly either. It wasn't intentional, but hell would have to freeze over if she was just going to let someone use her as a punching bag.
"Hey, 452," a voice called out behind her.
Max instantly recognized the voice and chose to ignore it.
"OK...is there a reason why you're ignoring me now?" 494 asked, with a hint of a pout in his voice.
Max turned around to face him. "Just leave me alone," she said bitterly. She then turned back and continued walking, leaving 494 slightly confused. She certainly has an attitude, 494 muttered under his breath.
Director's Office, Manticore
As the DI arrived at the Director's office, he wondered if this meeting was about 452. Sure enough, after the formalities were exchanged, that was exactly what the Director wanted to know about.
"I called you here to give me an evaluation of 452's performance."
"Ma'am, I was unaware that 452 would be joining Class Alpha. So I wasn't able to prepare a complete skill assessment test for her."
"I'm sure you came up with something."
"Yes, ma'am. 452 sparred against 319, 561, and 494. 319 was previously one of the best in Class Bravo, until she moved to Class Alpha. 494 is one of the best in Class Alpha. 561...I would place him somewhere between the two. Considering she lacks training, she did quite well against 319 and 561. Her performance with 494 may have been due to fatigue, but even then, she put up quite a fight. She is a quick thinker. She caught on to some of the techniques they were using and threw it right back at them. Her time outside must have also given her the ability to think outside the box and try new things, something many of these soldiers lack."
Renfro nodded, clearly pleased with the report. She had not anticipated that 452 would do so well.
"Ma'am, if I may ask, is there a reason you have assigned 452 to Class Alpha? The other X5s are a bit restless and were clearly distracted by her presence. She doesn't belong with them."
Renfro smiled. "It's your job to keep them in line, but don't worry, this situation is temporary. She'll be removed from Class Alpha before the month is up."
The DI nodded, pleased to know he wouldn't have to deal with some restless X5s for too long, especially in Class Alpha. He could see that the Director was not planning to divulge anymore information at this time, so he prepared to dismiss himself.
"Should I keep you posted on 452?"
Renfro nodded. "Yes, just every four days or so. A short report would suffice."
"Very well then."
Shortly after, he left. The Director had plans for 452 – that much was clear. It wasn't his business to care what they were, but there was something in the tone of her voice that made him uneasy.
