Chapter 36: Perceived danger
"He did what!?"
Alexander's voice echoed across the cafeteria as he shot up from his seat.
His sudden outburst drew dozens of stares from trainees throughout the dining hall.
Then, they immediately turned away when they noticed the commotion was coming from the table where Alexander, Arbus and Kaeru sat at.
They did their best not to listen in as well.
Alexander clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"That vexing guy. His position must really be getting to his head."
"Doesn't he know something like that won't matter for long in the Renegades? What a narcissist."
"People like that piss me off the most."
"Sit down already." Kaeru said without looking up from the stale food substitute they had been given – his tone as calm as always."You're disturbing my meal."
He took another spoonful of the grey sludge they'd been served, his expression betraying no reaction to its taste – or lack thereof.
The facility's eating area for trainees was an overly simplistic place, with bleak walls lined with food dispensers, and tables and chairs bolted to the dark floors.
Naturally, that was Intentional.
It was the same reason the trainees dorms could be considered uncomfortable to most.
The facility was not a school designed to care for their every need.
It was a training camp meant to quickly produce competent warriors as fast as possible.
The only accessible meal in the cafeteria was Ren paste. A tasteless substitute for food that had been created by the Aurnex for the Renegades.
It provided the exact same nutritional value as an average meal, while being easy to carry around.
It was a meal Renegade knights often found themselves reliant on during long and harrowing missions.
Arbus sat in silence throughout Alexander's outburst, his gaze fixed on his untouched bowl with a lost expression.
Eventually, Alexander settled back into his seat with a frustrated sigh.
"Sorry, sorry. I just wish I'd been there when it happened. Would've been interesting to give that stuck-up prince exactly the kind of trouble he's been looking for."
Kaeru finished the last of his tasteless excuse for a meal, then leaned back slightly.
"Believe me, it wasn't worth it."
After a while, Arbus drew in a long breath and looked up at Alexander.
"Thank you, Alex. I appreciate your concern. Truly."
Then, he turned to Kaeru.
"Thank you, as well."
"Especially for stopping me back there."
His expression darkened slightly.
"I'm not sure what came over me for that brief period. I'm not usually like that."
Kaeru remained silent for a few moments.
Then to Arbus's surprise, he glared at him.
"You're right. Usually you'd act like a doormat and let those weaker than you trample all over you."
Arbus blinked, stunned by the sudden change in attitude.
"... what?"
"I'm sure you heard me quite well." Kaeru replied with a small snort.
"Tell me, Arbus... Why did you let Jet beat you?"
"An amateur might not notice, but it was painfully obvious to me that you were trying to lose that spar without making it too apparent."
"I'm sure instructor Harves saw through it, as well."
Arbus remained silent, his tense gaze locked onto Kaeru's.
Alexander said nothing as he looked between his roommates curiously, intrigued by the new development.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Kaeru," Arbus finally said, his voice lacking any conviction.
That was because it was true.
Arbus had been holding back in every single sparring session since arriving at the facility.
And that had all been for the purpose of making himself appear less frightening to the trainees.
He had done something similar on Terytl-B, as well.
After all, it was in every species nature to fear what they considered a danger to their lives.
But, the same could not be said for when they no longer considered that danger a threat.
It was a survival tactic he had been forced to learn.
In his opinion, it was better to be hated and despised than to be feared.
That was also one of the reasons Arbus enjoyed the simulated missions so much. Because he did not have to hold himself back for anyone.
Alexander's brow raised slightly.
"You could at least try a bit more to sound convincing."
He sighed.
"So it's true then. Well I suppose it makes sense. There's no way you'd have cleared the simulation otherwise."
"I was just there earlier myself. I decided to keep going with it today, and well, it's just as hard as I thought it would be."
Kaeru raised a hand, gesturing for Alexander to be quiet for a bit.
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Admit it already, you're not fooling anyone here."
Arbus didn't say anything for a long while. Instead he began eating his meal, the taste on his tongue just as bland as always.
"....So what if I was? I don't think there's anything wrong with that."
"Would you prefer if I upstaged everyone else like you and drew an even bigger target on my back?" He asked in annoyance.
Kaeru tilted his head slightly.
"And what is wrong with that exactly?"
A low chuckle escaped Arbus's lips for several seconds.
"Well, I can't really blame you for not understanding my situation. There's very little you care about besides strength after all.
He said, his gaze darkening.
"Do you want me to tell you what happened the last time I did my best?"
"Well, it's quite the funny story."
Arbus paused for a few moments, then said slowly.
"That day, i decided to save a red Mornan child from a group of blue Mornan pirates that had taken him hostage."
"The sqaud of red Mornan trainees I was patrolling with wanted to wait for backup from the base. But, I wasn't sure if the boy had that much time."
"And I wasn't willing to risk it either."
"So, I leapt in without restraint."
His expression twisted slightly.
"I had easily dispatched of every single space pirate present – including their captain who had been a white Mornan."
"I was in my helmet that day, so the boy I saved had thanked me with tear filled eyes."
"But the same did not go for the sentries who were with me."
"My physical capabilities had terrified them greatly."
"In truth, I'm quite a bit weaker than a full blooded Tarokian, but since none of them had ever encountered one before, that didn't matter to them."
"They said nothing as they kept their distance from me on our journey back.
Arbus smiled bitterly.
"Later that night, I had received my first assassination attempt at the base."