Exchanging Pleasantries

[Deux]

Sitting in the brig Deux played with the edge of his shirt sleeve. He had been watching Kaden for, he wasn’t sure how long exactly. In the past he’d been left alone for long amounts of time, perhaps longer than he’d been watching Kaden. This was different than before, he had a job and orders, which contradicted with the fact he felt like he was doing nothing. While he had what some would consider an infinite amount of patience, even he had to admit he was getting bored. Even if he didn’t know what the word for it was.

He glanced up at Kaden, and said, “Hello,” then looked away feeling stupid. Hello was a greeting and you couldn’t greet someone if you never left and returned.

“So,” Deux started again, still picking at his sleeve, “how are you feeling?” The question seemed to always come after hello in conversation.

[Kaden]

"I am doing quite well," Kaden answered from his position in the back of the cell. He had turned his bed on its side so that he could use the steel legs to do pull ups. It was not ideal but it was better than sitting around the cell getting fat and unfit. He had been taught that a person always respected their body and part of that was making sure it stayed healthy.

He slowly pulled himself up until his chin was over the bar, the muscles in his back straining from his overhand grip. He would hold himself up there and silently count to 30 before lowering himself back down slowly. It wasn't just the movement that was important, one needed to train his body in control as well.

Once he was hanging, arms fully extended, he would curl his lower body up until his feet just barely touched the bar between his hands. Again he would hold the position, his abdominal muscles shaking a little with the effort, and then he'd lower himself back down. The bed, nor the cell was tall enough to allow him to let his feet hang so as he moved back into his pull up motion he would bend his legs at the knee and hold them up off the ground.

As he slowly moved through the exercises he had to admit that he was starting to feel slightly bored and by slightly he meant a lot. He wasn't not an impatient person but he was used to being active and productive. Sitting in a cell days on end with nothing to do was driving him a little insane. Only the slow progress made with his teleportation skills was keeping him focused and even then he only got to practice in the few times when the boy was not around.

Kaden had not thought too deeply about this newly discovered power. He didn't really want to. He wanted to stay focused on getting back to the fleet where he was needed. But his mind inevitably wondered in that direction in the long hours of inactivity. He wondered how he had gotten these powers. Some fools may believe it was some hidden aspect of their genetic coding just now being awoken. But Kaden was Safi and he knew better. The Safi scoured their genetic lines for anything out of the ordinary as he knew all too well. If there was some hidden gene for human teleportation located anywhere in his genetic code, let alone in his entire ancestry, it would have been found long before now. And that was putting aside the fact that human teleportation was quite impossible according to the known laws of physics.

Kaden lowered his body slowly from the pull up and looked over at the boy outside the cell. "Thank you for asking Duex. I appreciate your interest in my well being and I apologize that you are forced into idleness by your Captain's belief that I need to be watched." Kaden didn't bother admitting that the Captain was quite right. He just continued on with his exercises for a couple of more minutes before even he grew bored. There were only so many times you could do a pull up.

With a slight twitch in the corner of his eye denoting his frustration, Kaden released the bed leg and dropped to the floor of the cell. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the music of his homeland. A few seconds later he began to dance. Or at least that was what it looked like at first but any watcher would soon realize it was more than dancing as Kaden began to move through a series of sweeps and kicks.

((Kaden's martial art))

[Deux]

“That’s,” he fidgeted slightly, “good.” He was glad Kaden wasn’t upset or angry. Unfortunately he had no idea as to what to say next. Topics seemed to be random after the initial greeting, about things those interacting knew about or had in common. Deux knew very little about Kaden, and the only thing they had in common was they both were in the brig. However he had walked on board willingly, as far as he knew Kaden…had not.

He watched as Kaden, he thought of the things his brother had taught him. His brother had told him to practice every day. In front of a stranger though, he didn’t think he could. What if he did something wrong? Deux slid his hand inside his left sleeve and briefly grasped the knife against his arm. If Kaden was practicing, he should be able to. Whatever brief impulse he had in regards to going through his routine, it left quickly and Deux slid his hand out of his shirt sleeve.

Deux looked up when the man spoke again. He titled his head and shrugged, feeling slightly lighter, “It’s fine. I didn’t have anything better to do.” Sitting watching Kaden in a cell or wandering the ship, whatever took up his day he was fine with.

When Kaden starting moving, Deux stood. After a few moments he finally asked, “What are you doing?”

[Kaden]

Kaden opened his eyes and stopped in the middle of the sweep he'd been performing. He stood up and looked at Deux, wondering how much he trusted the boy. He liked him, of all of the crew here Deux had to be the only one that Kaden considered worth his time, but like and trust were not the same thing. If Deux's captain told him to jump he would jump and if that meant bad things for Kaden he had a feeling it wouldn't matter. So did he like Deux? Yes. But did he trust him? That would just have been unwise.

"I am practicing an art from my homeland," Kaden answered. "It is the best way to keep your body physically fit and supple, at least the best way that I know though, when we perform it at home, it is to music." Kaden saw Deux picking at his sleeve and wondered what the boy had stashed up there. He had never seen Deux carry a weapon but that didn't mean he didn't. Then again it could just have easily been a flashlight or a trinket from his childhood or nothing at all. Being in the military had made Kaden paranoid and he saw weapons even where there weren't any.

"Do you..." Kaden began and then stopped himself. What was the point of trying to make this boy an ally when he may have to kill him later to secure his own escape. He didn't like to think of things that way but it was certainly a possibility.

Kaden shook his head and then went back to his exercises, adding in flips this time.

[Deux]

“Where’s your homeland?” Deux asked with genuine interest. He never had the fortune of staying in a place long enough to call it a home, so the concept fascinated him. It was internally possible that it was dull not moving around. He won’t know unless someone told him.

Deux nodded as Kaden explained his reasoning. It was important to keep in form, be prepared. He did not know what music possibly could have gone with the man’s movements but he accepted it.

“Do I, what?” he asked.

When Kaden started exercising again Deux lowered his eyes. Assuming the man was done talking he sat down and began playing with his sleeve once more. He was aware enough to notice his movements just not make eye contact or even appear interested.

[Kaden]

"It's-" Kaden stopped himself again. When he'd first gotten to Earth he had told everyone where he'd come from, he'd had no reason to believe it would cause trouble. But it often had. Once off Takatifu he'd come to realize his planet did not have the best reputation. And he could understand everyone's reasoning. Takatifu did not try to hide its disdain for everyone else and anyone else who was not Safi. Even on his planet anyone that hadn't lived up to the culture's exacting standards had a stigma attached to them that was hard to get rid of.

If a Safi could be looked down on for being born in the wrong way or for losing a match or a game of chess or doing badly in business or crashing a cycle, well off-worlders were hopelessly ignorant, so much so they were not even aware of their ignorance and could not be redeemed for it. All because they had not been born of the Safi's superior, genetic make up.

Kaden did not share his homeland's point of view., if he had he would not be here, but the average person did not take that into account. All they heard was that he was Safi and they made their assumptions and scorned him for the scorn his planet heaped on the rest of the universe. So he'd learned to keep quiet eventually and why not. He wasn't sure he wanted to promote Takatifu one way or another by being a living example of their breeding. He wasn't sure they deserved his sponsorship and, if they did, if he were worthy of providing it.

"Deux, is it not?" Kaden asked politely. "I was going to ask if you performed any art of your own. I was going to suggest we could teach each other and share our knowledge with one another. However as long as your captain confines me to this cage, or seeks to, you and I are enemies. I wish it weren't so but it is, for now. So I questioned the wisdom of sharing my knowledge with you and I would advise you to be careful what you say around me. I do not wish to hurt you, nor do I wish you to get into trouble because of any conversation we may have. But it is an unpleasant fact that can't be avoided that you are the only thing stopping me from leaving this cage and I will get out of it one day and return to the place where I am needed because lives may be at stake if I don't. If I have to go through you to do so I will."

Even as he said it he wondered at the wisdom of being so blunt. No doubt another Safi from another House would have done things differently. Befriended the boy maybe, tried to turn him against his captian. The Kikuto bred for cunning and sometime deceitful intelligence. And the Drago had certainly prized efficiency even if it meant cruelty and duplicity. But Kaden was not a Drago any more. In fact he was not even a Leone though he couldn't help but demonstrate the ideals of his House even when he'd thought he'd left it behind. The only name he sough to remember and to live up to was Zeke and that demanded honesty and compassion, no more.

[Deux]

Deux looked up suddenly when Kaden spoke. He thought the other man done talking but he said a word. When he stopped himself Deux was prepared to go back to sleeve and assume it was a slip up. That Kaden had not wanted to talk, just felt compelled to answer before catching himself. It happened a number of times in the mess hall.

He nodded at his name and tilted his head, “Art?” not waiting for an answer he continued listening to Kaden.

“That’s understandable,” Deux said in a tone perhaps more plainly than usual, “Until my orders change I’m to keep you from escaping. Until my orders change I’m not going to let you do that.” He shrugged lightly and gave his sleeve one last tug. For him the turn in the conversation was nothing important or serious. Kaden presented the situation honestly and Deux replied honestly. There however was one element that confused him.

“Kaden,” he tried starting similar to how the man had, “If you question the wisdom of sharing your knowledge, then why are you showing me?”

[Kaden]

"Showing you my art I suppose you mean?" Kaden asked, without really needing an explanation. "Because you could not pick it up by simply watching me. I do not mean to insult you Deux, nor to imply any weakness on your part, but I have been trained in this style since I was very young. Even if you were to pick it up it would require systematic study, not careful observation of another fighter."

Kaden paused, a little taken a back and impressed with Deux's honesty and humble nature. He had not denied Kaden's assertions about their situation, nor had he let it deter him from continuing cordial conversation with the prisoner he was supposed to be guarding.

"Where are you from if you do not mind satisfying my curiosity," Kaden asked, walking closer to the bars though stopping long before he became a threatening presence.

[Deux]

“True,” Deux nodded. He couldn’t learn Kaden’s style just by watching him once, particularly not without practicing. However he could start to observe his techniques and how to avoid his strikes. His behavior wouldn’t be the same as it would be in a fight but the movements would be similar. That was the points of practicing, to insure your body will behave in a controlled and repeatable way.

He blinked at Kaden’s question, very similar to the one he had asked without answering. If it hadn’t been for answering one just like it in the mess hall he would have considered not responding.

“My brother said I was from Bitumen,” he stated looking up at the man, “I don’t remember it. We never stayed in one place enough for me to become familiar with it. I suppose I’m from nowhere.”

[Kaden]

Kaden drew in a sharp breath. He was not ignorant, he knew there were many in this universe who did not have homes or who did not know where they had come from. His oath sister was one such and it shouldn't have pained him so to hear Deux admit ignorance of his home and his family but it did. Family and knowing where you came from were not just important, it was vital to understanding who you were. To have that taken from you was one of the worst things he could imagine. Even here, on this ship in some far flung corner of the galaxy far from home Kaden knew where he'd come from and he had the pride and the strength of his entire people to draw on. Even as an exile he was still of Safi blood and Safi heritage and in his weak moments he often remembered it and reminded himself not to disgrace his ancestors who had lived so that he might live.

Kaden bowed his head and turned away from Deux. "It is a shame that you do not know where you come from, nor they know that they have such a worthy son. You do them honor Deux, whoever they are."

[Deux]

Deux’s eyes widened at the sound Kaden made. He began to worry that he said something wrong or just gave the wrong answer. After all the man hadn’t answered, perhaps it was a test that he failed. Looking down at his hands in his lap, he waited for whatever would come next.

He tilted his head at Kaden as he listened. After the man was done he narrowed his eyes slightly. What had he meant by son? Was he referring to his parents? In truth Deux did not know them so perhaps. He had asked his brother about them once and he told him never to ask about them again so Deux hadn’t. Never stopped the slight sense of curiosity he had regarding them. Then Kaden also said things strangely. Like he called the cell his house, but house weren’t the things you escaped from. Houses you wanted to return too from what Deux understood.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he finally replied,”But I think I should thank you.”

[Kaden]

Kaden smiled. "It is I who should be thanking you Duex. I think you are the only thing keeping me from doing something quite stupid," Kaden said, a hint of frustration coming into his voice. He turned and walked back to his bed. It was still on its side and he went back to doing pull-ups, finding that the rhythmic exercise was more conducive to conversation than the forms he'd been doing a moment ago since they required more concentration.

"If you still don't mind providing my bored and idle mind with new problems to work on, can I ask what training you have received?"

[Deux]

Deux pulled his knees into his chest and rested his chin on his leg. He looked up at Kaden with his usual blank stare. “You’re welcome,” he said, “though I don’t know what it is I’m stopping you from doing. I am happy to assist.”

Happy may not have reflected his actual mindset but the phrase seemed appropriate. He wasn’t sure what he felt other than interested in what Kaden had to say. It was more productive then just picking at his clothing all day.

“I’m not sure if it will create problems for you or why you want problems,” he said, “but my brother taught me defense and offensive attacks, how to handle small blades and a number of hand held projectile weapons. We also touched about some elements of how to navigate an area silently and how to avoid capture.” He noticed a smug on his boot and whipped it off with thumb. After checking the pair for more dirt he looked up at Kaden with an unchanged expression.

[Kaden]

"And in the scholarly disciplines," Kaden asked, dropping from the bed leg into a push up position and beginning to do those. His muscles were burning and they were starting to shake, a sure sign that he was on the verge of over doing it, but he had nothing else to do in this cell. He wondered if the captain would give him a port to at least let him read some books and then decided he didn't want to ask the captain for anything.

He was beginning to hate Greg, cooped up in this little cell. He had been working on an escape plan for weeks now but he felt like he was no closer to teleporting with clothes than he had been when he'd started. He had sucked up his pride and used some of his nude excursions to get a better sense of the ship and to find the suit he'd need to fly the Falcon. He'd have to abandon his weapons but his ship was his most important weapon anyway, the others could be replaced.

[Deux]

“Scholarly?” Deux paused, “No, not that I’m aware of. I can read and write, know a few languages and how to navigate most computer systems. I guess the closest I could come to studies is human anatomy.”

In fact his brother had gone in to great detail regarding the human body. Most of the focus was on joints, nerves, how to affect vital organs and important veins. He’d talked about more but that was what came to mind immediately.

“What about you? What have you learned about?” Deux’s body relaxed slightly and he extended one of his legs slightly but keeping his chin on the other.