Dysfunctional -- Chapter 15

Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Alec, Biggs, Renfro, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me.  No money is being made off of this fic.  I only own the original characters (X5-121, etc.).

"So, what do you--oh, she's back," 494 said as he looked up and saw 121 entering the cafeteria.  He waited until she had gotten some food and had sat down next to him.  "Great to see you back, 121.  How was London?  Did the mission go okay?"

"It was a breeze," 121 told him.  "Those guys that 849, 228, and I were supposed to be watching out for never showed up.  I got some good contraband for you and 511.  I'll give it to you later today."

"Thanks," 511 said.

"No problem," 121 replied.  She took a look around the table.  "Where's 908?  Did she go out on a mission?"

494 could see 786 about to deliver a nasty remark, so he held out his hand to stop her.  "Unfortunately, she's not on a mission.  A few weeks after you, 849, and 228 went to London, 908 got sent to Psy Ops.  Apparently, she'd attacked one of the X5s in her Culture class.  I don't know why because she's still in Psy Ops so I haven't been able to get that report and yes, I asked 786 since she's friends with 908 and also happened to be in that class and even she didn't know the reasons why."

"It's true," 786 admitted.  "Personally, I think 380 was being a bit of a snot when she answered the question that 908 got wrong, but I still don't get exactly why 908 just lost it the way that she did."

"How bad did she lose it?" 121 asked.

"Pretty badly," 786 recalled.  "She went completely apeshit on 380 and gave her one of the worst beatings that I've ever seen before the trainer managed to step in and got her to stop it."  She snorted.  "Don't even start, 121.  I know that you were going to ask me why I didn't stop or order her to stop beating up 380 and if you must know, I tried but 908 pushed me back when I took a step in her direction.  She did that to two others who tried to step in before the trainer stopped her."

"You're not pissed off about it?" 121 said, surprised.

786 shrugged.  "No, not really.  There's no point in being mad about it.  I'm sure that 908 didn't mean it and only did it out of reflex."

Wow, I'm actually hearing something semi-adult coming out of 786's mouth?  I wonder if hell is freezing over, 121 thought.  "Probably."  She turned back to 494 and 511.  "How long is 908 going to be stuck in Psy Ops?"

"Quite awhile," 494 said.  He winced.  "Director Renfro said when she called 511 and myself into her office to inform us about 908 that the early estimate for 908's stay in Psy Ops would be anywhere from six months to a full year.  A few days after the incident, Director Renfro called me into her office again after she'd gotten the final determination on the length of 908's Psy Ops stay.  It's eight months to a year."

"Ouch!" 121 exclaimed.  "That's...yikes."

"Well, she got what she deserved," 295 said placidly.  He took a bite out of his meatloaf and looked up to see 786 and 714 glaring murderously at him.  "Quit giving me those looks.  You know what the rules are.  Because 908 broke those rules to that great of an extent, she fully deserves the punishment that she is currently receiving.  I don't care if the two of you are friends with 908 or not.  The facts are facts."

"My goodness," 714 commented sarcastically.  She flipped her hair over her shoulder.  "I never knew that somebody could be such an anal retentive freak like you are, 295.  Since you are just the smartest X-series transgenic alive, can you please tell me if you were born with the rule book stuffed up your behind or did you happen to sit on one by accident when you were a baby and it got stuck there?"  She looked at her nails.  "I wouldn't know the answer to that question, but I bet that you do."

"The answer to that one is neither, you nitwit," 295 retorted.

"Wow, he said nitwit.  You must have really excelled at Common Verbal Usage," 714 said in mock awe.  "786, can you believe it?  We're sitting in the presence of a genius!"

"It's amazing," 786 agreed in the same tone of voice.  She pretended to wipe a tear away from one of her eyes.  "It just brings tears to my eyes, it really does."

"You are very lucky, 786," 295 said.

"Oh?  How am I lucky?  Tell me, Einstein," 786 sneered.

"I know what you do after lights out," 295 said.  "What if I went to a guard and reported your activities to him?"

Oh for crying out loud, just say it.  She sneaks out of her cell after lights out most nights to find somebody to fuck.  It's not difficult to say, 511 thought.  "First of all, 295, what 786 does is her business and not yours.  Second of all, even if it was her business, it is not your job to report on her because it would be either my job or 494's or maybe even 121's.  If you really did want to report it, you would have to go up to one of us and then we would file the report." And even if one of us did report 786 to a guard or to a trainer, they probably won't do anything because the odds are that 786 fucked him and he wants a repeat performance!  "Let it go, 295."

"Fine," 295 reluctantly agreed.  Things were relatively quiet for a few minutes until 295 mumbled something under his breath low enough that 494, 511, and 121, who were across and down the table from him didn't understand what 295 had said.  Unfortunately, 786 was sitting only two places down from 295 on 295's side of the table and heard what 295 had muttered and rolled her eyes and while 494, 511, and 121 were distracted, she quickly grabbed a roll off of her plate and threw it at 295, nailing him dead-on in the side of the head.

"Maybe that will shut you up, you little asshole," she snapped.

"786, aside from the fact that was one of the most juvenile acts that I've seen in awhile, that was uncalled for," 494 said.  "295, 511 ordered you to let the argument go.  The next peep I hear from either of you towards each other today, I will send both of you down to the brig.  Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," 295 and 786 replied in unison.

"Thank you," 494 said.  He shook his head and stared down at his tray.  "I think I'm starting to get a migraine."

"Don't sweat it, buddy," 511 assured his best friend.  "Just relax.  I think that we're safe for the rest of lunch.  I think neither 786 nor 295 want to be sent to the brig."

"Ewww!  What the hell did you just spill on me, 532?"

"It's called accidentally knocking over my orange juice when I reached for the pepper and if you would just calm down for half a second, 714, you would have noticed me reaching for some extra napkins so that I could help you clean it up but since you're being such a complete and total bitch, how about you just clean up the mess yourself!"

"I think I kinda spoke too soon," 511 muttered.

"You think?" 121 teased.  That got a laugh out of both 511 and 494.

"532, help 714 clean up the spill," 494 ordered.

532 sighed.  "Yes, sir."

"I feel like I'm working with children sometimes," 494 said.

"It could be worse," 511 pointed out.

"No shit," 494 said.  "I just hope this is the worst of it today."

121 raised an eyebrow skeptically.  "Don't count on it."

494 thought for a moment and then nodded.  "Yeah, I won't."

TBC