Reporting In

Havoc was, in so many ways, a model trainee. The problem was that in every other way, he was a complete failure. When it came to things like tactics, practical skills, and following orders, Havoc frequently came in near the top of his class, if not outright being the top. When it came to social skills, comforting people in distress, and other things like that...

Less so.

Piper had a reputation for doing things her own way, but she also had a reputation for having a lot of experience. That was good. And whether or not she was the best possible match for him, surely she could advise him?

Havoc couldn't help but suspect he was being shuffled around between trainers, hoping to find one that would fit with his unique sensibilities.

He knocked once, and the moment Piper called for him to come in, Havoc did, stepping in and glancing towards her.

While Piper would lack the context to know it, Havoc's lack of salute was not a good sign. His eyes were immediately drawn to the knife being expertly twirled between her fingers, watching it even as he greeted her.

"My name is James Havoc," he said. "I was told to come speak with you about potentially having you as a mentor."

Havoc had learned to stop assessing people. Or more accurately, he'd learned to discard his initial assessments. On Manta Carlos, far more than in the real world, appearances could be deceiving. Someone who looked like a naive child could take your head off with their pinky. Piper was fit but not terribly muscular, on the short side of average and lacking any sort of distinguishing feature. That would make it easy to fit in, and also told Havoc that she was probably a regenerator. Supposedly she'd been a scout for years--how long seemed to vary depending on who was telling the story--and yet she had no obvious injuries or marks.

"Yes, I go by Havoc," he confirmed, even though he'd just introduced himself. He watched with interest as she pulled a folder out of a portal, making a mental note to think about that later. For the time being, his focus was on her, not puzzling out just what her powers might be.

"Assuming I have the option, I'd like to know the kind of teaching style you posses," Havoc said. He knew he was hard to work with, and someone more lackadaisical in nature might not work well with him. "And the kind of training you specialize in."

Unorthodox did not have any real connotation to Havoc. It could be good or bad. Work you harder than you've ever worked in your life did have a very specific connotation to him though--a bad one. It was the kind of thing a drill sergeant said to someone when they were trying to big big and tough, and combined with well rounded, Havoc was already starting to have doubts about whether or not Piper would be a good fit for him.

Havoc was very aware of his own capabilities, after all.

"I am direct," Havoc said simply. "And my experience with the military prioritized clarity in communication. Ethics are not a significant issue for me, although psychology might help."

He knew he didn't need ethics, at least. He'd had that kind of training before, and it didn't really effect him. Ethics classes dealt with the messy ground between this feels right but isn't right, only Havoc didn't feel right about things to begin with.

"I am unclear on your abilities, or what they could offer for training."