The Rovan Ruins by Michael McCloskey

The Rovan Ruins by Michael McCloskey

Author:Michael McCloskey [Michael McCloskey]
Language: eng
Format: epub


***

Yat and Arakaki showed up together in a huge workout center in the massive ship they called the Sharplight. They looked like a matched pair, as they had agreed to have their first match wearing heavy gis. They both wore white, though Yat’s was stained with blood. He had not thought to wash it or replicate a new one, though at least the bacteria resistant fibers did not smell bad.

Oliver and the stranger named Barrai had already started to fight. They faced each other wearing compact sparring gloves. Oliver wore only a pair of heavy shorts. Barrai was in a rashguard and gi pants.

Oliver charged at Barrai. She delivered a spinning backfist and a fast crescent kick to the side of his head in quick succession. His next step wobbled aside, but he recovered and followed up with a straight-in front kick that struck, though Barrai backed out of it and probably did not feel it.

Sweat poured down Oliver’s chest and the ribs in his gaunt torso slid under the skin with each breath. They circled each other, waiting for someone to fire off the next exchange.

Wow. Serious.

Yat knew Oliver’s style well. The man had a lot of muscle and even more recklessness. A high pain tolerance added to the volatile mixture. Yat had developed solid technique to hold his own again Oliver. The man was hard for Yat to stop in a standing fight, but Yat could mix it up with him on the ground.

Oliver waited—or pretended to wait—for several breaths, then they both attacked at once. Barrai thumped him in the ribs while Oliver grabbed her lead hand with his back hand and punched her head through the gap. Barrai grunted and sent in a lightning hook which struck Oliver a bit high, striking his temple instead of his jaw.

They broke from the exchange. Most of Oliver’s face was bruised from taking blows.

Why isn’t he shooting? I wonder if he already tried and got shut down before we arrived.

Yat stole a glance at Arakaki. She was watching the fight casually while she warmed up on another mat. Yat decided to run a few laps around the workout center.

Oliver and Barrai continued to wade into it. Barrai was hitting him crisply, repeatedly. She was simply too fast. Still, Oliver managed to hurt her about every other exchange. His legs were more slender than Barrai’s, but his arms were much larger.

As if reading Yat’s mind, Barrai started to lash out viciously with low kicks, hitting the sides of Oliver’s legs.

Now you’ve gone and made her angry, Yat thought, as if admonishing Oliver.

Oliver seemed to realize he was not equipped to deal with Barrai’s new strategy. Without warning, he charged again. Barrai tried to kick his lead leg on the way in, but she only prevented herself from being able to sidestep. Oliver performed an off-balance takedown that was at least good enough to bring Barrai down with him.

Oliver’s huge arms took control of the situation, but not before Barrai fed him an elbow.



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