Mikael held his body in a dominating and authoritative stance, his muscles popping and his face stern. “I would like to introduce Katsuko Mahoney and Jessica MacGregor. I present them so that you all may know that they are under my protection and you are to guard them as you would me. Do I make myself clear?” his voice boomed across the room causing a faint echo to bounce off the walls.
As one unit, all of the warriors clasped their hands in a fist to the heart and bellowed, “HOO-AHH! YES, COMMANDER!”
He relaxed his rigid posture and announced, “At ease!” The men all immediately picked up where they left off with only the occasional furtive glance back at the women.
Mikael watched Mahoney’s face and saw the longing and tightly-wound energy coursing through her body. She was beautiful and fierce, and he was utterly fascinated by her. Leaning his head down closer to hers, he asked, “Would you like to train, Katsuko?”
“God, yes!” the words burst from her lips, her feet already moving her from side to side in a loose jog.
The deep bass rumble of his laughter sent chills skittering up her arms. “Do you prefer a training bot to begin with or would you like a partner?”
Mahoney was already striding across the open space to stake a claim in an empty spot. “Neither just yet, I think,” she called out absently.
Jessica and Mikael watched her as she stretched and warmed up her muscles for several minutes and then did breathing exercises for a few more. When she jogged in place and shook her arms out, Mikael was appreciative of the sight of her lithe body. But when Mahoney began to move, her arms snapping and feet lifting to kick above her head, he was mesmerized. Her movements were fluid, controlled, and deadly. She seemed to have disappeared into a world of her own as she changed styles to a new one that was similar, but different to the snake fighting he had watched earlier.
“Which one is this?” he asked Jessica, who was still standing at his side watching with him.
Jessica studied her for a few more moments, before she answered, “This one is called white crane Kung Fu. It’s similar to the snake, but if you watch closely, you can tell the difference. Look at her hands when she punches. Do you see how her five fingers come together at a point? That is to simulate a bird’s beak. When she is doing the snake, her thumb nestles between her middle finger and ring finger to form a snake’s head.” She showed him her own hand as an example. “I’ve been to a few of her matches, so I’ve gotten pretty good at telling them apart,” she added to her explanation.
He nodded thoughtfully, too absorbed in her graceful movements to take his eyes away from her. He wasn’t the only one, either. Slowly, one by one, the warriors dropped all pretense of ignoring her and instead crowded closer to watch her curiously. Mahoney didn’t even notice. She was so focused on her training that she didn’t realize she had become the center of attention.
Their murmurs and hushed questions started out as a low background music to the sounds of Mahoney’s breathy exhales and the sounds of her feet hitting the floor. The chatter soon swelled until Mikael could hear their exclamations. “What new training is this?” and “How does she move so quickly?” and still others watched her movements with lust in their eyes.
Finally, one brave warrior raised his voice above the others. “Commander, what is this woman doing on the training floor?”
Mahoney executed one last roundhouse kick before she came to rest to face the crowd. Mikael answered, “Katsuko Mahoney is a trained warrior on her home world. I have invited her to participate in our exercises. If you watch her closely, you may even learn something.” His tone was light, but not teasing.
The brave warrior stepped forward, his skin coated with sweat and veins pulsing on his arms. “What could we learn from a female this small? Her odd dancing would be no match against the strength of a T’Kalan warrior.”
Mahoney rounded her body to face the speaker. He was big, maybe 6’3”, and full of the confident swagger that made her itch for a fight. “I think I just found my first sparring partner,” she announced, a feral smile tipping up her lips. Looking to Mikael, she asked, “Do you have any boxing tape or fist wraps?”
Mikael couldn’t hide his excitement and pride as he directed Jessica over to the replicator with whispered instructions. A few moments later, she raced across the floor to place a small bundle in Mahoney’s hands. With practiced efficiency, she wound the flexible material around her hands until she was satisfied with the results and then tossed the roll back over to her friend.
The warrior appealed to his superior. “Commander, I do not wish to harm your female. You know how we train. If I were to inadvertently hurt her, it could go badly for both of us.”
Mikael’s jaw clenched, but he replied, “Katsuko will not pull her punches, so I do not expect you to do so, either. If she gets hurt, there will be no disciplinary repercussions. Do not hold back. That is an order, warrior.”
Mahoney flashed him a dazzling smile full of gratitude. She was humbled by his faith in her fighting skills. Turning back to the hulking warrior, she promised, “Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll go easy on you.”
As they began to face off with each other, circling and looking for an opening, another voice called out, “I would reconsider, if I were you, Zandar. You have not seen speed such as hers before.”
Mahoney spared the speaker a quick glance, but she recognized him all the same thanks to the distrustful pale gray eyes. A wicked chuckle bubbled up from her chest as she called out, “How’s the chest wound, buddy?”
A low growl from his corner failed to ruffle her nerves. Zandar, watching her feet closely, announced, “Enough of this. Let us end this quickly.”
Zandar moved in, his huge arms swinging for Mahoney’s face, but she bobbed and weaved effortlessly to avoid each hit. Catching his right arm in a hook with one leg, she used the downward momentum to swing her other foot around to crash into the side of his head. He hit the ground hard while she danced backward, waiting for him to recover.
Shaking his head to clear out the cobwebs, he stumbled to his feet and roared a challenge. His rage made him careless as he barreled toward the smaller human. Every time he swung, Mahoney was there, under his arm to deliver a punishing blow to his stomach or a sharp jab to his neck. His frustration continued to mount as she evaded his every move, dancing forward to sting at him with kicks and punches, before ghosting away out of reach.
She was barely breaking a sweat while Zandar wheezed like a bellows. When she hooked her foot behind his to send him crashing to the floor for the third time, she said, “Are you done playing around now? I’m getting bored.”
Icy brown eyes met hers and he snarled with injured pride. He hauled himself to his feet again and staggered around her, looking for an opening. He made to dive for her middle and Mahoney lifted her foot to deliver a downward chop. When her foot was halfway down, he swung his torso under her foot to come up standing on the other side. He caught her heel in one hand and grinned evilly. Before he could revel in his victory however, she used his hand as a fulcrum to jump up with the other foot and flip backward out of his reach. He followed after her and she stepped into his body, grabbed his right arm with both of hers, and used her forward momentum to bring his arm with her as she swung around to his back. She rode his body down to the ground, twisting him arm up higher, and landed astride him as he hit the floor. A sickening pop made Jessica stifle a scream that was drowned out by the sound of Zander’s pained yell.
Mahoney stood quickly and backed away, her body in full fight mode. When it was clear he wouldn’t be getting back up, she glared at the speechless warriors and demanded, “Who’s next?”
The men looked at each other warily, none of them especially eager to fight the woman. Finally, Mahoney rolled her eyes and pointed into the crowd. “You and you. Let’s go.”
Reluctantly, the two men stepped forward, shooting worried looks at the commander. When he just raised his eyebrow expectantly, they assumed a position in front of h
er several feet apart. After a respectful bow, she arranged herself in a fighting stance with legs open and crouched and her right elbow resting on her left arm and her hand in the form of a snake’s head.
Mikael’s eyes lit up with anticipation. The two warriors watched her warily as her hand weaved back and forth as if searching for a target. While their eyes were distracted, Mahoney launched into an attack. Her pointed jabs were lightning fast as she snuck under their swings to zip in and land punishing blows to the chi point below one of their Adam’s apple while swinging her foot to the side to catch the other in his stomach. They redoubled their efforts to catch her while she whipped and struck just out of their reach.
After five more minutes of fruitless endeavors, one of the men called out to her, “You wouldn’t be so lucky if you were up against our blades.”
Mahoney stopped and arched an eyebrow. Before she could reply, however, Mikael ordered, “Arm her with a weapon.”
The men murmured and exchanged excited glances while a young warrior trotted over to a case that displayed several different types of swords, daggers, and blades of all lengths and sizes. He picked up several different ones, testing their weight, until he found the ones he wanted. The blades were identical, curved, and wickedly sharp at over two foot in length. The handles were worn smooth from use, but still solid. He trotted back over to Mahoney and presented them to her for her approval. She weighed them in each hand and gave them an experimental swing before nodding affirmatively.
“Oh, man. Shit’s about to get real!” Jessica squealed as she pivoted and trotted to the replicator. “Kitt, access the Earth database and send the specifications for buttered popcorn and Diet Coke to the replicator.”
“Accessing. Specifications for snack food buttered popcorn and carbonated soda have been sent,” he replied in crisp tones.
Jessica retrieved her snack and took a seat on the sidelines, her eyes wide and expectant. Mikael didn’t move a muscle. It took every ounce of his control to keep from storming the floor and whisking his little warrior out of harm’s way, but he resisted the impulse. His warriors would not respect her and her skills should he intervene. He reminded himself over and over that the medical unit was only a few rooms away should she be wounded.
When the two men were armed with one lethally sharp blade each, they faced off against their opponent. Mahoney was calm and still as she struck a pose with one blade pointed over her head and the other extended from her waist. With a fierce cry, she darted forward, her blades twirling and flashing, as she engaged the warriors. Steel met steel with a spray of sparks as she parried their thrusts and struck out toward their vulnerable spots. The sounds of battle pierced the air as the men grunted and growled while Mahoney shouted “Hai!” In a breathtaking move, she bent backward as the two swords flashed mere centimeters above her face. Before they recovered their swings, she dropped into Chinese splits and sliced two identical lines across each of the warrior’s bellies. The cuts were shallow, but it achieved her purpose. Each warrior stumbled back and hissed as blood seeped from their wounds to run down their abdomens.
“First blood: Katsuko Mahoney!” Mikael boomed, pride evident in his voice.
The warriors redoubled their efforts to score their own hits, but they were no match for her speed and flexibility. Jessica sucked in a shocked breath when one of the warrior’s blades sliced through Mahoney’s shirt to leave a jagged cut, but no blood bloomed from the site. Within ten more minutes, both men dropped their weapons, heaving with exertion and bleeding from multiple wounds, and signaled defeat.
Mahoney, ever the professional, placed her right fist against her open left palm and bowed low to each of them. “It was honor to train with you. You are fierce and worthy opponents.”
Their eyes widened in pleased surprise and they clumsily returned her bow. “The honor was ours, lady warrior,” one said. The other added, “You could teach us many things, if time allows.”
With a salute to their commander, they left to join Zandar in the medical ward. Mahoney trotted over to the weapons case where she cleaned each blade carefully before returning them to their place. The warriors watched her every move as if they could determine how she learned to fight simply by observing her.
Mikael, feeling his own blood begin to thrum with excitement, called out, “Lieutenant Andreus, please escort Miss MacGregor to the cafeteria for dinner. She is under your protection as she would be in mine. Warriors, you are dismissed for meal break.”
Mahoney made to follow her friend who was chatting animatedly to the dazzled lieutenant, but Mikael stopped her with a firm hand on her arm. “I had hoped you would like to spar with one more opponent,” he answered her quizzical gaze.
Her stomach quivered with anticipation and heat. Their eyes locked and she answered, “I will not hold back.”
“Nor will I, little warrior,” he promised, his face splitting in a devastating smile. “Nor will I.”
Chapter Eleven
Jessica paused at the door, worry evident in her posture, but Mahoney waved her on with the promise to meet up with her later. When the room was empty of all except the two, Mikael pinned her with his pale green eyes and called out, “Command, secure doors and do not release without my permission.” Without further ado, he began to unfasten his jumpsuit with deliberate care.
“What are you doing?” she asked, nervousness making her voice skip.
He peeled the clothing down his body revealing sculpted mounds of muscle that rippled and bulged with his movements. He bent down to slip off his shoes and pulled the jumpsuit off after them. When he stood, his only remaining clothing was form-fitting shorts that reached mid-thigh that resembled boxer briefs.
When he stood proudly before her in all his bronzed, masculine glory, he finally replied, “That is my favorite uniform. I would hate to get blood on it.” His whiskered face sported a shameless grin.
Mahoney’s chin lifted in defiance. Reaching down to her waist, she whipped the torn red shirt off over her head and toed off her shoes to leave only her pants and black sports bra behind. His eyes grew dark and stormy with desire as his gaze swept over her athletically toned body. Like mirror images of each other, they slowly began to circle each other, neither of them making the first move.
“What animal will you use against me, Katsuko? Will it be the snake or the crane?” he taunted her with raised eyebrow.
A sly grin of anticipation preceded her answer. “Neither. Let me introduce you to Krav Maga.” Squaring her body with his, she brought her clenched fists down to her hips.
As if that were his cue, he came at her low, aiming for her hips. Reaching toward him, she grabbed his arm, swung it wide, and brought her outside foot up for a punishing blow to his gut. Spinning his arm the opposite way, she used his momentum to force him to the ground on his back and followed it up with three brutal punches to his face.
Before she could step away from him, however, he grabbed her foot and jerked hard, sending her pin-wheeling backward to fall with a grunt. He was on her in a flash, his huge body covering hers. Even with blood dripping down his face from a cut on his eyebrow, he was grinning madly as she struggled for purchase.
“What will you do now, Katsuko?” he taunted her.
Instead of replying, she brought her head up in a stunning blow against the bridge of his nose. He roared with pain and scrambled back away from her, leaving her free once more. It took him only a few moments to recover before he was back on his feet and stalking her like prey, determination etched into the crags of his already bruising face. When he was close enough, he brought his left arm swinging toward her face. As he hoped she would, she bent backward to duck the blow, leaving her muscled abs open. Careful to use minimal force, he threw his right fist into her stomach. As she doubled over to grunt in pain, he grabbed her around the waist and flipped her over his head and brought her down to the ground. Both of them were sweating and bleeding, her from her forehead and him from his eye, but neither of them stopped
fighting to gain the upper hand. As soon as he thought he had her trapped, she would wiggle out from under him and grapple for purchase.
They rolled and wrestled across the expanse of the cushioned flooring, her swearing and him grunting each time she managed to land another punch or elbow to his face. Mahoney could feel her body beginning to tire, but she refused to give up. Mikael was more than a match for her, and even though she knew he was pulling his punches, she could still feel the soreness of her ribs beginning to protest.
When she was crouched on top of him and doing her best to rain blows down on his face, he slid his feet towards his chest and planted them in her stomach to send her sailing through the air to land on her back. The drop knocked the wind out of her chest, and he took advantage of her stunned efforts to breathe by scrabbling over to her prone body. Quick as a flash, he straddled her legs and hooked his feet around her calves, pinned her hips to the ground with his own, and trapped her wrists in each of his big hands. Before she could head-butt him again, he dropped his forehead to the mat next to hers and took a moment to rest.
They were both breathing heavily, their bodies coated in sweat, but Mahoney only gave a token effort to get free. The feel of his body against hers was too delicious to ignore, and he apparently felt the same way since his shaft was hard and hot as a brand against the juncture of her thighs. His breath steamed against her throat and she couldn’t suppress a moan when his mouth opened against her skin to lick and suck before biting down gently.
“Never have I wanted anyone as badly as I want you right now,” he confessed in her ear, his breath ragged and full of longing.
“Let go of my hands,” she answered back, her voice low but full of resolve.
Fighting Chance Page 6