Intergalactic Fight Club: Don the Champion

by Colleen Hickey

  “I spoke with Lock Claws, Jody,” Don tells her, “He and the other fighters are gonna meet us at the hospital. We just have to hope that Kaynon will pull through.”

  Don kisses her on her forehead and continues to embrace her. He wants to tell Jody that he loves her, but he knows that with Kaynon ill, it is not a good time to tell her.

  Chapter 22

  Two hours later, at the hospital, Jody, Don, and the rest of their friends are anxiously waiting in the waiting room, hoping to hear good news about Kaynon while he is having open- heart surgery with nano-bots. Jody is asleep on Don’s shoulder as he watches her. Lock Claws converses with Mannie about his relationship with her.

  “Don really cares for that girl,” Lock Claws whispers to Mannie.

  “Yeah. He’s really brought out some strength in Jody that she thought she lost long ago,” Mannie replies.

  Then, the doctor, who is a Gray alien, comes out to tell of news about Kaynon.

  “Jody, wake up,” Don whispers to her as she yawns and wakes up, “The doctor is here.”

  “Well, Doctor,” Jody asks, “How is Kaynon?”

  “Our former champion is going to be fine,” the doctor said, “The nano-bots have repaired his heart completely. However, to prevent any more heart problems, he’ll have to give up his fighting career. It wouldn’t matter though. I gave a copy of his medical report to the police since his tests showed he’s been taking Waspite.”

  “I’m just glad he’s going to be okay,” Jody sighs in relief.

  “He asked for you and Mr. Kobra specifically, Ms. Terrance,” the doctor said, “You can see him, but you can only see him for a few minutes. He needs his rest.”

  ***

  In a nearby hospital room, Kaynon is in bed when Jody and Don come in to see him. Jody walk in while Don stays by the door.

  “Hey, Jody-girl,” Kaynon greets him.

  “Now I know you are back to normal,” Jody said as she hugs him.

  “Jody, I’m sorry for all I put you through. I just wanted so badly to keep being a winner in your eyes.”

  “Kaynon, you were always a winner to me, even without the championship belt.”

  “Thanks, but I think it’s time we both move on. After my drug addiction, you deserve better than me. I can tell you’ve already found a great fighter in your life.”

  He looks to Don to make a point to Jody the she really loves him.

  “What’s gonna happen to you now?” Jody asks with concern.

  “The police offered me a plea deal,” Kaynon informs them, “I testify against Psikes in his trial, and I only get three years in jail for drug possession. The prison I’m going to will have a drug rehab program for me, so I will no longer be an addict.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “Before you go, how about one last kiss for old time’s sake?”

  Jody gives Kaynon one last kiss on his forehead, making Don mildly jealous.

  “Thanks, Jody. How about getting yourself something from the cafeteria now?”

  Jody leaves to get something to eat, leaving Don alone with Kaynon.

  “Don, can you come over here?” Kaynon asks Don.

  “Sure, what’s up?” Don asks as he steps toward him.

  “I want you to do me a favor and take very good care of Jody. Can you do that?”

  “I will. You seem a lot different without the Waspite.”

  “I’m going back to the way I was but with one big difference. I want Jody to be with someone who can love her the way I did back in high school. I guess you’ve won, Don. You not only won the belt and saved my life, but you won Jody’s heart as well.”

  “I promise to care for her, but I’m gonna make sure she learns to protect herself. She’s no damsel in distress.”

  “Well. You better leave before the doctor gets here.”

  Don leaves the room to go find Jody, not knowing that Kaynon is shedding a tear, knowing that Jody is with a new fighter who loves her, but at the same time, he is happy that his first love will be well cared for.

  ***

  As the friends are leaving the hospital, reporters and paparazzi suddenly pop out of nowhere and take pictures of the group. The public has declared Don, Jody, and their friends heroes for saving the people at the arena and for stopping Psikes’s drug trafficking operation.

  “What inspired all of you to become fighters?!” one reporter asks.

  “How does it feel to put the biggest crime lord in the universe in prison?!” a second reporter asks.

  The fighters are waving to the reporters and the crowd while answering a few questions as Colleen and Raven watch them proudly.

  “You’ll read all about what happened on the news feed tomorrow,” Athena informs the reporters, “We are just glad to finally have Rex Psikes in custody. Once he is found guilty, he will serve a life sentence for the lives he’s destroyed. I owe it to the group of honorable fighters you see before you, including the girl who brought the final defeat of Rex Psikes.”

  Athena pulls Jody into the shot of cameras with her as the photographers takes pictures of the two.

  “So what will the fighters do now that the Intergalactic Fights are over until next year?” one lady reporter asks.

  Don snaps his fingers and suddenly has an idea on what to do with the prize money and the belt he won.

  ***

  One week later, at a nearby space port, Jody has her eyes closed as Don guides her to a big surprise.

  “Just keep those eyes closed until we get there, Jody,” Don says.

  “Okay, Don,” Jody replies.

  Don keeps guiding Jody until they reach where the surprise is.

  “Okay, Jody,” Don says, “You can open your eyes.”

  Jody opens her eyes and gazes at Don’s surprise: a house-sized star cruiser in a dazzling silver with its name, the Nebula Star, on both sides.

  “It’s wonderful, Don!” Jody exclaims her excitement.

  “This is what I used the prize money for,” Don tells her, “We call it the Nebula Star.”

  “We?”

  Then, Minos, Tegro, Myotis, Mannie, Raven, and Lock Claws show up from all over the ship.

  “Don decided that we should come together to form a new fighting team for next year’s tournament,” Lock Claws explains.

  “Until then, we’re all going on tour through the galaxy,” Myotis adds.

  “And we want you to come with us,” Mannie says.

  “M-me?” Jody stutters, “But what about my dad? Who’s gonna help him run the gym?”

  Just as Jody is about to turn the offer down, her father, Buzz, and Athena show up from behind her.

  “Jody, there’s no need for you to worry about me and the gym,” John assures her, “Buzz is going to be working for me as my assistant manager.”

  “With Psikes out of business, I need a new line of work,” Buzz states.

  “Sweetie, it’s time for you to spread your wings and start your own life. Plus, your stuff is already packed and aboard the ship. Not to mention that one fighter will be disappointed if you don’t go with them.”

  Jody turns to around and sees Don smiling at her.

  “And besides, as fighters, we’ll need a nurse to take care of us, and you’re the only one we know that has a sports medicine degree,” Lock Claws says, “So will you come with us and see the universe?”

  Jody thinks about it for a second, and then, she suddenly runs up to Don Kobra and hugs him.

  “I guess that’s a yes,” Myotis says.

  “I’m going to come along as well,” Athena says as she gets aboard the ship, “I’m gonna be serving as security during your tour. My superiors thought that would be best since we are still uncovering more of Psikes’s operations. He may have connections and will no doubt use them to get revenge on all of you.”

  “That would be wise, Athena,” Lock Claws says.

  Everyone gets on board, except for Jody, who is saying good-bye to her father.

  �
�Bye, daddy,” she says while kissing her father on the cheek, “I’ll see you next year.”

  “You be careful until then, hon,” John says as he hugs her good-bye.

  After their good-byes, Jody boards the ship while waving good-bye to her dad and Buzz.

  Thrusters on the ship slowly flair up. Then, the ship flies off the ground and takes off flying at hyper-speed until it disappears into the atmosphere.

  “Bet ya’ next year, you little girl will come home with an engagement ring,” Buzz slyly says.

  “Count on it,” John proudly says.

  ***

  The ship is now flying in the vast regions of Outer Space. Jody is looking out the window of her new bedroom, looking at the vast stars and planets she has never seen before with awe and wonder. Then, she hears her automatic doors open and sees Don coming in with a bouquet of lilacs and marigolds.

  “Oh Don, are those flowers for me?” she asks sweetly.

  “Yeah. Jody, I wanted to tell you something right after the fight last week,” he says as he musters enough courage, “Ever since I started training in your dad’s gym, I felt an attraction toward you. I see the same things in you that Kaynon saw in you: a gentle girl with a strong spirit. What I am trying to say is that…I really love you, Jody. I’ve been in love with you through the weeks I have lived with you, Mannie, and your father.”

  Jody is surprised and in awe over Don’s profession of love. At the same time, she is relieved because over the past few weeks, she had grown to love Don as well.

  “Oh Don,” she says softly to him, “I really love you, too. I was just too afraid to tell you because of how Kaynon was.’

  Don takes both of Jody’s hand and gently pulls her toward himself.

  “Jody, I don’t what obstacles will come during the next year, but I’m willing to face them as long as you are there with me. You are someone I am willing to fight for.”

  Jody and Don slowly lean on each other until they kiss. Don wraps his arms around Jody and holds her tightly while they kiss. After they stop, Jody puts her head on his chest and cuddles him.

  “I’m looking forward to an exciting year with you, Don,” Jody says.

  While they embrace, Lock Claws and Myotis are watching them from outside the door, admiring the two lovebirds as they embrace each other.

  “Now that is a truly romantic sight,” Myotis sighs as he sees the happy moment.

  “Let’s give Don some alone time with his girlfriend,” Lock Claws suggests, “He’s earned it.”

  The two walk away from Jody’s room to discuss coming up with a name for their team.

  “So what do you think we should call our team, Lock Claws?” Myotis asks.

  “I’m not so sure, Myotis,” Lock Claws replies while he thinks, “Let’s see. We are different aliens from different planets, but we are also fighters and warriors of honor.”

  “Like our own little club in space. What about the Space Fighters Union?”

  “That sounds a bit like a Sci-Fi convention group.”

  Myotis thinks for a moment until he thought up a pretty good name for the team. He is certain it’s the right name, and that Lock Claws will agree, too.

  “I think I got it,” he tells Lock Claws, “How about the Intergalactic Fight Club? It suits us perfectly. We came together during the Intergalactic Fights and stopped Psikes during the tournament. What do you think, Lock Claws?”

  “I like how you think, Bats,” Lock Claws complimented, “The Intergalactic Fight Club sounds like a great name for our team. Now let’s head to the control room and see which planet we will stop at first for our tour.”

  The two friends head to the control room to see the charted course that John set up for them before they left.

  Chapter 23

  Meanwhile, Psikes and his henchmen are being held at the Zartacla Prison Space Station, the most impenetrable and inescapable penitentiary in the known galaxy, pending their trial. The prison’s security comes with heat motion sensors that can detect different levels of body heat, no matter the species of alien, automatic laser firing that shoot on command by the warden’s voice command, alien and robotic guards at every wall, entrance, and exit, and hidden security cameras everywhere. Psikes is in the courtyard, and is sitting on a bench while moping about his drug empire in ruins. Two aliens, notice him and go over to mock him for his failure.

  “Hey look! It’s the former crime boss of New York!” the Fridgian laughs.

  “What’s wrong, Psikes? Can’t handle being beaten by a mere human girl?! She stopped you cold!”

  They both laugh hysterically until Psikes grabs them both by their orange jumpers and throws to them to the concrete wall, knocking them unconscious. He then walks over to an isolated part of the courtyard where his three henchmen have gathered.

  “What do we do while we’re stuck here, Boss?” Bludd nervously asks.

  “You three need not worry,” Psikes says, “I may be stuck in this prison, but I still have operations that not even the Intergalactic Council has uncovered. I also have connections to every known assassin in the galaxy. One phone call from me, and I will have my revenge on those miserable heroes who locked us in here. That girl was lucky when she captured me, but her luck will run out soon enough.”

  “What do we do in the meantime?” Cru asks him.

  “We will try to come up with an escape plan once our trial comes. All that we can do for now is wait and hope some important mail comes in from the outside.”

  Psikes and his henchmen laugh maniacally and evilly, leaving the other inmates to move away from them, afraid for their lives on what the gang may do to them.

  ***

  Back on the Nebula Star, Mannie and Raven are admiring the view of the stars together from the control room, Lock Claws has a meeting with the rest of the group about the team name.

  “Well I think the Intergalactic Fight Club is a great name for our team, Lock Claws,” Jody says.

  “I second that,” Minos agrees with Jody.

  “Who shall we have as leader and coach of the group?” Tegro asks, “We need someone to make sure we are on the track when it comes to honor.”

  “What about Lock Claws?” Jody suggests, “He’s a veteran fighter, and he did come up with the plan to rescue me and my friends. He also knows as much about fighting as my dad does.”

  “Interested, Lock Claws?” Don asks him.

  Lock Claws thinks about it. On one claw, it is a big responsibility to be leader of a team when they depend and rely on you. On the other claw, he has experience like John Terrance, and he is the one who came close to defeating Kaynon last year.

  “I will do my best to lead to the path of honor and victory,” Lock Claws promises.

  “Good to hear, my friend,” Myotis pats him on the back, “Now which planet will we make an appearance at first?”

  Lock Claws goes over to the controls and pushes a button to the holographic star map John has made for them. Lock Claws pushes on the first planet that is on their course and knows right away which planet it is.

  “It looks like we are heading to Andreas, the Elfenheim homeworld,” Lock Claws says.

  “Isn’t that your home planet, Raven?” Minos asks her.

  “Uh…yes. Yes it is,” Raven replies timidly.

  “Terrific!” Tegro says excitedly, “Maybe we’ll get to bump into some family and friends you may know.”

  “I hope not,” she says under breathe.

  As she and Mannie walk out together, he notices how nervous she is and realized why.

  “Worried your parents are looking for you?” Mannie questions with concern.

  Raven sadly nods yes to him.

  “Don’t worry, Raven,” Mannie assures her as he wraps his arm around her, “I’ll make sure they never find you.”

  Raven embraces Mannie, knowing that he will never let anything awful happen to her.

  The Nebula Star sets course to Andreas, and to wherever adventure will lead them.