by Juliet Sem
"Béjan, I'm certain all my guards will not fit into your family box at the palace's arena. I think security at the palace is adequate, so I think it's time to dismiss my Autocracy honor guard. I hope they aren't too disappointed."
"I'm sure some of them will be, but others will be relieved they can watch the Tourney without fear of missing a threat or guilt afterward because they paid more attention to the fights than security," he replied.
He called the palace and explained the situation, and the Autocracy honor guard was dismissed. Béjan took his leave, stating that he wanted to get to the palace early. Abandoning decorum, Keestu impulsively gripped his arm and wished him well. He put his hand over hers for a few moments, squeezing her fingers affectionately and thanking her before leaving.
Keestu was nervous until Kurzon arrived. Due to the limited landing space at the palace, he had ordered the Enforcer back into orbit, taking a lander down so he could attend the Tourney.
"Admiral, you and your men have done a fine job watching me the past several months," she told him. "But, unfortunately, there is no way two full squads can be accommodated in the Purvol's box, so we need to pare this number down. I can't in good conscience leave Rue or Gontu out of it, and since security will be tight at the palace, I wonder if you will agree that I need only two other guards in addition to Gontu while I'm inside?"
Kurzon thought for a few moments, then said, "Since Vahin has returned to the infirmary on the Enforcer, if I'm included in your party, I agree. Since Norinna and Béjan have nine children between them, that makes sixteen, leaving them fourteen box seats to offer to others."
Keestu thanked him, allowing him to decide which guards would accompany them while she went and found Norinna. Norinna was talking with a large group of nobles Keestu didn't recognize, and she politely knocked on the wall by the open door to announce her presence.
"Ah, Crown Princess, I was about to send for you," Norinna waved her into the room. "We have too many people to be able to accommodate all your guards. Béjan told me before he left that your Autocracy guard has been dismissed, but twenty guards in addition to your personal bodyguard and handmaiden would leave us with too few seats for the immediate family."
"Yes, Praté, I thought of that and consulted Admiral Kurzon. He has agreed to reduce the number of additional guards to two as long as he can take Vahin's place in my entourage, making our number six. Will that work for you?"
"Oh, yes, it should! Your six, me, and the other eight children brings our number to fifteen, since Dinus is Béjan's second..."
"Dinus is Béjan's second? What does that mean?"
"He will stand in the arena outside the security screen to help insure a fair fight, observing so that no illegal weapons are smuggled in. This leaves his seat in our box open. Now, I'll have the others who want to sit with us to draw lots for the remaining seats as the odds are that Béjan will fight in at least two rounds, meaning everyone we know who wants to will have a chance to watch at least one of his bouts from our box."
Keestu bowed to Norinna, who bobbed her head in return. She gently rubbed her gravid stomach as she issued some last minute orders to her children and the other family members around her before they all loaded into the flitters to travel to the palace.
Keestu found that Kurzon had decided on Major Anjo and one of the medics to accompany them to the Tourney, with the medic being assigned to man a camera. At the final negotiation session, it had been decided that when Keestu attended the tourney that her guards would be allowed to bring their weapons in, as they were now officially allies. In addition, strip screening would be skipped for her and her party. They were only to be scanned for explosives before being passed into the palace just like any other Autocracy noble.
Due to increased foot traffic throughout the city, their flitters flew to the palace rather than hugging the ground and were ordered into a holding pattern, as the sky over the palace was filled with flitters and landers bringing people in to see the tourney. Traffic control was efficient, however, and they landed after a few minutes of waiting.
As they entered the palace, Kurzon motioned to the guards who would not be accompanying them inside, and Keestu watched them jog off to guard the other entrances in case Keestu needed a quick exit, each man wearing a translator cuff so they could communicate with the Autocracy's people. Keestu didn't see where it would do much good to have a few of her men scattered here and there around the exterior, but the number of view screens set up outside the palace was impressive, and she knew that her guards would at least be able to watch the fight while they waited.
They were led to the screening line, and then Norinna and Béjan's children left to go through the strip search process since they were related to a tourney combatant. Norinna was the first one through, and she led them to Phaet's box. Armed guards abounded, and Keestu relaxed upon seeing that none of the ones guarding the Purvol box were wearing Vulo's colors. She looked around the arena, finding Vulo's box was located nearly opposite them.
"How are the arenas assigned? I know that one combatant picks the arena, and the other the weapons, but since all the fighters today are of equal rank, how is that determined?"
Norinna stopped chewing her lip to answer. "It's based on how many challenges one has faced, with the one who has endured the most challenges choosing the arena and the one with the least choosing the weapons. If they have endured an equal number of challenges, the Autocrat or Autocress toss a die after randomly telling one of the combatants they are the odd number and the other is the even number, and then whoever the die favors chooses the arena. I often think the system is backwards, that it doesn't matter where you fight, it's what you fight with and that you win."
"Béjan looks formidable to me no matter how he's fighting, and since he's won the most challenges, I think you can be certain that he will choose to fight in front of his official box for the first round."
"Mmm," Norinna agreed, then stiffened, grabbing Keestu's arm in her excitement. "Look! Here come the Autocrat and Autocress. They are entering the podium, where they will officiate."
"What are their duties?"
"They read the computer screen and inform us who has been chosen to fight each round and who survived the most challenges. They will also toss the die that's kept in the podium in the event it's needed."
A cheer went up from the crowd as the old leaders entered, armed with their ceremonial spears. They waved to the crowd as they spoke their names at the security screen and were allowed access to the podium.
Finally, the doors to the arenas opened, and the combatants entered. Keestu was shocked to see Zanó of Laringo limping, as he'd always been seated before Keestu arrived for treaty discussions, so she didn't know he had been injured during his last challenge. She watched as the men and women who would fight each other gathered at the foot the podium and bowed to the Autocrat and Autocress who nodded back at them. They turned to the crowd and bowed again, while the crowd cheered.
The Autocress's voice boomed through the speakers. "Welcome, everyone! This is the day you have been waiting a generation for, the day that your new leaders will be decided. We have an exciting trade agreement with our new allies which was facilitated by the people of Sandar who sent their Crown Princess to us," and here Keestu saw an old image of her face with her badly bruised jaw displayed on the view screens, which engendered a fresh roar of approval from the crowd, "And our new leaders must be prepared to develop this new relationship, which is the will of the majority of the Autocracy's leaders."
The Autocrat took up the narrative. "All of today's combatants are the top fighters of their planets at this time, making them eligible to compete to lead the entire Autocracy. We have two women who will vie for Autocress, and seven men who will vie for Autocrat. We want this to be a clean fight. You've all been scanned for weapons, but your seconds will search your opponents prior to you entering your arenas."
The Autocress informed the crowd. "In round one, we have Enfré o
f Naelia with seven challenges facing Herini of Eknor with five challenges. Enfré will choose the arena, and Herini will choose the weapons. Herini, your choices are: Hand-to-hand combat, staves, batons, or spears. What say you?"
Enfré stepped forward. "As Naelia has no formal box among the arenas, I choose the arena in front of Eknor's box." She nodded respectfully to Herini, who smiled and nodded back.
Herini turned to the Autocress. "I choose hand-to-hand combat." Keestu thought that with her greater height and longer reach she would have a slight advantage over Enfré, though Enfré was more muscular.
"The combatants vying for the title of Autocress will move to the arena in front of Eknor's assigned box for searching by each other's seconds."
The Autocrat smiled before announcing, "Next, we have Gépar of Thetron with four challenges facing Fernuin of Vulo with zero challenges. Gépar will choose the arena and Fernuin the weapons. What say you?"
Gépar grinned in Keestu's direction before choosing the arena in front of Vulo, though his planet's seats were located next to Phaet's. Fernuin's voice grated out that he chose staves. They moved off to be checked by their seconds while Gépar's people moved from their box to the one next to that of Vulo across the arena complex from where Keestu was sitting, and Keestu realized this was why the wide aisles had been left between the private boxes and the public seating; for quick and orderly rearrangements in seating.
The Autocress called, "Zanó of Laringo with four challenges faces Laron of Hetindi with five challenges. Zanó will pick the weapons and Laron the arena. What say you?"
Zanó chose hand-to-hand combat, and Laron the arena in front of his planet's box.
The Autocrat checked the computer and announced, "And for the last fight of round one we have Béjan of Phaet with eight challenges going against Thasin of Umanya with three challenges. Béjan chooses the arena and Thasin the weapons. What say you?"
Béjan formally chose the arena in front of Phaet's box seats, though it was the only one not already taken, and Thasin chose batons.
"Sartik of Multana, you do not fight in this round," the Autocress informed him. "You and your second will retire to the waiting area inside." Nodding silently, his face carefully devoid of any sign of disappointment, Sartik left the arena closely followed by his Praten Atrilin who looked anxiously around the arenas before following him.
Keestu watched Béjan and Thasin move towards the arena they would fight in. Once they were positioned outside, the Autocrat and Autocress ordered the computer to open the security screens, and the combatants were passed in after having being physically searched by the other's seconds. Once inside, they went to weapons chests. Individual drawers were opened by the Autocrat to reveal the weapons chosen for their fight. Béjan and Thasin each took out a pair of batons, and the chest automatically relocked when that was done.
"All observers are informed that the exterior security screens have been activated. Do not attempt to enter an arena until the security screens are turned off, or your body will receive a lethal charge. The combatants may touch the interior walls in complete safety," the Autocrat told the audience. "This will prevent any outside interference with this competition."
"Each combatant is to stand behind a line on one side of your arena," the Autocress informed them. "Bow to your opponent, and on my mark, you may begin fighting."
The screens above the box seats lit up with fresh images, each split to show the other arenas not directly in front of that seating area so people there could watch the other fights. Keestu noted that each fighter who had chosen the arena also chose the side on which to stand, so Béjan stood close to where Norinna was sitting. He threw her a reassuring smile before focusing all his attention on Thasin.
"Begin!"
Keestu expected Béjan or Thasin to charge at each other. However, they began slowly circling each other. Thasin did several warm-up movements with his batons, which Béjan watched intently.
A roar from the crowd made Keestu look up at the screens. Zanó and Laron traded the first blows of the Tourney, with Zanó punching Laron who was trying to kick Zanó's injured leg out from under him. Enfré and Herini were the next to engage, exchanging punches that made Keestu wince. Thasin's attention wavered as he saw something in the next box over, and in that instant, Béjan sprang forward, quickly closing the distance between them, feinting with his batons. Thasin moved both his arms up for a double high block, and in a lightning move, Béjan lowered one baton and hit Thasin in the stomach. Thasin staggered back, gasping for breath, his red hair bobbing around his face as he tried not to double over from the pain. Meanwhile, the loud crack of staves colliding brought Keestu's attention to the screen, which showed Gépar and Fernuin looking for an opening in each other's guard.
A gasp beside her brought Keestu's attention back the arena in front of her. Thasin had landed a double blow on Béjan's left arm and back, knocking him to the ground. He rolled away from Thasin's subsequent pounce and climbed painfully back to his feet, his left arm now held close to his side. Thasin charged him, aiming for his good right side to do damage there, and Béjan, who was a canny fighter, brought his left baton up under Thasin's guard and expertly jammed it into his chin. Thasin wavered a moment, but before Béjan could hit him again, he crumpled to the ground, his own batons rolling away. Keestu realized that Béjan must have really taken a hard hit, because he didn't make an effort to try and cushion Thasin's fall, which she thought he would have done if he were able.
"Winner: Béjan of Phaet defeats Thasin of Umanya!" The crowd roared, watching the replay of the final blows on the screens.
The distraction of the crowd's cheering gave Laron the opening he needed, and he swept Zanó's bad leg out from under him and pinned him to the ground, hands on his neck. Rather than tapping out, Zanó resisted, trying to pry Laron's hands off his throat until his consciousness faded. As soon as his hands fell limply to the ground, Laron released him and was declared the winner.
Enfré and Herini showed no signs of flagging as they continued to punch and kick at each other, but then Enfré hit Herini's face a quick double blow that made her stagger and turn to one side, but as Enfré stepped up to take advantage of Herini's debility, Herini jerked one of her elbows back in a swift and desperate uppercut, and the blow connected solidly with Enfré's jaw. Enfré's eyes rolled up, and she tumbled to the ground before Herini could spin and catch her. "Herini wins the bout and proves herself worthy of the title Autocress. I welcome my sister ruler," the retiring Autocress announced in an emotional voice. The crowd roared in appreciation of their new Autocress, who looked to Keestu to be more surprised than triumphant.
Gépar and Fernuin were the only contestants in the first round still fighting, and the screen above Keestu's head switched to show that arena alone. The image on the screen suddenly split to show the people watching on that side. Gépar's family seats were all filled. Fernuin's, however, hosted only Bott, Shariel, Pulon, and four other people; Fernuin had chosen someone other than his Praton as his second, which Norinna whispered to Keestu was allowed by the rules. Fernuin was limping slightly, having taken a painful blow to his left shin and his pants were torn there, and Gépar had a very bloody nose, which when the video tightened to a close-up his face, showed that his nose had been badly broken and was already quite swollen, so that Gépar was breathing through his mouth. He staggered a little, planting his feet wide to maintain his balance, and Fernuin darted in, jerking his staff up between Gépar's legs. Gépar's eyes went wide, and he dropped his staff as he clutched himself with both hands. Fernuin coldly moved around Gépar as he dropped to his knees and delivered a hard blow that cracked across the back of Gépar's skull. Duréna screamed in anguish from the stands as Gépar crumpled face down onto the ground and didn't move.
Fernuin's cruelty was booed when his win was announced as the medics rushed to gently place Gépar on a stretcher and remove him from the arena.
"Can he do that?" Keestu asked Norinna, who turned and no
dded bleakly at her.
"Yes, all that matters is that you prove yourself the better fighter by making certain your opponent is unable to continue fighting," she replied, "Since in war, nothing matters but winning."
The winners were instructed to put the weapons away as the medics assisted the other losers out of the arena as they regained consciousness. A team of cleaners came out and checked the arenas, carefully scraping the hard-packed ground free of blood, and when that was done, Sartik came out and faced the Autocrat and Autocress along with Béjan, Fernuin, and Laron.
The Autocress spoke first again. "The computer pits Béjan of Phaet with eight challenges against Laron of Hetindi with five. Béjan chooses the arena and Laron the weapons. What say you?"
Béjan again chose his planet's arena, while Laron chose staves.
The Autocrat spoke up. "This leaves Sartik of Multana with three challenges against Fernuin of Vulo with none. Sartik chooses the arena and Fernuin the weapons. What say you?"
Sartik chose the arena in front of his planet's seating, which was to Keestu's right. Fernuin chose batons.
"Before we start, I know we're all concerned about Gépar," the Autocrat announced. "The medics report he's awake, but he has a concussion in addition to his badly broken nose, and his privates are badly bruised. However, he is expected to make a complete recovery from all his injuries." Keestu joined in on the relieved cheer that went up from the crowd at this news.
She looked across the courtyard and saw that the spouses of the defeated fighters had left the stands to check on them. The rest of their family members stayed so that their planets had proper witness to the continuing battle for succession.
After the spectators had moved and the fighters sealed in their arenas, the second round began. Keestu hoped that Sartik, who had sat out the first round and had a full store of energy and no signs of wounds, would beat Fernuin soundly.