by Rick Lakin
There was a hum from the Hoclarth shuttle. The three inside the cylinder bounced in the low gravity.
“Don your masks.” She handed each the cloth. They pulled the tight-fitting fabric over their heads. The only exposed skin of the competitors was their hands and feet.
The spectators gathered close to the barrier.
“Why do they have the hoods?” Tayla said. “They can’t see.”
“Kalinda and Bralen, as children of Xaphnore, have a proximity sense,” Sami said. “Their vision is a distraction and the hoods act like helmets to prevent injury to the head.”
“What’s an attractor?” Jeff asked.
“Each competitor exhibits a gravitational pull,” Sami said. “A soft blow will not drive them apart.”
Natira checked each hood for proper placement. “Are you ready?”
The competitors faced each other and again bowed with open hands and then moved three meters apart.
“Tal’Predex?”
Tal’Predex stood and touched the transparent wall. “May you both serve Tal’qid with honor.” He remained standing.
Both competitors bent their knees ready to spring.
Natira stood away from the two. “K’vah”
Bralen and Natira sprung three meters into the air trading punches and blocks.
Natira hung in the air nearby and observed.
Kalinda executed a crescent kick. Bralen rotated his body away and extended his leg to kick as he came around. Kalinda dropped her head back to the horizontal and swept his other knee, and Bralen rotated uncontrollably on his z-axis. The two competitors sailed apart.
“Kal’vach,” Natira said.
“Sami?” Tayla asked.
“Watch.”
The airborne fighters rolled on their backs and approached until their feet touched.
“K’vah.”
Each fighter sprung towards the wall. As they extended their legs, they rotated their bodies to hit the wall feet-first. On contact, they exploded toward each other.
Kalinda sensed that Bralen was preparing a kick with his left foot. She turned her body to avoid but Bralen tucked and somersaulted into a kick that struck her cleanly on the left shoulder.
Natira raised her arm, pointed to Bralen and said, “Thi’kah.” Bralen led one-to-zero.
Anthen caught a smile on the face of the Tal’Predex.
Natira and the two warriors fell softly to the ground landing on their feet.
The two competitors compressed their bodies at the ready. “K’vah.”
They sprung into the microgravity area and began sparring. Bralen attempted a series of double fist punches which Kalinda blocked. She answered with an uppercut, but Bralen moved his head just enough to avoid the hit. He then attacked with a sliding ax kick. Kalinda compressed her body, and Bralen's heel passed over Kalinda's head just missing. He left his torso undefended, and Kalinda launched a perfect jab to the chest.
“Thi’kah.” The score was one-to-one.
The Earth spectators broke into applause and cheering.
Natira, Bralen, and Kalinda touched down softly on the ground. The referee turned to the crew and held her hand up. The cheering stopped.
“Kal’vach?” Kalinda and Bralen nodded and faced away at the ready.
“K’vah.”
From the crouch, the two sprung to opposite walls. Kalinda tucked and rolled. When she touched the wall, she exploded into the center. Her body was vertical giving Bralen a huge target.
Bralen compressed and fired off to the center, turned his body feet first to attack the vulnerable Kalinda.
He took the feint, she thought. She threw her head back into a reverse somersault. She was horizontal as Bralen passed above her and she executed a snap kick that contacted Bralen in the back.
Natira pointed to her daughter. “Thi’kah.” Kalinda led the competition two-to-one.
There was more cheering from the crew of Brilliant. “Just one more,” Jeff yelled.
A stern look from Natira quieted the spectators.
“K’vah.”
Into the air, they flew. Sparring, punching and kicking, Bralen and Kalinda fought for many seconds. The microgravity took hold, and they began to descend. Bralen and Kalinda continued to exchange blows. Each was blocked, deflected, or avoided. They neared the ground. Bralen launched a roundhouse kick. Kalinda ducked and then executed a counter punch to the body. It connected.
The crew of the Brilliant erupted. They looked to Natira to announce the winner.
Kalinda and Bralen looked to the referee.
“Thi’mach.” She pointed to Bralen’s right foot.
Bralen threw his hands up. Kalinda dropped her head and looked away.
Sami held up her hands to quiet her friends. “Natira disqualified the hit. Bralen was on the ground.”
“No.”
“Unfair.”
“C’mon, Kalinda won.”
Dandy Lion jumped into Jennifer’s arms to get a better look at the action.
Kalinda looked at her crew, then turned to her mother, bent her knee, opened her hands and bowed her head.
“What’s she doing?” David asked.
“She’s acknowledging the call,” Sami said. “She agrees that it was fair.”
The crew became quiet.
Bralen looked at Kalinda with a furrowed brow as his muscles tensed with determination.
Kalinda’s hands clenched as she faced her opponent in the ready position.
“K’vah.”
They sprung up and met face-to-face three meters in the air and began sparring. They traded punches and kicks. Kalinda was aggressive and took advantage of her momentum as Bralen, a point down, defended just as vigorously. Natira hovered nearby. Their energetic punches and kicks forced them apart.
Natira signaled their attention. “Kal’vach.”
They nodded as they sailed two meters apart. Their mutual attraction took effect as they positioned themselves feet first.
A moment after they touched. “K’vah.”
The two fighters sprung to the barrier, reversed and sprung back to the center.
A combination, Kalinda thought. She punched with her right hand and missed and punched with her left. Bralen blocked, but Kalinda used her rotation to execute a crescent kick. Bralen blocked the kick with his left arm causing him to spin to his left.
Bralen extended a lunge punch into Kalinda’s exposed ribs.
“Thi’kah.” Natira signaled a point for Bralen.
Kalinda sailed softly to the ground, her teeth clenched holding her side. She landed on one knee.
“Are you okay, Kalinda?” David shouted.
Jeff was shaking as he held onto Tayla’s arm with both of his hands.
Dandy Lion dug his claws into Jennifer. “What is it, Dandy?”
The boy broke Kalinda’s rib, Dandy thought.
Jennifer looked up with tears in her eyes. “It’s over.”
Kalinda looked at her adversary and conceded a fair hit.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Bralen said. “Predex, I choose a draw,”
Kalinda held Natira’s hand as she stood up gingerly. “No, Bralen, there will be no draw.”
Natira supported her daughter. “You cannot continue, K’da. Bralen is offering a draw.”
“Mother, we must preserve our honor,” Kalinda said. “Bralen, we will fight to the last point.”
Bralen opened his hands and bowed to Kalinda.
“K’da, let me know when you’re ready,” Natira said.
“You can’t let her continue, te’cha.” Anthen said.
“She’ll be safe,” Natira said. I will protect our daughter as you have, before, she thought.
Anthen nodded. I trust you, he thought.
Kalinda bent over again holding her side.
“Let me know when you are ready, te’mil.”
Kalinda took a shallow breath, grimaced, and then stood.
“Ready,” Kalinda said.
; Natira nodded.
“I don’t want to hurt you, K’da,” Bralen said.
“It was a lucky shot, Bray,” she said. “Get ready.”
They both crouched at the ready for one final point.
“Kal’vach.” Natira directed them to jump to opposite walls.
They nodded acknowledgment.
“K’vah.”
Bralen jumped quickly to his wall. Kalinda sprung gingerly and hovered near the wall opposite Bralen. The turned their heads toward one another to develop a picture using their Hoclarth proximity sense. He shook his head. She extended her hands and signaled him to come over. He set his jaw with determination and leaped off the wall with all of his force. He looked at her waiting.
Kalinda hung in the air as a lame duck.
Bralen got ready to execute a roundhouse kick timed for her position against the wall.
Bralen's timing was perfect, but Kalinda exploded off the wall. She extended her right leg to sweep his kick aside and continued her rotation. She extended her left leg in a perfect falling roundhouse kick which connected solidly with his hips.
Natira pointed to Kalinda. “Thi’kah.”
It was over. Kalinda was the champion. Competitors and referee slowly descended to the ground amid cheers and shouts from everyone but one. Brandil Glate stood with a sad but proud look on his face.
As soon as they touched the ground, the competitors faced, bowed and Natira put her hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
Anthen de-activated the pre’tal.
Kalinda staggered in the full gravity as her mother supported her.
The crew of the Brilliant ran in and surrounded Kalinda. Sami held them back, but Kalinda stood and joined them in a very gentle group hug.
Sami stepped up, and the group separated. She ran her hand over Kalinda's ribs. “It's a severe bruise. Nothing broken. No surfing or serving Tal'qid for two weeks.”
Kalinda looked sad.
“Okay, ten days.”
Kalinda's face brightened.
A smiling Jeff stepped up. “Sensei Kalinda, will you teach me how to fight like that?”
“You were brave to volunteer to go into the pre’tal for me, te’cha,” Kalinda said. “We now have a great Sensei who will teach us both.”
“I’m your te’cha?”
Kalinda planted a kiss on Jeff’s cheek.
The celebration subsided and Kalinda walked over to Bralen who was being comforted by his Tal’pa.
“I still want to be with you,” Bralen said. “Maybe we could come together based on…what is this thing you have on Earth they call love?”
“I love another, Bralen.”
“I thought so.” Bralen looked over Kalinda’s shoulder at Jeff. “Can he serve Tal’qid?”
“I’m teaching him.”
“You’ll be a teacher as great as your mother.” Bralen looked away. “Then this is farewell.”
“On Earth, we say, 'Until we meet again.'“
Bralen pointed to the five captains, Brandil, Natira, Anthen, Jack, and Kalea gathered in friendly conversation.
“I think that will happen soon,” Bralen said. “Our worlds are becoming friends. You made it happen.”
“I had a lot of help,” she said. “Come over and meet my Brilliant family.”
52
Two weeks later, the Star Squad was gathered on the beach at Point Dume across the street from the Sunset Restaurant recently rebuilt on higher ground. Kalinda was on the waves for the first time since Dr. Ami cleared her for full activity. Sami was on the beach watching Kalinda.
The Star Squad had their HoloPads out and were taking selfies with the beautiful sky in the background. Dandy Lion was jumping from person to person to get in every picture.
“Did I hear the Blue Angels are up the road at NAS Pt. Mugu for an airshow?” David asked.
“That’s correct,” Riley said.
“Will we see them?” Tayla asked.
“Could be,” Jennifer said.
Tayla looked at her bestie. “The vision thing?”
“They flew into LA for a memorial service. I might have sent a message or two.”
Kalinda came up the beach with Sami, planted her surfboard in the sand and joined the group.
More photos ensued.
“Sunset will be very soon,” Sami said.
“Will we see a green flash?” Riley asked.
“Oh no,” Sami said. “The air is too moist.”
“Can you take one of me in front of the beach?” Kalinda asked.
“Sure,” said Riley.
Just then, the Blue Angels Diamond roared by just off the beach. The group waved at the pilots.
“They won’t see us,” David said.
Just then, all four aircraft did a Diamond Barrel Roll, banked left and started a loop.
The Star Squad looked at Jennifer then at the jets.
Dandy jumped from Jennifer’s arms to Kalinda’s. Camera whore, Kalinda thought.
I make you look good, Dandy thought.
Riley snapped the photo just as the Blue Angels dove into the photo behind Kalinda.
Tayla looked over his shoulder. “Cool shot. Hey Jen, this looks good enough to be a book cover.”
“Hey, it does,” Jennifer said. “I think I’ve got some executive time coming up. Don’t want to waste it on twitter and talk shows.”
“I’m hungry, let’s head into the restaurant,” Kalinda said.
“You’re always hungry, surfer girl,” Tayla said.
“I hear they have carrots and kale for your celebrity figure.”
The group started across the street, but Sami and Jennifer lingered.
“It’s a beautiful sunset,” Jennifer said.
“I love the smell of the ocean and the sound of the waves lapping on the shore.”
They stood next to each other for a few minutes.
“Jennifer.”
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
Jennifer looked at her yellow-eyed friend. Sami looked back, and they hugged.
“Let’s go eat,” Jennifer said.
“I’m not hungry.”
They both laughed. As they crossed the street, they passed two girls about Jennifer’s age.
“Have I seen those two before?” Jennifer asked. “I think they have been following us.”
“I've wanted to get close enough,” Sami said. “They're cyberians.”
“Like you?”
“No, they have blue eyes and their AI is self-contained.”
“Are you saying…?”
“Yes.”
“They’re from the future,” Jennifer said.
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Glossary
Ayiiia A character in Galaxy Warrior who will be portrayed by Tayla Mendoza in the movie.
Battle of Kian’qil Outpost An attack by the Kir’qox on the Hoclarth outpost on Barnard’s Star
chio’vech demand for performance of on honor contract for example, a marriage contract.
Finsler Maneuver Conducted in the gravity well of a planet or star, it is a momentary burst of speed in excess of light resulting in a calculated jump back in time.
framlin A tree growing on Xaphnore with large stiff leaves.
FlixtalA form of entertainment in the Hoclarth Alliance similar to motion pictures
gi A uniform worn by a practitioner of martial arts.
Goldilocks zonerefers to the habitable zone around a star where the temperature is just right - not too hot and n
ot too cold - for liquid water to exist on a planet.
Gromnel A large sentient animal native to Xaphnore. It is able to communicate telepathically but is never seen.
Grotchka A large carnivore portrayed in Galaxy Warrior
Kal’vach When serving Tal’qid in Pre’tal, fighters spring off the ground or each other feet-to-feet to the opposite barrier
Ki’ingjuA mating contract which is more business than love.
Kir’qox Kwan’qil word for ghost. Name given to the fighters attacking the Hoclarth
K’vah When serving Tal’qid, the signal to begin fighting.
Kwan’qil dialectLanguage spoken in the Hoclarth Alliance.
Laknove The Hoclarth word for heaven.
Malfnid A six-legged carnivore with vestigial wings native to Xaphnore
Manqlid A Hoclarth dessert produced by pouring Manqa juice on a specially prepared sheet cake.
Predex Ship commander in the Hoclarth Alliance
pre’tal A fighting enclosure created by surrounding a low gravity cylinder with a force field.
Pugachev’s Cobra An aerobatic maneuver where the pilot rolls the aircraft past the vertical into a stall reducing forward velocity to zero.
tal’dor Formal greeting to a female
Tal’pa Greeting to grandfather
Tal’Predex Greeting to Hoclarth Admiral
Tal’qid Considered the first teacher in Hoclarth Culture. Three thousand years ago, this woman set down the rules of serving Tal’qid