NationStates Jolt Archive

Even from the height at which Sigrun sat, high above the stadium for the tournament, he saw the distinct step out of the circle of the combat. He wondered of the significance of the circle. Perhaps it was like that wrestling that the humans back home enjoyed so.

He watched the fight continue, watching the one known as Gelt particularly. This one was brash, and sometimes being brash had its advantages. The opposite was also true though.

"Oh thats going to get him hurt later" Michiko winced as the giant Vastivan stepped just the tiniest bit out of the circle. If this was like the wrestling back home he was out and would be most unhappy at himself for falling for the younger man's daring tactics. And those tactics might get the younger man taught a lesson once away from prying eyes.


*******************************************

Perigrine watched the bout carefully, and silently applauded the lighter built man's use of such tactics. You fought to win, and used whatever was necessary. Humans tended to forget that so often. Too often they fought with their weaknesses, and left their strengths to lie in the dust.

"Look's like we're up, Jason."

Kolte turned and walked out of the room and into the fighting area. He took his place at the far side of the circle and stood, back rigid, before the crowd. Then he remembered his lightsaber, which was still fastened to his waist. He glanced around the arena and quickly spotted Xander in the crowd. He unclipped the hilt, summoned the Force and threw the saber straight towards Xander. Catch, he thought. He then returned his gaze to the entrance, where he awaited Jason...

The judges gestured furiously at one another following Therassi's crossing of the invisible barrier. It seemed that they were having difficulty determining whether the rules allowed Gelt to be declared winner by technicality. Finally, the four made their way over to the spectators' area, and found Raijin. "Lord Raijin, we've got a problem. The rules say that contestants need to stay inside the circle for this competition, but they don't say whether the tactics used to force a competitor out are valid."

Raijin thought for a moment. "Let the Gods decide," he said, looking to his left, at Koro.

"Gelt of Vastiva is the winner of this round." It was a simple statement, uttered in a neutral voice, yet the look on one of the judge's face was one of mortification as the ripple of excited whispering spread the news across the arena.

"There. All settled." When a judge began to splutter about honor, he was instantly cut off by the Commander. "The Gods have spoken through His Excellency. Do the Gods require enforcement of their decision?" he asked, right hand resting delicately on his weapon.

"No...no...of course not! Thank you, Great Ones!" They scurried back to their table to await the next competition.

"Great Ones?" Koro asked, puzzled.

"Apparently," Raijin responded, "the tournament judges have inadvertently deified us both. Not the end of the universe, though."

"NOT the end of the universe if the two of you were made Gods?" Adele laughed. "I'd be packing my bags for the next life if it happened, personally."

The announcer again took the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, we have an upset victory, declared by the Gods of Krioval, no less! Gelt of Vastiva has managed to outmaneuver Therassi of Vastiva to advance to the final round!"

Perigrine turned away from Alesha, who had still not acknowledged her presence, and strode back to Jason's side as he prepared to enter the arena. She caught his eyes, letting him see the complete confidence she had in him

"You will do fine" Her words simple, a statement of what Would be. She walked along side him to the edge of the arena. She looked out and caught Michiko's eye's across the arena and nodded, a faint smile on her lips.

*********************************************

Michiko studied the young man walking next to her friend, and nodded minutely, approvingly. If he was the one Perigrine had chosen, then he was indeed something special. The Nietzschean would not have accepted any one less. Michiko had also almost come of the opinion that there was no one good enough for Perigrine, but obviously she was wrong.

"Valkai, how much more of a problem is this latest going to cause?" Michiko whipsered to the ninja at her side, after the crowd began murmuring about the inadvertant deification of Koro and Raijin. There had been a time in Tanara's past were civil war had almost come over something similar. And had she felt a gust of something...power?...as Koro spoke...Tanara's 'little mother' did that when she spoke for the gods... Michiko shivered slightly, feeling suddenly chilled despite the warm sun beating down

Xander watched with interest as Kolte unclipped his saber. He forgot to give it to me,he thought with mixed amusement, worry, and horror. He really isn't himself...He felt Kolte gathering his power, and guessed his intention. As Kolte threw the saber towards him, he stood and used the Force to pull it into his outstretched hand. He thought about igniting it to let his old Padawan know that he'd caught it, but remembered the events of the evening before and decided against it. He instead slipped it into his tunic and reached out with the Force thinking to Kolte, Do try to be more careful in the future, my young friend...He looked down at Kolte and nodded his head, not knowing if he'd seen him. Xander looked around, and spotted Akina in the stands a couple of rows above and to the right of him. He started a bit, for she was dressed rather...Well, I'm not complaining...He laughed to himself and sat down, hoping against hope that Kolte would be ready for the fight...

"Valkai, how much more of a problem is this latest going to cause?" Michiko whipsered to the ninja at her side, after the crowd began murmuring about the inadvertant deification of Koro and Raijin. There had been a time in Tanara's past were civil war had almost come over something similar.

His first impulse was to say "Not a problem", but he thought. Could it really be true, those rumors? "Who can say for certain? Some believe that Raijin is an incarnation, and the rapid ascension of Koro has given rise to speculation that he is another. The union of Light and Wind. That would be incredibly..." He cut himself off forcibly. Idle thoughts like those could inflame an already volatile situation. "Whatever the consequence, I am of the belief that all will reveal itself in due time."

"That would be incredibly....Whatever the consequence, I am of the belief that all will reveal itself in due time."

Michiko listened to Valkai express his hopes, not necessarily his true thoughts. She could well understand the necessity of that. She would wait until they had greater privacy, then she would tell him that if he needed to stay here, she could go back to Tanara with out him, and return when she was free. She needed to to that anyway, give him time to rethink, and make the choice with a cool head. She knew her choice had been freely made, and she wanted him to have that too.

Jason gets up and smiles at Peri's encouraging words. As he walks to the arena circle, he removes his t-shirt, so that he's in just his shorts. He gives Kolte a half bow before standing back, feet placed shoulder width apart, hands crossed behind his back.

"You do realize," Therassi's voice was mild and placid at best, "that was sneaky and underhanded?"

"Of course. It's how I do my best work."

"Ah." He gave a bow to Gelt. "You may also do well to realize, we shall meet again."

"I could just step out of the circle."

"You could." Therassi's mouth grew into a smile. It was not a kind smile. "You would also do well to remember, I might not accept it. And I do run faster then you."

With that, he straightened and left the field, leaving Gelt the accolades he had won... and the threat hovering just over his head souring the taste.

"Ah, there he is!" Akina looked up and jumped a little (The effect on her cleavage being intriguing), for a moment giving up on being held by Krodan, waving at Kolte.

"Her attitudes have changed, no?" Götz whistled. To nobody in particular, but decidedly audible.

Akina for one, did most definitely not listen. Sure, Kolte had creeped her out (He still did), but well... It was the one participant she sort of knew, so why not cheering for him?

So she cheered.

Though the audience was loud in their exuberance and joy, and the shape of the arena echoed their shout all around, Kolte willed it out of his mind. With the distraction gone, he could concentrate on Jason and Jason alone. He relaxed his muscles, and held both his arms bent at the elbows by his sides and slightly forward, a defensive stance. All the many styles and forms of combat he had learned melded into one. He cleared his mind and studied his opponent, a smaller man than he, most likely a bit faster, judging by the way he moved when he was warming up. Kolte stood in his place, feet planted firmly a few feet apart, knees slightly bent to allow flexibility. He would allow his opponent the opportunity to attack first, if only to judge his abilities.

"So Kolte, what was the thing on your belt that you tossed into the audience?" Jason asked as he remained in what would appear to be the worst stance possible.

"You mean my lightsaber? It is a form of melee weapon, I nearly forgot to secure it somewhere before the fight. Luckily, I knew where my associate was seated..."

Must not let him distract me...Kolte thought.

"So I take it you'll be using it in the uni and melee matches?" Jason asked as he continued to stand there, just talking.

"But of course..."

Curious, I've never seen anything like this before, Kolte thought.

"It'll be interesting to come up against it in the upcoming matches." Jason replied I wonder how Kolte is viewing this style yet. He thought to-himself.

"Yes. I must admit, I am not accostumed to fighting without my lightsaber. It been since before my training at the Jedi enclave on Tirol that I have been without it."

He is stalling, of that I am sure. Oh well, I shall entertain him untill he decides to fight...

"Interesting, so do you want to start the match yet, as I'm sure the audience is starting to get bored of us just standing here." Jason replied.

"Actually, I was waiting for you to start things..."

"Well why didn't you say so then?" Jason asked

Kolte merely smiled and nodded at this remark, and readied himself for whatever Jason decided to do...

Jason walked over and offered Kolte his hand.

Kolte lifted his right eyebrow. He relaxed his stance and walked toward Jason, meeting him halfway. He also extended his hand and shook Jason's.

"We've done this already, if you didn't remember."

"We did? Then I guess I should start the match." As Jason was saying this he let go of Kolte's hand, dropped down and snapped a rapid kick at Kolte's side.

Kolte expected as much and blocked with his arm, but the force of the blow sent him skidding sideways.

"Ow, you didn't have to resort to trickery, you know."

Kolte brought his right leg around for his own attack at Jason's head.

"Trickery, I didn't resort to trickery. Trickery is for those who are lazy." Jason said as he caught Kolte's leg, while holding the leg he stood up.

The sight of Jason's cheap shot brought Xander within the shadow of the Dark Side. Anger that he hadn't felt in seven years flared inside his heart, and his lightsaber leapt into his hand seemingly of its own accord. His irises flashed a sick yellow, and what felt like lightning coursed it's way through his viens. This bastard will pay for his cowardice, Xander thought, his rage incensed. Nobody takes advantage of my Padawan...The word 'Padawan' brought him back to his senses. Kolte hadn't been his Padawan in a decade, and he could certainly take care of himself. Xander replaced his lightsaber, his eyes returning to their normal brown. He hated to do it, but he would have to meditate here and now to avoid any nasty circumstances. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to slip into a deep trance-like state, and felt his hatred subside slowly...

Sigrun watched with no emotion evident as Jason and Kolte attacked each other. Jason's cheap shot caused him to narrow his eyes slightly.

So one fights dirty...

He didn't care who he fought, for he had watched them both long enough. He knew how to deal with both of them separately. Even if he hadn't been watching from up here, he would have figured out their fight patterns simply by looking into their eyes.

After all, the eyes told all, no matter how much one tried to hide it.

Perigrines face showed nothing, but inside she roared. 'Yes!' Jason knew that in combat honor got you killed and you used every advantage given you by the fickle hand of non existant fate to take your opponent down. You treated a sparring arena no differently than any other instance. He wouldn't kill, not here, but he had just as much told her that he would if necessary

********************************************

Michiko grimmaced as Jason took advantage of the others overly civilized nature. Some one somewhere had taught the man that life is not so precious, but staying alive was. She nodded to herself. 'Yes Perigrine had found a good match' she thought. Part of her watched to see how Valkai and the other Kriovalian's reacted

Not good, Kolte thought. He didn't try to struggle against Jason's firm grip, but instead flipped his body backward and kicked his other leg up, intending the toe of his boot to make contact with Jason's chin.

"I wonder how some of them are going to act tonight given that they seem to think that anything goes in the ring," Valkai mused.

"Well, that is why there's going to be a huge police presence everywhere. I expect the foreigners to be the least of my concerns, though." The Commander returned his attention to the fight.

Jason let the blow hit his chin, but turned his head causing the blow to glance rather than hit full force. As soon as Kolte was vertical, Jason's hand lashed out grabbing Kolte's shirt and while holding it fell back, pulling Kolte with him.

Damn, not the tunic... Kolte thought.

"It never ends, does it?" He launched into a lateral spin, hoping that would losen Jason's grip.

Perfect Costh thought as Kolte spun. As he released the shirt he grabbed Kolte by arms, bent his legs under his opponent and pushed up, sending Kolte flying.

Uh-oh, Kolte thought as he flew straight upward. He spun himself around and righted himself, intent on landing on his feet.

Jason flipped up onto his feet and turned to see whether Kolte would A: land on his feet B: land on his face or C: land out of the circle.

OOC: uh, are we fighting circle rules?

IC:

Kolte landed on his feet, right at the edge of the circle. He smiled malevolently.

"What next, eh, Jason?"

"We shall see, we shall see." As he was saying this he began moving toward Kolte.

ooc: I was under that impression as Krioval said in the ooc thread it was to prevent people from running around to outwear thier opponent

OOC: oh, OK..

IC:

Kolte didn't wait this time. He charged straight at Jason, with his fist drew back for a blow. Right before he reached Jason, Kolte used the circle's sand to his advantage, dropping into a baseball slide he aimed his foot at Jason's shin. Time for a trick of my own, Kolte thought.

Seeing Kolte shift and drop Jason lept up but caught Kolte's foot with his and landed on top of his opponent, he then rolled off and pushed himself up onto his knee and foot.

ooc: think marriage proposal postition

In his meditative state, Xander felt the Force rippling from the fight on the arena floor. Kolte is certainly having a difficult time. I wonder why he isn't using his Force abilities...He's either lulling Jason into a false sense of security, or he doesn't want to put himself out in the open before the universal...He felt that he could risk opening his eyes without going over the edge, and looked down at the arena floor with suppressed interest. He did not want to expose his decaying ability to control his dark tendancies to Kolte, not when he had just reunited with him...

Akina cackled, watching the fight. Sure, she was still drunk, but not enough to impair her ability to follow it (That was what her particular kinds of stomach and blood were made for).

By now, she was cheering for Jason (Kinda unreliable, she is... Was Götz comment), his style being, well, something she was vastly more used to than Kolte's 'Honourable', well, not 'style' (She hadn't seen him fight before), but his whole being.

As such, it was only natural that Jason's whole way of fighting was something she, well, understood and, more importantly, considered useful, even sane.

It was something she could relate to.

And the only thing she was left wondering about was quite simply the one question: Would Kolte start fighting as dirty as Jason did?

She hoped so. From her point of view, it would be a great improvement for him. Indeed, it would make him more human and (In her admittedly prejudiced mind that hadn't known Jedi and the likes before) quite possibly capable of dealing with 'The real world'.

She could hardly wait.

Xander looked around, wondering how the spectators were reacting to the Jason's cheap tactics. What he found disturbed him; He seemed to be the only person angered by what was happening on the arean floor. Good thing I didn't completely lose my head, I would have been greatly outnumbered...Out of curiosity, he looked up at Akina and saw he cackling madly. His eyes narrowed, and he had to restrain himself from getting out of his seat. I can't allow Kolte to have any association with that scum, he thought to himself, the flames of anger once again licking at his heart. Turning away to watch the fight, he thought, She must disappear, and quickly. I refuse to lose him again, especially to that ignorant thing mascarading as a woman...

Kolte rolled in the opposite direction his opponent, and he quickly got to his feet.

Jason got up and motioned for Kolte to come at him.

"No, I believe it's your turn." Kolte said, holding a defensive stance.

"Alright." Jason moved forward and launched a snap-kick at Kolte's midsection.

Raijin looked at his armband. Eleven o'clock. Gods, it feels like I've been sitting here forever. I'd expected more...action. He shifted his weight slightly and willed himself to not show his boredom. The Commander of Krioval was an impatient man, and his ascension had done nothing to diminish that. As the midsummer sun beat down on the contestants and spectators alike, Raijin felt his mind shifting to dangerous thoughts. Like, for example, the man seated next to him. What is going on lately? I mean, Koro Vartek? Yeah, he's cute and all, and Mount Valak - oh Gods. Is it that we're so alike? The paladin forcibly cleared his mind, and then realized that he was not alone within its confines. Do not panic. Isolate. He quickly ran through possible suspects. Not Koro. The young man was barely functional telepathically, and Raijin stopped himself from considering Koro's *other* functionalities before he was able to start. Not Kiv. Good. That would have been just this side of disastrous. That leaves...

The Commander forced himself to pretend as if everything was normal, though he had determined the source of the intrusion. Now for the trap. He brought a tendril of gossip-worthy imagery just below the turbulent outer periphery of his consciousness. He waited. Yes. That's it. Follow that thought. The images ran through various aspects of Raijin's life that would be completely incomprehensible unless all viewed and connected. Then the paladin derailed the images and instead refocused. ...and I wonder if Valkai is finally over his incredible introversion. I mean, has he finally managed to nail that Empress? She'd do him a world of good, though he'll have to be trained to accept her dominance, of course...

He was rewarded with a splutter from the row behind him. Serves you right! Raijin focused through the link. I don't remember my mind being the same as the monastic library - free for your perusal. Next time, just ask.

Valkai's eyes widened at the psionic rebuke. He was unaccustomed to being told to do much of anything, though before him sat one of the few who could, at will, make demands of him that would be granted. Force of habit, Raijin. Still, he wouldn't be a true devotee to the art of the ninja without being a defiant pain in thw ass. Can't fault me for my training.

Watch me. This time, though, the tone was far less severe, though no less firm. Can't fault me for my training.

No? Anyway, you love him, don't you?

Silence. Valkai could have sworn he heard the psionic equivalent of a low growl. Finally, after several seconds, Raijin answered. Unfortunately for many, yes, Valkai, I do.

Unfortunately?

I am not going into the details. Suffice it to say that I've never felt this way about another. But it will cause many people a good deal of pain. Worse, I'll probably go for it despite all that. What about you and the empress? Two could play at this game, and the Commander was tired of thinking about thinking about Koro.

Well, I am marrying her, Raijin. Certainly that must mean something. Valkai realized about a second too late exactly what he had said.

Valkai, don't bullshit me. I'm married to Kiv and in love with Koro. There it was, plain and simple. It doesn't mean what people think it means. But the original question remains.

The ninja sighed lightly, and attempted to cover it up as a brief yawn. I hope to, through time.

You hope to? Gods. We seem to always be plagued by opposite problems. It's too bad Valkai the Elder and Andruik aren't still with us. They'd have the whole thing solved in ten seconds. Raijin returned his attention briefly to the fight. Huh. It appears that the battle is about to be resolved. Maybe soon our problems will also be resolved? The link was dissolved without an additional thought, and both paladin and ninja were vaguely aware of how the arena combat resembled their current positions. Lots of circling and feinting, but the outcome would primarily depend on who got the lucky shot in. The strongest, smartest, fastest - those were the victors in life.

Just now, Akina was actually noticing Xander. Of course, only in his role as a spectator. After all... She was drunk and at least trying to concentrate on the fight, and he, despite his mind deteriorating, turning towards his darker desires, was still quite capable of hiding this side of himself, being brought up to do exactly that: Hide.

Still, she waved at him, cheerily, motioning for him to come over to her group with Christine and Krodan. She could probably have shouted at him to make her point clearer, but thought better of it, and she wasn't really in the mood of using any other means of communication. With all the people around (And between them) she would most likely get tangled up in several other minds, anyway, and such would be incredibly rude, not to mention embarrassing.

Not to mention that being drunk as she was, she would possibly bleed out some not-so-decent thoughts. And as liberal as Krioval was, as liberal as her own society was... This was supposed to remain private.

The speed of Jason's attack took Kolte by surprise, and it connected with his midsection. The wind was knocked out of him and he was unable to fight back.

Jason seeing that Kolte was down, decided to end the match in a somewhat more interesting way than otherwised planned. He grabbed Kolte by the wrist and with the other hand grabbed the ankle. Once he had a firm grip he began spinning in a circle, increasing in speed until he felt he reached an apropriate launch velocity, where he launched Kolte out of the arena, so that he would land in the ground, butt first.

Kolte stared at the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds. How could he let such an obvious attack through? He was slated to meet this opponent once maybe two more times, and he wouldn't let such a thing happen again.

He sat up and looked around, saw the crowd cheering, the 4 foot skid mark next to him, Jason looking at him with a broad smile. The he saw the edge of the circle, it was only a few feet away, but there was something wrong. The arch of the circle was away from him, not towards. That couldn't be. How? He got to his feet. The muscles in his lower back and thighs ached, and his arm felt like he had thrown it out. He had some minor scrapes and bruises, and his hair was completely unruly. He stroked it backwards and shook his head, it snapped up and spiked on command. He finally took in his defeat.

"It seems you have won, Jason. I congratulate you." Kolte said as he walked to Jason and extended his hand once more.

Jason shook Kolte's hand, "That was a good match. It will be interesting to see how you do in the uni and melee matches." Once he got back to the area where the competitors where resting, he took a quick bathroom break. As he left the bathroom, he fished out a bottle out of the locker*, and drank a thirds of the bottle, before stretching a bit. As he set the bottle down, Gelt could read the label, the word he could read said vodka.

ooc: * where ever the competitors store their gear.

Kolte looked to Xander and outstretched his hand, using the Force he returned his lightsaber to his hand. It felt good to grasp its cold durasteel once again. Fighting without it had left him feeling, well, naked. With the saber in hand he walked back into the locker-room, head held high. He was not ashamed or angered, he knew he was outclassed. He couldn't wait for the universal competition, that was where he could let it all out. That was where Jason would discover Kolte's true power. What was this he felt? Was this revenge? No, that was an extremely dangerous emotion. Revenge led to nothing but the Dark Side, nothing good could come of it. He reached a bench where he sat, immediately delving into a meditation that would restore his energy and health, and hopefully pacify the emotions surging within him. He dared not let his outward appearance reflect the storming sea of turmoil within him.

The Kriovalian announcer again sprang to life. "Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that Jason of Theao has defeated Kolte of Megas...this time. Now for the final round! Gelt of Vastiva versus Jason of Theao, for the championship!" His colleague looked at him with her usual disdain and made a mental note that management should look into upping his dosage.

He couldn't believe it. His one time apprentice had been defeated. Scowling to himself, he stood and walked up the stairs of the stadium to where Akina was sitting, cloak billowing out romantically behind him. He couldn't quite make himself smile as he approached the beautiful woman, his dark thoughts swirling around his head as he struggled to compose himself. He would likely berate Kolte when next he saw him...

Perigrine joined Jason as he rested between bouts, raising an eyebrow at the bottle labeled vodka

"Really Jason, do you think he's going to believe that" She spoke for his ears alone as she sat next to him "I think he is too sly a fox to fall for that"

******************************************

Michiko shivered a little despite the heat, as cold water condensing on her glass dripped on to bare collarbone. The ice water was heavenly going down, and she checked to see that Valkai's glass was full. She wondered what was going on in his thoughts.

"I wonder what the exchange rate is today?"

She grinned as Valkai gave her what she was coming to realize was his patented look of 'I'll never understand' and answered his unspoken question

"So I'll know how much to offer you for your thoughts. Though that I generally don't have to pay for thoughts, as I tend to get bombared with them at the least provoaction" She mused half to herself "It's often like when my father took me to my first city. I was just turned twelve, and had gotten bit by a Hammadryad. The only medical center that had the facilities to treat me was in Helevorn. I'd never been in a place that had more than oh, a hundred people"

Michiko shivered again slightly "All those people pressing in on me. I went away for nearly two weeks, between the toxins and the weight of all the..." Frowning a little she absentmindedly rubbed a pair of faded to near unnoticability scars on the back of her right arm, high near the shoulder. She firmly shook off the memory and smiled at Valkai

"So, a kerotar for your thoughts, Valkai"

"So, a kerotar for your thoughts, Valkai"

He thought for a few seconds before responding. "Honestly, the past, present and future. Marriage also came up," he said, corners of his mouth turning upward. "So...you were twelve and alone in a big city?" The ninja knew he was being difficult, and right then, he didn't care. One doesn't tell one's future spouse that the love isn't quite in place yet. He glanced at Raijin, who had gone back to watching the fights, though Valkai knew where his attention was mostly devoted. Despite his acceptance of Raijin's decision, Valkai couldn't quite get over the other man's behavior. Again he lapsed into thought. Gods, fine, he likes the Vartek boy. But why in the seventy-five hells is he joking, giggling, and looking at Koro like that in front of half a billion people? The answer struck him almost as soon as the question had been asked. Because, for the first time in the Commander's life, he's doing what he wants. After thirty-eight years of trying to do what's best by everybody else, he's going for it. And everyone else can take a flying leap, as far as he's concerned.

Valkai returned his attention to Michiko, his look far from indecipherable. "I've been told there'll be a half hour between this competition and the next. Now, we could spend it talking about the past," he swept his eyes across her figure, "or we could do something with the time we have." Once one thought about who would likely judge one's actions, often the decision became that much easier to make. Valkai didn't care who might think that it was untoward to steal away for a few minuts - they didn't exist to him as far as he could give a damn.

Michiko caught the heat in his dark gaze and laughed delightedly inside. Keeping her face coolly demure, and her voice was completely repressive she mock chided Valkai

"Tanarans may have an exhibitionistic streak, but 'Kai, in front of half a billion people...really!"

She slid into his lap as she spoke, a warm, lithe armfull wrapped in a simple silk paraeo, and her voice became intimate

"Some place just for two" Boldly she claimed his lips in a promissory kiss

"Some place just for two" Boldly she claimed his lips in a promissory kiss

He waited for the empress to break the kiss before looking deep into her eyes, smiling warmly, and whispering, "As opposed to inviting Raijin and the kid for a volume competition?" Before Michiko could object, Valkai pressed his lips against hers briefly and set her back in her seat, his look mischievous. "Until then," he said, suppressing a giggle.

Jason grinned at Peri before passing the bottle under her nose, letting her smell alcohol. As the match for him and Gelt was called he stood up and began walking to the circle, as he walked he began staggering somewhat. As he went to shake Gelt's hand he let out a smallish burp, sending vodka fumes into Gelt's nose. "'Scuse me." He then stumbled back a few feet so the match could begin.
Gelt smiled, seeing his opponent totally soused. He then took an aggresive stance and launched a kick at Jason.
Jason stumbled to the side letting the kick graze his side, before stumbling forward with an arm swinging.
Gelt sidestepped the crude attack before throwing a punch at Jason's gut.
Jason stumbled backward before falling forward and driving a knee into Gelt's gut, as he stumbled off to the side.
Gelt folded over as the knee had driven the wind out of him. As he regained his breath he saw that Jason was only a few feet away from the edge of the circle, seeing the opening he decided to use the same attack that won him the last match. He charged.
A second before Gelt would hit him, Jason tripped over his own feet, causing Gelt to trip over him and go flying out of the arena.
As the match was called, Jason got up and helped Gelt up.
"Congratulations on the fine match, how did you like my drunken fighting style?"
"Pretty good. Congratulations on victory."
Jason and Gelt walked back to the competitor section, Jason with all traces of drunkeness and alcohol gone.

ooc: Jason's actions in standard Gelt in Sienna

"You, sir, are becoming entirely too pleased with yourself, Sir Tease" She took a sip of cold water, she was definitely hotter than she had been a few minutes ago.

"And as for Raijin and Koro, I'd love for them to have some privacy. I thought things were bad for me, here you can't even give a nosey reporter a pie to the face to shut them up."

She paused for a second, then leaned close, whispering in his ear for him alone "Valkai, is it my imagination or is there a tension in the air? One thats not due to the last round of combat"

She watched Jason seemingly stumble around the arena, as if he'd had bad batch of sports drink, or worse. However it proved to be a sham, one that suckered Gelt of Vastiva in completely. 'The melee will prove to be interesting.' she thought as she did a slow scan of the arena, trying to pinpoint what was making her uneasy.

"Congratulations to Jason, of Theao, for his victory in the competition of unarmed fighters. Awards will be given following all three contests. All Krioval has marveled at the skill and technique used in this competition," the announcer said, "and we expect no less from the further trials." She looked at the audience, which was, in fact, focused intently on the center of the arena. Noting the silence, she added, "The audience is free to move about for fifteen minutes until the next competition, the universal, is underway." No sooner had she finished her sentence than the stadium erupted into a cacophony of commentary, praise, and wonderment at what had transpired. The phrase "drunken style" would likely be a catch phrase throughout the nation by darkfall, and knowing the predilections of some Kriovalians, it would endure for generations.

***************************

"You, sir, are becoming entirely too pleased with yourself, Sir Tease"

"Two 'sirs' in a row. That's never a good sign. But I take exception to your calling me a tease. It is hardly teasing when one has no desire to withhold the tantalizing object, now is it?"

"And as for Raijin and Koro, I'd love for them to have some privacy. I thought things were bad for me, here you can't even give a nosey reporter a pie to the face to shut them up."

"Technically speaking, Lord Raijin could probably have them...er...banished for quite some time. On what I can only guess is a completely unrelated matter, some reporters are heading to Antarctica to photograph polar bears. Go figure, heading down there in the dead of their winter. They must be incredibly brave." His wry smile indicated that he knew all too well why Kriovalian reporters would be heading to Vastiva now. "Besides, if Raijin's not something, it's an exhibitionist." Valkai lowered his voice to a whisper. "He's even managed to keep secrets from Adele. That takes skill."

"Valkai, is it my imagination or is there a tension in the air? One thats not due to the last round of combat"

The whisper would have been entirely too loud for the thoughts that the ninja wished to transmit - rumors cross galaxies in minutes. So he switched modes of communication. There were definite advantages to being among the top, if not the strongest, telepath in the nation. Think about it for a second. We're dealing with a love triangle between the Commander and his top two Directors. Worse, he's bound to one but loves the other. Add that the 'beloved' is fourteen years younger than Raijin, and that the kid was an unknown five years ago, and you see the problem, I'm sure. Not to say that Koro Vartek hasn't earned every single promotion he's been given, but consider it from an outsider's perspective. He paused. The consequences of the past few days' events were still far from understood, and even Valkai realized that there were multiple potential outcomes - otherwise all the precognitives would have arrived at their consensus hours ago. It is chaotic, but it is not my problem to deal with - this time. The ninja thought again before finishing with, I suppose that killed the mood entirely?

It was something more than the Raijin, Koro, Kiv triangle, though Valkai was certainly correct about how it looked to most. This just seemed closer, not physically, but in time, not space. She set it aside at Valkai's last thought

Michiko's eyes held all the answer that was needed, as did her mind, but she made sure he understood. Feather light finger tips traced across his palm two letters - N and O.

********************************************

Perigrine greeted Jason with a fresh bottle of sports drink, one that most certainly did not say 'vodka'

"Now that is a style I've never seen formally done...but any number of impromptu useages. Congratulations, I didn't think he'd fall for it."

She was happy and proud that Jason had done so well. Perigrine was sure he'd do well in the melee as well

"Gelt, shouldn't you have waited until after the competition to get beaten by a drunk?"

That earned her a nasty grin. "I finished second. Where did you finish - oh yes, on your back. Normal position for you?"

He couldn't believe it. His one time apprentice had been defeated. Scowling to himself, he stood and walked up the stairs of the stadium to where Akina was sitting, cloak billowing out romantically behind him. He couldn't quite make himself smile as he approached the beautiful woman, his dark thoughts swirling around his head as he struggled to compose himself. He would likely berate Kolte when next he saw him...Once the fight was over, Akina was effectively ending up on Krodan's lap (Without actually doing more than sitting there, as she still had some modesty remaining). Still, she saw Xander approaching, and smiled inwardly. He must be seriously annoyed. "And? How was it?" She asked, a little too cheerily, a hint of irony in her voice, if only to tease Xander a little about his former apprentice's failure. "I'm not really into this kind of, ah, competition, so I can't really say much about it... Given my naivity in such matters, but I'm sure it was fairly intriguing for you, no? Even useful, to learn more about other people's... Styles, I guess. Fairly efficient ones, too, or so it seems."

Once the fight was over, Akina was effectively ending up on Krodan's lap (Without actually doing more than sitting there, as she still had some modesty remaining). Still, she saw Xander approaching, and smiled inwardly. He must be seriously annoyed. "And? How was it?" She asked, a little too cheerily, a hint of irony in her voice, if only to tease Xander a little about his former apprentice's failure. "I'm not really into this kind of, ah, competition, so I can't really say much about it... Given my naivity in such matters, but I'm sure it was fairly intriguing for you, no? Even useful, to learn more about other people's... Styles, I guess. Fairly efficient ones, too, or so it seems."

Xander picked up on the teasing tone of her voice, and had to bite his tounge. She is drunk after all, so she surely doesn't mean to sound so sarcastic...Nevertheless, he thought that with some time, he could forge a wonderful relationship with her. He struggled, and managed to smile, though his thoughts were still on the nightmare that had just transpired.

"I think that he wasn't as focused as he should have been. Had he been, he would have been victorious the second Jason tried his first attack. I do hope that he recovers himself for the universal, because he will use his lightsaber for that one, which raises the stakes considerably. I think that I know what's on his mind...if only I could talk to him..."

"Thanks Peri. If it turned out he was able to counter the style, I was prepared to change but as these competitions are exhibition matches it was enjoyable to use the drunken fighting techniques." Jason replied as he took the sports drink and drank some before excusing himself to the bathroom, a third of a liter of liquid has to go somewhere after all. As he returned to the competitors area he hoisted out a bag from his locker, and began empting it. Once emptied he began doing a final once over on his gear before starting to putting it on.

Michiko's eyes held all the answer that was needed, as did her mind, but she made sure he understood. Feather light finger tips traced across his palm two letters - N and O.

"Would you care for a brief...walk?" As he waited for a verbal response, Valkai couldn't help but notice the muted giggling of the two men in front of him, and the hushed whispers, mostly dealing with the lack of possible activity in only fifteen minutes' time.

***********************

(snipped conversation between Akina and Xander)

Krodan watched the exchange with much interest, though the bulk of his attention was still focused on the scantily dressed woman on his lap. "Was pretty surprised," he ventured, "but they usually don't allow those kinds of things in all competitions." He laughed. "It's part competition and part entertainment, I guess."

<snip>

How cute! Akina thought, grinning, seeing Xanders smile. A little too forced for my liking, but still!

"I see. Well, Jason looked like he is a pretty smart guy. Admittedly not the most, uh, conventional kind of combatant, but..."

She hesitated. "Well, I see. We'll see it in the universal, then. I wonder... What do you think is on his mind?" She looked up, mildly curious. "Although I would think that he's experienced enough to do the right think, anyway, even without your advise." Another smile, not exactly sincere, but not ironic, either. More like, well, drunk.

Krodan watched the exchange with much interest, though the bulk of his attention was still focused on the scantily dressed woman on his lap. "Was pretty surprised," he ventured, "but they usually don't allow those kinds of things in all competitions." He laughed. "It's part competition and part entertainment, I guess.""What? My clothing style?" Akina looked at Krodan, keeping a straight face and a fairly open cleavage, almost bouncing a little as she moved to face him (Just almost, though, given her not too impressive chest). "Well, I will admit that it might distract the opponents, so the one fighting with his back to me has an advantage... But I would think that the view is worth the defeat, no?"

She crossed her legs, the sheer... Sheerness of her dress becoming a little more obvious (As if such was possible), and came a little closer, face to face, chest to chest, to go with mildly biblical terms, a mildly pouty look in her eyes. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"Walk?" Michiko responded archly. "Isn't teleporting faster?"

She too could hear the whispered banter between Raijin and Koro, and her heart went out to the pair. 'Sometimes you have to go with whats right, despite what others think or want. Half of Tanara is going to want to kill Valkai, the other half to see if they can turn it into a good old fashioned Tanaran group marriage.' Michiko mused inwardly and wondered how Valkai would react to that. 'And it's certainly going to dispell the myth that Richard and I were bound by eternal vows...OH! thats what...' Michiko shut that line of thought down fast, and double locked the door she hastily shoved it behind. She could not help one last thought. 'Not Valkai, it's going to be me they want to kill..oh just wonderful. Six months dodging assassins may be six months too long!'

Impishly she leand forewards and interjected her own whispered comment "Too bad we can't make time stand still."

"The arena's teleport blocked, unless you're lucky enough to have level four access. Even then, you'd need level four-plus to go from here. Of course..." Switching both targets and modes of communication, Valkai continued, Raijin, I could really go for a teleport - these coordinates.

Do I even want to ask?

Set it for a half-hour retrieval. We shouldn't be more than that.

Right. Like you can get anything done in half an hour. Raijin switched to verbalization. "Tell you what. Wait until after the universal, and you can have an hour."

Michiko acknowledged Raijin's comment with a wicked grin

"You are right, he does take forever...most deliciously- an hour may well not be enough." She wondered how badly Valkai would blush over that.

"I really don't want to forego seeing the Universal. Thats the only category that Sigrun entered in and I don't want to miss what ever it is he has planned. He's got more experience than all the others combined."

She figured that the Tarlachian king had something up his elvin sleeves. He'd won his kingship with the blade, during the infamous Star Trials, and while he might use a gun far more often these days, she knew he never ceased regular training with the sword.The upcoming unlimited melee would be very interesting.

'And anticipation just whets the appetite' she chuckled inside as she let her eyes droop half closed. Michiko traced abstract designs along Valkai's palm and inner wrist, savoring the memories of just how compatable they were proving to be in certain areas.

Xander thought about what had happened seven years prior, and knew what was on Kolte's mind.

"Attachment, possession, love, is forbidden to the Jedi. Any who dabble in such forbidden emotions never have a happy ending. Kolte was no different. He found love in a woman named Julina, and loved her enough to forsake his life as a Jedi. He gave up everything for her, and was set to wed her until she was murdered three days beforehand. He was left with nothing, and became a vagabond. Some time afterward, I became disillusioned with the Order and renounced my commission in the hopes of tracking Kolte down. It took me the majority of seven years to do so. And so here we are..."

"Jason, is there anything I can help with?"

Perigrine offered as she brought over a very light snack. Fifteen minutes was just enough time for his muscles to get very stiff, if he allowed himselft to cool down too much. She would have liked for the next competetion to have been several hours later, but since that wasn't to be, she would focus on helping her mate stay limber.

"Could you help get a few of the clasps on the back, one of the reason I hate marine armour is it's quite a bit more difficult to put on than the CADRE armour." Jason replied, as he was saying this he put a blackish lense over each eye. As the lense expanded to fill the eye socket, he placed two pieces of black 'plastic' over the ears, these also formfitting into place. Once both the eye and ear coverings were in place he began putting on the pieces of armour, showing Perigrine what he need help with.

"I'll be glad to do those clasps. Ought to talk to your procurement division, this is not meant for field dressing!"

Perigrine commented as she did the rear junctions.

"Light and sound supressors?' She guessed at the equipment Jason fitted over his eyes and ears.

Kolte suddenly awoke from his trance, fully refreshed, although his muscles had stiffened a bit. He stood and began stretching, all his reflexes returned to him. He saw Jason donning some sort of armor. Assisting him was the same women whom had been with him all morning, though Kolte did not know her name.

"What, might I ask, is that supposed to protect you from?" he asked Jason. Kolte didn't think that Jason had anything along the lines of the powers that he and their opponent did. Perhaps this was his way of compensating.

"As to the procurment people, marine armour is actually the most practical armour. Part of the reason this perticular suit needs a bit of extra work is because it's missing a few pieces that arn't need in my line of work. As to these," He said pointing to the ear and eye pieces, "They are and they arn't supressors. They preform a number of functions that aid in combat, including suppression and enhancment. While I'd prefere my CADRE armour I have to use this for the match."

"As to what this will do, Kolte, why you'll just have to wait and see." Jason replied as he slid the helmet on and ensured it was connected to the rest of the suit.

Pergrine nodded to Kolte as he came over and enquired about Jason's armor. He had moved well agaisnt Jason, but to her it was easy to see that he was not primarily an unarmed fighter. He would be stronger in the melee, with his prefered weapon inhand, and having faced Jason before, somewhat knowing of his abilities. 'But then again Jason has tested him as well.' she commented inwardly.

Sigrun worried her the most of all. The elf had been wielding a sword longer than all of their lives added together and she knew what skill continual practise confered. Perigreine would not want to face him with a sword, and she had been ranked second in all Karasu, a Pride that devoted themselves to the arts of war, in all its facets.

The warmth of the sun seemed to flow through Sigrun, equalizing with the cool manner in which he received it while seated upon the rooftop of the city. Below, the tournament had finally gotten to the next round, and the other participants had not emerged yet. However, the whole audience was waiting.

Waiting on him.

He opened his eyes to stare into the arena of the tournament, the expectant crowd also wondering if he might forfeit his challenge. Finally, he rose slowly to his feet and took a deep breath. His time had come to show the people, and guests of Krioval, the durability of Tarlachia, embodied in one figure alone. He himself. He watched as several people in the audience noted the strange shadow of the building cast into the arena, with his own shadow atop it. They followed the shadow to finally locate him. He heard them crying out as they pointed in his direction.

“He’s gonna jump!” some cried, mistaking his position as about to commit suicide. Sigrun sighed slightly, closing his eyes. Skadi’s face appeared before him, her normally cold eyes warm to him as she whispered, Keep in mind the words of the wise one I taught you about. ‘Where if your enemy fights with intensity he will survive but if not he will perish, it is called 'fatal terrain.' On fatal terrain, always engage in battle.’ Do this, and you will survive every time.”

Several screams floated upward to his ears as the spectators watched the elf step forward, and onto the air. And yet, he did not plunge downward in helpless descent. Instead, they watched as he walked downward, almost as if he were descending down an invisible set of stairs. As he neared, they could see a slight green shimmering essence below each descending footstep. He kept his face forward, ignoring the exclamations of the people in the arena. If they thought this was unique and ‘cool’, then they would truly be dazzled by what he would unleash in the battle soon to come.

At last, his feet tread downward upon the soil of the arena, and he knelt down to scoop the earth into his hands. He brought it up to his gaze and held it out onto his palm. He blew it outward while simultaneously whispering words in his native language. The air shimmered around the dirt, several previously unseen tendrils faintly making themselves present before him. He reached out with his other hand to grasp the arcanic tendrils and hold them, one for each main elemental category of the planet below him: earth, air, water, fire, and life. Separately they were strong, but together, they formed miracles of existence. The planet was one of those miracles that stood out in the vast onyx expanse of space, a habitat for life in a sea of empty lifeless interstellar waters. He brought the hand holding the tendrils to his mouth and breathed them into his lungs. There, his blood would adapt and provide him with the powers granted by the very land upon which his stood.

Satisfied, he gently placed the remaining dirt back down, patting it into place. He stood to his full height and looked up into the skies before finally lowering his gaze and awaiting his opponents. He kept his arms to his sides as the introductions of the Universal round were called out to the spectators. It seemed that he was completely harmless, as was often seen when one gazed upon an elf like he. He was dressed in nothing but his elven clothes of everyday wear. He had chosen to not wear his armor. His anti-demonic sword, Lanta, was hidden under his cloak, his only physical weapon. If his opponents got a good shot into him, he would grant them the satisfaction to see the wounds inflicted. After all, this was supposed to be a non-casualty tournament.

His face remained calm, his demeanor seeming like one that would not even remotely let the troubles of this world affect him. Yet, he expected they would know that he was to be carefully dealt with. If not, they were in for a surprise, a very big surprise.

"Ah," Valkai said, watching Sigrun enter. "So he's the one. Understand, I didn't get the best view of him, what with your head in the way at the time." He shot an impish look at Michiko, half expecting a rather nasty reaction to his tease.

“He’s gonna jump!” some had cried, but Michiko had just shook her head as a grin spread over her face. No, he was certainly not going to jump, but he was going to make his entrance a statement.

Her grin became a chuckle at the reaction to Sigrun's dramatic arrival. Most of the Kriovalians had taken it in stride, but many visitors had not and the arena was filling with their reactions. Magic was very rare in Tanara, and psionics not common - she could well appreciate the startlement those unused to it had felt.

"Up his sleeve indeed. His insouciance is going to play hob with his opponents, and thats his intent." She commented with a laugh to Valkai, then blushed at his referal to her actions of the day before. "I know, I shouldn't have kissed him like that, but I've apologised and we're still friends."

She met Valkai's eyes " I do in a way have him to thank for meeting you."

"I see..." Akina said, slowly, turning towards Xander, again, as Krodan was, apparently, somewhat dumbfounded by the... Touch? Whatever.

Well, not exactly what I expected... I thought he meant some combat technicalities, not psychology! "Sounds like quite some... Order. No wonder I've never heard of your order, before. Must have enrollment troubles..." She hesitated. "Oh, I'm sorry, this wasn't meant to be offensive, of course." Well, not too much so, anyway.

"But, well.." I really shouldn't tell him that I eavesdropped. Hrm. "Tragic, that, of course... Well... Explains a few things, perhaps."

She then looked up, mildly interested, watching Sigruns entrance.

"Oi. An ego like the Elentari. Needing such a show..." She laughed, for once seeing the two Jedi she had come to know as being somewhat sane. They were at least modest, not needing this rather excessive kind of (At least in her eyes) ridiculous show. Which was an admirable trait. "Must compensate for something. Although I wonder how this works... Krioval doesn't run magnetic levitation fields, does it? Telekinesis would surprise me... It would be like trying to move forward by tugging on your own legs. It just doesn't work, at least as far as I know... Although DA Teeks might be a tad different from others. And given that their resurfacing is based on a recent mutation, we don't know everything, yet... Hrm. Well, lets see how the universal turns out." I just hope Kolte or Jason manage it. If this overblown... Guy... ARGH, please no.

Kolte nodded and turning from Jason, he walked out into the arena, where the universal fighters were being anounced. He felt a strong presence here, and noticed that the crowd seemed to be panicing about something. Something up, as if in the air. Kolte focused harder and realized that this, man, was the third fighter, the one called Sigrun. He had long hair and pointed ears, his face shown angular features, all indicative of an elf or elf-like creatures. That would complicate things. Kolte was fairly sure he could take Jason, but if Sigrun commanded any of the arcaic powers that Kolte believed he might, he would be a tough opponent indeed. Kolte continued to observe Sigrun as he seemingly descended his flight of stairs, watched him pick up sand and throw it to the wind. Yes, natural energies flow greatly, here, Kolte thought. The crowd seemed very entertained by Sigrun's entrance.

"Quite the flashy entrance, Sigrun Greenwood. I expect much from you during our match."

Jason strood onto the field as Sigrun was coming down. Seeing Kolte stopped and hearing the crowd, Jason turned his eyes upward and watched Sigrun touch down. "So you are the mysterious third competitor. It shall be an honour to do battle with both of you." As he was talking a section on the face slid up revealing his 'massive black eyes'. "So Sigrun, what other tricks do you have?"

OOC: The name is Greenwood, not Greenleaf.

IC:

Sigrun looked up to Kolte and bowed respectfully. "From where I was, it was the simplest way of getting from one point to the next. There was no desire to make it 'flashy'. It is simply an understanding of what exists around me and utilizing it to my needs."

He bowed to Jason, who entered the arena soon afterwards.

"Congratulations on your last victory." he called out to him, "But be careful the victory does not go to your head eh? As for my 'tricks', let's leave that to mystery..."

Sigrun grinned, bringing a more human appearance to his elven features. His eyes twinkled momentarily. A warning? Whatever it was, it mattered little.

He looked at both of them before finally questioning, "Shall we?"

Perigrine's growl was a deep rumbling in her throat that was clearly audible. Part of her liked and respected Sigrun greatly, but the Nietzschean had a deep and abiding distrust of magic, and Sigruns open flaunting of his arcane skills angered her

She watched the three men speak among themselves as she thought back to her first meeting with Sigrun. Her low growl rumbled once again. She'd been in one of Tarlachia's torture chambers at the time. Her absolute loathing of vampires sprang from that incident and was a part of her ambivallence towards the Tarlachian monarch

She set those thoughts and emotions aside, watching as an impartial observer

"Remember the Force that I spoke about last night? It is a natural, living energy that binds all things together. Jedi are trained to use it, to manipulate it. Some are more sensitive to it than others. Kolte is the most powerful Force-Sensitive that I have ever seen, aside from myself. He will do well against Jason. Now the elf is another story. It is rare for a Jedi to have to match the Force against another archaic energy. Of course, Kolte has many more tricks up his sleeves as well..."

Xander had been meant to talk to Akina, but in reality, he'd been thinking aloud. He knew of Kolte's Protoculture enhancements, and wondered if he would be able to draw on them here.

"Actually..." Akina said, looking at the three combatants. "This might just be my naivity, but having such, errr... Flashy capacities could very well be a disadvantage, no? You get used to them, and forget the basics. Make mistakes. Get arrogant."

She smiled. "I could observe comparable things during the time the civil war was still raging, back at home. You wouldn't believe how fast composite bodies and above average teeps can end up being shredded, despite their owner's, or users, pride... Or rather, because of it."

She nodded in Sigruns general direction, continuing. "And I have the feeling that she... Errr... He. Stupid elves, you never quite get the difference between their genders. Anyway. He might as well be such a case."

Jason shut the 'visor' and walked over to his third of the arena and waited for the others to either do the same or to start the match where they were.

"Yes, let's" Kolte nodded to Sigrun and mirrored Jason's movements, walking to the opposite side from both Jason and Sigrun, forming a sort of odd shaped triangle in the circle. Once there he prepared himself, loosening his muscles and drawing his lightsaber to his hand. He ignited it, the pleasant hum of the blade and the gentle silver blue color of it relaxed him. He smiled and watched his opponents intently, observing the slightest twitch of a muscle, so as to know when one is about to make the first move.

" I do in a way have him to thank for meeting you."

"Strangely enough." He turned to the fight about to begin. "He certainly likes to show off though."

********************

Krodan attempted to keep some semblance of decency during the conversation between Akina and Xander, what with the sheer number of people watching what felt like an impromptu lap dance, given Akina's shifting around. He breathed a sigh of relief when she finally adopted a position, and then focused on her conversation.

Krioval doesn't run magnetic levitation fields, does it? Telekinesis would surprise me... It would be like trying to move forward by tugging on your own legs. It just doesn't work, at least as far as I know...

He decided to ignore the disparaging remarks about the elf, but brightened considerably at mention of Krioval's infrastructure. "The hoverways are maglev," he said, "and some but few have personal devices to take advantage of the effect. TKs can do that if they're strong enough, but I think they'd have to be a Dekker four to be able to. In a way, it's like running - the brain simply coordinates internal energy to allow levitation. If the TK can lift his or her own weight, it works fine. The power's internally generated, but has to be properly directed." Technical explanations done, Krodan fell silent again, awaiting the woman's response. Inwardly, he wondered why Akina had chosen him over Kolte, even for such a short time, though the thought was rapidly dispelled by the fight's beginning. "Who are you rooting for?" he asked.

Sigrun shifted his eyes to both opponents, studying them. First he looked at Jason.

Young. Possibly brash. Recent victory over Kolte.

He looked to Kolte, Older. Ready for battle. Wariness is in his eyes. He waits for the first move.

He reached up and unclasped the cloak, tossing it aside. Reaching up and back, he took hold of Lanta and drew it from the sheath, its metal tooth giving a slight song as it reflected the light of the day. Down the center of the blade, a blue line traced intricate designs, and glowing ever so slightly. He looked to Kolte and then to Jason once more.

Time to take out the first one... he thought to himself before launching forward swiftly bringing the blade upward to Kolte...

"Ah, I see..." Akina said, pondering (Now once again looking at Krodan. It was a little awkward for her, needing to turn every time she switched the person she talked to). "Well, I fail to grasp the thermodynamics of it, but if it works, it obviously works." She chuckled "Consider it an annoying hobby of mine. Noting important. Anyway..."

She hesitated, looking at the arena where Sigrun had just started its first assault. "Jason or Kolte. The elf is just... Bah. I simply don't like its attitude. Despite not actually knowing it, apart from the few things we've seen. Meh."

She looked a little closer (At the fight, that is), now at least semi-sober (Though not particularly worried about her dress. She was used to it, by now), sighing.

Of course, the reason for her choosing Krodan was fairly simple... Well, not all that simple, as there were several. Still, telling would have been boring, and so she smirked, almost accidentally catching this few, random thougths without going any deeper into it (Privacy was, after all, sacred, if that was a term one could use for a rather non-spiritual society like the Angstian one).

Still, it was amusing to know.

"Thats not his normal style, though. He's just playing games .." Michiko's comment broke off as Sigrun launched his first series of blows. Never taking her eyes off the action she cuddled up to Valkai, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I could get used to this."

Jason wondered at Sigrun's actions in attacking Kolte first, I wonder if he's going after Kolte first to eliminate the stronger, or the weaker link first. I guess I'll have to show him not to count me out to early or easily. As Jason thougth this he brought the Rgun* as he keyed a sensor activating the tracking systems of the suit. As the Rguns sensors and the suit systems he began tracking Sigrun before firing a short volley, and as the darts shot out he grinned.

ooc: *riot gun
the darts are primarily loaded with things like nerve aggitents(makes the area of inpact itchy), muscle relaxents(local anethisea) and generally annoying effects. There is one dart compound that will have a very funny effect, that was worked out with Megas.

Sigrun's elven hearing picked up the sound of the riot gun firing, and with quick reflexes dove feet-first to closer to Kolte, the blade aimed for the knees. The darts flew harmlessly over him. A gun? Where's your sense of battle kid? he thought to himself momentarily.

Kolte was obviously ready and was surprised to see Sigrun still held a blade against the lightsaber. Sigrun rose to his feet quickly, manuevering the sword to one hand and slicing in hopeful attempt toward Kolte's leg closest to him. His other hand drew close to his body and charged the surrounding air about him, the particles colliding in the gravity formed in his palm. A spark ignited, instantly forming a swirling fireball held in his fingers.

Moving out of the lightsaber's reach, he spun and fired the fireball toward Jason.

He spun again, Lanta once again driving swiftly toward Kolte, its blade giving its song of danger as it raced for his saber-wielding hand.

Kolte met every advance of Sigrun's sword with his lightsaber, blocking the blows. The projectiles would get in his way, so he decided to eliminate Jason first. He leapt up and over Sigrun, landing between him and Jason. He saw the fireball closing towards Jason, outstretched his arm, palm facing Jason, and unleashed a powerful Force push, blasting the fireball and the surrounding natural energies toward Jason with even more velocity. He then whirled around to Sigrun and swung his saber in a horizontal slice aimed for his chest.

Jason activated the AG system in his suit as he vaulted over the fireball letting it smash into the arena wall. So they're both fast, lets see if they can dodge this, As he was thinking that he began pumping out darts in such a pattern that only a master contorsionist could avoid all of them, as he was doing this he leapt toward the two combatants a blade extending out of his arm.

Sigrun growled slightly as the darts and Kolte's saber came his way. He simply rolled to the left, avoiding both attacks. Seeing that the two of them were together in close proximity, he smiled slightly as an idea formed in his mind.

Seeing that Jason chose to attack Kolte first with the blade in his arm allowed Sigrun to devise another attack. I've got to slow them both down, and what better way than this?

He looked up to the clouds that passed slowly by, sparse in their numbers and watched as they began to swirl overhead quickly. The temperature of the entire area began to plummet rapidly as Sigrun uttered the words to the spell being formed, "Khelek hurro'," He looked down toward the opponents opposite him and cried, "Caela ie'lle!"

The clouds suddenly erupted with a clap of noise as ice began to fall rapidly, in a concerted effort and generally swathing the entire arena floor around the opponnents with sharp jags of ice. It was an ice storm that only strived to attack Kolte and Jason at the same time...

Michiko gasped as the temprature within the confines of the arena dropped with dramatic suddenenss. She had dresssed for the islands heat, her thin silk pareao tied as a halter dress provided almost no protection from the frezing air currents whipping through the seating. Sitting in only the second row she also found numerous shards of ice flying towards her and the others seated near her, bounce back from their impacts in the combat zone.

"Blast it, He's freezing the lot of us!" Shivering now she pulled Valkai's arm about her shoulders, seeking his warmth.

********************************************

Perigrine's eyes blazed as she watched the ice storm form and begin pelting Jason and Kolte. 'Magic' she thought sourly. 'Someday Sigrun you are going to find that your magic fails you. Never trust something beyond one's self.' She quoted the Nietzschean mantra to herself.

"Don't let it rattle you Jason, your armor protects you" She said softly, knowing that Jason would not hear it

Taura peers over several shoulders to look at Akina, and her decidedly interesting position on Krodan's lap. Now this is what I came to this land for, these fights are starting to bore me slightly. Moving slightly closer to Akina and the jedi, he nevertheless keeps a safe distance, knowing that he's obviously no match for what appears to be the woman's protection. His excellent feline ears, however, keep him well informed of Akina's verbal chatting, despite the noise of the fights, and the icy runoff of said violence.

Jason 'feeling' and hearing the hail ping off his armour, smiled, Time to add some comic amusment to this match. As the hail fell he caught mid-sized hail pieces, as he caught them he began juggling them a few times before tossing them at Sigrun and Kolte, alternating back and forth between the two.

"The elf is exceptionally strong, as is his magic. Jason's armor is quite interesting, and makes up for his lack of magical prowess. But Kolte has the Force, and if he's smart he would use his telekinetic abilities to force that ice back at the elf and Jason..."

Xander was keeping up a running commentary, but he was being slightly biased. But who can blame me...Suddenly he feels a strange ripple in the Force, and inwardly begins trying to locate the source of the disturbance. He finally determines that the presense he feels is behind him, and pulls his cloak open so that his lightsaber is easier to draw. He would not seek the stranger out, but if it came to it, he would be ready...

Not good, Kolte thought as he observed the ice falling down at him and the darts flying at him from Jason. There were just too many to effectively 'throw' them back at their opponents. He stood absolutely still, closed his eyes and and drew the natural energies of the Force swirling around him. He brought up his arms and outstretched his hands, around him he formed a Force shield, which deflected the projectiles.

Seeing Jason's advance he whirled around him and his sword, striking at the back of Jason's armor. When he completed his spin, he used the Force to lift the ice that had already struck the ground and redirect the ice still falling straight at Sigrun. Let's see how he deals with this.

He then returned his attention to Jason, unleashing a flurry of extremely fast attacks with his lightsaber aimed for his head and upper body.

As Kolte hit Jason's back plate with his sword, he went with the momentum flipping himself on to his back. As Kolte began attacking the his upper torso, he activated the AG system and flashed under Kolte's legs, while firing a single dart at Kolte's leg, with the barrel in contact with the leg as it fired.
As he strightened up on the other side of Kolte, he heard a beep in his helmet and swore as a number of gauges were falling faster that suppose to.

ooc: the dart is the one we talked about on Y mess

Sigrun narrowed his eyes as he watched Kolte effectively shield himself from the icy attack, and then redirect the ice rapidly back to him. Sigrun brought his sword up and began to swat the ice shards away, the metal clanging in a rapid percussive song. The ice shattered under the swift impacts, falling about Sigrun until at last, he stood amidst a pile of ice. He looked down to his torso to see that a few shards had actually made it past the defensive slashing and had buried into his flesh through his clothing. Blood seeped out slightly, but not in great quantities. The clothing had absorbed most of the shock impact.

He looked up to Kolte and smiled. It had been a good ploy, to turn the attack completely against him. Bravo, Jedi... he thought to himself as he began to quickly etch a complex design in the sand and ice at his feet, and then lifted the sword and slammed it blade-first into the ground at the center of the rune he had formed. Suddenly, echoing outward from the epicenter of the rune, the earth suddenly lurched and rumbled, increasing in its ferocity as slabs of earth reared up and shook the ground. The entire arena, unfortunately would be affected, but it was a powerful attack that Sigrun had managed to be able to stay within the arena and affect the city itself only a little bit. As the earth rumbled and heaved, Sigrun set about another attack to follow in cooperation, one that swirled about him, first at his feet and rising upward as a blazing green flame.

For a brief moment, it completely hid Sigrun's body within the flames. However, he suddenly fired the blaze toward Jason. At the fore of the blaze, the flame was hottest, white trailing back into the green flickers of flame that raced right behind. If the armor of Jason's suit protected him enough from the fire's immense heat, the sheer force of the attack would be strong, and Sigrun would be quite surprised if the man was still standing afterwards.

Perigrine gasped as the floor beneath her bucked and tore, and she went to one knee before regaining her balance. Then she whirled about as crashing sounds spoke of breakage and screams told of fear and injury. She could not reach the massive metal bank of lockers before it toppled onto a young contestant, but her Nietzschean strength easily lifted it off of the young man

"Get the medics" She snapped as she set the mass of twisted metal aside where it could not fall on some one else "And every one get out. This place could well collapse."

****************************************

Michiko found herself half standing, half crouching as her seat twisted and bounced out from under her. Inadvertantly she screamed but it was lost in the larger rumblings of the earthquake and the panicked cries of those about her.

She was experienced with earthquakes and quickly realized that this one was localized, the result of Sigrun's spell. She had not known one could be caused by magic. How ever the fight was supremely unimportant to her at this time. She was a medic and there were injured people. They came first. She went to her knees as the tremmors contiuned and looked about for the injured.

The ground began to rumble ominously, and many in the stadium began to look at one another anxiously. "Son of a bitch." The gruff voice broke through the combination of tensions from the fight and the earthquake. Raijin stood and concentrated for a few seconds, eyes closed. Balling his left hand into a fist, he raised it over his head and sharply pulled downward. By the time the clenched fist reached the space in front of the Commander's chest, the vibration stopped. Wordlessly, the fighter returned to his seat, querying the AI about any damage. Fortunately, Sigrun had shown more discretion than was previously thought, and aside from a few reports of pictures falling from walls, all was well within Torokara. It was a solidly built city that had resisted all manner of nature's wrath, and this was at worst a minor annoyance. Nobody outside the city had even noticed, and many in the city were barely aware anything was unusual. Turning to Michiko, Raijin said, "I am sure that he doesn't mean any harm, but Torokara is crisscrossed by faults, and there hasn't been a major earthquake in Krioval since I was little. I see no need to start one today, though perhaps from the perspective of one wishing to avoid political scandals, I could see its value." The corners of the Kriovalian's mouth turned upward at the last, and he allowed himself a few dry chuckles. "Of course, I'm a big hero now. I lopped off the last five seconds of some light shaking. Doesn't that deserve another eight years?"

Meanwhile, teleporters soundlessly plucked anyone who suffered a serious injury from the arena and whisked them to nearby hospitals. The number was sufficiently few, and included mostly people who had partaken a bit too much in drink and were either standing on their seats or leaning a bit too heavily on guardrails. Most Kriovalian spectators had experienced quakes during their lives, and were therefore unfazed except where someone had taken a fall, in which case they focused on making sure that the victim was at least breathing and capable of communication - it was generally understood that requesting another beer was an ability restricted to the living and mostly well after all.

On the other hand, the three Vastivans watched complacently from the sidelines, completely unphased by the earthquake - or the myriad of bizaare behaviors taking place before them.

If asked why, their reply might have had something to do with "It would be impolite to kill a guest".






That, or it might have had something to do with the mindset of "dare him to panic first..."

"I think that was more impressive than what Sigrun did" Michiko whispered to Valkai as she sat back down, noting that the few injured were being teleported away. She inspected her pareao for damage, and found none save for some smudges. Satisfied that the injured were being tended to and that she was not totally disarrayed she settled back in Valkai's arm to enjoy the rest of the combat.

"You know I'd never want to get Shalamar and Raijin angry with one another. They'd probably shatter the planet" Michiko murmured to herself
**************************************

The tremors stopped as quickly as they started and medics teleported the youngster away before the fighters could even begin to really clear the area. Maintence crew arrived to deal with the damaged lockers.

Perigrine sighed in relief and turned back to concentrating of the combat. She was worried how Jason would withstand that last attack. The heat of that attack could possibly penetrate the armor, leaving him with bad burns, if he was unable to avoid it

When the earth below Sigrun ceased abruptly its quakes, Sigrun turned to locate the source of the premature ending. He looked up and locked eyes with Raijin, cocking his head slightly. Telepathically, he sent him a message.

Apologies for the disturbance. Your power is impressive. I should like to speak to you afterwards...

With another nod to the leader, he turned and focused back onto the other opponents who were still recovering from the attack. He stood still, legs spread apart and planted firmly on the ground. He waited and watched for their responses...

Akina just blinked, not paying too much attention to Xander's commentaries (She listened, and nodded, occasionally, but she really wasn't the person to get into a serious discussion about such things. After all, with her being who she was, her knowledge regarding this kind of thing, fighting, was limited to the most basic assumptions and (Possibly amusing, for those who had more knowledge or experience) theories, and not much more).

"What the hell was that?" She asked, too surprised to be, well, scared. DA itself wasn't particularly active, from a tectonic point of view, so earthquakes weren't something she was used to. Sure, she was used to things like radioactive hurricanes, thunderstorms with mildly acidic rain, tactical nuclear bombardements (Courtesy of the civil war), brain-invading daemons within the greater networks and the likes, but earthquakes weren't on the list of potential hazards she had experienced before.

She looked at the apparent source of the problem, the elf, slightly more than just mildly annoyed. "He's supposed to fight his opponents in the arena, not the spectators. Doesn't look like he ever heard of the term 'efficiency', I gather... Non-directed... To be effective, it would have needed to crash everything in here. What an idiot."

She calmed down, slowly. Very slowly. "I wonder what exactly he intended to achive with this. Impress us with his lack of consideration or sanity? Well, I guess that the rumours about elves are true. Veeeeeeeery tiny, have to compensate using shiny special effects..."

Eventually, she settled down, muttering about the elvish' lack of common sense. "You ought to have the participants screened by a psychologist. Can't allow this kind of unreasonable, irresponsible freak to play around in order to satisfy an inflated and missunderstood ego... Eventually blowing up the city. Ought to have Kolte-chan cut his pointy-eared throat."

She made a gesture, thumb down, like in ancient rome, during the fights in the arenas, her other hand pointing in Sigruns general direction. She didn't think that Kolte would actually notice it, but hey... The gesture alone was worth it.

Götz just chuckled. Being the 'bird' he was, he wasn't particularly scared of earthquakes. For him, it was just amusing, perhaps even hilarious.

"Not a huge fan of the elvish types, I take it," Christine said once the trembling had stopped. "In any case, I think Commander Raijin may have words with him after this is done. Admittedly, as far as earthquakes go, this was pretty minor, and Torokara's built to take a pretty good punch." She shivered despite her reassuring words. "I just hope they don't all escalate their attacks to compensate. Last time something like this happened..." The senator trailed off midsentence. Some things were not necessarily for public consumption.

Krodan, on the other hand, was delightfully oblivious to Christine's apprehension. "Last time was a fight between two soldiers on a military base, over something stupid. But these two were so mad and talanted that they started causing a pretty good amount of damage!" His enthusiasm undiminished by lack of response, he continued. "Got so bad that Raijin himself was called out to end it. And 'end it' he did! One took a swing at the Commander and was put in the hospital for a month. The other one got kicked out of the force altogether. Gods, I even remember hearing the man's arm shatter without Raijin touching him!" Finally, he wound down, as the stunned look of Christine became clear to him - that was one of those 'do not discuss' issues. "I'm just glad that he's on our side!" the big man finished, returning his attention to the fight and pretending he hadn't just detailed one of Raijin's latest telekinetic assaults.

Jason let the flames hit and lift him before driving him backward. As the heat on the armour increased, two pieces of metal flipped up before fanning out* and began glowing red, then turning incandesent white. As he slammed up against the wall the fans melted two holes into the wall of the stadium before sliding down slicing two even 'cuts' in the wall. As the suit temperature cooled down to pre-blast heat, the fans refolded and slid back into place.
As the heat fans did thier job he was thinking, Thank god for those guys in R&D.

As he recovered and noticed the effects of the quake effecting not just the inside of the arena but the stadium grounds as well, he shot Sigrun a look of disgust, loathing and revulsion that even throught the faceplate everyone could feel, provided they had a modicum of psionic ability. As he checked the readouts he began charging back across the arena to close with his opponents again.

ooc: *they look like hand fans

Kolte winced as the dart struck him, but altogether it didn't affect his fighting. As he continued assaulting he suddenly felt the ground begin to shake. The elf's doing, he thought. As he struggled to gain his footing against the tremor, he began to fell a strange presence within his body, a foreign substance flowed through his veins. It didn't hinder him in any way, and he was sure he had nothing to fear from it. It was then that he felt a surge of great power and the tomultuous tremors stopped.

He sensed another power growing stronger emanating from the general direction of Sigrun, and glanced that way. He was amazed the see the stream of strange, green-white flame speeding toward he and Jason. This was his chance. He used the Force to push Jason toward the flame and propel himself away from the flame.

He landed several meters away from either of his opponents, relatively unhurt. Relatively unhurt, but something felt different, something unusual. It was a feeling he not a stranger to, but hadn't fully experienced in years. He glanced down to find a rather large protrusion extending from underneath the bottom of his tunic. A sudden wave of embarrassment rushed through him and he tried desperately in vain to position himself to the protrusion would not be apparent. He concentrated his thoughts on what could have caused this, was it Akina? No, as attractive as she was his Jedi abilities still enabled him to control such reactions that were tied to emotions. It had to be something out of the ordinary. The dart! he thought, it seems Jason's bag of tricks extends extremely far. He closed his eyes and drew the Force to him, allowing the midichlorians that dwelled within him to cleanse his body of the impurity within, and he was satisfied when everything returned to its normal size.

He then returned his attention to Sigrun and his most recent attack, watching closely to see what had become of Jason, and hoping that no one had noticed his recent technical difficulties.

Xander had fallen to his knees after the elf's attack, and when he stood he realized that his saber was missing.

"Son of a bitch," he cried out in real anger, and searched frantically for the weapon. After several moments he located it and without clipping it back to his belt, left Akina and company, making a beeline for the arena floor. He was pissed off, and as he neared the bottom of the spectators seating area, he felt himself falling to the Dark Side once more...

He then returned his attention to Sigrun and his most recent attack, watching closely to see what had become of Jason, and hoping that no one had noticed his recent technical difficulties.

If only the Lady Fate were so kind. But she was a coldhearted bitch when she wanted to be, and now was one of those times. Reporters scribbled and typed as fast as they could, attempting to link combat and eroticism in new and interesting ways, and following the earthquake, many were struggling to incorporate the line "and the earth moved" in their stories. Cleverness and originality would ultimately garner prizes for creative journalism to papers in Valak and Telekar, as well as a newscast from Station Valiyos.

The reach of the articles would further dishearten a generation of straight women, who were already of the impression that no Kriovalian man was interested in the opposite sex. The truth was that two in three were, but naturally, one desires most what one is forbidden to have. And yes, it was true that the more powerful men were attracted to one another, though both factors were the results of the genetic manipulations done during their infancy and childhood than some shadowy conspiracy. The young women would now lament that the invisible effect acting on "all" men in Krioval was having an effect on visitors as well, and the resulting furor coupled with sex selection of one's children would skew the population of Krioval to sixty-five percent male over the next fifty years, during which time amazing advances in artificial means of reproduction would be made, if only to stabilize the national population.

Lesbians, on the other hand, would secretly revel in the sudden rise of sexually frustrated women, and men, no matter their orientation, would wonder what all the women were bitching about. In short, for the guys, nothing would change at all. In the year 2094, a historian with a humorous bent would eventually remark that the gradual increase in Krioval's perception as a haven for male homosexuals was due to a foreign man "impaling" another on a battlefield; this particular remark would be immediately stripped of its context and hailed as a watershed in removing stigmas associated with sexual expression until 2112, when a graduate student would stumble on the truth while searching for a thesis topic. Exposing this facet of Krioval's history would cause his reputation to soar, allowing his rapid ascent through the academic community and eventually leading to his election to the Senate, where he would argue against a particularly thorny war, potentially saving Krioval three centuries of conflict. Effectively, Krioval would be spared hundreds of years of violence thanks to super Viagra.

But nobody, save Adele Kriov, could foresee this. The only reactions during the fight itself were a few snickers and one reporter asking her boss whether a story about a rooster was appropriate - or something of that nature.

Xander had fallen to his knees after the elf's attack, and when he stood he realized that his saber was missing.

"Son of a bitch," he cried out in real anger, and searched frantically for the weapon. After several moments he located it and without clipping it back to his belt, left Akina and company, making a beeline for the arena floor. He was pissed off, and as he neared the bottom of the spectators seating area, he felt himself falling to the Dark Side once more...

Remember that you are a guest in my city. The thought seemed to come from many directions at the same time, making its origin unidentifiable. Do not interfere in their fight.

OOC: Not associated with any involved fighters, just here to watch and get drunk off their asses

IC:

Krindi Fain reached the city, tired, hungry, thirsty, and tired, his traveling companion, Erkum Pol, towered over him, topping out at three meters Erkum was a giant amongst the naturally tall mardukans, and Krindi was no dwarf, which made Erkums height even more obvious, since the obviously large mardukan, with his equally large pike, rifle and shortsword, was at least half a meter shorter than the massive Erkum. Anyone who watched the pair would have quickly noticed that while Erkum was a physichal giant he was by no means overburdened intelectually, while not in the range humans would call retarded he was not an intellegent person by any stretch of the imagination, that was Krindi's job, Erkum covered Krini's back and Krindi made sure Erkum stayed alive and unincarcerated, and when the individual in reference once laid out three equally large mardukans with a table in a bar fight, then keeping him out of jail is no mean feat.

Erkum followed Krindi to the nearest bar, their first priority being getting stinking drunk, and watching the tournament a far second, plus they never went to a fight that was already in progress, that wasn't any fun to watch since they had no idea what had happened before they got there and probably wouldn't be able to get in anyway, so they went to a bar to get drunk... This was gonna be a good couple of weeks if Krindi Fain had anything to do with it.

Xander's anger only intensified. Stopping at the bottom of the steps, he looked around the stadium, and thought, I know you can hear me, whoever you are, so hear this...If you will not punish the elf, I will, it's only a matter of time...Looking on at Kolte, in a rush of heated words, he screamed,

"Remember my training, Kolte, and unleash your true power. Use your emotions; trust your feelings! Use Vaapad!"

He knew that if his plan succeded, Kolte's anger would carry him over to the Dark Side, giving him the power boost he needed, for Vaapad was the most advanced lightsaber technique known to the Jedi and it's user was required to delve into their emotional well, and required a perfect balance to successfully use. In Kolte's current emotional state of unbalance, he would fall fast...

In a brief rare moment in which the entire arena seemed to quiet down suddenly, the harsh breath of anger echoed into Sigrun's range of hearing, and he turned to face the one from which it had come. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the jedi standing just a few steps from the of the arena wall, his unlit lightsaber in hand. He shifted his eyes to Raijin, noticing that he was also watching Xander carefully.

Silently, he spoke to Raijin, I will deal with him, if he wishes to fight. I have met many that were far stronger than he. Let him come when he is ready, for I will be waiting...

Sigrun glanced back to Xander once again, and sighed slightly. The jedi seemed to be losing his cool, and that in itself made him a dangerous opponent, for a beserk opponent was quite unpredictable.

Heh...reminds me of Kazar-Tiyon in his manner. he thought to himself with a slight smile while still looking at Xander. Son of a bitch gave me a damn good fight though...

He turned back to Kolte and looked to him. "I'm not sure what your friend is trying to achieve, but I suggest you stick with logic and rational mind thought, for emotion will lead you in disarray. Come...let us finish this fight once and for all."

He reached down and grasped Lanta firmly and drew it free of the cracked earth and brought it up to bear. Smiling he looked to Kolte and then redirected his eyes to rest upon Jason.

"Son of a flying hippo..." Sigrun cursed quietly, "what in Aria is that armor made of?"

Michiko snuggled in a little deeper into Valkai's arm. She turned her attention momentarily from the combat as a man charged to the edge of the divider between the seats and the arena. He seemed to be in the grip of great anger and was yelling something - she wasn't quite sure what he had said- to one of the combatants

"Some of the audience is becoming very partisan." She murmured to Valkai, as she turned her attention back to the trio in the arena

"Some of the audience is becoming very partisan."

Apparently, Valkai wasn't the only one listening. As Xander charged forward, Raijin stood and extended his arms before his chest, pulling them apart to a forty-five degree angle. The effect was instantaneous and profound. Projectiles still airborne crashed to the ground, and the ice shards underwent rapid melting. The laws of nature, which had been held in abeyance during the contest, had returned with a vengeance, and acted as if to make their presence retroactive to their suspension. The second, and more subtle effect, was that energy fields in the arena were disrupted greatly, including most forms of psionics and magic. While the paladin could maintain the field for only a few minutes before having to drop it or drain power from somewhere, he reasoned that a short duration would be sufficient.

"That will be quite enough of that," he said, to the disappointment of most of the crowd. "No more earthquakes, no more reflecting ice missiles every which way, and certainly no spectator interference in the fight itself." Almost instantly, the gallery began to shout out in protest, some astutely claiming that Raijin, a spectator, had interfered counter to his claim. The Commander listened for a few seconds to the cacophony before separating his arms a bit further. Sonic interference was yet another blessing to being a master telekinetic, and Raijin's ability was far beyond that of any other. He smiled before continuing. "Very well. In that case, I interfered, which would by default make me a contestant. Seeing as how I am the only one currently able to manifest powers, I suppose that would make me the victor." Now he laughed, loud and deep. Koro chuckled next to him as well.

"You're loving every second of this."

"Of course I do. Everybody should enjoy their job so much," Raijin retorted. "Sigrun of Tarlachia showed the more impressive skills, in my opinion, which is the one that currently counts, so he gets second place. Weapon tournament is next, and it happens in an hour. People need to stretch a bit, I'd imagine." With that, he released the various fields by dropping his arms to his sides, and the arena exploded into boisterous conversation.

Jason seeing the match was officially over, popped his face plate and went over to both Kolte and Sigrun and offered his hand. When he offered Sigrun his hand it was with visible reluctance but he did so none the less. As he headed off the field he thought, " Valk's going to chew my ear off when I send this back in this condition." Once in the competitors 'lounge' he began getting out of the armour.

Sigrun accepted Jason's hand firmly, bowing his head slightly. He did the same with Kolte as Jason departed quickly.Sigrun watched him for a moment before speaking audibly to Kolte. "A wonderful challenge. I must admit though, I would've like to see Jason come out of his 'shell' so to speak. He seemed to be holding back."

Sigrun turned to face Raijin, looking him in the eye for a brief moment.

Second? Hardly fair to declare one's own position without hiding behind the shields of others. Sigrun thought inwardly, keeping his thoughts private. He searched the crowds to finally locate Michiko, cuddling up in that ninja's lap. He bowed to her with a smile and a hand outstretched. There's the fight you wanted... he spoke telepathically to her with a chuckle.

He turned and departed the arena side by side with Kolte. "He's not getting away with that that easy..." he muttered aloud to himself.

Michiko watched with raised eyebrows as Raijin ended the fight in what was, in her opinion, the worst way possible. 'I hope there isn't a terrible backlash from this' she thought as she turned to Valkai to see his reaction. He knew the Kriovalians as she did not.

Then Sigrun bowed to her and she smiled and waved at him, thinking hard back at him, hopeiung he was reading her mind *That was a sight to see Sigrun! Now I see why Tarlachians speak so of you and the Star Trials. I'm glad I didn't take that shot.* Carefully she brought up the memory of the sight through the scope, the cross hairs of the hyper rifle centered on his left eye.


*******************************************

Perigrine was at Jason's side the moment he left the arena, and set about quietly assisting him in removing the armor

"He shouldn't have interfered. That was wrong." Her voice trailed off and she gently turned Jason around to look at her

"You fought well Jason."

Koro's and Raijin's heads were practically touching as they whispered rapidly back and forth, the occasional giggle punctuating the flurry of words. Finally, they returned to their seated positions. Seconds later, the Director stood and said simply, "Stop." To his surprise, most everybody did. "I'm afraid there's a bit of a problem," he said, trying not to laugh. "Unfortunately, the declared victor of the last competition never bothered to register. Therefore, I have no recourse but to disqualify Raijin Dekker from the competition. That would elevate Sigrun to first place, and both Jason and Kolte to second. However, Commander Raijin will still be presented with the 'most overly theatrical' award for his performance this afternoon. The prize will be given in a small ceremony including me, Lord Raijin, and...that's it. Any questions?"

"Yes," the paladin interjected. "I do have one. How will I know that my prize won't be revoked later?" he asked in mock seriousness.

"Well, I will simply have to make sure that what you're given isn't something easily...revocable."

"As the High Priest dictates, I suppose."

The ugly mood that had permeated the arena only moments ago lifted as if fog dispelled by the rising sun. Banter between soldiers was fun enough, but to listen to Commander and Director glibly hint at scandalous behavior that had already caused a certain amount of publicity generated a sea of flushed faces and a smattering of dirty joking and laughter. That they got to see Raijin shown up, however staged, by someone fourteen years his junior was icing on the cake. "See?" they would ask. "Isn't all powerful *now*, is he?" And Krioval could keep its paradoxical image of the invulnerable Commandership that could be brought to their level with a few well-placed sentences.

Of the three, Gelt was the most interested in Raijin's behaviour - and the response to it. He watched, quietly taking it all in...

The other two, meanwhile, got to tightening and tieing, waiting for the signal for the third part of this challenge.

"And afterwards, Gelt, we're going somewhere nice and quiet with a minimum of witnesses. And I'm putting my boot up your ass."
"Kinky." He grinned back, full jester. "Do I get to decide if the cream will be whipped or iced?"
"Bastard."

"Oh Koro did that perfectly" Michiko whispered to Valkai, and gently nuzzled his ear "Let me guess, you're not in the mood any longer." She teased with a cats grin, as one hand ruffled his raven hued hair.

"I suppose I could go for a walk and grab a bite to eat" She stood and streched, as many others were doing, then looked about to see if there were any food vendors available

"Well..." Akina said, replying to Christine while watching Xander having a fit. "Depends. I knew a few considerably nice ones, but this particular one is... Meh. And stereotyping can be refreshing. Although in some cases, it might not necessarily be stereotypes..." She hesitated. "But I'll trust the competency of your engineers. And seeing as the arena still stands, I guess I'm right in doing so." A giggle followed.

A bit of hesitation before she turns towards Krodan (Well, she's still sitting on his lap, her left arm wrapped around his neck). "Is that so? Interesting system you have... Not particularly strong on differing between legislative and executive processes, though. Well, that makes it a little faster." She chuckled. "Indeed, good that he's on your side... Would be bad if he switched it, no?"

She then followed the proceedings, finding them all... Mildly odd, though not really threatening. It was... Well, different from DA, where this kind of event wouldn't have been possible (Mainly due to a lack of people possessing such capacities).

And this wasn't even touching the impact the personality cult around Raijin made on Akina. Granted, DA wasn't without it (Given Sarah, but Akina didn't exactly know of her), but still... It striked her as odd. Not as particularly dangerous, though. The idea of such a personality cult existing without ending up in a theocracy... Fascinated her.

Yet, for now, she let this thoughts trail off, staying a little closer to Krodan (Well, sitting on his lap, leaning against him). "So... I happen to be mildly confused... What was next?"

"Thank you, it was an interesting match to say the least." Jason said as he finished getting out of the armour, "I really should have brought a Morgue box with me." Jason began trying to work out the stiffness from the last match.

Kolte was silent as he shook both Sigrun's and Jason's hands. He did enjoy the fight, indeed, some people probably thought by now that he had enjoyed it a little too much. Jason would be taught a lesson in honor and decency for that later. Then he remembered Xander's outburst. What had he said? Use his emotions? He had given in to those once and lost everything he held precious. Since then he had turned his back on them. What would happen if he were to let them out now? He dared to hope he would never find out. He glanced at Xander and saw the anger burning in his eyes. He always was a quick temper. He locked gazes with Xander and gave him an emotionless stare, hoping to calm him.

He exited the arena with Sigrun, and thought about his comment. "And what would you do to stop him?" Kolte inquired. The man who had stopped the fight was obviously a powerful one, not just in the physical but influential as well. "By the way, who was that? He seems to be someone very important."

"Morgue Box?" Perigine asked as she moved behind him and began giving him a massage. His muscles were still tense from the adrenal high of combat and she didn't want him to end up cramping. He still had the last bouts to go. Before he could answer she tapped one especially bad knot.

"Actually Jason, come over to the tables and let me do this right"

She urged him over to the nearest massage table.

"It's a medtool that's gotten the name Morgue Box, because if it can't fix you up, you belong in a morgue." Jason replied as he walked over to the table and laid down, "Thanks for the massage, Peri," Jason said with a smile.

"Most welcome, my mate" She kissed him on the nose before he rolled over to his stomach.

"You certainly don't need the box, a massage and a shower and you'll be out there kicking ass in the last bouts."

Strong hands began to expertly loosen muscles and enhance the blood flow to his back and shoulders. She'd inspected him closely when they'd first removed his armour, checking for signs of burns or severe bruiseing.

"I was worried about that emerald fire Sigrun threw. I don't know your armors capabilities, and I was afraid you might be injured by the heat." She spoke softly, not wanting others to hear how worried she'd been for him

"If it wasn't for the newer model marine armour I'd have been worrieder, as it was it pushed the coolent system to the max. Valk's going to kill me when I send him the armour. Also I think I'm up first in the melee match." Jason replied touched at Perigrine's concern.

He's afraid to give in to his feelings...he's smart. But the longer he holds them in, the stronger they become, and the stronger they become, the easier it will be to manipulate them...

He locked eyes with Kolte, and let him see the anger burning in his eyes. Kolte would not truly be set free until he faced the demons of his past, and to do that, he would need to be provoked. Xander planned on being the catalyst. He continued his staring contest with Kolte until the latter turned to leave the field, and the former let his thoughts drift back to the elf, Sirgun. He was one of the most powerful beings he had ever seen, but the Force was strong with Xander, and his skills with the blade were unmatched. He would face the elf, one way or another. Turning his back on the field, he clipped his saber to his belt, and levitated his way back up the stairs to his seat next to Akina and Krodan, floating a foot off the ground, his cloak billowing out behind him...

"Then only something very light to nibble on, and we'll get dinner afrerwards" Perigrine used a minute amount of sweet almond oil to soothe his skin as she continued the massage.

"And armor is for getting dinged up protecting the wearer, but I've never known an armoror who wasn't overly protective of 'their' suits" She agreed with a laugh

"What would you like. I noticed fresh fruit, yogurt, sandwiches and such laid out for the contestants"

"Perhaps a piece of fruit and a bit of yogurt would be best for now" As he was saying this he felt the oil, "That feels odd, nice but odd."

Sigrun did not hear the announcement of change of winnings from the leaders of Krioval as he was inside the locker room of the Arena. Sigrun looked to Kolte and nodded, "That would be Raijin, if I'm not mistaken. He's the head honcho around these parts. His power is strong, quite strong, I must say."

He thought back to Xander, whom Kolte had recently broken a staring contest with. "Who's the hothead you seemed to find ever so attractive?" he asked with a wicked grin. "Seems he wants to fight one of us. Or both..."

"That would be Master Xander. He was my Jedi master, and was one of the most prestigious members of the Megan Jedi council. He left the Order soon after I did, however, but I don't think his powers have diminished in the least. I don't know why he would want to fight me, and I'm not sure why he would be angry with you, and I know he would never have attacked in the middle of one of my fights. As for that Raijin fellow, I don't care who he is, he's quite rude intruding on our fight like that. Perhaps you did go a little overboard with the earthquake, but I must say it was a magnificent display of power."

Kolte continued to secretly hope to himself that no one would confront him about the whole arousal thing as he and Sigrun made their way to the 'locker room,' after all he was never truly aroused.

"Are you competing in the melee competition as well?" He asked Sigrun.

Sigrun had long ago noticed the descripancy in Kolte's clothing, but had respectfully shifted his eyes away. He had briefly wondered if Kolte had gotten excited as a result of the battle. A strange...attraction... he thought to himself.

"I won't seek a battle with your old master unless he provokes me into one. That is not my style. As for the melee combat, I will not be participating. The universal round was sufficient for me. I do not seek to hoard the win in every bit."

Sigrun paused to turn to Kolte, "However, I wish you the best of luck in that, if you are participating in it. You'll do well. Just...keep your defense carefully executed and you'll wear them out easily enough. Then, you strike."

He smiled and patted Kolte on the shoulder, "Excellent fight, once again, Jedi."

Pergrine applied a drop more of the body oil and explained stroking his back, shoulders and upper arms "Shouldn't give a massage with out an oil. Otherwise the skin chafes and sticks, negateing the heat and motion. With this this you feel every bit of the heat we are generating between us" She paused for a moment remembering heat from earlier that day then continued, her voice low, and oddly, a blush heating her cheeks. "That in turn eases the muscles, as the blood flow expands, and prevents cramps."

One finger tip drew a line down his spine, and she swatted him lightly on his towel covered ass.

"There you go, now go grab a shower while I get us some of the fruit and yogurt them"

"Hey," Jason protests at the swat, a big grin on his face as he heads to the showers. Once he finished the shower, he towelled off, and got dressed in weapons clothing, designed for melee combat. He then headed toward the buffet table.

"Yes, yes it was." He bid Sigrun farewell and decided to seek out his master during the break between fighting and see what had troubled him so. As he left the locker room and headed back up into the stadium, he reached out with the Force to try and locate him. He was soon answered with Xander's Force signature, and Kolte made his way through the corridor's and up stairs to emerge near the section where Xander was currently seated. He slid his way through the crowds and reached them in time to see Xander levitating next to Akina, who was seated in Krodan's lap (Kolte couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy), and Christine, who sat next to him.

"Master, what troubles you that you would interfere in my match?"

Xander's eyes were closed, but he knew it was Kolte who approached. He couldn't tell him that he had wanted to attack Sigrun because the attack had knocked him to his knees, so he instead said,

"The elf put innocent lives in danger with his attack, young one. Such a blatant display of disregard to the wellfare of those not involved in the contest constitutes a need for justice according the the codes of the Jedi, and I plan to confront him about it."

Xander couldn't mask the anger in his voice, but hopefully his words would hide it's true source.

"Tell me Kolte, do you use the 7th form of lightsaber combat? You could do it, and your skills with the blade may even eventually surpass my own..."

"So you would lash out at him in anger? Even Vaapal does not teach that, Master. Only to use your opponent's negative emotions against him. You have changed." Kolte looked at Xander very sternly. Suddenly he felt very apprehensive, out of place. Who was he to reprimand his own master? Well, former master, but that still didn't make it right. Even still it needed to be done. There was a definite change in Xander's demeanor since last they had been together. Perhaps in these 7 long years Xander had...no, that was absurd. Xander was strong in mind and spirit...that would never happen to him. He was not that susceptible to the false temptation of power...

"Kolte, I sense your apprehension. I suspect that you fear that I have turned to the Dark Side. I have not. I have only learned to trust my feelings, my emotions. There was a time when I was completely lost, young one, and my salvation was within myself. The Jedi Order's greatest weakness is it's denial of human emotion. To be angry is to be human Kolte, and denying it is to throw yourself into unbalance. If you learn to accept anger, you can learn to let it go. That is why Jedi are so succeptable to the Dark Side. They feel anger, and having been taught to deny that anger, fight it. They become unbalanced, and the Dark Side takes hold. My anger with the Jedi Council for your expulsion threw me into unbalance, and I fell into darkness. It was only when I learned to accept that anger that I was able to leave it behind. In time, I will learn to bring both light and darkness into balance, and then I will be free. My purpose here is to help you accept your anger, and leave it behind. Once you can do that, you can reclaim your life, and together we bring the chaos of the galaxy to order..."

If it was Gelt juggling scimitars on the sidelines, it would be typical.

If it was Alesha, it might be amusing.

Therassi juggling was simply terrifying for an entirely different set of reasons.

"Double scimitar, eh? I'd have figured you for a different set."
Therassi didn't even turn towards Gelt. "This is exercise. That... will be combat."

Valkai looked back at Michiko. Trouble? Not very likely. People saw him stop the quake. They saw him stop the fight. In another time and place, Raijin Dekker might have been one of those 'Jedi' I keep hearing about. Or a 'Sith', for that matter. So tough to tell with that one sometimes. Despite the earnest response, there was a hint of jollity at the end. Most in Krioval didn't worry about the Commander, except in the abstract fashion that one's leader was someone valuable - until that person was no longer one's leader. There was a certain awe and even fear when encountering the man for the first time, the ninja knew, but that was true of just about anyone displaying unusual power. He's probably one of the most democratic people in the whole country.

******************

"All I have to say is that this prize had better damn well be worth it," Raijin said to Koro, trying not to smile lest the effect be completely ruined.

"Right." While cloning an individual was by no means a guarantee that the original personality would be transferred, Koro had definitely inherited his progenitor's sarcasm. "Would the great Commander require a virgin sacrifice? If only one could find a virgin in this city."

"I prefer a bit of experience, personally. Say, maybe, early to mid-twenties?"

"Raijin Dekker, do you really want the whole of Krioval to know about...everything?"

"They don't already?" The comment was sufficient to elicit a stifled giggle from Adele, who had been listening to the subdued yet still audible conversation. That, in turn, earned twin glares from Commander and Director both, which set off a chain reaction of laughter that, after subsiding, left the original discussion behind.

"So..." Koro turned to Michiko and Valkai. "You two taking off for a little while or did you both decide to wait until evening?"

You two taking off for a little while or did you both decide to wait until evening?"

Michiko put on a downcast face for Koro "I think that Valkai has lost all interest in me. I just don't have the appeal of an arena full of big sweaty men all trying to kill one another" She mock moped with a wink to the young High Priest, not daring to look down at Valkai. Hearing a low growl and being swept up in his arms was too much to hope for.

"Kolte, I sense your apprehension. I suspect that you fear that I have turned to the Dark Side. I have not. I have only learned to trust my feelings, my emotions. There was a time when I was completely lost, young one, and my salvation was within myself. The Jedi Order's greatest weakness is it's denial of human emotion. To be angry is to be human Kolte, and denying it is to throw yourself into unbalance. If you learn to accept anger, you can learn to let it go. That is why Jedi are so succeptable to the Dark Side. They feel anger, and having been taught to deny that anger, fight it. They become unbalanced, and the Dark Side takes hold. My anger with the Jedi Council for your expulsion threw me into unbalance, and I fell into darkness. It was only when I learned to accept that anger that I was able to leave it behind. In time, I will learn to bring both light and darkness into balance, and then I will be free. My purpose here is to help you accept your anger, and leave it behind. Once you can do that, you can reclaim your life, and together we bring the chaos of the galaxy to order..."
Kolte continued his stern look. There was some truth to what Xander was saying, but Kolte had not turned his back on his emotions because of the Order, he in fact defied the Order and the Jedi Code by giving in to them. That was the worst mistake he had ever made, and it had cost him everything.

"Do you really believe that, Master? Do you really believe in what you are saying? Emotions are dangerous, especially the negative ones, they can only pollute your mind and cloud your judgement. To fight with them is to give in to weakness, a desperate fool's move. No, I do not need emotion to live, to survive. Now, if you'll excuse me, Master, I have another fight still yet, and I don't want to be late."

With that, Kolte bid farewell to Akina and company and made his way back down into the arena locker room in order to prepare for his next match.

Sigrun gathered what few belongings he had still in the locker room and carried them out. In his hand, he held Lanta in its sheath. He made his way into the stands to Michiko's side, giving a nod to the ninja as he sat down.

He looked over at Michiko, "Seems you two have gotten quite close lately. Quite all right."

He looked up at the ninja and spoke to him, "Treat her as she deserves to be treated, or you're going to find yourself in serious trouble, my friend."

He grinned, but his eyes were serious.

"Awww... I'm certain that emotions would be exceptionally helpful..." Especially with their kind. "Can't be a bad thing to experience something knew... Otherwise, one might wind up having left out something important."

Akina was almost cute in her... Lack of knowledge regarding the issues the likes of Kolte and Xander had to deal with. Indeed, she was quite unaware of the possibilities opening up, if this... Went on. Of course... Even if she had known about them, she would probably have said the same thing. Strength through conflict... It was a philosophy DA was at least semi-voluntarily embracing, always prefering to ask for what one wanted, rather than for what one is. Identity outside cold materialism? Pointless.

Valkai faced the elf. "Do I at least get a working definition?" he said dryly. "I'd hate to break 'the rules' and not know it beforehand."

Raijin also decided to jump into the conversation. "Sigrun of Tarlachia. I'm sorry to have had to interrupt your fight. Of course, even I have rules that need to be followed. If it has caused a breach of honor, there are ways that that too can be settled." Now it was obvious that he was referring to activities that didn't involve combat. "Feel free to ask Director Vartek over here about such things, if you would like."

"Men!" ExasperatedMichiko all but threw up her hands as she moved between the two, then leaned over to whisper in his ear

"Now Valkai are we going, or am I going to whip this pareao off, turn into a large falcon and go for a fly?"

She'd leave it to Sigrun to explain his intense, long standing relationship with the very possessive, very powerful, ancient vampiress Skadi.

"Now Valkai are we going, or am I going to whip this pareao off, turn into a large falcon and go for a fly?"

He responded, but made sure nobody was "listening" first. The last time you did that, we were both very nearly killed. I'd rather avoid that, especially if the alternative is...well...something more pleasant by half. Don't move. He never gave Michiko the opportunity before initiating the teleport. They were whisked away, back to that same hotel room where they had begun their flight two days earlier. He had extended the reservation knowing that they'd be returning, which was bound to catch the Empress off guard. The teleport was designed for the elf, on the other hand, who Valkai didn't exactly dislike, but to whom the ninja was intent on demonstrating his near-invulnerability to the other's threats. Once they arrived, Valkai regarded Michiko and said, simply, "Was there something you wanted?" while sitting on the edge of the very elegant bed.

Michiko looked around their destination with a delighted smile, pleased by Valkai's thoughtfulness. 'You are keeping up your reputation..' she thought wryly.

"Yes" She sat down next to him, then flopped back on to the luxurious coverlett. "I'd like to hear what you want"

She paused for a moment. "I think it's been a long time since anyone asked you that, and even longer since you've asked yourself"

"What do I want?" the ninja asked, almost shocked by the question. "In a word - peace." No further words followed, though in his mind, Valkai was reliving the past, specifically the death of his mentor. Nobody had ever determined the exact cause of his strange illness, and though foul play had been ruled out, answers had never satisfied. Abruptly, he stopped that train of thought and promptly embarked on another, that one stemming from the fact that he had a beautiful woman next to him in bed. "The past is over," he said to nobody in particular, and then awaited a response, whether from Michiko or the recesses of his own mind.

"Thats one of the bigger lies ever passed along. The past is in all of us and comes along for the ride... However you gave me a big vague non answer." Michiko shook her head in exasperation, reaching up and pulling him down next to her. She considered again...."No you didn't... not necessarily."

[i]She paused, hesitating then asked. "Do you want peace at the sacrifice of joy, of happiness?" She rolled over on her side, molding her body to his as she leant over and dropped a light kiss on his lips. She'd find out the answer later - or hopefullly they'd find out the answer together.

"Do you want peace at the sacrifice of joy, of happiness?"

When in doubt, evade the question. "Did you really want to spend the entire afternoon talking? Not that I mind, given that we have all night for...*other* things, but still..." The ninja looked at the woman on the bed with a strange mixture of desire and bemused detachment. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered how she thought of him. Telepathy could only tell a person so much, and her deepest thoughts were still barred to Valkai.

Meanwhile, back at the tournament:

"Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that it's time for the next competition, that being a context using hand-to-hand weapons. For this test, we have blocked the ability of unusual weapons, instead limiting their function to that of simpler constructs. No magical or metapsionic weapons for this fight!"

The announcement had finished as both Raijin and Koro realized the continued absence of both Michiko and Valkai. "Had the right idea," he muttered.

Then he noticed who was approaching the empty seats. "Anyone taken these?" the voice asked.

"So nice of you to join us, Kiv." If it was nice, Raijin's facial expression certainly disagreed.

"Lady Adele, to see you again..." Micah Andros began.

"Oh, Micah. It really is a pleasure." Her smile was wide even as her voice dropped to a whisper. "But if you fuck with this mess in any way, I'll rip your balls off." The smile never left her fact, and the tone was sufficiently sweet that anybody *not* Micah Andros would never believe that she had uttered the threat.

Beside Micah, Kiv attempted to make polite conversation - as much as he could do, given the situation. "You haven't called in a while."

"Well, Valak took a lot out of me, ya know?" It was the wrong response, and Raijin knew it was the wrong response, but it was definitely the nicest way to convey the information. Meanwhile, Koro sat, eyes unflinchingly facing forward and away from the conversation while his knuckles blanched from gripping the guardrail before him. The summer solstice. It wasn't called the longest day for nothing, and it was getting longer yet.

Hearing the announcement, Jason headed over to his locker and opened the door, "Which should I take for the first round, the gloves or the blades, I think the gloves would be fun." So saying he reached in and took out a pair of gloves that were rather oddly ridged in the hand part of the glove.

ooc: Congrats on the devils post.

"It is the general way of communicating with one another" Michiko looked at him with wide eyes, then swallowed, her eyes showing more than a little fear.

"Valkia when I said earlier I 'went away' for a couple of weeks the first time I was around any great number of poeple, I wasn't "alone in the big city for the first time" ...I was catatonic from all the voices in my head, till I figured out how to lock the door."

She shivered for a second then forced herself still "Valkai, I think we need to communicate, not just talk...but I don't know how to open that door, it's not the same as the telepathy I use in when I'm in Falcon form...can you, would you help me" She half stammered, but her eyes shown with trust

Sigrun looked about the stands around him, noticing that few had noticed the disappearance of the Empress and the ninja. He got up and walked from the stands, moving out of sight and toward a secluded hall. He knelt and ran his fingers through some water in a puddle, using it to create a transparant image that became symbols with each tracing of the fingers. Glancing around, he noted no one nearby.

The symbols were designed to be low-key teleport, outside of the Tournament grounds. He had written Michiko's codename he had assigned her, Blaze. It would directly open up within a few feet of Michiko, wherever she was. The teleport was tied into her essence, so effectively, she would have a difficult time of hiding from him.

He did it only for her safety though, for he favored the friendship and international relations between their two nations.

He tapped the wall three times with his knuckles, watching as the circular silver portal opened up quickly. He entered, and momentarily appeared in the hotel room where Michiko and the ninja were. He spied the ninja and spoke,

"You want to know the rules? Don't run when I'm about to tell you."

He looked over at the Empress and nodded to her with a smile. He could see she was slightly irritated by his sudden appearance. Yeah, it had been rather rude, but Sigrun still knew nothing about the ninja, and Michiko had become one of his close friends. He would stop at nothing to ensure his friends were safe.

"Oh, hell fire." Valkai looked upward with disdain. Speaking to nobody in particular, he continued, "VALIYOS, cancel alert status for unauthorized teleport to level five, sector four, subsector one."

Verifying. A few seconds passed. Verified. Cancel command affirmed by Dekker, Lord Commander Raijin. Security forces recalled.

"Interesting trick there," the ninja said, his face returning to its crafted neutrality. "Of course, it's a good thing that my Lady and I were engaging in a little 'mood conversation' first. If you were about five minutes later..." He smiled evilly. "In any case, I have agreed to marry Michiko Jones, so unless you intend to place more rules upon me than will she, an event whose outcome I hold in strongest of doubts, I fail to see why you have decided to appear here and now, unless of course your intent was to join in."

Michiko did the only thing any lady could do in the situation

"...more rules upon me than will she..." What rules on you? oh you are so far off base I ought to box your ears!

then

"...was to join in..."?!?!?! Ah hell no, she in no way could compare with Skadi, wasn't even going to go there, no way no how...MEN!!!!!!

She buried her face in her hands and bit her lip till it bled to hold in the laughter...or maybe it was tears of howling outrage

It was better than killing both of them

Well, that didn't go to well... Xander opened his eyes and said to Akina, "I bid you farewell for now. I have business to attend to..." He ceased to levitate, and walked down the stairs. He reached out with the Force, hoping to pinpoint where the elf Sigrun was, and felt what he thought had to be him. Eventually, he found himself in a secluded hallway. Sigrun was not here, but Xander thought that he would be back. Raising the hood of his cloak, he retreated into shadow, waiting for the elf to return. No matter what Kolte thought, he would confront Sigrun...

Sigrun chuckled at the comment of joining in. He took a glance over at Michiko, who was quite preoccupied with her own thoughts. Turning back to Valkai, he replied, "Joining in was not at all on my agenda. To tell you the truth, I don't know you, and because I don't know you, I still percieve you as a possible threat to Michiko's life. However, I trust her instincts as she is quite careful herself. Would you not do the same for Raijin?"

Somewhat... he added in silently to himself. He looked over at Michiko, "You know the guy all of what? Two days at best, and you want to marry him? Might you listen to the advice of a friend and douse your heels from the fire besieging them? Why are you suddenly so anxious to marry Valkai?"

"Because I feel safe and comfortable around him." Michiko practically snarled, as she sat bolt upright, her eyes blazing.

"He's kind enough to show a virtual stranger, some one who's been unkind to him at that, a place very special to him. I may have been sitting in his lap nude, but he in no way tried to take any sort of advantage of that. He's loyal and honest, and puts up with me being me."

"It's a damned lie that there is some mad passionate universe shakeing love waiting out there for every one. Hell most of us are lucky to find a few good friends, much less love."

"I know he doesn't love me, I'm pretty damn sure he's not 'in love' with me. But what I'd like to find out is if something could grow."

"And thank you for sticking your long elven nose in before I had a chance to tell him that while I asked him to marry me, he damn well doesn't have to say yes. That very wonderful sex doesn not mean he has to say yes. That my being 'in love' with him does NOT have to be reciprocated, or mean he has to say yes. That I probably should not have asked him to marry me - Tanara has a far ...looser out look on marriage than most cultures. We marry in single pairs least of all- If he comes to the Empire with me, he's going to have every one thinking that he is the nucelus of a good old fashioned group marriage....and dodging assassins. Along side me -because I just figured out something - Every one may have been thinking that Richard and I had Eternal Vows - it would explain a few things- and now I'm breaking those, and with an out- Empire stranger at that. So all the religious cultist are going to be after my hide. No, I'm no prize catch."

She finally ran out of breath, and looked at Sigrun through tear filled eyes, her chest heaving. Suddenly she began shaking, her anger spent, and doing her best to hold tightly to tattered dignity

"So if both of you could please leave now, I'd greatly appreciate it

Sigrun closed his eyes as Michiko delivered her rant, complete with erratic arm gestures. Once she was finished, he opened them once again to look carefully at her.

"If he does not love you," He looked over to Valkai, "then why does he agree to marry? That worries me Michiko, for it leads me to believe he might be trying to use you to a hidden agenda of his."

He allowed a moment of pause. "But before we get into that, I want to hear it from you Valkai the love she so hopes you have for her."

Upon Michiko's request they both leave, he replied sharply, "No. I will not leave. You have tried to run from those that shake the borders of your walls, or forced them away. We will get to the bottom of this, one way or another. The truth must be heard, my friend."

She could see Sigrun's stance on the matter was not going to be deterred. She knew fully well his loyalty to his friends, and would lay down his life for hers if necessary. Such was the mark of a true friend, one Sigrun made every effort to retain.

"Sigrun, please, I know he doesn't love me, don't ask him to lie just to please you. And as far as using me for some hidden agenda?"

Her laugh was soft and bitter "He's the only one that isn't tryng to use me" She knew that that was wrong and unfair - she had Race, Sigrun and a tiny handfull of other friends who in no way did but she was shamed and wanting to lash out.

She held up a hand at Sigrun's pained look, and shook her head, voice wearily apologetic "I'm sorry Sigrun, that was wrong of me. Valkai, I apologise to you, I was the one using you and that is intollerably wrong. Please, I rescind my offer of marriage"

She looked from Valkai to Sigrun, her face closed, eyes not meeting theirs. "Now, will both of you please go?"

"I'm sorry Sigrun, that was wrong of me. Valkai, I apologise to you, I was the one using you and that is intollerably wrong. Please, I rescind my offer of marriage"

"I see." The ninja's glare was unrelenting. "In that case, *Empress*, I leave you to your Fate. Besides, you know where to find me if you change your mind - unless, of course, I change mine."

He turned to Sigrun. "Is there anything you do that does not destroy?" He had an idea of the elf's past, and coupled with the day's earlier events, the remark was designed to be delivered with conversational lethality. "I see that you are an old being, but you simply demonstrate what I already know. The passing of time does not necessarily convey wisdom on the years." With that, Valkai uttered a brief command, and the teleport engaged. An instant later, he was gone.

Sigrun scowled as Valkai left, but not before leaving him with a biting comment. There was definitely many things he preserved, and not 'destroyed' as Valkai had insinuated. As for the wisdom he had spoken of, Sigrun took what he learned throughout his life to heart. It seemed that Valkai had yet to learn one more thing: Understanding that sometimes, an iron fist was necessary. There was a time for peaceful accord, and a time for agressive actions. Such was the way of the world. Turning to Michiko, he spoke with a warm voice.

"I'm sorry for that interruption. I only wish to ensure you are safe. Peregrine would not forgive me if something happened to you. Nor would I forgive myself. I hope, in time, you will see the value of my interruption and learn from it."

He turned to the door, opening it but stopping before he left fully. "He did not love you, I saw it in his eyes."

The door closed softly behind him, and he went across the hall to lean against the wall. He was going to give her the personal time she had requested, but now that he was not required elsewhere, he would wait until she had cried her tears and thought the situation over.

Perigrine had assissted Jason with doning his armor for the next bout, and had followed him over to the locker. Now she inspected the gloves, tracing the ridges with her fingers

"So up close and personal" She asked with a wicked grin


*******************************************

Michiko didn't cry, she was too numb. She sat huddled in upon herself for a long time. She didn't believe in grand passionate love, it was not something that would come her way, but her modest hopes of something warm and sweet, a partnership that could grow, had been crushed as well.

Slowly she stood, and slipped on her shoes, her voice lifeless.

"VALIYOS, AI, please I know this is irregular, but please could you teleport me up to the space station. I think I need to go back to Midgard."

She pulled out the electronic pass Koro had given her the day before and held it out so the sensors could read the information encoded with in.

"Ya, I was debating between these and the blades, if/when I get in the next match I will be using the blades. It's a good thing these are the practice style as with the combat style, you can punch a hole though someone." Jason replied "If you were in the melee match, what weapon or weapons would you be using?"

Sigrun heard Michiko's whispered voice, even from the distance and behind the closed door. Such was the gift of his hearing. She was calling for a teleport to the space station. He closed his eyes and sighed, I hope you truly understand soon...

With that, he turned away and began to walk down the hall and back out into the city. He was silent, even absent of the songs that floated on his thoughts on a regular basis. He found himself standing before the entrance of a garden of sorts, smack in the hustle and bustle of this fine city. Striding in slowly, he wove his way deeper into the garden and sat down upon the grass, closing his eyes as he meditated. The smell of the nature around him soothed his thoughts, but did not dispel them easily. There were also too many sounds of the city floating to his ears.

It was a moment in which he wished his hearing wasn't so good, so he could gain peace in his soul once again.

Perigrine considered whom he was paired against, the Vastivan woman who'd ignored her earlier. "She's fast, and strong, but tends to be perhaps too direct. I'd close with her, but I don't know if I'd recommend a male doing so. I think she might like hurt them too much."

She knew this was just a match, but something about the woman bothered her, and she could not quite say why. In her culture out and out fights between women were very rare, but when they did happen they were viscious and almost always to the death. One tended to take insults to ones genetics seriously.

"Ah, I should be able to handle it, I do very well with both these and the blades." Jason replied "Also, these enable me to use unarmed fighting styles to a much greater extent that with most weapons."

Valkai returned to his monastic cell, cursing inwardly as he arrived. Then an evil thought bubbled to the surface of his mind. Normally, he'd have been above such things, but the elf had pissed him off. "VALIYOS, I need to speak to Raijin. Quietly."

If a machine intelligence could sigh, VALIYOS did so. Connecting.

Valkai! What in the seventy-five hells do *you* want?

Michiko Jones, Empress of Tanara, is unguarded.

And how did that happen?

She ordered me to leave.

Raijin's "voice" headed toward exasperation. And how did *that* happen?

Sigrun of Tarlachia.

It would have to be, wouldn't it? What is it you want?

She'll try to leave. Block her teleports and assign her a guard until she calms down.

Let me guess. You want to be 'the guard'.

Of course not! How contrived would *that* look?

The Commander paused. Very. Consider this a tremendously large favor.

Like you do any other kinds.

Point. Turning his attention to the AI, Raijin simply said, Cancel level three access for Michiko Sirocco Jones and set to level zero. Send two plainclothes officers to her safeguard her.

***************

"VALIYOS, AI, please I know this is irregular, but please could you teleport me up to the space station. I think I need to go back to Midgard."

The response was delayed, as if the AI was trying to compose its thoughts before answering. My apologies, Lady Michiko Jones, but of concerns for your safety, your request cannot at this time be honored. The tone was almost rueful, but decisive. No teleport.

"Every one is so fucking concerned about my safety..they can take it and shove it."

Michiko wanted nothing more than escape, to find some place to hide and let her wounded heart mend. That someone she thought was a friend had betrayed her so. That some one she thought that maybe, just maybe, she might come to share a life with had no interest in even trying. 'I know he doesn't love me, but he seemed willing to give 'us' a chance, but I guess'... she pulled her thoughts away from that. Carefully she laid the pass down, with it deactivated it was not something important any longer. Toesing off her shoes she opened the widow and looked out. Taking off the pareao she rolled it into as tight a bundle as possible.


Then with a sweep of her arms, she used the only 'specialness' she had, and a large falcon pumped her wings to gain height before swooping in to grab the fabric bundles carefully in her talons. Then she was out the window and away, a mournful cry trailing behind her.

She'd head out of the capitol and once it came night use the stars to navigate by. It'd take awhile but she could get to Cats Keep, if she could make it across the oceans width before tiring.

Sigrun heard the cry of the falcon from within the garden and turned his head slightly to spy the falcon high in the skies.

"And now you're running. Again."

He shook his head slightly. He wondered where she was going. Hadn't she been calling for a teleport?

Another thought returned to the fore of his mind as she watched her fade away into the distance. Perhaps it was time for him to leave Krioval. He was beginning to feel his welcome was being worn out.

She flies.

And you're surprised?

Do something!

Like what? Ground her in a hurricane? It is her choice to make, and her Fate to seal. Leave her to it. I will interfere no further. I have other things to deal with, Valkai of Andretara, than your problems.

And what of the elf?

The other thought pattern became harsh and dissonant. Which part of 'I have other things to deal with' was misunderstood. You are fully ten years older than am I, and the law still applies to us both. I will not take up against a guest of Krioval simply because he ruined your love life. I promised the woman's son that I would see to her safety. I am most displeased at this outcome, because you have possibly made a liar of me. Allow me to quote from an old proverb. 'You summon it, you banish it. Don't be calling the High Priest at two in the morning because you finally called forth a Great Spirit and can't send it away.' I'm not asking you to deal with my love life. You deal with yours.

The communication terminated abruptly, and Valkai was left pondering exactly how much crosstalk had taken place between the fighter with whom he had just been arguing and his former master. The two sounded oddly alike in their own way.

'you have purely lost it.' 'I was told I had a long time ago, so thats nothing new' 'If he had any inclination at all he would have told Sigrun to stuff it and stayed.' 'And you had to go all noble' 'But' 'Don't but, he was evadeing and avoiding' 'Hey it's not like I don't have baggage.' 'Lets not go there' 'Then lets go to the monastary and tell Valkai just what you think of him' 'I was trying to do that when Sigrun buttinski showed up.' 'Bitchslap him later' 'Right, Valkai first'

Arguing with herself always helped focus her thoughts, and the falcon spun on a wing tip and was soon close enough to Andretara to begin looking for a tree limb to perch on. Once Michiko had found one suitable she alit, let the paraeo fall, and settled her feathers. Then her telepathy arrowed out to one mind, and one mind only.

*Valkai get your cowardly, non communicative ass out here, or I will come in and find you*

*Valkai get your cowardly, non communicative ass out here, or I will come in and find you*

The ninja involuntarily looked skyward despite being enclosed on all sides by walls. Several nasty responses begged for release from his subconscious, but Valkai was stronger than that; not even a strong telepath would register those thoughts. Sometimes being uncommunicative has its virtues, he settled for. It means not saying exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time. Besides, I was raised to respect the wishes of others. No means no, and go means go. In any case, my ass, and the rest of me, are staying right here. With "right here", an image of how one might get "right here" was sent. Almost with mirth, his closing words flowed over the link. Your turn. Then there was silence.

Your turn.

Michiko took a second to wonder just what woman had done to deserve man. It must have been something truly universe rattling. 'or maybe it was several somethings, but you know I can't quite think of what qualifies'...'This time I am going to get listened to not just noded politely at...now where to find a two by four?...that is the proper tool to get a mule to pay attention to one with, isn't it?' She thought furiously as she landed and changed, whirling the pareao about her. The monks didn't need more upset than necessary.

Then she was charging into the building, following the 'map' Valaki had given her. It didn't take her that long to reach his cell. The door slammed shut behind her as the paraeo dropped to the floor

"I'm willing to 'bare it all'. Are you?" She challenged the Kriovalian ninja

"Bye." was pretty much all Akina answered as Xander left. "Have fun with... Whatever you're doing. I'm sure it will be great!"

Faked excitement. For the moment, boredom reigned.

Well, for her, anyway. Krodan was most likely... Less... Bored. Courtesy of her, naturally.

She eventually managed to buy an ice, and, consuming it, watched the people around her. "Must be half time..."

"I'm willing to 'bare it all'. Are you?" She challenged the Kriovalian ninja

"Either you want to have the 'deep relationship talk' or you have a very unusual way of propositioning a man. In any case, I think I'll remain clothed for the time being. Now. What is it you want to know?"

Michiko had never backed down from a fight, not when she thought the cause was just. However she was not so confident that she didn't need a little extra armor. With a graceful swoop she reached down grabbed the lenght of silk and wrapped it about her.

"What would I like to know.... Did you even bother to listen to what I said to Sigrun?...No lets start with something very profound. Why did you say yes - or lets be very speciffic, as I am very worn with beating round the bush- you did not say yes, but you did say that you had agreed to marry me. WHY?"

At last, Sigrun felt his heart grow to some ease, and so he stood and slowly walked toward the garden's exit. At the threshold, he paused to glance back into the garden. It seemed his presence there had increased the garden's attractiveness. There were birds now there, singing in the branches of the trees.

Ironic...a warrior I am, and the birds sing...

He departed, deciding to return to the Arena. At least there would be some entertainment to watch, even though the tournament was almost over. He entered through a side entrance and began to make his way toward the seats opposite of where Raijin and the others were. He wanted his solitude to work through his thoughts. At least at that distance, he would have a better ability to keep his thoughts to himself.

OOC: *singsong voice* "Here Jedi, Jedi Jedi that wants to kill me!"

"What would I like to know.... Did you even bother to listen to what I said to Sigrun?...No lets start with something very profound. Why did you say yes - or lets be very speciffic, as I am very worn with beating round the bush- you did not say yes, but you did say that you had agreed to marry me. WHY?"

"Why did I agree? Whyever not? As much as I'd like to be able to say that I'm madly in love, we both know better. Further, love isn't the sort of thing that just shows up three seconds after you meet a person. Certainly, a person can be horny, but that's hardly a foundation for a marriage. Frankly, you had cause to find us compatible, and I agreed with you. You knew I wasn't the type to fall head-over-heels in love, and that I didn't believe in such things, and yet you asked me anyway. Either compatibility is or isn't enough. But it's my turn now.

"Why did you ask me to marry you in the first place, and why did you feel it was necessary to retract your proposal in the presence of your...friend?"

Michiko closed her eyes and counted to ten

"Valkai, I know you don't love me, and I seriously doubt that you are 'in love' with me either - I said that to Sigrun, with you right next to me at least twice."

She sighed and settled herself on his bed in a full lotus position. "I do believe in 'head over heels in love' - I've seen it happen to enough people, and I've even see the rare 'truly, madly, deeply'...'In Love' doesn't always last, but that doesn't make it wrong, and it can grow and become full fledged love...I asked you to marry me because I thought it might give us a frame work, a support if you will, to see if something could grow between us."

"Yes, sex is wonderful, sex is great, it can raise one to heights unimagined...but sex is not the be all and end all between two people, or three or four or more. Sex is icing, its not the foundation."

She looked at him with a small smile, she with two whole lovers in her life, and he being one

"I was using you, or I feel I was....Look around you Valkai...I'm not blind or oblivious...you danced around the questions earlier...Do you have a life out side your role as Slasher? Outside of an all but monastic order? How long has it been since you've even thought of what would make you happy, or fulfilled..What has made you run and hide, or have you never known anything but?"

Her voice was gentle, but as pitiless as the sun

Xander felt Sigrun's presense, but he was on the other side of the arena. Without a second's hesitation, he broke into a Force-Run, moving so fast that he would be but a blur to any untrained eye. He hoped that he could catch up to him before he got to his seat. Rounding a corner he saw the elf about to leave the hall. Stopping abruptly, he called out,

"Sigrun of Tarlachia! I want a word with you!"

It was a voice that spoke with the coldness of the bitterest winters and spoke of death. Here, evil hearts had found him. They always did. Even when he did not wish it, they cared not. It seemed to be his fate, that he, once of the darkened world of the unspeakables, would be plagued by the darker souls that roamed. Even his death at the end of his vampiric life had not severed that fate from the core of his soul. Sigrun came to a halt, his back to Xander as he lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"I do not seek a fight with you. Leave me in peace." he spoke softly, the Arena ahead of him, Xander behind him at the end of the entry. Sigrun listened to the Jedi's breathing, and noted that it was shallow, fast. The breath of one enraged. The man's heartbeat thumped in rhythm with his breathing. Sighing once again he turned slowly and faced Xander.

"Like many others, you will not leave me in peace until you have spoken your piece. Therefore, speak!"

Kolte listened as the announcer introduced the combatants for the melee rounds. With many of the same names being in the list, it was getting a little redundant. He looked around, observing the many other fighters that were preparing for their bouts, among them Jason and his friend, but saw no sign of his opponent. Of course, he had no idea who his opponent was or what he/she looked like, only that his/her name was Kaia. Nevertheless, he entered the arena for the third time that day. The sun shown brightly, seemingly illuminating his red hair as it beared down on the stadium. He took his place at one side of the circle, waiting for his opponent to show. After several minutes the crowd began to grow restless, and Kolte as well. He closed his eyes and entered a light trance, and suddenly felt a surge in the Force. He concentrated on that disturbance and discovered that it originated from Xander. What are you up to?, Kolte thought. He felt Xander's signature closing on what was unmistakebly the arcanic power of Sigrun. No, what is he doing? He's going to get himself killed!

"You do not seek a fight with me, yet I seek a fight with you. An honorable one. No powers, only swordmanship. Your sword has already proved it can withstand the strike of a lightsaber. You defeated my former apprentice, and I sense that your strength is greater than you have shown. I have searched the universe for someone who's skills with the blade rival my own. I think that I have found that person. Face me in combat, Sigrun. I know that your strength is great, it has to be for you to defeat Kolte...."

Xander's voice trailed off, and a shadow seemed to pass over his face. Yessss, I can feel the anger flowing through me...gives me focus....makes me stronger... His breathing slowed, and he seemed a new person as he spoke again.

"I guess that I have to prove to myself that I didn't completely fail my student..."

With these words he threw his cloak aside and awaited Sigrun's response...

If it was possible for the air to drop in temperature as rapidly as it seemed, it would have been because of the underlying nature of Sigrun. That beast that had once been so dominant, the beast hardly released these days. His eyes twitched for a moment, the ancient within clawing and gnawing at the cage of his serenity.

"Your student was never failed. He has done well. You have done well in his training. Now, I warn you with pity for your life, that you do not seek battle. An honorable battle, you claim it would be. No...that is not honor, but self-pity on your part. If you want honor, you will seek your student and challenge him instead. Only then will you know you have suceeded in his training."

He paused to let that sink in before continuing, "Now go. Leave me in peace!"

Xander felt the hatred in his heart burst outward, spreading through his being like a cancer. Random thoughts bloomed and died in his mind, and the pain of it put the former Jedi on his knees, screaming,

"It hurts....can't....control it..."

Suddenly, his screams gave way to barely audible laughter, and his very appearence began to alter. His brown eyes turned a sickly yellow and seemed to bulge from their sockets as the bottom lids began to droop. Even his skin seemed affected, looking several shades lighter than it had appeared earlier. The cloak that he had thrown aside flew through the air and drapped itself over Xander's shaking shoulders as he was lifted from his knees in what seemed to be levitation. After a few seconds of this, his feet touched down again, and he pulled his hood up over his head so that only his left eye and a small sliver of his face was visible.

"You speak the truth, Sigrun of Tarlachia. You have opened my mind to what I alone could not see, and for that you have my eternal thanks. Kolte has one final lesson to learn, and to learn it, he must face me in combat. I have been to afraid to confront him before now...but the time has come."

Xander pulled his cloak aside and telekinetically pulled his lightsaber from its place on his belt. Igniting it as soon as it found his hand, he whirled it in the formal salute he had been taught so many years ago. Nodding his head in thanks, he extinguished the blade and replaced it on his belt. He turned, and without moving his feet, moved into the shadows of the hallway, and was gone...

Sigrun let out a breath of relief as Xander departed. He sighed as he thought about the Jedi giving into his darker nature. He remembered that sort of thing happening when he had first become a vampire long ago. He had killed ruthlessly and hardly with any discretion.

As Xander left he whispered, "May you see the light again one day and return from the shadows of the dark."

He turned and departed the halls and found his seat in the Arena.

"I was using you, or I feel I was....Look around you Valkai...I'm not blind or oblivious...you danced around the questions earlier...Do you have a life out side your role as Slasher? Outside of an all but monastic order? How long has it been since you've even thought of what would make you happy, or fulfilled..What has made you run and hide, or have you never known anything but?"

"Why is it that the life I've been living would be unfulfilling? Why would you say I 'run and hide'? In fact, why all the assumptions in the first place?" His voice was steady, but he couldn't stem the slight disdain that entered it. "So you would require my life story for dissection? So be it."

He sat on a small wood-backed chair. "My name is Valkai Rokos, at least now. My original name is lost to the years. I was born the twenty-ninth of December, nineteen fifty-nine. My father was killed in a traffic accident in the spring of nineteen seventy-one. My mother met up with Sefaro five years later, when disease came with the autumn rains. I joined the order shortly thereafter. Sylvan the Builder, the last king of Krioval, died two years after my mother, and the Interregnum began. Somewhere in the tension between Varik's scientists, Adele's royalists, and Branok's Christian zealots, a boy was brought to the monastery. I've been watching over him, and by extension, Krioval, ever since." He paused before continuing.

"Valkai the Elder, as we call him now, wasn't that much older - only four years more than me. He was very vocal and very popular, which of course made him almost a pariah in the walls of this monastery. He also made no attempt to hide his attraction to men, which was almost unheard of during the eighties; the admission, I refer to, anyway. Thanks to the GenMod Program of the same decade, the incidence of such attractions nearly tripled. We joke today about the Gods having their revenge on the hypocritical morals of the ruling parties then. In any case, the elder Valkai and Raijin Dekker had one another on the kid's eighteenth birthday, exactly as the once-princeling had planned since his arrival. Caused a huge scandal in Andretara, as it turned out, and got Raijin booted from the order, though not before Valkai the Elder could name the kid a 'Slasher' in his own right. And blah blah blah, one became Commander of Krioval and picked out his own 'apprentice' fourteen years his junior, and the other, of course, is dead. But enough about Raijin, and a bit more about me.

"I trained with the elder Valkai for just about two decades, though I had earned my title within eight. He was actually pretty unsettling a person to be around - as it turned out, he was among Krioval's strongest precognitives, and had absolutely no problems telling another his or her future without being asked first. On his deathbed, he revealed a number of things that most precogs would have kept secret. He told Raijin to 'embrace the destiny with which you were born' and told Micah that 'for his intransigence, the Andros family would forever be close to power without ever having it as it once did'. Do you know what he told me? 'You will meet the love of your life hours after she kisses a much, much older man'. So it logically follows..." Despite the seriousness of his earlier monologue, the ninja grinned impishly at Michiko.

Michiko listen intently, to Valkai's revelations of his past. When he came to the last - his mentors deathbed prgnostiations -her eyes went wide and the blush that heated her cheeks swept over her whole body

'I don't suppose that any of them have proven to be amiss?" She asked in a very small voice

"I most humbly apologise Valkai. I made horribly unfounded assumptions. I'm not very good at interpreting the feeling I get off of people...and I made the proverbial 'ass' of myself" She blushed again. Slowly she stood and came to kneel before where Valkai sat

"Before Sigrun interupted, I asked you into my mind" A faint tremor ran over her, but her golden brown eyes held the same trust as they had earlier "That offer still stands"

'I don't suppose that any of them have proven to be amiss?"

The impish grin grew perceptibly. "Raijin was a prince, and barred from ruling. Yet...he sits as Commander. The Andros house has always been right beside the ruling family, but never directly in power, and they often get sidestepped later in life. Like poor Kiv. The sins of the family, I suppose. But none have failed."

"I most humbly apologise Valkai. I made horribly unfounded assumptions. I'm not very good at interpreting the feeling I get off of people...and I made the proverbial 'ass' of myself"

"But a very nice ass, I must admit. Besides, I've done worse."

"Before Sigrun interupted, I asked you into my mind" A faint tremor ran over her, but her golden brown eyes held the same trust as they had earlier "That offer still stands"

Valkai looked at her critically. "If you've got something to tell me, then tell me. I'm not rummaging through your mind for your past." He paused. "If it's important, go ahead and talk about it. Otherwise, we could do something other than *talk*."

Alesha had chosen the strange combination of axe and hammer for this part of the competition - her lithe body was decidedly undwarven, and not the slightest trace of beard graced her face.

Still, she placed additional, smaller hammers at her belt, along with two brace of throwing knives seated about her person.

She also approached the arena floor whistling, uncharacteristicly happy...

Perhaps the source of Alesha's joy could be found in the persons of Therassi or Gelt. Both had also chosen the strange combination, though Gelt favored the more omnidirectional mace over a hammer. He wore his sword at his back, and a knife on either leg.

Therassi, on the other hand, wore his double swords in their customary place. He swung the two heavy weapons with ease.

"You do know, this is going to hurt you significantly more then it will me?" He grinned.
"You have to catch me first."
"True. But we have this entire arena to run around in, do we not?"
Gelt gulped. "As you will."


High above, Shu'aa na-Daanish Mash'al waited for his son to get back from the concession stand. "Have you placed the bets?"
"Ah, but of course. There was no great need to worry."
"True, but you have forgotten the refreshments."
"Ah, decidedly untrue. They are being seen to even as we speak - though of greater mass then one man could carry."
"Oh! Goody goody!" He clapped his hands together to the amusement of the gathered models about him. "Then we shall all have much to partake in. Perhaps later you will tell us of your latest victory?"
"Perhaps. But it was nothing." He smiled at the blonde on his arm. "A little something, a tiny and quick decisiveness, nothing worth telling, hardly worth the memory."

The light in Michiko's eyes died. Tanara was only recently discovering their psionic abilities with the aid of their ally Cats Keep. She was of the understanding that asking some one into one's innermost thoughts and privacies was something...uncommon and intimate.

Once again she'd made an ass of herself. The time for that was over

She'd shown enough of her recent hurts, and she would not allow this latest casually delivered insult to show. Pride stiffened her spine and drew her errect, keeping her face carefully composed and her voice distantly polite

"No, Valkai, thank you for the offer though. I shall certainly have to thank Raijin for assigning me such a generous protector. May you find that lady some day, and share much joy."

She turned and was out the door on silent feet, her head held high.

"No, Valkai, thank you for the offer though. I shall certainly have to thank Raijin for assigning me such a generous protector. May you find that lady some day, and share much joy."

"What in the seventy-five hells?! You *want* your mind read?" His voice dropped off to a half-whisper. "I really don't understand...much of anything." Its register dropped further, to a muttering that only Valkai could hear. "Well, Master, Great Ones, I've screwed up again. Maybe you have too."

Jason, hearing them calling for him, did a quick double-check of the fastenings on the gloves before heading out to the arena. As he walked he flicked his wrists, causing the important parts of the gloves to settle into place. Once at the arena, he walked over to Alesha and offered his gloved hand, "Good luck in the match."

Jason, hearing them calling for him, did a quick double-check of the fastenings on the gloves before heading out to the arena. As he walked he flicked his wrists, causing the important parts of the gloves to settle into place. Once at the arena, he walked over to Alesha and offered his gloved hand, "Good luck in the match."

She took it in warriors grip. "Good luck to you as well. And if by some chance you catch little brother again... " She spared a glance at Gelt "Do be a good boy and beat the crap out of him properly."

With that, she released, picked up the double-bitted axe, and walked carefully to the edge of the chalk circle.
"I don't believe in circles for this. Do you?"

"It doesn't matter to me if we use circle rules or not. I'll make sure to keep your request in mind if I come up against him." Jason replied as he stepped back and waited to see what Alesha would do.

Perigrine watched from the same spot she had earlier. She had every confidence in Jason, he had proven himself earlier. She noticed that Michiko was not in her seats. She grinned, the couple must have left for more enjoyable pursuits that sitting in the hot sun

She wondered if Jason would feel like going for a swim afterwards, though they'd have to rent another beach. That, some aptly named 'afternoon delight' - her grin widened contemplateing that- a nice relaxed dinner, and perhaps a bar brawl or two would make for a wonderful day.

"You are the center of the wheel" She spoke softly, knowing that Jason couldn't hear her but wishing him well in the words of the Karasu

Even as Alesha and Jason entered the arena Kolte strode out, nodding to Jason as he passed by. He hoped that he would face Jason in the next round. He had a little score to settle...there it was, that feeling of revenge...that emotion...Kolte cleared his mind and shook his head for the aesthetic effect. He still could not figure out why these emotions that he had kept locked up for so long were just now resurfacing, and so easily at that! Worse still he could no longer feel Xander's presence within the Force. He had felt a stir of rage and anger and then...nothing. It was like he had dropped off the face of the universe.

After he retrieved his cloak from the locker room, he decided to head back up to the seats where Akina was seated to watch the fights from a different perspective and hopefully speak with Xander. Instead of wandering the corridors and ascending countless flights of stairs, he called upon the Force to levitate himself up to the right level, cloak billowing out behind him, and landed softly in front of Akina and Krodan. He looked directly at them.

"Have you seen Master Xander? I know he is here somewhere, and I think he's going to try and start something with the elf. Something he's not capable of surviving."

Xander found himself at the end of a corridor that led to the highest level of seating possible. The direction of the sun threw the corridor into shadow, concealing him from view while giving him exceptional visibility of the arena. He felt Kolte probing the Force for him, and laughed silently to himself. He looked across the arena and found that his eyesight had been strangely heightened, and used it to locate Akina. He saw with some amusement that Kolte was levitating his way toward the group, presumably looking for him.

If Kolte is to achieve his full potential, he must surrender to himself...he must learn to trust his feelings...they give him focus...make him stronger...yet...he is afraid of them...he blames himself for his loss...perhaps...if I reveal to him...the true nature...of her death...he will be...free...

Alesha gave plenty of warning in her first attack - a thrust with the spike on the top of the axe, followed by a sweep then a hammer sweep. Easy enough to evade - but it did begin things.

Her follow up was textbook - the weapons moved of their own accord, swinging in patterns of strikes that followed kata and predictability...

Jason avoided both the thrust of the axe as well as the slash and smash of the axe and hammer attack, as he dodged the third strike he asked, "So what are your weapons made of, as well as any body protection?"

Her attack - patterned, following it's own music - didn't pause.

"What a strange... HYAH... question..." She followed Jason's block with a savage kick at his knee - which he was forced to step back from - and a stab upwards, almost still tilting at practice dummies.

"Armor's CAVEX-8.... mostly..." another pattern of blows, all near misses - but lethal had any impacted, "with some areas... polar bear leathers... and Vembrolyte... "

She finished with a flury of feints and one stab which missed before stepping back, still on guard. "And you?"

Michiko retraced her steps and was soon back at the tree she'd perched in earlier. She once again rolled the bright silk into a carryable roll and was soon aloft.

*Perigrine, I am sorry to call you away from your friend, but I need you back at the hotel. My Kriovalian arrangement is at an end, and your services as my bodyguard are require. Do not worry we will be going back to the arena.*

Perigrine frowned. Michiko had seemed so happy earlier. The tall Nietzschean found a pad of paper and borrowed a pen and hastily scribed a note Jason, explaining that she was needed and would return soon. Then she hastened to the Hotel D'Or, arriving about the same time as Michiko.

"Ven-Cak fiber." Jason replied as he launched his first attack of the match, as he moved forward he grabbed the head of the hammer and the top of the shaft of the axe, and launched a kick at Alesha upper thigh.

Valkai had always wondered how the wandering fighters of older times got the impulse to leave civilization, and now he knew. He packed light, and yet selected all the important items. He had money enough to buy what he'd need at his destination - a small home and some furnishings. He thought to himself on where he should go. Crysalia. The newly settled planet. There would be peace there, and not a moment too soon. My apologies, Master, but I have failed to do what I set out to do. Best to go before more damage is done. The spirit of Valkai the Elder didn't seem to have an opinion on the decision. The younger of that name dashed off several letters and rang for a delivery boy. In the meantime, he navigated the Kriovalian networks until he found his employment records. A few well-placed taps on the screen terminated his membership in the monastic order, the Kriovalian security forces, and in Raijin's personal guard. The last had been a special favor conferred on few, but even that was now insufficient to keep Valkai in Torokara. I have no past now. Few people actually knew the ninja as "Valkai", and really, if Micah or Raijin wanted to come looking, they'd find him...eventually.

The courier arrived and took the letters, accepting them plus a few additional slips of paper - he'd been hoping to buy his girlfriend a present for her birthday, and was grateful for the ninja's benevolence. As he left, Valkai surveyed the room quickly. Nothing left here that's mine. Onward. He left Andretara shortly thereafter, opting for the shuttle to Telekar and the space elevator to orbit. A standard hyperdrive ship would depart for the planet Crysalia before the afternoon was through, and would convey him there in four days' time.

"Ven-Cak fiber." Jason replied as he launched his first attack of the match, as he moved forward he grabbed the head of the hammer and the top of the shaft of the axe, and launched a kick at Alesha upper thigh.

Alesha drew away from the kick, drawing the axe with her - and teaching Jason that the spike ontop was not the best place to grab, given it's carbon-glass sharpness. The edge left a crease in his glove as she gained space, twisting the hammer from his grasp as she went.

"Naughty, naughty... not nice trying to play with someone else's toys..."

"But other people tend to have the most interesting toys." Jason replied he then moved in and threw a one-two punch combination, aimed at the torso rather than the face.

The head of the hammer blocked the first; the second she moved away from, still backing in a circle.

"You know, if you're just going to use hands, this isn't quite a melee..."

"Just feeling you out before I bring out my weapons." Jason replied as he flexed a muscle group in his wrists. This caused the ridged plates in the gloves to extend to thier full length, revealing both inch long ridges covering the knuckles as well as a spike off the thumbside. "Shall we continue?"

"Just feeling you out before I bring out my weapons." Jason replied as he flexed a muscle group in his wrists. This caused the ridged plates in the gloves to extend to thier full length, revealing both inch long ridges covering the knuckles as well as a spike off the thumbside. "Shall we continue?"

"Ooooh, cestus. Haven't seen those in ages. Wondered why you didn't break your hand..." the axe whistles for his head, the hammer for his ankles.

"Not quite cestus, but along the same idea." Jason replied As he brought one hand up to grab the top of the axe shaft* while jumping horizontal to smash his feet into her gut. As he fell, he held onto the axe forcing Alesha to either let go or be pulled forward.

ooc: place where shaft and blade meet, under the blade.

OOC: Next grab, your going to lose a limb as you're assuming you have the dexterity to do this move and she's not going to amputate something when you try.

IC: Alesha let the axe go and rolled - whipping the hammer into Jason's kidneys. She completed the roll with a snatch - and stood again, both weapons at the ready.

Jason grunted from the impact of the hammer before lashing out with a fist while using a foot sweep aimed at the knees.

"Have you seen Master Xander? I know he is here somewhere, and I think he's going to try and start something with the elf. Something he's not capable of surviving.""Uh..." Akina was mildly surprised to see Kolte, all of a sudden (She had been mildly busy with... Different things). "He went away to... uh... No idea. Could be that he wants to cut off the pointy ears. No idea." She giggled. "Should this be the case, I wish him luck."

Indeed. While Akina didn't generally have problems with elves (Apart from a vaguely common attitude of considering them mildly arrogant, but then, so were her own people), given the not-so-few nations with elvish minor- and majorities DA had had contact with, this particular elf wasn't someone she liked.

Really, he wasn't.

She patted Kolte on his back. "If he's smart, he wont try a direct confrontation, but something smarter. It should work out. If he intends to do it, that is. But I'm sure he's all right."

"Yes, a direct confrontation would likely get him killed. Still, I wouldn't put it past him, he can be quite stubborn....and there's something...different...about him lately. I should go and stop him. Thanks, Akina, I do hope we see each other after the tournament. I'll take my leave now."

With that, Kolte smiled and nodded to Akina, Christine, and Krodan, then turned on one foot and proceeded down the steps. Better not to draw attention while the fight is still on, he thought. He continued probing the Force for Xander's presence, but was met only with void. It was like he had simply vanished from the Force. Or his Force signature had changed. No, Xander was too strong in the Light Side for that. Maybe that was it, his lust for power may have converted him. But Kolte had never known Xander to be greedy, especially with his powers. Still, had definitely changed within Xander, and Kolte only hoped that his fears had not come true.

He decided to test them. He began to probe the Dark Side of the Force and was instantly met with a powerful presence, one extremely close by. That must be Xander, he thought, and set out to find the origin of the darkness.

"WHAT?!"

~Kaia exclaimed as the tournament board grayed out in the area that told of the match between her and Kolte. She turned on her brother, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. Drac just gave her his cold, uncompromising look.~

"It was for your own good, I do not wish for you to throw away your life in a silly competition."

~She slapped him, but sprained her hand on impact with his leathery face. He didn't flinch or feel the blow. Kaia held her hand, her face reddened with rage at the way he treated her. Drac turned to leave the bleachers.~

"You have a night to prepare for, you shouldn't be wasting time here."

~Inside he was smiling that he made Kaia's life miserable for a moment. That will teach her to rebel against my order. He thought as he headed out of the coliseum.~

They fell into a flurry of feint and counterstrike that would have made any fan of Star Trek proud - axe went one way, hammer another, and it came to daggerstrikes and cestus swings.

When the dust cleared, it was Jason who stood above - though the battle had been well fought on both sides.

As Jason managed to finish the match and was declared victorious, he retracted the ridges and bent-down to offer Alesha a hand up. "Good match."

21 June 2007 - Torokara Proving Grounds - mid-afternoon

"Uh..." Akina was mildly surprised to see Kolte, all of a sudden (She had been mildly busy with... Different things). "He went away to... uh... No idea. Could be that he wants to cut off the pointy ears. No idea." She giggled. "Should this be the case, I wish him luck."

Krodan attempted a disapproving look, but he failed utterly. There was something about having a woman sitting on his lap that dispelled negative thoughts even before they could form. He made a mental note of this fact, resolved to spend more time in such a position, and returned his attention to the conversation. "Cut off the pointy ears?" Confusion flitted across his face. "Why'd he want to do something like that?" In truth, he was more interested in Akina's returning focus to him - she could speak in complete gibberish for all her cared, so long as she didn't go anywhere.

*********************
The tournament was progressing quite nicely, with Jason defeating Alesha, though Kolte was advancing by default, and would therefore be matched with either Jason or the victor of the match between Gelt and Therassi. The spectators were more than impressed with the intensity of the combat between the Vastivan and the man from Theao.

What most spectators missed was Raijin's abrupt departure, which left even his family in a state of mild surprise. Granted, he'd been acting unusually ever since Valak - no, ever since the death of Andruik - but at the same time, his skills as Commander hadn't slipped the slightest, even with the messiness of his relationship with now-High Priest Koro. Raijin's leaving also filled that part of the arena with deadly silence. Kiv was ambivalent, as some part of him worried about the Commander's well-being even at this point, and yet the greater part of him was worried that Raijin's instability was leading to some calamity. Koro, on the other hand, worried that Raijin's stability was leading to some calamity. The younger man had lived with two people in space for several years, and despite his limited skills in mindreading, he could read personalities and habits. Raijin was, if anything, becoming more and more focused by the hour. Something was definitely up, and the High Priest's eyes swiveled from person to person in the group. Adele would be receptive, but dismissive. "These things happen with Raijin," she'd say, and then she'd attempt to distract or console Koro while encouraging a wait-and-see attitude. Varik would be even worse. Valkai was gone, and damn the man's flightiness at a time like this. That left Kiv.

"I'm worried," Koro said simply.

"Don't. He'll come back for you," came the mildly sarcastic response. "Unless he's taken to changing his mind on a daily basis now." The older man didn't mean to sound bitter, but then, it's not as if he wasn't talking to the man who just two days earlier had made the military director into a fool.

"Don't you think that..." Koro trailed off.

"He's always been like this," Kiv offered, trying not to bite the younger man's head off for...well...being there. "Look." He took a deep breath. "Raijin's always been a little scattered. That's how he is. Of all people who should understand, I think his...uh...you should." The Director looked away from his counterpart at that, embarrassed beyond words.

The omitted word, Koro realized, was 'copy'. But it barely registered. What he'd noticed is that, as expected, Kiv was oblivious to the situation. Raijin wasn't being unfocused - exactly the opposite was the case. Were people so used to a situation being a certain way that they were incapable of recognizing change right under their noses? Was it true that even Krioval, with its insane pace of technological development, was becoming ossified socially? And then realization struck.

*********************
Two days earlier - Mt. Valak - just before dawn

"Hey, Raijin?"

"Yeah, Koro." They had to get back before they were seen.

"Do you ever wish the world was different?"

"What d'you mean?" The Commander tried not to giggle, even as he looked again on the man with whom he'd spend the night.

"I'm serious," the new High Priest snapped back, trying to suppress his own laughter. The weight of his thoughts eventually quashed the jollity. "People are oblivious."

"And the world's round. Koro, some things can't be changed."

"But what if it could? What if people would notice, if nothing else, the truth about themselves?"

"Huh. Now that's a thought."

From there, the conversation had returned to issues like how to avoid the media, and whether Kiv should know and when. Darvek was conspicuously left out of the conversation, and the minor matter of envisioning one's perfect world was lost in the shuffle. Or so Koro had thought.

"Uh... Ok, bye. Again, I wish him luck." Akina shrugged, watching the departing Kolte. "He's odd." She said, partly to herself, partly to the others. "Well, all of their order are, or so it seems..."

Akina couldn't help but giggle. Having managed to confuse Krodan, to soundly confuse Krodan, amused her. The poor guy. she thought, for a second. But then... He was enjoying it, so it couldn't be all that bad.

Eventually, she resolved to just tickle him a little, a little here, a little there... Barely noticeable, but still definitely there.

"Well, Krodan... Just, uh... For fun, I guess. The ears do look somewhat... Nice to cut, no? Imagine them as a necklace... Just kidding you. Just kidding, heh."

Perigrine changed into 'working blacks' quickly and slung her katana across her back. She snorted in unamusement as she realized that part of her relaxed with the return to her usual clothes. "You're supposed to be comfortable in what ever clothes you wear" She chided herself as she left the suite and crossed the hall to Michiko's.

"Michiko?" She knocked and got no answer, not that she expected one. 'She's probably still changing' she thought as she entered the luxurious suite and went to the bed room door. It was half open and she could see her friend sitting in a silent huddle at the edge of the bed

"Mikochan...Want to talk about it? She asked as she went to sit next to Michiko. She was probably the last person to give advice, but sometimes a listening ear helped.

The Empress shook her head "Not really. Being made a fool of isn't pleasant. Lets just say that he wasn't interested in me. Let me get dressed and you can escort me to the arena....and you were smiling, I saw you, with my own two eyes!" She turned the conversation away from herself

Perigrine found herself blushing, but didn't deny it "Yes. Jason makes me smile. And I told him all 'the horrors' and he didn't run."

Michiko knew what all Perigrine lightly termed 'the horrors' and knew just how horrible they truly were. That her friend has survived that life with sanity intact and the willingness to let another into her life so deeply was impressive. Just as Jason had to be. She was looking forward to meeting him.

It only took her a few minutes to shower and dress, and she entered the living room portion of the suite to find Perigrine and the Grendel deep in low voiced conversation.

The Grendel has spent last hours in the form of a piece of decorative statuary in the corner of the room, and had listened in on every thing that had occured. He finished the concise summary up with "The Kriovalian is an ass and Tarlachia is probably right, but no friend"

Michiko pretened not to hear that as she slid on a pair of sunglasses and headed out the door, her two bodyguards falling in alongside her

Koro spoke to the commlink, half expecting to be denied. But he wasn't, and he dissolved from the arena, reappearing at the site of his target - Raijin Dekker. The older man looked up, not at all surprised to see a visitor. Wordlessly, the Commander pressed a button - a teleport block. On the table and strewn across the floor were a variety of old texts, many on the subject of theology and the primitive harnessing of psionics that passed for divine wisdom in older times.

"Honestly, I'd almost expected the other one, ya know. But that time is long since passed, isn't it?"

"What *are* you up to, Raijin? Tell me. Someone has to know."

"I see. You're the smart one, after all. The Gods truly do have a strange sense of humor. Kiv chose the earth guardian. He's stable, dependable, and utterly without a trace of empathy, just like the ground. Then we have Darvek. Born in darkness, chose darkness, and just *look* at him. An energetic black hole, and he just moves from one to another like nothing. Even my family - all falling into lockstep with the stereotypes. Nobody thinking for themselves any more, just like you said, Koro. Don't get me wrong, I love them all dearly, but something has to change."

Koro walked over to a stack and picked up the topmost book. He read the title aloud. "The Powers of the God of Light. Interesting reading," he said neutrally. "Why have you been reading all this?"

"What if people could notice, if nothing else, the truth about themselves?"

At the tournament grounds, Krodan shifted slightly to prevent displacing Akina, or repositioning her in a more revealing manner than she was already in. He silently wondered how much longer the tournament might take - he was even now holding out hope for getting to know the lady from Der Angst more personally.

****

Varik and Micah, sitting about thirty meters away, were finally getting around to noticing the absence of the Commander and the High Priest. "Where'd they go off to, I wonder?" they muttered almost simultaneously.

"Guess," Kiv grumbled from nearby.

"No," Adele said emphatically. "They're not that stupid. Besides, I would have seen it earlier and prevented it. As it turns out, they're discussing a matter of faith. Perfectly appropriate, given the circumstances." Her eyes hinted at a meaning deeper than her words indicated, and Micah seized on it.

"Like the Festival?"

"Oh, Micah Andros," Adele replied dismissively. "What else would they discuss. Honestly, you seem to have many misconceptions about these sorts of things."

... As if Akina could have been (Much) more revealing than she already was. Or any more... Invitingly? Well, actually, with regards to the latter, she was vaguely decent, courtesy of Christine's presence.

In any case, she was watching the proceedings in the arena (Nothing happening. How exceptionally interesting) while casually doing some minor small talk with Krodan (And possibly Christine), centering around food, drinks, clothes, pets, sexual preferences, the job, the country, sexual experiences, the local sports team (Here, Krodan lived up, as was to be expected), the usual things, nothing that would have been especially noticeable..

Indeed, there seemed to be some sort of slow down, right now... Well, Akina was sure that things would live up, again, later on.

Perigrine looked for the leader board the moment they entered the arena, and smiled broadly behind her veil at the listings. Eyes gleaming, she discretely caught Michiko's attention and nodded to the listings

"Jason of Theao. Wonderful. Come one, once I'm seated you can go congratulate him in person" Michiko was happy for her friend and used it to mask her despondency

Shortly she was seated where she and Valkai had been sitting, the Grendel stolidly by her side "There, no go on, I'm safe enough" She shooed the Nietzscehan away, as she noticed that Raijin and Koro had left. Her smile slipped a little as a pang of envy swept through her. She pulled a pair of sunglasses from her handbag and hid behind them
********************************************

Perigrine gave Michiko a long look then headed for the ready room on winged feet. She'd hated to miss the last of Jason bout, but had been certain that he would win. It wasn't long before she was weaving her way lithely past the other contestants, looking for her mate

As Jason exited the bathroom, he caught sight of Perigrine, he smiled and waved to get her attention. Once she was within speaking distance, he asked, "I take it everything worked out with the problem you had to deal with?"

Perigrine stopped short and gave Jason a formal bow, then released her veil so he could see the impish smile on her lips. Then she gestured to the 'working blacks' she wore, the smile turning rueful.

"Unfortunately I'm on duty again. But Michiko sent me down so I could be with you, while the Grendel stays with her. How long before your next match? You didn't get too badly bruised up it seems"

"No I didn't get banged up too much. I'm guessing that the next match will be between the Vastivans. Then I'll be up against either the winner of that or Megas. What was the problem, if you don't mind me asking?" Jason asked as he leaned down to give Peri a gentle kiss.

Perigrine savored the kiss, gleefully aware that in another universe, in another life, her clan would have been shocked into mass coronary infarctions at the sight of one of theirs touching in public, much less kissing. She gave the ghosts of the past a mental finger.

"Michiko made the mistake of falling in love with some one who has all the sensitivity of the proverbial rock, and was just interested in sex. And Sigrun...lets just say that Sigrun - he's the Tarlachian elf you fought with in the Universal- didn't help matters any"

She moved around to where she could begin giving him another massage. The muscles should'nt be allowed to stiffen and she loved touching him. The feel of his skin, the firm muscles rolling underneath was soothing, she could almost fall into a meditative state

They were here to see the festival, all in all it had been fun, they'd stayed in the background the whole time, not really standing out, but not fully blending in, now they were on their way to a tavern in a seedier part of town, they needed beer, cheap beer, and seedy taverns were the best place to get cheap beer.

The man in the lead was just about two meters tall, he had long blonde hair and a well muscled physique, not massive, but the kind of man who you knew was a threat, he gave off an aura of menace. When he turned his head to look at something that had caught his eye it was like a bird of prey, not an eagle, which has a certain majesty and regal presence to it, more like a hawk, cold and predatory, a mind wrapped in a body like a buzzsaw, fast and deadly, and the eyes, those eyes were not the eyes of a street thug, or a soldier, or a common man, or a king, or a diplomat, they were killers eyes, hard and cold, only softening when he looked at the lady beside him, and he walked like a panther, cold and smooth, no wasted movements and with a purpose beyond the obvious, he was a man who sought comfort from the deaths he had caused and those he had witnessed, and he sought that comfort in the arms of his wife, or in the bottom of a bottle, he was a man apart from society.

She was a singular woman, medium height, average bust, running to above average, a brunette, long of leg and hair, she was the only thing that kept this man calm. She walked much like he did, with a deadly grace, like a big-cat, beautiful to behold and menacing as a beadgun, she was a fighter, or had been, and her eyes, where his were hard and cold hers were soft and warm, haunted by too much killing and too many dead friends, they were still the eyes of a kind person, although if you looked closely you could see that those soft eyes and beautiful form hid a mind that was as hard and cold as iron, with a heart as soft as clay, you might think that those traits are mutually exclusive, but if you had seen her at her best and worst then you would see the truth, she was as much a killer as her husband, but she felt the agony in a different way, she felt it as a mother feels the loss of her children, he felt it as an overwhelming rage, she kept him sane and he kept her stable, they needed each other and they would do anything to stay together, a deadly pair with more than their own lives on their shoulders.

Behind the man trailed a two and a half meter tall creature, it had four arms and horns, it was covered in a thick mucous like slime, and while it carried a spear, and wore a sword at its hip, you could see in the way it moved and spoke that it was also a scholar, behind a scarred body raised in a jungle full of terrors to make men run and animals to make soldiers fear there was a mind of quick wit and wisdom, a creature of thought and a creature of war, it was deadly as its companions and, in its own way, just as haunted, it sought only the peace of the grave.

Four more creatures of the same type followed after it in the group, three were as large as or larger than it was, the fourth was smaller, both in height and in apparent muscle mass, and while smaller than the others the fourth one seemed to be as lithe and deadly as the first man in line.

The two directly behind the first creature were obviously related, not by any resemblance, but instead by the clothes they wore and the way they acted towards each other, they were cousins, last of a line of fallen nobles, one a prince and one a baron, both sworn to the man in the front until they died, one wore an amazing variety of pistols from a variety of cultures, and they were obviously not just for show, they had almost certainly seen use in combat, the other wore only two pistols and a sword, massive though it was, on a man it would have seemed a two-handed greatsword, to this creature it was no more than a broadsword, large for sure, but not worth using two hands to wield.

The third of the large creatures was farther back and seemed to be ebgrossed in a conversation with a short and hairy man with a thick accent, this creature seemed much more at home among the humans than all but the first, it was not just talking to the man, it was conversing with him, an important distinction, it also carried a spear, however, it had a plasma cannon strapped across its back like a rifle, and to a creature f its size it was only a rifle.

The short man talking to the creature was an interesting character, short in stature but thick in arm and chest, he was obviously a man who had done heavy work and excelled at it, he wore a shotgun strapped to his back and had a very large wrench thrust through a pack on his back, while the purpose of the shotgun was obvious the wrench was a mystery waiting to be solved.

The next person was another woman, taller than the first and visibly older, she was less at ease than she seemed, her unease was betrayed by the twitching of her right hand and by the loose bead pistol in a holster at her right hip, it seemed nearly as used as some of those worn by the creature ahead of her, she was not much to look at, being average in every measure, she was only obvious by her scar, running the width of her neck it was a massive white band on darker tanned skin, it had not been gotten shaving, that was a certainty.

The man next to her had a laughing face and crying eyes, he was slim and wiry, strong in the manner of those who do labor in a field all day, and he was tan as though he had been doing exactly that, except that it was his natural skin tone, no one looked twice at the swarthy man with the concealed bead pistol as they walked towards the poorer quarters of this city, being curious was inevitably fatal in this environment.

The group was planning to meet some friends at the bar, then they would see what happened, and what the bodycount would be when the dust settled.

"I hope everything works out for her. You give excellent massages." Jason said with pleasure in his voice.

ooc: sorry for disappearing, some telecom people were being asshats and messing with my net/phone wires.

Pergrine leaned in and for a second buried her nose in his blue hair. "And I like the way you smell."

She returned to the massage "I find it very hard to understand why no one courts her" She shrugged and smiled at his compliment

'Thank you. I hope it's Gelt you go up against, he is a dilettante. Therassi now is a different matter. Megas, something bothers me about him." She looked about the room but didn't see the man, though his name was still listed on the board.

"Alesha asked me to pound Gelt if I came up against him. I couldn't say as I've never met her." Jason replied "I wonder who I'll go up against in my next match, Megas, Gelt or Therassi, either way it'll be my fifth match of the tournament."