Candidate (Selected Book 4) (41 page)

I stood, still panting, and then people crowded around me. But I scanned and I saw Jasmine. I held my hand towards her then pulled her through the crowd to me then into a hug. "I think I broke my foot," I said.

"We'll fix it," she replied. "Can you walk?"

"I doubt it. I'm going to step away. I'm probably going to fall. Livestream it. And then let Alisha come with us."

"All right."

She released me, and somehow she got people to move away. I looked around, still standing on one foot. "Well," I said. "I think I need to use the bathroom." I turned carefully, took two steps, and crumpled.

I had half a dozen people around me immediately, but I saw a black face, and I reached for her. I pulled her to me and whispered into her ear, "It's broken. Make a show of checking it, and I don't care if you can tell or not. Declare it broken."

"Right." Then she leaned away. "Relax, Andie. Someone give her a pillow." And a moment later my pillow was a Kitsune lap. I looked up at her. "Are you as fragile as you look?"

"Yes."

"Where's the Wookie when I need one?" I asked. "I need a hand to hold."

I didn't get a hand. I got the thick part of a Catseye tentacle, and it wasn't Jasmine's. "You can't hurt me, so if you must, squeeze hard," said the woman. I nodded.

"All right, Andie," said Alisha. "Let me take a look." She moved down to my foot.

"Um. It's the other one," I said.

"Sorry." She switched to the right foot. She was delicate, but I winced a few times. Then I grunted, and I knew I was squeezing very, very hard.

"Andie. I think it's broken."

I closed my eyes and nodded. "We'll have to cast it."

"We will not," Jasmine said. "Get out of my way." And then she bent down and, as if I weighed nothing, she picked me up. "Doctor Stanley, you're with us. Clover. Clover!"

"I'm here."

"Take care of things here."

She strode from the room.

I thought I was kidding. It really was broken. But Jasmine shoved me into a chair in their medical bay."

"Just tape it or something," I said. "I have to kick bitch ass."

"You kicked bitch face," she said. "And now you're going to heal the bones. Don't do that again."

"But-"

"Sleep tight, my fierce little human." And a moment later, I was asleep.

* * * *

"Good morning, Andromeda."

I opened my eyes. "I'm mad at you."

"Why?"

"I wanted a tentacle before you left."

"You can have one now." She unsealed me from the bed and helped me to sit up. Then, while I was still sitting there, she pulled me into her arms. I accepted the tentacle, and we held each other for a while.

"Your foot is healed," she whispered while holding me. "You'll need to walk on it a little. It might be stiff and sore, but you can work that out."

I had to wait until she withdrew the tentacle. "Does it amuse you I can't talk when you do that?"

"That's part of why it's a position of dominance," she said.

"The Implac?"

"She had a bad night. They're from a hot world."

"Turned the temperature down, did you?"

"I sure did. She didn't get much sleep."

"Poor thing."

"I'm half a mind to poison her."

"You can do whatever you want but I get her first."

"She's going to beat you very, very badly, Andromeda. That was a lucky kick."

"She'll try. Do I have time for my swim? I promised you one more swim."

"You don't have to."

"I promised, and now honor is on the line."

"Fine, but you should wear the suit."

"No, I don't think so. Will you join me?"

"I don't have the time. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. Help me up." I stood then walked a little. She was right; it was stiff. But it would be fine.

"Nice technology."

"I let Alisha stay as long as there was anything to watch. I think she drooled on the bed."

I laughed. "Good."

"You don't have to do this, Andromeda. You made your point."

"I need to speak with Clover and Dark Skies before I go out there. And I need you to livestream me from the moment I get out of here, but find a way not to livestream my conversation with them."

"They're in the next room."

"All right. That first."

I was barefoot, but Jasmine at least had a robe for me, so I pulled it on, my undies and camisole underneath, and I let her guide me from the room.

The next room looked like a doctor's office waiting room. I took a chair, and the rest pulled more chairs over.

"Make sure this isn't being videoed," I said.

"I have blockers running," Dark Skies said. "Are you okay?"

"Yep. All right. I want a fair event. No cheating."

"Maybe a little cheating."

"No. No cheating. Dark Skies, expect me to lose the first point, and then make me scream in fright. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Don't make me sick though."

"I understand."

"That's the punishment for falling," I said.

"Yep. Got it."

"Unless she's going to kill me, don't interfere."

"I will not allow you to be abused!" said Jasmine.

"Yes, you will. I want her humiliated. That can happen two ways. The tiny human kicks the shit out of the Implac, which is unlikely. Or she is a complete, utter brute, which is far more likely. Let everyone see."

"This is foolish," said Jasmine.

"Tell me it won't help you politically."

She stared at me. "We'll take care of you afterwards."

I nodded. "Good. And I want reparations from her personally. Is that unreasonable?"

"No."

"You handle it," I said.

"Do you know what you want?"

"No. I'll trust you."

"All right."

I turned to Clover. "Turn up the pain getting off the sliding bridge thing," I said. "And make it two meters. But it only applies when someone is getting off the bridge."

She smiled.

"Make sure she knows it's there. I wouldn't want to have unfair advantage."

I turned back to Dark Skies. "Power staffs on high."

"No. High tends to make humans black out."

"Oh shit," I said. "Well, use your judgment, but this is a grudge match."

"Got it," she said.

"Good. Can I have a tiny, tiny bit? I need to go for a swim, and I want to be charming."

"Just a little," she said. We hugged for a minute or so, and then I thanked them all. I was growing a little addicted to the Octal, but at that point, I don't think I cared.

* * * *

The pool was full by the time I arrived. I was cheerful and charming. I swam easily, chatted a little, and then returned to my cell.

* * * *

The guards led me onto the arena grounds. There were four of them, and I went shackled, but they were exceedingly polite. My wrists were bound in one of the pillars, and then they removed the restraints.

"Kick her ass," said Piper.

"I don't think that's going to happen," I said. "But I'm going to do my best."

She squeezed my arm and walked away. A moment later, my visor brightened.

I was dressed in the combat clothing, as I had begun to think of it. It was a skintight jumper and a pair of boots, although these were much lighter boots than I'd worn for the jungle challenge. There was no hat this time, but I'd slathered on the sunblock, even though it was still early morning.

I looked around. I wouldn't say the stands were full, but there were a lot of people. An awful lot. I looked for familiar faces, finding a few. Of course, I wasn't the only event. There were the mating candidate interviews to follow.

The structure from earlier was assembled and in place, but I was sure it was a good six or eight feet higher than it had been when Clover and I had used it. I smiled at that.

What was interesting was there was a shimmering to my left. What really amused me was the Implac was there, dressed identically to me, with her hands also bound in a pillar. And between us, walling us off from each other, was a force field. I guessed Jasmine wasn't taking chances on an early start to our event.

Then Jasmine stepped forth. Her amplified voice filled the arena. She spoke for a minute in an alien language then shifted to English.

"This human," she said, "Mating candidate Andromeda Hayes, has been severely violated by this... creature. Andromeda has demanded a challenge, and the vile scum bug has accepted."

The vile scum bug screamed something, but I didn't know what it was and didn't particularly care.

"This challenge will be fought on this structure you see behind me." Then Jasmine explained the challenge, sharing most of the details, although she glossed one. "A fall from the structure is a point and a rather creative punishment besides. Both the human and the Implac risk identical punishments. Both power staffs are set to the same rating in spite of the more delicate nature of a human nervous system."

She paused, letting that sink in.

"The challenge is to ten points or until either opponent is unable to fight."

Then she looked at the Implac. "We do not damage in challenges with humans, especially female humans. We do not seek serious damage. We certainly do not kill. Your opponent is not physically capable of significantly hurting you with a hand or foot strike, but you are. I will allow single strikes of this nature, but I will not allow combinations. I will not allow strikes on a downed opponent. I will not allow strikes on an opponent unable to defend, deflect, or move away. And you will control the power of any strikes. If you do not, you will suffer my wrath. If you seriously hurt her, you will face a court. If you kill her, you will face high justice. We do not kill during these challenges."

The woman glared, but she said one word.

Jasmine turned to me. "This is foolish, little human. She is going to win this competition ten-zero, and you will prove nothing."

"Then I go down fighting," I said, and my voice was amplified.

"Will you accept an apology?"

"Has she offered one?" I asked. "Has she explained her vile actions? Has she explained why she felt it was just and proper to violate me? Has she explained why she felt it was just and proper to violate the rules you established?"

Jasmine glanced at the Implac. "No she has not."

"Then she shows no remorse, and there is no apology to accept."

She visibly sighed. "So be it. You will each ascend from your respective sides and begin in the middle. After a fall, the force field will redefine the furthest an opponent may travel for the next engagement."

I nodded understanding.

"Collect your weapons and meet in the middle. And may the best woman win."

I nodded again, and a moment later my hands were freed. I turned my back on the Implac and walked to the start. I collected my power staff and strode through the entire structure, finally stepping onto the center platform. The Implac already waited for me, standing on her side of the force field.

I looked around, but Jasmine had disappeared. Then there was movement in the stands, and I saw her in the front row to my right.

"Begin!"

I was already swinging before the force field came down. The Implac blocked the swing and did a counter swing. I danced back then came in low, swinging again.

Block. Parry. Counterstrike. She was fast, but not superhuman fast. She was strong, stronger than I was, but not superhuman strong.

And then I blocked a swing square on and launched a kick for her arm, striking solidly, then hopped back and recovered.

She came after me, and I circled around, block, block, swing, block, duck, and a thrust right into her stomach.

She screamed and moved backward quickly, swinging wildly to force me away.

Block, block, block, and then she tried throwing a kick at me. I ducked and let her leg graze the power staff. She screamed and tumbled. I thrust twice at her, but she rolled away from me, screaming once more, then swung at me.

And it was my turn to scream. The pain was nearly overwhelming, and I fell to my knees, screaming, but I was able to push her staff away and blocked -- barely -- her next swing.

She backed away and made a gesture. I didn't know what it meant, but I got up slowly. Her next gesture was clear. She cupped her fingers and wiggled them in a, "come here" gesture.

I came, swinging. She blocked, and I threw another roundhouse kick for her.

She was watching for it. I thought she would be. She used her staff to catch my leg, helping it higher, pushing me off balance. I screamed as I fell, and she thrust further. Then she was after me, thrusting the staff into my side, over and over. I lost my staff, and I rolled, rolled, rolled, right off the platform, screaming with each strike from the staff.

Dark Skies caught me as I fell.

"Andromeda," she whispered to me.

"Let me catch my breath, just a moment, then do it."

And so she paused. I could hear the crowd, which I had tuned out. And I heard the Implac, bellowing.

"What's she saying?"

"You don't really want to know," said Dark Skies.

"Have someone translate my words to her. Can you do that?"

"I can," said Clover. "Go ahead."

"Hey, you!" I yelled, pointing. And then the arena was filled with alien words. "Is that the best you have?" I added.

The alien screamed at me.

"Do it," I whispered.

Dark Skies lifted me by the legs. And as she lifted me, she shook me, not hard, but enough that I flopped around. She lifted me high, very high.

And then she dropped me.

I screamed.

She caught me about three feet from the ground, and then she held me, still upside down, until my scream stopped. Then she lifted me again.

In all, she dropped me three times, and I screamed for each of them. Then she carried me to my start and lowered me in. The staff followed.

"Andromeda, that punishment doesn't help if you're the only one taking it."

"I know. Have faith in me."

"She's from a warrior species, and you are not a warrior, Andromeda."

"I know. I'm a lover." I smiled, picked up the staff, and started off.

I didn't know how far they would let the battle advance. It turned out I could walk onto my shifting bridge, but not onto the center, and the Implac waited for me. I thought perhaps she had forgotten it would hurt if she stood too close.

"When does she get hurt?"

"If you are on the other half of the bridge while it is in the half of its swing closest to her."