Inherited War 1: Retribution (23 page)

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“I don’t feel well enough to do much of a log today so I am going to keep this one short. Working with Jeth and Thalo is worse than working with identical twins.  They always seem to have a sense of where the other is at any given time and if they are in line of sight they seem to be able to communicate telepathically.  They can exchange ideas and information fast as thought, between the two of them and I get the feeling that I never hear the full conversation when they are talking to each other. Regardless they are solid companions and seem to be worthy of my trust.” 

For the second time in his life in space, Cole was awakened by the blaring sound of the klaxon echoing through the ship.  Before he even realized it Cole was up and running to the bridge.  It took him a moment before he began to wonder what the hell could be attacking the ship while it was on the ground.  He slowed to a walk and yelled out to Hal.  “Hal what’s going on?  We under attack or something?”

“Commander
, I recommend you meet the others on the bridge and see for yourself.”  Cole sped up again and was the last one on the bridge.  The walls and ceiling were all set to view mode so Cole got a good look at the docking bay the ship was still sitting in.  The Thrashodon ship was still to their immediate right with the unknown ship to the right of it.  The big cargo doors were open and streaming through them were about a hundred Thrashodons in full battle gear.  Gone was the rag tag appearance the others had.  These guys were ready for war, they all had on full body armor and some serious looking firepower.  They came to a stop in ten ranks of ten and were at full attention.  Nobody moved.  From the outer chamber came the sounds of footsteps.  The biggest, ugliest Thrashodon Cole had seen so far, walked in and moved to the front of the formation.  He stood more at ease than attention and started to speak. 

“
I demand challenge rights from the Captain of this ship!”  That was it, that was all he said.

“What the hell
, can’t these assholes leave me alone?” Cole muttered under his breath.  “Hal, give me the outside intercom please.”  He saw a green light pop on giving him a means to address the outside of the ship.  “Go away, I am done killing your people and I never wanted to be involved in your affairs.”  Cole waited for a response.  The lead Thrashodon made a gesture to someone outside of the hanger.

“That’s the leader of the Thrashodon thug gangs here on Pitt
,” Whispered Thalo to Cole.  “You have made a mean enemy and I don’t envy you.”

“
If he wants to go one more time he is screwed because I have this nice ship to protect me and all he has is that armor.  I would bet on me.”  Cole replied.

“But he challenged you, you aren’t going to accept?”  Thalo asked disbelievingly. “It’s kind of an honor among leaders here in the underworld.  You have humiliated him and his men twice now
.  The only way for him to save face and remain in control is to fight you one on one.  If he wins he regains the respect of his people, if you win they will leave you alone forever.”

“I don’t care if he thinks I did anything to him, at the moment my only concern is dealing with the Esii and their ship.  He can take his honor to the grave with him if he thinks I’m going out there to fight him.”  Cole looked at his companions
gauging their reaction.  Sky seemed happy to hear him refuse the challenge while Thalo and Jeth seemed ready to fight.  Ten more Thrashodons walked into the hanger dragging a large crate with them.

“Cole, I am detecting massive amounts of radiation coming from that crate.  My detectors are picking up weapon grade uranium also.  If that’s a bomb it is big enough to take out most of the city.”  Hal said matter of factly.  “I don’t even know if the ship could survive a hit this close if we don’t get the shields up in time.”

“Shit
,” Cole muttered to himself.  “What are the rules to this challenge thing?”  Cole asked Thalo.

“You can’t seriously be thinking of accepting his
challenge are you?”  Sky asked Cole.

“What choice do I have?  If I don’t
, he appears ready to blow up the city in order to make a try for me.  I can’t let him do that.”  Cole was interrupted by the Thrashodon leader.

“I challenge the
Captain of this ship to single combat and if I am refused I will detonate this bomb killing everyone in this hanger.”  With that he turned and barked out an order to his men.  They hastily shifted position to make a fully enclosed circle with the Thrashodon leader at its middle.  The leader began stripping away his armor until he only wore a loin cloth.  He began pacing around the circle. 

“Damn it, talk as we walk Thalo.”  Cole turned and started heading to the rear of the ship and the debarking ramp.

“It is a fairly straight forward challenge.  You will fight with melee weapons until one of you is dead.  There are no illegal attacks and no outside help is permitted.  No guns of any kind either.  Fist, feet, teeth, nails and a small hand held melee weapon, are all that can be used.”  Thalo grew silent as they approached the ramp leading out of the ship. 

“
Hal, I want you be ready in case they break the rules and all come at me please.  I will try to get down as low as possible in order to stay out of your way.”  Cole got to the ramp and stopped.  He turned to face his crew.  He stepped backwards onto the ramp and activated the energy shield that protected the ship in space.  “Don’t let these guys off the ship either.  They will just get in the way, if you need to mow down some Thrashodons.”  Cole looked at Sky and winked.  “Don’t worry I’ll be fine.  I have been training with you remember.”  Cole turned and walked away before she had a chance to say anything.

He got to the bottom of the ramp and stepped out onto the deck.  He took a calming breath and turned to head to the front of the ship.  As he came out under the nose
, the circle of Thrashodons parted to allow him into the middle.  He stopped about ten feet from the Thrashodon leader.  They looked at each other for a few moments.  “You will wear armor for this challenge?”  Asked the leader.

“I’m not stupid
,” Cole replied as he started to limber up.  “I’ll bet that skin of yours is pretty tough and I am sure you won’t take it off to even things up.  I figure this makes things a little fairer.”  Cole finished the movements he was making to loosen his muscles.  “This is your last chance, I didn’t want to get involved in your affairs.  We landed at the wrong place at the wrong time and the little guys you were fighting dragged us into this mess.  I am more than happy to say we are even and go our separate ways.”

“Regardless of what happened initially
, you have exposed a weakness I didn’t know I had.  I must correct that weakness.”  With that he reached into his waistband and pulled out a wicked looking knife.  It was sharply curved and about four inches long.  He held it so that it rested flat against his forearm. 

Cole
reached behind his back and pulled out the knife he had grabbed as he exited the ship.  It looked like a basic combat knife.  Edged sharp on one side and saw tooth on the other.  It was about six inches long and Cole held it in front of him parallel, to the ground.  They both went into a crouch and started to circle each other.  Cole’s adrenalin kicked in and time did its little slow down again.  It was just in time too because the leader chose that moment to launch his attack.  He covered the distance between them in one quick bound.  Even to Cole’s increased synapse speed, it looked very fast.  Cole ducked and rolled off to his right avoiding the knife, which led the leaders attack.  Cole finished his roll on his feet.  He turned to meet the next wild charge the leader made.  Their knives flashed by too fast for the unaided eye to see.  Sparks flew at each contact, sometimes so fast as to blend from one flash into another.  It was almost like looking into a welder’s torch at times.  Finally, after thirty seconds of furious action they both shoved each other away breaking the contact.  Cole was panting heavily, while the Leader appeared barely winded by the bout.  “First blood is mine.”  He said to Cole.  Cole glanced down and saw a shallow gash in his chest.  It wasn’t too deep but it was enough that it cut through the fabric and slit the skin underneath.

Cole
barely felt the sting of the wound and his nanites were already repairing the damage.  They reported one minute until they had it healed.  Cole flashed a grin at the Thrashodon leader.  Talking was for the movies and chumps, he sprinted forward and tackled the leader mid-waist.  He led with his shoulder and heard the satisfying sound of breath whooshing out of the leader’s chest.  Cole landed squarely on top of him and brought his knife around from the right trying for a quick kill by slitting his throat.  The Thrashodon imposed his arm in front of Cole’s knife at the last second.  Cole’s knife dug deep into the Thrashodon’s arm and brought out a big splash of blood.  The Thrashodon twisted his arm in a quick motion and managed to use the leverage of the knife being trapped in his arm, to yank it from Cole’s fingers.  The Thrashodon had lost his own knife in the tumble and was trying to get Cole flipped over onto his back.  Cole ignored the attempts and got both hands around the Thrashodon’s neck.  He put all his power into squeezing with his hands.  The Thrashodon began to laugh.  It was at that point that Cole realized that he may have taken the wrong tactic and started trying to get off the Thrashodon and get his knife back.  The leader was having none of that.  He held his hands in front of Cole and extended the meanest looking claws out of his fingers that Cole had seen ever.  Cole got his feet under him and vaulted off the leader just before he took all those claws in his face.  Unfortunately, he jumped further away from his own weapon.  He spun around to meet the new charge of the leader.  This time he came at Cole claws first.

Cole managed to grab the
leader’s arms at the wrists which locked them into a contest of strength.  The leader steadily pushed his claws closer to Cole.  Cole instantly knew he couldn’t win a fight by strength alone, he needed an edge against this beast.  He needed his weapon back.  Faster than the leader could react, Cole dropped backwards pulling on the leaders arms while planting his foot into his belly.  Cole hit his butt hard and kept rolling onto his back.  He thrust as hard as he could with his leg and threw the leader back over his head to land in the ranks of his men. Cole stopped his momentum and scrambled over to his lost weapon, he also picked up the leader’s curved knife along the way.  He got to his feet and spun to meet the attack he knew had to be right behind him.  He wasn’t wrong.  He brought both knives up along his forearm to catch the claws of the leader.  Cole held them still for a moment and gave a little smile.  In one motion he threw his hands out wide exposing the leader’s chest. 

Before the leader could get his claws back into defend
himself, Cole had buried both knives, hilt deep, into the leader’s chest.  Cole backed off hoping he had hit something vital.  They stared at each other for a moment.  The leader slowly fell to his knees then to his chest, which pushed the tips of the knives out of his back.  Cole quickly looked up expecting an attack for the leader’s men.  As one they all hit their closed fists to their chest and turned and filed out just as orderly as they had come in, taking the bomb with them.  The last of them to leave stopped and lifted the body of their leader and took him with them.  Cole let out a slow whistle.  He looked back up at the ship and gave it two thumbs up.  That’s when he noticed all the tears in the arms of his suit and into his skin.  He hadn’t gotten away as clean as he thought when he’d jumped off the leader.  His nanites were reporting on the injuries and would have them taken care of in no time.  Cole gave one final look around and headed to the rapidly descending front ramp of the ship.  Sky met him on the deck and had her medic bag with her.

“Sit
, and let me look at your arms and chest.”  She grabbed out a pair of very sharp scissors designed to cut through second skin.  She had him shirtless in moments.  She started to clean him up and administer first aid.

Thalo and Jeth were not far behind her
, coming down the ship.  “In all my years and in all the fights I have ever been in, I have never seen anyone move like you did in there.  You are most impressive and one would be wise to avoid angering you.  Not me, of course, because we are great friends now so I do not have to worry about you picking a fight with me.”  He gave Cole a great theatrical bow.

“All joking aside,” Jeth shot Thalo a withering look.  “You fought a great match, one to be proud of.  I have heard some of the storie
s about that particular Thrashodon.  He wasn’t very pleasant and until today hadn’t lost a challenge.  You are truly the warrior to lead us.”  Jeth walked over and shook Cole’s hand.

“Thanks you two
. I appreciate it.”  He winced when Sky got to cleaning his fresher wounds.  “Ouch, Sky.  Just let my nanites take care of the healing okay.”

“Do Thrashodons look very hygienic to you Cole?”  She continued before he had a chance to answer her.  “They do dis
gusting things with their claws and it is best if I spend some time cleaning the wounds out now and avoid the need for the nanites to fight some weird infection you got because it hurt a little to clean it.”

“Yes ma’am.”  Cole said reproachfully and let her finish doing her job.  It only took a few moments before she was done and they got ready to re
-board the
Retribution
.