Chapter 6

It was clear our opposition both knew they were in trouble and also were going to use any and all tactics to try and keep us out. Hence, they clustered into a defensive formation around the slowly moving goal. That said, five rotations is a long time in grav-ball, particularly against a team with players like Inisir and myself capable of accurate passing and shots. Our first breakthrough came when Limo got the ball and held it to his stomach and hurtled backwards, directly at their goal, causing two of them to attempt to tackle him and another to try and block me, only to look on in despair as the ball went back to Inisir and back hard and fast into their goal from a distance, with three of their four woefully out of position, and tying the match. There were a few cheers and a lot of applause from the watching crowd, mostly made up from other teams, as they seemingly enjoyed our taking control of the match and putting our opposition down. Their roughhouse tactics had not made them any too popular.

This however gave them the ball from the new play launch and they attempted to hold it with passes back to their free colleagues, trying to waste time and run the clock down. Against an ordinary team that might have worked. However, both Denna and I were fast and had some college experience playing and hence he was able to intercept a pass from their defensive back, thrown hurriedly as Limo closed in on him. Denna then threw the ball forwards to Inisir who raced towards the opposition goal with all their players moving to form a wall in front of her except for the one coming to make the tackle.

I was moving forwards myself, hoping to outflank their wall, when Inisir hurled the ball straight towards me. It was an easy catch but caused the remaining defenders to come straight at me and block access to the goal. What they didn’t expect though was my curl shot using spin on the ball from a punched blow to curve the ball around the flailing arm of the outer defender and straight into the goal to give us the lead.

This time there was a massive cheer from the crowd, followed by some gasps and boos as the leading forward of the opposition deliberately kept his momentum going and slammed his fist straight into my face sending me spinning backwards with a broken nose, spraying blood everywhere, in total agony and shock at such a blatant foul.

I was told afterwards what happened next as I was in no condition to view it. As the match had stopped with our goal, I was apparently grabbed by Denna and pulled to the side where the match Healer was. On the pitch though was a total melee as the other five of my team tore into the leading forward of the opposition as he in turn was defended by his comrades. I’m told Limo nearly took his head off in a return swing knocking him unconscious and costing him his front teeth whilst Inisir, small size notwithstanding, turned out to be an absolute demon in close combat as the side-line referees moved in to separate the teams, finally resorting to punishment pulses to do so. The leading forward was then sent off, the rest of the teams cautioned as the Healer put my nose right, resolved a mild concussion and got me back on the pitch, all within two rotations, to tumultuous applause.

The match resumed as we then ran down the clock to the final whistle, leaving us the winners but with a sour taste in our mouths. The opposition immediately left the arena without the handshakes normally given out. We glided in after them. I, as captain, was then summoned, along with the opposition captain, to the match officials’ room for an official Board of Enquiry.

I was actually amazed that the opposition tried to blow off what happened to me as an unfortunate accident. He tried to shift the blame to Limo for brutally attacking their player. The tri-dee evidence though did not back them up as it showed their leading forward actually draw back his fist to strike me, aiming to hit under my helmet and above my chin guard. This was also added to the illegal tackle on Dorit and ended up with the opposition leading forward receiving a two-match ban, their centre a one-match ban, and the team also receiving a fine and a points deduction from their league total and a warning that any such indiscipline in future would have them suspended. Limo ended up with an admonishment, which would lead to a one-match ban if he got another in the season and Inisir got merely a verbal warning. This led to the opposition captain storming out of the room, not having received any sympathy.

As soon as I got out I gave the team the news, getting a few grins from them as well as an embarrassed blush from Limo.

“OK, that was about as rough as it gets,” I said to them. “Normally that lot have a reputation for discipline, but I guess they lost it today, probably because they expected to win easily.”

“I suspect they didn’t like being beaten by a team of Officers, including three girls as well,” Regot laughed.

“Possibly, but the lady Troopers are just as tough as the guys,” I grinned.

“True enough,” Beeln nodded.

“Anyway, to celebrate our first victory drinks at the bar tonight are on me.”

“Woohoo!” Inisir crowed.

Later in the rest period the bar was crowded and we got a lot of attention from various people who had been at the match who congratulated us, particularly those who had liked the odds of a victory for us.

“Damn, boy,” a slightly inebriated Culsen said to a blushing Limo. “You hit that slime-ball who hit Kiria a good one.”

“He had it coming,” Beeln added in satisfaction.

“True. That lot have a reputation for going in extra hard on Officer teams or just individual Officers, nothing like today though,” she nodded.

“I suspect they just didn’t like losing,” I shrugged. “Particularly to a team who were playing their first match.”

“Even so, that foul on you was just brutal. I’ve never seen anything like it in my years of watching grav-ball here,” Culsen frowned.

“It was why I over-reacted,” Limo stated. “He could have killed her.”

“Unlikely, with a Healer on the arena side. But yeah, you’re right, Limo. Probably why you only got an admonishment.”

“Their captain was still trying to shift blame, claiming the hit on me was an accident,” I replied, wryly shaking my head.

“Yeah, right,” Irinis snorted. “Shlecker drew back his fist to punch you.”

“That’s what the Board of Enquiry judged. Though to be honest, I didn’t see it coming, or see what happened after.”

“Just a shame it took away the attention from the goal you scored. I wouldn’t have believed you could bend the ball around people like you did,” Regot added.

“My Dad calls it the Magnus effect. It’s caused by the way air moves over the ball, not sure what the Empire calls it though,” I grinned. “Can only really be done with a punch or kick, but it is effective and looks good when it does work.”

“Your Dad not from the Empire?” Denna asked.

“No, he was brought here because he’s a Cure,” I replied.

“Your Dad’s a Cure?” Culsen asked looking shocked. “That’s not in your records.”

“It’s because as a Cure he’s an Imperial asset and they don’t want me kidnapped to get at him.”

“That must mean your Dad is Cure David?” Beeln said in hushed tones.

“Yeah, but please, keep it to yourselves.”

“Least I know who to come and see if I need a miracle cure,” Culsen grinned.

“Only for miracles though,” I laughed.

“How does he do it?” Beeln asked, as details of how a Cure cured people weren’t known at all outside certain very upper levels on Vreekoos circles. Those in those circles were also well aware that they faced arrest or mind-wiping if the secret got out.

“I don’t know” I lied. “His patients are also mind-wiped afterwards as well.”

“A state secret? Well, say no more,” Culsen nodded.

It was at this point that an armoured Trooper came up and placed a pseudo-paper note in front of me.

“You have been served with a Writ of Intent for your team’s shameful actions earlier. You will be expected to answer these accusations upon a field of honour at the start of your next rest period,” he stated.

“Who is my challenger and what are the terms?” I asked with a frown as the rest of my teammates, as well as Culsen, looked shocked.

“Optio Bavag and death.”

“Bavag is one of the Optios’ in charge of Advanced Combat Training. He’s also a buddy of ex-Optio Binh,” Culsen added. “And he’s the commander of those losers who assaulted you earlier.”

“Death seems a little extreme for covering up for his subordinates cheating,” I chuckled. “But tell Bavag I’ll meet him, despite his ridiculous challenge, tomorrow at the training field. No weapons. I’ll beat him to death with my bare hands.”

“Kiria, are you sure?” Culsen asked.

“Yes. An example needs to be made for any of Binh’s friends hiding in the woodwork of exactly what will happen if they choose revenge,” I replied. To the messenger I said, “give Bavag my reply verbatim, Trooper.”

Next working period the duel was the talk of the base, a lot of my friends and colleagues approaching me to see if it was actually true. I’m told Bavag was actually called into sub-Commander Qul’s office to explain himself and withdraw his challenge, which he refused to do. Seems he was the undisputed hand-to-hand combat champion on the base and was using the false claim that my team cheated in grav-ball to justify him defending his Troopers’ honour.

That it was a false claim was also undisputed by everyone except the Advanced Combat Training section, who still claimed it was an accident, all evidence to the contrary. That said, duelling, though frowned upon by many in the Empire, was still legal if certain rules regarding disputes were followed and a charge of shaming intent was one of them. That Bavag’s career was over if he did not withdraw seemed not to bother the man at all.

Hence, at the start of the rest period for the base, I, and Inisir as my second, stepped out onto the training field to face Optio Bavag.

Sub-Commander Qul was officiating and called both of us to a table where he sat to see if it could be resolved peacefully.

“Optio Bavag, will you withdraw your challenge?”

“I will not. Tribune Kiria’s actions and lies have brought shame and opprobrium upon members of my command,” he replied with eyes glittering in anticipation.

“Tribune Kiria, will you withdraw your acceptance?”

“And have the honour of myself and my comrades impugned by someone who refuses to believe the evidence all have seen and know to be true? I respectfully decline, sir,” I replied.

“As you are both determined upon this course of action, you may go ahead,” Qul stated with a sigh. “Terms are: death, unconsciousness or an agreed withdrawal.”

“I will kill you,” Bavag stated to me.

“No, you won’t,” I replied. “You have no idea what you face and I also intend to ensure that you live with the memories of what was done to you for a long, long time.”

Leaving him spluttering behind me, Inisir and I simply turned our backs on him and moved to the corner of the training area reserved for us and the duel.

“Are you sure, Kiria?” Inisir asked me for what had to have been at least the tenth time.

“Yes. If I withdraw, he’ll be able to claim we’re cowards and he was right,” I shrugged.

“Even so, Kir, the man’s an absolute monster and has never been defeated in training or competition.”

“Doesn’t matter. As a lot of men will tell you, size isn’t everything,” I replied with a wink.