Fiction Home - More by David Sinclair - More in Action and Aventure - More First Fanfic Challenge entries

I couldn't stand the look on his face. Maybe it was the dirty appearance. No. It might have been the sneer on his lips. No, it wasn't that either. It was the eyes. There was a pure, calculating hatred in them. Those were the kind of eyes that a man could read his fate in. I had seen that look before. My opponent and I were slowly circling the mat, swords held at the ready. The blood red crystal in my hilt sparkled every time the light caught it, making it appear to be lit from within. Almost like a blood demon I thought with a slight twitch of my mouth. The gold sparkled as well, but I didn't notice it as much against the steel of my sword. I knew this weapon well, and could describe it in perfect detail with my eyes closed. I knew there were eight sapphires set into the handle underneath my hand, which when combined with the gold and wrapped leather made up the grip. The meter and a half blade gleamed dully, the runes engraved down its length catching the light and seeming to hold it within themselves. The sword not only appeared to be alive, but at times felt it as well.

Compared to mine, my opponent's blade was a beggar's choice. Although sharp as death itself, it was utterly unadorned. This weapon was brutally utilitarian, with a simple hand guard and a wide blade a meter long. I knew I had a length advantage, and could stay away from him for a while, but as we circled I read his eyes. Running would be suicide; he would pursue and cut me down. I had to fight. Suddenly, he lunged at me. Bringing my blade up, I met his down stroke once, twice, a third time, then took a step back. He came at me again from another angle, and for a moment, I thought I had miscalculated. But no, he made the single, fatal error that I had hoped for. He cut sideways from my left to right. I danced back, bringing my sword along in the same direction as his. Hitting the back of his blade, I added to his momentum, forcing him to keep moving sideways. Then, before he could recover, I spun all the way around keeping my own momentum, and swung low, cutting him in half at the waist. I saw his eyes again as he looked up. There was genuine surprise there. Then he flickered and disappeared.

"I always wondered how you practiced."

Spinning around, I saw Corry sitting on one of the benches ringing the exercise mat in the gym.

"I didn't even hear you come in." I said with a touch of annoyance. In real life, missing something like that could get me killed.

"Sorry David, I was trying to be quiet. I didn't want to disturb your concentration." She replied. "That was interesting."

It was impossible to be upset with her. "I'm glad you enjoyed the show. " I said bowing low.

"You know, you look like a gypsy in that outfit." She said with a chuckle.

"A what?" I looked down at the red vest and loose fitting blue pants.

"Never mind. You're good though. What did you do to the holographic emitter? When you connected with the sword, there was resistance there." She asked curiously.

In answer, I picked up a metallic baton from where it had fallen on the floor. It was made up of a pair of reaction training spheres that had been stripped of their laser projectors. They had been magnetically connected to a meter long durasteel rod. When connected to the holographic computer, this made the physical portion of my computer opponent's sword. With the holographic projection hiding it behind the visual image, it made the perfect sparing partner, faster and more agile than any droid ever made.

"Oh, now I see." She said examining the device. "Good idea, although I'm surprised you don't knock this thing across the room when you hit it squarely."

"Actually, I did have that problem at first. If you look inside, you'll see I had to upgrade the repulsor lift system." I replied, grabbing a towel and sitting down beside her.

"Sure enough." She said, looking at it with the same critical eye I remembered from my days as a ships engineer. "Still, you're very good with that sword of yours. And I never cease to be wowed by its beauty."

As she commented on my skill, I could hear in her voice a touch of... envy? It made me curious. "What about you?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"What about that knife of yours?" I asked again to clarify my point. "Your dirk is a very good hand to hand weapon. Do you ever practice with it?"

"Well... yes, I do. Sometimes."

"Good, I want to see. Here, I'll clamp in a smaller rod and let you show me what you can do."

After a little more prodding, I watched her run off to get her weapon, and then set about making my modifications. Switching off the maglocks, I removed the rod I had running between the spheres, and replaced it with a shorter one about the length of my forearm. By the time I had reprogrammed a different computer opponent, she was back.

"So... how do these programs work?" she asked.

"Well, you can set them to be either passive or offensive. Depends on whether you want to practice your offensive or defensive skills."

"Okay... set it for offensive." She said with a determined look on her face. She wants to prove something I thought. Let her... we'll see what it is. I set the program for random attack and adjusted the skill level to medium.

"Ready to engage when you are." I said.

"I'm ready." She said.

I set the program into motion, and watched them begin to circle a bit. What in the world... I could see right off that Corry was holding her knife far too loosely, with her arm almost fully extended in front of her. The dirk was more of a dagger with the blade approximately the same length as my hand from the wrist to the end of my fingers. Then, to my surprise, she lifted her arm and with a snap threw the knife dead center of her opponent's throat. The dirk passed through the holographic projection and slammed into the nearest bulkhead with an audible thunk. Well, that answers that question... very impressive I thought

"Wow... Corry, that throw was perfect! Where did you learn to do that?" I asked as I came towards her from the control panel.

"I grew up on a ranch. We had all kinds of rattlesnakes and things that I had to hunt when I was younger. The best way to hunt them is with a knife." She replied as she walked over and pulled her weapon out of the wall.

"I never learned to throw a knife myself." Watching her perk up with my disclosure, the answer locked into my mind. That's what she wants, to prove her skills to me. "Can I ask you a question though? What would you have done if there were two of them?"

She seemed to shrink a bit as she replied "I don't know. I never learned how to fight hand to hand. There was the obligatory unarmed Air Force training, but I was never taught how to use this." She said.

I saw the opening I had wanted. "I tell you what; I'll make you a deal..." I said; making sure I had her attention. "If you will show me how to throw a knife, I'll show you how to defend yourself with that." I said, pointing to the dirk in her hand.

She visibly brightened at my offer. "You've got yourself a deal!"

"Good! Now, let me show you how to properly hold this thing..."