Randi…
…circled around, crouched low, eyeing her opposition. The creature had already made three feints. It had a dangerous double stroke, one blade following the other to get by any parry. She blocked each and struck back after the last but only landed the flat of her sword. The reaction informed her she had made a significant strike.
The hide of this beast did not seem as tough as the others she had seen.
Shadows grew longer but torches around the perimeter had been lit without her noticing. They multiplied the shadows adding to the stress of one-on-one combat with an opponent of unknown talent or strength.
Though trained several decades ago with a double-handed sword attack she was still getting the muscle and brain memory back. To her credit, she had already proven to be a difficult warrior to predict.
As did her opponent, who became more cautious with the landing of the flat. She felt the impact in her arm when it landed. From the creature’s reaction, she had made an impression. She leaned in.
The Gant, too, leaned in, crouched lower, all three eyes focused on her face.
Grant and Connie stood surrounded by the Gant spectators, seeming unfazed, watching the pair of fighters. The Gants around them paid no mind either, all focused on the contest.
The “Five” continued to sit together, still grasping each other’s hands. No one dared block their view.
Randi watched the Gant’s feet. The skinny arms and legs did not appear strong enough to support the heavy body but, obviously, they did. And did the job well.
The rear leg was able to perform a jumping motion. It folded back under the rear segment and would shoot out faster than the eye could follow. The body would jump about a foot off the ground and two feet forward or back. Twisting the body, manipulating the balance of its shoulders, and the rear segment, would change the angle, speed, and style of attack.
The first time it tried the maneuver, the Gant scored a slash across Randi’s stomach drawing a thin line of oozing blood. She thought, “Only a scratch,” and ignored the minor discomfort. Not a sharp pain, but it itched terribly. “Hope there’s no poison on those blades.”
This attack was no longer a surprise as the folded leg always preceded the maneuver.
When the creature landed the right leg touched down first, bending to take on the weight of the body, with the left limb landing immediately after. It looked clumsy. A quick flash of scurrying movement including the rear leg, belied that impression as soon as it got its balance back. A matter of a split-second.
Randi recognized that pause as an opportunity. She would have to be cautious when she executed the maneuver she was formulating. It would leave her lower anatomy vulnerable for a moment during her spin. It would follow a feint she had already made twice, completing the move the same way.
She had already learned not to repeat moves she had made before. If blocked or parried before it was sure to be equally unsuccessful during a second attempt. She repeated the preparation motion twice although the follow-through would be completely different. If the warriors’ habits were to be trusted, her opponent should not expect a different follow-up.
The spring leg was tucked underneath and invisible. The two steelwood swords spun around with incredible speed. A blur. Momentum carried one towards her legs. The second slashed at her face. A kill move.
The beast was serious. This was no fight about honor.
There was no time to await opportunity. Her special move would have to wait. The beast’s attack, hard and fast. It moved faster than she had seen a Gant move before.
Launching her body horizontally, she folded back both legs and thrust them out. Hard.
One sword flashed past her nose as the other cut the air where her legs had been. The creature spun to its left missing its opportunity.
She caught the Gant in the middle of the chest. Randi landed in a crouch. It had not worked. Not as she hoped. But it did throw her opponent off-guard.
As it unfolded its rear leg to recover position, it threw the opposite arm out to recapture balance.
The sword in the creature’s outstretched arm slipped from its hand and landed at Connie’s feet. The Gant froze. The left eye stared at Randi. The other two eyes peered at Connie.
The crowd stepped back from her. She peered about bewildered. All were obviously waiting for her to do something.
She glanced at Randi who shrugged and shook her head.
She bent and picked up the strong, light sword. Should she join the battle? Two against one? In some cultures that may be acceptable. Did they believe in fate? In God? Or was this about fairness or honor? Collecting coup?
A lot to consider. No time to do any decision justice.
Turning the sword in her hand, she held the blade and offered the hilt to the alien warrior. She knew she may regret the act, but it felt like the only course.
The Gant bowed, bending one leg, and focusing its sense carapace and compound eyes down at her feet. It accepted the blade. The creature straightened, took a step back, and bowed again at Connie. It turned and bowed to Randi. It appeared the creature was bestowing honor. To her? To Connie? To their race?
At this moment none of that mattered. If she got out of this alive, she would have time to consider philosophical questions. This was not the time for that.
The Gant backed off one step and retook its defensive position. It waved the left sword as if to say, “Bring it.”
Randi recovered her crouch.
The creature’s two swords flashed in an aggressive circle-eight pattern. Each sword crosses the trail of the other in a coordinated pattern of attack.
The beast spun its body around gaining momentum and force. The arms and flashing swords etched a complicated pattern that protected its rear as it turned. Unfortunately for the Gant, a similar attack was practiced in three forms of combat Randi had learned in the past.
Two in which she held black belts and one jungle form that offered no rankings.
She had practiced the counter for this move. The end game suddenly became predictable. Caution informed her not to trust all would go as planned.
As the creature came around to deliver what should have been a final fatal blow, she swept its right leg just as its weight was about to transfer to that limb. With no limb to support it, the creature fell forward catching the point of Randi’s blade and piercing its upper chest where the brain/heart resided.
Dropping its steelwood swords, the creature dropped to a sitting position, legs tucked underneath. The nostrils now completely open as though in surprise. Wide eyes focused on her face. It reached its middle arm out and gripped Randi’s left shoulder.
A flood of impressions flashed into her mind. A chaotic silent kaleidoscope of what felt like memories and multiple messages. All of this without recognizable words.
“Ohhh!” Computer reacted uncharacteristically and buzzed, sounding electronically stressed.
The effort became too much for Randi. Chaos assaulted her and she felt dizzy. After what seemed like an eternity all impressions, and sights, faded and calmed. A single feeling kept echoing as Computer announced, “Somehow the Gant is projecting through me. I have got this Randi. I am collecting the data. I’ll make sense of most of it later.”
“Ok, uh, thanks. Why do I keep feeling “Take care of my baby?”
“I think that was the creature’s dying message. I have no idea…”
“What is that?” Connie interrupted Randi’s inner dialog and pointed at the lump that had fallen off the creature’s back. It moved.
It seemed to wiggle and struggle until a tear appeared at one end. A tiny clawed five-fingered hand appeared. It had two opposable thumbs.
“Randi. I have been trying to make sense of the download.” Computer interrupted her reverie. “They were not attacking us because they are aggressive. They are trying to survive. Those mud pits in the cave? They’re not polluted. That is their food.”
“Their food?”
“Yes. They are starving. And there is more. There is a huge problematic event about to happen. And there is no way for us to stop it. From what I can figure, our colony may also be in danger.
“Randi, these creatures are close to panic.
