The two colony leaders fell in step with each other as they headed to the arena. The workers followed, and as they proceeded, they picked up more stragglers. There was excited chattering and people wishing Orion luck. Many had replicated shirts and sports jerseys with Orion's name and constellation on the front. Others had flags and, in one case, a big foam finger. Shops closed down as all of Phoenix headed down to the arena.

  Random and his growing construction crew had made short work of digging out a second layer of the city. They had plans to turn this floor into a public park, so the ceiling was high enough to accommodate trees transplanted from the Org city. It was only partly dug out, but the support beams and scaffolding on the unfinished walls ensured the safety of the onlookers. South of the stairs was a circular fighting arena, looking to be built specifically for combat. There were bleachers around the outer perimeter, enough to hold every current resident with room to expand along with the population. The hastily built sports arena still needed some improvements, but would serve as an ideal stage for a duel.

  Duke Kholchek was already waiting in the circle when Orion arrived. He had cleaned up a bit overnight and was looking quite regal. Showered, plumage trimmed and swept back in a ponytail, and even his jetpack had been repaired and polished to a gleaming shine. Free from the baggy prison jumpsuit it was easy to see that he was rather portly. But the way his biceps stretched the scarlet fabric of his highlander shirt belied the fact that hard muscle hid under all that fluff. With an icy blue military tartan, kilt, and feather bonnet, he looked every bit the military officer he was.

  "I see you haven't run away," mocked Kholchek. "I was beginning to make plans for this new section of my city. I'm thinking, 'Military Training Grounds'."

  "I'm giving you one last chance to back down, and we can resolve this peacefully," Orion said.

  Kholchek frowned, "And this is exactly why this city needs me. You are weak."

  Orion cracked his knuckles, "Yeah, we'll see about that."

  Mayor Slate walked between them, "Gentlemen, I need to lay down the ground rules. Since Duke Kholchek issued the duel, Orion gets to choose the weapon of choice. And 'His Grace' will choose whether or not to use abilities. Orion?"

  Orion shrugged, "Since you're so on about strength, let's just 'Duke' it out with our bare hands. Unarmed combat."

  Slate nodded, "Duke Kholchek?"

  "Full abilities," Kholchek said with an air of arrogance. "I would like to see what this whelp is made of before I take him apart."

  The crowd was filling in. There were a few farmers distributing bags of their latest product, a corn-like Org?an vegetable heated until the blue and purple kernels popped. These were salted or buttered using condiments from the kitchen food replicator. Even Orion's companions, as well as a few of the ewes and Major's family, had come to watch the activities. There were already chants from the established colonists, with the new ones hesitantly joining in.

  Orion understood their lack of confidence. Kholcheck was royalty, and an infamous war criminal. To them, he was just some sweaty miner. The outcome seemed obvious.

  "Take your positions on opposite sides of the inner circle," Slate pointed down to a painted ring in the center of the arena. "When I give the signal, the duel will begin. The winner will be decided when one concedes, or drops to one hit point and is teleported to our medical outpost."

  Slate pointed to Dr. Birchett, who was standing next to an emergency medical station. Ze gave a lazy salute with two fingers. Ze glared at Orion and mouthed ‘don’t you dare lose, clown’. Orion swallowed hard, glad he was in the ring with the Duke and not the doctor.

  Kholchek swapped out his equipped outfit, the military uniform vanishing, and replaced it with a simple pair of boxing shorts. His bulky gut reminded Orion of his own appearance back before character creation. Orion swapped out into a clean tanktop and a pair of colorful workout trunks he wore while training. They both raised their firsts and squared off at the two lines drawn on opposite sides of the circle.

  Slate sat down at a commentator table next to Max. On the tabletop was a touch screen with a selection of icons that could change the arena layout. This could be as simple as changing the ground to different tracks or sports courts, to rearranging the area to different biomes or even obstacle courses. The Professor had outdone himself by building this on such short notice.

  Slate tapped the screen and a protective dome covered the arena. Then he pressed another button, a horn blaring to signal the start of the fight. The clear dome projected scoreboards in front of all four bleacher sections, providing a running commentary on the fight and highlighting abilities so the audience could follow the action.

  Orion's fists were only half raised to a defensive block when a fist like a brick hit him in the face. The world tilted as the blow smashed into the Org's right cheek, shattering his jaw. The force of the left hook sent Orion pinwheeling off his feet. He landed on his head with a sickening crunch, and his neck bent at an odd angle. Gravity took over, and his body fell limp on the ground.

  The crowd went quiet, the jeers and revelry vanishing at once and leaving only a sucking silence in the cavern. Slate and Max stood up, concern plastered on their faces. Dr. Birchett started moving toward the medical table and paused, uncertain.

  Kholchek swept his plumage back, cracking his neck. He had overestimated the younger man. Pity, he should have held back a bit and given these slack jawed yokels more of a show. Kholchek turned, arms outstretched in a victory pose.

  "You see? Weak!" The Duke stalked in a wide circle, addressing the crowd. "Like all of you. Criminals, yet with such small ambitions! You sent the strong ones away so you could play at being farmers and bakers and mimes."

  He spat at the word, "The lowest form of the performing arts. I will make you soldiers! I will make you warriors! I will make you strong!"

  Murmuring started in the crowd. Some of the audience were standing to get a better look. Kholcheck saw the video feed shift slightly, but the screen was faint on the inner wall of the dome so as not to distract the combatants. The chatter became louder and more frantic.

  Kholchek took that as a sign that he was getting through to them. "I will train you in the art of war. When the first wave of you get through boot camp, those that survive will help train the next wave. I will wake up the sleepers in stasis, and together, we will conquer this world. And then, we shall have our revenge…"

  Duke Kholchek paused as the whispering grew louder. People had sat back down and some of them were furiously munching on stadium snacks. The Jo’Qin mime waved his foam finger excitedly.

  "…on our enemies." Kholchek's voice faltered, "Under my leadership…uh…"

  There was a loud crack behind the Kreelux. Kholchek's expression grew weary. He'd seen this before. Sometimes, you have an enemy who refuses to go down, even to the point of death. He turned, resolved to give him a swift end. Something merciful, like slitting his throat-

  Kholchek's eyes widened.

  Orion was on his feet, yes. But his body was bent so far backward that he made a crescent shape. The Org's body twitched like a broken animatronic, sparking and smoking. There was another crack as one of the dislocated shoulders popped back into place. Orion twitched forward, arms pressed closer to his body, his head turned entirely backward. With a wet snapping sound, the neck twisted around, then back into place. The cybernetic implants were starting to creep over blue skin in real-time. His brain implant crawled over his face, two eyes with blazing red pupils opening in the bronze half mask.

  Orion tried to speak, then reached up and pushed his jaw back into place with a wet pop! He slurred, "I didn't hear no bell, asshole!"

  The Duke put his hands up to guard, but Orion sprang forward. Orion ducked the hammer fist blow and sprang up with one of his own. The punch connected with the Duke’s gut with a meaty thump. The force of the hit lifted Kholchek bodily off the ground, and he was flung backward, spitting bile. The Kreelux stumbled but landed on his feet, rasping as the wind was knocked out of him.

  Orion swaggered closer with his arms to his side, "There's more where that came from."

  Kholchek was still doubled over, clutching his middle and gasping. The rasping wheeze burbled into an unsteady chuckle, building to a chortle, before bursting into a full-throated belly laugh. Orion's swaying faltered as Kholchek’s laughter echoed through the arena.

  Kholchek's head snapped up, and his arms raised victoriously. His eyes were glazed with feverish excitement. "Finally! A challenge!"

  Kholchek charged, and Orion was forced to respond in kind. The two met in the center with a flurry of blows that was difficult for the audience to follow. They dodged and blocked while jabbing at one another at close range. Fists pulverized flesh, claws slashed a blue flesh, and peg legs stomped bare feet. So precise were the punches that knuckles often met as they pounded each other's fists. Red and blue blood cascaded away from the fray in a macabre fireworks display of gore.

  As one, they leaped back from each other, panting from exertion. The crowd was cheering and chanting, "Let's Go, Orion! Let’s Go!" while stomping their feet in time. The two warriors were sizing up the situation. Agility-wise, they were about even. In terms of power, one was clearly superior. The Duke’s beak split into a confident smile as he saw Orion reach the same conclusion. Kholchek was stronger.

  Kholcheck stared at his opponent critically. Orion's body was slowly regenerating over time, but his movement were jerky and uneven. His cybernetics were burrowing into him, crawling over his flesh like spiders. The effect was unnerving, as if his own implants were consuming his flesh.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  Orion flicked his eyes to the left. Kholchek caught the movement, so when Orion turned to the left, so did. Only it was a feint. Orion ran to the right, putting distance between him and the crusader. Kholchek skidded to a halt and glared at the Org.

  Kholchek gave him a cold stare, "You can’t run, little man."

  The side panels of his jetpack opened and two protrusions slid out, unfurling and connecting into biplane wings. Kholchek flexed his knees, the rockets firing in time with his jump. He was propelled upward, the high arena ceiling giving him about thirty feet of space to fly. As he crested the arch, he cut power to the pack and plummeted like a meteor.

  Shouts from the crowd alerted Orion, who stopped to look behind him. Not seeing his pursuer, he glanced up as a shadow crossed over him. Kholchek grinned as the impudent Org stared at his gloriously falling form. His attack had famously taken out entire squadrons. And yet this whelp stood there just expecting to take it! It was laughable!

  Kholchek turned his fall into an elbow drop, hitting the ground with enough force to crack the floor. And passed right through Orion. The form of the Org broke up into pixilated chunks and shimmered before vanishing. What didn't vanish were the three fire traps that were bounced into the air from the force of his attack. A fourth trap was directly under his elbow, and all four exploded around him in a fireball.

  Max’s voice projected from the sidelines, “looks like Orion narrowly escaped death with his ability! With it he can project a holographic image to lure his opponents into an ambush.”

  Orion stepped out of stealth and watched the column of flame for a moment, letting his regeneration heal the worst of his injuries. He didn't have long to rest, however. The fire was blown out by a blast of air from the jetpack's cooling vents. Kholchek stared at him, rage evident in his amber eyes.

  "Coward!" he bellowed.

  Orion shrugged, "Whaddya want from me? You said abilities on! Traps are a skill, not a weapon."

  Kholchek was furious. He surged forward like a freight train, arms pumping at his sides. He swung back for a left cross, and Orion flinched, protecting his face with his hands.

  Just like before, the sledgehammer paw passed through a digital decoy but connected with a different face. One with a painted grin and a curly mustache on the pale blue fabric head. The force of the blow should have shattered the scarecrow, yet it swayed back like a sapling.

  The momentum of his swing left Kholchek unable to dodge away as the practice target snapped back. The grinning head slammed into his face with enough force to flip the Duke backward. His beak smashed into the ground and he somersaulted once before skidding across the floor.

  “And there’s Todd with a surprise assist for Orion!” Max’s voice shouted from the announcer table, “does that make this a tag team match?”

  “I don’t think so,” responded Slate. “It’s not like Todd is even alive. Probably.”

  The roar of the crowd shook the arena. People tossed popcorn at the fallen Kreelux, but the puffed projectiles bounced harmlessly off the duel dome.

  With Kholchek stunned, Orion ran forward, muttering, "Please stay down, please stay down, please stay down!"

  As Orion closed the distance, he started tossing traps. Two nets, one of them electrified, and four ice traps for each paw, freezing the Duke to the floor. Once the traps were in place, he started to kick Kholchek in the head with his peg leg, setting off the fire mod explosion each time. Underneath the downed crusader, a circle of light appeared, a mixture of arcane-looking symbols and scientific circuitry.

  Max announced, “That could spell trouble. The Duke just activated , which removes all movement debuffs.”

  Kholchek stood calmly, the traps burning away like flash paper. Orion tried to run, but his head was grabbed by a baseball mitt of a paw. Kholchek lifted him bodily off the ground. Three rapid strikes slammed into Orion’s stomach, nearly costing him his lunch. Feeling bruised and nauseous, he was tossed away like a sack of garbage.

  "Why do you keep fighting? For them? Compassion is Weakness. You are an idealist. You want everyone to be happy little neighbors, working together." Kholchek monologued as he walked toward the crumpled Org at his feet.. "You want to be a leader who serves your people. Pah! I do this, and what happens? I get sent off to fight in some Void forsaken war on some snowy ice ball of a planet. You think this world is harsh? This is a day at the beach. At least you are not freezing your tits off in some snowbank. But I still won! I survived! And what do I get? Dishonorably Discharged! Stripped of my title, my lands, my fortune!"

  Orion struggled to his feet, but Kholchek stomped down on the peg leg, snapping it in half. He collapsed back to the floor, helpless as a turtle on its back.

  The Duke kicked Orion away and walked after the rolling body, "I was banished from my lands! Cut off from my family, my wife and children! Shipped off to another wasteland in chains, a prisoner! But I will get it all back. I will turn these farmhands into warriors, and I will wage war on my home and take it all back! And if these criminals call me a tyrant, then so be it!"

  "Not…criminals," Orion bunched up his body and tried to regain his feet. "Just people who are lost…they all deserve a second chance."

  Kholchek picked Orion up by the straps of his tattered tank top and stared him in the eyes, "What would you know about loss, boy? What have you ever lost?"

  Orion stared Kholchek dead in the eyes, "Everything."

  Kholchek’s eyes went wide, searching his face. The owlish face grimaced, curly mustache twitching with annoyance. Something in Orion’s eyes must have convinced him, because the villain speech stopped. Instead, the Kreelux adjusted his grip and pulled the Orion into a crushing bear hug. His wings unfurled, and Kholchek blasted into the air again.

  Max shouted over the loudspeaker, “This is bad, folks! Duke Kholchek is getting ready to use his finishing move, the !”

  Orion struggled in the vice-like grip, jerking his body ineffectually. As the wind whipped past him, Orion looked for anything to get him out of this predicament. Orion accidentally looked down, and his head started to swim as he saw the floor retreating away from him. Orion jerked his head up to look at the ceiling. Getting dizzy here would be a death sentence.

  A glint caught his eye, and he shifted his gaze to a pointed ear flapping on the top of the Duke's head. Adorning it was a glittering gold hoop earring. From his position, he was just at the right height to take advantage of that.

  Taking aim, Orion waited for just the perfect opportunity. He struck like a serpent, teeth and tusks sinking into cartilage, warm blood bursting into his mouth with a coppery tang. Kholchek screamed and jerked his head back with surprise, causing a chunk of ear to tear away, taking the earring with it.

  "You peasant! Do you know who you're dealing wi-" Kholchek began to shout before Orion spat the bloody chunk of ear into his eye.

  The path of the jetpack went wild, spiraling in the air as the pilot lost control. The aerial suplex became an erratic nosedive. Instead of dropping Orion on his head the two fighters landed hard, causing them to bounce away from each other.

  Max screamed, “Kholchek’s attack failed, but both fighters are down!”

  Wiping blood and lobe out of his eye, Kholchek stood and stomped toward the fallen Org, the aura of light still surrounding the enraged crusader. Orion was struggling to stand, his left arm hanging slightly out of the now cybernetic socket. Orion planted his broken peg in an effort to right himself, but Kholchek kicked him in the stomach to keep him on his knees.

  The crowd was standing and jeering at the Duke as he stood over Orion. Shouts and boos turned to dead silence as Kholchek unsheathed his claws and started to slash at the kneeling Org.

  “Kholchek just unleashed , folks!” Slate announced, “that’s a nasty attack that causes the [Hemorrhage] debuff. Orion’s losing blood fast!”

  The vicious mauling continued, with no heat behind it, just a dispassionate attempt to get the job done. No more emotion behind it than if Kholchek were giving Orion a haircut. Blue blood cascaded down Orion's body in rivulets, his tank top soaked and shredded.

  Kholchek finally stepped back to examine his grim handiwork. Orion swayed and fell face down with a wet splat. His form pixilated, and he disintegrated into nothingness.

  Kholchek turned and walked toward the center of the stage. He paused as something shiny caught his attention, bending with great difficulty to retrieve his earring, lobe still attached. He smoothed out his hair, slicking it back with streaks of blue and crimson.

  "This was your best?" Kholchek's eyes scanned the crowd. "I'm insulted. I've had more of a workout training young recruits at boot camp. Now, you will fall in line and do as I say. Anyone who doesn't will meet the same fate.”

  Kholchek hesitated. The audience wasn’t looking at him. They were staring up at the scoreboard. He followed their gaze, but the inside of the dome was clear to prevent cheating. The fur on the back of his neck prickled, and he glanced at the empty med station. His eyes darted to the judge's table. Max gave him a shit-eating grin, waving with his fingertips.

  [Orion Starbeard used

  Orion Starbeard used

  Orion Starbeard used ]

  The cheering exploded as Orion left stealth. Time seemed to move in slow motion as Kholchek turned. Orion's skin was an angry red, and he sprinted toward him at full tilt. Orion's implants had grown even more, taking on a more bestial form. The brain implant had grown around his head, forming a four-eyed gas mask. Curled ram horns projected from the sides, and the neck was segmented with thickening bands, like a telescope. Metal had grown down his forearms, armoring his hands with metal pistons. The pegleg had been replaced by a thick digitigrade leg terminating in a cloven hoof.

  Kholchek started to raise his fists in a defensive pose, but Orion's head pistoned out on an extending neck. The horns hit the Kreelux square in the chest, pulverizing his ribs. He landed hard on his jetpack, metal warping under his weight. Before the Duke could even react, Orion leaped onto his crushed chest and started wailing on him with both fists. The jackhammer punches hit so quickly that the sounds blended together. The only thing that could be heard over that was Orion pleading with Kholchek.

  "Stay down, stay down, stay down, stay down, stay down, stay down! Stay! Down!" Orion screamed frantically.

  Finally, his fist passed through the air, and he collapsed on the ground. Kholchek was teleported to the medical station, completely unconscious. The medidrone on standby immediate started to treat him, Dr. Birchett adding her own psionic healing for good measure.

  The cheers were deafening. People were jumping, dancing, and hugging each other. Max stood and saluted, the guards parroting the gesture, followed by Ssteev, who wasn't as quick on the uptake. Mayor Slate turned off the duel dome as the weary Org started to climb to his feet. Orion spread his arms in a victory pose he saw in a movie once.

  "Free people of Phoenix!" Orion’s shout immediately silenced the crowd, creating a vacuum of sound. Every ear was hungry to hear the next words. "As long as I am here, there will be no tyrants! You can live how you like, love who you want, be whatever kinda person you wanna be. Together we will make a new home, and maybe someday we can find a way back to Sanctuary!"

  Blood loss was making Orion lightheaded. "Inna meantime, we will make Phoenix someplace we can all be proud of, y'know? It's really shiny with no litter an’ stuff. Gotta get some more robo janitors. Oh ye~eah, we have a robo janitor now so be nice to him! He'sh rusty but good. 'Member to vote Shtarbeer for Gov’nor!"

  Orion thrust both hands in the air, giving twin peace signs. He fell backward and was already pixelating before he hit the ground.

  [You Have Died]