Chapter 27

  Diversion and Aversion

  “Keep your cool, and no matter what happens, never let them see you sweat. Unless you are using sweat as a diversion as well.” Marcon, on how not to get caught again.

  There are very subtle tells that vary from race to race. Each species has inherent ways of dealing with danger, anger, and frustration. That means watching and observing a scene with three people of three different races all acting the same could indicate three completely different reactions.

  Humans coil and constrict, their muscles preparing to strike out and attack people or events that anger them. Similarly, you might see their nostrils flare up and enlarge, an involuntary reaction to the body’s need to draw in as much oxygen before getting into a fight.

  By contrasts, Geminoids have their gems, which will glow when they are ready to strike. Then there will be a surge of colors on the side that they are going to strike with first, a moment before they throw their first punch.

  Lastly there are the Cerusians, they are different males act one way, while females act an entirely different way.

  For males, it is the eyes, the way you can tell they are mad at you, is if they stare you in the eyes. Any sign of eye contact, forced or other, should be considered an act of aggression. Even if those glances are hidden behind submissive gestures like flattering praise, or cordial smiles. It is their eyes that will tell you everything.

  For females it is different, they are naturally superior, and will often only glance at the target of their interest from the peripherals. Their body language will always be upright and rigid, but the placement of their hands will be a dead giveaway of their true intentions. If their hands are apart and separated, then they are just merely observing.

  If their hands cross then chances are they are either concealing a weapon, or wishing they could conceal a weapon of some kind.

  All of this was to say that when the male Cerusian sat directly across from Arla, while his counterpart, the female minder sat to Arla’s left, she was aware of the context of this meeting.

  Only after seeing the still open lapel of the male’s uniform did, she understand that this was not a chance encounter.

  Flicker, flicker.

  While the male was clearly socially engaged with Chloe, his eyes spoke that he was clearly here for Arla. Especially as his eyes flickered to lock gazes with Arla not once but twice.

  His motions were so quick that he likely didn’t realize what he was doing, nor how he was acting. But Arla noticed.

  She noticed, and she too played her own game within a game.

  “So how are you enjoying the exchange program?” Arla asked, her face expressionless as she all but dared the male to lock gazes with her.

  He did, and as he did he let out a smile that turned more forced than necessary as he began speaking, his words sounding of poisoned honey to Arla’s ears.

  “Oh, I have to say that this campus is rather exceptional. I’ve found myself getting lost here more than once.” The male began, staring at Arla for a quarter of the words, while shifting his head to engage with Chloe.

  “Oh no, I could definitely see how it would be confusing,” Chloe added, her voice trying to sound apologetic at the plight of strangers.

  At Chloe’s interruption, the female Cerusian to Arla’s left shifted her posture ever so slightly. Her hands that had been out wide holding the edges of her meal tray suddenly shifted inward.

  As they shifted inward, Arla couldn’t help but notice that the cutlery was oddly missing from her tray.

  With her hands face down, Arla knew all too well that she could be hiding anything. The idea of needing to use Academy grade cutlery as a weapon of choice was almost laughable to Arla. Still, she did give the warrior props for using what is natively in the environment.

  There was also the outside chance that the lack of cutlery was a misdirection on the female’s part, and that they had a real weapon hidden up their sleeves, but either way Arla knew her method for dealing with such an attack. Particularly from the side.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Seeing her posture, it was clear that she practiced at least a variation of the side-crane technique. Not the original name of the martial arts used by Ceruisan females, but what Federation analysts called the style, while trying to mock the form.

  The attacks were often lethal, particularly in tight spaces as one could expect in space, or while sitting at a mess hall table. But sitting down was the first mistake, as it limited many of the strikes and attacks available to the attacker. As the most devastating component of the side-crane style were leg strikes and kicks. These would often be multiplied by power infusion which the Cerusian magic system is famous for.

  There was also the fact that her being seated would limit the amount of torque that could be applied. In addition to halving the flow of energy available with any given direct strike.

  The weakness of the Cerusian power system was the mid range attacks. Close range they were dangerous, so long as they could touch an opponent directly. From further away, they would be able to manifest their powers fully and direct them at a precision target.

  That was part of the side-crane style’s appeal. It let you cripple or disable an immediate threat, which you could then use to get away or continue striking.

  By her sitting down she had effectively given up the greatest strengths of their main fighting form, while relying on catching an opponent off guard as their only real advantage.

  Unfortunately for both the male and female, Arla was more than aware enough despite seemingly having all her attention fully focused on the male who was showing aggressive tendencies. Though he was able to mask his intentions to the average passerby.

  To the average human he would appear to be overly flirtatious with Chloe, and while that might be part of what he was trying to accomplish, it was not his true intention at this moment.

  “You see, my friend here lost something very dear to him,” the female cut in.

  At her comment the flirtatious banter that had been exchanged through physical cues suddenly ceased. Her left hand raising to point out the male, her finger pointing exactly at the now vacant spot on his jacket. The empty spot where a powerful pendant once rested.

  A pendant that now firmly rested just underneath Arla’s skin in some odd infusion pattern that she still didn’t quite fully understand.

  All she knew for certain was that any searches would likely not reveal the pendant, and even if they did find the remains of said pendant, it would not be in its original form.

  “Really?” Chloe again asked, her hands rising up in shock at the statement.

  Seeing the typical reaction of a human female, the male took it as a sign of aggression. His body tensing back and locking gazes with Chloe.

  Arla for her part prepared to intervene, her hands going wide and grabbing the sides of her own metal tray, which she prepared to wield as a makeshift shield, or weapon should the female join the attack.

  Fortunately, the female seemed to be in charge of this little intelligence fishing expedition as she quickly reigned in her male companion.

  “Yes, you see, he lost something very dear to his family, a broach,” the female stated, still pointing to the male. Though her hand gesture had a more rigid feel to it, as if she was scolding the boy, telling him to mind his manners and understand his place.

  The boy, the male Cerusian broke his gaze away from Chloe and just stared at the finger, some of his rigidity in his posture diminishing at the gesture.

  All the while this happened, Arla could see the way the female read her body language from the corner of her eye.

  Of course, Arla was well versed in postures and their meanings and the metalinguistics of different cultures and races. She had spent years learning the differences in postures and expressions to convey her intent with the fewest words possible.

  That is why, Arla kept her firm posture. Her eyes locked onto the male sitting across from her, while her periphery was completely focused on reading the actions of the female counter part. It was a game within a game, one that Arla would press to see just how much these two knew about what had happened.

  With a coy smile forming on her lips, she spoke in an informal cadence mixing in just enough basic Cerusian words that her full context wouldn’t be known to everyone, “oh, such a poor boy, losing his trinkets in a far away land. His mother must be so disappointed.”

  Shuffle.

  That was enough to get the male to jump to his feet, as he was now panting wildly with barely controlled rage.

  The comments were scalding, all but implying that he was incapable of being left alone without the care and attention of female chaperones. This sentiment was made doubly apparent by the fact that he came here with a female minder to help him retrieve his lost item. An item that he rightly assumed had been taken by Arla.

  Arla didn’t flinch, for her full attention was on the opponent to her left. One who moved her hands together in what many would call a praying gesture. Well, many that did not know the way Cerusian females fought.

  For her part, she just stared at the woman from her periphery. Waiting for any signs of movement from the Cerusian witch. Knowing that the moment she moved, Arla would strike out with a metal tray at her throat.

  Everything was for show, the male was the distraction, while the female was the primary threat.

  Honestly, it was impressive to see the two working together. This was almost how Arla imagined a pack of wolves fighting. One coming at you from head on, grabbing your full attention, while the true threat waited patiently from the side to lash out.

  Oddly enough, it was Chloe who broke the sudden tension.

  “What is a mishuda?” Chloe asked, trying to parrot back the word she thought she heard but butchering it terribly.

  At her poor translation, the male and female both looked past Arla and stared at the clearly confused Chloe. For her part Chloe stared intently at Arla, trying to decipher the meaning of the word used.

  “It means trinket, or bauble.” Arla said, turning her face towards Chloe.

  As she moved, her periphery could keep track of the female Cerusian.

  Surprisingly, the female seemed to understand something.

  Maybe it was the way that Arla’s hands, though wide apart, never let go of their grip of the left side of the metal tray. A tray that could be used to easily strike at the female.

  “So he’s missing it? This trinket?” Chloe asked.

  “Yes, and it is precious to me,” the male stated as he suddenly aware of all the eyes staring at him due to his sudden standing and staring at Arla began to sit back down, his cheeks blushing at the action.

  “Do you have a way to track it?” Chloe continued the dialog, clearly curious about this change of events.

  “Actually, we do,” the female replied this time.

  As she spoke, she put down her fork and knife onto her tray. The cutlery appearing as if by magic. Many would just assume they had overlooked the utensils, but Arla knew better.

  “For you see, I have the alternate trinket, here.” The female replied as she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out what was clearly the other part of trinket that Arla had somehow absorbed.

  Tingle.

  Arla knew this was the second half, because even now her skin tingled at the sudden presence of this new trinket.

  “You see, this should help us locate the missing one,” the female began. As she spoke she held up the trinket that all but glowed with a mysterious light.

  As it shone, Arla could see a new message appear.

  Seeing the message, Arla’s mind became clear with what she must do, and more importantly how she must act next.

  Realizing the situation for the no-win position she was in, opted for the hard way. Rule 17 it is, she thought to herself as she prepared for what would happen next.

  May 08, 2025.

  Until then please check out my April 2025 Writathon entry.