As with knife-fighting practice, of course they did not use real energy cutlasses. In routine practice and for technique training, they used flex swords that simply bent.
Yet for actual sparring matches, they used holosword blades with flex filament shock markers.
A holo blade could appear to penetrate a body if enough force went behind a hit. And the shocking filaments would hit a person with an appropriate, painful shock charge, and leave behind a bright, programmable fluorescent stain, showing exactly where a hit occurred.
Match AIs tracked hits and would call out serious wounds or outright kills. All of this resulted in a realistic, but non-lethal form of fencing that was as real as sword practice could get.
Naero spun to the side and ran Mike Marshall through from armpit to armpit. He gnashed his teeth as the shock charge hit him.
“Instant kill,” the match AI announced.
Naero patted him on the should. “Better luck next time, Mikey.”
Peni Kim, of The Black Mosquito, jumped at the chance to get her licks in next.
“Get ready for a fight today, N. I’m in top form and I’m coming straight at you.”
“Then bring it, gal. Let’s see what you’ve got!”
Peni leaped in and the fight heated up, intense and flashing from the very outset.
Another of the seven, Peni was small and fast, like Naero. Her skin was light brown chocolate, her long, shining black hair divided to either side of her like dark ropes in hair clasps.
Her hair glittered like her large black eyes. Her wide, expressive mouth snarled like that of a lioness. She was a skinny little fireball, built like a teen girl, but with a ferocity ten times her size–unlike anyone Naero had ever fought.
They clashed and spun, and whirled and kicked.
Today might just be the day.
No one was on top forever.
Then a commotion erupted behind their match.
People began to shout and scream.
“He’s here. Max Lii is here!”
“There he is!”
“Haisha, he’s gorgeous!”
Music erupted, loud and throbbing.
Peni Kim couldn’t help sneaking a glance that way.
Right as Naero cut her down.
“Instant kill,” the AI announced.
They said Max made music everywhere he went.
He hammered out one of his hottest tunes on his holo-spolymered kitar–the one shimmering with blue holo flames. His expert hands and fingers blasted out notes from the heavy triple strings, in a flaring rendition of To the Stars!
He was in fact a hot, dreamy mug. Naero had to give him that much. She could see what all the excitement was about; pictures and vids didn’t do Max justice. His perfect, wild plume of black hair, dark looks, and killer, cobalt-blue eyes. A tall, lanky, athletic form. That low, sultry voice of his that could roar, croon, or whisper–like hot velvet.
It was instantly clear that Max Lii would never spend a night alone–if he didn’t want to.
Everybody swarmed around him like a bunch of teens.
The women, and even a few guys, stared at him like they wanted to eat him for breakfast, lunch, and dinner–right then and there.
Max’s aura and his personal magnetism were that potent.
“Hey, everybody. I’m Captain Max Lii. Happy to be here. I told them to send me and my ship to the top unit they had. My people and I are ready to join you, and give our enemy hell, and we can have some fun along the way too. I’m very proud to be here with you all.”
Everyone clapped and cheered, and then made way to introduce him to Naero, their fleet captain.
Naero grinned and decided to take the direct approach.
Even though he was much taller than her…
Haisha! Almost everyone was taller than her, but she never let that slow her down.
Naero stalked right up to Max.
She grabbed him by the front of his pistol and sword belt and yanked him in right up against her.
Max actually paled slightly and dropped his kitar.
Someone caught it.
Naero flashed her own big, violet search lights right up into his eyes.
“Welcome aboard…Captain Lii.”
She could feel him tremble against her with excitement, every bit of him iron muscle.
She snaked herself around him, curling one arm and hand up behind his neck and his thick mane of hair, bending his handsome face down to her as she tipped her steamy lips up at him.
Everyone present held their breath.
No one expected anything like this. Ever.
Naero’s other hand felt around his slender hips, until she grasped the hilt of his energy cutlass, sheathed and inverted in custom rig, behind his hips and up his broad back.
Naero could feel his heart and breath quicken—right along with her own.
She thrust herself against him, and smiled up at him wickedly.
He jumped as if she sent a heavy shock charge through his entire body.
She whispered to him tenderly.
“I’m your sweet little fleet captain, Max. But you’ve gone and interrupted my sword practice. Now I must know…can you use this thing…on your hips?”
Max Lii swallowed hard at that.
She shoved him away, sprang back, and held her own blade out and at the ready in a flash.
She grinned her half-smile once again.
“…Or are you all just for show?”
Max’s lips parted slightly in eager wonder.
Then he smiled too. He kept his eyes on her and slowly circled around, looking her up and down, licking his lips. He obviously liked what he saw, up close and personal.
“I am sure going to enjoy…serving under you, sir.”
Naero laughed. “Let’s dispense with rank in the practice room, Max. Here we’re all just friends and Spacers. Now grab a blade…and try to surprise me.”
“Oh, I’m just full of surprises, Naero, honey.”
He drew his energy cutlass slowly from behind his back.
Max apparently preferred a wide blade, one that blazed white-hot like lightning.
Naero laughed. Impressive.
She turned to the crowd and rolled her eyes, speaking aside to them behind one hand.
“But…like all guys…he still only has just one.”
Everyone oohed and ahhed at that, and then burst out laughing and cheering again.
Naero went on, extending both arms. “And as always, the question remains. What can he do with it?”
More jeering and cheering.
Max didn’t give an inch of ground.
“Give me a chance here, honey…wait for it.”
Max smiled and reached up with his other hand, and in the same slow, fluid motion.
He drew out another matching cutlass, a twin to the other, and held them crackling in both hands.
The crowd went crazy, laughing and roaring. They couldn’t believe it.
Max tossed his pretty head of dark hair. “As a matter of fact, I do have two. Surprise!”
He snapped into a fighting stance.
“And surprise again, I even know what to do with them.” He grinned and glared at her once more.
Naero clapped her hands and laughed.
“Oh, I need to see this play out. Somebody take those hangers and give him a matching set of practice blades. We are so doing this.”
Once the switch was made, Naero charged in.
Only the best swordmasters fought with two blades. She kept that in mind.
Within seconds, Naero could tell that Max knew his way around swords.
He defended against her almost effortlessly, using the advantages that his two weapons gave him.
Then he pressed his own attack and drove her back.
The fight was on.
Then to her surprise, he kept taking the fighting in close.
And when they were close–he sang to her.
Even as they fought fiercely.
/> Max sang to her. And it was one of her favorite love songs of his–Hearts Afire.
Max’s words and his sultry voice pierced her heart and distracted her–more than his blades ever could.
The biggest threat wasn’t his blades or his skill with them.
Max was clearly a consummate seducer. He made his living at it. That was the real danger.
Raw seduction and magnetism were clearly among his best weapons.
He leaned in quickly at one point, and brushed his lips against hers.
Naero felt herself shudder and gasp.
She lifted her parting lips back up toward him for but an instant.
No one had ever seduced her like this.
Max smiled and stepped back.
Everyone gasped and grew silent once more.
The point of Max’s right sword poised above her heaving left breast.
The blade of his left sword horizontal before her uplifted, alabaster throat.
Naero gulped in air, still feeling overheated with an incredible surge of desire.
Max shook his head slightly, and smiled sadly.
“Love conquers all, honey. Just like the song says. Do you yield?”
Naero glared at him without blinking. She let her practice swords fall.
They clattered to the ground beside her.
“Never.”
“I’ve beaten you.”
She grinned back at him with her own wicked smile.
Time for her to go after him on his terms.
“You’ve won a single match. If you know anything about me, you would know that you will never defeat me. I say let’s go again–another pass.”
He leaned in. “What’s in it for me?” he whispered playfully.
“A prize…” she whispered back, eyes askance.
He snorted slightly. “What prize could you offer me to continue?”
Naero giggled and spoke softly for his ears along. “To be yours. Tonight. All yours. In every way, Max. And here’s my secret. Forget anything else you’ve heard—I’ve never been with another. You…would be my first.”
She felt him shudder again, right up against her. And he whispered back.
“I can’t believe this, honey. Sure, I’ll fight for you, with everything I have. To tell you true—you’re all I’ve been dreaming about, honey. Just you.”
She kissed his ear. “Then it’s a deal.”
She pulled away.
Max nodded to her.
“Choose your weapons, N. I already have mine. I’ve never been more ready.”
He saluted her. “And I’ve trained cutlass since they could place them in my hands as a young boy.”
Naero smiled playfully this time. “Well then, if you use two swords, then it’s only fair that I use two as well.”
Max grinned eagerly. “Use whatever you like. I don’t care.”
Naero went over to the practice wall and picked out her favorite pair of holoflex practice katanas. She stroked them with affection.
“Let me tell you a story, Max. My father and my grandfather both practiced with twin katanas. My father was so huge, he had to use specially forged tachis and nodachis for a warrior of his size. They both passed the swordarts on to me. Both of them used swordart as deep forms of meditation. Yet several times, they were each challenged to sword duels. Sometimes…to the death.”
She paused for dramatic effect, eyeing him intently without blinking as she moved like a young female panther–all liquid muscle in tight black Nytex.
Max couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Neither of them ever knew defeat by another wielding swords. And though I never knew him very long, on the day I was born, my grandfather Amashin placed two small swords in my tiny hands to grasp. And growing up, each year thereafter–even after he was gone–I received a gift of a pair of twin swords, of the finest craftsmanship.
“Each set was a work of art, perfectly measured and balanced for my size, weight, and strength. You speak of being raised with swords? I too, have grown up with the surety of live blades in my hands–since before I could float.”
She gripped her favorite set of twin practice katanas, held up her proud face, and saluted.
“This is the blood I come from.”
She sighed and strode back into the fencing ring–utterly fearless. Her face was set, her violet eyes fierce and merry.
Naero undid her dark pony tail and let her waves of black, shimmering geisha hair flow free.
She loved doing battle with everything on the line.
She loved it more than she craved the breath of life.
And she would keep her word.
If Max beat her fairly, she would do everything in her power to please him–all night long.
She almost giggled.
Losing wouldn’t be so bad either.
They fought together for over an hour, while all the other captains looked on in stunned silence at the amazing match unfolding before them.
Until at last, Naero held both points of her blades hovering over Max Lii’s heaving heart.
He looked at her with heartbreak and very real sorrow in his eyes.
He took a step forward.
Naero inched back quickly, to spare him the intense pain of the shock charges.
“I’ve won,” she spoke softly, her breast heaving heavily also.
“Have you?” Max caught his breath and swallowed hard again. “To me, honey…it seems…as if we’ve both lost.”
Naero looked down and nodded slightly. “Perhaps you are right. But for now, this is the way things stand between us. I’m sorry, Max.”
He nodded sadly and dropped his swords. “Day will come, Naero—even if it is not me—that a man of honor shall win past all of your defenses, and love you, and pierce your heart, the way it should be taken.”
Max thrust himself forward onto her practice blades, ignoring the pain, and pulled her close to him.
“…as you have pierced mine.”
He held her close to him for a moment.
Naero gasped.
Haisha, how could anyone smell that good?
Then he kissed her brow, caressed her porcelain face once, and pulled back away, acknowledging her victory.
Their comrades applauded and cheered their amazing contest.
And that was how Naero Amashin Maeris met and exchanged defeats with Throckstar Max Lii.
23
On her next little disguise run, Naero uncovered quite a little secret of her own.
She went on board the heavy destroyer, The Jack of Spades, posing as Jooli Logan, a replacement gunner sent there for secondary battery training.
She played the role of a spunky, carefree redhead this time, with multiple hair tassels and braids, and again, lots of teen makeup.
In a day’s time she was getting along famously with her new mates–a little too much actually–and had to turn down ready offers of high-octane sex with five different males on board, and two females.
One of the guys was, in fact, completely gorgeous, a dreamy fighter jock one deck above them. Saemar would have been so jealous.
Naero was sorely tempted, but held fast to her plan. If she could resist the charms of a super-hot throckstar, she could hold out against this guy.
Then some of the the crew absently showed her the black market, digital porn sites that sprang up, as fast as they were shut down on the galaxy webnets.
Vid stars, galactic athletes, famous people–Spacers, landers...even aliens. She scanned her parent’s names on some of those lists as well.
They had been famous too, so that made them fair game on the black market porn sites.
The various porn systems could generate any type of sexual paring that could be conceived, between any public person or entity that was ever scanned into the system.
And then use those life-like, 3D skins to produce porn romps and fantasies for any taste, or lack thereof. Instant erotic fantasies that looked incredibly life-like. Embarrassingly so.
>
The detail was so real, it was scary.
She found them silly and humorous at first, if not sordid and outright weird. Naero had seen porn before and knew what it was.
Then she saw the list of current Alliance officers and personnel.
For example: There was a long running, highly rated vid of a threesome between Admiral Sleak Maeris, Admiral Nathan Joshua and Fleet Captain Zalvano.
She had to cover her eyes and look away when someone pulled a preview up.
Strangely enough, there wasn’t one for Fighter Squadron Commander Saemar Maeris. She wasn’t on any of the lists.
Saemar–the one person who would have been perfect for this kind of thing.
She probably would have felt flattered.
Then the atomic bomb hit.
They flashed over the special ‘Captain Naero Amashin Maeris,’ porn generation page.
One of the most popular pages on all of the porn sites.
Right up there with Max Lii and other top celebs.
There was even a new porn vid of her and Max fencing, cutting each other’s clothes off–and then getting bizzy in zero-G. Complete with fireworks going off all around them.
Haisha!
News apparently traveled quickly in every circle of the webnets.
She resisted the urge to check out that particular vid for herself.
But the eye-popping fact still staggered her.
Without even realizing such things existed—she had been transformed into a top flight—digital porn star.
She read some of the onsite reviews and just could not believe them.
Captain Maeris is soooo...hot!
I want to show her how its done...all night long...
Please tell me they have a sexbot based on her. I’ll pay anything!
I love the one where she’s directing the battle completely naked!
Haisha! All this, and here she was still technically a virgin in real life. Damn it!
It just wasn’t fair at all.
Even her digital avatars were getting more action than she was.
Haisha; how pitiful. She still slept alone each night, by conscious choice!
How utterly embarrassing. Anyone could buy these and watch these damn vids.
That fact made her blood turn to icy slag and puddle down in her boots.
Citation Series 1: Naero's War: The Annexation War Page 15
