Orion Colony Complete Series Boxed Set J.N. Chaney (books for new readers .txt) 📖

Maybe you should have done this before, I thought to myself. With all that these people have been through, isn’t it worth it to provide a little entertainment? If you can make them forget the dire situation they’re in even for a few minutes, you should. You can give them that if nothing else.

The twin suns still shone overhead. It was hot, but I had been getting used to it, my body acclimating to the heat.

To my surprise, the head of the scientific department aboard the Orion, Doctor Wong, stepped into the ring with a whistle in one hand and a timer in the other.

“Big fan of the fights,” he said, winking at me. “I’ve always wanted to be in the pit.”

Before I could respond to that shocker of a comment, he announced in a loud voice so all could hear,” Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us in this exhibition fight. In the far corner, we have Civil Authority Officer John ‘Bones’ Bowers, protector of walls, defender against the legion, and hero of men!”

The crowd laughed at the introduction and then cheered for John.

“In the close corner,” Doctor Wong continued, “we have Dean ‘Steel Hands’ Slade, gladiator champion, chosen by the Remboshi and keeper of wolves!”

More cheers. I could have sworn even Mutt let out a howl.

“Rounds will go five minutes until we have a winner by knockout or submission,” Doctor Wong said, all business in the middle of the pit. “Gladiators, if you want to touch gloves, do so now and start swinging!”

I looked over at Stacy, who gave me a wink, apparently caught up in the moment along with everyone else. I couldn’t detect any worry or anxiety in her expression and that pleased me. If this fight did that, even just for a little bit, it would be well worth it.

I walked to the center of the pit, offering my gloves forward. John tapped them with his own.

His face was serious and focused. He was determined. There was no doubt in my mind he was taking this fight seriously, as was I. We wanted to provide the best fight possible for the crowd’s sake, but also because we had each been professionals and took pride in our sport.

I stepped back, calming myself. I needed to be focused and ready. This wasn’t any kind of pit I had fought in in a traditional sense, but it still felt like home.

I lifted my gloved hands in front of me as Doctor Wong blew his whistle, signaling us to begin.

I jogged forward lightly on my toes. I moved this way and that, studying my opponent. John was a trained gladiator and larger than I was. This wasn’t going to be easy.

We traded a series of blows, measuring each other’s reach and power. Every time we did, the fans erupted in shouts and cheers. It was so loud Legion had to hear us outside of our walls.

I hoped he could. I hoped he heard every shout of excitement, every laugh and cry of joy. If he thought he had crushed our spirits, this would tell him a different story.

These thoughts were here one second and gone the next as John landed a left to my torso, then kicked out with a shot to the left side of my head.

I moved my hand up in time to block the blow and moved away smoothly. The sport and all my technique came back to me, like an old friend.

We went on like that for a few more exchanges until I felt confident I knew how far he could reach and how I was going to get inside his guard.

Before I could make my assault, John came at me again. He disguised his take down with a series of punches then ultimately wrapped me around the waist and drove me to the ground.

Instead of trying to fight to keep my feet, I let him slam me to the floor, focusing on gaining the position I wanted once we were down. John hammered me into the ground so hard, my teeth rattled.

I secured his right arm with both of my own, twisting my body hard to get my leg across his chest and set up the arm bar.

The colonists cheered seeing me taken to the ground but went wild after I secured John’s arm. There were screams of my name and John’s as they took sides.

The gloves we wore were padded on the knuckles but were left open for our fingers to poke through. John fought like a wild man to get back to his feet while hammering at me with his left fist.

I took a hard blow across my temple and another to my left eye, which started to swell. My cut from earlier that day had broken open as well and a fresh wave of blood fell down my face, hampering my vision further as it fell into my eyes. John could hit me all he wanted, with all he had. I wasn’t going to give up—not easily, not at all.

I could hear Mutt barking loudly and wildly somewhere in the crowd, as if he too was cheering me on.

John staggered to his feet with me still holding onto his right arm. Both of my own arms secured his with my legs across his chest. This way, I could crank back on his arm, forcing him to give in.

My plan was solid, except for the fact that John was stronger than I’d given him credit for. The large gladiator heaved me off the floor, while I was still holding onto his arm, then he slammed me down headfirst into the hard dirt ground.

Stars exploded in my head as a wave of dizziness overtook me. I let go not by choice but by pure chance. My hands slipped off him, but not before I heard a pop. John roared in pain.

I knew I had dislocated his elbow, but that