Bewildered Warriors

Mackenzie put her hands up to protect her face as she stepped in closer.  Annabelle had her hands up in a similar posture as she closed in.  Annabelle pressed in hard, throwing a jab into Mackenzie’s face.  Her hands protected her face, and she countered with a jab of her own.  Mackenzie was trying to keep her at arm’s length and with her height advantage it wasn’t that hard to do. 

“You punch like a surat.”

“I’m not trying to hit you.” 

“Are you so pathetic that you do not consider your honor worth defending?”

“I understand you are angry, and I am sorry.” 

“You will be.”  Annabelle slipped in under Mackenzie’s reach and wrapped her arms around her waist.  Mackenzie tried to elbow her in the face, but she was too close to hit her very hard.  Mackenzie had seen this move before and pulled her knee up hard into Annabelle’s ribs.  The smaller mechwarrior growled and squeezed harder, causing Mackenzie to groan.  Then Mackenzie was on the ground, with Annabelle’s knee flying towards her face.  Mackenzie rolled out of the way and spun her feet quickly towards Annabelle, tripping her.  The two warriors managed to get back to their feet and slammed into each other.

“Tell me, did your whore of a mother teach you how to fight?”  Annabelle slammed her elbow into Mackenzie’s side and she was sure she cracked a rib.  The next punch struck her hard in the nose and Mackenzie felt the blood drip down her chin.

“Actually, your mother taught me how to fight.”  Mackenzie slammed her fist into Annabelle’s collarbone and she felt the bone break under the impact.  Annabelle’s eyes flashed with anger and she threw her body into Mackenzie, knocking both of them to the ground.  The impact rattled Mackenzie and her guard came down for just a second.  Annabelle pounced on her, raining elbows with her good arm.  Mackenzie was having a problem focusing and Annabelle sprang back to her feet. 

“You keep your stravag mouth shut about him.”  Annabelle’s boot planted hard in Mackenzie’s stomach and she kept kicking her.  

“You ever speak about him again and I will end your freebirth life!”  Mackenzie caught her foot on the fourth kick and pulled her back down.  Mackenzie trapped her broken arm and held her firmly.  She slipped the chokehold into place and held on for dear life.

“Look, I understand you are enraged, and I can’t help that.  I want you to know that I never meant to hurt you personally, and I offer you my most sincere surkai for the shame and the hurt I have caused you.”  Mackenzie squeezed harder, and Annabelle started to go out.  Mackenzie rolled her over onto her stomach and dragged her towards the edge of the circle. 

Standing at the edge of the circle, Mackenzie looked down at her and shook her head.  Annabelle’s eyes flashed with anger and she kicked Mackenzie hard in the knee, knocking her over and tipping her out of the circle.  Annabelle passed out moments later, gasping for air.  The doctors rushed the circle and started treating both warriors. 

Later

Mackenzie woke up some time later in a hospital bed.  Pryce was sitting next to her in the tiny room she was occupying.  She could see through the clear panels that Annabelle was in a similar state, with Jaxun sitting next to her.  She still hadn’t regained consciousness.

“Oww…my everything hurts.”  Mackenzie tried to smile but that hurt worse.

“Well, you lost your first trial of Grievance, but you fought spectacularly.” 

“That doesn’t help my everything hurting.” 

“You should have just finished her with the chokehold.” 

“I didn’t want to win that fight.”

“I know.” 

“How did you know?”

“I have spent my life fighting, I can tell when someone’s heart is not in the fight.” 

“Do you think anyone else noticed?”

“Maybe, but they will not speak of it.  The trial is ended, and surkai has been offered.  Life goes back to normal.” 

“Just like that?”

“At least until you two butt heads again.” 

“I do not plan on putting myself in her crosshairs again.”

“What was that you said about her mother?”

“Just something to provoke her.”  Mackenzie lied quietly.

“Well, the news isn’t ideal.  You have a half dozen broken ribs, a broken nose, a broken cheek bone, and what appears to be muscle tears in your right knee and an abdominal strain.” 

“I told you my everything hurt. Ass.” 

“Well, it is going to keep you out of a battlemech for a few days while your muscles heal.  The bones have already been treated, so they should be good in a week.”

“A week’s vacation sounds pretty good.”  She smiled up at Pryce. 

“Your brother did come by earlier to check on you, though as you can see he is watching over the Seeker.”

“I’m not sure the two of you in close proximity with your women all busted up would be good for unit cohesion.” 

“I would never…”  She put her hand up to shush him. 

“It was a joke, Pryce.  Relax.”

“Aff, Star Commander.”  He nodded and moved his chair a little closer to the bed. 

Across the Hall

Jaxun was sitting in a chair next to the bed when Annabelle started to stir.  He brushed the hair out of her face and smiled at her. 

“Why can I not move my arm?”

“Mackenzie broke your collar bone.  The doctor said it will be at least two weeks before you can get it out of the sling.” 

“She hits hard, your sister.”

“She hits harder when she believes in what she is fighting for.”

“What?”

“She was holding back, she did not wish to hurt you.”

“She failed admirably at not hurting me…” 

“Some broken ribs, things that will heal.”  Jaxun looked down at her and put his forearm into the middle of her chest.  “What are you doing, get off of me.”  He leaned in a little further, putting his body mass behind it. “Jaxun…”

“What was the point of that trial?”

“If your sister had not made that idiotic request I would not have learned of this deception.”

“What else?”

“I would not have met you or your stupid sister.”  She answered him, trying to push him off of her.

“What else?”  He smiled.

“I would not have fallen for your big dumb freebirth Surat ass.”  She finally managed to push him off of her, but the exertion left her tired and struggling for breath.

“So the trial was a means to soothe your ego?”

“You know the purpose of a trial of grievance, freebirth.”

“Then I happily wait for you to heal up so you can challenge me to one.”

“Jaxun, why would I do that?”

“I carry as much blame for the shame and dishonor you felt as she does.  More in fact.  I will happily meet you in a circle of equals in a time and place of your choosing.  However, I place a slightly higher value on my personal honor than Mackenzie does. I will not hold back to give you the opportunity to soothe your ego like a child with a temper tantrum.”

Anger flashed in Annabelle’s eyes and she tried to sit up in the bed again but Jaxun’s forearm came down just as gently as it had the first time and put her back down.  “That will not be necessary.”  She finally huffed.

“Why?”

“Because I already accepted your surkai, Jaxun.”  She stared up at him.  “I know you are sorry for the part you played in this.” 

“You did not give her the chance to apologize, Annabelle.”

“I did, in the circle of Equals.”

“Is this done?”

“Of course it is.  We had our issue, we resolved it like warriors.  Why would there be anything that lingers?”

“I want you to say it.”

“I just did.  To think, I was the one that was punched in the face and you are having cognitive difficulties, surat.” 

“Annabelle…”

“Fine, you big idiot.  This is concluded.  The animosity I have towards your sister is gone, though if this line of behavior from you persists it will quickly be replaced by more towards another member of your family.”

“Good, now apologize for what you said about my mother.”

“What?”

“You called my mother a whore during your trial.  You will apologize immediately or this will lead to another trial of 

grievance.”  Jaxun’s eyes were dark and brooding, thunderclouds ready to break.

“I…I am sincerely sorry for that Jaxun.  I was so angry and someone else needed to feel that rage. I offer my surkai to you and your family.”

“Your surkai is accepted, but do not use that as an excuse to insult my family again.  You would have to answer to my mother, and then my father.”

“I thought your mother was a scientist?”

“She is still a combat rated mechwarrior who field tests her own designs.”

“Good to know.  Now take me over to see your sister.”

“Neg.” 

“Either you carry me over there or I will get out of this bed and do it myself.” 

“Let me get you a chair.”

“You are more comfortable.”

“Aff, but I might drop you.”

“It still has jokes.”  She smiled up at him. 

“It is still quite funny.” 

“Go get the chair, Surat.”  She slid to the edge of the bed and when Jaxun returned with an exasperated doctor and a chair, she slipped into the chair easily. 

“You should not be moving around so much.”

“Noted, doctor.  Now get out of my way.”  She tried steering the chair, but kept going in circles with her one good arm.  She looked up at Jaxun and said, “A little help here?’  Jaxun chuckled for just a second and helped her navigate to the other room with Mackenzie and Pryce. 

“Thank you, Jaxun.  Now I need a minute with Star Commander Mackenzie.”

“I do not think that is such a good idea.”  Pryce said quietly. 

“I agree, with what both of you just went through, that sounds unwise.” 

“It is fine, you two go get something to eat, maybe you can get into a trial of grievance about which one of you has less body fat.”  Mackenzie chuckled at both of them.

“Perhaps about which one is prettier.”  Annabelle responded.

“Oh…nice.”  Mackenzie chuckled and regretted it.

“We will be fine, boys.  Go get something to eat.”  Annabelle smiled at the two of them.

“We will be back after we eat.”  Jaxun nodded at the two of them.

“Try to rest.”  Pryce added and the two of them of them left the two warriors alone in Mackenzie’s room.

“Now if you want to do that again, it is going to take a little bit before I am ready for round two.  I am pretty sure you broke my nose.”

“I offer my surkai.”

“It’s just a broken nose.”

“For the thing I said about your mother.  It was inappropriate and chalcas.  My attitude since discovering the secret you and your brother have been keeping from me has been chalcas and I have treated you astonishingly poorly.” 

“I would probably have reacted just as poorly.  I remember after my parents returned to the clans, I got into fights at school all the time.”

“Truly?”

“I had to be pretty scrappy.  Until…”

“Until what?”

“You said you would kill me I ever said his name again.”

“Another thing I said in the hot blood of a trial.  I offer my surkai for that as well.”

“Accepted, and thank you.  It’s been so hard not to talk to you about him.”

“Why?”

“You share a lot of his facial features and mannerisms.  The first time you stepped into the barracks I knew exactly who you were, and I instantly regretted calling him for help.”

“Why?”

“Because I did not think he would send a Seeker who was so close to us in age.  Someone that Jaxun would attach himself to the way he has with you.”

“That also does not make sense.”

“Jaxun is more like our mother than our father.  At heart, he is a gearhead who would love nothing more than spending his days puttering around a workshop discovering a piece of lostech.  He is a thinker, not necessarily a feeler.  You are so much like Ivan that I knew the attraction would be immediate.”

“Why?”

“Because Ivan always stimulated his mind and found the way to pull the passion out of his thoughts.  My brother struggled with social interactions when we were younger because he thought too much about things.  You have that same presence that pulls the emotion out of him.”

“And you think we are a good fit together?”

“Aff, you two are a good fit for each other.”

“Oh good, then you will not mind the wedding.”

“The what?”  Mackenzie sat straight up in the bed and a half a dozen medical sensors flashed.  A doctor rushed into the room and started administering a sedative. 

“Relax, It was a joke.  I offer surkai for this.”  Annabelle calmed the other warrior down and they both shared a long laugh.

“That is a pretty good joke.  My mother would probably have killed you for it, but it is a good joke.”

“I must admit I am a little surprised to see the two of you together.”  Luna smiled as she stepped into the room.

“What happens in the circle of equals stays in the circle of equals, ma’am.” Mackenzie answered her.

“Aff.”  Annabelle agreed.

“I am glad you both feel that way.  Mackenzie, you are off combat readiness for the next week according to the medical staff.  During that time I would like you to spend some time familiarizing yourself with protocol and administration duties.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to declare a trial of possession against papers that need to be pushed ma’am.”  Annabelle held her breath while she studied Luna’s face.

“being an officer is more than being able to smash an opponent with a mech.  If you wish to advance to Star Captain someday, you will need this experience.”

“Aff, Ma’am, the painkillers are making me a little loopier than normal.  I look forward to the opportunity to validate your trust in me.” 

“That is better, Mackenzie.  I trust that whatever issue this is between the two of you has been quashed and will not disrupt my combat operations again, quiaff?”

“Aff, ma’am.”  Mackenzie nodded.

“Annabelle Kirov?” Luna said quietly.

“There has been some information come to light recently about the previous holder of my blood name and the report of his demise.  Until I have a chance to investigate, would you please not use the bloodname Kirov, Star Captain Luna Hazen.”  She said quietly.

The air was heavy between the two of them and Luna finally nodded.  “Very well, Star Captain Annabelle.  Now are you going to be picking fights with more of my subordinates, quineg?

“Neg, ma’am.  I have no further quarrel with any of your personnel and will refrain from disrupting your operations.”

“Good, because if it happens a second time, I will throw you out the nearest airlock.  I tolerate your presence as a sign of my faith in Jaxun and Mackenzie, but I will tolerate it only so far.  You understand, quiaff?”

“Aff, ma’am.  I understand completely.” 

“You two get healed up, we will be arriving at our destination in the near future.”

“Aff, Star Captain.”  They responded. Luna nodded and left the two of them together. 

“What is he like?” Annabelle asked her quietly.

“Who?”

“Ivan Kirov.”

“He lives up to the hype.  Warrior, scholar, philosopher, parent, media star.”

“Why?”

“Why do we do anything?”  Mackenzie answered her. 

“Fair point.” 

“He is still impressive at his age.  I am sorry he is sick.” 

“What does he have?”

“Necrosiac Storm?  I think that’s what Jaxun called it.”

“What?”

“Yes, that is what he has.”  Jaxun said quietly.

“That is a fatal condition.”

“His doctors have an experimental treatment, some kind of radical gene therapy.”

“It would be a shame to lose all of his knowledge when he is this close to coming home to the clans.”

“You both need your rest.”  The Doctor said to the two of them.

“Doctor, could you put us in the same room?”  Annabelle said quietly.

“I think not.”

“Doctor, you will make arrangements for us to occupy the same room, quiaff?”  Mackenzie said firmly.

“Aff, Star Commander.”  He  agreed slowly.  “Tomorrow.  For now, back to your separate rooms.”

“Very well, Doctor.”  Annabelle turned her attention back to Jaxun.  “Take me to bed, please.” 

“I do not need that show.”  Mackenzie chuckled at the two of them.  Jaxun shook his head and Annabelle laughed as they exited the room.  Pryce returned to his vigil by her bedside and she fell asleep with her hand resting on his shoulder.