Chapter 17 Blade Dance #2
“We bow.” Khoth demonstrated.
He bowed without taking his eyes off of Jace.
Jace tried to do the same but instead of the fluid movement that Khoth made, he was stiff and awkward, but at least he didn’t fall forward.
He switched the blade from his right to left hand and back again.
It felt good in his hands. Light and balanced.
It also felt familiar. He’d done this before.
Don’t overthink this. Just trust in the training, Gehenna urged.
Right. Got it.
“Now, we touch blades,” Khoth said.
“Wait, wait, one more question. How do we stop from cutting off limbs?” Jace asked. That was one thing he didn’t want to replicate from Star Wars. He didn’t look at his parents though he was sure his father was gnawing his whole entire thumb off with those words.
“Our suits will protect us,” Khoth answered and patted the front of his suit. “The rahir will not cut through the material, though any score marks will show up before the nano-material fixes them.”
“Oh, that’s good. But… ah… our heads are not covered,” Jace pointed out and slid a finger across his exposed throat.
“Don’t go for the head!” Thammah said helpfully.
Great! Now I have to worry about cutting Khoth’s head off? Jace thought.
That is highly unlikely. His speed would seem to indicate, he’ll be able to block you, Gehenna said. Then she put two of her pincers together. That wasn’t helpful, was it?
No, we’ll have a talk about pep talks later, he told her.
We used all of the training manuals I was able to find for the Pilot, Jace, she told him. The Osiris has added a lot of stuff to you. I was so proud of you for facing off against the Khul. You were fearless with ice in your veins. Remember that. You’ll do just fine.
Now THAT was a great pep talk, Gehenna!
But that was the truth, she told him. Just like the negative stuff.
Yeah, I know. But thanks.
Jace let out a breath. He tried to empty his mind. His goal wasn’t just to not overthink, but maybe not think at all.
Don’t think about my parents. Don’t think about the general. Don’t think about the fact that Khoth is a Sword Master. Don’t think.
He took another breath as he and Khoth approached one another and touched blades. The laser edged hissed and spat when they came into contact with one another. It was the coolest sound ever and Jace found himself smiling. He looked up at Khoth’s face and the Thaf’ell Commander was smiling too.
And then Khoth was swinging that sword so fast that Jace shouldn’t have been able to counteract it, but his arm came up all on its own and he blocked the strike. There was sizzle, spat and hiss as the blades met and flew away from each other. Their blades met again and again. Sizzle, hiss, spat!
Jace dove to the side just as Khoth chopped the air where he’d been.
He felt something touch his left shoulder.
When he got up his hand closed upon it and he winced.
Khoth’s blade hadn’t cut his arm off, but that would leave a mark.
Jace slashed at Khoth’s left side. But his blade didn’t even get close to the Thaf’ell Commander’s body.
Even if Khoth hadn’t parried, the tip of his blade was a good six inches away.
He’s taller. I need to get under his reach and get close.
Jace realized this as Khoth sliced the rahir across where, again, he’d just been standing, but Jace had pivoted and leaned back. The tip of the Khoth’s rahir just caressed the front of his suit. He felt heat, but no pain this time. Jace dove forward as Khoth was recovering from the swing.
He popped up just a few inches from Khoth’s chest and stabbed this rahir at the Thaf’ell Commander.
Khoth leaped backwards but there was a zap and a line of smoking black appeared on his chest. There was a momentary silence and then wild claps all around.
Jace pumped a hand up in the air as he realized he’d actually managed to hit Khoth.
“Good job, Jace!” His father cried. “But don’t get--”
His father’s last word was drowned out as Khoth moved lightning quick, but Jace knew it was “cocky”.
Khoth moved faster than before, obviously having gone easy on him.
He slashed right, left, right, right, left!
Jace was jumping backwards, just a hair’s breadth from having his chest painted with black lines.
Just as he was running out of room to retreat, he shifted his footing and was able to turn his body and block one of the strikes with his blade.
Sparks flashed. The blades whined as they ground together.
Khoth bore down on Jace with his considerable weight.
Jace was forced down so that he was resting his weight on one knee!
His back began to arch away from Khoth as he simply didn’t have the strength to remain upright.
He was reminded of being a reed in the wind.
Bend! Don’t break!
Sweat streamed down Jace’s face. Khoth’s wasn’t that far from him and he saw the slight tightening around the eyes and mouth.
This was hard for the Thaf’ell Commander too.
Suddenly, there was an overlay of glowing orange lines over Khoth’s form.
Jace could see several wire-forms demonstrating moves that would break the stalemate. Jace laughed.
Are you doing this, Gehenna? He asked her.
No! I think… hmm, I think it’s Osiris! She responded. What are you going to do?
Jace actually didn’t need to think too hard. He knew the move that appealed to him. Just as his body was about to completely collapse under Khoth’s weight, he said, This.
Jace dropped to both knees.The blades slid along one another with a grinding sound.
He struck out with his right leg and connected with Khoth’s left knee.
The Thaf’ell Commander let out a grunt and his body swayed just a moment.
Jace used that momentary unsteadiness to thrust Khoth backwards with much of his last remaining strength.
Khoth staggered away and Jace went on the offensive, finding dregs of energy he didn’t know he had.
Whatever fears he had of his body not knowing what to do were seemingly unfounded.
Time seemed to slow for him. He could almost linger in this moment as he saw himself lunge from his position on the floor and thrust towards the hand that held Khoth’s blade.
He caught Khoth’s wrist and Khoth’s hand released the rahir.
The blade fell towards the ground, but Jace caught it by the hilt.
Khoth brought up his arms to block Jace, but Jace had both blades crossed at Khoth’s throat. They both froze. Inches apart. Sweat coating their faces. Breathing coming in ragged gasps.
There was silence all around.
And then Gehenna said, You did it, Jace! You were amazing! Even though I trained you… you far exceeded my hopes!
Then there was tumultuous applause, whistles, and cries of delight. To Jace’s surprise--and happiness--Khoth smiled and inclined his head.
“You were quite extraordinary, Jace. I believe you will be saving me,” Khoth stated.
Jace flashed a grin. “I got lucky. You almost had me. You should have had me.”
Khoth frowned and tilted his head to the side. Osiris had cheated by showing him the way to break Khoth’s hold on him. Maybe it wasn’t cheating, but Khoth didn’t have an AI analyzing Jace’s moves.
“I’ll tell you when… when we’re alone,” Jace said.
He was suddenly feeling incredibly weak. His head began to thump heavily like when one of his headaches was coming on. A touch of terror came over him. Had he overextended himself?
He drew the blades down from Khoth’s neck, being very careful in his movements so as not to harm the Thaf’ell Commander. He handed Khoth his rahir back. Khoth bowed his head in thanks and took it from Jace’s faintly shaking hands.
It’s just adrenaline. That’s all. I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine, Jace told himself.
“That was incredible,” his father said as he came up to Jace and hugged him. He pulled back and said, “You weren’t kidding about the training. You moved so fast! Not to mention with so much skill!”
“Khoth’s really the skilled one, Dad. I--I’m maybe more programmed to do this stuff. He learned it all on his own,” Jace said, feeling terribly shaky like he needed sugar and wondering if there was any food on the Osiris. He saw over his father’s shoulder that Khoth was watching him carefully.
“Jace, that was…” His mother shook her head as she came over and embraced him too. “You’ve never held a sword in your life, but you used this one as if you were born with it.”
The pounding in Jace’s head increased. He could hardly hear her words over it.
I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, he kept repeating.
“Well, son, that was some show of skill,” the general said as he hovered by his mother’s side. “He’s never held a sword before, Colonel Parker?”
His mother grimaced, but quickly hid that look of unhappiness. “No, there’s little call to have such a skill.”
“Especially as a store clerk!” the general chuckled.
Jace glared at him even as the whine of tinnitus started in his ears. “You’d be surprised at what a lowly store clerk has to deal with.”
The general actually smiled. “I wasn’t putting down being a clerk, but just comparing it to what one of our soldiers would encounter. The skills you’ve been given… well, imagine a whole army of people like you, Jace. We’d be safe from the Khul then!”
Jace frowned. “I don’t… I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way.”
There is only one pilot, the Osiris whispered in his head.
He, once again, looked over at Khoth. The Thaf’ell Commander had heard what General Intoshkin had said and the frown on his lips showed this was what he had feared would happen when he saved Jace’s life.
Thammah and Gehenna were standing beside him.
He should have wanted his parents right then when his body was malfunctioning once more.
He should have wanted Gehenna. But… he wanted Khoth.
This was the man who he had counted on before and he knew he could count on him again.
“Excuse me. I just want to congratulate Khoth again,” Jace said as he turned from his parents and the general.
He walked carefully as the pounding in his head and the whine in his ears was distracting as it always was.
Gehenna was looking at Khoth’s exo-suit and examining the damage, making observations about the duel.
Thammah was grinning at Jace, but her grin changed to a look of concern.
That concerned look was mirrored on Khoth’s face.
“What is wrong, Jace?” Khoth asked him softly.
Jace licked suddenly dry lips. The sweat on his face felt cold and he shivered. “I think I need to sit down somewhere with some food and water. Could you--you find someplace for me to do that?”
Khoth nodded and put a hand around his shoulders. Jace leaned into that large body that he had just fought so hard against. He was grateful for that strength and size now.
“Just pretend we’re going to look at something in the armory,” Jace told Khoth.
“Jace, what is wrong?” Khoth asked again.
“Not sure. May have overdone it or something,” Jace said.
Gehenna was suddenly in his head, Oh, you need sustenance! Your body burned through your slender resources--
You mean the coffee and bite of toast I had this morning? Yeah, that feels like last year, Jace told her.
“I just need a brief moment without someone dying or something crazy going on,” Jace told Khoth as they moved into an adjoining room.
“What can I do?” Thammah asked.
“Get him food and drink,” Khoth stated.
She nodded and headed out quickly. Knowing Thammah, Jace bet she had snacks stashed everywhere. Gehenna hovered by them helplessly as Khoth helped him sit on top of a low cabinet. Jace put his face in his hands and rubbed his temples.
I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.
“Why do you not want your parents or the general to know of your… condition?” Khoth asked.
“Because they’ll want to test me and I don’t want the general to think he can make an army of super soldiers by what he finds from that testing,” Jace answered, still rubbing circular motions on his temples.
He was shocked when Khoth took over for him, massaging his head. He gasped as the pain retreated almost immediate as Khoth seemed to know exactly where to touch on his head to release the pressure.
“Whatever you’re doing, don’t stop,” Jace begged.
“I did this for my sister. She often had headaches,” Khoth said then clamped his lips shut as if afraid more would come out.
His sister was killed by the Khul, Gehenna informed Jace. He was exiled here because he went into a Khul ship to--to help her the only way one can help a prisoner of the Khul.
You mean he had to kill his own sister? Jace gasped.
Yes, Gehenna’s voice was filled with sadness.
“Can an arm of super soldiers be made?” Khoth asked quietly.
There is only one Pilot, the Osiris whispered.
“No,” Jace said with a shake of his head that brought more pain and dislodged Khoth’s hands. But thankfully the Thaf’ell Commander continued the petting. “For better or worse, it’s just me.”
“Just you? From everything I have seen of you, Jace Parker, we should all be grateful you are the Pilot,” Khoth told him.
A stab of guilt went through him. “Even after what I said about not helping the Alliance?”
Khoth nodded. “I have thought about what I said. To ask you to abandon humanity is not fair. It is not realistic that you could justify letting your whole race potentially be destroyed to save other races.”
“The Khul will come back here. They’ll take revenge on humanity, if nothing else,” Jace said.
“They likely would,” Khoth nodded again.
“So… what do we do about it?” Jace asked.
“First, we end the suffering of those in the Khul ships,” Khoth stated. “And then… we find a compromise.”