Chapter 16
Keeping one eye on the fight and the other on Madam Chiksai sneaking up on Violet was easy enough because my sparring partner was even more distracted. I didn’t use that to my advantage, though, because I was interested in what would happen.
Before the madam could get close, Violet turned, caught her wrist, and twisted it down.
"Madam, welcome." Violet acted as if the sudden ambush hadn't bothered her in the slightest.
"I just came to check up on your progress. It seems you've even found a sparring partner for the young master." Chiksai shook off Violet’s grip and straightened herself, dusting off her dress.
"Yes, the captain of my ship has always wanted to better his saber work, and this presented a good opportunity. Not to mention, sparring without a partner is only half a training." Violet said it like she'd heard it a thousand times.
The madam smiled. "No, thank you for assisting in his training, Captain.
He's getting old enough that my nephew should be getting better with the saber.
" The madam glanced at Violet. "You wouldn't believe it, but at school now, more than a few of the young ladies require a show of skill to take their hand to a dance. "
Rather than disbelieving, Violet seemed almost relieved at such a prospect. "It's good that they're encouraging the new generation in their own ways."
The madam smiled. "Yes, though some would call it terribly old-fashioned.
I have to agree with you, Violet. Once upon a time, warriors of old were uniquely capable.
While not everything fully translates, I do think that many of the skills learned alongside the saber make a kikai…
or anyone"—she gestured at me—"into a more capable being. "
"Well, don't let me hold you back. If Violet's capabilities are even the ragged edge of the improvements I could see, then it's certainly a skill worth improving." I smiled at her candor.
"I'm so glad you think so," the madam said, pulling out a practice saber of her own. "As it just so happens, I am quite rusty myself."
"Perhaps you should practice with Violet." I narrowed my eyes.
"Oh no," the madam said playfully. "She's well above my current skill level. I'm terribly rusty."
I smiled, drawing my sword. I was practically dead on my feet at this point, but I supposed turning down a duel with our employer was bad for business.
"Before you get any ideas, I just want to say we've been at this for hours," I said.
"He needs work on his stamina, doesn't he?" she asked Violet, who nodded along with her young kikai nephew. "Well then, let's do some lighter swordplay." She drew her saber high over her head, and I kept mine low. Like hell I was going to be holding it over my head.
As soon as her saber came down, I caught it on my own, tilting it off to the side and twirling on my feet like a ballerina. At least, in my mind that was the move I had just pulled off. I'm sure to these kikai it seemed far less graceful.
"Oh, not bad at all," she offered.
"You praise me, but I'm not certain I deserve it," I said, catching three more aggressive strikes as Chiksai advanced on me.
"I thought I was going to spar with someone who fought like a skill-less brute. No, you have some skill here, though it's rougher than anything most kikai would teach."
Our sabers crossed several more times before she squinted at me. "Smuggler?" she asked, sweeping my saber out wide and her own tapping me gently in the chest.
"How the heck did you guess that?" I squinted back at her.
"Unrefined. A little utilitarian but effective." Chiksai smiled as her eyes sparkled with mirth.
"I'm amazed you can tell that from just a simple exchange." I bowed to her with a flourish of my saber. Fuck me, if this was rust for adult kikai, I would just be better off to put the saber away anytime I saw a fluffy tail.
"You are not rusty at all, Madam," Violet stated from the side.
"Why, thank you." She beamed. "Let's go a little further, though." She rolled her shoulders. "It has been some time since I've been able to really test my swing."
I frowned, but it didn't seem like anyone was going to end this early. In fact, Violet seemed stoically neutral at the sudden change in events.
Accepting my fate, I settled in for what I expected to be a more difficult fight, squaring my shoulders and breathing slowly, trying to push down the burning sensation in my limbs.
I would deal with that pain later. For now, I had the madam to impress.
At the end of the day, she was the one hiring us, and in a certain sense, this was like a second interview.
She smiled and began the fight without much preamble, our sabers clashing in a rapid staccato punctuated by the faint vibration every time they slapped together. It hummed in the air, and our sabers didn't stop for a moment.
I found myself smiling just seconds into the fight.
She was absolutely controlling the tempo, but I understood she wasn't pushing me too hard.
Perhaps she had some sympathy for me in her, or perhaps she just wasn't taking this too seriously.
The longer we fought, the more Violet's attention waned, her eyes shifting away from our fight, and before long, she pulled out her own saber to continue working with the young kikai.
The madam then pushed me hard. Her saber doubled in speed and nearly stripped my saber on several occasions. "Ignore them," she said, licking her lips.
I suddenly felt like we’d fallen into some sort of trap.
"You need to leave." Her eyes narrowed as the sabers clashed.
"What?"
She shook her head, our sabers clashing. "Don't talk, just listen. It is not safe for you"—she glanced at Violet as our sabers separated and then crashed back in again—"nor her, to remain here for long."
"Is this something to do with our job?" I scowled.
"No," she hissed. "Listen. There are people who would kill Violet simply because of who Akari was. It is not safe for her to remain here. That I know she’s here is already too much." She gave me a firm glare, and I didn't think there was any ill meaning in it.
"Well, we've been having considerable trouble getting what we need and continuing.
Apparently, our neutron core was cracked, and it's going to be some time before we can finish the repairs and get ourselves back to space," I answered.
"As I mentioned, I swear there's a conspiracy against us trying to stop us from getting jobs. "
If she was going to be open and protective of Violet, I was curious what all I would learn.
"Hiring short-term and particularly off-world help is"—she paused—"frowned upon."
"Oh," I said with a new level of understanding. "And why is that?"
"Because the more people are paid, the less Perez can take advantage of them.
Listen." She paused as our sabers clashed, momentarily making it too difficult to speak.
"Violet's master was once the bulwark that held off a storm for decades, if not centuries. Her passing has caused a large number of changes. And these changes were the kind that those who are now in power would like to remain in place. Whether she likes it or not, Violet bears Akari’s ghost on her back. "
I scowled at the madam. "You're not really giving me a whole lot to work with here. Violet is excited to be back amongst her people. Also, we still have a ship that’s powered down.”
The madam sighed. "Well, if they said your core is cracked, it probably actually is. I can't make you leave, no matter how much I wish you would. Hopefully, the tails I've given her are going to good use."
"The repairs are going to practically bankrupt our ship. After all, we're still a fairly fresh crew," I answered.
"I can't give you any more," the madam said, shaking her head. "I've already given you too much help."
"We appreciate what help you have given," I said quickly, realizing with increasing certainty that she was not our enemy. In fact, she was a staunch ally. It just seemed the whole remaining world was against us. "What would you recommend from here, then?"
"I'd recommend you leave, but it sounds like that's not on the table," she grumbled.
Our sabers clashed in a dozen more strikes before she came in close, frowning.
"There are already reports of preparations for her.
" She leveled me with a heavy gaze. "Be careful. And if need be, let Violet fight. She can handle more than you might realize. Don’t worry unless it has multiple tails.
" The searching gaze she gave me didn’t find what it was looking for.
I frowned at those particular words. Was there a kikai with multiple tails?
If so, that was news to me. Their mythos of the ‘divine’ and that some might have multiple tails would be breaking what the rest of the universe knew.
It should be impossible to hide something like that if it were real.
Yet, they all seemed to believe it as if it were obvious.
The madam paused and broke off while raising her voice. "Well, you seem to be getting on well enough. If this is the improvement I can hope to see from my nephew, then I've spent good money on Violet indeed." For me, she left a pointed gaze that echoed our saber-crossed conversation.
"I wouldn't dare let shame come to my master's name." Violet dipped low at the madam's words while blocking the young kikai’s sneak attack at her back.
"No, your master would be very proud if she saw you today." The madam smiled, but knowing what I now knew, I couldn't help but see the pain behind the look.
"All right, what next? Oh, teacher—" I clapped my hands together and bowed to Violet, who scowled at me.
"You are just assisting me in the training. I am not your teacher." She rubbed her fingers together. "That would cost you extra."
***
The rest of the week continued similarly with our training. Thankfully, no new problems popped up, and we were able to make our way through the sessions. I tried to ignore the heavy blisters that had developed on my hands. They were the price I paid for what was considered excellent training.
We were back in our temporary lodgings in the evening after practice when suddenly Tiri shouted in excitement, "They're here!"
Before I could even ask who, Tiri was bolting out of our lodging and rushing away with her tail swinging behind her. Now that I realized it, she was dressed nicer than she had been the last week.
Brick, however, was the first one to know what it was. "Pretty sure her company's ship is here," he said, looking up from the tablet he'd been working on.
Brick was now back in his duties on the crew.
Whatever brief exposure he'd had to gambling, and the damage it had done to him, seemed to have been brief enough that he was back to work, if only for something to occupy his hands and mind.
There was a smile on his face and a wonderful pep in his step.
I was simply happy to see Brick more back to normal.
After all, the gambling had hit him badly.
Seeing it take him down only made me respect all of the laws put into place to protect him and his people.
I now understood why they were necessary.
The addiction had hit him worse than I had expected, even compared to heroin addicts.
Gambling was a dangerous vice for Brick and his people.
"We should probably go after her, Captain," he said after a moment.
"We should. Lily, Violet," I called through the house.
Both of them came running into the room. Violet skidded to a stop while Lily's heels clicked confidently, announcing her arrival.
"Do you need something, Captain?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and striking a pose.
"Get a room, you two," Brick groaned.
Lily frowned. "I'm fairly certain we have one. No?"
I had enough sense to chuckle. "It's a phrase," I told Lily, who frowned.
"Well, that's a silly phrase. A request for something when we already have it is just asinine." Lily crossed her arms and smirked when my eyes dropped to the ripping fabric around her chest.
Brick paused and then turned to me for help.
"Don't look at me," I said. "You're the one who started this."
Brick nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry," he told Lily, though with a tone that made me uncertain if he really was or was just testing which phrase would land him in better waters.
"You have no need to be sorry. You may say whatever it is that you wish, even if it is requesting me to acquire lodging that I have already found, not only for myself but for you as well." Lily stepped up beside me, offering her hip in the way I’d become familiar with.
My arm almost instinctively wrapped around her waist like that was its place.
Brick looked to me for help.
"Let's go, Lily. Brick thinks Tiri's ship is finally here. At the very least, we should be excited for her and see her off. Not to mention, she might have more work for us."
"I understand the need for more work. But I refuse to believe that Tiri is any sort of savior in that regard." Lily paused, squinting her eyes.
"Does it hurt to try?" I asked.
"I suppose not." Lily softened at my touch in more ways than one.
"Still," Brick said, his four arms working as quickly as they could to pause his project, "we should probably go see her. I mean, wouldn’t it suck to have her disappear without saying goodbye?" The last question was more of a wide-eyed plea than an actual ask.
"Come on. Let's not make Brick beg." I chuckled.
The large grogax let out a sigh of relief at my words, only for Lily to speak up. "It might be good to make him beg from time to time. Then he'd learn your true value, Captain."
"He understands that well enough," I said, poking her in the hip. "Come on. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can get back and do whatever it is you want."
"Whatever?" Lily perked up, eyes glowing brightly as they popped wide.
"That's what I said, isn't it?"
"Lead on." She gestured forward.
Brick grumbled something behind us before speaking up more clearly. “Violet, would you get Melgara? I’m sure she’d like to see Tiri off, too.”