Chapter 20
Vaelor
When he came back to camp from his hunting trip, no one was by the fire except the GSG technician. When he asked the small alien where everyone was, he pointed in this direction. He was not prepared for what he met.
Mara and Gora were fighting one another. It was a surprise because he thought they were friends of a sort. Once he recovered from the unexpected situation, he intended to intervene. The Bestial could tear Mara apart with her strength.
He took two steps toward the circle, but the Cyborg stepped in front of him.
“Get out of my way,” he growled.
“Let them finish. The rest of them need to see that humans belong here. If she can’t handle this, she shouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t care what the others think. Move!”
The Cyborg stayed put. “They are almost finished. This is the last round. Whoever gets this point wins the match.”
Blaine had stepped up next to him. “She’s damn good. Smart. I didn’t think Mara had it in her but she has held her own with Gora.”
Vaelor felt his inner temperature getting hotter and hotter with anger and frustration. But he stayed back and watched the final match.
Mara crouched and waited. When Gora charged, Mara dropped low, grabbed her wrist, and used Gora’s own momentum to twist and redirect her. Gora’s foot slammed into the ice—outside the circle.
“Match over! The human wins!” someone shouted.
The camera drones were whirring around, taking pictures and videos. Then whirled away. He growled. The onlookers began to leave the area, stepping out of his way quickly.
“What were you thinking?” he growled at her.
“Hi Vaelor. Good to see you too.”
“You could have been seriously injured.”
“It was a friendly sparring match. I’m still able to continue playing the games. Don’t worry. I haven’t cost you the win.”
“I don’t give a farthing about winning the game!”
She looked shocked at his words. But he meant it. Her health and safety were paramount to him. Winning the game for the money was not as important as it once had been. They needed to talk but somewhere more private than here.
“Come with me.”
“Where are we going?” she asked, following behind him.
“Somewhere more private.”
He waited until they rounded a ten foot ice boulder that blocked them from sight. It was also far enough away from camp that no one would be able to hear them either.
“Vaelor, what is this about?”
“Are you injured?” he asked.
“No. Well, I have a few bruises, but they’ll heal.”
“Why would you get into a fight with the Bestial?”
“It was just a sparring match. We wanted to do something that would occupy us while we wait for the challenge to begin.”
“You could have been killed.”
“It was a friendly match between friends.”
He began to pace, running a hand through his hair.
“I leave you for a couple of hours, and you get into a fight with a female almost twice your size.”
She put a hand on his arm. He could feel her cool fingers. That reminded him of her body temperature situation. He took her into his arms and used his own body heat to warm her. Feeling her so close also calmed him tremendously.
“Where did you go?” she asked.
“I went hunting.”
“I guess that was your way to let off some of the frustration of having to wait for the challenge.”
“I was hunting for you.”
“For me?”
“Your biosuit is not keeping you warm enough. I went out to look for an animal that I could use its skin to help. I found a large one that had three skins.”
“Where is it at?” she asked.
“I left it in the tent. The thinner skin you can wear under your biosuit. It should help contain your body heat. The second layer was not in good shape. But the outer layer is very thick and furry. You can wear it like a coat when the temperature drops.”
“That’s… thank you.”
He felt uncomfortable with being thanked. That was not why he did it.
“I think we need to seriously think of withdrawing.”
“No! I can do this. I will do this.”
“You got into a fight with someone I thought was your friend.”
“It was a sparring match. And I think Gora did it because other players didn’t believe I should be here. Don’t be like them, Vaelor. Have faith in me.”
Hearing the plea in her voice and seeing her earnest expression, softened him.
“I will try.”
Her smile was his reward.
“Show me the furs. I want to see them.”
He realized that he would deny her nothing.