Page 62 of Taken to Nobu
I watch from the mouth of the training cavern as Kiki attempts to show Svera a few basic moves in hand-to-hand combat — moves any being, male or female, human or Voraxian, should be able to master in their own self-defense.
Even without being able to hear each word she utters, it is clear she is frustrated by Svera’s lack of progress. It is not even that Svera is so uncoordinated — on the contrary, the female is one of the most graceful and elegant I have come across of any species — it is that simply, she does not want to fight anyone.
“Svera, plant your right foot and lift your right hand. The left one stays down. When I try to hit your face, you can bring your left hand up to block me. Okay?” Kiki’s voice is not the loudest in the hall, but it is certainly the most aggravated.
It has been six solars since the other humans, including the Raku and Rakukanna, left to return to their colony — Lisbel among them. Jaxal, unfamiliar with his weapon and the terrain, was unable to best the xub’Okkari I pitted him against. However, instead of exile to the endless ice ocean, Lisbel was exiled to the human colony. A rather ingenious idea. One of Svera’s.
“Like this?” The human female says.
“Hexa — I mean, yes, but you actually have to mean it.” Kiki advances on her friend, lifting both arms as if she will punch Svera in the face.
Svera closes her eyes even as she brings her left forearm up, successfully blocking but only because there is no effort behind Kiki’s thrust. Kiki rolls her eyes and stomps one of her feet. “This is so frustrating.”
“Tell me about it.” Krisxox does not often speak to the humans, but I have found that he makes an exception for Kiki. “She’s like a holoscreen. There’s nothing there to fight against.”
He keeps his arms crossed and moves away from the pair towards the other fighters. He joins them at their request. It is not often they have occasion to be trained, or train against, Krisxox, who is known to accept only Voraxia’s most honored fighters at his base in Qath.
Svera shouts at his back, “You know, you are very rude!”
Krisxox snorts, but does not rise to her attack. I chuckle to myself as I start forward. Kiki is still moving Svera’s hands and feet into position, thus it is Svera who sees me first. Quickly straightening before dropping into a bow, her headscarf ripples in the wind as she ducks her head lower than she needs to.
“Okkari, it is lovely to see you on this solar,” she says in high Voraxian.
“As it is every solar, to see you, advisor Svera. Particularly on the eve of such good news.”
Svera beams and bows again. Her pride shows. “What good news?” Kiki asks.
“It seems that your friend Svera is responsible for the discovery of more humans.”
“Morehumans? What are you talking about?”
Svera nods. “Yes. It looks like the Antikythera satellite was launched along withtwoother satellites. One of them appears to have been destined for a planet in an uncharted quadrant called Sasor, while the other one was meant to be orbiting a planet in quadrant five. Sasor will be too far to venture to, but the location specified in quadrant five is more than reachable. We’re coming up with plans now to go after them.”
“Why bother?” Comes Krisxox’s murmured retort as he returns momentarily to retrieve a different weapon, this one a throwing net. “They’re as good as dead.”
“Krisxox,” I snap.
He removes the net from the wall and turns to face us. “It’s true. If they’re in quadrant five it’s likely that someone else will have picked them up by now. Rhorkanterannu of Kor is probably having a field day. And as for the ones on Sasor? They’re as good as dead. Sasor is ruled by snakes who don’t have any access to technology. They’re animals there, barbarians.”
“Ignore him,” Kiki says before I can deliver a harsher reprimand.
Svera’s face fires with color and so softly I do not know that she meant to speak the words aloud, she whispers, “I always do.”
Kiki laughs at that while Svera reddens further. Krisxox frowns.
“Krisxox,” I say in warning.
He meets my gaze and holds it before showing me his back and storming off. The insolent creature. I would ordinarily challenge him for less, but on this solar, my Xiveri mate takes precendence.
She says, “How’d you figure this out anyways?”
“It only took a thorough review of the archives the Antikythera Council keeps under lock and key. Because of my new…status, I’ve been given access.”
“Good work.”
“Excellent work,” I concur.
“Thank you Xhea. Okkari.” She burns a subtle pink that startles me, as it does each time. This is an anger color, but on humans it appears to beeitheran anger color, one of pride, shame, embarrassment, rage, bloodlust, guilt… the list goes on. I am grateful only that Kiki does not have such a distressing display that is so difficult to interpret.
