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Chapter 29 – The Fighting Game

Seeal watched with a sense of bizarre detachment as the three teams rushed forward in clashing haste across the training hall.

The only one of her team still stood in the corner, she watched as the teams engaged with shoulder barges, grappling tackles, and loose flying fists.

She frowned at the display.

Not once in her life had she ever gone into a fight with such playful abandon as the crew displayed now. Even Madesh, stoic and ponderously polite as he could so often be, was exchanging strikes with one of The Cues team with clear enjoyment. The man was looking to prove his place in the crew, as were perhaps the two from Atlantis.

She understood the psychology of what was happening, but watching people engage in a fight out of play...it was something she had not experienced before.

She had been sent into plenty of fights, but those had been either forced upon her by dangerous situations, or had been her choice in the pits where she had fought to provide for her and Ulfur's survival.

The pit fights had been brutal, and the best way to win had been to be the fastest, the most vicious, and willing to do whatever it took to win. Never had she gone into a fight for enjoyment, as was clearly the design today. Even the training hall felt strange as a place to fight in, for the pit fights had always been in murky warehouses or underground basement spaces. The lighting had usually been flickering torches and weakly powered stolen battery units, and the air had been thick with smoked substances and odour of stale sweat and splattered blood. Thinking of those days now seemed to bring back the memories with a touch of bad association and trauma. She could almost relive the dank scent of mould and damp spaces, the metallic taste of a split lip and broken skin, and the rough muddy dirt smeared floors. She still sometimes dreamt of the constant drowning sound of jeering, cheering, and violent taunts.

Fighting had been her way of discharging her rage at her life, but also to get her hands on the currency that had been in constant motion around the pits. Her ability to fight had already been there from growing up as a child on the streets, and by the time she had reached her teenage years, she had been in more fights than most in the pits had done. Her first pit fight had been a necessity to get her and Ulfur out of a bad situation, but also to put literal food in their bellies after too many days of nothing. That fight had been far too long, her skills sloppy, but it had set fire to a determination that had driven her back to those fights for years afterwards. She had found a way to burn off her own anger, and to actually make currency. She and Ulfur had never gone hungry again, but neither had the currency lasted. Ulfur had always spent it away on gambling, drink, females, and drugs, and so Seeal had continued to fight.

Those days had seemed to end once Creass had offered her a place on Dreamstation, but in charge of the station's security had meant that fighting had never left her life. They had been fewer in number on Dream, but often far more deadly in their possible outcome than in the pits. On Dreamstation she had learnt how to deal with weapons, which had not been a part of the pits. As the years had passed on Dream and her reputation had been well set and tested, she had needed to fight less, but the potential of them had always been in the air.

Now though, free of Dream, of her family, of her previous life, she found herself stood before a new form of fighting. She knew people sparred, knew it was even a form of flirtation to some, but to her fighting had been a survival skill. Why would someone play with that?

Yet, watching the three teams clash now, hearing the grunts, shouts, and laughs combined with playful banter she felt the strangest compulsion to join in. It was expected of her of course, to be part of the team of The Strays, and she understood that it would facilitate her inclusion within the crew by taking part. Yet, it still seemed so alien to watch fighting without real violence, to hear laughter and see smiles in contrast to the punches passed back and forth. It was a new and strange creature for her, and she was unsure exactly how she should include herself in the mess of the tumbling and grappling game.

So, as was her way, she held back for now, watching the drama unfold.

Numfar was closest to her and he was holding off two of his apparent friends, their exchanges more of laughter as they circled each other, making darting grabs towards the team cloths.

Nevaeh to the right was under attack from three of the Wraith Eaters, but Lieutenant Aiden Ford was at her side. He threw himself forward, a fist and then an elbow thrown, but Nevaeh was still out matched. In a clever, but potentially disastrous move, she dropped down onto her back, covering her orange cloth from a grab, but also exposing herself to all manner of attacks. Seeal tensed, the reaction to rush forward to help immediate, but she held back as Nevaeh's legs swung out and took out two legs near her. The tumble of limbs was blocked by the younger man from Atlantis rushing in.

Beside them, two of the Cues were still trying to take down Madesh. Once again, Seeal felt her body tense, ready to move in to assist, but suddenly Major Sheppard appeared behind two of Madesh's attackers and their two cloths were waved victoriously. She twitched ready to shout a warning though, for three more were heading in towards Major Sheppard's back. Madesh beat her to it though, shouting a warning as he moved to the Major's side. The two men engaged them, the man from Atlantis expertly blocking strikes at Madesh's side.

Someone cried out in sharp complaint from the furthest corner and Seeal looked over to see as many as ten Sythus crew pile in on each other, hands grabbing at cloths, limbs tangling and shouts filled with laughter as well as complaint.

They really were enjoying themselves, even though there were clearly bruises forming and she spied Ru crawling out from under a small crush of Cues.

Even the Lead Engineer, obviously out of his depth in fighting, had rushed in with his team. He had a slight bleeding scrape to his cheek, but he was obviously not in distress.

This was sport. This was using one's body in competition for enjoyment and the assertion of one's place in a hierarchical structure. Those that lasted the longest in the game would be looked on more favourably by the rest of the crew. Which was why the trainers had selected this game today – to help the crew bond with the ship's new additions.

The numbers currently in the game were dropping slightly, another handful of cloth-less crew moving to the side of the hall. Those out of the game were not resentful though, they were sat in a long line, watching the action with rapt attention. Seeal noticed that one of those sat out was a member of her team, The Strays.

She also noticed that the spread of the fighting was altering as the weaker or unfortunate ones were removed. In the centre of the most dynamic fighting, she watched the apparent quarter-Satedan known at Toj dominate his space. He was taking on people two at a time, moving fast and using his obvious superior strength to his easy advantage.

With a total of six removed from his opposing teams, Toj was now redirecting his attention...towards Madesh and Major Sheppard, clearly looking to be the one to take the cloths away from the new men. As Toj headed towards them he was also taking out quite a few other competitors as they stepped into his path, hoping to be the one to take him out of the game.

Seeal watched Toj move, watched how he used an initial grab of his attacker, then swung them round and with a twist and pull tugged their cloth easily free. He repeated the action several times, varying it slightly as others tried to grab for his own cloth, but he was smiling as he easily spun and grabbed again.

Someone was shouting something that registered through the sound of bodies hitting the floor, shouts, and laughter. Someone was shouting her name. She looked round to the watching sidelines to see several were taunting her for not having joined in. She looked away, back to Toj.

Ru was in his way, being set upon by several Wraith Eaters. To stop them, the engineer had dropped onto his back, copying Nevaeh's earlier move to protect his cloth. He was sending up some good kicks, battling away loose grabs by half hearted Wraith Eaters as they tried to burrow underneath his back for the his cloth. Toj reached them and reached down into the mass, lifting Ru up as if he was made of nothing but air. The engineer's cloth was quickly removed.

Seeal had her moment.

Sinking into that deep instinctive fighter inside of her, she pushed forward, powering through the space between Nevaeh, Ford, and Madesh's backs in no time. Major Sheppard stepped in her way without realising, having gotten a Cue in a neck lock, the two wrestling with each other for their cloths. She leapt easily over the bent over men, her hands touching on the floor first, and she thrust up with her arms, powering her tumble onwards. Her feet touched the ground a second later, her spine warm from the wondrous stretch, but her attention was fixed back on Toj.

One of the other Wraith Eaters saw her coming, but was too late. She dropped to the floor, her momentum sliding her along the floor under his reach and between his legs. She snagged his cloth out from the back of his waistband as she passed under him, unfortunately taking some of his underwear with it judging by the high pitched complaint. But, she was more interested in the fact that she had reached Toj.

The part Satedan had seen her action and now reached down towards her. She reached up and caught hold of the approaching grab, wrapped her knee up around the thick arm and used it to lever herself up off the floor. Wrapping her body quickly up and around his side, using his own body as her base, she grabbed round and snatched his cloth out from out the back of his waistband and shoved herself away from him.

There was a loud response of groans, shouts of surprise and some cheering, but she was not easily distracted by such sounds – there had been enough in the pits. Besides, another Wraith Eater was stepping towards her, likely having taken offence to her taking out their strongest member. The man struck out at her with a simple direct punch – it was straight out of their basic training drills. She angled her body to one side, rapped her knuckles against the fleshy inside of the man's forearm and followed through with a light backhand strike to his face as she moved right into his personal space. She followed through with a light knee to his side. He crumpled backwards towards the floor and she kept with him, pushing her weight onto him, forcing him to turn in his fall to land on his side – thereby exposing his cloth. She tugged it free as she met the floor, rolled away from him, and dropped his cloth aside. She rose up onto her knee, ready for the next attack that she sensed incoming.

Except it was one of her team, Major Sheppard. He held out his hands to make sure she realised it was him, and then he quickly pointed past her. She had seen his weight moving forward though, and ducked quickly, understanding his intention. His arm passed over her with a fast strike to their incoming opponent as she slid past his body. She assessed the landscape of the fight before her only to see both Nevaeh and Lieutenant Ford were moving away off towards the sidelines. Her team were reducing, in fact the hall was clearing of fighters, the numbers of spectators abruptly increasing.

A Wraith Eater was advancing on her and Sheppard's back. She faced off with him, standing in a relaxed ready stance that showed her readiness for his attack.

The Eater paused, smirked, and darted one way and then the other in a rather pathetic attempt to confuse her. He threw one punch, then another, and then a kick. None of them came close to her. As she moved around the punches, she assessed the rest of the hall. There were several more Wraith Eaters taking on Madesh. He needed help, and Sheppard and Numfar were stuck fighting some last remaining Cues. Other than them, there were a number of Wraith Eaters surrounding the last of the Cues. The Strays still had a chance.

Her current attacker rushed at her, trying to tackle her. Seeing it in that beautiful slow motion of the basic animalistic brain, she quickly lifted one knee, her boot meeting his leg and she pushed up, throwing herself up and around him, twisting and pushing him forward with his own momentum so that he was now crashing down towards the floor. Of course he was taking her down with him, but with a quick shift, it was almost entirely him that met the floor. There was some definite loud hoots and applause, but could have been directed somewhere else in the fight. Half on top of the fallen Wraith Eater, she quickly removed his cloth and stood up. Throwing his cloth aside, she raced on towards those attacking Madesh.

Two were taking on Madesh and he was holding them at bay, but he was struggling. They had the element of increased numbers, forcing him to defend against two at once. They didn't see her approach, however a shout from the audience warned one. She turned towards Seeal approach and lashed out an attack at Seeal's face. Reacting out of pure instinct and years of training, Seeal dodged her head aside, drabbed up at the offending arm with both her hands and kicked up at the owner of the arm. She caught the woman in the ribs, but the woman twisted and pulled Seeal round with her. On one leg with her kick, Seeal was seemingly in a disadvantaged position, but she jumped and kicked both feet at the woman instead. The impact wouldn't do any damage, but it did result in both of them off their feet.

Seeal hit the floor, but was already twisting back upright, intent to follow through and get the woman's cloth. However, the shadow of Sheppard appeared again, and he grabbed at the fallen woman's cloth.

"You okay?" Sheppard shouted as he flung the won cloth aside.

"Fine," Seeal answered, surprised for a second that he was asking her and not the fallen woman now out of the game.

She turned, aware Madesh was still fighting one Wraith Eater. Numfar stepped up to her side, panting and looking a little bloodied, but he was still smiling.

It appeared that the remaining Wraith Eaters had removed the last of The Cues and were now regrouped and heading towards her, Numfar, Sheppard, and Madesh.

She opened her mouth to suggest to her remaining team that they wait until their opponents were within a certain distance, but the playfulness of the game had gotten to Numfar apparently, for he rushed forward to start the engagement. The crowd exploded in excited cheers.

Seeal followed him quickly, working as backup as he engaged and traded loose punches with the first Wraith Eater. An Eater ahead of her now, she prepared herself for a new attack, only suddenly a red soft ball flew through her view and hit Numfar on the side of his head. Another red ball hit her own intended target, the Eater faltering aside as he recovered from the unexpected, yet soft, assault.

Looking round in the direction of the balls origin, her view filled with red.

She dropped to the floor just in time, the ball sailing over her, and just behind it was another Wraith Eater. She kicked up at him, only the kick worked too well as she accidently caught him partly in the groin, and suddenly the man was falling down over her.

Twisting onto her side, she held up one forearm to catch him and stop him from crushing her. She heard him groan and swear slightly as he crumpled down over her.

"Sorry about that," she panted out to him as she swung him over to the floor, whilst reaching round to remove his cloth at the same time. As she threw the cloth aside, she spied Sheppard close by and saw a red ball clip him in the shoulder.

Getting up off the floor, she looked around hurriedly to discover who was responsible for the obvious distraction technique of throwing the soft weapons into the game.

Her eyes fell on Oneakka, stood near the far wall with a large box of red balls at his side and one already in his hand. She watched his following throw, which sailed across the hall and into Numfar. The soft object bounced off the side of Numfar's head and bounced past Seeal.

She moved forward and grabbed it up as she reached Numfar. He was locked in a seemingly even wrestling match with a Wraith Eater. Using them both as cover, Seeal slipped behind them, peering out towards Oneakka and then lobbed her stolen ball off towards the Elite warrior.

He dodged it easily and the crowd loudly gasped and then laughed. She wondered if anyone had ever thrown back at the Elite before. She darted back behind the fighters again.

Wait, where was the other Elite? Si?

She looked round just in time to see the massive muscular Elite warrior capture Sheppard in a hug attack from behind. Si had pushed a red cloth into the back of his belt. The Strays, somehow, were now the superior team and so apparently the Elite had joined in. There were only three Eaters left versus four of her team, only the Elite warrior had just evened up the odds.

She switched her attention to the Eater against Numfar, darting around behind him, whilst simultaneously keeping an eye on Oneakka, who was throwing a ball towards Madesh. She easily pulled the cloth free from Numfar's opponent and tapped the man on the back to let him know. Numfar gasped in relief though smiled at her, but they had two Wraith Eaters circling them.

As they circled, Seeal worked to keep an eye on the other Eater battling Madesh, that Sheppard was still occupying Si, and also ensuring that she was not in a direct line of fire from Oneakka.

This time Numfar was not so eager to rush into re-engagement with the enemy – he was looking tired for sure. A red ball sailed past one of the Eater's ears and knocked another to the floor. She and Numfar rushed forward together without a word. They bore the man to the floor with their sudden explosive attack, a red ball flying over their head as they did.

Their opponent to the floor, Seeal twisted up to check the other Eater, but that woman was now engaging with Madesh.

"Get off me," the man under her and Numfar exclaimed in a sharp high tone.

"Sorry, Fleta," Numfar laughed as he slapped his friend's chest whilst lifting up the man's cloth with his other hand.

Throwing the cloth aside, Numfar stood up with a smile of victory, only for yet another red ball to slam into the side of his face. The crowd laughed almost hysterically.

"Remember to keep your head down in battle," Curzon shouted.

The audience were stamping their feet now, the sound a chorusing background noise that almost took her back to the pits again. Stood together, she and Numfar took in the remaining situation.

Madesh had removed the other Eater, the woman limping away to the sidelines, and Madesh was now with Sheppard, the two cautiously circling Si. They were going to need help that was for sure. However, there was one other remaining Eater, who was heading towards her and Numfar.

As another ball bounced close by Seeal, she snatched it up and threw it hard towards the approaching Eater. She also let the momentum of her throw carry her forward and she cart wheeled towards the attack, hoping to confuse both the Eater and Oneakka with her travel path. Sailing over, she righted herself inches from the Eater who staggered slightly at the impact of the ball, and she kicked out at his closest leg, whilst simultaneously grabbing at his shoulders, pulling him down and over. She threw him over her in a tumble, straight into the path of Numfar, who grabbed down for the man's cloth.

The crowd applauded and groaned in equal measures as Numfar held aloft the cloth.

They were down to one Eater – Si. She got up from the floor, feeling the first real pulls of tiredness, but there was plenty of adrenaline in her system to keep her going.

A ball abruptly hit her side and she swept round in Oneakka's direction. He was still stood off by the far wall and was smugly throwing another red ball up and down in one hand.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

Numfar raced past her, heading into the sparring match with Si and drawing her back into the final battle.

With another glare at Oneakka, she followed, grabbing up another ball as she did. Arriving into the sparring match, in which Si was somehow holding his own against three opponents, she threw her ball at Si' head.

Against all logic in the situation, he caught it before it touched him. The crowd roared with approval and excitement.

Seeal slid to a stop next to Sheppard, who had a small bruise on one cheekbone, but was smiling with the wide eyed look of adrenaline.

"I think we need to take him on en mass," he suggested.

"You think four of us can take him down?" Madesh asked doubtfully around his own panting breathing.

Some of the audience were stamping their feet in unison again, which was clearly meant to encourage them to get on with the attack.

"I think we should Ghostbuster Si," Sheppard stated confusingly around his panting breaths.

"Honoured Elite Si," Madesh corrected.

"Even now you have to do that?" Seeal asked Madesh.

"Respect is important," Madesh responded, but his attention shifted to Sheppard. "What do you mean Ghostbuster him?"

"On three, we all get him," Sheppard explained.

"That's your plan?" Seeal asked him incredulously.

"Hey, it worked for them, well, no, it didn't work for the Ghostbusters, but I think it's all we really have right now."

"Wait over," Si announced loudly and rushed at them, taking away the decision. The audience shouted louder.

Seeal held back from the rush at the Elite warrior, looking for an opportunity to reach Si' cloth. A red ball hit Sheppard and Numfar's back as she darted past them.

Sheppard fell back from an attack from Si, his backside cushioning the fall, whilst Numfar was crumpled in a heap. Si meanwhile had Madesh in a necklock with one large dark muscular arm and was reaching for Madesh's cloth. Seeal darted forward, but she was too late – Madesh's cloth fell to the floor and Si turned towards her.

She dropped down and aside, just missing the two handed grab at her, and she heard Si chuckle as she was forced to roll aside from his stamping foot. Above her, Sheppard and Numfar were once again attacking, but their combined attempt to tackle Si was completely unsuccessful and they were turned and shoved away, towards her. She dropped and rolled again, moving out of the path of the falling Atlantis man heading towards her.

Sheppard grunted and complained as he hit the floor.

"How can one guy be that strong?" Sheppard panted as she got up next to him.

"Practise and genetics," Seeal concluded as Numfar struggled up next to her. "We need to draw him away from the wall, expose his back."

"Yeah, how?" Sheppard asked as they stood upright again.

Si was already doing it for them though, for he was rushing towards their tired threesome. Seeal pulled back, putting more space between her and the ongoing mass of Elite warrior, aware that Sheppard was stepping in, working to get around behind Si. Si caught the Atlantis man though, getting him in a bodylock and turned towards Numfar.

Sheppard muttered and struggled in Si' hold, punching the warrior's side, but Si appeared not to feel it, or the thumbs blindly seeking out his eyes. Si laughed loudly, only for a red ball to abruptly arrive and impact the side of the Elite's head.

The hall exploded into shocked laughter as Si frowned off towards Oneakka, who simply shrugged from across the hall without apology.

Seeal and Numfar rushed at Si. Hopefully with the man's hands full of dealing with Sheppard they could get round behind his back.

Only, in a move that was far too fast to be believable, the Elite let go of Sheppard, the Atlantis man's cloth suddenly in his hand and then flying towards Numfar's face. Numfar's view suddenly blocked by the cloth, he yelped out loud and tried to throw himself aside, which resulted in him falling onto Sheppard who had just been released by Si. The two men tumbled to the floor between Seeal and Si.

Into this mess, Seeal threw herself. With some speed already in play, she set one hand on the mess of Numfar and Sheppard, and swung herself up at Si. She hoped to fly past him to get down and around behind him just quickly enough to get to his cloth, but the warrior was once again too fast.

One large dark hand filled her view, catching her leg and another hand caught her arm, capturing her and redirecting her path. In his hands, she quickly countered, reaching for him in turn, getting a hold of the bandolier around his front and pulled herself towards him. Intending to get over his shoulder from where she could reach down his back for his cloth, she clawed herself towards him. Si, realising her intent pushed her away from him, turning on the spot, and suddenly a roar filled the hall.

In that split second as Si had turned, Numfar had had his opportunity and had reached up and snagged Si' cloth.

"Numfar and The Strays win!" Curzon announced and applause filled the air.

Si relaxed instantly and Seeal found herself partly wrapped around the big Elite's upper body as he turned back towards Numfar.

Numfar lay on the floor in Si' shadow, his arms lifted in victory. Si chuckled, the rumble moving through Seeal while she remained draped over him. She was going to have to get down or end up a permanent part of the man's clothing.

Si reached down a spare hand toward Numfar to assist him up when a red ball once again sailed into the side of Si' head.

More laughter filled the air as Si turned to Oneakka. "Enough now!"

Oneakka shrugged again, but was not reaching for another ball.

Seeal took the moment to slide down off Si as the Elite helped Numfar up off the floor, but still one large dark arm supported her as she moved. The Elite's attention shifted to her as she pulled back from him, the hall full of applause.

"Good work," Si intoned as he stepped away from her.

She smiled back, strangely pleased with the compliment, but the moment was gone as the crew were suddenly around them. The rest of The Strays team were abruptly on Numfar, creating a mass of celebrating humanity. Nevaeh reached out and suddenly Seeal was pulled into the mass hug. It was hot, tightly pressed and full of the smell of fresh sweat, but she rather enjoyed the moment of unity.

The group parted from their tight hug and she stepped back.

"We're scrappy," Sheppard shouted next to her and held up one palm towards her. She frowned up at it.

"Hit it," Sheppard instructed her.

She made a fist.

"With an open palm," he clarified quickly before she could throw the punch.

She slapped her flat palm against his, which was apparently the correct thing to do, because he grinned and then turned his palm to Lieutenant Ford, who slapped it hard with his own palm. Madesh was the next to hit palms with Lieutenant Ford and then Major Sheppard.

Strangely, hands were patting her shoulders and back as the crew gathered around them. She might have found that uncomfortable normally, but feeling abruptly exhausted and having been hugged by her team, she didn't mind so much. This could only be good for her and the fellow Strays.

"Well done, people," Curzon announced. "Good game. That's enough for today."

"Everyone to your duty stations by your assigned time," Tyoosi stated, which quickly lowered the excitement in the hall. "Ship drills will commence prior to the mid meal, do not forget that tonight we have full ship-wide boarding drills."

Trust Tyoosi to lower the fun in a room. She shouldn't complain though because she hadn't been subjected to any of his lectures in days.

"Well done, everyone," Tyoosi concluded, and Seeal noticed that the man's gaze finished on the Atlantis men. Seeal thought she saw some respect in the gaze. She would bet anything that they weren't subjected to twice daily lectures.

Admittedly, after this session Seeal had an improved opinion herself of the men from another galaxy. They had worked well in a team and shown some good fighting skills.

As the crew started to leave the hall, she found herself in step with Major Sheppard. He was grinning again. She remembered him from the two occasions she had met him before, but then a man with such handsome features would tend to stick in the mind. He seemed a quite cheerful person, his eyes bright even when his expressions had appeared serious. He was an interesting choice of Political husband for an Elite warrior.

"Those were some impressive moves back there," Sheppard said to her.

She met the unusual green coloured eyes of the alien man and that sparkle of intellectual kindness shone back at her. It wasn't often you met someone with that look who had also shown some impressive fighting skills of his own.

"I would say the same about you," she replied.

"How'd you do that flip thing around that guy's side?" He asked, mimicking the action in a somewhat amusing fashion.

"Speed," she replied. "How did you get out of Si' first hold on you," she asked, not having seen how that had played out earlier.

"I saved him," Madesh's voice arrived from behind and she looked back to see him and Ru following her and Sheppard. "From Honoured Elite Si."

"No one tried to save me," Ru muttered, his hair spiked up with sweat to be almost as haphazard looking as Sheppard's hair.

"Seeal did," Madesh informed him. "She leapt into action to get to you."

Ru looked at her with one of his wide smiles and his eyes brightened. "Thank you."

"I didn't save you though," she pointed out to him.

Looking further down the line of their team she spied Lieutenant Ford hanging back with Nevaeh. The two were walking closer than one would normally with a new acquaintance and both of them were grinning inanely. "You've definitely lost him now," she told Sheppard, indicating the young couple.

Sheppard peered back and shrugged slightly. "Summer romance," he concluded with surprising amusement.

Seeal found herself smiling along with him. There was something very likeable about this man.

Almost near the exit to the training hall, Seeal glanced back towards where Oneakka and Si were stood only to find that Oneakka was looking her way. The Elite pointed and made a beckoning gesture with his finger.

Seeal glanced round, only to see that no one else was looking in the direction of the Elite. Not even Madesh, who was in excited conversation with Numfar. Concluding that Oneakka meant her, she stepped away from the others and looked back to the Elite warrior.

He beckoned again, this time with a gesture with his head.

What was she? The goat?

She made a beckoning gesture back at him to make a point.

Tyoosi, who's back was to her, now looked round.

With more attention on her now, she gave in to the beckoning and headed across the fast emptying training hall.

Tyoosi and Curzon both watched her approach for a second and then looked away.

Why was she being called over to them all? She quickly ran through all that had happened; had she done something wrong? She couldn't imagine that having been part of the wining team meant she was in trouble. In fact, she recalled that she still had her own cloth tucked in the back of her trousers. She reached back for it and tugged it free. As she passed by the bag that held the other cloths, she threw the orange fabric in with the others. If the Elite had something to say about her being one the last ones standing then clearly they had something to learn about fair play.

As she continued on towards the small group of men, Oneakka looked round with a look that implied she was taking too long to reach him. She made sure not to walk any faster in response to that. One eyebrow rose above the blue eyes.

She abruptly felt really unattractive. It was a sudden and surprising feeling that she couldn't remember feeling since her teenage years. Yet, she was suddenly extremely aware of how damp with sweat her clothes were and that her face felt flushed. She suspected she did not smell all that good.

It was a foolish self commentary of course, and she pushed the thoughts away as she strode confidently towards Oneakka and the others.

As she reached them she overhead some of their conversation.

"...drill by then," Tyoosi was saying.

"We expect perhaps more on the ground," Si replied. "Best be prepared in case the ship has to land."

Tyoosi nodded, and glanced round as she stepped up next to Oneakka's shoulder.

Both Curzon and Tyoosi looked at her with interesting expressions that she was not entirely sure she could interpret, which was unusual for her.

"Good work back there," Curzon told her, surprising her.

She nodded.

"It looked like you weren't going to join in for a while," Tyoosi noted.

"I'm not used to fighting for pleasure," she replied honestly.

Tyoosi' eyebrows rose with a mixture of surprise, but with what looked like a touch of approval. He looked away to Oneakka and Si. "The Strays will do fine."

"Interesting fighting styles from Atlantis," Curzon commented. "Liked it. I'm going to test them with some proper drills tomorrow, maybe weaponry the next day, if we have time."

"Sheppard's a good shot," Oneakka told him.

"They have a couple of Earth weapons with them," Tyoosi added. "I would like to see them in action."

"Do it," Oneakka agreed.

"Honoured Elite," Curzon nodded and he and Tyoosi pulled back and moved away, following the crew's route back out of the training hall.

Seeal watched the two men move away and looked back to the Elite, to find the dark symmetrical face of Si watching her. One dark eyebrow lifted, which was all the communication needed to once again remind her of his approval.

She nodded to him, respecting the silent approach from the strong man.

He moved away as well, leaving her alone with Oneakka.

It didn't look like she was in trouble, or if she was, it would be Oneakka who would tell her off. Which was hardly new.

She turned to face Oneakka directly.

He was already facing her, his arms crossing in front of his more usual moulded leather chest plate of body armour. The more normal shirt from last night felt like a distant memory in the training hall.

She looked up the tiny distance in their heights to meet his blue eyes.

"That looked easy for you," he told her.

"Nodding to Si?" She misinterpreted his comment on purpose. He employed a medium level glare as response. "Sorry, Honoured Elite Si," she corrected, knowing that wasn't what he had meant.

He held the glare.

He meant her fighting.

"I wouldn't call it 'easy'," she replied.

"You learn all of that in the pits?" He asked. The game they had just played had nothing on the face-to-face brutality of the pits, but Oneakka seemed impressed by her 'fighting' in the game.

It was the first time she had seen that, though she had pointed out many times that he should be impressed in her past deeds since meeting him. However, now that she actually saw that response from him, she felt oddly thrown. She felt both pleased and uncomfortable, which was stupid.

"Not all of it," she replied.

He waited for more.

"You learn what you can from whoever you're around on the streets and in the pits," she clarified.

"Did someone in particular teach you?" He probed, his direct attention feeling less comfortable for some strange reason.

"No, I just picked up bits and pieces from different people over the years," she answered him honestly.

"Are Glisi more agile than average humans?" He asked next.

He thought she was agile? Was it growing warmer in here?

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I certainly learnt to run away from them quickly enough as a child."

"Have you fought Wraith before?" He asked, apparently all about the questions this morning.

"You mean other than those trying to kill you back on the Glisi world?" She asked, pleased to be able to remind him of the event again.

His glare returned, but not as forcefully as before. It was a glare he used to say that he knew she was being purposefully difficult. She wondered why she felt the need to be that way now. It wasn't like he was baiting her or making her feel she had to defend herself. In fact he was being almost complimentary and approachable, rather like last night.

"No," she added honestly. "Not in direct hand to hand." She had dodged around Wraith on the streets as a child, using her youthful speed and pure terror to help give her the speed and agility around the grabbing Wraith. Unfortunately, there had always been slower children for the Wraith to catch and stun. She had tried to help at times, mostly as she had gotten older, but usually she had just run. The adult in her felt more than a little guilty at those memories.

"If you look to fight them, you'll need to adapt what you have against them," he said. "Deal with their faster speed and strength."

"I have fought an Elite warrior before," she considered playfully.

"I wasn't trying to kill you," he responded.

"You sure looked like you were," she argued. Was it her or was he stood closer to her than he usually did? Or had she been the one to stand closer to him?

This situation couldn't be further removed from that encounter with him on Belsa. She recalled watching him rise from a crouch on top of a rain battered roof under a dark clouded sky, the rain bouncing across his shoulders. His threat and promise to capture her had terrified her.

Stood with him now, she couldn't find any part of her that feared him anymore.

Truth be told, she rather liked his company.

"Are you worried about me surviving in the big bad universe once I get my clean record?" She asked him teasingly.

"No," he responded immediately, "but if you want the skills, you can learn them while you're here."

She shifted slightly, feeling slightly uncomfortable again. "Are you trying to persuade me to join the Alliance military after I get my clean record?"

"What you do after you leave here is your own business," Oneakka responded bluntly as he began to move away from her, his lean muscular shoulder passing hers with only an inch to spare. "Just behave yourself while you're here and you'll get that choice."

She should have known he couldn't give any kind of compliment or moment of respect without that reminder. She turned to watch him walk away.

"Do you think there'll ever be a single day in which you don't remind me to behave myself?" She challenged him, her tone light, but truthfully she was annoyed that he kept repeating it. Hadn't she proven herself to him enough already?

He looked back over his shoulder and actually smiled as he replied, "No."

She pulled a face at him as he headed out of the training hall, but she felt a bit better for the smile.

Maybe he was starting to believe she could prove herself after all.

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TBC