Jack opened his eyes and found he was in the Medical room of the ship. He tried to shit it but found it too painful to do so. He let out a groan that alerted the nurse that he was awake. She walked to his side and looked at him with a smile.

"That was the best fight I've ever seen." She said.

"I guess I lost." Jack said.

"Well your 97 and 1" She said.
"What's the damage?" Jack asked.

"2 broken ribs, a broken nose, a black eye, split lip, cracked tooth and a portage in a pear tree." She laughed.

"And her?" Jack asked.
"It may not feel like it but she'll live." The nurse said.

Jack lay back in the bed and closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Ellis was laying in her bunk nursing her ribs and was still coughing up a little blood. Sara was counting her winnings from the bets she placed and snickered to herself.

"Well that was fun." She said putting the money in her pocket.

"Not really." Ellis said. "I won."

"You know." Sara said. "He is entitled to a rematch by the arena rules."

"And by Yatuga rules as well." Ellis said. "But only one and I can't go easy on him."

"Well I saw how you acted when he hit your ribs and I know he did too." Sara said.

"Yea that is a soft spot." Ellis said looking at her ribs that were black and blue with a little green.

"What happened?" Sara asked.

"It happened when I was fighting Ugluk." Ellis said. "He shattered 3 ribs and they never healed. That's why I have thick armor around that spot."

"I see well rest assure that Jack will exploit it next time." Sara said.

Ellis stretched out on her back and closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

3 hours later

Ellis woke up and felt like every part of her body was on fire. Sara was asleep and Ellis didn't want to wake her so she grabbed a towel and walked to the shower room. There were a few people in there including Johnson, Tim and Jack. Jack was in a corner of the room letting the hot water fall on his sore body. Ellis smiled and walked over to him.

"You're a very good fighter." She said turning the water on next to him.

"Yea but your better." Jack said without looking at her.

"You look like your in pain." Ellis said.

"Mainly my neck." Jack said. "I must have tweaked it."

Ellis turned off the water and walked behind him and started rubbing his neck and shoulders.

"Are you messing with me again?" He asked.

"No this will help." Ellis said.

She rubbed his back for several minutes before leaning in and putting her lips next to his ear.

"You know you're entitled to a rematch." She whispered.

"Not in this lifetime I don't want to go through that again." Jack said.

"I shouldn't tell you this." Ellis said. "But by Yatuga culture a female may not be with a male until he has proven his strength by defeating her in unarmed combat."

As she said that she gently kissed his ear and walked back to her shower and turned it back on leaving Jack to think about her words.

"Ok." He said. "I'll take my rematch."

"When?" Ellis asked.

"Right now." He said and shut off the water. "Everyone you all know by now that I lost my title as best fighter on the ship to Ellis. Well I have challenged her to a rematch."

Everyone in the room cheered and applauded.

"The rematch will be held right here right now so make some room." He yelled.

Everyone in the room formed a horseshoe around them as they faced off. Ellis knew she would have to give it her all but the pain in her ribs told her that she would be moving slow. She moved in with a right hook to Jacks jaw and he stumbled back then came in with a hard kick right to her ribs that were unguarded at the time. She stumbled to the side holding her ribs as Jack flew at her swinging all the way. He was landing blow after blow on her face and ribs until she went to the ground. He stayed on his feet and started kicking her in the ribs as hard as he could. She was on her hands and knees leaving her ribs fully exposed to each kick. She was grunting and groaning with each kick then managed to kick Jack's feet out from underneath him and he fell to the tiled floor with a wet thud. Ellis rolled on her good side and tried to catch her breath as Jack lay on the floor in a daze. Ellis started to get up and was on her hands and knees when Jack kicked out and hit her right in her ribs again. She fell back to the tails again as Jack stood up. He walked over to her and hammered on her ribs with his fists. Blood was flowing from Ellis's mouth and she was even crying from the pain in her ribs. There were no sounds in the shower room. All the showers had been turned off and the onlookers were deadly silent. The only thing that could be heard was the sounds of Ellis's bloody sobs. Finally Jack reached down and wrapped her arms around her neck and started squeezing. Ellis Struggled for air for a moment before going limp. Jack released her and she started breathing again. Jack stumbled to his feet and looked at Ellis. Her eyes were closed and blood was flowing freely from her mouth. He turned around and looked at the on lookers and raised his arms in triumph. No one moved as he did a small circle then turned back to Ellis and saw her getting to her feet. He lowered his arms and grunted as he walked over to her and lifted her head a little before smashing her in the side of the face with a hard right sending her head into the wall. The thud of her head hitting the wall then her body hitting the tail made even the most battle hardened Marines in the room cringe. That was the end of the fight. Ellis was out cold lying in a pool of water and blood. Jack Looked at her then looked at the others.

"Get...Get her to Medical." He said. "NOW!"

Several of the men in the room grabbed towels and laid them on the floor and lifted Ellis on to the m and picked them up by the corners and ran the makeshift stretcher to the medical lab all completely necked. That would have earned them a 2 day stay in the Brigg but seeing as this was an emergency it was over looked by high command. It wasn't until 3 hours later that Ellis came too. She was in a bed with bandages wrapped around her chest and her ribs hurt like hell.

"Well are you happy?" Sara asked from the chair by her side. "He won."

"Ugh." Was the only thing Ellis said.

"He collapsed one of your lungs." Sara said. "They had to do surgery to repair it or you would have died."

"He told me that you told him about your cultures way and was rather happy that he was able to win." Sara said. "He really likes you."

Ellis smiled at Sara as she looked down at her bandaged ribs then at the IV tube that was giving her blood.

"We're the same blood type." Sara said showing Ellis the bandage on her arm from where the needle was inserted into her vein.

Ellis smiled again and nodded her head.

"Thank you." She said.

"Your welcome." Sara said standing up. "Your gonna be here for a few more hours so the nursed can make sure you won't die on us then be released. You should be ok by dinner now I'm gonna go tell Jack that your awake."

Sara waved as she walked out of the room leaving Ellis lying in the bed. Ellis closed her eyes with a smile on her face and fell asleep again.