Gavan turned the holo off. Served him right the bastard. They had finally been forced to arrest one of their own in the cesspit of corruption called UIT Senate, and Gavan had a particular disliking for that Senator in particular. He was going to investigate further into the rumours surrounding the further accusations. Maybe yoda could find out, he always knew stuff like this.
###
Chi had dressed in her lose fitting training clothes, ready for combat training. When she had called John, he seemed as eager as her to practice and he had been able to find time later the same day. She arrived early, but he was already there punishing the combat dummy with savage kicks and punches. He had stripped to just a pair of loose fitting combat fatigues with the sweat running in small droplets down his chest. She stayed silent and observed his style. This was different, this was not Krav Maga or at least not Krav Maga as she had been taught. He landed a series of fast punches on the dummy, dodged the ineffective counter punches and kicked high towards the dummy's head, impacting with his heel on the dummy's jaw with bone shattering force before mock withdrawing and instead of moving away sidekicked into the chest of the dummy, kicking it metres away from him. Chi knew that the dummy bot weighed in at around 300 kilo's, so this was no mean feat. He stayed his ground, once more getting his hands up and ready, one leg slight in front of the other. The bot regained its balance and once more moved forward, the pegs that made it for arms whirling menacingly. John took a half step back before pushing the leg forward again impacting on the front armour of the bot with a crack that was loud enough to make Chi flinch. It also broke the bot's carapace.
"Save some for me."
He whirled towards Chi and smiled when he saw who had interrupted him. He relaxed slightly enabling the robot to flail him across the back several times. He started defending himself from the multitude of hits.
"Stoi"
The bot stopped and withdrew to be recharged and repaired. He turned again towards Chi a grin on his face.
"Dammit Chi, you make me loose my focus."
"So much the better for me when we train."
She dropped her bag and took the sweatshirt off.
"That was something else you practised there. Very impressive John."
"It is an old form of combat, called Savate. Very savage, very efficient. Especially when you use it together with Krav Maga. Been a while Chi."
"Yeah, I missed doing this."
She swiped outwards at his leg while moving forward and elbowing his chest. If he had stayed that is. John rotated sideways opposite her leg thrust and while hooking her balance leg he pushed her hard making her fall to the ground. His knee landed next to her neck and he looked down at her.
"Points, me."
They got up and faced each other again. He feinted an attack with his left arm, and when she locked it in defence he dropped himself and her on the floor, letting her take the impact on her back. Her breath was violently forced out of her as John landed heavily on her. He turned his head and grinned wildly.
"Points, me."
Once more they got up and faced each other. Chi waited for his next move, and when he tried for a strike against her neck she moved in under his arms, left elbow first. She impacted on his sternum, forcing him to withdraw. She swiped her arm out to move his right arm away and attempted to land her other elbow on his face when she felt a terrible blow to her left ankle that swiped her leg away and dumped her unceremoniously on the floor, a heel impacting next to her head.
"Points, me."
She looked up at John, the massive grin was equally at home on his face as it would be on the Chestershire Cat of Alice in Wonderland. She got up and readied herself once more. He was better than she had ever seen, clearly his mastery of martial arts was leaps and bounds above what she had seen before.
"John, have you been playing with me all this time?"
He displayed mock horror on his face and took his hands up as if surrendering.
"I wouldn't ever Chi. Everybody knows I only play for keeps."
The grin returned and he was once more ready for her attacks, his eyes searching for and getting the full attention of her gaze.
She grinned inside but kept her outward appearance calm and neutral. She would get him even if it took all day and night.
###
The unmarked Behemoth flew through Helios space with about as much grace as a hippopotamus with a rocket strapped to its back. The owner of this particular ship was used to much smaller crafts, but he was here on a mission. After a couple of minutes the vast emptiness of space was pierced by the inevitable pre-warp tachyons that showed a ship was underway. Swag Man felt the usual adrenaline rise in him, normally this meant a target to hunt and kill. In this case though, he was awaiting this particular ship. A bright yellow moth with twin High Density mining beams and the lettering Ole Slot Moth XXV down its side in metre high red letters. The painting of a beautiful woman underneath the cockpit was not what Swag Man had expected, but he knew he wanted one too.
"I am ready to receive the cargo."
"Roger that Swag Man. It is ready and protected. 30 crates of Helio Mists, 60 of Lady Serco Dark Ale and 30 of Sol II genuine pork rinds."
The yellow behemoth ejected the crates on three pallets.
"I have them. Thanks for getting it."
"Hey, no problem. I am always one to help a party get underways. Oh, and one of the Helio Mists crates contains a single bottle of genuine Tequila."
Swag Man smiled, that would get Lebermac on his toes if nothing else could. He scooped the goods up and started boosting for Latos and home. He didn't really know why yoda wanted to throw a party, but expected it to something with having Mystic back and stuff. Who was he to question that anyway, any excuse to party was in his eyes a good one.
"Hey by the way Hort, where did you get the painting?"
"Vardonx made the first one, but this particular lady is painted by Jasmine Atamoss from PA."
"Ok, thanks."
PA was KOS, but maybe he could get Azumi to set up an arrangement or something. Maybe even model for it.... maybe both of them..... Swag Man suddenly felt that the temperature of the moth had notched up significantly.
