Capítulo 3: Feed The Wolf
Honestly, the new program left Kordelia a little winded. The optical wasn't a machine that you could just turn off and then back on again whenever you pleased. It constantly rotated, focusing and refocusing on any small movement. The specs didn't leave her vision as she and Wolfe made their way through the commons and out onto the base's training grounds.
The light breeze left everything in her line of sight glittering. She caught every movement of the leaves in the trees and every sway of grass. It tilted her stomach. Kore huffed, holding her stomach with care not to lose what was left in her stomach from lunch.
"Are you alright?" Wolfe inquired quietly as they passed through the lined formations of their brothers-in-arms, making their way to the front to stand side by side in their positions. Warm-ups had already been completed.
"I'm fine." Kore sighed. "It was different downstairs. Being outside is going to take a minute to get used to."
He nodded in response, before they both jumped to attention at the Commanders orders.
"Attention!" Alekai barked. "Now who wants to explain those pitiful excuses for warm-ups tonight? Have you all lost your ability to follow direct commands?!"
"No, Commander Ivanov, sir!" The platoon cried out in perfect unison.
"I better see improvements as the night progresses! I do not tolerate insolence on my watch! Is that clear, soldiers?!"
"Sir, yes, sir!"
"At ease. Commence with hand to hand, soldiers!" Alekai barked again.
Instantly, the whole troop dispersed, finding their respective partners to begin training. Kore's partner was always Madocc. Felix with Wolfe. Madocc strutted to her side, giving her a once over and raised one arched brow. He was definitely a man of few words, few sentences, really. Kore admired Madocc's way of things. He stood about a foot higher than her five-foot-three, had rippling muscles from constantly working out in his spare time, brown curls that haloed his head, and dark pools for eyes that were easy to get lost in if he looked at you a certain way. He didn't talk much, but when he did, as always, no bullshit.
"I'm coming." She sighed, unbuttoning the jacket of her fatigues, and slipping it off her shoulders in one swift movement.
Kore adjusted the straps to the plain tank top underneath, then proceeded to gather her long curls into a tight ponytail at the crown of her head. Once they reached their spot, she dropped her jacket and removed her wrist-lets, letting them plop to the ground beside it. She stretched quickly, having missed the warm-ups, and rolled her shoulders.
"Alright." She looked up, poising her fists upwards. "I'm ready."
Madocc was fast for his size. His arms swung forward, one after the other. Kore responded in kind, blocking each hit consecutively, dodging underneath if necessary. She swung her own fists, connecting firm blows to his abdomen and chest. Madocc might be fast, but Kore was faster. She hurled her right leg forward, striking Madocc's side, which caused him to huff in surprise. She didn't stop. She continued to land strikes against his thighs and knees to bring the giant down.
The optical was revolving and revolving, giving the best suggestive points of contact. The wave of her kicks and punches seemed effortless. Finally, Madocc ceded. They caught their breath, Madocc placing a firm grip on Kore's shoulder and giving it a small shake. She patted his hand with her own as she looked up and smiled breathlessly.
"Thanks. You did good, too."
Kordelia had had a number of partners over the past five years, but Madocc was the only one that seemed to actually give her a challenge. Him and Alekai. They might not be able to land hits on her, but she definitely got her training's worth with them, one on one. Her thoughts drifted to earlier that morning. The boys were right. No one had been able to touch her, in over two years, in combat. But this morning had been different. She HAD let Alekai land a solid blow to her thigh.
She didn't think she had done it purposefully. She had just been distracted, not that she would share that with her squad. Alekai almost always invaded her thoughts at the most inconvenient of times. Recently, her dreams. Lately, she caught herself staring in his direction for longer than normal, sensing every time he laid his eyes on her, or scrutinizing any form of tangible contact with him. Her dreams were sometimes more...explicit. She imagined what running her fingers lazily through his silver shock of hair might feel like, or wondered what his lips might feel like upon hers. Would they be hard and rough like his personality, or soft and gentle? What might his calloused hands feel like running down the length of her bare back?
"Kordelia." Felix said flatly, a little louder, as if for the second time.
Kore snapped back to focus, surrounded by her boys, placing a hand on her hip. "Felix."
"Commander Ivanov ordered us to squad up, daydreamer." He punched her shoulder playfully.
She groaned internally, but conveyed a wicked smile. "Bring it on, boys." She lifted her fists, shifting her weight on the balls of her feet, as her three companions descended on her.
***
Kore laughed between pants, bent forward with her hands on her knees, supporting her weight. "Come on, boys. Is that all you got?"
The three grown men laid at her feet upon their backs, breathing just as heavily as she. Wolfe had his arm draped over his eyes, trying to catch his breath. Scuff marks littered their skin, and each of them in turn gave her sullen glares.
"You always have the advantage, Kore." Felix grumbled beneath his breath. "Somehow, Wolfe has managed to make that even worse for us."
Wolfe laughed openly. "That was the whole point, Feefee."
Kordelia stiffened, cutting off their playful banter. A shiver shot straight through her spine, and she turned slowly to see Alekai standing above them, his tempest stare rendering them all silent. She instantly straightened, and the boys gathered their feet and joined her.
"Commander?" She questioned.
"Are you ready, MacIntosh?" He looked the least bit amused as her trio of testosterone broke to attention and salute.
"You mean for that ass-kicking I promised you?" Kordelia replied coolly with a smirk.
The seriousness ceased on Alekai's face for only a moment. "We will see about that."
***
"Alright, alright, ladies and gents." Major General Adonai announced to the gathering circle of their platoon. "The fight of the night goes to Commander Alekai Ivanov annnnnnd...Major General Kordelia MacIntosh!"
The platoon burst into cheers, some already choosing who they would eventually side with. Men and women alike placing their bets here and there in support of either opponent. Alekai stood to one side of the arena made from the bodies of their comrades, Kore to the other. The Commander scooped up his tonfa blades, securing them against his forearms, while Kore tightly strapped her wrist-lets back into place, slinging her arms outwards to eject their attached blades for the second time that night. Her name floated along the crowd, and it warmed her heart to know that some of her brothers and sisters held confidence in her. Sweat beaded down her chest, flushed with adrenaline. Alekai remained the picture of stoic ease.
"Remember the rules. No facial shots. No kiddie shit like pulling hair or biting. First blood drawn wins."Adonai roared over the crowd. "Commander, Major General, are you ready?"
Both Kore and Alekai approached the middle, bumping opposite elbows as a shake of agreement. "Ready." They stated together, Kore preparing herself. The crowd fell eerily silent, all eyes focused on them.
"Fight!"
Instantly, both started to circle one another. Alekai bounced carefully back and forth on the balls of his feet; Kore smoothly side stepping as her optical purred with life, scanning his every gesture. Alekai jumped forward, lunging his right blade toward her throat, causing her to bend backwards in a near miss. In return, she sprung low nearly nicking his ankle, spinning out of reach. Pouncing backwards, Alekai left space open for Kore to straighten herself, and the circling resumed.
"Kick his ass, Kordelia!"
An unknown supporter shouted from the crowd, distracting her enough for Alekai to move in, bringing his left blade in a downward dive. Kore jumped back in a stumble, regained her momentum and rushed forward, catching Alekai off-guard. She used her left hand to connect with his left shoulder, heaving herself over his left side, plummeting to the ground just behind him. She swiped her right leg in a thrust, knocking her foot into his ankle. Alekai collapsed down on one knee, rotating to bring his right blade down in an attempt to slice her thigh.
Stabbing the ground instead, Alekai laughed, only loud enough for the two of them to hear. Kore growled, reversing her foot in a solid kick, that knocked right into Alekai's jaw, kicking the smile right off his smug face. Instantly she froze. Gasps emitted from the crowd. Alekai paid no mind to them and glared directly into her soul. All of a sudden he was on his feet, his blades coming after her in concession. Kore blocked one, blocked two, blocked three blows aimed for her face. The fourth sliced through her wrist guards causing her right wrist-let to fall to the ground, leaving only her left to block his attacks.
He gained momentum and speed with each blow to her arm, prompting Kore to take a step back with each one. Backing her into the side of the circle, Alekai could sense the end was near. He brought his right arm down, in what he assumed would be the breaking blow through her last guard. Kore's optical's focus shifted in a second, before she jumped backwards, propelling her feet off of the nearest body of one of her brothers, thrusting herself forward like a cat, diving under his blades and tackling him to the ground. She threw her legs forward and straddled his waist, her remaining blade pressed harshly against the hollow of Alekai's throat, the point of the blade almost pressed enough to draw blood.
Alekai released his left blade and let it fall to the ground at their side, his bare arm encircling her waist, pulling her hard to the opposite direction. She landed with a huff on her back, pain radiating up her spine, Alekai firmly settled between her thighs, his right tonfa placed at her throat. His breathing was heavy, matching her own, the fire in his eyes causing a burning desire to descend between her legs.
"Major General Kordelia wins!" Adonai cried out, and the crowd roared to life.
Alekai's eyes sparked as he looked down with a minor revelation. Kore's hunting dagger was secured against his side, a drop of blood coating its tip.
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