I sighed. Way to go, Doctor. You just irritated the slab of beef who's about to teach you self-defense. At least Lyrin probably has something for bruises. And back pain. And whatever happens when a small human pisses off a mountain.
I followed Kaedren and stopped at a large square mat. He was nowhere to be seen.
"Kaedren? You here?"
Silence. No answer. No movement.
"Kaedren, this isn't funny!"
A four-armed shadow slipped out of a doorway behind the mat. His blue skin glowed under the fluorescent lights as he stepped forward wearing nothing but a pair of loose pants.
I watched plenty of movies in the hab, some of them… educational. But I had never seen four biceps as large as the ones lumbering toward me. Each arm was a study in alien anatomy—thick, carved muscle that flexed with every step. I actually cowered—not because I thought he'd hurt me, but because my brain short-circuited trying to calculate what being wrapped in all that warm, blue, rock-hard muscle would feel like.
Not now. Later. Maybe.
FOCUS, idiot.
"Please come onto the mat, Doctor. Also, put this on." He handed me a white gi jacket.
"What do I need this for?"
"Rules. You are either uncovered or covered." He pointed at the jacket. "That is covered." Then he pointed at himself. "This is uncovered."
"I see," I said, definitely not staring at the valleys running down his torso.
This was either going to be amazing or terrible. Probably both.
"We will start in the basic fighting stance."
I mirrored him.
"Excellent. Now, this is a jab." He punched the air. "And this is a front kick." He demonstrated.
I copied each movement. He walked me through a few more basics—then blocks—then light sparring where we knew what the other would do. It was invigorating. My muscles sang. My lungs didn't burn. I hadn't worked out like this in forever, and instead of being out of breath, I felt like I could run a marathon.
"I see Lyrin's formulas are working," Kaedren observed.
"His what now?"
"It was part of the procedures used to save your life. Since we live on a spaceship, we take supplements to protect our bones from microgravity and our organs from radiation. One side effect is increased muscle and respiratory efficiency."
"So I should expect acne and irrational anger? I mean, more irrational anger than normal?"
"No. Those side effects have been removed. Enough talking. Now we spar."
He slipped into a stance and gestured me forward.
So I went. I sprinted straight at him. He grinned—he thought he knew what was coming.
I raised my right arm like I was going to punch. He lunged.
I dropped into a slide, momentum carrying me between his legs. I shot my fist upward—straight into the goods.
I popped up into a guard position. Kaedren stood with his back to me, absolutely still. His upper hands clenched. His lower hands pressed firmly to his groin.
"Hhhhnnnngggg."
"Shit, are you okay?" I ran to him.
