The Kyara left hyperspace and entered orbit around Celyra Prime a week later. It had taken them almost two weeks to get there. Though some minor bruises persisted, Kieran's sparring wounds had largely healed. The group found accommodations at a hotel that catered exclusively to tournament participants, close to the main arena. There was a lot of activity on the planet; estimates put the number of visitors for the Sylis Cup at over six million, including about fifteen hundred registered fighters.
The required pre-tournament briefing, which covered the specific regulations for the Sylis Cup—which frequently differed slightly from venue to venue—was part of their first day planetside. The fundamental rule stayed the same: fighters dressed in full combat gear and prepared for a match that would be decided by surrender or death. Before every match, the opponents would usually agree on the precise conditions, which were either fight to the death or yield. Before each fight, mandatory equipment inspections were still necessary, but the list of banned substances, weapon modifications, and illegal armor enhancements was standard. The actual tournament was planned to run for a full month, with the first pairings being chosen at random. After that, a typical single-elimination bracket would be held until there were just the two fighters left. The next evening was set aside for the formal opening ceremonies.
As planned, the opening ceremonies got underway the following evening. Each of the five friends went, taking seats in the front rows reserved for gladiators who were taking part. The planetary anthem, a display of official banners and colors, the required long speech by a local dignitary, and a spectacular pyrotechnics display to cap off the event set a familiar pattern for the ceremonies. The raucous cheers of the enormous crowd - the obligatory 'oohs' and 'aahs' during the fireworks - were predictably consistent, despite the fact that every veteran fighter in attendance had seen hundreds of variations of the same spectacle.
Luna was the first member of their group to compete in the random draw, but her match wasn't scheduled until the day after, giving them a whole day to unwind or explore the facilities. The busy city around the arena complex did not immediately pique their interest, so they decided to spend some leisure time in Kieran's simulator aboard the docked Kyara. They decided that each person could run their favorite program during one-hour time slots.
The first slot was claimed by Nayla. She started a difficult rock-climbing exercise: a sheer granite cliff face that was a thousand feet high and had few handholds. Nayla enjoyed the mental and physical strain of climbing nearly as much as she enjoyed the rush of battle. She used the same deadly fluidity she used on the battlefield to flow up the simulated rock face, utilizing the predatory grace and power inherent in her hybrid genetics for both activities. Kieran went into the simulator access corridor exactly an hour later to inform her that her time was up. Kieran entered the sim room as the door slid open. Initially perplexed by Nayla's absence, he glanced at the base of the sheer cliff face; it just didn't occur to him to look up.
"Nayla? It's time to go, Nayla. At ground level, she was nowhere to be seen. He extended his neck. "Nayla! I promise I'll tell if this is a joke.
He was interrupted by Nayla's voice echoing down. "Up here, slowpoke!"
Kieran looked up sharply in surprise. He saw her maybe two hundred feet up the sheer face, clinging with ease, her claws firmly embedded in tiny fissures in the faux rock, her eyes frighteningly bright and feline, gazing down at him. She quickly rappelled down the cliff face after clipping into her harness with ease. She landed next to him in silence two minutes later. Kieran looked at her clothes: a basic deep green tank top, a utility belt with chalk and carabiners, and tight black climbing capri pants. Faint simulated scratches from the climb were visible on her shoulders and forearms. The rappelling rope she had used was efficiently coiled, slung over one shoulder, and she made her way to the exit. Kieran went out after her. Luna was waiting in the hallway.
"About time," Luna said flatly, her straight, jet-black hair falling in part over her face, which was as unreadable as ever. Kieran noticed absently that the very tips now had a faint dark red tint, a recent development for which he was unable to understand the cause. Her usual off-duty outfit consisted of a loose-fitting black t-shirt, comfortable black cotton pants, and bare feet.
Kieran called out to Nayla. "Our resident feline was apparently enjoying herself immensely, dangling from a simulated cliff face a couple hundred feet up." Nayla gave him a disinterested glance. Kieran smiled a little, half expecting Luna to give him a quick laugh. Luna just looked at him, gave him a slow blink, then turned to leave them and enter the simulator room without saying anything. Kieran stood alone in the hallway, feeling vaguely stupid, as Nayla suppressed a giggle at his obvious discomfort and went off to her cabin to change.
Yan's turn came an hour later. Yan stood impatiently outside the simulator door, rapping sharply on its surface. He was dressed immaculately in a leisure suit made from some iridescent purple fabric, complete with a black synthetic-silk tie and a clean white pleated shirt. Yan's dark hair was styled back.
"Helloooo? Luna? It's time to go! "Chop chop!" When he got no response, he pressed the door override and entered. At the very edge of a mock cliff overlooking a huge, raging ocean, he discovered Luna sitting motionless in a meditative position with her hands lightly resting on her knees and her legs crossed. A few far-off, mist-covered islands could be seen on the horizon as the rocky coastline extended for miles in either direction under a dramatic, stormy sky. Yan paused, briefly mesmerized by the simulated landscape's bleak, dramatic beauty. Shaking off the aesthetic appreciation, he approached the motionless figure and gave her a gentle tap on the shoulder. Luna took a deep breath, let it out gradually, and then answered without turning.
"Yes, Yan?" There was no trace of interruption in her unusually calm voice.
Yan stumbled a little as he said, "Yeah, yeah... gorgeous view and all, but... you know... time is running out." "My hour."
"One moment." As if she were going back to her meditation, she closed her eyes once more. Yan gave a frustrated roll of his eyes. Luna stood up in a single, silent motion and walked past him out of the simulator after maybe ten more seconds of total silence. Yan eagerly rubbed his palms together and cracked his knuckles after watching her leave. "Right then," he quietly said. "Showtime."
"Computer, stop running this program! "Render environment: classic Terran historical replica, Las Vegas Casino."
The synthesized voice of the simulator answered, flat and without any inflection. "Las Vegas Casino, historical replica" is the query. The database contained four main matches that corresponded to periods of high operation: Bellagio, Luxor, MGM Grand, and Stardust. Please be specific.
Yan gave it some thought. "Create the main floor of the Luxor hotel and casino, around the end of the 20th century. Fill with a moderately dense population that is appropriate for the period. The simulated environment began to take shape around him, and he watched with satisfaction as the white void vanished. Hundreds of programmed patrons milled about, gambling, drinking, and talking in period-appropriate attire as the system painstakingly recreated the lavish, Egyptian-themed décor of the Luxor's main casino floor, complete with rows upon rows of flashing slot machines, blackjack tables, roulette wheels, a long polished bar, and the faint outline of a reception desk. Yan grinned broadly as he examined his creation.
"Save current parameters as 'Luxor Prime', personal file," he said. "Excellent work, computer." A nice acknowledgment chime went off. Yan was totally in his element as he straightened his suit jacket, adjusted his tie, and strode into the mock crowd. As he looked around the crowd for a suitable target to use his legendary charms on, his brown eyes twinkled mischievously.
The hour passed Yan by in what seemed like only a few minutes. Nora suddenly appeared right in front of him, obstructing his way to a very pretty dummy blonde at a nearby craps table. Her face was amused, a little smug, as she looked at him.
"Your hour is up, Casanova," Nora said sourly, "but I'm sorry to interrupt the celebration." The young woman, a humanoid alien with large, dark eyes and bright green skin, who was currently sitting comfortably in Yan's lap with her arms wrapped possessively around his neck, frowned in confusion as she looked up at Nora.
Yan smoothly got to his feet after carefully untangling himself from the young lady. With a regretful tone, he purred, "I'm so sorry, my dear, but duty demands." Clearly disappointed, the green-skinned woman gave a pretty pout.
"Leaving already?" She did have a high-pitched voice, with a faintly tinny tone that caused Nora to grimace inwardly.
Yan's expression changed to one of tragic sorrow. "I'm afraid so. Maybe... later tonight?" Immediately, the young woman's face brightened.
"Anytime for you," she said in a suggestive whisper as she leaned in to give him a final kiss. He complied for a moment, then retreated with well-honed elegance and made his way to the simulator exit, waving a single, endearing wave over his shoulder without really turning around. When Yan arrived at the door where Nora was waiting, he grinned with a smug grin.
"What exactly was that all about?" With an ambiguous gesture toward the now-fading simulation, Nora posed the question.
Yan stopped while removing the last of the green lipstick from his cheek to smile broadly and without regret. He said, "Oh, you know," with a sigh. "Just doing my part for inter-species diplomacy and understanding."
"Diplomacy? "With... her?" Nora was still unable to fully understand Yan's preferences or intentions.
Yan pretended to be insulted. "Hey! Beauty depends on who is looking at it! I could see that she was attractive.
"She had three breasts, Yan," Nora shook her head and muttered to herself.
"Did she actually? Bonus! " He smiled, obviously thinking about the anatomical novelty.