Isani waited until Adrian finished his move before he responded, “A small chance only. I believe we can convince enough of the ruling families that your fabricating technology can give them the edge against the Sowir, but I fear there is very little chance of convincing them of your leaders offer. They will not agree that you control the technology.”
“Lanai Sumia told the same to Tomas Klein.” Adrian noted as Isani finished his move.
“Yes, and she knows the ruling families better than I. She was part of one of the strongest families on Nelus before she was sent to Nuva.” Isani said, as Adrian moved a piece on the board.
“Why exactly was she sent to Nuva?” Adrian asked.
“That is her story to tell, if she so wishes.” Isani said, thinking about Adrian’s last move and devising his response.
“Fair enough. But is there nothing we can do to convince them?” Adrian asked as Isani made a move that would effectively cut down the amount of Adrian’s possible moves.
“If Nelus was still part of the Consortium, perhaps. But when the war cut us off, the ruling families saw the chance to regain the power they lost when we became a part of the Consortium. They hate handing power to others. And your plan requires them to place a great deal of their resources into your hands. They will not accept this. I know what your leader hopes for. But it is impossible for you to change their minds.” Isani said. Adrian studied the board, and then seeing an opening he moved a piece. Isani responded exactly as Adrian hoped he would. The next few moves Adrian led Isani on, while setting up a trap. Then after another two moves Isani noticed it. The game speed up and another six moves later Isani was driven back into a corner, he raised his head from the board looking into Adrian’s eyes with disbelief.
Adrian smiled, “Impossible as it was impossible for me to beat you at Lus?” Adrian asked.
Isani’s face showed confusion and then he realized that Adrian was referring to Isani’s last statement. Isani looked back to the board.
“I hope you manage to convince them, otherwise I fear there is no hope for my people.” Isani said.
“I hope so as well, my friend.” Adrian added softly.
A few days later Adrian walked the hallways of Leviathan on his way to the training room, behind him were his ever present followers, Sora and Akash. The two wolions have become an ordinary sight on the ship, as they followed him almost everywhere. They had grown a lot in the last nine months, they were now larger than the largest dog breeds on Earth. Although they have not yet grown to their full size. There was no mistaking what they were now, predators. Their muscled bodies, claws, and teeth guaranteed that anyone who looked at them would immediately know. Their light blue fur coupled with two pair of eyes gave them an alien look, at least to the humans. But everybody on the ship knew that they would not harm them. While there were times when they played rough, it was never with other humans, only with each other. And Adrian made sure that they got enough exercise and time to play. They usually accompanied Adrian on his runs, and exercised alongside him. They even “trained” with the military squad on Leviathan when Adrian joined them in a session, where the soldiers (usually two or three) would try to take one of the wolions down. There had never been an incident. Of course, there were small things, someone falling badly spraining their ankle or one of the wolions falling on someone by accident, but those things happened anyway when humans trained by themselves. Adrian was very surprised at their intelligence as they seemed to understand the human spoken language. They followed instructions almost to the letter most of the time, ignoring them only when they thought they knew better. Their mannerism was similar to that of cats on Earth, only much more intelligent cats. Adrian had been sending everything about their progress and intelligence back to Sanctuary, even a blood sample via one of the transport ships that was carrying Nel from Nuva to Sanctuary, hoping that people there could learn more about them. But the wolions on Sanctuary never approached humans, and they always ran away when people tried to approach them. Adrian believed that the most probable explanation was that they understood the danger humans posed to them and chose to keep away. His companions being raised by a human obviously had no problem being around them.
When they reached the training room Adrian turned towards the changing room, while Akash and Sora continued inside, they went straight to the small running track getting behind people already running there and starting to run behind them. The people mostly ignored them now, it had been a long time since they were a novelty aboard. Adrian left them to their exercise and went to change into his kimono. Once he put the black kimono on, he exited and went straight towards one of the free tatamis where one person stood waiting.
“You are late.” Platoon Leader Sahib Adin, his best friend said.
“Well, I do have a ship to run.” Adrian smiled. Sahib and Adrian met as orphans being brought into Olympus, back on Earth. And had immediately struck a friendship, afterwards as they became separated, Adrian went to the fleet and Sahib to the military, they fell out of touch. But then when Sowir attacked Nuva, Sahib’s Platoon was one of those sent to the planet to help with the defense. Afterward, they reconnected as Sahib’s Platoon was assigned to the Leviathan. It only took a couple of minutes in each other’s presence for their friendship to resurface. And since then they made sure to see each other at least once every few days, even though they were both very busy.
“Excuses, excuses.” Sahib said grinning. Seeing that grin Adrian couldn’t help himself and he started grinning in return. The same grin once helped a terrified boy on an Olympus transport keep his fear in check.
“Well, I’m here now, so are we doing this or are you giving up already?” Adrian asked.
Sahib snickered, “No chance in hell, I’m taking you down this time.” Both Sahib and Adrian started studying Ninjutsu as children on Earth. And both have become masters, although Adrian held a higher rank. Sahib didn’t have much chance to train with a master when he joined the military, but had continued training by himself, going to classes when he could.
“Not in a million years. Your technique is nowhere near good enough.” Adrian said as he moved to the center of the tatami. He took a relaxed stance and waited for Sahib to do the same. They were both dressed in the same black kimonos. When Sahib stood across from Adrian they both bowed and started moving. They moved parallel to one another. Each step Adrian took Sahib followed by one of his own, while each step was slowly bringing them closer. Soon they were separated by only two meters and Sahib threw himself at Adrian, just as Adrian knew he would, he could read the move in his opponent’s body. Sahib chose to open with a left straight to Adrian’s face. A straightforward attack, that carried additional weight because of Sahib’s superior speed and strength. Any other person would have been surprised and probably knocked out with that one punch. But Adrian wasn’t any other person. His reflexes were much faster than those of an average person, and even before Sahib started closing the distance Adrian moved his feet. Just a bit to the side, but enough to evade the attack. As Sahib’s fist drew closer, Adrian switched his center of balance to his right leg twisting his upper body and bringing his own left hand up towards his face and with a light openhanded touch, moved Sahib’s fist just a few centimeters of its trajectory. The attacked went past Adrian’s head and he moved his legs, moving behind Sahib as he went pass. Immediately after missing, Sahib halted his body and used expert foot work to change direction, his left hand bent at the elbow and it was now moving back, straight towards Adrian’s chest. But Adrian already anticipated the move and easily blocked, with a downward block using his right forearm. As Sahib’s elbow attack moved down, he continued the attack with his other hand, sending another straight attack towards Adrian’s head, using his body to hide the attack until the last possible moment. But to a master such as Adrian, the attack was as obvious as the light in the dark from the way Sahib’s body was positioned, and with his forearm still on Sahibs left elbow he could feel the attack coming. Again he moved back a step, giving himself space to block Sahib’s next attack. Sahib uncoiled his body and unleashed another attack, Adrian again twisted his body and using his left hand to adjust Sahib’s fist towards a new target just past Adrian’s head. With another step Adrian brought himself out of Sahib’s immediate hand range. But Sahib followed with a series of quick jabs to Adrian’s face and torso. Adrian blocked every attack with minimal movement of his body, catching Sahib’s attacks on his shoulders or making them glance of his chest, using his hands only when necessary. After he finished with the hand attacks, Sahib drew back a step and unleashed a round house kick towards Adrian’s head. Seeing an opening, Adrian ducked under and swiped Sahib’s other leg. Sahib lost balance and hit the tatami hard, losing his breath in the process.