CHAPTER TWO : GLADIATORS AND WEAPONRY

  Meredith sat down in her seat as her friends began to filter into the stadium. She smiled at them warmly and stared at the hundreds of screaming fans that awaited the heated match between two champion rivals that would make their grand entrance on the hover-ball court in just a few moments.

  This was by far the best program she had ever written and she felt pride everytime she saw it in use; she invented hover ball by mixing together a number of things she remembered from her childhood.

  When Meredith was young, she spent most of her free time reading old fantasy novels and watching science fiction movies much like Karen had. Some of her favorites included special effects masterpieces such as "The Matrix" trilogy, "Alien 7 : The Revenge of Newt," Marshall Turpin's classic "A Day in the Presence of God," and old-time breakthroughs such as Walt Disney's "Tron." Her parents bought her a top-of-the-line computer for her eighth birthday and she taught herself to recreate the computer graphics from all of the movies she was raised on. In an era where the best way to hold someone's attention was through flashing lights and dazzling imagery, Meredith was well prepared to make her way into the world. With the invention of holo-technology, she realized her calling and turned her attention to the creation of various programs for training, education, and recreation.

  Hover-ball was one of her newer programs. It was a mix of jai-alai, the ring game from "Tron," and one of her old zero-gravity simulators.

  Krista sat down next to her, but she was oddly silent. Meredith knew better than to press her for information when she was in such a mood; so she smiled at George as he sat down on her other side. He was looking nice in his clean and pressed uniform with a shaven face and straight hair.

  George was a military brat who followed in his father's footsteps and joined the service. Born in Texas with Mexican heritage, he was a top shooter in his class with extremely high endurance and a sturdy psychological profile. He joined up with the Necronomicon because it paid well and he typically didn't have to get up at four in the morning. Meredith had had a crush on him ever since they came aboard around the same time about eight months earlier. They were the same height at around 5' 11" a piece and had quickly become good friends. They frequently worked out and ran together in the ship's gym; but nothing had ever come of any of it. She was content to just be near him in any event and she thought he felt the same way.

  The crowd roared once more, with the high-powered intensity of a rowdy pit-fighter's club. The whole simulation was extremely realistic; it was amazing what one could create with force fields and colored lights. The lights began to dim and Meredith waved at Vanessa and Sandra who were sitting one row in front of her next to the court boundary. Ramirez gave Robert some last second advice before sitting in her own seat next to the medic.

  Robert, who would look ridiculous under other circumstances, stood proud in his custom battle gear. It consisted of a Barbarian style loin cloth with large shoulder pads, that he had decorated personally with war paint and furs, and a thick, white headband. On one hand he had a long, curved basket used to catch and throw the energy sphere that is used as a puck or ball. On his other hand he had a large electromagnet that was capable of both attracting and repulsing the ball, as well as his opponent. Weights were attached to both of his lower legs and made walking slightly difficult.

  The door to the holodeck opened and Matthew walked in in similar garb. Spotlights shined on both of them and the crowd became deafening.

  Everyone stood up and began to cheer.

  The two warriors walked into a hallway that was formed by an energy field in the shape of a large, transparent test tube. As they entered, the tube closed behind them, forming a concave seal, and a scoreboard slowly floated down. Alexander's face formed in the center of it and smiled.

  "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE REMATCH OF THE CENTURY. INTRODUCING THE CHALLENGER, IN THE WHITE HEADBAND, WEIGHING A ROBUST 212 POUNDS, HER MAJESTY'S KNIGHT : 'RAVISHING' ROBERT 'RUDE'!"

  The crowd booed and hissed. Robert jeered and shook his fist at them menacingly. Vanessa turned to Ramirez with a laugh.

  "Ravishing Robert Rude?"

  "We've been thumbing through the historical database on late twentieth century entertainment and found some hilarious stuff having to do with some sport called 'professional wrestling'."

  "AND HIS OPPONENT, IN THE RED HEADBAND, WEIGHING A PUNY, YET MANLY, 158 POUNDS, YOUR CHAMPION AND MINE : MATTHEW 'THE MAGNIFICENT'!"

  Everyone in the auditorium went nuts. Women screamed and children held up signs and banners while men began to butt chests and whoop it up like idiots. Matthew smiled pompously and waved a hand.

  "WARRIORS, TO YOUR POSITIONS."

  "Good luck bro."

  "You too Rob."

  They clapped baskets together and went to their marks. The Captain stepped his way through the crowd and took his seat next to Krista. He shook his head.

  "Aww, I missed their intros. I love that part." Brian and Karen were sharing a popcorn in front of him and he stole a handful for himself. He held it in front of Krista and she took a few kernels and chewed them gingerly.

  "REMOVING GRAVITY."

  Robert and Matthew braced themselves as they began floating in the playing field. Robert began to rotate and he kicked one of his legs to right himself; he hadn't quite mastered the art of maneuvering his body by swinging the weights as Matthew had, his strengths lay in his aim.

  "REMOVING FLOOR."

  The tile that they had just left began to dissolve away leaving the playing field a hollow capsule.

  "START OF MATCH. FIRST WARRIOR TO REACH FIVE POINTS WILL BE DECLARED WINNER."

  Both of them closed their eyes and tried to listen over the roar of the crowd and their own heavy breathing.

  "BEGIN!!!"

  There was a loud whine and a swoosh. Robert whirled his magnet-clad arm around and his body spun with the momentum. A bright blue sphere had shot out of the wall and he reached out to catch it in his basket. He quickly flicked it towards the wall where it connected with a white circle that was traveling slowly up the side of the capsule. It flashed and disappeared as a horn sounded and a large '1' replaced the '0' under his name on the scoreboard.

  The crowd cheered and the ball began to ricochet erratically, the curvature of the walls and the constant spin keeping it from being easily followed. Another white circle appeared and began to wander the sides of the transparent playing field.

  Matthew pointed his magnet at the ball as it passed by him and sent out a quick attractor wave. The ball curved in it's flight and he snagged it in his basket. The impact sent him floating backwards and he craned his neck to find his target. His red circle was behind him and he sent a blind shot in that direction that put his body in a spin. The sphere missed by a good two feet and bounced back towards him. He was about to catch it when a full-power repulsor blast sent him flying into the wall. Robert screamed and the crowd jumped to their feet and roared.

  The sphere went back to it's random path and Robert shook his magnet in a vain attempt to hasten it's recharge cycle. He barely looked up in time to see Matthew, who had pushed off the wall with all the force his legs could muster, spearing into him; Matthew pushed off of him, transferring his momentum and throwing Robert's body out of control.

  Ramirez winced; the Captain applauded.

  Matthew attracted the sphere again with a light pulse and easily sent it into his target; tying the score. Robert spun his weighted legs and managed to right himself after a few critical seconds. He looked up and saw the ball screaming at him at full speed after Matthew had thrown it at him. The impact pushed all the air out of his chest and threw him against the side wall. His body crashed against the field right in front of Ramirez who stomped her feet in rage.

  "DON'T LET HIM DO THAT TO YOU! GET BACK IN THERE AND SMASH IN HIS FRECKLED FACE!"

  Robert shook his head to clear it and took in a few quick breaths. Matthew had collected the ball on it's rebound off of him and scored a quick point. Robert pushed off and charged forward with his magnet pointed at his opponent. Matthew kicked with his legs in surprise; swinging his weights around and dodging the oncoming bullet. Robert rolled his body and reaimed his magnet at the sphere as it bounced near him and pulled it into his basket. He spread his legs open and jack knifed his body as he threw the ball towards the target he had seen floating there before his roll. The horn sounded and the score was retied.

  Matthew cursed himself for falling for the obvious tactic and flailed his limbs to pull himself out of his tumble.

  "Meredith," the Captain leaned across Krista who was watching entranced, "I just have to compliment you again on this program. This game rocks!"

  Another horn sounded and Matthew's score went up. Meredith smiled.

  "Thank you sir. I was thinking of introducing it down below."

  "You should; you'd make a bundle."

  Matthew hit the side again face first. He convulsed and coughed up a large glob of mucous and blood that floated weightlessly in the heated air until it came into contact with the forcefield and spread itself across the surface as a foamy, red stain.

  Vanessa pounded on the wall.

  "Hey! Be careful with him! He has to fly a shuttle later!"

  The Captain shook his head and looked back at Meredith.

  "And piss off quite a few doctors."

  "Aww, this isn't as dangerous as football; now that they've started hiding booby-traps on the field."

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