Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Type of Short Story: Novelette
Summary: Book 3 of the Uxel Herum Saga
After training on Kortholt for more than two years, Uxel Herum is turning into a powerful tuner. The leader of her adopted clan has a mission for her that, strangely enough, will not only test her skills as a tuner but a merchant as well.
Unsure of how she feels being thrown back into her old life, Uxel finds herself in the thick of black market trading on the planet Zink. While trying to gather information about Imperium invasion plans she is thrown into a rather interesting situation. One that could make her money than she ever dreamed...
Excerpt:
The wind and rain howled outside. Despite the tempest's attempts to make its presence known, the occupants of the training facility ignored its rage. The real storm was on the inside.
Uxel Herum circled her opponent with easy confidence. She had grown to her full height since crashing to Kortholt’s surface two years ago but she was still nowhere near her opponent’s size. Even the smallest strozzi sitting around the perimeter of the fighting ring towered above her by several feet when standing. It didn’t matter. She knew how to compensate. Uxel had faced this female before many times. Her name was Gudrun. Uxel was considerably faster than her opponent but Gudrun was no fool. By this point both had learned how to adapt to each other’s fighting style. If Uxel was going to win the match she must be subtle and clever.
And she would win.
Today was no ordinary match. She and Gudrun were the final contestants in the tournament to determine the next Vindex or “champion.” It was an honorary title. Each year those that were undergoing tuning training competed for the title. The tournament lasted for three days and those that had not been eliminated stopped only to eat. It was a test of strength, endurance and intelligence. By the final day all the contestants had had an opportunity to watch each other fight. The victor could not win from brute strength alone, she also had to be cunning.
Uxel Herum circled her opponent with easy confidence. She had grown to her full height since crashing to Kortholt’s surface two years ago but she was still nowhere near her opponent’s size. Even the smallest strozzi sitting around the perimeter of the fighting ring towered above her by several feet when standing. It didn’t matter. She knew how to compensate. Uxel had faced this female before many times. Her name was Gudrun. Uxel was considerably faster than her opponent but Gudrun was no fool. By this point both had learned how to adapt to each other’s fighting style. If Uxel was going to win the match she must be subtle and clever.
And she would win.
Today was no ordinary match. She and Gudrun were the final contestants in the tournament to determine the next Vindex or “champion.” It was an honorary title. Each year those that were undergoing tuning training competed for the title. The tournament lasted for three days and those that had not been eliminated stopped only to eat. It was a test of strength, endurance and intelligence. By the final day all the contestants had had an opportunity to watch each other fight. The victor could not win from brute strength alone, she also had to be cunning.
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