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  The training centre was nearly empty. Ajaru was waiting for her when she arrived, and he was jumping rope.

  There was energy in him, and she pulled out the data pad strapped to her back and began to design a workout.

  A shadow fell across her work. Ajaru was there and he was sweating. “I was about to go for a run. Care to join me?”

  She sealed her plan and put it on her back. “Sure. Let’s go.”

  He led her out to the track, and they started running. His suit was the same midnight blue as the rest of him, so it was like running next to a perpetual shadow.

  “What did the fight master say?” Ajaru jogged easily at her side.

  “He said yes. I will get access to lists of appropriate females the moment you win your next fight. I am suggesting to you that it be by quite a point spread. Are you understanding me?”

  He nodded, and he began to sprint past her on the track, doing three laps to her one. By the time she was done three laps, she was ready to get some water.

  Other fighters were beginning their workouts, and she moved past them to get to the cooler. She got a bottle and settled against the wall with Ajaru in her field of vision.

  Her view was soon blocked as a gathering of legs occurring in front of her. She got back to her feet and looked up at the fighters. “You are blocking the view of my fighter.”

  Bex felt a hand caressing her shoulder. Another grabbed at her hip.

  Bex sprayed water into the eyes of one of her admirers, and she kicked out at the knee of the one who was interested in her hip. The man with his hand on her shoulder was not prepared for her to bring her elbow into his midsection.

  A swift hand upward broke the nose of another one.

  It was an endless round of spin, kick, twist and punch. The men grunted and a larger crowd gathered. Suddenly, her attackers were pulled back to fly through the air, one by one.

  She panted and faced Ajaru. “I think that went well. Now, you need to get to the weights.”

  “Come with me.” He lifted her in his arms and carried her through the now-silent crowd.

  She shivered and waited with crossed arms for him to put her down. He seated her in one of the small conversation areas set aside for trainers and fighters.

  “What happened?”

  “I was drinking a bottle of water and some of the men decided that I was worth watching. When they decided I was worth touching, I had to register my disagreement.”

  “That you did. If they were normal males, you would have discouraged them rather handily. As it was, the more you fought, the more they wanted you to submit.”

  She grimaced and ran her hands over her hair. “I know. It was both pack hunter and riot behaviour. They could block my scent but not my appearance. Apparently, the blue is supposed to make me look ill.”

  “This isn’t your normal colour?”

  Bex shook her head. “Nope. I am normally a pinky-white with yellow hair. The blue blocks my scent ducts so that the scent-sensitive males don’t notice me. With the sight-sensitive ones, I was using the wrong body language.”

  “You are making yourself responsible for the attack?”

  She rubbed the back of her neck. “No. I am not. But I do understand cause and effect.”

  “Shall we continue the workout?”

  “Yup, and then, I will administer a rub down and you can entertain yourself in any way you choose.”

  He smiled. “Good. Now, we have done endurance, how about strength?”

  “Fair enough. It was on my checklist for today anyway.”

  They got up and he settled into one of the presses, working on the machine with good will and determination.

  The other fighters gave them a wide berth for the rest of the morning. They might be staring at her, but with Ajaru with her, no one was going to start something.

  Chapter Three

  Sitting in a sauna with a bunch of alien males was something to cross off her bucket list. She wasn’t going to put it on there; she was just going to cross it off.

  To say that the scent of over-testosteroned males was thick was to put it mildly. Bex was relieved when Ajaru was done with his soak in the steam and musk, and they left the sauna.

  Bex blinked and swayed a little when they came out of the heat.

  Ajaru patted her shoulder. “You did well, Bex. Few trainers can sit there with the fighters without commenting.”

  “I am glad I can be one of those few.”

  “You are surprises all around. I had no idea that the few female trainers who made it down here were altered.”

  She gave him a wry look as they headed for an available massage table. Rubbing down her fighter was part of the job.

  Watching him in the nude hadn’t bothered her. It had been like sitting in the middle of an art exhibit. The men had draped themselves around in a few lewd poses, but Ajaru had remained calm and relaxed next to her, as if carved from navy blue granite. They might flop their cocks around but none were going to make a move on her.

  “I don’t think they have ever seen someone take a steam in a bodysuit before.”

  She had done some research while he was pressing and found his favourite massage oil. She sniffed it and drew her head back. “It seemed the best alternative.”

  With a bit of care, she found a respectable substitute that would mix with his own scent on a better level.

  “That isn’t the one I like.”

  “Tough, it is the one I like. The other one stinks.” She pulled off her gloves and tucked them into the back of her neckline. “Since I have to wear the scent on my hands, I get to pick.”

  A little bit of oil between her palms made her skin shiny, and when she was sure it was warm, she began a strong massage on his shoulders and lost herself in her task.

  Every inch of a fighter was to be worked on, from toe to scalp. She had him groaning and squirming on the bench before she was done. It made her work harder because she was straddling him at the time.

  He grunted. “How are you doing that? My last three trainers haven’t been able to get that knot loose.”

  “Girly fingers.” She snorted. This was her true workout. She was sweating and her muscles ached, but she kept going on his backside until there was no tension in him.

  She dismounted. “Flip.”

  He had a visible erection, but she draped a towel over it and went to work on his shoulders, across his chest, down the ridges of his abdomen.

  “Is this a bruise?”

  “It was a break from four weeks ago. It was patched up at medical.”

  Bex rubbed it again. “It isn’t set properly. You are going to have it seen to immediately.”

  He sat up and winced. “Right now?”

  Bex walked to the wall and called medical. When she hung up, she said, “They are expecting us. Put on a towel.”

  Bemused, he put a towel around his hips and followed her down the hall and into the med facility.

  The attendant ran the scan and winced. “Your trainer was right, Champion. It didn’t heal straight. We need to fix it, but it will take a while to get the surgical suite.”

  Bex sighed and walked over to Ajaru. “Hold still.”

  “What? Damn it!”

  She used her knuckles in a fast punch and felt his half-healed bone snap.

  She stepped back and rubbed her fist. “There. Fix that.”

  The attendant looked at her wide-eyed, ran the scan and quickly got the setting kit. Two small pins through the skin to hold it while the regeneration unit worked its magic and they would be out in no time.

  Ajaru looked at her. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  She snorted. “I can’t believe you let me. I was ready for one of those fists to come flying at me.”

  “I would never hit a woman, and despite what my senses are telling me, you are definitely that.”

  “I am your trainer first.”

  “I only rarely hit my trainer.”

  Bex watched the attendant as
he worked on the break. His hand shifted slightly and she gripped his wrist. “You must have other patients to attend. I will finish this.”

  The attendant swallowed and ran for it.

  Bex sighed and reset the break. “Sorry about that. He must have been bribed to give you a soft spot.”

  She used the regenerator with skill.

  “You seem to know what you are doing. Have you done this before?”

  “On the women’s side, we have to do a lot of our own medical work. We don’t have the same audience that the men do. Well, we do, but it is mainly made of chronic masturbators.”

  Her patient laughed.

  “Hold still.”

  Ten minutes later, they were on their way and the fight master was aware of the name of the attendant taking bribes for shoddy healing.

  When they returned to the training area, she smiled, “Your evening is your own.”

  “Would you like to come over and watch a vid?”

  She chuckled. “Porn?”

  “Not with my trainer. I need to keep your mind out of my pants.”

  She laughed and nodded. “Speaking of pants, put yours on. Take a shower, you are aromatic.”

  Ajaru headed for the showers, and she made notes on the next day.

  “So, it looks like you had an eventful day with your trainee.”

  The skeevy trainer from breakfast was up next to her. “I don’t think we met properly, I am Ymsan, trainer to Champion Brinik.”

  “Bex.” She continued her work.

  “That was some workout you put him through. Are you going to go through his private paces this evening?”

  She gave him a cold look. “I am sorry to stop your twisted fantasies, but I have been shut down when it comes to that sort of thing. I work, I sleep, I eat. I don’t fuck.”

  He sniffed at her. “You smell…you are serious. You have been shut down.”

  “I am and I have. Sex would be an assault and I would press charges.”

  Ymsan backed away quickly. “I will spread the word. Apologies, Trainer Bex.”

  She nodded and returned to her work, watching the room while seeming to be immersed in her data. Gossip was the fastest form of travel, and by the surprised looks she was getting, she was being refiled from available temptation to post office box.

  There was no chance at seduction, so there was no chance at a victory.

  She sat on Ajaru’s couch and tried to relax. He was so near that if she slouched over, like she wanted to, she would be resting on him.

  Bex had taken a sonic shower at his home and was going over her training course with him while he ordered dinner for them.

  “You really want me to win, don’t you?”

  “Of course. I always want my fighters to win.” She shrugged and closed down her screen, slipping it back against her spine.

  “How did you know to look for that break?” He touched his side gingerly.

  “It is a trainer’s duty to know their fighter’s body better than they know their own.”

  “Yes, but few take it seriously.”

  “I take your health and well-being very seriously. Mine depends on it.”

  He nodded and flicked through the vids. “I would like to see a documentary on your world. Is there one?”

  Bex nodded and took the controls. “It is a documentary that covers our champions in the Alliance.”

  “Your world has their champions?”

  “Yes, we got all of them within three years. All women.”

  He opened his mouth to ask a question, but she held up her hand.

  “Just watch the vid. I will answer what I can when it is over.”

  Their food arrived in the dispenser, and as they settled in to eat, The Champions of Terra played on the screen.

  “Your females are…impressive. I noticed that the species they were reported to have linked with were all on the exotic side.”

  Bex laughed, “Some of the women were assigned to their partners, others stumbled into them. All are very happy and have children of their blended races now.”

  “So, you just give up your species identity that easily?”

  She blinked and smiled at him. “You already know I am not normally blue.”

  He chuckled. “Fair enough.”

  “No, you are right. We are Terrans, loud and proud in all of our skins and hair colours. Our inner thoughts, our souls, are where we keep our identities. The outside always changes, you gain scars, you grow old, your hair changes, and yet you are the same person at your core. We hold onto that no matter what we become as we meet new people and new situations. Despite what I have gone through to get here, I am still the woman that left my home, and I always will be.”

  A strange light entered his eyes. “That is an unusual attitude.”

  She chuckled and shrugged. “I know myself, and so, I can help others in the course of my days. The key is to have a solid core of self.”

  She yawned and winced when she saw the time. “I have to be going. I need to get up early.”

  “I have room here if you would care to stay over.”

  She laughed. “No, that is not a good idea. It will ruin my reputation as an ice queen. Good evening, Ajaru. I will see you at five in the morning.”

  Training had to resume so that his life could move forward and hers along with him.

  Chapter Four

  After three hours of rest, she was up and ready for jury duty again. She sat through the testimony, and when she was released, she staggered into the shower for a quick cleaning that didn’t really wake her up.

  Bex got two cups of caf at the cafeteria and ate her meal quickly. The skeevy trainer from the day before came over just as she was finishing, but she didn’t bother being polite. She was too tired.

  The caf gave her a surge of alertness, but she knew she looked like hell.

  Ajaru was waiting for her once again, and he looked at her with concern. “Trainer, you don’t look well.”

  “I am well, just having trouble sleeping.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. In a week or so, I will be fine. Now, today is strength training.”

  He obediently went to the machines and locked himself in for his workout.

  While he was working, she brought up his last few fights and watched for holes in his technique. It was flawless; he was just unmotivated. Now that he had motivation, he was going to make a change. Well, that was what Bex hoped.

  Four more days until his fight. Bex wondered if she was going to get any sleep in the next week.

  * * * *

  Ajaru finished his workout and had to wake his trainer. Bex was face down on her data scanner, snoring gently.

  Her blue skin was paler than it had been the day before and there were dark circles under her eyes.

  He reached out and shook her shoulder. She snapped up and blinked rapidly. “Oh, damn. I fell asleep.”

  Ajaru knelt next to her. “Are you ill?”

  “No. I am simply having trouble sleeping in my cell.”

  He leaned back, “Your cell? You aren’t in the champion trainer quarters?”

  She shook her head.

  “That is a dishonour to my standing as champion. Come with me.”

  He helped Bex to her feet and walked to the fight master’s office.

  He knocked briefly and entered without waiting for a reply.

  The fight master looked up with narrowed eyes. “What do you want, Champion?”

  Ajaru jerked his head toward Bex. “Why hasn’t she been given the trainer quarters that my previous trainer had? Why did you stick her in the novice trainer cells?”

  The fight master stood and glowered at him. “Because she is untested in the men’s training area. The other trainers would be upset if she was given those quarters.”

  Ajaru crossed his arms. “They belong to the trainer of a champion, and I am a champion.”

  “Not if you don’t win your next fight by a greater margin, you are not. Ther
e has been pressure to remove your classification. You are no longer entertaining to watch.”

  “Give her the quarters that are her right, and I will make the show you are looking for.”

  Bex stood next to him, silent. He wasn’t sure, but he thought she was asleep on her feet.

  “What is your real problem, Ajaru?”

  “She says she has a problem sleeping in her quarters.”

  The fight master snorted. “That isn’t her issue. She is also on jury duty.”

  “How do you know?”

  “The courts had to file behavioural dispensations with the arena before we would agree to take her on. She is embroiled in some court case somewhere and they are linking to her when she should be resting.”

  Bex snuffled lightly and blinked. “He’s right. I am just not supposed to make it public and still keep up on my daily duties.”

  Ajaru stared at her. “You are on psychic jury duty?”

  She smiled weakly and shrugged. “They asked me to help, and it didn’t used to be an issue.”

  He looked at her soft and helpless expression, grumbling. “Fine, but she is entitled to the trainer’s quarters due my station as champion.”

  The fight master scowled. “Fine. This afternoon the guard will come for her and take her to her new quarters. What are you working on today?”

  To his surprise, Bex immediately was all business. “Strength training is done, so this afternoon will be tactics and strategy.”

  The master grimaced, “Your duty will not interfere with your job?”

  “It might, but since Ajaru’s prime issue was motivation and that has been solved, I am confident that the fight will show his renewed dedication to his position.”

  Ajaru grinned. “It has indeed.”

  The fight master nodded. “Good. Get out of my office.”

  Ajaru chuckled and Bex led the way out of the office. He admired the flex and shift of her ass and the tight set of her shoulders. She had some strength to her; it was a shame that she was his trainer.

  * * * *

  Bex looked back at her fighter and then returned her gaze to straight ahead. “You know, if I had been awake for most of that, I would have put my foot down, but there are so many…um…requests for my services, that I haven’t been getting enough rest lately.”