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Joa
So what could Joa
She admired something about this Diana. Perhaps it was the pride showing in the young warrior's eyes, or her confident stance, or the fierceness of her demeanor. Joa
As Clan warriors went, Diana was an impressive specimen, Joa
Joa
Joa
It was a good punch, Joa
Diana casually removed her gloves as she stepped over the circle and came to stand before Joa
Joa
Joa
"But you stole these gloves from me, freebirth!"
Diana again showed not a flicker of reaction at the insulting term. "I return them to you now, as I intended. Whether or not I stole them, I leave to others to judge."
"You think you can get off with Trinary punishment?"
"That would seem proper under the circumstances, Star Commander Joa
"Yes, it would, but instead I invoke command privilege and will order the punishment here and now. The two of us will return to the circle now, and you will battle me, Mech Warrior Diana. As in your bid, no weapons for this battle. And no gloves. Bare-handed. And we will dispense with the rule that makes any warrior who crosses the line of the circle the automatic loser. There will be no such rule. The wi
"Well-bargained and done, Star Commander."
As Joa
3
For the first time in Joa
The warriors around the circle buzzed with excitement. It was not often that a ranking officer went into the Circle of Equals with a new warrior. It was the regulars who usually fought these battles, with the few curious officers standing coolly outside the circle, making sure the rules were followed.
But this officer-MechWarrior battle was special. The Star Commander was new among them, and the fact that she had been demoted because of Twycross made her an unknown quantity. Would she display the ferocity of the reputation that had preceded her? Or had Twycross shaken her confidence, as defeat sometimes did to a warrior? In their minds this Circle of Equals conflict was a test for Joa
"Are you ready, MechWarrior Diana?" Joa
"You do not wish to invoke surkai?"
"Neg."
"Good. Then prepare yourself for extreme pain."
Joa