shortstoriessasha

Temporary Barracks
New Kent
Clan Space
First Quarter, 3051

“Ha! You have lost again Sasha. Perhaps you are not as lucky as they say you are.” Tac smiled.
“Yes, I believe I have. There is no measure of luck in Chess, however.” Sasha smiled back.
“You are my superior in this.” She laid her king on its side.
“Another game quiaff?” He was already busily setting the pieces in their original positions.
“Aff. Aff. And, undoubtedly another loss to my better.” Sasha didn’t mind losing the game, it
mattered little. Tac was very good at chess. In fact, he was so good, no one in the sibko could
defeat him. Of course, he had not played the ‘Old Snake’, the trainer, Tiveli. For all the years
Tiveli had to practice the game, no doubt he would win.
“You prepared for tomorrow’s simulator run, quiaff?” No doubt she would win, she had studied
for the simulation, and knew every strategy the enemy could deploy, as well as everything
needed to counter it.
“There, let us begin.” He moved his pawn. “Of course I am prepared, as any warrior should
be, in fact, needs to be.”
“To be prepared might not save you.” Sasha warned.
“I never expected it would.”
“Still, there is something up your sleeve my friend.” Sasha said, Tac smiled.
“Of course not, I have no information that you yourself have not seen.”
“Ah, so you agree I know your strategy for the battle quiaff?”
“Ha! You do indeed, I am sure.”
“We shall see how you do, it matters not to me. You are, after all, in a different group than I
am.”
“To be sure, we shall see.” He moved his knight. “I see your mind is already mulling over the
variables and players in tomorrow’s battle.”
“What makes you say that?” Sasha moved her queen. “I have you right where I want you.”
“I am sure you do. However, I think you may be one move behind, but we shall see.” He
smiled like a cat playing with its prey.
“In a moment longer you will not be smiling like that.”
"Oh, I believe I will be. Look at the board, you have already lost, quiaff?” He continued to
smile.
She studied the board for but a moment, “Aff, I believe you are correct, one move too late.”
“As always, you were easily distracted this time.” He never stopped smiling that damnable smile.

Training Grounds
New Kent
Clan Space
First Quarter, 3051

“Surat!” She stepped out of the simulator with the oath. “Freebirth scum!”
“Ah, sticking to the classic curses today I see.” Tiveli was standing nearby already, he was so
very deplorably old, it was amazing the Snake still stood, leathery skin and all. Sasha could tell
he was ready to strike. “It appears that is all you can do, quiaff? Curse?”
“This I do not understand, I had superior tactics, and I fought like the devil incarnate, I should by
rights have won the exercise. Cursing is the only way to describe it.”
“You did not see how those under your command fought? No matter how superior your tactics
and strategy were, inferior warriors cannot win battles! You must learn that a leader inspires his
command, no matter how worthless the surats are.” His face hardened. “As for your abilities, it
appears as though your infamous luck has served you well yet again. Pathetic, your skills are
truly inferior.” He turned in disgust. “You will be appropriately punished for this display of
weakness.”
"Stravag, this will mean a fight, and probably tech work," Sasha thought. Although she would
not work with freeborn techs, it was still demeaning. That was what the miserable Snake was all
about, the surat.
“Well well, if it is not the unfortunate soul of the day.” Tac came up next to her.
“That bastard.” She was furious, and rightly so.
“Which one? The old beast? Or the bastard Blachloke.”
“Both. What the hell kind of name is that anyway,” Sasha cursed. She began walking to the
shower room, Tac followed her. “I saw your fight Tac, unbelievable. You had her.”
“Of course I did, catching her flat footed is only part of the battle. You see, in chess if you are
one step ahead, you win. In war, if you are one step ahead, you still have to fight.” He
shrugged. “Who could have guessed she would destroy three mechs, and then come on to
defeat me? Truly unforgivable.”
“You certainly do not seem to mind.” And that pissed her off further. She slid out of her body
suit, the material shimmering under the lights of the locker room. Her well toned muscles were
bunched, and tense. She could not seem to relax. "Perhaps a hot shower would do me well,"
she thought.
“And neither should you, there is only a few fights we truly must win in our short stay at the
sibko, quiaff?”
“Aff. And the first one will be against Blachloke, the bane of my existence.” She flexed her
muscles and performed a combo in the air. “I will crush him.”
“I see your spirits are coming back up.” He stripped out of his slick suit. “As I have yet to take
a shower, I believe I will join you. I was ever so anxious to see your performance.”
“Four mechs dammit! I blew up four miserable mechs! How much more do I have to do.” She
turned the knob and tested the water, then began to shower. “My Stormcrow could barely
stand for the last battle, let alone fight effectively against his Mad Dog.”
Tac spit out some water. “All this is true. Were you to have the fortune of fighting against him
first, he is a tough opponent, and it would be a difficult match.”
“Difficult, but not impossible, we must both agree on that, quiaff?”
“Aff. Definitely not.” He quietly smiled, shut off the water and headed back to the lockers.
Despite her previous notion of him not being bothered by his own defeat, which she must admit
was much worse than hers, Sasha felt that he was extremely bothered by it.
“Hey you.” She threw a towel from the racks at him as she too walked back to her locker.
“You might not be willing to say it bothers you, but you are pissed that the miserable surat