“Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Our next contestants are stepping into the ring!”
A cry rose up from the crowd as men and women, humans and aliens alike stood up from their seats and threw both their fists and voices into the air. The excitement and anticipation in the air were almost as thick as the sound of their shouts; it was electric and buzzed throughout the arena stadium.
“Coming all the way from Sriluur, where he fought his way out of slavery into the fighting rings of the galaxy, I present to you: Bracke Moka!”
The crowd’s shouts only grew louder as an absolutely ripped Weequay stepped out into the ring. He raised his fists into the air, one holding a thick board, and let a roar rip from his throat which spurred on and encouraged the crowd surrounding him. The man was unarmed, unarmored, stood about six foot four, and probably weighed quite a bit. He was the epitome of what the crowds wanted in a fighter, and when he brought that board down onto his knee and tore it apart, the crowd went even crazier.
“Opposing Moka is none other than the Orcolan herself, all the way from Orsimer Prime!” The noise had dipped, but upon the beginning of the second announcement, it rose back quickly. It would immediately become obvious where the home fans were sitting, because though they’d shouted for Moka, they shouted even louder for the silhouetted figure standing behind the rising Southern gate.
“Kadriye Yalaz!”
—
A few minutes before the announcer would shout out her name to the crowds, “the Orcolan herself” was seated in a small, empty dressing room, quietly wrapping her fists with bandages. Instrumental music played over a cheap speaker in the corner of the room - some kind of classical piece she didn’t know or care about the name of. Even behind closed doors and a closed gate, she could hear the excited roar of the crowd outside. Soon she would stand out in front of them, bathe in the sun, and give them the fight they so viciously craved.Knock knock. “Yalaz?”
A Cathar man no taller than five foot eight entered the room shortly after. She lifted her eyes to greet her boss, giving him a silent nod when their gazes met.
“I got an offer,” he began slowly while he adjusted the cuffs on his tailored suit. Kadriye scoffed and began wrapping her bandages tighter, flexing her hand over and over to stretch and test the fabric. “A quarter million creds if you take a fall,” he continued in an increasingly business-like tone. He stopped in front of her and gestured for her to look at him with his index finger. Kadriye barely had to lift her head to look at him, and she was clearly displeased with what she knew his next words would be. “Take the fall.”
“Why?” Kadriye immediately stood, towering a foot above the adult man in front of her as she glared down at him. “Whoever he is, I can beat him. Why do I have to take the fall so you can—”
“Enough!” His voice raised, and Kadriye bit her tongue. “You’re just a fighter, Yalaz. You don’t know what it takes to run a business like this. Money trumps your ego, kid.”
“Whatever.” It felt like she was taking more and more falls for this guy. “What happened to me being his ‘undefeated champion’?” It enraged her knowing that if he hadn’t started accepting bribes from her opponents she would be undefeated thus far. It could drive a girl mad. She didn't even get a cut of the deal. Not really, anyway.
—
Kadriye stood tall, shoulders back, and chest puffed out as the gate rose. Sunlight poured over her feet, then her knees, her abs, and finally over her furrowed brows. As soon as the gate clicked into place above her, the Orcolan girl advanced out into the hot, dusty arena toward her waiting opponent. She had six inches on the guy, but she was built nothing like him. Whereas his muscles were so prominent his veins were bulging under his dehydrated skin, Kadriye was thin and toned. She certainly didn’t look like a threat to anyone who didn’t know her, and the Weequay visibly relaxed.“Ha ha ha!” His laugh bellowed out from his stomach, and Kadriye couldn’t tell it if was an act for the crowd or if he really felt so underwhelmed he couldn’t help himself. She crossed her arms and waited for him to finish, nostrils flaring. If there weren’t ten other things on her mind at that moment - including how the blistering heat of the sun felt on her exposed skin - she might have been provoked.
“Let’s rumble, little girl,” he grinned as he chucked the broken board pieces to the side and assumed a wide stance.
tag: @Altaris
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