GENESIS - THE BEGINNING. Book 1

CHAPTER 12 ... Katya Berotivich

Days passed.

Wyatt Earp taught the woman how to lay traps and to skin and prepare meat. He showed them which wild berries were edible, and which ones to avoid.

More days passed.

Katya and Megan realized that although Wyatt was young, he was a master swordsman.

Adelia, on the other hand, was extremely perturbed that a child could surpass her. Most of the time he stayed out of her sword's reach until she tired of swinging the thing around. He stepped closer and his sword grazed her throat. He taught them certain sword fighting techniques to which they easily adapted. It was an effort to lift Adelia out of her habit of rushing in and pounding her opponent into the ground. He showed her the correct stances and how to hold her heavy sword. He explained its benefits and drawbacks. He showed her how to block and control the swing, but she soon tired and pounded away with loose abandon.

She handled her long sword as though it were a toothpick. She would possibly be victorious with most if not all of the untrained contenders, but it was the trained swordsman that she had to worry about. The one who stepped aside, mock surprise showing on his face, yet in an instant strike to decapitate.

He and Megan took walks in the forested area together but always stayed close to camp. It was during one of their sparring sessions that a Polrob suddenly appeared over their camp. It drifted about silently then, as suddenly as it came, it left, but stopped when Adelia called it back.

"How's it looking out there Mr. Polrob? Are they still killing each other in droves?

THEY ARE ADELIA MONTGOMERY.

"How many are left? And by the way, how many days are left?"

THIRTEEN DAYS AND THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE CONTENDERS STILL IN THE RUNNING. INCLUDING YOU FOUR.

"Three. Only three contenders." Said Wyatt Earp standing off to one side.

EXPLAIN SIGAL WYATT EARP. DO YOU WISH TO WITHDRAW FROM THE MONTH OF RECKONING? FOR WHAT REASON?

"Somebody forgot to mention that females had entered. As you know, we were absolved of all collection points due to our phobia. You know our beliefs and politics. It is against our belief to hurt a female. That automatically disqualifies me."

YOU ARE CORRECT SIGAL WYATT EARP. THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL TO ALL CONCERNED IF YOUR NATION HAD DECIDED TO INVEST IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY. BUSH DRUMS AND SMOKE SIGNALS CANNOT CONVEY THE FINE PRINT.

"It made a joke," said Adelia, surprised. "A Polrob with a sense of humor."

YOUR RETRACTION HAS BEEN NOTED. YOUR PAST SIGHTINGS ARE BEING INTERPRETED... PLEASE WAIT... ALL INFORMATION CONFIRMS THAT AT NO TIME HAVE YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH FEMALE CONTENDERS. SHOULD YOU ATTACK, INJURE OR IN ANY WAY IMPEDE OR KILL A CONTENDER, IT WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON WITH THE INTENTION TO COMMIT MURDER.

"Understood. How many from my planet have become contenders?"

FOUR. THREE FEMALES AND YOURSELF. THEY ARE STILL ALIVE.

"Only four?"

ONLY FOUR QUALIFIED TO ENTER. YOU ARE REQUESTED TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THIS PLANET AND TO RETURN TO YOUR OWN. THUS, THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY INFRACTION FROM YOURSELF WILL BE NEGLIGIBLE.

"I agree but for one small problem," he said. "I have made friends with these contenders and wish to remain to instruct them in the art of sword fighting. Our culture insists that I protect them. This protection- as it is The Month of Reckoning- can only extend to a certain degree. This I accept."