Pax Galactica - A Space Opera

Chapter 4 - Tooth And Nail

The plate was just beginning to transition into the night cycle when Decker left the precinct office. Sighing at having wasted an entire day with this babbleskite he started to make his way down the street. It was just after everyone had gone home for the day and just before they'd come out for the night, so there weren't too many people around.

The street passed through a huge stretch of green space before intersecting with another street that had a maglev train station on the other side. Decker relished the chance to walk through the greenery and enjoy the night.

The green space was a massive thick line completely encircling the center of town. It contained giant redwoods 1000s of years old, some of which dated back to the creation of the ring. They stretched up into the sky like the towers built by some unfathomably ancient people. With the exception of the street itself, which was well maintained and clear of growth, the woods were mostly wild.

The calls of nocturnal creatures could be heard in the distance.

Once he had walked far enough that he couldn't see any buildings in front of or behind him it was like Decker was in another world. There was nothing but wilderness all around him. This must have been what it was like for his ancestors who lived on planets. The ancient prisoners of gravity.

Decker's romanticism was interrupted by a sucker punch to the side of the head.

His ear rang. His brain was rattled. He almost lost his footing. Grabbing the side of his head Decker began looking around for the perpetrator of the blow as he turned off no less than three different sources of pain.

In the dark woods all Decker could make out of the man who punched him was a shadowy figure in a hooded cloak.

"Thane," said Decker, putting up his hands to defend himself, "thank you so much. The next five minutes before the 'keepers show up are going to be the best of my life."

"There won't be any peacekeepers coming to stop us," said an unfamiliar voice, "and I'm not Thane."

Decker threw a wild punch at the shadowy figure's head, but he blocked the blow with one hand and slammed his elbow down on Decker's forearm with the other.

Decker screamed and grabbed his arm. For a second he thought it was broken. He left the pain on; let it fuel him.

Decker tried to re-engage but was forced to immediately stumble back to avoid a kick from his opponent. The shadowy figure pressed the opening by closing the distance and delivering another kick. This one connected with Decker's chest and send him tumbling to the ground.

Decker winced as he pushed himself back up to his feet with both arms. His mysterious enemy waited for him to get fully back on his feet.

"Who are you?" asked Decker, panting.

"Defend yourself," said the shadowy figure.

The figure lashed out at Decker with a combination of three punches. Decker tried to block this time but was unable to keep up with the speed of his opponent's hands. He took all three hits to the body, the last one to the liver.

Decker was staggered by the liver shot and the opening this created cost him an uppercut to the jaw. Once again Decker crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Decker lay on the ground for a moment before he painfully rolled over onto his front, still refusing to turn off any of the screaming source of pain. He began to crawl to his feet. He faltered twice before finally rising to a standing position while hissing with pain.

Decker coughed and spat out a glob of blood and smiled, putting his hands up in a clumsy defensive position. In spite of himself Decker was starting to enjoy this. Whatever it was, it was real. He was alive.