Short Story continued

Keeping it quick today, folks--had a rough morning at PT and the right hand fingers are rebelling.

In good news, I think hubby found us an apartment! Driving up there to see later this afternoon, but need to take a nap first. :-)

And now for the rest of this Hugo-winning masterpiece from the annals of my youth (if you didn't read the first part, check it out) ...

(Danielle) “Come on you numbskulls, fight before I take your turdy butts and kick 'em myself” I screamed at the dozen men I had. It wasn't my problem if they shoot like girls. Besides, they'll be nothing, but pussy, rotting corpses in a few secs, I'm leaving!

(Tricia) “Colonel Dras!”

I turned around to see one of the cowardly Adventure club call hiding.

“Soldier, get your worthless butt out here.”

The soldier slowly came out of his hiding space.

“Your fellow men are dying while you hide.” I stared coldly into his eyes.

(Jeremy) The men who fell to the ground were not really dead, their personal sheilds easily deflected the sniper shots. The act only served to make sure the enemy did not know about the persona sheild. The warriors butchered the army. Their defense was pathetic. Only two soldiers were left. Out of ammo, the soldiers were using their gun buts (as) clubs, swingging them wildly.

Warlord Carthen stepped up to the men, seizing their guns. He snapped the heavy wooden stocks over his knee easily.

“You have courage,” said Carthen in his deep voice. “You shall both be put to the test. Against me.”

The warriors made a circle of rocks on the desert floor.

“Step out of the circle and you will die,” Carthen handed the Colonel a sword, and similarly armed the other soldier. He shoved them into the ring.

“Defend yourselves!”

(Summer) Dross leaped to the side as Carthen lunged at him. He turned to kick the Warlord, but he was too fast. Carthen slammed Dross into the ground. The general rolled out of the way as Carthen's blade plunged into the ground where he had been laying moments before. Dross, although middle-aged, was a hard-bitten warrior who never gave up. He was outmatched by the younger Warlord, but that didn't matter. He would fight this fight, and if he died, then he died. Carthen lunged at the general again. Dross met the blade with his own and pushed hard. But the genetically enhanced man was like a solid rock wall. He faked to the left, then shot his leg behind Carthen's and kicked forward.

(Danielle) Carthen collapsed into a heap. Laughing the whole way.

“I'm sorry Dras I just couldn't keep a straight face anymore!” he said. Dras chuckled and helped Carthen up giving a slap on the back.

“Well, I always knew you were a wimp, Carthen!”

The two men laughed.

(Tricia) Suddenly they heard a barbaric yell coming toward them. It was the soldier who had coward behind the rocks. He was coming towards them with a sword. He had a crazy look in his eyes.

(Jeremy) “End situation!” yelled Carthen forcefully. The real Carthen. The holo equipment must have been exposed to a slight magnetic field. He had simulated the test merely to see what he could learn. Now the equipment was useless. But he did not care. He lifted his heavy sword and faced the ring. The magnetic field had distorted the simulation. The result was the strange fight. Simulated fight. He tightened his grip on the sword and slowly stepped into the ring. He faced his two opponents.

“Defend yourselves or die!” 

NOTE: I remember this ending caused a big fight among us; my brother was irritated that the cousins tried to change the "serious tone" of the story, and they in turn got pissed that he turned it around on them like that...Haha...