Savage Worlds

The two stared at one another. There was nothing left to say.

Jaron didn’t want to interrupt too soon. The two of them wanted this exchange, and if he tried to prevent it they both might turn on him. Besides, he was curious to see Sheri fight. He had heard second hand about her exploit of tripping Velsa, but hadn’t actually witnessed her in action. Timing would be everything and Jaron couldn’t allow it to go too far. This wasn’t a schoolyard tussle; it was a fight for survival.

The seconds ticked by as Sheri trembled then exhaled through her mouth. Jaron knew she was out of options and had to act. She leapt at the case with the rations, reaching out to snatch a packet from where it rested. Her motion was reversed and she spun into the hull of the life pod when Velsa threw a backhand that caught Sheri on the side of the face.

Rising to her feet, Sheri turned to Velsa with blood dripping from the corner of her lip. She had recovered her senses but appeared unwilling to continue the charge. Was she out of hope? Was a single backhand enough to cause Sheri to realize she wasn’t going to overcome Velsa by herself? She might be more receptive to his help than Jaron figured. If Sheri was on the verge of surrendering, he could rescue her and gain back some of her trust. He steadied his nerves, not wanting to act prematurely.

“Try it again you little Prit!” Velsa said.

When Sheri didn’t respond Velsa leaned against the hull next to her.

“I take it you’re done, hmm?”

Sheri lowered her head.

“Pathetic.” Velsa straightened up. “Yeah, you’re done.”

Sheri reached out and yanked Velsa’s arm, pulling her off balance and slammed a fist into her jaw. No one reacted to the sudden assault, including Velsa, allowing the previously docile Sheri to continue pummeling away. At last Velsa tried to free herself of Sheri’s grip, but the Pritory girl only growled and landed a series of strikes. Then with a grunt of determination, Velsa stepped into the next swing without defending herself and threw a shot of her own. The punch hit Sheri in the eye causing her stumble backward, and then with a yell, Velsa drove her knee into Sheri’s stomach and doubled her over. As the young girl gasped for air, Velsa followed up with another vicious punch to the head.

Sheri soared several feet into the rear of the control couch. She scrambled to stand up, but couldn’t. She instead leaned on the couch to maintain her balance while holding her gut. Velsa began to close, and Sheri’s only defense was holding out one feeble arm to fend off the inevitable attack.

Jaron shook his head; he had to stop this now. Sheri was bleeding from both her nose and mouth, and the heavy gasps of air she was taking told him she was in no shape to defend her self any further.

Moving behind his sister, Jaron grabbed her wrist.

“That’s enough, Sis.”

Velsa’s head whipped around.

“Let go!”

“Velsa, that is enough!”

She cocked her fist at him.