The Price of Loyalty - Part 1

Posted on Mon Oct 21st, 2024 @ 8:30am by Lieutenant Kaelen Voss
Edited on on Thu Oct 24th, 2024 @ 7:33pm

1,201 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Interlude 1 Gamma Quadrant
Location: USS Lenox Hill

[ON]

The lights in cargo bay 3 flickered slightly as the crowd pressed in, close and eager, their voices a chaotic hum of excitement and tension. The lower decks of the U.S.S. Lenox Hill rarely saw anything this entertaining. On most nights, the crew used cargo bay 3, which was almost empty, as a place for small groups to pass the time—card games, relaxation, or tinkering with side projects. It was a sort of leisure place. But tonight was different. Tonight, there was a fight as the space was set up for a boxing match.

Word had spread fast: Lieutenant JG Kaelen Voss versus Marine First Lieutenant Radek. The reason? Ensign Brill. Ensign Brill, the young, scrawny engineer, had become Radek’s latest target—mocked in the mess hall, shoved around in the corridors, and humiliated in front of his peers. When Brill stumbled into engineering with a bloody lip and teary eyes, Kaelen knew it was Radek and it was time to act. No one messed with his team.

Radek, a brute of a man with a mean streak, hadn’t backed down when Kaelen confronted him. Instead, he’d grinned and issued a challenge. A fight. No weapons, no ranks, just fists. It was the ultimatum Radek gave Kaelen to resolve this and Kaelen accepted.

The makeshift ring was nothing more than an arrangement of cargo crates, with stretchers and ropes used to mark the boundaries. It was crude but functional. The immediate area surrounding the ring was packed—young ensigns, engineers, a few of Radek’s friends from the marine barracks, and even a few junior officers, no higher than another marine captain who was a field medic and was present for injuries. Nothing more, nothing less.

The air was thick with sweat and anticipation, and the dull hum of the starship’s engines underfoot only added to the tension. Kaelen Voss stood at the edge of the ring, wrapping the final layer of tape around his knuckles. His dark blue eyes scanned the crowd, lingering briefly on Brill, who stood near the back, looking anxious and guilty.

Kaelen gave him a small nod. This wasn’t about proving anything to Radek—it was about making sure Brill and the rest of his team knew that someone had their back. He had no regrets.

“Got your head in the game, Lieutenant?” came a voice from behind him. Lieutenant JG Jax Renar, his closest friend on the ship, clapped him on the shoulder. “Radek’s no pushover, you know.”

Kaelen smirked, rolling his shoulders to loosen up. “Good. It’ll be more fun that way.”

A ripple ran through the crowd as Radek stepped into the cargo bay. He walked slowly like a tank and then into the ring, towering over everyone around him. He was built tough—thick arms, broad shoulders, and fists that looked like they belonged to a heavyweight champion. Radek reveled in the crowd’s energy, grinning and flexing his arms as a few of his friends cheered from the sidelines.

He locked eyes with Kaelen, his grin widening. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Voss,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “Hope you’re ready to bleed.”

Kaelen’s expression remained neutral, calm. “Hope you’re ready to mop it up.”

Voss knew he might not win this but kept his head in the game. He had to stay mentally strong. He had to show he wasn’t backing down.

A loud whistle cut through the chatter, signaling the start of the fight. Radek wasted no time—he charged forward like a bull, throwing a powerful right hook aimed directly at Kaelen’s jaw. Kaelen ducked just in time, the punch whistling past his ear. He rolled to the side, light on his feet, and jabbed twice at Radek’s ribs—quick, precise blows designed to sting but not stop. Kaelen’s aim was to reduce his energy— his will to fight— but something told him that would be harder than he thought it would be.

Radek grunted, clearly annoyed, and swung again, this time aimed for Kaelen’s midsection. Kaelen twisted, blocking the punch with his forearm, but the force sent a jolt of pain up his arm.

Radek pressed forward and launched a barrage of heavy blows—left, right, left again—each punch designed to overwhelm and wear Kaelen down. Kaelen dodged and blocked as best as he could, but Radek’s power was undeniable. One solid punch to Kaelen’s ribs knocked him backward, forcing him to stagger into the ropes.
The crowd roared with excitement, cheering for the brutality.

Round two: Kaelen bounced off the ropes, his ribs aching, but his mind clear. He knew he couldn’t match Radek’s power head-on—that would be suicide. He needed to fight smart.

Radek grinned, advancing again, eager to finish what he’d started. But this time, Kaelen didn’t wait. He feinted left, drawing Radek’s guard in the wrong direction, and delivered a sharp hook to the larger man’s jaw. Radek stumbled, surprised by the speed and precision of the hit.

Kaelen pressed the advantage, driving a fist into Radek’s stomach with a satisfying thud. Radek doubled over, gasping for breath, but Kaelen wasn’t done. He followed up with an uppercut to the jaw, snapping Radek’s head back and sending him staggering toward the ropes.

The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts, the momentum of the fight suddenly shifting.

Radek was angry now. Very angry. His pride had been wounded, and he fought with a reckless fury, throwing wild punches in a desperate attempt to regain control. Kaelen dodged most of them, but one heavy blow caught him across the temple, sending him reeling.

The world spun for a moment, stars flashing across Kaelen’s vision. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus.

“Come on, Kaelen, you got this!” Jax said in his corner.

Radek was charging at him again. This was it. Kaelen knew he had to end it now—or Radek would.

As Radek lunged forward, Kaelen pivoted sharply to the side, using the larger man’s momentum against him. Radek stumbled, and in that split second of vulnerability, Kaelen struck—a devastating combination of punches, one to the ribs, another to the jaw, and a final, powerful uppercut that sent Radek crashing to the floor.

The crowd went wild, the noise deafening as Radek lay sprawled on the floor, dazed and defeated. Kaelen, tired and hurt, knelt with one knee next to him, breathing hard, his knuckles throbbing from the impact.

“Stay down, Radek,” Kaelen muttered, his voice low but firm. “This fight’s over.”

Radek groaned, rolled onto his side, and started to get up. Kaelen couldn’t believe it and didn’t know what to do any further, but he got up and held his ground, ready for whatever came.

As Radek got up, the doors to the cargo bay opened. The Executive Officer, the Marine CO, and four security guards walked in.

To be continued.

[OFF]

Lieutenant Kaelen Voss
Damage Control Specialist
USS Firebird NCC-88298

 

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