Doryn 7 went by two months. Zayn was a great, if unconventional, host, keeping his guests busy with visits to the city's famous gunsmiths, ornate theaters, and expansive sports arenas. Yan and Amelina especially delighted in experiencing the lively nightlife of Doryn Station. But even with Zayn's hospitality, there was a noticeable unease in the group. Even though they were all eager to leave, news organizations throughout the galaxy, especially those that supported the Core, continued to regularly publish speculative articles about their recent operations that went against Core interests.
A specific article in FuturePulse, a well-known Core Army internal newspaper, caught Nayla's attention one evening as she perused the galactic news nets in her hotel suite. As she read the digital print, her normally relaxed ears slightly straightened out of concern:
Gladiators Accused of Terrorist Activities Lately
The mysterious loss of communication with a classified research facility on Syltran 4 took center stage in headlines on all networks four months ago. Events on Solyn Prime, particularly the assassination of Senator Cyran Lek soon after he dedicated the planet's new fighting arena, received comparable attention in more recent times. According to intelligence sources within the Core government, there is now cause for concern that these violent acts may have been directly committed by registered gladiators, who are frequently regarded with great respect by the public.
Registered fighters Kieran Ravy, Luna Trevyn, Nayla Zantara, Yan Zantara, and Nora Rahmyn have been linked to the Syltran 4 incident based on evidence found in both locations. Investigators think the events on Solyn Prime were planned by the same group, with assistance from fellow combatant Torin Okani and former executive secretary Amelina Caryn.
Nayla put down her book. That was more than sufficient. Leaping for the integrated comm system in the room, she quickly called her friends. Over the course of the following few minutes, they came one by one, each silently pointing to the news article on the screen of Nayla's personal datapad, which was open on the desk of the suite. Arriving last, Torin was obviously awakened from a deep sleep or meditative state. He glanced at the text on the screen:
With the exception of Amelina Caryn, the seven members of the aforementioned group are officially listed as a fighting alliance on the BattleWeb registry. Ballistic and energy signature evidence found at the sites, which forensic analysis shows exactly matches weapons known to be used by members of this alliance, is the main basis for their suspected involvement. Regarding their suspected transport vessel, HRS Kyara, registered HRX-505, an all-points security bulletin has been issued.
The text was broken by a hyperlink: "Please subscribe here to read the full intelligence briefing," but they had all seen enough. With a worried look on his face, Kieran borrowed the datapad right away and used it to navigate to his private messages. The others started whispering among themselves about their options.
Nora was the first to say, "We need to inform Zayn immediately," "He'll know the best course of action." She moved to a corner of the room and took out her personal communicator, which is now little more than a covert in-ear receiver and directional microphone thanks to nanotechnology.
Luna reminded them, pragmatic as ever, "Legally, the Core can't touch us here in the Rim territories," "We're relatively safe as long as we stay out here."
Yan retorted, "But we can't just stay here," in an anxious tone. He did not enjoy being arrested. "Our ship's registration number is logged in the Doryn spaceport control tower. The Core authorities are probably aware of our location already or will be in the near future. It is possible to bribe or exert pressure on the local government to turn us over.
Kieran said grimly, "If we decide to relocate, we can probably only manage it once more before our trail becomes too obvious," as he concluded with the datapad. He threw it for the others to see on the adjacent bed. The Core Transit Regulation Authority was identified as the sender of the official email notification that was shown. The words NOTICE OF PILOTING PERMIT REVOCATION were emblazoned across the top in bold red letters.
"What is this?" Torin leaned closer to read the fine print before asking.
"It means," Kieran stated bluntly, "that as of this notification, it's illegal for me to pilot, or even be aboard, any registered spacecraft within Core-regulated territory."
"Can they actually do that?" Startled, Luna inquired.
Kieran gave a serious nod. "Regulation of all interstellar travel and pilot licensing ultimately falls under the Core government's jurisdiction, even out here in the Rim, technically."
"But we can still outrun their patrols, right?" With hope, Nayla inquired.
"On an individual basis? "Yes," Kieran acknowledged, "the Kyara is faster than the majority of regular patrol cruisers. However, they would probably eventually catch up. I'm the only one, and hundreds of them might be organizing a search. He added dryly, "I think I could manage two or three cruisers at the same time if it came to a fight, but I'd rather not die."
After turning off her communicator, Nora returned to the group. "Zayn's advice is to stay put for now."
"But they probably already know we're here!" Yan objected.
Ignoring Yan's tirade, Nora went on, "He offered an incentive,"
"And that is?" Torin asked.
"The Storm Challenges are being held here, on Doryn 7, in one month."
Among the fighters gathered, a wave of surprise and excitement spread. The room's eyes grew wide. For elite fighters, the Storm Challenges were a prestigious biannual 'Elemental' competition that was roughly comparable to the Olympics of ancient Earth. The proceedings were personally observed by the enigmatic governing bodies, who were only known as the Omegas and Sigmas. Achieving the coveted Elite fighter rank was assured if one performed well in the Storm Challenges.
Delivering the last, crucial piece of information, Nora continued, "And," "House Jarn is confirmed to be participating this cycle."
That resolved the matter. Any plans to leave right away disappeared. They were not going anywhere. Established only three years after the original Rebirth Arena first opened its doors centuries ago, House Jarn was renowned for being the oldest fighting House still in operation. Their fighting styles were a reflection of their heritage as staunch followers of ancient Norse religious beliefs. House Jarn produced many of the greatest fighters in galactic history, such as the almost legendary Elyn Jarn, who is regarded as the best natural fighter ever born. Over the centuries, House Jarn had become so powerful and vast that it now ruled its own independent planet, where fighting was the center of all social interactions. Each Jarn fighter's weapon was forged by a family member, and each advanced sensor system was put together by a relative. They even went so far as to mine the raw materials for their unique armor right from the ground. Early detection of Jarns with exceptional combat skills led to their rigorous training from an early age, undergoing one of the most rigorous and covert training programs ever developed.
At last, Luna broke the tense silence that had enveloped the group. Simply, "We have work to do," she said.
There were no team events in the Storm Challenges; they were solely singles competitions. They might be competing against the best fighters in the galaxy, including the Jarns, as well as against each other if all six of them went in. The spontaneous gathering ended with that sobering insight. Their attention completely changed, focusing on intense training in spite of the Core's impending threat. Everybody now secretly hoped to try their mettle against a legendary Jarn warrior. Nayla left right away for a long night run through the lower levels of the city, while Yan went straight to the hotel's spacious weight room. Torin and Luna retired to their separate suites to start cycles of intense meditation. In the meantime, Kieran and Nora assembled their gear, planning to carefully prepare it for the demanding month that lay ahead.