The next day, the entire unit was scheduled for a long march with gear. Fiona had no doubt that the gear assignments would be punitive on the part of Star Commander Joanna. She had dressed lightly, wearing only calf length leggings and a tank top. 

          She hadn't planned to confront Abigail that day, but then she had spotted her nearby, stretching alone. She watched for a few minutes, marveling at the combination of lean and strength that was her friend. She still wasn't quite sure what it was that she felt. It wasn't exactly romance, but it was certainly beyond simple lust. 

          She made her way over to Abigail. "Can we talk, Abigail?"

          The clanner stood and put her hands on her hips. "This is not a good time, surat."

          Fiona shook her head. "It is never a good time for you anymore. We have not spoken in days. I miss your company."

          "Not here. Not now."

          She reached out and put a hand on Abigail's shoulder. "This is not you. What is wrong?"

          Abigail tended and then wriggled away, her gaze momentarily travelling past Fiona. "Nothing. I just need space. "

          Fiona turned to find out what had caught her friend's attention, and spotted Star Commander Joanna standing with Mechwarrior Diana and Star Colonel Pryde. She turned back to Abigail. "It is her, quiaff? She is filling your head with that Trueborn garbage and making you ashamed to be my friend. She is driving a wedge between us. Well I will not let that happen."

          As she turned and started to stalk off towards Joanna, Abigail called after her. "Do not do anything foolish, surat."

          Fiona did not turn back, striding confidently towards Joanna. "Too late"

          She stopped right in front of Joanna. "I am tired of your games and your bullshit. I am challenging you to meet me in a circle of equals."

          Joanna laughed uproariously. "You and I are not equals, freebirth. Just because you were lucky enough to be plucked from your freebirth cesspool and granted the privilege of becoming a Jade Falcon warrior, you will always be spheroid filth compared to a trueborn. Go away."

          Fiona stood her ground. "I may be freeborn, but at least I am no coward. You use cowardly tricks at every turn. And as if that is not enough, you are now so cowardly that you will not face me to justify yourself. "

          Joanna's anger flared. " I will give you one chance to perform surkai and get out of here."

          Fiona stood even taller, leaning defiantly towards Joanna. "I have done nothing wrong. I will not invoke surkai. I speak the truth."

          Joanna balled her fists. "Then you will have your circle, whelp. You and I, unaugmented, in the gymnasium, right now. I will not kill you in front of all of these warriors, I will simply humiliate you and leave you a bloody pulp."

          Abigail knew things were going to be bad the instant she realized Fiona was going to talk to Joanna. Her fears were realized minutes later. She had been unable to hear the details of the exchange, but shortly after, Joanna had announced that everyone would file into the gymnasium to watch a thrashing in the circle of equals. 

          Some of the Falcon Guards grumbled, but most seemed eager for some excitement. They all filed into the gym, which had been adapted by the Clan forces already into a circular court, which was at the moment set up for some lacrosse-like game. 

          Joanna and Fiona both stepped into the readymade circle, and the assembled warriors sat in the bleachers. 

          The fight started out slow, with the two opponents feeling each other out. Joanna no doubt would have preferred to simply rush in, but she was not so foolish as to do so without knowing her opponents capabilities. Abigail could see that Fiona was eager, but she too was fighting smart. 

          It wasnt long before the fight got serious. The blows and attacks got stronger and more aggressive, in spite of the fact that neither woman could gain an advantage. several times Joanna seemed to pin Fiona,  only to have the younger Freeborn spring free. Alternatively,  Fiona landed several significant blows to the older warrior, but Joanna always bounced back and shrugged the hit off. 

          The crowd was something of an interesting dynamic. At first they had been subdued, but as things got serious, they got more vocal and energized. The crowds support first swung to Joanna, siding with the trueborn over the free. But the momentum swung as the crowd started to realize that the upstart freebirth was holding her own against Joanna the taskmaster. 

          The fight seemed to drag on forever. Each warrior had struck blows, but nothing close to a knockout. And now, the endless punch and counterpunch was beginning to wear both women down. Now it was a matter of who made the first mistake. 

          Much to Abigail's disappointment, the first mistake was made by Fiona. Joanna had lunged in for a strike, and Fiona had easily deflected the weak attack. There was no telling if Joanna was tiring or if she deliberately laid a trap. Either way, Fiona counterattacked vigorously, but Joanna rapidly dodged, leaving Fiona overextended. 

          With speed belying her age, Joanna grasped Fiona's left arm, held it firm, and delivered a powerful kick right below her armpit. The shoulder popped with an audible crack, and Fiona let out a cry of pain. She stumbled and barely remained standing, clutching at her left shoulder. 

          Joanna did not leave her any time to nurse the wound. She charged at Fiona, who managed to fight off her grapple attempt in spite of being currently one-armed. But her focus was gone, shattered by the searing pain in her arm. She was too slow in noticing Joanna spin around and deliver a kick to the back of her knee that sent her sprawling on her back. 

          Joanna stood over her for a second or two, as if judging the likelihood that Fiona would get up. Apparently satisfied that she would not, she delivered a furious kick to her side, leading Fiona to cry out once again in pain. 

          Joanna stood astride her fallen opponent and dropped to her knees, straddling her. She drove a blow directly into Fiona's chest, driving the breath from her lungs. As fiona instinctively tried to curl up from the blow, Joanna grabbed her by the hair and leaned in close, whispering something in her ear that the audience could not hear. 

          Letting Fiona's head drop to the ground, she swung her fist down and connected with the y oi unger womans nose with an audible crunch, sending her head flying to the side as blood began to pour from her nose. Joanna stood up, grabbed Fiona by the ankle, and dragged her unceremoniously to the edge of the circle, and careful not to break the circle herself, flung Fiona over the line. 

          Joanna triumphantly gazed around at the crowd. "We are done here, back to the field!" She shouted. Her gaze lingered on Abigail for a moment, her own look of arrogance meeting Abigail's look of rage. The crowd began heading for the door, but Abigail instead headed for Fiona's prone, bleeding form. 

          Lovvins grabbed her by the arm. "This way. The medics will take care of her. "

          Abigail twisted her arm free. "Neg, not alone they will not. And do not even try to lecture me or stop me."