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〃His name's Kyle；〃 said the other buddy； 〃and that was nothin' but luck！〃 He straightened。 〃But I'm gonna fix him。〃
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
〃I'll tell ya somethin' about your Lynn…Kyle；〃 Max said。 〃He might be anti…military； but he's no pacifist。 What'd ya think； Gandhi could do spin kicks？〃
The Collected Journals of Admiral Rick Hunter
Kyle waited； serene and unmoving。
〃No！ No！〃 Lisa breathed； seeing them close in on him。 It would be too much like having gentle Karl Riber beaten up。 But there was nothing she could do； it was all she and the Terrible Trio could do to hold their own against the peripheral crowd members。
Rick wondered later if Max Sterling knew all along…or had at least guessed…what was to happen next and had deliberately thrown that first opponent Kyle's way。 Max； in his supremely humble way； assured Rick that such a thing was preposterous。 Rick might have believed him more if he hadn't seen the things Max could do in bat。
The first two were a pair of stumblebums； barely moving at all； Kyle disposed of them contemptuously with foot sweeps； evasions； leg trips； and beginner's class shoulder throws。
That drew the attention of the men waiting for another crack at Max and Rick； more and more of them came at Kyle。
Minmei's cousin seemed to have chosen a particular spot on the floor and decided to defend it…not from preference but rather as an exercise of will and proficiency。 Certainly； the fight didn't seem like much of a challenge…at least at first。
There was a lot of aikido in his style； plus bando； some judo； uichi…ryu； and a lot of stuff Rick couldn't identify。 It wasn't until he was pressed very hard that Kyle used his feet； and after that there were teeth and blood on his area of the White Dragon's floor。
Defending himself on several fronts； Kyle didn't seem to notice the roughhouser closing in behind him。 Lisa happened to see it； and she had the weird impression that he knew what was ing and chose to undergo it as a sort of test； as if he wanted to be hurt。
Be that as it may； the big bruiser got Kyle in a full nelson； and somebody else tagged him good and hard on the mouth。 Kyle didn't seem to feel it much； he shrugged down out of the hold with some fluid move； sidekicking the man who'd done the punching so that he went down and stayed down。
Then Kyle whirled and brought the flat of his hand in an unsweeping blow along the face of the one who'd held him。 The man reeled back； face leaking crimson but not as badly hurt as he would have been if Lynn…Kyle had been truly angry。
Kyle had taken just enough of the pressure off Rick and Max so that they were doing okay again。 They'd both taken more than a few shots and at one time or another had； between them； squared off with just about everybody on the other side of what had bee a minor war。 The opponents were bouncing back more slowly now； and many of them were out of it for good。
As for Lynn…Kyle； he was a whirlwind； leaping over and ducking under； spin kicking but never surrendering the spot he'd chosen to defend in the middle of the White Dragon。 He jumped impossibly high； out of the way of a powerful kick； got his opponent in a wristlock； and rammed him headfirst into a man who was attacking from the opposite side。
It was an amazing demonstration； like some martial…arts fantasy； marking the beginning of Lynn…Kyle's legend on the SDF…1。 But it should be remembered that for the most part he was facing antagonists who'd already been around the dance floor once or even twice…and in some more insistent cases three times…with Rick and Max。
At one point； Rick put away a shaven…headed tough who'd been trying to gouge his eyes； working fast； jabbing binations with knuckles that were long since lacerated and bleeding。 He turned and saw Kyle； leaping high； lash out with the sword edge of his left foot and down another opponent。
Rick wiped blood from his face。 〃Hey； Kyle！ Why don'tcha hand him a pamphlet？〃
Rick went back to his own fight。 Kyle made no response but wondered if the VT pilot knew how deeply that jape…and the dissonance of this violence…upset Kyle's inner harmonies。
The fight didn't so much end as slow to a halt； at last there was no one to e at them again。 Rick was left sitting on the floor； huffing and puffing； bone…weary and sore all over。 Max was panting； too； leaning against a wall； blood seeping from a swollen； split lip； his ribs starting to ache where somebody's knee had gotten a piece of him。
Lisa and the Terrible Trio were standing by the line of brawlers they'd taken out of the action； having neatly posed some of them as if for sleep。 Lynn…Kyle stood squarely on the spot he'd chosen to defend in the middle of his family's restaurant。
〃You okay； Rick？〃 Max panted。
Rick was too tired to do anything but nod slowly； tonguing a tooth that felt like it had been loosened。 He felt a certain dread： There were some inflexible laws aboard the SDF…1； mandated by the insanely unlikely circumstances of so many civilians and service people thrown together in such close quarters for such a long time。
Many of those laws had to do with 〃No Fighting with the Townies！〃 Rick figured Gloval was going to be mildly crazy about all of this。 Then it occurred to Lieutenant Hunter to think about the bigger picture； about what was happening all over the super dimensional fortress in the wake of the Boogieman's announcement。
We'll be lucky if there is an SDF…1 by tonight！ he realized。
Lisa and the Terrible Trio were dusting their hands off； making a few first…aid suggestions to the people they'd taken out of the action。 It occurred to Rick that without them； he and Max and even Kyle would have gone down； martial arts notwithstanding。 Minmei was gazing at Kyle with stars and hearts and flowers in her eyes。
〃Oh； Kyle； I'm so proud of you！ Are you okay？〃 She threw her arms around his neck。
Lynn…Kyle only nodded and made a soft； 〃Mm hmm。〃
〃‘Okay'？〃 Rick sniggered tiredly； and spit out a gobbet of blood。
Max had e upright； staring at Kyle strangely。 〃They barely laid a hand on you。〃 Kyle only looked down at the floor like some demure maiden。
Men who had been in the fight were helping each other to their feet； staunching blood flows； helping hobbling friends。 One tucked an injured hand into his shirtfront with much pain； wiped the blood from his broken nose； and said grudgingly； 〃He's the best I've seen or fought against。 That's the truth。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Max Sterling reflectively。 〃He's got moves I never saw before。 Doesn't make sense。〃 He went over toward Kyle； and Rick hauled his aching body to its feet； prepared to back up his friend if the ultimate slugfest were to begin。
There was a sudden； particular something in Max's manner now： an acuity； an unveiled dangerousness； that the aw…shucks everyday Sterling demeanor usually shrouded。
But Max only stood looking at Kyle； and Kyle back at Max。 Max said after a moment； 〃You're a pretty well…trained fighter for someone who doesn't like to fight。〃
They stood measuring each other。 On the one hand was quiet； bespectacled Max； with his natural gifts； miraculous coordination； and speed so superior that he could afford to be humble in all things…alr