Back in the present, Xadanex surveyed his current batch of cadets. Humanoids of every kind filled the Classpods—some human in appearance, others alien and unrecognizable, each gifted in unique ways. Though they were many, none shone quite like Tcenex had.
After a brief paused, mid-lecture, his voice echoed through the mind-linked amphitheater:
"Each of you will be tested. Not just in strength or wisdom, but in frequency. Your aura never lies. It will betray your weaknesses and amplify your truth. Your only chance at survival in this vast universe is to resonate higher than the forces that seek to destroy you."
The words hung in the room like a sacred mantra. Cadets sat still, their eyes glowing faintly from active psychic interfacing. Xadanex resumed his pacing. In the depths of his mind, memories of Tcenex flickered—his eagerness, his doubts, his triumphs.
Momentarily, Captain Xadanex tore his attention from the memory of his best protege, Tcenex, to focus on the class before him. "In today's lesson, you will learn the ancient art of unarmed armament," he announced, taking charge of the Weaponry, Assault & Defense Class.
Stunned students stirred. Unarmed Armament?
The seasoned warrior sensed their unasked question. He didn't need to read their auras—their bewilderment was evident in their expressions. They had grown accustomed to armed combat training, finding comfort in its familiarity. But unarmed combat? This novel concept would prove epic once mastered.
"When your weapons are gone," he continued, "when your armory is depleted and combat becomes your only option, you must transform into your ultimate weapon. That is this class's essence: becoming your OWN ultimate weapon. During your cadetship, your DNA will be naturally or neurosurgically adjusted to levels where you can activate these internal weaponries at will. To demonstrate—Chila Srwengrwo, step forth."
The alien Srwengrwo appeared vicious and grotesque. Whoever designed his matrix must have rushed, as he was horridly misshapen, even for an intelligent beast. This reptilian from Drantreb, a refugee-hosting planet east of the Aries Constellation, stood 9 feet, 6 inches tall—almost twice Captain Xadanex's size. Massive and intimidating. The stern yet composed drill-captain had selected him deliberately to prove that an enemy's hideousness offered no excuse for failure, even for an unarmed Super-Soldier.
To further stack the odds against himself, the captain invited Chila Srwengrwo to select any weapon or combination from the extensive shelf-gallery at the training hall's far end, while he remained unarmed.
The reptilian cadet grimaced with amusement. Piece of cake, he thought, selecting his optimal combination: the Lightning-Striking Trident and the Shield of CounterBlow.
"Wise choice," Captain Xadanex remarked coolly. "You seem to have studied my fighting styles. The Shield of CounterBlow. Interesting."
"I intend to defeat you this time, Master-Chief," grunted the cadet with overconfidence.
"I'd like to see you try, young cadet," replied the captain impassively. "Pruenex, activate Boundary Shield," he commanded the Control Booth operator, who monitored the event through a large studio wall screen.
Pruenex nodded, powering up the force field that protected other Chilas from stray lightning or off-course bombardments.
"Don't hold back," Captain Xadanex said. "This is your chance. Hit me with everything you have. Let the duel begin."
With dramatic flair, Pruenex adjusted a knob on his console, filling the background with ambient music that enhanced the dueling atmosphere. He had always considered himself an artist, seizing every opportunity to add theatrical elements to entertaining or exciting situations.
Srwengrwo launched his offensive while Xadanex defended elusively. The captain had faced this scenario thousands of times, anticipating each cadet's moves before execution. He understood the CounterBlow Shield's power and the reptilian's strategic choice.
The Shield attracted Srwengrwo because it reflected every blow back to its sender with multiplied intensity. This countered the Captain's renowned HammerHand prowess—a force capable of shattering armored shields into fragments.
The reptilian systematically fired lightning bolts at the captain, who skillfully evaded the dangerous light bursts. He jumped, rolled, twisted, swerved, parried, and blocked some with his charged palms. The Boundary Shield absorbed the dodged fireworks, while his genetically engineered palms—designed as Electric Conduits—absorbed or deflected the unavoidable ones, explaining the "Soft-Palm" element in his name.
He palm-deflected a trident lightning bolt, deliberately redirecting it toward Srwengrwo. The reptilian expertly blocked with his CounterBlow Shield, intentionally returning it to the captain with exponentially increased intensity—the signature "CounterBlow" effect.
The captain anticipated Srwengrwo's next move: a powerful leap-and-land followed by a Shield strike, expecting the captain to counter the intensified lightning with a weakening HammerHand blow.
As predicted, the captain absorbed the enhanced bolt with his left palm—his body sparkling furiously—while forming a power-punch with his right fist. Rather than weakening him as the cadet calculated, the lightning seemed to energize him as Srwengrwo landed and struck with the Shield.
The captain countered with his power-punch—the impact point between Shield and fist exploded in a concussive mini-bomb effect.
The captain stood, his luminescent form fading to normal, while the cadet flew backward across the hall, bounced harmlessly off the Boundary Shield, and crashed to the floor, dazed and weaponless.
Behind his console, Pruenex grinned knowingly. He had anticipated the outcome before the duel began. The drill-captain invariably triumphed in unarmed duels against students. Though the mechanism of these victories remained mysterious to Pruenex, he had long abandoned expectations of any other result. Had betting been permitted, he would have wagered on Captain Xadanex without hesitation.
"Nice try, cadet," the captain commended the fallen reptilian. "But you overlooked one fatal flaw: overconfidence. And lest you forget, I designed and developed these weapons," his voice rose with supreme authority. "How dare you entertain such a laughable notion that you could defeat me with them? Never—and I repeat NEVER—let your size or weapon deceive you into believing you can overcome an unarmed Super-Soldier. These toys merely make your kills more entertaining. Ultimately, YOU are the ultimate weapon. Let that be a lesson to all of—"
It was at this point that he got a telepathic intel report from Voltrago Central Intelligence, popularly known as VCI, that the starship of the Alliance of the Aries Space Marine had been annihilatronized by a mothership from the Draco Stella System...