Next Big Recognition Contest

NASA, along with the government, created thunderstorms to cover up the sound of space battles.

Winning Author: IVM992

Title: Space Gladiators

I remove my helmet, and drop it. The fish-bowl headgear hits the cold floor of the landing station with a resounding bang. That's when she sees me. Lola lets her own helmet slip from her fingers. It hits the steel and rolls to the rim of the platform. She stops it with her booted foot before it can tip over the edge and plunge into the sea of rolling thunder clouds below. Lola tilts her chin up. Above us, there's nothing but stars and cold black space—the outer kind—and the Coliseum too.

Lola launches herself at me. In seconds, she has her legs wrapped around my waist; her hands clutching at my neck. I hold her tight. Breath her in. Her front zipper is down a bit. She's naked underneath of her silver jumpsuit. I can smell the after-high of battle on her skin. My sexy star-warrior. She's the best god-damned pilot I know. "Giddy-up space-cowboy," she breathes into my ear.

The Coliseum floats high above our heads. From here, it looks like an enormous star. I can't hear the roaring of the crowd, but I know they're tearing out their throats screaming for a champion. They're calling for blood. The Spectators: all billionaires, all powerful. They pay a lot money to watch us duke it out in that arena in the sky.

They call us space-gladiators. Two pilots go in. Only one comes out.

Thunder cracks bellow us, disguising the sound of the warring jets above. I put my hand in Lola's dark hair. It's damp. She's just won a bout. Jet-fights turn her wild. Her fingers dig deep into the flesh of my arms. It's cold here, above the clouds, but I can feel the heat radiating from Lola's body through the thin fabric of our uniforms, and it warms me.

I know we shouldn't meet like this. They don't like us consorting with other pilots. There's no real reason for me to be with Lola. Getting women is easy for a guy like me. But Lola's not just any woman. When I'm with Lola, I'm exalted.

She presses her lips to my neck, and I close my eyes. "You got a fight tonight, Leo?" she asks, her breath hot on my skin.

"Yeah," I reply. NASA will be putting on its thunder-show for a few more hours. Can't let the regular folk know about the gladiator battles in the sky. The thunder keeps the spectacle hidden. But, mostly, it keeps it elite. You've heard of the greatest show on earth, but the greatest show in space, that's for the wealthy and the powerful.

Lola pulls back. She looks at me. "You gonna win?" Victory in the Coliseum lands you a cash prize. Win enough fights, and maybe one day you'll be sitting in the crowd with the Spectators, calling for blood. But that's not why we do it, Lola and I. We don't care about the money. It's the glory. When I'm in the pilot's seat, my hands hard on the gears, and I'm chasing my opponent across the stars, I'm a king. Lola, she's a goddess.

"Baby," I say. "After tonight, everyone's gonna know my name."

Lola grins. I spin her around, and she laughs. Next thing, we've dropped to the floor. I'm on my back, and Lola's straddling me at the hips. She's looking down at me, and I notice she's got a few freckles on her nose. She pushes some of my hair out of my face. "Blonds aren't usually my type," Lola says.

"When we're back on earth, maybe we could go on a real date," I suggest. "Like, to dinner and a movie, or something."

Lola thinks for a moment. "Okay," she says. "Maybe." I pull her closer to me. We're a tangled heap of limbs. After a while, Lola's watch tings. She looks at the monitor on her wrist. We're both panting. "Damn," she says. "I've been scheduled for another fight." I'm not surprised. Lola's a favourite among the Spectators. It's not just that she's the best. Lola's got style. If you ever saw her fly, you'd understand.

We get up, and Lola pulls me in for one more kiss. "I'm gonna come watch," I say to her.

Lola looks up at me. Her big blue eyes are shining. "You better put on your shades, sweetheart, 'cause I'll be spitting flames."

I watch her jog to her space-fighter, her helmet tucked under her arm. Lola hoists herself into the pilot's seat of her jet. There's a lioness painted on the side. I hate seeing her go. But her battle-hungry expression when she turns around to look at me one last time is damn enticing. "Be careful out there, Leo," she says.

I nod. The air is thin here, just above the clouds. My throat is dry. Lola lowers the glass shield of her jet, puts on her helmet, and starts the engine. In seconds, she's gone. The force of her take-off causes the platform to quake. I stumble a bit.

My hands twitch at my side, eager to get going. I'm excited about my own fight. But I'm nervous too. You never know who your opponent will be. Maybe one day I'll enter the Coliseum and Lola will be on the other side.

My watch beeps. I look at the monitor, and my stomach drops. My fight's been scheduled.

~ June Prompt Challenge End