Warp Speed
by Travis S. Taylor
Table of Contents
WARP SPEED
By Travis S. Taylor
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Copyright © 2004 by Travis S. Taylor
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.
A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
ISBN: 0-7434-8862-8
Cover art by David Mattingly
First printing, December 2004
Library of Congress Cataloging- in-Publication Data
TK
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Production by Windhaven Press, Auburn, NH (www.windhaven.com)
Printed in the United States of America
To my wife Karen who told me,
'You've read so many of these science fictions books,
you ought to try writing one.'
Good idea, here it is.
BAEN BOOKS by TRAVIS S. TAYLOR
CHAPTER 1
I was trying hard to breathe, but it wasn't coming easy. I tugged at my red team uniform top anxiously. Smacking my fists against my headgear was the only thing that seemed to focus me.
'All right! Bow to me!' the referee began. 'Bow to each other. Touch gloves. Fight!'
Seeing that my opponent was dropping his back hand, I slipped to the right. I lunged like a sprinter out of a starting block and jumped. As I prepared to backfist the guy on the side of his headgear, I realized that I had let my elbows rise and I was not covering my ribs. I knew this because I presently spit my mouthpiece in my opponent's face while at the same time a searing pain ran through my ribs on the right side of my body. You see, I fight right side forward since my right leg is more flexible than my left. Not that it mattered this time, since I failed to lead with a kick.
I heard the shouts and cheers for the other guy increase in volume and enthusiasm while I fell to the floor clutching my ribs. That's just the way it is on the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) tournament circuit. The referee was talking to my opponent,
'Turn and bow!' Then in my ear, 'Do you want your sensei or will you make it?' He handed me a slightly dirty mouthpiece.
'Nah, I'll make it okay.' I blew dirt off the mouthpiece and noticed my instructor shouting at me as I made to my feet.
'What's that rainbow jump crap! I never taught you that. Let's go Anson, one, two, three. White belt stuff! Stay tight!' He yelled and ticked off his fingers one, two, three at me.
I bounced back to the line with each breath burning like fire in my side. Two ribs were broken at the least. I was sure of it. But, if I had any intentions of staying in this fight, I knew that I had better not show a soft spot.
Mike and I have been friends for years and I'm sure he didn't mean to break my ribs. But he was here to win this tournament just like I was and we were tied in points for ISKA champion. This fight was going to be a tough one. The last fight of the season should be a tough one, I guess, especially if it's for the championship.
'Are you ready?' The ref asked.
I nodded and lined up left side forward this time, my right side being soft.
'Judges call, I got two points, blue uniform.' With a look around the ring at the other two judges, it was obvious that I was behind two points.
'Okay touch gloves. Fight!'
Just like in class with the instructor yelling, I could hear in my mind,
'Break,' yelled the center ref. 'Judges call!' He held up two fingers in my direction and scanned the other two judges. 'That is two red! Two blue! Touch gloves! Ready, fight!'
This time it didn't work as well. Mike sidestepped and down-blocked the skip kick. But that is why it goes one,
