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Isolder and Thane worked each other around for several long minutes without scoring, though the punishing blows they rained on each other sounded like the muffled reports of ancient firearms. Exposed flesh reddened and swelled. A punch from Isolder drove Thane clear across the lawn; a front kick by the archon lifted the prince completely off his feet. Then both of them scored in rapid succession when Isolder left himself open to a blow to the head in order to land a powerful twisting punch to Thane’s ribs.

The rooting of the onlookers was enthusiastic, but nothing like the bloodthirsty tumult professional gamblers would have raised. Inaudibly, Teneniel Djo, Tenel Ka, and some of the advisers intoned calming chants.

Leia kept her concern in check by telling herself that what she was witnessing was no different from so many of the lightsaber practice duels she’d seen and engaged in over the years.

Isolder and Thane went at each other again, this time at Isolder’s lead, with a set-piece attack of left fist, right fist. Thane confidently went for the block and counter against an expected right roundhouse kick, only to realize too late that it was a feint. Isolder cocked his leg back like lightning and again struck him in the ribs. Falling back, Thane grimaced in pain, but managed nonetheless to slip in an off-balance counterkick that caught Isolder unprepared.

The primary referee glanced at the remote receiver and declared points for each fighter. With the match a two-two tie and both of them panting, he called for a sudden-death round.

“Sudden death?” C-3PO moaned in alarm. “Sudden death?”

It was plain that Thane understood how Isolder had set a trap for him. Once more he moved tentatively, though seemingly less out of respect for Isolder’s prowess than out of wariness for his talent to deceive.

Isolder kept his distance, as well, ultimately forcing Thane to bore in on him. The archon faked a punch, twirled, and cycloned his right foot at Isolder’s thigh. Isolder twisted to avoid the full force of the impact, but an agonized yelp escaped him, and everyone realized that he had nearly been incapacitated.

The injured leg collapsed under him, and he dropped to one knee, aiming a stiff-armed punch to Thane’s midsection on the way down. Thane anticipated the blow and stopped short, just out of range, then brought one foot around and down in a crescent kick meant to shatter Isolder’s extended forearm and open him up for a frontal attack. But Isolder withdrew his arm in time and shoulder-rolled out of harm’s way. Shooting to a crouch, he launched himself at Thane.

Thane backed away, windmilling his arms to parry punches and kicks, then stepping to one side and executing a fast one-handed forward flip, right foot extended to smash Isolder in the face.

Isolder stooped, catching Thane’s lower calf in the crook of the X he formed with raised forearms, then called on his thigh muscles to spring him upright. Thane’s planted foot slipped on the grass, and he slammed supine to the ground.

Isolder went after him, whirling for a back kick going in. But Thane spun on his shoulders and neatly swept Isolder’s feet out from under him. Springing themselves upright, they exchanged lightning volleys of kicks and body punches. Plosive sounds cut the salt air as they alternated in having the wind knocked out of them.

Thane’s right foot caught Isolder’s left forearm just above the edge of the power glove, and Leia was certain she heard bone fracture. It struck her all at once that sudden death could mean just that.

Surprised that neither of them had scored, the crowd grew louder, urging each man on. Leia heard Captain Astarta’s voice cut through the din, commanding Isolder to regain focus. Only Leia and Ta’a Chume stood silently now, wrapped in concern.

With a deft hop, Isolder reversed his stance to keep his maimed forearm out of the line of fire and launched another counteroffensive. Thane’s huge fist tagged him a glancing blow on the side of the head, but the archon received a toe kick