The arena sector thronged with citizens hoping to get a glimpse of their famous visitor. That wasn’t a surprise, but it was a blessing. In a crowd like this, anyone, even someone as infamous as Axel, could escape notice. With Rose in tow, he dodged, ducked, and muscled his way toward the fighter’s pavilion.

The sector was a rare sight among the narrow, winding corridors of Hades Station. It was huge, containing the arena itself, several cafes, diners, apartment blocks, and, of course, the fighter’s pavilion, a sort of exclusive clubhouse for gladiators and their guests. When Axel didn’t look too closely, he could almost imagine he was in a real city, not a miserable hunk of metal drifting through space.

Usually, being here made him feel like he could tackle any challenge thrown his way. It was his temple. His safe space. But today was different. An ever-growing pit writhed in his stomach, his mouth turned dry as a desert, and his muscles quivered and twitched. This was his last chance.

Breaking through the last of the crowd, Axel flashed his ID to the security guards manning the doors. Though in disgrace, he was technically still a gladiator, which meant he could get inside the pavilion and meet the Golden Hawk up close rather than waiting outside with the masses.

Once through the sliding doors, however, he froze. This place used to be like a second home to him, but no more. Now, his mind screamed at him to leave. You’re not worthy, it said. You don’t deserve to meet the Golden Hawk. You’re a disgrace. Go home.

He turned around, but Rose, who’d been allowed in as his guest, slipped her arm through his. ‘Let’s go, sweetheart,’ she said.

Those three simple words were enough to silence every doubt Axel had. He was worthy. He had to be. For her.

The two of them strode through red-carpeted hallways lit by gilded golden lights. The pavilion was always well maintained, but the maintenance staff had obviously been working round the clock to make the place sparkle that little bit brighter for their special guest. Not even a single carpet fibre was out of place.

Eventually, the pair reached the main lounge, the site of the Golden Hawk’s reception. Before Axel could hesitate again, Rose waltzed right in, pulling her boyfriend along behind her. To say that they received strange looks would be the mother of all understatements. As soon as they stepped into the lounge, which was really more of a fancy restaurant, complete with a bar, stage and dance floor, frowning faces turned toward them and muttered comments filled the air. Again Axel’s body betrayed him. These were his friends, his colleagues, his people. And they hated him.

He tried to pull away, but Rose wouldn’t let him back out now. She practically dragged him to the centre of the dance floor, where Marcellus Clay, the Golden Hawk, stood, surrounded by a clutch of adoring fans.

He’s magnificent, Axel thought. Clay was neither the biggest nor the strongest, but there was just something about him. Some animal magnetism. He reminded Axel of those classic, well-mannered Southern gentlemen in old movies. Even now, in his 40s, the twilight of his arena career, he dominated a room. The crowd hung on his every word.

‘You see, folks, the trick to arena fighting isn’t raw power. It’s spectacle. You’ve got to get the crowd on your side, get into your opponent’s heads. Once they stop thinking, you’re halfway to victory.’

‘Excuse me, Mr Golden Hawk, sir.’ Rose said, interrupting the speech.

A dozen faces whirled on her, most of them hostile. But Clay smiled. ‘Can I help you, miss?’

‘Yes. My boyfriend has something to say to you.’

The faces shifted their attention to Axel, who didn’t say a word. I’m standing in the same room as the Golden Hawk, he thought. The Golden Hawk is looking at me. Oh, God. What am I going to say? What if I—

Rose jolted Axel back to reality with a sharp elbow in the ribs. ‘Axel,’ she hissed.

‘Er, right. Yes,’ Axel said. With as much confidence as he could muster, he puffed out his chest and looked Clay straight in the eyes. ‘Mr Golden Hawk, sir. My name’s Axel Murray, but people around here often call me the Hornet. I’d like to challenge you to a fight.’

The crowd of fans around Clay burst out laughing. Hammerfist, who Axel hadn’t noticed before, strolled over. She cut a slightly less impressive figure outside of her armour, but only slightly. Even without the giant arms, she was still a massive human being. ‘Trust me, sir. You don’t want to fight this loser,’ she said. ‘He’s the one we told you about. The laughing stock of Hades station.’

Clay cocked an eyebrow. ‘This is the match-fixing guy? The one that got drunk and fell flat on his face?’

‘That’s him.’

‘You’re one to talk about match-fixing, Hammerfist,’ Axel said.

She growled. ‘What the hell’s that supposed to mean?’

‘You know what it means.’

Hammerfist stalked forward, clenching her fist. ‘Let’s say I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me?’

‘Axel…’ Rose said, trying to pull her boyfriend back. But he shrugged her off and squared off with the larger woman.

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‘Our match was rigged, and you know it. You probably designed that arena configuration yourself.’

‘The hell it was. You’re just bitter cos you lost.’

‘Step outside and say that again.’

‘With pleasure.’

‘People, please,’ Clay said, stepping between the pair before their raised voices could turn into raised fists. ‘We’re all gladiators here. There’s no need for unpleasantness. Save the fisticuffs for the arena.’

Hammerfist spat on the floor. ‘He’s lost the right to call himself a gladiator. He’s just a washed-up drunk.’

Clay frowned. ‘That’s a little harsh, don’t you think? We all have our ups and downs in life. One mistake doesn’t define a man.’

‘Then you’ll fight me?’ Axel asked, brightening.

Clay raised his hands. ‘Woah, now. I didn’t say that. I’m sorry, but I’m here to make social appearances, not don my armour.’

‘But—’

‘No.’ The answer was gentle but final. ‘It’s nothing personal, kid, but I’m not going to fight you.’

***

Axel had been waiting in the corridor outside Clay’s suite for three or four hours by the time the veteran gladiator arrived. As soon as he saw him approaching, Axel jumped to his feet.

‘Mr Golden Hawk, sir. I’ve come to ask you to reconsider.’

Clay shook his head. ‘You again? How’d you find out where I was staying?’

‘Rose asked around. She can be quite persuasive.’

‘Ha. I bet she can. The way she walked right up to me, your girlfriend has one giant pair of lady-balls on her.’ He smiled. ‘Listen, since you’re already here, why don’t you come inside for a drink?’ He slid the hotel door open and gestured for Axel to follow him inside.

The minute Axel stepped past the threshold, his breath caught in his chest. He’d known the people in charge would spare no expense on Clay’s accommodations, but this… this was beyond his wildest imaginings. The first room alone looked to be about double the size of his entire apartment, filled with luxurious furniture such as a plush couch, a large holo-TV, and a state-of-the-art massage chair.

Clay poured a measure of whiskey into two glasses and gestured for Axel to take a seat on the couch before flopping into an armchair opposite. ‘You know, I’m actually glad you’re here. I read up on you, even watched some of your match footage. You’re a talented fighter, son. Hell, you remind me of a young me. Fifth in the tournament, your place on the Galactic Tour secured, you had the whole damn galaxy at your feet. So why in God’s name did you throw it all away?’

‘Because of Rose.’

Clay cocked his head. ‘You sacrificed everything you’d been fighting for over a woman?’

Axel shook his head. ‘All due respect, sir, but I wasn’t fighting to join the Tour. Not really. I was fighting for Rose. To get her off this hellhole.’

‘Couldn’t you have just earned the money to set her free?’

‘That was the original plan.’

‘What changed?’

‘She got pregnant.’

That revelation was enough to give Clay pause. ‘Ah. I see. And you didn’t want to leave her and the baby behind?’

‘That’s about it.’

‘Well, son, that’s just about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.’

Axel frowned. ‘I’m sorry?’ Clay had a reputation as a family man. Surely he understood Axel’s decision, didn’t he?

‘You had the chance to win a better life for your whole family, and you threw it away because of impatience,’ Clay said. ‘Hell, all you had to do was win a couple of fights, get a sponsorship deal or two, and you’d have had Rose out of here long before the baby was born.’

‘But what if I’d failed? What if Rose got stuck here without me?’

Clay shrugged. ‘You could’ve come back, couldn’t you? I’m no expert, but as I understand it, Apollo has a problem with indebted workers leaving Hades Station. I doubt they give a damn who moves in.’

Axel’s jaw waggled uselessly. ‘I… I…’ How didn’t he see that? I’ve been such a fool, he thought. I was so desperate to give Rose a better life, to give our child a better life, that I ended up throwing everything away. Now, I don’t even have my career here on Hades.

‘You didn’t think things through, kid,’ Clay said gently. ‘Mistakes like that don’t just cost matches. They ruin careers. You can’t go throwing away opportunities willy-nilly, not if you want to make it to the big leagues. You’ve got to be single-minded. Focussed. Personal lives can’t get in the way.’ He sighed. ‘Why do you want to fight me so bad, anyway? What do you think it’ll achieve?’

Axel hung his head. ‘I thought that maybe if I beat you, the people who run the Tour would think I was worth a shot and sort things with Apollo for me.’

‘You come up with that one on your own?’

‘No. It was Rose’s idea.’

Clay chuckled. ‘Figures. You know, maybe you made the right call after all. You wouldn’t last five minutes out there without that girl’s brain.’

‘That’s the truth,’ Axel agreed.

The pair sat for a while in amicable silence, sipping their drinks. After a couple of minutes spent like that, Clay set his cup down on the coffee table and leaned forward. ‘Alright, son. You have your fight.’

Axel froze. He blinked. His jaw dropped. ‘What? Seriously? But you said I was stupid?’

‘You are. But so am I. Not many people know this, but I was supposed to join the Galactic Tour a year earlier than I did myself. I turned down my first opportunity.’

‘Why?’

‘My Daddy got sick. Mama had already passed a couple of years before, and my sister had a young family of her own, with a deadbeat husband to boot. I, in my infinite wisdom, decided they needed me at home. I couldn’t go prancing off across the galaxy chasing a wild dream. Course, I didn’t tell any of them about my decision until it was too late. When I did, boy, were they mad. My sister shouted and screamed at me. “What business did you have throwing away your future because of me?” she said. And Daddy, he was even worse. “The money you could’ve made on that tour would’ve helped us a lot more than seeing your ugly mug every day.”’

Axel chuckled. ‘They sound just like Rose. What happened?’

‘I was good enough. The Tour came knocking again, and this time I answered. Everyone deserves a second chance, son. Maybe I can be yours.’