Semifinals

The following day offered a much-needed respite for the combatants, while the newsroom recapped the thrilling highlights of the Quarterfinal matches.

Neil experienced a sleep unlike any he had in years, resting for almost twenty hours straight. With the weight of a dark secret finally lifted, he found relief in confronting the name and memory of the darkness he had unknowingly suppressed for over two decades. Sleeping through the entire day of recaps, he awoke in the dead of night, the morning prior to the Semifinals.

His famished body craved nourishment, indulging in a hearty breakfast that served as a combined lunch and dinner, befitting an athlete who had gone days without sustenance.

Surveying his room, Neil realized he had a few hours to spare. Opting to limber up and stretch his sore fighter muscles and joints, he prepared himself for the challenges that lay ahead.

—

"Good Morning Nexus!!" Heluna's cheerful and poised demeanor greeted the ship's crew as the morning shift commenced.

"Today marks the beginning of the Semifinals!" Keten announced, sitting next to her at the sports newsroom desk.

"We are now down to the final four competitors of the inaugural 'Nexus Exhibition' Melee tournament," Heluna explained.

And Keten continued, "With only two matches scheduled for today, each of these four competitors have earned their place here, and these bouts are sure to be spectacular!"

"And here are today's match-ups!" Heluna exclaimed.

As four pictures spun around the screen and lined up in pairs.

"Match one features Zide'Mok versus Veirik!" Keten announced. "And that leaves Sukar versus Neil!"

"The match arena will be the Tatami Mats, as all obstacles are to be removed for the Semifinals and Finals, allowing only skill to be the determining factor!" Heluna elucidated.

"But enough of our voices," Keten joked. "Let's head to the Holodecks as our first match is about to begin!"

"It's the chiefs of the red shirts today," Heluna joked, "as Chief Security Officer Zide'Mok takes on Chief Tactical Officer Veirik!"

—

In an endless expanse of pitch-blackness, a solitary spotlight illuminated a tatami mat floor, casting stark shadows as two warriors materialized.

Zide'Mok, First Jem'Hadar and Chief Security Officer of The USS Nexus, stood tall and proud. He spun his polearm expertly and assumed a battle-ready stance. His silver armor, reptilian skin, and horns along his chin gleamed under the light above him.

Veirik, Chief Tactical Officer and Operative of the Illyrian Special Forces, cracked his neck and knuckles, hoisting his massive two-handed sword, a Zweihander. "Ohohoh, I've been waiting for this match for a long time!" he exclaimed, his excitement palpable in the air.

"Round one!" The grizzled announcer's voice reverberated through the endless expanse of the holographic arena. "Fight!!"

The two combatants squared off, their movements fluid and precise. Both were genetically engineered to the pinnacle of physical prowess, each wielding weapons of formidable range and power.

Zide'Mok charged forward with lightning speed, closing the distance between himself and Veirik in a matter of moments. With every step, every strike, the combatants clashed with unparalleled ferocity. Their match was a testament to their skill and training, each refusing to yield an inch.

The battle raged on, a relentless exchange of blows and counterattacks. Victory seemed to teeter on a razor's edge as Zide'Mok claimed one match, only for Veirik to seize the next. The tension mounted with each passing moment, the outcome of the bout hanging in the balance.

—-

"What an intense and evenly matched showdown!" Keten declared over the network. "Now, onto the fifth round. Both Zide'Mok and Veirik have secured two victories each. Let's commence round five and witness who will advance to the Finals!"

—

"Round Five!" The grizzled announcer's voice declared. "Fight!!"

Veirik lunged forward, swinging his sword in a low sweep, aiming to catch Zide'Mok off guard. But Zide'Mok was quick to react, countering with a swift maneuver of his lance. The weapon arced along the ground in a wide sweep, knocking Veirik off balance and sending him crashing to the ground.

Using his lance as a pole vault, Zide'Mok propelled himself into the air, his muscles straining with effort. With a powerful swing, he brought the lance down towards Veirik, aiming for a decisive blow. But Veirik wasn't ready to concede defeat just yet.

Summoning all his strength, he swung his sword upwards, meeting Zide'Mok's attack head-on. The clash of weapons reverberated through the holographic arena, echoing the intensity of their struggle.

As the dust settled, both combatants found themselves on their feet, their health bars dwindling. Exhausted and panting, they stood locked in a fierce standoff, neither willing to back down.

Summoning the last reserves of their strength, Zide'Mok and Veirik launched into one final assault. Their weapons arced through the air, the tension mounting with each passing moment. Onboard the USS Nexus, every viewer held their breath, their anticipation reaching a fever pitch.

"DOUBLE K.O!" The computer announcer's voice boomed, breaking the silence. The holographic combatants stood frozen in time, their weapons embedded in each other's heads. With a final declaration of "DRAW!!", they both dematerialized, bringing an end to their epic battle. 

—

"WHAT?!" Keten exclaimed, his voice echoing in the room, "The odds of a draw happening on the final match of a round are in the millions to one!"

"I can't believe it!" Heluna joined in, her disbelief evident, "Do you even know what happens in a draw on the final round?" She asked genuinely, the situation unprecedented in the competition's short history.

However, it appeared that the computer, or perhaps Tey'un, had already prepared for this extremely rare occurrence.

"I think we have our solution," Keten announced, "A 'Sudden Death' match is next. With only 5 seconds on the clock, each combatant has only one Health point. Whoever lands a single hit wins!"

—

Both fighters rematerialized in their starting positions, their holographic avatars now marked with a white skull icon, their health bars depleted to a single sliver of 1 health point.

"Tie breaker - Sudden Death!" boomed the computer announcer.

Zide'Mok scowled, tightening his grip on his spear, poised to throw it like a javelin. Veirik, on the other hand, coughed and gagged, struggling with something lodged in his throat.

"Fight!" commanded the computer.

Zide'Mok prepared to launched his spear with the precision of an Olympic athlete, ready to strike. But before it could leave his hand...

"P'tooey!" Veirik spat out a glob of phlegm, the disgusting projectile hitting Zide'Mok square in the chest, dealing a single digit in damage, but a final blow nonetheless. It was an unconventional tactic, a distraction born of desperation, but in the sudden death match, it proved to be effective.

"K.O.!" announced the computer triumphantly. "Veirik wins!"

Veirik erupted into laughter, ecstatic that his unorthodox maneuver had secured him victory. He dropped to his knees in disbelief and elation.

Meanwhile, Zide'Mok stood there, grimacing in disbelief at his defeat to a mere wad of phlegm. Dematerializing, he left the holodeck feeling demoralized and defeated.

—

"What a win!" Keten shouted.

"I can't believe that actually worked!!" Heluna exclaimed in disbelief alongside him, both still in shock at what had just transpired before their eyes. As replay images of the loogie landing on Zide'Mok's chest played out, the tiny blob of phlegm became the unexpected twist that secured Veirik's spot in the Finals.

—

Later that afternoon, after a brief lunch break, Keten and Heluna resumed the newscast, gearing up for the final bout of the day.

"And now, we move on to the second half of the Semifinals," Heluna announced.

"Our First Officer Neil O'Reilly faces off against the Xeno-biologist Sukar," Keten added.

"Street brawling meets baseball, taking on primal hunting instincts," Heluna elaborated. "What a matchup we have here!"

"Let's head down to the Tatami Mats and witness the excitement unfold!" Keten declared enthusiastically.

—

Back in the endless expanse of the holographic simulation room, Neil materialized on the Tatami mat floors. He was adorned in spiked biker boots, cargo pants, and an Irish flag t-shirt. In his hands, he gripped spiked brass knuckles and his metal baseball bat, wrapped in menacing barbed wire. His countenance was different, marked by a calm and collected resolve. The familiar chip on his shoulder was notably absent.

On the opposing side, Sukar the Kelpien strode purposefully across the Tatami mats, exuding an aura of determination akin to a hunter on the prowl. His long, flowing Kelpien robes billowed gracefully with each step, illuminated by the spotlights above. In his hands, he wielded a slender, sleek silver scythe, its gleaming surface catching the light. With a predatory air, Sukar sniffed the air and emitted a menacing hiss, akin to that of a lethal predator. His pale pink skin provided a stark contrast to the ominous ganglia spines protruding from around his ear cavities, resembling grotesque claws poised for attack.

"Commander…" Sukar said, sniffing the air like a predator catching the scent of prey, "You smell… Different.. you seem… different…"

Unenthused, Neil replied, "Of course I smell different… I'm a hologram… now…shall We?" He said, getting into his battle stance.

"Round one!" The grizzled announcer's voice rang through the endless dark room. "Fight!!"

Neil stood his ground, observing his opponent. Sukar rushed at him for the kill, like a predator pouncing on his prey.

Neil sidestepped as the flash of the silver scythe whizzed past his head. Using his sidestep motion and momentum, Neil swung his bat down and around, smashing the Kelpien's scythe right out of his long, lithe arms and hands. The bat kept its momentum as Neil spun it down and back around, slugging the baseball into the Kelpien, slamming him into the ground. Using the baseball bat like a golf club, Neil swung his bat with a powerful drive swing, and the Kelpien became his tee.

"PERFECT!!!" The computer announcer declared. Sukar laid on the ground and dematerialized, as a gold coin displayed over Neil's head.

Sukar rematerialized as the two prepared for the next round.

"Round two, Fight!"

Sukar charged at Neil while he tossed a brass knuckle into the air, swinging his bat with full force to propel the knuckle towards the Kelpien's head.

Stunned by the impact, Sukar staggered backward and fell to the ground. Neil seized the opportunity and rushed towards the fallen Kelpien, relentlessly pounding and smashing the ground with his baseball bat.

"PERFECT!" The announcer declared as Sukar dematerialized once again, and a second gold coin materialized over Neil's head.

After rematerializing, Sukar and Neil resumed their stances as the announcer declared, "Round three! Fight!"

Sukar swung his scythe, but Neil ducked swiftly, seizing the hilt of the weapon with one hand. Drawing upon the muscle memory from his days in the boxing gym, Neil delivered a powerful uppercut, sending Sukar soaring into the air.

With determination aflame, Neil gripped his bat tightly, the holodeck filled with the nostalgic sounds of classic organ music reminiscent of old Earth baseball games. The announcer's voice boomed, "Here's the Pitch!"

Summoning all his strength, Neil swung the bat with ferocious intent. The resounding 'CRACK' echoed through the holodeck as the bat connected, launching Sukar into the air before crashing back down onto the tatami mat. Neil dashed forward, sliding like a baseball player into home base, crashing into Sukar.

As both combatants scrambled to their feet, Neil seized the opportunity, using Sukar as a step stool to propel himself upwards, back to his feet behind him. Meanwhile, Sukar's scythe lay several meters away, out of reach.

Desperate, Sukar flared out his ganglia spines, but before he could launch an attack, Neil was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, Neil reappeared behind Sukar, delivering a swift dpuble palm smash into his ears and jamming all ten spines back into Sukar's holographic head.

"PERFECT!!!" The announcer declared, "Neil achieves a perfect victory!!!" With this triumphant win, Neil secured his place in the finals, marking the only Triple-Perfect victory since the top 16 was announced.

He stood there, panting and gasping for air, as the Kelpien and Tatami mat arena dematerialized back into an empty holodeck.

Neil's resolve and determination were stronger than ever, and he vowed never to revert to that cowardice again.