Quarterfinals

"Good Morning, Nexus!" Heluna's cheerful voice resonated through the newsroom as she and Keten settled in at the desk of the Nexus Network sports studio.

"Today marks the start of the Quarterfinals as we narrow down to the final eight contenders in the inaugural Nexus Exhibition!" Keten announced with enthusiasm.

"And now, let's meet our Top Eight for the Quarterfinals!" Heluna exclaimed as the profiles of the eight remaining competitors illuminated the screen:

Name: Zide'Mok, Race: Jem'Hadar, Faction: Dominion, Weapon: Kar'Takin, Style: Jem'Hadar Martial Arts

Name: Veirik, Race: Illyrian, Faction: Illyrian Republic, Weapon: Zweihander, Style: Two-Handed Sword Skills

Name: Sukar, Race: Kelpien, Faction: Starfleet, Weapon: Kelpien Scythe/ Ganglia Spines, Style: Kelpien Hunting

Name: Eroga, Daughter of Drex, Race: Klingon, Faction: Klingon Empire, Weapon: Dual D'k Tahg, Style: Klingon Dagger Style

Name: P'valk, Race: Vulcan, Faction: Starfleet, Weapon: Lirpa, Style: Vulcan Martial Arts

Name: Anzyl Praxas, Race: Trill

Faction: Starfleet, Weapon: Jian Longsword, Style: Xingyi Jian Swordplay

Name: Neil O'Reilly, Race: Human, Faction: Starfleet, Weapon: Baseball Bat & Brass Knuckles, Style: Street Fighting & Baseball

Name: Eloth Ch'Telon, Race: Andorian

Faction: Starfleet, Weapon: Ushaan-Tor, Style: Andorian Martial Arts

"And now, let's dive into today's matchups, kicking off with…" Keten's fingers danced with excitement on the table, anticipation evident in his voice.

The eight profile images shimmered and swirled like a digital dance until two of them settled side by side, each emblazoned with a vibrant red "VERSUS" in-between.

—

The morning sun cast a radiant glow on the sandstone streets of Hathon, Bajor's capital city. Bajoran flags fluttered in the breeze, adding vibrant splashes of color to the serene village square, where the air crackled with anticipation, punctuated by the echoing sounds of a hunt in progress.

Sukar, the formidable Kelpien contender, moved with purpose, his scythe poised at his side as he stalked his prey. Two golden coins hovered above his head, a visual cue of his status in the game, while the scent of fear wafted through the air, signaling the presence of his target.

Meanwhile, Eloth, the skilled Andorian fighter, held his breath in an attempt to conceal his location. Hiding beneath a table in the square, his blue antennae severed and his health bar flashing red, he knew that swift and strategic action was imperative if he hoped to survive this encounter.

Spying the Kelpien's footsteps passing by, Eloth recognized the need for higher ground. Stealthily slipping away from his hiding spot, he swiftly ascended a stack of crates to the rooftops of Hathon. From this vantage point, he prepared his Ushaan-Tor, two serrated hand blades resembling half moons that encased his fists.

With a fierce battle cry, Eloth leaped from the rooftops, aiming to ambush his unsuspecting Kelpien adversary.

However, to his dismay, Sukar, displaying uncanny awareness, intercepted the attack with a swift swing of his scythe. Clasping the Andorian in mid-air and the force of the blow sent Eloth crashing down onto the unforgiving sandstone pavement below.

"K.O.!" thundered the authoritative voice of the computer announcer. "Sukar Wins!!"

In the wake of his victory, Sukar roared with triumphant laughter, taunting his defeated opponent. "I could smell your fear from miles away!" he proclaimed, his victory securing his place in the Semifinals.

—

Lights, sounds, and smells of the iconic Promenade within the space station Deep Space 9 reverberated through the ring-shaped shopping plaza. Waving flags of various galactic baseball team banners adorned the oval windows overlooking the Wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, providing a dynamic backdrop to the unfolding battle.

Zide'Mok, well-acquainted with the layout of the Promenade, wielded his Kar'takin lance with precision and grace. Meanwhile, Eroga, bumping and banging into various kiosks and pillars supporting the upper floor, experienced the legendary deep space station for the first time.

Zide'Mok's familiarity with the battlefield was evident, as indicated by the two gold coins above his head, symbolizing his frequent visits during his early years.

Eroga, a formidable warrior worthy of her place among the other combatants in the Quarterfinals, found herself plainly outmatched by Zide'Mok. Despite her agility and speed, she struggled against his superior reach and skill with the lance. With every slash, she met only empty air while Zide'Mok deftly jabbed and pierced through her defenses.

Attempting to evade a swing of the halberd's tip, Eroga leapt backward, only to collide with a kiosk map of the Promenade. Seizing the opportunity, Zide'Mok thrust his lance forward with all his might, impaling the Klingon warrior woman squarely in the chest and pinning her to the kiosk map.

"PERFECT!!!" Declared the voice of the computer announcer, "Zide'Mok Wins!!"

"Victory is Life!" Zide'Mok roared in triumph, leaving his lance embedded in the kiosk map as the holographic Eroga dematerialized, securing his place in the Semifinals.

—

Snow gently drifted down onto a picturesque village square, resembling something out of a whimsical candyland fairytale. At its heart lay an ice skating rink surrounded by a winter wonderland, where gingerbread candy houses and buildings adorned with royal icing and a plethora of candy decorations stood amidst a sprawl of festive décor. Green Orion, blue Andorian, and brown Vulcan gingerbread figures cheered and skated merrily around the icy expanse, bringing the scene to life. Crafted from stories and depictions inspired by a particular Q's fascination with winter holidays across the galaxy, "Q's Winter Wonderland" had become a dream come true for both young children and the young at heart.

However, on this day, chaos reigned supreme upon the ice.

Two warriors, wielding formidable weapons, clashed amidst the festive setting. Veirik, wielding his two-handed Zweihander sword with precision, faced off against his Vulcan adversary, P'valk, who brandished a Lirpa—a formidable Vulcan weapon featuring a half-circle blade on one end and a rounded club on the other.

Despite their skillful strikes, both combatants struggled to maintain their footing on the slick surface of the ice rink. The sheer momentum of their swings combined with the slippery conditions posed a challenge, causing them to slip and slide with each movement.

For Veirik, a seasoned warrior with experience on countless worlds and in numerous special ops missions, navigating an ice skating rink populated by gingerbread figures shaped like Andorians was an entirely new challenge. As he swung at P'valk, he found himself inadvertently striking gingerbread bystanders who passed by, dematerializing upon impact but halting the force of his blows nonetheless.

The chaotic and unpredictable nature of the battle rendered the Vulcan's strategic planning and logic ineffective.

With both warriors tied at two gold coins each, the end of this slippery struggle loomed tantalizingly close yet remained just out of reach.

Fed up with the icy battleground, Veirik slammed his massive blade into the ice, shattering it and revealing the stonework below. As he kicked away the ice shards to make space for himself, he stood firm, ready for the clash. With about 3 meters (9') between them, Veirik gripped his blade tightly while P'valk struggled to find stable footing on the slippery surface, dodging the twirling gingerbread ice skaters buzzing around the rink.

In his peripheral vision, Veirik spotted a spinning Vulcan gingerbread man approaching from behind—a peculiar sight indeed. An unexpected idea crossed his mind. With one swift motion, he reached out and grabbed the 1-meter-tall gingerbread figure, effortlessly hoisting it with one hand. Weighing barely more than 15 kilograms (33#), the gingerbread man soared through the air, colliding with P'valk's chest and sending them both tumbling to the icy ground, accompanied by the crack of thunder.

Veirik stood ready for his next move, his blade erupting into fiery flames, melting the ice beneath his feet as he took a decisive step forward.

Meanwhile, P'valk regained his composure, shoving the gingerbread man aside. As he surveyed the icy crater before him, confusion crossed his logical face. "Where had his opponent gone?" His question was soon answered as he looked up to see Veirik soaring through the air, his blazing sword held high. With a resigned expression, P'valk braced himself for the inevitable impact as Veirik's colossal blade crashed down upon him in a cacophony of fire and ice.

"K.O.!" bellowed the husky voice of the computer announcer, "Veirik Wins!!"

With a chuckle, Veirik stabbed his sword into the ground and folded his arms triumphantly. "Well, that was quite entertaining," he remarked, securing his place in the Semifinals.

—

Keten and Heluna both sat poised in their seats at the news desk, their excitement palpable.

"And now," Heluna declared, her voice brimming with anticipation, "the match everyone has been eagerly awaiting!"

"The final bout of the Quarterfinals, and the battle for the last coveted slot in the top four of the Semifinals," Keten continued, his words charged with energy.

"The showdown between our esteemed Captain Anzyl Praxas and our gallant First Officer Neil O'Reilly!" Heluna exclaimed, her enthusiasm evident as she leaned forward in her seat.

"These two couldn't be more different, both in and out of the ring," Keten nearly shouted, his excitement matching Heluna's.

"Our pastry-loving, charismatic, and outgoing Captain with his style of poise and finesse," Heluna began, setting the stage.

"Versus the principled resoluteness of the First Officer's brute strength and power," Keten finished, emphasizing the contrasting styles.

"The Temple Ruins of Risa have been selected as the next arena," Heluna announced.

"So let the match of the ages begin!" Keten declared, their voices harmonizing in excitement.

—

Work all over the ship ceased, as every person aboard either sat down or fixed their eyes on their monitors and screens. A palpable silence enveloped the ship, thick with anticipation, as the top two leaders of the massive vessel stepped into their respective empty holodecks.