Naomi came into view. She had been standing behind the headboard. Her
throat was a mess despite the basic telesurgery, but her expression was
friendly.
"Look, Vera, I'm willing to admit I would have lost. You outfought me.
But luck was on my side and I won."
"You're right there, sister," I sighed, mustering a smile. I noticed
also that they'd fixed her eye--considerably improving her appearance.
"Well, since neither of us was in a position to finish the other one
off, it's still a complicated proposition. I mean, about the title,"
Naomi clarified.
I again managed to sit up and felt the strength begin returning to
my limbs. If you aren't stone dead, modern medicine can heal almost
anything nowadays in a matter of hours, which I find reassuring. "What
do you propose, another duel?"
"That doesn't make much sense," said Jeanette. "Why fight among
ourselves when there are so many of those stupid boys buzzing around?"
"Yes, what I was going to suggest," Naomi said eagerly, "is that we
sort of share the leadership until one or the other of us gets killed
in battle."
I thought for a moment and then clenched my fist, and we knocked
knuckles grinning at each other.