The Divani finally stopped, reluctantly lifting his glowing eyes to her.
“I was thinking,” Lily said, “it has been well over the thirty chrono-cycles you said you would wait before challenging me.”
Khar said nothing, but Lily noticed the movement of his throat as he swallowed.
“Anyway, obviously we cannot do anything that would damage the suite,” she went on. “But on Earth, men often test their strength by trying to force each other’s arm down onto a table.”
Suspicion rolled off Khar in waves. Lily could practically bottle it. She did not back down.
She tugged him into a sitting position and dragged him over to the small dining table.
“It is called arm wrestling. I have not done it that many times, but it is very simple. Even kids sometimes do it against adults. Look, like this.”
She showed him how to sit, how to place his elbow, then clasped his hand and gently pressed it toward the tabletop.
“That is it. Your elbow stays on the table. Like that.”
When Khar signaled that he understood, Lily deployed her final argument.
“It is an easy way to demonstrate arm strength. I thought maybe it bothered you that our duel never happened, but this way we settle it, and I do not get hurt. What do you say?”
She flashed her most convincing smile, the one experience had taught her was the hardest to resist.
“So. Are you in?”
Khar growled softly.
Lily nearly cheered.
Finally, resolution. No blood. Khar would get his fun. And if letting the big guy beat her at arm wrestling meant less grumbling for the rest of the lockdown, it was a very small price to pay.
“All right then,” she said brightly. “Let’s go.”
She felt his muscles tense and answered with her full strength. No reason to make it too easy for him. She worried briefly that Khar might slam her hand down too hard, but there was a small medical kit in the bathroom. Nothing serious could happen.
But contrary to her expectations, Khar’s hand slowly began to move downward.
When it neared the tabletop, he stopped.
Lily thought of all those movies where two men arm wrestled, one nearly lost, and then turned the fight around at the last second. Khar was clearly doing the same thing, just playing with her.
She smiled. So he did have a sense of humor.
Encouraged, she pushed harder, her hand trembling.
The dramatic reversal never came.
Khar’s hand touched the table.
Lily flared in indignation.
“Khar, seriously. You should not have let me win. It is sweet, I appreciate it, but that was not the point.”
Khar did not answer.
He only stared at his hand long after Lily released it.
For the next chrono-cycle and a half, they spoke very little.
