The Hunter on Arena by Rose Estes

being done. The
     stakes were far larger than the cost of their lives.
    To look at them was like looking into a multifaceted glass that reflected multiple images of the same object. They were identical
     in all but the most minor of details. All were tall, men and women alike standing a hand’s width over six feet, slender and
     willowy of build, with broad shoulders and narrow hips and waists. Their eyes were a bright, clear shade of cerulean blue,
     their cheekbones high, prominent, and slanted upward. Their hair was such a light shade of silvery blond as to nearly disappear
     in strong light. And while their eyes spoke of great intellect, their bodies spoke eloquently in their fragile delicacy of
     generation after generation of line breeding.
    “Are you sure there can be no doubt?” a woman murmured, her long fingers twisting nervously in her lap. “After all, there
     are so many different permutationsamong them, perhaps he just looks… an accident, you know….”
    “No, Lomi, there is no mistake, no accident. He is one of us,” Erte said gently.
    “But how could he have survived in such a place after all these years?” asked another woman.
    “More importantly, how could they have dared to bring him back?” stammered a third. “Can they be so reckless, so bold? Do
     they truly believe themselves to be above the law? Surely they realize the risk?”
    “Yes, I think they do consider themselves above the law,” the man said reflectively, pondering the woman’s questions. “They
     certainly do not take us seriously, we have had ample evidence of that. But what do they have at risk? They have escaped detection
     for so long the risk is minimal, and unless we do something to help him, he will surely die. It’s only a matter of time. No
     one can hold out forever in the ring. And once he is dead, they will feed his body to the beasts, and the risk, what little
     there was, will cease to exist.”
    “But what can we do?” asked one of the men as he fidgeted and rearranged the green gemstone on his shoulder which held his
     body cloth secure. “If what you say is true, this one is kin to me, the son of my sister, and I, more than any of you, have
     to try to save him. But we are so few; even if we were to attempt such a thing, how could we do it?
    “Just think of the danger involved, not only from those of our own kind, but the gamers. How do we know what he has become
     over the years? What if he does notknow who or what he is? Even worse, what if he hates us, blames us for deserting him?”
    “What are you saying, Jorund? Are you saying that we should leave him where he is, let him take his chances in the ring?”
     challenged the first woman, her fingers twined stiffly among themselves.
    “No,” Jorund said heavily. “For the memory of my sister, if for no other reason, we must help him and pray that his heritage
     has sustained him on that barbaric planet. But by the stars, I pray that we are right.”
    “Pray to the stars all you wish, Jorund. Who knows, it may even help,” Erte said dryly. “But I think it will be more useful
     to help us think of a plan that will get the job done.”
    There was an awkward silence as the two men stared at one another, then a woman cleared her throat and spoke. “Look here,
     what about this tunnel here…” The tension broken, there was a sudden babble of voices as the small group gathered around the
     woman and offered up their thoughts for consideration.
    This day was different. They could feel it in the air, a sort of nervous tension that tingled along the skin and bristled
     hair in anticipation. Nothing was said, no sign was given, but everyone could feel it.
    Braldt sipped his hot brew, forcing himself to swallow the steaming liquid. He knew he would need the energy for whatever
     was to come, but it was impossible to eat. The few bites he swallowed lay like lumps of stone in his belly and he knew that
     he would be sick if he forced himself further. He