Humanity's contribution to Interstellar Entertainment.

Vryllix, the sleekly scaled Nivallian, reclined in her private quarters aboard her freighter, Ecliptus Sun. The Interstellar Council channels offered a kaleidoscope of entertainment options: live broadcasts of Drexian sky races, Kethari poetry readings, and the ever-popular Andorian crystal symphonies. With a sigh, she flicked through the channels, seeking something that could hold her attention during the monotony of hyperspace travel.

A sudden burst of vivid color and a low, guttural roar filled the screen. The channel identifier read, "Travis Combat Sports Network", and in smaller text below: "Bioengineered Monster Duels – Live."

Her fronds twitched with interest as the broadcast began. Two humans were standing on opposite sides of a vast, heavily lit arena. One, a towering man with broad shoulders, sported a confident grin. The other, a smaller woman with piercing eyes, looked equally unfazed.

Their pre-fight exchanges were like nothing Vryllix had seen before. The man spoke first, his voice carrying a feral growl.

"I'll tear through your pathetic hide with claws sharper than the winds of Callistos IX," he boasted, flexing imaginary talons.

The woman snarled in return. "You’ll never touch me with your slow, scaled tail dragging behind you. My fangs will find your throat before you even strike."

Vryllix leaned forward, her scales rippling with confusion. Neither human appeared to possess claws, tails, or fangs. At first, she thought it was a metaphorical display—a flair for dramatics common among humans. But then, they walked to opposite ends of the colossal arena, each climbing into a sleek, high-backed chair suspended above a glowing pod.

With synchronized movements, they donned neural interface helmets. The crowd hushed, and the pods hissed open, releasing two massive creatures.

The man’s monster was a hulking beast covered in jagged blue scales, its four muscular arms ending in razor-sharp claws. Its eyes burned with an amber glow. The woman’s creation was sleeker, its elongated frame coiled with sinewy strength. Dark, feather-like scales shimmered under the arena lights, and its tail flicked like a whip.

Vryllix gasped as the humans’ eyes snapped shut, their bodies going still. The creatures in the arena came alive, snarling and circling each other. The realization struck her like a comet collision: They’re controlling them.

Through some madness of human ingenuity, the fighters were inhabiting these monstrous forms, their consciousness slipping seamlessly into bioengineered bodies. The creatures moved with the fluidity and instinct of beasts but exhibited strategies and cunning unmistakably human.

The fight began. The blue-scaled juggernaut charged, its claws carving deep furrows into the arena floor. The feathered serpent darted away, its movements impossibly quick. It counterattacked, its tail lashing out and wrapping around the juggernaut’s leg, pulling it off balance.

The crowd erupted into cheers and shouts as the battle raged. Every strike, every feint, every roar was a blend of raw animal power and human intelligence.

Vryllix couldn’t look away. This wasn’t mindless violence. it was artistry, a dance of skill and strategy. She noted how the creatures seemed to push the limits of their forms, their movements reflecting the personalities and tactics of their human pilots.

Eventually, the serpent pinned the juggernaut, its fangs poised over its throat. The woman’s voice, amplified throughout the arena, spoke in a low growl.

“Yield, or I end this.”

The man’s voice came from the juggernaut, strained but steady. “I yield.”

The serpent released its hold, and the creatures stepped back. The crowd roared as the humans removed their helmets, smiling and shaking hands. Meanwhile, the monsters returned to their pods, where the suspension fields enveloped them, starting the process of healing.

The broadcast shifted to a commentator who began analyzing the fight, but Vryllix barely heard them. Her mind was alight with curiosity and excitement. Humanity had turned their bioengineering prowess into something more than science, it was entertainment, art, and raw expression of their boundless creativity and boldness.

As the next match began, Vryllix leaned closer to the screen. She was hooked.

Her journey across the stars would have to wait. She needed to know more about these battle happening on Travis.