"Probably because it's damn hard," she answered dryly. "You have to throw out everything you know about strikes and recoils and footwork, and concentrate on joint locks and gouges. Even then, whoever gets a hold of a solid surface first is usually the winner."

She bowed, spinning end over end in midair, her hair flopping around her head like seaweed in water. "I was rated Merely Proficient against Humanoids by my combat instructor, who often told me that I was taking up space for someone who'd be actually fighting rather than hiding behind a computer. But it was part of the standard training package, so I took it."