Working it Out

Posted on Thu Jul 15th, 2021 @ 10:28am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Dean House

Mission: Gamma Quadrant
Location: Holodeck 2

In the aftermath of the Command scenario, Captain Kaylen felt the need to physically work through some of the emotional trauma. The scenario had reopened some tenuously closed mental scars and her body could barely contain the emotions. Experience had taught her a good workout was the best way to release the energy - sparring, running, throwing inanimate objects - it didn't matter, just the sheer physicality of it was the most important. Thus she found her way to Holodeck 2, loading one of the standard sparring programs and standing in the archway.

The grid dissolved into a green leafy forest, a non-descript robed challenger stood frozen in a glade, a long timber staff in his hands. Rhenora had set the difficulty fairly low to start off with, the computer would increase it as the program progressed.

Since they had some time off at the moment. Also the up coming recertifications, Dean decided he might as well get in a work out. Or something to do. Heading down to the Holodecks. At the time he got to them all were in use except for Holodeck 2. It hadn't been started yet, so he walked in. Being the Captain didn't lock it.

Just as soon as the doors closed behind him he spotted Rhenora and then the scene changed to the forest. Giving a little grunt. "I apologize, Ma'am. It said that it wasn't in use."

"Don't apologize Mr. House, if I wanted absolute privacy I would have locked the door. I was just about to run a standard sparring program. Care to join me? Might be the only chance you get to kick my ass" She quipped, giving him a look that spoke volumes. As quick and light as she was Dean would definitely defeat her easily in a fight - if he dared.

This was off the books, they weren't on duty. He had nothing to worry about as long as neither of them got that severely hurt. Or..theoretically nothing to worry about. Giving a nod he moved over towards her. "Only chance is it? We could drop the formalities as well if you like, Captain."

If they did go ahead, then she could set the terms. Dean had no problem holding back and making it fair. He'd gotten used to doing that. Besides, he was not perfect and anyone could potentially get a leg up on him. It would just depend on how they did it. There was this one woman in the Academy, four foot nothing. She kicked his ass every single time and he wasn't pulling punches. She still holds the 'record' against him.

"Very well, Dean, no formalities" She smiled, pondering over the choice of weapons available to them. She pulled up her weapon of choice, a long timber staff, slightly taller than herself and inscribed with bajoran filigree.

" Choose your weapon" she said simply, allowing him some time to make the decision.

"Interesting choice." Dean gave a little thought to it a moment. It was just a spar after all. Not calling for the same exact one she had. "Two Tanbo's." Two much shorter ones appeared for him. One for each hand. About two and a half feet in length. Gripping them at the bottom.

"Interesting choice" She echoed his words, taking a defensive stance and praying the grass beneath would be soft - she had a feeling she was going to be face first into it more than a few times.

She moved first, a fluid but somewhat predictable series of movement designed to take an opponent off guard and work inside their defenses.

She would be right, that was entirely to predictable. Stepping back her and there. Using each Tanbo in tantum to block them. Or just shifting his weight and angle to the side for her to miss. Here and there popping one of her hands on the top of her knuckles. Dean tilted his head a little, "You knew that wasn't going to work."

"Yeah well call it a warm up.. or a reminder.. or something." The Captain retorted, flexing her fingers and grasping the staff again, her lack of training sorely telling. This was going to be a lesson in humility, but a good workout none the less.

She lightened her stance, significantly shorter than Dean but no less fast. Weapon at the ready she went on the offensive, trying to deflect his strikes and score a hit.

"I could." That thought paused a moment, so he could deflect her own strikes. He wasn't really going at her at the moment. Just watching. Dean, didn't let her get a hit in however, if she didn't earn it. That would just piss her off. Popping the other hand just enough that it would sting. "Are you watching my hands or my shoulders? My feet or my hips?"

"I'm watching your weapon. Should be watching your feet shouldn't I" She shook the stinging out of her fingers to regain her grip. "Damn it's been too long in between drinks"

He shook his head a bit. "Here." Setting the Tanbos down. Holding his hand out for the staff.

She relinquished the weapon, resisting the urge to elbow him in the ribs as she did so.

Dean was already watching for her to try something. Feeling the balance of it. That was really good. "I'm not going to actually hit you. I want you to watch then tell me what you were looking at." Shifting his weight. Turning slightly at the waist, and his shoulders moved before his arms actually moved.

" Feet first... hips, shoulders" She moved instinctively out of the way, watching as his body moved to follow her. She felt like a teenager again, with her resistance cell leader teaching her how to fight by dropping her on her ass repeatedly.

Which is exactly what just happened. Shifting quickly since she said feet first. Moving down slightly and with a sweeping motion used the tip of the staff to push her legs out from under her. Giving a glance down and offering his hand. "Hips, shoulders, then feet and arms, and or hands."

Technically Dean didn't hit her either, as he said he wouldn't. "Also, don't follow the eyes. Just because they look at one spot or angle they might go for, doesn't mean that's where the attack is going to come from. I can be looking over at a bird and still hit you."

" How the heck do you watch ALL of those things at once?" She couldn't help but squeak as they continued to practice. Step, watch, move, step, watch, move.

"It doesn't take being an Augment to be able to do that. Practice, learning. Rinse and repeat." Tossing the staff back to her. "I could tell you about someone in the Academy that I still have never beaten. Even trying."

"There's someone who can beat you? Augment and all?" She grabbed the staff out of the air, spinning it a few times to reacquaint herself with the wait. "Do tell, I may need to get some pointers"

"We were, like I said in the Academy. Her name was Lilith. I kept trying, it just wasn't working. Four foot nothing."

"Ouch - that must have hurt, metaphorically speaking of course" The Captain continued to watch Dean's body movements , beginning to parry simple strikes with her staff as they moved.

"Perhaps the ego a bit." Shifting here and there now to start to try to throw her off. Also not pulling hits as much either. She'd not learn if he kept carrying her and her not feeling the hits.

The dance progressed faster and became more fluid, step watch move watch step watch move. There was no beginning and no end to each movement, each continuing on from another like flowing liquid. She still wasn't anywhere close to landing a strike, but for the time being she wasn't ending up on the grass either.

Until he glanced the wrong way. he wasn't infallible. Rhenora caught him good on the jaw from a slip. Though he wasn't going to let her get away with it. She was learning, she'd still take more time. Perhaps, more sessions, in different ways. Either way.

Dean dropped to a knee and hit hers in the back from the left. Shoving off from the leg and rolling behind her same side there. Swinging with the right Tanbo to the other back of the knee. Shifting yet again to push up while she was down. Tossing both of them. Grabbing her staff to pull it up against her throat. Shoving so he landed on his back and her against his chest. Not pulling hard enough on her throat to do damage, just pressure for the point.

She landed with a soft grunt freezing until the pressure was released, "I know it was going too well" she admitted, waiting until Dean moved before she rose.

"Well, I couldn't keep carrying you the whole time after all. So you, I know, you what it feels like, not being carried. That's why," Moving to stand up. "I pulled that last bit."

"Well I appreciate you going easy, I'm well and truely out of practice. Commander Savar ran me through some refresher training but that was six months ago" she admitted, hoisting herself to her feet and squaring off against Dean.

"It never hurts to refresh, particularly if one doesn't get much in the way of practical practice." Giving a light smile to her.

"I always need more practice, I'm slowing down in my old age" She admitted as the dance started again, slowly at first then moving fast as she started to counter and anticipate the movement.

"We can take a couple minutes for some water if you like first." Said while he moved and threw some punches out at her lightly. More training punches than anything.

She dodged, ducked and attempted to deflect the incoming blows, not designed to hurt but more to hunt. Her breathing was up, as was her heart rate which was the main purpose of the exercise - to work out some energy. "Nope, no breaks...must keep working" She puffed.

That obviously was a no. Okay. Changing it up a bit here and there with different styles thrown in, than he'd been using. Keeping an eye on what one she's using now.

The Captain moved again, trying to refine the new skills and get inside Dean's defences. Move watch, deflect strike, move, watch, deflect strike.

What probably, or..for all he knew it might not, is going to throw her a for a loop is once he started using his legs in the mix. It would be a complete change up and not just kicks, then only punches. It would be a total back and forth at random.

She struggled with the added complexity but tried her best, her mind working to keep up with the additional movements and possibilities. She deflected one of the punches only to end up with a kick in the stomach. "Man I am out of practice" She grunted, righting herself again.

Dean gave a pause a moment, "You don't generally use your legs but for moving in a fight do you, Rhenora?"

" I've always been better fighting with my hands" She admitted as they took a moment to breathe "Short legs meant a short reach all round"

"Lilith was shorter than you and was able to. Though she was lithy and also took in part of the acrobatics of some of the Martial Art forms as well."

" We fought mainly with energy weapons of varying degrees, some hand weapons" Rhenora recalled from her time in the resistance camps "It wasn't pretty but it worked - most of the time. I made it through the combat component of the command course - barely"

Dean gave a nod, "I understand the circumstances," not to say he could understand what they actually went through personally. Not that instance anyway. "You were bound to have had to at points get in to CQC...sorry. Close Quarters Combat, or hand to hand. I've no doubt that was messy compared to the Cardassians."

"Everything was messy, the Admiral who supervised our combat training used to retort 'style, what style!?!' Nonetheless I got through, it's something I never really took the time to improve on" She admitted " And probably should have. I rely on weapons too much"

"I meant more when it came to fighting them actually." Giving a sigh and a groan about the Admiral. "Why was an Admiral supervising combat training? Your instructor should have done that. Because obviously that Admiral didn't know his ass from a hole in the wall." Little snort given at that. "Most people do rely on them to much, even when the situation and strategy require something else."

"Perhaps he'd pissed someone off, the Instructor was present but the session was being overseen for some reason" Rhenora danced under Dean's punch and attempted to strike him in the ribs as she span passed him, regaining her posture on the other side.

Dean watched her, and again, he's not perfect. She got that in fair. It was enough to make a point, but no lasting damage. He could wait to see what she'd do since she technically had an opening for an attack of opportunity on that side. "Perhaps. I still find it odd, which obviously you do as well."

" I didn't think much of it at the time" She admitted, shrugging then resetting her shoulders and attempting something she half remembered from her years at the Academy.

If she waited that long, then she lost her opening. Dean turned to face her again. "Maybe you can run over the things at the time you saw but didn't notice. See what flags may come up."

Kicking herself for the missed opportunity she went on the offensive, well aware that her body was tiring. Her movement was slowing, her movements less fluid as her weight shifted in time as she looked for a opening.

Rhenora wasn't trying to work on leg kicks, which was fine. She and Dean could always work on those later once she got used to getting back into it. Depending on her attacks, he was either blocking with his elbow, deflecting with his hand or forearm, or just blocking with his forearm. Either one.

There was something that might spark her, he was thinking about, to go full force so she could let it out. Not just physically but vent. "How'd that Recertification go, there, Rhenora?" Oh it was goating for sure.

Her expression changed from one of weariness to one of shock. No one apart from Savarll and Remal knew what went down in her scenario, arguably one of the toughest that Command had handed down. It had been brutal in all expects

"Crap, it was crap. People died, it was unwinnable" the words gave her an energy she hadn't expected, a fire in her belly. Her movements grew in their pace and precision, making Dean work just a little bit harder to fend her off. "It was cruel, damn cruel to put someone through that"

"That doesn't sound particularly fun at all. Is that not something that not only," Dean paused a moment when she amped up her game a bit. Which is why he poked the bear to start with. He figured all of theirs were not going to be particularly pleasant. That was the purpose of them wasn't it? "We as officers have to face, but every being in the universe. The no win scenario."

She was working hard, in both body and mind. "I understand why they called the recerts, I understand the logic behind it, but putting everyone through hell isn't helping anyone put the war behind them." Her words came in time with her breath as she moved, constantly reading and adjusting to Dean's body language and stance.

So was he. Which was more natural for him, but she was catching on more and more. She'd just have to remember to keep doing it or go back to where she was.

"Sometimes, at least in my opinion, people don't need to forget. They get to comfortable, they make mistakes. However, they do actually need to be able to put them behind them. Perhaps it's just to soon. Evidently, brass doesn't think so." Dean gave a shove off and vaulted over her, landing and just ever so slightly pushing a front kick to the middle of her back.

Rhenora stumbled, ending up on her knees on the soft grass - her breathing coming in great gulps " It isn't right and it's not fair!" The words were out before she could stop them.

Maybe, that vault was slightly, showing off? There was more of an intention for it. It broke her concentration, and now getting out, what it appears is what she needed the whole time. Or both things, punch something and that. Dropping his hands, "Why isn't it fair?"

She sighed, a great heaving gulp of air that expressed more in the exhale than any words to. "Sometimes it feels that Command are only concerned about the numbers. We are people, not a number on a grid with acceptable second number next to it. My people are hurting, we've been through so much"

"Sounds particularly familiar in a manner. Not that I'm going to compare my blight to yours. They aren't the same thing exactly." Sitting down next to her, crossing his legs. "Oppression comes in many forms, but you know that. Yes, sometimes, people forget that until it hits them close to home."

She looked at him, sweat glistening on her brow as her body recovered from the workout "It does indeed, it's too soon, not that they care." She lamented "On a personal note I'm sorry you had to go through that"

"I'm sorry you did as well. I'm over that part of mine though. Justice prevailed and here I am."

"It still doesn't make it right" Rhenora replied "Not that there's much we can do about it - orders are orders after all" She hoisted herself to her feet and wiped the sweat from her brow with the sleeve of her shirt.

"Orders are orders, only when they compromise our conscience or core values. Then we have to make a choice." Glancing up at her, before he stood up as well.

Recovering from both the emotional and physical ordeal the Captain took a deep breath and centered herself. "Thank you for the workout, and the ear Dean. I appreciate it."

"Any time Rhenora. Any time. As well as if you want to train more, you know where I'm at." Smiling lightly. "You really are welcome, by the way. Sometimes, we don't need Aurora or Remal to talk to, or our significant others." Dean took a breath, "I'm guilty of not talking either."

" Sometimes we just need to fight something until there's nothing left. When I need another lesson I know where to find you" Rhenora smiled before grabbing her towel and water bottle. "Thanks again" she headed for the archway, feeling much more centred than before.