The First Rule... (Part Two)
Posted on Tue Oct 3rd, 2023 @ 1:49am by Lieutenant JG Ghemora & Lieutenant JG S’Ers-a Kelek t’LyrZor, Maa t'Lyr'Zor
Mission:
Repairs and Retribution
Location: Holosuite 2 - Deck 2
Timeline: Post Kanar Rescue
Previously...
Stepping forward and offering a hand in greeting, which was clearly a product of her Earthly assimilation, "Ghemora," she proclaimed, though it wasn't as if the common moniker was unknown or unused by the majority of the crew. Cardassians were just that way about names. "And you prefer 'Sera', correct?" she asked, though spoke the name as such with the confidence of one that would have been calling the Chief that since their initial meeting.
Continuing to hold her hand out and waiting for the Vulcan's response, the Cardassian wondered if she would return the act of respect, or if this was yet another who concealed dark discriminations for those of her species...
Now...
Sera looked down at the outstretched hand and studied it for a mildly uncomfortable amount of time as she considered…this offer. This would be an uncomfortable exchange given her innate touch telepathy; however, perhaps it was…necessary. Bracing herself, she reached out and gripped the Cardassian’s hand in a version of greetings and respect.
“My name is S’Ers-a.” She pronounced it slowly, “Sah-Ertz-eh.”
“However, Sera is acceptable…Ghemora.”
She withdrew her hand after the minimum timeframe for their physical contact had been satisfied.
“Shall we begin?"
The handshake was incredibly brief, which didn't seem to bother the Cardassian at all. If anything, it seemed Ghemora had been more focused on the Vulcan's reaction to the offer than anything else. If Sera did sense anything from the brief physical contact, it would be the Intel Officer's feeling of curiosity more than anything else.
Blinking and nodding at the pronunciation, she repeated it back, "'S’Ers-a'" in almost perfect replication, but nodded again before commenting, "But, yes, 'Sera' is much more comfortable for an uncivilized tongue," making a dig at herself in an uncharacteristic way for a Cardassian.
Offering the Security Officer a silent nod, Ghemora set her things down and squeezed her wrapped hands as she moved back to the center of the pre-generated training mat. Tilting her head sharply to each side as she took on a proper fighting stance, an odd look of excitement came to the woman's gaze. "Ready when you are, Sera." Despite showing the blemishes of her previous skirmish with the hologram, the Cardassian seemed to have retained her relaxed readiness between rounds.
Sera studied Ghemora's movements, her small touches perhaps a form of pre-sparring ritual meant to align the mind and body to singular purpose. Sera meanwhile slipped into a southpaw stance, with her right foot and arm forward and her body slightly on an angle to make her body a smaller target.
She felt comfortable fighting using either stance really--southpaw vs. orthodox--but as southpaw was used less frequently it was a first step to create discomfort - even before engaging physically.
Sera's right hand snapped out with a jab, merely tagging Ghemora's raised fist. It wasn't meant as anything other than a hello of sorts. Sera then slid her leading foot forward, shortening the distance between the pair and for the moment, forcing the Cardassian woman to change position.
Sera witnessed already that Ghemora could hit; she was now assessing how she would move.
Returning the jab with one of her own to the Vulcan's fist, Ghemora found Sera's choice of opening stance curious but already knew how to handle such. Sliding back a step in response to her opponent's movements, the Cardassian reset before feigning a jab followed by a lunging straight right that wasn't truly intended to land or cause damage, but to bring Sera's guard up.
Using the momentum of her punch, Ghemora spun with it, bringing her left foot around to snap out as she completed the turn, using the aggressively forward motion to drive her heel into below the Vulcan's ribs with a potentially devastating impact. Whether Sera had postulated the Cardassian's tactics already or not, Sera was going to be forced back from the spinning heel kick.
Having switched from an orthodox to a southpaw stance matching the Vulcan's as a result of her attack, Ghemora raised her chin to Sera as she reset to a readied stance to ask, "Are you naturally a 'Southpaw' or have you learned to fight in both stances?" There was a grin on the Cardassian's face as she made it apparent that she knew how to fight in either.
"The latter." Sera replied blandly as she moved fluidly around in response to Ghemora's actions.
"I've not met many Vulcans that stray from their traditional, predictable style. Is this a result of your Starfleet Security Training or a personal pursuit?" the Intel Chief asked as she began to circle away from Sera's seemingly dominant left hand, forcing the Vulcan to react or end up in range of her own power left in the switched stance.
Sera raised a brow. "All forms of martial arts utilize a measure of predictability, Ghemora. It through understanding that there are only so many combinations of attacks that effective counters can be leveled against one's opponent." Sera stepped, switching stance, and forcing a shift in direction of their circling 'dance.'
Sera waited for Ghemora to commit to the strike that she knew was lurking in the fist furthest from her. She was reminded of the proverb drilled into her as a youth during training, "It is when an enemy is moving that they are most vulnerable."
When it did come, lightning fast, and full-powered, Sera stepped into it, bringing her hand up and grasping the woman's wrist, pivoting so that she was all bust standing next to Ghemora, and then locked the joint, twisted the arm and performed a version of kotegaeshi; flipping the woman in a throw and releasing her wrist so she could roll out from the maneuver.
"An Earth form...Aikido." Sera offered as an explanation of the maneuver. "A defensive art, utilizing one's own momentum against one self."
Sera then rushed forward, threw a jab towards Ghemora's face and followed it with a reverse punch to her stomach.
Taking the jab to the face, Sera's odd choice of following punch gave the Cardassian just enough of an opening to push away the strike as she pivoted away from it. While the hologram had been stronger by design and setting, there was just a noticeable difference when it was a real fist landing. Luckily, the ridges around her eyes soaked up most of the force, causing only a small cut to open along at the corner of her right brow.
Ignoring the feeling of the blood starting to trickle down the side of her face, Ghemora smiled at the woman, feigning that she had not been hurt by the attack, which, to a seasoned fighter, would be a clear indication that she'd been impressed by it. "Nice jab, but go for the hook next time. It's faster and cleaner," she informed Sera, giving away some of her own mixed martial arts knowledge for free.
With each having recovered and reset into their new, opposite stances from the ones they had started their sparring session in, it was now Ghemora who took a small step forward to leverage her front foot to just outside Sera's lead foot. Feinting it before throwing out her own jab, the Cardassian used the momentum to swing her hips and bring her foot up to smash into the spot just under the Vulcan's right ribs. While this would normally be a potentially debilitating strike to the liver of a human opponent, Sera's anatomy had Ghemora targeting the Vulcan's heart.
It was a powerful strike, but it was more the location that set off an unexpected chain of events within Sera. For a moment it wasn’t Ghemora’s face she saw…it was his…his expression of satisfaction as he thrust the blade within their chest. Gul Jalock’s voice echoed in her ears, “No doubt you’ll even die logically…”
Suddenly it wasn’t a friendly sparring session anymore…
Sliding back a couple of steps in retreat so as to not leave herself open for a counter strike or quick retaliation, Ghemora kept her hands up and her eyes watching Sera's as the slight lightness of tone in her previous words had all but ceased as she said, "That's the advantage you have as a 'Southpaw' facing an 'Orthodox' fighter; leaves open those powerful back leg kicks."
While she probably should be taking the session more seriously and not actively be trying to help her opponent, especially given the Vulcan's strength advantage, the Cardassian was already picking up on Sera's tendencies and putting them to memory to better react and counter the woman's next attack.
Sera made no response to even indicate she had heard Ghemora's comment and completely changed her fighting stance, moving into far more familiar movements of Suus Mahna. Bringing her hands together, palms facing outward in a diamond shape, Sera struck at the Cardassian enemy’s solar plexus, her movement a blur. The force behind her strike shoved Ghemora back just far enough that she was at the perfect distance to be struck soundly by the front kick that followed. There was no pulling of strength – it generated enough power to knock her sparring partner well out of striking range.
The sudden change in the Vulcan's posture momentarily confused the Cardassian, causing her to guard high and not anticipate the body blow. As her hands drop in reaction, she saw the foot coming but knew there was little she could do about it. Head snapping back with the blow, Ghemora could tell that her nose was broken as she stepped back to create space and collect herself.
Sera took one step forward, her intent on engaging further with the enemy…with…with Ghemora? She blinked furiously as her mind slowly released itself from the flashback. It took all the control she had within her to keep from shaking, as the adrenaline surge began to dissipate.
"You may utilize my remaining holodeck time, if you desire. I will be returning to my quarters." Sera said suddenly, performing a curt bow and stepping off the mat to gather her things.
The sudden halt by the Vulcan confused Ghemora. Dropping her arms limp as the woman turned her back on her, the Cardassian called out, "You submit when you were winning? Is this a Vulcan's way of showing mercy? You don't need to show such weakness for my benefit. We were just getting started?" Reaching up to gently check her nose and wipe the blood from her brow, the Cardassian boasted, "I can do this all day..."
Attempting to ascertain the reason for Sera's sudden halt, the Intel Officer quickly considered the last few moments before stepping forward to ask more humbly than her previous tone, "Are you okay, Sera? I've never seen a Vulcan lose their calm that quickly. Was it something I said?"
Sera turned to answer Ghemora, but she averted her eyes. It was a cultural quirk Vulcans displayed when uncomfortable or emotionally compromised.
"My apologies...my aggression outstripped my control. I considered it prudent to cease." Sera finally responded; her mask of control firmly returned to its place to conceal the turmoil within.
Ghemora identified the quirk almost immediately. She'd pushed Sera to the limits of her Vulcan upbringing and now the Sec Chief was cowering back so as to keep to the beliefs she had been raised with.
Subtly shaking her head, "You've no reason to apologize to me... Just to yourself." Pacing over to gather her things, Ghemora didn't look to the Vulcan as she explained, "Unlike the Klingons that are ruled by their passion and those like you that seek to utterly control it, I've learned to balance the two; to make use of both equally instead of denying one."
Picking up and wiping her brow and nose before tossing the towel over her shoulder, Ghemora swept up the few things she had with her and turned to look at Sera. "If you'd like to work on finding your own balance, perhaps you should invite me to spar again," she suggested, though made it sound more like an offer.
Sera could not blame Ghemora for the conclusions she had drawn from their rather unsatisfactory sparring session. Only, to correct the intelligence officer would involve revealing things best left unsaid. To remain silent skirted towards cowardice, and Sera was not a coward.
"I stopped 'seeing' you, Ghemora, and it was only my control that stayed my hand from inflicting more than a bloody nose. I do not understand what occurred, but I do know that it cannot happen again. You may believe what you wish about me, but it is fortuitous that you have been able to find your balance so easily."
"Hmmm..," Ghemora knowingly hummed as she made her way towards the door to the holosuite, stopping short of exiting as she came to stand in front of Sera and turned her head to look at the Vulcan.
"Don't feel guilty about it. I've gotten used to others forgetting who I am and only seeing the former enemy I resemble. It was not easy path for me to find balance," she informed before turning to square her body to that of the Sec Chief's.
"As long as you don't come to terms and accept what you feel in here," the Cardassian said pointing a finger towards the Vulcan's chest, "it, and you, will always be in conflict with what is in here," she said moving her finger to the woman's forehead.
Dropping her hand and turning back towards the exit, "Consider my offer, Sera. I only wish to help you find such balance, but, if not, have a productive day," Ghemora stated plainly before exiting the holosuite and turning down the corridor to disappear into the ship...
Lieutenant JG S’Ers-a Kelek t’LyrZor, Maa t'Lyr'Zor
Chief Security Officer, USS Sunfire
Lieutenant JG Zara Ghemora
Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Sinfire
