Glass and Fire - Wind Down

Posted on Fri Oct 10th, 2025 @ 3:11pm by Commander Rosa Coy

771 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Character Development
Location: USS Sunfire Gym

The last of the holographic opponents dissolved into pale motes of light, leaving Rosa standing in the center of the training mat. Her chest rose and fell in tight, clipped breaths. Sweat ran in rivulets down her neck, darkening the collar of her black tank. Her knuckles throbbed, skin red and raw even through the protective wraps. The silence after combat was almost deafening — the crowd that had gathered drifted away in twos and threes, murmuring about her speed, her ferocity, her refusal to quit.

But not all of them left.

Sira lingered at the edge of the mat, one hand clasped at her wrist like a schoolgirl caught between curiosity and fear of reprimand. Her Bajoran earring caught the dim gym lights, gleaming like a quiet question mark. Rosa bent to grab her water bottle, rolling her shoulders as if she hadn’t noticed.

She’s watching you. She likes what she sees. You feel it too, don’t you?

Rosa took a long drink, swishing water around her mouth before spitting it into the bin. Her jaw flexed. “Out with it, Cadet,” she said, her voice sharp but not unkind.

Sira startled slightly, then stepped closer. “I— I just wanted to ask… are you all right, Commander? That was… intense.”

Rosa toweled her face, avoiding the girl’s wide-eyed concern. “Training is meant to be intense. Otherwise it’s a waste of time.”

Training? Coy’s voice oozed into the silence. That wasn’t training. That was punishment. You wanted pain, and you wanted her to see it. You wanted her to imagine touching you instead of hitting you.

Her fingers tightened on the towel. She forced herself to meet Sira’s eyes. The cadet didn’t look away — brave, that one — but Rosa saw the faint crease of worry between her brows.

“Intensity is good,” Sira said softly. “But it looked like you were trying to break yourself. Like you wanted them to keep coming until—” She stopped, biting her lip.

“Until I couldn’t get up?” Rosa finished for her, a humorless smile tugging at her mouth. “You think your commander is reckless, Cadet?”

“No, ma’am,” Sira said quickly. Then, quieter: “I think my commander carries more weight than she lets on.”

Smart girl, Coy whispered. She sees the cracks. Imagine what else she might see, if you let her closer.

Rosa set the towel aside, lowering herself onto the bench with the deliberate grace of someone still in command of her body, even if her spirit felt raw. She gestured for Sira to sit. The cadet hesitated, then perched beside her, back stiff.

“Let me tell you something about fighting, Sira,” Rosa said, her tone shifting into the cadence of instruction, of mentorship. “It isn’t about strength. It isn’t about rage. It’s about knowing the exact point where to stop. Where to hold back just enough so you don’t destroy yourself along with your opponent.” She flexed her sore hands. “Discipline. That’s what separates a Starfleet officer from a brawler.”

Sira’s expression softened, thoughtful now. “So today was… discipline?”

“Today was a reminder,” Rosa admitted, surprising herself with the honesty. “Even I need them sometimes.”

Liar, Coy hissed. Tell her the truth — that you wanted her eyes on you, her heartbeat quickening while she wondered what it would be like to touch that sweat, taste that fire.

Rosa’s stomach clenched, but she ignored him. Instead, she looked straight at Sira, letting her voice take on a steel edge. “Learn this, Cadet: your body will fail. Your emotions will fail. The only thing that keeps you standing is the discipline you carve into your bones. You understand?”

“Yes, Commander,” Sira said, her voice steady, though her gaze lingered a second too long.

She’d follow you anywhere. You feel it too. How long before you break your precious rules?

Rosa stood, cutting off the thought. “Good. Now hit the showers. You’ll need to be sharp tomorrow.”

Sira rose, nodded, and departed — but not without glancing back once, as if to confirm Rosa hadn’t crumbled in her wake.

Rosa waited until the doors closed, then let out a long, shuddering breath. She pressed the heel of her hand into her abdomen where Coy coiled like a shadow. “Not. One. Word,” she muttered.

Oh, Rosa… Coy’s laughter was a blade dragged slow across the heart. I don’t have to say a thing. You already feel it.

TBC

 

RSS Feed