Teach Me, Please

Posted on Fri Jul 30th, 2021 @ 5:08pm by Commander Ryan Blake & Captain Karyn Somers
Edited on on Fri Jul 30th, 2021 @ 5:48pm

Mission: The Thorion Conundrum Mission Brief
Location: Marine Deck
Timeline: Current

[ON]

Ryan stepped off the turbolift onto the Marine Deck to find a guard at the turbolift doors. He gave the guard a nod as he started walking past.

The guard popped to attention. "OFFICER ON DECK!"

The marines in the immediate vicinity not engaged in work all popped to attention as well.

Ryan looked about for a moment before giving a wave of his hand. "As you were." He turned to the guard. "Pardon me, Marine. Could you direct me to Lieutenant Somers?"

The marine guard pointed down the corridor. "Orderly Room sir, second door on the right."

Ryan thanked the guard and followed his directions. He was glad to find Karyn in the Company Orderly Room alone. He extended a hand towards her as he stepped in. "Good afternoon Lieutenant."

Standing up as she saw a senior officer enter the room "Sir!" she said and took the offered hand "Good afternoon sir, to what do I owe this visit?" Somers asked honestly curious.

Ryan shook hands and gestured to the coffee pot. "Do you mind if I grab a cup before going into what brings me here?"

"Sure Sir, help yourself," Karyn said suddenly on guard when a senior officer said such a thing it always put her on guard, she could never figure out if it was her years of combat, or just because she grew up in a family of diplomats.

Ryan got the coffee and with the other hand fiddled subconsciously with the PADD in his hand. "I read your training jacket and found out that you have Master level ratings in multiple forms of unarmed combat styles." He paused for a moment. "I would like you to train me in one or more of those styles if you would consent to give up some of your free time."

She looked at the Commander "the only Melee skills I am advanced enough to give instruction in as Bat'Leth and Mek'Leth combat all other forms I am not high enough to teach. But I trained a lot with my Sister in the art of the quarterstaff, I found it ideal on teaching one when to duck and when to strike, works well with Klingon melee weapons and swords, I have swung a sword but not enough to feel confident in it and like the Bat'Leth and Mek'Leth it is hard to pull ones punches so to speak. No with a quarterstaff you only suffer bruising and a possible broken limb or two, I can take you through the basics of quarterstaff usage, but you would need a holoprogram to train properly. As for the Klingon weapons I am forbidden by Klingon rules to teach their skills to non-Klingon's I know them as I was trained by Klingon warriors, but being an honourary Warrior I do not have the right to teach with those weapons but I can show you the basics of quarterstaff fighting" Karyn said as she sat down.

Ryan double-checked the data on his PADD before looking back at Karyn. "So you don't have advanced hand-to-hand combat training in martial arts?"

Not to the level that I can confidentially teach someone, Sir, especially in hand to hand combat, prior to being posted here, I was a non-com and drillmaster and if I am honest I stopped practising Martial arts a long time ago when I specialized in Sharpshooting and Recon, after doing the basic course I decided to do the Advanced reconnaissance version and passed, and the martial arts kinda went the way of the dinosaur, so if I were to teach you I would end up doing more harm than good Sir, especially where martial arts are concerned" Somers said.

Ryan looked at Karyn as he fiddled with the PADD in his hand. "Maybe formal training isn't what I need. Would you consent to be my sparring partner?"

*Gave him a dazzling smile* "I would be honoured Sir, I can take you through the basics of swords and quarterstaff and outside of sparring, there are holo programs that will do a much better job. I find when on a mission where sentries on the ground need to be silenced is I creep up behind them and give them a Scililian Neck-tie" she said making a slicing motion across her throat from ear to ear "but if they are too tall for me then it is a hand over their mouth and stabs in the back at an up angle, both methods are silent and efficient, but stealth is needed" she said then making a hopeless innocent face "or the bloodless version of just whipping the enemy up the head, dragging them to a little patrolled area and tie and gag them" the innocence was gone from her face, but was quickly back on her face "I assure you I reserve such treatment for the enemy, so when are you looking to do some sparring Sir?" She asked.

Ryan gestured at Karyn. "Whenever. Just have to make sure we don't have a conflict on the watch bill for either of us. I have duty watches in the Strategic Operations Center and Bridge watches I have to stand as the need arises."

"I agree on that Sir, as MXO my duties are not so numerous," she said and tilted her head to the left slightly "have you met the new MCO yet Sir? I do not know what to make of him, he is *looks down a moment and then up to*... Confounding," she said.

Ryan gave a slow nod of his head. "He...is definitely a person you have to get used to. That's for sure."

"He has a nasty habit in he smokes, I did not think anyone smoked in this day and age after it was proven to be extremely harmful, but each to their own I suppose, would you not say Sir?" Somers asked.

Ryan shrugged. He didn't particularly care for the habit either, though he remembered Senior Chief swore there was nothing more relaxing than a good Cuban cigar. "To each their own I say."

"Glad we are in agreement on that Sir, so when would you like a sparring session to be set up? Currently, I do not know the timetable the Captain has for our next mission, but I could do with some exercise," she said with a friendly smile.

"I'm free tomorrow afternoon." Ryan patiently waited for a response.

Pulling out a small old fashioned note Pad and read her list of things to do, she looked up "I can fit you in then Sir, so what weapons will you want to spar with?" Somers asked.

Ryan didn't have to give it much thought. "Quarterstaff, it's one of the easiest weapons to improvise."

She gives the Commander a puzzled look and tilts her head to the right slightly and raises an eyebrow "I can take you through the basics on that but it is an interesting weapon to choose, but there are two serious ways one will kill slowly and painfully the other can paralyze your opponent, granted both need a lot of force, but we can go through that on the day we spar and you are correct it is the easiest weapon to improvise with" Karyn said.

Ryan grew thoughtful for a moment before looking at Karyn with a curious expression. "Do you fence Lieutenant Somers?"

"Not in the traditional sense Sir, yes I can use swords, but using a sword is totally different to fencing, as I understand it there are strict guidelines to fencing that sword practice does not have," Somers said.

Ryan gave a nod as he checked his watch. "I do traditional fencing, but I also go to the holodeck for reenactments of the Three Musketeers holo programs. Just thought you might like to join me sometime. Well, I have watch in a few. Nice talking to you Lieutenant."

Nodding, "and you Sir, enjoy your bridge duty," Somers said as she watched the Second Officer leave her office when he was gone she returned to her duties missing the times when she did different duties.

[OFF]

1st Lt Karyn Somers
Marine XO

&

Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake
Second/Chief Strategic Operations Officer