JP Ensign Maria Alvarez & Lieutenant(jg) Regan Wilde - Windows to the Soul: Act I, Scene I
Max
(( Interior - Evening. USS Arrow - Deck 2, Gymnasium. A few days into shore leave. ))
The gym was cleared out ahead of dinner, leaving Maria on her own in the space stretching on the mat on the floor. She wore simple, close-fit exercise clothes made for movement. The equipment had been well cleaned up and reorganized after the action, since its classification as a medical facility resulted in a higher prioritization for repair over a whole array of other facilities. It made sense to the ensign, in a roundabout way.
Maria wasn’t left waiting long, gently warming up her flexible body and pushing it through a whole routine of stretches. Her body had healed exceptionally well, and if she didn’t know better she would have thought she never got hurt. Her expression darkened, remembering vividly that she was hurt, and badly. She was careful to test her strength and range of motion just to make sure she wasn’t going to land herself in the sickbay again because of making a dumb move.
She caught sight of Regan, and her face lit back up again, glad for the company and looking forward to seeing what kind of moves the Lieutenant had. She hoped to get to know him a little better, and maybe spend some more time together. She spryly stood up from the mat, with her trademark off-center grin on full display.
Regan entered the gym rather spritely. Alvarez had offered the invitation to spar to hone both of their skills and enjoy each other's company. They were a surprisingly similar pair when you examined them closely. They had created an almost instant friendship since the moment they met. He was feeling energised to be exercising with her, but in the back of his mind he sensed that she, like him, had a lot more to prove.
Alvarez: Hey, Regan! Good to see you - how are you feeling?
Wilde: I’m well enough, thanks. Aside from being sick to my back teeth of writing reports, and the endless drills Lt. Serinus puts us through.
Alvarez: Well, I’m just happy you’re here. I’ve been looking forward to it, I could definitely use the practice.
Wilde: I think I could too, to be frank.
Maria shot him a look that was at first slightly intrigued, then turned simply happy.
Alvarez: Really? I’d have thought training for this kind of thing was a big deal for security. Not that I’m complaining, this’ll be fun.
Regan shook his head.
Wilde: I can defend myself well enough. Well, under ordinary circumstances. I’m looking forward to just a friendly spar, though.
Maria started wrapping up her hands and feet to protect the small bones, but also to cushion the blows that would be dealt. It was a surprisingly impressive but subtle piece of technology, protecting both of them from a lot of the damage that could be dealt. It was also a friendly sparring session, so it wasn’t too likely anyone would go for anything other than an embarrassing bruise that could be fixed right up if necessary.
Regan was done with his stretching and limbering up when she spoke again.
Alvarez: So how are we playing it? Points for hits, lose on hitting the floor or submission? No style restrictions, other than keep it safe?
Wilde: Absolutely. ::He grinned.:: Watch the face, ok?
Alvarez: Okay, pretty boy. Ready?
Wilde: Ready.
Maria’s body took a subtle shift into a predatory stance, examining her opposite as they began their little duel of wills. In this non-threatening environment her breath was steady and her attention fully honed, ready to respond and strike at a moment's notice.
Regan watched her poise with interest. She was hanging back ready to defend, but her body language suggested a pounce at any moment. He knew from speaking to her that she would be ready for anything he could throw at her. Regan’s skill came from weapon sparring. Put a mek’leth or Bat’leth in his hand and he’d possibly go full Klingon on her. This, though, was different. Almost intimate. They circled each other almost coyly. Like two birds displaying a courtship.
Wilde: You know, I keep my ear to the ground on this ship. Your friend Brom is running a pool on the lower decks on who’s going to clean up in this match.
Alvarez: Really? :: She cocked an eyebrow. :: I’ll be having words if he bet on you.
Wilde: ::smirking:: He’ll make a profit whoever wins. Let’s say we make this interesting in our own way.
Lightning fast, he struck. The palm of his hand connected and he chuckled at her response.
Maria let her body roll with the hit, still getting a gauge on Regan’s style and ability. She ducked under another blow, but only just. She smiled deviously.
Alvarez: What did you have in mind?
Wilde: Oh something insignificant. Say… 5 strips of latinum and you inventory and re-calibrate all the phasers in the armoury? But make sure you replace them in issue order. Lt. Serinus is very picky about things like that.
Maria continued the circle, amused by the little game they were now starting. She adjusted her stance a little bit to give herself more time to react to the next throw like the first.
Alvarez: Well, normally I’d be content with showing a security lieutenant what’s what, but I do have a lateral sensor array out of alignment, and I hate crawling through Jefferies tubes. It’s trivial but tedious work. That, plus I’ll match your latinum.
Wilde: Deal!
Suddenly she sprang, and in his momentum he felt the blow connect. She was fast, wiley, and determined. Regan cocked his head to one side with a surprised eyebrow raised.
Wilde: Touché.
Alvarez: I’m quick, I’m funny, I’m gonna make some money…
She grinned, and the expression on Regan’s face betraying he hadn’t expected her to have as strong a grasp on martial arts as she did. She was not a polished fighter by any means, but she hadn’t been joking about getting a thrill from defeating security cadets at the academy when she could.
Regan knew this game. Now it was serious, and with spoils. Their friendly spar had become interesting. He knew that half of knowing your opponents next move was psychological. How well did he know her? All he had to do to make her slip up was find the right buttons.
Wilde: Gambling pools aren’t the only thing I hear on the lower decks. Tongues are wagging at how we managed to escape the clutches of Orion pirates. I think there’s a bit of hero worship concerning yourself and other departments….
And push them.
Wilde: … Admiral.
Maria huffed and groaned, her defense slipping.
Alvarez: Oh god, not you too...
She wheeled back from his onslaught, and caught several hits as punishment for her distractration before she caught back up with the flow of the action, deflecting and managing the strikes.
Wilde: Quite inventive, really. Insta-promotion and save the ship.
Alvarez: Oh, please. It was a dumb idea…
Her foot came off the floor with a furious speed, making a good connection. She was irritated, but for a reason that wouldn’t make sense to the average officer.
Alvarez: My execution was a royal botch job...
She followed up with a clever bit of footwork and jabs designed to put Regan off-balance. Armed with a quick verbal retort, but not a clever physical one, Regan was stuck in succession by her advances. He snorted in frustration and raised his hands in defense again.
Alvarez: And anyone who says otherwise is wrong.
She saw Regan’s next move coming in something nearing a premonition, and quickly rerouted the entire kinetic flow of her body into retribution. Before she knew it, she’d thrown him to the floor in a move that ended up surprising even her.
Staring at the ceiling he was dumbfounded. He’d let his guard way down and look where it got him. Had it been another time, with another woman, armed with a knife and fuelled by rage, he’d be back to square one. Suddenly annoyed, he bit his lip with frustration.
Wilde: You got that one on dumb luck.
Maria looked at him curiously for a second. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she didn’t really love the way she just won the round. She shook her head, not quite believing her success.
Alvarez: No, I think I got that one because I took advantage of your newly acquired blindspot... Actually, I’m sure of it. No way that was fair. Come on, best two of three.
Regan pulled an indignant face. She was going there, was she?
Wilde: Where I come from we call that cheating! On Qo’noS that would earn you a broken jaw.
He resisted the urge to fold his arms across his chest but he was confident he put his point across successfully.
Maria gave him a stern look, and offered her hand. She wasn’t happy with how she won, and wanted to have another round.
Alvarez: I said - best two of three.
Wilde: You got a lucky shot. This time I won’t be revealing my ‘blind spots’.
Maria pulled him back up to his feet, and put herself at the ready again. It was her turn for the biting banter.
Alvarez: Speaking of… you’re gonna get that eye taken care of right?
Wilde: A couple more days until the synthetic replacement is ready. Then I won’t have to wear this stupid thing and get my arse handed to me by a ballerina.
Alvarez: Ah, too bad. I was really hoping you’d get a leather patch bolted on, shave your head, grow a mustache, then start walking around quoting Shakespeare in the original Klingon.
She giggled, but it was cut short with another flurry of blows she was forced to dodge or block. One landed, but it didn’t have enough power behind it to set her off her game.
Regan didn’t find her jokes funny at all. Finding some energy from within he lashed out. Not precise moves, but steady ones, designed to impact.
Wilde: I’ve known many Klingons with missing eyes. They wear their scars with honour...
Alvarez: If you get a synthetic eye, at least tell me you’re getting x-ray vision or can shoot lasers from it.
Another trade, this time Maria getting her own counterattack in.
Wilde: This isn’t a game. This is serious.
Alvarez: Not even a glowy red one? Then you can put on sunglasses at night and walk around naked, demanding people give you their clothes. Temporal affairs might get worried.
Suddenly and with ferocity he lashed out completely against the fair rules of sparring. He lashed out to hurt her physically. Under ordinary circumstances he’d be mortified of such a thing, but now he was mad. He could feel it burning in his cheeks and his chest. Maria barely escaped the worst of the wrathful change in tactic, making a quick adaptation mid-flow.
Wilde: Do you think this is funny?
Alvarez: :: She smirked. :: Might as well take the good with the bad.
Wilde: Look at this!
He pointed to the metal patch across his eye. A heavy reminder that he was different now, and he hated it. He literally hated it, and because of it he hated himself.
Wilde: This is what I see now every time I see my reflection in a bulkhead! And you’re here cracking jokes and talking about x-ray eyes?
Despite his forced change of conversation the match hadn’t ended. He still attempted strikes, blocks, and dodges and was getting more and more frustrated at how Maria was dodging him and managing to reflect his jabs.
Alvarez: Woah, what happened to bearing scars with pride? It’s just temporary anyway. Is this one of those things that’s actually about something else? Because you can tell me...