Senior Chief Petty Officer Jenta Solana - Movement Like a Dance
Rameses
((Azure Falls, Azure Horizon Beach & Spa, Lolagi IV))
Jenta focused on Taj’el, while Delphina and T’Fearne sparred. She twirled her training knives in her palm a moment before she settled into holding both in the standard grip. One held in front of her slightly, the blade at an angle for blocking and the other knife held higher, beside her head ready to strike like a scorpion’s stinger.
T’Fearne: Response
Taj’el: Alright. I understand.
Wren: Okay…. Gotcha.
Out of her peripheral vision she spotted Delphina making the first move on T’Fearne.
Solana: Attack me with whatever feels right to you and I’ll respond.
The Orion watched their guest with curiosity and the alertness of someone who’s had to fight for her life on many occasions. As Taj’el attacked she moved defensively and at a more measured speed than when she sparred with T’Fearne. Each incoming strike she reacted with the sometimes subtle, sometimes overt movements of her knives. Part of the reason she favored knives was due to how nimble a weapon they were. That with a sometimes simple twist of a wrist a blade to slice across a limb faster than a blink of the eye following a block.
Jenta studied their movements, how they carried themselves when attacking her and was able to block, deflect or otherwise avoid each one. She could see that this was not a person used to offensive attacks.
Taj’el: I am far more proficient in defense than offense.
T’Fearne: Response
Wren: ::stumbling back to her feet:: Sorry, I- ::immediately gets knocked flat on her back::..... Okay, don’t stop to apologize, got it.
Solana: With knives you not only have to track your opponent’s movements with their body and limbs, but also the weapons themselves. It barely takes much rotation of the wrist with a knife to be able to slice multiple times. Even while blocking an incoming strike.
Taj’el: Noted.
T’Fearne: Response
Jenta nodded towards Taj’el and her stance shifted slightly more aggressively, a deliberate move on her part to signal to her trainee that she was going to go on the offensive this time. And she did by closing quickly on Taj’el. The leading knife went low for a cut at the lower abdomen, while her other knife jabbed towards their chest.
She was grateful when Taj’el intercepted the first blade with their own, redirecting it away from their body, while also registering the second blade in time. When they pivoted, the motion was enough to let them evade Jenta’s strike.
Solana: When your opponent is wielding a pair of weapons it’s vital to learn to make use of your offhand, to block their limbs if possible. You can also attempt to grab for them, ideally their opposite wrist depending on the weapon they have to try and prevent them from hitting you with it. You can also punch with your offhand. The best targets being the wrist, inner elbow and joints. But staying mobile is also important. Dual wielding is difficult. So I would only recommend it if you’ve gotten ample training.
Taj’el: Grabbing the wrist is not the most effective choice if the other hand is also armed… ::They mused aloud, thinking through the implications of the exchange as it unfolded..::
T’Fearne/Wren: Response
This time Jenta moved in towards Taj’el, leading with several slashing motions with both blades as she went for the very targets she had just described. However the Orion also made an attempt to sweep one of Taj’el’s legs out from under them.
Solana: If you are having a hard time disarming, striking or grappling an opponent you can try and attack their foundation instead. Everyone needs to have a solid structure when fighting. And unless your foe floats or otherwise can’t be rendered prone, like Gra’vel, our resident Horta, going for the legs is always a valid option as long as you can do so without opening yourself to a hit.
Taj’el: I admit, I was overly focused on your hands. I will take care to correct that moving forward.
T’Fearne/Wren: Response
Solana: Good. Adaptability is key in any fight.
When Taj’el got back on their feet and looked to observe the other two participants of the training Jenta did so as well. Ensign Wren had potential. The basics were there, unsurprising given how thorough the Academy was. The exertion she could see from the Ensign she attributed mostly to lack of experience and practice.
When her own pupil looked back her way she offered them a smirk and nod to signal she was ready to resume. One of the training knives she held she briefly spun by the hilt in the palm of her hand as both flair and to pass the time.
Taj’el: Alright. I am ready to continue.
T’Fearne/Wren: Response
With that Jenta rushed forward, but slightly at an angle so as not to repeat the same attack trajectory as before. And as before she restrained her attacks to half or two thirds speed and power. She led with a few probing strikes, to test their defense both high and low. Both blades never attacked the same point simultaneously. As they fought this time she could feel them trying to redirect and alter the flow of her attacks. So she pressed a little harder, until they dropped the knife and began to use their open palms. Empty handed defenses against bladed weapons were quite doable. After all, sometimes the enemy was armed when you were not so it was good to see that they could handle themselves in such a scenario.
Solana: If you’d prefer a different style of blade I have a few.
Taj’el: I apologize. I am not accustomed to knife work. I am trained in an open-hand style, which is why I keep releasing it.
Jenta waved them off with a smile and shake of her raven hair.
T’Fearne/Wren: Response
Solana: It’s alright. That style is beneficial for moments when your opponent is armed and you are not, though the point of this exercise is to gain competency with a blade yourself.
Taj’el: Of course. I will attempt again.
Jenta moved towards them again, using probing strikes and measured attacks to try and overpower or overwhelm their defense. After a few moments of seeing them seem to struggle she stopped mid strike and called a pause for the two of them.
Solana: Knife work takes time. I’m going to assume based on how you’ve defended yourself that you’re not much for using weapons in melee. So, to that I would say try to hybridize what you know with what I’m teaching. ::she smiled and stepped closer to demonstrate:: Your open palm technique as you’ve shown can be good at redirecting the flow of an opponent. This can lead to opportunities to strike with your blade when it’s not needed for defense. Furthermore, you can switch hands.
She dropped one of her knives into the sand at their feet and proceeded to demonstrate for Taj’el what she meant. The lone dagger slowly made a few strikes in the air between them, then in a fluid motion at practice speed, she flipped the knife into the opposite hand. She reset her stance, then did the same motion but instead of using a flourish to swap the weapon to the other hand, she led with an open palm, the knife hand braced against the other wrist before she grabbed their arm, stepped into stab their side, pivot and slide the palm down their arm, then the blade’s hilt into that palm for some practice slashes at the previously grappled limb.
Even at a demonstration speed she was able to show multiple slashes in quick succession.
T’Fearne/Wren/Taj’el: Response
Solana: The best training is the one that incorporates what you already know and your body is comfortable with. But at the end of the day, when it comes to knives at least, they are just another extension of your body. No different than wearing shoes. Or EV suits. Now, in your case, I think I have a suggestion on gripping a knife.
T’Fearne/Wren/Taj’el: Response
Jenta held on hand out, open palm and the other hand she gripped the knife reverse grip in the other hand but with said hand angled slightly.
Solana: Like so. This is versatile since you can either have the blade out in front of you, with your open palm behind it at the ready. Or vice versa, depending on the needs of the moment. This is the more defensive style, while still allowing the freedom to strike as needed. As you can block with your forearm or elbow and have the knife free to slice along an opponent’s arm or strike more vital areas. It also gives a foe a larger threat to defend against so you can use your open palm to slap, grapple or further defend yourself as required. Don’t forget, reach is king. Knives have little of it, so closing into your opponent’s space provides you with more options whilst limiting them depending on what weapon they’re employing.
She demonstrated a few and varied movements where she used the knife to hook at their limb, even going so far as to show how to potentially disarm a foe by doing so to Taj’el a few times.
T’Fearne/Wren/Taj’el: Response
Solana: Go ahead and try some of those on me. See if you can disarm me of my knife. For this I’ll only use the one.
T’Fearne/Wren/Taj’el: Response
[tags/TBC]
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Senior Chief Petty Officer Jenta Solana
Security/Tactical CQC Specialist
As simmed by
Commander Toryn Raga
First Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
Writer ID: A239410TR0
https://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php?title=Toryn_Raga