Sparring for Trust

Posted on Tuesday 22 June 2021 @ 11:55 by 2nd Lieutenant Drakur Redragon

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Marine Country
Timeline: Current
2261 words - 4.5 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Drakur stood on a mat in the center of the hall, dressed in athletic clothes that allowed free movement of his limbs. He gripped his wooden sword and half closed his eyes, feeling the practiced forms flow through his mind to his hands and feet. With practiced movements, he slid through the paces, stepping back, then forward, then bringing his sword down for a killing blow. Effortlessly, he moved into the second form, becoming aware of Pearl's presence.

Pearl watched for the time being, leaning against the wall. Getting a take on his movements. Graceful, catlike, experienced unlike the people she's come across, that is before she joined up on the Merlin.

"Hello, Ms. Bijoux. How would you like to spar? There is the ever-popular hand to hand, or we could try something a little more...civilized," Drakur offered with a half smile, pointing towards the kendo sticks he had nearby. "The choice is yours; I'm perfectly happy either way."

"If you don't mind I'd like to look at your kendo sticks I think they are called something else, before I make my choice." Pearl responded with a smile. "what sort of wood are these made of?" picking them up and testing the balance. She examined them rather closely holding them to better light

"Okay we spar just to soften each other and then we talk?" Pearl giving a laugh. "Sure, hand to hand it is." moving to the mats. Her stance ready and waiting.

"Bokken; and they are I believe what you call red oak. They are from my home," Drakur corrected, placing the one in his hand next to them. "And plenty is said in combat, more than can be said in words. Hand to hand it is."

Drakur turned to face her, bowing slightly at his waist. He stood back straight up, bending his knees and elbows slightly, holding his arms in front of him.

Her stance was more supple and more loose, Pearl didn't have a set style of martial arts, it ended up being a combination of what worked for her, and what she had learned in her training. She determined to not attack him right off the bat, instead she circled around Drakur, just to watch. Her steps more like a prowl for the most part, as she looked for a weakness. How he moved, did he have any past injuries that showed up as he moved.

The marines that were watching, wondered just what she had in mind for she didn't immediately attack like she had with the Gunny.

Drakur turned himself sideways, extending his hand out slightly to adopt a more combat-ready stance. He turned with Pearl, keeping the same side facing her, but showing a slight stiffness in his back leg as he crossed them to keep Pearl in front of him. He was conscious of the other marines, but he let them fade away to him, focusing his mind on the combat at hand.


If it were any other opponent that wasn't part of the marines here, Pearl would have gone for the leg, but she wasn't. She didn't know if he were faking it but she wasn't going to sweep the leg. Instead she was going to go after the more stronger parts of him, She moved towards Drakur, striking towards him with her left fist towards his solar plexus. Her right hand ready to grab for the arm he might use for defense.

Drakur smiled inwardly; she hadn't taken the bait. That was good, not taking the obvious bait. The attack was perfectly placed and would have knocked the wind out of him, but he was ready for it. He stepped into the attack, grabbing her wrist and pulling it forward instead. He moved with her arm, ignoring the hand she had placed on his wrist to stop him and using his other arm to press into her shoulder blade, locking her left arm behind her and pushing it the to brink of dislocation, forcing her to a knee.

"Excellent. I'm impressed you didn't go for the obvious, and your strike was well placed to debilitate me in the opening blow," he said, releasing the hold on her arm and shoulder. "You have power, no doubt. When you strike at your opponent, what is your purpose?" He asked the question, resetting his stance. "An attack without conviction will only get you so far. Why do you fight?"

"It depends on the opponent sir, as to why I fight. With this being a learning experience I'm not going full out. However I fight for survival, not only for myself but for others." Pearl replied, shaking off the pain she experienced. "Which is what I expect from those who are in command, they have to be willing to get down in the dirt with the rest of us. I am finding that here, those that command are not afraid to get their hands dirty. Unlike the other Officers I've served under. That though is not in the records. Sure I've got a clean slate here and I am grateful for that." she moved up and pivoted on the ball of her foot dropping low with an elbow strike heading for his thigh.

Drakur hesitated, almost too long, opting to jump backwards onto his back foot, showing no signs of the previous stiffness and favor that he had before. It was one of the weaknesses of his fighting style, in which he tried to redirect the enemy's own energy and force.
An attack this close, controlled, and low was difficult. He rested briefly on his back foot before forcing himself forward, aiming a fist low, though with Pearl's position, it was aimed straight at the center of her chest. He needed to regain control and force her to react.

"Survival is a start, but it is immediate; fleeting."

Pearl saw the strike coming, as soon as it came near she grabbed the fist firmly, letting his own force put him off balance. She purposely fell backwards curving her spine forward, her foot coming up and placed it on his stomach as she maneuvered him for a flip over her head, with Pearl ending up on her back on the mat. Pearl didn't take time to stay in that position, she twisted to one side to get to a crouched position.

"There is also the defense of others, to stop those whom wish to hurt those who can't protect themselves." Pearl stated.

Drakur tucked his head and tightened his stomach as much as possible. As soon as he made contact with the mat, he continued the roll, bringing himself into a crouching position. He whirled on his foot, facing Pearl again, standing back up into his stance.

"Defense of others. Good. That is the core of why you fight. Remember that, Ms. Bijoux. If you are striking in any way, physically or verbally, let it be for that purpose. Ask yourself 'How is this protecting someone?'" He held his stance again, waiting for Pearl to move again. "Sparring exempted, of course," he added wryly.

Pearl looked at him, then smiled. "There are different types of sparring and shall we go do some verbal sparring instead. There are probably things to talk about and not where these guys are needing to hear. I do realize what you are working on, and why you are doing what you are doing." she looked over to one of the marines. "Wolf, will you toss us a couple of towels please?" towels are tossed towards Drakur and Pearl on the mats. Pearl mopped her face from the sweat, then tossed it around her neck. "Please come on, lets talk. Then we can get back to sparring, if you'd like." giving a bit a smile.

Drakur grabbed the other towel, mopping his own face as well. He threw it over his shoulder and nodded to Pearl. "If that would be more comfortable for you." He walked with her away from the mats and the other gathered marines. "What would you like to talk about?"

Pearl led the way to a window that looked out into the depths of space. "What is your background story Redragon? You don't seem to be one of those highly polished men which makes person blind due to their shininess. You've got common sense, you seem to have grubbed in the mud for a living before. Do you have some swamp water running through your veins?" Pearl turned to look at Redragon leaning against the wall. "Don't worry, I've not looked into your file, its just something about you, makes me think that you've been out there."

"I was a farmer once, and a volunteer for our town guard. Our town got attacked; I defended the village as best I could. There were too many, and our village was burned to the ground. Starfleet rescued some of us, against this 'Prime Directive', and I was taken as a refugee to Earth. I learned what I could, just enough to graduate the Academy and join the Marine Corps, to serve the organization that saved my life and protect others like they protected me. Back home in the town guard, all rank was earned. I haven't been out there much, just from out there, though I don't know what swamp water running through veins means. Not much to tell. You?"

"I lived near a swamp growing up. And know what it is like to eke out an existence amidst hardship. So when someone has lived near a swamp or in a swamp means they have swamp water in their veins." Pearl giving a shrug. "My family was constantly on the run. Dad owed a bit of money, so his debtors would find us and we had to run. I was sent to a friend of my dad's to help me survive. You see, one of his debtors decided he wanted me as part of the payment so dad sent me away and he and the rest of the family went somewhere else. He told me that I needed toughening up and that Marine life would help me so, I joined." Pearl said.

"The bigger question is why you stay? I'm sure by now you could find a colony somewhere, join the security force, and have a nice life. I stay to protect the organization that saved my life. To protect those that can't, like my family and my village. That is the question you have to answer for yourself, not for me or anyone else." He stared out the window wistfully. He rarely took the opportunity to simply stare out; there was always work to be done. He chastised himself briefly for it and turned back towards the marine. "That is what will help you find your purpose and move lockstep with it. Make sure everything you do is either in pursuit of it or at the very least not contrary to it."

"This is my last chance to make good, I have to. Major Scarlet gave me a chance even though I tried to bust him in the jaw. I basically gave up on myself. Gave up hope to find a place for me to be, feel like a part of a family. I was set on self-destruct, and honestly I gave up on myself. Going to a colony wouldn't have solved anything for me. It would just put me back into the place I had escaped from. Not finding any value in myself. And probably end result I'd just be a basic wasted piece of human flesh. And be thrown on the dung heap." Giving a shrug and turning to look out the window. "My bad reputation came from, me trying to set the posers straight and to get their act together. They didn't do anything to gain respect from me. They didn't want to get dirty, they commanded from behind. If someone was killed they didn't care. " her breath fogged up the window.

"I don't give orders I wouldn't follow myself, and I think you'll find me quite in the thick of it myself. I prefer to lead, personally. Anyway, I think it's time I head back and write some reports on the readiness of the platoon, all of you," Drakur replied. He began walking off before turning his head over his shoulder. "Remember, you need to live life for yourself too." He continued walking, needing a moment to decompress before writing his reports. Bringing up his past had taken its toll on him, memories that he had wanted to keep buried better for everyone's sakes. He hadn't mentioned his wife; it wasn't the place for others to feel remorse for what had happened. He preferred to keep it to himself. It was his pain, his burden to bear. He needed a moment to breathe.

Pearl watched as Redragon left to go about his business, she took what he said too heart but, one thing he said that she had no idea on what to do. Need to live life for herself too? What did that mean? Was it meaning she needed to not give up on herself? Pearl growled softly, she didn't know whom to talk to about that, well maybe Major Scarlet had some answers? Pearl decided to go find Scarlet and ask him some questions.

OFF:

| 2nd Lieutenant Drakur Redragon
Platoon Leader
USS Merlin


Lance Corporal Pearl Bijoux
Marine
USS Merlin