Holodeck Safety Protocols On: Part 2

Posted on Thu Aug 3rd, 2023 @ 1:37pm by Commander Chalan Kendri
Edited on on Thu Aug 3rd, 2023 @ 2:03pm

1,043 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Holodeck 3
Timeline: MD 12: Following Part 1

"If you're going to learn this weapon, you need to be realistic," Kas said in a serious tone. "If you get into a fight with bat'leth your enemy it will most likely be a Klingon, they will be my size or larger. This puts you at a disadvantage, you will have to use your size and speed."

Kendri nodded, and took a narrower stance. "I guess I thought I would be more stable if I had a wider stance," she said. "Ok, so is this better?" Kendri asked. She kept her feet no more than hip distance apart, and practiced moving in all directions, keeping her eyes on Kas, watching for another surprise attack.

"Put your weight in the balls of your feet and keep a slight bend in your knees," Kas said. "The power comes from your hips."

Kas moved forward swinging the bat'leth to illustrate his point, "This allows you to put more of your mass behind every attack."

Kendri tried to do as she was told, but the sensation felt awkward to her. "So I've done some muay thai, so I know how to use my hips, and keep my knees bent. You'd think this would come more natural, but I can't figure out how to manage it with the bat'leth in my hand," she said, somewhat frustrated at herself. Her arms were wanting to work independently of her torso.

"For now try keeping the blade closer, smaller attacks," Kas said. "Feel the momentum of the blade and go with it."

Kendri took a deep breath for concentration, and pulled the blade in closer. It did seem to help, it became more a part of her center of gravity when it wasn't suspended by her arms out in front of her. "Okay, this feels a lot better," she nodded.

She took a few quick jabs toward Kas, not going near him, just testing out how the momentum worked. "Looking better?" she asked apprehensively.

"Yes, good Commander," Kas nodded.

"Ok, so what's next? Am I ready to try sparring with you?" she asked, working her feet and the blade - slowly, just practicing muscle memory.

"We can start slow," Kas smiled

"All right, let's go then. Hit me," Kendri said, somewhat antagonistically.

The Hybrid flashed a wicked smile and made a quick thrust at Kendri's eyes, he anticipated her dodge and struck her weapon hard.

Kendri put her blade up and manged to deflect the blow and spin herself out from under the strike, but her deflection was a little clumsy, and Kas's blade slide off of Kendri's blade. Luckily she was able to move out of the way, or the bat'leth likely would have cut her arm.

Kas used the momentum of Kendri's deflection to shift his weight and shoulder-checked her. He swung the bat'leth and again toward her middle.

Kendri's weapon was conveniently positioned in front of her, so she was easily able to turn and face the attack head on, using her bat'leth to block the attack as she had seen Klingons do -- and as she had been able to do -- in the simulations that she had run. But she had forgotten Kas' advice, that when fighting an actual Klingon, they would be stronger than her, and that her best defense would be to not be there when the attack came.

Kas shifted his weight and brought his Bat'leth down Kendri's hooking it and twisting it out of her hands. He took one hand off his weapon and shoved her hard.

Kendri stumbled backwards for several feet, almost falling before she was finally able to get her footing again. maintaining distance, she tried to circle her way back to her weapon. "Cardassians aren't weak, and I have their blood. Is there any chance I will ever be strong enough to actually fight with one of these?" she asked.

"You can't rely on strength," Kas said. "You have to be faster and more agile."

Kendri kept her eyes firmly planted on Kas, watching his eyes, his torso, his his weapon. Without giving a warning as to wear she was moving, she lunged for bat'leth, rolling over, so that she could use the momentum to spring back to her feet, she squared off to face him again. Though Cardassian's don't sweat, she was fortunate enough to be half-Bajoran, and the hair that had fallen out of her clip was sticking to the sides of her face.

She know thought more about her parkour exercises, trying to make quick, unpredictable movements around Kas, sometimes in the form of large leaps. At one movement she faked right and went left, and went to strike him in his lower back before he could defend himself.

Kas twisted and swung his bat'leth to block her attack, "Very good."

He grinned, "you also need to study Klingon anatomy. It's not easy to bring a Klingon down."

Kendri sighed in defeat. "I've taken up too much of your time already. Perhaps you could give me some homework for next time... that is if you are ok with there being a next time?"

"I would be honored to teach you," Kas smiled. "Do you like to dance? If so, I have a good holo program that will hone evasion skills."

"I can't say I've tried it much, but I'm willing to," Kendri responded.

Kas handed her a PADD, "Try these programs the first two are defensive katas that will help you deal with larger opponents. The third is a style for dance that's basically a martial kata set to drums, it will improve your mind-body connection."

Kendri laughed a bit at the thought of trying to dance. "Will the program tell me if I'm doing it wrong? I have to say, the bat'leth programs I've been running clearly didn't prepare me for the real thing. At all."

"You need to learn to flow," Kas said simply. " Your body and weapon most become one."

The whole thing was sounding more existential than Kendri had expected. "Okay, I guess I'll give it a try," she said. "Thanks again." She took a deep and apprehensive breath as she left the holodeck.


Lt. Commander Chalan Kendri
Executive Officer
USS Columbia

Lt. Razka Kas
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Columbia

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