Sparring

Posted on Sat Aug 26th, 2023 @ 8:49pm by Lieutenant Sava

1,891 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Gym
Timeline: MD 15 2000 hrs

The gym was a flurry of activity as Kas walked in, he smiled seeing his friend and subordinate Bella Rodriguez sparring with a young man. He noticed the man seemed to be holding back and chuckled, 'he's in for a surprise.' He saw that several security officers were sparring, they were probably getting themselves ready for an exam of some kind. Several of the officers had stopped to watch Latina and her opponent, Kas moved into the locker room and put his protective gear on.

Kas chuckled as he was met with the sight of Bella with the young man pinned on the mat with her legs wrapped around his neck, choking him with thighs. One of the young security officers made an off-color joke to his friend. Kas let out a low growl that made both men jump.

"Respect your superior officer boys!" The Hybrid barked.

Bella let the young officer up, "Good match Ethen. Who's next?"

"Let's show them how it's done!" Kas grinned.

Bella smiled and waved him onto the mat, Kas stepped up and they squared off. They joined hands and touched foreheads and said something in a foreign language before moving to their corners. Kas let out a battle cry and swung Bella ducked under him, there was a flurry of attacks and parries. Kas shifted his weight and sent her to the mat Bella rolled and kicked him square in the groin, causing every man in the room to wince in sympathy. Even with a cup, the blow was excruciating! Enough to knock Kas off balance and staggered before realizing he wasn't going on his feet. The Hybrid moved in the air hoping to pin the Latina under his landing. Bella rolled out of the way and ended up with her knee between Kas's shoulder blades.

"I've told you to never go easy on me, old man.' She breathed in Quathteen into his ear before letting him up. Kas nodded and got off the mat with as much dignity as he could muster.

"Anyone else want to give it a try?" Bella grinned

"I think I might." Sava grinned and gamely stepped up to the ring, having been watching from the side since the start of their friendly competition. "I think I'm in the mood to show my boys how it's done. What's your name, sugar?"

"Isabella Rodrigeuz," Bella nodded. "My friends call me Bella."

"Well, hello, Bella. I think I might have a decent chance of taking you down." The Kelpien challenged, shaking the stiffness from her slender limbs. Like most of her species Sava was slender and lanky - but capable of incredible feats of strength and speed. "Let's see. Shall we set a prize for the winner? Dinner on the loser, how about it." She could get to know this spunky human girl during that time as well - either way she won out, and she could never say no to that.

"You got a deal," Bella laughed. "Any house rules I should beware of?"

"No head strikes, no soft bits. I'm sure we'd both like to go back to work tomorrow." Sava said with a grin. "Ready?"

Bella kicked at Sava's Forward leg, she knew the Kelpien would anticipate and it now dodge. So she spun and struck her on the shoulder, sending the tall woman staggering. Bella had learned to fight larger opponents from Kas and dodged Sava's next blow and swung again. The Kelpien struck her torso, taking her off her feet. Bella rolled when she hit the and Scissor kicked Sava's legs bringing her down as well.

"Why don't we call this a draw?" The Latina smiled. "We can share a meal and Tenforward if you like."

"That I can definitely get behind." Sava said to the clapping and whistling of her juniors behind them. "Hope you learned something, boys. We'll be going over this next shift." She said to them as she stepped off the mat. "Get changed, and you can take me to the lounge, hm? I'll order the drinks." She smiled at Bella while wiping off with a towel.

Bella smiled, "sounds good."

She moved over to Razka and whispered something in his language. The Hybrid smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, two spoke for a moment. Then she went into the locker room and changed into Jeans and a tunic and joined Sava, the two ladies walked down to Ten-Forward.

The bar was full, no surprise there. No one paid the two women much mind as they strode through it and settled themselves down in a seat. Even if Sava was very obviously still in sporting attire. "Well now, what can I get you for drinks?" She asked. "I'd like a larula steak with deep fried Andorian tuber, if they have it."

"I'll have a Ktarian beer and a New York strip steak," Bella said with a smile. "I'm on the Beta shift so alcohol is fine."

She cocked her head as she spoke and her hair moved revealing a tattoo on her neck.
Sava tilted her head, noting the tattoo on her neck as she ordered from the waitress that came over to their table. "Do you and Lieutenant Kas know each other?" She asked. "You two do share the same tattoo."

"Don't let Kas hear you say that," Bella laughed. "They are similar and have similar meanings, but mine is a Goo'qua and his is Yo'uhee. Those Quath"Mar clans have a bit of a rivalry. Nothing violent mind you more like a family thing. My family voyaged with the Quath’Mar when I was a teenager, I was accepted into the Goo'qua."

She ran a finger down the tattoo, "this symbolizes the clan and vesselI Voyaged with. Kas and his daughter have a brand with their vessel because they were born on that vessel. I learned to speak Quathteen, that's how we became friends when we met serving in Starfleet.

"Really!" Sava leaned in a little closer, interested. "Tell me more about them? I'm curious to hear just what your experience with them was like."

"It was a learning experience that for sure, I'd never seen so many different species on the same vessel in my life and I grew up on Starbases." She smiled. "The biggest difference between Federation and Quath'Mar is they share a language and culture that unites them. It's a hard life they lead, so they're a close-knit community, Regardless of species they identify more as Quath'Mar. They really know how to celebrate when I was a child visiting my father on a starbase when the Dominion War ended the Quath'Mar visiting the station put on week-long festival."

"A week-long festival! Now that's fascinating indeed. I bet it must have been one hell of a party." Sava remarked. "Do they have their own unique festivals, or do they also celebrate the festivals of each of their members too?"

"It's a little of both," Bella smiled. "Their festivities always honor the different species that make up each vessel. So you see music and dance from several cultures and they often are eager to include elements of their hosts as well. I was at one of their funerals they fire the remains into the nearest star and all groups in attendance are encouraged to show respect in their own way."

"Like I told Kas, I would love to meet them one day." Sava said with a smile. "They sound like a lovely bunch to hang around. Maybe I should talk to Kas about arranging a meeting when we're on shore leave, hmm?"

"There's good chance we'll run into some Quath’Mar out here they've been voyaging in that part of space for awhile. Kas hasn't said so but I think that's part of why he took the assignment." Bella gave Sava a smile. "I think you'd be a fun companion to have during a Union festival. That's when two or more of the clans meet to share resources and play games. They usually invite allies and the locals to to join in the festivities, fracturization of all kinds is highly encouraged. Kas jokes that he was most likely conceived during one of those events. That was more was more than I want to know, he like my brother..."

"I think you mean fraternization. And they sound lovely, really. I would love to attend - and maybe, just maybe, see who'd be interested in a bald, lanky thing like me." Sava smirked. "Do you spar often in the gym, Bella?"

"A few times a month," Bella shrugged. "I prefer parkour, it helps hone the reflexes."

"I've never tried parkour. Perhaps someday." Sava remarked. "I'm sure you must've met a lot of new people that way - you seem quite popular, especially among my officers! Not that I blame them - being strong and pretty is a rather nice combination..."

"Thank you," Bella said with a smile. "Tall strong blue eyed beauties are in short supply, that ups the demand."

The Latina laughed, "As for the parkour, it's a great way to meet. It also comes in handy when chasing or evading an opponent."

"You don't look like a security officer, Bella, or I would have seen you working with one of my guys - so what do you do on board that needs you to evade opponents?" Sava asked.

"I'm a pilot, so I don't need to evade opponents very often." Bella shrugged. "The reflexes and coordination needed for parkour translate well to piloting. Parkour is also a great way to keep up with Kas's daughter Keena. I swear that child is half monkey."

"She's an agile one, then. Good at keeping her opponents on their toes." Sava noted. "I've never met her, but I feel like one day I might. Kas has told me about her, you know. He says they're not on talking terms. Would you have any idea as to why?"

Bella paused, she didn't know if she should speak about such personal things with someone she's just met. It was clear she'd been talking to Kas he'd opened up to her…

"Their culture is very different from a lot of others." Bella sighed. "They handle conflict differently, when you're all living on the same ship you can't always hash things right away. So silence is one of the ways they handle conflict especially when it is with an elder. They seem to be talking now. It's really sweet to see him taking care of her. He teaching her to do a handstand."

"Is he! Oh, that's so sweet. I'd love to meet her one day." Sava remarked. "Perhaps I'll ask him about it after this - for now, though, I reckon it's getting a bit late, don't you reckon? I'd love to meet again, however."

"I'd like that as well," Bella paused. "Why don't you join Kas and I for some parkour training sometime, he might even bring Keena."

"I'll be sure to," Sava smiled and stood with her empty drink glass. "Till next time." She then began to make her way to the exit, stopping by the replicator on her way out.

Lieutenant JG Junior Grade Sava
Security Officer
USS Columbia

Lieutenant JG Isabella Rodriguez
Chief Support Craft Pilot
USS Columbia

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