Do you even lift?

Posted on Fri May 7th, 2021 @ 6:10am by Chief Warrant Officer Man'darr [Naxea] & Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly & Captain David Tonelly [Reece]

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Marine County, Thunder Dome
Timeline: MD 1 1700 Hours
2153 words - 4.3 OF Standard Post Measure

"There isn't a muscle on my body that isn't already sore, are you going to tell me now that rest days aren't a thing in marine county?" Lieutenant Whavi side eyed Corporal Tonelly as they entered the weight area located in the depths of marine county. Baeryn finished knotting the corner of the olive green tank top she had commandeered from David's quarters and glared at him.

David shrugged playfully and winked at Baeryn. "What do you mean? That was all cardio. Today is build and tone muscle day." He reached out and gently tapped her right his hip with his left knuckles.

A loud, echoing laughter came up from behind the two. "Rest day? We rest when we're dead," the large Capellan form belonging to Man'darr replied with a large grin.

Turning, David smiled and extended a fist bump to his fellow Marine. "Hey, Man'darr! You ready for round two? You almost had me last time."

Baeryn turned to see the owner of the thunder like laugh. “Are you sure you remember that correctly? He looks like he could sit on you.” She teased David. Extending a hand to the Capellan she introduced herself, “Baeryn.”

David gave Baeryn a playful glare, then slapped her on her right ass cheek before she introduced herself to Man'darr.

Silently swearing to herself that she would make David pay later for the now throbbing welt on her backend, she stayed focused on the Capellan.

"Good to meet you, Baeryn," Man'darr replied, having watched the exchange between the two as he shook the woman's hand 'Were they intimate with one another?' he thought. He turned to David as he let go of Baeryn's hand. "Next time I won't hold back," he smiled.

David grinned. "Care to try now?" Though David had only been on Elysium a short time, he had already come to consider all the Marines in the Spartans his family.

"My moneys on him." Baeryn nodded towards the Capellan, not just to vex David but it was about time she saw someone, other then her, put David on his ass.

Raising his eyebrows in mock shock, David playfully clutched his chest. "You wound me, good woman!" He then looked to Man'darr. "As you're the challenger this time, you go first. Pick the test, and try to make it challenging this time." He winked and punched the Capellan in his left shoulder.

"Fine, let's try boxing. First to knock down the other, wins. Unless you'd prefer something else?" he offered with a grin.

David grinned right back. "To use a quote that I picked up pn Earth, a very long time ago," he spread his arms wide, "I'm yer huckleberry."

Man'darr only grinned as he gestured to the nearby ring. Upon entering the ring he began to don the available boxing gear.

David followed the Spartans' executive officer into the ring. Grabbing his gear, he quickly slipped it all on, then turned to face his opponent. Extending his right fist out towards Man'darr, to show that he was ready to begin. "Ready when you are, cupcake."

Man'darr began testing David with a few jabs. "So, you and the lieutenant?" he asked as he tossed jab after jab.

David took a few light jabs and blocked a few. He knew that Man'darr was testing his concentration. As he landed a few light jabs of his own, he replied. "Yeah, we're good, Manny." He leaned in a gave a quick jab to the gut. While he was there, he said, "She's the one for me." He then backed up and gave a slightly stronger jab. "C'mon now, thought you Capellans knew how to fight!" As he playfully taunted, he kept moving around the ring, waiting for the attack.

"We do, but it's considered dishonorable among my people attack those weaker than us," he grinned before stepping forward, closing the distance in a instant as he threw a series of punches.

David grinned, blocking most of the incoming hits, though a couple did get through. "Well," he chuckled in reply, if that’s all you got, it's gonna be a long day for you." He threw a surprisingly strong upper cut directly at the bottom of Man'darr's protected chin. The blow, while softened some, still lifted the big man off his feet.

David danced away, much like he saw in the videos of Muhammad Ali, back in the 1980's. "Ooh, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, baby!"

Several of the gathered Marines cheered and laughed at what they were seeing. Moses made his way over, stepping next to Baeryn. "Hey, Red. Who've you got your money on in there? He chuckled deeply as he asked the question.

Baeryn, standing on the outskirts of the ring with her hands crossed over her chest grinned up at Moses. "Well the bigger one of course."

Moses raised his eyebrows and grinned. "Oh really? Not on your man? That's dangerous." He turned to watch the fight, chuckling to himself. A few beats later, he spoke out the side of his mouth. "How much you got riding against our boy?"

Baeryn shrugged but didn't pry her eyes from the spar, "He'll be rewarded if he wins don't worry."

Man'darr grinned as he staggered a bit, managing to stay on his feet. "Looks like I'm going to have to get serious." He again moved in and started with a feint, throwing two fast punches designed to open up the opponent as he followed with a left hook.

David saw the feint, and blocked both punches easily. What he didn't see, was the left hook. It landed solidly against the side of his head, staggering, and nearly dropping him. He stumbled off against the ropes, trying to catch his senses. He knew, without the padded helmet, even his denser bones wouldn't have stopped the force of that punch.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he straightened up and rotated his head and neck, the tendons in his neck pooping as he did so. He then turned his gaze back to his opponent. His cerulean eyes looking more steel grey. "So, Manny, you wanna play?" Removing his helmet and gloves, he tossed them aside. He then pulled his tank top off and threw it to where the gloves and helmet landed. He then dropped into a traditional Thai kickboxing stance, his long legs balancing on the balls of his feet. "Bring it."

Man'darr hadn't expected David to respond but grinned at the challenge. However, he left his gloves but removed the padded helmet. "My pleasure."

"Ah, shit," Moses said. "They're gonna tear each other apart." Looking down at Baeryn, he cautioned, "Red, you might not want to watch this. These two are the best grapplers we have in the whole unit. They've never beaten the other. Best they've ever done is draw. And it took days for them both to be ready enough for work!"

With a smug smile she looked up at Moses, "So in other words its about to get interesting?" She teased but silently she cringed everytime Man'darr landed a blow.

Man'darr and David sparred for another minute trading blows. Man'darr, now sporting a cut over his right eye was seriously impressed with David's conditioning and stamina.

David, the right side of his face bruising up from the earlier left hook, had a split lip, busted nose and bruising to his ribs. He knew that Man'darr was holding back, even if only a little. If this was to end, he had to do so soon.

The fight went on for several more minutes, the throng on Marines jamming in to see the fight. Moses made sure none squeezed in to tight on Baeryn.

Glancing away from David for a minute she noticed the crowd that had almost instantly swarmed around them. She stepped in front of Moses so that she wouldn't lose her view. She was putting up a front but she was starting to worry. It didn't look like either fighter was going to give in anytime soon.

David was hurting. However, to his satisfaction, he could see that Man'darr was too. The Capellan's right eye was fully swollen shut and he seemed to be starting to favor his right knee. David knew it was time. Drawing up ever last bit of energy that he had, he launched in with a vicious double kick with his left leg. The first hit, his shin connected with the outside of Man'darr's knee. The second kick, immediately snapped up to strike the Capellan's head. Then, in a blur of motion, David planted his left foot on the ground, spun on the heel, and brought his right heel up and around, then snapping his right leg straight, connecting with the bigger man's solar plexus, the impact practically throwing his now limp body to the deck, unconscious.

The area was quiet for a few beats, then everyone erupted in cheers. Several rushed into the ring and hugged David and slapped his back and shoulders. He smiled to a few of them, then moved over to check on Man'darr. A medic rushed in and after scanning the Capellan, she reached into her bag and pulled out a hypo. Reaching down, she pressed the device against Man'darr's neck, injecting him with a cocktail of meds.

Baeryn wanted to go to David, had planned to, but the officer in her had her kneeling beside the unconscious Man'darr. She addressed the nurse, "Does he need to be transported to medical or can you treat him here?" Her voice stern and full of authority.

The medic looked over at Baeryn and grinned. "For this?" She chuckled. "These two have done far more damage to each other in the past. Last time, Man'darr here ended up with a broken collar bone and Tonelly had three cracked ribs and a busted eardrum."

The medics calm demeaner wasn't reassuring for Baeryn as she waited for Man'darr to wake up. She leaned over slightly making her own assessment of his condition. Damn marines she thought.

Man'darr came to, shaking his head as his vision slowly came into focus. "Well," he said, spitting out some blood. "That was fun," she chuckled.

Smiling, David stood and offered his hand to help his friend to stand up. Once both men were upright, David wrapped his friend in a bear hug. "You almost had me, there, Manny."

"One day," Man'darr promised, grinning. "I'm off to the showers." He then turned to Baeryn. "Get him back for me, will you?" he chuckled, slapping David on the back before making his way out of the ring.

As soon as Man'darr was on his feet relief washed over Baeryn, she gave the capellan a side smirk, "Gladly."

David smiled and nodded to his fellow Marines as they congratulated him on a hard fight. He acknowledged everyone, finally ending on Moses and Baeryn.

Moses could see that his friend was in considerable pain, but was putting on a face for the crowd. Leaning down to whisper to Baeryn, he said, "Red, you'd best get him back to his bunk before he collapses in front of everyone. I'll bring some meds down later, when the coast is clear."

Baeryn exchanged words with Moses silently, giving him a knowing nod before moving closer to David and wrapping her arm around his waist. The placement looked endearing but when in reality it was to keep David on his feet as she lead him back toward the barracks. "Lets go hot shot, or should I call you hot rod?"

David gave Baeryn a wordless grin. He was quickly running out of the endurance to simply stand, so had nothing extra to give for a witty reply. Slowly, he followed her lead as she guided him out of the Thunder Dome, keeping up the facade that he was simply leaving with his woman. While rhe Marines all respected one another, there were some that held more esteem than others. David knew that he was one. Thanks to Moses, giving him the moniker, Ghostwalker, he knew there was a growing legend about him in the tight knit community that was the Corps. While it might be silly, he also knew that things like this were a way to bolster morale among the troops. He had experienced something similar in the past, so he knew how important it was.

If it helped his family in any way, then he would bear it proudly. So, that being said, he held his head up in triumph as the pair left the Thunder Dome. He kept up the act all the way to his quarters. Once his door closed behind them, leaving him and Baeryn alone, he slowly released the act and collapsed in his bunk, utterly spent.

**OFF**



Baeryn Whavi
Chief Operations Officer
USS Elysium

&

Corporal David Tonelly
Scout Sniper
Spartans

&

Warrant Officer Man'darr
62nd Detachment XO
USS Elysium