Damaging my Calm, Part 1

Posted on Fri Nov 19th, 2021 @ 1:44am by Lieutenant Myne Redal & Lieutenant Commander Rin
Edited on on Thu Dec 23rd, 2021 @ 10:32pm

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: Gym
Timeline: MD03 1400
1965 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

//ON//

Rin enters the gym in a sleeveless exercise suit and claims some space on the practice mats. A lot of times she merely practiced her meditative techniques in her room, depending on how active she wanted to be. However, today she was teaching Myne, and Myne, Rin strongly suspected, was going to need a lot of room and some friendly padding.

Myne stood in front of the gym and talked to herself nervously. 'It is going to be fine, right?' She asked and looked around to check that no one was nearby to hear her. 'Well yes, what could go wrong? I will be here, so will that Intelligence Officer.' Sudra replied appearing at her side and trying to comfort his successor.

'You say that now, but remember last time?' Myne protested and began to fidget with her fingers. 'You worry too much, really now. Just go inside and have faith in yourself.' Sudra insisted. "Fine, but if we lose our best friend, I am never talking to you ever again!'

With that bold statement, Myne took in a few breaths and put on her usual cheerful smile, then entered. "Hey Rin!! Sorry for making you wait!!" Myne called out as she saw her friend inside. "I am ready to have knowledge slapped into my brain!"

"No slapping involved. This is something you can do on your own. I find movement easier to focus on than silent sitting. This is about being centered in your body, in this time, in this place."

Rin stood in front of and to the side of Myne, back to her, feet about shoulder's width apart. "Find a spot on the wall in front of you to focus on. Anywhere you want. If you feel lost, go back to that point. That is the here and now."

Rin walked through some simple moves. Graceful. Martial arts in slow motion. After every moment, a pause. A reminder to breathe.

"Aww. I thought that was actually funny." Myne sighed and pouted, trying to chase away her nerves but clearly not doing a good job at it. "Alright, I think I can do centered."

Despite her tone, Myne did as instructed. Picking the center of the wall in front of her, after calculating the exact position what the center point would be of course. Who would just pick a spot at random, right? Then she took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself, the nervous smile still on her lips as she tried to keep track of Rin with her peripheral vision.

She followed what Rin showed her, with various results. Sure Myne was in shape, in theory, at least to meet the standards of Starfleet. But it was clear she was not exactly a physical activity person, since she was behind Rin in coordination and reflexes. But she did her best, trying to clear her mind and focus on the here and the now. Where... is here? Is this... her... his ship?

Rin looked back to see Myne following along well enough as she continued repeating the motions. "Good. Feel your own movements. If you feel tension, relax. If something intrudes on you, let it pass. Return to your focus. You don't need to stop it. You just need to recognize its not important right now. It's not you. These motions are you."

By now Myne was following Rin's movements without thinking. Letting her mind relax. "It is not me. The motions are me. Let it pass." That felt so easy, surrendering control like that, not being on her guard, not trying to keep everything bottled deep down inside of her.

"Let it pass..." She whispered as she felt something intrude and she let it pass. Like that would ever happen. Such a stupid Human, thinking she could trap him here. Where the fuck is his ship and why is he in this room? Something is wrong, so wrong. His muscles did not feel like before, he was weaker, smaller, but it didn't matter. The Human was paying attention, he had to buy his time. 'Turn your head away Human, do yourself a favor, that way you won't feel me break your neck.' He said to himself waiting for Rin to turn around and resume her own movements.

"You're picking this up faster than I did," Rin said, turning away once more, showing Myne the next set of steps. Grace had not been in Rin's repertoire at the time. Nor were mindfulness and other thought processes that weren't wholly logical. Although her face didn't betray it, Rin was happy. Myne was in pain, and if Rin could help with that, she would.

When one normally looked at Myne, one should not think of danger. And normally they would be right. In hand to hand, Myne was rather useless, prone to panic, and overall a strong proponent of the running the heck away strategy. Not to mention she was rather horrible at reading people so combat was not her strong suit.

That being said, the Myne that now stood behind Rin was a whole different story. His arms moved quickly, a punch to the kidneys and a choke hold. "Don't move and I won't kill you Human." The voice belonged to Myne and yet, at the same time, it did not. This voice dripped with anger and malice. His hands were holding Rin's head in place as he tensed his muscles to cut her airflow. Too bad he did not have his dagger with him. That would be the first problem to remedy once he disposed of this nuisance.

Rin's actions were as much instinctual as anything. She shifted slightly to the right and drove her left elbow into Myne's stomach, then upwards into her face as Myne lurched forward. She grabbed one wrist holding her and twisted, sliding her head out as Myne's grip slackened. Keeping a hold of Myne's arm, Rin swung her into one of the pads standing up against the wall.

As expected, there was resistance. But no amount of willpower can compensate for a body unfit for what follows. With the air knocked out, elbow the face, the combatant found himself against the wall. And yet, as breathe returned somewhat, he smiled. "Fuck... you know how to fight Human. Haha, been a while... since anyone took out DaiMon Redal like that." He chuckled amused by the turn of the situation, mind already working hard how to use this to his advantage.

"It won't do you any good girlie." He looked into Rin's eyes without a glint of fear or concern. "You are lucky this body is weak, or else you'd be dead now. I might still let you live if you scurry away now." He offered, trying to tense his muscles and push against Rin's hold.

"You are lucky this mind is strong, or else *you'd* be dead by now," she hissed in Redal's ear. "You're weak, and you're a bully, and I don't have to beat you, because Myne will do that. Because she is strong, and this is her body. She just needs something to focus on."

And then, more softly, "Sorry, Myne," as she gave Redal's arm another violent twist.

"Haha, dead? I died already girly and you don't scare me. I've been called worse. As for the little brat, she's barely holding on, she is weak and pathetic." He laughed before grunting in pain as Rin twisted his arm painfully. "Wondering if you care about this body? I sure don't!" With that, he swung Myne's head to headbutt Rin as hard as he could.

"You might start reconsidering whether you're fighting a human," Rin said matter-of-factly as she returned the gesture with her reinforced skull.

Damn, that hurt, but it was exhilarating. "What... is happening?" Myne's voice could be heard as her head felt like it took a hammer strike. "Shut up bug!" Vede cursed as he reasserted himself. "Human, I am going to kill you for this!! No one fucks with DaiMon Vede Redal and lives!" Vede let out an animalistic growl and threw everything Myne's body had to get Rin off of him, going for an even more illogical and reckless headbutt in the process. It was either now or never, and he didn't like the idea of the stupid bug taking control once again.

"That seems unlikely," Rin retorted. The headbutt left her mostly unfazed, but Redal did manage to toss her aside. She rolled to her feet.

She dismissed the idea of talking him down. This was not a rational person. His opening move had illustrated that. And, given a moment to consider, he might just realize he could put a proverbial gun to his own proverbial head. Which meant keeping him distracted until Myne could regain control.

There was no pretty way of doing that.

Rin ducked as Redal took a wild swing and did a leg sweep to knock him off his feet. Punch to the gut. She threw herself at him, knocking him on his back. She pinned his arms and put a knee on his chest with her full weight behind it. They were practically nose to nose. Ice blue eyes stared straight into his. "I do not comply. Myne does not comply."

Damn, this Human was proving to be too much of a pain, literally. This was not going the way he planned, and that punch to the gut knocked the air out of him. Once hitting the ground and having Rin hold him down with her knee, it took a while for him to open his eyes.

Myne's own eyes opened and moved around dazed before tearing up and whimpering. "Ouchie... everything hurts... so much." She replied finally able to focus enough to look back into Rin's blue eyes, her breathing ragged. "Did I do good? I don't think... I like this meditation... stuff..."

Rin briefly considered Redal was faking it, but concluded he just didn't have the capability to sound believably scared. Her rage-filled expression softened as she pulled away, kneeling beside Myne.

She smacked her badge. "Rin to medical. I need assistance in the gym. Possible concussion and internal injuries."

She looked back at Myne. "Vede manifested. He got violent. I got violent back. I'm sorry."

"Gah..." Myne grunted as she tried to raise the wrong arm up. It took her a moment to raise the other one seeking Rin in a daze. She felt something wet on her forehead where Rin headbutted her and she did hurt all over. "Vede? Did... you stop him before... he did something bad? He's an engineer... ask... Baeryn to check..."

Myne spoke with effort, not being able to hold her eyes open without feeling sick and slowly curling up to a ball. "You did good. No sorry... told you this... could happen. Thank you Rin... gonna take a nap now..."

"No, you need to stay awake until help comes...."

"But... I am so sleepy. You have such a hard head. I swear... felt like you had metal in there." Myne gave out a pained chuckle opening her eyes and regretting it.

"Vede didn't do anything to the ship. Never got out of the gym."

Sudra knelt down next to Myne and sighed. "Guess you were right kid. Maybe you should have worried."

"Shut... up Sudra..." Myne sighed and finally found Rin's foot to hold onto. "Sorry Rin, Sudra is being... an asshole. I am glad to hear, you didn't let Vede out. Is medical here yet... my head really hurts."

As if on cue, medical walked through the door, knelt beside Myne, and started to do their work.

//OFF//

Lieutenant Rin
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant JG Myne Redal
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Elysium