How to dance with a stick

Posted on Mon Aug 19th, 2019 @ 6:38am by Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck 1
Timeline: In between shifts
1490 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

S'hib stood alone in the middle of the holodeck, his uniform was neatly folded to one side allowing his body to breath for the coming activities.

"Computer please activate training dojo S'hib Theta Two." He said as he stretched his slender body, his Impressive Equine frame contorting elegantly as he practised a simple form of Yoga.

Back arched forward until his hands touched the floor S'hib kicked away with his strong leg muscles and brought himself into a handstand, breathing slowly as he let his body fall backwards.

As he did so the black and yellow grid beneath his hands shimmered into a bamboo mat, A slightly musky smell filling his flared nostrils as his hooves landed on the organic mat.

His day had been relatively stressless, yet his muscles still ached and refused to move fully, the lack of sleep was starting to get to him he thought. If only he could just relax for one damn day.

"Activate the training program." He added gently leaning forward again until he was balancing on one hoof. His torso and other leg extended out horizontally with the floor. tail and mane draped loosely as two figures shimmered into existence and attacked.

A gentle flick of his ears and a click of a button later S'hib sprung into action as his Sh'akubo staff extended, it's full-length curling around his hands before striking the first Klingon in the side of his face.

The blow sent the brute reeling backwards in a defiant snarl, but before he had time to finish uttering his insult S'hib turned around to block an incoming Bat'leth. The Sh'akubo catching the large angry-looking blade above his head before lifting a leg and kicking behind him.

The force of his hoof seemingly ignored whatever armour the Klingon was wearing as he did not attempt to get back up on his feet. "Computer raise the difficulty level." S'hib snorted before pushing away from the Bat'leth, three more Klingons materializing around him.

"Which one of you P'takh is first," S'hib said playfully, a deep rumble in his throat as he monitored the two behind him with an ear each. His tail lashing wildly behind him as he repositioned his Sh'akubo to his shoulder, his left hand outstretched in a clawed fist.

The jeer worked as he had hoped, and all four reacted at once at the slight to their honour.

The sudden roar of rage hit his senses regardless of how artificial it was and he reacted accordingly, swift and urgent. ~Immense force delivered by pinpricks.~ S'hib thought as he breathed in deep and began to move, his Sh'akubo shifting in the blink of an eye to strike the Klingon on his front right. the tip of the staff connecting with the man's ear, sending him curling to the floor in agony with his head ringing like a bell.

A second later and the staff was spinning into a backward thrust under S'hibs arm and jabbing the gut of the attacker to his rear, knocking him back slightly with a loud grunt.

Now the first Bat'leth came swooping down from his back left, the blade cutting into thin air and then into the floor, narrowly missed S'hib as he sprung to the side before noticing another large blade swinging his direction.

Skipping backwards while deflecting glancing blows with his staff, S'hib struck back. Watching the other two forming up behind his current aggressor as he backed him towards a wall. ~Not again.~ S'hib snorted to himself as he remembered his encounter with Mona.

Pretending to block an overhead attack S'hib clicked the release on his Sh'akubo, Just as the blade would have been stopped the staff retracted and allowed the Klingon to continue with his momentum, S'hibs now empty right hand gripped the back of the Klingons head and threw him into the wall behind, followed by a blow from the re-extended Sh'akubo.

~One down.~ S'hib thought to himself as the Klingon behind him remained slumped against the wall. ~One hurt.~ He continued, analyzing the room as quickly as possible, noticing the Klingon he struck in the ear getting back up, blood pooling out of the side of his head. ~Two now attacking together.~

With his last thought out the way, he lashed out suddenly with the tip of his Sh'akubo.

The strike was unexpected, throwing the Klingons out of step as they assumed he would continue being defensive. This gave the snorting Sequus the opening he wanted, positioning himself between his two assailants where he could cause the most damage.

Spinning the Sh'akubo around his body furiously until the momentum was needed, a strike here another block there. S'hib wedged the two further apart from himself until he felt he could target one for a few seconds without the interference of the other.

Practically throwing his staff forward, the full length sliding out of his grip until the last second. S'hib threaded the needle and darted forward, the shaft sliding through one of the many handles on a Bat'leth.

In one swift fluid motion, S'hib pushed his weight down on his staff. Pulling the tip lodged inside the Klingon blade towards him, while twisting the other end up and over. Ripping the Bat'leth out of the Klingons hands to clatter harmlessly onto the Bamboo mat, as he was disarmed the other end of S'hibs staff landed forcefully into the Klingons ridged brow.

A fraction of a moment later and S'hib was turning around, blocking a sideways blow from the other Klingon who angrily stepped over his compatriot's weapon.

The force of the swing caught S'hibs poor grip by surprise and his staff was flung end over end across the room, a slight twang echoing the room as it vibrated onto the floor.

Snarling gleefully at his unarmed prey the Klingon swung again, the blade barely missing S'hibs gut as he was forced back into the grip of the Klingon he disarmed. Strong armoured arms clutched around his arms and chest and held him like a vice for his fellow warrior to make the kill.

Arms raised and Bat'leth held aloft in a Triumphant display or arrogance, the Klingon barely walked two paces forward before S'hib had sprung into action.

Pulling his long Equine legs up against his chest S'hib felt the sudden shift in weight drag the Klingon holding him forward, One unsteady step forward and S'hib kicked his legs out with the force of a hammer hitting an anvil.

Two Hooves the size of plates struck the Klingon in the chest, sending him across the room like a ragdoll as S'hib fell back on top of the Klingon still holding onto him.

The clatter of armour intermingled with the grunts of both men as they kit the floor, angry Klingon insults spitting out as they grappled with each other.

Throwing his head backwards S'hib felt the wet snapping of cartilage and a deep grunt, Rolling off the dazed Klingon he started to get onto his hooves before being tackled by the Klingon with the bloodied ear.

Thrown to the floor S'hib felt the wind get sucked out of his lungs just as the first fist connected with his muzzle, the force knocked his long equine skull to the side in a daze as he threw up a hooved fist in response.

Seconds later S'hib saw the glint of a small blade shimmer from the skylight above, the blade came down as he shifted his head to the side. The sight of its angry archaic curves jutting out of the bamboo mat made S'hib go wide-eyed, watching it being pulled free for another attempt at his life.

S'hib felt as if his heart had stopped, catching the Klingons wrist as it came down mere inches from his neck.

When another spiked gauntlet put more weight onto the hilt of the blade S'hib began to almost forget this was an entirely safe simulation, desperately pushing back at the closing blade as a droplet of blood from the Klingons ear landed on S'hibs cheek.

In a blink of an eye, S'hib moved his right arm out and cracked the Klingon on the side of the skull. A Thunderclap to his already damaged ear sent him reeling up onto his knees, clutching his head in a painful snarl.

The Klingon regained his composure quickly, fuelled purely by anger towards his opponent. But it was too late, S'hib had already pulled a leg up against his chest.

The kick was instantaneous and death was the only outcome from such a blow, his lifeless body fell to the floor, his head at an unnatural angle.

"Computer, reset the simulation," S'hib said with a great deal of effort, laying there panting, with thick sweaty foam dripping down his arms and chest. "And save the difficulty settings for the next session." He added, content to just lay on the Bamboo mat for a while.

OFF:

Ensign S'hib
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