KLINGON #8: I'm Starting To Like It Here

Posted on Mon Oct 28th, 2024 @ 6:53pm by Lieutenant JG Gavin Lasso

Mission: IT'S A KLINGON THING {CD&Missions}
Location: IKS 'Iwghargh (Bloodsport)
Timeline: Current

ON:

Gavin had left the galley after the evening meal and, as per orders, went to training room one. Upon entry he looked around. It was a rectangular compartment, with himself entering at one end of it. Standing at the opposite end was Kehzza, her back to him as she was admiring some of the weapons there. All around the chamber on hooks and shelves were a plethora of Klingon melee weapons. The bat'leth, the mekleth, the d'k'tagh, and various other weapons such as the footman's lance and even short spears. Added to the collection were non-Klingon weapons, although their area was far smaller. Romulan swords reminiscent of the Roman gladius, and the teral'n. Next to those were the Jem Hadar spear lances they often carried into battle. Quite the collection of weapons intended to provide a gruesome and painful death. However, a set of weapons he was quite familiar with were also present. A pair of Viking war axes hung on hooks beside each other. He was surprised to see those presented among the others. The belt for carrying them was also provided, sitting on a small shelf below the axes hanging on the wall. A friend of his had been from Earth many years ago, and they would often go into holosuites and play Viking since the friend had been from Norway and had ancestors within the esteemed culture of the Norse. The reason Gavin loved that so much was that his own mother, she too from Earth, had been from Norway and often spoke of her ancestral beliefs and the fact that her family line had been around since the dawning of the Viking longboat.

Walking over to the axes, Gavin took up the belt and donned it, adjusting the pistol belt enough to allow for both belts to be worn. Removing the axes from the wall he hefted them, flipping both through the air with each hand, finding them well balanced. He slid their handles into the leather loops provided for them, the heads of the axes open to view as they added to his appearance by being open to the sight of others. Having selected the weapons he would now use as a member of this crew he turned and got back to the center of the room. He face Kehzza's back and stood still, his eyes looking at her form, and also scanning the weapons laid out before her as she faced it. "Lieutenant Gavin, reporting as ordered, Lieutenant Kehzza."

"Took you long enough," said Kehzza as she spun in place to face him. He was now able to see that she held two mekleths in her hands, crossed over her chest as she had been meditating. Her arms went to her sides as she held the blades. "We need to get you up to speed when it comes to the ways of our people." She slid her mekleths into the metal rings on her own belt, sheathing them yet also leaving the deadly looking blades open to view. An intimidation factor done on purpose by Klingons. "You have been in this room for over eight minutes, and just now you speak to me. Were you anyone else, a Klingon, there would be consequences for such disrespect to a superior."

"I have no excuse, Lieutenant," said Gavin. He squared his shoulders and stood tall before her. "I willingly accept any discipline you see fit to dole out."

Kehzza gave a frustrated sigh as she began to pace back and forth in front of him. Her eyes darted to his waist several times. "I see you prefer the weapons of Earth. They were brought to the attention of Lord Marz by his mate, Matriarch Kehlani. He, too, favors them. There are Klingons aboard this ship who are finding them both useful and easy to carry, and deadly when used correctly."

"May I speak, Lieutenant," Gavin asked. She gave a nod as she came to a standstill. "These weapons are a part of my ancestry. Weapons I know how to use through practical training. I am not an expert but I can handle myself. Only time will tell if my skills will grow."

"We shall see," Kehzza stated, taking a step back and drawing her mekleths.

Gavin took a step back and produced his axes and got into a combat stance. There was some trepidation as he was now facing a woman well-versed, and practiced, in melee combat. Hell, as far as he knew, she could have been in battle a few weeks ago, knowing how Klingons worked. Gavin was no fool and he did realize that no matter how well he had practiced and trained, he had never had to use those skills against a living combatant who would not hold back.

Kehzza gave a Klingon battle grunt and stepped in swinging. Thanks to his own training Gavin was able to deflect and return swings enough to keep her at bay. They circled each other as they twirled their weapons to keep their reflexes honed for the next go. Again, Kehzza came in, but this time her attacks were more focused, more pointed, and she was able to cause Gavin to deflect with both weapons before she gave him an elbow smash to the face and a knee blow to his midsection before stepping back and walking a circle around him as he went to a knee to catch his breath.

"Again!" Kehzza said gruffly. "On your feet, petaQ! I am not dead yet!"

Recovering, Gavin got to his feet quickly, squaring off once more.

"Do not hold back, Gavin." Kehzza instructed. "You are too used to your Starfleet ways of training. No one gets hurt and that produces cowards and weaklings who are afraid of a little pain in their lives. It turns them into baktag (shit). After all, pain is the greatest teacher."

As she spoke Gavin began to circle her again, with Kehzza matching the maneuver. As they did so Gavin spun the axes in his hands, trading the bladed side for the bludgeon side. Instead of cleaving, not wanting to bleed the woman, he would bash. This way his brain would get used to not holding back as he sought to smash her into submission. With a silent focus he stepped in and began his attack. Their weapons glinted in the light even as the clank of their connecting sounded around the room. Both combatants used their footwork to try and gain the advantage. Gavin studied Kehzza's attack patterns, looking for one that she used more than others so that he could try and capitalize on it. Just when he felt he was gaining ground she once again did something he had not seen yet, using her training to gain advantage enough to be able to strike him with her body while her weapons were held at bay. This time she gave him a head butt to his right cheek, and as he was shook by it he paused enough in his push to allow another knee to his gut. Going to his knee once more, this time fairing better in his breathing and resistance, she spoke further.

"Your strength and skill is commendable," said Kehzza. "However, you are still holding back. The Infirmary is just down the corridor so you will not bleed to death before we get help, if that is your concern. This is the modern Imperial fleet, we do have holographic emitters in here but they do not have safeties, other than they won't kill you...intentionally. I suggest you make use of them when I am not available for training. Unless, of course, you prefer it on your knees?" That last bit, the question, was meant to stoke a fire in his belly. To awaken the heart of the warrior. It did just that.

Gavin came up quickly and began an assault, his weapons moving quickly on their designated courses to try and strike her. With practiced skill Kehzza was able to defend and counter-attack as they went. Gavin was patient even as he remained perceptive to each move she made. And, there it was. It had happened again. An attack pattern she had used several times already. With her arms apart to make her tactic work, Gavin feinted left and then went right. It created an opening so he capitalized. All Kehzza could do in that moment was block with both her weapons, keeping her arms busy unless she wanted to be struck in the chest and face. Gavin pushed her back with all his strength, his face a mere inches from hers as she stumbled back. As she did so, Gavin brought his knees up one at a time and gave her strong knee strikes to her inner thighs, the sound of her grunts of pain music to his ears. He slammed her back into the wall, the two of them committed to a struggle of strength as neither of their weapons could be moved to strike without leaving them open to attack.

With nothing else left to do to free herself, Kehzza struck out with an intended head butt. Gavin had anticipated that, had even set her up for it, and when it came in he lowered his chin and his head enough to offset her aim. Instead of her head ridges smashing into his forehead, which was a damn sight thinner than her skull, her nose came in contact with his cranium. Kehzza grunted in pain and drew her head back, with the back of her head against the wall as her nose bled freely. Not giving her a moment to recover, Gavin used his own forehead, along the hairline where it was thickest, and smashed her nose once more. There was no crunch of bone or cartilege but it did cause another grunt of pain from her and more blood began to flow.

"Call it a draw!?" Gavin grunted out as he was still locked in a struggle with her arms.

"A draw, yes!" Kehzza said, her speaking causing some blood droplets and spittle to fly out from the breath of speaking, spattering his face.

With caution Gavin released quickly and stepped back a pace, his weapons held at his sides but ready for another go if she chose to fool him into a false sense of security.

Kehzza swiped her nose with the back of her sleeve, sheathing her blades. "majQa' (well done)." She said. "Once you realized you could strike without fear of reprisal you became that much more effective. All your battles should reflect that from this day forward. Kill or be killed, Gavin. Your enemies will not hesitate, so why should you?"

Gavin, as she spoke, holstered his own weapons and stood up straight. "A lesson that I have taken to heart. Shall we walk and talk so you can attend to your face?"

"A sound idea," said Kehzza, grinning. She reached up and touched her sore nose several times, wincing at certain points. "Good on you for realizing a Klingon tactic when locked face to face with an opponent." She got them walking, stepping out into the corridor and locating a washroom to clean her face.

"So, Kehzza, give me a rundown of Klingon beliefs." Gavin said, once they began to walk and talk to further his training as a Klingon crew member. "Mainly, the ways of the warrior. I do not wish to insult anyone further due to ignorance. I know some things, but would like to delve deeper."

"As you wish." Kehzza began to speak, starting with the legend of Kahless and how lost the Klingon people were until he arrived and began to teach them how to become an empire. To bring forth honor, duty, and sacrifice for the good of the Klingon people. As the stories unfolded she began to speak of Sto-vo-kor and Grethor, the heaven and hell of Klingon belief. Those who lived honorable lives and died in combat without fear were given a place in Sto-vo-kor. Those who were dishonorable, cowards, and traitors were destined for the fires of Grethor. How very Earth-like, thought Gavin.

The two of them arrived at the galley, going inside. Without the official meal in order, these within could sit where they wished. Both Gavin and Kehzza grabbed a goblet from the counter and got themselves some bloodwine, taking seat next to one another to continue their conversation. There were a few others inside, all talking and laughing together, minding their own affairs since they knew that Kehzza was his advisor.

"Kehzza, all that you have told me is almost exactly like my ancestors from my Human side," explained Gavin. When she asked how so, he went into his own instruction to her about the Vikings and the Norse. Hel is an underground realm ruled by Loki's daughter Hel that is the afterlife for most individuals. Within or near Hel is Náströnd, a place of darkness and horror reserved for oath-breakers, murderers and adulterers. On Náströnd is a hall woven with the spines of snakes, a description which has been noted to show significant linguistic similarity with an Old English kenning for the Christian Hell, wyrmsele (snake hall). Hel's realm is separated from the world of the living by the river Gjöll, spanned by the bridge Gjallarbrú. The gates are heavy, and close behind those who pass it, preventing them from returning to the realm of the living.

He continued to tell of the Viking beliefs and supernatural places, with the others in the room now quiet as they listened in. Their eyes and ears were riveted as they heard things that were, in their minds, only held in Klingon beliefs. Not to be deterred, Gavin told more of his tale.

Valhalla is an afterlife where those who die in battle gather as einherjar, in preparation for the last great battle during Ragnarök. In opposition to Hel's realm, which is a subterranean realm of the dead, Gavin explained that Valhalla was located somewhere in the heavens. Valhalla is presented primarily as an abode for deceased men, with the principal female figures being the valkyries who gather the fallen warriors on the battlefield and bring them to Odin's hall, where they pour mead for them. According to one saga, 'hel-shoes' are put on men's feet to allow them to walk to Valhalla. Some who die in battle are described as going to Hel rather than Valhalla. Valhalla is also not exclusively reserved for those who die in battle. Dying honorably, for one's people, no matter how that came about, can send anyone to Valhalla.

Once he finished his tale, his goblet now empty, Gaving got up to go get more while everyone else glanced around at each other as if they had all heard the telling of their own sagas from their childhoods. Seeing the Kehzza's cup was empty, Gavin took it eith him and refilled them both. Returning, he handed hers over and sat down.

"It is amazing how similar Earth and Qo'noS really are." One of the bekks put forth.

Gaving took a draw from his cup, then spoke. "Not anymore. Earth is soft now. All about diplomacy and not starting a fight unless we have to. Our last world war nearly destroyed our civilization. We do not wish it to happen again."

"And, here you are," said Kehzza with a crooked grin and a sidelong look. "Serving on warship under the command of the Klingon Empire. Perhaps that softness of Earth will wear off and you can become the warrior you were always meant to be."

Gavin gave a slow nod to that, his eyes going distant as he sipped from his cup. His thoughts were on the happenings of his first day aboard the IKS 'Iwghargh. He had to admit to himself that he was liking it and found it more to his liking than his Starfleet duties. As the Flight Control Chief on starbase M-69 he was able to zip around in small craft, his department directing traffic and seeing to the buoys and commsats placed strategically around the sector that 69 sat in. Most days it was boring and left him seeking something to occupy his time when a duty day ended. Walking Promenades, going to eateries, visiting clubs and bars. All fine and good but not really honing him as a man. Here, right here, he felt at home. Having a beautiful Klingon woman to spend his days with was an added bonus, but it was the brotherhood of the warriors aboard, the open conversations without things being veiled so as not to hurt feelings. To blazes with feelings. The truth should hurt because that hurt makes one think and change their ways from a whispering whelp to that of an up front person of trust.

Sitting forward, gavin looked around at the few faces, his eyes coming finally to rest on Kehzza. "It is to my liking, I'll admit. Perhaps, when the time comes for me to go back, I may wish to stay and switch my service to the KDF. It is only my first day and already I feel that pull."

All of them gave forth laughter and low cheers. "Qapla'!" Came out several times as he was clapped on his shoulders by them all. Two bekks got up and gathered the empty cups, going and refilling them and and then passing them back out. Once seated again the Bekks joined in on talking with Kehzza and Gavin, all of them enjoying the company into the night.

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