She Slices, Dices, and Makes Julienne Fries

Posted on Thu Jan 25th, 2018 @ 5:56pm by Staff Sergeant Nyx'e'Trixe Valentine & Lieutenant Temperance Zachary

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Somewhere in the ship

It was early. Much earlier than Temp preferred waking up, but still, it was a necessary evil to be able to find a chance to speak with Lieutenant Valentine before the chaos of general marine training, which is why Temp was not only up, dressed and mobile, but starting to feel slightly buzzed from the two cups of coffee she had indulged in while trying to motivate enough to get going.

It didn't take her terribly long to find Lieutenant Valentine, she was, where she always seemed to be, in the marines training area. Stepping inside the doors, Temperance stayed close to the wall as she watched the other woman practising her sword work. It was impressive, that was for sure. She moved with such practised grace and ease, it almost looked like she was dancing.

It was a single sword art, Nyx slashing, parrying, even making brief blocks and what were obviously deflections against an invisible blade. She even switched hands fluidly, showing similar capability with her left. As she flourished the bladebin her right after a transfer, the other blade oh her hip was rawnbin a lightning quick move that would have deflected yet another weapon strike.

A moment later, after invertin her right blade, Nyx released it and it seemed to hang there, eighteen inches above where someone her height would be making a slash for a face. There was a moment of dissapointment and annoyance on her face before the smile returned, her right hand grabbing the left sword and bringing it up slightly in a slash that hit the tip of her other sword, which she then caught with her left and brought down in stroke meant to crash through a backhand slash. She pushed trough the 'defense, dropping to one knee in another spin and spit her notional enemy with one blade as the other crossed by the hilt in preparation for another block.

It was only once she stopped moving that Temp made her presence known (though she had no doubt that the very seasoned warrior was already well aware of the fact that she was there). "Lieutenant Valentine?" she queried quietly. "I was told that you were the best person to speak to on the ship about sword play... I can see it wasn't just lip service... wow... that was incredible."

Nyx had come up yo her feet again and twisted her wrists, swords flippjng over them in obvious reflex, before reversing them in the same hand and sliding them into their sheaths, one on each side, "Thank you, My Lady." She said, having have turned towards the other officer once she'd stood up again, "However, My Lady, it is only Staff Sergeant at the moment." She gestured to the stripes on her sleeves, then bowed respectfully to Temperance, "It is a little complicated to explain."

Holding up her hands, Temp shook her head quickly. "Please, you don't need to bow to me, or call me 'my lady'... My name is Temperance, most people just call me Temp. I'm not here for duty or anything else, I'm here.." she hesitated momentarily. "I'm here hopefully as a friend?" She offered a quick smile. "I used to dabble in swords a bit, no where near as impressively as you, but still.." She laughed softly, more to herself than anyone else. "Oddly enough, out here I think I'd like to take it up again, and I got told you were the best to speak to. Nothing official of course.."

"My Lady, I couldn't do it, call you by your given name." Nyx smiled slightly, "Though I appreciate the intent and offer. I am still a daughter of Tial, even if I am Outcast. And it would be extremely improper to call a more senior officer or higher caste disrespect. In truth, as a priestess of Bey'a'Dande, were I to show such disrespect for a higher ranked priestess, I could be put to death or at least face severe punishment. But please, by all means call me Ny'e'trixe, or Nyx, however you will."

"I'm afraid I don't know anything about your culture, though, I assure you no such fate awaits you here, but if it makes you more comfortable..." Temp stopped and cast a glance over the other woman. "Your sword work is impressive, it looks like you've been mastering your craft for a very long time, especially given that you are so young."

"For twenty of my twenty-five years, My Lady." Nyx nodded, "It has been my whole life since I was the age of five when they put my first blade into my hand. I am a War Priestess, it is what I do. Starfleet Academy was my first true education beyond the arts of combat. I have commanded unita ranging from eighty Sentar soldiers up to a Battalion of over a thousand, and that was at the age of sixteen."

Temperance bit down on her bottom lip momentarily. With that response she suddenly received a very very large insight into the life of this other woman. A warrior skilled enough to lead a battalion of over a thousand at the age of 16 was not a child who was ever had a great deal of fun. "So when do you stop and have fun?" She asked gently.

"This IS fun, My Lady." Nyx gave her a curious look, "I make it fun for myself, I have to. Especially with the others, it is virtually play for me even as I train. The others fear Klingons in close combat, but in some of the toughest simulations I've been in, I don't find it difficult until there are three or more. And that's when it's the most fun." She smiled, "My Lady, it's not just a job to me, not even just a religion."

With a slight nod, Temperance accepted what Nyx told her at face value. Just because most individuals would consider there to be more to life than playing with swords, there was no reason that Nyx had to be held to those standards. "You're definitely very talented, no doubt. I guess I can see why you would find it fun. I don't know much at all about your culture, but I guess cartwheeling through fields and picking wildflowers isn't really high on the agenda if you're trained to be a warrior from five..." she said quietly.

"Indeed not, My Lady. Our training schedule was basically from seven in the morning until nine at night with meal breaks and a couple of rest periods and prayer times. We took one day off a year during the Feast of Bey'a'Dande and half days off suring the other major feasts." Nyx explained, "There quite literally was nothing else between that time and when I was escalated to the First Class of Priestess and went off to my first real battle at thirteen, the normal age for such."

"Wow..." Temp breathed softly, shaking her head. "Gee, and I thought my childhood was tough." She laughed lightly. "I complained about an hour of ballet and an hour of swordsmanship each day outside of school. So what does it mean to be a First Class of Priestess?"

"It means you survived the training period and religious training and are ready for combat. The typical First Class Priestess of Bey'a'Dande can face and defeat three or four Sentar without relative difficulty. Sentar are those like me, with dark hair, conscripted to serve twenty-five years in the armies. I am the only remaining Sentar Priestess of my people." Nyx drew her sword again, "A First Class commands the equivalent of a Company of soldiers, around eighty to a hundred in number of Sentar. The front lines of battle, other First Class priestesses in the other side tend to try to make a name for themselves in their first fight. And upon escalating tot he First Class, we are bestowed a sword which we aid in the design and forging of. It stays with us throughout life and death." She offered the sword hilt first to Temp.

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Temperance took the sword, a fleeting look of surprise crossing her face at the relative weightlessness of the sword compared to what she had expected. Taking a few steps back and turning half away from Nyx, she weight tested the sword a few times before she flourished the sword with practised ease. "It is incredibly light," she replied quietly, turning the sword inward under her wrist before offering it back to Nyx, again, hilt first. "Much lighter than anything I have ever handled, well, given the size of it anyway."

Nyx took the sword back and resheathed it, "It's made of a titanium, vanadium and tungston alloy by hand on Tial, Always by hand, with the wielder there for every step. I have five, this one was crafted for me, another belonged to a close, very close friend who was murdered by the one who I took two blades from. The last, "She withdrew her other blade to show the blueish metal engraved with runes down the center of the gutter cut, "Was gifted to me by My Mistress, passed down her line over generations. Reshtina, Hailstorm in Standard, is over three thousand years old. First made for a Light of the Northern Reach and passed down the Dorande line until now."

"That, is absolutely stunning," she replied, casting a gaze over the sword. "Almost too pretty to take into battle..." her words trailed off as the rest of the statement started to sink in. Finally, with a somewhat sad smile she looked at Nyx. "Such a legacy never truly ends," she said simply.

"This one was forged in the really old way, used in battle for nearly all of the years." Nyx closed her eyes and started to concentrate, "Sola'e'Tieri Di'Dorande was one of the greatest warriors of her time, kept the Northern Reach inviolable during her reign." A purple glow began to radiate off of her, "That title isn't hereditary, it goes to the Seventh-class Priestess of Bey'a'Dande that wins it." The runes on the blade began to glow golden.

Temperance’s eyes widened slightly as she took a slight step back, glancing around quickly. “Uhmmm...” she started to speak. “I don’t know if you realise this, but you’re kind of glowing?”

"Indeed..." Nyx said softy, 'This is what I mean by the old way. The runes were imprinted with a phosphorescent rich inlay that allows them to shine in combat. The purple is mine own, most Sentar glow a near black and Korashe glow a bright golden, the better for their soldiers to see them in the heat of battle." Her eyes opened, looking into Temp's, even they glowed faintly, "The doctors say it is from a very high level of phosphorous in our systems, focal to our hair follicles and activated by heightened brain activity., such as stress, pressure or concentration, including prayer."

Temperance was momentarily lost for words, after all, it wasn’t every day that someone luminesced in front of her. “Oh...” she replied simply. “So... uhmmm... does this happen often?”

Nyx released her breath, then the glow started to fade away slowly, "I would say so, My Lady." She smiled slightly, "And not always consciously, in fact most of the time it's completely on an unconscious level." She returned Hailstorm to its sheath, "Obviously I can do it if I desire, but that takes considerable focus on the matter. So generally speaking, My Lady, I don't have control over it."

Finally, Temp shook her head and laughed, unable to help herself. "I can say with complete honesty, Nyx'e'trixe, you are the first person in my life that I have ever seen glow purple, or, actually, glow at all. The culture of your people is fascinating, it's unlike anything I have ever seen before, well, at least, outside of books anyway."

"It's unlike anything I've seen off of Tial, My Lady. While I would love to return there, I'm afraid I would be out of place entirely, even amongst the space navy, which operates under different rules entirely. That is, if I wouldn't be executed for treason if I return to Tial." Nyx smiled at the last, seeing it as somewhat of a joke. Not just that, but the use of her full name rather than the first part gave her a warm feeling, as if someone else truly appreciated her.

Instinctively, Temperance reached out and briefly touched her forearm gently. "Well it's a good thing you're here then," she replied with a smile. "I shouldn't take up too much more of your time, I'm sure you have plenty of more important things that you need to be doing..." she finished.

"My Lady, I beg your pardon, but you came here inquiring about swordplay and I just... Took up the entire time with a cultural lesson on my homeworld." Nyx looked somewhat embarrassed about it, "I would be honored to help you in any way you would desire, My Lady."

Temp smiled genuinely. "It was a cultural lesson very well received," she replied honestly. "It was truly fascinating, as are you... besides, the swordplay was just an thought, it wasn't important." she laughed again. "I strongly suspect that you are well beyond my level anyway, as I said, I just dabbled here and there."

"Just because you 'dabbled' here and there doesn't mean you wouldn't have skill, My Lady." Nyx smiled softly, "And beyond your level? I think you may just teach me a few things, if you had a mind to. It reminds me of something my Mistress told me: 'The only time you stop learning is when you close your mind to the lessons being given.' Lessons come in all shapes and sizes, My Lady, all styles, all weapons and especially all people."

"I started with Earth style fencing swords when I was old enough to hold one, maybe three? Mostly with a foil to start with, then moving onto a saber and epee... when I was 13 and went to live with my uncle he taught me how to wield a variety of broadswords." Temp smiled at the memories. "As much as I hated it when I was little, my uncle made it fun, I enjoyed it. I know the holodeck is there, but there is something to be said for practicing with a real live person."

"I agree, My Lady, a real person can truly give more insight to your own self and your own actions. And far more unpredictable as well." Nyx agreed, "And I promise I won't just overpower you, but to help you improve your abilities and find confidence in them as well."

"Please, don't think you have to spend time with me, I won't be insulted if you say no.. and I certainly don't want to take away from your own personal time in any way!" Temperance followed through quickly.

Nyx rolled her eyes intentionally, trying to make sure Temperance knew she was doing it, a human custom she still didn't understand fully, it ended up looking jerky and uncoodinated, "My Lady, I spend about twelve hours a day in training, most of it is by myself. If I spend a handful of hours with someone else, helping them and myself by it, it would not cause me to suffer some sort of catastrophic loss of ability."

Stifling a giggle at the awkward eye roll Temp tried to nod sagely. "Well, just so long as you're sure," she replied. "Thank you, Nyx'e'trixe, I appreciate your time."

"It is your time I appreciate, My Lady." Nyx countered, "I have all the time in the wor- Galaxy for this, you, unfortunately, have to squeeze it in when you can, my apologies for that."

Temperance laughed openly, realising belatedly that Nyx would have no idea that the reason she was laughing was because at this time she was usually either still tucked up in her bed sleeping, or back in bed with a hot chocolate. "Sleep is totally over rated, right?" she replied brightly. "That's why the deities created coffee and chocolate!"

"Coffee is truly a wonderful thing, the caffeine aids in concentration." Nyx remarked, "But all but the dark chocolate is far too sweet for my tastes." She shrugged, "We didn't have either on Tial, My Lady, but I believe coffee would go over rather well."

"Dark chocolate is truly disgusting," Temp replied, screwing up her face quickly. "I much prefer a mild milk chocolate, much more palatable to my tastes. I don't particularly enjoy the taste of coffee, but the kick is enough to keep me going when I need it. I much prefer hot chocolate personally."

"A mere difference of opinion, My Lady." Nyx chuckled softly, "And not one of substance." She chose her words carefully, hoping the pun would come across correctly.

"You know," Temp replied with a smile. "I think I am going to enjoy getting to know you a whole lot more Nyx'e'trixe," she said softly. "So, this time tomorrow? I'll bring the coffee?"

"That would be a good time, I believe, My Lady." Nyx bowed slightly again.

"Great, see you then. Thank you Nyx'e'trixe." With a smile and a wave, Temp turned and headed back out through the door and into the corridor, reflecting on what a strangely unique individual Nyx was. The more she reflected, the more she found herself looking forward to learning more about her.

OFF:
Staff Sergeant Nyx'e'Trixe Valentine
Marine
USS Wellington

Lieutenant Temperance Zachary
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Wellington