God's Grace and the Night

Posted on Thu Jun 7th, 2018 @ 12:23am by Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon & Staff Sergeant Nyx'e'Trixe Valentine

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4

Holographic opponents were a dream of which every Tialan war priestess would have LOVED to have on a constant basis, but there was only one that had that capability, well, maybe a few others now that Tial had some surplused Federation ships, but Nyx'e'Trixe was having the times of her life with her training that still took up the huge majority of the day, not just of her 'working' day, but the day itself. To gain experience like this on Tial would have involved mortal combat where to make a mistake was apt to lose one their life. Instead, now, Nyx could try new things, take insane risks with some of her moves and only 'die' in the most basic sense of the word, but not in reality.

And so she was getting better. Far better and was likely the equal of any Fourth-class Priestess and most of the Fifth as she was herself. A slight pang hit her as she remembered that she would never be able to return to the world of her birth and... 'Share' her new-found knowledge with her fellows. She noted the lone woman poking around the Marine area, but she focused once more on the creature in front of her, hands out as she continued to fight the jungle monster without benefit of any weapons at all. She finally dismissed it as it got a grip on her shoulder and a jolt of pain ran through her body as the computer simulated her shoulder being ripped from her body.

She rolled her shoulder as Siobahn came out of Hailey's quarters, apparently looking for the Major, "My Lady?" She asked, stepping down from the holo-mat, holding the arm straight upright as she worked the kink out, "I'm sorry to be a bother, My Lady, but are you seeking Lady Weston?"

Siobahn shook her head quickly and offered an uncertain smile. "No, I was actually looking for you. Did you hurt your shoulder again? Do you want me to take a look?" she offered.

"This? No, this is just from my training, I set the simulation for more than the usual feedback." Nyx looked at the younger woman closer, "But, My Lady, why would you be seeking me out?" Nyx looked confused, then windmilled the arm around twice and bounced on the balls of her feet a couple times, "But, you have found me, My Lady."

"I wanted to ask..." Siobahn paused for a moment. "Well, I was hopin'.. maybe..." She reached up and grabbed her braid, twisting it anxiously between her fingers. "I know you are always busy, but if you have any time to spare at all, maybe, I was hopin' you might help teach me how to fight. Don't get me wrong, Ami's great and all, but well, everyone knows you're the best on the ship, and to be honest, I need all the help I can get."

Nyx stood there for just a few moments, looking at Siobahn, just looking. "No, My Lady." She said at the end of her silence, "It is not about the time, that I have in plenty, but I don't believe you would be able to handle the teaching I could give you." Nyx smiled apologetically, "Milady Rori is very gentle when she needs to be, with me, there is no gentleness. I will not teach you in unarmed combat, nor would I teach you any of the sword arts until you had more experience in close combat training. I am the product of my raising, My Lady, I started when I was five years of age in a very direct fashion."

"I see..." Siobahn replied quietly. "Well, I'm sorry I wasted your time and I'll let you be then."

"You have not wasted my time, My Lady." Nyx said just as quietly, then gestured to the empty mat, taking a seat on it, "I have been told by several of my comrades that I am perhaps too blunt in my words. I am who you see, someone who has been trained over two decades to be a weapon. Milady Rori has the right of it, start slowly and work your way up. I am uncertain of what a Priestess of Urd'a'Neta performs in the course of their duties, that is our Goddess of Healing, but though they have the very rudimentary knowledge of combat, they aren't trained in more than the smallest of the knife arts. Lady Weston would be considered both a priestess of Urd'a'Neta and Bey'a'Dande on Tial, but she was first of the warrior path before the healing.

The Tialan thought for a few moments more, "My Lady, when I was Chosen to be a war priestess, my training was as I said, very direct. What that means is at the age of five, I was put into personal unarmed fights, no padding, no armor, just me and my opponent with the expectation that we would fight until one of us yielded, basically no holds barred. My 'teachers' and our traditions believed it to be the best way to get used to the dealing and receiving of pain so as to reduce its effect on us. As such, as you have seen, I disregard if something is going to hurt me or another when I'm in any sort of combat scenario." She gave a sheepish smile, "Such as dislocating my shoulder against Milady Rori to win a practice bout, as you saw prior to our first meeting."

Sinking down onto the mat gracefully and crossing her legs, Siobahn twisted her braid as she listened to Nyx speaking. "I'm not going to pretend I understand," Siobahn replied quietly. "Fightin' in any way has never been somethin' that interested me... until recently. Now, well, it isn't so much that I want to learn, but I NEED to learn, no matter what it takes, and if that means I have to keep lookin' until I find someone who takes me seriously and pushes me, then that's what I'll do."

"My Lady, I am taking you seriously, which is why I would decline to work with you in unarmed combat. You do not want me to do that, unless you have the desire to have deep bruises, broken bones, concussions and the like. But, if I may suggest, My Lady, why do you desire that sort of combat." Nyx leaned in slightly, "Why not a phaser? They do have those of a small size that can be concealed quite easily. Or if you prefer to blow holes in your opponent, a one-shot pistol or revolver or automatic?"

"I'm a medical officer, not a marine. As a general rule we don't have the luxury of carryin' around weapons," Siobahn replied pointedly. "I need to be able to defend myself against those who intend harm, no matter when or where I am."

"'No matter when or where'." Nyx repeated, "If that is your intent, My Lady, why not learn to shoot? You may not have the luxury of carrying weapons, but you might have the opportunity to use one. Without the short-range skill for swords and such, your choices would be hand to hand or medium-range, long range is a developed skill. So, why not learn to shoot, My Lady?"

Remaining silent for a long moment, Siobahn thought over the question that had been posed to her. Why not learn to shoot? It went against everything she had ever believed in. First and foremost, do no harm. The first oath she had ever taken after graduating from Starfleet Medical. And while defending herself, or others, against ill intent, it still felt like it was crossing a line, one she wasn't sure she could cross. "I don't know," she finally said quietly. "I have ever been comfortable with weapons, they kind of scare me."

"My Lady, very few aren't scared of them, in the wrong hands." Nyx remarked, "But would you rather be in a situation where you have to defend yourself or die and the only way of saving yourself is a gun sitting on a table that you don't know how to use? I don't understand doctors and their general pacifism, but you aren't one of those... And anyways, phasers come with a stun setting."

"I'm not a pacifist, but only because I'm not an idealist. Utopia doesn't exist, and until it does there will always be conflict... but my job is to heal people, not harm them." Siobahn signed softly and rubbed her temples. "I guess you're right," she finally conceded.

"Talk to Lady Weston about the difficulties she has between the two, My Lady." Nyx said solemnly, "She too has to deal with the conundrum. Did I use that word right?" The Tialan shrugged, "But, should you desire, My Lady, I can definitely teach you how to shoot without the fear of injuring you, nor you without having to be concerned about hurting me. And you never know, My Lady, you may be better than me."

"I don't want Hailey know I'm doing this," Siobahn replied quickly. "At least, not yet."

"Then dark of the night it will be, My Lady." Nyx smiled slightly, "And should you desire it, in the Security section? That way, no other Marines would notice?"

Completely taken aback by the ease with which Nyx agreed, Siobahn nodded slightly, not entirely sure if she should believe that the other woman would so readily keep this between them. "Alright," she finally said with an uncertain smile. "I guess I'll do it."

"Then, My Lady, let's start tonight." Nyx popped up to her feet, then reached down to give Siobahn a helping hand up, "Master Chief Bogdonovich won't mind us being there. He's lost to me a few times in contests and if you promise not to tell anyone? He actually beat me once, My Lady."

With a laugh, Siobahn allowed Nyx to help her to her feet. "Even if I told anyone they wouldn't believe me," she said easily. "What time tonight?"

Nyx glanced around, then noted it was almost evening, "Are you expected anywhere right now, My Lady?"

"Not as far as I'm aware, I'm off duty for now and nothing else on the agenda for tonight, other than a long hot shower and some time with a good book, but that can wait," Siobahn straightened her uniform and tossed her long braid back over her shoulder. "What did you have in mind?"

"Come with me, My Lady." Nyx nudged Siobahn's shoulder towards the door, taking two steps from the path as they reached it to grab a couple phaser pistols and sling them over her shoulder, "We are going to get started tonight, right now." She stated.

"Oh... uhmmm... okay, I guess..." Siobahn followed quietly into the corridor, not sure she trusted herself to speak. The first words out of her mouth were likely to be excuses as to why this was a really bad idea. "So we're goin' to Security, right?" she finally asked quietly. "Just... you know.. you may want to notify sickbay to prepare for casualties or something."

"Why would they need to do that, My Lady?" Nyx asked, genuinely curious, "That fight in the bar did not involve myself and I and the rangemaster are on very good terms. Besides, My Lady, if someone does decide it's a good idea to attack me, I can defend us both rather quite well." She rubbed a hand against the pommel ends of her swords in their double-sheath on her left hip.

"If you're plannin' on puttin' a weapon in my hands then no one in the area is safe," Siobahn replied easily.

Nyx smirked at that, "Everyone will be safe, My Lady. I can protect them from you just as easily! I will be right next to you the entire time, just in case."

"Famous last words," Siobahn laughed as they walked into the firing range. "Don't say I didn't warn you!"

"Milord Bogdonovich." Nyx said easily to the Master of the Range, who gave Siobahn a raised eyebrow, "Ignore her, Milord, well, perhaps not ignore her, but she's with me. We require the use of your firing range for me to teach Lady Fallon how to shoot." She smiled at him, "There are reasons we can't use mine."

The gold-uniformed NCO looked at Nyx, then to Siobahn, then back to Nyx, "All right, Sarge, but... Be careful. That one looks like she's never held a phaser in her life."

Nyx reached out and placed two fingers on the back of the Master Chief's hand, which tensed ever so slightly, "It will be all right, Milord, safety first. And teaching Lady Fallon right the first time will assuage your feelings."

Siobahn watched the interaction between them with one ever so slightly raised eyebrow before turning away and looking around the range with mild interest. Firing ranges were definitely not somewhere she had spent much, if any time. It actually seemed very underwhelming in truth. She had expected it to be much more, well, interesting.

The Chief looked into Nyx's eyes briefly, then nodded and Nyx removed her fingers, "Thank you, Milord." She then smiled over at Siobahn, "All right, My Lady, we'll use the end over here." She walked with Siobahn over to the far end of the range and pulled one of the phaser pistols from its holster and handed it to Siobahn, putting the other and the empty holster on the ground, "The safety is on, My Lady, so please don't press any of the studs on the sides, or any of them on the top. You can touch them, just not push them."

Taking the phaser pistol and holding it tentatively between her thumb and her forefinger, Siobahn held it up and studied it for a moment. "So as long as I don't touch anythin' it's not gonna shoot someone?" She screwed up her face slightly as she moved the pistol to her right hand, holding it carefully and trying not to touch any of the buttons.

"Actually, My Lady, until we put a powerpack in, it's not going to shoot anything at all." Nyx smiled lightly, then reached over and very gently adjusted the weapon into Siobahn's hand, snugging the back of the grip into the palm and the fingers around it, placing the index finger on the outside of the trigger-guard, "Your other hand, My Lady." Nyx requested, then as the other hand came up, she placed it on the bottom of the grip to support it, "Keep your elbows bent and bring it up so that you can sight over the back."

At least feeling reassured that there was no way the pistol could fire accidentally, Siobahn allowed Nyx to correct her grip on the phaser, holding it up as instructed. "Like this?"

"Feet just about shoulder width apart, My Lady." Nyx murmured, then bent Siobahn's right elbow slightly more, "How comfortable does that feel? Anything digging into your hand, awkward?"

"The whole thing feels awkward, but I think that's just me," Siobahn replied with a nervous laugh. "It's okay though, I think..." She glanced at Nyx before looking back at the weapon in her hand. "You're sure I can't accidentally fire it?"

"Not yet, My Lady." Nyx chuckled, "We will fire it shortly, but not yet. Lesson one: Always treat a weapon like it's loaded, My Lady, then you'll never be surprised when it actually is. I want you to roll your wrist around, then practice very deliberately putting your index finger into the trigger guard. Your hand should not slip or alter its grip on the weapon, but if it does, that just means we don't have the grip right quite yet, My Lady."

Moving her wrist as she was told, then moving her index finger to the trigger guard. "I think it's okay, at least, my hand isn't moving and it feels comfortable enough," Siobahn said quietly before looking across at Nyx, waiting for her approval.

Nyx nodded, "My Lady, focus down-range at the target on the far left, line it up with the sight on the back of the pistol, then slowly put pressure on the trigger until you feel it 'break', which means the point where it would actually trigger a shot if it were loaded. I want you to do that three times, then the last time, stop right before you think you'd hit that point."

Lowering the pistol for a moment, Siobahn took a few deep breaths, almost as if she was steeling herself for what she was about to do, before finally raising the pistol again and aiming it down the range. The first time she squeezed the trigger, wincing and almost closing her eyes until she felt the click beneath her finger. She exhaled quickly before taking another deep breath, this time keeping her eyes open as she squeezed again, focusing on the feel of the trigger beneath her finger, how far she could move before it clicked again. Again she exhaled slowly, this time more controlled and less anxious. The third time she lined up the sight, pressing on the trigger slowly. "Here," she said quietly.

"Good." Nyx had been watching very carefully, "Release the pressure." She ordered quietly, then reached out and removed the supporting hand and inserting the power pack she had palmed from when she'd handed over the pistol, then replacing the hand precisely where it had been, "All right, My Lady, the weapon is loaded, safety is still on. Keep it pointed down-range, but again, maneuver it around, get a feel for the added weight, even though there isn't much more of it."

The fact that the weapon was now loaded made Siobahn draw in a sharp breath. She nodded slightly, not entirely trusting herself to speak. The extra weight wasn't much but it did make a difference. She readjusted her grip, again rolling her wrist to make sure that she was holding it properly. Moving her index finger back to the trigger, she rolled her wrist again, making sure she kept the weapon pointed away from them. The last thing she wanted, or needed, was to have to explain to someone how it was that she accidentally shot Nyx. That definitely wouldn't end well. "Alright," she said quietly. "I think I've got it..."

"Then, My Lady, it's time for the next step." Nyx glanced across the range, it being empty, just to be fully aware if anyone was around, then stepped behind and to the right of Siobahn, reaching out and moving Siobahn's thumb to one of the buttons on the side, "This is the safety. Press it to disable, another time to re-enable. Only point this weapon at what you desire to destroy. The power level is currently on 'target practice', so even if you shoot me, it won't do a thing but tingle. Disable the safety, then depress the trigger to fire your first shot, then re-engage the safety. If you miss the target, that's perfectly fine, we're just going to start getting used to the act of firing."

With a nod, Siobahn brushed her thumb over the safety, disabling it and then enabling it again. She drew in a slow breath, disabling the safety again, holding the pistol firmly as she squeezed the trigger slowly, trying to resist the urge to close her eyes. As the pistol fired, Siobahn yelped, her grip on the pistol loosening enough to allow it to fall to the floor, as she jumped back in surprise. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, colour flooding into her cheeks as she crouched down to pick up the pistol again, making sure the first thing she did was to engage the safety.

"It's all right, My Lady, that's why we have the setting as low as it goes." Nyx nodded her approval of Siobahn's resetting of the safety, "Everyone reacts differently to their first time shooting. And to think, My Lady, this is just a phaser, but we aren't going to even try the projectile weapons until you're more comfortable with this one. And we're just going to continue this step until you get settled with this one. Set your stance again and let's try it again."

Resettling the phaser in her hand, Siobahn took a deep breath and then sighed softly, holding it up again, tilting her head to one side slightly, biting down on her bottom lip as she looked down the sight, her finger wrapping around the trigger again. She took in another deep breath, exhaling slowly as her finger squeezed on the trigger, her thumb disengaging the safety as she fired again, this time the weapon remaining in her hands, even though she missed the target by several feet.

"Excellent, My Lady." Nyx said quietly, "Let's go ahead and repeat that a few more times."

With a silent nod Siobahn bit down on her bottom lip again in concentration as she squeezed the trigger again, her second and third shots still missed by a good foot or two, but her fourth short just clipped the edge of the target. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, surprise clear in her voice. "Did you see that? I actually hit it! Well, kind of, but still!"

"A hit is a hit, My Lady, and when it comes to a weapon like this? The energy diffuses out from the point of imp-" Nyx shook her head and smiled, "I'm sure you know about the effects on the body better than I do, My Lady. But... Do it again."

Siobahn nodded and raised the phaser again, taking slow and steady breaths as she disengaged the safety and fired again. The first shot missed the target, but only barely. The next three shots hit the target, all to one side, but all in a close group. Engaging the safety again, she lowered the weapon and spent a moment staring at the target ahead of her. "Wow..." she breathed softly.

Nyx patted her gently on the shoulder, "Very good for someone who has never shot previously, My Lady." She said softly, "In fact, do you see your grouping? That is a sign of a more natural talent than most. You have the discipline to repeat the movements without wavering the emitter. We're just going to have to work on your initial aiming point, My Lady."

"Natural talent?" Siobahn shook her head quickly and laughed. "That's somethin' I never thought I'd hear. I'd say it's more like pain dumb luck."

"Luck? Talent?" Nyx chuckled, "Each has it's place in combat or even practice. But, My Lady, you are going to be a decent shot, should we work diligently on it. You really can get quite good with enough practice."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I have plenty of time then isn't it," Siobahn replied quietly, holding the phaser lightly and rolling her wrist, feeling the weight of the weapon move in her hand.

"But, My Lady, for at least the next couple weeks, I don't want you on the range without myself or Master Chief Bogdonavich with you. I want to make sure you have the basics down completely before releasing you to practice on your own." Nyx smiled softly, "If I can make sure you learn the right way the first time, My Lady, then you don't need to worry about doing it wrong if it comes to real time."

With a vague nod, Siobahn turned her attention back to the target at the end of the range, holding the phaser up again as she had been told, first of all making sure she was holding it firmly, her finger pressing on the trigger as she disengaged the safety with her thumb. As the phaser fired she held her breath momentarily. It was incredibly hard to not close her eyes and shy away from the weapon as it fired, but again she managed to keep a firm grip, still missing the target, but only by inches, not feet.

Nyx watched closely at Siobahn's grip, her stance, just how she carried herself. Yes, Siobahn would make a good shooter, in fact, if she'd been Tialan, Nyx decided she would have done her best to incorporate her into what Lady Weston was: Combat medicine. But for now... "Computer, change target type."

Engaging the safety, Siobahn took a step back, glancing at Nyx with uncertainty. "Uh... I hope you're planning on makin' it bigger, because I couldn't even hit that one."

"Target type human." Nyx said quietly, "This is just another target, just like a target circle, just in a different shape."

After the target changed, it took a moment for Siobahn to realize what it was that she was now facing. Was it a living breathing human? No, but it was enough. It was an approximation of the size and shape of a humanoid, and that was enough to make her feel uncomfortable. Firing on a plain circle was one thing, but to actively shoot at the representation of a human being set every fiber of her being into protest mode. She drew in a sharp breath, her grip on the weapon loosening as she held it in the general direction of Nyx. "I can't."

"Nonsense, My Lady." Nyx said simply, wrapping Siobahn's hand back around it and turning, her back to the target and used a knee to brace and support behind Siobahn's right and gently bringing the hand up in a firing point, basically Siobahn becoming an appendage to Nyx's body. If she protested and pulled away, Nyx wouldn't stop her at all, but this could be important. She had the aim set up, all Siobahn would have to do was disable the safety and pull the trigger, "It's just a target, just an oddly shaped circle."

"But it's not just a target is it?" Siobahn posed quietly, not pulling away but not actively moving to shoot. "It's a representation of a person. A living, breathing, thinking, feeling person..." A blind person would be able to see the difficulty she was facing with the situation, yet she made no move in either way, just stared at the target for a long moment in silence. She disengaged the safety, her finger resting on the trigger, but still she didn't fire. "I can't hurt another person," she engaged the safety again but made no effort to pass the phaser back to Nyx.

Siobahn hesitated, tilting her head to one side slightly, silently arguing with herself. Was this really about hurting other people? What about those that may intend to hurt her? Or hurt the people in her care? At what point does it stop being about the excuse and start being about facing the possibilities? She wasn't at the academy any more. This was not a holodeck with safety protocols and a program she could end at any time. This was reality, and sooner or later she was going to have to face reality alone, and reality meant that next time she might not be quite so lucky.

She drew in a sharp breath, flicking the safety off and firing rapidly. The first two shots missed the target by several feet, but the next three shots were again grouped together around the shoulder region of the target, the sound of the shots reverberating in the silent range. As the sound faded away to silence, Siobahn engaged the safety again and lowered the phaser, simply staring at the target at the other end of the range and remaining silent.

Nyx stepped back from Siobahn and to the right, "Very good, My Lady." She felt, even sounded conflicted with those words. She was there for the hesitation, the seeming forever-feeling between the end of her words and the shooting. "My Lady.." Her voice was soft, considerate in tone, "If we were on Tial, if you were in training to be a Priestess of Bey'a'Dande, your trainers would be extolling the need to be aggressive and point out how each individual point on the body and how it's affected by a shot or strike. But that's not why I set this up. It's an introduction, My Lady."

The Tialan took a deep breath, "Having gotten to know Lady Weston better, I know how protective she is of 'her' people, not just the Marines, but her patients by proxy. My question to you is: What would you do if there were no one else around, just you and your patients, when an armed person came in and started waving a weapon around? Would you stand there and let them kill those patients? Or would you stand between him and them, make him kill you, then slaughter your patients?"

"I would do what ever is necessary to protect my patients," Siobahn replied quietly. "No matter how uncomfortable I am with the idea."

"And that is why," Nyx smiled softly, "Think of it as not as protecting yourself, but protecting those you care about. And by being uncomfortable with it, it should make you strive to BE better with it, because you don't want to do it wrong."

"That's why I'm here..." Siobahn drew in another breath and exhaled slowly, holding the phaser out to Nyx. "But I think I'm done for tonight."

Nyx took the weapon and ejected the powerpack from it and verified that there was no charge left in the weapon, "You did very well, My Lady, especially well considering this was the first time you've shot a phaser?"

Siobahn shrugged slightly in response. "I shot one once at the Academy," she replied quietly. "Nearly took out the instructor with the first shot, never went back to the class again. The recorded that subject as an exemption on my file."

"I first shot one of these seven years ago, My Lady, after over a decade of bows and arrows. They are vastly different, but still remarkable similar. Phasers are just rather straight-line, rather than having a ballistic path."

Leaning back against the barricade, Siobahn sighed softly. "But you were raised with this kind of life," she replied quietly, motioning around the range. "I wasn't. This was my brother's thing, not mine. He was the sharp shooter, the one into all the weapons... all I've ever wanted to do was help people."

"This, My Lady," Nyx made a general wave, "Is helping people. No, not the way I was raised, that was and is not in the cause of helping people. That is a complicated cultural situation. But, this is helping keep other people, innocent people, from getting hurt. Proactively."

"Yes, but at the cost of causing harm," Siobahn shook her head. "I guess it's just somethin' I'm gonna have to deal with."

"Is it?" Nyx asked, "Absolutely causing harm that is, My Lady?" She had the power pack reset in a flash and fired two shots without resetting the setting, hitting one target dead centre, just a pair of 'burns' that signified a hit, but reflecting the low power of the shot. As she shifted her aim slightly, she'd flicked the power setting to max and also fired two shots, hitting the second target dead centre with both shots, this time the target ending up missing the centre to reflect the power. "The difference between a stun and a kill, My Lady. One to harm, one to pacify."

Siobahn actually laughed and twisted the end of her braid around her finger. "Even a shot intended to pacify is going to hurt someone. I doubt very much that they are intended to tickle."

"The higher levels of stun do act by overwhelming the target's nervous system rather directly, true, My Lady, but the lower levels act to cause a point-effect heat induction. Essentially, My Lady, they heat the target to a rather uncomfortable level, incapacitating them in the process." Nyx explained, "Does it hurt? Yes. Is it lethal? Only if abused."

"I know," Siobahn offered a smile. "I just need to get used to it, that's all. And I will, I'm sure."

"And I know you will, My Lady, and the hardest step is always the first." Nyx patted Siobahn on the shoulder, "The easiest step is the second."


=/\= END =/\=

Staff Sergeant Nyx Valentine
Marine

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington