On the Down Low

Posted on Fri Feb 15th, 2019 @ 12:36pm by Staff Sergeant Andromeda Dreik & Staff Sergeant Nyx'e'Trixe Valentine & Gunnery Sergeant Ami Rori

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/5
Location: Marine Training Area

Andi sat on the floor in the corner of the marine training area, her eyes closed, her legs crossed, trying to focus and find her 'chi'. After a few moments, for what felt like the eleven millionth time, she sighed, dropping her hands to her knees and looking up, watching as Nyx trained furiously on the mat in front of her.

With a soft sigh, Andi pushed herself up from the ground, making her way carefully across the training mat, waiting for the brief lull in Nyx's routine before grabbing her arm, almost instantly blocking the blow that she fully expected to come her way.

"You okay?" she asked quietly.

It was a mark of the distraction that Nyx felt that her automatic followup move to the blocked stiff-edged hand strike, which turned out to be a spinning-two-tiered roundhouse kick had completely thrown her off balance and haphazardly collapsed to the mat. She pounded the mat with one first in frustration, part in that she'd completely missed on the complicated move, part in that it had been targeted on Andi, even though she'd had no warning that she was going to step in.

"I'm okay, Milady." She grumbled as she levered herself up off the mat, automatically falling into the formality state because she wasn't thinking clearly overall, "Sorry, Andi, I lost myself there for a minute."

Dropping down onto the mat next to her, Andi sighed softly. "You don't have to apologize to me Nyxie... and you don't need to call me milady. I'm Andi... remember..." her voice broke off and she sighed suddenly. "It was pretty messed up..." Andi said quietly, almost as if she were not sure how to let emotion actually show properly. "So many people gone.. so many lives... just..." She shook her head quickly, shaking away the thoughts that plagued her.

"They died for what they believed in." Nyx said definitively, "For doing what needed to be done. To make a difference. It was a good way to die, not quietly waiting for the air to run out, or just in a battle that changes nothing and has no meaning. When I die, I don't want it to be with a whisper, I want it to be on my terms, standing against a worthy foe."

“If a tree falls in the Forest and no one is there, does it even make a sound?” Andi asked quietly. “If a Marine dies for the greater good and no one in our reality even realizes is, does it even happen?” She looked across at Nyx, her thoughts clearly etched on her face. “They died Nyxie, and for what? Who here is going to know anything about any of it?”

"We will." It was a simple answer and Nyx settled herself on the mat, actually relieved to be able to answer the question, "We carry them and their valor in our hearts and minds and so long as we live, they live."

Reaching across, Andi grabbed Nyx's hand and squeezed it gently and offered a sad smile. "I know," she said quietly. "I've had the speech too... but somehow this time it just doesn't seem like enough." The death of Chavez had rocked her, that much was true, but beyond that it was the entire situation. She shook her head slightly. "I don't know, maybe it's just me being ridiculous, but this time it feels different."

It was a slight smile that Nyx gave back to her friend, "It's not a speech, it's the truth. And this isn't any different, at least not to me." She covered Andi's hand with her other hand as well, "It comes from how we were raised and how we grew into warriors. Your people doesn't have the same traditions as mine. After all, you don't send boys and girls of the age of thirteen into mortal combat to live or die as they may. But we grow up with our fellows, train with them, fight with them, die with them and to the survivors, we keep them right there in our hearts, our minds, carrying our memories of them into the next. To me, Chavez and Rozhev are still right here, I didn't know the others very well, but I still see them out of the corner of my eye here and there, watching over us."

Andi smiled appreciatively at the words, her smile becoming a laugh of mirth. "If they're watching over us... just tell Chavez to stay out of my shower," she said quietly. "Thanks Nyx," she finally said softly. "Come on, why don't we grab showers and go get some food? Share a pizza with me?"

"There's that unexpected laugh I was looking for." Nyx nodded, "Ham and pineapple, extra cheese and bacon?" She suggested, "Pineapple is wonderful on pizza and I'll never say no to bacon."

"Sure," Andi climbed to her feet, offering a hand out to Nyx to pull her up. "You can add what ever you want, except anchovies. I draw the line at anchovies."

"Little fish?" Nyx accepted the helping hand, not something she would have done all that long ago in a setting like this, "Not my... Cup of tea?"

"Stinky little fish," Andi replied with a smile, linking her arm through Nyx's. "How about we stick with the marine mess tonight? Replicator food tastes the same regardless, and I don't know about you but I don't really feel like being surrounded by people and noise."

"I think we can arrange for that." Nyx gave Andi a sly smile, "And maybe you can play around with Kindness a little later? I'll be your guinea pig?"

Andi's smile became a grin. "You know, I think that can be arranged Nyxie, I really do."

"Good! Then I'll start teaching you the Tser'eni style of combat! It's one of the easier to learn, but in the hands of a warmistress, it's just as deadly as any others." Nyx mimed a sword in her hand, rolling the wrist, "I never looked... Are you right handed or lefthanded?"

"Completely ambidextrous' Andi replied with a smile. "I can use either hand without issue. Comes in handy sometimes."

"Indeed it does. I can name a dozen times when it's made the difference between life and death." Nyx grinned, "Came as a nasty surprise to those people, not that they ever knew it was coming to them."

"I've never really had to use it in battle, well, aside from lobbing micro explosives or firing phasers." Andi shrugged slightly as they walked through the ship, still arm in arm. "But, then again, I've not really had a lot of chance to use swords up close and personal. Usually they don't come standard as Marine get up and go."

"And likely they won't." Nyx admitted, "But in a tight situation, at least swords don't run out of charges or bullets and never need reloading."

Andi smiled slightly. "I know," she said softly. "I know... but most Marines couldn't swing a sword if their life depended on it. Hell, I'd be surprised to find ANY fleeties who could either!" Her voice broke off momentarily. "Nyxie... have you ever thought about leaving the Marines?" she asked quietly.

"Why would I?" Nyx asked, seriously, "Andi, I have very few actual skills, truth to be told. On Tial, I was given the skills that I needed to conform to my society and nothing more. And since I've been exiled from my world, I don't have that much of a choice anymore. I am a sword, a weapon, not a scientist, engineer, scholar or even student." She shrugged, "It is what it is, Andi, I've accepted it."

A moment of pure anger overwhelmed Andi, the kind she hadn't felt for a long time. Rounding on Nyx, her voice raised slightly as she reached out and gripped Nyx's upper arms in her hands. "You are not just a weapon! First and foremost you are a person! You should be a person! You should be able to step back and say no.. you should be able to have fun and relax and be yourself! You're not a set of swords, you are Nyx'e'Trixe and as a person and an individual you ARE important!" she admonished, her voice none too gentle. "Fighting is NOT what life is about!" Andi's mind momentarily turned to Chavez as she spoke before she drew a sharp breath and her voice finally softened. "Life is not just about being able to kill people, life is about love... and excitement and adventure and fantasy and fun and lust and wonder..."

"Until five years ago, literally all I was was a weapon. It was literally the only thing I knew. Love? Andi, love for a War Priestess is irrelevant. Sure, there's that rare occurrence, but for all intents and purposes it's a breeding relationship. A passing on of genetic material. And that's for the Korashe. For a Sentar War Priestess like myself? There is literally no one on Tial who would want me." Nyx shook her head, "It's not defeatism, it's the truth. I'm reviled by the Korashe because I'm Sentar, and I'm reviled by the Sentar because I'm a War Priestess, someone who has broken the mold, a rebel that's being made an example of. So I've been what's expected of me: A weapon. Because I do not know anything else."

"Last time I checked you weren't on Tial any more," Andi shot back quickly. "And you know what? I really don't give a damn what is intended for the Korashe or the Sentar or any other ridiculously pompous jackass on Tial because this is NOT Tial Nyx, this is the Wellington and you are a highly respected member of this crew and there are PLENTY of people on this ship who want you." There was a hint of frustration and anger in her voice as her voice lowered. "Step out of your past and look at your future instead."

Andi stopped speaking, watching as Nyx stared back at her, gaze level, eyes wide, mouth open, clearly unused to being spoken to so bluntly. "Sorry Nyxie, you might be willing to settle, but I'm not going to let you. Come on, we're going to my quarters first."

Without waiting for a response, Andi linked her arm back through Nyx's and started propelling her forward through the corridor.


=/\=

Staff Sergeant Nyx'e'Trixe Valentine
Marine NCO
USS Wellington

Staff Sergeant Andromeda Dreik
Marine
USS Wellington