The Riddle Of Steel

Posted on Sun Aug 21st, 2016 @ 10:09pm by Master Warrant Officer Gaius Aquila & Master Sergeant Atlee Micklin

1,462 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 92 - More Questions than Answers
Location: Holosuite 13
Timeline: MD5, 1215hrs

On work days, MARSOC Marines have an intense morning physical training regimen that they follow religiously while in garrison. On off days, such as this, there are at least two that find something physical to do. Giaus and Atlee started off running around the holosuite to get their hearts pumping. They followed this with some martial arts sparing in the combat dojo type program the holosuite was was running. Not it was time to hit a larger holosuite to do some weapons practice. There was an interesting program that sharpened hand weapon skills that they discovered.

It was about an hour after the Chief had gotten off his shift. He like to keep his martial prowess up with a couple hours of training a day on different unarmed and armed Martial Arts. Today was sword play and had spent last thirty minutes though he had been fighting off warrior after warrior in a set of stone tunnels set up in a Klingon Sparing Program he brought with him.

As the two Marines entered the scene they saw the ground had several different warriors of different alien races on the ground slain and the Chief locked in melee combat with a Hirogen who stood a clear foot or more over the CPO. The alien warrior was wielding something resembling a mace with three huge blades like those of a jagged great axe sticking out of the solid center and the Chief was wielding a Bastard Sword. Blow after blow they parried off one another none getting the advantage. Then at one point, White dropped his guard on his left side and the hunter took the advantage and moved in for the strike. But this was a feint by the Chief and while he took a glancing hit to his side, he spun and brought his sword down straight through the back of the alien's neck severing his head clean off.

The Chief dropped to his knee and grabbed his side, blood staining his torn shirt in multiple places with a fresh pool growing on his left. It was obvious the safety protocols were off. "Computer, pause next warrior entrance."

The pair were awe struck when they saw a Fleeter running the program with minimum safeties activated, but the more the merrier they both though. "Chief, can you use some company," Giaus said.

The Chief looked over his shoulder and recognized Macklin, "Sure. The safety protocols are down by the way if that matters to either of you." He finally stood up and while his shirt was stained from the wound he had received, the damage itself seemed healed completely.

Micklin acquired a weapon, "Computer, Feudal Period Katana and Wakizashi." Two classical weapons appeared. It was Giuas's turn to arm himself. "Computer, one Scutum, and one Gladius, Agustus Pattern." One Roman sword and shield appeared.

White looked at Micklin's weapons. "Standard Kyujutsu or Bushi, Iaijutsu or Mirumoto Niten Style?"

"Iaijutsu mostly. My teacher offered it once we reached a certain level in aikido." Micklin answered. "By the way, this is my friend,and MARSOC Group Commander Giaus Aquila. In case you can't tell by his toys, he is Magna Roman."

The Chief nodded, "Nice to meet you commander." He took a rag from his bag and wiped down his blade. "Either of you care to call what we face?"

Giaus chimed in first, "Anything but Jem'Hadar. I sent enough of them to the Afterlife in the real world." Mick nodded, "What he said."

The chief winks, "How about a Delta Qudrant favorite then? I programed e few species into this that no Federation ship has encountered and some that only Voyager has. Computer, spawn three combatants, Hirogen one like the last but at increase his strength by 10% and two at standard species levels. I will warn you, they can make Klingons look like Ferengi." He smirked as the computer spawned each soldier their own combatant.

Giaus crouched down with his shield up, sword at the ready position. Mick assumed a high ready stance with his katana.

The larger of the three warriors charges the Chief swinging with enough force that even thought the attack was blocked, the force still sent him hurdling back into the cavern wall. The chief recovered and moved in, locking their blades together while delivering a vicious right hook across the hunter's face knocking his weapon from his hands. The Hirogen spun around using the momentum of the strike and as the Chief swung his blade, the hunter caught it in his armored left hand while his right produced produced a long and jagged dagger that caught the CPO in the right shoulder causing him to release his sword. The hunter flips the Bastard Sword around grabbing it by the handle bringing it downward but the Chief sidesteps and using his left hand, removes the blade from his right shoulder and brings it up under the jaw of the Hirogen sending it directly into the brain-pan.

Mick's opponent came right at him brandishing some type of sword. He sidestepped the charge, and struck the hunter's armor with his katana. As the hunter spun around, Mick thrust his blade through the hunter's face. Mick twisted his blade, causing the hunter to convulse before dropping to the deck.

Giaus' opponent also did a straight charge, which was halted by a strike from the Roman's shield. This hunter was strong, moving Giaus a couple of feet back when he made contact with the shield. The hunter attempted a downward strike with a blunt weapon, which was blocked by the shield once more. Giaus used the opening created to thrust his gladius up in between two segments of the hunter's armor, all the way to the hilt. Giaus then initiated a "kick assisted" withdraw of the blade, sending a spray of blood in the air.

White stood up shaking off the last exchange, "So what now gentlemen?"

Giaus answered, "Reman Shock Troops?"

"As you wish." the Chief chuckled.

"Computer, Reman Shock Troops, mele only."

Three Reman soldiers appeared. The one facing Mick had a rifle with a bayonet affixed, the other two had Reman variants of Romulan blades, based on the ancient Vulcan S'Lion swords of old.

Without warning, all three howled, and charged. The one charging Joseph raised his blade in a two handed high guard position.

The Chief decided to go on the offensive this time and moved in charging with his blade down to his right side.

Mick and Giaus looked at each other, and smiled. They both liked White's style. They both followed suit, and charged their opponents.

The Reman assumed a cross guard position with his bayonet mounted rifle, ready to receive White's attack.

As the Chief moved in he saw his opening, not in attacking the Reman but his weapon. He thrust his blade forward locking it where the rifle and the bayonet were fused then flipped his blade to the sky send both weapons flying. The Reman went to move but White was on point and every synthetic gland and servo were working perfectly. With an inhuman speed and strength, he spun the Reman around and hoisted him above his head as easy as anyone would like a pillow. He then brought the soldier directly on his knee with enough force for the Reman's spine to protrude through it's abdomen. He rolled the lifeless body off his leg and stood up and turned to watch the others.

Giaus smashed into his opponent with his shield, and scored a slash across the Reman's chest, but not deep anough for a quick kill, the Reman countered with a butt stroke towards Giaus' head, which was blocked by a quick repositioning of his shield.

Mick swung his katana low, producing a deep cut into his Reman's right thigh, not enough to take him out of the fight. The Reman countered with a thrust attack, which was deflected by an inside/outside block.

Giaus' opponent made a thrust attack, which was deflected by his shield. He brought his shield down into the Reman's exposed left leg, hyper-extending, and eventually breaking the knee. With the Reman's upper body exposed, Giaus thrusted his blade through the Reman's head, ending his fight.

Mick ducked, avoiding a buttstroke attack, while swinging his blade at the same time, disembowing his opponent. The Reman then dropped to his knees, with his head down, making it easy for Mick to decapitate him.

"This was fun guys. Nice having company."

All three Remans were dispatched. Giaus looked at his watch. "I have to go, but Chief White, I would like to do this again.

"Me too," said Mick.

"Sounds good. Let me know when and where next time. Computer, end program." The Chief walked out as the simulation ended.

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