It all works out

Posted on 26 Apr 2020 @ 1:11pm by Commander Kristiana Petrova & Lieutenant Sovok

1,752 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Changing Faces
Location: Gym

The computer had told Kristiana that the person she was looking for was in the ship's gym. Which suited her just fine, it was about time she went in for some exercise too. As such she changed in to work out clothes and made her way down.

Sovok worked out alone in a corner of the gym. The middle aged Vulcan had never been one for idle chit chat, especially when working out, though he was never too far away in case he needed help, not that most of the crew was capable of helping him if an emergency were to happen. In the far corner, he laid upon a bench, pressing an artificial gravity bar up and down. The display on it read 408kg.

Petrova knew of the prodigious strength of the Vulcan people, even if she was too far to read the display on the machine at this point. Now that she was here she wasn't sure how to begin. Shed always found Vulcans annoying to deal with. Maybe this one would prove the exception to the rule. "Lieutenant Sovok?" She began.

With efficient and near flawless form, Sovok placed the bar on its stand and deactivated its weight. He stood up from his bench, looking off in the distance as he responded; a formal militaristic reply to a superior officer from a subordinate. "You are correct, Commander. It is good to finally meet you."

"Indeed," was Kristiana's simple, matter-of-fact reply. She looked around the gym for a moment, it was only sparsely populated at the moment. "Thank you for stepping up, by the way," she added, starting her warm up, limbering up with a few simple stretches. Her form was as impeccable as his.

Sovok raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the commander's beginning of her warm up. He had expected a rigid introduction, not working out together, though he did not find the situation distasteful. It was efficient to get two things done at once; working out and required social interactions. Sovok took the hint and returned to his bench, setting the weight back up as he spoke. "Logic dictated that the needs of this crew outweighed my desire for space for personal exploration and self discovery." He said dryly. "And logic also dictated that my skills were not being put to full use. I found my time as a civilian...fascinating, but that time has passed."

So many questions ran through Kristiana's head. She decided to focus on a few of them, for now. "Why'd you put down the uniform, originally?" she asked, curious why someone would do so, but remain onboard a Federation starship, as passenger. "And how long have you been a civilian?"

Sovok resumed his workout as he replied to his superior officer. "I have served in Starfleet for a long time. I may have served with your grandparents if they were in Starfleet. Most of my years of service were peaceful and quiet. While I saw a handful of battles over the years, I did not see a true violent campaign till the Federation-Cardassian War and the following Dominion War. Violence on that scale made me realize I had not spent years in the pursuit of peaceful endeavors, so when my ship was decommissioned, I requested a transfer to Starfleet Academy, and then eventually, resigned my commission."

"They were farmers, so you wouldn't have. I'm the first in my family to choose a Starfleet career," she answered his comment about her grandparents. Though the rest of his words caused her pause. Such understandable reasons. "I was in the Dominion war. Security officer. Saw my fair share of action," she explained her voice slightly quieter. "Those few years were enough to make anyone long for a peaceful and quiet life, away from it all," she added, resuming her warm up.

"Farming is logical and an often overlooked profession." He said as a comment towards her grandparent's profession before doing a set of reps, speaking after finishing. "I served as the Chief Helmsman of the T'Kumbra. We saw more combat than most. My Captain sought it, not out of a lust for violence, but to end the war as swiftly and efficiently as possible. It took its toll, though."

"Farming is a good and humble profession, just - not for me. I always wanted to see more of the stars and the universe," it was fascinating to Kristiana how this Vulcan, aged and weary of war and violence, was so easy to talk to. She put it down to similar experiences and similar stages in their respective lives, being also past her prime and having seen war. "It would take it's toll, yeah," she finished her warm up, approaching the punching bag. "Think you could spare a moment, hold my bag still while I beat up on it?"

"Of course, Commander." Sovok said with a slight huff to his voice. Even with strength three times of humans, pushing your limits still did a number on your body. As he stood up and walked to the bag, it became apparent how un-elderly the vulcan actually was. His workout clothes were far more revealing than his uniform. Toned muscles adorned his frame. He was broad for a Vulcan, too. His Ebon hair had only a few streaks of grey to it. He had aged quite well. He walked to the punching bag and planted his feet. This was an exercise vulcans did on their own ships, so out of habit, he braced for vulcan levels of force upon the bag. "I am prepared for you to start." He said dryly.

Biology being biology, Kristiana couldn't quite hide her appreciation for the sculpted masculine form as he approached. She didn't comment on it though, just curled up the corners of her mouth in an appreciative smile. On his words she started her workout. Being a basic ISO-standard - though very well trained - human she couldn't begin to match a Vulcan in strength, yet for a human she was rather fierce, with a form that matched his in tone, especially in upper body build.

Sovok watched her form with interest. He was a student of martial arts and had studied human, klingon, and of course, vulcan forms. He saw their study as practical, not only for self defense, but for exercise, and even meditation. Biology being biology, he noticed her as well. While having no grip on his emotional state, Sovok enjoyed the sight as any male would. "Excelent form, Commander." He stated as he held the bag in place with relative ease. Unlike the norm of his people, his tone did not carry the usual implication when speaking of other species, the unspoken mantra, '...for a human.'

"Thanks - I find that - staying in - peak shape - keeps the - mind sharp - too," she spoke, the words delivered on short breaths between punches, jabs and hooks. Footwork to match, ducking and weaving between imaginary return blows from an unseen opponent.

"It helps the mind and the body in many ways, Commander." He said as he held the bag in place, but as she began to weave and duck, he moved the bag to simulate a moving target for her. The bag's normal heft was no issue for the vulcan and he even had it lunge forward to simulate counterattacks. "Adaptation is always the key."

"And a - skill," she commented between breaths, demonstrating said skill by moving out of the way of the simulated lunges. She was working up quite a sweat, controlling her breathing as much as any other aspect, focusing on the bag with an intent and intensity to match her fierce onslaught. One that she finished by half stepping back and delivering a ferocious spin kick to the bag, her foot sending a shudder through the bag.

Though afterwards she stepped back and held her hands up, signifying the end to her exercise. And was that - a smile on her face? "Oof. That was fun. Thanks," she grinned.

A minuscule raise of his eyebrow could be spotted as he saw, and felt the final kick and at her reaction to it. He nodded to her signaling of the completion of the exercise and responded with his even tone, but that small reaction out of him may have indicated he enjoyed it far more than his expression and tone let on. "The pursuit of balance, improvement, and self discovery are avenues in which I will always make myself available to assist with. While we vulcans do not experience fun, we do take enjoyment in certain things."

"Duly noted." she smiled. "I'll train with you any time," she said before she could good and well finish the thought in her head, surprising herself. It wasn't often she met someone who could not only keep up with her training exercises but saw them in a similar vein, that of self improvement and self control, rather than just a way to keep in shape.

"Likewise, Commander. Having a partner has its advantages." He said evenly, but there was a slight inflection to his voice. Was it humor? Flirtacious? It was made of such minutiae that it was extremely difficult to tell. "The sharing of ideas on this field of study is something that has eluded mentor some time now."

"Right. Well," She remembered part of why she disliked Vulcans, a minor part thereof. They sounded like they'd swallowed a thesaurus, proficient in sesquipedalian loquaciousness as they all were. "I'll make some of my holodeck training programs available to you, if you want. Bladed weapons training, marksman training, that sort of thing." she said, catching her breath.

"I would enjoy the challenge of it, Commander. Thank you." He said as he extended his hand to her, a very unvulcan gesture but a perfectly human one. Sovok has seen to learning, and using, human customs when in their presence, or at the very least, was trying, which was far more than most.

A hand taken and shook in that so very human gesture. "Was agreeable meeting you, Lieutenant. And thanks for your help in my training," she spoke. "Live long and prosper," as she turned to head out, to get cleaned up.

"And to you as well." He said as he watched her leave. In his mind he thought 'Perhaps serving in a crew devoid of vulcans will not be so intolerable.'

=/\= End log =/\=

Commander Kristiana Petrova
XO

&

Lieutenant Sovok
Chief Helm Officer

 

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