It was fortunate, at least, that Enterprise had somewhere Irian could go when she felt as she was feeling today — tense and in need of something to discharge pent-up energy. The lack of her usual routine, and the persistent discomfort of being among aliens on a ship not her own, often left her restless, and at such times she came to the gym to take out that restlessness on a punching bag or simply with running through a few martial arts practice forms.
Usually there were few people there at this time of day, and so Irian was a little surprised to see someone else already making use of the facilities. She recognized him — this man had approached her in the lounge, not so long ago, and had been courteous enough to her as such things went. Not intending to be noticed, she stepped to one side and leaned against the wall, watching him.
He moved like someone who knew what he was doing, that was certain — the forms he used were not ones she recognized, she had expected they would not be, but he moved with confidence and strength, like someone fully aware of his own body and what he could do with it. Her curiosity was only truly piqued, though, when he introduced the sword. The use of bladed weapons as a primary form of combat had long since been considered outmoded among humans — or so Irian had thought.
Then again, from what little she knew of him, she doubted he was precisely human in the way she understood it.
"You are the first I've seen to use a sword here," she commented, finally making herself heard and her presence known — at least, if she was lucky. For all she knew he might have heard her come in and chosen not to say anything. She stepped away from the wall, moving toward him, pausing once she was within a comfortable distance for conversation. "I had not thought many humans studied the art."
Swordplay for sport was one thing; swordfighting as a method of combat was something else entirely. In the old Empire, Rihannsu who entered the Colleges of the Great Art as a preface to formal training in the Imperial War College were taught the sword as part of compulsory hand-to-hand combat lessons... but Irian was some forty years out of practice where that was concerned. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to change that.
no subject
Usually there were few people there at this time of day, and so Irian was a little surprised to see someone else already making use of the facilities. She recognized him — this man had approached her in the lounge, not so long ago, and had been courteous enough to her as such things went. Not intending to be noticed, she stepped to one side and leaned against the wall, watching him.
He moved like someone who knew what he was doing, that was certain — the forms he used were not ones she recognized, she had expected they would not be, but he moved with confidence and strength, like someone fully aware of his own body and what he could do with it. Her curiosity was only truly piqued, though, when he introduced the sword. The use of bladed weapons as a primary form of combat had long since been considered outmoded among humans — or so Irian had thought.
Then again, from what little she knew of him, she doubted he was precisely human in the way she understood it.
"You are the first I've seen to use a sword here," she commented, finally making herself heard and her presence known — at least, if she was lucky. For all she knew he might have heard her come in and chosen not to say anything. She stepped away from the wall, moving toward him, pausing once she was within a comfortable distance for conversation. "I had not thought many humans studied the art."
Swordplay for sport was one thing; swordfighting as a method of combat was something else entirely. In the old Empire, Rihannsu who entered the Colleges of the Great Art as a preface to formal training in the Imperial War College were taught the sword as part of compulsory hand-to-hand combat lessons... but Irian was some forty years out of practice where that was concerned. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to change that.