[THE EXCHANGE]You Don't Know How to FIGHT?

[Aaron Corinth]

Mack stood pacing her makeshift room aboard the station. It was the safest place she had deemed, at least until her past ghosts were eliminated. The pacing eased her mind because as usual she could not sleep. Something in her mind would not shut down, would not shut up long enough for her to drift into unconsciousness. The dreams, they didn't help her cause much either as every time she did sleep she was practically assaulted with the imagery of her long dead husband as well as many of her past targets. It was the ones that didn't know or begged not to die that tore at her. She stopped, she knew what to do.

She bolted out her door headed for the training room. When she was tired, it didn't matter what the brain thought it was exhaustion that led to sleep and the dreams didn't appear. The door wooshed open for her and the lights clicked on illuminating one of The Exchange's training rooms. It was a rather large room with a mat covering most of the floor to protect against injury as well as wooden and stuffed targets arranged rather randomly throughout the room. It would be perfect. She stepped up to one of the punching bags and let loose. The frustration and anger came to life as her fists expertly hit home in the head/neck regions along with a few well placed knees. She continued throwing punches, knees, and elbows until the eventual fatigue started to fill her.

She stopped walking to the refreshment station containing several large dispensers of water. The minimal amount of sweat glistened on her body showing around the sports bra and shorts she had elected to wear for the quick workout. She took a deep swig of water and headed towards one of the dummies this time. She aimed a more focused approach as she struck vital areas and weaknesses present in all humans. The occasional knee and elbow broke up the monotony of continued punches. She wished for a real target as she scored a roundhouse kick that sent the head of the dummy flying away towards the far wall. She sighed and thought, The Compere won't be happy about me breaking one of his toys.

 

[zorbo]

Treun was troubled by something on this night, a night where his mind was full of thoughts that he would rather have forgotten. His previous self – the drunk – would have started drinking the moment they rehashed in his mind. However, he wanted to be better than that weakling. Sitting up, he got dressed in a comfortable tee and a pair of athletic pants that he had requisitioned off of the exchange.

Leaving his quarters, he began to walk at a casual pace as he surveyed the halls of the station. He had been aboard stations similar to it in his past, where he had to meet with company executives aboard floating stations of luxury rather than meet on solid ground. It was ‘beneath their status’ to go where there was dirt, sand or mud. Personally, that sort of sense of entitlement disgusted the seasoned man. However, in his youth he had done many things that even he had questioned.

Despite the late hours, he could still hear some of the occupants going about their routines. He had always considered it perculiar how day and night cycles were used on stations, generally speaking. He decided it must have been sentient nature, designating a role in order to hold onto their home planets a little bit more. When he came upon a training room, he stopped a moment and watched the occupant inside. Her name was “Mack” if he remembered correctly, one of the exchanges handlers. Technically one of his bosses, he concluded.

Watching her fight was something else altogether – he had respected her the moment he met her. It was a custom in his mind to respect those with authority, but to not fear. However, anyone that could fight with such vigor and precision had to have just a little bit more respect – and maybe some fear. Especially when he witnessed her round-house kick a dummy against a far wall.

“I see I am not the only one who could not sleep.” He said in a casual tone, allowing his presence to be known if it had not been already. Stepping onto the mat, he looked over the dummies that littered the room. Stepping up to one, he let loose a punch – not the best form, nor the strongest – punching the dummy right in the gut. “Heh.”, he said as he adjusted his shoulder. His old age must have started to glean through his casual demeanor.

 

[Aaron Corinth]

She had headed over to pick up the dummy's head when she heard the interruption. She had seen the man before at the general meet and greet, but he didn't know that and she didn't care to elaborate as she had by that time had far too many drinks than she should have. She watched him punch the dummy low and in the general abdominal area. She shook her head before speaking, "And what the hell do you call that? You're new right? What's your name new guy?"

She waved for him to enter as she stuck the head back onto the dummy she had kicked. She shook it lightly and it stayed on. She moved back towards the beverage area pouring another cup of water which she downed with a single gulp waiting for the man to respond.

 

[zorbo]

Entering the room further, the older man studied the woman as he spoke. “Yes, I am. Name is Treun Graffan. I admit that I have used my brain a lot more than my brawn.” He said, admitting to his pathetic attempt at a punch. He looked from the woman to the dummy once more before stepping to the left of it, studying it with casual intrigue. “I know how to use a Blaster but, my hand-to-hand combat could use some work.”, he said, pondering a moment before simply motioning towards the dummy and his failed attempt. “Clearly.”

Treun came from a life of luxury, as if the way he spoke didn’t scream that enough. His accent was diluted, but anyone familiar with the core would know that he was once a resident of Coruscant. There, he was the executive of a shipping company, a king among men. Or at least that was what he thought until the Imperium arrived.

As truen thought to himself, he spoke up abruptly as if to interrupt his own natural thought process. “I can see you can handle yourself well. Would you have any pointers?” he asked as he rested an elbow on the dummy beside him.

 

[Aaron Corinth]

She nodded and spoke, less out of pleasantry than want for company, "I can show you a few things, but if that punch was all you have to offer it's gonna be a long night for you."

She waved him away from the dummy he was leaning on. Somewhat impatiently she started to talk, "First, you need to decide if you are going to fight closed, open, or both. The styles are different but the concept is essentially the same."

She showed him an example of open fighting, leaving her hands open with palms exposed the used the sides of her hands to attack as well as shoves. She closed her fists and demonstrated a closed technique smacking against the dummy with satisfying thunks with each blow. Before speaking again she demonstrated both, using the sides of her hand to attack with follow up punches. "It is not a tough decision, but you need to think about it. Now, you pick your form and then you need to hit effectively. That pitiful punch was ineffective. Check this out," she broadcasted.

She held her hands up in the typical guarding position and used a slow motion swing to show him what she was talking about. The core was strong maintaining the shoulder in neutral position and allowing for movement if necessary. The arms had to be stronger as they arced out towards the target, never fully extending which may lead to injury before drawing the blow back. She demonstrated the motion full speed a few times before motioning for him to try. "Punch the dummy. Keep your body under you and let your body help instead of just your arm and shoulder as you showed me earlier," she finished pointing over her shoulder at the dummy he had gut punched.

 

[zorbo]

“I think I can muster a bit more.” He said before pushing off the dummy he had been leaning on, just as instructed. As she spoke, as did he observe her. He had to admire her enthusiasm for fighting, as it was a refreshing sight. Let alone she –actually – was going to teach him something. That was more response then he had gotten from anyone else with close-combat skills.

As she went through the forms, he really did consider each individually. He may have been seasoned, but he was still pretty fast with all considered. No, he was not the strongest. So he decided early on that the open form would be more suitable for him in his current shape. Likewise, he watched her punch with an eye for detail, keeping in mind everything that she was explaining to him. This was truly his first impression with this handler, and so far he imagined it was not going so well. However, he did not know if an openness to learn was a positive trait in this sort of organization.

“So keep my core tight and let my entire body work in the motion, not just the arms and shoulder. Got it.” He said before he looked over his dummy, pondering over it a moment. He took the open form just as she had shown. Taking the incentive to strike with the side of his right hand, he landed a successful blow on the dummies gut . Perhaps not the best, but it was obvious that he was improving. “I imagine this sort of form would be best suited for faster fighters.”, he commented as he struck again, this time with his left and high on the dummies abdomen.

As he took a few more swings, he noticed that his breathing was quickening and he was beginning to work up a sweat. Much to his surprise, he actually enjoyed the violent activity. Something about it spoke to a part of him that was just now being discovered. “Vital areas would be the face and joints, right?” he asked, perhaps getting ahead of himself but it was obvious that he was starting to really get into it.

 

[Aaron Corinth]

She watched carefully. The man was middle aged but she figured even old men need to defend themselves. He tried the open form utilizing the strength of the whole body rather than simply one of the single arms. She nodded as he spoke about fast fighters. She could see the determination in his brow as he started to quicken. She spoke, "Well, seems like you might be able to learn this yet old man. But you know people have feet too! You don't account for 'em you are as good as dead."

"Vital areas? Where do you shoot someone when you want to kill them? eh? Hand to hand is a bit different in that you have nothing that will penetrate so for the open form I'd advise the neck and try not to be pinned in and get good with your feet," she said as if by demonstration she kicked the dummy landing her shin across the abdominal pad. "Now, natural hard points are great in a close range fight. If you can hit somebody with a knee or elbow. Always do it over a hand or foot. It bring you closer and helps stay within the other guy's range at least if he is a standard bar fighter. They are the hardest points on your body and hit with more force," she said again turning to the dummy.

She brought a knee up hard into what would have been the dummy's groing and followed the blow with a spinning elbow into the head of the dummy. She demonstrated again drawing a knee up and into the dummy's side. She glanced back to the man before stepping out of the way. "Now, put it all together. You show me you can do it and we can have a bit of a spar. With pads of course, I'd hate to bang you up too bad," she said condescendingly.

 

[zorbo]

Treun began to pick up pace as he attacked his dummy, slamming his elbow into what would be the ribcage of his stuffed enemy. As he drew back, he quickly turned to deliver an elbow to the dummies face, using the momentum of his turn to multiple the force. For an old man, he was a fast learner. For an old man he was also pretty quick, though he had to work on his footing. His stance was not the best just yet, but that was something that came in good time.

Stepping back, he glanced over to her a moment as he considered what she had said. “Neck – right.”, he said before he came at the dummy with an open-palmed strike at the base of the beck before grabbing the dummies ‘shoulders’ and bringing his right knee deep into the chest cavity.
“I think I am starting to get the hang of this.” He said as he turned towards Mack, letting out a small grin. “Perhaps I was overthinking it.”, he suggested before turning around once more, taking a step and bringing his elbow into the face of his dummy opponent. “So do you do a lot of sparring?” he asked casually as he took a step back and readjusted his form, shaking up his arms and hands to loosen up as his muscles tensed.

Deciding to take one last swing at the dummy, he brought an open palm strike into its ribcage before dodging to the left, bringing his knee into the dummies groin. Drawing back, he put some distance between him and his opponent as he began to work with his feet, keeping himself in motion.

 

[Aaron Corinth]

She watched the man as he took down the dummy, his imaginary opponent. The man picked up the pace and the lessons well. He would do nicely. "I enjoy sparring, but I typically don't have live opponents. I can't imagine why, I am not as mean as they say," she said somewhat innocently.

Following the statement she rolled into his range using her right leg to perform a sweep on the man's moving legs, aiming for knee level. The man would fall to the ground unless he had superb balance. Following the strike she remained standing tall over the man before speaking, "Also, do remember my dear, expect anything, be prepared for anything."

She turned planting another roundhouse kick to the head of the dummy the man had been attacking. "Now your last challenge is an option, you can either spar with me," she said waving him invitingly, "or go off to bed."

 

[zorbo]

“A part of me seizes to see how that could be related with you – “ he commented just before getting taken down by the knee’s, falling back onto his back with a loud ‘oomph!’. As he recovered, he looked up towards the woman with a small smirk before following it up with a laugh. “Well – I would say you caught me by surprise. Right. Expect anything at all.”

Recovering from the fall, he stood up to his full height and admired her strike to the dummy. He imagined his own head being where the strike landed and it looked – painful, to say the least. “Option A or option B – hm, decisions.” He said before stepping forward, beginning to stretch his arms. “I think I will take option A – we can see just how much I have learned tonight.”

Taking a few back steps away from Mack, he continued to stretch his arms for only another moment before preparing his stance, his stance open and his hands expectant. “Your move.”, challenged Truen with a small grin resting upon his lips.