Sparring

Posted on Mon Feb 12th, 2024 @ 8:21am by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jasper Branson & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov

Mission: S1 Episode 7: Prime Factors
Location: Security Training Suite
Timeline: Date 2371-09-10 at 1200
1529 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

He had lost control of the sparring range several minutes ago, and he knew it was only a matter of time before Andrei Petrov finished him. He breathed heavily, his lean shirtless torso glistening with sweat. His appearance wasn’t remotely as impressive as the man before him and he considered his options as he wiped a hand through his wet brown hair. His face was handsome in a boyish way and flushed with red.

“I’m not done yet.” he said in a light voice, his eyes resting on Andrei who stood before him just as shirtless but with impressively sculpted muscles and light tracings of scars across his torso. His black mane framed a calm face and his eye patch rested, strapless, in the place it always was. “You’re going to have to pull this win from me, Commander.”

“No problem there, kid.” Andrei said with a neutral and self-assured expression. He was waiting for Zac Dawson to make his next move, staying in control of even his opponent with the intensity of his gaze and his unmovable stance. He was only six years older than the Crewman, but he had good genes, a strong spirit, and determination no one could fake.

Zac surged forward with admittedly impressive speed, hoping to catch Andrei by surprise and score a few hits before he could rally. He threw a well-formed punch directly at Andrei’s stomach which the larger man parried with a swift motion, then he sent a high kick toward Andrei’s face. He grabbed the ankle and used the newfound control over Zac’s body to drive him to the ground on his back.

As soon as Andrei had him on the ground, Zac attempted to defend from the coming attack by striking out fiercely. Andrei rested his weight on him, but raised his hands to block the blows. Zac’s plan was to keep Andrei in his defense until he could get the better of him and turn the tables. He landed a blow on Andrei’s face, reddening his cheek and causing him to wince in pain. He ate the blow, however, and kept defending until he saw an opening. He struck Zac in his temple, causing the onslaught of attacks to stop. The younger man blinked hard as a trickle of blood started to flow.

Andrei struck over and over then, using controlled impacts to tel Zac that, in his mind, the game was over. Zac blocked a few of them, but the rest struck true and were effective enough take the wind out of his sails. He tried to use his legs to throw Andrei off, but the XO was smart enough to know how to avoid it and damn strong beyond that. He submitted after a few more seconds, ending the match.

Andrei stood and offered Zac a hand, pulling him up after him.

“Good match.” Zac said with a nod, breathing heavily and wiping at some blood.

“You were better than last time.” Andrei said with a nod, reaching for his water bottle and squirting it ferociously into his mouth from a distance. The water that didn’t get into his mouth dotted his face and rolled down his glistening torso. “But it was still shit, Zac.”

Zac chuckled, reaching for his own water bottle. He took the criticism without issuing one in return. It was clear who was dominant in their friendship, just as it was with all of Andrei’s entourage. He brought them down one at a time and kicked their asses, claiming he was toughening them up and teaching them how to fight. Though they learned alot from the sparring matches, they wondered if he was also just showing them who's boss; letting them know how superior he is.

“Next time, it’s swords. I need to catch you up, make you marginally less pathetic.” Andrei said, placing a hand on Zac’s shoulder before turning and stepping toward the exit.

“Thank you, Commander.” Zac said in a low voice as Andrei walked away.

“Bring your A game next time, Dawson. And have a nurse look at that cut.” Andrei responded with his back turned, and then exited the range.

He exited into the corridor and walked down the security corridor. Two female security NCO’s were standing and talking in the corridor and their eyes fell on his shirtless form. Their interest was obvious and, though they made eyes at him when he passed them, they dared not flirt or initiate anything. They feared their boss and her penchant for radical jealousy when it came to Andrei and a wrong look could doom them.

“Good morning, ladies.” Andrei said with a slight wave of his hand as he passed them, his visible eyes still facing forward.

“Hi, Commander.” the women said in unison as they watched him go, their attention fixed on his muscular back, slender hips, and noticeably toned bottom.

He ran back to his quarters for a quick shower and, once he was clean and in uniform again, made his way to the Command Office across the corridor. He noticed Jackie, Lottie, and Ren each sitting at their desks, but he walked right by them amidst their unnoticed greetings, and directly to Jasper’s desk.

“Morning.” Jasper greeted, distracted but not rude.

“What a morning it is.” Andrei said with a slight smile as he lowered himself into a nearby chair. “I heard the Gladius crew reports are in.”

“They are.” Jasper confirmed and finally peeled his eyes away from his console to look at Andrei. “They are already on your desk.”

“Good.” Andrei said. “Anything interesting in there, or is it the same tale of monotony as almost everything else?”

“Interesting in the fact that there’s new names crossing the desk but not much else.” Jasper sat back in his chair, his eyes resting on Andrei a moment, then he seemed to think of something. “Oh I guess one of their security personnel is some sort of reformed criminal.”

“Reformed criminal?” Andrei asked, crossing his legs at the knee and leaning back further in the chair. “What, he enlisted after getting out of prison or something like that?”

“No, more like he murdered one of his own crew in a bar fight.” Jasper supplied, bringing the man’s profile up on the console and then turning it around to face Andrei.

Instead of leading in, Andrei mirrored the screen on his eyepatch.

“PO1 Malcolm O’Shea, drunk and disorderly….murder? What the fuck?” he said, directing his gaze back to Jasper. “ He’s marked as active duty status.”

“That he is.” Jasper nodded, webbing his fingers together and then placing his hands behind his head. “That was about my reaction too, but caring is above my pay grade.”

“I might say the same if it were my decision. But since it isn’t, I find that I care a great deal.” he said, reading the file in the patch again. He was clearly hatching something silently, in his mind. “Hmm…I’ll probably have to play nice here. The Captain wants to keep things civil between the crews.”

“Do you remember how to do that?” Jasper asked with a chuckle, clearly joking.

Mostly.

“Are you kidding me? I'm the face of calm and reserved deal-making.” Andrei said, licking his lips. “I imagine Commander Faulkner and I could reach some kind of arrangement. She seems…reasonable..”

This caused Jasper to chuckle again. He’d seen Faulkner and Andrei was right, she did seem reasonable. She was also quite beautiful and no doubt Andrei would put on the charm. “Shall I make sure Lyra is busy?”

Andrei looked at Jasper and smiled. The smile was more than a bit cryptic, but clearly amused. The offer told him what side the man fell on in the end, and it was good for him to know.

“No, she trusts me.” Andrei said with a raise of his eyebrows. “Besides, a trip like that isn’t too unusual; one ship talking to another.”

“I’m sure she does.” Jasper replied in a way that seemed like he wasn’t entirely convinced of that fact. “When do you want to head over to the Gladius?”

“Schedule a meeting for tomorrow with Faulkner. In the evening, preferably. Insist on a time that would typically be off time for her; probably 18:00.”

Jasper spun the console back around and immediately did as Andrei asked. His eyes moved over the schedules and he nodded. “From what her yeoman has updated here it looks like that will work. Do you need anything else for it?”

“Find out her favorite wine and put a bow on it.” Andrei answered, standing up from the seat.

Though he didn’t look at Andrei, Jasper’s eyebrows did raise slightly at the request. “Yeah, I’ll see what I can find out for you on that front.”

“I believe in you.” Andrei said dryly before walking past the others and into his own office. He would get to the bottom of this situation and come out on top; he was sure of it.

END