Posted by Lieutenant Charles Fordham (Security Chief) in Hand-to-Hand Training

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman) in Hand-to-Hand Training
Lt Fordham had made the offer, even requesting when her normal ‘free’ time was. So she knew she was welcome even if she wasn’t expected. She’d gone to the quarter master to get a workout uniform for the gymnasium to be releaved to find they had some for the female crew on board and they weren’t....well she was happy to find they were appropriate. “Hey Randy, I’ll be back later, should be before the reports are due, okay?”

Rand entered the gymnasium through the smaller locker rooms. She changed and then entered the main gymnasium. She wasn’t sure how she felt about if the class was full of security personnel, but it was a skill that she had always wanted to learn and she wasn’t required to socialize with the whole lot of them. She simply had to follow directions. She didn’t see anyone prepping for a class and so she decided to checkout some of the other equipment while she waited.
Yeoman Rand

Ford entered in the fleet standard workout uniform - which he loathed, but standards were standards. This period he would have one or two security officers and expected most of the rest to be personnel from other sections - he knew at least one from engineering and two from science that would be coming.

And Ensign Rand, it appeared. She was over by the other exercise equipment, and none of the other students were here just yet, so he approached.

“Glad you came,” he greeted her. “This should be a class on the smaller size - three to four others from different sections and a couple of my security people to help.” On cue, one of the security officers and a science officer walked in, talking, and the others a few paces behind.

Rand smiled as he walked over. Relieved that he predicted a smaller class. One it was fewer people to deal with, and two that meant more time offered per student. “I’m looking forward to it.” She wasn’t really sure what to say, but the comment was genuine. She was excited to try, even if she failed miserably. Failure, for Rand, wasn’t a boogey man it was for some. She didn’t mind failing exactly, unless she didn’t learn from it. But before she could say more other officers began to enter. Rand walked over to where the rest were waiting.

“Hi everybody,” he began. “Thanks for coming. I appreciate you all being willing to put in the effort to learn how to defend yourselves; it makes my job a lot easier,” he joked.

“We’re going to start with a warm up run, twice around this deck. Let’s go.” He’d found a run limbered muscles and for blood flowing far better than lengthy exercises, and not giving the announcement a chance to soak in was usually better than giving them time to consider not wanting to do it. He exited the room at a jog already, taking a right down the hallway. One of the security people took up the rear as the last person headed out the door.

COS Ford

Rand fell into line as everyone made their way out. She loved to run and learned to pace herself in the highlands of Scotland so the flat of a starship deck was easy. She found she had to check her pace behind the officer in front of her. The security officer in the rear she heard grunt a couple of times and glanced back. He gave her an apologetic glance. She understood the pace was a bit slow for her. The officer in front of her kept glancing back and if she was too far away (to give him room) he slowed again. First break in the oncoming crew, and Rand passed the officer in front of her, easing into an easy lope. She didn’t hear it but the security officer in the rear laughed at the bemused expression of the man she’d just passed. Running was easy for her, and she tended to forget what else was going on, simply concentrating on the air moving in and out of her lungs and her muscles stretching into the pace.

At some point she’d settled into a steady rhythm and Ford would hear her coming up behind him. She wasn’t trying, barely breathing harder than at rest, she was just running.
Yeoman Rand