Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: To Propose or Not to Propose?

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: To Propose or Not to Propose?

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: To Propose or Not to Propose?
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Roman was patient with her questions and with repeating explanations, much like in the lab, and whenever he saw a problem, corrected her form with gentle touch. He knew how she would watch, and be sure she was doing it right, so he would show her first and then have her do it, and if she asked he’d show her again. Eventually he moved on to different holds and how to get out of or away from them, wishing he had someone to demonstrate with. He showed her first, and then he’d grab her gently with each hold. When he thought she was ready, he’d grip tighter and let her try to break free.

~ Roman

Rand worked through each technique over and over, the repetition building muscle memory. They worked until Roman was satisfied she didn’t have to think about which technique to use. This took several weeks of practice, but Rand enjoyed it. Though she did have the same thought as Roman, “We should make Randy come, to help you demonstrate.” Rand still might be a little peeved at Randy.

Rand

Roman grinned, “It would be fun, and I’m sure he needs to learn this too.” And Roman would always like demonstrating these on or with Randy. That would definitely be fun. “But for now, you’re doing fine with the demonstrations I have.” He put Rand into another hold, he was always careful when he did, making sure not to really hurt her, but tight enough she would need to use what he was teaching her to get away. This one was a newer one he was still teaching her. “Alright, try to get away.”

~ Roman

So far the holds had been, according to Roman, simple. Single wrist, shoulder, or arm holds. This one though, Roman had ahold of her with both arms and it was proving to be difficult for Rand. It took her a lot longer to get the technique, stopping in the middle to adjust, readjust, or simply start over. She didn’t get frustrated (well maybe a little) but she kept working at it. When she finally got the sequence down it wasn’t really effective. There simply wasn’t enough speed, torque, or flex in her technique.

Rand

Roman was smiling, amused, but also patiently coaching her as he watched her try. He wouldn’t readjust his grip unless she wanted to start over, making it a little easier for her to get away. After she failed again, he took his left hand off her arm and guided her right hand, showing her how to do it, again, “Grab like this, and then twist like that,” and he showed her slower, “but do it faster, with a little more power behind it, you’re not getting enough strength into it.” Then he grabbed her other arm again, and nodded, “Try it again.”

~ Roman

So strength was an issue. It wasn’t that Rand wasn’t strong, but she wasn’t a weight lifter and Roman was significantly stronger than she was. Not that he was trying to hurt her. She remembered that Lt Fordham had told them to twist their whole body into a punch because it added the whole weight and torque of the body to the strike. Rand grabbed Roman’s wrist and twisted, moving faster like he said to do, but when she did she twisted her shoulder and hip to follow through with how her hand was twisting. Rand not only felt it under her hand, she heard it as Roman’s wrist broke. She dropped his hand and took a step back, completely horrified. She opened her mouth to ask if he was okay, but it was really obvious that he wasn’t. “I’m sorry.”

Rand

Roman could tell she was thinking about what he said and he smiled, and then he saw her weight shift, twisting with the force of her body weight and then he felt it, as she twisted, the snap of bone giving way under the force. She let him go the instant it happened and that helped, because he was able to pull his arm away and baby it. “It’s fine,” he said to her, his voice a bit strained. He gave it a moment, and then tried moving the fingers, wincing. Then he shook his head. “Yeah, that feels broken.” He was, as always, hiding the level of his pain, holding the injured wrist with the good hand. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had broken bones before, from jiu jitsu, but it always did hurt. He looked up and took in her shocked, horrified expression and managed another grin. “Look on the bright side, you succeeded. It’ll be fine, honestly.” He winced again, “So long as you call Randy so I don’t have to go to Sickbay.”

~ Roman

It was NOT fine. OMG She broke his wrist…arm…something. Her hand felt like it had some nasty electric slimy worm crawling around on it, vividly recalling how it felt under her hand when the bone gave way. She barely suppressed a shutter. “Right, Randy…you want him to come here? No that’s a stupid question, your quarters.” And then she was gone.

Rand knew Randy had a date that night. Randy didn’t call it a date, said he wasn’t interested in dating, he just liked ‘hanging out’ with Morgan. Rand thought Randy was in self-denial. She found them in the Galley and she hesitated, ringing her hands as she spotted them at a table before making her way over.

Randy caught her eye as soon as she came through the door. His twin looked frazzled and like she might get sick from nerves. He swore if she ran in here to find him because Alden proposed and she freaked out he was going to laugh, fall on the floor laughing till his eyes ran dry from tears and he couldn’t breathe. Then he was marching Rand right back up there while he teased her relentlessly and made her feel bad for doing that to Alden.

Rand simply said, “Sorry Morgan,” and then Rand leaned over and whispered in Randy’s ear. He looked slightly amused at first and then his eyes went wide and he stood up and leaned over to say something to Morgan who grinned and nodded. Rand practically dragged Randy down the corridor and into sickbay and started shoving medkits and other things at him. Most he didn’t need and had to put back. Poor Rand, she felt really bad, but what did those two expect.

Entering their quarters, Randy looked at Alden, “She broke your wrist?” He turned on the tricorder trying to get a good scan of it, but Rand…oh lords, Rand was hovering. “Rand, sit down.”

Rand and Randy