[snip]

She gave both Crewman a toothy grin, “ I am ssurre you both arre wonderring why I have called you in. You are the two Crrewman just underr me sso you know thiss deparrtment betterr than I do. I wanted to learrn a little morre about you both and it. How did you two come to be herre? And ass Crrewman, rratherr then officerrss?”

Guy came in and sat down next to Richard. He had to smile. The last time they were both here had been on the invitation of the previous COS, Cameron McDuff, for another team talk very like this. McDuff had told them that he intended to mix things up in the department so that nobody would be stagnating doing the same old duties. However, they were still standing next to the bridge turbolift, brig or sickbay door, and still occupied bringing up crates from the cargo bay, same as always.

Guy let Richard answer first. Guy was keen to hear how Richard’s Karate was progressing since the previous meeting, and Richard had arrived first.

Richard felt a bit more confident with Guy being there as well ,maybe this had nothing to do with the incident which got Hunter in trouble after all.

‘’Well ma’am as a security ,my placements are usually on the bridge or sickbay ,though sometimes we are called when there’s a brawl among the crew ‘’ . Sharp went on to say that for the first time he was called to join a team on their last mission.

‘’I have the highest black belt in Karate. Only about 3-5% of people who started training in Karate will complete their journey to earning a black belt. Earning a black belt in Karate is a prestigious honor. It takes years to earn your black belt.’’ he babbled on clearly not only proud but something that was close to his heart ‘’Unfortunately since being posted on the Merrimack there has been no one I can keep on practicing with ‘’ there was clearly a longing in his sad eyes ‘’Getting a black belt means nothing if one does not keep on practicing ‘’.

“Hmmm, you may get yourr wissh. I too have many fighting sstyless. We will add ssparrring to ourrr rregime. Anything elsse, Crrewman?”

Sharp wondered if she meant herself and an image formed in his mind that M’Mera would probably throw him into space with one swoosh .He shook his head ‘’No ma’am I have nothing more to add ‘’.

There was a short silence and Guy thought it must be his turn now. “Me? Well, unlike Richard, I did expect that my placements would involve standing around a lot, checking passes, checking locked doors and forcefields, guarding prisoners in the Brig. I also expected lots of record keeping and box ticking, but I hoped for some intelligence gathering on folks who were a bit suspicious, or maybe some real detective work when office stationery went missing, or someone was selling contraband. Instead, I’ve been on several missions to very dangerous places where everything has wanted to kill us, and some even succeeded. But I have overcome my phobias about being on a Landing Party now. I have done my duty when it was required. I just… if I’m being honest, sir… it’s always the new security officer who dies first!”

M’Mera chuckled, “Keep that attitude and you might actually live long in thiss job. Be prreparred that mosst things want to eat you then when they don’t, you can be pleassantly surrprrissed. Arre you trrained in hand to hand combat, Crewman?” She asked Guy.

Guy thought and replied, “I have not been trained to any high level in hand-to-hand combat above the basic training given to Security recruits in the Academy, but hand-to-hand combat is no match for a phaser if you are up against plant life that is out to get you, or upside down caves, or pools of black goo to step in, or lethal rock creatures that spray acid!”

Richard was by now more at ease ,he sat quietly listening to Guy and on hearing what he was saying truly wondered if the security had overcame his phobia or thought that he had.

Guy could feel his blood pressure rising just thinking about them, so he began the breathing exercises he had been given to counter the anxiety. He has recently been working with the medical team to overcome his fears and phobias. Unlike most of the rest of the ship, he was very happy when Professor of Psychiatry, Major Stanley Wong had been on the ship and thought that he was very helpful in this process.

“Ahhh, verry trrue but the possitive sside effect of having well honed hand to hand sskillss is that you have the athletic ability and limberrness not to misss thosse sshotss or to get out of the way. We arre going to sschedule time in the gymnassium to hone yourr sskills, Crrewman. With grreaterr underrsstanding of how yourr body movess will come grreaterr confidence in onesself.” She smiled her toothy grin at both of them.”Now do eitherr of you have any quesstionss forr me?”

Richard clasped his hands in anticipation of going to the gymnasium ‘’Guy Lt M’Mera is right ,you’ll be surprised what your body can do once you acquire the skill with practice and discipline …no Ma’am I have no more questions ‘’.

“Oh! I’m happy to train and learn a new skill,” Guy said, and that focused mindset required and the physical training will be good for me, but if I’m down on some planet where I have both hands free to actually fight someone then something has gone seriously wrong with our operations!”

“Then it iss betterrr that you know what to do if that sshould happen. Alwayss be prreparred forr the fubarr…the fubarr usually happenss.” She eyed Richard, “Would the two of you like a bout now?”

Sharp scratched his head, looked at Guy and back at M’Mera ‘’Em sorry Lt I did not understand your question ‘’ the security admitted .

“You’re from Europe?” Guy confirmed with Richard. “FUBAR is an old North American word, from the US Army, I think? It’s an acronym and it’s coarse, but it basically means ‘a situation that is so damaged or out of control’. Anyhow, I’m up for a bout now, if you are, but I have no experience in Karate or any Japanese martial arts. At the academy we mainly were Boxing and Kick-Boxing, with a few eclectic moves added in for good measure.”

‘’Oh sorry ‘’ Sharp responded ‘’ For a moment it eluded me , anyway if you have no experience then I guess I’ll shall be your mentor ‘’.

M’Mera nodded, happy that Sharp was willing to step up and help his crewmate. “Let’ss head overr to the gymnassium then and at leasst intrroduce, Mrr. Fleegman to the arrt of hand to hand.” She said as she rose from her chair and walked around to the front of it while she waited for the two men to get up.

Sharp nodded and smiled but walking behind the Lt he gulped as he did not anticipate she was coming along as well. If she was going to take part the security imagined himself flying across the gymnasium * Me and my big mouth* he thought to himself.

Guy was looking forward to a demonstration of close quarters combat techniques from Richard and M’Mera. At the Academy he had only been shown the two-fisted punch, the “Kirk/Gorn ear” double hand-slap, and the drop-kick.

• Guy, Sec