[snip]

“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.

Reaching Deck 14, M’Mera led the way out of the turbolift and into the small gymnasium. It was equipped with a sparing ring for boxing/wrestling/fencing or other forms of hand to hand combat, and nautilus machinery. The ring itself wasn’t very big but big enough to give enough room for some sparring. Off to the side of the room was a changing area with several sets of work out clothes provided. M’Mera indicated the one of the two changing areas.
“You can change in therre, I’ll jusst be a moment mysself.”She said as she disappeared into the other change room.

“I think you’re regretting this now, are you?” Guy asked Richard.

“Well, it does feel a lot like getting homework from school, but I’m looking forward to it,” Guy said. “I’ll warn you, I have done a little Boxing, but I promise I’ll go easy with you, if you go easy on me with your Karate chops and the other weird martial art… Fu!”

• Guy, Sec