The Fallen Still Serve - Part One

Posted on Wed Mar 18th, 2020 @ 3:56am by Captain T'Nae "Wolfheart" Duval & Commander Ethan "Hardcase" Duval & Lei "The Thunder King" Shen

Mission: Mission 98: Building Our New Home
Location: Deneva - Highland Mountains
Timeline: 0900Hrs - June 18th, 2392

It was early summer in this region of Deneva as Ethan Duval smiled as he parried a swing from the student he was training then he countered with one of his own that the young woman before him only managed to evade. "Nice," Duval commented as he threw two more attacks at her, chained together, she parried one of them but the second impacted her, sending her on her back to the mat. "You're improving." as he turned the bo in his hand before he reached for her with his other hand.

Marisa Yeager grasped his hand with her own as she allowed him to haul her upright. "I didn't think you'd go easy on me."

"I didn't," he commented. "Sometimes its chance alone that lets us prevail in a fight and other times it's all about preparation, timing, skill, and training," he explained. "I want you to learn all of them and you are."

The young woman sighed. "I'll do better master."

"Keep practicing and training. Its all about your mindset. How you think and how you feel in the moment." Duval explained with a smile. "It's why I have you reading a lot of philosophy from the Art of War to the Analects of Confucius."

Yeager smiled. "It's helping me to focus on what's important."

"Yes, but speed and agility will do little to separate you from your nature," Duval explained. "Do not fall into the trap of overthinking how you will engage your opponent, let yourself be free to act and react when needed."

Captain T'Nae Duval observed from a distance, she was wearing a heavy winter jacket over her Starfleet uniform top. Heavy pants with armored boots completed the picture even though it wasn't that cold but T'Nae was from a hot world and she tended to freeze on worlds that were relatively cool like the Highland Mountain Range even in summer so she wore extra clothing. Her children, however, had a better time of things as they were also part human. "What sort of a person are you Ethan Duval?." she found herself observing Duval quietly.

Master Lei Shen regarded T'Nae. "Can I assist you?" as he regarded the Vulcan woman before him. "You look a little overdressed for early summer, however."

"I am Vulcan." as T'Nae reached up with her hand, gently grasping her hood she pulled it back to reveal a head of raven black hair, pulled back into a simple ponytail with upturned eyebrows and a pair of pointed ears which marked her as a Vulcan. "I greet you. I am T'Nae." and with that, she smiled. Her smile indicated she was indeed in tune with her emotions and did not repress them as one would expect from a woman of Vulcan.

"Ahh. You are T'Nae?" Lei Shen inquired. "I have heard much about you from my student." with that Shen indicated Duval who was nearby. "However you look... better than how he explained you to me." Shen clearly looked skeptical. "I feel I am missing a piece of a rather large and interesting puzzle that's fallen out of the skies, to put it delicately."

"I expected he would speak of me. However your student does not know me and I would expect better of him.. Considering he is, for a lack of a better word, my brother in law."

Shen raised an eyebrow. "An interesting statement, considering what I have heard about you."

"It's more complicated then what I did, or in this case, I did not do." T'Nae reasoned. She indicated Duval training his apprentice while she spoke. "He spoke to you about me being an overly logical Vulcan and that I was overweight." she then smiled. "It's a nice day for a walk. Do you not agree?"

"You are not overly logical," Shen responded in a light tone of voice. "I thought Vulcans repressed their emotions. You do not seem to do so."

T'Nae nodded. "Indeed, I do not and for that. I am outcast," she explained with a gentle smile. "It was long ago and Jeffery Duval has given me the family I always wanted, children and grandchildren both."

"Wait... Him?." Shen paused as he realized something. "He told me that you were... Cruel, evil..."

"Yes. He is Jeffery Duval's twin down to his DNA, He is my husband from another reality who found himself in this one. He remembers his T'Nae but he compares her to me. I have heard a great deal about the sad imitation who wore my name and my face. I find her lacking as did my daughter and sister-in-law who both regaled me with tales of her deeds, reprehensible as they are." T'Nae explained. "I, however, am much more stable and I care about my family." she indicated Duval a second time. "He is kin to me and I need to make him aware of this."

"I apologize. I did not expect you to reveal this to me." Shen responded in a light tone of voice. "I do not believe he will want to speak with you, however."

"I know he doesn't," T'Nae answered quietly. "My ship was damaged during a recent assignment and many of my crew are taking shore leave, so I have a little time to try and resolve an issue that is not mine and it is mine, both at the same time."

"Well you seem to be more responsible where my student is concerned then the T'Nae I have heard him speak about. I will, however, ask that you not force the issue with him, if he doesn't wish to speak about things then please, do not force it."

"I have no intention of forcing anything Mister Shen," T'Nae answered. "You have my word."

"Thank you." Shen nodded his head. "I will relieve Ethan of Marisa for a time and you can borrow him. I expect him returned intact."

"Thank you, Mister Shen." T'Nae then settled in to wait while Shen went over to the large dojo mat where the young woman and Duval were sparring. He sent her hurtling to the mat as he panted. "You are improving Marisa but don't block with the left arm like that, if your opponent anticipates, he can grab you there and either pin you or break your arm."

She nodded as she accepted his hand before he hauled her back to her feet. "Thanks. Oh, Master Shen." Yeager turned as she spotted the small Asian man, standing and watching in silence with a gentle smile on his face.

"Be at ease Marisa." Shen smiled. "You fight like a desert-dweller, you fight with your soul." he paused. "Ethan. might I borrow your student for a time?. Someone wishes a word with you."

"Sure. Master. Besides, I think Marisa has earned a break from the sparring." Duval answered with a smile. "She is learning very well."

"Very well. It's almost time for the mid-morning meal." Shen knew that this facility was a twenty-four hour operation and there were things going on around the clock at all times, from search and rescue to tourism, it was never dull here and thus the kitchen was a truly massive facility with the capacity to feed many thousands in a day, the place was always busy and those who worked there, were often the kind who didn't wish to draw attention to themselves. The facility had grown so large that a small town had grown up around the Monastery.

Yeager nodded. "You wish for me to assist in the kitchen?"

"I was hoping you could look after some of the children from the town's school for their mid-morning break from classes," Shen responded.

"Of course. Master." she turned and bowed to Duval who bowed in response before the two departed the massive dojo which was open along two walls to the outside, the facility also had a truly massive balcony that was twenty foot deep and close to a hundred foot long.

T'Nae noticed that Shen and Duval's student were departing so she began to move forward. "Ethan Duval?" she inquired of him, instantly feeling strange that she was standing before a man who was in every sense of the word, her husband except he was nothing like her husband.

"Yeah?" Duval turned as he found himself looking into the eyes of the woman who still plagued his sleep, his fears, and his dreams. "You," he spoke quietly.

"Is there somewhere where we can go and talk, quietly?" T'Nae inquired with a gentle smile. "I have heard so much about you from my daughter."

"Ahh." He sighed softly, she was asking nicely which was different then he had been expecting. "Yes. Let me get my jacket and we can go for a walk down the mountainside."

"As you wish," T'Nae answered while she settled in to wait.