The Edge of Freedom #47"
By: Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]
Ryan-Steven ‘Rusty Ryan’ Madriani, Marine CO, [PST]

Stardate: 58204.14 1600

The creature appeared to be insectile - five meters tall, eighth long limbs, each on ending in a two pronged horny claws. The claws at the end of the foremost limbs were more flexible than the others and were holding heavy clubs that looked like they might have been rubbed or shaped somehow for easier grasping.

The insect aimed one of the clubs at Teilani's head but she sidestepped a half-meter to the left. The club head was momentarily buried in the sandy soil and Teilani leapt up onto the creature's back, then took a swipe with her kar'takin at the soft, flexible part where two sections of the insect’s chitnous armor overlapped. The blade bit deep and the joint spurted a thick, purplish ichor. The insect made a strange metallic noise then tore the club out of the soil. Teilani back flipped of the creature and landed softly, knees bent, then tumbled to the side as the club descended again.

The creature, which apparently had poor peripheral vision, didn't see where its opponent had gone and issued another piercing cry as the kar'takin landed again. It reared, rolling itself up onto only four legs, waving the claws and clubs of its forelimbs but finding no target.

Teilani stepped lightly onto the insect's back again, took three quick strides up its dorsal ridge, and landed a heavy blow on the crown of its head. The carapace didn't creak, but what passed for the creature's central nervous system must have been under that part of the shell, because the blow staggered it, its sapling thick legs buckling beneath it.

Teilani was so focused on the creature that she did not hear that the holodeck doors were opening. Ryan Madriani and some of his crew members were entering. As they entered they found themselves looking down on a dozen meters into a bowl shaped pit with a floor of loose soil and walls of broken rock, below them Teilani was fighting a nightmare.

Suddenly muscles contracted, the creature shudder again and spikes shot out in every direction, some embedding themselves in the loose soil, other shattering against the shapely walls. Some of the marines were a bit staggered by the look of the program, but did not say anything, even Ryan flinched in spit of himself, startled by the simulated carnage.

Teilani leapt backwards, correctly judging the trajectory of the half dozen projectiles that were heading in her directs. Se slipped between the two highest-flying spikes, and then dropped to the ground directly in front of the bug's great head. She raised her blade high and Ryan braced himself for the sight of split carapace or splattered brain matter, but instead he heard only "End program".

A momentary shimmer and Ryan suddenly found himself on the same level as Teilani, in the otherwise empty holosuite.

"Good day Sir, I didn't hear you all come in, Teilani said, brushing the sweat from her forehead, while she glanced at all the Marines.

"Well I guess you where kind of tied up." Ryan said "And please your not a marine call me Ryan." Ryan looked at her. "Quite an interesting fight you where pulling of there."

“You call me Red then”. “This was just for fun, I hope this program did not scare you too much”, Teilani said with a smile. "I have just finished writing it so feel free to try it out". It has 8 levels of difficulty.

"I think I'll start on 1 then" Ryan said with hesitation, he wasn't in the mood to start fighting huge bugs.

“I was just going to install another new training program on the holodeck, there are still some flaws in it but it is a nice program. The Naskans version of Kung Foo.." remember?

"O this wasn't The Naskans version of Kung Foo..?" Ryan said sarcastic. "Thank god" he thought to himself.

Teilani shook her head. =Computer activate program Dane Alpha 2=

With a momentary shimmer the holosuite changed into a Japanese dojo, complete with geisha's performing the difficult tea ceremony.

They were alone in the center of the room standing on a mat, surrounded by the other Marines. Her eyes locked for a moment on the handsome Marine Commander, who had his arms crossed and just shook his head in amusement.

"Anyway, My point is...there is little point of doing this if nothing is learned..." She laughed, taunting him, "Well Ryan, are you up for it."

"Ok...I will show you something, I think you can find it useful...Go ahead, hit me or lung at me, its up to you...I won't hurt you I promise." Teilani said, taunting and teasing.

Ryan stood still for a moment, deciding if he should, "Come on...your not afraid of a woman teaching you something are you” ? “Don't tell me your pride will get the best of you." You might .. Before she could finish saying her sentence, he made a perfect move directly for her rib cage. Jumping into the air, she let his fist hit her hip just before she grabbed the back of his head, using it as leverage to endup just beside him, then allowed herself to go limp, using her body weight to pull him to the ground. She used her other arm to protect her chest from his landing... they just laid there a moment... Teilani breathed heavy, "Now, if I had decided I didn't like you, I would have snapped your neck and crunched the inhabitants of your lower beltline."

Ryan rolled over and laughed "Very impressive" He looked at her and laughed again. "I have to confess I don't know that much about Kung foo. How did you do that?"

She got back up, "Its simple, mind over matter...well...actually more like I cheated...but after all, no one ever said fighting fair was the smartest thing in the world. You try..." She said offering her hand to help him up. Teilani noticed that several of the other Marines were trying not to laugh.

Ryan looked at the hand and ignored her. He threw his legs up and bended his back, landing on his feed standing straight. "Doctor, prepare for the unexpected." He turned his back on her and walked away, he swiftly turned around and ran up to her jumping up and giving her a kick in the stomach, not to hard. He took hold of her shoulders and used them to push himself up and jump over her. He landed on his back putting his feet between her lower legs spreading them and causing her to fall on her face. He jumped up again and looked at her. "Wondering how I could be so fast doctor?" He grinned "you could have stopped me and break my ankle." He smiled again. "you just weren't fast enough this time.

“Well I have to work on it then, Teilani said laughing. She certainly was surprised by this move.

"I suggest we call it a draw." Ryan extended his hand to help her up. "Nevertheless I bet some of my marines could learn from you, you being a doctor will now where to hit."

As Teilani accepted his hand to get up she balled her other hand into a little fist and in one smooth move getting up she hit Ryan directly on his right jaw. “Never judge a book by its cover, Ryan, she stated.

"Well" Ryan said shaking his head to make it stop ringing. "You’re quite the little fighter." He turned to his men. "And that is why I have no ego, if I had it would be severely bruised." He stood up. "Well that was quite the lesson miss Dane. Now please excuse me, fell free to come around and challenge me again, sometime."

Teilani brushed back her hair, before she responded. “You can bet on it Ryan”.

"I'll be seeing you later on I presume?" Ryan had won his calmness back.

“Of course, I still need to check your daughters cough”, Teilani responded. “Well carry on guys, she said with a smile, “Computer exit”.

With the familiar hiss the holodeck doors appeared and with a last glance Teilani left.