The Ropes

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac waited outside his office for [member="Alarla ki"]. He still felt good about his decision to hire her, but he was not completely confident. Darlyn could easily handle himself in the meantime while she completed her training, but the part that concerned Mac was that Alarla's performance would reflect his capabilities as the newly appointed Head of Security. She had potential, sure, but her success would be up to him. For now, he considered the former slave his little pet project.

The ex pirate was dressed in a similar garb today as he was yesterday. Boots, a simple leather tunic, light armor and pants. The trademark dress of a mercenary. As always, his two trusty axes were holstered by his sides. Mac checked his watch in anticipation.

 

[Alarla ki]

[member="Macoda Haberon"]

It was The day, she looked back at her home. She took a breath in then put as she said a silent good bye and closed the door behind her as she stopped. She was nervous as all could be...within good reason as well she had a lot placed on her for this...

She got into her speeder and took off, she was leaving quite early, she made her way directed to the capital and parked. She got out as she checked in and made her way to macoda's office, she spotted him outside and stopped a few feet away with a excited but contained smile

early by five minutes sir!

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac couldn't help but smile as he spotted [member="Alarla ki"] practically skipping with excitement down the hallway. However Mac felt the need to keep a sense of formality about him, at least for the first day. He was a merc, a pirate, a bounty hunter, and was not used to acting "dignified" nor did he acknowledge the rules as well as some people would like. But she would find that out soon enough. Mac did know how to lead however, and he knew that first impressions were important in establishing the power structure of any chain of command. "That you are soldier. Follow me, I'll show you your quarters."

He motioned for the rookie guard to follow him as he walked from his office door and descended down to the lower levels of the palace. The stone halls were initially decorated with wooden art and portraits of famous Commenori with long-winded names that Mac didn't care enough to learn. However as they descended, the halls were less decorative and took on a more practical air. The ceiling lowered and the windows grew smaller, being replaced with bright lights. If Alarla didn't know any better, she'd guess that they had gone underground. But this was simply the barracks were all guards were stationed.

Mac walked down the hall, his heavy boots echoed along the corridor. He turned behind him to look at Alarla, hoping that she was still following him and she had not gotten lost. "This is where Minister Excron's division is quartered. Each room sleeps four guards, although this division is rather small and elite." He motioned for the new recruit to step inside one of the small bedrooms that lined the hallway. "The rest of Excron's retinue are currently training. You can drop off what little possessions you have here."

 

[Alarla ki]

[member="Macoda Haberon"]

She gave a smile as she was told to follow, she waited for him to pass her and then turned to follow behind him. She eyed the art that was on the walls to either side but howvwr noticed that the windows seemed to get smaller and the ceiling lower and lower before soon she could see bright lights that illuminated the area before her. Entering somewhere underground wasn't new to alarla being a slave gave you plenty of opportunities to be forced underground

She blinked as she came back hearing the echo of the man's boots bounce off the walls before coming back to her ears, she then looked up as she listened to him...small and elite... She figured just as much and nodded as she entered the room and started setting her stuff down, nothing to big mostly clothing a few pieces of jewelry that were keepsakes, she turned back and stood as she smiled

I'm ready to go where you lead sir

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac was pleased by [member="Alarla ki"]'s reaction to her small quarters. She took to her new room without visible complaint. Many of the guards were the second or third children of aristocratic families who were not used to the rather ascetic living spaces in the barracks. It was refreshing to see someone who was so humble to enter the ranks, no doubt her history as a slave had some influence on this.

"Aye. Come with me and I'll show you the training grounds. It is time to see what you can do." Before Mac could put Alarla in front of Darlyn Excron, he wanted to make sure that she at least had some training under her belt. After all, her performance would reflect on Mac, and he didn't want to seem as an incompetent Head of Security. He had taken to the position quite nicely.

The giant merc walked out of the room and down the hall, hoping that the new recruit would be smart enough to follow him. Though he did consider her to be somewhat of a pet project, he wasn't about to babysit her. He continued down the corridor, passing multiple divisions of the barracks from the Palace guard to star fighter escorts. As he passed the weight room, Mac quickly popped his head in to see if maintenance had fixed the two punching bags that he had accidentally broken off their chains. With a quick glance, he made a note to himself that the bags had been hung back up for further abusing. Mac then continued down to the end of the long hall where the barracks opened up to a large outdoor training facility that featured a firing range, various obstacle courses and constructed scenarios, and a track.

However Mac made his way to his favorite part of the whole complex, the fighting pits. They weren't actually called fighting pits, but to Mac that's what they were. He grabbed an electrostaff off a nearby rack and descended down into one of the melee pits. The pit itself was a fairly large and circular area that was sunken into the ground, allowing spectators to circle the top of the pit. He turned to Alarla and placed the electrostaff in her hands. "Take this and show me what you can do."

 

[Alarla ki]

[member="Macoda Haberon"]


After alarla got everything settled she nodded to herself as she turned and followed him out, the small quarters wasnt much of a problem as she didn't care for a open room at all...

She looked at the many different barracks biting each was different from one another, she stopped behind him and peeked over seeing a training room with punching bags in it. Then it opened up and she could here the sound if blasters being fired at targets people rubbing on the track or in the constructed scenarios and obstacle course.

But they just kept going till they got to what looked like a pit, she instantly got the shivered just looking at it...it looked like the more civil version if a fighting pit...something a slave never...ever wanted to be in...unforuntaly...even alarla had been in one...

She blinked out if her daze as she was handed the electrostaff, she gave a few moves of it finding it similar to a pick....just larger and with two ends. She moved it again but did so slow as if testing it and watching the angles of where she could move it

She finally let a breath out, she said she had no official training, didn't mean she tried and break out a few times...she moved the star around her in a circle before thrusting it put as if to stab at a target then brought it around to mimic hitting someone. She then stopped as she looked to him...hoping it was somewhat impressive

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac didn't know what to expect, he really wasn't paying attention at [member="Alarla ki"]'s moves. Of course she was untrained, Mac knew that before she was even asked. No, he just wanted to get her comfortable with the electrostaff in hand. He just grunted after performing her little stunt, not in approval nor disapproval.

He didn't even really acknowledge her performance but instead unholstered his axes at his sides. He looked at the Epicanthic engravings on the blade for a moment, reminiscing about all they had been through. Alarla's uneasiness in the fighting pit didn't escape Mac. "You know I used to be a slave once. Not for a long time, only for a year or two. I was a pit fighter, a damn good pit fighter too. People would flock all around to see a match with me against all sorts of fighters and beasts. I didn't have a choice in being there, mind you, but I might've stayed even if I did. I was really good... and I liked it."

He looked up from his axe to Alarla. He studied her for a moment and relaxed himself. Mac dropped his arms down by his sides, he wanted to catch the former slave off guard. Then with a surprising burst of speed, he swung his axes in a powerful downward arc onto the girl. Block. Parry. Dodge. Die. The choice would be hers.

 

[Alarla ki]

[member="Macoda Haberon"]

She didn't k ow how to feel about that grunt, she was still uneasy being in a fighting pit yet again. Images of when she used to be forced to fight was still ingrained in her mind, occasionally she would have night mares as well from them...

She shook off those thoughts as she looked to [member="Macoda Haberon"] as he was speaking, she raised a brow at hearing his words slightly confused. Hey eyes looked to those axes as she kept her staff in hand.

However she felt a even more uneasy air settle over her, like something was warning her but she didn't know what...suddebly she watched him charge and start to swing down. Her body reacted on its own moving to the side and stabbing out with the staff

 

[Hadrian Bjormund]

Mac knocked aside her staff with an axe, pleased at her dodge. He placed some distance between himself and [member="Alarla ki"], giving him a little room to talk. "But being a guard won't be like being a pit fighter. You won't be able to prepare for opponents that will be announced in front of a large crowd. You won't receive gifts or admiration. You won't receive glory." Mac knew what it was like to be loved from a crowd. The life of a pit fighter was almost addictive. To hear the crowd chant your name.

But Mac shifted his focus onto the recruit in stood in front of him. He brandished his axes with the effortless skill of an experienced fighter before he stepped in and took another swing, this time from the side. He held the other axe in his left hand in a defensive position, ready to parry or to hook the staff should she counter strike.

 

[Alarla ki]

[member="Macoda Haberon"]

She moved back a bit gaining her hold in the staff as she eyes him listening, she herself never liked the pits but she would admit winning was a sort of rush...one she wouldn't feel in the job unless it was fighting

However she wasn't able to speak again his attack came towards her, she had some options but if she counter stroked she would have her staff hooked again. So she made her bet on a bold move as she held the staff close to her and charged forward, keeping her body crouched almost till she was close and then like a snake attacking the staff would stab out those eyes scared replaced with something from her past

The eyes of a warrior within