Leaving Sigma Iota II

[Aoife]

"Is that a promise?" Aoife asked hopefully. "Ain't the best of places to be takin' the ship through some swirly thing out there that we don't understand."

She shrugged. "As for the anomaly, well, I'm sure 'tis there right enough. I'm keepin' an eye on other ships and the like, me."

Aoife turned, looking up into Reagan's face intently for a moment. It was something she did to most folk, as if she was checking their expressions for hints of things they were trying to hide. Or perhaps a technique that unsettled others. Or yet again, a desire to see the truth. Most folk that she worked with got used to it soon enough, or swatted her hard enough for her to stop doing it (which usually didn't work).

"So.. someone took matters into their own hands. Good to know this crew ain't got no problems with that." She said quietly. "Do you have anything else for me afore the end o' shift?"

[Melissa Richards]

[Amanda Rose]

[Azaria]

[Melissa Richards]

[Amanda Rose]

[KendleRJ]

Meanwhile, still in the Gym

Kat remembered this feeling; the weakness in her knees, the muscles straining, a euphoric buzz travelling all through her... different circumstances, but still, the same feeling. Closing her eyes, she willed her hands to release the handles of the jump rope, letting it fly and hit the wall with a satisfying thump. She simply walked in a small circle, keeping her muscles moving while her breathing slowly returned to normal. Her cheeks were flushed, hair matted to her head in a damp and tousled mess. Blowing a puff of air upward, she nodded to herself as she felt a little more in control of well, everything. She breathed in deeply, enjoying the moment, because the feeling, and the moment, would be fleeting.

So, instead of dwelling on what she couldn't hold onto, she focussed on something she could. Wrapping her arms around the large punching bag, she tugged it once, twice, thrice to untangle it from whatever else had managed to wedge itself between that and the door to the storage... then began assembling the framework it would be suspended from. After a year, she was used to it, and got it down to a 2 minute process. Dialing up the gravity to 1.5 times earth standard, she began to wrap her hands and pulled each boxing glove on carefully. Everything had a step, a breath, a moment, and once she'd performed each one, she was ready to begin.

This was time to purge... to release... to press through the muscle memory and the other memories... time to imagine the face placed squarely at shoulder height so she could bash the grin off of it. With as much meticulous process as required by an objective soul. Maybe today she might be able to keep that emotional distance, but after the conversation she had with Shelly, the interesting run in Down Below and her need to get some rest... Therapy came in the form of pain.

Lifting her right hand, aching like a son of a bitch, she connected fully and with serious conviction with the punching bag. It moved, shifting in its frame, the chain groaning. "Take that, you son of a bitch," Kat spat through gritted teeth and proceeded to lay into the punching bag with hands and feet. The heavier gravity helped her muscles get behind a heavier throw, and she kept up the jabs and cross and upper cuts as the bag's frame hopped across the Gym's deck...

~Tags (Or not) Kat's kinda working through some issues...

USS Horizon
Karina Alicia "KAT" Tell, Yeoman 1st Class

[Melissa Richards]

[Amanda Rose]

[KendleRJ]

*Still in the Gym (and Kendle is drinking wine... just a disclaimer right up front )*

Sure, Kat was exhausted. Her arms were leaden, her legs burning like they were on fire. It proved she was alive, despite all attempts to the contrary; despite the one who tried to remove her heart through her chest, and feed it to her, hoping she might choke on it. She could barely lift her arms, and the twist of emotions tried to push all the air out of her lungs. She roared against it, felt the bitter sting of tears, betraying her once more, and she felt the tension ooze out of her like the sweat pouring over her skin. Blinking against them, trying to control her breathing, stop the onslaught, she struggled to drag herself to the gravity controls. Her fingers hovered over it.

And then she increased it.

Squeezing her eyelids together, pressing out the hot tears that scorched her face, Kat forced her arm to lift and wipe them away. She remembered the struggle, the familiar tug... it happened every time she increased the gravity. The pain. The walls. She remembered it all. And she moved the punching bag, heavier but lighter in understanding her burden... how else might she be able to sleep? She began the reps again; kicks, punches... she might try a roundhouse, if she could just coax the lift out of her leaden legs.

A small beep sounded in the heavy and sweat-laden room. It was time. She slapped the wall control and immediately felt lighter, freer... like she could float. She went to her bag and pulled out the towel, draping it over her shoulders. Tenderness was replaced by a whole other sensation... throbbing regularity... in time to the beating of her heart. She moved the bag easily back to its place in storage, and tore down the frame quickly. Now, to run back to her quarters... hopefully exhausting herself completely so she could unwind in the sonic shower and sleep.

Without assistance.

Tonight, at least.

But she wouldn't know if it took until she slept through the night. Maybe once at least in over a year and a half.

One could hope. But not dream.

No.

Not dream.

Tags (or not)

USS Horizon
Karina Alicia "KAT" Tell, Yeoman 1st Class