Aberrant: Stargate Universe - Talking with your Fists

[Ryan Hawke]

[simultaneous with Wild Ones]

Ryan grunted as he let the bag come back to hit him. He'd sent it on a nearly seventy degree arc, and it hit with a good amount of force. He immediately launched into a series of punches that would shatter bones. His Team was way behind where he wanted to be, and he couldn't help but feel it was his fault. He was doing all he could to pull them together, but it simply wasn't working.

That led him here, to the destruction of another series of punching bags. He'd already tore one up today and he was barely warmed up.

"I've got to be better, got to get stronger." He continued his assault on the bag, finally stopping to hold the bag, feeling at least six softspots all the way through it.

"This one is done, I guess that makes two today. What I'd really like is someone to spar with right about now."

[Forge]

"Did you say spar?" Vinny asked walking into the gym in his normal attire of AF sweats, t-shirt, and sneakers. "Those fuckin' bags are shit Major, I keep breakin' 'em too...sir." The last added almost as an afterthought.

"If you're up for it, we could pound the shit out of each other instead, been fuckin' dying to wear myself out to get some sleep.

[Ryan Hawke]

Normally Ryan wouldn't, but Vinny was another team leader. This would be a learning experience in that aside from Vinny's ability to throw energy grenades he knew nothing really about him beyond the files. "All right. One thing. On the Mat, it's Ryan or Hawke. Rank has no place in a spar, just like a real fight."

He towels off and then takes his place back on the mat in a Kickboxing stance.

"You have any preffered style, or do you want to just say the hell with it and go with whatever?"

[Forge]

"Sure thing Hawke." Vinny said grabbing some tape and winding it around his wrists and fingers.

"Unless broken beer bottles and bar stools are a fuckin' style, then 'whatever' works." He said, stepping onto the mat and taking up the standard boxer stance.

Get to beat on a Major, if that doesn't relieve some fuckin' stress, nothing will.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan nods imperceptibly and jumps forward with inhuman speed. His kick is aimed low at Vinny's midsection and sails in under his guard and impacts hard with the full force of Ryan's strength.

[Forge]

The kick resounded with a sickening crack as Vinny flew back off the mat landing flat on his back, the air quickly knocked out of his chest.

Fucking Christ Almighty!

He crawled back up holding his ribs as they moved around and set themselves.

"Shit Mr. Norris, maybe we could move a bit slower?" he said, spitting some pinkish foam out on the floor.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan winces as he sends Vinny Flying. "My bad Vinny. I'll tone it down." He dropped back into a similar stance as the first one.

"Hit me."

[Forge]

What training Vinny had that wasn't from the Air Force Academy had been learned through the tinted lenses of beer goggles or in back-alley brawls, so when Hawke had come at him with real training, Vinny was at a clear disadvantage.

Approaching the mat cautiously, Vinny once again took us his boxer's pose, this time cautiously circling as he examined Hawke's stance.

There.

Finding the small opening, even if it was seemingly offered, Vinny swept in, simultaneously stomping on Hawke's foot as he threw an uppercut inside his defense.

[Ryan Hawke]

With his foot pinned Hawke couldn't move, and so was unable to avoid the uppercut landed on his chin. It rocked his head up and back, and he chuckled as he lowered his head. He rubbed his jaw and smiled. "Pretty good." His fists rocked back and pistoned forward into Vinny's chest. Knocking him back abit. you pinning me in place works, but it also keeps you in one spot too."

He changed his stance, taking one that wasn't as wide, and favored neither foot. He was a picture of calm, it was clear he enjoyed sparring against a real person.

[Forge]

Didn't even fuckin' budge, the ass-hat

"Usually one fuckin' hit works. Drunks aren't much for takin' knocks."

He started bobbing a bit, trying to find another opening, but nothing was coming to him like it had before.

Maybe a distraction?

"So Hawke, how's the team comin' along?" He asked, slowly dancing a circle as he waited for any opening.

[Ryan Hawke]

He didn't smile. "Still far too much work to be done for my tastes." He lashes out with another punch, but Vinny manages to block it, though his arm's quite sore afterwards.

"They aren't Marines, I can't push as hard as I'd like to." It was clear it wasn't the best subject.

"How about your team? You enjoying being in command?"

[Forge]

"Don't know yet, somethin' 'bout a new recruit, don't have a team formed." Vinny said shuffling his feet before throwing a hook that whiffed by Hawke's head as he darted back. Though his eyes belied a small amount of surprise.

Vinny danced around a bit as he wondered if he would end up like Rocky at the wrong end of Mr. T by the end of this spar.

At least I'd fuckin' sleep.

Hawke saw Vinny's eyes gloss over for a moment in thought and took the opportunity to throw a kick around at the Captain's side. His attention back in the fight nanoseconds later, he had just enough time to jump clear of the kick as Hawke's foot caught Vin's t-shirt and ripped it clean off him like some stage prop.

Vinny stopped and dropped his arms and glanced down at his chest where the shirt should be.

"That was fuckin' co--."

He didn't have time to finish as the follow through kick came back around, the t-shirt waving like a sign of surrender as it connected with Vinny's side, knocking him cleanly to the ground.

"Alright... my fuckin'... fault... shoulda seen that... coming." He said taking shallow breaths as he stood back up. There was a sickening thunk as Vinny's spine popped and realigned, the disc reinserting itself.

Coming to his full height, he stretched out and brought his hands back together and once again started dancing, slowly closing distance.

"Marines are fuckin' pussies." Vinny said plainly. He watched for the flash of anger that every Marine got when you badmouthed the branch, Semper Fi and all that bull. It took no time at all before Hawke's face reflexively drew down and Vinny dove, meaning to take the Major down in a full on bar-brawl tackle.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan Knew it was bait, but it made him mad anyway. He saw Vinny lunge low, and knew he couldn't just jump over him. He set his legs in low crouching stance and took the charge full in the midsection, grunting from the impact as he fell backwards. His hands lashed out lightning fast and grabbed Vinny and then proceeded to use his own momentum to complete the roll back and hurl Vinny through the air across the mat.

"I felt that one a little." He quickly rises to his feet and looks to Vinny, waiting for his next little idea. All in all, Ryan was enjoying himself.

[Forge]

Yeah...he's fuckin' better, buried yourself deep Vin, start shoveling shit.

"'Bout goddamn time." Vinny said smirking as he got up, a little slower this time. "Gonna pound the shit outta you like the navy pussy you are."

If that don't piss him off, dunno what will, damn jarhead.

Abandoning any sense of style or predictability, Vinny went in for a straight jab, hoping to catch him off guard.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan wasn't there. In fact he was somewhere no human could have been. He'd jumped into the air, argueably going for some sort of flying kick. Instead his hand snaked out and grabbed Vinny's overextended fist and used it as a center point to pivot his whole body (showing off the prodigious balance and strength he possessed) and swung his legs around in an aimed kick that sent Vinny flying across the mat. He completed the motion and landed squarely on his feet dropping back into low guard stance.

"Don't diss my Brothers."

[Forge]

What am I, a fuckin' pommel horse?

Vinny stayed on all fours for a moment, letting the darkness and dancing will-o-wisps in his vision fade. As he got up he spit out some blood along with part of a tooth.

He ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, the swelling and color had already started fading as he spoke;

"A Marine is home on leave, in his dress blues, decides he's gonna fuckin' go to the nicest place in town. Finishing his meal, he heads to the latrine where he meets a small boy.

'Wow are you a real Marine?' the boy asks.

'Yes I am kid you wanna wear my hat?' says the Marine.

'Yes, oh boy!' says the kid, he begins to march around with his new 'cover' on. An Army Ranger walks in and the kid stands stunned.

'Wow are you a real Army Ranger?' the boy asks.

The ranger answers, 'Yes I am kid, you wanna suck my dick?'

The kid responds, 'Oh no sir, I'm not a real Marine I'm only wearing his hat!'

Having finished his story, Vinny starts giggling at his own joke and waits, keeping a defensive posture.

Let's see if I can fuckin' react instead of getting the shit beat outta me.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan doesn't respond, simply launching into a series of roundhouse and reverse roundhouse kicks, though Vinny was able to block these, even if each block sent tremors of pain through his arms. On the final kick he caught ryan's leg and flung him across the mat much as Ryan had been doing to him. Ryan laid there a moment and then sprang to his feet, once more returning to a wider stance.

"Ill say this much for you Vinny, you can take a hell of a beating."

[Forge]

"The better to wear you down with Hawke." Vinny said, his breathing slightly labored.

Think this shit is bad, read the fuckin' report on my talks with Ba'al.

Boldly closing the distance, Vin tried something he hadn't since the Academy and flung a kick at the Major's knee. The execution of the move was good, but the technique was amateurish. However, the departure from Vinny's normal 'drunken barfly' style seemed just enough to get through the defenses of the 'fu master' as he connected and dropped Hawke to one knee.

Surprised that it actually worked, it took half a thought before Vinny realized he had an opportunity and started throwing punches down at the semi-prone opponent.

[Ryan Hawke]

It caught him of guard. That actually made him smile. He managed to raise his arms to block the incoming barrage of punches and pivoted on his knee, dropping down and lashing out with his other leg to sweep one of Vinny's legs from under him. The moment of imbalance gives him the time to finish his rotation, drop his arms and spring to his feet, all while delivering a massive uppercut to Vinny's sternum.

"You're just full of suprises aren't you?"

[Forge]

Like a fuckin' video game and I'm the slow-ass Russian.

Vinny caught his balance just in time to drop his arms into the path of the oncoming blow, but it did little to stop the brutal impact to his ribcage that knocked him reeling at the sound of yet more broken bones.

Recovering his stance, Vinny kneeled over, clutching his chest for a moment, trying in vain to take a deep breath.

Slowly, the damage knitted itself once again and the once-imposing man stood up, looking none the worse for wear, though clearly exhausted. "Like a fuckin' crackerjack box." He replied. "We're gonna have to fuckin' call this one soon, you're lookin' a bit peckish, wouldn't want to hurt ya."

[Ryan Hawke]

"Says the man with the cracked ribs and coughing up blood." he doesn't shift from his stance, but does lower his hands a fraction. "If you want to stop Vinny just say so. I'd hate for you to be unable to go on your next mission because you decided to roughhouse with me."

[Forge]

"Never said to stop, but we could move this to the cafe, I'm fucking famished." Vinny said, letting his arms drop to his sides.

Any you're a lot more of a scary mother fucker than you appear to be.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan nodded once and returned to a normal stance, quickly picking up a pair of towels. He draped one around his shoulders, and offered the other to Vinny. "Great workout, thanks alot. It's been a while since I had a fight go on that long."

He smiles as he wipes away the sweat. "I wonder if they're serving anything good in the cafeteria today."

It was as if the cold clinical warrior had flipped a switch and become a regular guy in an instant.

[Forge]

"Fuckin' doubt it." Vinny said, wiping away blood and sweat alike with the proffered towel. "Think it's Shit-on-a-Shingle."

He finished wiping down and started pulling the tape of his hands, tossing it in the trash. "Ditto on the spar, think sleep might be on the fuckin' docket for once."

They walked down the rat maze of tunnels in the SGC, making their way to the dining room, receiving a wide berth and a couple wary glances.

When they entered, the room was basically quiet, the mid-day meal rush having already spent itself. Though a lone remnant of SG-21 sat at the squad's table, still picking at her tray of food, her mind obviously engrossed in other tasks.

Vinny gave Hawke a nudge to get his attention and nodded in Olivia's direction. "She looks lonely, Major. Let's grab some grub and keep her company."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Self-doubt is a terrible thing, and Olivia had been plagued with it since Vinny's party. She'd gone through this once before, but now she found herself doing it again. The relevance on her current situation couldn't be denied, but the bittersweet torture of those memories was hard.

Click to reveal.. (Kuwait flashback)

"No!" Liv shrieked as she tried to keep her grip on Vinny's wrists. Laughing, he twisted his arm and broke loose, pressing his hand to her bare stomach. Her muscles seized at the touch of the ice he had in his hand and she yelped from the cold contact. "You fuck! You're going to get the bed wet!"

What was supposed to have been a fun game in their Kuwait paradise has gone so wrong when Vinny had fished a bit of ice from the cooler. Now he cackled evilly as he smeared the ice across her belly, then lower, making her thrash all the harder. It was a game; if she hadn't enjoyed it on some level, she would have said so. Unfortunately, his physical strength almost didn't make it a challenge. " Darlin', we do that to this poor bed all the time," Vinny drawled, holding her with one arm and dipping the ice lower still.

Even with the ice moved to another spot, the chill in the air-conditioned room infused the water left on her flesh, making her colder still. "Fuck that's cold, you mother-fucking bastard!" she cursed breathlessly, and he relented, dropping the ice to the floor.

"What's been chilled," he said, smirking at her, "now's gotta be warmed again." He began to kiss her goose-bumped flesh, as the discomfort of the chill left her eyes and they warmed with lust...

Was his willingness to torture her a sign? Had it been just fun, or him being slyly cruel?

"You're driving yourself crazy," she muttered to herself, pressing her hands to her face. His voice carried across the room, and she looked up to see him nudging Ryan and looking at her. Her first impulse was to grab her tray and abandon her table before they could join her, but she stifled it. Ryan was a friend of hers, sorta, and she couldn't avoid him forever, especially when he was chasing her. Maybe if he saw how pissed she was, he'd just give up.

And maybe pigs would fly. Still, this was a better way of learning his signals than pouring over old memories. Maybe this time she'd understand where she'd gone so wrong in judging him. So she gave a little wave, though she was looking at Ryan when she did it. Vinny'd figure it out.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan nodded once. "Yeah, sure." He nods to Oliva when she waves, offering a warm smile in return. He quickly grabbed his food and sat down across from Olivia . "Slow day today? Or are you getting a late start?"

He smiles, it was obvious that he'd just come from the gym, and from the look of Vinny so had he.

Ryan takes a few bites as He waits for Vinny and Olivia to say something.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Being lazy, Major," she said with a smile, managing to make it a sweet one. It was so like the ones that she managed early on, before she'd figured out that she was always going to be the slowest, weakest one; that she couldn't even defend herself very well against non-specialists. "How about you?"

She cut a soft pear as she added, "Been busy in the gym?" Her eyes flickered to Vinny and away, then came back to him. Those dark eyes widened a little and she said softly, "You have blood on your shirt, Lieutenant." She paused, caught what she'd said and amended, "Captain."

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan smiles. the same as always, get up and train, work with my team, then trainmore. Everything to be a better leader and able to stay in shape." He looks to Vinny, then back to Olivia.

"I'm always busy in the gym. Evey now and then someone else wants to join in the fun."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia paled.

Click to reveal.. (Flashback to Strange Proposition)

She never had a chance, and even with her perception, would only be able to catch part of what he did. He grabbed her and her feet left the mat in the same breath; then she was face down, her leg bent behind her and his hand pinning her neck. There was a moment of total stillness from her, as she adapted to her new situation; then Olivia lost her mind.

"No! Let me go! Let me go! Please!" she begged, thrashing against him ineffectually.

Click to reveal.. (Flashback)

He slapped her, hard and sudden. As Liv gasped and started to raise her hands, he said, "That's what I did."

"You fuck!" she shouted the second she recovered, trying to get up. He grabbed her and yanked her back down into the seat. His hand closed over her throat and Liv froze as the violence became serious.

"I remember our training session," she said, her voice shivering - but not as much as her hands. She pressed her wrists against the table to steady them, her sliced pear resting on her tray. "I know exactly what 'fun' you mean."

She realized she sounded accusatory and she swallowed and forced a smile. "I guess that the Captain fared a bit better than me?"

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan looks down. "It isn't always fun, The Di's that trained me worked me over till I couldn't move. That sucked horribly, then the let us get five hours of sleep, woke us up then made us run five miles to start the next day. My experience with Boot was a hell I'd never wish on anyone."

"Captain Wright did well." He could see she was looking for something else, and he didin't really know what exactly.

"He's able to withstand a hell of a brawl and get back up for more, A good man to fight beside in a battle."

It was positive, yet neutral enough not to offend anyone he hoped.

[Forge]

Vinny glanced down at his shirt before looking back at her with a nonchalant shrug, finishing chewing the better part of half a sandwich.

"Major here fuckin' beat me 'round the bush a time or two," Vinny said, acknowledging the praise as he glanced at the tense situation that seemed to have cropped up between the two. "Somethin' happen during your sparring that maybe we should change the subject?"

Least I ain't the only one that seems to be on the shitlist...though she waved at him, not me, musn't have been that fuckin' bad.

"Cuz there are some details that are obliged to be worked out now that the first sortie is in the tank." Vinny continued, shoving the rest of the sandwich into his mouth.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"The major is helping me with my combat-paralysis," she said simply. "He's going to keep working with me, too. I really need to get past it, as well as get over the fact that everyone else is faster, tougher and stronger than I can ever be." She smiled at Ryan, and this time, she managed to make it authentic. She finished the last piece of the pear and looked at her plate - she'd left the kiwi-

"Well, does my bitch have any kiwi in his fridge?"

-for last. It was her favorite. Swallowing hard against the memories that were popping up, she started to slice the bright green fruit.

"Forget the Bar-BQ," she said quietly, eyes dropping to the table. "I'm not interested in it anymore." She bit away the meat of the kiwi and dropped the brown skin on her plate.

[Forge]

"Why not Olivia?" Vinny asked, swallowing. "Thought your family sauce was the fuckin' shit. You gettin' scared a losin'?" He teased as he picked up the next sandwich.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan smiles. "You're better than most I've seen with it Olivia. Most freeze up completely and wait to die. At least you had the presence of mind to do something to get away. That shows you're ahead of the game honestly."

"Is being confined to base getting to the both of you as much as it is to me?"

He chuckles. Before this I actually went out drinking, saw movies, and actually had fun. Even for me this endless cycle of training, missions, debriefing training and so on is getting old. I wish they'ed let us off base every now and then, just to break the monotony."

He finshes off the entree and starts on the sides. "God I'd almost kill for a real steak or some fresh seafood."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Originally Posted By: Forge

"Why not Olivia?" Vinny asked, swallowing. "Thought your family sauce was the fuckin' shit. You gettin' scared a losin'?" He teased as he picked up the next sandwich.

"No," she said, her eyes finally meeting his. Sad anger, pain and admonishment were all in that dark gaze as she told him, "I'm not playing games with you anymore, Vinny. If you want to think that you won because I won't play, go ahead. Doesn't matter to me."

Originally Posted By: Ryan Hawke

Ryan smiles. "You're better than most I've seen with it Olivia. Most freeze up completely and wait to die. At least you had the presence of mind to do something to get away. That shows you're ahead of the game honestly."

"Oh, I was freezing up, but Declan's helped me get past that, somewhat. Like I said, he just doesn't scare me anymore, though, so he can't help me with that. But thanks for the vote of confidence - hearing compliments helps."

Originally Posted By: Ryan Hawke

"Is being confined to base getting to the both of you as much as it is to me?"

"Yeah, it is a pain in the butt, especially since I didn't do anything wrong, but got grounded with everyone else," Olivia sighed. "I'd love to know who started that fight. I owe them a kick to the balls - or suitable fragile female part."

Faster than anyone could react in their hazy, alcohol-induced state, Vinny was up and slugging Freckles in the face, knocking him clean off the bench with a sickening crack.

Olivia glanced sharply at Vinny, her eyes suspicious as she remembered that lovely little incident. Feeling her anger rise, she pulled her eyes away from him, remembering Gwyn and Declan's insistence that he'd started the brawl. That would mean another lie he's told me - if he started it. But history supports that idea. Where does it end?

And she'd encouraged him to have that reaction to men on her behalf. But did that mean he remembered, and hadn't said anything on purpose? What was his game?

[Forge]

Originally Posted By: Olivia Jenings-Izumi

"No," she said, her eyes finally meeting his. Sad anger, pain and admonishment were all in that dark gaze as she told him, "I'm not playing games with you anymore, Vinny. If you want to think that you won because I won't play, go ahead. Doesn't matter to me."

"Yeah, it is a pain in the butt, especially since I didn't do anything wrong, but got grounded with everyone else," Olivia sighed. "I'd love to know who started that fight. I owe them a kick to the balls - or suitable fragile female part."

Olivia glanced sharply at Vinny, her eyes suspicious as she remembered that lovely little incident. Feeling her anger rise, she pulled her eyes away from him, remembering Gwyn and Declan's insistence that he'd started the brawl.

Must have fuckin' found out, probably that bitch mind-reader...seems a little over-reactive for lousy bar shit.

"Fair 'nuff. Your loss." Vinny said plainly, obviously annoyed, "You guys finish, got work."

He stood up, turning the bottom of his bloody t-shirt into a basket as he dumped the rest of his tray into it.

"Sir...," he said saluting, "Specialist."

He grabbed his water bottle from the table with his free hand and walked away.

[Ryan Hawke]

Ryan nods and mutters. "What the hell was that?" He looks back over to Olivia. "I'm missing something aren't I?" It was true he'd followed the mission debriefings of the other teams, but the rumormill around base wasn't something he called reliable. There were all sorts of things going around, most of them so outlandish it was obvious they were lies.

He looked to Olivia. "Mind to Explain whatever it is that's going on?" He already had a fair idea, but perhaps she just wanted someone neutral to talk to about it. He kept his tone friendly, and did his best to to sound like a Major ordering a specialist, but just one of the guys asking simple questions.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

"Yeah... he's missing something, too," she grumbled darkly, watching him leave. When he was gone, she glanced back at Hawke, trying to decide if she should tell him anything. He'd kept her other secrets confidential, so she felt like she could trust him, at least with a little bit of it.

"He's upset because I've stopped playing his game. We were going to do the cookoff together, and we had bets riding on the outcome," Olivia confessed. "But... after finding out more about him, I couldn't stand the idea of living up to my end of the deal, so I'm backing out." She shrugged. "He's a big, whiny, sore loser, is all." I was just too dumb to see it before.

[Ryan Hawke]

"Ah I see." He understood the implications well enough. His tone was judgmental, after all they were grown adults and not even on the same team. What they did with their free time wasn't his concern so long as it didn't threaten SGC.

"It's like that sometimes. That's why it's best to get to know someone before making bets you aren't willing to keep regardless."

He smiles, it was a slight dig, but also friendly advice. "So how are things going on Team One?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia caught the 'dig' part but not the 'slight' or at least she didn't seem to as she said, "Ryan... I know that you don't know the whole story, and no, I'm not telling you. But trust me when I say I made the bet in good faith, and would have probably enjoyed losing it." The thought made her sad; no matter how much she'd ribbed Vinny, she'd been curious to see what he'd have come up with on a date. It'd made losing seem almost fun. And now... she knew she'd already lost, before she'd even started the game. "Circumstances change, especially when you find out that someone was a jerk and you don't see any good sign that they're not anymore. Sorry if I sound angry, but I am."

She sighed, swallowed a bit of kiwi and said, "The team's great. I couldn't ask for a better crew."