Ensign Valin Dermont - Some Needed Therapy After Therapy

[Christopher Lambert]

((Holodeck 2 - Deck 6))

::He had ignored every person that attempted a greeting as he pounded through the corridors, angrily pulling tight the laces on his left hand with his teeth.  He glared a particularly nosey crewman that had tried to peek into the holodeck as he mashed the keypad with the as-of-yet ungloved hand.::

Dermont:  Computer, run Dermont Therapy and start at level four.

Computer:  Simulation is running.

Dermont:  Sod off.

::He entered the holodeck, still breathing deep with anger.  And the higher ups said those counseling sessions were for his benefit?  His?  To hell with that!  He entered was for all appearance was a training gym for an old earth contact sport known as boxing.  He knew for certain that he wasn't the only person in Starfleet who still enjoyed the pastime as there was actually a program for it already on board...but he had brought his own as he enjoyed the personal touches he could add to it.::

::He pulled on the other glove and began to lace it as his opponent stared his down, already inside the square ring which stood in the center of the gym.  He was a mean looking Nausican, big and bulkly, an exact replica for the one that had broken his knee for being late on an old loan.  But that was another woe for another time.  Today was a completely different matter.::

oO(And it had been going so good!)Oo

::He groaned a bit as his slid into the ring and made his way back to his feet.  Earlier his plan to work through the entire journey to this Caraadian Festival had been working just fine, but then of course he had to receive a comm, reminding him...nay, ordering him!...to his weekly counseliing session.  Dermont had just known that it was going to be the end of his wonderful last couple of days.::

::As soon as he stood, the Nausican raised his gloves and the old engineer dig the same.  Under the glove, he could feel his right hand still store after its injury on the Devron surface.  It was hole, but still tender.  He had been told to go easy on it.  That thought almost made Dermont chuckle.  Because an engineer's life was so gentle on their hands.  His chores had them practically coddled in silks...::

::As the two combatants got into a ready stance, there was a bell off in the distance.  That Nausican immediately came on the attack, swinging powerful left and right punches, testing Dermont's defense.  While the engineer was large, the alien was bigger, and seemingly much younger.  He arms wavered under the blows and his body staggered a bit.  But still he stood.::

oO(That woman...the nerve...and here I was thinking we were making progress!)Oo

::As the Nausican came in just a little too close, Dermont shoved out sending him backwards.  His opponent tipped backwards a bit and then it was Dermont's turn.  He sent a heavy left into the other's jaw, sending his flying back towards the ropes.  The graying ensign snarled out loud and lunged forward, intending to take advantage of his new found momentum.::

oO("Do I like myself?"  What sort of question is that?  "Do i like Valin?"  You can bugger off, lady?!  What's not to like?!)Oo

::He put all of his power onto one foot and aim a heavy right handed blow at the Nausican's head.  And perhaps a lower level opponent would have been done right then.  But not this time.  Faster than he would have thought possible, the Nausican whipped his head back and out of the way.  Dermont was left there, leaning far forward, all his weight on one foot, arm stretched and no semblance of a defense, all right there directly in front of his opponent.::

oO(I'm a hell of a guy!  Happily divorced!)Oo

::The Nausican slammed the side of his temple hard, and Dermont dropped to one knee, instantly disoriented.::

oO(Kids who either shun me or pity me!)Oo

::He tried to get his gloves up as he stood, but he wasn't quick enough.  Back up to his feet just to get a quick punch to the gut and then an upper cut that busted his lip.  He went right back to his knees.::

oO(business destoyed...life savings gone...)Oo

::This time he didn't even raise a glove.  He looked right up at the Nausican, having a sense of deja vu as the glove came down.  If the safety protocols had been off, Dermont was sure the nose would have been broken.  Instead it just bled a bit and still hurt like hell.  He saw stars and felt the mat on his cheek.::

oO(whole crew dead...best friend died in me arms!)Oo

::The Nausican was programmed to play by the rules, so he backed off as Dermont went down.  An invisible referee began counting down the seconds as he just lay there.  The counselor hadn't meant to cause such anger in Valin Dermont, and maybe she had a point that survivor's guilt was a thing and he was punishing himself.  But he didn't care what fancy terms you gave it.  He had survived and then wasted that gift, ruining everything that he touched...::

Referee:  Six...seven...

Dermont:  ::As he got his knees under him and got back to his feet::  Oh aye, I'm just a bloody wonderful soul!

Referee:  ...eight...nine...

::He raised his gloves.::

Referee:  Fight!

Dermont:  Computer, set opponent's AI to passive.

::And just like that the fire and contempt that was in the Nausican's eyes faded and the figure lowered his gloves.  Dermont threw his arms out wide and screamed into the hologram's face.  He slugged the Nausican hard across the jaw, hard enough that his right hand bust into pain in protested.  His opponent went down in pile.  But Dermont didn't stopped.  He jumped on top of the form and punched it over and over again.::

Dermont:  I'm!

::Punch, the hologram's head bouncing off of the mat.::

Dermont:  Just!

::Again, and again...::

Dermont:  Wonderfulllllll!

::He screamed himself hoarse and collapsed over the Nausican, tears in his eyes.  He lay there panting for moment before climbing unsteadily to his feet and looking down at the unmoving alien.  He was covered in sweat and his mop of hair had fallen into his face and when he took a breath through his nose, he could feel the snot gathering.  Apparently he had decided during a boxing match was a good time to have a cry.  He suddenly made his way to the ropes and slid under them out of the ring.  He walked away not looking back.::

Dermont:  What's not to friggin' love about this guy?  Computer, end program.

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Ensign @Valin Dermont
Engineering
USS Atlantis
A239410VD0

Edited December 23, 2017 by Christopher Lambert
add the tag for the writer