Captain Karrod Niac - Hammered Into Shape

[LuxaLorana]

@Karrod Niac shows us here how to add character depth and some backstory while grounding the character in the present reality. 

A nice insight into the CO of the Ronin's past (bad!) behaviour! 

Quote

((Turbolift 5, Habitat Ring, DS9))

Karrod mulled how best to summarize the strange journey the infant Tholian had taken to become an adoptive member of the Ronin's family.  

Niac:  It's a bit of a long story and one Lt. Cmdr. Alieth or Lt. Lorana should brief you on, but the short version is don't be surprised if you happen to see a juvenile Tholian wandering around.  Her name is Tetra and your team has spent the better part of a year keeping her alive.  I'm sure they'd appreciate any help you could bring to the matter.  

To her credit the Ronin's newest officer covered her shock fairly quickly, digesting the unusual demand with visible gears turning behind her eyes.  

Nemes:  I will see what I can do to help, sir.

The lift halted and the doors slid open, depositing them into a hallway that looked identical to the one they'd left behind.  Fortunately he'd gotten somewhat used to the drab prewar Cardassian architecture and quickly made his way down the winding corridors and to his final destination.  The compartment itself was impressively vast by starship standards, easily the size of a small cargobay, but someone had gone to the trouble to retrofit it extensively.  Complex training equipment, some of which Karrod had never seen before, mingled with more conventional forms of athletic self-flagellation in neat rows, stretching towards one bulkhead.  In the opposite direction and dominating a large octagonal segment of the deck Karrod found the sparring arena and dumped his gear on a nearby bench, Ensign Nemes still in hot pursuit.  

Nemes: How did you actually get into boxing sir. If you don't mind me asking.

Karrod's smile turned nearly sour at the memory but, with the limited wisdom he'd gained over the years, he saw it in a new light.  

Niac: It kept me from getting kicked out of the Academy, actually.  

Karrod took a seat on the bench as he started unpacking his wraps and gestured for Ensign Nemes to join him.  

Niac: You're a science officer...I'd be worried if you weren't asking questions...although it's not a story I've mentioned that often.  ::He let out a long sigh and tried to compose his thoughts.::  When I joined Starfleet I had a pretty big chip on my shoulder...the why doesn't matter but if you ask Lt. Cmdr. Alieth, she may have some recent insights.  Anyway...I was angry.  Lashing out.  Had something to prove and didn't care how I did it.  One night after lectures a senior Cadet twice my size got a little mouthy with a friend of mine...

Karrod shook his head, still ashamed of himself all these years later.  The knuckles on his left hand ached with phantom pain.  

Niac:  ...I only hit him once...but it was enough to break his jaw in four places.  Put him in the Academy infirmary for a week and I bet that guy still thinks about me every single time he tries to chew solid food.  Got brought up on disciplinary charges and was nearly thrown out but as it happens, the guy I hit was the Captain of the Academy boxing team...and when his Coach heard that he got laid out in one punch...well...he turned me into something of a reclamation project.  Went before the review board and promised to rehabilitated me.  Helped me focus the anger, channel it into something productive.  Gave me one shot...fortunately...I took it.  

Karrod smiled fondly at the memory of the grizzled old Tellarite and his ability to find new and creative ways to insult him each and every time they trained.  It had made his blood boil for months until Karrod realized he was being manipulated purposefully, constantly forced to push through his temper and focus his mind on the task in front of him.  It was a lesson he'd quite literally had beaten into him...and it had profoundly changed the arc of his life for the better.  

Nemes: Who will you box with, sir?

Karrod smiled as he fished the isolinear chip out of his bag and wagged it towards Ensign Nemes.  

Niac: An old friend.  He passed away some years back but not before making this for me...he always told me I still had a lot to learn.  Pissed me off...up until I figured out how right he was.  

Nemes:  Response

Karrod stood and walked to the nearby control plinth, inserting the chip and tapping a few commands into the console.  A standby screen began flashing as the floor started moving, the octagon changing to a square and rising from the floor, posts with turnbuckles and tensioned ropes emerging from the corners as ceiling lights focused in.  When the ring had fully formed the computer gave a brief, affirmative chirp and his holographic opponent snapped into existence in the blue corner.  Karrod couldn't help but smile.  

Niac:  Hey Coach.  

All he received was a non-committal Tellarite huff in answer as the holographic recreation slapped together their gloves just as the real one always had.  

Nemes:  Response

Karrod returned to the bench and retrieved his gloves, slipping them on and letting the straps automatically snug themselves around his wrists.  

Niac:  You're can stay and watch an old man get taken to school by a hologram if you want but for the sake of my reputation you should probably go find somewhere else to be.  I'm sure Commander Raga will get your berthing assignment sorted out with Ops.  

Nemes:  Response

He rolled his neck a few times and pinwheeled his arms as he stepped under the ropes and headed to the red corner, which Coach had repeatedly told him was where amateurs lived.  He pulled the mouthguard from his shorts but paused and looked back to Ensign Nemes for a moment.  

Niac:  I believe in new beginnings, Ensign, and I believe in giving people a fair chance to show me what they're made of.  The Ronin is a good ship and her crew is the best I've ever served with...make certain you avail yourself of the opportunity.  Understood?  

Nemes:  Response

Karrod smiled and stared across the ring, wondering what colorful invective his old coach would've hurled towards the Ensign as a form of constructive emotional abuse.  

Niac:  Welcome to the Ronin, Ensign.  Remember...the only easy day...was yesterday.  

Nemes:  Response

With that Karrod slipped in his mouthguard and slapped his gloves together, signaling to the computer that he was ready to begin.  A brief countdown started and when the bell rung Karrod approached warily, certain his guard was up and solid. The unseen hammer-blow to the right side of his ribcage a moment later suggested that, perhaps, he did still have more to learn.  

[Tags/End for Niac!]

================================
Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USS Ronin – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sb118-ronin+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sb118-ronin/40a4fb8d-7f9b-40a6-bed7-4aa3f0dd69dan%40googlegroups.com.