Sensei and Student

Posted on 28 Jan 2013 @ 4:45am by Ensign Jessica Wilson M.D.

1,922 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: Holodeck1, Deck 2, U.S.S Galileo
Timeline: MD-1, 2345hrs

ON:

"I've never seen you quite this worked up, my student," 5th Dan Michael Templeton commented as he near-effortlessly deflected the strikes from his young student, they were fast and powerful but they were driven by anger and that threw them off, making it all too easy for the experienced Karate master to protect himself. "Is there something you want to talk about."

Jessica Wilson sighed as she stepped back from the engagement for a moment and forced herself to relax. She and the man who had taught her everything she knew when it came to martial arts, and brought her to the rank of 1st Ky in Karate had been sparring, through the technological marvel that had many years ago combined the subspace comm with the holographic system, and had developed to the extent where it allowed for this kind of interaction, for much of the last hour and it went without saying that Jessica's clothing, the distinctive Gi, was suitably soaked in sweat. Jessica was physically fit but the amount of activity normal sparring took up was substantial but as her teacher had correctly pointed out she was incredibly worked up and she had been channelling this into her actions, making them much more aggressive and exacerbating the amount of energy she was using to the level where after an hour of hard fighting she was exhausted, and would have called a halt to the session in short order. It was no doubt for that reason why Templeton had brought up the matter at hand, he had always been good at that sort of thing.

Michael Templeton had been her teacher and mentor for more than a decade ever since she had first turned up on the doors of his Dojo at the age of ten with the intention of learning the ancient martial art of Karate. It had been an attempt by her father to get her to open up more but she had displayed little intention of wanting to get to know the other young people at the club. Indeed throughout her time there, despite having subsequently taught and mentored the new arrivals herself, the only one she had really opened up to was Templeton himself. Although he knew very little about medicine, beyond first aid and various parts of biology to help the development of his own skills and his tuition, he had been able to mentor her in every other way imaginable and had been a vital presence during her years in the Starfleet Medical Academy as he could at least relate to her his own time in the service, even if it had not been in the medical services. For himself Templeton saw her as one of his protges, a lost and lonely spirit who needed guidance and willing to provide that, especially know as she headed towards her grading for 1st Dan, the lowest grade of black belt or 'mastery'.

It was unusual for a Karate Master to take such a long-range interest in one of his former students, but Templeton had made it clear that he didn't consider Jessica to be former anything, and technology had allowed that to be the case. There would no doubt be some who would look upon the interest that Templeton had in his young student as something untoward, but Templeton had never raised a fist to her (save for in spars) nor touched her inappropriately despite the long hours of training they had spent together, often alone. No, Templeton cared for his curious student as a father would, or more accurately as a mentor would to his protge, for that was exactly what their relationship was. If she was honest with herself Jessica would admit that she had had a crush on Templeton when she was younger, but like all young crushes it passed and Templeton had continued on as if he had never noticed the awkwardness she had displayed around him for a few weeks, even more pronounced than around others her own age. It was however true that Templeton was an important figure in her life, there was no doubting that her father loved her and was a vital part of her life, but Templeton had been able to provide a guidance that her Father simply lacked the experience or knowledge to be able to.

"I guess you are right, Sensei," Jessica sighed in reply as she peeled off her Gi and dropped the sweaty garment to the ground, of course her undershirt was hardly better but it was at least only over her torso and not her arms as well. "I guess you know me better than anyone."

"Perhaps, but you were fighting angry and that is something that is difficult to miss, aside from anything else you managed to miss a few blocks that you normally would be, which is why you've now got nice bruise growing I'd wager," Templeton commented wryly, and laughed as Jessica lifted up the hem of her tee shirt to indeed see a bruises on her side where one of Templeton's strikes had got past her defences. "Fighting angry is always counter-productive... why is that, my student?"

"Because the whole point of Karate is to purge oneself of selfish or evil thoughts," Jessica replied, reciting the traditional textbook answer before moving on to what Templeton was actually getting at as she sat down against the wall, gladly taking a drink of water. "Because Karate is dangerous, capable of killing with a single blow to the right place, and because anger will throw off concentration and leave oneself open to attack."

"Good," Templeton nodded as he sat down beside her. "So, tell me what is going on, I would have thought you would be ecstatic about your first assignment."

"I was... I am... and the people here are nice and..." Jessica replied, trying to word her thoughts. "It's just..."

"This one person?" Templeton suggested for her and she nodded in reply. "Tell me about it."

"This guy, he's abrasive, adversarial, more than once I've been concerned for my safety and those around me, I've not had to use this training, thank god, but I can't help but feel that the day is coming if he doesn't change," Jessica commented. "But it's not even that, I can understand that, as a Doctor I have to deal with those types of patients and my Karate training both body and soul will help that, but it's the scorn and disdain he shows to me and others, the sheer unprofessionalism."

"Not everyone is going to be the upstanding model member of Starfleet that you or I endeavour to be, there are always going to be those in the service who are arseholes, if you'll pardon the word," Templeton replied. "What does he do to you?"

"He came in for medication, but he was overtly unstable and I had my concerns and voiced them, he flew way off on a tangent and began raging and ranting, ultimately pulling a damned phaser on the CMO," Jessica scowled. "He treated me like a god damn child, Sensei, I know I look young but I'm a Starfleet Officer and a doctor, he had no right to speak to me like that, and hell he did it again a few days later. The man shouldn't be in the uniform, he can't help it but that doesn't mean that he should still be in the service..."

"Who is he," Templeton put in. "And what makes you say that."

"Our security chief, long story short he's got a pretty heavy background, was captured and held in captivity for a period of time, has turned him into an out of control mess," Jessica answered with a sigh. "It's not really his fault that..."

"Bollocks," Templeton cut in. "Being captured, tortured or whatever is a terrible thing to go through but it does not give you the excuse to act like an arse to everyone else, if he is unstable as you suggest he shouldn't be in the uniform, and if he refuses to see that and do the right thing... well as far as I'm concerned he's a disgrace to that uniform."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that, Sensei, I was beginning to think it was just me..." Jessica said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"The CMO, thinks that the best way to solve the problem is to pander to his instability rather than just forcing the issue and kicking him the hell out of Starfleet and into mental care where he belongs," Jessica replied. "I mean she's the CMO, far more experienced than me and a Lieutenant Commander, I'm sure she knows what she is doing, I just can't see why she is doing it... I'm hardly objective of course... but she keeps bringing up his bloody experiences to guilt trip me into feeling sorry for the bastard."

"Jessica, you know that I was captured by the Cardies during the Border Wars, it wasn't pleasant and like everyone else they captured torture was the order of the day," Templeton replied, his voice sombre. "I was rescued and after my own time with the shrinks I found my way back into Starfleet and lived a full career before retiring here to teach Karate... and I know full well that many other former captives have likewise lived successful and stable lives, now this man is clearly unable to do so, but equally clearly he is unwilling to do anything about it, and that is not your fault, and you should not punish yourself for it."

Templeton paused.

"It's all about willpower and arguably its all in the head, it's a mental fight that everyone who goes through such things must fight and go one way or the other, you either let it ruin your life or you accept it and move on, this security officer of yours sounds like he has done the former" Templeton continued. "Let me ask you something, Jess, have you ever thought me unstable, ever been afraid of me?"

"No Sensei, of course not," Jessica replied, shaking her head for added effect.

"Then you see that it is possible," Templeton replied with a slight smile. "Tell me, does anyone else see this man for what he is?"

"Well, I know that he was relieved of duty and confined to quarters by the Captain..." Jessica replied. "Unofficially of course but word travels fast on a small ship like this."

"Then there you have it, don't let this get you down Jess, now it's late here and unless I'm mistaken its late there as well, and you mentioned something about a shift starting soon, and no offense Kiddo, but you need a shower," Templeton replied as he glanced at his watch and stood up, offering a hand to help her to her feet. "You are a good person and a fine student, I have no doubt you'll make an excellent doctor."

"Thank You, Sensei," Jessica replied as she stood up with his help, she hugged him tightly. "Thank You."

"Any time," Templeton smiled as he hugged her back and, after pushing her back a little, kissed her forehead. "Stay safe, and don't stop practising when I'm not about, I want you to get that belt within a few months."

"I will Sensei, I promise, Goodbye." Jessica nodded. "Computer, end program and communication."

OFF:

Ensign Jessica Wilson M.D.
Medical Officer (Intern)
U.S.S. Galileo

Micahel Templeton (NPC)
5th Dan, Karate Master

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