Standing On Ceremony

Posted on Sat Jan 14th, 2023 @ 9:07pm by Lieutenant Commander Nyx Valentine

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Holodeck 3

Nyx Valentine (pronounced Veil-en-teen as she had to constantly remind people) took a deep breathe as she stood outside the holodeck in her ceremonial regalia. The armor was authentic, although it had been crafted for her as a teenager and had required a few minor alterations as she finished growing. A snug-fitting mail coat over a padded gambeson, with leather accoutrements such as pauldrons and bracers with leather-reinforced fingerless gloves. The reason for those was in an ornate carrying case over her back: A bow. An ancient bow that had a veritable legend as a history. The sword strapped to her belt was nearly an afterthought, along with a dagger on the other side. A light, very open-faced helmet that wasn't much protection at all. The leggings were stylized to Nyx's own fashion, a nude color with ivy streaming up and down, covered by the greaves and combat boots. a crest of lizard with flames adorned her right pauldron.

"Computer, begin program Raxzha Ceremonial." She took in her breathe again until there was a beep and the door slid open in front of her. It was a field, a recreation of one of the later battles in Betazed's history, with two armies, small ones, facing off against each other with about a hundred-fifty meters between them of empty space. She steeled herself and stepped in, feeling the light breeze against her face as she moved forward to her designated place next to the commanding officer of 'her' army. They held the high ground, although they were fewer in number.

Off to the side were spectators, many of whom Nyx recognized as her family. This was a Valentine family tradition, with the current holder of the Bow of Raxzha being the centerpiece. The armies were typically recreationalist reenactors who recreated the Battle of Hvalden every year. Of course, with the holodecks available, it was more realistic than those times. One of Nyx's uncles stepped forward and began the ceremony, "In the year of twenty-four-sixty-three before Discovery," It was one of the common terms of time, Discovery by the Vulcans, "During the Great Unification War, Chaos held the upper hand. Much of Betazed had capitulated to the forces of Order, but the Prince-General Nazhar refused to surrender, sending his Champion to face the Last Army."

He gestured towards Nyx, who obediently withdrew the bow from the carrying case over her shoulder, an ornate weapon that gleamed as if recently polished (it was), but this was the only motion she was allowed, holding it up at an awkward angle, "To counter the Champion, the Last Army sent their best general along with Raxzha Valentine, renowned archer and the most successful Captain of the forces of Order. Only eighteen, Raxzha had been pivotal in many battles, winning renown and glory with not only her sword, but especially with her bow."

Nyx breathed slowly, making as little movement as she possibly could, listening and mentally speaking the words along with him. She knew that on another world, either simultaneously or at least close in timing (she had been very careful in when she started the program), her mother Minerva was armored the same exact way, doing the same exact thing, but in front of the very real family members. With Nyx away from Betazed, with her mental deficiencies, it was up to Minerva Valentine to perform the ceremony as she had for the last three decades, except for a few years when Nyx had performed it. The only difference were the bows... Traditionally, the ceremony was performed with the Bow of Raxzha, handed down in direct female line upon attaining the age of fourteen, the bow that Nyx now held.

"Traditional combat was impossible to win, but with Raxzha, nothing... Nothing was impossible." With that intonation, Nyx finally went into motion, taking two steps forward and bringing the bow to a set position even as her fingers retrieved an arrow with a single smooth motion. The awl-headed sliver of wood was perfect in every way and the woman spun it briefly, checking the fletching just so before nocking it to the bowstring. The wind was ever-changing, making this a non-trivial shot to make, because she not only had to shoot across the intervening hundred-fifty meters, but an additional thirty between her and her target behind the lines. She adjusted her aim as she made notice of the little gust patterns. Drew back, then released.

The arrow shot out as if from a bow (which it had been) and spun, stabilizing its flight as it flew, reached the top of the arc and began to descend. Even before it landed, another twang from the bow sounded, the third twang sounded even as the first arrow slammed into the armor of her target. It was a large man, bulky with muscle and wearing ornate mail with plates of steel in strategic places. The arrow pierced the mail, followed by a second and a third in the area of a small plate around his heart. The armored figure sat there for a moment as if in shock, then slowly fell off his steed. A hushed murmur resounded from the army this Champion had commanded, but stood firm as other officers took charge.

Nyx reverently replaced the bow into the case, holding back a blush that happened every time she used the bow, focused with all her might and yet it never glowed for her. But her part in this wasn't done, she placed her hand on the sword and withdrew it, the steel shining and razor-sharp. She did this while walking forward, through the front ranks of her army, then turned. Thankfully Raxzha had been of few words, winning hearts and minds with her skill, which her descendants felt they were forced to learn as well. Nyx took a feel breath and raised her voice to be heard, speaking in Old Betazoid, "Friends, this it! The End of War!" A pair of heartbeats and the army roared with a cheer and Nyx turned. While she'd been rallying her forces, the other army had begun a charge, breaking ranks.

Nyx turned and began to advance herself, feet taking the steps with near automatic precision, but this was where the holodeck ceremony was a bit different as well as having the actual target, it was that the fight was always different. The pounding of feet behind her told her that she wasn't alone, either and that caused her heart to beat a bit faster with the camaraderie. She ducked the first swing and kept moving, taking a step to the left, parrying another sword as more soldiers passed her. She knew intellectually at least that she couldn't get caught up in the fight, at least not yet. Raxzha had led the fight THROUGH the lines, let the first wave engage the first line, but keep momentum up with the rest to get as deep into enemy lines before the ruck commenced and the lines stabilized.

She finally saw her target, near where the enemy champion had been with those three nearly impossible shots. The place where their general had been, the crest of his helmet still visible past another three lines of infantry. But this was as far as Nyx could advance as the troops finally blocked her path. This wasn't the sort of fight she was good at, a group fight, but she did her best. She remained on the defensive, using her sword to keep enemy blades off of her, because in this simulation (unlike the recreations) the soldiers were aiming to hit. She knew all she had to do was delay, wait until her own troops caught up, the ones she heard behind her. One enemy blade scored on her, a slash that wouldn't penetrate her mail, but still hurt from the impact.

Then they were there next to her, pushing past her, the shield-bearers with their swords; spearmen following behind. Nyx let them take the lead, following them after making sure no blood had been drawn from her. Then an opening formed and she basically had a free line to the enemy general. Their eyes met and he reached up to close his helmet, drawing his sword and throwing a salute, which she returned as she bounced on the balls of her feet while closing the distance. What she did next was bad form as she gripped her sword with both hands and made a very strong overhead strike, which the general caught on his own blade and pushed aside, then the dance began.

He had strength and power, she had speed and guile, just as it had theoretically been back when it had happened for real, according to the records that were passed down. His sword was bigger, heavier, hers was smaller and lighter, but this was what she trained for, what dozens of generations of Valentine women had practiced and trained for, since the tradition began several hundred years before. A trickle of sweat from her forehead joined the torrent that ran down her back as her muscles ached, her mascara running down a cheek, but that was the least of her worries. She fended off a slash that was faster than it ought to be, redirecting it away and stepping in, bringing her shoulder up into his face, dragging her blade across his chest and doing no harm. They both stepped back and simultaneously brought their blades at the other and they clashed and held.

There was a flicker of fear from Nyx as she felt the power of the general push her back, a triumphant grin visible below the visor of the helmet, then her legs collapsed and she fell backwards, definitely not in the script and the holo-general sprung into action, bringing his sword down in a strike meant to split her head in two. She slashed wildly with her own to divert it, the heavy blade impacting the ground next to her ear. She scissored her legs through his and brought him to the ground, then grimaced as she rolled forward, bringing her blade point down at him. It penetrated his arm and he swiped at her, hitting her temple and her head swam as she couldn't remember what she'd set the controls at for the holodeck. She rolled off of him, but had the presence of mind to hold onto her blade and came up on one knee, blocking the sword swipe from the general.

That had just been to give him some space as he regained his feet, but his right arm dangled more than hung as blood leaked from it. Nyx took a glance around, seeing the battle continuing on here and there while others just stood there from both sides watching the two. This was how it had supposedly happened originally, not the specific wound she'd given him, but both sides all but pausing their own fighting to see who would win this one. Nyx shook her head slightly even while she stood and reset her stance. A general melee was bad for her, but this? Memories of different moves she could make came back into focus and she gave the General time to evaluate himself.

Her second hand came onto the pommel of her sword as she held it in a middle guard, which had been Raxzha's favored ready position, able to deflect and defend handily from a single opponent, while providing more options for attack than a high or low guard. Across from her, the general had himself set and ready, less of a clash happening to either side and his arm appeared able to be used again, but had mobility issues. Still, he was the one to make the first move, striding in, expecting to overpower the girl that stood in front of him and the dance began.

As it was, it was a short dance as most sword combats were, it was about who was faster and who made the first mistake that the other caught. A parry, deflection and then a massive turning strike from the general that Nyx caught on her sword briefly, pushing up and around her head before bringing an economical slash up that caught his hip before skittering off his armor. That made his movements even tighter, more drawn in as she pressed the attack, him defending from an inner guard, requiring fewer movements, but gave him less time to react as one thrust with the longsword-style weapon penetrated his guard and speared him in the thigh, dropping him to one knee.

Nyx batted away an ineffectual swing, cutting his hand in the process and sending the blade flying before resting the tip of her blade at his throat. "Surrender." She demanded, meeting his eyes as they blazed with defiance.

"Never." He countered, "Men!" He called out, "To the last!" None of them moved.

Nyx's lip twitched at the arrogance, even though she knew it was just a simulation, though mostly accurate. She used the top of the blade to cut his helmet strap and then flicked the metal bucket off his head before resuming the position. His salt and pepper hair showed his age and experience, "Surrender and live."

"No. You just die." A dagger appeared in his hand and he batted her blade aside and lunged at her. More than half expecting it, Nyx stepped back so that his lunge fell short and her hands were automatic as she raised the blade above her head and brought it down vertically into his spine, pinning him to the ground with it. One final spasm and he went still. It was a massive jerk that withdrew the blade, then held it aloft. The soldiers of her army cheered and waved their own even as the others dropped their own in signal of their surrender, the loss of their champion first, then their general had taken the fight out of them.

On the hill, voice resounding , Nyx's uncle spoke again, "And thus ended the Final Battle. It wasn't the end of the war, it was the end of an Era. It took another ten years and uncounted lives before the Declaration of Peace and Betazed became the world known for a lack of conflict. We remember the sacrifice of those who came before, of the valor of Raxzha."

"We remember." The entire Valentine clan resounded, even Nyx whispering it from her position on the field.

And like that, the ceremony was over, the battlefield vanished, leaving Nyx alone, sword raised, on a grid of holopanels. She lowered it as she heard a voice in the back of her head, one she remembered just as clearly as everything else. The voice of her grandmother, Sietra, "Pathetic." it said, but Nyx shook her head, "No, Great-Gran, just different." She slammed the sword home in the scabbard and stalked towards the door and left without a further look, not caring who saw her as she moodily made her way back to her quarters, hair awry, makeup smeared by sweat and effort. She needed time now.

To herself.