ESHEN The world cleared from a haze but was replaced by a rather strange gradient; the deep blue of the night sky above, scattered with dozens of stars, and then the orange glow of fire pits lighting up the surrounding walls. This was the Challenge Floor within the First City of Qo’noS, this huge square surrounded by buildings, dotted with market stalls and viewing stands so people could watch what was going on down below. Three ornately-carved stairs led down into a hexagonal-shaped indent in the floor which housed the sparring-pit – somewhere that Eshen was now stood, both hands grasping the targ-leather-wrapped handles of a bat’leth. “Keep your guard up! Eyes on me, not on the sky! You might be Starfleet but right now you’re down here!” Barked whoever his opponent was, slightly-pointed teeth being bared as he grinned. The man was tall even for a Klingon, with broad shoulders and an incredibly burly physique. Shoulderpads, gauntlets, and a intricately-woven metal sash helped to deflect any blow from the bat’leth. “Ah, young Eshen K’Tann, don’t you love it? The heat of the fire surrounding us, the call of the crowd, the adrenaline rushing through your veins! This is what it is to feel the thrill of battle! Surely nothing can best this – not even your Starfleet!” - Oh no, a burly Klingon, his one weakness! "I - where the fuck? How'd I get here?" Eshen said, moving backwards and circling his opponent, gripping his raised Bat'leth, on guard. "This - I mean, it's certainly fun! But it's only one facet of my personality, dear. Starfleet accommodates my many different sides." And by Kah'less, Surak and even Dionysius, did he have facets. He couldn't deny that during the whole fight he'd felt more connected to his Klingon side than he had in a while, and it was true that it was his Klingon side of the family that he sought approval of, to restore the honor of after their daughter became a doctor and had a bastard child with a Vulcan, those pacifists - but he'd done some diplomacy and kept a level head so he didn't go around killing his enemies mercilessly. The feeling of his pulse racing and his blood boiling was very enjoyable, though. - "What do you mean, 'how did you get here'?" The other Klingon enquired, tracking Eshen's movement as he paced around in a circle. His own movements were only to turn ever so slightly, pivoting on his heel. He was hoping that the young hybrid would take the next swipe: this man had the potential to be a warrior if he put his mind to it, and the Klingon wanted to see what he could do. "You signed up for the sparring match, young man! I know that I'm a formidable opponent," there was a rumbling chuckle, and another of those wide grins, "but if you didn't want to face off against me, then you should have checked the listings. Besides-" sinking into a slightly lower stance, he tested the waters by swinging the bat'leth forward in a feint. "-There's nothing wrong with embracing your Klingon side once in a while! Facets of your personality only remain if you entertain them. You should learn to be a little more Klingon!" - Eshen just dodged back. He wasn't going to attack first. He never did in fights with Klingons, because usually they charged forwards first and he could sidestep it and then have a go at them. He usually tried to mess with his opponents' head a bit first, too, but... Was his head being messed with? Were they in his head? If he stayed here too long would he start forgetting about the real world? How did he get out? "I don't need to be any more Klingon! I'm fine as I am! I proved it today, didn't I? I fought that beast and won!" - "Yes, that glorious targ fight that let you enter for this division in the sparring matches!" The man laughed, his chuckle just as rumbling and low as his speaking voice was - although it was barely a speaking voice, shouting more than he spoke. You had to shout when you were trying to be heard above the call of the crowd. "And of course you proved yourself! But what I'm saying -- you told me earlier that you were raised on Vulcan. You may have had a Klingon right there to guide you, but that's not the same as being right here, among the action! You could be a glorious warrior if you put your mind to it-" he spun the bat'leth in his grasp, stepping forwards into a low stance and swiping the blade down in a powerful movement. "-You could have all the honour you ever wanted here." - Eshen tried to sidestep to the left, then slash his Bat'leth towards his right. "I was raised on Earth! And I don't just want honor! I want beauty, and pleasure, and love! I want to talk to people, laugh with them, uplift them, convince them! You can't give me that!" - "Ahh - your stories of doing that trial in the desert confuse me," he grinned, raising one hand from the second handle of his bat'leth to block the attack. It hit off of his gauntlet with a resounding clang that echoed throughout the sparring pit, making the crowd cheer. "And please -- all you talk of is the Klingon way! There is nothing more uplifting than our stories of honour, comradery, and companionship... And if you are looking for beauty, pleasure, and love?" The burly Klingon straight-up wiggled an eyebrow at the young hybrid. "Then you need to go about courting a Klingon woman! You can read her poetry while she throws objects at you -- there is nothing more beautiful than that!" - Eshen winced as the mention of the desert trial made his skin burn all over, and it made him stumble back a bit, unsure on his feet. "I mean, good point, that is very beautiful, but - I don't need to go courting a Klingon woman! I have three beautiful, lovely partners who please me greatly just by being themselves! Klingon culture is beautiful, Vulcan culture is beautiful, human culture is beautiful... I am a man who needs variety - infinite diversity in infinite combinations!" - Seeing a gap in the younger one's stance, the older Klingon used it to his advantage. Keeping that low, grounded stance, he swung the bat'leth from the left through to the right, hoping to catch Eshen in the side and knock him further off-balance. "I am proud of you for finding such good partners - companionship helps us stay strong," he stated and grinned proudly. "You are right that all culture is beautiful, but you forget that the Empire has much to offer too. We have the Orions, Ferasans, Nausicaans, Gorn, L-Letheans, even some of the people from the Cardassian Union or handfuls of people from the Federation. You should do one of those exchanges with us, come and join us in the KDF for some time -- I promise that you can enjoy it here, too." - Eshen was caught in the side - ouch - and he was caught off-balance, but he rolled with the momentum, then stood up again, to the Klingon's right. Also, was that a stutter on Letheans? What did he remember about Letheans? The name sounded familiar... "Maybe I will, for a time. But the Federation is where I was able to escape from my parents' control and find myself; it's where my heart is." Then he charge ahead and attempted to slash at the Klingon's side too, too - a side for a side! - The crowd exploded into applause upon Eshen's roll to the side, and then when he managed to catch the Klingon, slicing through his fur-lined jacket and drawing blood from the skin beneath? The applause and the cries throughout the viewing stands became deafening. The older Klingon paused, sliding back to a defensive stance with his bat'leth raised diagonally in front of him, but he was panting with the exertion. "Then why not now, young Eshen K'Tann? You'll have all the time in the world to see the Federation, but you should join me now, with the Empire at its prime from the absorption of the Orion Syndicate and the Nausicaan homeworld!" - Ah, he did love applause. Now, what was that about Letheans? They had telepathic powers... Was this some sort of telepathic waking dream, like Vulcans could do sometimes? Was this guy real? Might as well test it. Agh, gotta fight and think at the same time - "Like I said, I might, though I'm not sure 'You want variety? Look at all the alien races we've subjugated!' is as much of a flex as you think it is. The Federation prefer to make friends - and so do I." He circled him again, getting gradually closer as he talked. "But why with you? You think you can compete with my three wonderful partners? I do admire your confidence! Maybe if you took the Klingon suit off, I'd consider it." He winked, raising his Bat'leth, but then actually ducking down and sweeping with his leg to try and trip the Klingon up, a move seen in Suus Manha, the Vulcan martial art. Fighting with a mix of that and Mok'bara made his moves harder to predict for many. - "Hah - you think your Federation are out there to make friends? They are colonisers, my fine friend; they only exist to spread their own ideals and snatch away culture and nothing more! I would have hoped that someone who holds the perfect balance of Vulcan logic and Klingon honour would be able to see such a thing." While talking he kept a hawk-like gaze fixed firmly upon the Vulcan-Klingon, watching him pace in that circle. The Klingon's own stance remained defensive for now, evidently having been worn out and trying to catch his breath. "And besides. This isn't just about me. I only want to see you explore both halves of your heritage properly, and see what it's like to be a Klingon. Doesn't the thrill of battle entice you? Think of the beast that you have only recently slain." It was then that Eshen lashed out with one leg. Having been distracted by the raising of the bat'leth, the Klingon didn't notice one foot being hooked behind his ankle. He was immediately knocked off balance and fell to the ground with a heavy crash, landing on his back. He grimaced, snarling in pain -- but managed to keep his own bat'leth held out in front of him, ready to deflect any further attack. In the background, the crowd were alive with gasps and applause, and someone had started the chant of a traditional Klingon war song. Eshen's opponent grinned up at him. "Come on. Won't you join me?" - Huh. He didn't reply to the last thing. Perhaps he just did that to keep this gaslighting consistent? Unless this was Sto-vo-kor, but - no, you started off that journey with a boat ride, not a pit fight. Ugh, how did he get out of here? He wanted to know Allan and Saren and the others were okay. Maybe he just needed to beat the shit out of this guy. "That's a very interesting stance, and one we could perhaps have a very enlightening conversation over bloodwine and gagh on one day, but I'm not going to base my life decisions around the subjective philosophies of strangers. Strangers who don't know me at all, mind. You forgot, earlier, that I was raised on Earth - England, specifically - so I'm as much a Terran and Federation as I am Vulcan and Klingon. What right do you have decide how well I'm exploring my heritage?" He raised his Bat'leth. "You don't get to tell me that -" He slashed down with his Bat'leth - "My Sa'mekh doesn't get to tell me that -" He tried to hit the Klingon on the floor again and again - "My SoS doesn't get to tell me that -" And again and again - "tlhIngan jIH! Nash-veh Vuhlkansu! I am Federation! And nobody gets to define who I am except myself!" - The crowd had tried to crane forwards as if to hear what was being said down in the sparring pit. One warrior remained there on his back, the other towering over him. It almost seemed like a standstill, the crowd going silent, waiting with baited breath -- until the Vulcan-Klingon slashed down with his own bat'leth, the sound of metal against metal causing a resounding clang which echoed off the walls of the buildings surrounding the challenge floor. Each swipe struck against the other bat'leth, again, and again, and again - and the other Klingon made no further move to fight. Lain there flat on his back, it was only once Eshen had stopped his continued assault that the Klingon spoke. He chuckled, coughed -- and gave one of those grins that he had offered throughout the match. Upon blinking, brown eyes changed; one becoming a hazy black, and the other a piercing red. "I approve of how you can be proud of yourself and what makes up your heritage. They'd be proud of you in the Empire. Well done," he stated -- and the world faded to a haze once more.]