Little Dipper Campfire: Friday Afternoon

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

For Worf, a field trip to the mainland was not an experience he'd like to go through.

So instead he was using the nice weather to practice the mok'bara out by the campfire in what he hoped would be a quiet day.

[And while Worf may not want to be disturbed the post is definitely open]

Comments

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"Can I help you?" Worf asked as he continued to do his routine.

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

She bobbed him a brief curtsy. "My apologies, I'm being quite rude. I can leave if you would like."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"It is not necessary," Worf said gruffly and switching forms. "And observing is not rude. It is observing."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Then I shall stay," she said, seating herself on the ground and crossing her legs. "I suppose if you wished to remain unobserved, you would not have chosen to do this at a campfire."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"I have nothing to hide," Worf stated continuing his exercise. "If that is what you mean."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Not entirely," Alice mused, fingers straightening out her pinafore in her lap. "More that if this was private in some way, something personal and only belonging to yourself, something that it would be horribly invasive for others to gather round and observe -- you would do better not to be standing in such a public location."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"Correct," Worf replied. "Is that not what I said?"

No, Worf. It wasn't.

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"That depends entirely on how it is you mean 'hide,'" Alice said, smiling faintly. "Some things we keep hidden away because they're dear to us, and not for others to share in. Some things we hide because there's shame attached. And some things we hide because we're worried others will take them if they sit out in the open, but that really goes more with possessions than meditation forms. Is that a meditation form? I suppose now is a good time to determine if questions are rude."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"It is called the mok-bara," Worf replied. "It is a form of Klingon meditation and the basis of our martial arts."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Are you a martial artist, then?" Alice asked. He hadn't said that questions were rude, so she would presume that they weren't until such time as he indicated otherwise. "Or are you meditating? I've never tried meditation, my mind insists on wandering off to look under rocks and into crevices to find something to do, and there I am, searching for my mind instead of meditating."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"I am a warrior," Worf replied. "As are most of my people. The mok'bara is a form of meditation that teaches us to center ourselves and also prepare us for combat. By concentrating on the forms you focus on your mind and body connection hopefully becoming one with the movement."

He paused for a moment as he shifted his body again.

"And therefore eliminate distractions."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Distractions, such as chattering young girls," Alice said, offering a bemused smile. "I don't know if I'm a warrior or not. I fought, because it was necessary. I won. I haven't since."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"In the battlefield one must deal with greater distractions than people talking with you," Worf replied as he shifted gracefully into another form. "And do you mean you haven't fought or you haven't won since?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I haven't fought since," Alice said, with a somewhat chilling smile. "I flatter myself that if I fought again, I would win. Losing wasn't an option, last time."

She missed it, somewhat, the purity of the blade slicing clean and the grace of the movements.

"It hasn't been all that long, only about a month, I suppose. It feels longer. I'm not sure why that is, really."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"Losing is never an option," Worf declared, "Even in death."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"I'm not afraid of death," Alice said calmly. "Death isn't nearly so terrifying once you've explored some of the other alternatives."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"When a Klingon dies, we have a ritual," Worf said with a certain relish. "We hold the warrior's eyes so they can face death with eyes wide open. Then all Klingon's present will scream to the heavens as a warning to the dead."

Worf almost looked enthusiastic.

"Beware, a Klingon warrior is about to arrive"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

Alice smiled, and her smile had regained its dark edges.

"I think perhaps your people have the right idea," she said. "Had I died in the fight, I would have welcomed it. But I doubt I would have screamed to the heavens that I was about to storm in. That sounds particularly ... enthusiastic."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

Worf looked at the girl with respect. "There is not many of your kind who embrace that attitude. You would have made a good Klingon."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

Alice flushed, dipping her head to acknowledge what she presumed was a high compliment. "It helps to have ... been in situations where death would have been welcome. I suppose not many have. It changes your perspective, somewhat. I doubt I can call myself a warrior, yet, though I held my blade high and I don't regret what I did. Only ... that some of my own fell, along the way."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"Casualties and death always happen in battle," Worf replied respectfully. "If they died valiantly then in our world they will be greeted warmly when they reach Sto-Vo-Kor."

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"Some of them did," she said, musing on the concept. "Others ... well. The Cat was warning me, and Her Majesty sent a blade from out of view, and that was that. He wasn't in battle, but he was killed by an enemy. I've no idea how strictly the afterlife views such things."

She lifted a shoulder. "I suppose it's a rather silly point to consider. They were all restored when Wonderland was. I've no idea how that happened, but they were, nonetheless."

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

Worf gave her a careful look. "I do not understand how they were restored... but..."

He paused a moment.

"Wonderland?"

[notyourpawn.livejournal.com]

"The world itself was a strange place. I haven't been back in a while." She watched him carefully. "You think it's an odd name, or ... you ... think it's a familiar name?"

One hundred and fifty years in the future ought to mean that Charles's strange little books had stopped being of any notice. At least, Alice had hoped so.

[sonofmogh.livejournal.com]

"Odd," Worf replied.

It was even odder when you add on the three hundred and so years on top of that.