Humans Are Encountered

Grappling

Zork'ak looked for xer group of humans in their laboratories after second meal. Xe had not seen the group come to the meal room; they occasionally used the Earth products that they were growing in an area nearby, the ones that were compatible with xer planet's atmosphere. However, the humans were not present. Zork'ak considered this to be problematic as they often found ways to cause unusual trouble out of "curiosity," something that drove them to test unnecessary experiments that were not within safe parameters when left alone with too much time.

Xe began searching the corridors, peeking into rooms until xe heard loud yelling and thuds, which xe concluded must be the humans. Inside the room where the noises were coming from, there were thick coverings on the ground, the humans paired together and a commander walking between them. Zork'ak watched as one human knocked the other to the floor and they both returned to their feet. Xe focused on Carrie and Wren, who were closest to xem.

The two took turns knocking each other to the ground; Carrie was knocking Wren on her back using her lower extremities. Wren would stand back up on her feet and repeat the process against Carrie. The leader would then call them and demonstrate a new attack to the group, this time on the ground. The training was similar to what Klyls experienced early in development: the humans were mimicking the leader's movements, and they would call out or hit the ground as one completed the maneuver against the other.

The leader was surveying the group when he noticed Zork'ak standing in the doorway. "Hey!" He walked towards Zork'ak. "You need something?"

Zork'ak looked at this new human: Faradae. Xe had not interacted with him due to Faradae being under T'chet's jurisdiction as a fighter and medic, but xe knew him from studying all the humans who were to come to the Klyl base. "I was locating the humans to determine their absence at meal."

"I'm Faradae." He reached his upper extremity towards Zork'ak. "I specialize in self-defense training for humans."

"Self-defense?" Zork'ak was watching Carrie and Wren again, laughing as Carrie shoved her arm on Wren's throat.

"Yes. I teach them techniques, mostly against other humans. I have yet to adapt our combat against other species. I'm waiting for more on weaponry improvements before attempting to develop techniques." Zork'ak nodded as he watched Carrie and Wren switch spots, Carrie hitting the ground as Wren leaned forward over Carrie. "Would you like to try? It would be useful."

"It would not hurt them?" Zork'ak glanced down at xer green scales and taloned hands.

Faradae shrugged. "It'll be good practice for them."

"Are you certain?" Xe looked down at xer spiked tail.

"We need to adapt our practices. Come on." Faradae turned and walked back to the center of the room, Zork'ak following, careful of xer tail as xe passed the human pairs. "Now," Faradae turned back to xem, "it's Zork'ak, right?"

"Correct."

"Great. Zor, show me a simple move you use in combat." Zork'ak had never heard xer named shortened, a sign of friendship between humans xe had noticed. Xe focused, pulling the poison on their skin for a stronger exoskeleton. "Uh, what is that?"

"It is a hardened poisonous layer to strengthen my exoskeleton."

Faradae's eyes closed slightly, narrowing his vision as his lips pressed together. "Um, can you take that back?" Zork'ak closed xer pores, removing the poison. "What about other species? Do they also have these defenses?"

"Most of them have hardened exteriors, yes."

"Are they all poisonous to touch?"

Zork'ak thought, categorizing the species on xer planet. "The closest bases to us are the Oelletsue and the Zuessrq. The Zuessrq are large warriors with speed and strength unlike any other species. They project spikes and have an exoskeleton that we do not know how to penetrate."

"Right, right. What about the Oelletsue?"

"They have spikes all the way up xer back to protect what xe cannot see and a layered exterior covering xer bodies. They are less skilled in fighting than most species and focus on diplomatic tendencies."

"Perfect! Now, how do you fight this species?"

Zork'ak looked down at xer extremities, rubbing two together to create a sphere. "The standard defense is to launch a projectile at them. It disintegrates a small area, usually xer bodies."

Faradae's eyes enlarged. "Is there nothing humans can do?"

Zork'ak recalled xer past encounters with the Oelletsue, including the report of the human excursion where a projectile, inorganic, had pierced between the layers of Ra'yak exoskeleton. "The humans were able to pierce the skin between the layers using one of your smaller projectiles."

Faradae rubbed his face. "Would the humans be able to possibly knock an Oelletsue to the ground and maybe wedge a knife, a sharp, handheld object, under their exoskeleton layers?"

"Yes, that has a high probability of success. The Oelletsue's balance is forward based to combat the weight of xer spikes. It is possible that if the humans off-set xer balance, they could use a sharp object to penetrate the skin."

"Everyone! Come watch!" Zork'ak did not move, an uncertainty that xe had not felt before, as the humans gathered around them. "We are going to try a new combat tactic for a species called the Oelletsue. Adam, come here." Faradae demonstrated that if Adam attempted to punch Faradae, he was able to duck low and push Adam, or in a combat situation the Oelletsue, over using the area just above their lower extremities. With xer height and the weight of the spikes, it would knock the Oelletsues on xer backs. "You're going to want to immediately sit back so that when they land, you are not holding on to them. Go!"

The humans dispersed again, except Adam. Faradae looked to Zork'ak. "Would you like to practice with Adam?"

Zork'ak leaned around Faradae in order to see Adam. "Is this arrangement agreeable with you?"

"Yeah, man. Let's do this shit."

Zork'ak moved cautiously towards the human, who automatically pushed forward, throwing Zork'ak on xer back. Xe was worried that Adam would land on xer tail, but he released Zork'ak after knocking xem off balance, sitting back on his lower extremities, still over Zork'ak's lower half.

Zork'ak attempted the same process with Adam, careful of xer talons, but when xe was not successful in executing the move, Faradae used most of the class to teach Zork'ak more about the center of balance and how to determine it. Faradae added a sequence at the end, quickly stabbing a knife under one of the exoskeleton layers while the Oelletsue was recovering from the fall.

It was more difficult than Zork'ak's previous training, which consisted more of projectile practice than physical combat, and produced a success rate of knocking over Adam one out of three attempts. Despite xer poor execution, when Faradae dismissed the group, he asked Zork'ak to wait while the humans left.

"Thank you for the insight. It really helped us out and gave us good practice at focusing on other species. We'd appreciate you joining us again."

Xe considered this opportunity to be useful in xer research. "I accept the offer."

Faradae smiled, patting Zork'ak's shoulder. "I'll send someone to come get you next time."