Got You Covered: Part 1/2

Posted on Wed Jun 3rd, 2026 @ 5:04pm by Sergeant Jace Morven & Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Moriarty

2,898 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Prologue
Location: Gym
Timeline: Early 2389 - Before 'First Contact'

The mat felt secure under Jace Morven's feet, which for once were bare, toes flexing against the give of it as if testing for hidden faults. He still wore combat trousers, the familiarity of them like a breath he didn't need to take, and the Ground Forces Blue vest top was already darkened from sweat across his chest and down his spine where it clung. It hung low enough to show the jagged scar over his collar bone, usually hidden under the uniform collar, the pale ridge catching the light when he moved his shoulder.

His blue eyes were narrowed, focused on the man before him…his CO, Colonel Moriarty. Jace watched the other man's stance the way he would read terrain, tracking where his weight rested, the set of his shoulders, the little quirks. It was sparring. They had started training together more now, but this was the first time they were against each other like this, no drills, no bags, no rookies to correct in between, just the two of them on the mat with nothing to soak up the impact except their own bodies.

The suggestion had made Jace tense, a small tightening along his jaw that never made it to his face, but he had nodded in acceptance. He had to believe he had enough control. His muscles remembered other fights, but this had a different purpose. This was training. Learning. Teaching. Not to stop or end.

There was also something about watching the other man move, the skill and grace he had. Moriarty's steps were clean, nothing wasted, an economy that reminded Jace a little of Martinez, the way they had moved when they fought, that same precision, a different tool for a different task, not wrong, just applied differently.

Jesse could feel the man's eyes on him. He knew he was taking in every flex, every move. Good, he wanted him to be focussed and observant, in all things. He also knew that he gave little away. He usually fought with such economy that it was harder to get a read. It hadn't been his intention, it just sort of happened over the years. And came from his ability to go from calm to assault in one second flat. He also knew that Jace was holding back...so far at least. But that was fine, he had time. "Working up a sweat?" he teased, just a light jibe as he followed up with a literal jab.

Jace blocked it with a practiced movement, muscles tense. "Trying to figure out your pattern," he said, eyes flickering briefly to the footwork. Controlled. It made it difficult to figure out. Also made him...feel a familiar tug somewhere inside of him. "Feel like you're a grenade that'll go off any second."

"Better watch out then, hadn't you," Jesse whipped two quick punches up towards his jaw, knowing he'd deflect them, but then followed up with the left jab.

Jace was too slow to stop the left jab, even as he registered it coming. So he turned his head enough for it to limit the impact. His eyes narrowed and he drove forward, hitting towards his chest...still holding back, but there was something in his eyes now that hadn't been there a moment earlier.

The slightest of smiles pulled at Jesse's lips. That was better. Jesse blocked, holding his ground rather than giving way, but the man was strong and it took a huge amount of effort to stand toe to toe with him.

Jace let out a breath, pulling back a step, eyes on him. He tilted his head a little to the side, watching the way he was standing. "I think I know," he finally said, with a nod. As if he had learned something. "You'll be fast. Go for the weak points...use all you can..." his eyes flickered to Jesse's, meeting them briefly. "One of those people that trying to hit is like trying to hit a sheet in the wind. You'll block or move away."

"I prefer blocking," Jesse offered, the first bit of intel he'd given away. But he didn't tell him why. That it brought the target in closer to counter.

Jace nodded and took a slow breath, his body relaxing. "Okay," he said and them moved forward. He hit out, fist aimed at his guard, then followed by another...expecting both blocked, even as he turned for an elbow strike.

As soon as Jesse clocked the elbow raising, he shoved forward, forcing the arm back in a wrenching motion, giving him the chance to lash out with his foot.

Jace felt the pull in his shoulder as the arm was forced back, clean and sharp and familiar. He did not fight the wrench, instead he let his weight drop and turned into it, stepping in rather than away so the kick caught him hard along the thigh and hip instead of the knee. Pain flared bright and for a brief second he grimaced before his features locked into stillness. The movement brought him closer, chest almost to Moriarty’s, and he twisted his torso to try and drag the other man off balance. His free hand came up, not to strike but to grab for the fabric at Jesse’s side, ready to use his weight advantage to take them both down if that was what it took to break the hold.

Moriarty's jaw tightened with the effort of trying to push back against the other man, the raw strength of him hard to beat. A breath later and he had to give to it, shifting back...but he grabbed him in return, so as he stumbled, he pulled him with him.

They hit the mat hard, Jace shifting his weight to let the impact help break the hold. The pain shot through, brief, but nothing broken as he scrabbled, not to get away but to trap Moriarty, to pin him down.

Moriarty knew exactly what he was trying to do...and was already moving to try and do the same. He grabbed at his arm, pulling his leg back to force his hip over, trying to get the upper hand as he groaned softly with the effort of heaving the weight of him.

Jace felt the pull on his arm and the shift of weight as Moriarty tried to roll him, the warning in his shoulder sharp and familiar. He didn’t move away from it, instead he tucked his trapped arm in close to his body to shorten the leverage even as the joint protested, planting his free hand against Moriarty's hip as he dropped his weight down and across to make himself heavy and awkward to move. His leg hooked behind Moriarty’s calf to block the turn and he let out a short breath through his teeth, using the tangle of limbs to try and drag him back the other way, not looking for a clean pin so much as stopping Moriarty getting one. All while clinging to one small fact: you didn't hurt your own. Even as sweat dampened his hair, he was doing his best to make sure he didn't hurt Jesse.

Moriarty let out a long, shaking breath, knowing he would tire soon under the strength and weight of the other man...and without the adrenaline of a real fight. Because he knew and felt the difference, even with the physical demands. "You stubborn bastard..." he ground out before catching his breath, locking his foot against the leg that was already entangled with his to try and regain control.

Jace felt the shift as Moriarty locked his foot against his, the pressure a new point of leverage that threatened to drag his leg out from under him. He did not pull away. Instead he straightened the trapped leg a fraction and rolled his knee in, taking the strain into the joint as he pushed his hip down, using the contact to pin the other man's lower body rather than escape it. His weight followed, chest pressing in, breath rough with the effort. "It's not real," he breathed, a statement. The fight wasn't real. Neither of them would act like this if it was real. But it didn't mean Jace would tap out. If a stalemate was all he could get...he'd try it.

"Your muscle bulk is real..." Jesse laughed breathlessly, managing to edge an arm between them, up across his chest. He pressed with it, trying to put pressure on another point to weaken the lower grapple point.

Jace's jaw clenched, eyes narrowing, but he stayed still. He couldn't do anything to defend against it and a drop of sweat was making its way down from his temple. "You're as squirmy as they were..." he muttered, because it was the only word he had for someone with Jesse's flexibility.

Jesse tsked with frustration...because he'd ordinarily have his arm at his throat...but that was a line he wasn't going to cross. He slid his leg between Jaces' instead, arching it fully as he planted his foot against the ground and pushed off to force them onto their sides.

Jace rolled with it, breathing harder as he watched him. Something inside him wanted to win, to...drive in, to end it. But he had years of training of that part, of pushing that urge down. This was his superior officer. It was someone he trusted. He let out a breath, eyes narrowed. "Tie?"

Jesse chuckled at the words before nodding, easing off the pressure and lifting his hand. "Tie," he agreed, not wanting someone to get hurt.

Jace relaxed his body and nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. "You move like water," he commented, staying where he was for a moment.

Jesse dropped back against the floor, catching his breath for a moment before chuckling softly. "And you're built like a brick shit-house..."

Jace rolled away, sitting up, breathing hard now that the moment was done. He ran a hand over his own hair, pushing it back, feeling the sweat. "Just the way it ended up being. Not as fast as you, so have to be able to take a hit or end it before they get the chance."

"That's not just how it ended up being...you worked on that..." Jesse sat up, his legs drawn up slightly as he laughed breathlessly.

Jace took a slow breath at the words, forcing his breathing under control. "Might have been different," he finally said, and there was something wistful in his eyes. "Or maybe it wouldn't have been." He looked over at Moriarty, studying him.

Jesse shook his head, reaching out to squeeze the strong arm of the other man. "This? Was made from hard work and patience...."

"Here I was thinking we both just ended up like this because we had to be this to survive," Jace said quietly, but he was watching Jesse closely...he was learning the shape of his Commanding Officer. And found in him something he would follow, to whatever end.

"Well, it probably helped with that too," Jesse nodded with a grin, watching him with fond, dark eyes. "You're skilled too, it's not just muscle. Your ability to keep a cool head is impressive."

Jace took a deeper breath before he nodded. "I had to remind myself it's just training," he admitted as he looked at him. And then there was a hint of something at the corner of his lips. "I suspect if it had been real, I'd have a knife between my ribs before you let me try and drag you down."

"Hell yes," Jesse arched an eyebrow with a small, soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Training like this, it's good for the body. But in reality, something would have gone very wrong to have gotten that far..."

Jace nodded, a slight frown coming to him as he thought about it. "Or you don't care as much," he observed, his voice soft. "Close quarter combat...has a honesty to it. A brutality. Leaves nothing except instinct."

Jesse searched his eyes for a long moment before giving him a small, curious smile. "You enjoy it?"

"I'm good at it," Jace said before he glanced at him, giving a small shrug. He thought back, at the times he had been in those situations. He didn't...enjoy it. But he hadn't flinched away from it. "So far."

"I mean like this," Jesse motioned to the mat with a small, half smile. "Without the deadly stakes."

He blinked, considering it for a moment. His lips parted with surprise and he looked at Jesse, giving a small nod before he looked away. "Yeah. Felt...familiar. And you're...good at it."

"Good," Jesse nudged his shoulder reassuringly to his. "You're good at it too. I'm glad you're on our side..." he winked.

Jace looked at him, a slight frown coming to him as he considered it. "Your side," he finally said. And it almost cemented something in him. "I got you covered, Moriarty." He gave a small nod, the frown easing away.

"Oh, I know," Jesse chuckled, patting his arm firmly. "That, I have absolutely no doubt of. If anything, I think you'd put yourself too much in harm's way to help."

Jace's eyes went down to the hand before he hesitated. He reached out, to gently squeeze his shoulder. It was awkward, not a movement he was used to. It served no real purpose, but he remembered how it felt to have someone do it. "Most likely. I lost my..." he searched for a word that would...make sense...and the one he felt didn't sit well either, but he had to use something. "...mentor. I'm not letting anything like that happen again. And it would be bad, for the detachment, if we lost our CO. Worse than losing just a sergeant."

Jesse smiled as he looked to the hand. It warmed him, to see the hesitant connection from the other man, but he didn't mention it...a bit like not wanting to spook the bird that had come to the feeder. "The thing is though...it's my responsibility. You are, they are, the mission is. Buck stops here."

He considered it, watching Jesse closely. "Yes, but it doesn't take away from that we need you alive for that," he said bluntly. "Mission comes first but someone has to have the backs of the squads in debriefs. You got the rank for that. So. I'm making sure you stick around."

Jesse searched his eyes for a moment, seeing he wasn't going to win this argument. Not this time anyway, not this way. "Well, it works both ways, Jace," he assured.

"I'm indestructible," Jace said drily, a small pull at the corner of his lips. A joke. No person was that. But he was sturdy. No one had killed him yet.

Jesse tsked, watching him with an arched eyebrow. "Uh huh...I think Sickbay might disagree with that..." he replied with the same dry tone.

Jace let out a slow breath through his nose, something that almost counted as a laugh. "Sickbay disagrees with a lot of things," he said, rolling his shoulder as if to check it was still where it should be. "Just try not to let them catch you."

"Yeah, there'd be no vices left if they had their way..." Jesse agreed with a chuckle, shaking his head slowly. "They already have the replicators counting our every calorie."

"That's useful," Jace said, quietly, before he pushed himself up. He got water for both of them, offering it over as he watched him. "I just replicate the recommended meal for the time of day."

"Oh, Jace, you have to branch out....believe me," Jesse drank it down with need, sighing as he shook his head. "It's what I used to do too. Too many choices out here. But there's so much to try."

"Food is...fuel," Jace said before he drank his own water, not stopping until it was empty. "Doesn't matter how it tastes as long as it keeps you from starving."

"What about.....just to enjoy it?" he suggested, reaching a hand up for him to pull him up.

Jace took the hand, pulling him up, meeting his eyes and just holding them for a moment before he looked away, ducking his head a little. He let go of his hand. "It's not something I do," he said, taking a slow breath. "I know it's...not usual."

"Would you let me get you something? I can give you the stuff I like," Jesse offered, his tone casual with the suggestion.

Jace looked at him before he nodded, realising that...it was something the other man wanted to do. Like how Elen did things for people. Some...people were like that. It just looked different on someone like Jesse. "I can't...promise I'll like it," he warned, quietly. "And...I know already I don't like burning spicy."

"If you don't like it, we can replicate something else," Jesse shrugged as if it were nothing, leading him towards the door. "I can't cook, it's all replicated. I like food enough that I feel like I should learn, I just never have..."


TBC:

Lt. Colonel Jesse Moriarty
Federation Ground Forces CO
USS Guinevere

Sergeant Jace Morven
Platoon Sergeant, Alpha Squad
Federation Ground Forces Detachment
USS Guinevere

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