16: Nightcrawler (Jamie Braddock)

When Kurt returned no one was fencing, the one called Gil was outside. Jamie called him over. “Kurt part of the etiquette of fencing is not to disrupt the piste. If you need to leave the area move away first. There was no need for you to go anywhere, this is an introductory practice session the jacket can go over a tee-shirt. You should know that if you have had any proper training.
Gil came back in. “Cette horrible odeur a-t-elle disparu?”
“We have had the extractors on full blast, it has gone,” David said. “Come on back Gil and we can get started. Jamie if you can take the lead.”
Jamie picked up a tablet from his bag and several adjacent panes of glass of the greenhouse became a display screen. Three swords were displayed.
“Each of the three weapons in fencing has a different style based on its rules and history. Foil: The target area is the torso only. With the lightest and more flexible blade there are precise rules governing the right of way. Sabre: Here the target area is the torso but also the arms and head but in epee your whole body is the target. In the first two, any hit outside the designated area will not score a point. That doesn’t happen in epee, a hit scores if it lands on your torso, head, knee, hand, even your toe. And in your case Kurt tail, keep it under wraps.
“And epee is our weapon. Sometimes called the sword of duelists because the rules most closely resemble real combat.
“Now, that is enough blather, on the screen you can see the basic stance. Remember feet, legs and weight and the rear arm curving up. Gil you’re with David, Kurt with me, we will take one end of the piste each for initial practice.”
Jamie handed Kurt a mask and pushed his own on his head. “You said you have done this before Kurt so let’s see your basic stance. En garde.”
Jamie slowly circled the German youth, taking in his form. “Now you might think that your different body structure is a problem, it isn’t. I have done training with my country's paralympic team so don't worry. Straight off I can see your wrist is bent so your forearm is vulnerable.” The tip of Jamie’s epee, not an issue blade Kurt could see, gently he eased Kurt’s hand up a little under a centimetre. “The correct wrist position is straight leaving no line of attack open to the forearm. Now looking at your overall stance it is too side on. You’ll expose your back.”
Jamie tapped an icon on the tablet and a tennis ball dropped down on a thread in front of Kurt, Jamie steadied it with his hand so it was stationary. “Line up on the ball Kurt. Take your stance and lunge at the ball.”
Kurt did as instructed and it was repeated six more times.
“Not bad Kurt. Not bad. You lean too far forward when you lunge, this exposes your head to attack. But nothing that cannot be remedied with practice. When lunging the torso remains upright allowing a swift return to stance. Good. Yeah good. Right, let's try it on me. I will let you strike first. Normally we would do a weapon check but David and I already did that. OK Kurt, take your stance.”
It was clear to Kurt that Jamie wasn’t really trying, because he was observing. Then he took a stance and he deflected every single attack Kurt could manage.
“You have aggressive instincts and terrific natural speed Kurt. Now you probably don’t know how I blocked your attacks but you take a step before you extend your sword arm to attack. That’s plenty of time for even a moderately competent opponent to counter you.
“Do not feel bad I have had years of training. The question now is… Can you catch up?”