I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli allowed a large smile to grace her face as she had finally found the information she was seeking. It had taken her a very long time, scouring the records and archives of the Sith to find the pertinent information that would be the stepping stone for her quest. She had been searching for any mention of where Darth Bane and Darth Zannah had lived, and she had finally found a passing mention that the two had lived on the world of Ciutric IV under the aliases Sepp and Allia Omek. It would be as good a place as any to begin searching for Zannah's holocron, and she thought it might be a nice time to train her apprentice.

Pulling out her datapad, she sent a short message to [member="Sophie Gustav"] to meet her at the spaceport for a field trip and what would be a very long and fruitful lesson series she hoped.

 

[Zion Mirtis]

In her room Sophie was trying to train herself to better control her familiars. It was true that she had gained the abilites to command up to 500 of them but that was through the means of using one main familiar the very first one she created, and controlling it while it acted as a beacon of sorts to send the same commands to the others. If only there was a way to command all of them at once. Something easer said than done as she was currently trying to command at least ten of them, each not fully understading her command over the last. All the while her Devourer pup Sebastian watched from his corner of the room where he was knawing on the remains of his last dinner. Sophie's little session was interuppted when [member="Darth Arcanix"] had sent her message. With a snap of her fingers Sophie recalled her familiars before heading out, telling Sebastian she'd be back.

It had taken sometime before Sophie finally arrived at the spaceport, finding her master and bowing while saying "Master. You summoned me for another lesson?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Not just a lesson, Sophie, something much better," Taeli said, gesturing for her apprentice to get on the ship and following her up the ramp into the spacious hold of the shuttle. "We will be traveling to the world of Ciutric IV to search for information on some of our predecessors."

She wondered just how much the girl had learned from either the Jedi or from her own curiosity.

"What can you tell me about the Sith Lords known as Darth Bane and Darth Zannah?" she asked as she began takeoff and left the landing pad. Going into orbit, she programed the hyperspace jump and set the ship on autopilot so they could also have a sparring lesson in the hold and maybe go through with an idea she had for her apprentice.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Given the somewhat eager tone in her master's voice Sophie was curious to know what exaclty she was in for when they would come to the planet of Ciutric IV. It perked her interest even more when she'd mentioned it involved information from Sith predecessors. At first, from the way it sounded, Sophie thought [member="Darth Arcanix"] had meant the sith from the last generation; before the fall of the Empire and the takeover of Courascant. However, when asked about Darths Bane and Zannah she realized it strecthed back far further than that.

Recalling history from both the Jedi and Sith archives she said "Bane was the one who'd begun the tradition of the rule of two in the Sith order. It was an old and ancient rule that lasted for some time before the Sith established the original decree of strength in numbers. Zannah was his first apprentice, however. I at least know that much about her."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Correct, but the story is so much better than that," Taeli said with a smile. "Darth Bane was described as a force of nature, a master bladesman and powerful in the more destructive aspects of the Force. He also was incredibly cautious and patient, traits that allowed his Sith order to flourish in the shadows and eventually seize control of the galaxy for a time. Zannah, his apprentice, was more focused on the magics and alchemy of the dark side, gifted even, in her command of the raw dark side. It is said with a flick of her fingers she could drive her enemies insane with their deepest and darkest fears, or conjure tendrils of pure dark side energy that can disintegrate anything they touch. It is these skills we will be hunting for my apprentice."

Moving into the hold, she continued saying, "We don't have the full story anymore because of the Gulag Virus destroying society for 400 years, but after days of searching, I found mention that they lived on Ciutric IV for a time under the aliases Sepp and Allia Omek. Now then, we have plenty of time to kill and I want to just how much Lisa taught you of the blade."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Hearing more of the story told by [member="Darth Arcanix"] Sophie did recall hearing of the Sith's power, both master and apprentice. She'd only thought of the general facts about the two Sith who'd begun the Rule of Two. Still hearing all these stories over again did make Sophie realize how much powerful the darkside seemed when compared against the light. To think that she could be among those to wield the darkside and turn their enemies' minds into explosive horrors, or make men crawl at the mere sight of her. All of it tatenlized her brain. She came back to reality, however, when asked how much Lisa Tscon had taught her.

Looking to her master she said "Very much, master. I've learned how to let the darkside guide me in my actions during a battle. And I've learned when to prode enemies' weaknesses before exploiting them."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Then show me, apprentice," Taeli said, igniting her hand guarded lightsaber and bringing it in the standard Makashi salute. She had decided to focus on Makashi as it was the more elegant style and it suited her personal tastes, but she recognized it was not as powerful as other forms or useful against blaster bolts as much without a serious amount of training and honing. It was time to see just how much Sophie had grown in skill for herself, the last time they had dueled had been when she had shown [member="Sophie Gustav"] the truths of the Force.

Bringing her lightsaber down to her side, she smiled a cold smile as her mind switched into both instructor and Mandalorian mode.

"Prepare yourself Sophie, I will not hold back in these sparing sessions."

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Before Sophie knew it [member="Darth Arcanix"] had commited to a saber spar. Once she ignited her saber Sophie backed up, almost expecting her to strike her then and there. Thankfully her master had given her the oppertunity to defend herself. Taking out the saber she'd been given Sophie ignited hers as well, standing in a neutral stance. With the saber out and pointing up, extended a little in front of her, she was ready for whatever attack her master would try first; be it with the saber or the force.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli noted Sophie's neutral stance, the girl wasn't going to give anything away just yet on what she learned or even what style that Lisa Ticon had shown her.

"Excellent starting stance," Taeli said slowly circling around her apprentice. "Give nothing away to your opponent on what you know or can do, a good trait to have and nurture."

She suddenly lunged forward, feinting several ways before bringing her saber in for a quick strike to her apprentice's thigh. If it connected, it would be enough to score just a small hit on her and still leave her able to continue and even counter-attack. She hoped the girl remembered just what her lightsaber was capable of though.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Sophie didn't let her gaurd down even after the compliment. She knew her master better than that. Sure enough [member="Darth Arcanix"] ahd laucnhed int for a few small strikes towards her. Sophie stayed on the defense and began to pary and block her attempts for her thights. She brought her saber around and made contact with her master's blade before pushing against it. After that she tried retaliating with a few overhead striks followed by a double sweep for her master's right side.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Twirling, she rotated her wrists to catch each overheard strike and was able to catch the strikes at her right side. Her apprentice was already much better than Ossus, just from their first passes. Lisa had shown her how to focus on using the dark side to both predict and empower her opponent's moves during a duel. She still needed to determine what style she was using though, and whether or she was using certain techniques.

Staying silent, she drew upon the dark side and increased her speed, flicking blows left, right, left, up, down. None of the blows were designed to seriously injure, but if any connected they would hurt nonetheless. As she flicked another feint at her apprentice, she shot a powerful Force Push at her to send Sophie flying backwards.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Feeling the darkside increase in her master's presence Sophie had braced herself again for the oncoming ballista of strikes she made towards her. They were fast, a little more than Sophie expected. At the very least the backing of the force was keeping her up to speed with [member="Darth Arcanix"] as she attemtped one small strike after another. However Sophie wasn't ready for the sudden force push and felt herself flying back before landing against the wall. She graoned from the sudden impact but got to her feet and tried to shake it off, only to charge towards her master with her blade behind her. She was attempt a side sweep as she used the force speed to increase as she rushed past her.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli caught the side sweep attack, but she had not been anticipating the speed her apprentice was now moving at. Her blade was marginally pushed back towards her own body before she was able to correct it. She pivoted on her heel and began launching assaults at her apprentice, hemming her towards a corner with blade strikes and blasts of lightning to her sides.

"I see you still haven't yet gotten the knack of using Force attacks during a saber duel," she commented, sending another blast of lightning to her apprentice's left. "You must always think of your entire arsenal and use that against your opponent, no matter their skill level or experience. Always keep in mind what you can unleash, always look for openings, even the smallest ones that allow you to go on the offensive."

To slightly demonstrate, she allowed her blade to slip ever so slightly so it was still assaulting Sophie, but there was tiny opening in her defenses to allow for either a Force Push or a lightsaber counter-attack.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

Her master was trying to show her faults in her style of fighting. Sophie could see it from both the relatiation she gave and, of course, from the small lecutre she'd given her. It was true Sophie wasn't using any force abilites as of yet, but for good reason. Before she could act [member="Darth Arcanix"] had attacks again, Sophie seeing oppertunity to make a force push which she took advantage of. After letting her master recover Sophie stood in front of her with her saber pointed at the ready.

"I haven't forgotten my force abilites, master." she said, raising her free hand. "I was only saving them for the right moment."

She snapped her fingers and from her shadow came three familiar crows that began to fly around and caw and snap towards the sith knight. Sophie knew her master may be angry with her after this, but it was for the sake of showing how much she was learning afterall.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Much better," she said, before her purple eyes turned darker as the familiars attacked her. The pain and anger erupted in her soul as they attacked, and using that power, she unleashed a strong burst of lightning around her like a shield as she had demonstrate before. The intense burst of energy incinerated the three familiars as they neared her for another attack. Her apprentice would be shown no more mercy now. The small cuts from their beaks and talons on her arms flared with pain for a moment.

Allowing the dark side to well up in her limbs, she decided to show her apprentice something new she could do with lightning. The energy around started to be drawn into her, down her arm, and then arced to her lightsaber so it was covered in a writhing blaze of blue electricity. Pulling further on her power, she moved in twirling and throwing feints and stab attacks at Sophie, her mind being driven into the single-mindedness that her mother taught her for battle. Beat down her opponent, no matter what.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

The familairs had backed off when [member="Darth Arcanix"] began to build with power. Sophie did was well, recalling them back into her shadow in the process. Before she knew it her master was on her with a vegence. She brought her blade up to defend herself but felt the strength behind her attacks bulding with each strike and sweep she made. She blocked most but some had managed to sneak in and make small hit to her side and so forth. Even with the darkside behind her Sophie had felt herself being overwhelmed by her master's onslaught.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Activating the second blade of her lightsaber, her style became even more ferocious, fast barrages of strikes wearing down her apprentice's defenses. Twirling her lightsaber faster and faster, she continued to unleash blasts of lightning from her hand and began channeling down into the blade of her lightsaber so even a normal block would send jolts through Sophie. Her eyes were blazing yellow and her Marks of Darkness had begun to show, her immersion in the dark side driving her further and further.

Knocking her apprentice's lightsaber aside she unleashed a powerful blast of lighting that was bordering on turning from blue to purple. Whether of not it connected, she would continue her assault until the girl yielded.

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

The sudden burst of strength added with the second lightsaber had been enough to kock the blade out from Sophie's hand. She gasped before seeing [member="Darth Arcanix"] prepare to unleash another blast of force lighting at her. Quickly Sophie held her hands up and out to take the blast. She may not be able to avoid it but she could hopefully catch it. She braced herself before taking the raw power in her hands. She screamed and felt herself waver but tried to stand her ground.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Scowling, Taeli ramped up the power of her lightning, her mind focusing on annihilating her opponent. That was when she flipped out of that mindset and retreated, breathing heavily. She realized just how close she had come to seriously injuring her apprentice in trying to show her the power at her command.

"Sorry, I let myself focus too much on the task at hand," Taeli said, turning off one blade of her lightsaber and angling the remaining blade down at her side. "You may take a moment to collect yourself before we begin the second bout, Sophie. Again, my apologies."

[member="Sophie Gustav"]

 

[Zion Mirtis]

It was a good thing [member="Darth Arcanix"] had stopped when she did. Once the connection was borken Sophie had taken a minute to look at her hands. They were red from heat and Sophie head begun to feel the power of her master's force lightning strike against her hands the more she tried to stay focused. There were, thankfully, not too damaged to where she couldn't use them. Still seeing how overwhelmed her master had become Sophie now worried about taking any risks with her in future fights. Using the force she brought her saber back to her before bowing to her master. After that she took the same starting neutral stance as before and stood ready for what would be thrown at her.