Private Operation Shockboxing!

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

"And look at that blow to our Trandoshan legend! I swear I saw a few teeth flying out!" The commentator called out.

"This rookie is certainly showing us how they mean business! Also why we should never pick a fight with an Echani!" The second commentator piped in. "I don't think she took the little girl comments from Frosssk well!" He laughed with the first commentator.

Lily was in the zone, she was determined to win the fight. Comments on her size and anything else didn't really matter to her. Her fists would demonstrate her skills more than her tongue would. So she focused on the fighting and ignored the loud commentators, letting them speculate all they wanted. It made for good entertainment for the crowd. The Trandoshan was large and a tough guy but she was not intimidated. Her fists moved fast, faster than he could see them and they landed punches that knocked the air out of him.

He held the body language of someone who was overly confident in his strength but Lily could see it was not muscle as explosive as hers was when it came to fighting. He was aiming for a single blow to end the fight. Lily was aiming to render his arms limp and worthless to ensure she got the knock out blow. Her jabs targeted his biceps and ribs, shooting the air out of his body to weaken him as well as hitting the key pressure points to disable his arms temporarily.

Just as Lily sized up the finishing blow, the Trandoshan had a realisation and headbutted Lily in the face, her forehead split slightly due to the force and she was dazed for a brief moment. But it was long enough for the Trandoshan to recover use of his arms and begin to swing on her.

"Seems our rookie didn't see a headbutt coming her way!" The first commentator called out. That frustrated her, she had noticed, just very late. The Trandoshan had aimed to break her nose, but she was able to read it fast enough so only her forehead got hit.

Still fething stung.

Recovering her composure, Lily saw the punch coming a mile away, the Trandoshan was telegraphing his moves. She dodged and then with some extra power from the Force, she slammed her fist into his temple. Knocking him out in a single hit. Panting, Lily hoped no one had realised she used the Force there. She wasn't here as a Jedi and knew no one would be pleased with seeing a Force User fighting the competition. But she needed to get through the early matches, she needed to get deep in the tournament to find the information about the criminal element of this shockboxing ring.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

"It seems your match was a little more exciting." Valery walked out of her ring after her first duel fighting a human man barely bigger than she was. There was no visible bruising, no scratches or cuts — she had thrown the poor guy around like he was a beginner at the sport. It had been a boring match for the crowd as a result, though she imagined that some still enjoyed the sight of a woman fighting the way she had.

At least, they didn't recognize her.

Lily, however, had a bleeding cut across her forehead and seemed to have used up a little more of her energy. Valery hadn't seen the fight, but she knew Lily was paired up with a Trandoshan. Even for Jedi with the Force, they weren't easy to fight without making it too obvious that something was amiss.

She was probably going to be glad that it was her first fight of the night.

"Have you seen anything out of the ordinary already?" She doubted it, since they've only been among the other fighters and inside the ring, but it was worth asking. The sooner they had a lead, the quicker they'd be done beating people up.

"And who will be the next, you think?"

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Valery came over to her and Lily gave a confident smirk as she commented on Lily's fight being more exciting. "Think they saw an Echani and wanted to throw me in the deep end. I'm sure you'll get a few interesting fights before long." Looking at the mirror, Lily started to clean the blood off her and make sure that the cut would not scar. She dreaded the idea of a scar on her forehead.

When asked about seeing anything, Lily shook her head, "nothing concrete yet. I spotted a few doors that could lead to the real operation here. But they are super guarded and not sure how we can get through them without causing a fight and risking the criminals fleeing."

Lily had tried using the fighting ring as an opportunity do a bit of scouting without drawing attention to her. However, she hadn't been able to see anything concrete. Looking at the remaining fighters, "there's a Wookiee, a Mandalorian, Atrisian and a couple more. I think there is a Rodian that they are going to pit me against. Maybe you have to fight the Mandalorian. At least they won't be in beskar with all their weapons?" Lily mentioned with a chuckle. She was keen to see Valery fight, learning from a Master fighter was always something Lily enjoyed.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

"Soon enough, the weaker fighters will have lost." In other words, there was definitely no escaping the tougher opponents. Not that she was too worried about them, but ideally, they'd find a way to get their information without having to beat up dangerous people and risk their health. Even a punch like the one Lily took, with just a small cut as a result, could have far more serious consequences on the body.

It's why professional fighters were far more likely to develop problems later in life.

"Yeah, I couldn't see much either," Valery said with a sigh. "Maybe we'll have to see this all the way through." She turned and looked at the other fighters. Some were riskier than others, but she felt confident that she could beat all of them. Even if the Mandalorian still had his armor on, she'd beat him.

It'd just be painfully difficult without fully tapping into the Force.

"We also need a plan in case we're forced to fight each other. I don't think it'd be wise for us to actually fight and potentially injure each other. We should stage something and avoid actual damage if that were to happen."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Nodding her head, "it will be good to see you in action, Master. Hopefully I can learn a thing or two!" Lily was keen to observe the Master fighting and seeing what she could learn so that she could improve and know what could be expected of her in order to become a Master in combat. Lily wasn't too worried about her injury, while it could cause prolonged issues, there are countermeasures. There were a number of fighters that were centuries old and able to keep fighting, so Lily never really thought too much on the issues of long term damage.

"We can check in after the next fight. Perhaps we will both spot something that can help us out." Lily mentioned, still feeling optimistic and wanting the mission to be as successful as possible. Looking over to the other fighters, the Rodian that she would be potentially facing, he didn't seem super intimidating but Lily knew better than to underestimate her opponents. They were in a fighting tournament for a reason and there had to be something up his sleeve that made him more formidable than he presented himself as.

Looking over to Valery, "Of course Master. Perhaps you could demonstrate the need for me to take a hit harder than you throw through Echani communication? That way I can read when to fall and you continue? Or should you drop out so you can sneak around while I continue to fight?" Lily asked, unsure what sounded like the better offer since Valery would be better at move around unseen but also a better performer for the later fighters to draw more attention.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

"If you learn something here, I'll be very happy," Valery said with a chuckle. She wasn't exactly fighting or doing anything to teach, and she'd rather not be fighting at all to learn about this operation. So, if Lily somehow managed to pick up on something useful here, it was an added bonus to what would hopefully be a successful assignment. They'd have to make sure it was, or else they'd have gone through a lot of trouble for nothing.

Hopefully, they didn't have to sit this through all the way until the end.

"Let's re-assess after every fight," Valery agreed, which meant that there was no way around getting into the next round. Lily would be fighting the Rodian, and Valery was likely up against the unarmored Mandalorian.

The poor guy.

"It's best if I don't drop out. People who lose aren't exactly kept around to sneak around." Ideally, they'd both end up in the finale. The two fighters who got there were both awarded some rest and a meal before the fight, so they were at their strongest when it happened. No person could just keep fighting round after round without getting tired, after all.

And making the finale a fight between two exhausted and wounded fighters was a poor show.

"Let's try to both reach the final round. When we're allowed our meal and rest, we can likely find a way to sneak around and get our intel before the fight."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Nodding her head, "I think every fight provides some experience and lesson, so much can be expressed and seeing how non-Echani fight, that is helping me more in understanding those that I will face down the line." Lily had been very used to how Echani fought and the conversations that flowed between two Echani, hours long discussion broken down into several minutes of intense, fast paced sparring. It was very different seeing how others sparred and fought which was not as expressive as she had been used to but there was still something being conveyed and it was her understanding of a person's body and how it flowed, it provided insight on the attacks that could happen.

"Yes Master, enjoy your fight." Lily offered the Jedi Master, for Lily, a chance to spar was something that she was always looking forward to. A chance to let loose and give her all in a fight was something she rarely did. There was always something she held back in sparring with Jedi since she didn't want to lean too heavily into her Echani training.

Cracking her knuckles as she prepped herself for the fight.

"Understood. I will try to make sure that I can reach the finals then as well. My fears are going to be fighting the Wookiee later on. They are not going to be someone that we can walk over." Wookiees were monsters in fighting hand to hand, they were tall with long limbs, full muscles and their claws made them much more deadly than anyone else they were going to be fighting today. It wasn't something Lily was hundred percent confident with but she wasn't going to let the advantages against her defeat her. There was always going to be a chance.

"Makes sense to get a break. Gotta make the finale worthwhile." Lily agreed as she started wrapping hands in handwraps and tightened them to ensure they were comfortable and effective. Preparing to fight this Rodian.

Their names were called out and Lily nodded to Valery before heading to her fight.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

Valery was not going to enjoy her fight.

It wasn't uncommon knowledge that Valery loved sparring and training, but this went far beyond that. They were here for a mission and to accomplish it, they were forced to fight other people. Not to train, but ideally to win by knockout. It had an inherent risk to it that all forms of real fighting had, and she didn't like that.

But they'd have to use the tools at their disposal.

"If you're up against the Wookie, end it quickly. We can't risk getting injured." If they made it to the finals, they'd have some time to rest. But not enough to recover from serious injuries. A Wookiee certainly had the strength to cause them, so they'd have to tap into the Force and end it quickly.

But with that said, they had no more time left — they were called up.

Valery sighed, rolled her shoulders and walked to her ring with her hands wrapped and her mind steady. A Mandalorian without armor was still trained and highly lethal, but this was no fair fight and she had no intentions of making it fair. She was going right through him and make it to the finals.

"Alright, let's see what you got."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

As Lily walked forward, she breathed in deeply as she heard the crowd roaring for blood. This was not the fighting style she was used to or preferred. Her people fought in ways to communicate and express themselves, this felt more of an opportunity to see blood and pain inflicted on two people. She cracked her knuckles and gave the stoic expression of someone looking to end the fight, mentality of winning before a fight begun was half the battle from what she had heard. It was often her approach, having the mindset that she would win against all odds.

The Rodian didn't seem to have an intimidating presence but there had to be something about him to get him this far in the competition. Lily decided that she just had to go on the offensive. Draw out the hidden skills that this Rodian had. Her left hand jabbed forward, just before it connected with the Rodian's face, he vanished and Lily got punched at the side. The hit wasn't very hard but it was a solid hit that had Lily unaware. She wasn't sure how she missed the target since nothing indicated that he had any Force connection to do such a move.

Sweeping her leg out, she connected with the knees, however when her shin connected pain hit her hard. Lily realised straight away, the Rodian had prosthetic legs, possibly arms as well. Which was why he had been able to move so fast, It was going to be a tough fight if she wasn't able to land a hit. But Lily gritted her teeth and threw a couple of feint attacks and then attempted a solid strike. Hoping that a single blow could knock the Rodian's wind out of him.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

Valery slipped underneath one punch, then rotated her body away and let the follow-up bounce off of her shoulder, away where it couldn't hurt her. She was almost toying with the Mandalorian, who had great stamina and kept coming at her, but found himself unable to land a single strike. Whenever he got close, or when she felt he might land a shot, Valery augmented herself and pushed her speed and reflexes far beyond what he could muster.

She was testing him.

Another punch came, and once more, Valery slipped underneath. This time, he followed up with a wider hook, and Valery slipped again, but this time struck back. A quick uppercut struck his liver on the right side of his body. For a second, he seemed fine, but then the pain kicked in and he crumbled to the floor.

He wasn't knocked out and this fight wasn't over, but Valery was given a chance to end it.

"Get up," she said, as she backed away, rather than finish it now. She knew that her purpose wasn't just to fight — it was to entertain. If she got the organizers and people on her side, she'd truly be the winner.

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Lily was focused on defense as the crowd cheered for the Rodian with his metallic limbs that moved unnaturally fast and were pounding her body. There were going to be some hard, large bruises. It was a hard few moments, with the crowd cheering for more blood and pain, but Lily was calculating things.

She was measuring the limitations of this fighter, her aunt had legs made of songsteel, the first time Lily had swept the leg she protested how unfair it was. But her aunt taught her over time how to overcome advantages of limbs like this.

Then there was her opening.

There was a delay, the smallest of delays and it was barely noticeable but Lily had spent the time to notice it. She went straight from defensive positioning and began her attacks. They were coming in hard and fast as she targeted his torso, her fists were driving punches firmly into the Rodian as the frustration of the pain that had been built up was released.

She finished with a solid uppercut to his chin, aiming to knock him out with the final hit. Her breathing was swallow as she panted, the fight had been more intense than she had planned for but she survived. There was just one more fight before the break and she needed to recover as much as she could. The Rodian had been a solid fight but she was thankful to her training to keep her calm and collected.

Walking back to the break room, Lily wondered how Master Noble's fight went.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

Under thunderous applause and a cheering crowd, Valery practically danced around the Mandalorian. She was quick on her feet, agile, and she hadn't just been punched in the liver. Her challenge had provoked the man, so with rising fury in his eyes, he moved towards her and continued his onslaught. Valery knew that in a fight like this, it was impossible to dodge every punch and kick, but for those that did land, she negated with clever use of the Force.

Augment a limb or part of the body whenever she was struck, and there wouldn't be much pain or injury.

It did come at a cost, however. The longer these fights lasted, the more energy it demanded of her. She needed to make this a show and not reveal herself to be a Jedi, so she went at him for several rounds. Exchanging blows, taking some hits, and nearly bringing him down with quick and clever combinations.

It wasn't until the 6th round, that she decided to end it.

Once more, it began with Valery slipping underneath a wide hook. But unlike last time, she didn't aim a body shot. She rose up and caught him with a quick punch across the jaw. It sent him stumbling back, but she wasn't going to allow him time to recover. Valery's body spun and generated strength through her core, as her right foot came off the ground and spun around to hit him right against the side of his face.

He was unconscious before his body hit the floor.

With more applause and a satisfied crowd, Valery left the arena. She was exhausted and her body was definitely going to be sore once the adrenaline faded away. But her mission, for now, was going well.

"You holding up okay?" she asked once she reached Lily again. "How did your fight go?"

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Lily was rubbing some ointment on her bruises and soothing the worst of the pain and swelling so that the next fight would not be putting her on the back foot. Especially if there was a risk of there being a Wookiee that she had to contend with. Her breathing was a little faster and her body was still churning adrenaline, causing her muscles to throb and clench. It was a little thrilling and exciting but Lily was calming her body and centering herself once more. Finding focus on what she had to do next and the fights that she had ahead of herself.

When Master Noble returned, Lily looked over and offered a smile. "Surprising. The Rodian had mechanical limbs that allowed him to move faster than normal and caused his hits to be harder than his slender build suggested." Lily mentioned. "But, thanks to training with my aunt, I wasn't disadvantaged too much." She grinned, pleased with her ability so far. While Valery was clearly much better as a fighter since she had no injuries, Lily was still holding her own.

"One more fight. Shouldn't be too bad. The Wookiee and a Gamorrean, neither will be simple from what I have seen." Lily commented, while the Wookiee was clearly a bigger threat, the Gamorrean would be a tough opponent who can throw serious weight around.

Looking over to Master Noble, "any suggestions on this final fight?" Lily asked.

 

[Valery Noble]

Ord Mantell

"Goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover," Valery said in response to Lily's debrief about her fight. The Rodian hadn't appeared all that intimidating, but there obviously had been a reason why he made it this far. Now, Valery wondered just how tough the other remaining fighters were going to be. Wookiees and Gamorreans were always tough, but these were likely trained fighters, too.

Or, at least, they had experience.

"If you're fighting the Gamorrean, be quick on your feet. He'll be able to take a lot of hits but he will be much slower than you are. Wear him down and you'll beat him. Get caught in his attacks..." That'd mean trouble without very obvious use of the Force to compensate.

"The Wookiee might be harder. He'll be strong and those claws are deadly, but he will be fast enough, too. You'll have to fight smart and try to evade a lot of his strikes."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Ord Mantell, Underground Shockboxing ring
Outfit: Training Gear
Equipment: N/A
Tag: Valery Noble

Nodding her head, Lily was just grateful that she had been able to survive the encounter and not risk the mission for them.

When Master Noble described the best approaches for the next two, Lily listened carefully, she had never fought opponents like these and she needed the advice. "If I lean fully into my Echani martial arts, then the Gamorrean should be fairly easy to handle. The Wookiee is going to be a challenge, even if I lean into the Force." Lily confessed, she was accepting of her limitations and the nerves, or perhaps more fear of facing such a deadly opponent was hitting Lily face on.

Breathing out slowly, she focused on settling her fears away. "I can do this. I can do this." Lily whispered to herself as she focused on positives and the instructions that Master Noble had provided.

Then the announcement for the next round was delivered. Lily was facing the Wookiee.

Her heart raced as she knew this was a possibility but hoped for the other outcome more. "Well, wish me luck..." Lily offered a feign smile as she attempted to hold an air of confidence going into the fight.

It was the first time, in a long time, that she felt anxious or afraid of a fight. Usually she held her skills in the highest of regards, she had been trained by some of the best Echani warriors and viewed her path as becoming one of the best warriors her people had seen. However, deep down, she knew she was far from ready and seeing the hulking Wookiee before her, Lily could barely swallow her nerves down now.

However, she jumped a little on the spot and shook the nerves from her mind. Her eyes focused, her body switching into battle focus more and more with each bounce and her mind sharpening like a razor's edge.

She was a warrior. And she could not lose this fight.