Prelude

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

"I have a safety field activated to help prevent serious injury and my practice sword has a safety sheath over the blade. This is merely a practice duel, so don't hold back.. Just make sure that thing is set to a low power setting. Not even an inertial damper field will stop a beam of plasma from dismembering someone, I'd wager." Although it would prevent blaster bolts and even slugs from impacting lethally, she recalled.

Relina stood back as her sister came in in the same dress she was wearing at breakfast. Aless took a seat on one of the sectionals along the walls and held up her hand a moment. When her hand fell back to her side, Relina would make a stylish fencer's flourish with her blade in a movement that closely resembled a Makashi 'salute'. This motion signaled her readiness.

Relina would begin by testing her reaction time, making a careful shallow, low swing for the girl's midsection. it was something she was expecting to be blocked, she she made a quick follow up stab. If it happened to hit, the blunt force would be dulled more than it normally would, due to the safety field's influence. She found she liked Quinn, after all. She had no idea what the girl was capable of, though, which was really the whole point of this.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Quinn would catch the strike and then as relina stabbed she would duck low and spin before attempting to sweep Relina's legs and missing. By this time the blade of Relina's sword was withdrawn and then she would jump into the air flipping over Relina and then bringing one end of her saber around and attempt to make contact with Relina. As she did this she felt exhilarated like never before. She then thought back to when master Windu had taught her that move. It had been a sunny spring day in the middle of april. Quinn was working with Master Windu and he had told her to wear the most athletic clothes she could find for that days session. So Quinn showed up in a crop top and shorts. So she met up with her master outside that day and he began to teach her the lightsaber form none as Aratu. This day she had learned so much.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina found it hard to pin her down. That flip forced her to back off and concede ground, turning on the toes of her boots. The tip of Quinn's lightsabre struck Relina's rapier as the noblewoman used it to parry the blow. She learned that one from Josh when he used a similar move on her. She would waste no time, however, in her counterattack.

Relina rolled the tip of her rapier along the amethyst beam of her handmaiden's, the motion of plastic and metal on shielded plasma making an interesting crackling sound. She'd swiftly use the motion to attempt a fast and fierce fleche-manoeuvre, which involved a body-aimed stab with Relina's weight behind the thrust, once she broke contact with the lightsabre blade. She had a leg extended just a bit to allow a crouch when the inevitable follow up from the other business-end came around, although she was at a disadvantage if she missed her thrust.

Aless simply watched with some degree of fascination. She, herself, had only seen lightsabres in action in holovids. yet, right before her, was the real thing. "Ahhh...." she said as she took out an emery board.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn brought around the back end of her lightsaber she didn't want to hurt Relina but she did not hold back as she swung it through the air she felt the force take over her body and she did as it wished as the saber made contact with Relina's skin Quinn pulled back and spun around before back handspring away from Relina Before bowing and shutting off her lightsaber

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina took the hit, feeling the jolt go through her. Sure enough, it didn't harm her, but she felt a shock from the impact. "Ow." she said. Seeing Quinn back off and disengage, so, too, did Relina. She'd dip her head and turned to put the practise blade back in its proper home.

"Alright... You're fairly fast and that second blade is confounding. I see that it is my swordsmanship skill that needs improvement, but don't rest upon your laurels." she said. "How do Jedi practise the deflection of blasters, I wonder?" she asked curiously.

Apart from the practise sword, Relina didn't have any of her guns on her and didn't know how to better test that ability. However, she wondered if now she should go for a swim or on a jog.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes we do practice deflecting blaster bolts." Quinn says putting her saberstaff away.

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Alessandra, having seen the brief match, simply listened with her datapad in hand.

Relina nodded. "Yes, but, how do you do it? Do you have another shoot at you or a droid?" she asked.

She'd move toward the door that lead out to the pool deck, but did not go out. Her sister, on the other hand, motioned for the girl to come to her, handing her a stylus.

"Here, Miss Quinn. Make sure all of the information on this document are correct, then sign off, if you would?" she said. The information appeared in aurebesh, which should be eligible to Quinn. The information would detail demographic information that created a profile, complete with a recent picture of her, and listed her occupation as "Duchal Employee".

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn looked over the screen in front of her she read over the information before signing the line where it said to. "And to answer your question if for instance a blaster bolt were to be fired at me I would use the force to guide my blades and I would deflect it either at the shooter of into the ground." Quinn says wondering about the exercise for the day

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

"I see, So, then it isn't something I can very well learn to do unless I could command the Force?' she asked, more rhetorically than interrogatively. "Well, thank you for humouring me in a duel. I feel apprehensive about shooting at you, so for now I shall trust in your ability to protect against blasters. I am willing, however, to have a friendly match when I'm not busy, so if you wish, we can duel when the mood takes us." she suggested.

Aless smiled when the document was signed. "I shall send this right away. You'll become a Hapan subject and a citizen of Gallinore in no time. For the moment, however, you'll have permanent residency and the right to work, per local law. You will not be able to vote for elections or public and civic policy until you are processed and granted full citizenship." She explained. "There are certain elected offices that the people vote upon, despite the hereditary nature of the rule by Nobility. Dimitor's mayor, for example, is an elected official."

Both women figured that with time, the young woman would come to understand the Hapes Consortium. It crossed Relina's mind to get her educated on their history, their language, and their culture. If she was to fit in fully, such would be to her benefit.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"No my lady it takes being able to at least feel the force move around you." She says smiling

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina would not bring up the knowledge of her own Force sensitivity. She'd simply nod. "Very well." she said. She then smiled, seeing that her handmaiden was well on her way to citizenship and coming into her own. She decided to take a jog this time. Swimming can come later. There really wasn't alot scheduled for her today, so they pretty much had the day to themselves unless something suddenly came up, which was prone to happen from time to time.

"Come, we'll have a lap around the grounds." she said, turning to go back up to her bedroom to fetch a pair of fashionable sunglasses, shedding the briefly-worn vest. She'd roll up the sleeves of her white top before once again heading back down to the ground level. She'd have to give Quinn a formal tour when they got back. She'd lead her to the main hall that would lead out to the front concourse of the Duchal Palace.

On the way, Relina would stop briefly in the main hall to stand before a sizable statue of a beautiful woman, her face serene and somewhat resembled that of Relina and her sister, albeit distantly. The clothing the woman wore was almost like Jedi robes, but more dress-like with what looked like plain but comfortable sandals. There was an obscure object sculpted into the stone at the high-waisted obi that looked cylindrical, easy to miss, and some small semblance of decorative quality, but otherwise non-descript. The woman's hair was seemingly styled in a loose bun. Her right arm was outstretched with a gently open hand, as if inviting one to take it with the other flat to her side.

Relina made a gesture in silence, tapping her left shoulder, then her right, then her forehead. There was a plaque in front of her with crusive Hapan calligraphy engraved into it.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As Quinn watched this practice she stood off to the side and was taken aback at the resemblance she could see between the statue and Relina. She would then smile at Relina waiting for her to finish and when she did Quinn would walk to her side "Are you two related?"

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina nodded. "This is Saint Clavelle, the patron saint of Dimitor. Five millennia ago, she fought against the Lorrell Raiders in the revolution." she explained. "She is the first of my family line and ancestral matriarch of Gallinore. She helped found the city in C.Y. 5, turning it from a barely inhabited colony into a sovereign member-world of the Hapes Consortium by the time her daughter was named the First Ducha of Gallinore in C.Y. 41."

The brief history lesson aside, she would turn to go out to the concourse beyond the hall's front door. It wouldn't be long before a small squad of young marines were also on a P.T. run from Dimitor and back, using the Palace of Saint Clavelle's security gates as a waypoint. She could hear their cadence as they approached and she recognised it. She was tempted to join them. "Shall we?" she asked Quinn.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes I would love to." Quinn says taking off like a shot. She loved to run even though her legs were rather short

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina followed on a leisurely jog, her steps falling into the rhythm of the Marines' cadence. As they came around, she'd offer a salute in mid-jog, saying, "Carry on." before they could actually stop to salute back; they did so while still moving. Relina would then fall in with them, despite not being dressed in a loose, military-brand outfit They knew who she was. Damn near everyone in Dimitor knew the Zhan twins by sight. By the looks of them, they were junior cadets from her alma mater, Clavelle Academy of Military Science.

"Helljumper Helljumper, where've you been?"

"Feet First into Hell and back again."

"When I die, please bury me deep."

"Place an MA5 down by my feet."

"Don't cry for me, don't shed no tears."

"Just pack my box with PT gear."

"One early morning 'roud Zero-Five."

"The ground will rumble, they'll be lightning in the skies."

"Don't you worry, don't come undone."

"It's just my ghost on a PT run."

Relina repeated each line as the leader of the pack, a female Sergeant, initially shouted them in a rough, sing-songy way. The woman was about Quinn's age and despite the fact Relina sorely outranked her, she did not take charge. She followed largely for her own benefit and for her own amusement.

"Let's go, Cadets. Pick it up!" the Sergeant ordered.

"Yes Ma'am!" was the reponse in unison. This time of year, early autumn, these cadets would have been on shore leave for the week, which was a holiday week, namely that marked the beginning of the autumnal equinox. Still, regular personal training halted for nothing to a member of the Hapan Royal Navy.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Quinn began to fall behind but was urged on by the sergeant just the same as the cadets. She continued to try to keep up but was falling further and further behind but as the cadets and Relina came to a stop Quinn ran up out of breath with her makeup smeared .

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina soon stopped, letting the cadets carry on with their own training. It was nice, however, to run with other military personnel without an immediate conflict happening. She turned to Quinn. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked.

Seeing her make-up smeared, she canted her head. She looked exhausted. "You have to pace yourself and breathe, Miss Quinn." she added. She'd stand there with her until she caught her breath. Judging by the cool temperature, which should reduce sweating when at rest, Relina expected a cold night.

"Later on, we'll have to get you winter outfits. The temperature is beginning to fall." she said as an afterthought.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Ok my lady." Quinn says wiping the sweat off her face along with some makeup before catching her breath after she would then stand up straight again and look Relina in the eye waiting for orders

[member="Relina Zhan"]

 

[Relina Zhan]

[member="Quinncolson"]

Relina would lead on further jogging, eventually heading back to the Duchal Palace. However, she would take a detour through the gardens. The place had lots of flowering plants, with some still possessing flowers while others were already showing obvious signs of the coming season. Dimitor was in a northern temperate zone with four distinct seasons. In autumn, any non-evergreen plant would start changing colour before the leaves fell in preparation for the snows of winter. Of course, there were mountains to the north which tended to alter weather patterns.

"I do this often, Miss Quinn. Again, I say, this body doesn't maintain itself, metabolic activity notwithstanding." she said, seeing the young lady had worked up a bit of a sweat. Fortunately, the pool was heated. "Now, do you swim?" she asked.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Yes I swim my lady." She said coming to a standstill in front of Relina admiring the body she had thought nothing of before now but she was astounded at the amount of work it took to keep her looking that good.

[member="Relina Zhan"]