Pressing the Point (Saki)

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Saki"]

There'd been some discussion at Master Sardun's training session, and Ashin had taken it upon herself to attempt to reeducate Master Saki a little. The main sparring ring at the Tython Temple had seen millennia of lightsabre combat, of every kind and for every reason. At a guess, though, it might not have often seen a Padawan overreaching and trying to drill some sense into the head of a Master. From conversation, she was fairly sure Saki was unsure what point she was trying to make during the duel. This could get interesting.

Ashin had gone with her usual attire, as both a person and a Padawan, the same sort of spacer outfit she'd worn for many years, just trousers, a vest, a sleeveless and colorless shirt, barefoot. She'd worn about the same when she trained as a Jedi Knight, took the Sith Empire, conquered a good chunk of the galaxy. Her sabre, a basic yellow-bladed specimen, had stood by her through all of that. Basic loadout, low expectations.

 

[Saki]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

She wasn't sure why but hell it might be worth it. This wasn't some fresh faced padawan wanting to try and swing his junk this was a padawan who had once been a master. That went a long way to saying she knew what she was doing... Though the swinging junk could be possible with body swaps... She had seen the old holo sci fi's of suspension trading bodies and having fun with it. Now she was just walking into the training room and brushing her vest off.

Simple robes were gone, her pants, vest and boots just the modified armor pieces they got for fighting the sith. Her bracers secured on her wrists with the knucklers as she stood there crossing her arms over her chest. She let out a breath and focused herself more for enjoyment and wanting to love the thrill of the fight. Seeing the yellow blade brought her attention to the saber on her thigh in clasps while she tapped at the air for a moment. "Alright whenever your ready."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Saki"]

Ashin's lightsabre activated with a muted snap-hiss as Saki spoke, and the retired Empress took her starting position. She took her sabre in a two-handed grip, left hand low and strong, right hand high and loose for control. Her stance was a little low, noncommital, loose, left foot a little farther forward than the right. The sabre hilt stayed in a natural position, level with her ribs to her right.

Her mental equivalent of a stance was equally simple, equally balanced. Focus without tension, awareness without distraction. She might not have the Force as strongly as she'd once commanded it, she might not be as strong as she'd been nor as well coordinated, but she could still think like a Master, still cultivate that state of mind and readiness.

"I'm ready. Let's see this Vaapad of yours."

 

[Saki]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Popping her neck for a moment and loosening up, Saki didn't move. "If that's what you came and did this for then go watch Darron Wraith's footage in the archives." Her arms crossed over her chest. "This isn't a battlefield and your not a sith, if you want to spar with blades I'll use shii-cho, if you want to go hand to hand I'll get you some bracers but I am not going to use something for fighting the enemies of the jedi on you."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Saki"]

"Kid, I fought Darron Wraith's Vaapad to a draw, twice, using nothing more than Shii-Cho. Put a sabre through his gut, considered him a close friend. I've got zero doubt that his technique is to yours as a lightsabre is to a rubber mallet, and I've got zero interest in learning Vaapad. I'm here, among other things, to remind you that you're not capable of the introspection and self-awareness needed to control Vaapad, and that by not even trying you're opening yourself up to an inevitable fall.

"Because you flat-out don't understand it. Every time you guess why I'm doing this, you guess wrong, and prove that much more that the lesson is necessary." Her teeth bared in a smile. "What, you thought I would stop being me just because I went from Force Storm to lifting pebbles? You think I'd stop teaching just because the student doesn't want to hear? I'm a teacher. I teach like drunkards drink, like killers kill." It was a paraphrase of an old Yoda quote. "And I'd say you were in serious need of a lesson, but you'd misunderstand my intention again. Draw your blade, kid. Vaapad time."

 

[Saki]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

"What I think doesn't matter. I don't fight jedi, not like this. You want to teach and insult fine." Saki lifted the saber from her thigh clasp and held it out letting the blade drop to the floor while she turned around and started walking back towards the door. Her face remaining neutral and she felt the tension leaving her body while her mind drifted off to taking a walk into the mountains.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Saki"]

"Never thought I'd see a Jedi Master afraid of growing up," she murmured as Saki went out the door. The sabre deactivated, clipped itself to Ashin's belt. "Well, at least not since DragonsFlame."

With a shrug, she departed.