Ready, Set, Dodge (Closed)

[Audren Sykes]

Not minutes ago, Audren had been greeted by the hologram of one Thurion Heavenshield, Grandmaster of the Silver Jedi order. Some of the information had been useful, such as the fact there was an area in the courtyard dedicated to the practice of Force Abilities and lightsaber fencing. He'd also learned that there were a number of instructors available. Also interesting but less useful was the fact that the Silver Jedi also supported a non-Force user order called the Antarian Rangers. He supposed that should his Force connection not be good enough for the Silver Jedi, he could always try working with the Rangers before going back to Cholganna.

For all the useful information though, there were some important pieces missing. Notably, who the teachers were and how to contact them. That said, Audren still wasn't quite sure what the difference was between the Silver Jedi and the Galactic Republic's Jedi. There had to be one, he just couldn't find what it was. His datapadding skills had never been the best though.

Rather than standing around waiting for someone to happen by, the hopeful had headed right in. He carried a small rucksack with a thin bedroll rolled up and strapped to it. Only a single vibroknife was immediately available, the other was packed away with the other items in his rucksack. The simplest place to find was the courtyard that Heavenshield had mentioned. There were a few Jedi off in a particular area running through lightsaber drills. The lightsaber blades flashed even in the sunlight. He watched as he walked, and was fairly certain there were three different patterns that indicated various skill levels. That is, until someone shouted at him.

"Look out!"

Acting on instinct, Audren ducked. Something zoomed by over his head, close enough to catch the end of his hair and fast enough to fling it to one side. Now he knew what direction the danger was coming from, and his gaze turned that direction. A number of other objects were all hurtling towards him, varying heights and directions. In fact, they were all flying in a straight-line path, following two lines painted on the courtyard ground, but he didn't know this. He leaned back, placed his left hand on the ground, and pushed up to standing in a single smooth motion, the arching move allowing the next piece to pass just underneath the rucksack. As he stood, his right hand pulled the vibroknife from its sheath. A bit of overcompensation - the arched standing moving to a lean forward - allowed a third to pass by the back of his head, then a step backwards narrowly avoided crunched ribs from the fourth.

Since there weren't any more coming from that direction, the newcomer turned to face the ones that had already passed him, certain they would be circling back for another pass. His blade was at the ready this time, now that he knew how many he was dealing with they wouldn't find him so harmless. When he turned though, all he saw was four metallic spheres still hurtling on the same vectors the had been originally, nothing looping back around at him. He also noticed the two blue lines that he happened to be between and stepped back outside the channel they created, slowly returning his blade to its sheathe. It seemed carelessness had almost gotten him brained. He'd have to take care not to let that happen again.


[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Her body moved as Sarianna crouched low and popped to the side, her saber slashing against the mat before she was bringing it up to meet the one students blade. The padawan practicing when their blades locked, she pushed up and then gave to his pushed to rotate her blade around her waist to smack him in the back. The padawan yelping while another came in and she deactivated the blade on the one side of the staff to avoid hitting herself while increasing her power with the strike. Holding both sections before she locked blades a second time with the padawan. They were practicing with discs and sections of the body while she was watching them through the force and backed away deactivating the blades. "You two are getting better but you need to practice more." She was looking around and there was a new padawan as she stood tall and let the white hair dangle as small bangs. "What about you padawan? You are new here aren't you?"

 

[Audren Sykes]

Without warning, a voice drifted over to Audren. It was female, and once he identified its source, it became clear that she was talking to him.

"What about you padawan? You are new here aren't you?"

Perceptive. A grin was the only indication of the newcomer's amusement. Maybe it was the rucksack and bedroll that had given it away, maybe it was the way he'd stumbled onto the course, or maybe she just didn't know his face. Heck, the organization might be small enough for the latter to be the case, he didn't know. Whatever the case, the woman looked to be about ten centimeters shorter than he was, with stark white hair. She held a metal tube in hand, possibly a lightsaber hilt, but if that's what it was hers was longer than the others immediately visible. Rank, maybe? Or a different style? He'd find out eventually.

"Fresh off the transport, ma'am."

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

The miraluka looked at him while motioning. "Come on then get yourself ready." She was motioning with her hands to the others though while leading them about to get in the line. "We'll see to get you a place later, the padawan bunks are open." She stood at the ready and rolled her shoulders straightening her sash and her clothing. "We'll have time later for talking."

 

[Audren Sykes]

The Sephi raised an eyebrow at her motion, but headed in that direction anyways. The other students present were also lining up, shooting him covert glances. Measuring the opposition most likely; he'd have done the same, either through directly looking or peripheral vision, not "discrete" glances. Due to the shuffling that always happened when such lines were formed, Audren ended up third in line with his possessions - barring the one knife - about a meter away. He had no idea what he was getting himself ready for, wouldn't have a clue until the first person began. A general circle with his arms then, a basic loosening.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna let them get lined up and she was looking over the padawans while speaking. "Alright good work, now you are all here because you wanted to learn saber combat. THis is a great skill to have even when jedi are meant to be peacekeepers because more often then naught you'll keep the peace at the edge of your blade just as much as you might when convincing them to just not fight. It might not be the most well liked idea but you should all have the skills to protect yourself and the other jedi with you." She kept moving and grabbed her staff from her belt along with a small clasp of saber batons while she secured them "We'll work with batons to get you a feel at first and then move onto trainign blade. ANy questions?"

 

[Audren Sykes]

Saber combat presumably meant lightsaber combat, the primary weapon of the Jedi. Audren had to wonder - absently so - if he was actually so lucky as to quite literally stumble into such a class less than an hour after he'd touched foot on the planet. Some of what the lady said made sense to him: peacekeepers, skills to protect yourself and the other Jedi with you. Other parts, like keeping the peace at the edge of the blade, not so much. Then again, he was just an outrider, not so much. He expected there would be some clarification later though.

The baton he was given was odd: the hilt was larger than the 'blade', and the blade itself was round rather than having any sharp edges. Markedly different from any blades he'd used before, it was actually more akin to the sticks children used in their pretend spars. In any case, after ensuring he was far enough away from the other students to avoid hitting them with the unfamiliar weapon, he gave it a practice twirl. It was different but acceptable, balanced in a way that made manuevering it simple enough. A second swing, this one an infinity swing before him, confirmed that idea. Minor testing complete, he moved it down to his side, with the blade angled slightly outward. It was a very loose, very relaxed ready stance.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna looked at the different padawan's while she stood there and her staff in her hand opened. The telescopic shafts forming into a walking stick while she tapped it to stand in a section of the training area while she motioned. "You will pair up and practice, three point exercise that works for it. Your batons will not cut you but you'll be able to feel the impact and then we'll see about your skills with some of the force skills for combat."

 

[Audren Sykes]

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

Ah. A spar. The quickest and simplest way to determine who knew what, unless someone tried to deceive those watching. At this point in time, Audren was less concerned with hiding what he knew and more concerned with making a good showing of himself. He had to assume that the others present had at least some training, either in combat or as a Jedi, maybe both. They would have the leg up.

The two to his right had already paired off, so the Sephi turned to his left. The being there was hairless, and had blue skin and red eyes. He personally couldn't tell if his opponent was male or female, but that didn't really matter much. He'd abide by the basic rules of a friendly spar: avoid the commonly-sensitive parts and the face. While he was sizing up the opponent however, it was already moving. The baton had been brought up into an two-handed overhead strike, strong and viscious. Were it a real blade, metal or otherwise, it would split his head like a ripe gourd. Only if it hit though.

With a speed born of habit, itself formed of long hours training, Audren slipped further to his left, turned a bit more, and brought his baton up in a lazy-looking slash across his opponent's stomach. First point. Blue's baton missed by nearly a half-meter, and the Sephi brought his up into a more traditional guard facing his opponent. After looking at the stomach for a moment in what might have been shock or surprise, Blue did the same. This time, the newcomer was the aggressor. A single step forward, a smooth stabbing motion for center mass. Blue countered with a block to move Audren's blade out of line and its own step forward, now swinging in a flat arc at the Sephi's neck. So Blue did know something about blade fighting. A duck prevented the mock decapitation, and a follow-up backstrike should have been the second point.

It seemed, however, that Blue was a bit smarter than originally shown. Another step had taken it out of blade range, then a step and pivot back brought its blade around in another strike. Audren was just turning and got his blade up to block the main strength of the blow, but it still scored the side of his head. Second point, tie. The next point would win.

Both fighters moved into a ready stance, warily watching the other. Blue got a frown on its face, then blurred into motion. Audren knew there was going to be a strike, he just couldn't tell where. So he pulled one of the defensive patterns he'd been taught, one rarely used. The two batons smacked together centimeters from his left side. An instant later, the pressure released and there was a second crack of the two batons colliding near the left side of the Sephi's neck. This time he pushed back though, sending his opponent stumbling back a step or two. This was followed by a step and overhead slash, which was barely blocked, then another overhand slash. Blue moved to block the second strike, knowing he'd be able to do so - if barely - but was suddenly confused by the lack of resistance and the tap of a baton to his ribs. Audren had feinted, circling the overhand around to a rising lateral attack. Third point, winner. Audren sketched a quick salute to his opponent, raising the blade vertically in front of his face before heading back. He'd been lucky, and he knew it.

Both participants were breathing heavier than normal as they resumed their places in line. Their parts in this were done, now it was up to the teacher.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna was watching it with interest while she saw them moving in the force. "Impressive." She said it low and standing there while her hands went behind her back. She watched them while they were moving around in better techniques then she had imagined them able to. One of the students took a shot to his grion and she stood still not seeing it but could feel the one heler rushing over to him while she knelt down and continued to watch the lessons. Her hands coming out as she touched his forehead. "It is alright, go with the healers and I'll check up on you later." There was a look down at him as she moved and watched the other pair of students. One preforming well and the other matching but having a little better skill until they were both done. The tall blind woman moved forward and spoke looking at both of them "You have both done well but you will need to work on your stamina. Come along." Sarianna was leading the way for both of them towards a different section of the mat and spoke. "It is not often I have one or even two who know enough of the basics to last. Usually someone tries to overextend their abilities and hurts themselves or they just say they can do more and hurts someone else. So for this next one I want you both to work in a kata together getting faster and faster until one of you slips. The exercise is called velocities. You may make your own as you wish whichever works best for you."

 

[Audren Sykes]

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

"You have both done well but you will need to work on your stamina. Come along."

Personally, Audren disagreed with that assessment. Or might, if it was based solely on the sprint of a spar they had just completed. Maybe a Jedi Master or a specialized combat Jedi would be breathing normally, but they would typically have years and years of training specifically in that area. That the two of them weren't panting and sweating through their tunics was impressive. Here though, he was not even an adept, he was a trainee. His opinion didn't matter, it was the opinion of the teacher that did. So he stayed silent, following and listening further.

"It is not often I have one or even two who know enough of the basics to last. Usually someone tries to overextend their abilities and hurts themselves or they just say they can do more and hurts someone else."

And that was why he waited and listened rather than objecting right away. With the added information the Master had just provided, the initial comment had turned from something possibly negative to a path for the two of them to follow. Though the Sephi had to wonder how the lady was seeing them: her eyes had no visible irises.

"So for this next one I want you both to work in a kata together getting faster and faster until one of you slips. The exercise is called velocities. You may make your own as you wish whichever works best for you."

Undoubtedly, the opponent knew some of the Jedi katas. Audren, however, did not. He personally would have chosen to make something new but as he was the winner of the last round, the opponent got to choose. After catching his opponent's eye, the Sephi gave a nod indicating that Blue should choose. The red eyes searched Audren's own blue for a moment, then produced a nod in response.

"Vertical overhand strike blocked by horizontal. Horizontal slash to the right arm, vertical block. Strike at left leg, mid-body stab. Reverse, repeat."

Blue demonstrated as he spoke, taking a step forward with each movement. It was a simple enough kata, something that even the newest of recruits could remember until their muscles had it locked in. Audren confirmed he had it with another nod, and they started. It went slowly as first directed and sped up until there was an almost constant clack of two batons colliding. It quickly became apparent that Audren was the better off: Blue started sweating quickly and his moves were swiftly getting sloppier. If he had to guess, Audren would assume that whatever Blue had done before that had allowed him to speed up so drastically had tired him out. Ultimately, the Sephi's opponent failed to block the leg slash and the velocity stopped. The velocity had lasted for the better part of ten minutes, and at that point in time both were drenched in sweat.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna stood there and she was watching now intensely, no eyes but she listened through both the force and her training before she was moving back a little. Giving them the time and the room with her hands touching a baton on her belt in the back. The two padawans going at it were making a more impressive show while her mind failed to wander away from them. She wasn't planning more beyond this as they were sweating and she finally came closer opening up a section on her belt with some rations and small cubes as she pulled water bottles to her. "Here drink and eat a little something. We're going to get to the harder part of it all now."

 

[Audren Sykes]

Once the velocity exercise was complete, the teacher approached closer and handed each of them some ration cubes and bottles of water. He'd caught the bottles flying to her out of the corner of his eye but couldn't tell if someone had tossed them to her or if she'd acquired them via some other method. He drank with appreciation, but slowly, as too much could cause stomach cramps when they continued. He'd learned that one the hard way years ago. The rations were fairly bland, but could be washed down with water. That was another reason to drink slowly: make sure there was enough water left to wash down the rations. Now for the niceties.

"I'm Audren, by the way."

He didn't hold out his hand to either of them. As insulated as he might have been on Cholganna, basic schooling had taught him that various species had various methods of greeting; what may be polite to one could be grave insult to another. Blue turned to the Sephi in response and gave a one-word answer, one that the newcomer chose to interpret as a name.

"Saecha."

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

"I am Sarianna." She was watching them both and picked up the names while she smiled standing back up straight. "Now rest up a little, there is more that will be getting done to you before we go into the harder things. I want to get you learning the basics of force body first." Sarianna was thinking about it before she turned around going towards a bench and offering them a seat to join her for a moment to catch their breathes.

 

[Audren Sykes]

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

"I am Sarianna."

A name for the teacher. That could be useful.

"Now rest up a little, there is more that will be getting done to you before we go into the harder things. I want to get you learning the basics of force body first."

Force Body. Audren couldn't quite tell if that sounded ominous or not. Given that he knew next to nothing about the Force - the little he'd studied on the flight over was chock full of rumor but contained very little verifiable fact. Terms like "Force Choke" and "Force Lightning" were banded about, and those had the ring of history. Force Immortality, or phasing through walls, teleporting...those had to be impossible. The claims were made but couldn't be verified.

The newcomer followed Sarianna and Saecha to the bench, though he didn't sit. He was already warm, and Sari had stated that harder things were coming. Sitting down, cooling down, wasn't necessarily the smartest move he could make. Though standing still, or crouching nearby, would give the suggested rest without cooling down quite as much.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna looked at the one padawan who was there and the other who sat down as she had suggested. Her hands went into her lap before going to her knees and she smiled a little tossing her short hair backbefore touching her sash. It was damp from sweat but she was glad she didn't have eyes that would be bothered by it. Her sigil glowing on her neck with the studded earrings for the jedi's connection to the force to supplement her deficiency witht he force itself. "I'd recommend sitting but very well." After a moment though she rose and blew out a breath. "We shall begin, one of the first steps towards combat is being able to outlast your opponent. The most basic is force body training and eventually you will be able to augment yourself into a state of battlemind. It will take some time but the hope is to become a strong fighter able to move through the battle and outlast several opponents.Any questions"

 

[Audren Sykes]

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

Ignoring advice from a teacher was something he'd already decided was a bad thing. However, sitting was also bad, and he'd long ago figured out how to learn while standing.

Sitting wasn't the best idea, and he'd long ago figured out how to learn while standing. However, he'd also learned that ignoring advice from a teacher was a bad idea. In this particular case, he decided to listen to the second iteration of the advice in part. Rather than standing, he crouched down. That way if he fell, he had less distance to fall. Maybe it was just stubbornness.

The description of Force Body and the followup version of it, battlemind, made sense to a point. Being able to outlast opponents was crucial when it came to duels of all kinds; mental and physical stamina was key. However, in his experience the best stamina was produced by practice rather than augmentation. Steroids rarely went over well and when mechanical pieces failed the person wearing them failed with them. It was like they'd forgotten how to work without them. This being the Jedi Order though, he had to assume the augmentation came from the Force. With no experience in the subject, he couldn't tell just how it or the loss thereof would affect a wielder. However, with no experience in the matter, he couldn't quite wrap his head around how he'd be learning this. No questions yet, though he had an odd feeling he'd have one or two once she started explaining in more detail.

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna looked at them both as neither spoke or asked something... not a flaw she hadn't asked if they had questions but she also was hoping they would come to their own while she looked towards the blue padawan she could make out. "How high can you jump?" Her hand came out towards Audren while she waited for an answer and continued several minutes later. "The force is something a jedi uses almost subconsciously, what you can do without it is fine but after awhile it becomes such a second nature and familiar feeling you won't notice your speed is faster, your jumps higher. Those kata's I had you doing, you should have felt it there first, that acceleration as your reflexes felt sharper, your ability to read where the weapon was even when it was going so fast." She was moving now. "It will also when you allow it inform you movements, not all can be precogs in a fight and see every move that is going to be made but the force can inform your body if you teach it to act before your mind catches up. That small reaction time might mean the difference between keeping and losing a limb. In my case it is how I see the world and the different blue blobs that are you padawans."

 

[Audren Sykes]

[member="Sarianna Misarr"]

"How high can you jump?"

Audren would have assumed Sarianna was talking to Saecha, as she was looking directly at him (or was it her?), but her hand pointed at Audren. He could give an answer, but the question wasn't specific. Context mattered. A standing jump was one thing, a running jump another, a propelled jump something else entirely. All of them got height, but a standing jump tended to get the least. An answer was required though, not more questions.

"Fifty-nine centimeters vertical from a standing jump."

Once he gave his answer, she resumed talking. What she said - that a Jedi uses the Force almost subconsciously - conflicted to some degree with the popular saying. Use the Force...it was almost a mantra for some, a taunt for others. The idea that it could make one's speed faster, or one's jumps higher was intriguing. The Sephi eyed Saecha, thinking suddenly about how the blue had inexplicably blurred during their opening spar. With some difficulty, he regained his focus on the teacher. He wasn't so sure about the kata and her claim of being able to 'read' where the weapon was even when it was going fast. Maybe it was that, or maybe it was muscle memory. Even in such a short time, muscles had grown accustomed to where they would be going next. Increasing speed was a challenge, not insurmountable. Or maybe she was right and it all related to the Force.

Precog...precognition. Knowing things before they happen. That was what the stranger had suggested that Audren had been doing during that one spar. If what he'd been doing had been Force-related, it was entirely plausible that he'd managed to win despite stupid mistakes. However, he couldn't see - no pun intended - the connection between reaction time and her seeing the "blue blobs" of the Padawans.

"How does reaction time relate to you seeing us, ma'am? And does color matter in your case?"

 

[Sarianna]

[member="Audren Sykes"]

Sarianna looked at him and she removed her sash. "Yes and no, for me it matters as it is how I preceive the world and watch your movements. For you there is actual sight and it will depend even more on the force if you wish to enhance your body to be faster then your opponent." She set her sash back on and took a moment to straighten it while motioning for the two. "Come along we're going to need some platforms." She led towards different steps along a wall and raised platforms while looking them over while tapping her hand onto the wood. "You'll practice with standing jumps, I want you to make it to the upper platforms from the markings on the ground." She took a moment to look around and frowned. "Okay there are markings on the ground they painted boxes to stand in. Both fo you will practice at the different levels with your jumps." She stood there while thinking more how to best explain it. "Start with your breathing, inhale the force and feel it fill your lungs as you exhale it through your mouth and push it into your limbs."