Saber training – pure and simple

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel chuckled again. It was a conversation she was rapidly sinking in. Already the water was up to her nose and any deeper and her head would be submerged.

“All of what you say seems to make sense, and if I were better educated in the fields in which you are familiar, I could possibly offer you a stimulating discussion. In truth, I have to bow to your superior knowledge in these matters. My approach is entirely pragmatic and based upon experience as opposed to any specific learning.”

“But back to the matter in hand. The fifth Form, and more specifically Djem So. Offensive in style and despite my frame, this was the first I learned after Shii-Cho. In your favour it is enhanced by having natural strength. And despite its reputation, it requires a proper foundation of defence against both ranged and melee attacks. But that does not mean it is passive like Soresu. Immediately after defending against an opponent's strike, you follow with an attack of your own, bringing the force of your opponent's own blow against them and seeking to dominate the duel, by pressing the assault not only counter-attacking.”

“This is the opening stance.”

Sorel held her lightsaber above her head, angled back and down at an approximately forty-five degree angle.

“And the most common attack is known as Falling Avalanche.” She then demonstrated an overhand power blow that would no doubt crash down upon an opponent with exceptional force. “The other signature move is Fluid Riposte.” Now she demonstrated a parry which smoothly transitioned into an attack.

“The key weakness is, as you will have observed from my movement, a lack of mobility. You tend to be static, looking to use your energy in powerful blows. But for you, that plays into one of your weaknesses. Your lack of mobility means the Form actually compliments how you would fight naturally. Not that I’m advocating you rest on your laurels, but it is at least a comfort that you don’t need to worry too much about quick movement.”

“Now, let’s spar. You can start by attacking me and I’ll just defend.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

To her the ultimate test of computational power was using Instinctive Astrogation Control with little errors; beginner practitioners that nevertheless had a good grasp of topology (or differential geometry) should rather use IAC for long-haul flights. As for the everyday Jedi, they should not be using IAC to fly actual space flights with it. And certainly not Sorel: she conceded that Jessica was a lot better at topology (and probably mathematics, as well as physics, in general). But enough of topology as it relates to IAC: she had to focus on her lightsaber training. She knew that parrying and then pushing back the blade would amount to a counter-attack, at least in the first moments, as would be the case in Fluid Riposte, but here a Falling Avalanche would be called for. She has to both attack and defend, even though attack would be first. She was under no illusion that she would actually be that great, or even need to, but Jessica was probably one that can get by with just a basic grasp of Djem-so. But she continued to get some practice in the main two attacks of Djem-so.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel received broadly what she expected. What Jessica lacked in speed, she more than made up for in power.

“The funny thing is that, once you are proficient enough to up your speed a little, greater speed is of little consequence. And what I mean by that is if you’re very slow, others will pick you off – Makashi users especially. But once your pace is at least solid, fear of being hit by you will keep them honest. They will be so focused on a tight defence that they’ll be fearful of trying a counter in case they leave themselves open. It would take a far more talented lighter weight opponent to truly test you. Others at your development level – or even a few steps on – will be very wary of you.”

“Now, let’s switch things up a little. We should spar fully. I’ll look to match your pace or go slightly quicker, so that it represents a test. Now you’ll need to attack and defend.”

“The one difference you’ll see is that I won’t block many of your blows. I’d risk a broken wrist if I did, given our difference in raw power. So I’ll deflect instead. If anyone is foolish enough to try to block you, allow them to. Often. You’ll literally smash their arms through the shock-waves you’ll send through the bones. I’m sure you’ll be able to compute the physics of the equation.”

She smiled and began to spar.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Breaking opponents' wrists? That was my strength-in-bursts for you, she thought. It was a good choice for a lightsaber style; to block or deflect, she had to hold the blade as close to vertical as possible. Yet the appeal of breaking enemy wrists so thay they could be captured alive could not be greater. Especially if she was against other Sith Lords at her level of lightsaber skill. A-ha! Now she realized why Djem-so was favored by Mandos: Mandos usually relied on sheer power, especially encased in beskar. Now I will have a perfect cover if I had to infiltrate Mandos while in Techno Empire service... without realizing that, just a few weeks later, the Confederacy will be reborn. But now she had to concentrate in attacking with power, but not too much, knowing that the opponent would deflect in sparring and a Sith Lord would attempt to block instead. And then came the attack: it was her turn being attacked all the same, only that she knew that she could block it without risking to break her own wrist in the process.

"Sometimes breaking an enemy's arm is better than outright killing it... especially if you want said enemy alive for some reason"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel was pleased with Jessica’s progress. It was only the first lesson but she was sure that, by the end of it, her pupil would know all she needed to know. All that would remain was diligent practice.

She considered Jessica’s words for a couple of seconds before she responded.

“Sometimes? I’d say every time. I see the role of a Jedi as a peace-keeper. Taking a life is a last resort – always. Getting an opponent to surrender, either through the use of persuasion or injury is always the desired outcome. Killing needlessly is a sure-fire step to the dark side. The Code is very clear on this aspect. Even justified killing takes a toll on your aura.”

It was hard to tell if Sorel was preaching, lecturing or simply sharing her thoughts. There was no particular tone to her voice, it was still the same pitch as when she was training. But her belief in her thoughts was apparent.

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Hmmm... only the will of the Force would push me to take a life. But I know I can break enemy arms. All I see is way too many Jedi that needlessly kill - and get killed, especially in Mandalorian service, and who can't seem to use the Force for knowledge, just to hunt down dark-siders. Perhaps it's because I'm at a high intellectual standard that I know that I can actually use the Force for knowledge. But balance in the Force requires some measure of light and dark: you can't have one without the other"

As little as she has seen about the First Order, from her previous NFU life, they struck her as different from the Sith factions. There is a place for the dark side in the galaxy: Sith factions like the One Sith and the Sith Triumvirate are misusing the dark side, she thought. They are as close to pure evil as factions could get whereas there are a few dark-siders that aren't pure evil, she thought. There is no pure good, so there should not be pure evil either. Jedi in Mando service were mostly two-fold: Guardians of all types, mainly Peacekeepers, Brutes, Snipers, with a few Aces for good measure, on the one hand, and Healers on the other. If the rumors were anything to go by, it's as if all Jedi in Mando service were required to at least have some measure of combat skill without using the Force, if not to be able to fight at the same level of skill with or without the Force, and nearly all Guardians in Mando service would become Jedi Snipers or Aces.

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel sensed where the conversation was going. Every crop of Younglings had the same questions, the same concerns. And invariably, the Jedi teachers were never able to fully satisfy the curiosity or the conflict the young Jedi had in abundance.

So Sorel dipped her toe in the water, knowing she would not resolve the discussion but at least she could offer a view that Jessica could consider for future reflection.

“I agree, too many kill without need. Calling yourself a Jedi does not make you one. It is not a title but a way of life. A Jedi could be a Jedi even if there was nobody who needed protecting. Our cause is not limited to peace-keeping. It is not even truly defined as such. But balance is an interesting concept. Some say it is about inner balance. Others say it means that the light and dark will always be present in the galaxy – the Force needs them both.”

“And some have said – and will continue to say – that light and dark are not automatically linked to good and bad. There are good and bad actions solely. Saving a life through the use of the dark side or killing someone with the light side. Which is good and which is bad?”

“I just know me. I cannot and will not use the dark side. I reserve judgement and focus as best I can on people’s actions. What good or harm they do in this galaxy. But the debate has rumbled on for millennia and will continue for countless more. Of that I am sure.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"I might be someone with the requisite intellectual depth to engage in such debates, and get enriching debates out of it, but I have seen my share of younglings, on both sides of the Force, lack the intellectual depth to take responsibility for their own actions, and even if they did, they would lack the wisdom to truly be effective as Jedi. But, as far as I understand Force-alignment, it is not the same as applied to non-Force-users as it is for Force-users. For NFUs, light vs. dark is the same as good vs. evil. Us Force-users need to make a distinction between Force-alignment vs. good or bad actions. I may have come to think that the Star Tours Guide to Force Specialties is a little inaccurate, but it seems to paint Dark Jedi as simply Jedi who use the dark side of the Force, Light Sith as Sith who use the light side of the Force"

A light-side Sith... oh she would have loved to meet with one someday. Was Darth Veles, who was once considered the quintessential Light Sith at some point, truly a Light Sith? What she knew about him seemed to describe Darth Veles as more of a Dark Jedi than an actual Sith: how he actually used the dark side of the Force for was more reminiscent of Dark Jedi. According to the STGFS, good vs. evil was a function of the denomination, light vs. dark, a function of the usage of the Force.

"Being a Jedi is a way of life all right, and I know there are those people who live by the Jedi Code even though they neither use a lightsaber nor use the Force. It seems that all too many conflate the title with the way of life holding said title means"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

“Life is…complicated.” Sorel could think of no better description. They continued to spar and it was testament to Jessica’s progress that she was able to multi-task.

“And being a Jedi or a Force user in general amplifies that complication many times over. Good and evil. Light and dark. Killing a child you know will be groomed to become a Sith Lord? Is that an act of good or not? Allowing a Sith to live to save a village when he will no doubt kill ten times more in his lifetime? Is that what a Jedi should do? The problem is that there is rarely, if ever, a right answer. All you can do is what you believe is right. That is why I hold the Code dear. If I follow its tenets, albeit some are open to interpretation, then I believe I am following a good path.”

“But none of us are perfect. And therefore none of us should judge. Once upon a time, not so long ago, I would have condemned in a heartbeat. Now I hold judgement. I act according to how I feel it is right and allow others the space to do the same. Unless they transgress in my company, I shall not interfere in the comings and goings of others. Unless duty compels me to.”

Sorel sighed, “Which just illustrates how difficult the whole process can be. An eopie can live in a cave, but that doesn’t make it a Krayt Dragon. I can only agree with you. Titles are misleading. Meaningless often. A Jedi is a term used to describe behaviour not an individual. The same for Sith. At least in my opinion.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Hmmm... so the Star Tours Guide to Force Specialties actually captured how misleading titles were? I do not recall Sorel having been called in to edit the Guide but I wrote part of its preface, and Cathul wrote the remainder, alongside the chapter dedicated to witchcraft, that is, Chapter 7. I received an advance copy of the Guide, I contributed the preface part of what behavior is expected from a Jedi, and Cathul for the Sith, because she was apprenticed to one before undertaking the corporate-driven process of going to the light. I have always found her to have her heart in the right place, and that wasn't what failed her as a therapist, she thought. For sure she knew ethics was a touchy topic for Jedi at the extremes of the intellectual scale. She sensed that Sorel was pleasant to have around with her when the need to discuss these issues arose as she continued sparring. But as her Force-batteries are about to be drained...

"And to me it seems that questions of ethics get more complicated to deal with for people at either extreme of the wisdom scale, or on the reasoning ability scale. From what I know about Jedi in Mandalorian service, most of them seem to just be ordinary vode in a suit of beskar armor, only with the Force and a lightsaber, that go around the galaxy fighting for what they believe is right without even knowing what it means to do what's right or why it's right from their standpoint, than people who actually follow the Jedi way of life. It seems that Mandalorian Jedi forgo ethics almost entirely unless one wants to use the Force for non-combat purposes, because they mistrust the ability of Jedi to think for themselves. On the other hand, you have people like me, whose minds work like (super-)computers, and realize that often we cannot have all the information required to make decisions even with certain preset standards and that decisions are highly approximate at best, flawed at worst"

She knew from experience that there were people who were pretty much walking hard drives, who can absorb mountains of information without the ability to make much sense out of it, and Jedi Healers, Mando or not, often fell into such a trap. She often thinks differently of Mandalorian Jedi as a group, vs. non-Mando Jedi, but she knows better than to condemn individuals based on their expectations of the group. And that was just one thing Summer liked in Jessica: her willingness to give a chance to anybody under the right circumstances, and how she was non-judgmental to individuals.

"I suppose you're familiar with the ecological fallacy; it often occurs when someone assumes a person to behave in X manner, or to have Y characteristic, because they know that person possesses Z trait, simply by virtue of belonging to a group possessing that particular trait. But I know better than to judge individuals based on collective behavior of the groups to which said person belongs"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel sensed Jessica was slowing. The Force was infinite but the Jedi’s ability to draw on it was not. She suspected that the double-effort of sparring and enhancing her speed was taking its toll.

But Jessica’s conversation was still engaging, so Sorel listened intently and nodded regularly.

“We often make the best decision we can. Not the right decision exactly but the best given the circumstances. The least bad options sometimes. And often these life or death decisions are made at break-neck speed.”

“It is one of the reasons I have latterly avoided judging too harshly – if at all. People are people and that comes with inherent issues. We have emotions, biases, prejudices and a unique moral compass. If we pretend any differently we are only fooling ourselves. Which is why I look to the Code as often as I can. Despite the fact much is open to interpretation, it is a yard-stick at least.”

“And I’ve yet to meet a Mandalorian Jedi. At least knowingly, so I cannot comment. Nor should I, I feel. But stereotyping is a trait we have developed over millennia to keep us alive. See a two metre cat with large teeth and massive claws, roaring in a jungle and instinct kicks in. We don’t reserve judgement on its intentions. Now OK, a Jedi has slightly longer to react given our ability to defend ourselves, but even so, most will assume the creature is a threat.”

“Not saying that’s right. I’m just saying it’s what it is. All I promise to myself is to avoid jumping to a conclusion until the last moment. Better that than end up a kitty’s dinner.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Even in my early stages of Jedi training, in fact, even before I formally began training as a Jedi, I've met with my share of Mandalorian Jedi in the past five years. I'm not Mandalorian but I'm lucky that my main contact among the Mandalorians, and their Jedi complement, is closer to me in terms of wisdom than they are to the Jedi Mandalorian service; over the past five years I have received the visits of several Mandalorian Jedi that wished to learn mechu-deru. But they mostly drew blanks, or at most gave simplistic or otherwise unrefined answers, when I asked them a few questions about ethics or the Jedi Code"

Clearly she was referring to Cathul, as she disengaged her training lightsaber. The white Twi'lek wasn't a Jedi but she was closer to Jedi than she was to Sith. She had a clear idea of what it meant to make the galaxy a better place, she truly had a heart for helping people. But what failed her as a therapist was the narrowing range of patients she could actually treat. Of course, no therapist could treat every patient, and she was somehow the one who could have told Jessica that she was being used as a training target for Drain Knowledge. But clearly she saw that, with her opinion of Mandalorian Jedi, it takes many data points for making a good opinion of the group. And mechu-deru was a thing that is usually considered to be learnable by advanced Padawans, or even low Knights, so she was teaching mechu-deru to people who were much more advanced than she was in terms of their Force-skillset. And then she was dealing with people whose intellectual makeup may be a little weak for what goes into wisdom yet were procedurally strong.

"Plus from what some of those Mando Jedi who learned mechu-deru from me told me, in most clans that actually field Jedi, they learn lightsaber combat first and then the very basic Force-powers. Their structure is rather decentralized so there are few standards to adhere to, other than perhaps the beskar armor, which is built at the same time as their lightsaber. Don't go out thinking that there is some Jedi Temple on Mandalore the same way there are on Ossus or Voss, even if they are reluctant to train outside Mando-land. Plus not all Mandalorian clans actually field Jedi: certain clans are open to field Jedi (Lok, Vereen) but others want nothing to do with Force-users (Mantis, Spar). As I have seen on Kashyyyk five years ago, they are a truly terrifying sight to behold on the battlefield, but I was utterly unable to use the Force back then"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel empathised with Jessica. Many wished to learn the Jedi ways but were not prepared to act like Jedi. It was not that the Jedi held the monopoly on teaching, but there was a moral obligation to impart wisdom to those that you at least believed would use it for the greater good as opposed to personal gain. It was not good to learn you’d taught someone an ability that they’d subsequently used to harm innocents. And it definitely happened.

And she was pleased that Jessica held firm with her beliefs about who she should train and where, ultimately, her loyalties lay. And at least the Padawan that stood before her had a firm grasp of facts. Too many Jedi relied on opinion or hearsay to form judgements. Many considered mechu-deru to be a dark-sided ability. In investigating the practice, Sorel discovered that this was an entirely superficial understanding. It was because Sith practiced it most prevalently that it became synonymous with the dark side. But Jedi too were able to perform the ability whilst only accessing the light side.

“Give a bantha a bad name,” Sorel mused before realising she’d said it out loud. “Sorry, I was thinking that some abilities are considered taboo even though the facts of the matter say otherwise. Like mechu-deru. And I’ve not only never met a Mandalorian Jedi but I’ve never faced any Mandalorian in combat. There have been opportunities. I was once with the Republic and they attacked us more than once, although it was explained as a faction of the Mandalorian and therefore not sanctioned more centrally.” Her tone suggested she repeated this explanation by rote and she did not actually believe the words. “But as I say, give a Bantha a bad name. It would be wrong of me to judge all Mandalorians by these experiences.” Now she sounded more conciliatory.

“And I hear they are fearsome warriors, even without the Force.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Me too, I was once a Republican: I even fought these very Mandalorian Jedi on Kashyyyk, from the bottom of a trench, using a large particle beam rifle. But the Mandalorians do not have a monopoly on training people who were unprepared to act like Jedi. Republicans, Alliancists and, unfortunately, Silvers can sometimes show up unprepared and I know what kind of disastrous consequences it can have if one trains unprepared people in the ways of the Jedi. Oh, many of those whom I know they are not as wise as I am usually end up becoming Guardians or otherwise are locked in an eternal game of cat-and-mouse against the Sith, and are more vulnerable to falling to the dark side or otherwise going rogue. In addition, certain people perceive Jedi as nothing more than, let's say it, glorified (or Force-using) bounty hunters. I know that hunting Sith just because they commit crimes or for sport does not make a Jedi, no more than using the light side of the Force made someone a Jedi. Oh and using the dark side of the Force does not make one a Sith. Certainly I would like to have, in the future, an apprentice that can put some thought in their actions, as I myself am as a person"

She knows about how certain species were reputed to be difficult to train by Jedi or Sith: Vulptereen, Ewoks, and even Geonosians to a lesser extent, but the last one is more a function of their hive-mind than anything else. Oh of course she was one to use mechu-deru, it has been useful in her work of designing starships and their components. And she did it without having to use the dark side of the Force: she did slice through Sith databases on two occasions (Vulpter and Castameer).

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel listened and the more she heard, the more it reinforced her own experiences and thoughts. Although they could endlessly debate the subject and she didn’t want to take any more of Jessica’s time than she had to, she was enjoying the sharing of opinions and observations, so carried on.

“A battlefield is too often a place for those that are ill-prepared. Who become easy prey for others. Too many Padawans with too little training and over-inflated opinions of their abilities taking on Sith Masters. And Jedi wondering who they are supposed to be opposing given so many on the ‘good’ side are using dark-sided powers and entirely unpalatable behaviours.”

“But I have given up looking to solve the entire problems of the galaxy and instead focus on what I can control. Me and those most immediately near me. I can ensure the Padawans I am charged to train receive the best guidance they can – which includes how not to fall to the dark side. More specifically how to recognise the steps and be aware of the pitfalls.”

“And I suspect you’d make an admirable Master to a Padawan You appear knowledgeable and diligent and these factors alone make you an excellent candidate.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Jessica was deeply absorbed by internal thoughts as she heard Sorel's last two sentences. She can't help but think about one of her most ardent detractors. Clearly the trust Summer placed in me to train her wasn't misplaced. While Summer may be biased towards me, and may even be comparing me to the likes of Thurion or Coci, it's undeniable that I know a lot about the Force, and that I can be a good fit for padawans that are not arrogant. I still have a long way to go to match what Thurion or Coci know about the Force, but for sure I know more than some Master-level Jedi - and I'm still a Padawan. Even that Jedi-healer-on-a-hoverchair must acknowledge that I am a good fit for the life of the Jedi by now... despite being forced by the Techno Empire Revenue Agency to take other Force-sensitivity tests under different administrators, primarily because of her flawed methods of conducting neuropsychological evaluations. Even Cathul, who is hardly the best therapist in the galaxy, knows better than to give stimcaf or tea before one such thing began, especially not when doppraymagnos are involved: that was the main item of concern to the Geonosian administration. If even they knew the increase of mental activity resulting from the use of stimcaf or tea could invalidate a doppraymagno, let alone me, that was all the more the reason for the TERA not to trust her. Hard work, wisdom, smarts, I have the main ingredients of the recipe and clearly she underestimated how much I had of at least one of these, she thought. If there was anyone - anyone! - that she was uncomfortable around among the Silver Jedi, that was to be that kind of falsely unorthodox Jedi: the only thing that makes that particular healer unorthodox was her whole attitude towards the taking of lives. Perhaps she was one Jessica's biggest naysayers because Jessica was, at the time, a corporate executive, and now she runs Ringovinda StarYards all to herself.

"Well, I guess you liked my style of Jedi wisdom. May the Force be with me and that I actually get a good fit for a Padawan someday"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel chuckled softly. “I have to say that the concept of a good fit is something of a holy grail. Yes, Master’s choose Padawans and often Padawan’s choose Masters. And in an ideal world, there would be a mutual decision to align. But more often than not, needs drive decisions. We tend to have more Padawans than willing Masters and as such, we lack the luxury of being too selective.”

“I myself have a variety of Padawans under my tutelage. And I have found that it is often the ones that would at first glance present the least good fit that end up being the most rewarding relationships. The Master-Padawan bond is a two-way process. Learning goes both ways. If I chose a Padawan like me, I suspect life would be boring. Not that I’ve ever had the chance to find out. I tend to get the sort of Padawan that on paper I would avoid. Those with attitudes and that might e sailing close to the wind in terms of the dark side. Perhaps I am a balance for them?”

She shrugged.

“Not that it really matters why. My only guidance is to embrace any opportunity to teach and see what comes of it. If it does not work, then so be it. But don’t seek the perfect match as it does not exist in my experience.” She held up a conciliatory hand, “And please don’t think I’m preaching or suggesting you’re fussy or anything, it was just a generic piece of advice.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Oh, I am under no illusion that a fit can be perfect; there are good fits that aren't perfect. But, while the master-padawan relationship is a two-way learning street, each end does not get the same learning out of the relationship, or at least I suspect as much. I often say that the choice of a master is easier to make for a padawan if the padawan has at least an idea of what they want to be using the Force for. But I lost track of how many people would be tempted to just use Drain Knowledge on me to learn things faster, and hence fall to the dark side"

Certainly she accepted the possibility that she was going to train Padawans down the road, and that you could have an attitude without being arrogant. And that her turn to train Padawans, Summer or not, would come soon enough. She wasn't devoid of teaching experience: after all, she did teach mechu-deru to a few of these Mandalorian Jedi. Plus at the peak of her neuroses, she was complaining about how she was used as a computer in the Force. By now she accepts, as the price to pay for her brains and her knowledge, that she will be used Drain Knowledge on very, very often, especially since she knows a lot about a lot of different topics.

"But also a bad combination of master and padawan can lead either end to the dark side"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel’s eyes widened at Jessica’s revelations. Clearly the Padawan had some poor if not terrible experiences of life as a Jedi if she’d experienced what she shared.

Sorel nodded softly as Jessica concluded her thoughts. “There is rarely a perfect answer, if ever. I would heartily agree that a poor combination could lead either party to the dark side but I’ll throw in a couple of thoughts by way of playing the role of devil’s advocate.”

“Firstly that it can be a challenge to identify the good matches from the bad ones without the benefit of hindsight. In my experience, sometimes the unlikely ones succeed and the better fits on paper fail. It’s not a rule by any means, but it is at least an indication that the matching does not appear to be a science.”

“And secondly, it is my understanding that Jedi can fall to the dark side with little prompting. Sometimes leeway is the solution, other times a firm hand. Again, I’ve yet to see a pattern clear enough to call it one way or the other. We are all unique. Add two unique Jedi together and we should not be surprised that there are infinite possibilities about how the relationship will pan out.”

She smiled. “But I do my best. No more and no less. And it’s all I ask of a Padawan too. They have to walk the path all by themselves. We can indicate a direction and even shine a light from time to time, but they take the steps. That’s just the way it is.”

[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"I know Jedi usually value flexibility on the field, in which case I feel that one should, if possible, have a broad array of Force-powers at their disposal, provided one is capable of using a large toolbox of Force-powers. I know about the ages-old breadth-vs-depth debate when it comes to Force-powers and how one should learn them: some would feel that someone that depends too much on one or two Force-powers was a liability, rendering them more rigid, but it's mostly a question of what you want to use the Force for. All too often I see people wanting to learn Force-powers with no reason to learn them or no idea of what it is used for"

She knows that, the more powers one has learned, the less you could expect any of them to be at a high level. But she also knew that knowing more Force-powers gave one more flexibility on the field. The ages-old bread-vs-depth debate. Another reason why certain detractors would have their teeth against Cathul - and me to a lesser extent - is that she has a much larger spellbook than people at her level, but as a Jedi she is much stronger in her Force-skill than with a lightsaber, and her known skill levels are, at least according to Silver Jedi intelligence, consistent with someone with her Force-usage profile knowing that many powers. Usually, if you had axes to grind against Cathul, based on her style of Force-usage, you also had one against me, too, she thought. But from what she knew about her Force-usage profile, she never seemed to have overextended her power or anything, and everyone would use a given skill more than another, that much was clear to her.

"Also, can someone subconsciously learn a Force-power? If I can pick up on elements of the Force-history of an object or of a location, then I would think that I may have been subconsciously learning psychometry. Self-learning Force-powers is not unheard of, it seems that I can turn my own knowledge of the universe into Force-powers rather easily. Much like I learned Electric Judgment by solving for a diatium battery's Maxwell's equations"

[member="Sorel Crieff"]