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Faction The Art of Tràkata : Advanced Saber Class [Jedi]




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[ Veridian Jedi Academy Codex ][Planet of Veridia Codex ][Jedi Academy About Page]
//Open to any and all Jedi


The modular training room at the Veridian Temple buzzed with the hum of saber set to training mode. The chamber that was chosen for this lesson was one designed specifically for advanced lightsaber training, featured smooth, saber-resistant walls and a high ceiling, allowing for dynamic combat. The floor was marked with a faint grid to aid in positioning drills, and the lighting was bright but neutral, leaving no shadows for missteps, and mirrors lined one wall. Aether stood at the center, his durasteel form casting an imposing figure, while instructors Jasper Kai'el Jasper Kai'el and Jonyna Si Jonyna Si stood nearby as they observed the gathering.

Other advanced students whispered among themselves, each equipped with lightsabers set to training mode. Aether raised a hand, silencing the room with a single gesture. His voice resonated with an even, mechanical tone.

"Welcome to today's saber studies class. This is not an ordinary session. You are all here because you have demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment. Today, we will discuss—and practice—something unconventional: Tràkata." He paused, allowing the word to settle in the air like a blade held aloft.

"As some of you may know, Tràkata is a technique of deception, one that manipulates the unique properties of the lightsaber: its ability to ignite and extinguish at will. It is not a form, not a style, but a tool—a tool born of desperation, used to bypass an opponent's guard or create openings where none exist."

"Tràkata," Aether began, his voice calm , "is not about strength. It is about control—of yourself and your opponent. Deceive. Disable. Dominate. These are its pillars."

He paused, allowing the room to absorb his words before continuing. "You all know the importance of your lightsaber. It is more than just a weapon—it is a symbol of your connection to the Force, your discipline, and your role as Jedi. And yet," his glowing optics swept over the room, "there are moments when the unconventional becomes necessary. Tràkata is one such tool. Understand, though—it is not a style to be relied upon. It is a technique, born of necessity, often viewed with suspicion. Why?"

He gestured to the students. "Tell me—why would the Jedi Order hesitate to embrace something so clever, so effective?"

Evelyn's hand rose after a brief hesitation, her silver hair catching the neutral light as she sat upright with a thoughtful expression. Her blue eyes, sharp with insight, locked onto Aether's glowing optics. When he gestured for her to speak, her voice was steady, though tinged with a hint of self-doubt she quickly pushed aside.

"Because it challenges the Jedi philosophy," she said. "Tràkata relies on deception, which can blur the line between defense and aggression. The Jedi Code teaches us to act with clarity and purpose, not trickery. Using a technique like this could lead to overconfidence—or worse, temptation toward exploiting its manipulative nature. It's can be effective, but... it walks a fine line."

Aether tilted his head slightly, the soft whir of his internal mechanisms audible in the silent room. "An astute observation, Padawan Evelyn. The Jedi Code does indeed caution us against methods that may compromise our integrity or intent. And yet…" He paced slowly, his metallic steps echoing across the chamber, "…there is wisdom in understanding such tools. To deny knowledge of something because it is uncomfortable—or because it challenges us—is to leave oneself vulnerable."


Aether's optics lingered on Evelyn as he gave a faint nod of approval. "Tràkata does challenge the Jedi philosophy, as it teeters on the edge of deception. But the Code, though our guide, is not the only reason the Order hesitates." He scanned the rest of the class, his mechanical voice steady and deliberate. "Why else, do you think, would such a technique be met with resistance?"

The room fell into a brief silence, students exchanging uncertain glances. Aether's metallic frame remained still, his presence urging them to think deeper.

Finally, another voice broke the quiet. "Because it's dangerous," Braze Braze ventured. "Deactivating your saber mid-combat is a calculated risk. If you misjudge the timing, you could leave yourself open to a counterattack—or even lose control of the fight entirely."

Aether inclined his head toward the Echani youth. "Precisely. Tràkata is a gamble—not only against your opponent but against your own skill. It demands precision, awareness, and anticipation. A single misstep can turn it into your undoing."

He scanned the students, his optics glowing. "A deactivated saber tests your wits, your ability to read your opponent, and your timing. Its brilliance lies in its paradox: to gain control, you must first let go."

He paused, his gaze sweeping the group again. Aether's optics glowed brighter as he addressed the group. "Tràkata is a gamble, demanding precision, awareness, and timing. One mistake—an early deactivation or misjudged distance—leaves you exposed."

He gestured to the rack of sabers. "It's most effective for double-bladed saber users and Jar'Kai practitioners. A double-bladed saber maintains defense when one blade is deactivated. Jar'Kai users can deactivate one blade while the other counters."

Picking up a hilt, Aether demonstrated. "Unbalancing Block with a double-bladed saber lets you destabilize an opponent without exposing yourself. Jar'Kai offers similar options—one blade feints while the other defends."

He placed the saber back and faced the students. "Single-blade users can employ Tràkata but must rely entirely on timing. Choose your weapons and practice integrating Tràkata into dual-bladed or Jar'Kai techniques. Focus on control and discipline. Do we have any questions at this time?"

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"I have a question."

Jasper stepped forward, making his presence known to the rest of the students. As the Battlemaster of the academy, it was his job to oversee all combat training that occurred to some capacity. Trakata was being taught at his own suggestion as well as the curiosity of Braze. It had value, but Jasper wanted to probe the students for some of their own ideas of application.

"How much should you utilize a skill like trakata?" he mused. "If you know you can execute it, it would give you the element of surprise. Someone confident enough in their talents should have no issues with a risk like that, and catching the foe off guard to get past their defenses is a net positive, right?"


 

AX-01 Vanguard Mark I
Jedi Securitron Model Parts
[Aether's Build]

Weapons : 1 Training lightsaber | 2 Corsage [Foil +Gun] | 3 Calypso [ Broad Saber] | 4 Resurgence [Crossguard] |5 Whirlwind [Chain Kama] | 6 Hot 'n' Heavy Compensator | 7 War Maul

| Fang- Gun | G.O.O. Gun | Phantom Gun |




Aether's glowing optics shifted toward Jasper Kai'el, the Battlemaster's question prompting a faint whir from within the droid's core. He stood motionless for a moment, as if weighing the Battlemaster's words with the same precision he applied to combat.

"An excellent question, Master Kai'el,"
Aether began, his mechanical tone carrying an undercurrent of thoughtful approval. "Tràkata's power lies in its ability to surprise, but overuse of this technique diminishes its potency. A predictable surprise is no surprise at all. Tràkata will serve as an advanced feignt and serve primarily the same purpose as a feignt. There are moments where it can serve a little more differntly. "

He paused, pacing with slow steps, "Tràkata must be wielded like a scalpel—not a hammer. It is most effective when your opponent does not anticipate it and when the stakes justify the risk. To utilize it at every opportunity would betray the principle of control upon which this technique is founded."

Aether's glowing optics swept across the room, briefly settling on Padawan Braze, "Balance and foresight, rest at the very heart of Tràkata's true nature. It is not a crutch for the unprepared nor a flourish for the overconfident. It is, a tool of adaptation—a momentary disruption to regain control of the fight."

His tone sharpened slightly as he looked back toward Jasper. "One must know how to execute Tràkata, and when not to. Over-reliance on any technique—be it Soresu's defense, Juyo's aggression, or Tràkata's misdirection—creates vulnerabilities. A skilled opponent will recognize patterns and exploit them. Not every opponent you run in to will be a skilled reader of form. "

Aether turned again to address the group as a whole, his optics glowing brighter as he gestured with a sweep of his metallic arm. "When you employ Tràkata, you are communicating with your opponent—confusing them, luring them into a false sense of security, and creating an opening. That opening is fleeting. The question then is not only whether you can execute the technique, but whether you can capitalize on the opportunity it provides."

The droid's imposing frame stopped at the center of the group as he folded his arms. "So I pose this challenge to you all: When would you deem it necessary to use Tràkata? What circumstances would warrant such a risk? Master Kai'el is correct to probe this point—wisdom is not just knowing that you can execute a technique, but ensuring it does not become a crutch, a liability, or lead to overconfidence. The success of Tràkata depends entirely on your ability to read your opponent and adapt to the moment."


Aether inclined his head slightly toward Jasper. "Master Kai'el, Perhaps you would like to join me in a demonstration? "
 

"Master Kai'el, Perhaps you would like to join me in a demonstration? "

"I'd love to," Jasper nodded.

He withdrew a lightsaber from his flight suit, not his primary saber sheathed at his hilt. That blade was uniquely powerful and could not be turned off. Instead he drew his shoto, an orange blade that he made use of whenever he performed Jar'kai. It was a handy blade that had seen a good amount of use, especially in the war. The Jedi Master ignited the blade, twirling it in his hand idly as he made his way to the open clearing in the room.

"Now, how shall we set up the scenerio?" he pondered. "Perhaps a Sith assassin intent on taking down an important public figure? Their attention may be split trying to keep track of another target, a good window for the implementation of such tactics..."


 

AX-01 Vanguard Mark I
Jedi Securitron Model Parts
[Aether's Build]

Weapons : 1 Training lightsaber | 2 Corsage [Foil +Gun] | 3 Calypso [ Broad Saber] | 4 Resurgence [Crossguard] |5 Whirlwind [Chain Kama] | 6 Hot 'n' Heavy Compensator | 7 War Maul

| Fang- Gun | G.O.O. Gun | Phantom Gun |



"Sith assassin it shall be,"

Aether declared, his photoreceptors flaring an ominous blood-red glow. With a deliberate motion, he cast aside the cloak shrouding his mechanical form, revealing the intricate machinery of his body. His main arms whirred to life with a metallic hum, each main arm drawing a lightsaber in a display of cold efficiency.

Aether's chassis shifted, his frame adjusting as his phenotype altered. His posture hunched slightly, yet he appeared to grow taller, more menacing. His limbs extended unnaturally, splaying outward as if disjointed, their mechanical sockets hissing and clicking.The transformation made his silhouette monstrous, a grotesque fusion of precision engineering and predatory instinct.

The air around him pulsed with faint mechanical beeps and clicks as his HUD locked onto Jasper. Sensors calibrated with exacting focus, tracking his target's every breath and movement.

From his back, a set of mechanical tendrils hissed to life. They extended with serpentine fluidity, their tips reshaping into razor-sharp blades. The tendrils snaked through the air coiling behind Jasper as they zeroed in for the first strike.

 

"I don't believe that was part of the scenario prompt."

Jasper was quick to flip over the writhing mechanical tentacles that came towards him, snatching them up with his mechanical arm and holding them firmly, his grip strength heavily increased. He remembered Domina Prime Domina Prime , who had similar tentacle-like appendages. Ice. She had been rather weak to it, he recalled. Perhaps he could take advantage of whatever internal systems fed info to the tentacles.

So he activated one of the runes on his fingers, sending a wave of potent chilling energy into the tentacles in the hopes of freezing them from the inside out.

"I like the enthusiasm, but I feel like we should be displaying lightsaber-on-lightsaber combat," Jasper noted. "If this was a true 'anything-goes' scenario I'd probably look for your body's off switch. Which is..."

Where was it, actually? Jasper had never seen such a thing nor was he familiar with the engineering of Aether's body. Surely it had to be somewhere in the torso of the chassis, right? But as he felt the mechanical components through the Force, a frown came to his face. Then a grimace.


"Why... Why did you put it there?"

 

AX-01 Vanguard Mark I
Jedi Securitron Model Parts
[Aether's Build]

Weapons : 1 Training lightsaber | 2 Corsage [Foil +Gun] | 3 Calypso [ Broad Saber] | 4 Resurgence [Crossguard] |5 Whirlwind [Chain Kama] | 6 Hot 'n' Heavy Compensator | 7 War Maul

| Fang- Gun | G.O.O. Gun | Phantom Gun |

Aether's photoreceptors dimmed momentarily, a gesture akin to narrowing eyes in response to Jasper's remarks.
The mechanical tendrils wriggled and strained. He moved with a sudden burst of speed, his servos hissing softly as he surged forward, drawing his training saber in a fluid, almost predatory motion.

His initial strike came with deceptive simplicity, a diagonal slash aimed at Jasper's left side, testing his defenses. Yet, even as the blow neared its arc, Aether's free hand shot forward, two fingers extended as if to grasp some unseen thread. The Force rippled outward, subtle yet deliberate, seeking to unbalance Jasper's footing.

Before the first strike could even conclude, Aether disengaged the blade mid-swing, pivoting sharply. The hilt twisted in his grip, and the saber re-ignited in a flash, aimed in a tight thrust at Jasper's flank—a move designed to exploit the momentary distraction of the earlier strike.

Aether's voice resonated through the clash, calm but charged with purpose. "Adaptation; It's what separates the predictable from the victor."
 

"I think he takes things a bit too literally, Master Kai'el," Braze observed as he watched the instructional bout unfold. Perhaps Aether had intended for Jasper to demonstrate Trakata, but instead, Jasper appeared to illustrate how distraction and misdirection could serve as effective precursors to the technique.

No kidding.

Jasper reacted to everything quickly. The Force push came, to which he steeled his resolve and maintain his footing. Natural resistance to the Force only went so far, however, so he naturally slid back a bit. The blow followed, to which his shoto was raised to meet it. Then danger signs. It disengaged, and the Jedi Master pulled his blade back to deflect the blow...

He only managed to wind up getting disarmed.

"Well, that was trakata," Jasper remarked with a shrug. "Too fast for any student to make use of it, but there it was. Still, trakata is not a condition for immediate success. A Force user without a lightsaber is still a Force user. One must expect the unexpected."

The Jedi Master grinned, sticking his tongue out, revealing a rune that was hidden rather than on his mechanical arm. He used the Force to push back Aether's blade before lunging forward. Rather than hitting the Shard's droid body, however, Jasper simply passed through it as though he were a ghost. He had a few new techniques that he had been storming up runes for. No reason not to have a little fun testing them out.

Once on the other side of the knight, Jasper held out his hands and activated another new rune. Vines shot out of his hands and began to ensnare his opponent, as though he were using Plant Surge.


 

AX-01 Vanguard Mark I
Jedi Securitron Model Parts
[Aether's Build]

Weapons : 1 Training lightsaber | 2 Corsage [Foil +Gun] | 3 Calypso [ Broad Saber] | 4 Resurgence [Crossguard] |5 Whirlwind [Chain Kama] | 6 Hot 'n' Heavy Compensator | 7 War Maul

| Fang- Gun | G.O.O. Gun | Phantom Gun |



Aether's photoreceptors dimmed briefly before flaring to life again, shifting to glowing in a calm, tranquil blue. His mechanical limbs ceased their movements entirely, his imposing frame relaxing as if surrendering control of the moment. The mechanical hiss of his servos softened, and his tendrils retracted with a fluid motion, folding neatly behind him.

He stood motionless, his voice even and unhurried. "A clever use of misdirection, Master Kai'el," Aether said, the mechanical tone carrying an undercurrent of respect. "Such creativity is useful for Trakata."

With that, Aether remained passive, making no move to resist or retaliate. It was as if the droid knight had intentionally ceded the stage, leaving Jasper to demonstrate his techniques further while drawing the attention of the students to the principles behind his actions.
 

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