Way of the Space Creature

[Haytham Kaze]

Hastily removing the blindfold from his eyes he bowed briefly, as if to thank her for the first part of the training, and what he felt like was beginning to be the end. Who knows what else she had in store for him? He shrugged more or less to himself, and when she started to move into the opening stance of form IV, Haytham moved into position.

His defensive stance took charge, and the vertical blow to his head was repelled efficiently with both of his arms rising with the training lightsabre igniting and knocking it off it's original course. Lunging backwards from the slash at his knee, it had gone by so fast that he felt the heat on his knee, but there was no time to marvel at how clutch he was because there was another attack coming!

Panic flashed in his eyes as he started to twist away, and kept his lightsabre pointing vertically upwards and a parallel to his body in a way that his blade would've always been the closest thing to him, and he pushed it away and towards the floor.

"Combinations?" He asked, while he took the opportunity to perform a quick overhand cut towards her shoulder. A quick rotation through the lightsabre forms, to at least keep it interesting.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

"If you're focusing on defence solely, then you simply deflect as you go along," Corvus explained, parrying the blow to her shoulder. "But if you're going on the offensive, regardless of the Form, you should learn to use combinations rather than single movements. It's the quickest way to gain momentum in a duel. It'll speed things up between blows and keep your opponent on the defensive - allowing you to press your advantage."

They continued to spar for a while, Haytham clearly showing steady improvement as he not only was able to defend against faster and stronger blows, but he was able to throw in offensive manoeuvres too.

Finally Corvus deactivated her training blade. "You have learned the basics, you will simply improve through practice and working with opponents that use different forms. Different types of saber. Left-handed, right-handed. Multiple opponents."

"Now, is there anything in particular you'd like me to show you?"

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Their little spar quite quickly. Probably around the time he started to get tired, and [member="Corvus Raaf"] didn't want to continue duelling him.

It wasn't much of a problem, he'd be able to find another spar partner soon enough if he truly had to. But then she asked him if there was anything else she could show him...

"What do you think of the Sith's Code compared to our own..." A pause, and another question. "How can we have a balance in the Force... Without the Dark Side?" The second question was formed with more thought, better word choice anyway. He didn't know the Grandmaster so well, and he didn't want to impose on her time any more that he had to.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus listened to Haytham. He'd picked up all she could show him and she hoped he'd now practice with others. Sparring with one person exclusively led you into a false sense of security. You were grooved into one particular way of using the Form. The sooner he sparred with others, the better for him. Plus she'd shown him the velocities he could use when nobody else was around. Perhaps one day, when his ability had developed, she would show him the exercise she'd learned from the journals of Darth Bane. But that was for another day.

"In one sense, I don't give their Code a lot of thought - certainly not to compare it to ours. But as a scholar, reviewing it is an inevitable thing I've done in my time. I'd say - and this is of course my opinion, nothing more - that it's suited to their way of life just as ours is."

"But ours is more than just a few lines, we have various tenets that support the lines most remember. The Sith just have their Code. So it's open to wider interpretation."

"So whereas, broadly, the Jedi Code and Order has remained stable throughout the millennia, the Sith seem to cycle through various incarnations. The Brotherhood, the Rule of Two, the One Sith."

"And if history has taught us one thing, it is that the Force always balances itself. After the thought bomb, the Jedi foolishly believed they'd rid the galaxy of the Sith. After Order 66, the Sith thought they'd finally eradicate the Jedi. Did you know there is no mention of the Sith or the Dark-side explicitly in our Code? It is our duty to be the guardians of peace. To defend and protect and to preserve life. And surely the Sith are opposed to these things."

"Am I saying we should preserve the Dark-side to ensure a balance? Of course not. Am I saying we should not do all in our power to eradicate the Sith? Again no. But I am pragmatic enough to expect that if we went forward in time a thousand years, we'd still have the Light and the Dark-side."

"Does that answer your question? Please feel free to ask more, but what I meant by my offer was if you wanted to learn any specific moves? Or manoeuvres? Pass the Blade? Unbalancing Block? That sort of thing."

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Their time was over together. At least, in the sense of this training session. "Apologies, I had only wanted the views of someone who has had multiple encounters with powerful Sith before." He bowed his head, and started to make his way towards the door. She had mentioned other maneuvers, but he was certain he could find them in the Archives and learn them from there. Besides, it probably wasn't best to learn more in his tired state.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

Corvus was a little surprised at the abrupt end to the training, but each Jedi knew their limits and clearly Haytham had decided he could learn no more. So she bowed in return and tidied up the room, ready for whoever would be taking the next lesson.