You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Party (Mirshko)

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

She started slightly when he knelt down and looked her in the eye. His grip on her arms was light, and gentle. It reminded her of Mom and Da. She sighed, and looked up to meet his gaze. There was worry etched on his face. Biting her lip, she sighed. "I'm sorry Ori'vod. I... was doing the best that I could... and she was insisting it wasn't good enough or fast enough." She frowned and buried her face in his shoulder as he pulled her into a hug. "I really am trying. I want to make you proud.." she whispered.

"A different lesson?" she frowned slightly, and followed along as he gripped her hand and led her back out of the cargo bay. She could feel the anger coming off him in waves, and it made her shiver slightly. it didn't take them long to make it back to her room. Stepping inside, she looked around for a moment, hearing the humming as well. When Kuryr screamed Nula's name, she started slightly at the strength of the anger in that one word.

She listened closely as he described what to do. Initially, she shied away from doing it. It wasn't what mom had taught her. But if it got Nula to stop, maybe it wasn't so bad.... Frowning, she tried to focus as he'd instructed. It wasn't easy. After a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes and visualized gathering those feelings into a ball in her mind. The ball was dark grey and was a shifting mass. Taking that, she wrapped the Force around it, like she was taking it in her hand. After a few moments, she could feel a weight in her hand, as if it were actually there.

When it was, she thrust her hand forward in Nula's direction, shoving the ball of anger towards her. She could feel it racing across the space that separated them. When it slammed into the woman, Mirshko saw her stagger and fall to her knees. Then, she attacked in earnest. The woman's thoughts were filled with fear. Much like she'd gathered her own thoughts, she tried to reverse that and push the woman's aside. Nula swayed slightly, her face pale as Mirshko shoved a thought into that empty space. It wasn't easy, and the effort of it left her sweating as she continued to focus.

'Curl up' was the thought she pushed at Nula. It took about a minute, and Mirshko watched the woman say as she tried to fight it. But finally, Nula laid down on the floor and curled up in a ball. By now, Mirshko was shaking, both from the effort and the intensity of the emotion. When she saw Nula curl up, she nodded and lifted a shaking hand to wipe her own forehead.

 

[Kuryr]

Kuryr watched as the girl struggled with the lesson, it was far from an easy task he had given her. That was the idea though, he would push her to her limit with every test, make her strain and struggle with every training session. She would need to be strong if she was going to be of use to him, she just needed to remember that he had shown her the way to this power. He watched the fear in the slave's eyes turn to a dull look of surprise, the girl was making the connection with the slave and she was using the force to push the slave's thought to the side. Once the suggestion was planted he watched as the slaves curled up into a fetal position on the floor, unmoving and firm in her position. He saw the strain of the lesson leaving Mirshko as the slave finally bent to her will. He smiled and approached the girl slowly, a soft cloth in his hand.

As he neared her he knelt down in front of her and used the soft white cloth to white away the sweat from the girl's face. " That was a challenging task, my prud'ika, well done." He places a hand on her shoulder, his voice filled with praise as he spoke to her." You are showing just how strong if the force you can be, it will get easier with time, of that I can guarantee. This lesson is over but you will practice what I have showed you, from now on I want you to direct Nula with this control always. She was supposed to be your caretaker, but she abused that position, so she will be your slave." He turned to look at the twi'lek still curled up on the floor and frowned.

"It may seem mean to treat her like this, but always remember that she was mean to you first. You are a princess, she was supposed to treat you with respect. Instead she treated you like you were little better than a slave yourself." He smiled at her, all of his anger was gone, replaced by what could only be considered affection for her. The kind of affection that would feel very similar to what her parents showed for her. " You must be strong Mirshko, only by being strong will people respect you. You have seen how you can be treated when you are not. I can feel the strength in you, I know you are capable of what I ask of you." He stood and took a step towards the door. " Make me proud and show me that you can control your slave properly."

He opened the door and turned to her one final time. " Today's lesson is over, use your new power to have Nula dress you for dinner, something befitting a princess and then instruct her to begin preparing the food. I will return shortly." He turned and left the room, leaving the girl alone with her slave. This was the rest of the test, would the girl release her power over her tormentor, or would she fail at the control needed. As he walked back to his own room he couldn't help but smile, dangerous games were being played and he loved every minute of it.

[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

Her short frame was shaking from the effort, and she leaned into him for stability as he gently wiped her forehead. "I've... never done something like that before..." she said softly as she closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. "My slave?" she sounded completely bewildered. From what she knew, Mandalorians never took slaves. They didn't support the practice. But it was clear Kuryr and his crew of pirates did. A faint frown crossed her face as she listened to him, but she nodded. "I'll do my best..." she said quietly, meeting his gaze. Internally, her stomach was churning. She hated the very idea of a slave. But at the same time, she did like having someone around to help her. If that's what it took to keep her place here... and one day hopefully escape, she would do it. But she didn't have to like it.

As Kuryr turned and left, Mirshko half-knelt next to Nula, again exerting herself in the Force. It made her head swim with the amount of effort it took. Chewing on her lower lip, she breathed in and then out again, focusing on what she wanted Nula to do. And then she pushed the thought into the woman's mind. 'You need to help me get cleaned up, Nula.' She mentally prodded Nula towards the bedroom and followed along behind her. Once into the room, she pushed the door closed with her foot and begin to strip out of her soaked bodyglove. "This needs washed.." she said firmly to Nula. "Yes, Lady Mirshko..." the Twi'lek said softly, taking the soiled garment in her hands and disappearing with it. Mirshko had no clue where the laundry was, so she could only direct Nula to go perform the task.

As the Twi'lek vanished, Mirshko sighed, and stepped over to the small computer terminal in the room. She knew it probably wasn't connected to the holonet, but rather some internal database of some kind. Hesitantly touching a few keys, she typed out a search query. A grin spread across her face as the screen filled with a list of available recipes seconds later. Among them was one for Tiingular. It was a traditional Mandalorian dish, one mom fixed often. And admittedly, she did better with that than her attempts at Gihaal. Mirshko made a face at that memory and giggled. Selecting the file, she left it open on the screen and went to shower.

The water was warm on her skin, and she could feel the sweat washing away slowly as she scrubbed with a sponge and a bath gel that smelled faintly like some flower. She didn't recognize it, but she enjoyed the scent of it. When that was done, she carefully scrubbed her hair, and made sure to wash behind her ears. Mom was always bugging her about it. She was done about the time Nula returned from the laundry with her freshly cleaned bodyglove. She looked once at Mirshko sitting there wrapped in the towel, and promptly disappeared into the closet to put it away and grab a clean dress.

She helped Mirshko quickly into clean undergarments before carefully helping her into the new dress. This one was a deep purple, and the sleeves were wide and draping, the outer edge only reaching about halfway down her arm. The fabric was soft, and light, and didn't feel as heavy as the turquoise one. Nula's nimble fingers tugged here and there firmly to adjust it as she settled the dress on Mirshko's shoulders, but her touch wasn't as rough as before. Once she was satisfied, she moved around to study Mirshko's face for a moment as she looked at her damp and tangled hair. "This won't do, Lady Mirshko. Master will be upset..." she mumbled. Frowning, she grabbed a brush and gently began to get rid of the tangles, starting at the ends of Mirshko's hair.

"Maybe .... something different than a braid...?" Mirshko said softly, yet firmly. Nula studied her face for a moment, and then nodded stiffly before she went to get the iron. MIrshko's damp hair would take curls well, and would hold without too much trouble. Returning a moment later, Nula began to carefully curl MIrshko's hair, leaving the curls loose enough to frame MIrshko's face. when she'd finished, she carefully placed the headband Kuryr had bought, and arranged a few more of the curls. Honestly, Mirshko liked the look. And she made sure to tell Nula so. "Thank you, Nula.." she said softly.

Nula nodded and knelt to help Mirshko with a pair of shoes. "Will there be anything else, Lady MIrshko?" she asked, her eyes to the floor. MIrshko studied her for a moment and sighed. "Yes.... Master Kuryr would like dinner in an hour. I've left a recipe up on the terminal in the other room. Shouldn't bee too complicated.." She was trying to sound encouraging. Nodding, Nula disappeared into the sitting room to go look at the screen and copy down the recipe. Mirshko followed a moment later, and settled herself in one of the chairs to read.

 

[Kuryr]

It didn't take Kuryr long to change into something more suitable for dinner with his little princess. The pants he chose were once Republic officer's pants, and he pulled on a crisp clean grey shirt to match the grey stripe down the side of the black pants. He strapped on his gun belt and pulled on his finest boots, if he was going to treat Mirshko like a princess, then he would ensure that they ate like it too. He chuckled a bit as he glanced at himself in the mirror, had he not known who he was, he would almost look like a respectable officer. Perhaps he would try the outfit out on occasion when he was out in the galaxy, see how many people he could fool.

he entered her room to find her sitting in one of the chairs a book in her hands. Ther deep purple dress fit her perfectly and the curls in her hair look stunning. She was the perfect image of a spoiled princess. The smile on his face seemed as genuine as any he had ever used before, he was subtly using the force to let her pick up how calm and caring he was towards her. She needed to believe that he was her Ori'vod, someone she could trust with anything she needed. " You look very pretty, my Prud'ika. That color suits you well, and your hair. It looks wonderful on you." He stepped fully into the room to show off his outfit and took her hand into his and gave a soft kiss.

He sat down in the chair across from her and smiled. " Tell me all about your training, Mirshko." He said lightly as he looked around the room. " So you believe that you are capable of controlling Nula with just your mind?" He wanted to hear her say it. He wanted to hear all of the details of her abuse of power against the slave that he had given her. " You must tell me everything. If I am to train you then I must know every step of your training. From this point on, you will not use verbal commands to control her, I want you to show me the power of your will, use the force alone to control her."

He sat back and crossed his hands behind his head, waiting to hear her speak about what she had done since he had left.

[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

Her head came up as she heard him enter the room. She'd sensed him just before t hat.... maybe her sensing abilities were getting stronger. She couldn't really tell. A smile touched her face when she saw him. Honestly, she was happy to see him after the events of earlier in the day. She'd had time to relax and to gather her thoughts. And, the control over Nula had helped her find a bit of her own clarity. Kuryr seemed rather pleased with himself, and she watched him for a moment as he made his way across the room towards her.

She listened intently to his words, and found herself blushing at his compliment. "Thank you. I like it too.." she admitted after a moment as she looked up to meet his gaze. She straightened slightly when he bent to kiss her hand, and blushed all over again. "I've been practicing like you told me to. I... was using mostly verbal commands.... I had her help me get ready for a bath, and then put my clothes in the laundry. By the time that was done, I had her help me get dressed. I used simple commands. Tried not to make it too complex." She frowned slightly.

"I... started out with verbal.. because doing it the other way really... drained me..." she admitted quietly. "Though, if that's how you want me to do it, I can..." She frowned again, and searched his face. it was around this time that Nula appeared in a door way Mirshko hadn't seen before. "Master Kuryr. Dinner is served. I'll be right back with the first dish." With that, she vanished again. When she appeared this time, she was carrying a steaming casserole that smelled faintly spicy. The table had already been set with glasses and silverware.

 

[Kuryr]

Her reaction to him in general was a positive one, he was very excited that she was relaxing around him, it made him feel that there may have been a breakthrough in her. He listened intently as she spoke a smile on his face. She was still being nicer than he would have liked but she was controlling Nula, which is what he wanted. " That is wonderful, Mirshko, you must continue to work on it. The entire reason I tell you to use your mind only is that you will only grow more powerful if you push yourself. I know it is draining, but there will come a time when it becomes as easy as breathing. You must want it for it to happen." He was going to continue but at that moment Nula came into the room with a dish full of wonderful smelling food.

He smiled brightly as he saw that the dish was in fact tiingular, something he hadn';t had in a long time. " Oh my, this is a wonderful surprise. " He looked between the two and grinned as he looked at Mirshko, "My Prud'ika, you have surprised me again, this is wonderful. I don't think I've had this is many, many years." As he talked Nula served them both before filling their glasses, his with his usual alcoholic drink, hers with water. He took a bite and coughed slightly, " Wow, it's hot just like it should be. You have done well, Mirshko. You are to be applauded for your choice of dishes."

He sat back and took a sip of his drink and smiles at the girl, he wanted to make this another training session for the girl and he knew exactly how to do it. " Now that you feel comfortable with controlling your slave, perhaps a demonstration is in order. Show me just how much control you have over her. Have her come in here and kiss the tops of your shoes." He nodded. It was something simple and Nula would do it regularly if she feared for her life, but he wanted Mirshko to do it. He wanted her to begin to feel like Nula was less than a person. Once she did that, she would begin to feel that she was better than the slaves that they would capture.

[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

She was quiet for a long moment as she thought that over. 'Never gets easier unless you push yourself..' she sighed. Sounded like something Da would say. "I do want for it to happen.." she said softly, just before Nula entered with the food. Her gaze rested on Nula for a moment as she listened to Kuryr. She was quite proud of that, and of her resourcefulness. Tiingular was a dish that she loved. Mom made it often when Mirshko was home. And the scent of it was calming for her. She inhaled deeply as Nula filled her plate, and smiled over at Kuryr as he spoke again. His praise was well-timed. And for her, it helped her to relax more.

She straightened slightly as he mentioned what he wanted to do. Instantly, she was more alert, and cautiously began expanding her senses outwards. Nula was nearby, just in the kitchen preparing the next dish to be served. The directive she'd planted earlier to make and serve dinner was still active. Frowning for a moment, Mirshko reached out in the Force and touched the Twi'lek's mind. Within a few seconds, Nula appeared in the room with the next dish. She set it down on the table and stepped back. As soon as she had, Mirsho's eyes opened, and she looked directly at Nula. The girl's face was set in a look of concentration. It took perhaps a minute, but finally, Nula knelt and kisse MIrshko's shoes for about ten seconds before Mirshko released the command. Instantly, NUla back up and stood with her eyes to the ground. Mirshko could feel fear radiating off of her. Slowly, Mirshko sat back, her posture relaxing as she let out a breath. Sweat had beaded on her forehead.

 

[Kuryr]

He watched as the girl concentrated on the task he had given her, he was sure that she didn't want to do the task, but it was an important step in showing her that the powerful were meant to rule. He watched as the slave dropped to the ground and kissed each of the girls shoes. " See Mirshko, she is weak and you are strong. She could never do that to you, because you are strong, and the only way to ensure that you do not end up like her is to be strong. " He watched as the girl sat back, he could tell she was exhausted, the test had taken a lot out of her and she was probably not far from bed after he food was eaten. " Mirshko, please do make sure you eat, I know the drain that using the force so extensively can cause."

He moved forward and picked up her glass of water, moving out of his seat to bring the glass up to her lips so that she could drink. His hand was steady and firm, her hands were far less likely to hold the glass steady for her. He placed his other hand on her shoulder, a gesture that was becoming common for him to do as he made sure she was comfortable in her seat. " Do not strain yourself anymore today, my Prud'ika. Tomorrow we have more training, and it will not be as easy as it has been today. " He placed the glass back on the table and picked up her spoon. With gentle care he began feeding her, making sure she got the nutrition she would need for the coming days. " Easy now, Mirshko, just take your time and relax, I'll take good care of you, don't worry about that." He smiled as he took care of her. Once she was finished he picked her up in his powerful arms and walked her into the bedroom, as he lay her on the bed he pulled her shoes off of her and the headband out of her hair. The rest would be worried about tomorrow, for the moment her rest was all that mattered. He pulled the covers tightly around her and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

" Rest now my princess, tomorrow will come quickly." He turned and closed the door to her room, allowing her to rest. In the other room he watched as Nula began cleaning up, he didn't way anything to her, she knew her task, she was Mirshko's slave and he would allow her to dictate what her slave did. He took a deep breath and opened the door to leave, tomorrow would be an interesting day indeed


[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

She sat there trying to steady herself for a moment. Mentally, she was exhausted. This was the third time today he'd asked her to perform this task. And yes, it was very draining. She blinked sleepily and tried to lift her spoon to her mouth, it wobbled in her hand and she sighed in frustration as she set it down again. She started in surprise when she saw Kuryr coming around the table, a look of concern on his face. In the Force, he radiated care and concern for her. She sipped carefully at the water making sure she took slow sips as he watched her. No sense choking on it.

When he lifted her spoon to her mouth, she sighed, and her cheeks heated for a moment in embarrassment. She felt.... somewhat useless. But, she'd exerted herself far more than usual today, and it had taken it's toll on her body. She frowned slightly at his comment about training but brushed it aside for now as she tried to focus on eating. And even that felt like a task and a half with how tired she was. Eventually, she looked down to see that her plate was clean.

Soon after, she left Kuryr lift her in his arms. Sleepily, she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She'd worked hard today. She was proud of that, and she could tell he was too. She could feel it. She felt him gently lay her down on the bed. When he did so. she closed her eyes. So tired. SHe felt him gently remove her shoes and the headband and lay them aside before he tucked her in. That was pretty much all she remembered until she was fast asleep.

************************************

Morning came quickly, and Mirshko rolled over with a groan. Slowly, she sat up and rubbed the grit from her eyes. She'd no idea how long she actually slept for... and to be honest, she didn't much care. As she sat up, she realized the Nula had changed her into sleep clothes at some point during the night. That was certainly more comfortable than sleeping in a dress. Stretching carefully, Mirshko slid off the bed and looked around for Nula. The Twi'lek was nowhere to be seen, but she appeared within a few seconds of Mirshko searching for her with the Force. .

"I have food ready for you Lady Mirshko. It will keep if you would like to bathe." Mirshko nodded, and stiffly made her way towards the refresher. Once inside, she closed the door and leaned back against it. It was so strange.. to feel so in control of someone else. And she wasn't sure what to think of it just yet. But, she had to admit that she enjoyed the attention, and the help. Because honestly.. what ten year old would want to do their own hair when dressing like this?

Shrugging, Mirshko slipped out of the sleep clothes and left them on the floor as she slipped into the shower. There was a soft and fluffy robe waiting on a hook fir when she was done. It wasn't so much grime that Mirshko was washing off. Mostly trying to soothe her tired muscles and to organize her thoughts. As much as a ten year old could, at any rate. Chewing thoughtfully at her lower lip, she again tried the dissembling. But this time.... not on all her thoughts. She tried to isolate only her deeper private thoughts. As much as she found the situation a tad unnerving, she was getting used to it.

And honestly, in spite of the hard training, she did enjoy his company a great deal. He was allowing her to explore things she might have been able to otherwise. And for that, she was grateful. It was exciting to be able to explore and learn like this. Sighing, Mirshko scrubbed at her hair and finger combed out the curls before reaching up to turn off the water. Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in the big fluffy robe and made her way back out to the table. The robe was close to floor-length, and she gathered it in one hand as she sat down to eat. This time, it was scrambled eggs and bantha bacon along with a glass of uji fruit juice.

She ate carefully, trying to not eat too fast and make sure she cleared her plate like Kuryr had insisted. She'd need the energy after all. She had no idea what he had planned for today. Once she was done, she moved back to her room And waited while Nula cleared breakfast away. She took the time to herself to retrieve the small polished stone and turn it in her fingers as she tried to fix Mom and Da's faces in her mind. It was hard to. Kuryr was all she could think about now. Frowning in concentration, she finally was able to fix their faces in her mind, and then she proceeded to bury the thoughts in her dissembling until they were deep down. She was slowly getting better at it, like she was with the mind control.

When Nula finished with the breakfast cleanup, she came into the bedroom and helped Mirshko dress for the day. They both knew Kuryr was planning another training session today, so Nula helped her dress in her bodyglove and the soft boots. Her deft fingers tightly braided Mirshko's hair and pinned it in place. Over her bodyglove, Nula gave Mirshko a long vest to wear. It softened the look and added a pop of color.

 

[Kuryr]

Walking towards her room, he couldn't help but smile. Her first day of training had gone much better than he had anticipated, she had shown that she was capable of following his instructions perfectly and she hadn't been afraid to embarrass Nula. As he approached her room, he could feel her presence in the main room, a sign that she was awake. He opened the door and smiled, she was waiting there, dressed and ready for her day of training. The vest was a different touch, but he wasn't going to fault her for wanting a little style. " Good morning Prud'ika he said as he entered the room." He smiled brightly as he closed the distance between them and gave her a soft hug. "You are already dressed and ready to train. I approve. It speaks volumes about your dedication to your training. I do like the vest too, it adds your own personal touch."

He would let her wear the vest as long as she liked with her training gear, if it made her feel comfortable, then he was ok with it. He held out his hand for her to take and smiled, "Nula will remain here today cleaning and making sure all of your clothes are perfect." He said to her, giving her a moment to give the commands to her slave. One of the things he wanted to do was make Mirshko do all of the commanding of Nula, to get the girl used to it. Eventually she would be using the slave without even thinking about it or worrying about what she thought. Then maybe he would begin to work the second part of her training in that area into her routine.

As the approached the cargo bay/ training center, he picked up the pace a bit. "Today's training will start with a bit of cardio. When we enter, you will set off along the perimeter of the room at a run, you will run as fast as you can for as long as you can. I know it will be hard at first, but this is to help build up your endurance for those moments when the force isn't an option." He knew the importance of keeping the body in perfect form, relying the force was fine, but if your body wasn't able to handle the dangers of the task, no amount of force training would save you. He let go of her hand was waited for her to begin running. He intended for her to be completely exhausted by the end of this training session. Once she was, he would begin the second phase of her training, only if she was exhausted would she be able to push beyond the pain and weakness of her body to find the strength within her soul.

[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

The door opened with a soft click, and Mirshko could just the back of the guard's head before Kuryr stepped inside. Setting her book down, she pushed to her feet and let him pull her into a hug. It was gentle, and she felt herself relaxing slightly at his touch. She was still watchful as always, but she was learning when to watch, and when to just blend in. She returned the hug, and when he held her at arm's length, she nodded. "Yes.... I am ready." she said, meeting his gaze. She had reservations certainly, but right now, she wanted to learn as much as she could. And hopefully sort it out later.

She listened intently as Kuryr spoke, looking off to the side for a moment as she gathered her thoughts, and gave a set of simple instructions to Nula. Instantly, the Twi'lek began to move, making sure the table was clear and all the dishes put in to wash. Then, Mirshko turned her attention back to Kuryr. Reaching out to take his hand again, she nodded excitedly. As they walked, she listened to him describe what they would be doing for the day. A faint frown otouched her face, but she nodded. She could run. Buir had worked a lot of cardio into her training at home. But the question was... how long could she keep at it?

Chewing her lip nervously, she looked around for a moment as they entered the training area. It was quite large, as she'd noticed yesterday. And she had no idea how long it would take her to even make one circuit. Frowning, she took a few moments to stretch as Da had taught her, to loosen her muscles. She totally didn't want a leg cramp mid-run. This only took a few seconds, and then she took off at a steady pace, slowly building up speed. She had no idea how fast she was going, but she began to count in her head. After about forty-five seconds or so, she rounded the first corner. And the same for the next. And the next. Al in all, it took abotu three minutes for her to make a complete circuit of the room.

She drew in a deep breath, and continued on for the second circuit. Time seemed to crawl as she made yet another circuit. Breathing in, she tried to pushed the oxygen into her muscles with the Force. She could feel them beginning to burn with exertion. Slowly, she felt the burning sensation ease. She continued trying to push oxygen into her muscles. She had no idea how long it was, but after about seven circuits of the rooms, she staggered to a stop and bent over. Pushing the air into her muscles had helped a great deal, but she could feel her legs shaking from exhaustion.

 

[Kuryr]

He watched as she began to run around the room, it was large enough that she would get a good workout if she kept at it. Her pace was steady and smooth, her form was pretty good and she managed to keep it up for a while. It wasn't long before she was using the force to increase her ability to breathe. He smiled faintly, she was going to exhaust herself before she was really pressed into her training. She probably thought that the running was going to be the training for the day, but it was really only just the warm up. He waited until she was fully finished running before he moved towards her. " Very good, you have done well, but I want another circuit before we move on. Run it as fast as you can." He nodded to her and then he moved back to the entrance of the room.

Once she had finished the last lap and he knew that she was fully out of it, he opened the door and started walking. He didn't look to see if she was following him, he knew she would be. he kept his pace brisk, his long legs would force her to struggle to keep up. He wove a path through the familiar long empty corridor and through the market, not stopping to see anything. The food smelled as wonderful as always but he paid it no mind at all. He didn't even look at her at all. The area they entered after the marketplace was room that was very long but not very wide. It had many targets set up in the distance and a row of benches with a variety of different weapons laying on them

He closed the door after she entered and he studied her carefully. He hadn't given her a chance to catch her breath or to even relax, but there was no time for that. "Each station here has a weapon and a target. Those targets get farther away wit heach weapon. We will stay here until you hit each target with each weapon."

The first station held a pistol exactly like the one she had fired at him the first time they met. Her target was only a few meters away. The second station has a rifle with a target almost 3 times as far as the pistol target. the final station held a long barreled sniper rifle with the final target nothing more than a tiny dot painted on the far wall. None of the weapons had any special adapters or add ons to them and none of them had assisted targeting.

He stepped over to the wall and leaned against it. He said no more and seemed content to let her figure it all out.


[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

'He's Fething crazy....' she thought to herself and she stood there, hands braced on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her lungs burned. Biting down on the urge to shoot a glare in his direction, she took a few more deep breaths and then took off running again. 'Move on?' She frowned slightly. That meant oocly one thing. This was not going to be the end of her training for the day.

At that realization, she cursed softly. Sure, she had stamina....but not quite enough for something like this. She finished the final circuit of the room, and managed to keep from stumbling in exhaustion as she made her way back to him. But, he didn't wait long before moving again. She had no way to know where they were heading this time. She followed, struggling to keep up as they wound their way back through the familiar halls. She could almost navigate them with her eyes closed. At least the ones she was familiar with.

When they started into the market, she felt her stomach rumble slight at the delicious aromas which floated on the breeze. But, they didn't stop. She frowned and struggled to keep up as he pushed forward through the market. He had something else in mind. What that was became obvious when they entered the next area. She knew what it was instantly. And she signed inwardly.

Oh sure. She'd bad a fair bit of weapons training from buir. But, as she looked down the line of targets she frowned. She'd handled a lot of blasters, and even a few rifles.... but definitely not any sniper rifles. This was going to be interesting. She stood there for a second or two trying to catch her breath. And as she continued to study each weapon, her heart sank a little.

His words certainly didn't help her confidence any. A deep breath, and then she stepped up to the first station. The blaster pistol was very much like the one she'd tried to shoot him with a few days before. She picked it up and checked it over it over it of habit before lining up with the target and firing. The first shot missed. She was nervous. Checking her stance, she set her feet and tried again. This time she hit the target. And her next couple shots were closer to the middle.

She set the pistol down and moved to the next station. Her hands we bring to shake with exhaustion by now, but she tried to ignore it. This rifle was similar in size to the one she'd...acquired while hiding aboard the ArmaTech vessel. That helped her calm just a bit. She picked it up and battled the butt of the weapon against her shoulder. Her hands shook slightly as she sighted downrange to the target. Taking a deep breath, she used one hand to wipe sweat from her forehead. And then she focused downrange and tried to Renner what buir had taught her about breathing. In. Out. In. Out. On the second breath, she let it out and then squeezed the firing stud. Her first shot missed. She felt a flare of irritation, and took a detour deep breath before trying again. This time she at least nicked the edge of the target. Frowning, she readjusted her grip and, settled into position before trying again. This time, she hit the outer ring. Teri Moore airs and she was close to the middle. She was beginning to focus beyond her exhaustion, if slowly.

Her hands were shaking again as she set the rifle down and moved to the final station. She knew buir used a sniper rifle often. Hesitant, she stepped up to the counter and took the weapon in her, hands to look it over. It was almost as long as she was tall. Frowning, she gritted her teeth and hefted it as she stepped up to the counter. It was almost too tall. She'd wanted to rest her elbows on it, but, she could barely do it. She glanced around for a moment and then set the rifle down before hoisting herself up onto the counter. Once there, she laid on her stomach like she'd seen Da do, and settled the rifle butt against her shoulder.

A couple deep breaths, and tried to sight the target using the attached scope. Our made the target blurry. She squinted and tried to bring it into focus. That.... mostly worked. Another deep breath and then release before she squeezed the trigger. She had no idea how long they'd been in here, and honestly she didn't care. He wanted her to hit the target, so she resolved to do just that. Her first shot missed and buried itself in the wall about three feet from the small dot on the wall. Hissing a curse in Mando'a, she tried again. This time she was about one foot from the target. That sorry excuse for a scope wasn't really helping. She tired again, and managed to just nick the edge of the target. But she knew he wouldn't be satisfied with that.

And so she tried again. This time, she managed to get the shot just inside the edge of the small target. Setting the rifle down shaking hands, she slid off the counter.

 

[Kuryr]

He watched as she moved to the first station and picked up the pistol, her hands were shaking badly and her first shot was wide my a large margin. She picked up on the weapon quickly, he was impressed. She was living up to his very high standards, she slammed the next couple of rounds home and she placed the pistol back on the station. The rifle was something he expected her to be good with, she was carrying a rifle after all when she was caught. Her shooting was much more confident with it and he was certain that given the time, she would master the weapon more quickly than any of the others.

the last station was where she really surprised him. She pushed the rifle to the side and crawled on the table, a method he didn't consider, but she was small enough to pull it off. Her shots however, left a lot to be desired. He had given her a bad scope but she wasn't always going to have the best weapons available to her, if she started learning on the bad ones, when she got to the nice ones she would excel. He waited patiently as she struggled with the scope and the aim and everything else that she could struggle with. She was determined and she didn't quit, that was what he was hoping for. She finally hit the target and she slid off the table and nearly fell from exhaustion.

He approached carefully and placed a familiar hand on her shoulder," I'm sorry for doing that to you, but if you can shoot when you are exhausted and ready to drop then when you are fresh you will be unstoppable. It was a very hard test, and you have impressed me greatly, my Prud'ika. These tests will become regular for you. One day we will run and train with weapons, the next we will train your control over Nula and then we will incorporate more running after it. You will be pushed to the edge daily, and you will get frustrated often. If you do not think you can keep up wit hthis training , then I will understand." He knew she would say yes. She craved the training and she would be stronger for it when they were finished.

He smiled and began to move." Come along Mirshko, lets stop off and get some of that wonderful smelling food in the market." He walked slowly this time, allowing her to easily keep up. It wasn't long before they were in the market again, the strong smell of food flowing over them. He smiled and pulled out several cred ships and handed them to her. "Go find something to eat, anything you want. You deserve it after your training today. I will be waiting by the corridor back to your room." There was a risk in letting her wander around alone but giving her the freedom was a reward in itself and one he was sure she would remember. Soon he would have to give her the test she so craved, he had to be sure she would return to him, might as well start now.

[member="Mirshko Betna"]

 

[Mirshko Betna]

[member="Kuryr"]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9InYd4k3l7w[/media]​

She was indeed shaking badly when he approached. It was all she could do to stay on her feet. She gulped air, trying to steady her racing pulse. With a shaking hand, she reached up to brush a few wayward strands of hair from her face. When he placed his hand gently upon her shoulder, he would feel her small frame physically shaking with exhaustion. Her eyes widened in surprise as he began to further outline how her training would progress. Inwardly, she sighed. Sure, she loved the challenge. But, it left her so mentally and physically exhausted that she had little time for much else. Or maybe that was what he wanted. She really didn't know.

She frowned a bit as she listened to his description, and for a few moments, she closed her eyes as she tried to order her thoughts. Oh, don't mistake. She enjoyed the challenge. But she was beginning to wonder if it was perhaps too much for her little body to handle. This was.... about twice as intense and any training Da had put her through up to this point. Chewing on her lip for a moment, she considered his words. When she spoke, her words were... hesitant. "I... want to do this.... I just don't know if I can..." she admitted after a moment, swaying slightly from sheer exhaustion. She wanted to keep at it. Not just to prove to herself that she could. But also because hopefully knowing someday that she had pushed herself like this and survived... would make them proud.

The mere mention of the market and food made her face light up. She was shaking from exhaustion, and even with Kuryr walking as slow as he was, she found it difficult to keep up with him at times. Gritting her teeth, she willed herself forward, and looked around. She still found herself amazed at the market, each time they visited. Each time, there were more vendors selling more varied items than the last time. And the food... Her mouth watered, and she felt her stomach rumble softly. She smiled at him, slightly embarrassed, but excited at the same time. "Thank you..." she said softly, looking up at him as she gripped his hand for stability.

Hey eyes were wide with surprise as she looked up at him again. That was something she hadn't expected so soon, though it was a welcome surprise. Squeezing his hand gently for a moment, she took the cred chips in her free hand and counted them to herself for a moment before she looked up at him and smiled again. An instant later, she was moving off into the market alone with the cred chips tucked safely into a pocket. There were so many options, even when it came to food. And there probably wasn't any kind of menu posted.

Shrugging, Mirshko began to wander, content to follow her nose. Something smelled absolutely wonderful, and it made her think of home. Mom had always been an excellent cook - with the exception of gihaal. The thought made her giggle involuntarily, and she looked around for a moment, swiping at the sweat-dampened hair which had plastered itself to her forehead. She continued to look around for perhaps twenty more minutes. Eventually, she found her way to a stall selling fruits. She chose two that looked like the uji fruit she'd seen mom preparing several times. Slipping her hand into her pocket, she drew out a cred chip and studied it for a moment before passing it to the mendor. It was enough to cover the fruit, and the vendor smiled at her before handing her one two pieces of the fruit.

After thanking him, she wandered off again, the fruit tucked safely into a small fabric bag. She was moving slowly now, and anyone who saw her would notice her disheveled appearance and disheveled clothing. Her face was smudged with a bit of dirt and sweat, and she had to keep brushing the sweat-damp hair from her face. It was a few more minutes before she found a vendor selling some sort of meat pies. They smelled somwhat similar to tiingular, so she bought two. Finally, she began to make her way back towards the entrance to the market. IT was along the way that she found the vendor selling juices. She bought another cup of uji fruit juice.

Slowly, she began to make her way back towards the corridor back to her rooms. She was in no hurry. She was content to walk slowly and eat, sipping at her juice as she did so, The fruit was fresh and ripe, and she ate one carefully, trying not to let the juice dribble down her chin too much. Who cares about eating desert first, anyways? she thought. Once he'd finished that, she slowly ate one of the meat pies. The spices were indeed very similar to those which were used in making tiingular. She could tell from taste alone. Eventually, she made her way back towards the corridor, her cloth bag now empty. Making sure to place her trash into a receptacle, she went looking for Kuryr.

*****************************************************

TWO MONTHS LATER.......

Time passed quickly for MIrshko. it was hard for her to keep track of the day cycle here in the shadowport. All she knew was the training schedule Kuryr had set for her weeks ago, and the schedule of sleeping and waking. That was really the only way she could keep track. Today... started off like any other. She rose and showered quickly before directing Nula to help her dress. It was to be another one of the days wher she was to run and train with weapons. She still struggled with the running at times, but she was slowly getting better. She wasn't neccessarily faster, but she could run for longer than she could the first couple of weeks.

To her, that was an improvement. Kuryr might not see it that way, but she could see an improvement in her ability to run for longer periods. She was building up endurance and stamina. She knew that would be important to whatever later training he might have planned for her in the coming weeks. She was dressed quickly, and NUla braided her hair tightly before carefully placing the headband and helping her into the long vest. It had become part of her regular training outfit, and for her, it helped her to feel a bit more in control of things.

 

[Kuryr]

The past two months had moved quickly for him and his charge, daily training sessions had hardened the body of the girl that he had 'adopted'. She was in much better shape than she had ever been and her control over the abilities he had shown her were well beyond anything he had dreamed. He was outside of her door, listening quietly, trying to gauge her state of mind through the force. The next step of his plan was quickly approaching and he was curious as to how she was holding up mentally. He needed to be sure that she would follow him faithfully or all would be lost.

He knocked on the door and opened it. He saw that Mirshko was dressed and ready for her training session like usual but he was not. He was wearing a loose pair of trowsers and a pullover shirt. "No training today, Mirshko. I have big news. Today is a free day for you. I only ask that you do not wander outside of your room. There is much going on out in the port that is far from good. Dangerous people are about, when it gets closer to dinner time, I will have one of the men come and get you. Tonight you dine in my room." He probed at her gently trying to get a read on her emotions at having a free day and of what was happening. He knew that it was a break from her usual routine and that's what he wanted. To break her familiar pattern and pull her out of her comfort zone.

Disrupting her pattern would allow him to control her emotions better, making his announcement later all the more entertaining for him. He didn't wait for a reply. He smiled brightly and turned as he left he glanced over his shoulder and said. " You have done very well these last two months my Prud'ika. You have exceeded even my wildest hopes for training."

[member="Mirshko Betna"]