A Dance of Blades (Karren Trask & Muad Dib

[Muad Dib]

"Fracking bothans. Always think they are the martyrs of the Galaxy. And always thinking they are owed something."

His hands were under the faucet of the refresher unit in the promenade. The blood and fur washed from his hands, donated by the piece of osik information broker. Muad had paid good money for a report about the fleet operating on the edge of Tatooine space. He was just doing his due diligence to ensure that there wasn't any plans, official or otherwise, to encroach on Confederate territory. But then the smug bothans thought he could raise the price by four times the amount. And after he had paid.

Muad got his info, a bit of cardio, and even deposited a small sum of credits to the bothan's health fund. A little bit of facial reconstruction was in the male's future. Chuckling lightly he dried his hands and moved into the following traffic moving through the station. His business here was complete, but nothing made him thirsty like some light action.

Seeing one of the cantinas that littered this level of the station he entered and moved to the bar. Waiting on the bartender to get to him he looked around, glowing blue eyes taking in the inhabitants and the upper balcony that lead to several large storerooms where the rooms could be filled with cargo for the plethora of interactions that occurred, both legal and illegal.

"Whyren's Reserve."

The bartender nodded and poured a glass from one of the bottles off the top shelf. Holding it under his nose he inhaled deeply catching the earthy aroma before tossing the drink back. It wasn't true Whyren's, but the closely concocted beverage was near enough not to raise many eyebrows. Nodding he tapped the bar with a finger for another round.

Taking a seat he adjusted the protector strapped low on his right thigh. Being alone in this type of bar asked for trouble. And even with the revolver the man could be mistaken for an easy mark wearing just his tan tunic with the sleeves rolled to elbows and black trousers. Perhaps it was his presence that warned the undesirables away. Perhaps it was the blue Sith runes that covered his left arm from elbow to knuckles, or perhaps it was just the danger reflected in the burning blue eyes. Regardless, he was left alone.

Sitting there he pulled a deathstick from his pocket and as he placed it between his lips, the tip ignited through no apparent external means. Inhaling deeply he sat and enjoyed himself.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

Service to both the Jedi Order and the alliance was straining her. Between missions, engagements and various activities she had hardly a moment of time to breathe. So she'd taken her own leave of absence, putting in to both orgs and walking away for a week. Well flying away. Her StealthX made a beeline for Void station, where she now found herself in a rough looking cantina, beating the brakes off a group of Trandoshans at Pazzak.

"20. You lose. Pay up."

The Lizard men grudgingly pushed their credits over and hissed.

"Double or nothingggg."

"Naw sorry boys. I'm all outta patience for this game."

She got up, pushed her seat back and cast about. Then made her way through the crowd to the bar. It was a slab of rust steel, and old wood. The rest of the place was roughshod and basic. Not a cushioned chair to be seen, and pictures of wanted bounties and famous pilots on the walls.

She moved through the cacophony of neon lights and took her seat next to a man in a tan tunic glancing over. The second her eyes met the runes on his armor, and the tan fabric rolled up she felt a small ping in her gut. Like a lead brick impacting her.

​

Sith out here?​

It made some sort of sense. She wondered if she was a dead give away with her plain grey Flightsuit. All her patches were stripped off, and her hair hung in braid over her right shoulder. She glanced left at him again and then motioned to the bar tender.

"Two drinks please. One for me, a beer, and whatever this guy is having."

Then she turned to face him.

"Don't see many of you guys out here. Business or pleasure?"

 

[Muad Dib]

The woman slid to the bar next to him. Glancing over his keen eyes took in the flight suit without insignia. Grey and not black. Assumptions flickered in his mind. No insignia in Empire space, a grey suit instead of black so the reasoning of an elite pilot for the Empire narrowed down to almost zilch as most imperial pilots wore black. Factor in the wear on the jumpsuit didn't match the wear on an imp suit which used unique and different systems and Muad assumed either an alliance flygirl or a Merc.

But it wasn't any of his business. Or it wasn't until she bought him another round and turned to speak to him. Sighing he turned towards her, eyes tracing over her body before returning to her face and the scars. She wasn't just a pretty face. She had mileage and stories. Taking the drink he raised it in a salute before taking a draught.

"Manners and hospitality. Guess that narrows it down even further. And darlin' you've never met a guy like me."

He had seen the look onto the runes etched into his skin. Not only did she recognize the marks but she referred to him as 'them' implying that she was not a part of what he represented. Tossing back the rest of the drink he set the glass on the bar turning to snarl at a few of the patrons near them, gaining the two space and a modicum of privacy.

"So what are you then? Jedi? Republic? Cause you aren't an imp or Sith and with your mannerisms you're not a merc or pirate either."

Here he was thinking he was going to have a nice peaceful and boring drink. But with making the woman's acquaintance things were beginning to look up.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

She smirked, taking her own drink and clinking it with his. He was fishing now and he was close. She was loathe to reveal too much about herself here. Not in so much open space, with so many ears listening in.

"I am no one. My own person. You may call me Karren. And after all, manners keep one from getting a bolt to the back don't they?" She asked cocking her head to the side. It was curious how guarded he was about his own secrets, yet probing hers. He looked grizzled and she knew he'd seen his share of fights.

"Out here on mercenary business? I'm looking for a little spar myself. Skills are rusty."

What kind of spar she did not let one, but she guessed he knew enough about her kind to put the dots together.

 

[Muad Dib]

A grin creased his face as he acknowledged her deft dancing around the subject of who and what she was. The cushion of privacy he had attained from snarling may not have been enough to warrant the truth, and yet she offered her name. Karren.

When she mentioned sparring he chuckled and turned to the bartender, credits flashing between his fingers as they slid across the bar.

"I'd like to rent some of your storage space for an hour."

The bartender nodded as he collected the credits, eyes widening slightly at their denomination, before retrieving a card key and sliding it across the bar. Collecting the key Muad stood and winked at Karren before moving through the crowd, a path opening before the man. Up the circular stairs he climbed and skipped though a door along the back wall to move through a long corridor with several doors.

Checking the card he found the door then swiped, entering as the door opened. Assuming the woman was behind he walked around the empty storage bay nodding at the massive amount of empty space. As the door closed Muad knelt and placed his palm against the floor, letting out a wave of low level electricity that took any hidden recorders offline. Standing he spoke over his shoulder.

"So, a dance perhaps?"

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

Karren grinned. Spooky and secretive, that's how she liked to do private business. Her hand reached back, fingers curling around the silver cylinder in her hidden back holster under her shirt. then it ripped free and she held the un-ignited blade in her right hand, switching it to stun setting with a flick of her thumb. Her eyebrow was still raised from the impressive lightning effect he'd used.

"For sure but a few things. First stun setting. Second, don't be alarmed about who or what I am. I have no quarrel based on faiths...... Yet. And third, show me how to use that lightning."

She was very impressed. She'd read about prominent Masters of the Old Jedi using the technique called electric judgement, where they struck down darksiders with searing bolts of force lightning derived from the justice of the lightside. She wondered just what his version was. Was it Sith or something else?

Either way she had a feeling she was about to find out.

"Fair enough?" She asked, leaving the terms open for some negotiation.

This is gonna be a fun Vacation.​

 

[Muad Dib]

Nodding slightly he loosened the strap of his beskad and his armor plates as he listened to her statements and requests. Crouching he slipped the sheath from his shoulders and began stacking the armor in a neat pile. Unhooking his bes'briik he placed it with the pile along with the being containing his buy'ce and gauntlets. As he finished removing his armor he spoke to the woman at his back.

"Firstly, I am the safety for my weapon. I've trained enough students and fought enough battles that my blade doesn't go anywhere I don't intend it to. Secondly, I really don't take offense. But rest assured I am no Jedi. But neither am I Sith. I'm Muad."

He smirked as he stood and gripped the collar of his tunic pulling it over his head and dropping it with the rest of his possessions. His back was a map of scars, arms and torso having several as well. Reaching to his belt he pulled the pitted silver cylinder from it's sheath and twirled it in his hand as he turned towards Karren. Seeing her own cylinder in her hands he nodded.

"As for the lightning, I will show you, but perhaps you would like to harness it's less darker brethren instead."

He smirked at the woman as he began to circle her waiting to see if terms were acceptable.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

She grinned. He was straightforward and that was something she liked. She brushed her braid back over her shoulder, nodding as he circled, keeping matching footwork with the man to keep him before her.

"Show me both. Though I may claim to be a Jedi, I am no hardliner. I'll taste both sides of the force, and use what I feel matches the moment."

Darlyn had taught her Niman, and she had a solid grasp on Makashi. She wasn't in this duel just to fight and bleed. She was hungry for knowledge and this showed in the gleam of her eyes as she watched his form.

"I know Makashi, Form I, and Niman. What can you teach me? What do you know?"

Her stern gaze matched his, saber now near the centerline of her body but loose in her grip ready to snap to life if he attacked prematurely.

 

[Muad Dib]

"Form one, the basis of lightsaber combat. Intriguing that you have trained in the duelist form and the diplomat form."

He continued circling her like a predator his prey. His eyes caught the steeled glint of determination and hunger in hers. That was good. She had experience which was also good. His left hand went to the other sheath at his hip and slipped a second lightsaber from his belt. Twirling the deactivated hilts between his fingers he grinned.

"What do I know? The first thing is that the lightsaber is an extension of you, a part of you. The second thing I know is the lightsaber is only a mere weapon."

He chuckled at the contradicting statements.

"A lightsaber is a tool, no more and no less. I have seen force users that utilized walking sticks just as well as a master uses a lightsaber. A master swordsman can use a lightsaber just as well as a Jedi with time and expertise. But a blade created by your hand, attuned to you, is part of you. There is a knowing that resonates with the blade and yourself, something that no one who is unable to sense the force can understand. So both of my two rules stand."

He ignited the lightsaber in his right hand, rotating his wrist and twirling the blue blade before sliding sideways to hold the blade pointed at Karren's feet.

"Rule number three. A true warrior learns all forms. Most specialize in a single form, or even two. But that is folly. I'm not saying that you must master every form. What I am saying is learn all the forms. For how can you be prepared unless you have trained in them all?"

With that he attacked. A lazy lunge at her midsection which was a feint, as Muad extended he rotated his wrist bringing the blade into a twirl down and backward himself before arcing into a strong over head strike at Karren's right shoulder. Muad's training was hands on, and he would walk her through as they danced, for that was the form he began, Makashi.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

"Fair enough."

She stepped back as the first feint came and ignited her blade, letting it blaze to life in a brilliant emerald snap hisssssss.

Then she turned, presenting only her right side, left foot back, right toe pointed towards her adversary. As he struck towards her left shoulder she was there to meet him, fending of his downward slash with an upward and slightly left flick of her wrist.

The two blades met with power and grace, flashing; sparks illuminating the dull grey walls like fireworks. Her flourish flicked his blue blade away and she stepped in, following her attack into a counter, thrusting dead center, then dropping the point to the floor and flourishing up and left to try and catch his right leg.

​

Counter, Step, Strike​

"I am trying to learn all of them, that's why I asked you."

 

[Muad Dib]

Nothing like the sound of lightsabers colliding to reinvigorate you. A grin over the sparking blades before they disengaged and continued the dance. His blade was taken out of line by the woman's flourish. As she advanced with a thrust he stepped back his blade parrying. As her blade went down then up towards his thigh he reached from instinct.

Kicking up he did a cartwheel over the rising blade, the knuckles of his left arm planted on the ground as he continued the spin to his left (Karren's right). As he twirled his boots came before her eyes, intending to lightly brush her forehead as his lightsaber blade spun at her right hip in a horizontal slash. During the fight and then the maneuver he called out.

"Makashi is good for dueling. But using your own mobility and agility, bolstered in the force, gives your opponent a surprise. Ataru you to fight unorthodoxly which is difficult to counter by Makashi."

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

Karren felt the strike connect with her forehead, knocking her head back with a snap.

"Ungh!"

She grunted, shuffling back as he struck. Her eyes tracked the blade and she let go, letting the force take her arm and direct her own emerald blade where it needed to be. This time it was a light swat, giving her time to escape and reset.

His form was Ataru? She'd never heard of it, but it seemed it focused on agility, rather than a stand up fencing match.

"Very well then."

Both her feet slid together, evenly spaced and she squared her hips towards him. Her lightsaber blade turned over, and over in a figure eight, as she rotated her wrist. Then she stepped, and pivoted her body in a crescent, squaring the left side of her body towards him, slashing with a figure eight, weaving a defensive cage around her. Pressing into his space.

Step, Crescent pivot, now her opposite hip faced him, and the pattern continued; Karren trying to press him back into the bulkhead with a wall of her weaving lightsaber.

"Better?"

 

[Muad Dib]

Straightening from his flip he turned having his right side toward Karren as he raised his blade between them. She had parried his slice and retreated to reset her stance. Nodding at her he grinned. Watching as she focused once more he breathed in and out, pulling the force to him.

"Ataru is of form IV, it uses agility to change the tempo of the dance of blades."

As she began weaving her lightsaber in the arcs designed to be perfect for defense she advanced. Sliding back step by step he watched her form, nodding in approval at the skill that kept the blade in a continuous infinity loop that would be difficult to attempt to pierce. As he retreated he was aware he was running out of room, the bulkhead nearing.

"Remember though, a duel isn't just about your skill with the lightsaber. It's about using your surroundings, being unpredictable, and utilizing the force."

With a growl his left hand rose, tossing his second unignited cylinder up into the air as his legs coiled. Leaping backwards and away from Karren his left foot braced upon the wall and he kicked out and away, soaring back towards Karren. His right hand thrust out as if he was to lunge at her with his blade. However it wasn't the lightsaber that was the imminent strike. Releasing a repulsor blast from his right gauntlet towards the woman in a simile of a telekinetic push he continued his arc toward her as his left hand snatched the falling cylinder and ignited the angry orange blade, spinning and slicing down toward her from Karren's left shoulder to right hip.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

The repulsor blast broke her concentration. Karren growled as it impacted her face, slowing her matrix. Just enough that his strike could penetrate, and impact her shoulder. She howled in pain, sliding back two steps, and squaring her hips off to his front. Then she countered, ignoring the stinging sensation.

She stepped forwards, pivoted in a half circle and placed the momentum of the pivot into a lateral two handed slash at his side, hair flowing behind her.

Then she stepped again, pivoted in a half circle in the opposite direction, and swung again, placing all her might behind the swing; trying to drive the emerald beam past whatever defence he mounted and crush him.

"Yaaah!"

I'm getting this.​

 

[Muad Dib]

As he danced he felt the chance of patterns in the force as the repulsor blast disrupted Karren's focus. His blade sizzled as it scored her flesh, Muad automatically pulling back so as not to would her further. Yet it was not necessary as the patterns fogged and she retreated immediately showing that she was arrived and skilled. He grinned nodding.

"Very good, you are very good-..."

Then she attacked and he was on the defense mid talk. Her group changed into a heavier attack, double grip, and she slashed out with a powerful attack, partially spinning and driving her green blade at his own orange blade. The ferocious strike drove his blade back and the two lightsabers clashed against his chest before he was able to bring both blades into the block.

The smell of burned flesh wafted upon the air as the scrubbers worked vigilantly to purify the room of the sent of ozone, burned flesh, and sweat. With his arms straining against hers, the three blades locked into a stalemate, he grinned. His chest bore two new wounds shaped like an x. She was better then she let on.

"Good, but you must always remember that the lightsaber has abilities other weapons do not."

He depressed the buttons, deactivating both blades as she was pressing against them in an attempt to scour his flesh once more. When his blades disappeared he pivoted and lunged inside her guard attempting to drive his elbow into her chest, hopefully using her momentum forward to add to the impact, while being too close for her blade to whip into him.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

The elbow attack caught her completely by surprise. As his elbow crushed into her chest she wheezed, feeling the air expel in a hurricane from her lungs. The saber waved right , point to the deck as she stumbled back. He was still inside range, but she sized the situation up, knowing she could not strike with any leverage.

"CQB is the game now?"

She grinned, barely able to get the words out, then shuffled back forwards one step, reorienting her hips to face his, and pressing right up against his body. Her left foot went forwards and to the side, to try and hook the back of his right. Hopefully to set him up for a trip on this next attack.

The Emerald blade in her right hand transitioned into a reverse grip, Shien style, vertical behind her back as her left hand curled into an open palm. It stuck, driving up through her elbow, and aiming for the underside of his chin. She tried to angle her fingers to gouge his face if her palm met it's target.

​

Where the head goes, the body goes. Thanks Yumi​

 

[Muad Dib]

The elbow landed with a powerful blow causing him to grin and advance. Combat, even a feigned duel, caused an elation within him. To answer a foe head on, the physical brutality of assault, the unchoreographed dance of bodies, the ignored passion ... All these things spoke to the Mad Knight raising his battle lust and desire for the fervent pitch that came with the dance of blades.

Inside her guard her hips leaned into his which caused his grin to morph into a smirk, his mouth opening with a snarky remark, yet her actions precipitated any response the man would have. Muad feel the light brush off her for behind his ankle and began to move, changing his position to avoid any attack that would destabilize him.

Unfortunately, he was too late.

The rushing palm strike caught him under his chin with enough force that, when combined with the sweeping foot, sent him backwards. His teeth clacked together with a violence that left his head ringing while fingers attempted to gain a purchase on his face.

Using the momentum of the strike, and the loss of firing on his right leg, he followed the path of least resistance and pushed off with his left leg in a backflip. As he flipped get over head the toe of his right boot careened at the underside of her jaw in an attempt to return the favor. Left hand hit the floor and assisted him in the backwards rotation to land in his feet, a line of blood leaking from the crease of his mouth from the jarring strike.

"Good, a duel is more then the blade. It incorporates everything onto the battlefield."

Stowing his blue bladed saver he ignited the orange one and pointed it at her chest. She was nearly two lengths away as he gave her a nod that acknowledged her abilities.

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

Karren stepped back, creating a greater space between them and and angled her right hip and foot towards Maud, gripping her emerald saber loose. It came up, elbow slightly bent and pointed to him. He had switched to Makashi, so now she would switch as well.

She grinned, feeling the elation of the fight in her bones. She liked this. she lied this a little too much.

"You are an excellent fighter. What else can you teach me?" She asked, shuffling one step forwards, body sideways.

"Do you ever have need of an extra blade by your side?"

 

[Muad Dib]

He gave a slight nod of his head at her compliment. Then her question of more made him grin. She was hungry, hungry for more. More knowledge, more power. It was only natural to crave more, but to be consumed by that craving led down a different path. For a moment he thought to caution her about the perils, but who was he but a stranger to caution a grown woman in the choices she made for herself.

"The lesson, the main thing, I wish to impart is a simple truth that is seemingly always forgotten. A lightsaber battle is not just about the blade you hold on your hands. It's about utilizing your surroundings, incorporating your strengths, recognizing your weakness, and above all else understanding that being unpredictable and cheating is what will keep you alive."

As he spoke he had stepped back, his blade still between them until there was just over three meters separating the two. Grinning as he held the standard blade just under a meter and a half long he rotated the cylinder in his hands in opposing directions. Suddenly the lightsaber erupted forward, the blade immediately lengthening to three meters.

"Use everything you have at your disposal. Surprise and deceit can end a fight quicker then anything else. When you are engaged in a duel for your very life, there is no such thing as cheating. Only staying alive."

Deactivating the blade he stowed the hilt away on his belt and sighed. He had trained many apprentices, shared much knowledge, in his time. Although he want quite thirty at times he felt old. A life of war and watching vode fall, some he had trained, wore at the soul. But a light quirk of his lips revealed that even though he was, indeed, war weary at times he was no where near done.

"Battle isn't confined to just the physical aspects that many consider a duel to be bound by. Some find it dishonorable to utilize anything other then the blade. I say, let them die with their honor. And I, as well as those I fight for, will live with the imagined stain of cheating in battle. If you fight, fight to win and survive. And you use everything you have."

As he spoke he had moved to his pile of belongings and removed his gauntlets. Turning back to her her clenched his fists, right hand erupting in flame and left sizzling with electrical currents that ran the length of his forearm.

"Wish to learn more you say?"

[member="Karren Trask"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Muad Dib"]

Karren nodded, letting the words sink in for a minute.

Her eyebrow went up at the fire and lightning show. Oh yes that was definitely something she wanted to learn.

She pointed, deactivating her own blade and stowing it.

"Show me that. How do I do it?"