A thirst for power that is not easily satisfied

[Jantar Keltainen]

“Force lightning requires strength of a sort only a Sith can command because we accept consequence and reject compassion.”
― Darth Plagueis

As well as showing her new Apprentice the fundamentals of all the classic Forms of using a saber, Loysia decided there were other basics she needed to understand.

She’d already shown her how to call on the Force effectively – and to perform the basic tasks; such as push, pull, sense and the like.

Today she was going to step up in the world. Today she was going to practise something that would set her apart from the also-rans of the Force-sensitive galaxy.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar arrived at the warehouse. It was in the lower levels of Coruscant and her Master tended to choose the venue when the locals that inhabited the slums served a purpose in the training.

The young dark-sider swept into the building. She was decked from head to toe in black, the darkness accentuating the paleness of her skin and contrasted well with the red in her hair. The hood of her cloak was down and the garment flapped in the breeze as she strode in, her leather boots echoing noisily on the permacrete floor.

Ahead was her Master – similarly attired – and a cage. It was the cage that caught her eye, as it was full of people, maybe a dozen in total.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar bowed to her Master. She had been taught to only respect those of significant power, such as the upper echelons of the Sith hierarchy. And her Master of course. Others deserved anything on a scale from politeness to contempt, with apathy somewhere in the middle.

Her Master’s lips curled. There was plenty said without a word being exchanged.

“Your lesson in one of the primary weapons of a Sith is about to begin. And for that we need some materials.” At this point her hand waved absently at the temporary prison.

“Today we learn about Force Lightning. To quote a great man, the Force tries to resist the callings of ravenous spirits; therefore it must be broken and made a beast of burden. It must be made to answer one’s will. But the Force cannot be treated deferentially. In order to summon and use lightning properly, you will someday have to be on the receiving end of its power, as a means of taking the energy inside yourself.”

Jantar’s master paused, to see if the young woman was taking it in. Learning, this type of learning, came at a price. And as the young woman considered her Master’s words, the sudden widening of her eyes told Loysia that she’d connected the dots.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“We are not Jedi. We do not ask the Force for help, we demand it. And unlike the Jedi, we train as effectively and efficiently as possible. That means sometimes you get hurt. For pain is an ally. Pain is not only useful, it is essential.”

“Force lightning, or Sith lightning, is a raw elemental power; you literally unleash storms of lightning from your fingertips.”

As Loysia spoke, red arcs of power flowed from her outstretched digits and connected with Jantar, causing her body to convulse.

Soon the lightning stopped and Loysia continued to speak as if the attack had never happened.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“Force lightning is a purely offensive, energy-based attribute that pulls the Force into the body, then channels its energy down your limbs, before hurling arcing bolts of electricity from either your fingertips or palms.”

“It can be executed with either one or two hands. Once fully competent, powerful discharges can branch out into dozens of smaller forks; thus, skilled practitioners can target several foes at once.”

“The intensity varies based on a number of factors. Users skilled in controlling the intensity and force of their lightning can render a target unconscious with only a short burst, or kill a person instantly with a single, powerful blast.”

“Sometimes your opponent is hurled backwards. Sometimes they are simply electrocuted, other times they burn. It’s even been known for a target to be completely vaporised.”

“And it is not just a weapon. The fact that it causes not only severe physical damage but also unbearable agony to the victim means it is widely used as a form of torture.”

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

The hint of a smile played across Loysia’s lips. “It has been known for Sith Masters to regularly assault their apprentices in this way. It is something that has merit, but not something I plan to use as a rule.”

Jantar did not show any sign of relief at this statement. It wasn’t that she wanted to be tortured – but rather that, in order to be the Sith she wanted to be, she would accept whatever training came her way. Pain was a small price to pay to receive the sort of power she craved.

“Now, due to the fact that Force lightning is, at its core, simply electricity generated by the dark side, be aware it can be grounded with any material that is resistant to electrical currents. A competent Jedi will have been trained to understand this.”

“Depending on the level of intensity, Force lightning could be ground on an activated lightsaber. However, if the blast produces sufficient kinetic energy , it can tear a saber from its users grasp.”

“And advanced Jedi could, in theory, resist the attack, or even block the lightning completely through Tutaminis. Some have been known to even reflect the lightning back to its source – but such Jedi are extremely rare.”

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“Though the short-term effects of Force Lightning are obvious, the sheer power invoked by its use can have insidious long-term effects, both on those subjected to its power and those who would wield it.”

“It can deform the person being shocked. Prolonged exposure to intense electrical fields causes most humanoids to experience sudden and massive calcification of their skeletal system; and the abrupt drop in blood minerals provokes muscular micro-seizures all over the victim’s body.”

“And there are variants we can consider, but first – having felt the effects – it is your turn to demonstrate them.” Loysia indicated the cage with her right hand and a door on top of the structure opened and a single individual floated out of the opening, as if picked up by an invisible hand.

The sound of the man’s cries were pitiful and annoying in equal measure.

“Hurry,” Loysia said, her voice calm and with an undercurrent of cruelty. “If only to stop the incessant noise.”

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Jantar closed her eyes for a few seconds, focusing on the man’s fear. It was a useful Sith trick, to use a victim’s own emotions against them.

Drawing the Force to her, Jantar channelled it through her arms and into her hands.

Initially, all that happened was it leaked from her fingertips. Her frustration added to the power she was drawing and when she tried again, she focused on converting the Force from an energy source to energy itself.

Small sparks of red tripped from her fingers. Buoyed by her success, Jantar continued to draw power and increased the focus on altering the Force into electrical power.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

Firstly a short arc leaped from her fingers. Then another and then another. As she concentrated, the lightning took shape, with more arcs and longer range. As she saw the fear manifest in the man’s eyes as he stared into hers, clearly searching for pity, her resolve increased and a blast of blue electricity tore into his body, charring his skin and killing him instantly.

“Excellent,” Loysia said. “Control comes with practice, it is important to be able to control how much pain you wish to inflict. The good news is that we have plenty of test subjects.”

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

By the time Jantar had finished with all of the caged men, her control had increased significantly. She was no expert, but she was able to kill outright or cause degrees of pain at will.

“Of course, it is different in combat,” her Master advised. “You can give one hundred percent concentration here. When someone is trying to chop your head off, it is a different matter. The easiest way to stop an ability like this is to distract the wielder. Few can perform such feats whilst being preoccupied. And it does not have to be subtle or clever. A kick in the nether regions would suffice.”

“Now you are able to perform the ability, it will be down to you to practise by yourself. Tomorrow we can look at variants.”

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“Force shock. Less powerful but it has a purpose. For all intents and purposes, rather than create lightning, you look to generate a powerful spark.”

Loysia demonstrated on a new victim, given the cage was now full once more.

The small spark of power leaped from her fingers and struck the woman captive in the abdomen. The woman wriggled and then lay motionless.

“The victim is stunned. Injured too. Depending on the power, the charge takes from a few seconds to a few minutes to dissipate. Harder to gauge precisely – there are too many variables.”

Loysia stood aside and Jantar took over.

Her Master was right, it was difficult to judge the power accurately and so she accidentally killed a couple of test subjects as she practised. But finally she got the knack of it and was able to stun a victim – although the duration was still a challenge to get right.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“Next I can show you Force Storm.”

A couple of days of practise had passed and finally Loysia had decided that Jantar was ready to progress.

“This is a variant of Force Lightning. You raise your palm upward and create, through the Force, an explosion of electrical energy directed at all foes in the vicinity. I would advise you to stand back.”

Jantar retreated as recommended and observed. It appeared to the apprentice it was more of a tornado than lightning, but the effect was similar – albeit it covered a radius, as opposed to being directed at an individual. The Sith Master was able to generate a wide circle of the storm and all within range perished.

“I suspect this is one you will have to grow into. It requires a great deal more power than you currently can draw, or control. But the technique is the technique.”

As anticipated, Jantar’s attempts paled in contrast to her Masters. She could produce a radius of about a metre and for a few seconds, but lacked the control and power to generate a bigger storm, or for any longer.

After a few days of practise, Loysia confirmed she was happy with her apprentice’s technique and that they should move on.

 

[Jantar Keltainen]

“One day I shall show you Chain Lightning, but for now, be aware of it. It is not a common ability, due to its difficulty. Essentially, it is a variation of Force Lightning with the difference being that the lightning is able to strike one person and then move to another or several others. It requires a great amount of discipline and concentration to project and sustain the stream of lightning.”

“But I can teach you Lightning Shield. Here, you generate lightning but hold it close, like a shield. It can absorb energy – particularly sabers or more lightning."

They spent a week practising the ability until Jantar was able to generate a blue shield composed of lightning. It was strong enough to absorb Loysia’s lightning for a short period of time and could also deflect blows from her saber.