Are We Numbers?

[Retired]

There had recently been several new padawans made into knights and Seo Linn was always one to support these new people. So she found herself on Kashyyyk and wandering among the things there. She was one to listen to the Force quite often and go where it sent her.

If it hadn't called her here to support these new knights, she would have been with Mereel and doing something with or for him. The Force was sometimes odd, but for once she felt it had guided her steps in a good manner.

The thought of Mereel brought another to her. She had been helping him follow a lead on his sister not long ago and ended up getting cracked in the back of head and knocked out like a light. He had arrived in time to save her life, but she wanted to know how to prevent it from happening again.

However, she wasn't going to be learning any time soon. She could watch the various people practice and spar, but she couldn't join in. The reason would be pretty clear if one looked at her stomach area. Now a few months along in her pregnancy, Seo would not be going on many more missions or getting into any spars soon. That didn't mean she couldn't watch and get ideas though.

Taking a seat with a good view of a few practice areas, she saw two people sparring. It appeared they were just wrapping up. She had spent far too much time away from Kashyyyk to know everybody and she didn't know either one.

Being a silent observer sometimes drew attention of others and that is what happened. One of them noticed her after the spar ended.

@Dusaro Dresari

 

[Dusaro Dresari]

Dusaro had been training in Djem-So and Shien, specifically the Djem-So portion. The Echani Martial Arts he had been raised with made understanding Shiens concepts and moves easy, quite a few of them were the same moves almost in fact. Djem-So how ever, was focused on a heavy, forceful offensive, chaining together multiple heavy blows to get faster, more ferocious and damaging after every attack. That did not have much similarities as generally the idea with Echani Martial Arts was to defeat in a single blow launched as a counter attack from a parry after reading the opponents movements. It took some getting used to but Dusaro appreciated the form and the raw kind of flowing power it had. The naturally greater strength, endurance and stamina of his species also helped him in utilizing it so that made it feel more rewarding as well.

Taking a rest after a bout with a duelist who mostly practiced Makashi and Soresu, a combination which made for a very interesting and drawn out sparring session, Dusaro walked off and noticed someone who had been sitting in silence for quite some time. Curious and basically done for the day, Dusaro walked on over to say hello to the unfamiliar face. He was dressed in his usual attire, slightly baggy cargo pants that were easy to move in and a t-shirt with a sleeveless vest on top of it. The only really unusual thing was an arm length glove on his right arm, the leather glove extending just a few inches past his elbow.

"Hello there, I see you have been spectating for a while. Waiting for someone?" Dusaro asked curiously, taking a seat on the bench.

[member="Seo Linn"]

 

[Retired]

It was easy to pick up on somebody trained in combat. One was greater than the other and the better fighter won the spar. She had not done much more than basic combat training in her years. Picking to focus on Shii-cho, she knew barely the basics of any of the others. Seo was a simple woman and her skills were the same. Her strength was with her mind, in observing and learning. Putting that into practice was more difficult though and she chose not explore that too much.

The spar had ended a few minutes ago, but there were some others still going on. Only watching them with half of her attention, she had a few other thoughts rolling around in her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the approach of the one that had been victorious in the spar and her focus sharpened to him.

She wore the colors that would fit well in the desert and had some gold threading through it. It was what she wore most of the time. Comfortable and suitable in pretty much any climate.

"Not at all. Just watching really. Taking a bit of time to observe what I might not already know. Seo Linn."

Not one to speak more than really needed, she answered his question, gave a little information on herself and her name.

[member="Dusaro Dresari"]

 

[Dusaro Dresari]

Dus had not needed much practice with Shii-Cho to grasp it. Its basics were fairly simple, mostly derived from sword techiniques that he already knew. Though at its greater heights it was far more deliberate yet subtle, flowing like a mighty river with strong undertone yet a calm surface. In the end he could achieve the same effect with the Echani Martial Arts he had been born and raised with, so after showing he was competent in its basic premise he moved on to other styles. Though he did want to revisit it one day and train in it in greater depth, his interest lied in expanding his skills rather than simply building up what he already knew.

"Ah i see, fair enough. I am Dusaro Dresari." He said, not too surprised by her more silent nature. Social recluses were not particularly uncommon among the Jedi he had noticed, though it still seemed strange to him in some ways.

"Any particular form or style you are trying to observe or improve in?" He asked curiously a hand scratched his two toned, platinum blonde and silver hair. That along with his golden skin was the only two hints that he was not quite just a regular human.

 

[Retired]

It wasn't so much that Seo was a social recluse, but she was from Lorrd. Even though she was human, their culture spoke through body language and used less vocal words than others. Her complexion wasn't that of a typical person from the desert world. Most of them had darker skin and hair, but she was blond and had golden eyes.

Nodding at his own introduction, her head tilted just slightly as she considered his question.

"I have spent time focusing on the first Form and know just the basic katas of the others. Which do you like?"

It was not a full answer, but that was because Seo did not really have one to give at the moment. Carefully picking her words before speaking, she gave Dusaro the opportunity to answer before she spoke again.

"There is always ways to improve what one knows and bring it into play, even if it is from a different Form. So not style really interests me, just general learning."

[member="Dusaro Dresari"]

 

[Dusaro Dresari]

Dusaro was similar in that he had been raised by his mother into the Echani culture which found most meaning and understanding was best understood through combat. This was something Dusaro himself believed, but in the wider galaxy finding like minded people was.. Rare. He had long gotten used to simply speaking with people.

"Mmm... Form Five, both its variations. Djem-So and Shien. Form one and two are things covered in some form by prior martial training, form three is a bit defensive for my liking and form four, Ataru, is its own special kind of beast, a bit to focused on a a single opponent for my liking."

It was a short answer of the real answer, which was a rather long one. He planned on learning the other forms, but he kept his learning focused.

"Course. Besides, if you are trying to use just one singular form, you would be rather limited. Combat and war is not something that allows a rigid mindset. Form Five is a deviation from how i normally fight, which is why i am dedicating as much time to it as i am. Echani Martial arts are for the most part, largely reactionary. Not about cracking open someones defense, breaking through with decisive aggression."

That was the reason he had been focusing so much on it, because it took some effort to be able to both get such a new mind set and be able to adapt it on the fly as needed in actual combat. Truly making such a thing your own always took time.

 

[Retired]

"Form Five is a little aggressive for my taste."

He was an open person that spoke more than she did and Seo would be able to read him easily. It wasn't through combat that she read people, but their entire body. The way they moved, looked or even did very small motions. Another way to speak was through animal sounds and she did those well. Able to imitate something almost right away after hearing it once or twice. Some things took longer, but Seo picked up most language sounds easily.

"Correct. One Form does limit a person, but it isn't very often I have been called into needing to fight."

Though it had happened a few times in her life. Only once had it mattered and she had failed. Maybe she should work at learning more how to fight against multiple opponents. Form One was a weak one for that.

"Would that be something I could learn?"

Meaning the Echani martial arts and not a saber Form.

[member="Dusaro Dresari"]

 

[Dusaro Dresari]

"Aggression is most often, not always but most often the key to victory. All about applying it right." He said, realizing that out of context that could come across not as intended. "In combat i mean. Though the same theory applies in other areas, if you interpret 'aggression' as 'taking the imitative'. Course, it would be to easy if victory was all that mattered."

He said, musing for a moment on the idea to himself. Dus was plenty capable of reading people through simple body language, indeed the ability to do such came before one could garner meaning, intent, emotion, intensity of emotion and desire through someone attempting to punch you in the face.

"Echani Martial Arts? Possibly. It isn't exactly easy to teach." Dusaro didn't doubt his ability to train someone in it, he had been practicing it for twenty years of his life. Since he could walk his mother had taught him and raised him in the Echani ways and culture but that was also part of what made him more reluctant to teach it.

"Not exactly something i could teach just by sitting down and saying 'lets throw hands'. I am teaching a close companion right now and even though they come from a background of martial arts, getting across the true meaning is... A pain." He said with a wry expression. In truth, he wanted to teach even though he was conflicted with doing so in a way, with it being part of what his mother had passed down to him. It was just incredibly hard to get people to catch on.

[member="Seo Linn"]

 

[Retired]

It would be clear to Dusaro she was listening to his words and what he said.

"It is and I agree. Aggression does not always win in a battle of words though. And those can be just as important as any other kind of battle. You are of the Echani who read people through battle. I am from Lorrd and read people through their body. So it is possible I could pick up on your martial arts easier than somebody else. Perhaps we can both learn something from each other. I could teach you the language of my people and you teach me yours."

Normally one not to say much all at once, this was the most Seo had spoken for a while.

"Congratulations on becoming a Knight. Your name was on the list of those newly raised."

[member="Dusaro Dresari"]