Blades Crossed Under The Trees (PM if not tagged)

[Andorreth Vikar]

It'd been a while since I'd been back to Kashhyyyk certain personal issues had taken me away from anything to do with the Jedi. I tended to stay away from council chambers and Masters anyways. Recently I'd become more involved with The Shadows though there'd been one I'd worked with recently on Veros. A blonde young woman named [member="Drystan Marakos"] from what her personnel file read she was quite good with blades it'd be interesting for a duel to get to know each other better.... Turning my head to glance at Celiana I said "if by chance a shadow were to show up for blade training you think you could hold back for a bit?"

Celiana who was meditating said "Depends Andorreth...they cute? You did make me a combat instructor for a reason after all...." Sighing I said "Not so you could flirt Celiana but I'd venture you'd think she was...." Force help me this was either going to be great or an utter disaster.... I began working through some sword forms as I waited for Drystan to show up I'd set a meeting, after all if I was goign to be working with her in the future it'd be a good idea to see who'd have my back....

[member="Celiana"] began humming and I just shook my head. Guess we'd wait and see if she showed....

 

[Drystan Marakos]

One second, it was only the two of them - the next, there were three.

A blonde woman stepped through the ring of trees; a ripple within The Force signaling her presence. From the way she was dressed, it was obvious she'd prepared for the wilds of Kashyyyk... a red jumpsuit & high boots protected most of her body from the foliage, and her hair had been tied back in a loose ponytail. The crunch of one of her bootsoles on a small fallen branch split the air, making only a small amount of noise... but resonating through the small clearing, audible even over the sound of humming.

She approached the two she'd been summoned to meet, offering a curt smile toward the both of them... she carried herself like a professional stalker.

"Knight Vikar...?" She asked, once she'd reached them. Hazel eyes studied both he & the woman seated nearby, as Drystan's lips curled upward. "Didn't take me long to find this place.. I could feel you both, even through the trees."

Clipped to her left thigh, in a small rig which seemed quite unique for its' design, held a slightly surved cylindrical object; a lightsaber, obviously.

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

As Drystan stepped into the ring I said "Aye that'd be me." Celiana I felt just blur into The Force... "Drystan right? Thing is if I hadn't wanted to be sensed I wouldn't be as for Celiana...." Sure enough she'd vanished completely from sight this would be intriguing. "So I like to get to know a bit more about the people I'm working with by crossing blades with them I can see you like the curved hilts but are you any good with actual blades Drystan?" Drawing The Force-imbued blade Tamerlein from my back I cleared it of the sheathe and went into a loose high-guard. The cross piece guarding my hand and ready for her opening. Odds were Celiana would show up sooner or later I could tell she was simply watching from somewhere off in the trees but I couldn't sense her....

[member="Celiana"] ~ [member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Time moved slower for the veteran operative.​

​

The Blonde Jedi Knight had developed a latent skill in sensing the world around her; bought by long hours spent in solitude with only her mind to keep her company. As a child, her world had been a place of fear and violence... and, like any Spider might do, she had crawled into the abyss - finding darkness, quiettude, peace, as her centerpoint. She had stretched out into the depths of The Force, learning from a very young age to be comforted by it... Consumed with it. Cloaked by it.​

​

As the woman seated on the treestump faded into nonexistance, Drystan's already well-honed sense of feeling felt her disappear from The Force as well - as skilled as the Sentinel, it seemed, for the woman disappeared completely. Not a sign showed upon the blonde's beautiful face... Savage hazel eyes regarding him calmly; unphased by the sudden turn.​

​

Drystan's right hand, up until now casually held by her side, opened: her palm facing to her left. The straps which retained her lightsaber opened violently, and the curved hilt which had rested there sprang to life as-if possessed. A violet blade extended from its' emitter, hissing like a swarm of locusts.​

​

The blade was held low; her body angled with her right hand extended; her left having fallen back, fingers outstretched in a web. Behind her, and before her, The Force came back like a drum... reflecting, caressing, and containing. The tip of her blade was angled toward the ground, ready to rise. She was balanced on her toes... weight evenly distributed and ready to shift. A classic fencer's stance.​

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The distance which separated the two combatants was less than 30 paces.​

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"If this is what it is to be, then I shall fight one way or another." ​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

Hmmmm duelist stance, her footwork was impressive as well. "So tell me about yourself Drystan, I like to know who I'm working with. Where'd the stance and style come from?" I was referring to her duelist stance and I was actually waiting for her to move. One thing Celiana had taught me was to eye the footwork and move accordingly. "Training by the way Drystan, if I'm actually going to fight you, you will know it." Breathing in I closed my eyes and felt about me. I remembered Celiana had said sight was not to be trusted. Further she'd said to train your mind in case reality warps... Drystan's move though we'd see how she responded to the calm I had....

[member="Celiana"] ~ [member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Celiana]

Intriguing.....this woman had Makashi training, though I'd never faced Andoreth with all of what I knew this woman could be a challenge for him. Then again he'd defeated me while I'd been using Makashi. He also had the fact he'd been trained by a dar'manda going for him. He could hold his own and with what I knew he'd been practicing with Force powers it would likely be enough to off-set her. I on the other hand had more of a feel for what I would be using against her. As it was I doubted she could sense me... he was waiting for her to make the first move though that alone could give him the edge he needed. I had always said footwork was key....

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

The act of [member="Andorreth Vikar"] drawing his blade had signaled to her, in this time and place, that the perfect response to him would be to show she, too, was armed; his skill with the blade was not to be ignored. She felt she was in the presence of Jedi who were born of this galaxy... where she was a product of a different life.​

​

The lightsaber in her hand disappeared, swallowed into the hilt. She held the stance for a second more, then slowly shifted her weight forward. Drystan's left foot slid to the left, starting off a walk which would carry her in a short arc. It was a casual step as she seemed to open up to him; though she regarded this Jedi Knight (Her Equal, at least) as a stranger, she spoke to him without a hint of subversion:​

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"The Way", she began, "was taught to me by my Master... A capable warrior, and a good man." Her eyes narrowed at Andorreth as the distance between them had begun to close somewhat. It was obvious that, by becoming more intimate, she was also closing the distance between them... It was a trade Warriors made; a system of exchange. To become close was to open oneself to attack. ​

​

She continued, "He instructed me in Shii-Cho" (She spoke this word in the accent of one who'd studied the art), "and when I'd mastered it, he trained me in The Way taught to him by his master: The Way of the Ysalamiri. I trained in Makashi under his tutelage until my trials. He believed my future to be one of battle..." ​

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"And I am, indeed, unafraid of battle." ​

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The distance between them had closed to only 15 paces.​

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She had been trained in Shii-Cho to Mastery, and was an expert fencer. Her movements were incredibly tight & efficient; requiring very little energy to respond even to a flurry of blows - A sign of one with training in Soresu enough to consume them in its' particular abilities. ​

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Drystan's sense of the world around her gave life to every blade of grass and living thing within her sight, and she seemed completely at ease... At peace with the thriving vibrancy of Kashyyyk's undercanopy, surrounded by penetrating beams of light from the bright sunlight above. Tiny particles of pollen, plantmatter, dust, and microscopic bugs shimmered in the air... Other than their small presence in the clearing, the planet of Kashyyyk melted into a humming sea of presence.​

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At the center of it all, Drystan Marakos felt in-tune with herself... the greatest achievement of her life.​

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"I even carry my Master's lightsaber, in his honor. And with it, I have saved lives." ​

​

​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

Nodding slowly as she spoke and closed the gap I said "Sounds like he was a good man indeed. My brother was murdered by this blade and with it I exacted justice in the way of my people. Corellians have a custom that those who have killed and been caused dishonor can challenge those who inflicted such harm on them to a fight to the death. I took no pleasure in it. The assassin was skilled and to kill another blades-man gave me no comfort the only comfort I took was that he wouldn't release a bio-weapon on my people..." with my free hand I pulled my shirt to the side and showed her where he'd run me through.

"This was the price to ensure he wouldn't harm anyone again. I understand Makashi is a true duelists' form. Much like a dance in fact, so come then Drystan dance with me I'm intrigued to learn. Though to make things a tad more interesting a wager perhaps. If I can not only disarm you but render your saber inoperable would you agree to dinner with me and to teach me Makashi? I would not wish to destroy your Masters' saber... I promise no Force powers that could be used in combat. I plan to fight with my eyes closed and only using Force Sight. The Echani use motion to read a person. I use a mix of that and Force sight which allows me to see the colors of peoples emotions." Now then Ms. Marakos do you accept and shall we begin?"

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

The blonde listened, a smirk on her lips as her male companion spoke about his tangle with death. She eyed the scar from a distance, nodding intangibly at the cicatrix but saying nothing.​

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"Dinner?" She asked, stifling a laugh. The man's self-confidence certainly left nothing to be desired. "And if I win?" She asked, her eyebrows arched. She way she stood gave off attitude... she clearly thought he was boasting.​

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And while she waited for him to answer, Drystan reached deep into her spirit, and began a series of exercises... a familiar game, as she'd created it herself and done it all her life. Drystan tapped into the darkness at the very center of her core, felt it comfort her, and then bathed herself in it. In a heartbeat, she, too, began to fade from the senses into obscurity; not disappearing visually, but her sphere of influence shrinking until it became as microscopic as a single molecule of grey-matter in her brain. The only way to define her, with lack of sight, would be to hear her coming.​

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What her opponent had likely not understood, was that she was perfectly in-control of her emotions. It was how she'd survived, at war with the Dark Side inside & out, all her life.​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

"If you win then you spar against Celiana and she will be less fun than me. Unless you have soemthign better in mind...." I began reciting mentally an anthem against fear and felt her presence disappear in The Force. She was still there but she'd cloaked her Force Signature. Time to adapt a mindset of Soresu.... Patience, as is I still hadn't seen her move her blade yet. Tuning in to the hum, the sound of her breathing, the soft scrape as she moved her feet against the pavement. Mentally reciting "I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer, fear is the little-death that would take the heart of me. I will face my fear, I will permit it to pass over and through me. Where the fear has been there will be nothing only I will remain." Hearing the hum of her saber I tuned into its energy signature and the sound of her boots. Still on guard I said "Your move Ms. Marakos..."

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Reaching with her opposite hand, Drystan turned a dial on her lightsaber, reducing its' power to one safe for training; the humming of the weapon dropped somewhat and the purple color of its' blade dimmed slightly, but it still seemed lively in her hand. Her jaw was set, and she took two steps forward, taking the same stance she'd held a few moments before, but this time, the tip of her lightsaber as level with her navel - "Always threaten with the point", her master had taught her, "It gets there the fastest and the straightest."

Her opponent's blade seemed built for chops and angry swings; it would hold more power purely by the weight of the weapon, but she assumed [member="Andorreth Vikar"] would be capable enough to manuever his blade effectively; if he fought the way she suspected, her precision & defensive capabilities would be antithesis to his style. This was an assumption, of course... but one she hadn't made lightly. She advanced, shifting to Andorreth's outside, away from his field of view... Even though his eyes were closed, she still gave him nothing.

The distance closed quickly, and her practiced footfalls were like a gentle breeze in the wind.

Her first two strikes would be delivered in a one-two combination, swinging high above her head and maneuvering her blade up around around in a fast arc; seeking to meet his blade in a high guard and strike it twice; the second strike stronger and more aggressive than the first. Her lightsaber whined as it spun through the air... they were within contact distance, now. ​

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If her two strikes were responded to, she would spin off line and disengage, using her superior footwork to travel outside his distance and behind. If, by chance, he aimed to take advantage of her open belly and lower body, she was coiled like a serpent - ready to drop her weight and meet him immediately within the 3'rd circle; closest to her body, tightly controlled and balanced on her feet. She would prove to be an aggressive opponent with a surprising amount of power for her economy of motion. ​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I heard the saber being turned down power being moved to a training setting. I heard albeit faintly her moving towards my outside....She was good then the steps....wow her footfalls were exquisite she clearly had excellent footwork. I heard the saber before I moved and at the last second I simply blocked the one two strike was good the first carried into the second more powerful strike. Motion carried Makashi, fluid movements its deceptions. Words Celiana's instructor had cautioned me with... Her footfalls were difficult to pick up and that would be part of my battle. "Your footwork is incredible I imagine you're an exquisite dancer as well based on that." A smile on my face as I waited for the next volley of blows...

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan allowed herself a smirk, casting a glance into the woods beyond and the clearing they occupied... wondering if [member="Celiana"] was close enough to hear. As Drystan's feet shifted in a side-step, she concentrated... projecting a thought into the air, but keeping it hidden from her opponent: "Is he always like this?" She soundlessly queried, the question spreading out from her in a wave.

She had crossed to [member="Andorreth Vikar"]'s opposite side, stepping forward into a quick lunge. Drystan made a flicking motion, the tip of her blade rising from the ground to strike at the underside of his exposed right arm - she was to his five o'clock. The blow would test the Echani's ability to parry or dodge. She stepped inward, a shuffle-step to close the gap so she'd strike him a blow across his arm and the rear of his back.

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I heard Celiana say from somewhere in the trees "yeah he flirts, you'll get used to it. I'm better at it though." I felt the heat from her saber as it moved towards my right arm and right as it was about to hit my saber flew into my free hand igniting as I moved. Meeting her blade with an aqua glow. Thumbing the power setting I turned it down to a training setting as well. As I did so I brought in my emerald sword tight then immediately sprung it out tip first. Before flicking it back towards her exposed shoulder. My saber knocking aside her blade and then going into a guard behind my back. Planting the tip of my boot on the ground I sprung to the side half a step and waited.

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

The sabers clashed violently, bathing the clearing in a burst of light and sound.

Drystan pressed forward, suddenly offensive; stepping into the blocked blow and whirling as she brought her lightsaber up, rotating it so that the tip of her blade pointed toward the earth, following through and launching a strike toward [member="Andorreth Vikar"]'s midsection; as his blade was behind his back, he had placed himself at a disadvantage, and she immediately moved to act upon it. ​

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She closed the gap, wielding her lightsaber efficiently in circles 2 & 3; close to medium range as she attempted to possess her opponent's space, pressing him to respond. Her strike to his midsection was from an oblique angle as she utilized the unique shape of her weapon to her advantage.​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

I dipped the sword tip into the earth and flicked a bit of sand and gravel up towards her. I was being too rash though, practiced it'd be highly effective but I hadn't practiced that. Spinning away off the foot that had been planted as I'd landed I darted out of range if only barely. My weight and height were only just a bit more from hers the angle of her blade was well used. No matter what we were essentially evenly matched clearly she had more work with a saber though. The colors I saw when she moved though true Echani art, her persistence a vibrant green, her will an orange like the suns above Tatooine, her skill a blue like ice, cold yet so alive. Flicking the tip of my emerald blade into the dirt I drove off my foot that'd landed and pressed her.

A quick one two strike. A one toward her ribs a two up towards her neck. Then saber de-activated and roll to the side before launching out of the roll with a two handed strike for greater control and power. Aimed toward her saber blade to knock it down just a tad. A follow up elbow that'd either land, or I'd use the momentum to carry me around her back side. I wondered what would she see if she looked at me as I was here right now? I also hope Celiana wouldn't skin me alive for this kind of fighting...

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Celiana]

Andorreth! Of all the..... head in my hand I simply shook my head. He knew what he was doing all along. But this he wasn't toying with her even though traditionally she'd be the one to fear. He was testing her out, feeling her out as a duelist the same as he had with me. He recognized the fighting style of Makashi even with no Master to have taught him any of the saber forms he was creating a variant of his own. I wonder if she recognized this.... if not he may be able to do as he'd wagered. Though knowing him he'd disable only this wasn't a fight with intent of battle simulation. This was....tuning in to him I realized why. Oh Andorreth you have been clever he was fighting the way I did, Echani style with force sight.

I continued watching from my perch we'd see how this played out...

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Drystan dodged the small spray of debris as it rose toward her face, bringing her lightsaber in a tight arc to catch a particularly large clump of dirt, which disappeared in a thrumm of the violet blade.

Suddenly, Andorreth changed his tactics - becoming much more mobile and attacking in a flurry of blows which set the blonde into a defensive role. The first two strikes he'd sent at her ribs and neck were caught with a combination of responding blows, then she'd had a moment to recover when [member="Andorreth Vikar"] rolled.

The double-handed strike would fall on air - she ducked and shifted to the side in a crab-walk, using only her natural reflexes, avoiding the blow as well as any follow-up attack he might make. At the same time, Drystan lifted her lightsaber high, driving it in toward the man's exposed groin and thighs - using his own momentum to likely carry him into her blade. Her defensive posture was contained in a very small area, and her legs were coiled, ready to spring in any direction. The speed & forcefulness of his aggressive attack would make it very difficult for him to arrest his momentum. ​

 

[Andorreth Vikar]

She was quick I'd give her that. The two handed strike missed and I heard her movement. Felt the heat of her saber and using acrobatics flipped away from her blade. As it was the two-handed strike had carried me forward. To overwhelm Makashi I'd have to use the same tactic or a variant at least Force her on the defensive then wait for an attack, counter then immediately attack. Darting back towards her I sent a flurry of practiced blows towards her a strike against her saber blade to attempt moving it to the side just a bit. A quick step to the side de-activating my blade I dropped it and caught it in my other hand igniting it again this time angled towards her chest before a three strike in rapid succession a quick slice towards her right ribs upward strike towards her arm and now since we were in close quarters a feint. A knee brought up in a strike but instead another strike angled across her chest in a backhand strike.

"At the very least you're making me work for taking you out to dinner Drystan."

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Up until this moment, Drystan hadn't said anything in response to her opponent's flirtatious nature - she was not the type to engage in conversation during a battle, seeking to direct her energies toward action.

At the moment [member="Andorreth Vikar"] flipped over the lightsaber she'd risen to meet him, Drystan's tactical mind engaged; immediately understanding the position she'd be in if she remained where she was with her back to her opponent. She threw herself forward into a roll - doubling the distance between them to create space, rising and turning to face him. Her lightsaber, having deactived to complete the evasive manuever, reignited with a crack-hiss...

She grinned at him, allowing a moment to pass between them - "It's your credits, Andorreth... One way or another, you're gonna pay for the fun."

The blonde bombshell stepped forward, closing some of the distance and bringing her lightsaber again to bear between them - standing ready.

"Come and get me."
She taunted him with a sly grin.