Can't Break A Rule? Can't Break Bone. [Combat]

[Connor Harrison]

Everyone could wield a lightsaber, or try to.

Most could wave it around, cause some damage, repel a blaster bolt, absorb energy.

That was all well and good for the Jedi.

However, what happens when the saber is out of reach or destroyed? When you’re back against the wall without your weapon? In a tight area with only your hands and wits about you?

What happens when you can’t rely on what you think you know?

What do you do when you have to truly fight to survive?

Connor had faced these questions and situations over the years. From grapping on a mountain, to scrapping in a tomb, duelling on a narrow walkway or fleeing across a desert. If one assumed their lightsaber would always be on hand to get them out of a tricky situation, then they had signed their own death warrant.

He didn’t have a tent, but he had a cordoned off area with a few training blades and bats to hand. No lightsabers. Close quarters and melee combat was as important to learn when out in the field as much as fighting with a saber or shooting a blaster. You had to knowhow to fight and defend yourself against an enemy who came into your personal space looking to take your head off.

The Rogue Master scratched his eyebrow gently as he sat peacefully in a chair reading a book – ‘The Krennic Code ‘ – as the workshops carried on around him and he would wait if anyone wanted to talk to him about training, or even life as a Jedi in general. Connor had seen and experienced the horrors out in the galaxy, and if he could help others understand what was out there, then maybe he would be doing some good.

 

[H3xle]

From the first time he had been given a training saber, Dair had taken to fighting like a fish to water. Years later he would learn that combat sang through his veins like flying did for a correllian. However, he had quickly learned on his self-imposed exile that fighting with a lightsaber was vastly different from fighting bare handed, or with other melee weapons. He had since spent years honing his skill with the traditional Valkyri weapons, but a true scholar never stopped learning, and Dair had known of [member="Connor Harrison"]'s combat mastery even before he had vanished into the Midwinter life.

So, Dair found himself approaching the Master as he was reading a book in a cordoned off ring. Dair wore a more traditional Jedi tunic now, beneath his cloak, and Winter still rode his hip.

"Master Harrison." Dair spoke as he stopped at the edge of polite conversational distance. "I am Dair Cotarin." He said by way of introduction, then looked around the ring. "I am here to learn some unconventional combat techniques, I believe." He smiled as he spoke, and returned his full attention to the Master.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Slowly lifting a finger to halt the eager Jedi, Connor slowly raised it more and more as he read a little quicker to finish his page – he couldn’t just stop mid-verse, could he.

A few seconds and his finger went down, he curled the page and closed it. Then, he looked up.

”Dair Cotarin. Pleasure.”

Slipping the book under his chair, he linked his hands on his chest; not doing what Dair may have expected a Master to do – stand, bow, shake hands, all that nonsense.

”Unconventional combat techniques? I never said I’d be teaching unconventional combat techniques – I’ll be teaching essential combat techniques. Nothing is unconventional in the heat of combat.”

He looked up at the Jedi, noticing he had a certain look about him familiar to that of Mysa, or Theo.

”Where are you from, Dair? I can sense Valkyri blood in you which means combat must also run in your blood as much as oxygen.”

[member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[NightSister]

Like any self-respecting Jedi and Echani, Aria knew how to fight a good fight, both with weapons and without. She also knew that knowing how to fight wasn't much good unless you regularly put your knowledge into practice. Combine that with the fact that she had loved martial arts since she was three, and there was no way she wasn't showing up when her Master set up a session at today's training workshop.

Energy and spirits high, Aria strode to a marked-out area near the tents where Connor was chatting with a Jedi Knight unfamiliar to her. As much as it had pained her to separate from her trusty saber, she knew that today's lesson was to prepare for the times when one had to fight without it and so had left all her usual weaponry behind.

"Well, hello," she said cheerfully as she reached the pair. "How's...uh...things?"

[member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor caught Aria out the corner of his eye coming up from Dair. She was her usual cheery self; that energy was positive to see and if there was one thing that was important, it was to maintain that positive attitude and self-belief in the face of adversity.

"Here she is. You’re looking as well as ever. Have you met Dair before? ”

He guested to the Knight before him.

”Are you here to watch, Aria, or to get stuck in?”

[member="Aria Vale"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[H3xle]

[member="Connor Harrison"] | [member="aria vale"]

Dair nodded once Connor finished his page and addressed him, calm patience of winter exuding from the knight.

"Indeed, I am of the Valkyri of Midvinter." He replied, there was a pause at the end of the statement, pregnant with addendum that added up to his life story, but this was not the place to air such. "I have to agree, in combat there is no line between conventional and unconventional..." he trailed off as the young woman strode up. Connor introduced him, then a moment later mentioned her name, allowing Dair a chance to address her properly.

"Lady Aria, it is a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Dair." He offered his hand to her as he would any equal.

 

[Yag'dril]

The workshop was a strange thing she was uncertain about but.... dive right in and get to know the people you are going to be spending all of your time with seemed the best choice in many cases to the situation. Yag was moving and well combat was an important thing one had to know to do... and when you were her size as she glided to meet the master and the others. Stopping and holding herself up as she flexed finding a good position so she could look on while watching the others and her eyes were shifting when she saw the others that were there. Touching for a moment her underbelly and pushed her hair back behind her shoulder. "Room for one more master?"

 

[NightSister]

"Get stuck in," Aria grinned back at Connor, only barely able to keep herself from adding 'duh'. She was already anticipating the lesson with the exact right mixture of fear and excitement. Then the Knight opposite caught her attention as he offered his hand.
"Dair, lovely to meet you." Smiling as he called her 'lady', she shook his hand. Aria hadn't seen the Jedi around Voss, but the apparent Valkyri was certainly a gentleman and no doubt would be a formidable sparring partner.
Finally an unfamiliar Bo-Dun woman glided in to greet the three of them, wanting to join. She was another that Aria had not seen around, but she seemed friendly enough and three was an uncomfortable number for a combat session anyway.
"Hi, nice to meet you," she said as the woman approached. "I'm Aria."

[member="Yag'dril"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[Eugen Aker]

The Mandalorian was curious about the Silver Jedi, so she decided to immerse herself in their ways to get a better feel for their culture. Knowledge was power. There were special workshops being offered for instruction in various disciplines. Most of them held little relevance to her as she couldn't wield the Force, but this CQB course being offered certainly piqued her interest. It was refreshing to see a Jedi teaching practical skills. A Mandalorian was more than their armor, and so too a Jedi was more than their lightsaber.

Not wanting to spook her prospective clients, she arrived before Master Connor and the others in casual wear, though she still wore a body-glove of armor weave underneath as per standard practice in low-intensity environments. There was a single ripper strapped to her hip that could be seen - very handy for busting through lightsabers and shields - and a whole bevy of other concealed weapons on her person that could not. She had no intention of using any here, but the Mandalorian always left her ship prepared for the worst.

She approached Master Connor, silently offering a respectful bow as his new pupil, then stepped away clasping her hands behind her back. She didn't know anyone here, and she understood there was a healthy apprehension for Mandalorians at the moment, so she would play it straight for now. However, she generally enjoyed beating people up with the sort of weapons on display by Master Connor, she wasn't sure how long the stonefaced act would last.

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Aria Vale"] [member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Yag'dril"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

It seemed he had his handsful. After Aria, another came - [member="Yag'dril"] before [member="Face"] - and then there were four eager to learn. He stood and nodded at them.

"Welcome, you two. Glad to see you,” he nodded at the two and then looked at them all together. "Well we've got even numbers for a little one on one I think. I'll be here to give technique, advise where you go wrong and compliment when you do good.”

Connor stepped back, folding his arms and pointed at them all.

"So, individually before we break some bone, can you tell me what your sole aim of combat is. Honestly, don't say answers you think I want to hear. I'm not into all that nonsesne - truth serves us best, and there are no wrong answers. What do you feel in combat? What do you think about? What is your sole objective and what, if anything, holds you back?”

[member="Aria Vale"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"]

 

[Yag'dril]

[member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Face"] [member="Aria Vale"]

She as listening to him and seeing some fo the others there, her thoughts of moving around and breaking bones came to a small look when she moved over to see the others for a sparring sessions. Her body stretching out and wrapping around the area for that she could position herself to meet and match with the other when she straightened herself out to stand level with the others that were there. She didn't know any of them so at least she had no level of comfort with the people here. No friends to run to so they would just pair up and roam off.

 

[Draconis Caesar]

Draconis approached the sparring field with a small measure of reverie that he might be training with other Padawans. As he approached this thought was quickly done away with as he saw many whom he gauged from their posture to be seasoned warriors.

He watched as they stood in a small cluster and the master addressed them. As the man finished Draconis approached and embedded himself amongst the group. Hearing none of the others speak Draconis decided to interject with his own answer.

"When I fight I empty all my emotions into a flame and become one with the void that is left. I feel nothing. I think only of the enemy in front of me and how to best to beat him. My objective is to survive and one thing that always holds me back is my desire to protect the persons next to me. My name is Draconis by the way. I am still new here," Draconis would then extend an arm to anyone who would take it.

[member="Dair Cotarin"], [member="Connor Harrison"], [member="Face"], [member="Aria Vale"], [member="Yag'dril"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

"Welcome, Draconis."

Connor nodded to the newbie.

"Now that’s something you’ll need to work on removing from the situation, because it’s thing that will hinder you. Holding back in a desire to protect the persons next to you. If anything, you don’t hold back because of it."

He stepped into the make-shift ring cordoned around with rope.

"The second the enemy sees, feels or hears you’re thinking about the person you’re with, they make them a target to weaken you. And then you’ll be fighting two battles when you only need to fight one. And, as a hint, don’t make your emotions a flame...make it a fireball."

He smiled, and waited.

"Anyone else before we get started?"

[member="Draconis Caesar"] | [member="Dair Cotarin"] | [member="Face"] | [member="Aria Vale"] | [member="Yag'dril"]

 

[NightSister]

Drumming her fingers on the side of her thigh, Aria thought about the question posed - the purpose of combat. The short answer? To defeat your opponent. The long answer...

"When I fight," Aria said, trying to structure her answer so the words wouldn't spill out, "it's - it's uncomplicated. My inner monologue switches off, so I'm not thinking in a comprehensive way - it's just feelings, emotions. Mine and my opponent's. But my goal is always the same - hurt them until they can't hurt you back, and then stop."

She bit her lip, trying to gauge the reaction.

[member="Connor Harrison"] [member="Dair Cotarin"] [member="Face"] [member="Yag'dril"] [member="Draconis Caesar"]

 

[Yag'dril]

She listened to the others answers and was interested in them but battles she had been in usually went a small handful of way and consisted of her using sheer size and powerful muscles as opposed to her fists when she spoke with a nod of her head. "I do not know the combat that you human's use." She moved and shifted with a look on her face coiling and shifting around. "My species find an enemy and constrict them until one of two things happen. THey stop or they are gone. With some of the species on my planet their carapace needs a lot of pressure to break."

 

[H3xle]

"When I fight, everything is crystal clear. I have my objective, defeating my opponent, and all other concerns go away. My trouble has always been keeping other objectives in mind. For me the fight becomes all until it is won." The Valkyri knight spoke slowly, neither prideful nor regretful, simply speaking the truth of his fighting as he saw it.

 

[Darth Arkanus]

Walking out of the woods after taking a stroll to calm his mind and meditate far from the tents he looked at the schedule and saw that Master [member="Connor Harrison"] had his unarmed combat lesson scheduled. Not wanting to be late like his other classes he starting walking briskly toward the area where the schedule said the lesson would be located. Realizing that even though he was on time everyone else was already there and the lesson had already begun.

"Sorry to be.. late master, is there room for one more?"

his other lessons didn't seem to fit the physical aspect of the Togruta with his other classes focusing on the mind, but this one had his name written all over it, with his tall and built build he was more then ready to put his physical power into action in this session.

 

[Mabbik]

The Kushiban walked through the grass on two feet instead of his normal four. In his right paw he carried a half eaten orange fruit that was dripping with juices. Relaxing and consulting a datapad in his left he looked up from it and spotted the gathering of people. This must be the combat training he'd been interested in.

Finishing up the last of the fruit he puts the datapad in a pouch next to his lightsaber and blaster pistol. Dropping to four paws and he ran over to the group. Still a padawan and a fairly new one at that he didn't recognise all of them. He did however see a female that seemed to be wearing what looked to be light mandalorian armour which was curious. Turning his attention to Master Connor the Kushiban bobbed his head respectfully. "I am not to late am I?" he asks.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor listened as he noted two newbies come along, to which we nodded and waved them over.

"Thank you - nice answers. And welcome to you, also."

He turned to Yag'dril, intrigued.

"I'd love to see you in action one day - in fact you can show us today how you'd work against a human. Fascinating."

With an odd number for what he wanted, he still indicated for them to get into his marked zone so they could work on their combat skills. He began to pair the attendees.

"I want [member="Draconis Caesar"] and [member="Dair Cotarin"] to face off. I want [member="Face"] and [member="Mabbik"] together. And… [member="Michael Shepherd"] has the biggest challenge of all with [member="Yag'dril"] I think.” He smiled. "I’ll work with [member="Aria Vale"] so please…take down your opponent.”

He raised his finger.

"Keep it civil, remember. Learn from each-other and I’m going to point out anything you can improve on. The main factor for you all is to take down the other by any means. No rules. Think fast. Act as if your life depends on it, because it will one day and you won’t always have time to be graceful and the gentleman…or lady.”

Connor turned to Aria.

"You want to make Knight? Earn it.”

 

[Darth Arkanus]

Looking to where Master [member="Connor Harrison"] gestured to he noticed his opponent. Looking at [member="Yag'dril"] he frowned a little, maybe this lesson wouldn't be as easy as he had though. Shrugging these thoughts off he walked over to the other jedi and extended his hand in greeting looking at the person he was suppose to fight.

"Hello, I'm Tyrion I'm a little new here, I hope we can have a fun spar, just don't hold back too much and I'll try not to huh?"

He let's off a nervous chuckle as his spirits are crushed a little more, even as big as he was this would be challenge, the swift moves from his opponent would be very hard to avoid or block while attempting to best Yag'dril in a fight.