Faction Corellia: Ssave You It Can (advanced saber training, NJO + friends)

[Khefiir]

After having both arms ripped off by an enraged WHIPHID,
the Trandoshan knight KHEFIIR has recuperated at long last.
He has agreed to teach a combat class at THE SABER,
a tall waterfront enclave in the greatest city on CORELLIA
​

"Expectationsss," the Trandoshan said, clasping his freshly-regenerated hands behind his back. Force, but it felt good - regeneration had been an itchy process, especially once he'd started drilling again. Now his saber felt proper and natural on his belt, and he was back in front of a class. Next step: whatever came after Ziost. The war beckoned.

"Firsst, thiss issn't one of thosse Padawan classess where a teacher rambless while you pair up and sspar for twenty minutess and feel good about your sskillss. Thiss iss a three-hour block.

"Ssecond, we'll use training weaponss only. If your own ssaber hass a training ssetting, turn it on now. If not, training ssaberss are in the box by the wall.

"Third, we'll focuss on practicality. No fusss about which ancient formss are besst in which circumsstancess.

"Fourth, call me Khefiir. Every classs I need to remind ssomeone that I'm not a Jedi Masster, and wouldn't accept the honorific even if I wass.

"Fifth, everyone grab a sstun blasster from the other box by the wall."

 

[L'yoom Ka]

The Togruta was standing at a fantastic 5'6" and cased with a focused and calm demeanor. It was no question that she could hold her own in a fight against beasts, but against another lightsaber? There was certain domain in that area to be explored. She had studied many forms through the scrolls and available texts at the temple, but preforming them was something else entirely. She wasn't particularly strong, but she had an lithe figure, more focused on precise and swift movements to keep up. She did need the proper training and there was plenty of it.

As such, Master Kuhn was not against any particular training for the girl, and Master Ryv was more than willing to bring her to the planet of Corellia for further development of various techniques. This was, after all, the first time she had left Coruscant since the passing of her previous Master. She had spent more time on lessons and teachings than the craft of her physical prowess... so here she was.

The young L'yoom Ka was determined to take these lessons to heart, eager to find any and all means of developing her knowledge in both The Force and a lightsaber.

She was attentive, internally affirming that she understood the Not-Master Kheflir's instructions. She had her own blade, but the need for the stun thing confused her. Unfamiliar technology was not her strong suit. That is about as much as she understood of what was being asked. When prompted, she moved without a word, obedient and straight onward with the instructions given. A swift retrieval of the item in the box.. After, she returned to stand to the left of the room, in the middle offset of all those who attended.

 

[Janos Sovv]

"A stun blaster? I don't understand."

It was Hero's first time on Corellia. His first time in the Core Worlds. It was all very confusing. He wore a simple brown training gi and yet still somehow the sullustan felt overdressed. This Order conducted themselves very differently from the Jedi on Sullust who instructed him as a youngling. Khefiir even asked him and the others to use his name like they were close friends!

"I thought we were here for lightsaber training."

He was good with a sword. Better than most his age. That's why he'd signed up for advanced lessons. Hero barely knew the first thing about firing a blaster. Hesitating the young Jedi Padawan slowly blinked several times in an alien display of confusion. While other students such as L'yoom Ka did not hesitate to carry out the trandoshan knight's instructions Hero waited for some clarification. Was he in the wrong class?

Oh no.

This was Corellia, right?

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

"Indeed you are, Padawan Sovv" came a small but confident voice from the door leading into the area they were using for the session. A blaster flew from the box and into the small green creature's three fingered hands. They were modeled after a heavy blaster pistol, maybe a small carbine that most sentiments could hold in one hand. In the hands of Morteg however it looked like a rifle.

"Ask so many questions on Sullust did you? Hm? Not one to take objections lightly is this Jedi. Easily annoyed Khefiir is." He chuckled, his knowing green eyes falling on the Sullustan Padawan, and walked up beside Khefiir. The little Jedi's long, green dreaded locs nearly dragging on the floor and his robes looked very, very old and beat up in some places. He looked up to the towering Trandoshan and patted his scaly calf.

"Good to see you up and about, it is, Knight Khefiir." The Whipids had been trouble for months in the Corellian Sector. No one was sure where they came from but between them and the Ten-Thousand Fists, the Green Jedi order and its enclave had been very busy. Morteg even more so with his duties of overseeing the enclave on top of taking an active part in dealing with these Force-sensitive raiders. He gave a satisfied nod looking at the group of Jedi that had shown up for the lesson and walked towards the wall where the training sabers were stored. With a grunt he jumped onto the tall (for him) box and sat, his feet dangling over the edge comically like those of a small child's. He pulled something out of his pocket, a steamed bun from Coronet's Gold Sector. It was almost as big as his face.

He took a bite and continued to observe.

Janos Sovv Khefiir L'yoom Ka

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra limped into the room with her parents, noticing others already inside as she put her crutches against the wall. At Khefiir 's instructions, she grabbed a training saber and a blaster. As usual, her left foot was barefoot. Due to the events of Rorak 4, however, the Togruta's right foot was immobilized in order to stabilize her broken ankle. As the Padawan grabbed the weapons, not bothering to remove her phrik quarterstaff, her parents set their sabers on low power and took blasters.

 

[Kisaku Oroken]

Corellia, The Saber
Khefiir | L'yoom Ka | Janos Sovv | Dhalinar Greystar | Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri

There was a padawan attending today that had requested to merely watch. Ironic considering they were a Miraluka and all. Kisaku stood well off to the side out of the way. He made for a polite observer. Silent and attentive since he'd arrived in the room. Despite his difficulties right now with practicing the saber, he was still very much academically interested in blade work. How could he not be? Most of the time he'd been alive he'd been obsessed with the lightsaber and its application.​

​

He may have been doing it for the wrong reasons before, something that was painfully obvious to him now. After speaking with Aaran, straightening his mind out somewhat, it was a relief to find that he could maintain interest in his main field of study even now when the desire for external validation had all but died in him. He was here to learn and nothing else. In a way it was like his slate had been cleaned. He was taken back to when he'd first made himself into an attentive pupil of the lightsaber, the period of ravenous study of the topic that made him who he was today, before it only became a vain exercise in stroking his ego.​

​

In short; being here and being able to dredge up a quiet and sharp enthusiasm for the study of blade work again made him relieved that maybe he wasn't full of hot air after all.​

 

[Khefiir]

Between L'yoom Ka , Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri , and Kuxirra's parents, Khefiir realized a good portion of the class was Togruta and probably related. That eased his concerns about Kuxirra's injured leg: he had natural allies in making sure she didn't hurt herself or impede her healing.

Kisaku Oroken seemed content to watch from the sidelines. Khefiir sent him a nod in an acknowledging and inviting sort of way.

He nodded at Janos Sovv 's comment. "Ignore Masster Dhalinar Greystar ," he said fondly. They'd become friends during his long recuperation. Regrowing arms took a while, since at thirty-four he was Getting Up There for a Trandoshan. Morteg had seen him with tiny little hands. Khefiir grinned toothily. "A good quesstion in good faith never annoyss me."

He raised his voice. "I favor a blasster in the off hand. Can anyone guesss when and how it might be usseful? Not you, Masster Morteg."

 

[Janos Sovv]

"He is? I mean-yes Master Morteg! I mean...no, Master Morteg."

Hero hung his head in shame. Right the first time actually. He had asked a lot of questions on Sullust. Too many questions maybe. Perhaps sensing this Khefiir sought to reassure the young padawan that this was a place of improvement not judgment. With an echo of reluctance he slowly grabbed a training saber and one of the last stun blasters. It was heavier than he expected.

Despite the Jedi Knight's permission to voice his mind Hero was still far too self conscious to venture a guess at answering Khefiir's question. Instead he allowed his attention to wander to some of the other students. There were two togrutans, one a little younger than the other and apparently her lower leg or maybe foot was wounded. Another student was wearing a blindfold and looked almost human. They all appeared close to his age.

Aren't you going to join us?

He wanted to ask the blindfolded padawan out loud. A quick glance at Dhalinar Greystar and he knew he dared not. Had the Jedi Master noticed his focus waver? Hero's empty black eyes fixed themselves back on Khefiir.

 

[Khefiir]

Khefiir's voice slithered into Janos Sovv 's head.

<You assked the quesstion, friend - don't be afraid to sspeak up if you think you've found an ansswer. It'ss jusst ass important ass lisstening.>

 

[Janos Sovv]

Hero nearly yelped when he felt the trandoshan's thoughts but somehow managed only a quiet gulp. There was an emotional imprint there as well. He felt the thrill of running through some kind of alien jungle, a sense of honor like cold iron, the rush of a righteous kill...the padawan shuddered. His teachers on Sullust had called him a natural empath. Such accidental readings were not uncommon especially when telepathy was involved.

"When...you don't want to stab someone?"

He blurted the first thing out loud at Khefiir that came to mind. It was a problem for Hero at least when sparring. Worrying that he would hit his opponent too hard and wondering if he could ever bring himself to do the real thing. At least with a stun blaster he wouldn't have to fear causing any permanent damage. It was also not a very good answer he realized immediately after saying it.

 

[Kisaku Oroken]

Corellia, The Saber
Khefiir | L'yoom Ka | Janos Sovv | Dhalinar Greystar | Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri

Kisaku returned the nod to Khefiir. He couldn't have claimed to know the Trandoshan really, thus far his instruction was already looking interesting. He agreed with a lean on practicality, but to discard the forms felt like sacrilege for a moment. His offense faded when he realized that by 'tweaking' the plays found within the instruction of Shii-cho that he might as well have been discarding it in some ways. It was a mildly uncomfortable realization.​

​

Something he'd have to give thought to.​

​

None the less, incorporating a blaster into things was something that he'd definitely not encountered before, and was most certainly not taught at the temple. He had an answer in his mind to the question relatively quickly, but he wouldn't answer. Those participating first hand here needed to collect their own thoughts on the subject.​

​

He came to notice the Sullustan casting a glance at him, could feel the curiosity that radiated from the earnest thought. He offered a subdued smile in return, very briefly, but remained where he was at the wall in silence. He didn't want to be a distraction to anyone here.​

 

[Khefiir]

Janos Sovv got a firm nod "Exssactly. A lightssaber can only do three thingss to your enemy: maim them, causse them agony, or kill them. Very often, none of thosse optionss are the appropriate one. You can't sset a lightssaber to sstun without sspecial modificationss and disstractionss in the field. Lightssaberss rarely take prissonerss, csertainly not intact oness.

"There are sseveral other reassonss to usse a blasster in your off hand. Can anyone think of ssome?"

Kisaku Oroken Dhalinar Greystar Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri L'yoom Ka

 

[Auraya Irath-Ur]

She had arrived on time.​

​

She knew she had.​

​

Yet as she came upon the training room she discovered it already bustling with activity.​

​

Raya frowned ever so slightly. More often than not she was early to this sort of thing, she despised being tardy. No matter, she slipped inside the door and glanced around, catching the final dregs of the Trandoshan's instructions. As she made to approach the crate of stun blasters her gaze fell upon one among them who was merely observing.​

​

She had not seen Kisaku Oroken since Manaan, had not interacted with him since the spar with Ryv. He looked... different. More, his presence in the Force, less exuberant. Had he faced similar struggles out there in the Galaxy? A pair of Padawans who no longer wore their rose-tinted glasses.​

​

Unable to help herself, she walked to where he stood and settled a soft hand upon his shoulder. Making sure her presence was noted before she did so, last thing she wanted to do was startle him.​

​

"Hello, friend," she said, though she kept her voice quiet so as not to interrupt the class, "We should talk some time, yeah? When there's not a class happening." A soft, knowing smile was offered his way, before she released her hand and shuffled back toward the bulk of the class. She took up a stun blaster, removed her training saber from her belt, and glanced at their tutor.​

​

Discussions had arisen about the blaster, nay... The blaster being in their off hand. She snuck in to line among the other trainees and pondered it as she readied herself up.​

​

Khefiir Dhalinar Greystar Janos Sovv Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri L'yoom Ka ​

 

[L'yoom Ka]

L'yoom was glad to find she was not the only one in the old tacky robes as the Jedi once worn. As a traditionalist, she did desire to learn more of the ancient ways, though understood that in such a time, there was no time for such squabbles. As the battle changes, so must the teachings. That, however, does not mean she will abandon its beginnings. As she held her place among the students, she removed the robe, folding it neatly and placing it aside herself, along with a small orb and the small weighs she wore to help increase her strength. Now dawning the tunic set beneath, wrapped tightly against her to keep from restricting her movements.

As the voices around the room would speak aloud, L'yoom would listen tenderly, not for means of gaining information but simply to take it all in. She certaintly didn't want to seem like she was not a fool. The other Togruta in the room did make her feel a bit more comfortable, not being the only one. Her montrails could sense theirs and if there was any tenseness in her, it was gone at this point.

At the question, her head lifted-- eyes widening slightly as her hand shot up, like a high five. At listening to the other Padawan's suggestion, she realized what it was that this thing must do. If she were to find out for herself, her question would reveal so otherwise.

"A lightsaber has no range unless you want to risk losing it. This... is a ranged weapon!" She raised it slightly at her side, "Increased Utility and can disable targets from long ranges if necessary? That is what I think, Mr.Not-Jedi Master Khefiir Sir!"

Her eyes were determined to stare straight into the soul of Khefiir, like she was more desperate to find the answer to the question more than anything. One hand held the blaster down by her side, her own saber on her belt. She was certaintly proud of herself for being able to speak up in such a place. In truth, she did not believe that she could.

( Khefiir Dhalinar Greystar Janos Sovv Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri Kisaku Oroken )

 

[Kisaku Oroken]

Corellia, The Saber
Khefiir | L'yoom Ka | Janos Sovv | Dhalinar Greystar | Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri | Auraya Irath-Ur

He wasn't startled by Auraya's appearance. Just surprised. His surprise increased more at her touch and the kind tone. The last time they'd really had much interaction was the class they'd attended together. By Kisaku's account he was kind of snotty towards her. Only treating her like a burden rather than an ally in the training. He found his face growing warmer for reasons he couldn't place.​

​

"Yeah, I'd like that." Kisaku said rather dumbly, keeping his voice soft. He watched her walk away with no small amount of confusion fuzzing his mind.​

​

This was also something to think about later. He redirected his attention to the class - most students had already given their thoughts on the matter. None had yet spoken his thoughts on the matter. He felt they were worth sharing, thought provoking enough for someone who wasn't yet thinking along the same lines.​

​

"I believe it's a matter of diversifying your offensive. A lightsaber - or any hand weapon for that matter - has nine angles of attack. The verticals and horizontals, and the diagonals make eight. The thrust makes nine. Strikes are capable of being delivered along those angles in either direction and they can permutate differently depending on technique and target, but in the end it's always nine angles that end up being divided into four quadrants in defense. Left and right, upper and lower, and your saber can only threaten one quadrant at a time."​

​

He spoke slowly and clearly with confidence. A mirror might as well have been held up between the training with Aaran, Ryv and Auraya at this moment. They opened similarly, with a question and yet again, Kisaku was here offering an in depth answer. This time however it wasn't for his ego.​

​

"With an off-hand weapon like a blaster, you can produce two threats at once. Overwhelming for someone unexpecting or unable to deal with such. It happens to have tag-on benefits for facing multiple opponents for the same reason."​

​

Of course there was more he didn't say. Like the fact that he was pretty sure if he tried such a tactic, someone wouldn't have to look far to find an opponent that could overpower him if he was parrying with a single hand. It was an approach to combat that, well... Made sense for a Trandoshan.​

 

[Khefiir]

Janos Sovv Auraya Irath-Ur Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri Dhalinar Greystar L'yoom Ka

"All good pointss," the Trandoshan said. "I don't assscribe to the kind of teaching that askss questionss with only one ansswer. Thank you for your contributionss. To ssum up: nonlethal optionss, ranged optionss, additional angless of attack.

"We're going to do drillss, quite intenssive drillss, for the bulk of our time today. Ssimple wayss to parry, draw, and shoot at closse range while occupying your enemy'ss ssaber. The drillss works with parriess from any of the classsic formss, sso do what iss mosst comfortable for you. Before we get to that - downssidess.

"For one thing, where a blasster shot endss up issn't ssomething you can control ass precissely ass a lightssaber. Ssecond, your off hand iss occupied - sso watch out againsst sstrong opponentss or thosse with two weaponss. Thiss iss a good tactic againsst a variety of enemiess, and esspecially againsst a group of them, but it takess judgment.

"Now, let'ss begin."

He called out a series of training droids, one for each student. Each droid had a lightsaber of some kind - single-bladed, lightstaff, et cetera. For the next couple of minutes he showed them the first skill: parrying a full-strength attack and, in the same motion, drawing the blaster from a left-side holster and shooting the droid. The stun bolt could go for the near foot, the groin, chest, face...many options.

For those who chose to participate, this part would go on for the next two and a half hours (little time jump here). They would cover half a dozen blaster-plus-saber tricks like that - drilling them over and over past the point of boredom, until everything was comfortable muscle memory.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

He had cut his teeth founding the Alliance, practically living in armor with a blaster and saber in hand. But he had been quiet since he arrived. Non-descript green robes in a traditional cut. When he was on 'official business' he dressed in such. A nondescript white saber hung on the left hip, a bryar pistol on his right. One arm was covered in carapace and cybernetics, and the aging Battlemaster had dispensed with concealing the tattoos acquired during his time in the Rift.

The instructor would find him just one of a number of observers from the Enclave. Only Dhalinar Greystar had spent any significant time with Julius, and that was itself years past. He was hardly the same man or Jedi in any sense of the words. But, he still had a curiosity. Not really a part of this particular Enclave, he taught and visited more at the main temple in the mountains.

Off to the side, he watched the drills and forms, and smiled. The Trandoshan was an effective teacher. Definitely well suited to the task. Some of his approaches were new even to Julius. Interesting.

 

[L'yoom Ka]

The class certainly watched and studied the display, the young Togruta included. However, already her worries were beginning to sweep in. She hadn't been able to take such powerful blows, let alone retaliating after it. At the announcement of the Droids, she felt a chill roll down her spine.

L'yoom felt herself squint at the training Droid, trying to decipher its mechanisms... it was not a new thing for a Padawan to face, but she certainly did not find droids likeable. As it positioned before her, she ignited her saber and prepared her block.

In this time, L'yoom proceeded to fail over and over, completely being overwhelmed in strength. However, as she continued, she would try to redirect the strike at an angle to take off some of the blow, throwing it aside rather than parrying it. It would not be for awhile until she even remembered to use the blaster.

Already she was breaking a sweat with all that they had done. Her form was most certainly not at the level of what she had hoped to preform at, having been knocked down a plenty, hardly using the blaster at all.

"Ugly. You are ugly" She uttered to the droid in her frustration, poking its chest.

Khefiir | Janos Sovv | Dhalinar Greystar | Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri | Auraya Irath-Ur Kisaku Oroken

 

[Khefiir]

Over the course of the long training session, Khefiir kept a close eye on the class. He was primarily worried about Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri 's foot. L'yoom Ka stood out as well. She wasn't particularly small for a humanoid female her age, but the physicality of the drills - the droids' strength - was wearing her down.

He stepped in to speak with L'yoom, pausing the droid.

"The Force can make you sstrong. You've lifted large rockss with it. What'ss the differensse between that and making your ssaber immovable or irresssisstible, jusst for the critical moment? Your musssclesss have little to do with it. Take a minute, sssenter yourssself, and try again when you're ready."

 

[Kuxirra Tano-Bonteri]

Kuxirra's parents were worried about their daughter, but they trusted the others in the room to help look out for Kuxirra as they trained.

Kuxirra wasn't used to the single blade, and the weight threw her off at first, as she was used to the heavier quarterstaff in both hands. And if course, there was the fact that she could only put her weight on one foot. She listened to the advice Khefiir had for L'yoom Ka and applied it herself. Her blows were more akin to those made with her quarterstaff then anything else. The Togruta had fought with the staff in one hand before, and she applied that principle here, using the blaster as well. Eventually, she sighed, fed up with the strange weight of the lightsaber. "Kriff this..." She muttered, tossing the lightsaber to where she had gotten it and taking her quarterstaff from her back. Her form and balance improved immediately.