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

[L'yoom Ka]

L'yoom took a moment to gather herself, taking a time to meditate and feel the force. Her hand held tightly to the hilt of the blade, slowly loosening but to a firm grip, letting the other hand rest on the blaster to keep her from forgetting. As she closed her eyes, the noise around her was abundant. Everything going about around her made it difficult with her Montrails taking so much input. She regained her composure, steadying her breath as she felt what could be described as the weight of her blade lifted from her hand.

After a few minutes, she was ready, the droid striking up before she tried once more. The blade made impact, and though her arm was pushed back, the blade almost pressing back against her chest. The feeling of the Force coursing up through her system and into her arm, allowing her to retaliate, parrying the strike as she would draw the weapon and fire toward its torso with a satisfying cling. She huffed and stared at it for a moment, smiling at the feeling of her credible attempt. There was still much work needed, but it was a start.

 

[Auraya Irath-Ur]

She listened to all that was said, by instructor, by her fellows in the class, and by those on the sidelines such as Kisaku Oroken , and she took in as much of it as she could with a quiet determination.​

​

Though Jakku had done a good job at tearing her down, since his release from the medbay Zaavik Perl had both consciously and unknowingly begun to build her back up again. She had spent a great many days locked inside training rooms, alone with only droids for company, training, fighting, striving to be better than she had been... A fruitless endeavor, the musings of a girl half-mad with trauma she hadn't been ready to face.​

​

Well, she still wasn't there yet. Would she ever be? Who knew. But what mattered was the light had begun to shine through once more. Her Master had renewed the hope in Raya and moments like these, stood among her peers rather than alone with her demons, made her truly appreciate that. She knew now that faltering did not mean the end, there were others around her who could help and support, raise her back up.​

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And she in turn would do the same for them.​

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Her gaze drifted briefly back to Kisaku. He had chosen not to participate, merely observe, and she would respect his wishes. She simply hoped he knew that he too was not alone.​

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As the droids were called forth, she nodded her head slightly. That was something she knew how to contend with, after all the hours she'd put in if she didn't that would have been odd. The blaster was a little odd, she was not used to having her off-hand burdened, in fact she quite liked having it free so that she could draw upon the Force at a moments notice, use it as a focus. But no matter.​

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That was not the purpose of this lesson, after all.​

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So, like the others, she fell into the practice. Found herself a rhythm. Tried to be unpredictable where she could, while maintaining the core of what she had learned thus far of Shii-Cho. On through the lesson, as long as it took. She was not perfect, her form was not picture perfect, but it was a damn sight better than it had been during Aaran Tafo 's class. Progress had been made.​

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And though she took some blows here, though she didn't always land the shot, she kept going. Determined as always.​

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Khefiir @everyone else​

 

[Kisaku Oroken]

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

Kisaku observed quietly. The techniques being taught here did have quite a bit of merit in both use and to dissect. As he watched he couldn't help but place himself in the shoes of the training droids; if this technique was being used against him, how would he mitigate its dangers? He supposed that trying to do two things at once almost always made you worse than you would otherwise be at them individually. Perhaps a moment of distraction at the draw of the blaster to twitch the blade behind theirs? No, that'd result in a double at best, and would require entering a bind with the weak of the saber. Never a good idea. Push into a close bind for a grapple? As consistently dangerous as it ever would be, but doing so was always high risk and high reward.

That idea did have slightly more merit to it though. With a hand on their saber and a hand on a blaster, they might not be able to defend if he pushed the bind high and grabbed the wrist of their saber arm with his off hand to go for a draw cut with his other.

He directed his attention to Khefiir and just sighed. Well. It would be a good idea if you weren't fighting a Trandoshan. Kisaku'd be overpowered in a moment if he thought he was going to restrain Khefiir with a single hand. A well-timed kick to the blaster as it was drawn was possible, since the practitioner was focused on maintaining the bind to keep themselves safe from their enemy's saber. Might be enough to disarm them and bring things back to the saber.

He went through a long ponderance of thought on this subject for much of the practice block. Eventually he had decided that while there were a number of possible techniques to help mitigate the danger involved in facing such a technique, all of them that he could come up with (and that could be applicable to Khefiir) would be reactionary. In the end he realized two things:
1. This fighting style truly complemented Khefiir's natural strengths, and he was likely a very difficult opponent because of it.
2. Introducing a second weapon, or a new avenue of attack into a fight with the right timing would seize initiative for the practitioner pretty reliably.

As wrapped up with the thought of technique as he was, as he suddenly realized Auraya was looking at him. There was no indication that he'd noticed her looking at him. It wasn't as if he could make eye contact with her after all. It only lasted for a moment regardless, but it had still been distracting. What was she thinking about?

 

[Khefiir]

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

With fifteen minutes left in a three-hour block, Khefiir called a halt. Mercy was an important quality in a Jedi, after all.

"You all put in the work," he said. "I hope my ssimple trickss and nonssensse are of ssome benefit to you. Lead you to exssplore new angless for your future training, too. And that'ss the point of ssessionss like thesse - not to make you exsspertss, but to sset you on new pathss. Thank you for your ssinsserity and resspect."

 

[L'yoom Ka]

L'yoom Ka was exauhsted by the end of it all, clearly having lacked in physical training, but today she was given a much needed reminder to continue her work. In mind, she was well-versed, but required much more training to unify what she had learned and what she must do. "Thank you, Mr.Not-Jedi Master Khefiir Sir!" She bowed to them, having holstered the blade. As she stood up, she took the blaster back toward the wall drawer, thinking if they keeped these or if they were to be placed back? She did find a liking to having one, though it was not traditionally used by the Jedi. Would it be wrong?

"Do we keep these?" She asked primarly to the air around her. However, her mind began to wonder if there was something small that could do the same thing? A smaller device, something hidable and less cumbersome.

 

[Khefiir]

L'yoom Ka
Khefiir shrugged. "They're bassic sstun blassterss with no killsswitch. Replassseable - keep it if you like. For perssonal carry, there'ss a wide world of multifunction blassterss. A few possibilitiess - the M-10 from TDW, the new Graenge M864, and you can never go wrong with a pissstol from Trickss of the Trade. But I'm no exssspert."

 

[Gregor Strum]

The advanced class was ongoing as Gregor stood outside listening curiously to the lesson as he weighed his own thoughts on the matter. It was his first real attempt at anything with the Jedi since he arrived. So many of them seemed ready, able and willing to fight it surprised him. Sure he had the Corellian fire, but the last punches he'd thrown were in his University days back when he was sure he knew everything.

He did know a bit about shooting though, not at people of course, but as a hobby. It was a difficult thing to reconcile sometimes just how suddenly far behind he was in this new life. Still, as daunting as it all appeared he knew it was no more daunting then the first time he'd been told to design a new ship for his first day at University. They'd spent the entire year piece by piece designing that thing, every component gone over in detail. This was no different.

Moving into the classroom he waited at the rear while the first class finished up some looking half his age. It was all very exciting though he had to admit. A new challenge, a new horizon he'd never thought he'd visit. He didn't need to beat any of them, or be better. He just wanted to be better tomorrow then he was today.

Khefiir

 

[Auraya Irath-Ur]

As the class wound down, Raya gave a light bow toward the droid she'd been put up against and quietly thanked it for all its help. She wandered back toward the front of the class, in order to replace the stun blaster to the crate, and pondered on all she had learned with the lesson at hand. To have a secondary, ranged means of defense was definitely a boon. If she learned how to wield the Force competently without the need for gestures, she might well have looked into getting something of the sort herself.​

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After all Khefiir's earlier statements were correct: a Lightsaber was devastating, their wounds often lethal. A blaster which could stun instead? That was definitely more in keeping with the way in which she hoped to be. Lethality should not be a first avenue.​

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"Thank you, Master Khefiir," she said, bowing to him also. "Your lesson has been most illuminating, and I hope to learn from you again one of these days."​

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As she rose back up she took notice of Gregor stood to one side and flashed him a small, friendly smile. It was good to see that he was getting involved, even if he had not participated in the class first hand. "I hope all is well with you and your daughter," she told him, with full sincerity, her laboured breathing beginning to slow to its normal state once more.​

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Physical training always took it out of her, especially when it went on for as long as this session had. Boy would Raya sleep well that night. In many ways, she preferred a longer lesson, it gave her more time to truly digest the information and techniques shown.​

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Khefiir Gregor Strum ​

 

[Khefiir]

Once the class wrapped up, Khefiir had a little time before a group of younger students arrived. Well, newer students at least. Gregor Strum would be joining them, apparently. He'd come to the Jedi path late in life alongside his daughter, who was said to have considerably greater Force potential. As someone who wasn't especially powerful in the Force himself, Khefiir found that interesting.

"You're Gregor Sstrum?" he said once Auraya Irath-Ur and the others had left. "I'm Khefiir - pleassed to meet you."

He held out a massive, scaley, three-clawed hand to shake. Handshaking wasn't much in vogue among the Jedi, particularly between teachers and students, but he wanted to set the tone of 'I respect you as a fellow adult who lives in the real world.' That tone would be vital context for the coming class, where the average student age was about twelve - after Gregor skewed that average.

 

[Gregor Strum]

Watching the others leave Gregor gave a bit of a rueful smile about him feeling a bit out of place as usual. It didn't dim his enthusiasm much though, it was a bit like being in university again. Everything was exciting and new, and the learning never seemed to stop. He was learning mostly with children, but that was a cherished gift for him. He could see in them how happy Nova must be, and that was like seeing her joy all over again.

It already been too long since he had seen her last, but they warned him that the attachment would hurt her training. It hurt, but if it was what was best for her he would work through it. For now at least his mind was busy offering him some solace until the quiet hours. Those, those were heavier.

Turning his mind back to matters at hand as much to push off those emotions he was pleased when the teacher came up and greeted him. With a broad smile he returned the handshake looking over the classroom. "Khefiir, thank you it's a pleasure to be here. I saw the last group, to be young and to be able to soak it all in so quickly again. It must be very fulfilling for you watching them grow into such fine people."

Glancing over the droids he moved closer tilting his head as he did as one seemed to tilt slightly. "If you've a moment after class I can take a look at that if you'd like. Looks like it took one blow too much the poor fellow."

Khefiir

 

[Khefiir]

"Oh, you'll be a ussseful one to have around," Khefiir said with a hissing laugh. "We haven't had a full-time quartermasster here ssinssse Jedi Avuliss retired, and she wass never that great with droidss. Or sspreadsheetss. Jusst ssaying. How are you finding the Jedi exssperiensse sso far, Gregor?"

 

[Gregor Strum]

Smiling he chuckled as he started to check over the droid, he needed some tools but he could come by those easily enough. "I imagine these get a ton of wear and tear too. I like droids, designed them once upon a time, but they're like watching children grow sometimes. They develop in ways you'd find surprising if given the time. Spreadsheets are a bit less of a joy though, but I suppose a secretary is a bit too much to hope for."

Standing he threw Khefiir a grin as he considered the question. "It's different, very different in truth, but I'm enjoying the challenge if I'm to be honest. There's something a bit humbling about kids just completely out racing me, but it's a sight to watch. I don't think they expect much out of me though to be honest, but they permit me to put in the effort so I don't complain. I just hope I'm able to play some part in helping this all make the galaxy a better place. The big picture is still a bit mystifying to me, but I'm sure in time I'll figure it out."

 

[Khefiir]

Gregor Strum

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS," Khefiir laughed. "Yess, the big picture eludess all of uss. Ass for exspectationss, one thing the New Jedi Order iss good at iss having none."

The initiate class was late, probably struggling with their telekinesis exercises again. Khefiir leaned back on a bench against the wall and laced his big claws together across his stomach. He'd been standing and demonstrating combat for three hours now.

"There'ss no reasson you sshouldn't be able to contribute now, lift where you sstand. Mosst Jedi training droidss are jusst bassic humanoidss holding lightssaberss." He gestured at one such droid standing in a nearby corner, inert. "I don't know droidss, but I imagine training assetss that prepare Jedi for a wider variety of possibilitiess."

 

[Gregor Strum]

He couldn't help but chuckle for a second as he considered a wider variety of surprises. "Surprises eh? Well this particular model has a bit more processing power then you'd think it's just limited much like your untrained fighters to the few moves it's been programmed to know. Imagine it the way you would any fighter you were training. Then imagined every single time that fighter started to learn something you reset their memory and limited them. That's essentially what you have here, my friend."

He needed tools but he could still look up the specs on the droids themselves and see where their hardware limitations were. Flipping through his datapad with a finger he wasn't disappointed that like most training droids their limits were more in what they'd been allowed to know then what they actually could. "Now if we remove the limitations on its processors, and let it learn without resetting it they'll continually grow. Pick up moves from both your own teaching and what the students are showing it. They'll start to develop more personality of course, but that's honestly half the fun. It's like being a parent, good owners create good droids. The only back up being you can reset a droid if it's gone wrong and try again. A person, well people just don't like the mind wipe solution as much. I can set it up for you if you want. I'll just need access to the old quartermaster's tools and some time if that's alright with you?"

Khefiir