Fortress of Body, Citadel of Mind [Kian Karr]

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Aboard The Shadow​

Republic space near Hapes​

Theme​

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Cerulean, indigo, aquamarine, turquoise - the shades of Transitory mists were just as she remembered them from her childhood. Despite being part Hapan, Tionne rarely traversed to her maternal home planet. Her mother had strained relationships with her family, mainly due to her marriage to a Coruscanti commoner who was Tionne's father. Little did Wesma's family care about Harald's accomplishments, his scientific contributions or the respect he had among the Coruscanti. He was not of noble descent, but a child of two workers in Coruscant Industrial Zone.

Nonetheless, Wesma's brother and sister-in-law invited them over several times, mainly because the couple was childless, with Tionne being the closest of kin. She even spent a few summers there, during her time off from college. A planet where night never truly fell, immersed in bleak light of a dying dwarf star that was amplified by the surronding nebula and planet's many moons. No wonder a plethora of poems and songs were written about this truly magical place.

Thanewulf stood by the viewport of Shadow, wearing nothing more than a black tank top and a pair of leggings of the same hue. Her electrum hilted lightsaber rested on a nearby rack, polished and refurbished to perfection. A hand was placed against the duraglass that separated her from the void of space. They made a detour to Hapes to pick up some supplies and the ship was now halted in high orbit around the planet, further away than any of the moons. Serenely, she watched the colors of the vapor scintillate, the gas cloud ever so slowly expand. In several million years or so, the nebula would've dissipated and the star finally dimmed, leaving Hapes in complete darkness. Tionne was glad she would not be around to witness it.

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian rose up from the meditation mat and snapped his antiox mask and goggles into place, hiding his silver eyes from the world around him. He smoothed out his robes and walked over to the small desk next to his cot. Pulling his lightsaber hilt from the desk, he turned over the hilt in his hands. When he found the hilt buried among the wreckage of Plo Koon's downed fighter, it was only fragments and marred metal that was left. But, using the remains and the archival data, Kian had rebuilt the destroyed lightsaber of Plo Koon, adding his silver Solari crystal and darkened metal to the design. It was a simply designed hilt and fit Kian's personality well.

Walking from his personnel quarters, Kian made his way to where Tionne stood looking out the viewpoint. Clasping his hands behind his back, he stopped next to her and glanced out at Hapes.

"A credit for your thoughts?" Kian asked, pulling his masked face away from the viewport and back to the young woman. Soon the refueling and supplying would be over and they would once more be enroute to the Gnost Dural, but for now they would be here, floating in Hapan space and Kian thought it a good time to talk.

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Tionne was silent when the Kel Dor entered the viewroom, grey eyes settled on the celestial marvel that was Hapes. She felt him stand beside her, at a decent distance, but she did not greet him. It was only when his deep voice huffed through his airmask that her gaze slanted sideways to the Jedi Shadow.

"My mother was Hapan." she stated with a modest smile - "And Hapan genes run strong in me. They tend to replicate along x-chromosomes, so females who have Hapan mothers are almost genetically identical to them, regardless of who the father is."
Explaining the intricacies of genetics was something Thanewulf did rarely, having taught classes to sophomores on Coruscant just a few times. She used the opportunity to assert some of her knowledge to Karr, so that he would also learn something from her, and not just vice versa.

"Hapes Consortium was always governed by a queen and the entire society revolves around women. A matriarchate, if you will. Men are often considered a biological necessity. But not even that. Many Hapan queens dreamed of conquering the known universe by simply letting... Hapan women have their way with the men of the galaxy."
A plan not so far fetched, judging by the iconic beauty of Hapan women. Inhaling deeply, she produced a quiet, albeit hearty sigh.
"One cannot choose their family. You have to love them no matter how they are, right?"

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian glanced back toward the planet as Tionne explained the biological factors that had lead to the develop of the heavily female dominated society. It was an interesting history, and while Kian had known some of the details, some of them were novel to the Kel Dor. He certainly wasn't as well read as some of the Jedi of the Order and when he did research it was usually of a singular nature....focusing on the Sith.

"Yes......and no." Kian said smiling beneath the mask. "We love our families instinctively....but you don't have to cling to them forever. I believe it is possible to let go of such feelings, should the circumstances warrant it." Kian said, referring to several occasions he'd come across over his life with the Jedi.

"We won't be here long." Kian said shrugging and turning back toward Tionne. "The ship will soon be restocked and then we shall be on our way to the Gnost Dural. I've sent word ahead to start prepping your quarters and in the next few months we can begin working on setting up a base of operations for the Watchman." Kian said, already having heard murmurs among the Jedi of those wishing to join the ranks.

"But...." Kian said, a wicked smile forming on his face beneath the mask. "Travel makes me feel rusty." Kian said tapping a hand on his lightsaber hilt on his belt. "Why don't we test your recovery a bit?"

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

And this is where Shadows and Watchmen diverged; while the first specialized in doing, the latter specialized in knowing. Each had its drawbacks, given the specific situation at hand; the time Kian spent in perfecting his Djem-so, Tionne spent learning a dozen different languages. As a matter of fact, she stopped counting after twenty. The redhead eyed Karr's lightsaber still strapped at his belt; it was a finely crafted weapon, robust but elegant. The design was familiar, something Tionne could've sworn she saw somewhere in the Archives.

"You don't expect me to be leading the Watchmen in any way, do you?" she inquired with a raised brow and extended a hand just over his shoulder, palm out. A Force-assisted pull brought her black electrum hilt into her hand, fingers firmly wrapping around the polished metal cylinder.
"I can't possibly..." Thanewulf trailed off, voice laced with uncertainty. When it came to leading or teaching, she doubted herself. The Coruscanti was more fond of the individualistic approach.
"I've never even trained an ordinary padawan, let alone told grown men and women how to be Jedi Watchmen. For Force sake, I'm still learning to be one!" she mildly protested and shook her head.

Moving a few steps back, the Jedi woman stood in customary Soresu pose. Two fingers pointed in his direction, while her left hand held the hilt in level with her eyes, elbow fully flexed. A rich orange and golden blade emerged from the polished tube, the Solari crystals inside glowing with solar hues. The light that reminded of many suns of the Core lit up Tionne's face.
"Don't spare me." she almost commanded and patiently waited to give him some taste of the Way of the Mynock.

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

"All Jedi are in roles of leadership in the Jedi Order." Kian said smiling and pulling his lightsaber from his utility belt. Getting into position, he held his saber in a standard Jedi Ready Stance, his lightsaber hilt held at breast height and favoring his right side, the blade held straight up. Kian thumbed the activation switch and the thick silver blade, powered by a Solari crystal, sprang to life.

"All voices are heard and all respected." Kian said, speaking to the meritocracy and openness of the Jedi Order.

"And I have no intention of taking it easy on you." Kian said and with that he rushed forward. Not in an reckless sort of way, but in a powerful overhead slash known as Falling Avalanche. It was a classic attack of Form V, meant to power through the defenses of an opponent. Kian usually opened a fight with his more Shien oriented attacks meant to test the defenses of an opponent and looking for weaknesses, but to start this fight Kian went with a more Djem So approach. Powerful attacks, meant to dominate the fight. Kian preferred a more subtle variant of Form V in which he would counter opponents attacks....but going defensive against a defensive style like Soresu was not going to win him a fight.

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Tionne never expected a Jedi Shadow to be so full of slogans, almost like a walking advert for the Order. Yes, Jedi were democratic in handling internal matters, but there was always difference of opinion. Some Jedi were more traditional, while others more modern, which warrantied some interesting debates. Only their dedication to the Force was truly unanimous. Tionne personally was more on the heterodox side while adhering firmly to the tenets of the Code regarding abstinence from any form of attachment. She only cultivated relationships that served some purpose; training, collaboration or contacts as assets of Jedi watchman. Kian easily fell into more than one of these categories.

"I just don't feel comfortable being in charge." she replied with a shrug, genuinely feeling discomfort when telling people what to do. Don't grown people know what to do by themselves?

The trademark slash of Form V was met with a horizontal parry, saber slightly elevated above shoulders to give leverage. Two iridescent blades clashed in a bright flash as Tionne let his blade glide off hers onto her right side. This particular move opened Kian's side and left it unprotected for a fraction of a second which was enough for Tionne to extend her leg towards him, her boot giving him a jab just under his ribs. Falling Avalanche was designed to close distance between a Soreuist and Djem So practicioner, but often did the latter forget Form III was designed for close quarters, where an able duelist would use the fact that opponent's body is near, but sabers are locked elsewhere. When the lock was finally broken, she administered a side-ways slash from her right to left, aimed at his mid-section.

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian's blade slide to the side, Tionne's blade angled to use his attack's momentum against him. As his side opened up, he saw the kick coming and released his lightsaber with his one hand and swung his arm out to block the kick. He succeeded in catching it, but the toe clipped his side causing a shot of pain to leap through his side. Kian gritted the bony pallet that were his teeth together and pulled out of the lock. Tionne wasn't as rusty as he would have thought it seemed. Kian continued to be surprised by the Jedi before him.....that much time in carbonite would have killed a less willful person.

Then the second attack came, a slash meant to cut Kian across the midsection. Kian dropped his blade down, perpendicular to the attack and punched forward to drive her blade to the side. Stepping into the block, Kian jabbed forward with the hilt of his lightsaber in a pummel strike at her midsection. It wasn't a blow meant to do damage, but nor did he hold too much back. He valued his opponent too much to do that.

If the strike landed, Kian would drop down and sweep at his opponent's feet with his leg, hoping to off balance her and place her in a disadvantageous position to counter.

"Your in charge whenever you go away on a mission." Kian said as he did this. "You are use to working alone.....I can understand that.....but even a Watchman or a Shadow needs a team every once in a while and every team needs a leader."

"I'm not saying you have to take on the mantle....and decree yourself the Master of the Watchman." Kian said chuckling, considering it was precisely what he had done, though he hadn't called himself the Master of the Shadows, others had done that. "But if there are Jedi who wish to follow in that path, you may need to help guide them."

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

What did the Kel Dor think? That she would idly wait until he found the time to administer some furious Djem So? Tionne injected herself with painkillers and went to train against spar droids back on Ossus, having nothing better to do with her free time. Besides, her general health improved - a few sessions with Kana Truden and she was almost completely healed. But this was hardly the reason why Kian's initial blow was handled so well. The Kel Dor was nowhere near as massive as some Form V users she either dueled or sparred in the past, so the momentum he produced was not that substantial. If Karr was a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier, deflecting his blow would be impossible for the lithe Jedi Watchman.

His second attack, on the other hand, was more akin to blows that would devastate a Soresu practitioner. With no room to directly parry the incoming jab, Tionne lifted a hand and used the Force to push against his chest, but did so too late. She leaned back from the blow, only to be set off balance by his foot smashing into the back of her knee. Tionne fell down to the floor, right on her back in front of him.

"Ow." she grunted, hilt of saber still in hand - "There is no way to parry that. Not with Soresu."

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian stepped back, not pushing the offensive once he saw that he had succeeded in sweeping her feet out from under her. It wasn't a win by any means, as he had fought from his back, regretfully, on numerous occasions and survived to fight another day. But this wasn't about winning or losing, this was about teaching and evaluating.

"That is because you dedicate yourself solely to Soresu." Kian said beginning to circle around giving her time to rise to her feet. "You can not allow yourself to get to bogged down in a single style. The best swordsman of the Jedi Order have always been those that incorporate elements of other styles into their dedicated form." Kian said.

"My own style, while easily identified as Shien and Djem So, also pulls from the simplistic philosophy of Shii Cho and the ingenuity of Niman." Kian said. He had developed his style over years of fighting. Shien and Shii Cho were his main influences, throwing in Djem So when he could dominate the fight.

"A sweep for the legs, such as that, could be overcome with a bit of Ataru." Kian said, then came forward, seeing as he had given Tionne plenty of time, with a series of cuts and jabs. None were meant to break through the superior defenses of Soresu, but where meant to put her lightsaber into position.

The final attack he struck out with would be a sidestep followed with a sweeping, horizontal cut for Tionne's midsection.

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Series of slashes jabs were easily parried by matching blocks, a true manifestation of Soresu's ingenuity. There were very few tricks that penetrated defenses of III; even the precise thrusts of Makashi and turbulent sweeps of Ataru were sucessfully fended off with medium effort. Tionne was a small woman, a little taller than a child in their early teens, so her technique had to rely on precision, speed and outsmarting the opponent.
The final blow Karr delivered was met with a diagonal parry; stepping into the lock, Thanewulf let the blades clash, only to lift one hand off the hilt of her saber and administer a Force Push against Kian's chest. The energy projected was enough to push him away and create some space between them, but not knock him over.

"I don't want to be the best swordsman." the redhead retorted confidently as she took a brief pause to come up with an attack tactic - "Merely hold my own in battle. My strongest weapon is not my sword."

Two fingers tapped against the side of her head, a beautiful head that housed an even more beautiful mind. She then lounged in a jump towards the Kel Dor to land a shoulder to hip slash from above. Ataru is what he wanted, Ataru was what he will get.

[member="Kian Karr"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Spoiler

sorry for the delay!!

Kian smiled at Tionne's words and agreed with what she had to say. The blade shouldn't be the greatest weapon of a Jedi, but it also didn't have to atrophy. To Kian that was one of the greatest flaws of the practitioners of Form VI, Niman, during the time of the Clone Wars. On the fields of Geonosis, many of the Form VI practitioners had fallen because they had dedicated themselves to other pursuits to the detriment of their combat abilities.

"Nor is mine." Kian said bringing his lightsaber up in a slash of his own, meant to collide with the Ataru attack. The two blades struck hard, sending sparks flying as Kian defending from the powerful, aggressive Ataru attack. As his Form dictated, Kian used the momentum of the strike to drop down and spin, slashing his blade at where he believed Tionne's legs would touch down.

"But just as your mind must be honed and exercised, so too does your blade." Kian said. "Regretfully, this is a time of war for the Republic, and while your training and preference may be for other sort of assignments." Kian said coming up from his crouch and jabbing his blade forward at Tionne's ribs, "You will find yourself on the battlefield.....and invariable against a Sith."

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]​