Public How Many Arms Do You See? A Lesson in Vaapaad! (Open to all Jedi!)

[Jax Thio]

Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary, Naboo
Equipment: Jedi Robes, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Third Lightsaber, Marriage Ring to Jairdain
Tag: @


Jax was mediating in the middle of the training chamber his eyes closed and his legs crisscrossed. He needed clear mind for what he was going to teach, the Jedi Master spent years teaching Padawans, Jedi Knights, and even Masters the way of the Lightsaber, but today was different. Jax was going to teach a handful of Jedi Knights and Masters the most powerful Lightsaber form: Vaapaad the variant of Juyo. Vaapaad was the most difficult form to master because like its variant: Juyo, it requires not only great physical prowess but more importantly a strong mental focus.

The latter was more critical, the more one was immersed in Vaapaad the closer they skirt to the Dark Side. Vaapaad requires a Jedi to enjoy the thrill of battle, the killing, the destruction, the desire to dominate while utilizing the darkness around them like a superconducting loop. The Jedi is required to accept their darkness and even tap into it if necessary. To fully utilize the power of Vaapaad, the Jedi must allow the dark side to flow through them without it touching their soul. That was where many Jedi failed, the mental rigors trying to maintain calm while the Dark Side wraps its claws around you was devastating. Whenever Jax used Vaapaad he felt like a howling wraith trapped behind a prison filled with darkness. Outwardly, he looked calm and cool but mentally, he was on the verge of cracking.

It was why Jax eventually went back to Shii-Cho as his main form. Vaapaad was insanely difficult to maintain and while Jax gained great power, it came at a cost. He remembered his failure against his father. Trying to use Vaapaad was fruitless endeavor especially after when Carnifex mentally broke Jax during the duel. That slip of concentration allowed the dark side to take over Jax and he fell to the dark. That was years ago and while Jax had developed mental techniques to avoid those pitfalls and even developing a new ability that allowed Jax to freely utilize the Dark Side without falling, he was still reluctant to use Vaapaad often.

However, the Jedi are few these days, and they need all they can to combat the Sith and the Imperials. Jax invited Jedi Knights and Masters whom he deemed worthy and awaited for their arrival. All he could do was to teach the students and hope that they didn't make the same mistakes he did.

 

[Nir Si]

​

Tag: Jax Thio OPEN​

Training was one of those things that Nir didn't get to often these days. One might call that laziness on his part, but the truth was, he spent more time out in the field than anyone else nowadays. That was his training. But, the downside of it was that he rarely picked up new skills. His training in form I and V made him formidable, but he did struggle with fighters who could keep him on his toes.

With his place in the Rebellion out and about, he knew better than to keep himself predictable.

"So, I was told this was the place?"

As always, Nir entered a room seemingly unarmed. No need.

 

[Connel Vanagor]

VAAPAD
Shiraya’s Sanctuary
Naboo

Omega Squad Every Day Gear Locations

• Michael, Gabriel, Azrael, Sariel, Raphael, Jeremiel, Connel, Raguel
  [Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]
• 
  
  • Gear/Armor
    • Mask
    • Right Gauntlet
    • Left Gauntlet
  • Nano-Tech Armor (For Emergencies)
  • Headset Microphone Comm-Link
  • Mobile "Bodycam" Datapad
  • Lightblaster
  • Shortsabers (“Night” and “Day”)
  • Throwing Lightknives
  • Force Blinding Flashbangs
  SURGICAL - CRYBERNETIC IMPLANTS
  
  • Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
  • Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
  • Muscle enhancements.
  • Hemo enhancements for blood flow
  • Hawkeye implants for eyes
  • Advanced Medical Implant
  • Scentzy
  • Injected Nanotech upgrades
  
  
  
• Shadow Sanctuary - Enterprise

Did he need to learn Vaapad?

No. He had learned it from his father, who he believed had taught Jax (might be wrong). As well as several other forms, including the unique form his father taught.

He was here to support Jax though.

Besides, it’s a good review.

Connel never did like Naboo. Nothing against the people, or the culture, it just was not his cup of tea, he was practical, they were salacious, it worked for them. So he was here simply to be a friend to a family member and a good model for anyone else attending that wanted to learn. If anything, this was a “day off”. He didn’t even wear his gear, just carrying his regular lightsaber.

TAGS • Jax Thio • Nir Si
Personal Effects - Omega Squad Loadouts​

 

[Ikki Ike]

"Oh Naboo, last time I was here, the princess bit my fingers off and kicked me over a waterfall." She had sliced her ear off and suplexed her off a tower but the Masons were long removed from the royal palace of Naboo. Ikki walking as she had been given a chance to observe and learn.. she wasn't opposed to it and the petite maid walked with a tray of food on one hand perfectly balanced as she looked around and had a dispenser of flavored tea. Offering smile as her four foot nine height made her not stand out among many of the people but she had a protective armored uniform and she abs one could grind meat on. Yondir Fenn could atest to that as he had spent plenty of time traveling with her. "Ummm hi, I brought snacks."

 

[Rath Nihro]

H O P E

Outfit
Tag: Jax Thio | Connel Vanagor | Nir Si | Ikki Ike

Vaapaad was, in a sense, a form that drew a Jedi as close to the Dark Side as possible. However, such a force tended to prey upon any form of insecurity the participant might have. Whether that was rooted in fear of becoming something else, lust for power beyond their control, or simply casting aside the mask they’ve worn all along. It was a lightsaber form that could easily reveal their true nature, as it corrupted them.

Rath had many years of experience, whether it stemmed from being a Warden, a Sith, or in this case, a Jedi. Few had ever dared to wield such form, and those who did often became blinded by their own emotions. It arguably made them easier to predict and counter in Rath’s trained eyes. Needless to say, it wasn’t necessarily required for him to learn such things, but it didn’t hurt to review on the form.

”Can’t say that I’ve ever been to Naboo before.” Rath muttered to no one in particular as his steps were silent upon the marble floor. Only the whispering of his clothes announced his arrival within the training chamber. The air felt slightly heavier the moment Rath entered the premises, as if the chamber were weighed down by an invisible blanket around their shoulders. Clipped onto his belt was a single Shroudsaber, a relic of his past, but one that Rath didn’t shy from. There weren’t any other weapons on his person, nor did he opt to wear armor.

Duets of green swept across the chamber as he noted who was present. It was brief, instinctive, and yet calculating as he made sure to get the immediate layout of the space he entered. Rath noted how one of them, Jax Thio , was meditating at the center. He guarded his tongue and instead opted to be silent in respect of the Jedi Master. Instead, Rath stepped off to the side until he was roughly adjacent to Nir Si by a couple of paces.

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Jairdain entered the training chamber quietly, without drawing attention to herself or the Force. She did not announce her arrival, nor did she attempt to shape the atmosphere already heavy with focus and restraint. Instead, she allowed the space to take her in as it would any other presence.

She felt Jax immediately.

Not the outward calm of his meditation, but the familiar tension beneath it, the careful containment of something sharp and dangerous held in check by discipline alone. As his wife, she recognized it without effort. As a Jedi, she respected the resolve it took for him to sit at the center of the room and prepare to teach this particular form.

Jairdain did not interrupt him.

She moved instead to the edge of the chamber, her steps measured, her posture relaxed but attentive. She took in the others as they arrived, not with scrutiny, but with awareness. Nir's easy confidence, the kind forged through repetition and consequence rather than theory. Connel's dry presence, here less as a student and more as a steady constant. Ikki's unexpected practicality, grounding a space that too often forgot the needs of the body. Rath's weight in the Force, dense with experience and hard-earned caution.

Vaapad drew such people.

Those who already knew what violence offered, and what it demanded in return.

Jairdain settled into stillness, hands folded loosely, her presence deliberately unassertive. She did not project authority here. This was not her lesson to teach, nor her edge to walk today.

Her awareness remained on Jax, quiet and steady, not to shield him or temper him, but simply to be there. A reminder, if one was needed, that he was not standing alone at the threshold of this storm.

She said nothing.

For now, presence was enough.

Rath Nihro Ikki Ike Connel Vanagor Nir Si Jax Thio

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary, Naboo
Equipment: Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain
Tag: Jairdain Ismet-Thio , Connel Vanagor , Nir Si , Ikki Ike , Rath Nihro

Jax already felt the presence of the students entering the training sabers. Though Jax continued to meditate he could feel Jedi from all walks life looking around with curiosity. He felt his wife: Jairdain standing in the corner a calming presence in the dark storm that was conjuring inside Jax. Over the years, Jax trained himself to not only his darkness but allow it to go through him without it touching his soul. Once an overwhelming presence that caused Jax turmoil, became nothing more than a tool which Jax could utilize in battle. While it is still risky, the darkness was more of a weak echo rather than the maelstrom all those years ago.

It helped that Jair was his emotional rock as well Connel whom Jax could feel that he was uncomfortable in Naboo. Jax resisted the urge to smirk, just like his old man: Typical.

"You all arrived at the right place," Jax opened his eyes and got up accessing his students. "Welcome everyone, I'm glad that you all made it."

The Jedi Master sighed knowing what he was about to say was not going to be easy. "I'm not going to sugar coat it," Jax said. "With the fall of the Galactic Alliance and the New Jedi Order, there's not many Jedi left who can defend the Galaxy. The High Republic are the only faction with an organized fighting force, it won't be enough. Not with many evil doers running around."

Jax began to pace around the chamber his hands clasped behind his back. "We may not be numerous," Jax said. "But what we lack in numbers we can make up with quality. Though I will warn you. What I'm about to teach you is the most dangerous technique in Jedi history. It is physically demanding but you also need a strong mind to truly master it. A single shred of doubt and you will fall to the Dark Side."

He fell silent. "Take it from my..... personal experience," Jax said.

 

[Fallon Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Casino floor
Objective: Represent Ashla
Loadout: here
Tags: OPEN

If Fallon was honest with herself, she wasnt entirely sure her saber would even allow her to attuned effectively to Vaapad. Fallon was of the light, and her blade was of the light, its crystal infused with her goddess. But she would try, to fight the darkness she needed to understand the darkness and to be able to tread near it without succumbing to it.

She looked around the room and then at Jax Thio to take in his words. The most dangerous technique known to jedi? she wasnt entirely sure she agreed with that, she had been places and seen things much more dangerous than a sword fighting technique, things more tempting than a modicum of extra power granted by tapping into your rage and emotion. She would see.

Fallon's saber lifted from her belt gently and floated up in front of her where she could observe it and maybe ask its stone how it felt about skirting the dark.

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Make Dad proud!
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary, Naboo
Outfit:Training clothes
Tags: Jax Thio | Jairdain Ismet-Thio | Nir Si | Connel Vanagor | Ikki Ike | Rath Nihro

Naboo was another almost home. Jayna wasn't even sure how that came to be, but Dad liked it here a lot. When the family traveled here it was hardly a surprise. They had be travelling a lot of late. Now it seemed Dad was on a "secure the galaxy from evil" kick again. He had spent a long time doing that on his own before he seemed to settle into family things lately. Perhaps that was because of Jayna's little brother or sister being on the way. But Dad was a magnet for activity.

Hearing that Dad was going to train Jedi on Naboo was not surprising. That it was Vaapaad and that he and Mom seemed to think that Jayna was ready to join the training was SHOCKING to the young girl. She hadn't even progressed to the point of making her own lightsaber. She had constantly stated that she had no intention of joining the Jedi. How was it that Dad felt she was ready for something that brought her so close to darkness? Especially since both he and Mom had spent some time heeding the call of the darkness in their lives.

As much as Jayna resisted the idea of becoming a Jedi, she was firmly on the side of the light. Tempting the darkness even in a training setting was quite frightening to her. The only comfort that she afforded herself was that her parents would both be there. Jayna convinced herself they would pull her away if it was getting bad. Even though she was afraid she wanted to show her Dad she could handle it. Maybe this would convince him it was time to go looking for her own kyber crystal. All the same while Jayna stayed behind when each of her parents had left to prepare for the class. She stretched and worked her body into a mid-workout state. She would need her focus to keep things going right. She couldn't have her body be a distraction.

As she approached the training room Jayna heard her father's voice. His voice was a comfort to Jayna even if he was warning about all the threats and the lack of numbers to combat it. Jayna gulped nervously before approaching her second comfort in the training. She stood beside her mother resisting the urge to hold Mom's hand like a little girl. She looked at the others present and was not at all surprised to be the least experienced. A smirk did form on her lips recognizing "cousin" Connel. She did not know him well, but he was yet more family present. Jayna looked to her mother and swallowed again. "Are you sure I'm ready for this. I want to make Dad proud, but I'm afraid…"

 

[Lily Decoria]

Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Arwr Da, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Jax Thio | Connel Vanagor | Nir Si | Ikki Ike | Rath Nihro | Jairdain Ismet-Thio | Fallon Draellix-Kobitana | Jayna Ismet-Thio

A lesson in Vaapad, it was something that Lily was curious to see. She was highly skilled in the form already since it was the primary form that she used. Feeding off the darkness of her opponent as a counter, it was dangerous but leaned into the ebb and flow of combat that Lily was very used to. It had also been the form that allowed Lily to survive against some of the most dangerous Sith Lords that she had dealt with. Lily knew that she would need to give lessons on the form later on when she was more of a master of the technique but for now, seeing how others talk it was important for Lily. Gave more variations on the style but also allowed her to get an understanding of how Vaapad was taught.

Gathering her long hair into a ponytail, Lily entered the class and looked around. Seeing an interesting group of students. Various ages and levels of training. Lily heard Jax prep the group with a conversation about how the technique was one that he considered to be more of the dangerous techniques in the Jedi history. It was also curious that he deemed things more dire than Lily would. While the GA and the NJO had collapsed. That didn't mean the Jedi had died, some had disappeared or left but it was not as severe as Lily would view it. Since Lily always believed that the Light would always grow to match the Darkness. There just needed to be some time for the Light to grow right now.

Cracking her knuckles, Lily listened patiently to the lesson, seeing some of the tensions that others felt around the words but Lily personally maintained a positive, energetic aura around her. She had stood in a room surrounded by some of the most powerful Sith Lords in history and she survived. In fact, Lily did so while making sure her presence in the Force was felt by those in the room. It was probably a dangerous or reckless move but Lily operated with a firm belief that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

It was interesting that Jax shared that he had fallen to temptation. To still use Vaapad after falling to such temptations, it was an impressive resolve.

 

[Rath Nihro]

C U L T I V A T E

Outfit
Tag: Jax Thio | Jairdain Ismet-Thio | Jayna Ismet-Thio | Nir Si | Ikki Ike | Connel Vanagor | Fallon Draellix-Kobitana | Lily Decoria

One by one, more individuals had poured into the training room. Even as Master Thio spoke, it seemed like his voice alone drew the masses, like moths to a flame. Whether it was by the promise of learning new techniques, or the allure of power. That remained to be revealed in time. For too long, as far as Rath could recall, the darkness had flowed strongly through his body. A force that was always present, always ready to be called upon, and it always came at a price.

The air was filled with various floral notes as Rath calmly breathed in the scents. Perhaps there was such a scent in the air, or perhaps it was sterile and clean in reality. But not Rath. To the warrior, everyone carried a scent in the Force, lest they were detached from the cosmic entity.

Rath sensed that there might have been a small few who felt uneasy with what was to be expected. Others appeared to be confident yet attentive to what the Master had disclosed. Even a rare moment of vulnerability that not even a Master is immune to the Dark Side’s effects. Rather than dwell on it however, Rath spared a beat of silence to let it settle before he spoke. A gesture, a subtle nudge to fan the flames that Master Thio was cultivating.

”So, aside from being aggressive, what is the aim for Vaapaad?” Each form held a specific purpose for its existence, and it was largely that sense of purpose that grounded the forms over the era. It wasn’t necessarily a question of curiosity, for Rath knew the details of it. Practiced it even, but instead Rath was attempting to divert Jax’s mind from dwelling upon his mistakes. For everyone could make them, but they only remained to be a mistake if neither of them learn from it.

 

[Ikki Ike]

Jax Thio Jairdain Ismet-Thio Rath Nihro Connel Vanagor Jayna Ismet-Thio Fallon Draellix-Kobitana Lily Decoria

Ikki listened as she set down the snacks and walked around, using her natural smallness and looks to blend in and be the scenery as she listened. There were jedi to defend but she was interested in see what could be learned from this. She found a place to the side but was taking it in as more people were coming in and it was quite a sight for a class... "Should have brought more snacks." Hmmm she tapped her chin but was listening to the full explanation. Her mechanical fingers gleaming obsidian against the bronzed skin of her hand as she raised a hand. "Ummm.. do you have training sabers for us?" She said it but was looking with her hands in front of herself. A smal moment. "Temple maids don't use lightsabers."

 

[Ko Vuto]

Tags: Jax Thio | Connel Vanagor | Rath Nihro | Fallon Draellix-Kobitana | Lily Decoria

Ko was hardly familiar with Juyo, let alone this so-called Vaapad variant. The Kel Dor had mostly practiced more classical forms. The Seventh had always eluded him through his training and exercises.

But for the young knight Vaapad existed only in rumors he's heard of on occasion. Ko had even doubted if it was real or made up. A supposed ultimate killing technique had always seemed a bit far fetched. Like a plot device straight out of a martial arts blockbuster. Not to mention what little he did know of it seemed hardly compatible with jedi principles. Sometimes he even felt that his own preference for Shii-Cho wasn’t always appropriate for a Jedi. Ko wondered if perhaps there was some overlap between the oldest and newest of lightsaber combat forms.

However, if Ko could learn something from this he felt almost obligated to at least try. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. At least he could give it a try, and if he couldn’t make the cut, then so be it.

Presently Ko was gathered with some of the others who heeded the call here on Naboo, even seeing some familiar faces as well. When Master Thio addressed them the mentions of the NJO had stung deep for Ko. He felt the spectral ache in his missing right arm even now as he was reminded of what was lost. Despite Jax’s words doubt had already crept its way into Ko’s soul, and he wasn’t sure if it was appropriate for him to actually be here or not…​

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Jairdain did not step into the lesson, and that choice was deliberate.

She remained just beyond the edge of the gathered students, her posture relaxed, her presence steady and unintrusive, neither seeking attention nor withdrawing entirely from the space. She was not a voice meant to shape the discussion, nor an authority layered atop another's authority. This was Jax's class, his burden to carry, his history to expose, honestly, to those willing to listen, and she would not dilute that by adding her own perspective, no matter how intimately she understood the terrain he was guiding them toward.

Instead, she listened.

She felt Fallon's careful curiosity, the way her saber hovered as though it were being consulted rather than commanded, an unspoken conversation between wielder and blade. She felt Lily's confidence, bright and unflinching, forged through survival and tempered by experience that had taught her exactly what she could endure. She felt Rath's probing awareness even before his question took shape, the deliberate testing of edges that came from someone who had lived too long without illusions. Jairdain took it all in without comment, allowing the Force to carry her awareness naturally rather than imposing her will upon it.

Her attention sharpened only when she felt Jayna.

The fear there was not dramatic or unstable, but tight and contained, braided with love, responsibility, and the quiet need to be worthy of the people she cared about. It was not the fear of temptation, nor the thrill of danger, but the fear of disappointing those she trusted most, and that mattered more to Jairdain than any philosophy of Vaapad ever could.

When Jayna spoke to her, Jairdain turned fully toward her daughter, letting the rest of the chamber fall away without effort.

She did not answer loudly, nor did she answer as a Master addressing a student.

She answered as a mother.

Jairdain stepped closer, close enough that Jayna could feel her presence without needing to reach for it, and for a moment, she did not touch her at all, allowing Jayna the space to remain within her own feeling rather than be shielded from it prematurely.

"You are not here to master this," Jairdain said softly, her voice low and steady, pitched carefully so it belonged to Jayna alone even within a shared space. "You are here to understand it."

She allowed the words to settle before continuing, her tone measured and certain rather than reassuring for its own sake.

"There is a difference," she added. "Your father is teaching knowledge, not expectation. You do not owe him fearlessness, and you do not owe me bravery."

Only then did she rest her hand lightly against Jayna's shoulder, the touch grounding rather than protective, meant to remind rather than restrain.

"Vaapad is not being offered to you as a destination," Jairdain continued calmly. "It is being shown to you so that you understand what it asks of a person. Understanding is not the same as choosing."

Her thumb pressed once in quiet reassurance, deliberate and steady.

"You are allowed to be afraid," she said gently. "Fear does not disqualify you from learning. What would concern me is if you felt nothing at all."

She inclined her head just slightly, enough for Jayna to sense certainty rather than comfort alone, the presence of someone who had walked close to darkness and survived by listening rather than forcing.

"If this ever stops being learning and starts becoming harm, I will intervene," Jairdain said without drama or apology. "Not because you failed, but because knowing when to step back is a strength I will never ask you to abandon. You already have that."

For a brief moment, her presence lingered around Jayna, quiet and certain, steady and unwavering, before she withdrew her hand just as deliberately and stepped back, giving her daughter room to breathe, to stand on her own, and to decide what came next.

Jairdain returned to her place at the edge of the room, silent once more, her role complete without a single word added to the lesson itself. She did not look toward Jax, did not speak over him, and did not claim the space that was not hers to claim.

She trusted him to teach.

And she trusted Jayna to listen to herself.

Rath Nihro Ko Vuto Ikki Ike Lily Decoria Jayna Ismet-Thio Fallon Draellix-Kobitana Jax Thio

 

[Connel Vanagor]

VAAPAD
Shiraya’s Sanctuary
Naboo

Omega Squad Every Day Gear Locations

• Michael, Gabriel, Azrael, Sariel, Raphael, Jeremiel, Connel, Raguel
  [Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]
• 
  
  • Gear/Armor
    • Mask
    • Right Gauntlet
    • Left Gauntlet
  • Nano-Tech Armor (For Emergencies)
  • Headset Microphone Comm-Link
  • Mobile "Bodycam" Datapad
  • Lightblaster
  • Shortsabers (“Night” and “Day”)
  • Throwing Lightknives
  • Force Blinding Flashbangs
  SURGICAL - CRYBERNETIC IMPLANTS
  
  • Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
  • Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
  • Muscle enhancements.
  • Hemo enhancements for blood flow
  • Hawkeye implants for eyes
  • Advanced Medical Implant
  • Scentzy
  • Injected Nanotech upgrades
  
  
  
• Shadow Sanctuary - Enterprise

History Lesson aside, this was going to be an interesting gathering. The Maverick wasn’t wrong in anything he brought up, after all, Caltin had taught him this when Connel was knee high to a Lizard Monkey, so he knew better. However, that was the thing, wasn’t it? This was about interpretation.

Maybe it was all that he had been through since Vendaxa, since the fall of the Galactic Alliance, but Connel had learned the reality of the Force, and a few other things. There was indeed the mystique that Vaapad was “aggressive” and it was, but not for the reason any of them might think, or how it was played out to be. Father’s first words about it:

“Vaapad isn’t aggressive because it strikes harder. It’s aggressive because it doesn’t lie to you.”

Vaapad isn’t about channeling darkness. It’s about standing in proximity to it without leaning. Maybe this was how Jax was approaching it. This was why Connel was not speaking up, not just out of respect for the form, but for Jax himself. Most Jedi misunderstand Vaapad in two ways. They think it’s about power. They think it’s about control.

It’s about discipline under pressure, not dominance.

“Vaapad doesn’t tempt you with rage. It tempts you with efficiency.”

The real threat isn’t hatred. It’s the moment a Jedi decides a faster, harsher answer is reasonable. Vaapad sharpens that edge until it hums. Maybe that is why he rarely taught it. Not because he didn’t trust most Jedi with it, but because most want Vaapad before they realize that they don’t need it.

Connel did.

Caltin taught him mastery in:

• Soresu for restraint and survival
• Makashi for precision and economy
• Ataru for motion without recklessness
• Shien/Djem So for controlled counter-aggression

Only then would Vaapad even be discussed. That is when the one called “Rath” spoke out.

Vaapad is not a foundation. It’s a stress test. Then Connel caught Jayna’s glance and shot her a smirk and a wink.

That’s the thing.

Caltin didn’t teach Connel Vaapad because he wanted him to use it. He taught it because Connel was going to encounter it anyway. On battlefields. In enemies. In himself. Caltin believed ignorance was more dangerous than exposure.

“I’m not teaching you how to fight this way. I’m teaching you how to recognize it when it tries to use you.”

And then he would always do something very Caltin.

He’d stop the lesson early. Not at the crescendo. Not when it felt powerful. He’d end it the moment Connel started to feel good using it. He wanted Connel to learn this way because he didn’t need to prove he could walk the edge.

Caltin understood that choosing not to use a weapon is a form of mastery. He knew Vaapad. He respected it. And he kept it sheathed unless absolutely necessary. To him, Vaapad was like a high-yield charge in a demolitions kit. Effective. Precise. And never something you keep in your hand just because you can. Maybe this is where Connel learned his own outlook after all.

Vaapad doesn’t make you strong. It shows you what you already are. It’s a mirror.

This philosophy is why Connel knows Vaapad but doesn’t live in it.

It became one tool among many. Understood. Measured. Integrated. Which is exactly why, when Connel eventually forged his own hybrid doctrine, Vaapad doesn’t own him.

He owns himself.

TAGS • Jax Thio • Nir Si • Ikki Ike • @Rath Niro • Jairdain Ismet-Thio • Fallon Draellix-Kobitana • Jayna Ismet-Thio • Lily Decoria • Ko Vuto



Personal Effects - Omega Squad Loadouts​

 

[Nir Si]

​

Tag: Jax Thio Ko Vuto Connel Vanagor Ikki Ike Jairdain Ismet-Thio Rath Nihro Fallon Draellix-Kobitana Lily Decoria Jayna Ismet-Thio​

A single shred of doubt.

If Nir was known for anything, anything at all, it was his confidence. A confidence he had gained not in the temple, but from the stage. Some might call it cockiness. Some might call it arrogance, but they never called him nervous.

And they never dared called him doubtful.

"Show me." Was all Nir said, summoning his saber in a flash of flame.

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary, Naboo
Equipment: Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain
Tag: Jairdain Ismet-Thio , Connel Vanagor , Nir Si , Ikki Ike , Rath Nihro , Ko Vuto , Lily Decoria , Fallon Draellix-Kobitana , Jayna Ismet-Thio

More students entered chamber some were familiar faces which was a welcome sight in these times. Yet Jax immediately sensed his daughter before she arrived. The Jedi Master maintained his calm demeanor, but he could sense her fear not of the form itself but the fear of failing Jax. "Jayna," Jax telepathically communicated to the young woman. "I've always been proud of you, I know this style is difficult to comprehend but your mother and I are here to help."

He really shouldn't be teaching his daughter such a dangerous technique. Especially since she hasn't grasped the basics, that will have to change right now but Jayna needed to learn who he truly was. Connel explained the core tenets of Vaapaad to Jayna which earned a respectful nod from Jax. He was definitely his father's son that was for sure.

"Connel speaks the truth," Jax added pacing around. "Vaapaad is NOT a Lightsaber form, it is a state of being. The mirror showing the dark reflection of yourself. Your doubts, fears, the things you've done that you're not proud forms that horrific figure that is your other half."

Jax frowned. "We all have darkness within us." he said. "And we all have ways to deal with it. Either we fight it allow it to grow and take over your body and soul, or you crush it and allow the venom to seep into your veins corrupting your soul."

He took breath. "Vaapaad allows a Jedi to accept the darkness within them. I can teach you how to channel the darkness not only within yourselves but the darkness around you. But it requires a lot of self discipline."

 

[Jairdain Ismet-Thio]

Jairdain did not step forward when the chamber filled with words again, nor when sabers ignited, and philosophies sharpened against one another.

She stayed where she was, just beyond the students, her presence quiet and anchoring, listening as Connel's understanding unfolded and as Jax gave voice to the truths he carried with him like old scars. She felt the shape of what was being said more than the sound of it, the careful distinction between power and discipline, between temptation and efficiency, between choosing a weapon and being ruled by it. Much of it resonated with paths she herself had walked, though differently, no less carefully.

Her attention, as it so often did, returned to Jayna.

Not intrusively. Not protectively in a way that would smother. Simply aware.

When Jax reached out to their daughter through the Force, Jairdain felt the exchange like a soft current passing through her, steadying rather than disturbing. Pride, reassurance, the quiet weight of love layered beneath the lesson. She did not interfere. She trusted him to speak as a teacher, and she trusted Jayna to hear what mattered.

Still, when Jayna's fear tightened again, not of darkness but of disappointing the people she loved, Jairdain let her presence brush gently against her daughter's awareness. No words. No instruction. Just the calm certainty of being there, of not measuring worth by mastery or speed or proximity to danger.

If Jayna glanced her way, she would find no expectation in her mother's bearing. Only permission.

Permission to listen. Permission to hesitate. Permission to learn without becoming.

Jairdain remained still as Jax continued, letting the lesson belong to him, knowing that sometimes the most important guidance was not spoken aloud, but felt and remembered long after the chamber fell quiet.

Jax Thio Nir Si Connel Vanagor Ko Vuto Ikki Ike Rath Nihro Lily Decoria Jayna Ismet-Thio Fallon Draellix-Kobitana

 

[Rath Nihro]

H O P E

Outfit
Tag: [Mobile is being a poodoo, too many peeps to tag manually]

The darkness, as some had come to refer to it as, likely influenced them in a way that few could match. There were many, both Jedi and Sith alike, who fell prone to such temptations that often made them dangerous and unpredictable. There was one such madman that immediately surfaced in Rath's mind. A bothan, Kog if his memory was accurate, who appeared to be so soft spoken, so ready to please others, even if the Sith did treat him less than dirt. Something had happened with Kog however, and it was like the mask had fallen as Kog proceeded to cut down three knights single-handedly.

Rath's features notably grimaced as he recalled his failed attempt to persuade Kog otherwise, but he was too far gone to be reasoned with. For both of them knew that cutting down Sith, no matter the Empire, was grounds for execution lest they had people in high places that could protect them. However, Kog had none, and in the last shred of Kog's original self, practically begged Rath to give him a warrior's death. At least then Kog could claim that he died fighting rather than being driven to his knees into submission.

There were many tragic stories that Rath could recall from his lifetime, and the tales of the dead that echoed through his mind were no different. Even as he had let go most of the souls that he had collected once he forsaken the path to the dark, few remain at his side. Whether it was to secretly plot his downfall, or those who wish to cultivate his growth. Such things were somewhat a mystery to him, but that was a thought for another time.

”That, perhaps, would likely be the most difficult task for anyone. With all of the wars raged through the galaxy, there's no shortage of tragedy.” Rath paused for a moment as he contemplated his next words. It wasn’t to take over the training, but to encourage those who could feel the Force better than he. To Rath, the Force was like the boundless sea stretched beyond the cosmos. There was no light or dark, only the Force as its weight shifted and flowed through him like a river's current.

”The past we cannot change, but instead we can only learn from it. Regardless where the darkness originates from, perhaps the key factor is let it flow through you, but not control you.” His shirt whispered as the dark haired man shrugged his shoulders. It was far simpler for him to demonstrate it, but he didn't want to incite anything either. Not without Master Jax's permission, of course.

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Make Dad proud!
Location: Shiraya's Sanctuary, Naboo
Outfit:Training clothes
Tags: Jax Thio | Jairdain Ismet-Thio | Nir Si | Connel Vanagor | Ikki Ike | Rath Nihro | Lily Decoria | Fallon Draellix-Kobitana | Ko Vuto

A mention from the young woman dressed quite enticingly as a maid that more snacks would have been wise temporarily broke the tension in Jayna's mind before her mother could respond. Jayna's own nerves suggested snacks were not a good idea anyways, so she was happy to have the temptation of food removed from the area.

Jayna's mother's response was comforting, wise and at some points surprising. Jayna had always read that fear was of the darkside. Mom was telling her it was ok to be afraid. It may have just been that there were different types of fear and Jayna didn't understand them all. It might have been that vision of fear was from the old days. Jedi in the galaxy now were allowed much more leeway than in the days of the Old Republic.

The last words were the best of all. Jayna needed to be open to learning. Her mother would be here to learn herself, observe and step in if Jayna's interpretation of the learnings became dangerous. Jairdain was a much more passive teacher to her daughter most of the time. Perhaps it was because Jayna yearned for adventure that was more her father's domain. Perhaps it was because Mom's lessons required something that Jayna hadn't learned yet. Mom was almost always to answer questions and teach lessons specifically asked for by Jayna. Dad had a much more aggressive approach to teaching.

After Mom's comfort took a slight step back, Jayna looked around the room again. Others had joined behind her. Jayna didn't much notice who had joined. She turned her attention back to the instruction. Along with her father, "cousin" Connel was at the head of the class. Jayna wasn't especially close to Connel, enough to know who he was, consider him family. She also knew that Connel was far too advanced to be present in order to learn. When he made his statement about Vaapaad being a stress test, Jayna blushed at the following smirk and wink. She wasn't sure that she could manage any stress tests right now. But the statement somehow put her at ease. If she couldn't handle the lesson it just meant that she wasn't ready for such a stress. That she would need to start smaller and work her way back up to this point.

Jayna's "words" echoed in her head as he started the lesson for the rest, he had taken a moment of encouragement just for her. Jayna somehow simultaneously felt a little easier about the lesson, but also a bit of pressure. She wanted so badly for Dad to continue to be proud of her. If she needed more help than others would he be let down? With a deep breath Jayna decided she was going to jump into the lesson, not with the intent to make her parents proud but to gain knowledge. Little did she know that action would make them proud in itself.

The last thing she did before deciding to become completely immersed in Vaapaad was to send a simple silent message to both her parents. Thanks! Now it was time to learn. She stepped forward to see and hear as well as possible. She knew her mother was behind her, and her father in front. For now she was just one of the students. The youngest, most inexperienced. The one with the most to learn.