I Know Nothing

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Lira sat in a small outdoor area of the Ossus Jedi temple. In her lap lay a long handled Lightsaber hilt with emitters on either end, the weapon was cradled in her lap quite gently, and she rolled it up and down on her legs as if it were a rolling pin.

The weapon had been given to her by Former Grandmaster Benjamin Watts. She had received training in the weapon and a few other Lightsaber styles from him, and at the end he had gifted her his particular weapon as a mark of completion of the first step in her lightsaber training. She was by no means a master of anything to do with the weapon, but she could now use it well enough not to hurt herself, and that in it of itself was an achievement.

It was a step in the right direction.

Or so she hoped.

Now she waited for someone else to teach her, a Jedi Master who she had only really heard of once, Marcello Matteo. He was to take her training one step further, according to Ben he would be a bit more..cruel, which she supposed was a good thing.

Jedi had to face hardship, and while Lira had already faced some, she knew she still had much to learn.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello walked casually through the corridors leading to one of the many outdoor areas attached to the Jedi Temple on Ossus. The worn metallic hilt of his lightsaber dangled casually at his side beneath the short-sleeved black t-shirt that he wore atop khaki-colored pants. He had received word from an acquaintance that he'd, unfortunately, not seen in some time that his newest student was a promising prospect. While [member="Lira Dajenn"] was not his apprentice proper, the Naboo native never passed at the opportunity to spread knowledge - particularly in areas he found most enjoyable such as piloting or combat in general.

As he emerged from the structure, a light gust of wind caught the long strainds of his hair, but he quickly tucked the loose strands behind his ears. Glacier-blue gaze settled on the figure of a female that occupied the small area. Coming to a stop a few feet in front of the woman, Marcello looked at her with mild curiosity. "You are Padawan Dajenn? Do you mind if I call you Lira? Not too big on formality."

That was, effectively, where his penchant for niceties with people he did not know ended.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]
She jumped slightly, startled by the sudden arrival of Marcello.

“Uuh sure.” She said, then quickly added. “Master Matteo.”

She had no problem with being addressed informally, she was only a padawan after all. She doubted she'd mind if she were a Knight or a Master, perhaps even a member of the Jedi Council. Formality to her had always seemed silly, especially if it got in the way of things. As an engineer Lira had always attempted to streamline things, conversation was one of those things.

Standing from her spot on the small stoop Lira grasped her lightsaber firmly in her right hand. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, only knowing that she was here to learn more about the force in combat.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello nodded his head. "Good. You can call me Marcello." Pausing, the Jedi Master thought back to the last time he'd tried to give someone the 'option' to use his first name. "I mean...call me Marcello."

Allowing silence to settle over him for a moment, the Naboo native allowed his glacier-blue eyes to sweep the length of Lira's form now that she was standing. There wasn't anything deregatory or lewd about the gaze...it was merely any appraisal...like one might size up a foe. Whether or not the woman realized, the relationship between them would often be of opponents, but the day would always end with Marcello listening to and, undoubtedly, learning from the Padawan. In turn, she would have the same ability. Those were the times when his normal personality would shine through. If he was ever harsh, it was only because he expected much of every Jedi regardles of background or strength. They could ill-afford to entertain anything else.

"[member="Ben Watts"] is your master, correct?" The question was...actually rhetorical, so Marcello quickly moved on. "I've not had the chance to discuss your training at length, but I'm aware that you are looking to acquire extended knowledge and capability with the lightsaber." For a moment, Marcello's gaze left Lira's eyes and drifted to the weapon in her hand. Returning his gaze to her eyes, the Jedi Master smiled thinly. "Come with me then."

Turning, Marcello swiftly re-entered the Temple. He was silent as he guided Lira to a small training room not far from where they'd met. Stepping inside, he grabbed two large sticks from the wall. They used them to familiarize younglings with various techniques utilized in lightsaber combat. Without a word, Marcello tossed them to the side for now. Removing the hilt of his own lightsaber, he turned to smile warmly at the woman. "Let's see what you know, then."

Marcello remained motionless, grasping his lightsaber but leaving it deactivated for the moment.

[member="Lira Dajenn"]

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Lira followed Marcello without another word. She didn't particularly mind calling him Marcello, after all she called Avalore, Avalore and that was perfectly fine. Maybe she should have felt a bit weirder about it, but really some of the Masters and Knights were so relaxed that it would have been weird not to do it.

Though, in hindsight Marcello hardly seemed relaxed.

In fact he seemed to be quite tense. Not in a bad sort of way, but something about him screamed that he was ready at all times. Ready for what, Lira couldn't have said. The man looked tough enough to fight a Terentatek with his bare hands and come out on top, but also lithe enough to slip underneath said Terantatek and simply run away.

Briefly, Lira wondered what the man had been through in his life. Before she could ask the question, or even thing to do so, the two of them arrived at the small training chamber.

For a moment she was unsure, then she remembered the words of Hal. Frowning slightly, she turned into a stance and twirled her lightsaber, activating first one side, then the other. The Saber-staff wasn't really meant for a great variance in attacks, it was more meant for counterplay in a fight, but Ben had taught her well enough.

Without a moment more of hesitation, Lira dashed forward, arching her blade in a low sweep.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello's glacier-blue eyes watched [member="Lira Dajenn"] intently. Once her weapon had been activated and she dashed forward, the Jedi Master remained motionless, allowing the aura of the Force to collect around him. The young woman was quite fast, and she moved with a confidence and grace that indicated ol' Benjamin Button had taught her well.

Allowing the Force to infuse his senses, the Naboo native was patient, seemingly motionless. His mind was clear of any thoughts, leaving plenty of power to analyze all of Lira's movements, partially sense the flaring synapses in her brain and nerve-endings that preceeded muscle contraction and, eventually, movement. It was only perhaps...three fourths of a second advance notice, but that was an eternity between individuals capable of thinking and acting on such a level.

Just prior to the point where Lira would have probably cut him in half, the Jedi Master rotated his left palm and unleashed a wave of force energy focused directly at the core of her being. Outside of that, he had moved very little - having waited to the typical point where a young combatant began to assume their attack was going to have the desired effect. Naturally, the tactics was rather ill-advised against a seasoned opponent.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Lira jerked back as the wave of the force struck her square in the chest.

To say that she went flying would have been an understatement. The tiny padawan was torn from her feet, Lightsaber deactivating as she flipped the switch for safety reasons. With a thud and a scraping noise Lira landed on the training pad some meters back, coming to a stop as friction acted on her body.

Seconds later she stood again, lightsaber springing to life.

A fierce look entered her eyes as they quickly darted over Marcello.

The Force of course was no foreign concept to Lira, she had used it before and both Hal and Avalore had taught her a few things. Yet in the midst of combat it simply hadn't occurred to her that she could use it, the focus required for it simply escaping her as she charged towards Master Matteo. With a slight scowl, Lira charged once more.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello's glacier-blue eyes watched the young woman, admiring her tenacity. However, he thought little of her decision to re-engage in precisely the same manner she just had. As before, the Jedi Master was perfectly still as the Padawan charged towards him. His face devoid of emotion or any real expression, he gripped his lightsaber hilt just a little tighter.

As [member="Lira Dajenn"] lashed out with her strikes, the large Jedi Master moved his body with the precognitive and mastered speed of the Force. The lightsaber in his right hand remained deactivated as he dodged several attacks from the young woman, allowing her to tire herself to her heart's content. If it became necessary, he would activate his lightsaber to provide a simple block and keep from losing a limb.

To her credit, Lira was capable. Likewise, Marcello was sure his first lesson would teach itself soon enough, when fatigue just barely began to set in.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

She tried to do something more tricky.

Lira already knew that Marcello was somehow faster than her, somehow more agile and able to predict her, so she needed to do something unexpected, something he wouldn't see coming.

Her lightsaber would swoop down into a wide arch towards his legs, then quickly before it had time to sweep forward she deactivated the blade heading towards him, instead turning the lightsaber hilt around in her palms so that the other end of the saber-staff would come down in a quick sweeping arm towards Marcello's torso.

Unexpected.

Hopefully.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello was, in fact, slightly caught off guard by the abrupt change in [member="Lira Dajenn"]'s strike. However, the tactic of deactivating one end of saber-staff to facilitate a change in strike was not exactly...the most innovative move in the world. Unexpected? Certainly, but in the end it was the same general concept as quickly rotating one's lightsaber around to shift attack direction.

His appendages had already been set to purpose in an attempt to block what he thought was going to be a sweeping attack towards his legs, an attack that was more difficult to dodge without employing his lightsaber. When Lira shifted towards more of an overhand attack towards his torso, the large Jedi merely reoriented his own blade. The crackle of interacting energy radiated around them as Marcello used his free hand to erupt a strong repulsive blast of the Force expanding outward from the core of his body.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

It went on like this for another few minutes.

Lira would attack, Marcello would rebuff, and then she would come again. It took a while for her stubbornness to carry through, until finally she realized that his intention had been. He had been trying to teach her to use the Force, to enhance her combat not just through pure agility and brawn, but through the use of the force.

Once she learned this, Lira began to do better.

Unsurprisingly it was still rough going, many of the things she tried either failed completely, or only half succeeded. It was an education however, one that she enjoyed and found herself coming together with.

It was only hours later, when Lira was thrown to the ground one final time that she decided to call it quits. The sun was coming down, her robes were sweated rags, and her entire muscular structure screeched for her to simply lay down and give up. For a brief few moments Lira considered disobeying, but then raised an arm and waved it around.

“I'm done.” She said in defeat.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

[member="Lira Dajenn"] was not the only one that was exhausted. Strands of his long hair had become matted to parts of his face and shoulders and sweat certainly seeped through the simple gray shirt he'd been wearing. Deactivating the dark blue blade of his lightsaber, Marcello took long, deep breaths to steady his heart rate as he gazed at Lira. For a moment, he considered continuing the session, but he could recognize when the return on investment was all but gone. Was there purpose to teaching someone to fight exhausted? Absolutely, but if the student was too exhausted to learn, they weren't exactly going to retain anything. There were better ways to teach a survival instinct.

Stepping over towards Lira, Marcello gave her a simple nod. "Now imagine where I an actual enemy. There would be no timeouts or calling it quits. The only way to do that is to die." Crouching down, Marcello gazed intently at the young woman. "Take the opportunity to soften your opponent or bring them off balance whenever you can. If they are fully prepared for your attack, you have already failed...regardless of the disparity in ability levels."

Lightly, Marcello tapped his left leg. "This is not mine. It had to be replaced after an encounter with...well...it was a huge monster that could manipulate the Force. I narrowly escaped with my life, and I assure you that I pushed myself to the very limit of exhaustion and then some. So. Get up. We're going for a little jog."

After standing back to his full height, Marcello clipped the hilt of his lightsaber to his belt and began making his way for the exit. He would take Lira on roughly a five mile run at a moderate pace - truth be told it was for recovery. Following the run, there would be actual hand-to-hand sparring. The intent was to demonstrate to Lira she could push herself farther and go harder, but the harshness of his instruction did not lessen for fatigue. Every mistake was exploited, highlighted, and then discussed. Small breaks were had for hydration and nourishment to keep the body functioning, and they would finally conclude very late in the evening. Lira would have instructions to come find him immediately following breakfast out in the small garden where they had first met.

-------
Next Day

Marcello sat quietly, indian-style in the small garden. His eyes were closed and a handful of objects of various size rotated around his head. In his experience far too many Jedi took meditation for granted. It could be used to center one's self, true. However, the ability to manipulate the Force in various ways was complex, and it required exercising just as a muscle did to maintain strength. So...Marcello would tend to his own training and expansion while he waited on his student.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

The next day came, and Lira found herself with screaming muscles and sore bones. She didn't want to get out of bed, she didn't want to even move, but she realized that there wasn't really a choice in the matter. Forcing herself from the meager bed she kept here on Ossus, and pressing herself into robes that now seemed little more than rags, Lira managed to stumble out of her room and towards the training area that Marcello had instructed her to visit yesterday.

Her lightsaber was clipped to her belt, the long handle smacking against her thigh as she moved lazily towards the training spot. Gradually as she got closer her back stiffened, her walk became more sure, and her attitude chippered up.

Lira had learned yesterday.

[member="Marcello Matteo"] did not appreciate slacking, from anyone, especially his students. Lira knew that, and so as she approached him she began to move with a more authoritative gait. Forcing her body to bend to her will and wake up. She frowned slightly and raised herself up, stretching as she moved until eventually she reached Marcello.

“Marcello?” She called out his name when she spotted him, alerting him to her presence.

Though he likely already knew.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

The tranquil calling of his name echoed softly through the void of the Force to his mind. Slowly, he allowed the objects rotating around him to return to the ground as he opened his eyes. Standing not more than a few feet from him was [member="Lira Dajenn"]. "Lira. I trust you slept well." Unless Ben had already taught her how to heal wounds and ebb away pain with the Force, she no doubt was feeling the activities of the day prior.

Marcelo preferred it that way for his students. It was important to understand what it felt like to pushed past such things without relying on the Force. The less you needed to use the Force for mundane, routine things, the more energy one would have when a very...consuming use of the Force was necessary. Surely - it was the only way to survive in an all-out battle.

"Have a seat and explain to me what a lightsaber is to you."

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Lira looked down at Marcello for a few seconds, unsure if she should remain standing or if she should sit down.

His question prompted a response, but for a second she had to debate on how to give it. Finally she unclipped the lightsaber from her belt and smoothly sat down in a crossed leg positioned that mimicked how he sat. The long hilt of her saber-staff came resting on her knees and she placed her palms on it, letting it roll up and down her leg in a somewhat soothing motion.

“Master Watts said it was more than a weapon. It was a tool of defense, a symbol of a Jedi, and also a flashlight.” That last part was a joke, though Marcello didn't seem the type to understand that. She quickly went on to explain further. “To me...To me its not really much yet. I've had this thing for half a week, used it three or four times. Before that I had an electro-staff, which seemed to work fine, and that reminded me of Prakith. My lightsaber? I guess its an achievement getting one, but I suppose I just haven't grasped the reality of it yet.”

Conjecture and philosophy.

It was like speaking to a naïve college student who thought all penquins needed saving because the norther ice caps were melting.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello's expression was as devoid of emotion as [member="Lira Dajenn"]'s statements were of ignorance. Perhaps she was a bit naive, but her response was much closer to truth than she might think. When the Jedi Master spoke, his tone was even and tranquil.

"It is nothing to you right now. That is because you have yet to become one with the weapon. Like your ability to manipulate the Force, your lightsaber will take on your traits. When you utilize it, it is as if you are merely controlling a part of your body."

Truth be told...Marcello disliked being philosophical, but he did understand what level of connection with one's weapon was required to perform at peak levels. Withdrawing the worn cylindrical hilt of his own lightsaber, Marcello turned it over in his hands several times. "You cannot regard it as merely a tool or even a symbol. It must be the very embodiment of your collective presence within the Force, amongst the galaxy. When you have achieved this, you will feel it, and you will find flourishing it in combat becomes as effortless as breathing."

Coming to his feet, Marcello clipped the hilt back to his belt before proceeding with the day's instruction. "Now then. What forms do you already know?"

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

“Master Watts trained me in Forms Three and Five.” She paused for a moment thinking back to Ben's words. “But he stated that sticking to forms too strictly was foolish, that I should allow the force and my instinct to guide me as well as the use of structured moves.”

Ben at the time had explained that most lightsaber duelists relied on forms, and that through the over use of these forms one grew complacent and too structured within their battles. Once that happened you became stuck within a rhythm, that rhythm being predictable and exploitable, hence allowing yourself to move outside of it.

She rolled her lightsaber down her legs.

By no means was Lira a Master of the weapon, nor was she even a journeymen. She had had some practice yes, but she had also never had a practical application of her lightsaber, having never fought a Sith or any other opponent with the weapon. She frowned slightly, shaking her head as if in worry.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

Marcello nodded his head simply at [member="Lira Dajenn"]. "He's correct. There is no road map to success in combat, and I think you will find that most capable opponents will rely more on improvisation based off your own moves. The notion that everyone throughout the galaxy uses the same handful of lightsaber forms is moronic. They are little more than a teaching point, a base of understanding. A good understanding of Form III provides insight into how best to execute a very tight battle style that increases survivability. A good understanding of Form II does...more or less the opposite."

Motioning for Lira to rise, Marcello took a couple steps backward. "The more varied your knowledge and proficiency, the easier it is for you to adapt to what your enemy or enemies are throwing at you. Now then, the ever-present danger in any form of combat is allowing your emotions to swell and begin to control you. You cannot afford to abide fear going into conflict, but you should absolutely fear fear itself. I am not here to tell you not to feel. Quite the contrary, your thoughts and emotions contribute to the sum quality of who and what you are. Harness them and use them to fuel your connection to the light side of the Force, to enhance your focus, not tap into the Force's more...dangerous elements." The Force was simply energy...how one interfaced with that energy determined how the Force affected their soul.

Unclipping the hilt of his lightsaber once more, Marcello activated the dark blue blade. "Focus on what I'm doing, allow the Force to guide your response. The purpose of this exercise is not for me to beat you down, but to exercise your mental and physical agility in terms of adapting to variation in attacks." The Naboo native flourished his weapon briefly before settling into an aggressive, high guard. "We begin." Whether Lira was ready or not, Marcello advanced swiftly upon her. For this exercise...her use of the Force was unnecessary. However, should she choose to do so, he would adapt and increase the difficulty in kind.

Lira chose her own destiny today.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

[member="Marcello Matteo"]

Lira reacted more smoothly than she had yesterday, her movements more lithe and liquid, her steps more practiced and form fitting.

The lightsaber in her hand ignited with bright blue flashes, her steps took her slight to the left of Marcello, and her arms brought up the lightsaber to block, but not stop the attack. Instead she utilized Marcellos own momentum against him, taking the much larger mans blade and allowing it to slide down her own before pushing lightly and guiding him away from her, using his own speed and strength to make him fall, rather than pushing him.

She then followed up with a quick kick to the shin, sending her booted foot out to hook his leg and hopefully send him tumbling to the floor.

It immediately showed that Lira had practiced defense far more than offense with Ben, and that in fact she had been out of her element yesterday, while today she found herself slightly more at home, her movements more silky smooth than rough and guessing.

 

[Marcello Matteo]

[member="Lira Dajenn"]'s response reminded Marcello of his early combat lessons with his own late master. He conserved his body's own energy by allowing his opponent to guide his actions. In a battle against someone truly adept at defensive employment of the lightsaber, it was pointless to hack away uselessly at said defense. Instead, Marcello preferred to probe those defenses, allowing himself to become familiar with habits...good and bad. Though Lira was certainly not strong enough to force someone as large as Marcello to the ground, leverage often substituted brute strength.

Even as he felt himself having to make a choice between expending a great deal of energy overpowering Lira and simply allowing her to rebuff his attack, a sense of change drifted through the Force. In that instant he saw a flash, a clear image of what was to come. The Jedi Master's response was quick and surprisingly agile for someone of his size. Rotating off the foot closest to her body, he quickly initiated a full spin to remove him from the immediate danger and place him in striking position of the exact opposite side of her body.

If it worked as intended, Lira would be somewhat off-balance or only just recovering as his next strike cut in tightly to the opposite side of her torso.