Its Better To Carry On[Ragnar Fett]

[Xander Lok]

It had been for how long since Xander awoke from his deep slumber. Things had changed in his absence from what he knew. Yet another Mandalore had been replaced in his absence, the great Gilmar Skirata. He remember the man as they charged through a Starport on a distant planet while facing several undead beings that surrounded them. It was the last clear memory that he held of the past events. He had apparently passed out when they evacuated the planet and was left in a coma at the homefront. When he woke up months later, several of his vod had passed away, most notably Kila Cadau.

It seemed like just yesterday that Xander was struggling for any sense of life after he faced the aftershocks of a nuclear attack at the homefront during a dar'jetii invasion of their stronghold. Firax, Kila, Xander, and several other vod had struggled and nearly died. If it had not been for the being known as HK-36 who had arranged for a rescue transport, Xander wouldn't had been alive. Things changed as Xander began wandering around Dathomir in search for his arranged training.

His beskar'gam had since rusted up, and would need a replacement or salvaging before his next war affair. In the meantime, his melee to melee skills had become outdated. Hearing of a republic invasion to happen to his vod, he knew that he had to engage in extensive training to be up-to-date with all battle tactics and fighting techniques in order to bring honor to both his name and Mandalore. He contacted a fellow vod known as [member="Ragnar Fett "]to enlist in melee/knife training. All that was left was finding the man himself.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]
It had seemed a fellow follower of the mandode needed help training, most notably his skills with a knife. In Ragnar's opinion, this was one of the most reliable weapons on the battlefield next to a being's body. It never ran out of ammo , and it was a strong as the wielder made it to be , many times when the Assain was forced to face his prey up close this tool had become a factor in his life ,or death. The zabrack was in his mandalorian scout armor, his armor was custom made for guerrilla warriors, and snipers. He was completely camouflaged because of this. The Fett asked in a low voice behind his pupil " Are you Xander Lok ?" . For obvious reasons the mandalorian needed to know so he could identify the if the being was a friend or foe. Ragnar was excited to serve the mandode in any way possible. This had meant preparing Xander Lok for close quarters fighting.

 

[Xander Lok]

[member="Ragnar Fett "]

Xander knew that if was to one day rise in the ranks of the fold and honor the names of its predecessors such as his beloved fellow vod, Kila, he would need extensive training and improvement in his skills. This man was going to train him in using the melee. Xander thought of this as a beginning of a mentor-pupil relation, similar to the jetti/dar'jetti relations he often saw during his crusades and adventures. " Are you Xander Lok ?", said a voice behind him as Xander stopped in his tracks. The voice had startled him a bit, but he was beginning to be lost in his sense of direction, and if this person knew his name, it had to have been the Ragnar Fett that he was referred to for training. "Yes, I am Xander. Are you Ragnar Fett?", he asked as he slowly began to turn around to reveal himself to the voice.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]

The Zabrack had smiled under his armor the training would soon begin " Yes, that is my name but during our training's you will call me sir. This is because, I am taking time out of my schedule to train you. Many people have heard of me, I have killed countless political leaders for money." . The mandalorian paused before speaking more " You have come here to learn from the best about fighting in one on one combat up close. You will now have your chance my vod". Then suddenly the muscular, lean, camouflaged armored mandalorian appeared " Before we get started do you have any questions?" . Hopefully they could start right away, conditioning will be the first thing the two will go through, considering they will be here for at least two weeks maybe even more, considering how much his adversary knew.

 

[Xander Lok]

[member="Ragnar Fett"]

Xander at first turned to see no one but the same exact voice. " Yes, that is my name but during our training's you will call me sir. This is because, I am taking time out of my schedule to train you. Many people have heard of me, I have killed countless political leaders for money." . He liked it. The man meant business, and it was no mono-to-mono with this man. If he was ever going to extend himself beyond his preexisting lengths, he was going to need to focus. When the man finally revealed himself to Xander, Xander stepped back a foot in hesitation and marvel of the man's stature and built. His shape gave merit to his words," You have come here to learn from the best about fighting in one on one combat up close. You will now have your chance my vod", which Xander appreciated. He tried to not be very eager as much with this training session, as it would take a while for Xander to master his melee skills, which was worth to use hand in hand with his amateur gunmanship. " Before we get started do you have any questions?", the man motioned once more as Xander realized that he was ready to begin and his new "mentor" was short and to the point with his training. "No questions. I'm ready to begin, Sir.", Xander spoke as he stood firm and awaited for the beginning of his training.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]

" Before you learn how to use a melee weapon, you first need to know how to use your fist's. Not only this but you need a stance, I will teach you the three stances I know.". The instructor paused before speaking " Today we will focus on a more balanced stance, one that is decent for a combatant wishing to be able to defend himself, while making decent attack's. I suggest using this on an opponent you are not sure of how to defeat." . Without further due, Ragnar curved his back and puffed his chest out, next he staggered his left foot six inches backward. Afterward , he raised his fists right in front of his face, " If your right foot is predominately stronger like me,then you want your left foot to be staggered. This gives you stability so you cannot be brought off balance, while also giving one stability in attacks because you are leading with your stronger side." .

The instructor paused to allow his friend to have the information sunk in his head, "The main weakness in this stance is that you cannot really run away from your opponent or toward him. This makes it harder for you to escape a fight you cannot win, and easier for your enemy to disengage in the fight as well. Now, attempt to strike me while I am in this stance." . This was not only Xanders first test in order to see how strong he was, but also so he could demonstrate the defensive mechanics of this stance, and how one can counter an attack within it.

 

[Xander Lok]

[member="Ragnar Fett"]

Without further warning, their training had begun. Xander didn't really mind, as he was prepared and ready to learn much from his new mentor. Xander was going to spend some time away from the rest of the vod to prepare a proper return. To some, he may have been a deserter or a weak link in the notoriously strong faction. Xander couldn't blame himself. His father was absent most of his life, which left alot of ignorance of his Mandalorian culture/roots and little time to go through the proper trials to being a vod and member of the Mandalorians.

As his mentor showed him the first stance in battling, Xander attempted to mimic a few steps such as the distance between both foots, his chest position, and his hands' position while stepping aside to watch him continue his instruction. "The main weakness in this stance is that you cannot really run away from your opponent or toward him. This makes it harder for you to escape a fight you cannot win, and easier for your enemy to disengage in the fight as well. Now, attempt to strike me while I am in this stance.", his teacher ordered as Xander crept forward to face his master.

Never before had he been in a lecture in which he attacked his teacher in the first lesson. However, being a trained profession as he mentioned before, Ragnar had a different way of teaching, possibly a even more beneficial and productive way of training. Xander raised his fist halfway in front of his torso as both of his feet crept away from each other by about two or four inches. Xander had a little sense of pride in himself as he began to rush towards his opponent, hoping to at least get one punch on him. Xander's arms crept backward,gliding on the wind as he crouched slightly before throwing the first punch towards his mentor's stomach/abdomen area, using only his left hand as he stretched the right hand backward to raise power and momentum to release the next punch.

He knew and wasn't exactly sure of the success of this attack, but gathered himself together, realizing that he was a mere student, learning from a master. If he failed at first, it was ok, as he was only going to rise directly after and get better from this experience.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]

The punch was directed toward his stomach, Ragnar like taught by his father, straightened his arm down, and rotated his straight arm diagonally in front of his stomach with an explosive movement. This power had directed the students punch to the ground harmlessly away from the stomach. " Within this stance, when you need to redirect an enemies blow you must straighten your arm. Then with your torso and shoulder, lower your stiff arm diagonally downward as your opponent attempts to hit you. This, as you can see easily redirected the blow harmfully away from my mid section to the ground. Now with my left arm, I could easily deploy a counter to your now exposed face. Do you understand what I just told you?". Ragnar did not want to go to fast for his new trainee, and therefore waited to see if Xander understood what he had said.

 

[Xander Lok]

@Ragnar Fett
[member="Ragnar Fett"]
As expected, Xander's first punch wasn't as effective as Ragnar drew his arm diagonally to his torso, which created enough momentum to redirect Xander's arm towards the ground. As his fist contacted the ground, Xander felt the aftershock of the impact. It wasn't as painful as he expected, but it was a very impressive and great move by his mentor. Xander took a knee to understand and comprehend the phrasing of the explanation that his mentor gave to Xander's failure in that move.

"So I should direct my arms in an X-like shape when it comes to that situation, Sir?", as Xander realized his face really was exposed face, "I dont really understand as much, but should I position my right hand to secure my face then?". Xander knew this wasn't going to be a piece of cake, but he was glad that he acknowledged his mistakes at first.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]

" To answer your first question no, This is because now you expose your face ,and chest. You should always have your fist's right below your eye's , with your forearm slightly facing outward. This allows you to do as I have quicker then if you were to have your arm's and fist's elsewhere in this stance. Because now, with your center of gravity, you can easily rotate your torso and shoulders to the inside of your body." . The assain was focused before speaking again " It also makes it easier for you to protect your outer parts of your body such as your rib's, and hips". Then came the next question into mind "I dont really understand as much, but should I position my right hand to secure my face then? . " Now to your second question, it really depends on which area you want to protect more." .

Ragnar would need to elaborate to his recruit, and empathsis on why he should not be in this position."That is why I prefer not to be in the position you are now. Because you simply cannot protect the three possible places for attack. I could right now, because you are strained and out of position. Decide to strike your right hip, rib, or temple on the head. Unlike if you where in an upright posture where your body is strongest, and can react to the multiple attacks. "

Even within the instructors armor on Xander could see and hear utter experience in his instructors voice. It was as if his brain was wired for close up combat, " But my suggestion would be to guard your face, mainly because the farther away I have to strike. The more force I would have to exert in order to injure you. The only exception would be if you where wounded elsewhere . " . Again, Ragnar would pause so his pupil could absorb all the information, " Are you ready for my next demonstration?" . The lean, muscular mandalorian asked

 

[Xander Lok]

[member="Ragnar Fett"]
Xander realized his mistakes as Ragnar began to elaborate further on correct positioning in order to defend himself from the opponent's balanced stance. He rose himself upright as Ragnar described, beginning to straighten himself out. He raised hims fists below his eyes, faced his forearm outward and straightened his legs out, mimicking Ragnar's corrections for himself.

He was amazed with the various vulnerable points in his body that Ragnar had pointed out. Xander really needed alot of work at this point. He was learning alot just from this first demonstration, and knew that he would probably need to enlist in requesting Ragnar as his permanent master or mentor for a longer period of time to perfect his skills. Xander needed to guard his face, and keep a far distance from his opponent to stress and enduce more required energy to strike, causing his opponent to eventually become vulnerable to Xander's delight.

" Are you ready for my next demonstration?" , Ragnar asked as Xander began to regain some of his energy from the stress he caused himself from that first demonstration. Xander took a pause to catch his breath before pulling himself together. "Yes Sir. I am ready.", Xander declared as he stood watch and decided to look closely at his mentor's next demonstration.

 

[Ragnar Fett]

[member="Xander Lok"]

"Now, I am going to get in my balanced stance again to show you one more defense you will need to learn in this form. " . A pause was given before he explained " Outside protection, many times your opponent will attempt to hit your outside after a series of inside attacks such as what you did in the first demonstration" . Obviously he would have to explain what the outside exactly meant " The outside, is your hips, ribs, temples of your head , and lastly the sides of your leg. I want you to one at a time strike each part I mentioned so that I may demonstrate how to block those attacks in this stance. " . From this moment the teacher would go into this balanced stance in order, for his pupil, to attempt to strike him. This lesson was slow but satisfactory, in the assain's mind it was far better to get the technique right, at a slower pace then to learn it at a faster pace wrongly. While, this was his first student he had learned everything at a quicker pace with his father, this sometimes made it hard to be once just a student. To now, an instructor teaching one of his own followers of the manda.

 

[Xander Lok]

[member="Ragnar Fett"]
@Ragnar Fett
Ragnar began to teach him the proper way to attack an opponent in the balanced stance. Xander felt a bit of disappointment begin to manifest and control him from paying attention, but drew back from it in order to prevent his mentor from noticing the slightest slip up. He talked about the outside positions which required protection when using the balanced stance. "... I want you to one at a time strike each part I mentioned so that I may demonstrate how to block those attacks in this stance. " , Ragnar said to Xander as Xander walked once again in front of his mentor to gather himself before attacking.

Xander quickly rushed towards Ragnar as he released one punch by extending his left arm towards Ragnar's temple and using his right leg to kick the side of his hips. He was hesitant to rush to the other points in order to focus on how Ragnar would block these first two moves during this training session.