Learning never ends (TEC)

[Inigo Montoya]

Inigo gathered his few belongings and his instrument as the ship landed at the space port. Echani Compact produced some of the finest fighters in the galaxy, and the young padawan hoped to augment his knowledge with learning some of their martial arts skills, especially unarmed take down and grapple holds. By expanding his knowledge, he would have a reasonable alternative to lethal killing force that he had with a lightsaber.

Inigo already had added boxing and judo to his training regimen, as well as surprisingly yoga and dance. Few ever pause to consider that combat is actually a dance of blades, by adding the esoteric disciplines he gained additional limberness and flexibility to his arsenal.

Slinging his small pack of belonging over his shoulder, he was among the last passengers to disembark. Heading to a nearby information kiosk, he asked the droid manning it for directions to some of the local training dojos.

 

[Cai Sanis]

The Eshan Academy of Excellence wasn't just another training hall, it was one of the most prestigious. Cai circled his opponent, the conversation had been going on for an hour. Fire dancers performed their deadly art with glowing blades in the background, but it didn't distract Cai. His opponent closed and jabbed with his right before committing to a hard left. Cai danced around him with a simple block and rolled around his body following up with a backhanded fist designed to land at the base of his opponents skull. The woman instead fell forward, allowing his hand to glide over her head. As she fell she shot a leg up backward towards him. Cai redirected his free hand towards her foot and caught it neutralizing the threat.

The woman smiled at him, her body language turning a little flirty. Echani could have entire conversations during a fight without a single word being spoken. The woman flipped over onto her back and yanked her foot back breaking Cai's grip. The moment his hand no longer controlled her leg she kicked back into his midriff. He jumped back out of reach and politely allowed her to stand back up, before continuing the fight. His body told her everything, he thought he could win easily if he took the fight to the ground. Once on her feet she darted at him, taking an evasive route. As she approached she kicked high towards Cai's head. He applied a simple soft block and bent his knees extending his legs and sweeping at the woman's legs.


The message seemed clear enough to the woman, Cai wanted her on her back. As she fells he smiled back up at him and let her posture relax, it was a sign of submission. Cai had finally tired her out, and it was decided, they would meet for dinner tonight. Cai walked up to the woman and extended his hand. She accepted and stood up next to him. The two exchanged a wordless glance before she walked off to shower and get ready for their date.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Bowing politely to the person at the front desk, Inigo presented a hand over a clenched fist by way of greeting. He was instructed that this was the proper way of indicating that he had come to learn the martial arts and would appreciate a match with someone if it were possible. Standing silently and politely on one side, he waited to see if his request would be accomodated.

 

[Cai Sanis]

Cai approached the front desk, he was told they had visitors. The Echani didn't take well to outsiders, most were ignorant of their ways and believed the Echani were blood thirsty mercenaries and fighters. This one, it was said, was different. The front desk was being run by one of the students, it wasn't just a martial academy, but a school. "I hear you wish to learn our ways." Cai said upon approaching the man.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Inigo bowed respectfully to the man and repeated the gesture of hand over clenched fist. His master told him that these people found speaking to be a waste of time and he took an effort to learn the best way to communicate with them. He hoped that his request would be granted, as he didn't want to make a poor impression.

Rising up from his bow, he looked hopefully to see if the person responded positively to his request.

 

[Cai Sanis]

Cai stared as the man bowed. It was good form, but he was no Echani. The young man debated for a few moments how he would respond and decided not to insult the man. He nodded his head once in response and turned in a manner indicating for the man to follow. Briefly as they walked he talked about the school and the various facilities, it was all very brief, but there were some things that needed to be discussed in words rather than the Echani body language. As he aproached the training hall with the Fire Dancers he finished with a final statement, "We Echani are masters of our bodies, and so we can read the body movement of others as you might read an expression on a face, or hear words. Although you may learn our art those that aren't Echani rarely ever master the ability to read their opponents bodies like one of us." The truth of the matter was somewhat different. The Echani were widely believed to be genetically engineered by the Arkanian, this is often used to explain their gift. Cai didn't know if this was true, or if the theory expounding their warrior culture as the reason for their gift was. In the end it didn't matter. "There are three levels," he said. "Children start with the first, I apologize but I must treat you as a child in this regard, there is ritual involved you see before one can master the higher forms." He struck a combative post, it had openings, but an experienced fighter knew that even an open target could be deadly. "Shall we begin?" Cai asked.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Since the other man spoke first, Inigo deemed it safe to reply without insulting anyone. "Every journey begins with the most basic of steps. I am honored to be matched against you." Placing his belonging down on the ground, he took a moment to loosen his limbs and center himself, before stepping into the combat area. Dropping into a classic southpaw defensive boxing stance, with one foot forward and his body slightly inclined to reduce his target profile, he signaled that he was ready. Although he was a counter puncher, Inigo made sure to try and remember everything he could about the match so he could analyze every move in the match for study later on.

 

[Cai Sanis]

After circling a few times Cai made the first move. He struck quickly at the man with a right cross moving his feet low to the ground in a circular motion as he approached. For an Echani he would have been telegraphing his movement pretty badly, but for someone untrained the blow would have seemingly come from nowhere. The strike didn't long, the man in front of him blocking it, it was to be expected. The counter punch came, telegraphed for the world to see, and as the energy came directed towards him Cai ceased his circle and braced. Their legs became entwined and Inigo fell to the ground unbalanced. "The attack was to your legs," Cai said offering his hand to his opponent. "You must become a master of your body in order to master your opponents." He hoisted the man up and again they took their positions. "Now attack."

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Inigo circled his foe warily careful not to give away to much, when suddenly feigns to his right before dipping into what seemed to be left upper cut. However at the lowest point of his dip, he suddenly altered momentum into a body spear to his opponent's torso. If it hit, he would be able to use his leverage to judo throw the man over his shoulder and unto the ground.

 

[Cai Sanis]

Cai suppressed a smile at the feign, it was a well orchestrated maneuver proving that the man was a worthy combatant. He allowed the opponent to shoot in at him and defended by dropping his sprawling legs backward and leaning forward. His arms wrapped around the mans body refusing to allow his now substantial base to be toppled. It was a classic defense, which put his opponent in a weaker position while achieving a dominant one. With his abdominal muscles he twisted the body of Inigo over and the two toppled to the ground. Cai quickly rolled away and jumped to his feet inviting, politely through body language, Inigo to do likewise. "That was a good maneuver," he complimented before his body struck a defensive pose. "Keep the pressure on, and seize the initiative."

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Smiling as he got to his feet, he was on his feet with catlike agility, circling his target seeking out an opening. Throwing a left hook to the body, he immediately followed it up with an attempt to seize and opponent's arm to throw him over the shoulder to the ground.

 

[Cai Sanis]

Cai saw the move coming, but only barely. Instead of fighting against the throw he accepted it, and allowed the man gain balance and tip him over to reward him for controlling his body movements. "Better," he said as he arced over the man. He grabbed onto Inigo while falling and landed with a thump. Weight and moment was enough to break the hold and make the mans knees wobble. It wasn't the sort of graceful move an Echani was known for, but it gave him enough reprieve to stand and strike a defensive pose.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

"What if my opponent is versed in your fighting style? Is there a way to maintain a hold even if I was taken off my base?" Inigo inquired as he got back on his feet. Already he got into a defensive pose to try and get through his opponent's defenses even as he spoke.

 

[Cai Sanis]

"A single fighting style doesn't have all the answers," Cai said. "It's important to know your own limitations and work with them. A fighter may grapple well, but if he cannot approach an enemy it does him no good. A hold is only so good as the strength maintaining it, and the mind calculating the moves. We Echani can feel our opponents body, read their movements, and react to counter."

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Inigo went for a sudden body lunge to tackle his opponent's torso, should he connect he would be start an over the shoulder throw, but knowing that his opponent would probably counter, he stopped in mid lift, twisting his knee slightly and went for a leg trip instead. Should he be succeessful, his opponent's center of mass would be at the wrong place to counter his move.