Lessons From Bygone Days

[Visser Chernykh]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The Citadel of Ren, Virgillia [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“I am the gatekeeper for the holocron of Tavion Axmis,” came the recorded message “Through me you may seek what knowledge lies within.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]The voice had the arrogant purr of its maker. A woman represented by a 30 cm tall avatar. She was distinguished by a series of purple tattoos. They even covered a portion of her face. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Tavion Axmis was a woman of average height. She seemed lithely built and was attractive. Her choice of clothing was revealing. Mael suspected it was done on purpose. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Woe betide the fool who allows himself to be distracted by desire[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6667px].[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Haughtiness permeated everything about her. Even the posture of the avatar was haughty. Mael knew Tavion had been overconfident. Dangerous but too full of pride. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]He’d stored that lesson away since Yalara. Seeing her failure had sobered him. He’d also seen the failure of her master Desann. Mael had been fortunate that his own hadn’t been so costly. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“Tell me about the Empire Reborn and the Cult of Ragnos. What part did Tavion Axmis play,” he commanded. She began the tale in her supercilious way and he listened attentively.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]

Spoiler

OOC: As per Darth Veles, Mael has been awarded the chance to use this holocron. It was developed/recovered on Yalara during a recent Dominion of the First Order.

[/SIZE]

 

[Visser Chernykh]

Tavion's avatar spoke at length about the events of her life. Naked ambition seemed to be her greatest motivation. She lusted for power like some men lusted after a woman. What use is power without purpose?

He asked himself this as he studied the image intently. Brown eyes seldom blinked in the dimly lit room. His helm sat beside him on the floor. There was no need of it here alone in his quarters.

"Enough," he interrupted. The end was already known to him. He'd seen it through the eyes of Desann and Tavion both on Yalara. Overly ambitious fools the both of them.

The Supreme Leader wielded power with a purpose. He would bring peace and structure to a galaxy which lacked both. The First Order and his Knights of Ren were his agents in this. Mael Ren found his faith strengthened by knowing the failures of these pretenders.

"Tell me of Tavion Axmis' martial techniques," he commanded.

"My personal style of combat is called 'Fast style'. Desann taught me it's principles though he favoured 'Strong style'. I didn't learn Strong style but it has influenced by techniques. Skywalker's Jedi children also practice what they call Fast style. But their method is too weak and passive."

Mael leaned forward in interest.

"Strong style is bold and aggressive. This inspired me to improve the Jedi's weaker version."

His interest was especially piqued by this. Perhaps Tavion could show him a new application of his techniques.

"Show me how."

So she began....

 

[Visser Chernykh]

The ghostly blue avatar had vanished. In it's place were holo-recordings of Tavion demonstrating her methods. It seemed that Fast style was based around the third and fourth form. At least that was the Jedi interpretation.

She commented that she preferred a more offensive application. The ensuing recording seemed to show more of a Shien-like application. Shien's aggression in place of Soresu's passivity. Ataru-like acrobatics were heavily featured also taking advantage of her agility.

Mael knew that the classical forms were being rediscovered at that point. Therefore a great deal of mixing and matching occurred. It was sophisticated in it's simplicity. It lacked the textbook qualities of the old forms but that wasn't a negative thing.

Creative interpretations of simple techniques. The disciple watched and noted everything that would be of use....

 

[Visser Chernykh]

Mael Ren had always favoured a more straight-ahead approach. He found Tavion's acrobatics excessive. It seemed that she was trying to overawe her enemies. If they weren't intimidated then she lost her advantage.

There too was no real staying power. If she couldn't overwhelm she had to retreat. Her swordplay was lacking and everything she did was an attempt to compensate. Unusual tactics the average Jedi of the time might not have seen.

You couldn't prepare for what you didn't know. There were still things worth taking from her lessons. Especially the inclusion of attacks from unexpected angles. That idea wasn't new to him but the way she did it was....

 

[Visser Chernykh]

Tavion Axmis' greatest instruction to him was in the Force. His own abilities were rather simple and lacking in sophistication. The gatekeeper helped him refine his control of what she called 'Force grip'. He'd used it in flashes of great anger but lacked the ability to use it at will.

It wasn't a matter of pouring more into the feat. Rather it was about distilling things into a finer thread. It was like a noose or a garotte so the avatar said. Doing more with less.

This wasn't his typical modus operandi. He usually redouble his efforts when he was unsuccessful. It stemmed mainly from his elementary knowledge of the Force. Mael Ren had been taught enough to operate as one of the Supreme Leader's enforcers.

If he served well-enough perhaps he might garner more training. The Jedi were there in the galaxy awaiting purification. They were weak in a sense but didn't lack in their danger to the First Order. He needed knowledge and refinement to truly combat them.

Veles' gift was invaluable. The disciple had knowledge he'd lacked now. Mael Ren could better accomplish his role within the Order of Ren. The holocron was deactivated after he learned what he wished to know.

The room was return into shadow as the red glow faded. He stood and moved to a small table where he retrieved a small book and a pen. Mael Ren would spend the next several hours putting down what he'd learned. Such knowledge needed preservation.