Let the Sparks Fly

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Echoes of water droplets falling onto the cold stone floor sounded from the entrance to the large, wide cave. There was a body of water on the edge, which lead to a tunnel out to the sea. This was the location's entrance. It was a hidden cave, its location currently only known to a selected few. It roomed the latest Sith Academy, built on the watery planet of Glee Anselm. Tanek had been spending a lot of time here recently. After the invasion of the planet, he had been hard at work, ensuring a smooth transition to a pro-Sith government, overseeing the construction the Academy in addition to ensuring that any opposition, as well as the Anselmi rebellion was crushed. The underwater Academy was nearing its finish, there were only minor details and formalities left. It was not yet open to the many Acolytes that would eventually take up residence there, and begin their journey to become Sith. Only one had been invited. Only [member=Greta Kohler].

Deeper within, the walls had been carved out. Up on both sides, holes had been made, big enough to house quarters to for an Acolyte each. The quarters for the masters, trainers and potential guests were on the other side. These were significantly larger. In total, Tanek would guess the place could house about hundred people, maybe more. Carved out of the very back of the cave, moving towards the middle, stood the Academy itself. It was fashioned in traditional Sith architecture, in a pyramid-like shape. Traces of the same style as the Academy on Korriban could be spotted by the trained eye.

The eerie silence, combined with the dimmed artificial lights that illuminated the cave gave the entire place a gloomy feel. The Dark Side had struck root here, having been awakened after the massacre that had taken place. This was where the main Nautolan dissidents and refugees had been hold up. None had escaped. That was how Tanek first had come upon the location.

There would be no welcome party for the blonde Acolyte, no guide to take her inside. All that met her was the silence, and the presence of the Dark Side. She'd have to find her own way. Tanek's own dark presence would be seeping from the Academy. If she picked up on his scent, she could follow it into a large training room, where the Togruta Knight would be seated in meditation, awaiting her arrival. Not surprisingly, he was dressed in dark Sith robes. They were different from the pair he normally wore, almost as if to make a point that he did not always wear the exact same thing. The outfit looked less standard and mass-produced, and seemed slightly more fancy. The top was made out of a fine fabric, and fit his muscular torso well, as did his black pants, though they were slightly more loose in order to offer room for mobility. All of it matched the current Sith fashion.

Greta was one of those up and coming Acolytes who would soon be knocking on the door of Knighthood. It was not a matter of if, only when. The invitation to the Academy had been issued in the form of a playful challenge, one he suspected she would accept. She had caught his eye, and was someone he'd like to get better acquainted with. They had met on a few occasions, but never really had any time alone. The looks they had exchanged had left him wanting more. What better way to get to know someone, than to fight them? He was sure she would be able to turn up the heat in the dark cave.

Around the edges of the training room, as well as by the entrance, there were many weapons to pick from. There was everything from quarterstaffs made out of a hard wood, to training sabers that would do little more than burn and numb the targeted area. Going at it unarmed was always an option, as was of course using their lightsabers. What would be her preferred weapon? Ladies choice.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Greta was back on Glee Anselm, this time at the invitation of Togruta knight, [member="Tanek Santii"]. For what exactly, she did not know. The location was to be a newly built Sith Academy, totally secret but for a few group of people who even knew it existed yet. It was not yet filled with its usual complement of staff and acolytes, its construction only having completed not too long ago. Greta had looked forward to meeting the Sith Togruta once more. Their brief encounters had been brief yet engaging. This would be a good opportunity for them to meet without any outside interference this time.

The girl made her way towards the entrance indicated on her datapad. It was to be within a large wide cave. As she approached the entrance to the cave, she stepped inside, noticing a large pool of water that stood in front of her. That was where the dry ground ended. Looks like the entrance to the secret academy would only accessible through an underwater passage.

Securing her valuables in a watertight pouch, that she firmly secured to the belt at her waist, Greta slipped down her goggles before diving into the body of water. The acolyte navigated through the underwater passage, before emerging out of the end of the tunnel, back onto dry land. She was now on the other side of the cave, with the imposing structure looming before her. The exterior of the academy was dimly lit and silent, which gave it a tribal feel, exciting yet fierce at the same time.

Her clothes were soaked from the brief swim, and her close-fitting suit of glisterweb silk and black armourweave clung tightly around her curves. In its dry form, it clung around her figure seductively, yet allowed freedom of movement of combat and other actions. Greta could feel the essence of the Dark Side here, and the girl soaked it in, every bit of it as she inhaled and exhaled with a satisfying sigh. Dipping into the force, she tried to locate the presence of the knight, and could only detect a faint sense of where the knight was, as her mediocre skill set still required plenty of training.

Greta began to make her way through the newly constructed academy, trying to locate the Togruta, before eventually managing to find the fellow Sith in one of the training rooms. She saw him seated deeply in mediation, clad in black robes that showed off his muscular torso. Behind him were a wide selection of training weapons, and the girl sauntered over before grabbing a quarterstaff, feeling it in her hands.

[member="Tanek Santii"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Finally, he felt her presence in the caves. It did not take long before he set his eyes on her. If possible, she looked even more alluring than before. Water suited her. The way her tight armoured suit now clung to her body was almost criminal.

"Welcome, Miss Kohler." he said in a tone that sounded almost playful. The Togruta Knight rose to his full length. "What do you think of my academy?" he asked. She was, after all, the first Sith beside himself who got the privilege of laying her eyes on it. Here he would help breed the next generation of Sith. The Togruta was active, never resting in his quest to further the One Sith cause.

His hand lifted and extended towards the rack of weapons. Another quarterstaff flew from it, landing in his waiting grasp. It was not exactly a weapon he had great experience with. He'd handled a spear, back when he was but a humble hunter, but Tanek had always preferred the grip of a one-handed blade. That ought to make things more interesting.

Looking over at his blonde guest, he was realizing that her distracting figure might make a fight all the more challenging. It was hard to take his eyes off her. Thankfully, this time he didn't need to. There would be no interruptions this time. No speeders almost crashing into them, no Anselmi scum that needed to be dispatched of. She had caught his interest, but would she keep it? She had beauty, he knew, but he was curious to discover what more lay beneath the surface. Time to see what she got.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

The Togruta knight, [member="Tanek Santii"] greeted her warmly, in a tone that almost playful. The gaze he gave at her figure did no go unnoticed as his eyes continued to linger upon her form before posing her a question, asking the girl how she found the academy. "It is indeed interesting. I've never seen a academy that has required one to swim just to reach the entrance. And from what I see, it's definitely a job well done." Greta was flattered that the knight, Tanek had invited her to the place, when it was not yet opened to the rest of the world.

She was interesting to see what would become of this place. An academy to train a whole new batch of Sith, one more apt in swimming, most likely, with the building itself being accessible only through the water entrance. Being a loyalist, Greta was always looking for a way to further the One Sith cause.

Unless, of course that were a secret entrance or exit that that she was not aware of. Her clothes were starting to dry, the heat from the hanging torches in the training room warming her up. She had chosen the quarterstaff as her choice of sparring weapon as she had always found the appeal of two-handed weapons exciting. Gripping the long weapon in her hands, she spun the weapon several times as she got a feel for it.

The girl was by no means an expert of the weapon, but she had spent some time with the weapon in the past. This time the two would be able to duel without any external intervention in the way. Or at least she hoped.

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

"I'm glad you like it." His gaze had perhaps lingered on her too long for him to claim any subtlety about it. However he saw no objection in her eyes, no discomfort. "It requires a little extra effort to find. But sometimes I feel a little chase makes the catch all the more worthwhile." For the Nautolans, the swimming bit would hardly be any obstacle. However, he did intend to bring much more than simply Nautolans to this Academy.

Tanek gave the staff a quick spin in his hand, giving its weight and balance a feel. It reminded him of the spears he'd used on Shili, although he was much more accustomed to only consider one point of the weapon as the main attacking area. This would be interesting, but fun. The style reminded him of one utilized by another Sith Knight, Maja Vern. He had sparred against her twin-blades before. Would Greta's approach to the similar weapon be much different?

"I think it's time we break this place in. How do you feel about taking part in the first ever duel on the first Sith Academy on Glee Anselm?" the words suggested freedom of choice, but of course, there was a challenge hard to back down from hidden within. "No interruptions this time." If there were, whoever was to blame would get a swift execution.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Greta gave the Togruta a playful wink he as mentioned about chasing making the catch all the more worthwhile. The knight seemed to be hinting at something, but she would be about to start jumping to conclusions just yet. That was where misunderstandings developed, from whimsical assumptions and baseless thoughts.

Anyway, he would be clearer if he found the need to. Tanek then spoke once more, breaking the silence that had inadvertently filled the gap when the pair had stopped talking earlier.

He had asked how she felt about being the first to ever duel on the first academy on the planet. Well, honoured, of course. The girl had never been given such attention before and she relished it. She would make it known. "I'm flattered, and honoured of course. What did I do to deserve such honours?" She replied, her tone luscious yet coy. The latter was more of a pretense, as she wanted to see how the male would react. She flashed him a warm smile, as she waited for his answer.

She had no idea how proficient he was with the staff, and she wasn't what one might call a pro, but she still had ample knowledge of how the weapon worked. Proceeding to spin the quarterstaff a couple of times before slamming the bottom onto the ground, she then swung the staff into an attack stance, aiming the weapon towards him. "No interuptions." Another smile would greet the Togruta's eyes as the duel began.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

He caught her playful wink, and returned it with a subtle smirk. She was perceptive, and appeared to have caught his double-meaning. So far, she was being pretty responsive, which amused him. If only he could invade her mind and see what she was thinking. Though suppose that would take some of the fun away, wouldn't it?

What she said next had that smirk grow ever so slightly. In many ways, it was a challenge, and she was testing how he'd react to it. He liked challenges. She was proving to be fun. "I could bring up several of your accomplishments... Telti, the war on the Anselmi. But mostly, I just wanted you alone" He offered her a casual wink. Even the tone of her voice was distracting. One of the things that he liked about her, was her military-like resolve and efficiency. On this, they seemed to share views.

Watching her spin her quarterstaff and slam it into the ground, Tanek readied himself as well. He removed his black, hooded robe, and tossed it to the side of the room. It would only be a distraction to him now. "Ladies first" he teased her, before dropping into a defensive position, mimicking a Soresu stance Maja Vern had showed him. He held the quarterstaff up in a defensive, diagonal guard.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Tanek was teasing her, he most certainly was. When asked on the reason why she had been invited, he had mentioned her time in Telti, as well as her other more recent operations. What made the blonde smile though was the last thing he mentioned. He wanted her alone. For what, only she could guess.

The eye game between the two of them were strong, as the pair tried their best to decipher whatever each said. It was quite the tantalising experience indeed.

Greta had been quite surprised to find out that there had been someone out there in the One Sith that had at least similar ideals as her. The Togruta knight was also a loyalist to the One Sith's cause, and the way he carried himself in the field was pretty awe-inspiring for somewhat not of a lord status yet. Most of the Sith were usually only concerned with their own gains and cared little for the advancement of the Sith empire.

As the girl got ready to attack, she saw Tanek shrug off the black robe he was wearing, tossing it to the side of the room. Greta gave him a teasing whistle at the sight of that. He seemed to have assumed the Soresu stance, and she would lunge forward, her arms holding the staff in an overhead position, the opening and most common stance of Djem So.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

He was indeed teasing her, as he felt her teasing him with her luscious smiles and inviting eyes. The tension between them was strong, hanging thick in the air. One could almost carve it with a lightsaber.

When Greta made a whistle sound as he tossed his robe aside, he couldn't help but let a smirk escape through an otherwise stoic defence. He interpreted it as a hint that she enjoyed the view. That made two of them.

And then she was upon him. In response to her lunge, he would respond with a very standard Soresu parry. Taking the full force of her hit was against the energy-preserving philosophy of the form, so instead, he would tilt the staff by moving his wrist, letting the attack slide off to the side. He showcased hints of Makashi footwork, as he stepped towards her other side, wanting to move past her. While he moved close by her, his body almost brushing up against hers, he would try to follow up with a strike towards the back of her legs, with the other side of the staff. If he got lucky, he might get her on her back.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Her forward lunge was met with the side of his staff as her Djem So encountered Soresu. Greta was familiar with the workings of Makashi and could easily see the tell-tale signs of the intricate footwork carried out by the Sith Knight. Tanek then circled her as he attempted to get to her side, trying to flank her with some deft Makashi manoeuvre. As he moved past her, she thought she him brush against her, but the acolyte wasn't paying any attention towards that.

Instead she was keeping any eye out on what the Togruta would be up to next, as he circled her. Greta was expecting an attack on the upper portion of her body, and when Tanek struck, aiming for the back of legs, she was taken by surprise, unable to counter the blow in time. The girl felt the blow as the staff came into contact with her legs, the pain and shock of the blow sending an involuntary yelp into the air.

She whipped her head around as she sent him a death glare, her anger taking over her for that brief moment. "I'll get you back for that!" The anger had all but vanished, replaced by that of a mischievous grin. Greta moved forward and prepared to launch another set of blows onto the Togruta.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

The wood connected. He felt her anger spark, and he could practically taste it. He felt it too, from the way she looked at him, if only but for a second. The Togruta gave her a teasing smirk in return. Seeing various emotions sparked up within her amused him. "Come get me then. I'm right here" the mischief in her grin promised that she would. He surmised receiving the first touch in their little spar would serve to escalate things. She'd be chasing him now, seeking that retaliating strike. How this would end, only the Force knew.

His weapon had hit its mark, but she had not fallen for him. Yet. There was still plenty of time for that. However, now it was the blonde's turn to counter, and push the attack. Another series of attacks rained down upon him. He stuck with the defensive form of Soresu, putting the many techniques and defensive sequences to practice. His staff was constantly in movement, spinning to maintain momentum. As was the idea with Soresu, he tried to minimize physical exertion on his own part, letting her keep up the pressure, and slowly tire herself out. Yet Greta was good, and she had left him with no opening for a counter this time. In fact, he was forced to take steps back, lest he take a more direct hit.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Tanek had taunted her. Teased to get him where he stood. Greta would gladly oblige. As she leapt forward to let loose her series of blows in the classic Djem-So fashion, her opponent had opted to go for the Soresu style of defending, trying his best to block or parry everyone one of her strikes. A no-brainer. Any saber user worth his salt would always do as such, in a bid to tire out their opponent, allowing them to let loose a counterattack of their own.

She was however, not dumb either. She was not about to let herself get to the stage so fast, and while the series of blows was met with unsatisfactory results, it was still a relative success, and it had forced him back, unable to let loose a counterattack. Greta knew that it would come soon, when she was not in the least expecting it.

With that in mind, instead of pressing the assault, she instead stepped several paces back, before flashing the togruta a teasing smile, as if to say "Come get me". Her stance switched from that of Djem So to the more elegant form of Makashi, as she performed the obligatory Makashi salute for the Sith Knight. Greta would say no words.

Her eyes would do all the talking.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Greta was far from simple, and proved just a potent opponent as she was a potent distraction. That was saying something. Soon, he found the blonde unwilling to play along with his defensive game. Instead of becoming a piece in his plan, she removed herself from the process. The way she wouldn't let him set the pace made him smirk. She was good.

When she switched from Djem So to Makashi, his eyebrow rose in both surprise and appreciation. That particular saberform was to him like the most beautiful art form. Its elegance, finesse, yet lethal usefulness seemed unparalleled. He had not expected her to switch to this form. It only served to make her more compelling in his eyes. And there was absolutely no way he could turn down the challenge in that teasing smile. Game on.

There came a new vigour over his eyes, as he straightened himself out, and switched forms. He too entered into an opening stance of Form II, returning her Makashi salute with his own. This time, the Togruta would wait for no one. He darted in, with a swift and precise strike to her right waist. He moved in such a way that when the strike landed, he had his left shoulder turned towards her, to make his body a more elusive target harder to reach. Playing on the double-edged weapon's quality, he immediately sidestepped, finishing the combination with a strike to her left shoulder with the other side. As he moved, his posture transitioned to having his right shoulder facing her.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

Greta saw Tanek's eyes raise in surprise and what must have been appreciation, at her sudden switch of the lightsaber form. She had teased him with the shapeliness of her figure combined with the elegance of the form, and that seemed to spur him on with fire in his eyes. She could sense and see the desire in his eyes. Desire for what, that was unclear. Desire to defeat her, or was it something more?

That would remain to be seen. He wasted no time at all, and came in swinging, darting forwards with his pole in a swift and precise strike, aiming for her right waist. Formulating a plan on the go, she acted based on the situation developing on hand. She would allow herself to do something she would not normally do in a real battle. Greta would take the blow.

They were only using quarterstaffs, and the blow would more than likely just leave a bruise, and this had become more like a game than an actual battle to her, and she would like to best the Togruta. Evading the move would take her out of her way to land a quick and decisive blow, so she had opted to prepare for the blow. She felt it come, a bit harder than she expected, but she quickly twirled, sending her staff up to parry the blow meant for her left shoulder, and she sent the opposite end of the staff rocketing up in a swift strike towards Tanek's gut.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Greta tempted him with Makashi, a form he could not say no to. He kept hitting on her with a desire that was twofold. To his surprise, his blow connected. As the blonde acolyte countered, he realized he had been much too quick to move on. Tanek had expected a parry or block, and so he had not followed through with great strength; he had already been eager to move on to the next target, where the real damage would lay. He would leave a bruise, but equally, she would leave a mark on him.

When he came for her left shoulder, she was there to stop him. She was using protection. He was not, however, and when the counter finally came, it connected. The other end of her staff crashed into his gut, knocking the air out of him, while on reflex causing him to bend forwards slightly. Too used to duelling with a single blade, it was easy to forget this one had another side. She was a strong girl, and the state she left him in was not one where he could easily defend himself or strike at her with any power. She took his breath away.

Simply giving up, however, was not really an option either. If he tried to attack, it would get tossed aside, and she would be free to attack him. If he tried to defend, she would break through his defence. If he tried to retreat, she would be sure to punish him, and make it a costly one. That left him with only one option, in his mind. To keep up momentum, move forwards, and try to take her down with minimal energy exerted on his part. A gentle hand quickly moved to the back of her head, and a not-so-gentle leg moved behind her feet. With the idea of maintaining momentum, he kept moving forwards, into her, with the hope of using his weight and his leg behind hers to topple her over.

[member=Greta Kohler]

 

[Komo]

The strike to Tanek's gut was a successful move that it knocked the wind of out him. Literally. He doubled up in pain as the air left him in a surprised gasp. Greta was left grinning like a mad fool at the thought of seeing him in pain. It was not that she hated him or anything, but Greta was close enough to him that it amounted to nothing than playful banter.

She did not attack him with the intention to harm, but to tease him. They would leave each other with bruises, but at the end of the day, laughs would be made, and there would be no hard feelings.

What the Togruta did next did in fact surprise her, and it showed. Instead of attacking or defending, he did something else unexpected instead. Tanek attempted to trip her, and trip her he did. He had his leg hooked around her foot. Greta began to lose his footing as the Togruta moved forwards in his attempt to do so.

Startled by the sudden manoeuvre, and the unforeseen loss of balance, the blonde acolyte began to fall, not backwards as probably planned but forwards, pushing her entire weight and force onto him face first, the two bodies colliding into each other like one of those often played clique scenes in a movie.

Well, that was awkward.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

He had not taken any offense to seeing her grinning at his pain. If anything, it had provoked a similar reaction in him when he realised she had not seen his next move coming. Though similar to Greta's perspective on the fight, this was not truly a duel where both sought to win at all cost. It had little to do with prestige, it was mostly for fun and games. He held no grudge or disdain for his opponent, quite the contrary. Oh, the playful banter of the Sith. It wasn't fun if there was no pain involved, right?

However, it would seem though successful in tripping her, he had not been able to foresee what came next. Instead of falling backwards, she fell forwards. Tanek had not at all been prepared for that. His position was already weak, considering the blonde had just taken the breath out of him. He was in no position to counter, or shove her to the side. He just had to take it.

Their bodies collided. Instinctively, his arm wrapped around her back for balance. His left flailed about, much less elegantly, as the duo slowly stepped backwards. Then they became horizontal. They fell down with an 'oompf'. His quarterstaff clanked to the ground beside him, away from his grip. The Togruta let out a grunt. He served as a cushion for her fall, though he took the brunt of it for both of them. Although, fortunately for him, she was light.

He let out another groan, as again, air did not come easily to him. Greta seemed determined to take that away from him. Despite his best efforts to trip her, she had gotten him on his back first. He was even feeling a little dizzy, though from the fall or from her alluring scent and close presence, he did not know.

Tanek stared up at her, as slowly, he was getting his bearings. Her face had been close to his, and it was close still, as she had indeed collided into him face first. His hand was grabbing at something... Soft, yet firm... Then he realized where exactly his hand was. While one arm was still loosely kept around her upper-waist, his other had landed, quite firmly, on her well-shaped rear. Despite becoming aware of this, however, his hand did not move away, but remained in place.

Well this friendly spar sure had taken a turn...

[member=Greta Kohler]