Private Live Steel

[Corazona von Ascania]

Coruscant Jedi Temple
Training Room

A number of scenes had looped through Cora's mind after their failed mission to reclaim Tython. The dichotomy of Nulgath Zardai - from a terrifyingly competent eldritch horror turned into a crumpled husk - was one. Ashla only knows where or what he was now.

The still of Amelia von Sorenn as she brandished her vibroblade against the portal was another. Cora couldn't shake her steely expression from her mind, nor the strength she commanded by the very image of her presence.

"Thank you for agreeing to do this," she smiled, somewhat sheepishly to the other woman. The Jedi knight had to crane her neck a little further back in order to meet the Vampirika's eyes. "Dueling with vibroswords is common where I'm from. I often watched my brothers, but I wasn't allowed to learn."

She'd counted herself fortunate enough that her father had permitted her to learn traditional fencing, which translated decently to Form II. It was, perhaps, just at the cusp of appropriate ladylike behavior for the daughter of a viscount.

Cora tested the weight of the durasteel in her hand, giving it an experimental twirl. Its weight was more evenly distributed - a lightsaber's weight came solely from its grip.

"How have you fared since Tython?"

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Coruscant Jedi Temple
Training Room

The woman stood silently, listening quietly as her hands slipped up and grasped the helm that she wore. A soft hiss slipped out as the armor was depressurized and long tresses of silver-white hair slipped down over her shoulders, cascading down her back like a waterfall as she pulled the helm free. It was a strange feeling for her, having returned to the Jedi Temple and how frequently she'd found herself within its walls in the last few months. Much of the structure was still the same as it had been hundreds of years ago from what she remembered, though she didn't have the freedom to explore it then as she seemingly did now.

Tython... Despite everything that they had accomplished during that engagement, the Jedi taking hold of the Station and opening the Portal to the Alliance, preventing an outbreak of the Blackwing Virus; they had still lost. It seemed as though the fickle hand of fate had decided that the Galactic Alliance would not reclaim the Deep Core, and in that sense, there was bitterness. For many, those who had surged forward, those who had given their lives, the effort had been there, yet they could not find the means as to why they had been denied.

"It has been difficult..."

Amelia said as she stepped to the side, carefully setting the helm down on a small table as she stood up and stretched. Rolling her shoulders before she slowly rolled her head as she pivoted upon her hind foot to face the young woman once more. Golden-yellow hues met the Jedi's gaze, as she stepped forward, her hand coming to rest upon the hilt of the blade that sat on her hip.

"How much formal training have you had?"

She asked as she watched the young woman testing the weight of the blade in her hand. Amelia wanted to ensure that there was some basis to build upon, however, she wasn't sure just how much the young woman had been taught. She wasn't sure if the training in the Temple was still the same as it had been hundreds of years prior.

Corazona von Ascania​

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[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora cocked her head to the side, a thoughtful frown crossing her face. She observed Amelia as she stretched, fascinated by her tall frame and the muscularity to her form. Most women on Ukatis did not reach such impressive stature, partially because of baseline human genetics, a partially out of cultural adherence.

"It has been difficult," she agreed and her frown deepened. Her blade had been held so close to the Sith's neck that she could see a pale blue glow against the underside of his chin. Whether or not she'd made the right decision to walk away, she was unsure.

The knight smiled, her thoughts shifting.

"With a blade like this? Almost none. My familiarity with physical swordplay begins and ends with fencing."

It wasn't much the same thing, but some of the movements and muscle groups used were similar. She gave the vibrosword another twirl, feeling how its weight felt at different angles.

"I've quite a bit of formal training with a lightsaber. Forms two and three, in particular."

Amelia's history with the Jedi was not well known to her, though she had recognized her name from accounts regarding the Confederacy. A power that had once overseen Ukatis from a distance until their influence waned from the galaxy.

"I suppose I'm trying to broaden my horizons. I've heard that you're particularly skilled in the art of swordplay."

Amelia von Sorenn

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Amelia nodded silently, her golden-yellow hues watching the young woman as she gave her blade a skillful twirl. Fingers slowly slipped around the hilt of the blade, pulling it free from its sheath with a soft ringing noise as the metal scrapped against the interior of the scabbard. Bringing the blade up, she carefully maneuvered her hand, allowing the hilt to rest in her palm as her other hand came up and gently held the blade in her flat palm.

"A sword is vastly different from a lightsaber. The preferred weapon of the Jedi has no weight beyond what is in the hilt, making it difficult for many without the proper reflexes or connection to the Force to properly wield the weapon. A sword... a sword has weight, from its pommel to the tip of its blade, you cannot treat a blade in the same manner as you would a lightsaber."

She stepped forward, her golden-yellow hues falling upon the young woman as she slowly clutched the hilt of her blade in her hand, her palm slowly slipping along the flat of the blade. Amelia stopped short, her attention remaining on Cora as she brought her hand to the point where blade met hilt before her other hand released. The vibroblade swayed slowly, first the blade dipped slightly before the pommel pulled down, a slow teetering motion until the blade came to a standstill.

"Each blade should be balanced, neither too heavy on the blade nor too heavy in the hilt."

Amelia pulled her hand away, allowing the blade to drop before she quickly caught the hilt in her hand, the tip of the blade hanging just above the floor. A soft smirk crossed her lips as she brought the sword up before she slipped it back into its sheath. Amelia knew little about Soresu beyond its use as a defensive form against blasters, however, Makashi was a different subject, one that she was rather proficient in; however, there was something that troubled her. As she listened to the skills that the young woman was already trained it, it was clear, that whomever had trained her previously had lacked in training a proper foundation.

"Show me your stance..."

Corazona von Ascania​

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[Corazona von Ascania]

As Amelia spoke, Cora watched her with rapt attention. The knight's lifelong love of learning and exemplary academic record had led her to take on a teaching role for the younger Jedi, but she would forever be a student.

Though she remained still, instinct urged her to move as the other woman stepped forward, blade in hand. All snowy white hair and hypnotic golden eyes, she imagined that Amelia's beauty transformed into something fierce on the battlefield. She'd glimpsed as much through the portal on the orbital station.

As her instructor's palm ran along the flat edge of the blade, urging it into a gentle sway, Cora nodded slowly.

"Blades like this have been used on Ukatis for centuries. I'm grateful for the opportunity to finally learn to wield one."

The blonde paused at Amelia's request, unsure of which stance to fall back in. As she'd said, dueling with a lightsaber was different than with a vibrosword. As her only training with a physical sword had come from fencing with an epee, she opted for an en-garde position.

Cora slid her dominant foot forward, knees bending as she balanced her center of gravity between her heels. Shoulders sat directly above her hips as she bent the elbow of her dominant hand, tilting the blade slightly upwards.

"I fenced before joining the Jedi. Though, I'd imagine that most of my opponents would be able to move side to side as well."

There were limits as to what a highly sterilized fencing environment would provide, of course. Amelia's corrections to her stance would be most welcome.

Amelia von Sorenn

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Golden-yellow hues carefully watched, locked upon the young woman as she easily maneuvered her figure into her stance, a soft smile slipping over her lips. Bringing her arms up, she crossed them over her chest, her elbow resting in the palm of her hand as she brought her right hand up, resting it against her chin. She remained silent as she carefully circled Cora, eyeing the young woman's form, noting the stance that she had taken.

"If I may..."

Amelia spoke softly as she stepped forward, her arms falling to her sides as she stepped behind Cora, allowing her hands to come to rest on the young woman's hips. Gently she maneuvered the young Jedi, bringing her into a standing position rather than the more bent, almost spring-loaded stance that she had taken. Leaning down, her lips accidentally brushed against Cora's ear, her voice slipping out as she began to correct the stance.

"We'll start you with Shii Cho, the basis of all Lightsaber Combat. A strong foundation will prove much more useful if you seek to further master Makashi. Stand up straight, and bring your dominant foot back."

She spoke softly, showing that beneath the surface of what appeared to be a cold and icy demeanor was some warmth. Her hand slipped down to Cora's right thigh, tapping it slightly with her right hand to position it into place. Her left hand moved in an equal measure, lightly tapping on the back of Cora's left thigh to bring it forward before she stepped away and stood in front of the young Jedi. Her hands lightly grasped the young woman's shoulders, correcting her upper half so that her body appeared to be in the form of a blade.

"This is a bladed stance, a simple stance for Shii Cho that allows you to easily pivot using either your forward or rear foot."

Amelia took Cora's hand on her own before placing it on the hilt of the young woman's sword, ensuring that her left hand was beneath her right. Each little adjustment was to ensure that the young woman would keep a steady stance, a soft smile remained upon Amelia's lips as she made the final adjustment, lightly pushing Cora's elbows up so they were slightly pushed out from her side.

"Shii Cho was developed as the Jedi Order transitioned from Fixed Blades to the iconic Lightsaber. It is an experimental form, in the hands of a novice, it will appear sloppy and clumsy. In the hands of a Master, it is fluid, random, and unpredictable. If you find yourself in a situation where your other forms are not suitable, Shii Cho is what you will fall back on."

Corazona von Ascania​

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[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora had expected her stance to need correction, and she wasn't opposed to the idea of being physically guided there. Still, her cheeks flushed a healthy shade of pink as Amelia adjusted her hips from behind.

She jolted as the woman's lips ghosted against her ear, hot breath fanning against her neck as she spoke. It could have been a visual from a Lady Velvet novel. And if it wasn't – she couldn't think quite straight at the moment to recall her own writings – it likely would be in the future.

It took a concentrated effort for Cora to focus on Amelia's movements and accompanying explanations, but they started to sink in once she found herself in a familiar stance. "It's been some time since I've practiced Shii-Cho," she admitted before swallowing thickly as the Vampirka touched her hand to shift its placement.

The wider stance felt steadier, more capable of keeping her center of gravity level as she moved. She followed the line of the blade from her navel outward, then exhaled some of the tension from her body. A slow inhaled helped her refocus, helped her to recognize the positioning of her feet, shoulders, and arms.

"Much of my combat is done though the Force. Or with a lightsaber," she began. "Against which opponents would you recommend a solid blade over the typical Jedi techniques?"

Amelia von Sorenn

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Amelia carefully circled the young woman, her attention slowly slipping over her form as she inspected the stance that she had assisted the young woman into taking. As she made her way around the Jedi, she would, from time to time, gently nudge or push the young woman, testing her stance and making sure that she wouldn't be easily toppled over. Quietly nodding, her smile remained as she took her position in front of Cora, those golden-yellow hues never once deviating from the young woman.

When the question was poised, it was worth taking a moment to contemplate. When it came to the Force and Lightsabers, she already had the tools that would ensure her survival if she utilized them properly and kept true to the teachings instilled by others. A fixed blade was something different, it took just as much skill as a lightsaber to properly hone and utilize no matter the situation; however, unlike a lightsaber, a solid blade had its drawbacks such as the inability to deflect blaster fire back at an opponent.

"A solid blade is ideal against those that expect you to fight like a Jedi and thus will respond to such tactics in kind. Individuals that have access to Void Stone, or Ysalamiri, as an example."

The woman kept her focus on Cora, never once removing her eyes from the young woman as she seemed to easily and fluidly take her stance. It was as if a river was gracefully slipping across the landscape, flowing without stopping or being diverted as she carefully drew her blade and placed her non-dominate leg forward, her right leg slipping behind her as she brought her arms down in front of herself. Her left hand rested just below the guard of her blade, her right hand slipping back to grasp the pommel as the blade of her weapon was directed up at an angle.

"If your opponent believes that you are helpless without the force, that being disconnected from it, or losing or damaging your lightsaber would prevent you from defending yourself. That is when a solid blade would be most appropriate. A Mandalorian or Sith will expect you to fight like a Jedi, they are less likely to expect you to draw a longsword and strike."

Corazona von Ascania​

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[Corazona von Ascania]

As Amelia circled around her, Cora kept her stance fixed yet fluid. Too rigid or too relaxed and her instructor's prodding would unbalance her.

Fight like a Jedi. That made sense enough; even an underdog could win using unexpected tactics. The concept of being cut off from the Force was one they'd been training for since the Mandalorian war machine reared their head several years ago. They'd burned Axilla, the capital of Ukatis. Cora winced.

"I know the touch of void stone. I was in the presence of one for a prolonged period, and it made me feel...particularly helpless. I can imagine that feeling would be tenfold on the battlefield."

Even as she drew her own blade, Amelia did not take her eyes from Cora, like a predator watching her prey. There was a sort of martial beauty to the way she extended her weapon, like the practiced grace of a Jedi Master handling their saber. A connection to your blade, forged through time and experience.

"With the amount of threats the Alliance is facing, the more unconventional skills I can learn, the better."

Cora raised her vibrosword, bringing the blade down in a simple vertical slash. Her saber work had always been on the quicker side, but the sword's unfamiliar physical weight dulled her speed.

Amelia von Sorenn

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Amelia took a step forward into the swing, her left hand releasing from the hilt of the blade as she brought it into a diagonal block, only to grasp the length of the blade just below the contact point. Amelia's right hand remained firmly on the pommel of her weapon, using Cora's blade as a pivoting point as she brought the crossguard up and stopped just short of impacting with the young woman's cheek. A soft smile remained on her lips as she stepped back, disengaging from the Jedi as she slipped her left hand along the blade of her weapon until it was resting just beneath the crossguard.

"Remember, a solid blade is not a lightsaber. Every part of the weapon can be utilized, from the blade to the pommel. Do not be afraid to use every part in a fight."

Taking a step back, she leaned back on her right left, her left leg extended forward as she centered herself. Her slight smile slipped into a smirk as she brought her weapon up, her right hand shifted down, holding the edge of the blade, while her left hand slipped back as she held the weapon over her head. Rather than the blade of the weapon held back, it was the hilt and crossguard that were over Amelia's head. Shifting her weight forward, she took a firm stance, carefully bringing the weapon down and stopping it just short of making contact.

"There are times, where you may need a blunt object more than a cutting or piercing once, that is where this technique comes into place. It allows your sword to become a hammer, a technique more useful against armored individuals where the cutting edge of a blade will be less effective."

Amelia recovered, stepping back as she brought the weapon fully down, once more shifting her hand until the crossguard was resting against her left hand, her right hand coming to rest against her hip.

Corazona von Ascania


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[Corazona von Ascania]

A dull clang rang out as blades clashed.

Cora had fully expected for Amelia to block or parry her overhead strike. She did not expect the pommel of her weapon to surge upward and nearly deliver a blow that would've shattered her cheekbone.

The blonde tried to blink away a surge of adrenaline as her teacher pulled back. Knocked away, her blade remained steady in the air before falling back to her side. A dusting of pink brushed intact cheeks.

"Every part," she murmured thoughtfully. Better to be caught off guard during a training session than on the battlefield.

Cora reestablished her grip on the sword's hilt and shifted forward. "When fighting with a lightsaber, I tend to rely on speed and technique. I haven't a fraction of your physical strength." She delivered a diagonal slash aimed from Amelia's left hip to her right shoulder. "Will I still be able to utilize a sword as a hammer?"

In the hypothetical scenario where she faced an armored foe, Cora imagined that the Force would be her primary aid. But, that was not the lesson here. The Force wasn't always reachable in a fight.

Amelia von Sorenn

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

"If you find yourself facing an opponent that is more physically imposing, whose strength is greater than your own, then utilize what strengths you have. You may not be able to strike a heavy blow utilizing a sword as a hammer, however..."

Amelia stepped forward, moving into the slash before dropping forward, her shoulder pressing into the ground as she rolled beneath the swinging blade. Keeping with her momentum, she pressed her right hand firmly against the ground, pushing herself up and landing on her feet. Pivoting on her hind foot, she spun around, the flat of her blade lightly touching against Cora's shoulder with a soft tap.

"Use your agility and speed to your advantage. Target a strong opponent's weak points, their joints."

Amelia lightly tapped Cora on the shoulder, followed in turn by her elbow and her knee. She gently pointed out the weakest points, the joints, that the young Jedi should focus on striking when it came to a larger or more powerful foe. The flat of her blade tapped against her ankle and the tendon just above her heel along the back of her leg.

"Multiple, successive strikes to these areas can weaken a foe. You need not match an opponent blow for blow when it comes to combat. Fight smarter, use your knowledge and the environment to your advantage."

Stepping back once more, she placed some distance between herself and the young Jedi, a soft smile upon her lips as she leaned back on her left foot, her right foot pressed forward. Slowly, she brought her blade up once more, her right hand pressing against the crossguard, her left taking hold of the pommel as she leveled the blade toward the young woman.

Corazona von Ascania​

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[Corazona von Ascania]

Despite her superior size, Amelia dodged the swing of Cora's blade with practiced ease. The forward momentum of her roll allowed her to move deftly, pivoting behind the Jedi.

The blonde had been halfway into a turn when she felt the tap of Amelia's blade. Her shoulder. Then her elbow, her knee, her ankle. Even when using armor, joints were difficult to reinforce on most foes, be they organic or machine. A smaller, weaker opponent could gain the upper hand by striking them.

Amelia moved again, taking her space in front of Cora. The Jedi hummed softly in thought and gave her blade a single twirl before adjusting her grip. Although the movements were similar to that of a lightsaber in principle, she found her arm straining slightly from holding the sword for a prolonged period. There was the reverberation to contend with too, when blade clashed. Different from that of a lightsaber.

She'd have to work on her arm strength.

"Who was the most challenging foe you've taken down with a blade?"

She went for a feint this time, a jab towards Amelia's right knee before pulling back, hoping to catch her left shoulder in a similar jab if she went to defend her knee.

Amelia von Sorenn