Mirage of Metal (Maelion)

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo grumbled about the continued trolling, but held her tongue. Amusingly, Siobhan was a little self-conscious about her height, though less tetchy about it. It was one of the reasons she insisted on wearing impractical high heels. Her back and feet would not like that.


"I prefer the quiet to a messy crowd of people bleating and quaking all their feelings at you. Besides, some are more lively. Vess can be...nice when you get to know her." Enyo's double entendre was entirely unintentional. She was not making innuendo about the mechanical tongue.


They walked down the corridor for a bit. It looked as dull as before, but there were no more scratches. Finally they reached a door to a room that seemed more relevant than others. Perhaps there was an exclamation mark above it, like in certain hologames.


"There we are. That's your new bedroom," Enyo announced. She removed a key card from her pocket and swiped it at the console. The door opened with a hiss, revealing a utilitarian, Spartan room. Archangel was raising its Force clones in a monastic way.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Despite her snark, Amara was still pretty genuinely innocent and so missed an opportunity to make a sly comment.

Still, the door opened and Amara gasped.
“It’s beautiful! There’s a bed, a table and a chair! And wow, a bathroom too!” she said excitedly. Then she smirked. “It’ll do.”

Flexing, she stood back, holding onto Enyo’s shoulder, and then she stood unaided.
“There we go.” She took a few steps experimentally. “Now, all I have to do is…”
She stumbled and fell face down on the bed.
“I…meant to do that,” she said, somewhat muffled. She rolled over and looked up, embarrassed.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo was probably grateful about the lack of trolling. Asking her about the mechanical tongue and an HRD's fake melons would have really embarrassed the clone. She was quickly at Amara's side when she stumbled, but fortunately her sister landed on the bed.


The clone still checked to see if she was hurt. "Riiiight. Don't take things to fast. Your muscles need to get used to being used. Give it some time, and you'll walk unaided. Anyhow this is your room, there's a dining hall down the corridor. We're...obviously the only ones who use it unless Phae is there. Once you're up for it, I'll be responsible for training you."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara smiled cheekily. “Ooh! What are you training me? How to sit up? Roll over? Beg? Fetch?” she asked innocently.
If she was a bit more knowledgeable she could have made another joke here, but fortunately Enyo was spared more trolling.

Stretching out her legs she wiggled her toes. “Ah…socks. Now, Enyo, what shall we do now? I remembered learning about cards in my dream. Do you have a deck? We could play Pazaak! Instead of money…we could use…uhh…clothes!” She frowned. “Hmm, but we might end up undressed, and what will the poor droids think then? Best not, it’ll be too cold….”

She trailed off.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo sighed slightly. It seemed she was fated to being stuck in the role of being the comically serious. Moreover, Amara seemed to have a strange fixation with socks. Maybe someone could make a rank tag for her to put in her sig.


"I'm not really into that kind of game. Besides, you're my sister," she said primly. Little Enyo was so prim and proper. Except when an HRD buried her mechanical tongue between her legs. Then she was rather wild.


"When you're ready for it, I'll be teaching you how to protect yourself. Wield the Force, use a lightsabre and a gun, that sort of thing. So that you can, as you put it, fight for truth, justice and the Archangel way and battle angry Firemane floozies." Deep down, Enyo was feeling a little uncertain about the prospect of being Amara's teacher. She lacked experience and had not inherited her mirror's tremendous confidence. But she was going to do her best.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara nodded seriously. “I’m sure you’re a great teacher and you’ll train me well,” she said earnestly.

And so there we shall leave our heroines for a brief timeskip. Over the next few days Amara improved her skills of walking, trolled her sister, explored and started to fit in with her settings.

She also had, in short order, somehow acquired five pairs of socks. Sometimes she wore two pairs at once. It was a thing.

Either way, it was finally time, as she was strong enough, for her to train. Excitedly, she made her way to the training room for her first session.

“Enny? I’m here!” she declared brightly.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


And so there was a time skip. Presumably Enyo had spent the last few days moping about her inadequacy and lack of personality, brooding and being oblivious in general. She was good at that sort of thing. Anyhow, Enyo was waiting for Amara in the predictably Spartan training room when the bubbly clone arrived. "Good to see you. Come in. We'll get started right away," Enyo responded, leading the blonde inside the room. It was utilitarian and contained all that was needed for training. A firing range lay next door.


"I know flash training gave you a basic idea about Sciia, but even advanced super computers don't sufficiently understand it. It's an energy you can tap into and harness as a tool. Power that gives us an advantage. You have it, you need to light the spark inside you and control it. Sit down over there," she pointed to a spot on the matt. There was an enchanted crystal on it that would glow red once someone tapped into the Force in the room. Her tone was not unkind, but serious.


"Your first step is focus. Self-discipline is crucial. You'll have to clear your mind. Focus on your breath and my voice. How your breath moves in and out, like waves of a sea, and within your body. Once your mind begins to clear and your thoughts are tranquil, find your centre. A secure place in your mind. You wil perceive the way Sciia flows around and inside you, like the flow of a river stream. Once you can, we shall move to the next step."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Unexpectedly Amara could actually focus, actually relax and actually be useful as a student. She was not all random quips.
Of course, there were still some of those.

“Like a river…a flowing river. Wait, Sciia…they call it the Force! Weird name, sounds foreign.”

However she actually sat down and focused. Closing her eyes she let her breathing slow. She could perceive something odd. Something…new!

She opened her eyes. “Hey, I felt it, Enny!” she said excitedly. She frowned. “Hmm, of course, now I can’t. Right…back to focusing.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"I was trained by a rogue Eldorai. She called it Sciia," Enyo responded matter-of-factly. "The name's less important than what it gives you." Talsir had been a queen, but never unnecessarily cruel. Her sternness had served a purpose.


Enyo appreciated her lessons a lot more now. They could not afford to be namby-pamby weaklings. She watched Amara when her sister sat down and focused. She was actually able to do that and the clone could sense her look upon the Force.


"Focus on the Force and nothing else." Her tone was not unkind and she did not raise her voice, but it was sharp, serious and more than a little commanding. "You will be able to perceive it, like a beacon in the dark. It will be like opening a third eye you never thought you had. Your senses will expand, you will become aware of the slightest nuance in the room. My emotions, breathing, all the background noise, the presence of the machines. It may be overwhelmning at first, but do not relent. The stream will carry you."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara looked a little stung by the command, however she made no comment and bowed her head obediently.

Falling back into that place where she had felt the Force she witnessed it again. She focused and it all became clear. She could ‘feel’ her sister’s presence, a dim shape even visible with her eyes closed. Her senses expanded to feel everything near her. It wasn’t overwhelming so much as disorientating. It was like having multiple eyes all over her body.

She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say something at this point, and was unsure she could hold her concentration if she did, so she stayed silent. She didn’t want another rebuke from Enyo after all!

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Maintain concentration. In time, using these senses will become second nature to you. You must be able to do so without conscious effort because you will it," Enyo continued. Perhaps she was partly being a bit stern because she felt like she had something to prove. Now that Amara had touched the Force, the mystical crystal in the room had a faint, scarlet glow.


"You have opened your eyes and touched the Force, now you will grasp it. Focus your mind on this rock." The rock in question was a small pebble. "Plant an image in your head of it being touched and slowly lifted into the air. Keep this image close to you, then will it to happen."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
A pebble! Part of Amara’s mind wanted to ask where the pebble had come from. After all, outside the base was all volcanic and igneous but she stilled her questions.

The rock. It lay before her, visible in her witch-sight. Amara grasped onto the power, but it was ephemeral, ghostly. She prodded at the pebble, but for some time it didn’t move. However, she listened to what Enyo said, paused to ruminate for several long minutes.

Then, with a final effort she began to visualise the rock moving. This was surprisingly hard, but managed to form a fuzzy picture of it hovering…and it did! Or rather, the pebble stood on its end and did a little dance as it began to spin.

‘Turning, turning, turning through the years…’ a telepathic voice hummed. It was Amara, but she probably wasn’t even aware she was doing it.
The rock’s rotation began to increase, and it began to spin faster and faster….

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo observed her student's progress. One difference between the young-old clone and her template was that the former was more methodical and less inclined to rush through things. Siobhan's teaching methods tended to be more than a little abrasive. She'd probably inherited that trait from Adril Tythorin, who'd been all passion and emotion.


The rock moved and lifted into the air, and then began to spin faster and faster and faster. At this juncture Enyo decided to step in. "Make it go slower. Settle down. Don't let your excitement overtake you," the clone spoke calmly, expression placcid.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“But…I am excited!” Amara exclaimed. “I’m making it move with my mind! Isn’t that exciting?!”
However she did settle down. In any case the rock had stopped spinning entirely because she had lost concentration.

Reach out…it was easier this time. Much easier. Within a moment the rock was spinning gracefully, then rose into the air, turning end over end, weaving around slightly.

She opened her eyes, and although the rock faltered she kept it hovering.
“Yes! Fear me, villains, I can make a rock float 2 inches about the ground!” she said happily.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Eventually, they will fear you. Hyperaccelerate a simple pebble, and it will achieve the speed and velocity of a sniper bullet," Enyo pointed out seriously. She watched the graceful spinning of the rock, which was now moving through the air at a more controlled pace. "You're not at that level yet, but you've taken an important first step. Diligence, discipline and patience will bring you success. Do you have any questions so far?"


Siobhan never asked her students that. She taught them stuff, set them challenges and expected them to overcome them. Sometimes, she gave them sweet pep talks, but beyond that expected them to sink or swim. Non-OSHA compliant training often moved into the realm of fade to black scenes.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara let the rock drop to the ground with a small clatter.

“So…is the Force – or Sciia – a genetic inheritance? Some people have it, some don’t…like blonde hair or brown eyes? I had a bit a bit of teaching, but I think the droids don’t really understand it.”
She frowned. “When you think about it it’s like being a Queen. I can move a rock with a mind because my parents…whoever they were…passed this trait onto me. It’s a little strange when you think about it.”

She looked at Enyo. “Now, that wasn’t really a question, sorry Enny. So, uhh…what’s this Dark Side and Light Side thing I heard about? Does the Force really have a naughty and nice side?”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Sciia, or the Force, is a gift to the chosen and the blessed, though not by any goddess or cosmic power. Those who can access this untapped reality bear the mark of greatness, though most misuse it. Sciia is a manifestation of your spirit that allows you to harness your inner flame and accomplish more than a mere mortal could, without it you're trod on. The strong do as they will, and the weak suffer as they must. It's harsh, but that's how the world is."


The only organics Enyo had interacted with at length were Force-users. Droids were superior to common organics, but at the same time they'd turned to her, Phaedra and Amara for assistance because they could not understand or wield the Force. Thus they had to be special.


"That is why 0.1% of the galaxy rules so much. Dark Side and Light Side are mystical mumbo-jumbo. The Force doesn't have sides anymore than a blaster rifle does. It gives you power and you have the responsibility to use it. Jedi are so frightened of the Force they deify it and limit themselves, while most Sith lack vision and only become tools of chaotic destruction."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara looked down at her socks. "That's so bleak. So grim. Surely we have a responsibility to use our power wisely? Shouldn't we be helping people? I mean, when Siobhan and the rest of them are brought to justice shouldn't we try and build a better future?"
Poor Ami, so naive.

"So what's next?"

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"We do," Enyo answered simply. "But you cannot create meaningful, lasting change unless you have power. Otherwise those with it will crush you beneath their heel. We will build a better world, eventually. It will be beautiful." After a lot of bloodletting. How ironic that she was slowly becoming the monster she thought her mirror was.


"As for now, there are some exercises I want you to go through. We'll eventually move to lightsabre combat. I'd advise you to meditate daily." Wow, she was really taking this teaching business seriously. She gave her sister an encouraging smile. "I'm sure you'll do well. You're making good progress."