Ran Aohki
Voiceless
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Provide Ran Aohki with a personal set of blades.
- Image Source: Aikurisu from DeviantArt
- Canon Link: Not applicable.
- Restricted Missions: N/a
- Primary Source: Force-imbued blade
- Manufacturer: Ran Aokhi
- Model: N/a
- Affiliation: Ran Aokhi
- Modularity: No.
- Production: Unique
- Material: Titanium (blade and hilt), reinforced leather, silk, ornaments (hilt covers and sheath).
- Classification: Twin Katanas
- Size: One-handed.
- Length: 70.5cm each.
- Weight: 1.2kg
Strengths:
- Force-imbued: The blades can be permeated with the Force, which makes them perfectly fit to fight against a light-saber user and deflect blaster bolts.
- Light-weight: Katanas tend to be lighter than most swords and these are no exception, their light weight allows for speed and finesse.
- Functions underwater: Unlike a light-saber, the sword is usable underwater albeit with far less mobility and speed.
- Dependent on Force access: The user needs to channel the Force through the blades for them to attain the characteristics provided by it. Should the user not be able to use the Force or his/her concentration hindered, the blades turn into common swords and would not stand a chance against a light-saber. Furthermore, a non-force user would be unable to wield the blades in their force-imbued state.
- Weaker than a light-saber: Though able to resist one, the force-imbued blades lack the cutting power of a saber. They can slice through many objects but most reinforced materials will take a couple of blows from the blades before they are surpassed.
- Less practical than a light-saber: Hilts are easy to carry, to swords not so much. In addition to this, igniting a light-saber doesn't take as long as unsheathing a sword. It also complicates, if not completely unable, the use of Force-techniques such as "saber throw" given the blade is much less malleable.
Ran crafted her blades soon after she had been deemed ready by her first Masters. The Temple in which she was brought up and raced believed there was a step before crafting one's own light-saber and that was the crafting of the ancient, almost archaic, force-imbued blades that the Jedi of yore used to employ before the invention of the saber as it is known today.
Ran was trained in the usage of this blades in a manner similar to that as if they had been lightsabers, causing her sword-play skill to be quite distinguishable from the rest, given she does not wield her twin swords in a conventional manner. The swords are meant to be fast and maneuverable, allowing Ran to move with fluidity and speed in order to attack and remain outside of her opponents range at the same time. However, they were also meant to serve as protection and this is the main reason why Ran crafted two blades instead of one. The second main ability of the swords is parrying. Since blocking requires a greater strength from the user, Ran usually prefers to use the momentum of her assailants to her benefit and not risk being unable to block the blow of a bigger opponent, the katanas allow her to guide the speed and direction of the fight while keeping herself safe.
As long as Ran is able to channel the Force through the blades, she can perfectly use them to deflect blaster bolts and to contend against a user with the more modern version of her weapons: a light-saber. However, she still needs to be cautious when doing this because the danger still remains that were she to be hindered of her connection to the Force or distracted enough as to negate the supply of energy to the blades, she'd find herself in quite a terrible predicament.
