Studying the Past

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Well first, I'm making sure this spot remains claimed," she said, setting her datapad on the table and flagging the librarian's desk to know she was setting up shop here and would be back after fencing practice. Receiving the confirmation, she smiled and closed the datapad before shoving it into her satchel.

"Follow me then, Mr. Connor," she said, getting up and extending a mock bow with a teasing smile to counter his cocky one. "We just need to get to the administration building to make sure everything is all squared away for you, and I have to head to the practice field. My chosen sport of fun has practice in a little bit and I need to remind an idiot that he should stop challenging me. I do love a challenge after all."

Heading out of the library, she showed him a round the rest of the campus for a little bit before she remembered something she forgot to ask.

"So her office is on the second floor, right corner," she explained as she pointed out which building was the administration building and where Professor Janic's office was within in it. "So before I run to my practice, what exactly are you here to research?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor followed Tae, grateful for the guide, and made a mental note of the library for returning. He expected it’d be here or in the gardens, if they had any, he’d spend his time reading and watching. And his quarters if they were nice enough. Connor took in the sights in front of him, and also the University she was showing him around.

Eventually they reached the admin building and its location, looking a little dated next to the main building, but then turned to answer her question.

"I’m here to research galactic history, combat and self-defence and anything about the study of man and the mind."

Before she could mock him or anything else, he nodded his head to her.

"Practice. What you practicing? Cookery?"

The smile again curled on his lip – was this what flirting felt like?

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Oh, a like-minded individual," she said, pretending to be shocked and amazed by giving an over the top gasp, completely with dropped jaw. She gave a wink as she returned to her normal demeanor as she was about to dash off. His comment thought made her turn back and give a small enticing smile. She would recognize the flirting for what it was, and she definitely didn't mind flirting with this Jedi.

"Come to the practice fields if you want to find out," she replied slyly. "When you're done here, just keep going down this path and take a left. Can't miss them. That is if you want to, or you could go back and be completely lost on where to start in your research and I have to come back and save you. Those shelves can eat the unprepared alive after all."

With that last little bit of snark, she dashed off down the path and headed to her fencing practice. She hoped he would eventually follow, it might show that there was always more to a bookworm than met the eye.

"Sorry, I'm running a little late Coach," she said, skidding to a stop in front of her coach once she reached the fields. "Was helping a new person navigate campus."

"Just get your gear on and start sparring, Rae," the coach replied gruffly, picking up his own fencing foil. Taeli nodded and ran over to where her stuff was kept, right next to her best friend's stuff. Christin was sitting there still, putting a new dash of green to her fencing suit.

"More individuality I see," Taeli said, changing into her gear.

"Of course, not like Coach can complain," Christin replied with a wide smile. "You got Kar, I got one of his idiots today."

"Greaaaaat," Taeli sighed, checking her foil. "The other example of guy."

"Oh? You met a new guy? Details girl?" Christin asked excitedly.

"Later."

"Fine. Hmph."

 

[Connor Harrison]

The Padawan looked up at the admin building, and then to Tae making quick work heading to the practice fields behind where he needed to be. He wasn’t in a rush, why not see what else she had up her sleeve.

Talking a steady walk with his bag tossed over his shoulder now, Connor ambled along, passing a few more students and teachers as he turned to the fields, where a number of make-shift “arenas” were set out for what looked like sports and recreation.

Scanning the near crowds, he found the aura of the girl and it was still sending mixed messages about her Force connection. He wasn’t going to mention it but there was something in there, either that or he wasn’t in touch with the Force yet as he wanted to be.

A few other students milled around the gear – fencing. She was a fencer. If she could fence as well as she studied, she’d be a great Jedi for sure. He wouldn’t give up on her.

Dropping his bag, moving off the path around the building and stepping over on to the edge of the field, he folded his arms over his greatcoat, leaning back a little on his right boot to support his weight as he stood and watched, not drawing any attention to himself – just one of the few gawkers looking on.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Ready to finally lose Rae?" the big Mandalorian boy known as Kar sneered as she came up to him in their circle. Honestly, the boy just was soooo arrogant and she just couldn't get it across to him to stop trying. Coach didn't mind the rivalry though, it certainly helped keep his captain on her toes. They would need it for the sector championships, and Coach fully intended to defend the trophy.

It wasn't exactly normal fencing that allowed only thrusts and such, but it was a sort of combination fencing and normal sword fighting as a greater range of movements and attacks were permitted.

"Unless you came up with some other tricks to try, I won't be losing today," she said, shifting her stance so one hand was behind her and her profile was turned so she presented less of a target to her sparring "partner."

"bah, I don't need tricks to show you up, and then Coach will make me captain," Kar scoffed, coming forward to begin the fight. A thrusting stab came at her, and she merely sidestepped it and circled around behind him. He tried again, and she merely repeated the process. She was observing, looking for an opening to exploit to her full advantage.

"Stand still!" Kar yelled, swinging his foil at her. She ducked underneath it, and as she pivoted away to circle behind him, she jabbed her foil into the back of his knee. A cry of pain left his mouth, but he recovered and turned to face her again. His eyes were full of anger. Perfect, he wouldn't be thinking clearly now.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor didn’t move as her opponent came to face her, he looked a bit of a brute. He’d think his strength would get her, but with her dexterity and….Force/non-Force enhanced ability, she’d probably be faster.

As they began, from the distance between them, Tae moved fluidly while her opponent faltered numerous times. Moving too soon and giving his move away. Connor would have taken his head by now.

Bringing up his hand to gently chew on his thumb nail whilst watching, he chuckled at the in-audible shouts coming from her opponent, and winced after she took a stab at him. She was good.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Get back here you, schutta, and fight me like you mean it!" Kar yelled, swinging and thrusting with his foil wildly at her. Ducking and weaving, she kept herself in a tight stance, occasionally flicking her foil up to deflect or redirect one of his attacks elsewhere.

"All power and no thought," she scolded, sidestepping a lunge and flicking her foil up to his neck for a clear win. Taking a few steps back to the edge of the circle, she waited for the coach's whistle to begin the second bout. Kar was livid, she could tell from his body language . . . but it was more than that. She just knew the level of his rage, of his hate for her. He dropped the foil and picked up a standard training vibroblade he used. Great, he wanted that sort now huh?

Stepping over to her gear, she pulled out the crafted vibroblade her parents had bought her after the last championships. Custom made to be more like a rapier, but still with a cutting edge, she had thanked them profusely for it. Her mother had then proceeded to show her even more advanced techniques that weren't usually used with one.

The whistle came . . . and she didn't even need to turn around to know he was coming at her full force. It was like she knew exactly what he was going to do before he did, and even as he swung his blade at her, she was already dropping low and rolling to the side. Popping back up to her feet, she dodged a follow up overhand slash and deflected another attack to land in the ground.

"Think before you act," she said again, bringing her blade up to touch his heart. "Dead."

 

[Connor Harrison]

Between watching Tae duel with an obvious upper-hand, and watching other girls sparring across from her and some students walking past casting glances at the darkly dressed human, Connor was obviously distracted from the reason why he was on Lorrd in the first place.

Returning back to Tae and her partner, Connor noted the fight had escalated to vibroblades which made him perk up in interest. He twirled his thumb and finger around as he watched, silently cheering the bookworm on but it was clear he didn’t need to because she saw his moves before they came.

That was the Jedi way, he was sure of it.

Another little smirk crossed his lips as she effortlessly “killed” the hulking opponent without even breaking a sweat.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

Walking back to the edge of the circle again, she allowed her eyes to drift while she waited for the next whistle . . . and they landed on the handsome Padawan from the library, the Mr. Connor. She gave a small wave and wink as the next whistle was given and she turned to see a blade being driven at her already.

For her, time seemed to slow down as her mind took in everything. Kar must have attacked before the whistle . . . which usually grounds for a violation and coach making you run laps around the entire campus in full gear . . . but apparently Coach wanted to play out their rivalry to the fullest extent. As the blade came closer and closer to her in the slowed down state, her mind analyzed several options and landed upon the most practical and she followed that trail of actions, seeing how each action and reaction would play out.

As time seemed to resume at full speed, her blade whipped up to counter him at a speed she didn't even know she could do. Kar's eyes widened a bit that she had blocked him . . . then widened more as she drove an elbow into his solar plexus, and then a knee to his jaw.

"That was cheating, and you know it," she said, her blade at his neck as he wheezed on the ground.

"How did you block that?" he gasped, and Taeli just couldn't be sure how she had moved that fast.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor lowered his top half in a mock bow to the girl's little acknowledgement. He gave her a salute as he continued to watch.

The more the moved and acted against the threat of danger from her untrustworthy opponent, favoring brawn over brains, Tae was showing her ability in combat and her ability with the Force. Connor was adamant that's what she had. He could try to convince her, but she wasn't his problem at the end of the day.

Rubbing his chin, watching, he slowly walked the length of the arena she was in, watching the unfolding drama and wondering how she would deal with what he knew was coming - more aggression at the humiliation of being bested by a girl. She'd need to be careful, that was for sure.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"Because I use my brain over brawn," she replied, moving away. The blue contacts didn't do the justice of what her normal purple eyes would be showing. Right now, they would be like two pieces of amethyst as she glared at him. If there was something she didn't like, it was someone who tried to cheat in a fair contest.

"Rae, Jarnik! Get back to sparring or you're both running laps!" their coach yelled, but his eyes were narrowed at the boy laying on the ground. He didn't like cheaters either and Kar would probably be on the end of his ire before the practice was over. Rolling her shoulders to get loose again, she noticed that Connor was walking around and observing the practice, but he kept studying her with a look she couldn't interpret.

Shrugging, she raised her blade as Kar got to his feet and he stumbled towards her. He wasn't even taking a moment to rest, and now she was starting to wonder if he had slipped into that very dangerous mode Mandalorians could slip into. The state of mind that only held one thought, eliminate whatever was in your path.

The quick strikes he unleashed definitely spoke he was beyond angry now. Quick deflections and redirects were called for as she couldn't match his physical strength and he just kept on attacking. It took all her concentration to keep his blade away, and even then, it was close a few times. A hiss of pain left her lips as he got a lucky slash in that would leave a nice bruise on her leg.

She saw the triumphant smirk on his face, the cold rage in his eyes.

"I'll show you what it means to humiliate me, one way or another," Kar said, his voice menacing.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor frowned as the training seemed to be getting personal – it was clear Tae was up against a brute, but she handled herself with great ease.

He rested his chin in the cup of his fingers, pondering what she was really all about. She was like a coiled spring ready to burst when provoked, but she kept it together and thought her way out and acted with tactics rather than blind rage.

Nodding to himself at her display, he was eager to see how this would dissolve. His eyes flicked to her friends watching also; she kept fine company that much was true. He smirked to himself, returning to watch the two combatants.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"You can try, Kar," she replied, still staying to defensive as he continued his unrelenting flurry of attacks. He hoped to wear her down, break her stamina as it were, but the problem was ... she wasn't getting nearly as tired as him. Already, his power attacks had less strength behind them, his form a bit more sloppy, his breathing more ragged.

She was aware of the Jedi Padawan watching her, and the rest of the fencing team had stopped to watch as well since they had never seen Kar lose it like he was. There was something more vicious behind his fights recently, like something in him had changed for the worse. No one had any idea what could have happened ... but the rumors spoke of that his father had denied him the right to take up the clan, citing his lack of true Mandalorian training.

Whatever the case may be, she wasn't too picky as she angled around to start retreating back across the circle. Her blade kept deflecting and redirecting. She was determined to only allow him the one nick he had gotten in. Then there was a moment when perfect clarity reached her. She knew when exactly to attack and how so.

 

[Connor Harrison]

"...and I've faced down Sith and even wild Rancor AND got away without a scratch."

The green Twi'lek girls laughed as Connor stood talking to them beside the practice fields. He had caught their eye walking to studies and simply began to front his Jedi status - they didn't need to know the Padawan part - but with talk of the Silver Jedi and wild stories he had heard from other Masters.

He took a small bow.

"When I've finished scouting for possible Jedi potential here, maybe we can meet up again later and see what skill you have? You could be a real benefit to the Jedi, and to me, if you have the right ability."

A slight grin crossed his face as he continued, and pointed to the admin building he was due to go to, and hopefully find residence soon. Connor took a moment to glance at Tae, still battling her opponent. She was certainly cute, and he'd just wait around for her - but not without a little entertainment himself to pass the time with admirers wanting to talk to him.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

Not hearing the Jedi Padawan flirting and overinflating stories, Taeli was focused completely on finishing off Kar. Everything moved in slow motion for her, and she could almost see how each move would play out. Blocked an overhead strike, sidestepped the follow-through, deflect another.

'First, deflect so his blade is knocked away for a moment,' she thought. 'Second, elbow to sternum. Will hamper movement for a time, breathing difficulty increased by 80%. Third, knee to chin. Jaw broken or dislocated, pain threshold reached, tries to push on regardless. Fourth, bring blade down to disarm, potential to break wrist ... 67%. Fifth, if continued hostilities, bash in kneecap ... chance of injury to knock him out of fighting ... 98%.'

And it played out exactly as she had just predicted, she deflected his blade so it went wide. Her elbow snapped into his sternum, followed almost immediately by her knee as he doubled over to wheeze. She could hear a crack as his teeth knocked together as he stumbled backwards to try and recover. Her blade slammed down to disarm Kar of his blade, and that was when she heard a louder crack than she expected. She had swung her blade with such force and speed that not only his wrist, but the lower part of his arm was broken and the blade was bent slightly.

Kar let out a yell as he stumbled, his eyes full of rage and pain, but he tried to pick up his bent sword with his other hand, and her foot shot out to kick his knee in and he fell to the ground, yelling and carrying on.

As Taeli blinked, she looked at her hands for a moment. She had never actually broken someone's bone with a sword swing before. She usually didn't have the strength behind it, she was a more elegant duelist usually. Coach came in and gently moved her back as the medic that oversaw the team came over and started to examine Kar.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The cry of pain coming from the practice strip for the fencers alerted him and caught his attention once more, hearing one come from Tae’s opponent, but only getting louder when she let out a volley of quick and methodical attacks to take him down and break bone. He winced and stood for a moment, working out what he’d just seen.

"Excuse me girls – Connor Harrison. Come find me some time."

Taking his bag from the floor, Connor walked onto the grass and moved to where he was allowed behind Tae, her coach and her friends. The medics were on hand to treat the injured party. Looking down at the broken body, and then flicking his eyes to Tae who looked a little surprised at her actions, Connor leant forward.

"That’s the Force for you."

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"But ... I don't have the Force ... do I?" Taeli said, looking at her hands. It would make sense if she did, but neither of her parents were Force Sensitive and had never mentioned any of their family being it either. No, she had just ... struck him hard enough to break his bones when she didn't have such strength ... there was no way ... right?

"Rae, go clean yourself up and take the rest of the day, Kar here is gonna need some bacta ... but that was a damn good fight," her coach said, stirring her from her thoughts.

"Uh, right Coach," she said, going to grab her gear and still thinking.

"So that Jedi Padawan is kinda cute, gonna go for him?" Christin said as she slid up to her as she grabbed her gear bag.

"Oh shut up," Taeli responded, shouldering her bag ... but she couldn't resist looking over her shoulder to see if the Padawan would follow and they could talk more.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor stood back and didn’t say anything more as she packed up her gear, and he surveyed the wounded partner on the floor. He smiled a little at her handy-work, and as she moved on with a few whispers to friends, he picked up the pace to reach her walking off.

"Well? You gonna come to Voss with me? That was great – broke a few bones, put him in his place – get that ability and far sight tuned to the right wavelength and you’ll be a Jedi in no-time."

He nudged her as they walked back up the path.

"C’mon you’re not scared are you? Or are the Jedi not good enough, you gonna be a Sith instead?"

Connor chuckled and sighed, her face a picture of confusion and slight irritation.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

"I have too much to do here to go to Voss right now," Taeli said immediately and without thinking. Then she thought about it and realized she hadn't denied it outright either. Was she seriously considering that she had the Force ... that she was different than others ... well she knew she was different in some ways.

Purple eyes always made one stand out, and she had more than a few guys hit on her because of them. Ugh, these contacts were so annoying. This is why she would never wear them after this, she would go either without or with glasses. She would never wear colored contacts again without getting them fitted to her eyes anyway.

Rubbing her eyes a bit, she looked at him quizzically and asked, "Far-sight? What the heck is that?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

She was getting cranky now, obviously knowing she was capable of something more than silly fencing. Connor threw the bag over his shoulder and kept up with her as she vented.

"Farsight. Well it’s something I’m learning, and it’s a power that the Force gives you almost sense things before they happen – something in the natural world shouts to you about maybe danger you’re seconds away from, or movement or an attack incoming or something. I don’t know if you see into the future, but it’s literally seconds where things just feel normal and you know what’s going to happen and trust the Force to move with it."

He indicated with his head back to the medics.

"I reckon you did it there without knowing – seeing his attacks before they came and you pretty much just mapped out how to move around his body and take him down in what took seconds. And the library – you weren’t looking at me but you didn’t hit me because you knew I would be there so you moved without thinking."

It was risky, but as they talked, Connor counted down in his head and stuck his boot out in the path of Taeli; his methods weren’t very Jedi like in finding new skill, but he wasn’t a Master or anything so wanted to see how so reacted.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]