Vermin control

[Kriel Firin]

Verkuyl. A nothing planet in the scheme of things but it was of interest to the First order. Perhaps because alahzi was grown there. And as it was one of the main components of bacta, it was a precious resource.

It was grown in large processing plants in a medium of xoorzi fungus – except supplies had been running short of late. Initially there was speculation that it was a ruse to push the price of bacta up – ads the Trade Federation did all those years ago. But instead it was explained by a menace. Roggwarts. Or rather one. Just a very big one that was terrorising the main plant.

So a Knight was dispatched to deal with the creature and Kriel had been assigned to assist him. He was hoping for some training along the way, as journeys in the Outer Rim were notoriously slow and it would be a useful use of the time. But the Knight might have other ideas of course.

So Kriel presented himself at the hangar, ready to embark the Knight’s ship and head to their destination.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Verkuyl was a planet that Ballen-Ist had never heard of, let alone seen or visited in the past. With his allegiance to the First Order came some duties, ones that he couldn't say he favored. Though, as he waited upon his Upsilon class command shuttle, the Red Sith became eager to embark on this mission. He had chosen to bring [member="Kriel Firin"] along, a younger human disciple who showed promise. The Knight had been observing his teachings and training, and while he approved of some things there was a lot he frowned on.

The black shuttle would dock in the hangar, it's expansive wings folding upwards as the craft touched down. Mist would spray from the underbelly as the boarding ramps airtight seal was disengaged, allowing the metallic plank to descend. An officer would walk out of the vehicle, giving a glance around the area in search of Kriel. It took a moment, but eventually the Imperial spotted the disciple and marched up to him. "Sir, Knight Ist requests your presence immediately. Your training is to begin onboard." The man spoke, firm but obviously a bit nervous.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel knew it was the ship he was due to leave on the moment it came in to land. It was not the ship itself that gave it away – but the presence on-board. There was only only Knight of Ren in the vicinity, and he was on-board. As he moved closer to the craft, awaiting the ramp to lower, he wondered why he had been chosen. But before the thought could develop, a First order officer walked towards him and ushered him onto the ship.

Kriel nodded an acknowledgement. He was yet to understand where the Knights figurd in the chain of command. Masters clearly did what they wanted and Knights were given the utmost respect. Disciples were treated warily but often ordered around by senior officers – and they dutifully obeyed. So he followed as instructed and chose not to question the officer’s words. Training? How did he know, and more importantly, why? Not that he minded the idea – he sought wisdom and learning from everywhere – he was merely surprised.

He made his way to where the Knight was – his aura was a beacon to follow – and nodded once more, as an indication of respect. “Kriel Firin – Disciple, reporting for duty.”

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

[member="Kriel Firin"] would make his way to Ballen-Ist's meditation chamber, an empty room that was dimly lit by crimson lights along the ceiling. Sitting in a meditative position, the Knight would open his eyes slowly, noticing that the disciple had arrived.

Not in full armor, Ballen-Ist would raise to his feet, helmet missing to allow his golden eyes to stare at the apprentice as he turned to face him. "Greetings, Firin," the Red Sith spoke, taking a few steps along the metallic floor towards Kriel. "I hope you are ready for our mission. If not, I am prepared to begin training at this very instant. What do you wish to learn?" the Sith questioned, wondering what the man sought. He had noticed his obsession with the dark side, though perhaps he could still be taught more.

 

[Kriel Firin]

He made his way to the meditation chamber. The crimson lights might have been necessary, or simply added to the mood – but the sensation was one of darkness. This room seemed to amplify the Force. He saw the Knight meditating and having introduced himself, waited to be spoken to.

Kriel nodded an acknowledgement that he was ready and cocked his head to one side at the offer of training. The First Order officer had been right. Initially he was at a loss to choose – there were so many to choose from. Finally he considered what he needed the most in the few missions he’d run and so answered accordingly. “Mental powers would be my choice. Telepathy, Mind Control, abilities along these lines.”

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Nodding along with [member="Kriel Firin"]'s words, Ballen-Ist would begin to think back to the earliest days of his own apprenticeship. He had been taught telepathy and was decent in it's application, though hardly used it often enough. "I can teach you telepathy. Sit down," the Sith spoke, resuming his meditative stance on the metallic floor of the shuttle. Ballen-Ist would begin to fine tune his force sense, opening his mind and allowing his energy to spread out amongst the chamber.

"First, you must focus. Concentrate on your target, reach out with the force and connect with them. Once you have done this, you can take it a step further," the Knight would tell Kriel, knowing he was interested in mind control and domination. The disciple was powerful in the force, so he was sure that it was plausible. Silence would fall as the duo concentrated, the dim crimson light beating down on their forms. "Link with me."

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel did as instructed and sat down. He was impatient to get going but realised he was in no position to rush things and so did as he was told. He was merely a Disciple. Sooner or later he’d be in a position to be called a Knight of Ren – but for now, he would be dutiful and honour those who were.

He took a deep breath and called upon the Force, reaching into his mind for those raw emotions that helped him fuel the dark side – hatred, anger and frustration. Once he did so, he felt the power of the Force flow through him and ready to do his bidding. He looked up at the Knight before him and focused on him, sensing the man’s thoughts and emotions. Not in any detail but in a blurred way – yet enough to be tangible and therefore connect to.

He sent his own thoughts out with the Force and felt them connect with the Knight’s. "I am ready."

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

"We shall see," the Red Sith snapped back in response, his golden eyes closing as he continued to focus. There were many ways to utilize telepathy, whether it be through mental voice or image. Ballen-Ist's force energy would intertwine with [member="Kriel Firin"]'s own, completing the link rather easily. The two were extremely close, and thus doing so was not difficult. Long range telepathy was another story, given only the strongest of force wielders were capable of it. "We will test your ability to perceive first, sending messages will be useless if you cannot clearly see another's," the Knight advised, preparing to invade the disciple's mind.

He would be able to feel the dark force of Ballen-Ist project itself into his brain, creating images that would flash before very eyes. The first, was the dark metallic sheathed force sword, which was clipped along the back the Sith's waist. The process was not painful or forceful in anyway, though maybe a bit uncomfortable due to the ominous tone of the Pureblood's force energy. "Tell me what you see, but do not speak." Ballen-Ist instructed.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel braced himself. His training in this field so far was basic – he’d been taught to block an invasion of the mind. Or, to be more accurate, he’d been attacked and came up with his own method through trial and error. His teacher had told him this was the best way to learn – given each Force User had a different method. And maybe the pain had shortened the training? Regardless, he was about to find out just how much he had already learned – and how useful it was – if at all.

He nodded as a response to his teacher’s words and then felt the invasion – as if Ballen-Ist had entered his mind and then showed him various images. Or rather forced images into his own stream of consciousness. He resisted the urge to push the Knight’s intrusion back and allowed the images to appear – as if they were his own thoughts.

“I–“ Kriel began then bit his lip. No words he’d been told. Initially he looked to replicate the image in his own mind – but was unsure if this was what was required – or even if the Knight could see it. So he simply thought to himself – and hoped the connection would be enough to convey the message. ‘I see a sword. It is in a sheath. And it is behind you, attached to your belt.’

He waited to find out if he’d been successful.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

A smirk formed upon Ballen-Ist's lips as [member="Kriel Firin"] stifled his speech, remembering the instructions he had been given. Through the force, the Knight could sense the disciple's doubt as he began to form a response. It came through to the Pureblood's mind in a broken fashion, though enough of the the words were understandable to confirm that Kriel had succeeded. "Well done. Remember to let your energy carry your words along our connection," the Sith spoke, reaching around his back to grip the sheathed blade that dangled from his waist.

The weapon was pulled from it's belt strap, allowing Ballen to present it to the disciple. It was an old fashioned force sword, forged from dark side alchemy by the Pureblood's previous master. Once it was drawn, the bolts of electricity that ran along it's length would become apparent, glowing brightly within the dimmed chamber. "How are your saber forms?" He questioned, wondering which ones Kriel knew.

 

[Kriel Firin]

That he’d had a success was definitely positive – but he was sensible enough to understand what the words meant. He did OK, but there was room for improvement, which he accepted. He was arrogant and immoral but had gotten everything he had to date through hard work, and knew this would be no different.

He would practice from this point on and use the energy of the Force – that he would bend to his will – to ensure the connection was stronger and that the weak-willed would be easy prey and even those with a strong mind would not be able to resist him.

He stared at the sword. He had gained his own crystals, from Lothal, but had not yet fashioned a saber, let alone done much in the way of practice. As usual, he knew honesty was the best approach when it came to these matters.

“I understand the basics. I have been taught the first Form, but that is all.”

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Ballen-Ist would nod as [member="Kriel Firin"] spoke, his arms relaxing after handing the young man the force sword. If he didn't take it directly, the Knight would simply drop the heavy weapon into his lap. Placing his palms against the ground, the Red Sith would push himself up onto his feet, now standing at full height as he took a few steps away from the disciple. "I can teach you elements of Soresu, Makashi, and Juyo. It will be difficult, though by the time we are done sparring you will be much more knowledgeable."

Ballen-Ist stated, his hand lifting to grasp at the dark metallic hilt strapped to his waist belt. Pulling the lightsaber into his palm, the Sith would ignite it's crimson blade, waiting for Kriel to advance. If he used the force sword like Ballen had intended, he would find it slightly heavier then a regular lightsaber. This would be good for his training, allowing him to handle blades better and more efficiently. First, Ballen would demonstrate Soresu. "Attack."

 

[Kriel Firin]

He caught the sword instinctively. He wasn’t expecting it to be dropped into his lap, so it caught him unawares but good reflexes and the Force meant he made a decent job of catching it without looking too clumsy.

The Knight then drew a saber and it was clear the training was about to start in earnest. He transferred the sword from hand to hand a few times, to get a feel for its weight and balance. He’d held a training saber a few times at the Citadel and swung it – emulating some training regimes he’d read about, but he’d never wielded such a weapon and had to come into contact with another. Theory was one thing, and this was something entirely different.

So he held the sword with both hands on the hilt and knew to keep it simple. Not to overextend or swing wildly or attempt too much power – which would clearly affect his balance. The blade had some weight, unlike the training sabers, and he found this a small advantage. At the request to attack, he kept the blade held in front of him at a 45-degree angle and then swung twice at the Knight. Once was a simple left to right at chest height and he followed it up with a diagonal slash aimed down and at the Knight’s left shoulder.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Ballen-Ist watched [member="Kriel Firin"] get used to the weapon he wielded. The Knight planned to make him use it for the following weeks to come, given the lengthy starship journey that laid ahead of them. Yes, he would craft this disciple into a skilled warrior and user of the force. The crimson saber that had pointed idly to the floor would lift as Kriel charged, guarding the Sith's right as the disciple attacked from his own left. The two blades would clash and cause sparks to fly, Ballen-Ist needing to use a bit more strength than usual thanks to the weighted sword. Pushing against the younger man's appliance of momentum, the Sith would pivot on his foot briefly, preparing for the next incoming attack.

With a quick twist of his wrist, the Knight would cause his blade of plasma to guard his opposite side now, once more absorbing the blow from Kriel. Ballen had not yet moved, and appeared to be firmly standing his ground. His movements were quick and efficient, wasting no stamina in their executions. Hopefully Kriel picked this element of Soresu up, for Ballen would move onto the offensive, his arm lunging in with a stab while remaining planted to the metallic floor.

 

[Kriel Firin]

From what he’d read, more often than not it is clear to the combatants in a saber duel who will win within a matter of seconds. Facing his first true opponent, Kriel could understand why. He’d swung relatively hard and with potentially the maximum of his skill and the Knight had swatted his efforts aside as if they were of no consequence. Training solo taught balance and form – but it wasn’t until you put in the variable of an opponent that you truly understood how challenging the task was.

And no sooner had he attacked than he was on the defensive. In his mind, given an exam, he would be able to explain precisely what to do to defend himself. That was the benefit of theory. Its disadvantage was that this was a practical exam – there was no stylus and flimsi to use.

Kriel reacted instinctively and understood for the first time that sparring and building up muscle memory was the true way ahead. Learn without dying was the order of the game.

So he simply swung the sword across his body, pushing the advancing blade to one side. Despite his best efforts, he felt a burning sting as the outer layer of clothing and skin were removed by a horizontal slash. At least it hadn’t punctured him – yet, despite the pain, in fact because of it – he felt more alive than ever before and used the discomfort to fuel the dark side in him, feeling he could draw more power than ever before.

And so, without thinking, he countered with three quick blows, to the head, elbow and knee – aiming to transition smoothly from one to the next as seamlessly as possible.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Ballen-Ist's crimson saber was able to glance [member="Kriel Firin"]'s side, as he managed to defend himself from a stab that would have otherwise proved lethal. "Good," the Sith Knight commented, taking a few steps back as he sensed the build up of power within the disciple. He was ready to retaliate immediately, causing Ballen to quickly pull his blade arm closer to his body. Kriel had experienced Soresu first hand, hopefully he would be able to pick it up on his own. The younger man seemed to be doing fine as well, delving into Juyo as he allowed the dark side to fuel his strikes. They were quick and without hesitation, as one would expect from a warrior.

Ballen-Ist had trained for several years, and considered himself a warrior as well. While stepping backwards, the lightly armoured Knight would begin to meet Kriel's blows, the crimson blade of plasma lifting from his side to swipe out and meet it's force sword counterpart. Then the Knight would suddenly become a bit more composed, his body straightened out as he deftly began to sidestep around Kriel, using quick stabs and thrusts to parry and evade damage. He had transitioned into Makashi.

 

[Kriel Firin]

He was aware that his opponent was expending far less energy than him - and still, it was Kriel that had the injury. From his studies, he suspected the Knight was using the third Form. He duly noted the fact and decided to use that knowledge as the fight progressed.

Except no sooner had it re-started, than his opponent seemed to be changing Forms. His blade movement slowed and foot-work became paramount now. The quick thrusts and stabs suggested the second Form. Kriel knew that meant his opponent would have the greater reach but would sacrifice power. He was, broadly speaking, at a loss as to how to effectively counter, which simply made him angry and fed the dark-side ll the more. So instead of fancy blade-work to try to better an opponent with greater ability, he resorted to what he knew. He was, after all, a street brawler - albeit one with a posh accent. So he parried one of the blows and immediately stepped in to his opponent - literally barrelling into him and leading with his shoulder to knock the man back - ideally to unbalance him or even deposit him on his backside.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Their weapons would continue to clash in combat, creating sparks upon contact as the duo sharpened their prowess in swordsmanship. Ballen-Ist's movement had indeed changed now, his agile footwork working to help his body evade blows, while quick and precise stabs helped the Knight pierce [member="Kriel Firin"]'s defence. However, the disciple had attempted a new approach, incorporating a physical blow in with his saber manoeuvre. The younger man's shoulder would slam into Ballen-Ist's torso, causing him to stumble backwards, before eventually regaining his balance. Lifting an arm, the Sith would begin to exert his power over the dark side, calling upon it and bending it to his will.

Powerful violet bolts of electricity would spring from the red skinned man's gloved fingertips, arching through the air to close in on Kriel's position. If the disciple was hit, he would most definitely be knocked out, only to reawaken hours later and find that he was alone aboard the Fury-class interceptor. However, if Kriel managed to absorb the lightning with the force sword, then Ballen-Ist would simply initiate combat once more, attempting to overwhelm the apprentice with his talent in Juyo. He would keep pushing forward, aiming to push Kriel to the point of exhaustion, or until he slipped up and allowed an opening in his guard. Either way, if Kriel was defeated, he would wake up in the main cabin of the interceptor, force sword still beside him, though nothing else besides supplies that would last him until he reached Verkuyl.

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel was buoyed with his small success but it quickly led to over-confidence and so he was caught by surprise when the Knight unleashed Force Lightning on him. He instinctively held up the Force sword to block the attack and had partial success as it seemed to absorb some of the energy — but only some. The rest found its mark and was a combination of extreme pain and then a numbing sensation as he found the energy stripping him of consciousness and as he dropped the sword due to his senseless arms, the remainder of the violet bolts hit home and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

He awoke and initially had no recollection of how he got to the cabin of the ship before the memories flooded back. There was thankfully no pain and beside him was a force sword and supplies. He closed his eyes and meditated, wondering if the Knight had been impressed by his efforts or dismissive of them.

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

 

[Ballen-Ist]

The lightning that had coursed through [member="Kriel Firin"] didn't last, only keeping up long enough to render the disciple unconscious. A single day had passed since their training session, and Ballen-Ist was nowhere to be seen. Once Kriel slipped into his meditation, he would quickly realize that the interceptor was void of life. However, he was not alone. The faint hum of the ships engine would be blotted out as the chamber doors suddenly slid open, revealing a pair of tall, nimble looking robots. Clutched in their metallic grip were blaster rifles, that hesitated only for a second before firing forth. Red blaster bolts would sear through the air, closing in on the disciple in an attempt to execute him swiftly.

The droids were not concerned with Kriel's thoughts, not caring if he took the time to wonder what was going on. Had Ballen-Ist betrayed him, or was there another explanation? Either way, the droids were not made of any special material, so as long as the disciple was sharp enough to transition into his defence quickly, he would be capable of destroying them easily. However, beyond the private chamber was a full squadron of the assassin droids, their blasters charged and awaiting for Kriel to step outside. Eight on the other side, and two attempting to kill him now.