Private Way Of The Blade

[Alina Tremiru]

The reality that she could get faster and stronger than her human limits was a reality the absolutely adored. She could, in her own way, match up to her fellow acolytes. Become something strong enough to be feared and, hopefully, inspiring. And perhaps, one day, finally bring an end to the careless sacrifice the current Pillar of War enacted for his own selfish desires. Alina clenched a fist tightly. She'd watched Other Space Kaiden get away with too much. When she was strong enough, she would take that monster's head. First though she needed to get strong enough. It pleased her to no end to come back into contact with Iasha Rha after all they'd been through with the invasions.

They hadn't actually met up again. In fact, all there was was a quick message from Alina asking if she wanted to come along and learn more of how to use a saber from a teacher she'd been pointed to. A Darth Raust. Alina figured if she was going to learn, she might as well do it alongside someone she could trust. The young woman stood in one of the various training rooms of the Sith Academy, dressed in a simple Sith robe with her family saber hanging from her hip. Now she was just waiting for either the teacher or her.. Friend? Maybe they were friends. Something to ask, if she had the time.

 

[Iasha Rha]

"Alina"

Iasha's voice cut the silence, still hoarse from the injuries she had sustained in the battles previously. She too wore a simple style of sith robes, albeit without sleeves, showing the simple sith tattoos on her upper arms. They were a reward for their victory on Dantooine. The twi'lek smiled a little and made a short bow to greet her fellow apprentice. On her hip hung not one, but two sabres: One was her own, the other was one she had taken from their fallen comrade on Dantooine in order to protect them from the graug.

A memento, a weapon, and a promise.

"I am glad to see you have healed."

As she spoke, she had a new, slight lisp; presumably it was a side-effect of how her teeth had been cut to points. It was a twi'lek tradition, usually reserved for males, but not unheard of among women who took up the mantle of a warrior. She had been allowed to cut them after the battles they had been through. While she had yet to rise in the ranks of the Sith, she had been recognised as a warrior by her fellow twi'lek. As they would say, she had "cut her teeth" on the field of battle and earned the fearsome appearance that came with it. The lisp would fade in time, usually anyway.

Soon behind Iasha came their hired instructor. The twi'lek quickly turned and stepped in beside Alina to face their tutor.

He was a large quarren; tall and broad-shouldered. Tentacles cascaded down from his face and the head-comb extended far out to either side. His eyes pierced the dark as he approached the two apprentices with a calm stride. The long, black robes brushed the stone floor as he walked, and the two weapons on his belt jangled lightly with his pace. One was a lightsabre, however, the other was a coil of metal wire wound around and around in a loop. On one end of the coil was a handle, on the other end, the coil terminated in three thin tails. Anyone who had experience with punishment knew the weapon on sight: An electrowhip.

"Apprentice Alina Tremiru." The glowing orbs of his eyes travelled from one to the other. "Apprentice Iasha Rha."

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina's own robes were lacking sleeves, because sleeves are terrible. And there was something to be said of the intimidation some felt at the sight of her arms. She wasn't above using whatever she had if it helped her win. Grant it, there was nothing intimidating about the bright smile that formed on the young woman's face once she heard Iasha Rha 's voice. It was still hoarse, but no where near how bad when she dug the Twi'lek out from the fallen cavern. For a moment she felt the urge to rush over and hug the other woman.

An urge she quickly squashed.

"I've healed as much as I could." There was an unspoken air about that. Some wounds weren't the type that could be healed. And what they faced on Dantooine was something that still haunted Alina. Her gaze turned to the Quarren as he entered. The acolyte visible stood straighter, clasping her hands behind her back in a rigid formality not unlike a soldier. She'd never actually seen one of his species before. There was something scary about it. An unknown on what exactly he could do.

And if he was the type to be needlessly cruel.

"Darth Raust. Thank you for taking the time to see us."

 

[Iasha Rha]

"Acolytes. I take it you have already received basic instruction in the sabre arts, however, as the quality of our overseers is of-"

His tentacles curled in a sneer. Iasha was tempted to sneak a look at Alina to gauge her reaction, but did not dare take her eyes off the quarren sith lord's face as he glowered at them.

"-disparate quality, I require to see how versed you are."

His eyes shifted between the two of them and strode into the room, toward the piste in the middle: The area where tempoes and sparring sessions most often occurred.

"On your marks! Sabres out!" He barked at the two acolytes.

Iasha reacted quickly, jumping to the piste and unclipping her sabre with a near fumble. She was jostled, but quickly regained her composure as the familiar shape of the lightsabre filled her hands. The crystal inside the hilt responded to her will, echoing her intentions and desires. She activated the blade and held it above her head while adopting a broad stance with her legs, leaning her weight and momentum forward. It was an aggressive stance, one that pressed the attack, but she had yet to be unleashed. The master had not said "fight"

Raust appeared pleased with himself that he had spooked the young twi'lek as he casually caressed one of his facial tentacles.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Alina kept her face devoid of any kind of emotion. She'd gotten good at that over the years with her mother, trying to avoid any beatings if the Lady Tremiru didn't like what mood the young woman was in. It didn't stop her nervousness from being felt in the Force, however. Their first meeting with Darth Raust and she'd already fallen short of his expectations. Her training with a saber was born from street fights and desperation. She swallowed as the Quarren walked to the center of the room, chancing a glance to Iasha Rha .

Hopefully Alina wouldn't bring her Twi'lek friend down with that lack of formal training.

The barked order snapped her attention back to the Overseer. In a quick motion she had her saber out, thumbing the button on the hilt for the crimson blade to ignite. The stance she took was a more neutral one. Giving no favor to defense or offense, but obviously prepared for either scenario. Or, at least, it would be if she actually knew the stance. She was only mimicking Takui from their fight. That showed a lot of what she could do. Steal what information she could from others and try to make it her own.

Try being the key word. Thus far she'd yet to actually do so effectively with her blade work.

She stayed still as Iasha did, not sure what to do next. She could feel her heart beat quicken. Ready for a fight. There was no way there wouldn't be, not with them being Sith.

 

[Iasha Rha]

"Fight!" - The Quarren Sith Lord shouted.

Iasha seized the initiative to leap toward Alina, closing the distance.

Although her high-raised blade and long leap made it seem like she would try to cut downwards while still in the air, it was a feint. The twi'lek landed earlier than one would presume and made a lunge to close the remaining distance. The blade swung down behind her when she landed and came arcing up as she tried to bat Alina's sabre up in the air and open her defences.

For someone of her small stature and less than considerable strength, the young twi'lek fronted a strong and aggressive style in this sparring.

Perhaps she wanted to impress their instructor? Or perhaps she was trying to make up for time lost on the battlefield of before.

Alina Tremiru

 

[Alina Tremiru]

As prepared as her stance seemed Alina wasn't prepared to fight Iasha Rha in the slightest. The announcement to fight had her focus on the Quarren, ready to charge in on him alongside her Twi'lek friend. And yet, Iasha had no hesitation. Panic swelled in her chest when she noticed her fellow acolyte jumping at her, but as surprised as her mind was, her body wasn't. Instinct of battle took over as she twisted and swung her blade in a heavy swing for the blade coming at her.

It was enough to protect her, but the blade was knocked high. Alina gritted her teeth as she shifted back a step, her grip on her blade tightening as she readied to bring it back down. She took a calming breath before shifting her weight forward. In a blur of movement she brought her blade down, far faster than humanly possible. But only for the briefest moment. Enough to try and ward the Twi'lek off from trying to capitalize on her briefly exposed defense.