Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Private working things out

Step after step he just kept running. Sweat rolled down the dark skin on his forehead and flew from the ends of his fingers as they swung with each powerful step he took. One more lap, he told himself as he crossed the starting line again. This part of the gymnasium was as it had been the last several mornings, empty, Dagos never minded being alone in here until he got to this point of his run. He looked around the empty room as he rounded the curved part of the track noticing white painted walls that looked recently maintained, he could not see a worn patch anywhere, the aluminium bleachers looked pretty new too, he thought.

His assessments of the room he currently occupied didn’t mean anything but he needed something to focus on that wasn’t the pounding of his heart or the effort of his breathing as he crossed the starting line again for another lap.

One more lap he promised himself. His breathing had gotten more labored with each step and he’d had to make the effort to not breathe through his mouth like an amateur with no cardio. The smell of rubber from the track filling his nose with each breath.

One more lap he demanded of himself and he crossed the line once again. At this point he was so far past the point of his legs burning that he could no longer feel them, pushing himself around the track on what must have been momentum alone. His training clothes, long black skin tight spandexy pants with a matching long sleeve spandexy shirt clung so tightly to his body from sweat he was sure he would have to be cut out of them.

One more lap he pleaded with himself before basically collapsing half way round the track. Fifteen miles. He would go further tomorrow he swore, as he lay flat on his back, eyes closed hardly noticing and certainly not caring that he was now covered in the tiny rubber pellets that accompanied the astroturf field that the track surrounded.

“Want some water?” A female voice asked him.

Dagos Terrek, Jedi hopeful, sat up with as much effort as he could muster to see standing over him, a girl with a freckly face and sandy hair that went past her shoulders. She was older than he was but not by much. She was one of the non-force users that lived here at the temple and helped with the upkeep and daily tasks required. Dagos had noticed her around before in the couple of weeks he had been at the temple but this was the first interaction they’d had.

He thanked her for the water and took an almost uncomfortably deep drink draining the whole bottle at once.

She smiled at him. “So,” She began “Why are you still here at the enclave?” She asked him

He looked puzzled as he asked her what she meant.

“Oh.” she said looking equally as confused. “You’re a Jedi right? I thought all the Jedi had gone to Circumtore.”
“I don't know what that is.?” He told her still confused.

“I...don’t know much.” She said somewhat apologetically “Just something about pirates and The Hutts and strike teams.” She told him excitedly. “You’re a Jedi right?” she’d asked again this time with skepticism.

“Kark.” He swore casually.

He had no idea if he was a Jedi or like her, he was someone that just lived here. He’d arrived just a couple of weeks ago and had been basically on his own since. He’d met Zak Dymo and even though the kid talked like non stop, Dagos had sort of liked him, Dagos had even moved into Zak’s old dorm room and found a KastOut poster and right then knew the Nautolan had some style. But that was weeks ago and Dagos hadn’t seen Zak since nor had he seen the Togruta girl who apparently had trained in K’thri nor had he seen the Jedi with the red hair who had walked around dressed like the enclave was in the middle of a war zone.

“Hey. I’ll see you later ok?” she told him as an older woman who must of been her supervisor or something came into view with a stern look.

“Yeah, okay.” Dagos told her, still clearly distracted at his not being included in...well anything. At the academy which he went to before being sent to the Jedi, he was always included, as benefited a star athlete but his problem had been how much he hated it there. Which was not nearly as much as he hated it here.

After his brief conversation had ended Dagos laid back flat on the ground again closing his eyes once more wishing he were somewhere else.

Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo
 
Ryuichi had been watching Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek for a while. Studying the one who was to be his new pupil. Not that he'd had any choice in the matter. But the Council had assigned him the youth and you didn't disobey them.

He'd spent most of his life travelling since being knighted. Peacekeeping, law and order and mostly just being away from anything to do with Padawans. Though he wouldn't directly acknowledge it, they brought back bad memories. He'd never quite fit in.

If it hadn't been for his Master, he wouldn't have completed his Trials. In fact, he'd have simply walked away from life as a Jedi. His mentor's death had grieved him deeply. Passing the Trials had been done as much to honour her memory as it was to be Jedi.

The young Harun was clearly athletic as his profile suggested. The Masters also said he was stubborn to a fault. Ryuichi would break that one way or the other. He held himself to very high standards and would expect the same of his pupil.

"Padawan," the Pantoran called in his brisk Inner Rim-accented basic as he strode across the gymnasium.

"My name is Ryuichi Ryo and you are Dagos Terrek," he said looking down into the youth's eyes while folding his arms "By order of the Council, you are assigned as my Padawan learner."

His voice gave no hint as to how he felt about that. Blue lips compressed into a thin line, though, seeing Dagos laying there.

"Stand up, Padawan, you can recover from your run on your feet."
 
The kark was this motherkarker? On everything Dagos would be forcedamned to have someone speak crazy to him.

Dagos sat up but did not stand. “Who are you?” He asked the blue skinned man with a tone of “are you out of your damned mind?”. The knight had clearly introduced himself already, not that Dagos bothered to remember his name.

The alien had named Dagos a padwan. Dagos had heard the word used around the temple before but still didn’t know exactly what it meant and what had the guy meant by “The council” assigned him? What council? And why wasnt Dagos told about it. No contact with any body for two weeks except for this guy. What a raw karking deal.

Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo
 
And there was the 'problem with authority'. Ryuichi sighed heavily as he knew this was going to be like pulling teeth.

"I told you who I was, Dagos," the Pantoran said with forced patience "I have been assigned by the Jedi Council as your teacher. Perhaps you're not familiar with them."

He might not be terribly familiar so the elder Jedi would grant him that.

"You probably have heard the Council mentioned. They are a circle of our wisest Masters. They guide us in all we do and their word is law for us within the Order."

"As they have placed you in my charge, I will guide you on your journey. Possibly to Knighthood. Possibly."

He placed heavy emphasis on that. The young Harun needed to know that, without the approval of the Masters, he'd not advance. With his current attitude, it would not be happening. Ryuichi would certainly be changing that attitude.

"And, Dagos, we in the Order show respect to all beings. Especially our elders."

His black eyes were not touched by the slight smile. No Padawan would disrespect him in such a way.

"Now stand up. I'm going to teach you something useful."

Without looking back, because the youth would stand up or be stood up, the blue man walked over to a rack with wooden training blades. He picked up two of them.

Turning back to face his new charge, he tossed the stave in his direction.

"There you are."

Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek
 
So he wasn’t going to leave. No he was going to stand there and answer questions he hadn’t asked. If the council was so wise then maybe they should’ve found someone else to explain all of this to him.

Wait one karking minute, what did he mean that Dagos had been placed in his charge?

Before Dagos had a chance to complain or tell Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo he was out of his karking mind, the elder Jedi plowed straight ahead explaining something about respect and the council or whatever.

This time Dagos got to his feet just in time to catch the training stick tossed his way.

Dagos sort of twisted the stick around getting a feel for it.

“What’s a Padawaan?” He asked bluntly “and what’chu mean guide me on my journey? What journey?”
 
Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek had excellent reflexes, the blue man had to give him that. Though they were preternatural due to his connection with the Force. But, from what Ryuichi knew of the Harun Kaal, Force sensitivity was inherent to all. Therefore, it would be a matter of course to him.

"Padawan means 'one who learns'," the Pantoran explained in reply "It's the formal title given to the apprentices of our Order."

He placed the tip of the training blade on the ground as if it were a walking stick.

"What I mean by 'guiding you on your journey' is just that. I will teach you the ways of the Jedi Order. If you can learn them, you may go through your Trials of Knighthood to become a Jedi Knight."

"Should you pass through these Trials, these tests, successfully you will become a full member of the Order itself."

Ryu observed that the young man appeared to be hearing much of this for the first time. Perhaps he would ease up a little.

"But those are things of the future. For now, we will focus on the first lesson of the first day."

He gestured to the lightsaber hilt hanging on his belt.

"Surely you know of lightsabers. The legendary blades of the Jedi said to pierce and cut through anything."

With a well-honed motion, he unhooked and thumbed the blade to life. He held the glowing sapphire blade before him for a moment. It hummed and vibrated gently, almost imperceptible in his hand. Then he extinguished it and hooked it back in place.

"This weapon is only a tool, Dagos, remember that. It's the least part of what a Jedi is and stands for."

"Yet the Universe can be a dangerous place. So, in a last resort, we must defend ourselves. Or we must stand and defend those who cannot protect themselves."

He brought the wooden stave up in an equally swift motion.

"Now watch and listen carefully, I will show you the foundations."

The Pantoran spread his feet shoulder-width apart and staggered his right foot back. His weight was on the balls of his feet, light and ready to move with knees slightly bent. His right hand held the hilt on top and his left held the bottom. It was not a death grip nor was it too soft that it might be dislodged. The stave pointed up at a 45 degree angle.

"This is called 'middle guard' and is the beginning. Remember the importance of your stance. You can't defend yourself if you can't even stand correctly."

He began to give instruction in his meticulous way....

Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek
 
Dagos listened to Ryuchi’s explanation of what a padawan was or he did his best to listen while still messing around with the training stave. Focus was not always Dagos’ strong suit. He did however catch the part about tests. His grades had always been good so he was not too worried about tests that might happen later.

Ryuchi Ryo’s blade sprang to life with a hiss and a crackle and Dagos’ attention was suddenly fully on the Jedi knight.

"This weapon is only a tool, Dagos, remember that. It's the least part of what a Jedi is and stands for." The knight explained.

Whether it was a weapon or whether it was a tool, all Dagos knew was that it was karking cool. It suddenly dawned on him that he, Dagos, would if things worked out with the Jedi get a lightsaber of his own. Ho’chit could you even imagine?

"Yet the Universe can be a dangerous place. So, in a last resort, we must defend ourselves. Or we must stand and defend those who cannot protect themselves." Ryuchi went on

Dagos thought the Jedi were just monks. Religious scholars who sat around collecting dusty old tomes and debating philosophy while butting into business that wasn’t their concern and holding their understanding of the force over the head of normal citizens and forcing those normal people to follow rules they hadn’t had a say in.

Dagos did as Ryuchi did and mimicked his stance with the training sword.

“So, do I like live with you now or some chit?” He asked still a little confused about being this guy’s ward.

“And what’chu mean defend others? You like a cop or summin?”

Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo
 
Ryuichi paused to consider the questions. He tilted his head to the side as he thought.

"We are not police but we assist them at times. We also act as peacekeepers when we must. We largely prefer to allow people to resolve their own disputes peacefully by their own rule of law."

He took longer to answer the first question, moving to adjust his student's stance ever-so-slightly.

"Technically, you live at whichever Temple or enclave you are sent to. That will tend to be where I am. Think of it this way: the Council is considered your guardian. They have seen to it that I will guide you."

"From time-to-time you may be under the supervision of another Jedi. They may teach you or lead you on tasks. Remember that they are due proper respect."

His jet black eyes met those of Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek and he spoke again.

"It's important that you pay attention to these skills I'm teaching you. This stance is the basis on which you may well save your life one day."

"I don't expect you to master it in one day. But remember, never be caught flat-footed and don't grip your weapon too tightly but not too loosely. Tension wastes energy and slows you down. Too loose means you can be disarmed or knocked down."
 
His questions were starting to be answered. Not just specifically the ones about being police but ones he had since he arrived at the enclave. He’d been brought here as a way to avoid real punishment for a previous incident at the academy or previous series of incidents would be more accurate. While his mom and dad may have thought that living with and apparently training to become a Jedi was different than being punished by the law or whomever would have seen fit to handle Dagos’ case, he really couldn’t see a difference.

Dagos listened to Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo instruction and made changes accordingly. He relaxed his grip just a bit but not enough to be holding the sword loosely. He was also loose on his feet. Something years of martial arts training had honed in him. In this, in combat training, he knew he would succeed.
 
Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek seemed to have an aptitude for the blade. Ryuichi wasn't displeased by that at all. Yet he knew natural talent brought arrogance in the young ones. He'd seen it often enough in his own youth.

Not especially gifted in the Force, he'd been beaten by his fellow students in sparring for a long time. Yet it only spurred him to train harder, to focus on every detail he could. Slowly, he became every bit as good, and often better, than his fellow Padawans.

"Your stance will do for now, Dagos," he said neutrally "You can't master it in a day. In fact, you cannot master anything in a day."

"Now, I will show you a high block. Most humanoids will instinctively attempt an overhead strike. So it follows that this is the first block taught."

He demonstrated several times.

"Now show me a high block. Do not rush it. Do it properly even if it means slowly."
 
Dagos mimicked the older man’s movements. Keeping his feet apart just enough to maintain a strong base, he held his sword high near his head, visualizing himself defending an oncoming attack. For some the first time training with a sword wooden or otherwise could be an awkward experience but for Dagos, this was the first time he’d felt even remotely comfortable since arriving at the enclave.

Dagos wasn’t sure how he felt about Ryuchi Ryo Ryuchi Ryo or the Jedi council or any of that junk but he knew how he felt about this. About training, about having something to excel at. He felt karking great.

“Like this?” he asked his new instructor.
 
"Your blade is too flat," he said as he brought his blade down just hard enough to cause the other stave to bump Dagos' head.

"That's what happens. Angle your blade up."

"If your attacker were to strike full force, your own blade would likely take off your head."

He gestured for Dagos Terrek Dagos Terrek to try it again. This was going to take a while....
 

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