To Become a Knight: Zaifa's Training

[GABA]

Zaifa stood in the training room. There was a fairly large window over-looking a courtyard in the Jedi temple. It was something she often did, watch people and if she could, tap into their minds, read their thoughts, nudge their thoughts, or even just give them new thoughts all together. She had always discovered thoughts had an emotion connected with it and therefore could be easily influenced with a simple dab of her own emotions to change their course entirely.

She sighed loudly and pressed her forehead against the window, she had arrived early, entirely too early; she figured since there was nothing else to do she would wait for her new master to arrive. Zolotoy Tsviets, a Knight; she had seen his picture on the holo-image, but so far she could match it to anyone she'd seen below her. She would keep waiting.

 

[Dmitri]

Zolotoy Tsviets walked down the halls of the Jedi temple in Coruscant. As he approached his destination, he reviewed the file that he had received. Zaifa Nevala was a Zeltron hybrid Jedi. She was talented with Force Empathy. She's learning Shien.

Time to meet her, thought Zolotoy.

Zolotoy entered the training room. He greeted Zaifa with a handshake.

"Welcome, Padawan Nevala," greeted Zolotoy. "I am Jedi Knight Zolotoy Tsviets; you can call me Zol. I'll be training you."

 

[GABA]

Zaifa heard the swish of the door opening and closing, she quickly stood straight up, wiped the forehead mark off the window with her sleeve then shook Zol's hand, "I am happy you are Knight Tsviets and that you are training me, if you weren't this would make for a very awkward position." she replied shrugging her shoulders as she tried to get a read off of him.

 

[Dmitri]

Zol laughed. "Very much so."

Zolotoy sat down cross-legged, allowing his student to do the same.

"I've read your report, but I'd like to hear from you," said Zolotoy. "Why did you join the Jedi Order? What do you want to learn here?"

 

[GABA]

"Join the Order?" she questioned and then took a seat cross-legged in front of Zol, "Well, more like I stayed, I really didn't have any family until I came here, so everyone is like a brother or sister to me. And supposedly you don't leave family and you stick by through thick and thin. After my master passed away, it really made me think; as a youngling you don't think about things like that, but as I got older I begun to question why I was here, he had really showed me the potential of what I could really be. After he did pass away though, I took time for myself, I stayed with the Order, but after visiting places around the galaxy, I started to realize I would have who I am if I didn't stay with the Jedi. So in short Master Zol, I am of the Jedi, this is my home, this is my purpose." Zaifa responded, she paused for a moment to think, then continued:

"Control, I want to learn control. I tasted fear and everything that I ever learned spiraled out of control. Everyone who taught me how to control did a great job, but when I experienced death, it seemed like a whole new concept. And the only thing I want to do is avoid it, but I don't think that would do me any good."

 

[Dmitri]

"Death is inevitable," said Zolotoy. "Instead of trying to avoid it, embrace that fact that you'll eventually die. If you worry too much about dying, you'll not be able to reach your full potential. You'll shrink back in fear in hopes of preventing death from seizing you. Don't race for it, acknowledge it. Don't let death control you. Control yourself."

 

[GABA]

"Its hard not to worry about it when there's war though Master." she sighed looking at her fingernails, unsure on what to think, "Is that how you perceive it Master Zol?" she asked carefully.

 

[Dmitri]

"All I know is that fearing death can lead to cowardice and can get you killed," said Zolotoy. "On the other hand, if you get cocky, you'll wind up dead. The best thing is to not worry about it."

 

[GABA]

Zaifa looked down at her feet for several minutes in thought, "I can do that," she nodded to herself before looking back up at Zol, and started her sentance in mid-thought, "...then it shouldn't be feared...then I will not fear it Master, what are you going to teach me now?" she asked him moving onto another topic, her way of moving onto a new subject when she wants it to pass.

 

[Dmitri]

Zolotoy unclipped his lightsaber. While it seemed like he was going to attack Zaifa, the Knight instead let go of it, allowing it to drop. However, he used telekinesis to levitate it three inches from the ground.

"Telekinesis is a basic Jedi move," explained Zolotoy. "I've been told that you know some forms of it: Force Push, Force Pull."

Zolotoy let the lightsaber plop to the ground and nudged it, allowing it to roll over to Zaifa.

"I want you to try to levitate it into a the air."

 

[GABA]

Zaifa watched her master with the lightsaber as it gently floated above the ground. From what she understood, telekinesis was a balance of pushing and pulling on an object with the force; she watched it roll towards her and with a wave of her fingers, the lightsaber came to her, too much pull...

She caught the saber and held it out in front of her, her white eyes squinted as she concentrated. It had been so long since she practiced. The hilt shot up into the air and came back down, but she caught it before it hit the ceiling. The hilt came back down slowly over her outstretched hand. Zaifa let out a breath relaxing as it levitated, only to let it wobble and she caught her breath again.

After a moment of balancing her push and pulls on it. The hilt suspended in between the padawan and her Master. She opened her mouth to speak, "I think like this..." she said focusing.

 

[Dmitri]

"Concentrate," purred Zolotoy. "You don't want to have it taken away. If against an opponent, you must also make sure that you don't get overpowered telekinetically."

Zolotoy slowly pulled his lightsaber back towards him, edging Zaifa to try to prevent it from returning to its owner.

 

[GABA]

As it was starting to get easier, she felt a tug, "No..." she replied with a whisper, the hilt wobbled in front of as it begun to point towards Master Zol. She pulled back on the blade, gently gliding it in the air back to her.

 

[Dmitri]

"Very good," said Zol. "Now, can you tell me what Force powers can defend yourself, like a shield?"

 

[GABA]

Zaifa smiled, "A protection bubble Master Zol, I had seen some Jedi do when I was assisting in battle." she replied to Zol, "Its useful against deflecting blaster bullets, for lightening, and overall absorbing projected energies."

 

[Dmitri]

"Correct," said Zolotoy. "We have Force Shield, Force Barrier, and Tutanisis. Let's try Force Barrier."

Zolotoy summoned a barrier of energy utilizing the Force. She motioned for Zaifa to try the same.

 

[GABA]

Zaifa stood in front of her Master. She stood feet shoulder length apart and let out her deep breath. She concentrated on the Force, letting it move through her body, pulling the energy she needed then released it. A flicker of light snapped from her outstretched fingers. She tried again, with another flicker, the light snapped into a wall in front of her but it was short-lived. She smiled at her accomplishment. "Something like that?" she asked making sure she was doing it right.

 

[Dmitri]

"Very good," said Zolotoy. "But we want it to last longer."

Zolotoy erected the Force Barrier again. He kept it going as he talked.

"Concentrate. Do not quiver under frustration. Try to keep it going longer."

 

[GABA]

Zaifa nodded, understanding what her Master said. She outstretched her arms and focused. The Force energy channeled through her body and out the palms of her hands. Her eyes squinted in concentration and out came a flicker of energy. It was short-lived and Zaifa tried again.

This time she relaxed her body, not tensing her muscles as hand and her eyes relaxed. She focused her Force energy through her arms and hands. And there it appeared: a wall of energy.

 

[Dmitri]

"Very good," said Zolotoy. "Let's test it out."

Zolotoy unstrapped a lightsaber from the side of his belt. The Jedi Knight ignited it.

"Don't worry, this is a practice lightsaber."

Zolotoy swung down on Zaifa's barrier.