Ask A Proper Introduction

[Thel Xeros]

Troiken

It was a nice day. Sunny, but not too hot. There was a gentle breeze. The lush green field was quiet and peaceful. Thel sat back in a fold out chair. He was wearing his robes, as he usually did. Laid out on a small table in front of him were a couple of porcelain teacups and saucers and a tea pot. An empty chair was sat opposite to him. He had only been waiting a short while. He had arranged a meeting with a Sith acolyte that he had worked with on Bandomeer. She had shown much potential and she could be a useful ally, if she was willing to learn. He leaned forward and picked up his cup, before taking a gentle sip of tea. His previous attempts at trying to find an apprentice had not been fruitful. It would be disappointing if this also turned out to be a waste of time. He placed the cup back onto the saucer and then looked around. She wasn’t here yet.

Given recent events, much of the galaxy was in disarray. The monsters that had attacked Coruscant, the Empire’s attacks on Jedi worlds and the chaos on the Hydian way. There were opportunities to be exploited. Having an apprentice would be helpful. He was managing more operations now, which demanded more of his time. She could potentially ease his workload.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param had originally planned on taking a transport to the meeting place, but upon finding out how beautiful and green Troiken was, she decided to walk instead. Her fingers caressed the tops of the tall grass as she walked, her tight fitting, black top and trousers with a half-skirt over her left leg and silver hair contrasting against the greens, yellows, and reds. It had been a while since she'd taken a walk through nature, and she was loving every minute of playing catch up now.

She picked the stem of a blue and white flower, spinning it delicately in her fingers. The aroma was delightful, bringing a smile to her face. It was the same smile she had when she had cared for the tree in Dejack's false temple, making sure the flowers on the tree bloomed every year. Param slid the stem through her hair behind her ear, keeping the blue flower on display. Nature was a cruel mistress, but even in its cruelest ways, there was beauty; a natural order where every plant and animal had its place and filled a role. They had no need for strength, or power, or victory; they had no chains to break.

Approaching the meeting sight, she was greeted by the sight of the Sith Master sipping from a small cup, sitting on a fold out chair. It was an odd sight, to say the least, but a welcome one. She looked exactly like the last time the Sith Master had seen her, including the vibro-knife on her belt. The only difference was that this time her old slaver's lightsaber hung from it as well. A souvenir she had taken when she ended her slaver. She'd ignited it several times, but found it too unwieldly for practical use just yet. She didn't even know what have the buttons and knobs on it meant.

"Sorry I'm late," she said. Param stopped just short of the Sith Master and his small collection of furniture, folding her arms across her chest. Her silver eyes met his from under her long silver hair. "This planet is absolutely stunning."

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

At last, the other Sith came into sight. Thel watched as she approached. She looked much the same as last time, with the exception of a couple of things. A lightsaber dangled from her belt and there appeared to be a small blue flower tucked behind one of her ears. He raised an eyebrow slightly when he noticed it, as she came closer. It didn’t quite fit the perception he had of her, based off of her aggressive display on Bandomeer.

He gave her a slight smile when she stepped in front of him. An apology for her lateness. Very good. Dealing with bad-tempered Sith was tiresome, so she had started off on the right foot. “That’s no problem,” he replied.

Her comment on the planet was true. Not that he was too concerned about its aesthetic quality. It was the tranquillity that appealed to him. When he wasn’t dealing with the spice operation on the planet, he liked to take time to enjoy the peace and quiet that the vast plains provided.

“It is indeed. You appreciate nature then?” He would allow her to answer before continuing. “Please do take a seat. Pour yourself some tea,” he said, gesturing towards the empty chair.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

She gave a soft smile as she made her way to the second chair, plopping herself in it. Rarely ever getting to use the Force in the open, Param took the opportunity to practice, using the Force to pour herself a cup of tea, and bring the tea to her hands. A sip was all she needed before answering the Sith Master. The warm, herbal liquid filling her not only with energy but warmth and peace as well.

"There was a tree in what I now know was a false temple my slaver used as his home. Every year, pink, white and purple flowers to blossom on it. After a few months the flower petals would fall and fill the room with the most beautiful visage and smells," she explained, taking another sip of tea afterwards. It was really good tea. Part of her wondered why she would even share her story with the Sith Master, but it wasn't like it was worth keeping a secret anyway. "My favorite part of the day was being able to take care of that tree."

Her silver eyes lifted from the cup in her hands to the surroundings. Flower filled grassy fields. Trees of varying types and sizes in the distance. It was beautiful. Param turned back to the Sith Master. The small smile that had been on her lips looking at nature faded when her eyes met his.

"We must fight for strength, power, and victory. Nature doesn't. Everything in nature has a time, a place, and a purpose. There's a beauty in it not seen anywhere else in the galaxy," she said, hoping that would suffice as an answer.

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel listened as the other Sith spoke. So, she had been a slave. Slavery was still common in the galaxy. It was a business he preferred to avoid.

He noticed the change in expression when she looked at him. She seemed contented observing the greenery that surrounded them.

“So, do you seek power then,” he asked her when she finished speaking. “What is it that you want?” He wanted to probe a bit more, to get a better grasp of her motivations. If she proved to be suitable, he would seek to test her abilities with the force.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

What is it that she wanted? Well if that wasn't a loaded question. A charming fiani on Nar Shaddaa, perhaps. To build herself a garden far away from the hands and eyes of others? A pet to be her faithful companion? There were so many wants floating around her mind that she hardly ever thought about one of them alone. No, she wasn't here for any of that anyway; she was here to grow stronger. No one would ever enslave her again, and she would make sure she had the power to hold that up.

"To get stronger," she said flatly, turning back to the open field and sipping her tea. "The code says that through strength I'll gain power, and through power, victory. That victory is what keeps me chain free, but I can't get there unless I get stronger. It's unfortunate for the ones that need to be the stepping stones to that strength." Her mind went back to her friend, the one she'd killed in an echani martial arts spar on accident. A little too much Force behind a strike and his heart had exploded in his chest. It had been the first time she'd killed anyone, and sensing the life leave his body left her feeling euphoric and powerful. It was the same feeling she felt when killing her slaver, and the security on Bandomeer. Every life taken a step towards victory.

She took another sip of the tea. It was really good tea. Param made a mental note to get the recipe from him at some point. if it was local leaves she'd have to get herself some seeds to plant later. She'd been so absorbed by the tea she didn't even realize she had closed her eyes and was holding the cup next to her lips, just feeling the warmth of it and smelling the aroma. Yeah, she was definitely getting that recipe.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel listened as she spoke. He remained impassive. He didn’t want her to mince her words. He wanted honesty. Rather curiously, she seemed to slip into a sort of tea-induced daydream after she finished speaking. At least she likes it, I suppose.

“So, it seems you aren’t really sure what you want then,” he said, as he stood up. “What you’ve said is meaningless. Strength is nothing without clear direction. Also, please don’t mention the Sith code. The words themselves are really quite meaningless. You aren’t chained. You are free, to do as you choose.” He spoke with as polite a tone as possible, even if the words sounded harsh. He continued to speak, before she could respond. “It is a matter for you to determine exactly what you want, and then grasp it. Perhaps, I might be able to help you with that,” he explained. “Follow me,” he stated, after allowing a brief pause.

He had heard enough from her to determine that she was ambitious but lacking in focus. That would suffice. If she chose to follow, he would lead her away from the table to a bare part of the plain. He walked ahead to allow some distance from her and then turned to face her. He wanted to test her abilities, to gauge how powerful she was. He ignited his lightsaber, holding it in his right hand. “I want to see your abilities with a lightsaber. Draw your blade and attack me,” he stated firmly.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

His words were like a claw ripping at the very fabric of her being. Strength was meaningless without clear direction, the code was meaningless, she was free to do as she chose. All were correct in a way, but it meant that all the time Param had spent studying the holocrons, all the time she spent dreaming of ending her own servitude, was all for nothing. A fire burned in her gut, threatening to climb through her chest and into her throat. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time; rage.

Param did as she was commanded, much like on Bandomeer. She followed the Sith Master until he had stopped in an area without tall grass or flowers. Not that it would have mattered. Everything was red now anyway. The only thing keeping it in check, was fear of the lightsaber at her belt. The very one she unclipped from the belt and held out in front of her and ignited.

Her rage disappeared with snap-hiss of the crimson blade. It wasn't the first time she'd ignited it, but the last time was a long time ago and she had almost taken off her own head by swinging it around. Her lack of abilities with the ligthsaber would be apparent to even an untrained eye. Gingerly, her eyes focused more on her own blade than the Sith Master's. There was no weight to the blade, that was the problem. There was no way to know where the blade was or wasn't, unlike a vibro-knife.

Holding the blade with on hand in front of her she advanced on the Sith Master. When it range she plunged it forward in a quick, but ginger jab. It was a night and day difference to her performance with the vibro-knife on Bandomeer, and she knew it. Everything in her screamed to drop the lightsaber, and use the vibro-knife instead.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as she ignited her lightsaber. He remained poised, ready for her attack. Let’s see what she can do. He did notice that she seemed somewhat uneasy with the weapon. Maybe lacking in practice.

He stayed still as she approached, keeping his saber held in his right hand. When she jabbed, he responded. A downwards diagonal swipe of his blade, to his left, struck the end of her blade as it came closer. Her attack was batted away to Thel’s left. Thel’s body shifted slightly to the right as he struck. Moving back a few steps, his saber still in his right hand, he thrust his left arm out, aiming to use the force to push her over and send her skidding along the ground.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

For a split second, Param felt fear's icy claws grip her heart as her lightsaber was batted away. She was completely open, and Sith weren't known for their mercy. Instead of striking with his lightsaber, however, he delivered a push in the Force. Param was thankful for that, but still had the wind knocked out of her. It felt like she'd been hit by a speeder. Her small frame didn't just fall backwards, but rather flew backward, finally skidding to a halt several painful feet away.

Param groaned as she struggled back to her feet. To her credit, she never let go of her lightsaber, and even managed not to cut anything off in her tumble. She gripped the hilt tightly with both hands, bringing the crimson blade in front of her. Caution was still a must, but she felt as if she could do a bit more than just stab; she charged forward, raising the blade above her head and swinging down at the Sith Master with a grunt.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as she was thrown away by his force attack. She was less well trained than he thought. She lacked any of the sort of grace she displayed when she used her vibroblade. She struggled to her feet. There is much potential though. He appreciated her grit.

He stood ready, his lightsaber held in his right hand, as she charged. She attacked with a reckless overhead strike. Twisting his wrist slightly to the left to articulate his blade, he caught the strike with the right side of his blade. He knew he was going to have to teach her more than he had originally anticipated. He didn’t see the point in prolonging it. He pushed her blade away, aiming to force her back slightly. With their blades no longer locked, he took his saber in both hands. He aimed a vicious strike at her saber, with the intention of disarming her. He swung his blade from his right shoulder, directly at her lightsaber blade.

If the attack disarmed her, he would reach out with his left hand. She would feel the force coil around her. He would then lift her up and throw her to the ground, to his right side.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Once again, and seemingly without expending any effort, the Sith Master batted her lightsaber away. This time however, it had enough force behind it that the hilt left her hand, spinning wildly to the ground where it began to burn the short grass away. Param's first thought was to call it back to her hand, and raised her hand to do so. She was far too late in a game where milliseconds mattered.

Her arms were crushed into her sides with such force that a whimper actually escaped her lips. The whimper turned into a yelp when he'd thrown her to ground. Param lay there a moment, trying to get her lungs to work again. She was much slower to get up this time, and far more vocal as pain ran through every muscle and bone in her body. Even if she'd used her vibro-knife, it wouldn't have done anything for her. She just got her ass kicked without having ever received a physical blow.

When she got to her feet, she turned to the Sith Master. She reached up, reaching out with the Force and called the still ignited lightsaber on the ground to her palm. This time she didn't strike, instead choosing to keep her arms at her sides and wait.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

To Thel’s surprise, Param got back to her feet again. She was even able to call her lightsaber back to her hand. He could see that she was struggling though. The attack had been intended to end the duel. There was no point in continuing the duel. It was clear she needed help.

He reached out with his left hand, focusing on her lightsaber. Even against an acolyte, what he planned to do required a fair amount of concentration. Such a manoeuvre would almost certainly not work against any Sith more powerful than an acolyte. Without warning, Param’s lightsaber would be deactivated and pulled from her hand. The saber flew across to Thel and into his left hand.

“That’s it. I’ve seen enough,” he stated calmly. “You have potential, but you obviously lack training. I can help you improve. If you are willing?” If she accepted, then they could begin.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param resisted only a little to the lightsaber being ripped out of her hand. There wasn't anything she could really do at this point; she was completely outmatched. Anything she would have done would have just been a point of pride, and that was never the way to survive. Her silver eyes watched him as asked her if she was willing to train under him. Her mind listened to his words before, that everything she knew about the Sith was meaningless, and the code, was meaningless.

"Yes..." she said, pausing a moment. The next word was a lump in her throat. Her bottom lip quivered. Param swallowed it all down. "Master." Her eyes diverted down to the ground. It wouldn't be like Dejack, it would be servitude. She would learn under him, and that was it. She wasn't a slave, she was still free.

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as Param hesitated. When she did accept, it was a reluctant acceptance. No matter. “Good.” Now the teaching could begin.

“As you know, the blade is very light. It is not like a sword or other large bladed weapon. Even though you can put more weight behind a strike, it is far from necessary. Technique and precision are more important. You don’t need to overcommit to any attack,” he explained. He pointed the hilt of Param’s saber towards her. “Just as important, you must relax. Your aggressive feelings give you strength, but they can unbalance you. You must keep your composure.” He levitated her saber back towards her hand, for her to take.

“Now, when I strike, I want you to block it.” He stood still for a few seconds, allowing her time to ready herself. He then slowly advanced, his saber in his right hand. Without much warning, he aimed a strike at her right leg. Should she successfully block it, he would disengage and step back. “Good. Faster this time.” He then aimed three strikes at her in quick succession. The first was again aimed at her right leg. The second at her left shoulder and then a final downwards strike down the middle, aimed at her head.

If she was able to block the strikes, Thel would again disengage and step back. “Very good.”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

She listened carefully, reaching her hand out as the hilt levitated towards her. When it touched her palm she grasped it and ignited the crimson blade again. She took up the same stance as before, both hands on the hilt at hip level, blade pointed toward Thel. Technique and precision, she was good at that- with a real blade. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled her self-doubt. With a physical blade, her echani martial arts made the blade one with her; an extension of her arm. She would do the same with the lightsaber, she just had to stay calm.

Param watched Thel approach, he didn't provide warning of the strike, but she noticed the tells. A fidget here, a small wind-up there. She waited until the attack was committed, swirling her own lightsaber in a circle in front of her. Thel's first strike would be batted away. It felt... good. Twisting her wrist, she postured the blade as if to counter-attack, but instead brought it back down to it's original position in front of her.

The next attacks were faster, but Param has found a small glimmer of confidence. She parried the first strike in the same way she had before. This time however, her posture to counter-attack instead turned into a swing to meet and bat the second strike at her shoulder away, using only one hand to do both blocks in quick succession. The third attack would require a bit of strength on her part. She stepped forward with her left foot, pivoting her lightsaber horizontally and grabbing the hilt with both hands as the blow came down upon the blade.

The blades fizzled and screeched for a moment before Thel disengaged. Param stepped back with her left foot, assuming her original stance again. Her silver eyes, glowing in the crimson glow of her blade, where focused on her own hands gripping the hilt. It felt good. Natural even. It would be some time yet before she could twirl it about like a vibro-blade, but simple maneuvers didn't seem so daunting now. Her gaze to meet Thel.

"How do you keep track of where the blade is?" she asked. "With a sword you can feel the blunt side of it, feel where the weight is and it'll tell you what angle the blade is at."

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel was impressed by Param’s response. She had taken onboard his advice and blocked his attacks with speed and precision.

“When you control the force, it gives you greater awareness of your surroundings. That includes the positioning of your blade. With enough practice, you won’t even think about it. It will be second nature to you. That’s why someone who doesn’t wield the force can never use a lightsaber to its full potential,” he replied.

“Attacks from a lightsaber are not all you will have to deal with. You must know how to defend against attacks made through the force,” he stated, the expression on his face an impassive one. “Learning to form a barrier, by using the force, will be key to your survival,” he continued.

“First, I want to see if you can create a barrier when you are not being attacked. Imagine a protective wall in front of you. Picture it in your mind. Then raise your hands in front of you and channel the force to try and create it.”
@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param looked down at the blade as Thel spoke. She did a few practice twirls with her wrist, nothing fancy like weaving it through her fingers like she could with a vibro-knife. Ever since she had learned to use the Force, albeit not very well, he senses had certainly been heightened. She guessed comfortability with the lightsaber would come with time and training. A flame of excitement rose in her; she could integrate it into her martial arts routine!

When Thel began to explain the barrier, Param felt her jaw slacking slightly. You can make a shield in the Force!? The holocrons she had listened to and studied every night when she was a slave only mentioned attacking, and letting rage fuel you. They never really went into the how's or why's. Probably a good thing though, the holocrons were ancient, and those ancient Sith were no more.

She did as she was told though. Without disengaging her lightsaber she reached her hands forward. What were the chances she would need a barrier like this without actively using her lightsaber? Might as well train it. Her mental eye imagined a protective wall in front of her. The force flowed through her arms and outward, trying to form into a protective barrier. It flickered and shrank back toward her, but Param grit her teeth and tried again, pouring the Force into it.

It was like trying to find the right path when lost; she had to search for the right feeling that would make it stick and commit it to muscle memory. Eventually she found it, the barrier standing around her and proud. To the untrained eye, there would only be a shimmer in the air, but any Force user would be able to see it without problem. She let the barrier fall for a moment, letting her arms fall by her side.

Param needed to prove to herself that she could do it. Retracing the feelings she travelled to get the first barrier, she shot her left hand and created another barrier. It was much smaller than the first, on account of being made quickly, and with only one hand, but a barrier still existed. She couldn't help but let an excited smile cross her lips.

"That is so cool," she said, focusing her gaze on Thel again. "Does the barrier only stop Force attacks? Or can it be used to block physical attacks too?"

@DMCK

 

[Thel Xeros]

Thel watched as Param tried to generate a barrier. She struggled at first, but she persisted. It brought back memories of his own training. When he failed, his master would electrocute him. Not enough to render him unconscious. Just enough to inflict terrible pain. The process would continue until he successfully completed the task. The resentment towards his master had built up through the years, culminating in him murdering his master after besting them in a duel. He would not make the same mistake of treating his learner so poorly.

He watched, the expression on his face inscrutable. Her determination was admirable. Eventually, it paid off. A barrier formed around her. She tried again. The second barrier was smaller, but he was happier with the second effort. One wouldn’t often have the opportunity in battle to form a larger barrier. Speed was essential.

“To some extent. I use it to defend against telekinetic attacks. I’ll put it like this, if a large object is hurtling towards you, move out of the way. Don’t try to deflect it. The barrier is essential for surviving encounters with other force users. That is its primary use,” he explained.

“Stand back. I’m going to attack you telekinetically. I want you to use a barrier to block it.”

Once she had stepped back, he used the force to launch an aggressive push towards her.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param took a couple steps back. Her stance was the same one as before: two hands on the hilt at hip level, blade pointed toward Thel. Her silver eyes focused on her master. Every muscle twitch, every eye shift, she'd catch it. She wouldn't have to wait long to see the attack. Even so, she waited until her master was fully committed to it before she would act.

His push in the Force started, and Param answered. She reached her left hand out, tracing the feelings she had traced before in an instant and created a barrier in the Force in front of her. It was a smaller, faster variant, and when the aggressive push from her master hit it, most of it ploughed right through the barrier. By the time it hit Param though, it had been weakened to merely sending her off balance.

Param picked herself up off the ground, wiping her trousers and half-skirt, and entered her lightsaber stance again. Next one would go through. She'd make sure of that.[abox3]

@DMCK