First Steps (Saana/Bennette)

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana's training under Master Kai had progressed steadily. There had been several training classes with him and other students, just him and herself and there had been missions. The Jedi that she was becoming now was something that several months ago, she would have never imagined. The truth was, though, that she believed that becoming a Jedi was what she had unknowingly been searching for. The Togruta now believed that it had not been a feeling of something missing she had felt on her planet, but instead that it had been the Force calling to her. She had simply not realized or understood what it was. It was now, however, as her training brought her to a point where soon she would face the trials and challenges that would determine if she was worth of the title of Jedi Knight, that she had chosen to lend her assistance in training with newer Padawans.

The Padawan who she had been given the name of, Bennette, was a young human. A boy, really, in the eyes of many. She had already been in her adult years when she had met Master Kai on Tatooine. As it was, she had sent the young man a message to come meet with her in one of the training rooms on board the Jedi's mobile base and training center. Saana sat there in the floor, her legs comfortably crossed, hands on her knees lightly and her eyes closed as she waited for him to arrive.
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Bennette was dressed in the standard Jedi robes, with his family saber strapped to his waist. It had only been just recently when he had recieved a promotion raising his rank from a Trainee to a Padawan. He was sent by the council to be taught by another Padawan by the name of Saana Tai. It was a rather good day for him. He walked down the corridor unti he found a room labeled; TR-06. He lightly rapped on the door, and motioned himself in where he found Padawan Tai a female Togruta, crossed-legged on the floor. The apprentice sat down infront of his new master. Patiently waiting for her orders.
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
When Bennette arrived, Saana opened her eyes and looked over, watching the young human. By the looks of him, he was much younger than the other human Jedi she had met thus far and she silently wondered if he was still a child by their standards. Her golden gaze remained on him even as he crossed the room only to sit down across from her. The Togruta gave him a smile. "Hello, Bennette. My name is Saana."

After briefly introducing herself, Saana paused a moment as she studied him closely. "Do you have any experience with the Force already?" There was always just accessing the computer records and seeing what was on file for Bennette, but she believed that speaking was the best way to get to truely know someone and she was interested to hear what experiences he had already, if any. When she had come to the Jedi with Master Kai, she had not even seen a Jedi before, let alone used the Force conciously. "I would like to know where we should begin."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Goosebumps began to form on his arms as Padawan Tai stared at him with an unwaivering glance, but his fears subsided when the Togruta smiled. An actual smile. She told him about herself, Bennette told her briefly about his hobbies, goals and other aspects of his day-to-day life. After they finished, she asked him about his experience with the force. "I have been taught very little about the force in the Academy," He said. "Although I would wish to start with light saber combat."
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana had noted the young man's initial apprehension and for a moment she had absently wondered if Kai had sensed similar apprehension in her when they had met. She listened attentively to what Bennette desired to share about himself, allowing him to become more relaxed and comfortable with the new situation and not rushing him.

Finally, she nodded when he stated he wanted to begin with lightsaber combat. Another smile touched her features; lightsaber combat seemed to be popular among new students. "The use of a lightsaber is a good skill to have. It could save your life or lives of others. However, wielding a lightsaber is not as simple a thing as picking up a blaster or sword. You need to also learn to notice your surroundings, listen to what the Force has to say to you."

Saana pushed herself up to her feet, gesturing for Bennette to come with her. Once he was on his feet, she lead him over to one of the storage cabinets which she opens and retrieves a training lightsaber. It looked much like a real lightsaber, but the difference was the blade did not have the energy power that a normal lightsaber had to help prevent accidents. She offered it to him. "This is a training lightsaber. It is the best to train with as contact with the blade will hurt a little, it will not sever any limbs."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
As his master spoke, he nodded along precisely making clear mental notes which could never be lost in his brain.Bennette could see in her eyes that she was studying him. Learning about him visually, without the need of oral confrontation. He shuddered at the thought, but he grew to expect weird things. After all, this was a big galaxy.

In his mind, Bennette believed that lightsabers were more important than using the force in battle. When this thought appeared he imagined many scenarios where a crystal-powered blade would be more useful than the Force. A lightsaber can easily deflect blast, while with the force would take extensive focus and precision... Or you'll just end up with holes in your body.

After she finished, the two walked further into the room, beside the storage cabinet. Padawan Tai unlocked, and handed him a practice light saber which he took gingerly as if he was taking a loaded weapon. In truth, Bennette had seen what had happen to two boys who fooled around with the weapon and got them selves burned, and after a good scoulding from teacher, the two were removed from class. Last time he ever saw the two of them. "Are we going to spar?"
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
"Soon." Saana smiled at him gently, then took a training blade for herself. The best way she knew how to teach Bennette to be proficient with a lightsaber was to teach him in much the same way Master Kai had taught her. The Togruta Padawan clipped the lightsaber to her belt and then collected a pair of remote droids before closing the cabinet door.

"First, we should practice awareness. We make use of the Force in combat, though it may not be to push an opponent or throw him aside." Saana moved back towards the center of the room, pausing once she is there. "Stand here for the moment." She moved away then, towards the door. Soon she stopped to one side of it looking back to Bennette. "The force speaks to us in combat, it warns us and effectively improves our perceptions. However, if we do not know how to listen, to see and to pay attention then it is no good."

"I am going to shut down the lights. I want for you to count aloud to five, then come to me." Saana gave Bennette a last bit of a smile, then touched the panel that controlled the lights and plunged the room into total darkness. In the moments it took Bennette to start and end his count, the Togruta Padawan as silent as a predator, she moved away from the door. Bennette would have the option of relying on his physical senses or attempting to discern his surroundings through the Force.
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
As the the room plunged into darkness, Bennette began counting aloud. "1.." The darkness rendered the eyes of humans useless naturally making those belonging to the race inferior in the race inferior, but the force helped fix the disability. He shut his eyes when he reached five, and extended his right arm. "Using the Force..." He muttered. To use the force, he would have to concentrate. Feel his surroundings with his spirit, instead of with his eyes. On the battlefield, this technique could change whether he lives or dies. It was that important.

The apprentice stepped two paces in front, then stopped. He turned his head to the right where he felt movement, then shook his head. It was a false alarm. He turned the opposite direction, attempting to pin point the Togruta's position. Waked a few more paces, and felt the warm touch of organic flesh. He swayed his palm, and the lights responded by returning power. He grinned, "That was a tad easy..." That was a lie. It took alot out of him to remain focus, yet he remained a straight face, and at the same time he thought that it was useless, and that the Jedi could probably sense his distress,

His attention was drawn to the sound of the door, his body tensed, but relaxed when he realized it was just R3. His astromech droid, and also close friend. The droid made a beeping sound, which made Benny chuckle. His green eyes rested on is Master. "Mind if he stays? I can assure you that if he troubles our training, he'll be out in a flash. " He said. "Got that R3?" The droid responded to his command, and moved out of the way into the far left corner of the room.
 
Last edited:

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana had not wanted to make the exercise difficult to the point that Bennette would simply fail. Such rigorous results could quickly lead to frustration. "A warm up, yes. Shall we try again?" Though she did sense his emotional tension, she did not need to. It was not so long ago that she was in his position; not so long ago she would have never believed she could become a Jedi.

"Her golden gaze shifted to the door when the droid rolled in, a brow lifting ever so slightly. "As long as he stays out of the way, that is fine." When the droid left the room's door to settle itself in the corner, the doors closed once more and the room became dark again. "Let me know when you are ready again."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
"I'm ready..." He said, while reclosing his eyes. The padawan smiled, all he had to do was focus. Although he wanted to learn sword fighting forms, but he knew better to complain. He wanted to make a good first impression. This time, he attended to finish this task faster than before. He left his hopes in the Force; the strongest power in the galaxy.
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
She smiled a little to herself. The eagerness, perhaps not in this but instead other things, was something that Saana was familiar with. When she had come to the mobile Jedi Temple with Master Kai the first time, she could not learn new things fast enough. Since then, though, she had learned to slow down and to be more patient. There were lessons to be learned that came on their own outside of training rooms and books. "Count again to five."

This might not be what he wanted to do right away, but once he could master his awareness in the Force, then he could call upon that in lightsaber combat regardless of what form he decided to favor. He would be able to better block blows from unexpected foes and blaster bolts. Saana moved away from him again. This time, she put obstacles between Bennette and herself; various shaped training mats that stood anywhere from knee to waist height. Instead of simply hiding this time, however, Saana activated one of the remote droids she had taken out of the locker. It would not fire on Bennette, but it wold hover about the room randomly, making little whirring and hissing noises as it did. It was meant as a distraction.
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Obeying his masters commands, Bennette recounted up to 5. This time slower than before. When he reached 5, the lights went out in unision with his closed eyelids. "Deep breath in..." Then he began. He rose his fully extended arm outwards, and began concentrating.


Once he was in a calm state, he noticed the variety of changes that were done to the room. For starters, he heard a whirring sound, similar to a droid virus he had encountered on Fiesy in the past. The sound was piercing, making it hard for him to concentrate. Instead of ignoring the sound, Bennette attempted to move to the source, whether it be his droid, or another, he would fist put an end to it. Another change in the training room was the abundance of unidentified objects that were not there before when his eyes were open. They were going the opposite direction then the supposed location of the sound he had heard. He knew for a fact it wasn't a coincidence. Either Master Tai was on the end with the obstacles, or right beside the source of the sound.

After thinking it through, Bennette went to the source of the sound which was clear with nothing blocking his path. Once he was certain it was above him, he leaped up grabbing the object in his arms, and landing down with a soft thud. He moved his hands along the exterior of what he knew to be a robotic being of some kind, and located the off switch. With the sound gone, Bennette went in the direction of the obstacles. Detecting them and avoiding them posed to be a problem. Each few steps he took, he encountered another. The obstacles were many shapes and sizes, some reached up to his chest, while others down to his knees.

Once he managed to maneuvre through them. He noticed a lifeform in front of him, but before he could think he already knew who it was, "Found you." he smiled. He whistled to Feisy for the lights, which seconds later came on. He stood a quarter of a meter away from his Master. "What's next?" The padawan was hoping that he could be taught in the ways of the sword, but he also knew that whatever his master's decision was, he'd follow it without a word.
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana smiled encouragingly. It had not been the goal to deactivate the remote droid, but it did not change anything either. Regardless, he managed the task. "Well done. This is something you should always practice. It will hone your perception skills; an important thing in all situations."

She moved forward, pausing to place a hand on Bennette's shoulder lightly. "If I recall, you are interested in Soresu, yes? Come, we will begin with some basic forms." She allowed her hand to drop from his shoulder as she moved into the center of the room once more. "We will start with doing the movements together. Once you are comfortable with and have mastered the basic movements, we can build upon that and begin with some controlled sparring in a day or two."

Saana waited for him to come stand next to her and then activated her blade. "Activate your blade and match my stance." She shifted one of her barefooted feet as she settled into the first neutral stance of the form. "Remember to relax and breathe normally. Tension will distract you."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Bennette followed his master, and stood side by side. He switched on his practice saber, and began mimicking his master stance. "I am ready when you are." The two began, and Bennette struggled to copy Padawan Tai's stance. The basic movments went off with a shaky start, yet Bennette managed to get the hang of the first few. He relieved a mighty exhale, and deactivited his blade. "Deflecting blasters, is quite useful, huh?"

The boy turned to his droid, "Feisy mind fetching us some water?" With a beep and a boop, the droid was gone. Remembering his lightsaber, Bennette switched his gaze onto his master's. "Forgot to mention this..." He pulled his lightsaber off his belt, and placed it in her hand. "It's a family heirloom, from atleast 910 years ago. It was used by the jedi Tylo Finnal. He was killed during procedure 66." At those words, Benny felt a bottomless sensation in his stomach.
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana was patient with him. Whenever something was done incorrectly, she would correct him and then they would start over. Repitition was how you learned these things. Once the form is completely mastered, it all comes with muscle memory and the guidance of the Force. Step by step she worked with him. Once Bennette seemed to have mastered what she was currently show him, they repeated it several more times.

When they were finished, she glanced after the droid as it zipped away to complete Bennette's request only to look back to the other padawan as he showed her the other lightsaber. Saana accepted it, looked it over and then handed it back to him with a light smile. "You should keep that; something to remember your ancestors by."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Bennett, closed his fingers around the cold metal. Slipping it into his pocket, before Fiesy came in with the two glasses of water. The apprentice took both, and thanked his droid for the service. He then turned to his master whom he handed the second glass of water."Master Tai, I think I'm ready to begin the more advanced stances."
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
Saana accepted the glass of water graciously, but then paused. She blinked her golden colored eyes once at Bennette and then smiled a little, almost shyly. "Call me Saana, please. I am not a Master, or even a Knight. I am a padawan just like you." She lifted the glass of water to her lips and took a drink.

"Are you sure you are ready to move on? It takes time and practice to learn and master a form."
 

OnePulse

Apprentice
SWRP Writer
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
No matter what the Togruta said, Benny was not going to adress her as if she was his equal. It was his view of respect, but instead of speaking ahead, he just gingerly took of sip out of his glass. Hearing his masters opinion on his training, gave him time to think. To learn a sword form is not a walk in the park. One wrong move you could end up with loss limbs; that was if you were lucky. "I see your point mas-" cutting himself off, he remembered to adress her by her given name. "Saana. I will continue my training in the basic form."
 

CJ Solo

Member
SWRP Writer
Joined
Aug 31, 2015
Messages
458
Reaction score
36
A tiny hint of a smirk touched her lips, a sparkle of amusement in her eyes, as Bennette corrected himself. It brought up memories of her early days of training with Jedi Master Kai. The togruta drank from the glass of water brought to her as her fellow padawan considered his options. Once he made his choice, she nodded and moved to set the glass aside before returning to the center of the room. Saana continued a while longer with him working on the basic forms of Soresu, the foundations of the combat form that made up the more advanced aspects.

"Alright, well done." Saana gave him a nod of her head as she shut down her blade. "We will do one other thing, then we will be done for now." She moved to place the training lightsaber away, as she would no longer be needing it, and traded it out for what looked like a blind man's helmet. The Togruta offered it to him. "Here. This you will put on. You will not be able to see your surroundings; it is meant to be that way. Your eyes can fool you and be fooled. You have to trust what the Force tells you." Saana activated one of the remotes then. "Soresu is about defense, but lightsabers are not the only weapon you will encounter. Most often, it will be blasters. This," She gestured to the droid. "will fire low powered energy bolts at you. It is your goal to block them. Once you have the helmet on and your lightsaber is active again, the droid will begin." The bolts from the droid would noticeably sting if they were to hit Bennette, but they would not cause real harm.
 
Top