Ask Ajan Kloss I Am Not Afraid

Altina Tiramara

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It has been several days since she had begun her training; and yet, Altina felt that her progress was slow. Her studies in mathematics and sciences were gradual, no thanks to how difficult the constant whispers made it to be able to concentrate on reading. Her history project on Luke Skywalker also proceeded at a gradual pace, for the same reason as her studies. Her daily routine in physical training is not fairing much better: her unfamiliarity with the forest made her first "runs" in the forest more like a brisk jog stopped by the occasional surveillance to ensure that the environment around her is as she perceives it.

How long will it take until she no longer fears the woods? Or rather, until Altina could overcome the trickery of the visions that plague her? Not only were the visions hiding the true nature of the environs, but they show her people too: sometimes it seemed like they were training, or searching for something, or fighting something. As Altina came close to finishing the hour-long run that her master prescribed, she instinctively dodged to the side as debris rushed at her from the corner of her eye. But, of course, the debris was imaginary.

Altina looked to the source to see a duel, between a Jedi and some dark figure, crossing blue and red blades. It did not take long to see that the Jedi was losing: with every strike from the dark lord, the Jedi was forced to give ground. The imagery felt powerful in her mind; she could hear the lightsabers' humming and the hiss as they clashed. The Jedi was clearly out of his league, being unable to find any initiative as the dark lord delivered blow after blow in a powerful one-handed grip. The Jedi soon ran out of space to retreat and stood his ground against the powerful threat. He tried to go on the attack, to recover some ground. Altina silently hoped that he could recover from the clearly disadvantageous fight. But the dark lord was too skilled. With a flick of his wrist, not only was the attack repelled, but the Jedi lost his hand. His lightsaber hand.

The scream echoed in her head, forcing her to cover her ears. Her instincts told her to scream too, but Altina resisted it. It isn't real. Eyes shut and teeth gritted, Altina endured the moment of pain, hopelessness, and fear. She was reminded once more of the dread she felt as the dark lord's mechanical breath filled her ears.

Khooohhh... puhhhhhh...

She took a deep breath, trying to draw on her practice meditating. Her own fears churned underneath the surface as Altina tried to transform that emotion into the peace that Master Eridan instructed her to find. Only the tranquility she found in that first moment of peace could remedy it.

Khooohhh... puhhhhhh...

The fatigue in her bones threatened to break her, but Altina continued to focus and endure. As the Jedi's scream faded, it struck her who that Jedi was. Luke Skywalker: the figure that Master Eridan told her to research. She had not gotten far into his influence on history, but the feeling that she had is unmistakable. This was a vision from before Luke became powerful. As Altina calmed herself, another voice whispered into her ear.

"The Force is with you, young Skywalker. But you are not a Jedi yet."

Altina pressed her fingers against her forehead as she sought to regain control of the present. Is this vision supposed to help her? It never seemed like it was ever the case before. She could not think of another time she could recognize the people she saw and heard in the Force. At the very least, it was something she could ask Master Eridan about. It certainly seemed like a question that he is well suited to answer.

The trek to where Master Eridan awaited her took some time, as it usually did. She swore Master Eridan mapped out the course on purpose to make her suffer, particularly when Altina barely had any sort of exercise routine to begin with. Altina half-walked, half-stumbled out of the undergrowth to where her master awaited her. His back was turned to her, evidently preoccupied at the moment.

Still panting from the exertion, Altina made her way to Master Eridan's side and stopped to catch her breath.

"Master," she began, but stopped to take another breath.

"I..." Altina exhaled again, sucking in more air before finally finding the energy to speak. "I saw Luke Skywalker."

Exhale, then inhale. "While I was on the course, I saw him before he became a Jedi."

"Who was the dark lord he fought? The one who needed a machine to breathe," she huffed as she took more deep breaths.

"Why am I hearing him?" she finally posed the question. "I can't stop hearing his breath."

@Srota
 

Kyp Eridan

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Well before Altina had even risen, Kyp had been awake. He had spent his night reading and learning all that he could regarding Force Visions and premonitions or past memories. However, his library was quite vague on the subjects, and in fact, he had learned mostly nothing to aid his young padawan. Well, nothing but the next place to look. Normally he was intrigued by these sort of problems, reading dense philosophical texts, spending hours listening to holocrons tell him nothing. He had let his frustration bleed out into the Force and forced himself to leave his room, lest he bother the others during the night. He had always enjoyed the night sky, seeing the stars, the sense of wonder it had provided for him as a young boy on Chandrilla. Despite the advances in technology and the ability to travel on a galactic level, Kyp always found it humbling and peaceful to stare at the stars, and he thought had he not become a Jedi, he would likely have become an astronomer, or an astrocartographer, or some such career. Now, he had a higher calling, but he still worked to make time to stare up into the sky and to listen to the peaceful sounds of the Jedi Temple at night.

He stood there for some time, just watching, lost in his own thoughts, the fear, doubt, and concern he felt bleeding out into the Force so that he did not let such emotions corrupt him, tempt him to the easy, seductive, nature of the Dark Side of the Force. Slowly, the stars began to fade as the night slowly transitioned into dawn. Such beauty was ephemeral, and he was always appreciative of the days he was able to see them. It was with those thoughts in his mind that he made his way off into the forest, his feet following the well trod path, letting the Force guide him across the ground, avoiding the sticks, rocks and other scatterings that might cause him to trip and fall. He travelled this path almost daily, and he knew it well.

It took him a brief twenty minutes or so before he arrived, just as the sun really was beginning to rise as he settled on the rock, his legs crossed and eyes closed as he began to meditate and seek energy from the Force to renew his own lifeforce and to make up for his lack of sleep over the day. The hour or so of meditation was what was keeping him going, for while he was able to sleep some nights, on others, such as the last night, he was unable to do so. He was sitting like this when Altina arrived. Even as she panted, trying to speak up about her discovery between halted breaths, his eyes remained closed.

"Padawan, padawan, please, take a moment, calm yourself. You say that you saw Luke Skywalker while you were running? You saw him fight a Dark Lord in a mask with heavy breathing? Hmmmm. There are a few possibilities, as you likely knew from your reading." He said the last part with a playful smile, making sure that she knew he was clearly testing her about how much she had been studying. He extended one hand, motioning for Altina to take the seat before him, as she did every day since the lessons began in earnest. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and Altina might notice the faint hint of red bloodshot. She might even see the faint hint of dark circles under his eyes as well.

"There are many legends about Luke Skywalker, and distinguishing the fact from the legend is difficult at times. What we do know is that Luke Skywalker fought the Emperor and a man named Darth Vader. We know this Darth Vader was the right hand man of the Emperor, but beyond that, no records of this person existing could be found from before the Emperor rose to power. Do you remember when that was? We discussed this two days ago. You can tell me when I have finished. Anyway, there are some records, none truly reliable, that state that Darth Vader was related to Luke Skywalker, and Leia Solo as well, specifically stating that he was their Father. Personally, I find that hard to believe, but I suppose that it could always be true. Now, tell me, you were running when you saw this? How long had you been running, had you felt your mind empty of all distractions by that point? I must know more, Altina so that I may help you."

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Altina Tiramara

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Altina groaned as she wracked her brains to try to keep up with Master Eridan's questions. Was it shortly before the Hosnian calamity? No wait: that was a declaration of war, not at the conclusion of one. When did the Emperor reign? The details remained mixed in her mind. Is it the fatigue? She wanted to blame the fatigue, but it also felt like she failed her master in retaining those studies.

She shook her head as Master Eridan questioned her on her state of mind when the visions arose. "I have not yet been able to run the course smoothly as you wished. Every minute, there is something new."

"I've seen this raw strength only once before..." another voice whispered in her mind.

"New" meaning another distraction, of course. Altina is still not used to talking about her condition. Even as she knew Master Eridan promised her that he would research her experience, he had not shared any findings. The lack of information did not bother her yet, but the thought lingered in the back of her head.

After she finished describing the moment of the Skywalker vision, Altina paused to recollect her thoughts. Her memories of past visions was fuzzy, but something about what Master Eridan said sparked something. She definitely remembered something related to what Master Eridan had said about Leia Solo. It had to have been one of those visions: Altina cannot recall exactly where she had read something like this before.

"It was known that Leia Solo's ancestry to Darth Vader affected her political career. Given she is the sister of Luke Skywalker, would that not mean he is also related?" she said.

@Srota
 

Kyp Eridan

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He closed his eyes, an expression of serenity crossing his face before opening them once more. He looked at his padawan, she was doing her best, and he knew that, could see it in their lessons, the way she eagerly listened as he discussed the basics of the philosophy behind the Force, the difference between the Living Force and the Cosmic Force, he had begun teaching her some basics of physics, mathematics, biology, and more. Always telling her that a Jedi wins their battles not through strength of arms, but through knowledge first and foremost. He hoped she was beginning to see the point of the exercise as well, but, he supposed he would not have seen the reasons at her age.

"It is fine, Altina. Have you improved since you began? That is what we seek, not for immediate perfection, but for improvement. Nobody can be perfect right from the start. But tell me, have you seen an increase in the time between visions since you began?"

He was pleased that she had caught his mistake, that was a good sign, she was certainly a fast learner! Using deductive reasoning was good as well. He could not quite hide the pleasure he felt at this success, both for himself at having been able to teach her well enough, and pleasure that she was learning well on her own.

"Very good, Altina, that would indeed mean he is also related. My apologies, my mind must have been elsewhere. Anyway, you asked who that Dark Lord he fought was? That was Darth Vader, the right hand of the Emperor. Now, you know when the Emperor rose to power, we discussed it the other day. When was his ascension to the throne? What other event did it accompany?"

He closed his eyes once more as he waited for her to respond. Perhaps adding context to her visions might help her to better keep them from hindering her, and he was not one to just lecture, he preferred to guide people to the answers they sought so that in the future they could make their way there on their own.

@Lavi
 

Altina Tiramara

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"I... would like to believe that," Altina replied, to Master Eridan's first question.

In truth, it was hard for her to judge how much she improved. With her neverending visions, the passage of time felt inconsistent. The training course had not changed, so she has picked up landmarks and patterns, but Altina couldn't tell if she has been completing her laps more quickly than the last time.

"No, the time between visions do not seem to change," she answered the second question. "But, I suppose I have been able to tolerate them more."

It is true: the imagery did not seem to be controlled at all by her daily runs, but perhaps the physical exertion had improved her mental fortitude; in order to steel herself against the more intrusive whispers and visions. Altina had not even thought about it until Master Eridan posed the question: perhaps the hour-long run was wiser than she anticipated.

Master Eridan's praise always seemed to warm her heart, particularly when there was very little warmth in her life thus far. Her master had started feeling like a surrogate father to her. He had always been there to help wherever he could, even when there is nothing that could be helped. Altina's parents definitely tried, she realized, but they did not understand her experience anywhere close to how Master Eridan understood it. His reassurance felt genuine against her parents' hollow promises.

Her master finally answered the question that she had thought about ever since she first heard the dark lord's breath: Darth Vader's breath. For something so plain as breathing to entice fear, Altina had no difficulty in believing that Vader was powerful in his time. Armed with the knowledge that Vader served the Emperor, the answer to Master Eridan's question about the Emperor became more clear.

"His rise coincided with the fall of the Galactic Republic, and the Jedi Order with it," she answered.

Her answer was neutral in tone. The events were so long ago, that it was all as Master Eridan said: history. Even the threat of the dark agents in today's galaxy is a far cry from the Sith of old. Of course, the Jedi Order had also changed since those times. Under the old rules, Altina would not have been allowed to begin her training. Altina was grateful for that. That presented an interesting question.

"Are we better off with the old Jedi Order destroyed?" Altina asked. "Has the Order become better without the old traditions?"

@Srota
 
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Kyp Eridan

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"Then you have improved, Padawan. Keep working at it, you will see in time, the run will get easier, every day. Even if only a bit. As for the visions, I am glad to hear that you are able to tolerate them a little more. Working to focus your mind, through both exercise and study will help you with this, or so my research has seemed to imply." He allowed himself a small smile, opening his eyes as he did so. He was proud of her, she had stuck with the training when few might have complained or found a way to get out of it. He knew from his own experience that there were always ways to get around completing a task from one's master, and he was not ashamed to admit that he had availed himself of them, but that was a normal part of youth, and he would not deny his student that experience.

He could feel that swell of pride in his chest as she answered his question, for it seemed that the lessons were beginning to sink in. History was always important to understand, as the events of the past would always ripple outwards and into the future. He hoped that she would understand someday. After all, knowledge was the best defence of the Jedi, even more than a blade.

And then she asked her follow-up questions, and he allowed his eyes to close as he thought about his answer. He had honestly not much thought about this before now. Was the Jedi better off as an Order? He thought so. But there were still flaws. He had no doubt about that.

"Well, I think it has improved in many ways, traditions can make us hidebound, unwilling to change as we need to. However, I do lament the loss of knowledge, however, for I am sure that many important texts on history, philosophy, The Force, and more were lost since the destruction of the old order. In addition, I do think, we as an order have lost some of the Asceticism that was so prominent in the days of the Republic." He looked down at his padawan, sitting there, engaging in discussion with him. It was something that would never have been possible in those days, he knew. She was too old, too much of a risk, but she might also have been given the help she needed, better trained in dealing with these visions than he could provide for her now. And that, that saddened him, it made him really lament their current situation.

"So, tell me, what led to the fall of the Republic? There were three important factors. Do you remember what they were?" He knew the answer of course, the failure of the Republic to address bureaucratic corruption, the hubris of the Jedi, and the Republic's lack of a pre-existing military. At least they were the key factors in his mind.

@Lavi
 

Altina Tiramara

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Altina nodded as Master Eridan answered her question. It made sense for things to be lost on a scale that large. For there to be traditions lost for the greater good, but also other traditions that should have been kept. She didn't quite understand what Master Eridan meant by "asceticism," but she got the jist of it. Comparing the old Order with the new is not that simple.

Master Eridan continued his quizzing, to which Altina quietly grumbled. She has been trying to focus and remain attentive as best as she can, but there are limitations. Namely, time.

The whispers continue to vie for her attention as Altina rubbed her temples, trying to focus on the question that Master Eridan posed. The fall of the Republic.

"This is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause."

"The acceptance of a dictator," she began.

"We are guardians of peace, not soldiers."

"The Jedi choosing to lead armies instead of protecting the vulnerable," she continued.

"We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host. They are totally obedient, taking any order without question."

"And the true intent of the Grand Army of the Republic," she finished.

Altina had no idea she did not match the answers that Master Eridan was looking for, but she gave direct answers rather than touch on broader subjects. These studies were frustrating to go over, but it at least felt more productive than huddling in the corner of her room alone with her visions.

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Kyp Eridan

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Kyp nodded gently as she provided three answers. They were good answers, but not quite what he had sought from her. He could see her focus was drifting, he could hear the soft grumbling as well. He debated pushing her further, but perhaps that would not be wise today. Instead, perhaps they would best be served shifting focus today to something a bit more fun. But just what would that be? Was she ready to learn the basics of lightsaber combat? Would she be ready to handle basic force powers? He was honestly unsure which would be best. She needed training in both were he to be able to travel on his research again. Perhaps... Yes... they would focus on practical studies first. Then, he could travel with her, teach her by going to see the various important sites in history, maybe that would serve to aid her better. Not everyone was a book learner like he was, after all.

"Padawan, those are very good answers, but as Jedi we will always need to look deeper. I hope that as we address your studies you will begin to see the reasons why. Sometimes the surface reasons serve to hide the true change needed. For example, the Jedi could not have prevented the rise of a dictator without becoming that which they sought to prevent. But, if we look deeper, we can see the reasons why the Senate elected a dictator. Frustration with the bureaucratic corruption and a perceived fear of war due to the lack of any standing military are two items the Jedi might have been able to address without overstepping their power, had they not been so blind to the failings of the government. Would not those have been more root causes? For your studies tonight, I would like you to think over the root causes of the fall of the New Republic. Get practice looking deeper, that will serve you as a Jedi even more than any power with the Force or skill with a lightsaber."

He took a deep breath, looking at her, and then continued on. "Speaking of both, I present you a question. Soon we will need to begin traveling again, seeking out relics, ruins, and ways to serve the people of the galaxy again. As we do, you may find yourself in dangerous situations. As such, I think it is time we began training you in the basics of self-defense, with both the blade and the Force. I put it to you, Padawan, as a reward for your hard work over the last week. Which would you like to start with?"

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Altina Tiramara

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Altina nodded as she processed Master Eridan's critiques and suggestions. She felt some satisfaction that her answers were within the ballpark of what her master wanted, even if she focused on the surface layer instead of the deeper issues. Of course, having to review her studies further invited a sigh as the weight of the assignment bore down on her.

But her master quickly changed course. Practical training? Altina perked up, realizing at that moment that she was hungry for a change of pace. But lightsaber or Force training? The two options danced in her mind as she contemplated the choices. But one of them eventually won out.

"With the blade," she said.

Perhaps she could take a break from having to keeping her mind centered in the Force. But perhaps it wouldn't be that simple, especially with Master Eridan at the helm.

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Kyp Eridan

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He saw Altina perk up and he knew that he had chosen the right course. He could see the light in her eyes, and he had but to think back to his childhood to recognize what the obvious choice would be. What person her age would not want to learn to wield a lightsaber? The real test would be if she could survive his lecture. Oh yes, she would not get off that easily. Kyp was not going to give her even a training saber until she knew and respected what she was dealing with.

"Well then, I suppose we should begin with the basics..." He raised his right hand and the long, simple, tube that was his lightsaber slowly rose from his belt to come to rest in his hand.

"This, as I am sure you're aware, is a lightsaber. It is a weapon for defense, and it should always be your last resort. A Jedi understands that it is always better to solve a problem without violence, but also accepts that some problems may need action to solve them. Remember, like the Force, we use this weapon for defense of self and others, not to attack." With a flick of his thumb, the blade ignited, the brilliant blue light casting shadows on them both. The blade's hum cut through the air as it moved. "Within this weapon is a crystal, a kyber crystal. This focuses the energies of the weapon and produces the blade. In time, when you are ready, you will find one of your own. When you do, this crystal will be your own. It will make this weapon even more of an extension of yourself."

With a flip of the switch, the blade disappeared and Kyp extended his hand to her. The inert blade open and ready for her to take. Once she had it in her hands, he continued on with his lecture. "Feel the weight, ignite the blade, know how it feels, understand the weight lies in the hilt, not the blade. Stand up, take a few swings, understand how it feels. When you are ready, we will begin with the most important part of lightsaber training. Footwork."

Footwork, even just hearing the word made Kyp shudder. But it was the foundation of everything, and so they would need to begin the long hours of drills and practicing to build that muscle memory she would need to have a solid foundation for which the Force to guide her down the next steps.

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Altina Tiramara

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Altina's heart leaped as her master offered her his lightsaber. Surely he wouldn't make the leap to a real weapon that quickly. Right? She listened as Master Eridan lectured her on the philosophy of the lightsaber, contemplating what he is telling her as she took the weapon from his hands.

"But isn't self-defense itself a means of attack? To end violence, is it not necessary to be prepared to perform violence as well?" she asked. "If not, the attacks will continue without end."

She gripped the lightsaber hilt in both hands as the lecture continued. It was a lot lighter than she thought, but still had a bit of weight to it. Altina took several steps back in order to give herself some room to ignite the blade. Even being familiar with the sound it makes, the hiss of ignition was still startling.

Feel the Force around you.

She swung it slowly with both hands, getting a feel for the motion, before switching to a one handed grip and swinging it the other way. Unsurprisingly, it felt as though she was swinging just the hilt itself. Once ready, she held the weapon at her side, pointed upwards, as she looked back at Master Eridan and observed how he was moving.

Of course, the first step of learning the weapon is not using the weapon at all. Footwork. She kind of understood what Master Eridan is talking about, but only time will tell to what extent "footwork" will entail.

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Kyp Eridan

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And so they would begin. Kyp stepped back, giving Altina space to move around. As he did so, he used the Force to bring a small branch to him, something he could use to effectively point out flaws in her footwork. Footwork was never anyone's favorite thing to learn, but proper footwork would be key to surviving any fight. And so, he sunk into position, letting his feet come a little beyond shoulder-width apart, and his knees bent slightly, enough that he was comfortable, but not totally relaxed. His left foot forward, toes pointed at Altina, and his right foot back, toes at an angle pointing out to Altina's left. He kept himself facing her, his chest up straight. It was a natural feeling for him, something drilled into him from a young age. She would likely have to focus on it for some time, but eventually, it would be second nature for her too.

"As with many things in this life, Padawan, it is all about intention. Fighting to defend someone may be attacking of a sort, but since the intent is the defense of others or yourself, it is not inherently wrong. Even so, as Jedi, we should consider the lives of all sentients, even our enemies. We should try to preserve life, for even the worst may redeem themselves in time. But do not worry about the philosophy for now, instead, you must first worry about learning how to stand and walk. My apologies, re-learning." He took a short breath before continuing. "Now, look at how I stand, try and mimic it, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keep one foot forward, toes pointed towards the opponent, the opposite foot pointing out at an angle. Make sure you can keep your knees bent, not too much though. There is a sweet spot for this, as your shoulders will determine the height at which you thrust the blade."

He rose from his stance and approached Altina, the stick held in one hand and ready to come to address any deficiencies in her stance. This was to be a basic study first and foremost, but these basics would keep her alive, sloppy footwork could lead to missteps in a fight, and possibly even death, after all!

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Altina Tiramara

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Altina watched as Master Eridan demonstrated the technique he wanted her to emulate. She slowly positioned herself as he wanted her to. One foot forward. Other at an angle. Spread out her feet. Bend the knees. Each part seemed a little awkward to do at first, but surely it is the feeling of inexperience than anything else.

Even after following everything that Master Eridan has instructed her, prodding corrections into her with the branch, Altina wasn't entirely sure what to do with her master's ignited lightsaber in hand. She kept it held out just enough so that she doesn't singe herself with plasma, but she wasn't sure of what direction to take after that. Instead, Altina tried out a posture, keeping the two-handed grip but raising the blade over her shoulder and parallel to the ground. She had no idea whether this is a good saber stance to take, but it is what came to mind first.

"Is there a routine to this, too?" she asked, referring to a training regime like the mandated hour-long run more than anything else.

The tip of the blade followed her eyes as she imagined an opponent in front of her. In a brief moment, it seemed as though the imaginary opponent was real, but the imagery faded in the blink of an eye. The imagery didn't phase her: perhaps the iconic weapon brought a sense of security that nothing else would.

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Kyp Eridan

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Was there a routine to this? Of course there was! There was nothing in training that did not have a regimen or routine to it. But that would come later. She deserved this moment of enjoyment, of seeing visions that were not frightening, but rather in many ways childish, the simple flight of fantasy one might have at her age holding a stick, or a vibroblade, let alone a real lightsaber. He could not keep the gentle smile from his face, and instead he stepped back, just watching, enjoying the moment. She deserved a moment to enjoy this. Things would not get easier from here on, the amount of focus this training would require would be most intense, but he had faith in his padawan.

"There is a regimen, and we will discuss that in time, but first, just focus on how this feels, how your legs feel, your torso. When you step, you should return to this position at the end of every move. Try it. Carefully, consciously. Be mindful of your movements now and in time they will be second nature. Most of all, enjoy this, Altina. You have worked hard, you have earned this."

He rose from his stance and stepped back away from where she stood, watching, letting her move around, swing the blade, do as she wished. Moments like these came rarely and he wanted, just for a little while to have a moment of peace and enjoyment. He watched until she seemed ready to begin learning more and then he stepped forward.

"Good, good. How does it feel to move around like that, it is difficult? It is awkward? That will fade in time. Why do you imagine we keep such a stance?"

The lessons were about to begin in earnest.

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Altina Tiramara

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Altina nodded as she went about trying out moving around with the blade in hand. As Master Eridan would expect, her first steps were rather clumsy, trying to adhere to the unfamiliar neutral stance while stepping in a roughly box-like path. At one point, Altina nearly lost balance, but caught herself before hitting the ground with a hand and knee.

Although it was the fantasy of many children, Altina did not really think about the fantasy of being a Jedi. She spent much of her time thinking about how she was going to try to beat back the next wave of visions and voices. It was a really pitiful state of being, but Altina isn't the kind of person who would openly share such an experience.

As Altina got back up, she already had an answer for Master Eridan's last question, having just experienced it.

"Balance," she answered.

Altina did her best to reassume the posture that Master Eridan wanted her to have. She held the blade in a ready stance while facing the imaginary foe once again. The foe flickered as the image of a masked man took its place once again, but Altina answered by slashing it with her master's lightsaber.

The motion still felt odd, but Altina wasn't ready to ask Master Eridan about it. It's the feeling of inexperience, she reminded herself. It shouldn't be anything other than inexperience.

"And positioning?" Altina added in a questioning tone.

More precisely, to be able to take advantage of the weaknesses that an opponent may show within the split-seconds of combat. At least, it made sense in her mind. It is not that she has a grasp on something that her master has yet to teach her.

@Srota
 

Kyp Eridan

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Jedi Order
Rank
Jedi Knight

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Srota
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"Balance and positioning. One might even say that learning balance and how to position oneself will aid you not only in the blade but in all aspects of life." Kyp watched earnestly as she moved about, finding her legs as best she was able. It was not an easy position to take, it would feel odd and uncomfortable for years. It had always been that way for him, and that was probably why she would rarely ever hear of him even using his lightsaber.

"You must learn to move your feet like this as if it were second nature. If you focus too much on your feet, you will lose focus on the enemy. To lose focus on the foe may be disastrous." He stepped forward, moving to place a hand on her shoulder calmly. "I do not wish to make you nervous, but I do wish to emphasize the importance of this most seemingly insignificant detail. As we add more to your repertoire, and we will, you will spend an hour of every day practicing just your footwork. Now, before we go further, we need to get you a weapon of your own. I do not know if we have time to waste with training sabers, or if the council will allow you to have a proper lightsaber just yet, but we need to get you ready for the galaxy at large. To that end, I want you to see about getting a blade today, so that we may begin more detailed instruction tomorrow after your mathematics lessons."

Kyp withdrew his hand and turned, making his way away from her, moving towards the edge of their training area. "Now, you will run for the next hour before returning to the temple. It will be good, you will work up an appetite and earn your dinner. Then, meet me in my chambers for a lesson in the language of the ancient Jedi. Much of our travels will be to Jedi ruins, you will need to know how to read the language."

With that Kyp clapped his hands and said sternly. "Well? What are you waiting for? I expect to see you running while I return to the temple."

@Lavi
 

Altina Tiramara

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Jedi Order
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Jedi Padawan

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Lavi
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It was only so brief a time that Altina had with Master Eridan's lightsaber and already the nonstop exercises and lessons have returned. Altina couldn't resist a pouting face as she deactivated the lightsaber before returning it to Master Eridan. As she did, the thought had finally struck her. She was to get a lightsaber of her own. Did she deserve it? Or are the circumstances pressuring Master Eridan to give her a lightsaber early? She didn't have much time before Master Eridan's clap snapped her attention back to the present.

The mechanical breath of Darth Vader had returned to her ears, but she ignored it as best she could.

"Yes, Master Eridan," she answered promptly before starting at a jog as she returned towards Master Eridan's obstacle course.

She did not know whether she is actually ready for a lightsaber, but the present galactic climate may leave her with no choice but to be ready. No matter how skilled she may be.

// END THREAD
 
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