Malon's Apprenticeship

[Malon]

Conscio; the ancient homeworld of the Dark Jedi. Newly reclaimed by the ancestors of those Dark Jedi, a Bogan ship hovered in the atmosphere over the barren world. Inside the ship, Malon, a Dark Jedi acolyte, ready to study the mysteries of the Force awoke. He had arrived on Ando Prime, the former base of operations of the Dark Jedi, the day before they had left for Conscio. Due to this, his training had been delayed.

All that had changed now. A Master had approached him, willing to train him in the ways of the dark side. Finally, he had thought at the time. At last someone was ready to unlock his great potential. At last he would begin his journey of unraveling the mysteries of the dark side and harnessing the power it would eventually yield to him. Malon rose from his bunk, fumbled around his room for his robes and draped them over his thin frame. He then exited his room and made his way down the hall to one of the many meditation rooms on the ship.

When he arrived, he found the room empty. It was better that way. He double checked the room number, making sure it was the right one, and then sat down against the far wall, awaiting his new master.

 

[Wit]

Up until this point in his life, Jev had lived a shadow of a life, his decisions made by another, his path set by another. He had corrupted, maimed, killed, done all sort of things at another's bidding. The path he had tread on till now had not been of his choosing but what had been laid out in front of him by one he had called father.

But all that had changed now, he was free now, free of the restraints that had been placed on him, free to choose his own path. Today was the beginning of his journey along a path of his own choosing, a path he had never walked, the path of a teacher. He had long been a pupil, he would now be the master. Maybe he would himself learn something new from this experience.

Walking through the corridors of the bogan ship, Jev couldn't help but reflect on how bored he had been getting of having to wait aboard the vessel for so long. He was used to a much more active life style, waiting like this had been only making him impatient. Walking into the room where his apprentice awaited him, he looked around until he spotted him sitting at the back of the room. As he began walking in towards him, he began speaking, getting straight to the point. "Malon I suppose? I was told you require training."

 

[Malon]

Malon looked up at whomever had addressed him. The man in front of him now was tall, with short brown hair and had some facial hair. He looked strong. Malon could only hope that this man could teach him what no one else could.

"Yes, Master. I am in need of training in the ways of the Force... In the ways of the dark side." he replied, bowing out of respect to his superior.

Malon didn't know what to expect of the training. He had grown up in harsh environments and even been a soldier for a short time, so he was confident that he would also endure whatever hardships his training in the ways of the dark side of the Force had to offer.

 

[Wit]

Jev nodded in response to Malon's bow, "Your training will be brutal, it will push you to your limits, test you our mind and your body. Don't expect any kindness or pity from me, if I find you unworthy then I will end your life. Only if you are strong will you survive, if you are weak then you will meet your end. The path to mastering the Dark Side is not an easy one, so before we begin I want you to know what you are stepping into. Are you willing to put your life on the line?"

 

[Malon]

Malon fought back a smile. Finally an organization that sees the galaxy as he does. The strong will rule, the weak will serve or die. He looked up at his master, cool and confident. The training would be tough, just like he thought, but he was ready. He nodded, "Yes master. I am willing to put my life on the line to learn the power of the dark side." he replied.

 

[Wit]

Satisfied by Malon's reply, Jev moved to the center of the room, motioning Malon to follow. "Good, then let us begin. First off tell me about your current abilities, your level of proficiency with the Force as well as your more mundane skills." Knowing Malon's current level would give Jev a better idea of what he was dealing with and how to best go about with his training.

 

[Malon]

Malon already had his answer. His time with the Dark Jedi had been short, but in that time, he had already learned many things.

"I've only used the Force involuntarily over my life time, so my skills in it are...lacking. I have basic combat training, as I was a soldier with the Hutts for a few years before I was recruited by the Dark Jedi. I'm quick on my feet and I learn quickly." he replied.

He could show no weakness, no fear, not even the slightest drop of it. When he spoke, he spoke in a cool tone. His years of harsh training under the Hutts had taught him that much.

 

[Wit]

Mulling over what Malon had said, Jev quickly made up his mind about how he would go about with his training. "We shall begin by developing your Force abilities. The first step will be to make you capable of using the Force voluntarily when you want, as you want. Once you are able to enforce your will on the Force, you can use it to accomplish a great many things." Pulling out one of his lightsabers, he placed it on the ground in front of him. "You have touched the Force before, felt the Dark Side. Remember that now and reach out to the Force. Use it to float this saber off the floor. Make it move around the room once and then bring it back to this spot. The saber should not drop to the ground even once in between. If it does then you will have to start over once more. Begin."

 

[Malon]

Malon closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Remember the Dark Side. He could remember his first touch of the dark side; when his mother had married that wretched man who dared to call himself his stepfather. What had he felt then? Fear, resentment....anger.. The emotion stood out in his mind. His fear had turned to anger and made him stronger; physically and mentally. He then thought back to the first time he'd really used the dark side, against the energy spiders on Kessel. Once again, that fear had turned to anger, and given him the power he needed.

In his mind, he reached into himself, looking for the repositories of fear and anger within him. His life was full of pain, plenty of things to be angry about. It was as if his life itself, tormented as it had been, was an endless pool of power he could draw on. He thought back to his stepfather's many beatings, his mother's crying face when he sold him to the slavers on Kessel. Anger welled up in him and turned into pure, raw, hate.

Suddenly, something happened. Out of the darkness that was his mind, a light appeared. Malon reached out to it, touching it ever so slightly. His body was immediately overcome by a warm sensation. He had felt this before. He lifted his hand to the lightsaber sat down before him, imagining his fist gripping it tightly. Then, he reached out with the warm sensation, surrounding the hilt with it. Then he willed it to move.

At first nothing happened, but then, slowly, the hilt rose off the ground as if some invisible string was pulling it. It now hovered at eye level with him. Mentally, he began to move the hilt around the room, and sure enough, the actual object followed his will. The anger he felt brought him focus. He focused all of his rage on the lightsaber, and it did as he bid it to. Soon, it had made one full lap around the room and the, wobbling as it did, floated down to were it had originally been and Malon released it.

So this is the dark side...., he thought silently.

 

[Wit]

Jev had been silently observing as Malon completed the task appointed to him. Had felt the anger and rage welling within him, felt him reach out through the Force and grasp the lightsaber. Nodding once in approval, Jev drew his second lightsaber and activating its crimson blade, held it horizontally in front of him. "Good, now lets take it a little further. I will float this blade towards you, straight for your neck. Float the other saber to yourself before my ligtsaber reaches you and then use it to stop my blade. Make sure you manage to get the saber before mine reaches you. I will not hesitate to cut your head off."

[OOC:RP out Malon doing this exercise a few times, with Jev's blade coming in progressively faster each time.]

 

[Malon]

Malon nodded his response. There was no need for words at this point. Jev's blade lowered itself and pointed directly for his windpipe. Now fear was beginning to well up inside of him. He could really be killed here. The energy blade that would sever his head from his shoulders was only a few inches from his throat. Malon's fear grew, but he knew this was good. Fear could be made into anger, and anger into hate.

Jev's blade suddenly lurched forward and in that same instant, Malon called out with the Force and snatched the other lightsaber from its spot, igniting its blade in mid air, slapping against his open palm, and a loud hiss let him know that he had brought the blade to him and blocked successfully. The dark power he had used early to move the lightsaber was now coursing through his veins, thicker than blood. He was learning to tap on it, force it to bend to his will.

With the Force, Malon returned the lightsaber to its spot, and Jev's lightsaber re-assumed its position of pointing at his throat. When it came the second time, it came faster than before. If left to his normal senses, he would've been dead before he could blink his eyes, however, he now could command the Force, however weakly. His instincts acted for him and the second lightsaber was in his hand, blocking Jev's floating saber once more. Frustration was setting in. If this kept up, Malon wasn't sure he would be able to block it every time. No. The dark side answered for him. He could turn his frustration into anger; into power.

Again the lightsaber was on the floor, and Jev's was floating inches from his neck. He felt the Force nudge him; a warning. He was already calling the lightsaber to him when Jev's lightsaber went for the kill. Again their blood-shine blades clashed, but this time the dark power welling in him fueled his muscles, allowing him to push it aside, knocking his assailant's weapon aside. Sweat had gathered on his brow, illuminated by the blood-colored fire of the lightsaber blade that he held. Soon, however, its glow faded as he switched it off. He then looked up to his Master for approval.

 

[Wit]

"Good," said Jev. "You survived your first test. Remember what you have learnt today and practice it till accessing the Force becomes second nature to you. I believe that is enough for today. Using the Force like this can be tiring and proceeding to the next part of your training would be a waste of time. We shall meet again here tomorrow early in the morning and continue when you are rested. But when you return tomorrow come prepared on the code of the Bogan. If you don't already know them then read up."

 

[Malon]

Malon bowed respectfully and left the room. Upon returning to his room just down the hall, he reached under his bunk and slid a datapad out from underneath. A few taps on the screen brought up the Dark Jedi code, just as his Master had instructed. Silently, he whispered the Code to himself;

No peace, only suffering
No knowledge, only instinct
No serenity, only passion
No harmony, only chaos
No life, only death

To any outsider, and certainly to a Jedi, the words seemed harsh and incredibly pessimistic. To Malon, however, every single word rung true. No part of his life had been in peace; only in suffering. He had been denied the major education his peers were granted, yet he survived this long due to instinct. The mere mention of the word serenity made him howl with laughter. Where in this chaotic galaxy was any serenity? Passion was human nature. It wasn't a bad thing. Love, anger, frustration, grief, and even hate were all natural emotions that every being experienced; and it made them stronger.

Harmony was a lie. The galaxy was nothing but chaos. Especially now days. Lastly, death was apart of life. No life was without death. Anyone who thought otherwise was in severe denial. Grinning, he pressed another button on his datapad, switching it off. He returned it to its place under his bunk and then got into a meditative position on the ground. It was time to practice the Force.

Hours past and, as they did, Malon found himself growing stronger and stronger, being able to call upon the dark side without much thought now. It was as if he'd unlocked the furnace that was his heart and could use it to give him an endless well of power. He practiced moving things with his newfound power, as well as practicing sensing the thousands of beings upon the ship through the Force. It was a glorious sensation. Yet now, many new questions where swirling inside of him.

It was clear that strong emotions were used to control the power of the dark side, but he'd heard of those in the Bogan who would lose themselves to their emotions and eventually become to blind to control themselves. Would the same fate happen to him?

No.

The voice wasn't human. It wasn't even physical. It was the voice of the dark side.

Malon grinned. He would be different. He didn't know how yet, but he would unlock the true power of the dark side.

That night, he slept well. The morning brought no break in his routine. He got up, showered, put on his apprentice robes and ate his food rations. He then exited the room and headed for the training room to meet his master.

 

[Wit]

Jev was already waiting in the room when Malon arrived, punctuality was a trait that had been pounded into him at a very young age. The fact that Malon himself had shown up on time boded will with him, at least he wouldn't have to teach him the value of time. He began as soon as Malon was seated, "Lets begin. Tell me what you have learned of our code."

Jev listened silently as Malon spoke about the code, what he understood from it. He seemed to have got a good grasp of what the code wanted to say, his interpretation not too far from how Jev himself saw things. "Good, now that you understand what you are going to be, let us continue further with your training." Drawing his lightsabers once more, he threw one to Malon. "Here, attack me. Come at me with everything you have."

 

[Malon]

Malon grasped the lightsaber firmly in his hand, getting a feel for the hilt. Flipping the switch on it with his thumb, a blood-shine blade of plasma erupted from its hilt. He continued to get a feel for its weight. The weapon was very light, as the blade was weightless. He could see how such a weapon could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Part of him couldn't believe he was holding the lightsaber. Only a short month ago, he'd been using a blaster rifle to fight against people with lightsabers; namely the Jedi. Now he himself was learning to use one.

Finally use to the weight of the weapon, Malon summoned the Force, as he had done the night before, and charged. He held the weapon in a reverse-hand grip, common to the form of Shien, though he didn't know why he held it like that. Looking back on it later, he would guess it was because it felt right. Regardless, he spun the lightsaber around and struck viciously at his master's chest.

 

[Wit]

Jev ignited his blade and brought it up in one fluid motion, blocking Malon's slash and then pushing back to push Malon away. "Too direct." He himself rushed forward, moving in straight towards Malon. But at the last moment he dashed diagonally to the side and then rushed in towards his apprentice from his left. With his outstretched hand he lashed out with an open palmed attack aimed at his side. "A frontal assault is the first thing your opponent expects."

 

[Malon]

On instinct, Malon whirled around and caught Jev's blade on his own. He knew what his master said to be true. He knew that from military combat training with the Hutts. Another problem was arising. Though his preferred style was the reverse grip holding on the lightsaber, the straightness of the hilt was making it difficult to handle. He needed something more curved. Shaking this thought, he focused his anger on his master and shoved him away and out of their blade lock.

Instead of charging forward like last time, he faked like he was about to charge straight again, and pivoted at the last moment, darting to the left and aiming a sweeping strike for his master's leg.

 

[Wit]

Jev sensed the change in Malon's attack and managed to jump over the slash. Using the Force to assist his jump, he twisted through the air so that he landed behind Malon. "Good, much better." As he landed he continued with his descent so that he ended up crouching on the floor. Extending his left leg, he performed a quick spinning kick along the ground in an attempt to knock Malon's legs out from below him.

 

[Malon]

As the kick came to knock him off balance, Malon could almost feel its path; know where it was coming and when it would connect. The Force? He couldn't be sure, but he figured he'd better use it. Mimicking his master, he called the Force to him to help him jump. He managed to clear the kick and land on the ground, albeit sloppily. He then preformed a spinning kick aimed right for Jev's head.

 

[Wit]

Jev smiled as Malon mirrored his move to jump right above his attack. "Good, you learn fast." As the spinning kick came in Jev raised up his left arm and blocked, using the Force to enforce his hand. "Use the Force to increase the strength of your attacks. Weak attacks like this will not harm strong opponents."

He didn't attack, but switched off his blade and stood up. Facing Malon, he held his hand out for his lightsaber. "From this little sparring session I have seen that you prefer the reverse gripped version of Shien. Am I right? Have you received any training in it's principles before?"

Twirling his own lightsaber in his hand he tossed it into the air and held it floating in the air in front of him. "I saw your slight discomfort with using such a blade, you desire something different right? Most teachers would instruct a student to build their lightsaber after they have some level of proficiency with the blade. But I think differently, building your own lightsaber right now would not only make you more familiar with your own blade, it would also be a constant test for you. A lightsaber is not a toy, one small mistake and you could end up killing yourself with it. So that will be the next step in your training, building your own lightsaber. Run down to the small repair station they have on board the ship and return with the necessary items. You will find there everything you need, except for a crystal."