[NABOO] Learning the arts of defense and Jedi Phylosophy

[Sirocco]

Students attending
http://www.thestarwarsrp.com/forum/showthread.php?62089-Shard-Avelar&p=1185737#post1185737
http://www.thestarwarsrp.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60799
http://www.thestarwarsrp.com/forum/showthread.php?60889-Jax-Vos&p=1170462#post1170462

Class topic: Basics of Soresu and sparing, basic Tutaminis, and Lecture/discussion of jedi ways and the force.

It was a bit of a difficulty in finding a good place for teaching classes as it was 10 years ago when Tythin still stood. Back then, one could calmly teach in a class in any of the countless rooms of the temple with all of the tools one needed under a roof and splendid architecture. Days were you could roam the beautiful gardens of the temple and roam the countryside searching through the ancient ruins of the jedi of old.

Those were the days.....

Now Jedi hid in special safe house structures with limited space and resources, many tools and artifacts lost to the war. Raleigh chose a secluded area in the forest to start his first class in a long time in the middle of a forest. On a solid terrain were he had his GA gunship parked, Raleigh had set up his make shift class room with several crates , a rack of training sabers and remotes ready to aid his students on the lesson of the day.

Raleigh was in the center of the the clearing sitting on a crate as he made some adjustments and cleaned a remote he would use. Having not seen use in 10 years, some if the remotes were a bit dusty and dirty so they needed to be ready for their renewed use. As he prepared his equipment, Raleigh was actually practicing a type of meditation mechanic jedi used. Calling on the force to let it flow through him, he instinctively levitated everything around him and called to him tools he needed like spinners and parts. One could see by looking at him that it almost seemed like he was in a trance of sorts when he worked, allowing the force to take over to the point of achieving mechanical skill not normally capable to him.

Raleigh's ability with physical argumentation was so controlled and complete that he did not even flinch when he needed to tighten something. Applying the needed strength just enough to fix a screw as if nothing, it was almost like surgery at how he applied the force so minimalist but perfectly. Some crews were tighten just enough that it would take a few seconds to move for even a wookie but to Raleigh it was just like picking a rock or moving a finger. Physical argumentation in perfect use to do the job but to not brake the machine.

Expecting 3 students, Raleigh wanted for everything to be perfectly set so that they could learn in the best environment he could offer them. Teaching young ones was a bit of a passion for Raleigh and he loved to see those flourish under his guidance when he did things right. Hopefully his skills as a teacher were not so rusty this time around.

 

[Undine]

Jade was once again drawn back to Naboo. While the lush forests and beautiful cities would inspire others to commit themselves to great masterpieces of art and wonder, Jade was haunted by the memories of her recent past. If she hated anything it was the nightmares this world inspired in her mind. Forcing her to relive one of the most painful events of her life, and her deepest regret.

Still she had made her way to this planet the Order seemed to love so much in the hopes of furthering her training and taking another step on the road to discovering her full potential. A Jedi Knight named Raleigh, From what Jade had heard he was a well respected member of the Order and teacher. She was looking forward to whatever he thought best to teach them, although she did know that the class would be defense based at least for a time.

She made her way through the forest, following the directions she had memorized earlier, to the clearing the class would be held at. Once Jade reached the area she could see the Jedi Knight moving about with objects floating in the air all around him. She stood just outside his range of senses, watching with her Force Sight for a few moments, admiring the near work of art that was the Knight's usage of the Force.

After a few moments Jade walked forward, bowing respectfully. Raleigh was working and she didn't want to disturb him, so she sat a few feet away and opened herself to the Force, clearing her mind and focusing herself as she prepared for the training ahead.​

 

[Stel Starkiller]

Jax had heard that an acquaintance of his, Jedi Knight Raleigh, was teaching a class on Naboo. Apparently the class was going to be on defensive abilities as well as philosophy. Figuring it never hurt to learn defensive techniques or brush up on philosophy Jax had signed up for the class.

Arriving on Naboo Jax headed for the forest where the class was supposed to meet. Walking through the forest Jax couldn't help but wonder who else would show up and what they would be learning. Either way it was going to be interesting and the skills and knowledge learned today would definitely be useful for life.

Making his way through the forest Jax soon came across a clearing. There in the center was someone he recognized, Raleigh. Jax was about to speak up but noticed that Raleigh was in a sort of trance, using the Force to work with machinery. It was mesmerizing to watch. Not wanting to disturb Raleigh Jax quietly walked to the side. It was then that he noticed someone else he recognized, a friend of his, Jade. "Hi Jade" Jax said waving a bit. His voice was a bit quieter than usual, not so much she couldn't hear him he just didn't want to disturb Raleigh's trance.

 

[Solence]

After a month or so of training on the planet Lamaredd, Shard Avelar felt ready to move to another planet to continue his training. Hearing about a gathering of apprentices who would be learning from a mentor on the planet Naboo, he packed his things and took the ferry back to the dock where his starship, The Rising Dawn, was waiting. After being cleared by the port authority for departure, Shard lifted off, punching in the hyperspace coordinates when he was out of the planet's gravitational field.

Watching the stars zip by in a blue haze, Shard's protocol droid Jeeves walked up to the bridge, the unit's joints squeaking distinctively as the servos and hydraulics propelled it forward. "Master Shard, I do hope you know what you're getting into with this whole Jedi business. Like I used to tell your father, it isn't the safest lifestyle. Would it not be easier for you to settle down on some nice planet and not put yourself in harm's way, attracting bounty hunters and all sorts of undesirables? Seems more logical to me, sir." Shard grinned at Jeeves as he let the autopilot run, setting an alarm to tell him when they were in range of the planet. "Now that'd be boring, wouldn't it Jeeves? Besides, Naboo's a nice planet, I'm sure I won't get into too much trouble. What could go wrong?" If a droid could have rolled its eyes, Jeeves would have.

Touching down on the planet's surface, Shard did whatever he could to avoid drawing attention to himself. He had received coordinates on his datapad on where they were supposed to meet, and he looked for a clearing that would fit his ship, which was larger than an average personal transport. Spotting a bare patch of land that looked big enough, Shard eased The Rising Dawn down gently, disembarking with his full kit of Jedi equipment. Utility belt full of things that he might need, an adjustment tool kit for his lightsaber, etc. Walking through the forest towards the coordinates where the training was supposed to take place, Shard breathed deeply. He had been doing this Padawan thing for a while now, and the skills he had learned, he was quite good at. Now, he needed to learn some new ones on his way to knighthood.

Coming across a clearing, Shard felt the Force moving as if other people were nearby, and he was pleased to see that his senses were not mistaken. In the clearing was a trio of people: One was a man that Shard had never seen before, using the Force to work on a mechanical device of some sort. Neat trick, he thought. There was another male there, maybe a bit younger than Shard himself. And finally, there was Jade, the Padawan he'd met back on Lamaredd and sparred with. Walking up to them, Shard saw that he was the oldest student there, and greeted the two apprentices. "Hello Jade! Good to see you again. And I don't think we've met before, have we?" he said to the other student, bowing slightly. "I'm Shard Avelar, nice to meet you." Glancing over in the direction of the person who would obviously be their instructor, Shard kept his voice low so as not to disturb him. "I suppose we'll be starting soon."

 

[Sirocco]

"We sure are ready padawan Shard, welcome every one and thank you for attending today" Raleigh spoke as he made the final adjustments to a remote and let it levitate off. Turning to look at his padawans face to face, Raleigh gave them a respectful bow to start things off "welcome to my class padawans, my name is Raleigh and I will be your teachers through our classes. If you don't already know each other, feel free to introduce yourselves and get to know each other before we start" Raleigh hoped they were not put off my his meditative exercises as he always tried to keep his abilities sharp but never intended to seem like a show off.

Raleigh had seen their applications before and assumed they knew Shii Cho and force sense before applying because those were crucial for the use of a saber for different reasons each. Thinking a lecture and instruction on light saber defense was the easiest overall, Raleigh telekinetic levitated 3 training sabers from his rack for their use "If you already have a training saber or your sabers have a power modulator, please switch to them accordingly. I have training sabers at hand if that is not the case so feel free to take one if you lack it" Raleigh commented freely wile he waited for the padawans to finish their greetings.

Once they were done, Raleigh nodded before continuing "today you will be learning the ultimate abilities important to a jedi at its purest definition: The arts of defense. Having said that, we will start with a lecture over Soresu's history, application, philosophy and its trade offs weather good or ill. After that the same will be thought about the basic abilities in Tutaminis being both unbelievably crucial for a jedi's use and a prerequisite for knighthood. After or during the lectures and training, we will learn and discuss the ways of a jedi and the philosophy of the code and the force. This will be an open discussion so please feel free to express your personal views which will not be met with scrutiny in this class but with healthy debate and criticism. Questions any one?" Raleigh asked as he telekineticly pulled a few crates for them to sit in so that their training and lectures would begin.

 

[Undine]

Jade smiled at both Jax and Shard as they entered to clearing an greeted her. "It is good to see you both again. Jax this is Shard, I met him on Lamaredd and we did some training with each other. Shard this is my friend Jax who I met a while back, we've done multiple things together." After greeting her fellow padawans, she let them introduce themselve to each other as she already knew both of them.

Their instructor, Raleigh, explained what all they would be learning and how the class would flow. When he offer them all training sabers, Jade reach for one offering thanks in doing so. Having no questions for the time being she waited to hear if either jax or Shard held any inquiry before waiting for Raleigh to begin.​

 

[Stel Starkiller]

It wasn't long before the third and final Padawan showed up. Jax smiled a bit as the man named Shard introduced himself. "No, I don't think he have met. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Jax" Jax said returning Shard's bow. After their introductions Jax turned his attention to Raleigh as he started speaking.

While he did appreciate that Raleigh offered them all training blades Jax favored his own. He set it to the appropriate level without turning it on just yet. As Raleigh explained what they'd be learning first Jax couldn't help but feel a bit excited. Soresu was a form Jax really wanted to learn. In a way it complemented the form he already knew. Tutaminis was also a skill he needs brushing up on. He couldn't wait to begin.

 

[Solence]

Shard listened to Raleigh speak, nodding in agreement. He was not a defensive lightsaber user, not truly. The Contention Form prized precision and leverage over pure defense, but during his last sparring match with Jade, she'd been able to exploit several critical weaknesses in his style by attacking him when he'd over-extended himself. Learning Soresu's essentials would improve his Makashi, he thought, just as the best fighters in history adapted many different techniques from other styles. Even Darth Vader made use of other styles' key elements when he was using Form V, he thought. This would be excellent practice, as Shard was a very lightsaber-oriented Jedi.

With regards to Tutaminis, Shard felt that this would be a bit trickier for him to become proficient in. Usually, Shard's connection to the Force was drawn from outside, from the living beings around him, not from within like many Jedi seemed to be able to access it. He'd have to learn how to personalize his Tutaminis application to fit his unique way of accessing the Force.

Force theory, now there was something Shard actually didn't know much about. His father had been a very pragmatic Jedi, focusing on teaching Shard things that would be useful in saving his life, as opposed to hypotheses and philosophy. It would be interesting to hear what a full-fledged knight knew about the Force, and how they all fit into the bigger picture of the universe.

Declining a training saber, Shard unhooked his lightsaber from his belt, the curved handle gleaming in the dappled light that filtered through the canopy above. Removing a tool from his belt, Shard promptly turned a bolt near the bottom of the hilt, turning the weapon's power level down to a point where it would be safe to spar or practice. Glancing at his fellow Padawans and nodding as he put his tool away, he spoke up. "I think we're ready."

 

[Sirocco]

Raleigh nodded then clipped his light saber to grab the training saber Shard would have used if his saber wouldn't had an energy modulator. Not igniting the blade just yet, Raleigh decided in opening with a lecture on the form to give the padawans an idea of the form's nature and why it was created. Looking at some of the padawans, he recalled one of them might have already known Soresu although he might actually be mistaking them for his padawan.

Raleigh sometimes tended to have scatterbrained moments, a flaw he hoped they would excuse but one that thankfully did not factor into battle.

"It is difficult to see this now knowing how far the advancement of lightsabers has come but there was a time a lightsaber was so primitive that it was connected to a belt mounted pack via a cord. Light sabers did not simply came to be, they needed a power cell so large that it needed to to be mounted on a large box. It was at this time that Shii Cho was developed from the new features of this peculiar and powerful tool of the jedi wile basing its aspects from traditional blade work. Equally as interesting was the fact that sith did not exist in this era, they were simply unheard of and the "proto-saber" was used only by the jedi. It was at the genesis of the jedi that criminals and tyrants were the enemies of harmony through the galaxy and in turn, the enemies of the jedi. This enemies of the jedi in the era of the proto-saber had brought an extensive use of blasters against the jedi so Shii Cho's form was geared for the deflection of blaster fire wile applying combat borrowed from traditional blade fencing. When the great jedi chasm came due to drastic and eventually violent difference in ideologies and philosophies between the order, jedi fought jedi so came the very first events of saber vs saber. With a discipline so similar among the true jedi and the dark jedi that had fell to the dark side, all used Shii Cho with out any true advantage. It was the need to develop a fighting stile to deal with the immediate threat of opposing jedi that brought about the the initial form that would become Makashii. Makashi is a form banking on deft movement and foot work specializing on parring and evading with a dancer's grace wile using critical sharpness of blade work to duel against the opposing light saber combatant. A master of Makashii will not use brute force at all and instead will use grace and economy of motion to redirect a blade with the flick of a wrist wile striking with a pin point razor sharpness. It is this deciding discipline that played part in the defeat of the dark jedi and exiling them from known space which would see the birth of the sith order under the very first lord of the sith, Ajunta Paul. With the sith defeated and driven to exile, Makashii had become all but useless as a form specialized for an enemies that no longer existed at the time" Raleigh spoke in lecture as he spoke of Shii Cho and Makashii in a Soresu class, odd to the untrained mind but important for those that knew Soresu and what it was all leading to.

"Back to fighting gangsters and despots, the jedi found themselves overly outmatched in all fronts as the blaster tech evolved and improved. As nature took its course, the jedi chose to adapt instead of going out in flames of blaster fire. With Shii Cho's basic balance of defense and attack compromised by the faster and more potent blasters in the market, the jedi masters trained and honed their knowledge of Shii Cho's blaster fire capabilities and what they already knew of Makashi's razor sharp grace. What was created was a complete if not perfect form of the jedi art; Soresu. Advancing in Shii Cho's blaster bolt defensive mentality and blending it with Makashii's rich art of razor sharp grace and economy of motion, the jedi had created a form that made a master unstoppable. Soresu's core tenants are based on a fighting mentality. To master Soresu, one needed to practice constant meditation due to this form being the most inward of the saber forms, literally becoming the peaceful and serine eye of the storm devoid of conflict and chaos as your enemies rage about you in total chaos and destruction" Raleigh spoke as he took a deep breath and ignited the training saber in his hand holding materializing a blue blade as he took a soresu stance.

With his legs spread apart and his lightsaber held horizontally in front of him wile keeping his elbows close to his sides and locked, he stayed in position so that they could see "Soresu relies on a perfect defense brought about by tight and economically minimalist moves wile using sharp reflexes and tactical movement needed for the moments need. A well fit master of the form is known to be able to fight for almost an unlimited time due to minimalist economy, one sing Soresu can effectively fight for a VERY LONG time. With air tight and economic protection of the whole body did a master create an effective situation of literal invisibility only broken by fatigue, something rarely suffered by Soresu masters, and miscalculation allowing a poorly executed parry or block to fail. Soresu can be known as an almost perfect form but it has one drastic but singular flaw; it has little to no offensive capabilities outside blaster bolt redirection. This flaw can be fixed with the mastery and application of a second and more aggressive form by integrating the forms together in a personalized stile rather then using one or the other."

A long lecture, sure but they needed to know everything. Lucky for them, it was time for beginning actual physical learning and application of Soresu with the knowledge they now held "It is now time to apply what you learned to your lightsaber use but first; any questions?"

 

[Undine]

Lade listened to Raleigh as he gave his lecture. None of the information was new to her, as she had spent much of her time over the years of her short life studying every ounce of the surviving archives she could find at her disposal. The way he presented it to her was new however and sparked ideas of fighting style combinations. When The Jedi Knight was done speaking he asked them for questions, of which Jade was happy to oblige.

"Sir, I practice Niman. Mostly using the form along with force techniques for defensive purposes. To make up for my lack of offensive ability I have practiced hand-to-hand martial arts for years, particularly Teräs Käsi. Instead of learning a second form of lightsaber combat could a Jedi pair Soresu with Teräs Käsi? From what I understand of Soresu and Teräs Käsi, they would blend together wonderfully. This would be more efficient due to the person only using their lightsaber for a singular purpose but at the same time they would always be armed and able to defend themselves should the need arise. I use Niman basically in the same way, just with more of a blend of Force abilities to protect myself and force my opponents into making a mistake. Padawan Shard Avelar can attest to my methods as we have recently sparred with each other." Jade had asked an unusual question, of this she was aware, but she made it a point to think outside the box. She had yet to meet someone who was able to predict her combative style. People expected her to be weak, and she was, but she made up for it with speed and force imbued strikes. Quickly weaving in and out of close quarters combat, forcing her opponents to go on the offensive and then exploiting or creating faults in their guard. Delivering swift kicks or blows to the stomach, face, groin, or chest, only to move away while they recovered.​

 

[Stel Starkiller]

Jax listened with rapt attention as Raleigh spoke. All this information was new to him and he made sure to memorize it all. He had really only focused on Ataru before. He paid special attention to the information on Soresu as that was a form he really wanted to learn.

Jax's attention turned to Jade as she asked her question. Teräs Käsi combined with Soresu? While his knowledge of both of those was lacking it was definitely interesting to think about. That got Jax thinking; he had intended to learn Soresu and then switch between that and Ataru but could he combine the two somehow?

 

[Solence]

History lessons weren't terribly interesting to Shard, and he found his eyes glazing a bit before Raleigh ignited his lightsaber. A practical demonstration was a much more effective teaching tool, and he took mental notes on the posture and exact body positions that the knight moved through as he showed them Soresu's tight, economic movements. As Jade spoke up, Shard's mouth turned upward in a wry smile. Yup, he could definitely testify to the Padawan's use of martial arts to supplement her lightsaber combat. "I think you're right," he commented, facing Jade as he spoke, "Soresu could definitely give you a great coverage against enemies with blasters, or other weapons with reach like saberstaffs and lightwhips. While rare, it'd be harder to employ Niman against them without suffering defensively."

Shard had heard it said that a Jedi would most likely over the course of his or her lifetime only be able to master two sword forms, three at the absolute maximum if they eschewed any advanced Force training at all in favor of weapon mastery. Nearing peak proficiency with Form II himself, he was keenly aware that if he were to learn another style, he had best do so as soon as possible, so that he would have more of his life to perfect it. Perhaps Soresu would be that form, or perhaps he would incorporate certain key aspects of the discipline into his combat style. Only time would tell. He waited patiently for Raleigh to answer Jade's question, then activated his lightsaber. Even on a low power setting, the blade's signature -KIIISH- filled the clearing as it activated, glowing a vibrant turquoise.

Alright, what's the first step?" he asked, eager to learn. Lightsabers were cool, nobody could deny that.

 

[Sirocco]

Jade made a valid and well thought out point that impressed Raleigh in how well she was paying attention in class but her explanation had one flaw. Jade had a powerful set mentality in combat that seemed to be tried and true so far in her career and as a master or high adept of her hand to hand martial art, Raleigh understood her wish to stick with it as he bread and butter. Raleigh knew of Teras Kasi in knowledge and how it was applied but he did not practice the form itself, instead relying on a self thought force based kick boxing that was effective but far from Teras Kasi's equal. It was the simplicity of the kick boxing that allowed him an offensive and defensive needed when disarmed as he was primarily a saber combatant but he allowed the force to aid him to the point of fracturing stone and destroying bone. Despite this, there was no doubt that in hand to hand combat, Jade would make short work of Raleigh.

The flaw in her words was not that she used her hands for offence instead of a lightsaber, but that she limited her self by opting to use her hands only with no alternative. It was this mentality that would limit her ability to fight and make her vulnerable with out defense if and when it failed her "That is a very good question Jade. yes, Teras Kasi is a very viable yet rare option of offence for a Soresu master and it has merit in its rarity and your mastery. How ever, you must not allow your self to be limited by your preference in combat. Your chosen style of combat is indeed powerful and I am sure it has not failed you yet, but I advise in opening your mind to the force and the galaxy around you. To be a strong duelist is to understand and apply different disciplines of combat to which you can easily fall back to when the day Teras Kasi fails you. It is always a good idea to be strongly diverse in one's abilities to meet the needs of the moment when they come. If you limit yourself then you will have no defense against an opponent or situation were your chosen discipline of combat is not a viable choice" It was not the thought of training her out of the martial art but to teach her to accept other forms and diversify her choices in battle.

Shard's dose off was a bit of a eyebrow raise and his example of Niman was not exactly true, Wile Niman was a strong but balance form that jedi opted for its great balance, there had been some that have taken Niman to its highest degree and beyond. This complete masters of Niman were both unbelievably powerful and unpredictable, having known to destroy even the greatest swords man of their era. It was force users like Exar Kun that Raleigh meditated on "Niman at first may be too balanced to be of any strength for the user, but there have been times when a master of Niman has taken the mentality of the form to its greatest degree and beyond....difficult but not impossible" Raleigh instructed briefly on Niman, a discipline for another class.

Deciding to to finally employ their learning into physical execution, Raleigh would train them in drills two categories: blaster fire and light saber combat. To drill history into their heads with a training laser to the head, Raleigh would drill them on blaster fire first with his remotes with simple singular bolts eventually being followed by the advanced setting of rapid fire from 20 remotes all around at a time. Knowing Makashii, Raleigh knew Shard would not power through the remotes and instead use the dexterous economy of Makashii to employ tight and economic moves.

"ok padawansm step into this circles and get ready, your Soresu drills will begin with blaster deflection from training remotes with the lowest level being 1 which is one slow shooting remote all the way to 40 which is 20 rapid fire remotes and a LOT of bruises. The remotes will begin shooting once you are ready" Raleigh announced as he burned a circle on the ground several paces from each other to give them space. It would be interesting how they would react or respond.

 

[Undine]

Jade listened intently to Raleigh's reply, it was well thought out and held many interesting points, but Jade was not swayed from her chosen path. She had more that a few tricks up her sleeve that no one knew about. She bowed her head to show her respect for the Knight's words. When he began explaining the next activity she listened again, hesitating slightly when Raleigh mentioned the twenty rapid-fire remotes. "Even on the lowest setting that would be far to much energy for my body to handle. Bruises are nothing, but nerve damage is permanent."

Jade didn't want to be rude, so she spoke up as she made her way into one of the circles that Realeigh had made on the ground. "Sir, I don't mean to speak out of place, but isn't twenty rapid-fire remotes dangerous, even on the lowest setting?" Jade was a little worried about what that amount of energy would do to her, but she would do her best regardless. She light the training saber the Knight had provided and stood ready to deflect whatever would come her way.​

 

[Stel Starkiller]

As Shard and Raleigh answered Jade's question Jax was busy thinking. He was still trying to piece together if and how Soresu and Ataru would blend together. Maybe the reflexes used in Ataru attacks could be used for Soresu's defense? Scratching his head a bit Jax continued thinking. Jax's attention was caught as someone began speaking.

As Raleigh explained the training Jax was a little bit concerned. Ataru was designed for use against a single opponent and it was not meant for blaster defense. A couple of remotes firing slowly he might be able to handle but twenty remotes rapid firing? Hopefully his reflexes would be able to keep up. As he was about to walk into position Jade spoke up. While Jax was sure that it was all safe it didn't hurt to have a word or two of reassurance.

 

[Solence]

Shard swallowed nervously. There was no way he'd be able to keep up with 20 rapid fire training droids. One? Certainly. Five? With effort. Ten? Perhaps if he was concentrating wholey on using the Force to anticipate them, but it would be extremely difficult. Any more than that, and even a Jedi trained in Shien would be hard pressed to keep up. Shard assumed that this would be a test to see where their limits lie, so that Raleigh could establish how far each Padawan was at right now, and where he could guide them to.

Stepping forward, he reached out with the Force, drawing from the Padawans and the Knight before him, feeling the energy flow back and forth. Their light made his shine brighter, and he in turn would boost their perception. Taking a breath, Shard raised his blade, standing ready; he'd see how well Makashi's grace and finesse could be applied here. Where Shard could not block, he would dodge, perhaps parrying a bolt back at the remote. If all went according to plan, which things seldom did.

 

[Sirocco]

Raleigh saw the error of expressing the scope of training a Soresu practitioner would undergo under his training because they seemed to be misunderstanding what he said. He merely expressed the levels of difficulty the remotes has ready for them, not that he would throw them to the wolfs by setting them against the highest level only a complete master would achieve. Soresu at its limit was known to repel and counter the blaster fire of up to about 20 rapid fire shooters but they were going to start in level one, did they believe him sith?

"calm down padawans, you misunderstood me entirely. This remotes are set to attack up to a unison of 20 under rapid fire but you will not undergo that, that is only for masters and even I got problems with it. Instead of being given the sparking of a life time, you will start at level one; one remote firing at a slow and predictable pace that will eventually become unpredictable so don't worry because you will never be overwhelmed under my guidance. Remember; reflexes ready, eyes and senses alert, posture loose but in place, light saber close to you with elbows locked and may the force be with you. Call out start when ever you are ready and let me know when you wish to up your training's level" Raleigh said as he was going to let them go at it by themselves from there, only hovering over them to offer wisdom and assistance as well as protection.

Now that he remembered what he said, it would have probably helped to be solidly specific in his words when he introduced them to the training remotes.

 

[Undine]

Jade held the ignited lightsaber closer to her body, relaxing as Raleigh shed light on his intentions for their training. She closed her eyes focusing her mind, her thoughts a soft gentle rain. She fell back on her years of meditation, knowing from her studies that Soresu was the most inward form of lightsaber combat. She whispered her readiness for the training to begin, and two remotes began to circle her. She was able to keep track of them easily with her Force Sight capabilities, and when the first bolt fell upon her she sidestepped ever so slightly, the static charge of the bolt even tingling her ear as it flew past. When the second remote fired she redirected it with the blade of the training saber. Tilting the blade a couple of degrees to cause the bolt to fly upward away from both her and her fellow padawans. She was calm almost serene, as she practiced her hand at the defensive form known as Soresu, the movements coming naturally to her as if she had welded her Niman and meditative skills into one, but removed the excess from her maneuvers.

She continued like this for a few minutes, before speaking out to increase the firing rate of the remotes. Almost suddenly they began to shoot faster, and she sped up her movements in step. It was starting to get a little more complicated, but Jade simply drew more on the Force to bring clarity to her mind and ease her movements. She was accustomed to using defensive blocks, parries, and evades in a flowing manner, but the simplicity of Soresu was challenging in it's own right. She was not just trying to block or evade the bolts, she was also trying to move as little as possible. Something her reflexes were not accustomed to as they almost ached for her to move out of the way completely.

Jade was however keeping up with the two remotes without too much strain, mostly of which came from her prior practice in Niman. Her instincts told her to duck and roll away, coming back up to Force Push the two remotes into each other. But such a movement would enull her current training. Asking for another increase in difficulty, hoping the higher level of danger would distract her from wanting to use the Force and cause her to focus more on Soresu. A third remote was activated, causing Jade's focus to waver just long enough so that while blocking a bolt from one direction another one snuck within her guard, hitting her thigh. It met with a sharp sting but nothing more, far from the amount of pain Jade was accustomed to.

Refocusing herself and drawing more on her meditative skills, Jade fell into a semi-trance, blocking and evading bolts more easily. She didn't want to up the difficulty just yet as she was still struggling slightly. She decided to wait upon further instructions, content to continue her practice against the three remotes. So long as she could remain focused she knew that her body would not tire, at least not for a few hours. Niman was built around moderation over power, but lacked the level of focus on bladework that Soresu upheld. This made it slightly difficult for Jade to keep her movements to such a minimalistic degree as was the norm of Soresu.​

 

[Stel Starkiller]

Jax felt his worries disappear as Raleigh clarified the training. Stepping into position Jax ignited his green blade and took an Ataru ready stance. He took a moment to ready himself. As instructed, once he was ready Jax said 'start' and watched a single remote came towards him. As Raleigh had said the first remote was slow and predictable. After blocking the first couple shots Jax started to practice deflecting the shots. Against a single remote it was easy enough. Once Jax felt comfortable against the single remote he signaled for the level to increase.

As the now two remotes circled Jax he noticed how he kept wanting to jump or flip out of the way. It was hard resisting ones' instincts. A shot from behind passed close to Jax's shoulder. Calling upon the Force he extended his senses so he could see the remote behind him. Now that he could see both remotes Jax was having a better time blocking the shots. After a few minutes like this Jax once agin signaled for a level increase.

Three remotes were now zipping around Jax. While he could see them reacting to them was harder. He felt two shots hit, one near his left ribcage and one on the upper right side of his back. It stung but it wasn't too painful. Once again calling upon the Force Jax used Force Speed to aid his reflexes. That made it easier but three remotes as all he could manage for now.

 

[Solence]

Shard was 22 years old, and had trained with remotes like this aboard the starship he'd called home for many a year. Every youngling learned Shii-Cho in the old order, which held the basics of blocking in its drills. Shard's father had made sure he could deflect at least a few blaster shots before advancing him to the classical fencing style. Shard recalled his father's instructions as he stepped up, holding his saber in a parrying stance and allowing the Force to flow in and around him. Remember, a ranged attack is just like a melee attack. It's like a thrust from an enemy blade, one must parry it aside and resume the offensive as quickly as possible. Makashi users such as Count Dooku could hold off automatic blaster fire for an extended period, and while he was not at that level, Shard had been training in the art of the lightsaber since he could walk.

One remote. His cyan blade flashed as he turned the bolt back at the remote, making it teeter midair. "Another." The second remote floated up, and he concentrated on his footwork, making sure he could see both of them. Simple enough. "Another."

After a few minutes, Shard began having to concentrate more deeply, to draw on the living Force that the others were accessing as well. As he stirred the waters of the Force, he could feel a hint of the pain when Jade and Jax were tagged, and he let his own strength rise as it flowed between them all. Using his own version of Force Speed, Shard's blade was a sea-colored blur as he took on four at once. Their fire was becoming predictable, but still difficult to match without the Force. Digging deep as he sweated in the Naboo sunlight, Shard felt happy that he had a chance to challenge himself thusly. He had to hold back in training against live opponents, but here he could truly sink into the current of the Force and feel it wash over him. Confident, he called out for another training remote.

Five remotes all whirring and firing at Shard made him have to reach out further, sensing the plant life and fauna that surrounded the clearing. They were all one. They were all here, they- Kss! -hadn't stopped him from getting hit.

His left elbow stung from the blow; hardly fatal but he hadn't been in the moment. Realizing that his Makashi was unable to keep up with five opponents as he parried and riposted furiously, he got hit again on the shin as he thought back to the techniques that Raleigh had just demonstrated. Okay, a block here. Sweeping upward, moving, fluid, like water... his pride stinging like his limbs, Shard began mixing in some Soresu movements with his Form II. He'd keep occasionally getting hit, but it looked like for now, he could deflect five with his current strategy. For how long, he dared not guess. He was already needing to make his blocks tighter, his footwork more economical. Conserve his energy. He was the son of Kritan, of the House Avelar: he would adapt and rise up to any challenge.