The Training of Shao'andre Oedryak

[Thepantheon]

Waiting a few minutes for the sounds of Nimm's stumbling and cursing to fade, Shao'andre gathered his senses about him, trying to feel as calm as he could in order to feel around him, for he had not used this aspect of the Force before, and began to walk. He slammed into a tree, and decided that perhaps it had less to do with feeling about himself and more to with connection to the Force.

He quieted himself, and reached into the Force, and took steps as he felt guided to, walking where it would lead him. He walked a remarkable way, miraculously missing trees, but with this weak connection with the Force he eventually faltered, and could not find his way. Trying again, he felt the Force, and this time sensed about him for the Force in much the same way he felt it within him.

About him he felt far more clearly the presence of the Force in the woods, and felt a sense of proprioception of the woods, feeling them almost as he felt the position of his own body. He felt the Force about him, and walked as it willed, for unknown time. Journeying deeper into the woods, he began to feel another Force-user nearby, and knew it was Nimm. The Force willed him towards this other source like a rock in a river swept towards the shore, and he followed, stopping when he felt a lack of enclosure about him, and decided he had entered the clearing.

 

[Malon]

When he arrived, Nimm was waiting patiently at the center of the clearing, just as he said he would be.

"Do not remove the blindfold just yet."

Nimm then set about walking to the far edge of the cleraing.

"Now then, by now you should be getting the feel of the Force and its many applications. Your connection to it should grow stronger the more you trust in it and allow it to guide you."

Nimm pulled out three training lightsabers and set them on the ground.

"Using the Force and not your sight, I want you to pick up one of the three objects I just set on the ground. Let it pick the item. You must learn to deny yourself that choice."

 

[Thepantheon]

As Nimm's presence moved slightly further away, Shao focused himself in the Force again. He walked towards the objects and bent towards one, but then stopped and moved towards the other, before halting himself again. I can't manage to let the Force guide me enough. I'm never sure whether I'm influencing it or not...

He stood silent for a few moments, while the Jedi Knight watched passively, and then raised his head, seeming to have come to a conclusion. He raised his hand in the air, and used the Force to pull one of the objects through the air and into his hand, having used the Force in only enough strength to lift one thing, and letting it choose which it would call to him, a method he found easier.

 

[Malon]

"When you use the Force, let your thoughts and feelings go. Then you will know for certain that its voice is the one speaking, and not yours." Nimm offered as a word of advice.

That lightsaber will be your practice sword until you construct your own in due time. I want you to attack me and use your knowledge of lightsaber combat or lack thereof to fight me. Don't worry, my own sabers are powered down to the level of yours, meaning they'll only leave a bruise if you get hit, savvy?"

"The Jedi are at war, therefore we need good warriors who are able to wield their sword with certainty. This lesson also ties into our lessons thus far about trusting the Force. If you don't, you'll hurt yourself pretty badly. Now, come."

 

[Thepantheon]

Shao activated the light saber quickly, and took on an improvised stance, which looked reasonable to the unskilled eye but was significantly different from preferable stances. He secured his connection with the Force, so that he could concentrate on the battle at hand without fear of losing his senses, and focused himself on Nimm, "seeing" his movements by sensing them with the Force. He stepped forward and, sensing no movement from Nimm, made a lunge forward with a sweeping upper strike along the lower line.

 

[Malon]

Immediately, Nimm was in action. Calling on the Force, his twin lightsaber flew from their place on his belt and ignited in mid air as their hilts landed in the Nautolan's hands. In the same fluid motion, Nimm brought the sabers down on Shao's training saber, causing a sizzling noise from the touching blades to erupt, disturbing the peacefulness of the forest.

Nimm was impressed, considering that his Felucian student was still wearing a blindfold. This was a conformation; Shao really was improving with his connection to the Force. This exercise would serve to solidify the apprentice's trust in the Force and therein allow him to access more of it when needed. With a small push, Nimm freed his blades from their blade lock and assumed a Niman opening stance.

A surge of the Force build around him as he bounded forward, slashing his right handed blade towards Shao's chest, while he kept his left hand free to parry any counterstrikes the apprentice may prepare.

"Focus." he coached as they dueled. Let the Force guide your movements. Your sight has been removed, so you cannot trust yourself. Trust the Force and it will do the 'seeing' for you!"

 

[Thepantheon]

Listening to Nimm's words as he barely parried the attack, Shao struggled to comply with the Nautolan's words. He tried hard to let the Force guide him, but ended up either standing ridiculously and receiving a bruise, or simply sensing with the Force and reacting himself. It was more difficult than he had expected, to let the force guide him rather than just following it, if such a differentiation could truly be made. He furiously tried to think while still moving, mostly moving backwards to avoid attacks while he thought, but it was so difficult to think and fight.

Finally, he sighed inwardly, and made a decision. It is probably better to do well using an imperfect method than doing nothing while trying to do it the best way, he thought to himself, and then launched into the battle, stopping his thought. Suddenly, he realized something, and broke that inner silence. Wait... Stopping my thought about the problem lets me pay more attention to the fight using the Force... Maybe if I stopped thinking about the fight and just let my body react, then the Force would...! Then he let his thoughts, his worries about the fight, go.

As soon as Shao ceased thought about the fight, the Force flowed in to fill the void of reaction for him, and his body reacted as the Force fluctuated, instead of him reacting as he wished when he sensed that movement. It was much smoother, and felt... better, somehow. More right. His grace of movement increased, and as Nimm circled behind him, he stepped backwards between Nimm's blades, putting his saber in front of him to block the continuing attack. He then forced the light sabers up slowly, due to the Nautolan's greater strength, and turned with a messy but speedy slash towards Nimm's arm.

 

[Malon]

The slash found its mark, nicking Nimm across his left arm, directly above his elbow. Immediately, the Nautolan stopped fighting and flipped the ignition switches on his dual lightsabers off, putting them back in their place. He then proceeded to remove his Padawan's blindfold.

"Well done, Shao. Well done indeed. You've gotten it. Now that you've gotten that feeling, remember it and never forget it. Surrender to the Force; that is how you will achieve greatness as a Jedi. Your lessons for today are complete. Go back to the Temple and meet me at the edge of the forest tomorrow after lunch. You're doing well, young one. I see a fine Jedi developing in you."

 

[Thepantheon]

Looking around himself, Shao himself was a little surprised that he had managed to be guided by the Force in such a way; he hadn't thought himself capable of surrendering like that. He bowed to Nimm, and thanked him for the praise. After Nimm left the clearing, Shao stood for a few moments thinking of how he had felt using the Force to guide himself, and then walked off himself.

The forest was quiet the next day when Shao arrived, having eaten his lunch a little early. He sat on the branch of a low-hanging tree, then lay down, and began to look up at the sky in a becalmed fashion.

 

[Malon]

Nimm drunkenly made his way to the forest edge, spotting Shao in a tree as he got closer to the treeline. The Nautolan Jedi Knight staggered and stumbled right into the trunk of the tree; clearly he had consumed too much rum over lunch. It amazed even him that he'd managed to make it to the forest without passing out.

For awhile the two sat in silence, while Nimm recovered from his alcohol consumption. After seeming to regain his senses, Nimm began the next days lesson.

"Today, my young Padawan learner, we will be talking about the dark side of the Force and the dangers it poses to the Jedi and the galaxy as a whole. However, first, I have a pop quiz for you."

"I want you to tell me, in your own words, what you think the Nine Tenets of the Jedi Order mean to you. In order to understand the dangers of the dark side, you must have a fair understanding of the nature of the light. Now then, tell me."

 

[Thepantheon]

Staring deadpan at Nimm, who had managed to begin talking seriously immediately after nearly passing out from over-drinking, Shao answered him after a time.

"The Tenets, eh? Well, there are nine, but in my opinion they come down to a few main ideas. First, the Jedi are meant as guardians; we protect everyone we can, and their rights, and respect their lives, but we defend the Republic above others.

"The next really main point is our cautiousness with emotions. We should have them, but be careful of where they lead us, control and conquer ourselves when need be, and we can't let them overcome us or lead us in matters reserved for the mind, or else we risk falling to the Dark Side. That is why marriage is forbidden to Jedi save in cases with special circumstances.

"The last major part of the tenets is the one dealing with our position and recognition of it. We must obey those who are in authority, and we must know that we are equal with others, and look at the greater picture, rather than our own needs."

 

[Malon]

The Nautolan though for a moment, as if thinking about where he was going to take the lesson from here on out.

"That is a pretty fair assessment of the Tenets. You seem to know your stuff, kid. Alright, now on to the lesson. The dark side of the Force is a pathway that leads only to death and destruction. Most Jedi that fall to this way of life do so because it is the 'easy way out'. They don't like certain restrictions on their behavior, or being told what to do in general, so they give in to their carnal desires and fall."

"I'm sure you heard it during your days as a youngling. Anger, fear, hatred, aggression, the dark side are these. The reason marriage is looked down upon by the Jedi Order is because it can easily tip one's emotions in this direction. It is my duty as your master to make sure you are ready to face whatever the galaxy has in store for you. Therefore, before your training with me ends, you will face the dark side. However, I need to prepare you for even meeting the dark side first."

"Now. The first thing I want to know is this; have you ever encountered or felt something you've felt was the dark side since you became aware of the Force?"

 

[Thepantheon]

Unexpectedly, Shao fell silent at this question, having been brooding for the whole while that Nimm outlined the motives and causes of a fall to the Dark Side. Instead of his usual quietness, where he seemed to be in the clouds, he seemed to be paying no attention, but rather than lost in his own ideas, he seemed to be thinking on a deeper level. His eyes stared at nothing, distant, for a silence that stretched on to a minute.

Finally, he closed his eyes, the movement seeming to expel a racking breath, like a deep sigh, from his chest, and he opened his mouth to respond. The answer was simple. "Yes." After, he was again quiet, though this time he appeared to be steeling himself, and the breach in talk only lasted a few instants. Then he began to talk.

"As a shaman on Felucia I encountered it, and for a time denied to myself that I had. When I was amongst the shamans, our planet was attacked by the Hutt Empire. The details of that war are useless in this story, but in the end we lost, and were conquered.

"Now, a rebellion sprang up against the Hutts, mostly of patriots and those who hoped of freedom, and I was enticed to it by my former mentor, despite the words of the other shamans. But there were others amongst them who fought for anger and were driven by hatred, and these emotions, foul as they were, were strong, and those driven by them led us. My mentor... he was the leader of the rebels, and his anger, his Dark Side emotions, overcame and consumed him. A Jedi was called to us to help in his arrest, without my knowing, and he was thrown to the Sarlacc. Were it not for the Jedi's appraisal that I was not infected, I would too have been thrown in. It is for that reason that I left Felucia.

 

[Malon]

Nimm payed close attention to his apprentice's story, not showing any surprise or other emotion at any point in the story. He simply seemed to take it all in and process it before responding.

"Then I trust you won't follow in the footsteps of your old mentor. Once the dark side corrupts you, it is hard to come back. As sad as the fall of Felucia is, you mustn't let it consume your heart. Take to heart that you have been given a second chance by getting to become a Jedi. Who knows? One day you might be able to help the Felucians in their predicament."

Nimm then looked up, to where he was now looking directly at his Padawan, who was still perched in the tree branch above him. His voice was softer and much more sympathetic when it came again.

"Another word of advice; do not dwell in the past, young one. Yes, the past is there to teach us from mistakes, but remember, keeping your mind in the here and now is the most important thing."

That being said, the Nautolan Jedi Knight stood up and began to walk towards the Enclave once more.

"I realize today's lesson was short, but it covered everything I needed to cover. I have only but a few more things to teach you, young one. Take the rest of the evening off. Tomorrow, we meet back here as always to begin the next test."

 

[Thepantheon]

Sighing, Shao banished the thoughts from his mind, as Nimm recommended, and stood, reaching the ground with a small jump. He bowed to the Nautolan, as was typical, and gave him a respectful nod for the advice, before walking off.

The next day found him in the forest as per usual, but this time meditating, having decided to put greater effort into his Jedi training. He had been there for some time.

 

[Malon]

Trial of Skill

It took awhile for Nimm to appear. He had been talking with a few Masters and Padawans at the Enclave and seemed to be taking his time to get to the meeting place. Nevertheless, he was there before mid-afternoon, staggering in with his normal drunken walk.

"Good, you're here. Today's exercise begins a series of exercises designed to test what you've learned thus far with me as your Master. I feel that you are ready. The first exam I will give you is the Test of Skill. It is a combat based trial and will test you knowledge of lightsaber combat combined with using the Force to guide you and help you in your fighting, savvy?"

"Ever since you left my presence yesterday, I've been preparing this area for your skills test, so you will find it different that it was the other day. At the center of this forest, as you've already found out, is a clearing. At the center of that clearing is a chest that contains all the parts you will need to construct your lightsaber, except the crystals that power it. Your assignment is to get it and bring it back here. Also..."

Nimm reached into a pouch on his utility belt and pulled out a comlink, handing it to Shao.

"....take this. Its a communication device that will allow use to keep in contact for the duration of the test, as I will not be accompanying you. Now go, and beware...the forest will not be as peaceful this time."


((Simply have Shao walk through the woods towards the clearing. I will NPC any enemies he comes across.))

 

[Thepantheon]

Weighing the device in his hand, Shao pocketed it, and brought out his training lightsaber. As he walked deeper into the woods, out of the sight of Nimm, he activated it, looking warily about him.

 

[Malon]

At first, nothing happened, and Shao's walk went fairly interrupted. However, this all changed when one of the Enclave's training droids stepped out from behind a tree and began unloading blaster fire on the young Felucian apprentice.

"Those are training droids from the Enclave, so do not be alarmed. Their blasters are set for stun, so they won't harm you much more than a burn if you are stuck. Try not too, though, savvy?" Nimm's voice came from the comlink.

 

[Thepantheon]

Shao gave a grin as he gripped his lightsaber more firmly. "Tch... Savvy." He made a menacing step forward, but instead of striking the blasts, he crouched down speedily, putting one leg forward to catch him as he fell downwards, and ending in a position with one leg out in front of his crouched body.

Bending the knee of that leg, he rose while moving forwards, coming within the zone where he was safe from the blaster, and knocked the blaster out of the arm of the droid as he rose. He then sent the blade sidelong into the droid's chest, leaving it intact due to the training blade's low power, but destroying its circuiting.

Making sure the droid was inoperative, Shao scanned about him for more danger, and continued onwards, wary.

 

[Malon]

The next time, however, it wasn't just one droid. From the trees directly behind him came two more droids, which quickly began unloading their blasters on him. From the front, another droid stepped out, but this one looked significantly different than the others. Its arms, legs, and head were equip with holoprojectors which soon became active, morphing its appearance into that of a Dark Jedi.

As he fought, Nimm's voice again came from the communication device.

"If I remember correctly, you should be nearing one of the holo-droids. It is programed to know basic Jedi lightsaber techniques and also has a system of repulsors and minor-tractor beams that allow it to mimic the telekinetic traits of the Force, so do not underestimate it.....savvy?"

The Dark Jedi holo-droid took out a training lightsaber and ignited it, forming a blood red shaft of energy as the blade.