What is out there?

[Black Noise]

Just as expected.
Naturally, Morgan knew she could not catch Ira. She was not, could not be, fast enough to match this man. However, she was stronger, far stronger, and she knew from his first attack that she needed a plan to bring Ira down. While she had not been hiding her speed, she truly was not fast enough, she was hiding her strength. Now, she let it loose.

As Ira moved forward, almost too fast to see, towards her front, Morgan struck. Ira's speed was impressive, fantastic even, as he cracked the concrete underneath his foot. However, Morgan's strike, a massive, full on Force Push strong enough to blow out multiple walls of concrete. This attack, prepared for beforehand by Morgan when she gathered the Force, was not something that could be countered by a wall, as any quickly thrown up wall would likely be torn through.

Morgan had waited on her strike until she saw Ira almost two meters from her. She knew her vision was likely delayed, and when Morgan believed she saw Ira almost two meters in front of her, she knew he was, in fact, likely already almost within striking distance. It was then that she struck out, and her push was hard.

Hard enough, in fact, that after releasing it Morgan hoped she did not seriously injure Ira when, or if, he was struck. Her intention was to strike him before he could maneuver past her, which Morgan knew the man was capable of doing.

 

[Ben]

I was perhaps slightly faster than this woman realized, but she certainly did disturbingly well in combating fast opponents, she had clearly done this before. Luckily for me, I had remembered this from earlier, when she admitted to as much, and so I had been holding my speed back. Now as I noticed her releasing her Force push just as the concrete cracked in front of her, I simply powered through, managing to out-pace the main brunt of the attack that she had unleashed. Due to her cunning however, I had been caught by the tail end of the attack, not only the drag it seemed to leave behind, but the back end of the shove too. I did quite stop, but I slowed and went off-course, only just manage to get a hand to the wall to push myself away from her, landing back near the mouth of the alley.

"Impressive." I felt a broken finger and filed it away into the combat-programme that was my mind at the moment. "I didn't realize how much of an understatement I was making when I had remarked that you have experience fighting faster opponents. If I had not demonstrated the foresight to hide some of my capability, I would be at your mercy now. You are a very skilled fighter." I bowed deeply out of respect, keeping my eye on her at all times.

This fight could potentially be a long one, and I wasn't sure if I could end it any time soon, and there was always the chance I could mess up, the woman could get lucky or simply be too tough a target to take down. I mused what to do in this situation? I had to change tactics, but that would be more challenging if weaponry was off the cards. Perhaps I should meet her on her own terms, instead of darting about. I shrugged off my heavy robe and kicked it to the side near my other attire, raising my fists and edging in slowly. "As you wish."

 

[Rector_Ras]

After the man turned around and ran out of the alley. "The man must have seen me. he's a COWARD" Raslekx told his Hk droids to wait at the opening of the alley no one was going to go in or out without going threw them or having permission. He moved back toward the fight. Watching the boy move around quickly and the jedi trying to hit him. It was like a cat trying to catch a mouse. A very fast mouse.

Raslekx moved in toward the fight with his saber in hand. He felt love and loss and birth and death and joy and sorrow and anger all at once. More confused and more broken then before. before he could concentrate on anger and let anger fill him but now it was a mix. A mix to strong much to for him. After a few steps he fell to his knees. With tears running down his face , anger swelled up inside him and longing. Longing to have his friends again and for the first time he understood why the jedi forsake there feelings.

Raslekx looked up at the fight. "So clean. Neither trying to hurt thew other. A fight that will end in peace." He watched as the tow went back and forth strike after strike. Watching the boy jump around almost to fast for the eye to see. In a mumble he said " I am no Sith. Sith do not let this happen i am nothing. Weak fragile like a jedi that's what i am"...

 

[Black Noise]

Morgan breathed in quietly. She could easily continue this fight, yet she knew that such would be foolish. This man was far too fast for her, and her goal of understanding his emotions was complete. No need to drag out this fight, especially since she doubted she could ever catch him, and her exhaustion would be her undoing just as much as it would be his victory. Although she had given him an injury and Morgan remained unharmed, it was still clear to her that before he was holding back, and his full speed she could not best. Bowing, Morgan dropped her fighting stance and replied.
"I yield, there is no need to continue this fight anymore, you have bested me. I have not a sliver of a hope to catch you, as your speed far exceeds my own, and for that I am, and will be, unable to best you."

Picking back up her things, she began donning her armor. Whilst strapping it back on, Morgan asked.
"The way of the Echani is to see an opponent's emotion through a battle and predict his movements based upon what is seen. While I am clearly not skilled enough to predict you, I have gained information on your emotions after that short fight. Do you want to know what I think I saw?"
Morgan grinned, a wide smile that displayed her youthful naivety. She was still young, and trying very hard to seem more intelligent than she was. Trying to put a brick wall emotionally, as she did not think it would be best to get attached to this person, this person she was attempting to assist.

 

[Ben]

She may have been giving me too much credit, with a little alteration to her technique, timing and some imagination, her superior strength could have been brought to bare more effectively. I didn't mention as much, I just merely returned her bow and said: "A worthy opponent. I do not know what you saw or thought you saw though."

I moved to collect my own arms and armour as she watched me curiously, returning her gaze a little more coolly. I felt more alive than he had in days, if still some what... dead. The fight had been good for me, somehow, I felt like a river that had it's blockages cleared; I was by no means better, but the weight was not as heavy as it had been. "Even if you could tell what I was feeling, my combat style does not use emotion for the majority of the time, I am in a complete state of tranquility when I fight. That is the truth."

I finished fastening the clasp on my left vambrace, the last piece, before sheathing my beskad and turning to face the woman, her eyes matching the glow cast by the fire, and even further lightening in them. I stood in my previous stance, straight, wrapped in my cloak and arms folded behind my back. "Admittedly, our teaching sometimes do allow for aggression and rage... but I am not fond of said styles."

 

[Rector_Ras]

Having mostly regained his control of emotion he had no tone and had no expression just like normal " I missed it? for that coward? hhhhhhh" Raslekx mumbled under his breath well he was on the ground. Knowing his droids where in the way of anyone getting out he was sure the jedi would probably move to try and kill him when she saw them at least. Thought he had no intention of having the move yet he wanted to make sure everything was wrapped up before he made a move any move at all. Still being nervous of this jedi who did over power him.

He watched the two of them from the ground as they had a small conversation , bowed and got there gear back on. The boy had said he is not fond of styles that use aggression and rage? He had beaten a jedi and not used rage or aggression? What training did he have? whatever it was Raslekx wanted it. Not ever having to lose his control and being able to take out jedi was something that would only ever happen in a dream of his. He would have to speak with the boy if the chance came up. That was his goal now and the faster the jedi was gone the faster he could accomplish it so as soon as she sees the droids and says something about them they will move out of her way. That would not only get the jedi out but would be in line with the respect he had for the more powerful being

 

[Black Noise]

"And that tranquility, my friemd, speaks more than words ever could."
Sitting down, Morgan mentally reached out and called to the Sith outside the alley. She wouldn't hurt him, and what he had to say wouldn't do harm if he heard it. Cracking her knuckles, she leaned against the wall and began.

"What makes you think that the state you're in right now was not the entire point of uor battle from the beginning? Perhaps I am simply a fantastic liar and knew that a good fight would help you. Or more likely not, hah! But the point, my friend, is that you need a release for your emotions, and falling into that relaxing, tranquil state when you fight is your release. I'm the same, though my release is letting myself go completely mad, and well, that wouldn't have been very good in this situation, ye?"

Morgan sighed deeply and closed her eyes, continuing.
"This is my opinion of you, disregarding every word you've spoken and only drawing from what I saw from your battle ability. You are a skilled tactician, better than me for sure. You rely on your strengths to compensate for your weaknesses, and when they don't you pretend as though they still do. You're insecure internally, or so your Dun Moch says, but you've gotten good enough at being an external wall that people no longer notice. You seek companionship, yet you make it hard for others to get to you because you don't make friends easily."

Popping one eyes open, she finished.
"Well, that last one I didn't get from your fighting ability, that's just how you act. Most people don't notice it because they haven't experienced it. So nkw, your turn. What did you get from me?"

 

[Ben]

I breezed straight past the woman's initial marks and straight to her comment on my personality, she certainly had a knack for it. They were in the alley entrance way now, and the faint yellow light seeping from the buzzing neon signs light one side of her face with a strangely beautiful golden glow. "You are perceptive indeed." Was all I offered initially, staring into the mid-distance at the strange glow on her cheeks for what could have been minutes. I eventually sighed and lowered myself to her high, sitting in a kneel with my shins against the floor and hands rested on my knee's.

"The only part I would say that was out even in the slightest would be the insecurities. They exist, yes, but they are few and far between; I care not to divulge them, and Dun Mock is simply a technique that allows for greater advantage." I began lightly, I had not problem with admitting personal weakness as long as it did not open me to assault in battle. I raised a hand and pulled a long, thick strand of my hair down over one shoulder, stroking it down once, making it flat before leaving it be.

"The companionship... you were a little off on that too." I averted my eyes and closed them for a moment, collecting myself in what was a strange moment of external emotion, not at all like the usual stewing and introverted brooding that plagued me like a buzzing gnat. "I am not abject to friends, although I do struggle to relate to many people - a product of my upbringing - but that is not the issue I am afraid. Whilst I would not mind it, given the right company, I do not long for companionship in general. I long for the presence of one person only, the one that I cannot see no matter what."

I stopped abruptly as I realized how much this was affecting me. It had still not been long ago that I had witnessed the tortured face of... of him. Of my glorious and infallible red-haired love, who had given his life so that I may live. I had not forgotten that, and nor would I fail to honour it. That did not mean that I was not having a hard time doing so however, so far all I had done was wallow in my own melancholy and search for something, anything to keep me going. How purposeless and bland could one become before they assumed the likeness of an droid?

"I am sorry." I continued once I had regained a shred of external composure, but I still reeled in side; visions of red hair and golden skin creeping around the fringes of my lucidity as I sat there, feeling hyper-aware of my own thoughts and feelings, but hardly noticing the goings on of the world around me. Not the cold, wet floor, the noxious odors or the biting chill in the air; there was only me, warmth and closeness in my mind. "I saw a curious soul, lost and searching. Almost transitional, as if you are not what you want to be now, as if you are not a whole thing yet, but that you are on the path to becoming one. Admittedly, I am not as gifted at this as you are, or though I would love to learn."

 

[Black Noise]

Morgan closed her eyes once again as the man spoke, allowing the Force to take over for her eyes and give her 'sight' of all around. No longer did she rely on her own eyes for her vision, but instead drawing on the Force. Morgan longed to rival her family's history of having a complete mastery of Force Sight to the point where using it created no drain upon their Force ability. She was not yet up to par with her family, but she took every chance to practice that she was given.

Morgan refrained from showing emotion as she listened to Ira's second contradiction on what she was wrong in saying. Naturally Morgan did not expect to get everything she thought right, she only drew upon what she knew and she was still no master of her abilities. However, what Ira said struck a chord in her, a small set of sad strings that she knew she could not yet strum correctly to relate to this man.

Standing and opening her eyes as Ira finished, Morgan nodded solemnly. Looking over to Ira, she cracked a small smile and responded.
"You're not wrong with what you said about me. Though don't refer to what I have as a gift, I've worked hard, and continue to work hard, for my skills. The only thing I'm truly gifted in is making things burn. I wouldn't mind teaching you how to tell people's inner emotions through battle, and in time you might even naturally realize what movement an opponent will use before they do."

Walking towards Ira, Morgan continued.
"But, I must give you advice. I'm young, and so are you, neither of us have much life experience yet, but we both know we can learn from other people's mistakes. I've seen enough mistakes in my life to know that, as much as you loved that one person you desire for, they're probably not coming back. If you don't move on, remembering that person for the good times and honoring their memory by reaching out to others, then it will slowly worm around and consume you inside until there isn't anything left."

Remembering her own mother, Morgan winced and added.
"I would know firsthand."

 

[Ben]

"No offense intended, I should have chosen the word talent instead." I nodded and almost smiled, in that my lips where not completely down turned for once. "I would love the opportunity to learn from you." I handed her my communicator so we could exchange details and waited patiently until she handed it back with her codes set up under the heading Morgan... so she had a name, first or last, he knew not. I, of course, could usually depict what a person was about to do before they made the move anyway; slight body signs, impressions in the Force, analysis and logic and study of battle tactics in a thousand different forms, one more couldn't hurt. Besides, perhaps if I learnt how to read emotions - even if through combat - then I would at least have a chance to relate to normal people, to understand what they thought like.

As the Jedi Morgan began talking to him in a vague way, about experiences mistakes and loss, I began to realize what was coming. I should not have let slip about Jintar. I immediately shut off, in the Force, externally, reverting to the demeanor than I carrier myself with back in the days when I wore a mask in the company of all but Jintar and Idris; as if the mask was there even when it was on the table beside me. The progress I had made here slipped away like the emotion on my face, and the only way I could avoid slipping back into my hallucinations was to shut down to minimal functions like a computer. A ship running skeleton crew. She began telling me to let go, saying that she understood. I turned and walked away, not looking back.

I would know firsthand.
"No. You wouldn't."

---

I had made progress that day, Morgan had affected me and I would be back in contact with her some time. She wasn't half bad, and although my gain and slipped away in the end, it did not disappear entirely, those lessons still resided inside me, ready to emerge with all the others that had led me this far, and all the other that I would learn would carry me through the horrors unfolding through the galaxy as I stood on Nar Shaddaa playing a fool. I, like the galaxy, had no idea what was coming. I, like the trillions, had no idea what was happening on Coruscant, outside of a faint unsettling sensation through the Force. I had no idea then - like I do now - how things would change, both in general for me, this small meeting was a catalyst for what would become incontrovertible change for me.