L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 18, 2013 18:30:59 GMT -8
The walk to my former apprentice through the rain was not a long one, but each step felt as though it took a lifetime. And then, before I knew it, I was in his presence, and he was speaking to me. The first words we'd share in several years' time, and...
"So, you're alive."
I tilt my head such that my right ear nearly comes to contact with its shoulder, and then return to upright position. So matter-of-fact! So unimpressed! Oh, Tal.
...You're only one-third right, you know.
"Were you expecting anything else? ...although I suppose I am a little late, aren't I? But no...I am still alive. And you are alive, too. So even if this body of mine had dissolved after all, I would still live. Or did you forget?"
(There's one-third of your error.)
Water cascades over my face, though my body remains dry thanks to the coat. Tal is not afflicted by the weather, thanks to an umbrella of power that he is using to protect himself. It's cute. The thought strikes me of how humorous it would be to set up a Barrier of my own at an angle, so that the raindrops falling would splash off of it and soak him from beneath that contraption of the Force that he has set up. I judge it to be not that humorous at all, four and a half out of ten. Maybe if it were Aire, I'd green-light the idea. Tal is long since beyond the reach of such trite object lessons.
Ah, right! I was so caught up in the atmosphere of being in his presence again that I had forgotten her entirely. Well, can we blame me? Tal is the sort of person who consumes your attention. He forces you to adopt a higher standard. Such as would befit a god, but I cannot consciously do so. If I do, it is merely good fortune that permits it to be so. In that way, just as before, I still can learn from him, even though I am the formal teacher. But I digress. I was just about to introduce Aire.
"Tal, you were not the first one I taught. Yet, you surpassed everyone who came before you in a way that defies explanation. Even now, you are the standard to which anyone would be proud to reach. Allow me to introduce to you, my greatest son, this, my last daughter. Lapay no Tal, meet Lapay no Aire."
I sweep my arm out, indicating her. And Aire, in proper self-introduction, wordlessly bows her head. Just a little, though.
With the introduction out of the way, I am at liberty to explain our business here-- and how fortunate that the governing body is this man!-- or at least, that's what I would like to do. But too much haste does no one any good, so let's allow things to develop slowly, shall we? Besides, it would be rude to stifle Tal's own introduction in favor of getting stuff done. And he's only had three words to say so far, while I'm at several dozen. If I recall correctly, one of my most obvious shortcomings from back then was to speak too much while permitting him too little.
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Sept 18, 2013 19:21:40 GMT -8
*I've anticipated this moment for quite some time, thought about it often, wondered what words would pass between us. I imagined telling him of my accomplishments in his absence, of the power I'd accrued. Perhaps we would speak of my journey to Chaos, or my return in this, my own reanimated corpse. Ryu has never shared my affinity for the more arcane aspects of the force, except where its application could be analytically determined as practical- it is Alchemy I speak of, but not the organic sort I practice- yet I still wished to share of my experience with him. I had many questions, and he was the only one I felt equal to such a conversation.*
*Ha, and look at this: I'm standing up straight, my back stiff. Old habits really do die hard.*[/font][/ul] *Well, if you want to get technical about it...I think, but instead I say: "Of course I've not forgotten."*One finger tapping against the haft of my stave is the only sign of the slight irritation his suggestion arouses. It has always been this way, though: he prods, cajoles, taunts you until you understand. I though I'd long since become immune to this, but maybe my reprieve has made me sensitive once more. Ah well. I cannot claim it to be an ineffective method, and in truth it is so familiar that I greet it almost fondly.*
*He begins speaking again- not only alive but as verbose as ever, it seems- and I can tell his praise is merely a preface. Praise is the wrong word, I suppose, because he is merely stating facts, and he presents them as such. I give no outward sign, but I cannot quash the burgeoning feeling of pride rising in my chest. But like I said, it is merely a preface for the introduction of his new student. My attention shifts to her and I study her for a rather long time- long enough to be considered quite rude, under other circumstances, but there is no venom in my perusal. Only curiosity. My gaze travels from her face to her boots and back again, taking note of the weaponry she holds, her gauntlets, her attire, her frame, her features. Eventually I meet her eyes, and it's there I stare longest of all. Finally I shrug my approval.* "Welcome to the family."*And that was it. I didn't expect her to respond, though I might be surprised, and it seemed there was nothing left but the uncomfortable subject of why Ryu was here. For a moment I considered simply asking him, but I wasn't quite ready for that discussion. Instead I gestured the way I came.*"Let's retire to my estate. We can...catch up."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 19, 2013 18:24:35 GMT -8
I nod.
"That sounds like an excellent idea."
You are still sharp, it seems. When I praised you, there was a slight increase in your heart rate. I became aware the moment it happened, and for a short period in time watched the organ pulsate. But you stifle it just as quickly as it comes, despite being unable to prevent it from happening. You understand that my words are never as obvious as they seem, and that everything has a purpose. You wondered why I would praise you like that. And you also remember, don't you, how I told you that deception is just as notable an aspect of power as raw strength. And from the very moment that I let those words come from my mouth, you knew that you could never take what I say at face value. Always maneuvering, always driving some point or another home, always wanting you to think in a certain way...it really takes me back, thinking like this. Playing this game of words with you like dejarik.
I still remember like it was yesterday, though my ways back then are so foreign to me now.
It feels different now. Like I am looking at you as though through a foggy piece of rose-colored glass. Let me shatter this lens. It will not be difficult. Though I might be lying if I said that it would be painless. Whenever you break something, you run the risk of cutting yourself on a splinter. And yet, Aire still put it best: it cannot be mended, that which is not yet broken. Therefore let's amend. Let a thousand slivers of glass permeate my skin and part my veins so that through this tribulation we might come to stand on like ground.
You are not my student anymore. But that does not mean that I have nothing left to teach you.
I will tell you my plans, I have decided. To what end would I be serving you if I were to conceal them? Let my intentions be known, let them become your catalyst. We walk through the rain, myself and Aire merely two strides behind Tal. While I ought to be contemplating the work of Dooku or the clone of myself that shall soon come to be, I am only able to focus on this one thing on the path before my eyes. And I am not wrong to do so, because all of the other stuff exists only to set up for me just such an occasion as this.
Such as is my duty to this man.
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Sept 22, 2013 17:18:48 GMT -8
*I turned on my heel, abstaining from further comment, and lead the way as we headed further into the city. My estate wasn't far from where we'd met, but I'd had a speeder take me to the spaceport. I sat up front with the driver, allowing Ryu and his new apprentice to share the back, and it whisked us away. Watching the rain pelt the transparisteel windshield, I'm struck by a rather potent dose of deja vu. It's eerily reminiscent of our first encounter, isn't it? Him piloting the craft through Theed, answering my questions as I fumbled to understand (I wonder if you had a similar feeling in the Yama, taking Aire away from everything she'd known?). But at the same time, I know it's completely different. My role as his student has been filled by another, and it is obvious that things cannot be the same between us. Still, I am glad you are here, Ryu. If you cannot be my teacher, at least you can serve as colleague and confidant.*
*We arrive at my estate in short order and I bid them follow me inside, through the long corridor guarded by the sleepy-eyed Ielyn, and into the spartan but obviously upper-scale estate itself. I take them to the lounge area, a spacious room with some scattered furniture and a poorly-stocked bar (I've only been in this room once before, when conducting my initial survey of the building, and have not seen any reason to maintain it). Admittedly, I am unused to playing host, so I simply direct them to a small, rectangular table situated in the far corner of the room.*
"Have a seat, both of you." *I propped my staff against the wall and seated myself opposite the duo.* "So, Ryu. I presume we can ignore social protocol and skip the standard pleasantries? I'd like to know why you left and where you've been...if that's information you can share with me." *It is odd, realizing there might be some need for discretion between us. I am so used to speaking frankly with this man. Clearing my throat, I inclined my head politely toward Aire.* "And of course, you must tell me more about your new student."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 22, 2013 19:09:46 GMT -8
Out of courtesy to his hospitality, I permit Aire and myself to enter the speeder with him. It would be ungracious if I were to insist that we use our own speeders. So, quietly, we enter the bench seat while Tal takes the copilot's chair and we are swiftly courted to his current residence.
The corridor leading to his living area is lengthy and soon covered with small puddles of water from the streams flowing from us. Our boots make that awful squelching whine against the floor with each step we take, you know the sound. It's odd, those little things that come to the forefront of your attention when you are taken in completely by an atmosphere of awkwardness. We hadn't so much as moistened our lips in the last twelve minutes.
My usual routine of scanning my Sight around is not forgotten, but it takes a lot more of a backseat as we come to the table. Tal rests his staff on the wall, and I, following suit, remove Freedom from my shoulders and drape it around the chair back before I take my seat. Aire has no implement to set down, and merely nods her head again as she sits to my left, between Tal and myself.
His gaze is conflicted. I lift my chin slightly and narrow my eyebrows, allowing him my full attention-- but this expression of mine assures him that his words will not fall without critique. And, to break our interlude of silence, he asks the obvious question.
As I consider how best to satisfy this question, what comes to memory is the technique that I used once on Ison through the aid of that piece of my father's soul which had taken residence in my body. With it, in the timespan of a millisecond, thoughts had transferred between Seleevan Khar and I without any noteworthy barrier. If only I could do that now. Battle Meditation or something. But that seems crude.
"...I left. No doubt in search of more power. That seems like something I would have done. I wound up on Felucia. On Felucia, the old me died-- and this is where you're not entirely right about me being alive. When a butterfly emerges from its cocoon, the caterpillar that became it is no longer recognizable as such. I became something...more... and that is why I am back."
"Where I have been is easy. I have been on Rattatak, except for a few small trips here and there. One such trip was to Terrelia, which is where I came across Aire. Her species possesses quite the natural flair for athletic feats, and in fact, I first met her as she was in the process of losing a decathlon."
Aire's features remained expressionless in spite of me recounting probably the most embarrassing failure of her life. Good, good. She's become detached to it by now, that's excellent news. No need for me to continue in this vein, though.
"So since I escaped from Felucia, I have spent some time training with her. After leaving Rattatak, we went to Coruscant, which is where we've just arrived from." I leaned back in my chair and folded my hands behind my head. "I have to admit, had I known that you were here, I might have come sooner and without detour. But we went to Coruscant to look through the Jedi Archives in search of information about the power Dimension Shift. A clue that Aire found there is what brought us here, in all truth."
I grin.
"Apparently, during the Clone Wars, Darth Tyranus had made some progress towards outfitting a clone squad with armor that would allow them to use that power to phase in and out of realspace, despite not being Forceful. This was an idea that he had wanted to put to use for Operation Knightfall, but some setbacks early on led Darth Sidious to consider alternatives...in the form of a new apprentice altogether. So we're here to see if we can find out what those setbacks were, and to seize knowledge of the technique for ourselves."
I left out the part about the superweapon because knowledge for its own sake is perfectly reasonable, and to explain the ins-and-outs of that thing would be an entity unto its own. There's no guarantee that Tal would want to assist with that, either-- I bet that he'll want to find out about Dimension Shift, though. He might ask to see the results of what we find, if not come with us altogether to discover the secrets that have been hiding out on this planet under his very nose.
Speaking of under the nose, do you enjoy the thought that just one failure was what set in motion inside Sidious's mind to replace his old apprentice with a newer, more sporty model?
I add this afterthought to the mix:
"...And, when I realized that it was Kamino that we were destined for, I also decided that I want to have a clone of myself made. So there's that, too. Who do I speak to about that?"
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Sept 22, 2013 19:44:48 GMT -8
"Me, obviously. I would have thought my presence alone would be indication enough of my authority here." *A sly smile flashes across my features before it is retired in favor of a studious scowl.*
*I'm silent for just a moment after that, working through the information he'd provided me. Ah, but he is rather vague about his reasons for leaving and where he went, isn't he? Maybe he doesn't know...maybe he can't remember. His reference to his old self dying- maybe nothing more than metaphor, but perhaps it had a more literal meaning. After all, I'd made a trip to Chaos in his absence. It did have a way of changing one's perspective, I will say that much. I'd let my gaze wander over to Aire when the subject shifted to her, taking note that mention of her failure didn't evoke a response from her, either in a change of expression or anything I could sense through the force, but found little else of interest there. This talk of Dimension Shift, though...that was enough to dominate my attention and dispel the sense of awkwardness that had dominated the wordless ride here and equally silent walk through the estate. I knew I'd heard the name before, but couldn't recall where. Most likely some obscure reference in a holocron focused on conveying different knowledge.*
*I was intrigued.*
"I'll aid you if I can, of course- assuming you wish to collaborate. Tell me more about Dimension Shift."
*Even prior to his elaboration I'm sure my interest would be obvious. I don't bother hiding it. The ability to phase in and out of realspace, and to apply that ability to inanimate objects? I'd only had moments to consider the possibilities and already it was obvious the potential for such a power was incredibly vast. Whether it would be worth putting my other research on hold I didn't know yet; that would depend on how plausible it was that we would actually be able to learn enough of the power to make use of it, and whether I determined there was some risk of associating with Ryu.*
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 23, 2013 6:40:05 GMT -8
I shrug,
"Really, I don't know anything about it apart from its effect. And I have never come across anyone who uses it from whom I might learn it. So I'm not able to elaborate on it any further..."
At this, Aire rose abruptly from her seat. The wooden legs scraped against the floor and created a noise easily twice as loud as the volume in which we had been speaking. I pause instantly and turn my head towards her, and I assume that Tal will do the same. It's just the natural response to an interruption of this sort. She gives me a meaningful stare, and then turns back down the hallway and walks towards the rain.
Was I wrong about how resilient she was to my comments, and it merely took her this long to act on them..?
"Aire? Where are you going?"
"..."
But she gives no response, not even stopping to turn around to reply, and so I shrug and continue where I left off.
"Well, that's...odd. Anyways, I can't say for sure how the power is performed. But it is a strict fact that we live in an n-dimensional universe where n?4. Usually, we see in three dimensions, myself included, and if we use Precognition we can see for some small distance into a fourth dimension without losing the other three. I would hazard the guess that I am able to see into higher-order dimensions, or even completely alternate dimensions, if only I'm able to track an object as it shifts dimensions. From there, it should not prove to be a problem for me to replicate what I have seen. So my plan is, if it's possible to recover a dimension-shifting artifact, to tag it with something I can see with Force Sight quite well. Then activate it, and watch carefully as it Dimension Shifts, and use that tagging object to track its position in the non-realspace dimension. That should unlock for me the ability to see into whatever dimension it goes to. From there it merely becomes a question of practice until I can move objects into the target dimension..."
My words trail off as I purse my lips and nod my head slowly, leaning forward and removing my hands from behind my head, coming to rest my chin in the palm of my right hand as I set its elbow upon the table and imagine for some moments what this will be like. This gives Tal a chance to digest my words, too.
There's a few flaws with that plan, but I doubt there is a better option to explore for the moment. We won't know until we-- or even if we will-- come across a dimension-shifting item whether there is a more feasible or favorable way to go about it.
The seconds tick away and I sit up.
"...So!" The sound of my voice breaks the silent moments. "Does that mean I give my genetic sample to you, or is there a special place I go to do that? If you have magazines I could head to the restroom and give it to you in a couple minutes..."
By now, Aire has passed beyond the sliding doors leading to this ill-decorated place and has made it out once again into the rain. She vainly attempts to hail another speeder, and, in light of her failure, decides that it's just better to walk. Or run, actually. She starts running at high speed towards the city hall. What better place to begin the search than the archives of Tipoca City?
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Sept 25, 2013 13:29:26 GMT -8
*I watched Aire depart without comment. Briefly I wondered where she was going but quickly realized that quite frankly I didn't care. If she caused mischief, let the Order's forces deal with her. Any mayhem she did cause would likely only serve to make my coup easier when the time came: scrambling, disorganized forces are oh so much easier to route. Eventually Ryu and I are alone again, and as he begins to explain to me what little he knows of Dimension Shift I begin to see the potential of the power in more detail. It also occurs to me that my former master relies rather heavily on his Force Sight, not just for the obvious advantages it grants but its relation to the rest of the force. Perhaps it is an ability I should endeavor to learn myself...*
*But now is not the time for such pondering. Ryu is asking me if he can masturbate in my refresher.*
"If you wish, I can take you to the city's cloning facility." *I say with a frown.* The staff there will collect the sample. Depending on what you want, our facilities have several methods at their disposal to augment or subdue certain traits, or force maturation to produce a fully grown adult clone in a matter of weeks. Unless you desire something a bit more...natural? *I deliberately stress the word, wearing a look of detached humor.* "In that case I could provide you with a fully unaltered clone."
*I fall silent as I await his response, my amber gaze never leaving those lifeless black orbs of his. I must admit I am rather curious, but for now I decide not to pry. There could be any number of mundane reasons- a body double, a successor, a host for spirit transference- and none of those things held any interest for me. Perhaps he would elect to share his reasons on his own. If not, I'm sure I'll get around to asking eventually.*
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 26, 2013 8:05:30 GMT -8
I allowed my mouth to stretch into a bared-tooth grin. From resting my chin in my right hand, I engage my neck to suspend its weight on its own, and lay my arms across each other on the table. Leaning forward a bit more with my shoulders, the tone that I addressed him now with lacked all of the light-heartedness of the previous line of thought.
"Inasmuch as I would wish to proceed immediately to that process, we cannot move from here until we get to an equally important piece..." The next words were heavy-laden with the tone of voice that I used so frequently, which Tal was sure to recognize. "...Why are you here?"
There is no single expression that defines gravity, but the one I am wearing right now epitomizes it. The smile has gone from my lips and my brows tense slightly, an almost-missable visage change, as I focus my attention on his report.
The time for change has fallen upon us before we were ready for it. But time is a dimension that moves well apart from anything that we would like or prefer it to do.
So let's begin.
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Sept 29, 2013 10:06:58 GMT -8
Aire is keeping herself busy.
Running, as you may or may not have known, is a highly inadvisable activity during conditions which may lead to unreliable foot placement, i.e. don't run on smooth surfaces when it's raining all the time, idiot. She realizes this after meeting the first incline and completely slipping and falling to her butt on the cold, wet metal. After that, she is taking it easy.
How to approach the information-gathering, however, is the question that plagues her mind at this moment. Perhaps she was a bit hasty to leave Tal's company, as it may not be so simple for a mere visitor to access some of the oldest and possibly best-kept secrets of the Clone Army. Sure, there are definitely going to be some information bits that are even harder to access-- genetic research is almost certainly going to be carefully guarded, as this keeps the Kaminoan competitive edge in the cloning industry-- but that's of little comfort, because all information that cannot be accessed is essentially equivalent, no matter what levels of security they have.
Well, if you strip it down to its barest basics, what she is looking for is the activity of Dooku on Kamino. But Dooku was sure to conceal his identity...how had he hidden himself?
She once again rues leaving the company of Ryu and Tal.
She doesn't know what is obvious to those of us who are well-versed in the Sith histories, which is that Dooku hid his activities on Kamino under the name of Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, his ex-best friend. We also know that the clones were made from the prime clone Jango Fett.
She doesn't know what to look for.
But, for all her ignorance, she still heads to the public archives in search of plugging essentially random search terms away on the computer databases there. Why doesn't she ask for help? Well, who knows. What was can say is that by the end of this she'll probably be an expert on the workings of the Grand Army of the Republic, or at least as much as was made public. And the Imperial Army, which the GAR naturally became.
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Oct 1, 2013 16:06:51 GMT -8
*Why Ryu, I was beginning to think you'd never ask. I've been waiting to regale you with my story since your arrival...well, not exactly. You know me: I don't hold a particular fondness for hearing my own voice. Not unless I feel there is something to be gained, and in this case, there isn't. Besides, you were rather vague with me, were you not? So the appropriate response is to be concise, I think.*
*Let's begin with a shift in my chair, followed by a shrug.*
"I came on assignment. The Order- sorry, New Order of the Eye wished me to govern Kamino and oversee the cloning facilities here. I had considerable experience in the field from my time with the GSA, you remember? Anyway, their defeat by the Remnant and subsequent dispersal left me with control of the planet and no one to answer to. I've since turned my efforts to consolidating my power. This was only a few weeks ago, you understand, but there were some...difficulties returning the cloning facilities to operational status, and they slowed my progress."
*Me, the mighty spell-sword Ishmael, making excuses? Well, maybe, although I prefer to call it an explanation. It is less likely to give one the impression that I am nervously wringing my hands as I relay the information to my one-time master. To clarify, my hands are laying flat on the table before me, razor sharp cuticle implants gleaming in the light.*
"As to my plans, well. You showed me yours and now I'll show you mine, right?" *I smirked, then just shrugged again, the smile falling off my face.* "For now, my focus lies on generating an army and a navy- military forces adequate enough to protect Kamino from any Mandalorian incursions. I have other plans I wish to see completed and Kamino plays a pivotal role in them. Therefore they must wait until I can protect this asset."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Oct 2, 2013 11:53:54 GMT -8
I heard what Tal had to say, and weighed it carefully. I fixate on his hands, displayed in front of me, boasting of their intrinsic danger in their openness. The sharpness of his claws seems to me a perfect example of misappropriated pains. After he concluded his report, I gave a bit more of a pause and then slowly nodded. I did have two comments to make, and both of them say the exact same thing, if you boil them down.
"It seems that the Remnant did your job for you, didn't they? Having someone you have to 'answer to', as you phrase it, doesn't seem like a situation you could write off as being ideal. You should thank Raven properly, unless he died, in which case there's another thing we can do with him soon enough. But the Eye is in the past by now, I guess, so no sense in dwelling on it."
"What's more important is whether you are making the most of your time right now, especially since you have placed pivotal status on protecting this planet. So this seems like an obvious question that surely you've thought through, but please humor me...do you really believe that the Mandalorians, or anyone else, will attempt an incursion here, and that if they do, you are powerless to defend against it?"
My expression remains unchanged.
However, the index and middle fingers of my right hand begin to tap on the table in idle rhythmic syncopation, repeating themselves every now and then. The sound reverberates louder than you'd expect for mere taps of skin-and-bones on wood. But I suppose that even now there are some results that surprise a man. What is a surprise, though, if not the existence of expectations that were not met in a certain way?
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Ishmael
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Post by Ishmael on Oct 2, 2013 18:31:42 GMT -8
"Perhaps not ideal, but familiar." *My eyes narrowed, though whether in anger or simple speculation I myself wasn't quite certain.* "I am used to serving another while giving priority to my own agenda, and using their resources to accomplish it all. I suppose I am a bit of a parasite. Hardly appropriate behavior for a Lapay, hmm Ryu?" *My, and where does this challenging tone come from? Perhaps I am being petulant. Certainly I am not acting the part of gracious host, but the circumstances of Ryu's disappearance linger between us.*
"Raven is dead, by the way, though not by my hand. His power was insufficient even to keep him alive long enough to learn of my betrayal. A shame; I was looking forward to witnessing his reaction. I found him quite distasteful, you know."
*Again, silence. I wish Aire were here to observe this conversation. Idly I wonder how well Ryu has taught her to protect her mind, and if it would be worth it to probe her thoughts. Probably not; I don't detect any deception from the man, and I'm quite good at that sort of thing. I did serve as Raven's Inquisitor for quite a long time, after all. Perception is my specialty- although even I cannot boast the powers of observation granted Ryu by his Force Sight. And that decides me: I will learn the technique.*
"I can't say whether or not the Mandalorians are even aware of Kamino's existence. In light of the Mandalore's declaration of war, though, I prefer to err on the side of caution. As to whether I could repel an assault on my own...no, I don't believe I could. With a fleet and an army to bolster my strength, my power would be sufficient to ward against all but the most determined of invaders."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Oct 3, 2013 5:20:30 GMT -8
When he finished speaking, I remained silent for a long time-- the longest period of silence yet. But the absence of words spoke more clearly than anything we've said to each other so far. The irrepressible anger that was flaring into a flame within me becomes palpable in the very air. And indeed that's a part of why I was silent for so long; justified and refined as it may be, fury still makes it hard to select the words which ought to cut through him in the correct way.
I, who suffers from blunt honesty to a fault, am easy to read. The anger should be even easier to read.
But ultimately I compose myself, and the tone with which I am finally able to make utterance is no different than it was before.
"...Whoever said, 'fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side,' betrayed his ignorance with those very words. It is not the fear of loss that drives you away from the Light Side, but rather escape from the 'inability to act', in order to prevent said loss. In fact, it is the Light Side which suffers the greatest fear of loss. They stockpile their Jedi and their fleets and their armies against a multitude of unknown threats, never knowing whence their destruction might come. Their focus is outward and this is their undoing. They fail to move to meet it head-on, on their own terms. Holed up in their fortresses of solitude, their ruin comes from stagnation."
"When you were young, Tal, you spoke like a child, you acted like a child, you did childish things. Now that you have grown, you should have long since cast off childish ways. Of course, I refer not to your age, but to your maturity. Fear is a perfectly appropriate reason to act...for someone who has no power to speak of. For the immature, fear is an excellent substitute for passion. But now, why do I hear it coming from your mouth?!"
I cannot withhold my agitation any longer and stand up in a manner quite similar to the one Aire did just a few minutes ago. I can no longer keep this subdued tone, either. Rare are the moments in which my composure eludes me, but such is this one. My words split the space between us and resound as a slap to the face.
"You are speaking out of both sides of your mouth! With your right hand you present the commendable confidence with which you were prepared to use and betray two empires without a second thought, and with your left you present a whimpering pup at the thought of an invasion! Do you not realize that you, alone, by yourself, have the power to bring an entire army to its knees? Or if you cannot imagine such a scenario, then you truly have forgotten what power is! And clearly you have forgotten your passion, if by the mere whispers of some threat you run with your tail between your legs and allow them to dictate what your next move is."
"An army adds to your power, yes. But I did NOT teach you to treat power with such disrespect! A ward against threats? That is not why you acquire power! You acquire power for YOURSELF! To accomplish YOUR goals, to achieve YOUR freedom! You say, 'cautious', but I say, 'paralyzed'! A piece of power that you obtain merely because you might be forced by someone else to use it is not power at all-- it is WEAKNESS!"
I grit my teeth and slam both of my hands down on the table and then lean forward with both shoulders, the rage leaking through me etched all over the features of my face.
"For how long, Tal, has your head been bowed? The son I left behind was not what I see here. You think that you have grown strong, but all of your caution testifies to your lack of power. Obtain your army if you want to use it to further your power, not to keep your power where it is! If you want to remain holed up here on Kamino forever, if this is the picture of your freedom, then obtain an army to defend it. But you know that what I taught you was that your freedom is something that can never be fully obtained in your lifetime. You know that if this is what you are now-- stuck defending what you own instead of moving forward-- that you have indeed lost everything. Hardly appropriate behavior for a Lapay, very heartily I say INDEED! I can think of no greater shame!"
I slide both hands from the table and straighten up, turning my back to him. Seconds pass, and I take a deep breath. I tilt my head to the ceiling, then to the floor, then with a sweep of my hakama I turn back to him.
The anger is gone in these words, replaced with what sounds like just a hint of sadness. I am indeed saddened, because what is behind the words he spoke is the true man, but not the one I trained.
Tal, what have you been doing? I can't let you stay like this. If these words up until now broke your spirit, then let my next ones be able to reach you. The time has come for you, too, to transcend your humanity. You are unique in this position: while it is the duty of god to cultivate a new level of consciousness among the mundane, I cannot do it like this to anyone except you. No one else in the universe has had the seeds of truth sown in the way you have. No one else can hear these words and understand them quite like you can. To everyone else, I must make them bow before my power before they can transcend. But to you, Tal, reason and understanding are not foreign, and from what I know of you, my words are not wasted.
"Lift up your head, Tal.
You are not the man you are portraying yourself to be. You must re-forge your thoughts. You cannot stay as you are. Cast off the old ways. Come with me again. Together we can continue to move forward.
Lift up your head, Tal."
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Ishmael
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Affiliation: The Way of Lapay
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Post by Ishmael on Oct 6, 2013 10:10:55 GMT -8
*Color blooms in my usually pallid cheeks as Ryu berates me. I cannot hold back the tide of anger burgeoning within me, and as he leaps to his feet I follow suit. The claws adorning my fingers dig into the table, leaving splintered grooves in the wood.*
"You mistake strategem for stagnation and my caution for fear, Ryu. Do not assume I jealously guard this planet, cowering behind my forces and praying to remain unnoticed! For now, Kamino is an addition to my power that must be developed. It has potential, but nothing more. I would see that potential fulfilled.
Yet you chastise me for...what, wishing to add to my power with an army, a fleet of warships!? You believe I wish to chain myself to this planet, but it is not so."
*The fire went out of my voice and the anger drained from my face, leaving behind only a kind of tired frustration. How to make Ryu understand my motives? A better question: why was I bothering? Of course I already knew the answer, without even considering it. I was a Lapay through and through. I had been since my eyes had been opened, and I would be until the end of time. There was a debt owed to Ryu for setting me on the path, and I could not leave things this way.*
"I lost any last vestige of fear when I took the name of Lapay. I did not lose the strengths I had already developed without your aid: caution, strategy, politics. Yet you refined those strengths. My caution now lacks timidity, my strategy is bolstered with audacity, my politics driven by an indomitable will. You said it yourself upon your arrival, Ryu: I am your greatest son. Grant me the benefit of the doubt, at the very least. I have earned that much from you."
*My hands relaxed, and I tugged my claws loose from the table with an audible crack as the wood splintered further. Gathering my robes more tightly about myself, I retrieved my staff and cradled it in my arms.*
"Every plan takes preparation, consolidation, and patience. You know this better than anyone. Do not accuse me of falling from the Way simply because I have not yet struck."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Oct 7, 2013 8:16:29 GMT -8
I guess that the time has long since passed when Tal would simply accept my criticism and nod, slowly saying, "I see..." and leave it at that. This is not insolence, this is fighting to defend himself. Can I impugn this? Nah, I guess not-- I was being somewhat offensive myself. I still get the feeling that my words didn't quite reach him, but if I stick around...perhaps I might be able to help him accomplish the finishing touches.
"Examine your own actions. You already told me that you have a plan, I don't doubt that. And you are my greatest son-- I believe so wholeheartedly. What gives rise to my doubt is the ostensible appearance that you are debasing yourself..."
"You act as if you are playing dejarik with your opponents."
"But you don't see it from my perspective. To set up counters and gambits against your opponents will not lead you to your true victory, because you are still within the parameters of the game. You don't seem to understand that you are far, far greater than the game itself. Don't play by their rules, Tal, play by yours. Your strategy is to strike with the piece that does not have their attention on the board, but I say that you have the power to use a piece beyond the parameters of their limited understanding."
"When they are looking only at the board, pierce their heart with a blade."
"Those who deserve to survive in this universe are those whose understanding is not limited. Those who can transcend the board and perceive the hidden knife coming survive to make the next move. And truly I say: these are the only ones whose existence is worth continuing. Force everyone to rise beyond the boundaries of the board, and you will have found an opponent against whom you can truly reveal your power. I do not doubt that you have a plan. I do not doubt that you are increasing your power. What I doubt is the scope of your perception. Like a giant among mere men, you are great. This is what rouses my anger: that you would not exercise your potential because you might not understand just how powerful you are."
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Ishmael
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Affiliation: The Way of Lapay
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Post by Ishmael on Oct 11, 2013 11:02:57 GMT -8
*This time around, Ryu's words failed to elicit an emotional response from me. Composure restored, I only nod once, eyes closing for a moment in contemplation.*
"My actions here require no apology; I have acted to increase my power and done so without falling from the Way. Still," *Here I paused for a moment, lip curling up derisively.* "I admit it is possible I have focused too intently upon the game, and in doing so forgotten that I may simply sweep aside the pieces and stand up from the board."
*An apt analogy; Ryu always has possessed a certain skill with words, and that's something that I can appreciate. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed discussing matters with this man. The galaxy was worse for his absence. Letting my amber gaze study his features for a moment, drinking in the details and remembering the past, my brow furrowed. He was right: I have become too caught up in the goings on of the universe, and narrowed my perception. Mentally I berate myself, but there is nothing I can do to change that now. I can change how I forge ahead now, however, and that is exactly what I intend to do.*
"You would see me taken into your fold once more, but I say there is not room in the household. Collaborators, colleagues, confidants, these things we could be, but master and apprentice...no. The time for that has passed, and my role fallen to another, even if I have not yet managed to surpass you...
"I will accompany you, though."
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Oct 11, 2013 12:33:06 GMT -8
Heh. How do you like that? We're getting somewhere.
"Nah...see, you misunderstood me again. I'm not asking you to become my apprentice once more. The time for that, as you say, has passed. Nah...I want you to come with me, but this time, the one you need to surpass isn't me."
I breathe in deeply through my nose, and then, as if the past five minutes or so never even happened, I smile. My mind empties of those thoughts, because it's focused on something new now. Or, I should say, back to the auxiliary goal of my arrival on Kamino.
I have a suspicion that the primary goal is going to take a while to complete, but I can at least get the clone growing while I snoop around for clues and work on learning how to Dimension Shift.
With the assurance of Tal's company, things will definitely go better.
The ultimate plan, for those of you who don't really remember, or didn't read that far into it, is to learn Dimension Shift and use it for a very specific purpose: to tunnel across dimensions so that the superweapon on Rattatak can be used to ionize the atmospheres of any planet at will without the need to move the equipment, thus rendering all available air not only unbreatheable but also chemically aggressive.
Threatened with mass annihilation, all inhabitants of the universe everywhere will be forced to either submit to their deaths, flee, or counter
the superweapon: doing so will bring them into direct conflict with me.
The goal, of course, is to inspire everyone, everywhere to come into conflict with me. Dying or running away isn't the option I'm hoping for. Let them challenge me, instead. Then, they will become aware of the limits of their own power when mine surpasses theirs: and at that moment, they will either die or somehow transcend themselves. Once again, I don't wish for death: I wish for all to become greater, surpassing themselves as they are now into gods in their own right.
Such metamorphosis will be their own version of what happened to me on Felucia. It will be the dawn of a new consciousness among the inhabitants of the Universe.
This is the conclusion my godhood has drawn me to.
...But there is a lot of work to do to get to that point. A lot of work, indeed.
"Let's go to the cloning facility and let them take some blood or whatever from me so that the clone I want can start growing. While we're there, we should also see if we can rendez-vous with Aire and get to work on sniffing out leads on Darth Tyranus's pet project here."
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Ishmael
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Affiliation: The Way of Lapay
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Post by Ishmael on Oct 13, 2013 15:07:38 GMT -8
*I only ponder Ryu's words for a moment. That's all it takes for me to discern what he meant by his rather ambiguous comment- it occurs to me that ambiguous comments might very well be his specialty, and also that it is not the first time that this has occured to me- and I nod once in agreement. Obviously he did not mean his current apprentice, a fledgling (though I suspected she could be very, very dangerous if underestimated), but myself. And he was right. Stagnating is too strong a word to describe what I've been doing since I sent him into the void...but not by much.*
*I have set in motion plans that will change the face of the universe for all time, yet done little to increase my own power. When you come to wield a certain level of might, there is no pressure to gain more. It is no longer pertinent to your survival, and so you cease your attempts. Funny, that. There is nothing wrong with what I've been doing, but with what I'venot been doing.*
"I understand."
*My clawed fingers drummed rhythmically upon the table as I considered for a moment longer. I'd said I was holding off while I finished making preparations, but...I am ready now. My compatriots are in place, the virus nearly complete- and it will not come into play for some time yet anyway- and the deception that will serve as our armor has been woven. It is time to strike, and set in motion the ruination of life as we know it. I will send word once I have concluded my business with Ryu, I decided.*
*Inclining my head acquiesence to Ryu's next suggestion, I rise from my seat and take up my staff. Gathering the folds of my cloak tighter about my slender shoulders, I gesture toward the exit.*
"Very well. Let's be off."
*Without waiting for a reply, I stalked out of the room and through the complex until I reached the exit. Passing by the sleepy-eyed Ielyn, who nodded a wordless greeting, I stepped out into the rain. 'The job might be shit, but the perks!' I mused sarcastically, then ventured to the land speeder idling nearby. I take my place in the back seat, and after Ryu (presumably) enters, give the aging driver directions to the cloning facility.*
*It's not far from here.*
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L???? ?o R??
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Post by L???? ?o R?? on Apr 25, 2014 18:24:19 GMT -8
We have returned ourselves to Tal's apartment after a while spent in the basement lab. No secret keys to gym doors in our possession, but as far as keys go, we have secured that helmet which ought to be Dimension Shift-enabled. We will test it shortly, but before we do, I want for us to go to Corulag. If the helmet works, and we find out that we can learn Dimension Shift ourselves and in addition are able to apply it to technology, we will have unlocked a major key to force the galaxy to transcend. Or whatever it is that Aire and Tal are after. Personal transcendence and dominion, if I had to guess. But before we can implement it on the massive scale, there is still a crucial aspect to address: how to introduce it to a planet without it being immediately overwhelmed by military might. And although I think that we three can handle, perhaps, the military force of one or two factions by ourselves, there are many more beings in the universe than just two factions. It is an uncomfortable truth to face, but the vast summation of meager power over a number that approaches infinity is enough to overcome the massive power of the individuals which number three. Therefore, I seek to offset the balance a bit more in our favor.
And so now we are discussing details.
But this was an amusing little incident: when we were leaving the facility, Elisio came to speak with us. Tal, actually. He came to speak to Tal, and grumpily: as he cleared his throat and began to express his displeasure about Aire and us in the bowels and some such other. He was interrupted, however, when Aire intervened.
"When I came to Kamino, I expected to be able to run a lab free from... interruptions." Irritiation abounded in his tone. The good doctor thrust his arm out, finger extending straight at Aire. His eyes narrowed and his skin turned, if possible, even darker with frustration. "And yet, what have I got to show for my efforts on Project Blackwing? Months' worth of delays, unreasonable deadlines, no help from your end, and my men being killed by your own guests--"
But this is where he stopped short, since in the amount of time it took for him to extend his arm and run his mouth, Aire had enhanced herself with Force Speed. In supplement to the already-surpassing natural speed of her species, even I had trouble following her movements-- and I have the benefit of seeing the Force move in her preparation stages. In the blink of an eye, while his tongue was forming the word "guests", she was beyond his arm, at his side, and the pistol that she had taken from the dead guard was out and to his temple.
She released the effects of Force Speed, and I believe I saw a grin steal across her face just before she pulled the trigger.
However, the result was not Elisio's brain splattering against the wall. An unfamiliar sound erupted, and I had trouble understanding what went on, until I saw Tal shield his eyes. Aire and Elisio were less fortunate, and the pistol emitted a massive flash of light that caused both of them to double over and soothe their burning eyes with whatever cold was nearby. In Aire's case, she pressed her face to the wall. Elision used his own flesh, and thankfully stopped his complaints. Though, Tal was certain to get an earful later.
I said nothing to reprimand Aire. What does it matter that he could have died? Project Blackwing sounded interesting enough...but, if you want something done, better to do it yourself, right?
We are back at the apartment now, discussing the details of what we're after.
"...On our way to Corulag, it's going to be to our benefit to stop by Nubia."
"I don't see the point of that. And, honestly, I am not sure I see the point of going to Corulag, either. You have what you came here for. Why do we need to get sidetracked with whatever you think you can get there?"
"Nubia is only to prevent our actions from being traced. Corulag is the true destination-- and I want to go there in order to acquire a new weapon." I toy with the blaster in my hand, which Aire had handed to me shortly after she had made a fool of herself with it. "What you have here, Tal, is an establishment that is in a critical stage of its existence. I'd like to see your Project Blackwing take flight, but if we are careless, it could be taken from you while you are away. With a proper amount of care, we can make it a non-issue. And I think you ought to come with me to Corulag. The weapon we should be able to acquire there will also be of some use to you."
I pause for a second to make sure that I have remembered eveything.
"...So have you got everything you need in order here? I'd like it if we could all ride together in the Vengeance."
Tal takes the opportunity to deliver a prolonged sigh, just to indicate that this was entirely my idea. If something bad happens while we are on the road, so to speak, I have to take responsibility. And he'll surely hold me to that.
"I'll have to let some people know that I'll be away for a bit."
My expression laughs at him, and there's a certain amount of glee in my response:
"Seems like running a planet takes away more of your power than it contributes! You're less free than you used to be, right?"
Tal declines to make an issue out of the mockery, however, and I let the comment hang without following it up. We all know that there is a price to maintaining power. This, however, is a thought that rings true to me, and is why a territorial empire will never be my goal.
"Before I get on the comlink, I do need some assurance. Don't you think--" And here Tal turned his gaze on Aire. "--that you have been running a bit wild ever since you got here? I am sure that you weren't instructed this way. I know it for a fact. Ryu taught me control and discretion, which seem to be absent in you. Settling down for a hyperspace voyage with a wild card for a copilot isn't exactly one of the ways I want to spend my freedom."
"Ryu doesn't stop you, because he knows that he is powerful enough to do so whenever he wants. Now, I'm telling you that the same goes for me. If you aren't able to restrain yourself, I'll intervene from here on out. And I'll also give you fair warning: I don't need you alive. As a favor to my former master, I'd try to restrain from killing you. Probably."
The direct confrontation took Aire by surprise. Her eyebrows shot up and her nostrils flared, and as Tal went on, they gradually relaxed their way back down until her forehead contorted in anger.
A small grin twitched at the corner of my mouth as this came to a head. I place my arms behind my head and lean back in the chair I'm sitting in, eager to see how it resolves. Tal is certainly justified to make this point. She's treated him with a fair amount of disrespect, what with leaving in the middle of the conversation earlier and wasting his soldiers (and trying to kill Elisio). Plus, we're about to get on his ship, doing errands that are my designs. But Aire's actions also seem to have been justified. She got results. And she is a Sith-in-training. What does Tal expect? (Well, obviously self-control) It is true that Lapay means to treat power with respect, but... well! We'll just see how it plays out, shall we?
The moment intensifies. Aire's grimace reaches a critical point. Her fist tightens and then snaps open, fingers extending suddenly..!
Aire's right hand slips into the basket hilt of Discord and, in a single fluid motion, declasps it from her belt and ignites it. She takes a step with her left foot and uses it as a fulcrum to thrust herself forward into a long lunge, the narrow black tip alight and driving straight towards Tal's left eye. He had other plans, though, than to resign himself to Force Sight like his former master.
"..!"
"How crude."
No elegance. No salute. But Tal expected as much, he could read it happening all the way from her face to her hand, and that method of drawing her saber, while dramatic, was not speedy. His own Makashi was going to be more than enough to deal with her. His right hand grasped the hilt of his curved saber, applying pressure between the middle finger and thumb with the index to reinforce, and with a flick of his wrist ignited it so that its blade shot up vertical. Her blade was thinner than his, but only by a little bit. A swift press on the inside of her blade shunted the strike to go past the outside of his head and left him opportunity to riposte, which he sought to execute with another turn of the wrist. By turning the curved hilt from bend out to bend in, he was leading the blade in a natural path towards her forearm, which he would take with ease while she was extended this fully.
At this point I intervened, but probably not in the way you would expect. I found this to be a pretty good way for all of us to train. And for the first time in a while, I was excited to flex my own Force muscle. I drew power to myself and then expressed it outward, my silver aura expanding to fill this room. Choking, smothering, suppressing. The light orange of hers, the metallic red of his. Both of these are forbidden in this space, now. They will not extend their influence. This is my Dampen Force technique.
The unexpected feeling of suffocation nearly cost Aire her arm, but her instincts kicked in to preserve it: she lifted her blade, hilt and all; the phrik basket hilt rebuffed Tal's attack. She took the moment's lapse to withdraw her stab and redouble the attack: a stab again, this time towards his saber hilt with the intent to strike it and-- if not destroy it outright (which she would not since it is made from phrik as well)-- glance off one way or another, and in this way be able to strike his body.
Tal would have liked to use a Barrier here. Or a Push, or something. The Force is an excellent way to turn the tables on a saber attacker, especially when they give you a second to prepare by drawing back. But he also felt Ryu's aura, and he recognized that it would be pretty annoying to have to fight through that just to make Aire hit the wall. So instead, he merely draws back, increasing the range so that her stab comes up short. He knows that she will not stop there, though. She presses forward. Anyone pressing forward will eventually be able to outrun someone who is withdrawing backward, eventually.
But as she reiterates stabs at his various extremities, he is recovering from being put on the defensive. His Makashi is warming up, and his shunts are becoming a little bit more calculated. He will take the offensive from her soon.
His chance comes in the follow-up to a hip-level strike toward his left side. He brings his saber from a high guard into a circle parry to lock her lightfoil out, and instead of stepping backward, leans in forward. His left hand reaches out and entwines its fingers in the basket hilt, a much easier-to-grab target than the usual saber hilt. With her blade and indeed arm immobilized this way, it will be trivial to disengage his lightsaber blade from hers and remove a leg, or a hip, or bisect her, or something. He'll take whatever she gives him, because his lightsaber is already flashing back the reverse direction it just came, retracing the circle parry-- at such close distance that it could easily cripple or kill her.
The attack is a good one, but it does not quite catch Aire by surprise. Onslaughts cannot continue indefinitely, this she knows well. That he caught her right arm, well...this was unexpected, true. But his reverse circle cut, while delivering the elegance expected from a Makashi duelist, is aimed for her front (right) leg. The legs take care of themselves. It's her training all over again. There's a sliding sound: her foot on the floor, kicking her right leg straight out behind her. Leaving her leaning forward, on one leg. Vulnerable? Nah! Her balance is great! And she has her lightshield igniting!
And as Tal's saber misses any mark, she snakes her arm around, catching the saber on the energy surface of Silence, keeping it safely outside her body on the left. Bending her left knee, she springs right up again. Since his hands are occupied, she wants to score a headbutt on his open chin, right above her. Terrelian legs are strong, and this will certainly stun him.
If it connects.
It doesn't. Tal disengages and spins around once, gaining ground and examining the weaponry she now wields. It is his first experience with a lightshield. But not his first experience with a shield. How he'd like the Force as a weapon right now! But he can't use it, so he's left with an alternative strategy.
I am benefited by the fact that neither one of them insisted on using the Force while I tried to stop them. If they'd presented a united effort, maybe they would have succeeded in breaking through my Dampen field. But on the other hand, they might not be able to cooperate long enough to do that-- and if one was more devoted than the other, that one would be at a disadvantage. So they made it easy on me. And things are just starting to get interesting now: I make sure to pay close attention, since Tal is adopting a familiar stance.
Vaapad.
Tal drew in breath. It has been a while since he's done this. But against a sword and shield while armed with just a sword and deprived of the Force, he reasons that this is a good way to dominate quickly. With a prolonged fight, the advantage he has will ebb. But there is nothing prolonged about this.
Aire pauses, and this is her error.
Tal's saber begins to move. It traces a figure-eight pattern around his body, gradually accelerating. As the speed of the saber begins to distort its width to the naked eye, he moves forward. And as Aire drops her right foot back, permitting her shield to bear the oncoming attack, he grants her request.
In Vaapad, the attacks do not stop.
Nine attacks do not strike home in an instant. Uppercut to the bottom edge of the shield, but Tal struck too shallow and it simply slides up its contour. Flip around, strike the upper nine o'clock space and drive it down. Repeat, make her arm buckle! Spin off the rebound, wrap the saber around the body, strike towards her back-- but it still hits the shield, he didn't make it quite far enough. Spin back, stop halfway, deliver a flashy behind-the-back shot that nearly cuts her face open. Flash down at the left leg, but she backsteps just in time. Flip up and deflect her saber counter, bounce inward off of that-- hits the blasted shield! Elbow the shield, prying it out wide, turn the wrist and deliver a half-circle slash that comes in right around the base of her neck-- but she sprung back, jump in close and repeat that attack, but the shield's in the way!
Aire can hardly keep up. With Force Speed, maybe-- but it's too intense of a volley, and his movements are so disjointed compared to the predictable smoothness of Makashi that she can't capitalize on an opening.
Since his attack began Tal has not had time to draw breath. Three more attacks bounce off the shield, pinning it down to her body, and he sees the route for victory. He steps in and sweeps his saber below her shield; she guards her legs as before, by sweeping it out of the way. You don't use your upper body to save your legs. But Tal doesn't stop: as her leg starts to come back home, he reverses the direction and sweeps the opposite way. Forcing her to push it back again. He repeats this, stepping closer each time.
Annoyed, and perhaps frightened that she will eventually lose a leg, Aire takes his bait: to stop the strategy, she will simply cut off his head! She swings her saber around in a hook shot, having to go wide to avoid her own shield.
And that's where Tal ends the fight: ducking the shot, he takes her by the elbow and drops. Sweeping her remaining leg with a kick, he throws her to the ground by her right arm, places his knee on her forearm to pin it down, and holds the tip of his saber at her throat.
As we took the Yama into orbit to board the Vengeance, the silence which permeated us all was punctuated further by the fact that I was wearing Devient. But it seemed to me that a little bit of swordplay was just the thing that was needed to break the ice between Aire and Tal. She did a good job, considering that it was her first opportunity to use the sword and shield combination that she had only dreamed about until now. Good that her saber agreed to her, too. And of course Tal's Vaapad has only gotten stronger since the time we rediscovered the art. Back with Hevn and Rhea and Alkor. I wonder where they are now.
As Devient trash-talks me in my mind, I gaze out the window at the pattern of raindrops splattering against the transparisteel of my ship. It's decidedly boring, I thought to myself, to see this world in true color. Auras of the Force are where it's at. There is a new passenger sitting in the passenger seat. An albino creature with leathery wings and golden eyes. I can't tell if it happens to be male or female or what, but Devient tells me that its name is Crux.
She tells me that when we get to Nubia, I'll probably die. But if I don't die, Trogdor will bite a friendly hand.
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