Training for What

[Foxfire]

In the largest of the training rooms a Jedi tried to work out some old skills. Whether he was succeeding or not was not easy for one to just look at and know. His style was all over the place. Mixed and meshed skills along with body throws and rolls made this Jedi look like he was having convulsion. Yet it was the best this Hutt could do.

Yes this Jedi hutt and healer was testing his saber skills and pushing his body further on this day then he had on any other day since he became a teacher of a padawaan. The area this hutt healer needed had to be huge to give him room to practice. The room often was used for large scale training of twenty and up students and knights to perfect their storming of a castle. Sections could be moved up or down to make for all sorts of terrain. Yet for Mal Konti it did not matter much. Tired and already sore he took a breather from an two hour long shadow duel with a holo of a wookie knight.

Resting he took up his data pad and looked at the numbers of hits to both sides of this mock battle. The numbers were not great. He had gotten quiet a high number of saber cuts and what would register as internal damage by force powers, but the up side is the holo was shown to have been smashed and flattened and twisted into by his body mass and his force skills. Dark points were taken from his overall score so the holo was counted as the winner for this the fifteenth round.

Sighing he laid the data pad down and closed his eyes and calmed his center and awaited for the next round which was going to restart in twenty minutes.

Eyes twitching-Inner peace. Inner peace. Inner......peeeeaacccccccccce. Why am I have so much trouble today? I got to improve, that is if I'm ever needed on the front lines. Which is quiet a doubtful thing for me lately.

[Ghostie]

Rune had been watching the Hutt Jedi from the doorway for quite awhile now. The Mon Calamari reckoned he had been there for a good portion of the battle. He himself had been hoping to practice his Soresu in this large training room, against multiple opponents. Rune thought that if meditation and a walk couldn’t clear his head, then combat training should.

But instead he had gotten something different. He had never met a Hutt that was a Jedi, let alone Force-sensitive. Sure, there were plenty of rare species in the Jedi Order, but Rune would guess that this was one of the only, if not the only, Hutt in the Order.

Judging from the battle, Rune would guess he wasn’t a swordsman for the Jedi Order. But for a Jedi, even a Hutt, he had a very unique fighting style. Rune suspected the Hutt to stay in one general area, and be very defensive. But instead, there had been a lot of body slams and rolls. Rune couldn’t say the Hutt wasn’t using what advantages he had. But it didn’t seem to help him.

Rune could feel unhappiness and despair rolling from the room. It was as if the Hutt couldn’t be at peace. Rune couldn’t blame him. The battle had not gone well, even against a hologram. This Jedi needed to work on his swordsmanship, especially with a war going on, with more and more Jedi being pulled to the front lines. Rune decided to offer his help in any way he could. Leaning against the doorway as he had been the entire time, Rune finally spoke up.

“I saw a good portion of your battle. Do you want some help training your saber skills?”

[Foxfire]

Just as he was reaching that point again both the computer and some one living interrupted his train of thought. The computer's saber wielder jumped at him with a cleaving blow. Mal first instinct was to raise his own saber to block but a some else happened he was not wanting in his training scoring, a force exploding slam.

The explosion of the force wave sent the holo-image flying for some thirty yards before landing and sliding to a skid. Mal at once in shock called out the stop protocols to end the session. The holo player vanished and the room brightened and the terrain flattened. Mal once again felt like a padawan just getting caught playing with a master light saber. He never really wanted anyone to know about his other side of him a side that he kept retrained and only released in times when noting else worked. His destructive power he often though as a skill of last resort, yet every once in a great while it would raise to the surface in his normal day to day life.

Mal felt that dark chill flow away from him as he clear his mind and remembered all the good and lives he had saved during his time as a Jedi and healer.

Yes that would be of great help. Being limited in reach is often my hindrance and better defending myself would help a great deal. I have as of late not had much time to set aside for saber combat those that return from the front lines have keep the healer and myself very busy.

He had seen the Mon Calamari Jedi master Rune around but had not had the time to talk with him, especially when he had his little charge, Halc Greimer, in his care. He did not want to set the Aleena off on a force fit keeping him calm was a lot harder than first thought. Now though with the Aleen gone and life resetting back to the norm, training with his sabers just happen to fit in his day off.

Any help you have will be of great help. I have become more force heavy than with saber. If figured with all the other Jedi doing their best in that area that I should at least try to be able to defend myself when called to heal on the front lines.

[Ghostie]

Rune was a little shocked at the explosion of Force energy. He had never seen a Jedi use such a power, nor did he think they should. But he brushed off the encounter, not wanting to offend the Hutt Jedi. Keeping his mouth shut about the explosion of Force, Rune instead went straight into his saber skills.

“You seem too focused on trying to take the enemy down. You’re doing too much work especially since, no offense, but you’re not going to move around the battlefield very quickly. You should wear the enemy down, wait for the perfect time to strike. Do you have any training in Soresu or Djem So? Both would be good forms for this strategy. I can provide some basic techniques if you need them.”

As he spoke, the Mon Calamari moved into the room and drew his saber, holding it in his right hand. Rune walked closer the Hutt as he explained all this. He wasn’t sure why the Jedi would be worried about being on the frontlines though. The Jedi Order itself wasn’t involved in the war yet, only a splinter group known as the Blades.

Rune would’ve run off and joined the Blades himself, expect he knew his history too well. The last time the Jedi went off to war without the Council becoming involved was the Mandalorian Wars. And they spawned a whole new war which split the Order in two. The Blades may fight for what they believed in, but Rune would trust in the wisdom of the Council for now.

“Just out of curiosity, are you planning on joining the Blades? Is that why you’re worried about the ‘frontlines’?”

[Foxfire]

Mal sighed and thought about how much saber training he really had.

A bit in both areas. I was starting to bring the two skill sets together when I decided that Healing would was a better place for me. As for the front lines..... much I have seen in my short life as a hutt but it may get to that eventuality where we all will have to defend ourselves and the front line come to us instead of us going to them.

He had thought about a past trial saber tactic that his wookie master had tried to teach him about.

Calling out for a lower level holo-player Mal set for a gently rolling floor scape. Slithering his front mass to be a bit up hill from the now visible holo Mal made the beginning stance for Soresu.

My former master told me this same idea, yet it seems that over time I have tried to work against what I am. A hutt does not run after it's prey they come to him. Yes I do know that thinking has a touch of darkness but when healing some one who has damage to their mind nothing is some time the best way to heal. Just give comfort and guidance and be strong for them. Let see if my skills in healing will work out to break my poor record.

The computer dinged loudly and the holo moved to engage the hutt charging down the hill. The hutt was at a bit of staging disadvantage but he kept his ground blocking all but a few hits. After a five minute charge the comp dinged again letting those know that the player has become a higher level. Mal then saw the swings of the saber become harder to handle and block yet a smile crept across his hutt face. On a block followed by a Djem So strike Mal slid back two feet giving five feet between the two of them. This was so that he could activate his extension of his dual stage blade, let it grow to a six foot blade.

Now with the distance between them Mal was still able to block without having the holo having to pressure the advance and make up that gap difference. Though just as he was settling into this new arrangement the comp double dinged signaling a two stage level up for the holo. The holo after a strike and Mal's Djem So counter strike the holo flipped over the hutt landing near his tail. It swiped Mal's tail and leaving a glowing stripe indicating a hit to the hutt. A deep severing strike which would have lobed off about two feet of his tail.

Whipping his head around Mal slammed his tail into the ground giving a force strike to the ground making the floor and the holo jump and start to loose footing, but it's footing was not the least of it's worries for two seconds later Mal's tail swung with a bantha crushing blow sending the holo flying into the far distance and vanish with a mimicked thud.

Nodding his head--Better but still need to improve. Losing a few feet of tail may not seem like much, but when it happens it burn like no tomorrow. How would you help me to solve this problem using my limited skills?

[Ghostie]

How would he help the Hutt solve this problem with his limited skills? Rune didn't know for sure. But he had an idea. He saw that the Hutt's saber was a dual phase saber. That was something Rune had always thought would be a good idea, and he even modified his first saber when he became a Knight to do such a thing. But the Mon Calamari had never used it, and didn’t see fit to do the same with his current saber. But it could definitely work for the Hutt.

The Hutt needed to stay in one spot, and use Soresu, Shien, or Djem So. With a dual phase saber, he could keep the enemies at a bay longer, so that they couldn’t reach him. The hutt using a dual phase saber with Soresu would be a very tough opponent, once he gets more training that is.

"You need to train in more defensive styles, that’s all really. Use your dual phase to keep enemies at bay, and use a defensive form. A Hutt with dual phase and good practice with a defensive form is not something I would want to fight.”

Rune moved towards the Hutt as the hologram disappeared again. He had his lightsaber is his hand, and was ready to help train if need be. Rune activated the hologram again, and the wookie that the Hutt had programmed in rushed for the Mon Calamari.

“Watch what I do, and how I use Soresu and Djem So.”

Rune activated his lightsaber and sprung into the fight. The wookie was a tough opponent, but nothing Rune could not handle. They sparred for several minutes, sparks flying every time their sabers made contact with each other. Using Soresu, Rune kept control of the battle for the most part. He kept the wookie’s fake saber high, always blocking above his head. The Mon Calamari made sure not to give any ground, so show that fighting could be done without moving. But this meant sometimes the battle was out of his control.

The hologram wouldn’t wear down though, as it was a hologram. It was fake, it didn’t sweat or need rest. Rune did, but after years of using Soresu he was more than capable of keeping the fight going. He had to wait for the hologram to slip up. Which finally happened. The wookie spun around, hoping to hit Rune with a strong blow to the side. Rune lower his saber and swung at the back of his heel, tripping the hologram. The hologram dropped to the ground and tumbled. Rune caught up to the hologram and up his saber up its throat once it finally stopped, forcing it’s surrender. The hologram then dissipated.

“Soresu is all about control. You need to control the battle. That should be somewhat easier for you, if you use your dual phase.”

Rune walked back over to the hutt, not bothering to put his saber away.

“Use some of the moves I did, if you were watching. Keep your blade going, keep momentum up. Now try again”

[Foxfire]

(Occ-Sorry for the shortened post)


Mal litsened adn watched as the Mon Calamair put the holo through a great set. Watching each and every move in the physical form and in the force until the holo errored and blinked out after surrendering. The words 'about control' were key to the hutt and the mindset he was working for.

Getting his saber out again and engaging the holo he took control of the battle with his extended saber. Batting down strikes blocking with a bashing Djem So Mal made better progress yet when the holo tried to jump over him a smile rose upon his lips. Mixing a bit of telekinitic power with destruction he was able to slam the holo back to the ground. Keeping the holo grounded let him find a better foot hold using his mass and his proficentcy in the force he was better able to hold his own until the fifteen minute timing pinged and the match went to a draw.

I do believe this will help out a great bit. Thank you for your eye upon my weakness. If you ever find yourself in need of a healer I shall be the first to give you a hand my brother.