The Classic Art of Self-Reliance (Cain)

[Fromikeable]

((For Vance, this takes place before Righteous Defenders))

The planet of Coruscant was as loud and rushed as it had ever been. It can only be supposed that when a city encompases the entire face of a planet, rest and caution are thrown to the wind in exchange for speed and haste. The planet never seemed to stop, nor did its inhabitants. Even the halls of the Jedi Temple were never given a chance to be quiet, as at all times of the day robed warriors, scribes, and healers walked to and fro, going to see one and returning from another. Vance had come to learn that even among exemplars of patience, there often was none.

Vance sighed. He had spent the entire day wondering about Ando, and the mission he would soon partake in there. From what the padawan had read, the world was vast and aquatic; a never ending sea save for a few precious islands. From what Tem had told him though, one of these islands was having seroious problems with piratic bandits, and the Republic had decided that they needed their troops elsewhere, so it fell his master, himself, and Master Oki.

Vance removed a training sbaer from the rack. The training rooms seemed cold that day, and even the practice wepaon seemed unwanting of any sort of activity. Vance smiled as he thought, The only things wanting to slow down are the things that don't have a choice in the matter. How ironic.

The padawan slowly walked to the terminal near the training room entrance. He mildly booted the monitor, and browsed a list of battle scenarios. Bandits, bandits... doesn't seem to be a scenario for them. Vance's smile dampened. How does a bandit even fight? Drastically? Protectively? I'd imagine aggressively, but...

Vance was at a loss. The padawan leaned over the holoscreen for several minutes as he tried to determine what scenario might be most like a bandit attack. Would they jump out of the shadows? That would be too silent. A flanking manuever? Not with only a small amount of armed bandits. A full-out assault? It's a raid, not a siege.

Vance decided to throw in the towel, and simply created a single marksman in the center of the room. He then programmed him to attack whenever Vance commanded, but to do it randomly, so as to simulate the real chances of battle. Satisfied with his opponent, the padawan faced the make-shift bandit from a distance of about 10 feet, and clearly commanded "Attack." The hologram loaded his blaster as Vance slowly spread and bent his legs, taking up a basic Soresu stance and drew his saber. In attentive concentration, the young Jedi stared at his virtual adversary.

The hologram suddenly swooped left, and fired three bolts of death. Vance deflected the first with ease, caught the second on the bottom part of his blade, and shifted right to avoid the third. However, the digital bolt was aimed low enough to pass through his shoulder, and the tell-tale beep of a hit emanated from the console. The padawan commanded the program to reset, silently cursing Dang it...

Vance tried again. This time the bandit-doppleganger feigned to back up, then immediately charged the Jedi, drawing his knife. AS Vance adjusted his hold on the hilt of the practice blade, the hologram swung downward, aiming for the breat and heart. As the knife came into range, Vance, with a flick his forearm, glanced the knife away, and immediately swung left. As his blow landed across the bandit's chest, he went rigid and disappeared, signifying his defeat. Relaxing his pose, Vance again commanded the program to reset. As rose from his stance, the padawan noticed someone at the door.

[Cain]

At the far end of the Jedi Temple Library, seated behind a stack of datapads was Jedi Master Si Quan. Around him were Padawans, each absorbed into the displays from their holocomputers. They all might as well have been on desert islands across vast expanses of open water, the cavernous confines of the Jedi Library was an oasis of solitude in the otherwise hectic day to day life on Coruscant. It was just this environment that attracted Si Quan. After all of the drama on Metellos, and the uncertainty with the High Council, Si was eager to slip back into his quiet routine.

On the polished tabletop sat a tall stack of datapads, the math homework belonging to Si Quan's Younglings. Inspecting the final datapad, Si shook his head and recorded the grade before pushing away from the table and stretching out his limbs. Si gathered up the datapads, giving a polite nod of his head to the Librarian before leaving. Though the quiet in the library had helped facilitate a sense of calm, walking through the busy halls of the Temple caused Master Quan's mind to wander, his thoughts once again falling on the Sith he'd encountered on Metellos. The Sith were in the Core, and what's more they were actively abducting Jedi. Even Master Beleren... Si shook his head, dismissing the thought. It was best to keep his focus on the present, where it belonged. A class of Younglings were going to be introduced for the first time to training sabers in the morning, that was where Si's attention belonged.

Si made his way toward one of the training rooms, around him were all the familiar sounds of Jedi at work. There was a constant hum from training sabers, and the occasional hiss of a blaster bolt intercepted by a blade. Coming to the room he'd schedule for his class the next morning, Si heard a voice call out from inside, "Attack."

The doors slid away and inside Si found inside was a tall young Padawan engaged with one of the training program's holoprojections. Engaged fully with his exercise, the Padawan didn't seem to notice the Master at the door. Si recognized the boy's stance as that of Soresu and decided to observe. The holoprojection fired three virtual blaster bolts, two that the Padawan was able to deflect, though he was unable to avoid the third. As the simulation charged, the young man dispatched him quickly with a slice across the chest.

"Not bad," Si remarked as the Padawan had only just noticed his presence, "though I think you could stand to work on your patience, young one." Si dropped his bag containing the datapads by the door as it slid shut behind him and grabbed a training saber of his own from the rack, "May I?" Si asked, stepping into the center of the room. When there was no objection, Si centered himself, taking a breath before repeating the command, "Attack."

The simulation started again and Si stood motionless, his eyes closed and his training saber deactivated as he opened himself up to the Force, passively observing the ebb and flow as the training holo readied its blaster. As it brought the weapon to bear, Si felt the shudder in the Force that communicated to him danger. Immediately he reacted, his training saber snapping to life, the blade remaining close in towards Si Quan's center as it spun to flick aside the first volley of artificial blaster bolts in rapid succession. When the holo moved in close to engage the Jedi Master with a knife, Si remained passive, keeping his saber strokes quick and close, simply redirecting the attacks aimed at him. Finally Si perceived and opening that he could use to disarm the hologram, and one final spin detached the knife wielding hand and the exercise was over.

"Soresu is a defensive form," Si commented, deactivating the training saber, "we practice Form III in order to neutralize aggression, not to inflict it. Patience is key." Si looked up at Vance and chuckled as he suddenly realized he hadn't even introduced himself yet and already he was lecturing, "My apologies," he said with a laugh, "I got a little carried away there. I'm Si Quan."

[Fromikeable]

Vance was quite simply awestruck. He had been so focused on engaging his virtual adversary that he had totally missed the Jedi observing his technique. As the fellow follower of the Force revealed his presence, Vance jumped a little, and halted the program. As he gazed at the Jedi, the first thing that struck him was his age. He was human, and seemed inherently wise in his years. Horst, following both a common courtesy and obeying a sense of respect given off by this Jedi, bowed deeply. ”Forgive me, Master; I didn’t see you there.”

“Not bad,” the wise Jedi claimed, “though I think you could stand to work on your patience, young one.” The Jedi relieved himself of his load of holopads, and entered the room. “May I?” Vance gave his answer in a nod; the sense of understanding emanating from this Jedi was such as to render words unnecessary. With that, the wise Jedi reinitiated the bandit, and the battle began again.

This battle was different though. Vance had been anxious and tense as he took his stance. This Jedi, on the other hand, seemed completely relaxed and composed of a total peace. As the bandit loaded his blaster, the Jedi didn’t even take a stance, preferring to simply remain standing with his weapon sheathed. Vance looked on in utter curiosity. What is he…

Suddenly, the bandit let lose five bolts of steaming plasma. Vance observed in shock as the Jedi drew his saber, lowered into a sturdy stance, and dispatched all five bits of death with total grace. Vance noted that his saber didn’t seem to move; a great contrast to his own attempts, in which he swung about with broad strokes. The bandit, failing in his attempt to subdue his opponent from range, drew his knife and rushed the Jedi. Any thoughts Vance may have had of the Jedi being old were dashed, therefore, when the wise Jedi guided each stab, slash, and stroke of the bandit’s knife away, with some even turning around completely, scratching it’s originator. This went on for a moment until the Jedi spun his weapon, and sent the knife flying from the hands of his adversary. Vance gaped, and the hologram disappeared, defeated.

“Soresu is a defensive form,” the Jedi commented, sheathing his weapon. “We practice Form III in order to neutralize aggression, not inflict it. Patience is key.” The last sentence reverberated through the padawan; there were his old master’s words, practically verbatim, coming forth in a smooth tone from this incredible Jedi. Vance had just learned more about Soresu in two minutes than he had ever learned about anything in his entire life. Who is this man?

“My apologies,” the Jedi admitted, chuckling, “I got a little carried away there. I’m Si Quan.”

SI QUAN!!! If Horst wasn’t already aghast, it was bluntly obvious now. The legendary Soresu Si Quan! Standing before me in the very flesh! Vance bowed again, half forgetting he had already, and half doing it in total respect. He had heard stories of the legendary Soresu master before, but the actual technique put such legends to total shame. Trying to recollect his thoughts in his amazement, Vance managed to twist his tongue and say, ”I… I am… Vance… uh, Padawan… Asano, Master.”

Vance was at a loss for words. Thanks to those legends, Si Quan was a sort of childhood role-model to him; a perfect example of what he sought to mold himself into. Si Quan was known for his patience, his utter control and peace, and had a general reputation of being… well, awesome. What does one say to their hero?

”Master Si Quan, I… I know you, yes. You are…” Should he just say it? Yes, honesty was the best policy in situations like this. ”I admire you a great deal.” Vance tried not to look too dumb-founded, but remembered to add, ”I try to be patient, Master Si Quan. Truly, I do. It’s just…”

Both at another loss for words, and not completely sure why he couldn't be patient, Vance's voice trailed off. He was amazed, humbled, shamed, and astonished all at the same moment, and the emotional overload drew his focus to simply trying not to utter any sort of unintelligible noise.

How does one say that he can't admit his faults to one of the greatest men he knows of?


((OOC: That has to be the longest post I've made to date. See? Good writing begets good writing! ;D))

[Cain]

Master Quan sent his training saber back to the rack, guiding it through the air and back into place with a nonchalant wave of his hand. The old Master couldn't hold back a smile as Vance tripped over his own words. The boy had spirit, even if it was to the detriment of his technique. Vance could hardly summon the calm needed to speak to Si Quan, much less to effectively utilize Soresu. Still, the kid was not entirely unskilled, and it was clear that he'd had some prior training.

"Master Si Quan, I… I know you, yes. You are… I admire you a great deal."

"Ah, so you've heard of me," Si said with an uncomfortable grin. He never had quite gotten used to the reputation he'd acquired over the years. It always surprised him as to the sorts of people who were familiar with his exploits.

”I try to be patient, Master Si Quan. Truly, I do. It’s just…” a log jam of emotions halted Vance's words.

Si was quick to interject, "Peace, Vance. I understand it is sometimes difficult to reign in your emotions. When I was your age I was not nearly as skilled as you, believe me. Patience like any skill takes practice. Soresu is called the resiliency form, resiliency of not just body and blade, but of the mind as well." Si paused, somewhat surprised to hear the words of his old Master flow from him so naturally. With only a momentary hesitation he continued, "A Soresu master maintains his patience in spite of any chaos around him, he is a lone beacon in the dark, he is the calm center of a raging storm. When all of these things, body, blade, and mind are one, with the Force to guide them; then you will be ready."

Si chuckled following his impromptu lesson, "You're not quite there yet, but don't feel bad, few ever reach that level, and you show potential. You are not completely unfamiliar with Form III, it seems you've had some instruction with Soresu. If I may ask, who was your teacher?"

[Fromikeable]

Vance tried desperately to reign in his feelings as he observed the Master Jedi float his weapon back to its place of storage. He couldn’t help feeling a little awful; he was being so frantic and chaotic, he felt as if he were disappointing the very way of the Jedi, which only made him sadder. Being sadder only made the padawan feel angry at his lack of control; a vital portion of any person, let alone any Jedi. This only made him feel even more awful, which reset the cycle.

But as Vance slowly withdrew into himself, he could feel his mind becoming ever more stable as he slowly managed to take control of his extreme feelings. He focused on his breathing, and while he didn’t inhale and exhale oddly, he made it a point to maintain consistency in his breath. As the world around him melted away, the padawan slowly regained his inner peace, and finally fell back into his small, mental niche. He had subconsciously closed his eyes, and he opened them again in time to hear Master Si Quan share something:

"Peace, Vance. I understand it is sometimes difficult to reign in your emotions. When I was your age I was not nearly as skilled as you, believe me. Patience like any skill takes practice.” I suppose I’ve never thought of patience as a skill, Vance ruminated, considering. Si Quan went on to mention the true nature of Soresu; another idea that Vance considered for the first time. Total harmony in not only the body and blade, he put his hand up to his chin, but the mind as well…

The older Jedi chuckled then, and finished his teaching with a final comment. “You're not quite there yet, but don't feel bad, few ever reach that level, and you show potential. You are not completely unfamiliar with Form III, it seems you've had some instruction with Soresu. If I may ask, who was your teacher?"

Vance instantly thought back to the first day Shon-tul had ever sparred with him. He was shocked at the time; his master never fought. When he had inquired, his master had told him to be patient and to do as he did. So Vance did, and by the end of the day he had learned his first lesson in Soresu. Vance couldn’t help but grimace a little at this question. He tried to think little about his sparring with Master Shon-tul back in the day, as he was still a little uncomfortable talking about the subject. Come on now. Aren’t you listening? Patience! Trying not to display his discomfort (he felt he had shown enough emotions for one day), Vance carefully transported his own training saber from his right hand to his left, and replied:

”My former master taught me all I know, Master Si Quan. I’m not sure that you knew him. His name was Master Ra Shon-tul.” Vance slowly ended his sentence, and again relaxed, allowing his knees to bend slightly. Feeling somehwat curious, he added "Master, you say I have potential. What exactly do you mean?"