Putting the Harm in Harmony

[Corell Capstan]

(OOC: This is a closed thread, for Navaria only :) thanks.)

Whoever had hung the punch-bag up in the Whaladon's cargo bay – the Belly, as it was becoming colloquially known – had Corell's gratitude. There were no shockboxing gloves on hand, but she could pound the bag bare-fisted so long as she took breaks occasionally, when her knuckles were red raw.

The Bad Mamma Jamma was gone. Not permanently, but she had woken up after only a handful of hours sleep to find that the rest of the crew had taken off on a job without her. Whatever money they made would be theirs, with her usual share divvied between them. Some bitter part of her hoped that the freighter broke down, leaving them with no mechanic to fix the heap of junk up again – but in her heart of hearts she wouldn't have wished any misfortune on them.

That ill-fate was reserved for the punching bag.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"You're knuckles are going to bleed ..."

The voice from behind Corell was mixed with disappointment and concern. How long Navaria Tarkin had watched quietly behind her student, the blonde Padawan couldn't say. She was so focused on her thoughts, letting her mind drift into the past and focusing so hard on punishing the punching bag for the jumbled emotions dwelling inside her, Corell had missed the Jedi Master slipping into the cargo bay fifteen minutes prior.

Her Master wore the brown and tan robes of the Jedi, with the hood of the dark brown outer robe down. "... and your hands are swollen."

With tight lips, she glanced at Corell with a curious expression. "What are you trying to forget now?"

[Corell Capstan]

“You know, not everything I do has to have some hidden meaning,” Corell countered, her jabs slowing as she glanced off to one side to catch sight of the Jedi Master. With each breath coming shallow, the blonde held her fists up in a loose guard, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she contemplated whether to strike the punching bag again.

“You ever get out of those robes?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Hmm." Navaria pondered the question in the most seriousness of expressions. "Does the filthy overalls in which I met you with count?"

Then came the smile, but it fell away when the Jedi noticed something amiss with Corell's stance. "Watch your left hand. You're leaving yourself wide open for a counter."

[Corell Capstan]

Slugging the bag one more time, Corell shot Navaria a disbelieving smirk, one eyebrow raised.

“You givin' me advice on brawlin'? After how you did back in that barfight on Taris?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

She allow an amused half-smirk to come, "I do believe I walked out of that mess of a fight without a scratch on me..."

At her pause, Navaria allowed her hands to spread apart while she shrugged, "You on the other hand..."

[Corell Capstan]

Hands on hips, Corell held Navaria's gaze. “You weren't up to your elbows in it, though, were you? Anyway,” she paused, wiping sweat from her upper lip with the back of one hand. “You've got one up on me, Jedi Master Tarkin.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria was taken aback but the sudden hostile response. She was just following along Corell's humor, which they had done in the past without any issue. Today the blonde was far more sensitive and the Jedi should have picked up on that.

"I apologize if my comment offended you. That was not my intent."

[Corell Capstan]

“No need to apologise.”

If she had been offended, Corell shrugged it off. It was like water off a ducks back for her, at least on the surface. Stood side on, she slapped one palm against the punching bag and looked to Navaria with an expectant smile.

“So.. you gonna show me the moves, then?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

She inclined her head in agreement and rolled the heavy robes off her shoulders, allowing the thick protective fabric to slide off one shoulder and be pulled off the other.

The robe was place neatly over the nearest crate before she stepped into a defensive stance, hands help up high before her face, the right slightly lower then the left.

Three strong left jabs struck the bag with precision before her right hand slammed into it with a right cross. The bag quivered from the assault and Corell was pretty sure that it had been someone's head instead, their jaw probably would have been broken.

[Corell Capstan]

A punch like that made Corell glad she'd given the Jedi Master a wide berth to take a swing at the punch-bag. Threading her arms over her chest, the blonde cocked her head to one side, giving Navaria an appraising glance.

“Where'd you learn to hit like that, anyway?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

She smiled, not out of arrogance, but of remembrance. The Jedi placed a hand on the bag to steady it as she thought back to Drin. "When your Master is a Trianii, you must learn to not only defend yourself, but how to retaliate when necessary."

Navaria looked over at Corell as her hand slipped away from the hard canvas of the bag. "He taught me size does not matter. Believe in the Force and you can accomplish anything."

[Corell Capstan]

“...I'd like to meet him one day.”

A small sort of smile tugged at Corell's lips as she looked at Navaria, trying to imagine the Jedi Master before her as a young padawan. In her mind, the image blended with a faint memory of the Jedi temple as seen through a much younger Corell's eyes. Naturally, her thoughts drifted to the Master who had cared for her and the other residents of the temple nursery, and later died for them. That was not a piece of nostalgia she was eager to indulge in. Roughly folder her arms across her chest, the blonde blew an errant strand of her from her eyes.

“So, think you can teach me to do the same, oh wise one?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

For a moment, Corell caught a glimpse of sadness pass over the Jedi Master's features before the cool and collected woman she had come to know returned.

"I am far from wise," she said honestly. Navaria felt herself too young to be considered as such, only feeling her natural aptitude for the Force had helped her to grow as swiftly as she had. "But I promised you I would teach you all that I know."

She stepped away from Corell to put distance between them, "But in order to teach you, I need to understand you."

With one hand behind her back, the Jedi turned sideways in a defensive posture and brought her free hand out to beckon Corell. "Now come."

[Corell Capstan]

“Come?” Corell didn't move. Her eyes were still on Navaria's. It was an odd thing to be invited so casually to fight. There was no aggression in the brunette's posture, no outward sign that she was about to enter combat – yet she was ready all the same, there was no doubt. There had been a shift in the air as Navaria moved freely from one stance into the other. Conscious suddenly of her own lack of finesse, Corell rolled her shoulders and sniffed loudly. Her fingertips flexed then curled into compact fists.

“So, put 'em up then.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria smile mirrored her assurance. "I am quite ready. Trust me."

She did not move one millimeter in her stance. The Force was with and would provide ample direction once Corell found her way to throw a punch.

It was not overlooked that the Blonde was unsure. She had found herself in a setting unknown and it was difficult to break old habits.

[Corell Capstan]

It would have been easier if Navaria's smile was arrogant, cocksure – but, no. Quiet confidence was all she radiated. In a way, this was almost equally infuriating. Corell didn't delay any longer. Leading with her right foot, she kept her guard high as she feint a right jab before driving her left fist forward, right for that self-sure smile.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Reflexes honed from years of training, Navaria realized the feint that was coming and stepped back to avoid the punch that surely would have smarted if it had connected. There was a lot of power behind Corell's attack, as well as much frustration sensed.

Before the Blonde could follow up with another attack, the Jedi grabbed the other woman's left wrist and twisted it into an arm bar hold - placing much pressure onto the shoulder with the Jedi's other hand.

[Corell Capstan]

Effortlessly man-handled into an arm-lock, Corell thrashed about for a moment before conceding the fact that Navaria had a damn solid hold on her. “Show off,” she said, biting the words off mere seconds before she threw her head back, the back of her skull cracking against the Jedi Master's forehead.

[Navaria Tarkin]

There was not much she could do accept deadened the pain. The Force cleared the stars and brought clarity to her mind. Her grip did not loosen and spun the Blonde's arm in the other direction, effectively flipping the woman onto the mat.

[Corell Capstan]

Not willing to go down alone, Corell threw her arms around Navaria's legs as she hit the mat. Though she was slim, years hauling engine parts had made steel-wire of the blonde's biceps. With a grunt, she wrenched Navaria's feet from beneath her and was soon scrambling to wrestle her way atop the fallen Jedi Master.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She rolled with the fall and felt Corell trying to overtake her from behind. The Jedi wrenched an arm free that the blonde was trying to take control of and spun upon a knee to bring the leg around for a kick to the face.

[Corell Capstan]

The blow landed right on target, whipping Corell's head back and spitting stars before her eyes. With a hiss of breath, she fell back onto one forearm, the other hand cradling her forehead. Tears swam at the edge of her vision.

“...frak!”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria's grimaced was one of remorse. She had not meant to harm the other woman that badly.

"Here," she said with an outstretched arm, "Let me see."

They had been in the middle of a sparring session, and Corell was the kind of woman to use the compassion received as a way to take the advantage. The Jedi Master would not look too kindly upon that if this were the case.

[Corell Capstan]

Corell pinched the bridge of her nose as she blinked away the pain. The tears were a natural reflex and hardly a sign of weakness, but the blonde resented them all the same. Rolling her neck and shoulders, she gave Navaria a sharp look.

“You fight pretty dirty for a pacifist.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

"I never said I was a pacifist, Corell," she corrected and the blonde felt a warmth wash over her. It disappeared as quickly as it came, but Corell felt significantly better. The pain was gone.

Fingers brushed her cheek apologetically as they stealthily removed a stray tear that broken away - but the Jedi Master said nothing, nor even looked at it. Her eyes were upon the woman before, looking sadly. "I did, and still do, what I must to survive. The Jedi have fought to survive for years, and will fight again to bring the Light back in these dark times."