"This Weapon Is Your Life" (Jacen)

[Rognan Dar]

In a sectioned off training room, Rognan Dar awaited the presence of his Padawan. Since taking on a padawan, Rog felt like his whole life had just been flipped. He was no longer the one being trained, though, he could still use it, but was now giving the instruction. To pass on what he learned to another who in turn would teach it to another. It was a never ending circle with the new generations getting the advantage of multiple experienced Jedi.

In the room, a blue light flickered to life. Its power grew quickly, along with its color and brightness. Emitting from it was a humming sound that filled the quite room. As it moved the sound grew louder. With more force added to its movements the more it sang. As Rognan sweeped the blade back and forth he listened to its song. It was not a song in which you could tap your shoe to its beat; to which you could sing in harmany with. He could only think of why he thought of it as a song was because he had become to recognize the sound. Maybe even tell it from others. It was the bond of a person to his weapon.

Swing the blade in slashes and strokes he continued to wait. Jacen was not late, Rog was just early. He thought it best if he got a little warmed up before he tried to teach what he knew on the matter of combat and a lightsaber. For Rog was no warrior, and he was not afraid to say it. Fighting had never really been his thing. But what he learned was, that no matter how good you become with it it is something that you need to know. For a Jedi, it was part of everyday life. Some might say that violence leads to the dark side. Their wrong. Aggretion would lead to the dark side, but defence is not. And so, with what he believes, teaching someone to fight was a way of defending, and possible attacking when it was needed.

[Jacen]

Jacen was walking into the room that he was to meet Rog in when he stopped. He watched the Jedi Knight swing the lightsaber through the air in awe. He had never been this close to one of them before and it was amazing to see the light blue glow dance around seemingly effortlessly.

He started to walk a little bit farther in the room but stopped for he didn't want to ruin Rogan's concentration, or interrupt this marvelous show.

[Rognan Dar]

As Rognan continued to move around a presence filled his senses. He knew it was Jacen, not because of his presence that he was beginning to recognize, it was because he was the only one that was expected to be here. Yet, as he knew he was here he did not stop right away. He finished off a few more strokes, then turned in Jacen's direction and leveled off the blade to point right at him.

"Good morning!" Rog said and lowered the blade as he switched it off. "I hope you are ready to work. Because its going to be quite a workout."

Moving off to the side, Rog took off his robe and placed it on the floor. He then picked up something and walked back to Jacen. He then handed to him a lightsaber.

"Tell me, what do you know about this weapon?"

[Jacen]

"Well....nothing really. Only that Jedi use it as their weapon and that it can cut through anything," Jacen said as he took the hilt and examined it.

[Rognan Dar]

"Jedi dont use it only. Sith use them too. I'm sure there are other people that might have pawned a few and now others have them. But its not so much having a lightsaber that makes it known. Its how you use it. If your not careful you could chop your own head off.

Lets get start, shall we? I want you to activate the saber I gave you and get a feeling for it. The thing about this kind of blade is that it is a lot lighter then, say, a sword. Which then gives you the agility to block laser fire."

[Jacen]

Jacen turned on te lightsaber and gripped it tightly so that he didn't drop it. He brought up the blue blade and moved it around slowly. Rognan was right, it was way lighter than he thought at first. He brought it back down to his side and angled the blade downwards, waiting for his teachers next instruction.

[Rognan Dar]

"Good." Rognan said as he activated a different saber. "This saber is not a fully armed lightsaber. It was made by the Order for newer people starting out. The power feed on it is lower so that you dont cut off body parts with it. But it will give you a nasty burn, nonetheless. So, lets see what you got. I want you to try all you know and have seen with fighting and attack me."

[Jacen]

Jacen brought up the weapon in both hands to were it pointed up, tilted slightly at an angle. He edged forward and swung the weapon, intending to slash from the right and follow up with a downward cut from the left.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan was not expecting much from Jacen. There was many that were very gifted in combat, others were not. But to learn it was the key, not the door in which you walk your life through.

As Jacen's blade came down, Rognan mearly lifted his own and knocked it to the side, moving it out of danger. Then taking a step backward, he waited for his next attack.

[Jacen]

Jacen's blade was moved away, but he went with it and circled around for a slash from the left side for Rogan's arm.

[Rognan Dar]

To his surprise, Jacen did not stumble after his block. Maybe Rog was giving him to little credit. But his thoughts were not amiss for long. As the blade went around and back at him, he stept backwards once more and batted the blade away like the first time.

[Jacen]

Jacen took another step forward, and this time swung with an upwards slash. He surprised himself that he was doing so well. Sure Rob had taught him a few things few swords, but that was just for meditation puropses, or so he had thought, but now he could see that they could be used just as well in real life.

[Rognan Dar]

Things were heating up. Clearly Jacen knew more then he first let on. Now Rognan was acting stonger to the attacks. Press forward enough and they will have to learn to walk faster.

As Jacen drew closer, Rognan also stepped forward. Pressing off of his forward right foot he flipped over Jacen and slashed out to block the attack that was still coming up. Landing behind him, Rog turned left and slashed out with his left arm extended. He did it slowly, though, so that he wouldn't harm Jacen.

[Jacen]

Jacen inverted his weapon and just barely managed to block the attack to his right side. He pushed off and twisted areound bring his weapon with him in a high gaurd.

[Rognan Dar]

"Very good. You know quite a bit about fighting I can see. Now try and let the Force guide your attacks, to see whats coming, to defend at the right time. Only with this unity to the Force will you become a great fighter."

Rognan boosted his speed with the Force and ran around to the left in a circle. Just when it seemed he was about to attack, he reversed his direction and then started running to the right. Just as soon as he started that way he lashed out at Jacen in a defensive attack. He knew that if he was to go in head strong that he could surely be defeated. But if he guarded himself and pressed in he was protected.

[Jacen]

Jacen felt Rogan's change of direction before he even saw it. He even knew he would attack before he did, what he did not know was what kind of attack it was. He drew himself up on his right side, guessing that was where the attack would come from, but before anything could happen, he saw that he had been wrong and brought his lightsaber around to his left side, just in time from being burned.

He let out a sigh of relief before pushing off and stabbing his lightsaber out to a point where it would meet Rogan ifhe kept going forward.

[Rognan Dar]

This was hardly un-expected. The running around had hardly anything to do with anything. It was only used to distract and confuse his padawan. But it seemed to hardly do that. As Rognan continued forward he rolled off to the left and lunged.

[Jacen]

OOC: I'm assuming you are lunging a me.


Jacen side stepped to his left and avoided Rogan. He turned on his heel and brought his saber down towards Rog, hopefully before he could fully recover.

[Rognan Dar]

Once Jacen was out of the way, Rog rolled forward again, expecting some kind of counter measure. He heard the hum of a saber behind him and turned to see that he just barely missed the attack.

[Jacen]

Jacen stepped forward and brought his saber down diagonally from left to right. He was trying not to let up from the attack.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan had hardly anytime to recover that he was unable to get complete control over his defence. Still crouched, and his back facing Jacen, he brought his saber over his head and angled it down over his left shoulder to drive the attack off.

[Jacen]

Jacen held his saber pushing down for a moment, before stepping back and allowing Rogan a chance to recover before moving in for the attack once more.

[Rognan Dar]

Jacen shouldn't have let up on Rog. He should have gone until there was nothing lift for Rog to do. But he did. He gave him a chance to get back to his feet and face Jacen. This time he was ready for the padawan. He deflected the next attack then spun around with his saber above his head and slashed from right to left with added momentum from his spin to help drive the attack.

[Jacen]

Jacen held up his weapon to block and was knocked sideways by the force of the attack. He came back with a slash of his own, but it was clumsy from being knocked off balance.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan rotated his wrists to point the blade down and as Jacen's blade came at him he pushed the attack up and over, leaving Jacen's guard pushed out of the way. He then spun right and swung his saber across at mid height.

[Jacen]

Jacen jumped back, leaving himself undefended but also giving him room to breath as Rogan's weapon went by him harmlessly. He brought his blade back down in a high gaurd and began slowly circling around to Rogan's left. Looking for an opening.

[Rognan Dar]

"Yes, good. Attacking is not always what is needed. If you attack all the time you make yourself tired sooner. Keeping a open mine and a careful eye and you will be able to get the offensive advantage from your defensive one."

As Jacen circled Rognan hardly moved. His eye's were fixed upon him, moving his body and saber to defend him from Jacen as he moved to far out of the way. He then stopped moving all together and just stood still while Jacen continued to move around him.

[Jacen]

Jacen kept moving till he was directly behind Rogan. He thoguht for a moment of attack then, but decided against it as this was probably expected. He continued along until he was almost deriectly to Rogan's left before jumping forward at the dark skinned man and thrusting his saber forward and down.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan was expecting something. While Jacen was behind him he used the Force to see. When Jacen didn't attack from behind it made Rognan pause in thought. That would have been where he would attack, even with it being easy to see that it was a set-up.

Just out of the corner of his eye he saw Jacen as he came around to the left. Once he saw Jacen he saw it blur toward him. With the Force he could sense Jacen's intentions and feel his body as it came closer. He then lifted his saber above his head and turned to Jacen. Being taller then him, Rog stopped the attack before it gained momentum. He then held ut there above his head as he looked into his padawan's face.

[Jacen]

Jacen took a quick glance at Rogan before stepping back and bringing his left leg under him for a quick leg sweep.

[Rognan Dar]

Rog jumped early and timed his landing for when Jacen's foot was just about to pass under him. When that time came, he pressed he legs down again and pinched Jacen's leg to the ground. He then brought his saber around to face the hingered body of Jacen.

[Jacen]

Jacen was thrown off balance and hit the ground when Rog pushed his foot to the ground. When he rolled over he saw his Master standing over him with his saber pointed at him. He was breathing heavy as he sat up to look at Rogan to see if he wanted to continue.

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan could see that Jacen wasn't about to make a move in his current position. Clearly Rog had won the dual, but it was a good fight on Jacen's side.

"You have done well, my padawan, considering that you have not fought much. You need to keep your guard up." Rognan then stepped back to let Jacen return to his feet. "You are keen on attacks and how to work with what you have. Just remember, Jedi are defenders, not agressors. You go out looking for a fight then you are starting your walk down the Dark Side. But if you are attack and defend yourself you will be fine.

Do you want to go again."

[Jacen]

"I would, but I have a question Master. I have heard of Jedi using the Force to preform amazing feats, such as increasing their speed and things like that. I believe that would help one down the road. Could you tell me how to do this?"

[Rognan Dar]

"I would, and will. But I have a more excercise type of training for it. If you really want too, we can drop the fight for now and learn it and then come back to it."

[Jacen]

"That would be nice, because I think this will let the spar be more interesting and then I could have more of a chance."

[Rognan Dar]

"True. But you already have a gret chance. In fact, you already had me once. You let up, and I count that as a win. So this match has been more of a tie. We'll have to break it some time. But being able to use the Force in other ways in combat can give you the advantage. But it might not always give you the edge you were expecting. Others will be able to do some also. Usually a spar is a time to test out fighting abilities and not so much on others."

[Jacen]

Jacen was silent for a moment after accepting Rogan's answer before asking another question hesitantly.

"Master...I have a question...we say the Force isn't a tool, but then why are we trained to use it in fights? Or to do meanial stuff like lift rocks? Shouldn't we be letting the Force use us instead?"

[Rognan Dar]

Rognan was surprised at this question. He had thought along this idea in the past. He still did not know the right answer, if there even was one.

"That is a very good question. Not many so early in their training ask such a thing. I guess some would think of it as a tool. Some may think of it more as a spirit and whispers things in their ears. And other still would say that it is just what life is. The Force is just the Force and we are able to us it and so we should. There are many paths of using and understanding the Force.

I, personally, would not agree with it being a tool. In some respects it is, but it should not be used as such. If the Force is in everything and if it is a tool, does that mean that whatever it is in is also a tool? Would that make you a tool of mine for me to do anything I want with you? The Force should be considered in the same aspect."

[Jacen]

Jacen thought about that for a few moments before nodding in understandment.

"I believe I understand what you are saying, but I have another question. Why do we set the Jedi down in ranks? Does one get stronger in the use of the Force when they become a Knight or Master? Or do they have the same level of skill? If so then we can a Padawan not be just as strong as a Knight?"

[Rognan Dar]

"Ranks are not so much a show of power as they are a simbol or title. Knights and Masters are names that show a degree of skill in the Force as well as respect for the time that they have been around. But when you are knighted you will not grow any stronger then you were before. The skills you learn as a padawan are ones that you will have to practice and grow stronger in. Only then will you become better at it. Even if you can use the Force like a seasoned knight would, that does not mean that you are a knight or ready for it. Being knighted is a way of saying that you have grow beyond that of a padawan and are ready for more responsibility as a knight."

[Jacen]

"Ahh...now I see. Thank you Master for answering my questions."

[Rognan Dar]

"You are most welcome. Never be afraid to ask questions. For by them, we learn so much more then if not. Well, I think that shall be all for today. You did very well."

[Jacen]

"Thank you. When will our next lesson be?"

[Rognan Dar]

"It will be soon. Right now I dont know the time. Things happen now and then and I'm not always able to train. But you'll be told ahead of time when it comes."

[Jacen]

"I see. Then is this it for today?"

[Rognan Dar]

"Yes, Jacen. You are free to go. But I'll take this back for now," he said as he telephically took the training saber from Jacens hand.

[Jacen]

Jacen started as the lightsaber first lifted from his hand, but quickly calm as he realized it was only Rogan. He bowed slightly before turning to leave. "Thank you Master, and I hope you have a nice evening."