Learning the Art

[Shara]

::The Kel home on Nar Shadaa had a basement like area to it that one wouldn't even know existed by just looking at it. It was designed to be used as a training area, padded on the floor and walls, racks of weapons with dulled and blunt edges. This addition to the small dwelling had been expensive, to say the least, but well worth it. This was where Shara found herself now, a few paces away from her young daughter who was looking very nervous indeed. She'd promised the girl that she would teach her how to fight. It was a way to get to know her without stepping into that unknown world of parenting::

"You've been taught how to fire a blaster. But nothing melee?"

::Elix nods slowly:: "We never made it that far."

"Hmmm. We shall start there then."

[Shara]

"Many will tell you that a warrior is only as good as his weapon. This is not so. I know, as do all our people learn, that the greatest weapon is the warrior himself."

::She paces slowly around the girl::

"In your viens flows the blood of a noble but dying people. Thus it is your duty and privelege to learn and uphold, and perhaps someday teach another, our style. I will teach you to the best of my ability."

"But.... you can't fight without a weapon. A good blaster would nock you out good."

"Ah, yes, but you forget- there is a person behind every blaster. And people are often weak. There are ways to defend against such things."

[Shara]

"Really thick armor?" ::There's a slight sarcastic edge to her tone::

::Shara shakes her head, unamused:: "Armor slows you down..... it might protect you for a while, sure, but in the end a lighter faster opponent would get through it."

"So what then? Your 'Force'?

[Shara]

"Child, you have much to learn. Echani do not use the Force. To do so..... it is largely unheard of. Dishonorable, to their eyes."

"But you, you're a.....

::Shara cuts her off:: "I am one of the rare few. You will not see many of us as Jedi. Most cannot feel more than a trickle of the Force anyway. But even I, with my 'Force' as you put it, remember the forms. They are as effective if not more so than that of any Jedi."

"I still think you'd get fried against a good blaster."

[Shara]

::Shara sinks into the battle stance of the First Tier, something like a smile on her face:: "You think that now. But you will learn otherwise. Now, mimic me as best you can."

::Elix gets into a rather clumbsy stance, still very much the skeptic::

::Shara straightens and walks over to her, correcting her stance in the most noticable problem areas:: "not bad, not bad. For your first try. Eventualy it will become as natural as breathing. I only wish I'd been able to teach you when you were younger..... I myself learned the forms as soon as I could walk. Such is our way."

[Shara]

"Whatever. I don't have time for culture notes. I just want to learn how to defend myself, and you're the onlyone who isn't ten feet tall and furry that can teach me."

::Shara sighs:: "Fighting is apart of our culture, Elixis. You can't learn one and not the other. They go together."

"Alright fine then, lecture me on your 'ways'. I just don't garuntee I'll be paying attention."

[Shara]

"Have you no sence of pride? There are many humans who would give anything to learn how to fight as an Echani does, to have the natural fluidity required to caryout such styles. You do. Does it mean nothing to you?"

::Elix shrugs:: "Not really. What's there to be proud of? I really don't see what the big deal is. You're just like they are, only from a different planet and with a smaller build."

[Shara]

"The difference? The differences are many, and plane to see. It is in our bearing, our ethics, our very way of life. Physicaly, we are human. But the rest of us..... what makes us what we are, is very different from anything even slightly resembling them."

"Sounds like a load of arrogance to me. Look at you, what makes you so much better than any other old human?"

::Shara narrows her eyes, trying to think of an easy way to make the child understand the point she was trying to get across:: "Not better, Child. Just different."

[Shara]

"Different? The only difference I see is in you can come up with fancier excuses for your murders."

::Shara frowns, a pained look flashing through her silvery eyes:: "They do not murder. There is no honor in murder. That is what sets them apart. Their honor, and their hearts."

"Since when was it they? You're Echani too, right?"

::Shara sighs:: "In race though not in heart. Enough. No more arguing. Lets get on with your lesson."

[Shara]

::Elix shrugs, deciding to let it drop. Something in that look on her mother's face tells her she doesn't want to know more anyway:: "Ok. So, I'm in your stance thingy. Now what?"

"Now you learn the movements of Tier One. Remember, it is all based on fluidity and speed." ::Shara returns to her spot a few paces away from Elix, getting back into the fighting stance::

"Speed, as in speed enough to doge blaster shots?"

"Something like that. It's not as hard as you would think. Jedi do it all the time, and blaster beams are big. The only garuntee of hitting a target is to be close to it."

[Shara]

"Yeah, I know that. But you can shoot most of them fast enough that you're garunteed to hit something."

"I will not argue with you on the capabilities of a blaster. I know what they can do, and I know what I can do and soon you as well. Are you ready?"

"Sure. What exactly are we gonna...."

::Before she could finish her scentence Shara lunges at her, running through the first few movements while Elixis hurries to doge and block, getting hit more than a few times:: "Watch my movements, there is a pattern! Anticipate it. Fight back. One who is always on the defensive never gets anything done."

[Shara]

::They go at it for quite some time, an Elix eventualy gets the hang of it, doing her best to mimic her mother's movements though it isn't easy::

"Hold up! Can we stop for just a second?"

::Shara takes a step back, nodding:: "You grow weary. I am sorry if I pushed you too hard."

::Elix leans forward, resting her hands on her knees:: "Are all the Tier thingies like that?"

"Mostly. They get faster and stronger as you go up. And in true battle there would not be such a pattern. It would be a randome combination."

[Shara]

"Alright, I have to hand it to you, that was pretty cool. But is it customery to teach your kids by beating them up?"

::Shara laughs:: "Yes, actually, that is the most common way it is done. One learns best through trial and error."

"I feel sorry for Echani children. That's harsh."

"Mayhaps. But you cannot deny that it is effective."

[Shara]

::Elix sinks to the floor, shaking her head:: "Still, that hurt."

"Be happy we are only working with fist and foot. Imagine how much more a vibroblade would hurt."

::She winces:: "Ow, that would be worst. Do normal Echani teach with real ones or training ones? I mean, I can see a blunt blade, that would be ok."

::Shara walks over and lowers herself to the floor beside her, rolling up the right sleave of her Jedi robe:: "Training swords at first. Eventually you move on.... but jsut because they're made for training doesn't mean they don't hurt." ::She shows her her arm where a diagnal scar runs across the length of it::

"Eeh. That must of hurt."

[Shara]

"Indeed it did. And I have more like them. My mother made me keep the scars, however, though she would treat them with just enough bacta to keep away infection."

::Elix stares at her:: "Why on earth would she do that?"

"As a reminder."

"What kind of reminder is an ugly old scar?"

"It lets us know that even though we may be skilled, once we were just learning. Once we had wounds and felt pain. That we are not all powerful, despite what an overblown ego might try to say. It was supposed to make us merciful."