Today began with radical changes. Although nothing foreshadowed trouble. After performing the standard morning meditation, which had become a habit, and assembling and disassembling my Lightsaber, I thought I would spend the day trying to figure out what exactly to do with the crystal. And besides, I have Mandalorian armor, which would be good to rework into a Lightsaber hilt... I remember a rumor circulating in a fan community that beskar, supposedly, doesn't react with the Force at all. And the metal is not of this world... What kind of nonsense is that? Beskar can deflect a Lightsaber blade. And the fact that it doesn't react with the Force... Nonsense. Of course, it would be good to have a master who works with beskar; it seems that such blacksmiths among the Mandalorians were called something special. Or not? In principle, I didn't care about the culture of that planet for now.
To reach diplomacy, one must first become a good warrior. Why so? Because no matter how cool a diplomat you are, most sentient beings of the late Republic period, and the country is already at the stage of falling into an abyss, understood only strength. And they almost always used force methods. It's better to develop diplomacy a little later. So now I was concerned with the issue of new crystals for the Lightsaber. Kuro was right when she said that my Pontite was no longer suitable. And it was time to replace it with something else. But I decided not only to change the crystal but also to completely rework the hilt. To make it more practical, so to speak. Plus beskar, from which to make this very hilt. For what? As a precaution. There is such a wonderful technique—Sun Djem. Besides favorite styles, like my Soresu, although lately I would lean towards Ataru, it's better to finish the fight quickly with attacks than to dance for minutes, defending myself... Approximately so.
So, besides favorite sword fighting styles, there are also special techniques that can be used during the sword fight itself. One of these techniques for me, back in my youth, when I mainly practiced Soresu—became Shiak. Shiak is a thrust, a quick and merciless finishing blow. My fighting style then resembled a systematic defense, which I turned into a fatal blow when an opportunity arose. I can't count how many times I caught Dralig precisely with Shiak. Over time, after becoming a Padawan, my style gradually shifted towards Ataru. There I began to practice more slashing attacks with an exit from, for example, a body rotation, if using DDG terms—Shun prim. Author—a 360-degree turn, sword in one hand. There is also Jung ma, the same, but with a two-handed grip. I memorized all 7 sword fighting styles, in theory ±, but these techniques... In short, when I recall the names—I will write them down. Because everything is described in general terms in the draft chapters, and I'm too lazy to go into the draft with sword fighting and re-read the description of "what he did in the Jedi language" every time.
Although this did not rid me of the signs of Soresu in combat, nor of my favorite Shiak. So what is Sun Djem? It is a special technique aimed at destroying the opponent's weapon. The Jedi Code commands to disarm, not to kill... Except that from the very beginning I was a hypocritical idiot, considering myself someone who fights for good without fear or reproach. After all, when I got into a fight, the first thing I did was turn my enemy, a sentient being, into kebabs. And I did so with subsequent ones. Without any doubts or pangs of conscience. But on the other hand, my master was right. There is no point in leaving your enemies alive behind you. Only dead... Let killing be the least effective way to build a bright future. Or is it the remnants of a good guy's personality speaking in me? In any case, I will not kill unless the enemy must act according to my plan. And what is my plan?
I don't know yet... The death of Mila first, and then my master, forced me to reconsider many things. And how should I act? What should I do? I can no longer stop... I cannot stop being a Jedi, a crappy one or not—it doesn't matter. I am a Jedi, that cannot be changed. All that remains... Is to become a much better Jedi, based on my new worldview. I have read comics, watched movies and series, played games... With books, however, there was a slight hitch. So in some events that were described in books—I am lost... In the literal sense, I don't remember everything. But even what I know—is enough for me to find the right answer... No, whatever answer I find—it will be right only for me and some other part of the sentient beings of this galaxy. And the rest will oppose us, having their own plans, ambitions, and dreams... But the focus is not on finding the ideal answer to the questions of world order. The focus is on getting everyone to accept your answer. And those who don't accept it—either turn them into kebabs, or force them to accept it. With diplomacy, with force—it doesn't matter.
It remains only to understand. What is this answer? What do I want from the galaxy? And is it important for me to step forward with the grace of an elephant? I won't stop being a Jedi just by stepping aside. I am Sephi! Fay, a Jedi of the Sephi race, has lived for almost a thousand years! Why not just step aside and live for my own pleasure? Suddenly, a notification sound for a text message rang out. I opened the datapad and read the message. Training? Kuro wrote that she wants to assess my sparring skills... Great, it's about time. The problem is that the Gifted have a worldview that not only affects the Force itself but also their fighting style. When I was... Not the best sentient being—I tried to protect myself as much as possible. As much as possible. Hence Soresu, a certain fear of attacking... Now, as I understood—I am more likely to break into an attack and try to finish the battle as quickly as possible. Adjusting my Lightsaber, I rose from the meditative pose. Glancing around the room, my room... I didn't move into Kuro's quarters, if only because she didn't have her own quarters. After all, she is a Jedi Shadow. And if other Shadows still have their rooms in the Temple, then she is a pure ascetic. Although, I must admit, a beautiful woman. With her own worldview and incredible skills.
Walking into the corridor, I tried to stay away from the crowd of Jedi bustling back and forth. Coruscant Prime illuminated the Temple corridors, and the shadows of Jedi going about their business played on the walls and floor of the Temple. There are many sparring halls in the Temple, mostly on the lower levels. The halls were divided into general ones—huge rooms, halls where several dozen pairs could spar simultaneously, usually used for training younglings. And there are specialized ones. There, the space was smaller, but the level was higher. And not every Knight with a Padawan could occupy such a hall. And is it necessary? Master Lorm always trained me either on the ship or on remote planets. After all, he gave me knowledge that not every Knight is allowed to access. Not to mention Pyrokinesis. He even managed to quarrel with the Council about this technique. And he still wanted to teach me the Emerald Lightning of the Force, or—Jedi Lightning.
Only I did not live up to his hopes and did not prove myself worthy of this Technique. Now my master has lost his life, again, due to my stupidity... Okay, enough reflecting... I reached the hall door and opened it.
"A-ooh!" Immediately, a steel cylinder flew into my forehead. I reacted quickly, in response to the pain, immediately applying all strengthening techniques and preparing for battle. "Training Lightsaber?" I looked at the cylinder that had hit my forehead.
The door closed, and I had only fractions of a second to jump from my place. Using a grappling hook, adding a Force jump, I pulled myself to the side. A moment later, where I had stood before, Kuro appeared, delivering a thrusting blow, having jumped down from the ceiling... "Just like an Assassin," I thought as I watched the woman's flowing cloak. My gaze inadvertently caught sight of her developed physique.
"Is there time for reflection?" the woman asked, immediately closing the distance to me. This, of course, is not her famous teleportation, she apparently decided not to reveal it to me yet, but it was still quite fast.
The ice-white blade of the training Lightsaber activated, a movement of the hand, and I deflected her blow aside. But she simply kicked, knocking me back.
"We use everything we know, boy," the woman grinned maliciously. "Show me what you're capable of. Was Lorm really right to praise you."
So she wants to test me completely? Well then! Twirling my Lightsaber, I rushed into attack. About three meters before our contact, I spun my body with the Force, creating additional inertia for the blow, and delivered a powerful slashing blow to her side. She ducked, letting the blade pass over her, and attacked my left leg. I jumped back from her attack, performing a backflip... Wow, so she decided to use that weakness that Dooku would later comment on: "about how to defeat an Ataru adept." To catch him during a backflip while retreating and break his spine. Only... My left hand is not given to me for nothing. Aiming the grappling hook slightly to the side, I fired the hook and dodged her vertical swing, which was a blow aimed at me. Quickly returning to my normal position—my body literally shot towards her. Kuro managed to block my Shiak to the heart, but I didn't slow down, immediately transitioning the deflected blow into the next one. Spinning with the Force, I attacked the opposite side of her body with a slashing blow. She blocked this blow too, delivering a counter-attack, and quite an unexpected one. If not for my experience in Soresu, I might have missed it.
Her blow disrupted my attack tempo, shifting me to defense, and I had to retreat. A moment, that's all it took me to make the right decision. I assumed the Soresu stance and literally deflected the hail of her blows that rained down from all sides. This can't go on for long... Where is she? I literally felt her cutting me in the back. Teleportation? In combat... I didn't have time to use the grappling hook, I jumped out of the trajectory of the blow, she pursued me, still with her back turned to her. Seeing no other options, I threw my left leg back, hitting Kuro in the stomach. The blow was imbued with the Force, and she jumped back. Turning around, I attacked her again in the Ataru style. The blades struck sparks at incredible speed...
But the result was that she knocked the sword out of my right hand, scorching my hand. And she wasn't going to stop! Swinging her sword, she was going to continue her attack on the unarmed man! I intercepted her hand, ducking under the sword strike...
"I see surprise in your eyes, boy," she smirked. "Tsk," she spat in my face, causing me to lose orientation and drop the sword, jumping back. "He who relies on the principles of nobility in battle," she closed the distance between us again, "dies first. Deceive, trick, use any means to defeat your enemy. And remember the main lesson..."
I intercepted her blow again, this time aimed at my legs. I simply didn't have time to pull the Lightsaber with the Force.
"A Jedi is a weapon in himself," she smirked.
"Is that so," I replied to her smile. "Then you won't blame me for this," my right hand held her sword, and my left... My left began to heat up. She noticed my left hand, but it was too late. I hit her in the face with my head, pushed her away, and then, concentrating too much—hit her with a small fireball of pyrokinesis.
This is all I am capable of in this path. For now. The fireball was not fast, small, but unpleasant. She deflected it, using a Force Barrier, and immediately teleported behind me.
"You're repeating yourself," I noted as she brought her Lightsaber to my neck.
"Am I?" the Dark Woman grinned maliciously.
I slowly pointed my left index finger behind her.
"Am I," I said calmly, looking directly at the Dark Woman's back, was her activated training Lightsaber, which she had knocked out of me. I was holding it with Telekinesis.
"However," she said in surprise. "You can do it when you want. Lorm didn't lie when he praised you. It's just that your vision was clouded by foolishness and naivety," she deactivated her Lightsaber.
I was in no hurry to deactivate mine.
"Hmm," Kuro spread her hands and stepped aside, accompanied by my gaze. "It seems something has made too great an impression on you, boy. You could say—you are already on the path to becoming a real man. At least, some would already call you a Knight. In my opinion—you are almost ready. All the better. I won't waste my precious time on you. I will complete your training, in memory of Lorm. And it's good that he taught you a lot."
I finally deactivated the sword.
"Lorm reported," Kuro continued, "that you prefer Soresu. However, I saw a sufficiently powerful level of Ataru just now."
"Many in the Temple, when I was still a youngling, noted that my body was literally made for Ataru," I explained to Kuro.
"And they are right. You are not tall, well-developed. Your body is literally made for volleys, pirouettes, constant movement. If you were a two-meter-tall wardrobe—you would use Shien, with such muscle development. But you are small and agile. Everything needed for Ataru. Oh yes, and incredible potential in the Force," she pulled two bottles of water with the Force, and threw one to me. "Honestly, I prefer to teach from scratch, not to finish teaching. You have already formed... Well, almost. For you to fully become my student, I would have to break your foundation... Considering all the upheavals you have undergone during this period—it will be difficult, irrational, and will only ruin your potential, which Lorm developed. I have my own view of your abilities and talents, different from Lorm's. But to realize it, I need to retrain you from scratch, not finish teaching."
"Then, what will we do?" I took a sip from the bottle.
"The same as today, Light," the Dark Woman replied calmly. "I will beat everything into you with sparring, you will learn to fight, you will cast aside some doubts. You will become a Knight this way. I think a couple of months will be enough. You are already fifteen. Knights have become knights at an earlier age. When I deem it enough—I will present you for the Trials. But until then, a couple of things await us. And the first thing for you will be—finding a Crystal for your Lightsaber," she pointed at me with her finger. "Here is your task, until the ship is repaired. Go to any place convenient for you and meditate! Meditate until you find it!"
In the Hall of a Thousand Fountains, I had been for almost six hours… And I was in a rather deep meditation. I generally loved this place, a kind of natural paradise amidst the huge ecumenopolis of Coruscant, where the hum of millions, without exaggeration, of speeders, if not tens of millions, could be heard on the street. When you are in a huge city, you value moments of silence and peace the most. And not of the city, but of nature itself. Lately, I had been meditating for quite a long time. What was the reason for this? Well, for one thing, the Dark Woman, my new mentor, deemed my other skills satisfactory. The Jedi Shadow, who by her own admission had "slaughtered as many dark Gifted as I will never be years old," considering that I am a long-lived Siofi and if nothing interferes with my life activities, I am forced to live at least four hundred years. And maybe more, one should not forget that I am also quite a strong Gifted.
As a result, after a significant fight, using everything: a training Lightsaber, the Force, my body, the environment—she simply praised me and said that I was almost worthy of becoming a Jedi Knight. A few more months, maybe a year, and I will be allowed to undergo the Trials. They simply want to see me in action, having recovered my form and nerves after the shock I experienced… Indeed, that shock made me think about many things. But that's not what should concern me now. Before the trials, much awaits me. Namely, the search for a crystal, and after that, Kuro promised to show me how Jedi Shadows live. After the battle with Kuro, I also ordered new clothes for myself, preferring light Jedi clothing with a hood. Pompous and stupid, perhaps. I just looked at myself when I put on my "complete" clothes, so to speak. And there was something to look at. The hood hid my face, and from a certain angle, it was impossible to make it out. The main clothing helped me fight, fitting my body tightly, yet—it did not hinder its breathing.
A little later, I planned to use elements of Teyron Jarps' armor to protect myself. Although the main requirement was to maintain mobility. Therefore, I did not plan to encase myself completely in armor. My style, after all, is now more Ataru. Which means I need, so-called, light armor…
In any case… I sat cross-legged, trying to concentrate on finding the Crystal for the Lightsaber. Somewhere in the distance, water from the fountains rustled. Many Jedi meditated, some, on the contrary, told their Padawan or even a group of younglings something. I didn't care much about that, because my consciousness was literally hooked by the Force… It led me, first through the clouds of Coruscant, quite rare… Then stars, planets—flashed before me. And then one planet, with two stars in the sky. A planet that resembled a yellow, dirty ball unexpectedly approached me. I saw… Countless sands for thousands of kilometers and two shining Stars…
What kind of planet is this? The Force immediately gave an answer, simply showing me a settlement that was familiar to every Star Wars fan. Tatooine, that's what this planet is… As one blogger used to say? The Universe always leads its adepts on the path of references… So here, the Force literally wants, shows me that I must go to Tatooine. I want to get a new Crystal for my Lightsaber. And on Tatooine, there is one… It's just that I don't remember any crystal deposits there. Behind me, I felt a familiar presence. Standing up, I found Rela not far away.
"Light," the Twi'lek girl smiled. There are girls who definitely know how to smile. Rela is one of them: slender, cheerful, and beautiful. "I didn't want to distract you, I'm sorry," her green skin only enhanced her exotic look, although there were those who considered Twi'leks, Togruta, and even Zeltrons—ugly! Ugh, there are idiots everywhere.
"You didn't distract me, Rela, why do you think you're distracting me?" I asked the girl.
"Weelll, you always reacted sharply to those who interfered with your studies," the friend lowered her gaze. "I heard about what happened on Gizelum," she said sadly. "I'm sorry."
"Me too," I nodded, "but nothing can be done about it, all sentient beings are mortal. (Beta's note: Vitiate choked on a cookie)," I said in a sad voice, stating a well-known truth. "However, don't remind me of that too much, Rela."
"I didn't want to offend you, Light!" the girl exclaimed. "No! I just wanted… Well… To ask… Maybe you need help with something? You see, our group—it fell apart completely, Versaria and Maru died. Gol left the Jedi… Feemor is almost never at the Temple, and Cin is simply unbearable."
"Help?" I asked Rela. And I clearly felt what this girl felt for me, but after Mila… I wasn't very keen on such communication. And here? In the very heart of the Jedi Temple? No… For now, I don't even know how to respond to such feelings. I don't even know what I'm going to do. For what and for whom in the future. "I need help, Rela. Do you know if there are any Kyber Crystal deposits on Tatooine?" I asked her. "You see… After everything that happened, mine is not quite suitable. And my mentor said that we would look for a replacement for me. The Force, in response to my meditations, showed me Tatooine…"
"And how did you know it was Tatooine?" Rela asked. "You've never been there, have you…"
"The Force," I shook my head, not wanting to tell her that I clearly remembered those landscapes from movies from another Galaxy.
"Hmm, there are indeed no crystal deposits on Tatooine, Light," the girl said thoughtfully. "But there are Krayt Dragons there. In their stomachs are pearls, which many Jedi used for their Lightsabers."
"What?" I asked, mentally striking myself with Palpatine's Force Lightning on the forehead. I played Knights of the Old Republic! All the games! And I remember that Revan could get such a crystal. And am I any worse? Well, I am much worse than Revan in many ways. But to get a crystal. "Rela! You're a genius!" I hugged the girl, and then quickly let go.
Six hours of meditation, attempts to concentrate, it seemed like a trap… Only the sands of Tatooine were shown to me. But I had to search not among the sands, but among the inhabitants of these deserts and sands. All that's left is to get there!