Training

Step. Parry. Step and thrust.

"You think we should have killed that Shrike guy, don't you?" Tano asked.

Sidestep. Feint. Reverse momentum. Riposte.

"I've been thinking a lot about that too. I actually contacted the officer in charge of his prosecution."

Disarm maneuver. Toe thrust. Sidestep into sweeping kick.

"He said that Garris Shrike was training the kids to be pickpockets and burglars, then taking the lion's share of their 'earnings.'"

Block. Regain balance. Block. Block again.

"That's better than what we were thinking, but the officer said he'd probably be released in just a couple years."

Force jump retreat. Force pull to retrieve lightsaber. Dodge. Catch saber.

"So I don't know if keeping him alive gives him a chance for redemption, or a chance to kidnap and corrupt more kids in the future."

Dodge. Block. Dodge. Try to get off the ground. Roll. Block.

"Can you not talk while we fight?" Asajj asked, annoyed. She deactivated her saber, conceding the round. "And don't overthink Shrike. The scum isn't worth your time. Let the law deal with him."

"It isn't Shrike that I'm worried about, not really," Tano said, helping Asajj to her feet. "It's the idea, you know? If he had been what we thought he was, the law here is a death sentence. So how would it be different if we did kill him? And since we didn't kill him, are we to blame for everything he does from here on?"

"Girl, I'm a fighter, not a philosopher."Asajj said, getting a quick drink. Not alcohol this time. "You're supposed to be the expert on right and wrong. I just hurt other things without getting hurt. Though given our last five rounds, it seems I'm not even good for that. Seriously, how are you overpowering me? I'm a head taller than you and you haven't lifted a weight since you climbed on my ship."

"Lifted a…what?"

Asajj kept drinking, but pointed towards the rack of weights kept in one corner of the Banshee's cargo hold.

"Oh. Well…I first specialized in Shien, but Master Skywalker taught me how to make use of Djem So, so—"

"Sorry, Shien, Djem So? Asajj asked. Is that Togrutan?"

"…Okay, never thought I'd be teaching you about saber fighting," Tano said. "What do you know about the seven lightsaber forms?"

"Well, there's curved hilts and straight hilts," Asajj said. "Double ended. Double ended but curved. Short sabers. Once ran across some slavers that used whips that looked like lightsabers…"

"No. Nope. Sorry, not what I'm talking about." Tano crossed her arms, palms against her sides. "Okay, stop me if I'm being obvious. Here goes.

"The seven lightsaber forms are the different ways Force users choose to fight. It's not about specific movements, since different species often move in entirely different ways, but more how you choose to use your energy, both physically, mentally, and your connection with the force.. If we skip all the details, form one lets the Force dictate all your actions, trusting that it doesn't want to see you hurt. Form two is all about using the Force for foresight, anticipating your opponent's moves so your attacks will strike true. That's what you use. Form three is the same and the opposite of form two: it's all about using the Force to anticipate the best possible defense. That's what Master Kenobi uses. Form four uses the Force to augment your own agility, move in places your opponent won't expect. That's how Master Yoda goes from needing a cane to…have you ever seen him fight?"

Ventress nodded reluctantly. She'd been trying to forget her humiliation on Toydaria for years.

"Form five is the same idea as form four, but instead of using the Force for agility, you use it for strength. That's what I use. If it was just my muscles against yours, you'd beat me every time. But the Force is my ally."

Asajj once again cursed Dooku for the incompleteness of her training. "What else?"

"Hmm?"

"You said there were seven forms. That's only five. And you haven't explained anything about Shien or Djem So."

"Oh. Well, form six is barely a form. Mostly it just says 'Those other five forms are pretty useful for different things. Instead of specializing in any of them, I'll just use whatever fits the situation.' Flexible, but weak. And form seven…I don't really know. Master Windu is the only Jedi at the temple who really mastered it, and he never talked about it much. Something about total control of the Force. Can't tell you more than that.

"As for Shien and Djem So, they're just two more specialized ways of using form five. Shien is for dealing with blaster fire, deflecting the bolts where you want them to go without the impact of the bolt altering the lightsabers angle. Djem So is for physically overpowering others in close-quarters combat with the aid of the Force."

Asajj had always assumed Skywalker must be built like a pale Savage under those robes. The revelation that his strength came from the Force was rather disappointing.

"So how do you do it?" Asajj asked.

"Umm…" Tano looked around. "Okay, show me how you work out. The most you could ever lift at once."

Asajj went along with her request, loading a bar with several heavy weights, and demonstrated that she could lift it, albeit with great effort.

"Alright, now stand back here," Tano said.

Asajj went to the other end of the room, as requested.

"Now lift the weights."

Asajj thought she could see where this was going. She reached out with the Force and lifted the weights.

"Easy, right? The key to forms four and five is melding the physical strength with telekinesis. It isn't an easy balance, but a powerful technique when mastered. What I don't get is how you don't already know this. You held a blade lock with Master Luminara and me at the same time. You jump like a kyuzo. Is that just a Dathomirian thing? I don't remember reading that you have natural strength on that scale."

Asajj shrugged. "Never really thought about it. I just do what I need to do. If I spent time thinking about how I did it, I'd be killed while I hesitated."

"But you have time now," Tano said. "All the time in the world, really. And cash to burn. So what do you plan on doing now."

"Live, mostly," Asajj said. "The Jedi have pardoned me. Dooku seems to have lost interest in me. But I made one other enemy that I think still wants me dead. A bounty hunter named Aurra Sing."