2
The Duel
In a big room in the temple, the main hall, the students were gathering. An air of excitement was among them as they talked loudly amongst themselves.
On a second level, one man stood alone. He looked on over the students thoughtfully. He had darker blond hair, a steady concentrated face, and a lightsaber dangling from his belt.
A door on the platform opened and a man of around his age came in.
"Master Skywalker, do you think this a good idea? Won't it make them competitive?"
Luke Skywalker turned to the man. "I think this will be good for them. They need a way to use the Force more. Just going to classes isn't enough I think. They need more time to connect with the Force. I think this is a good way to do just that."
"Oh" the man said worriedly.
"Don't worry Despi, it will be fun." Luke smiled, "They need more of that at their age. " He put his arm around his friend and fellow Jedi and led him out of the door. The two began to make their way down to the first floor.
On the first floor, a door opened and Zeph and Wotapuk, led by Vendalla, entered.
"Oh good. It hasn't started yet." Vendalla said relieved.
"Look, there's Master Skywalker." Said Zeph, "Let's get closer." Luke put out his hand in a quieting fashion and the students became silent.
"Welcome, I'm surprised so many of you came. Well, I won't waste time, let's get right to it. As you know, this is a sort of club to help improve your lightsaber techniques and to help become closer to the force. We will meet once a month.
"Remember, this is to improve your skills, not to label some of you better than others. Ok, how many of you are here?"
As Luke began to count, Zeph turned to Vendalla. "He looks tired. I wonder what's wrong with him."
"Maybe he just spent a lot of time organizing this?" said Vendalla.
Wotapuk grunted. "No, it's not like him." Agreed Zeph as he looked at Luke.
"Well, that's okay" Luke was saying. "We can have an odd number. Despi, do you mind if someone fights you?" Despi hook his head. "Ok, have the Academy computer pick randomly, please."
Despi tapped controls on the display. "Alecsander Bancott." Said Despi. A kid, about Zeph's age, next to him looked suddenly shocked.
"We will have the computer determine the pairs. You will duel with your chosen partner in the area assigned. After the duel the "winner" will explain to his opponent his tactics. Your goal is to touch your opponent on the neck.
"As I call on your name, proceed to your area. Do not begin until every one is in their assigned area and I tell you to start."
"Hopefully we will be paired up together or with people who we can beat easily." Said Vendalla.
Wotapuk pointed and made a low growling noise.
"Where?!" Said Zeph as he spun around. Wotapuk was pointing towards a boy with short, brown hair, searing green eyes, and a sneer on his face as he looked at them. He turned to a tall boy on his right and pointed towards. He said something to the other boy and they bean to laugh. This was Kye Lorr and his friend Storlon Na. Kye and Zeph never got along for some reason. Actually, Kye didn't get along with anyone. Mainly because he was a jerk.
Wotapuk grunted and snickered. The three of them started laughing. "You did what?!" Vendalla asked incredulously.
Zeph looked back towards Kye. BZZZZZZZZ! "Ah!" yelled Kye. BZZZZZZZZ! "Ah!" He yelled again. He hopped around trying not to attract attention to himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device emitting small laser blasts.
Zeph, Vendalla, and Wotapuk busted with laughter. Kye looked angrily at Zeph.
"Zeph Mardone and Kye Lorr, area ten."
The three stopped laughing immediately. "What? Great. I have to fight this cheater." Zeph complained.
He walked towards area ten and waited for Kye. As Kye approached, Zeph noticed that he looked extremely angry. But he felt no anger coming from him. Kye was trying to intimidate him. It wasn't going to work.
Zeph bowed, as the students were trained to do in friendly battles. He expected Kye to do the same, but he merely turned towards Luke.
Luke finished pairing up the students. Zeph saw that Vendalla was paired with Storlon. Wotapuk was paired with a kid Zeph hadn't seen before. There were seventeen areas each exactly alike. Every one looking at Luke, awaiting his word.
"You may begin" Said Luke.
Without warning Kye spun around, his red lightsaber in hand, and leapt towards Zeph in a smooth lightning fast motion. Zeph only just had time to activate his lightsaber and parry the attack. Kye struck hard and fast.
Zeph did all he could to keep up with Kye's speed. He twisted around to avoid another attack. He was being extremely defensive. But that was his plan. He would wear down Kye and take the offensive. He dodged and parried each attack . Not even trying to attack.
Zeph jumped over Kye and twisted around parry an attack. He moved as quickly as lightning, as smooth as water.
Kye brought down a hard slash. Zeph rolled to the side and dodged it. He jumped towards a pillar, dodging Kye's lightsaber. As he hit the pillar he used his momentum to jump off of it and glide over Kye.
It was his turn. Zeph landed behind Kye and brought his lightsaber down. Kye parried but had to immediately react to Zeph's next attack. Zeph saw his opening and went for it. Kye had put his hand into his pocket and left his left side open.
Zeph struck but as he swung, Kye pulled another lightsaber from his pocket. Kye struck hard and quick. Zeph parried but was knocked off balance. Before he could regain his balance, Kye swiftly stowed the second lightsaber in his pocket and simultaneously tapped Zeph in the neck.
It didn't really hurt him but surprised him. He hit the ground and powered down his lightsaber.
"You cheater!!" Said Zeph.
"Surprised I beat you, Zeph, can't see how. I always do."
"You couldn't beat me even if I had no lightsaber at all!"
"I just did beat you." Kye was calm but cocky at the same time. He showed no sign of being tired. "And oh yeah, I have to explain why you lost. I'm just that good. And you need help. Sorry there is no nice way to put it. You are a terrible Jedi student. But I told you this before. You know it by now."
He walked past Zeph towards the students who already finished. Zeph stood. I would have won Zeph thought. But he couldn't help think that he had lost two duels in one day.
The Duel
In a big room in the temple, the main hall, the students were gathering. An air of excitement was among them as they talked loudly amongst themselves.
On a second level, one man stood alone. He looked on over the students thoughtfully. He had darker blond hair, a steady concentrated face, and a lightsaber dangling from his belt.
A door on the platform opened and a man of around his age came in.
"Master Skywalker, do you think this a good idea? Won't it make them competitive?"
Luke Skywalker turned to the man. "I think this will be good for them. They need a way to use the Force more. Just going to classes isn't enough I think. They need more time to connect with the Force. I think this is a good way to do just that."
"Oh" the man said worriedly.
"Don't worry Despi, it will be fun." Luke smiled, "They need more of that at their age. " He put his arm around his friend and fellow Jedi and led him out of the door. The two began to make their way down to the first floor.
On the first floor, a door opened and Zeph and Wotapuk, led by Vendalla, entered.
"Oh good. It hasn't started yet." Vendalla said relieved.
"Look, there's Master Skywalker." Said Zeph, "Let's get closer." Luke put out his hand in a quieting fashion and the students became silent.
"Welcome, I'm surprised so many of you came. Well, I won't waste time, let's get right to it. As you know, this is a sort of club to help improve your lightsaber techniques and to help become closer to the force. We will meet once a month.
"Remember, this is to improve your skills, not to label some of you better than others. Ok, how many of you are here?"
As Luke began to count, Zeph turned to Vendalla. "He looks tired. I wonder what's wrong with him."
"Maybe he just spent a lot of time organizing this?" said Vendalla.
Wotapuk grunted. "No, it's not like him." Agreed Zeph as he looked at Luke.
"Well, that's okay" Luke was saying. "We can have an odd number. Despi, do you mind if someone fights you?" Despi hook his head. "Ok, have the Academy computer pick randomly, please."
Despi tapped controls on the display. "Alecsander Bancott." Said Despi. A kid, about Zeph's age, next to him looked suddenly shocked.
"We will have the computer determine the pairs. You will duel with your chosen partner in the area assigned. After the duel the "winner" will explain to his opponent his tactics. Your goal is to touch your opponent on the neck.
"As I call on your name, proceed to your area. Do not begin until every one is in their assigned area and I tell you to start."
"Hopefully we will be paired up together or with people who we can beat easily." Said Vendalla.
Wotapuk pointed and made a low growling noise.
"Where?!" Said Zeph as he spun around. Wotapuk was pointing towards a boy with short, brown hair, searing green eyes, and a sneer on his face as he looked at them. He turned to a tall boy on his right and pointed towards. He said something to the other boy and they bean to laugh. This was Kye Lorr and his friend Storlon Na. Kye and Zeph never got along for some reason. Actually, Kye didn't get along with anyone. Mainly because he was a jerk.
Wotapuk grunted and snickered. The three of them started laughing. "You did what?!" Vendalla asked incredulously.
Zeph looked back towards Kye. BZZZZZZZZ! "Ah!" yelled Kye. BZZZZZZZZ! "Ah!" He yelled again. He hopped around trying not to attract attention to himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device emitting small laser blasts.
Zeph, Vendalla, and Wotapuk busted with laughter. Kye looked angrily at Zeph.
"Zeph Mardone and Kye Lorr, area ten."
The three stopped laughing immediately. "What? Great. I have to fight this cheater." Zeph complained.
He walked towards area ten and waited for Kye. As Kye approached, Zeph noticed that he looked extremely angry. But he felt no anger coming from him. Kye was trying to intimidate him. It wasn't going to work.
Zeph bowed, as the students were trained to do in friendly battles. He expected Kye to do the same, but he merely turned towards Luke.
Luke finished pairing up the students. Zeph saw that Vendalla was paired with Storlon. Wotapuk was paired with a kid Zeph hadn't seen before. There were seventeen areas each exactly alike. Every one looking at Luke, awaiting his word.
"You may begin" Said Luke.
Without warning Kye spun around, his red lightsaber in hand, and leapt towards Zeph in a smooth lightning fast motion. Zeph only just had time to activate his lightsaber and parry the attack. Kye struck hard and fast.
Zeph did all he could to keep up with Kye's speed. He twisted around to avoid another attack. He was being extremely defensive. But that was his plan. He would wear down Kye and take the offensive. He dodged and parried each attack . Not even trying to attack.
Zeph jumped over Kye and twisted around parry an attack. He moved as quickly as lightning, as smooth as water.
Kye brought down a hard slash. Zeph rolled to the side and dodged it. He jumped towards a pillar, dodging Kye's lightsaber. As he hit the pillar he used his momentum to jump off of it and glide over Kye.
It was his turn. Zeph landed behind Kye and brought his lightsaber down. Kye parried but had to immediately react to Zeph's next attack. Zeph saw his opening and went for it. Kye had put his hand into his pocket and left his left side open.
Zeph struck but as he swung, Kye pulled another lightsaber from his pocket. Kye struck hard and quick. Zeph parried but was knocked off balance. Before he could regain his balance, Kye swiftly stowed the second lightsaber in his pocket and simultaneously tapped Zeph in the neck.
It didn't really hurt him but surprised him. He hit the ground and powered down his lightsaber.
"You cheater!!" Said Zeph.
"Surprised I beat you, Zeph, can't see how. I always do."
"You couldn't beat me even if I had no lightsaber at all!"
"I just did beat you." Kye was calm but cocky at the same time. He showed no sign of being tired. "And oh yeah, I have to explain why you lost. I'm just that good. And you need help. Sorry there is no nice way to put it. You are a terrible Jedi student. But I told you this before. You know it by now."
He walked past Zeph towards the students who already finished. Zeph stood. I would have won Zeph thought. But he couldn't help think that he had lost two duels in one day.