Week 5: Training Day
(KOTOR comics - Zayne, Jarael )
Steps
"It's more like feeling than thinking."
In the dim light of the cargo hold, Zayne sat cross-legged on the floor and watched as Jarael concentrated on pushing a group of ball bearings around with the Force. Her latent abilities had only recently been discovered and her brow furrowed in concentration at even this small task.
"Can you feel them?" he asked quietly.
"Yes," she answered hesitantly. The silver balls rolled all at once to left, piling up into a heap just briefly, before breaking apart and scattering around the room.
"But they're slippery," she said, opening her eyes in frustration.
Stride
"Better!"
She swung and he ducked, her shockstaff ruffling his hair as it spun over his head. They had sparred before and she had bested him, but that had been before they'd known who, or what, she could be. She'd been dangerous then, but now - with the Force - she could be deadly.
"Stretch out with your thoughts. Try to anticipate my next move," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
She parried his thrust twice before her staff clattered to the floor.
"That's good!" He grinned.
"Not good enough." She propped her hands on her hips. "You're still standing."
Stumble
"Push me."
"What?" Her blue eyes went wide.
"You've seen me do it before, Jarael. Imagine that the Force is a wall of water or a cannon blast coming from your hand," he explained. "I'm going to walk toward you and I want you to stop me, without touching me."
"Okay..." She raised her arm as he approached, but instead of stopping him, she flew backwards, crashing into the wall. He rushed forward to help her up, but she waved him aside, struggling to her feet.
"Ow," she groaned, rubbing her head gently. "I think I pushed the wrong way."
Leap
"Don't think. Feel!"
His lightsaber and her shockstaff were a blur, clashing over and over, neither of them able to strike a felling blow.
He swung and she countered.
He dove and she leapt.
He turned - - and slammed into a wall of Force from her outstretched palm that sent him flying.
In one swift move, she called his blade to her hand, kicked him to the floor and dropped to her knees, straddling him.
"This is familiar," she panted.
"Yeah," he swallowed, glancing down at his bare arms. "Just don't try to chop my arms off this time, okay?"
Fall
"Something's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong," he answered. "It's just meditation. You're doing fine."
"I mean it, Zayne. It burns."
"Just relax. Let me help you." Sending calming waves through the Force, he stretched out to her -
- and she was on fire.
"Stop!" She backed away in panic.
The Force was burning around her, inside and out. "Help me..." she gasped.
He reached for her, tamping down his own fear. She started to fall and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms and power around her. "I've got you, Jarael. I'm here."
"What's…happening?..."
By the Force, he wished he knew.