The First Battle of Felucia
ONE MONTH LATER.
SEVEN MONTHS AFTER THE BATTLE OF GEONOSIS.
In the warm lighting of one of the Jedi Temple's many Sparring Chambers, Jedi Master Siri Tachi smirked as she watched the Padawan continue to take small, tentative steps forward. Continue to hesitate, continue to falter.
Jaina sighed silently, her pale, freckled face flushed from exertion, curly brown hair tied back with its usual pink ribbon.
Offensive strategies were never her strong point, and she knew it.
"Are you going to keep frowning?" Siri teased. "Or are you actually going to attack me? I'm growing old here."
Jaina's eyebrows twitched, her grip on her lightsaber tightening. "I'm not frowning."
Siri's smirk widened as she spun her purple blade, before pointing it directly at the younger girl. "Oh, yes you are," she responded cheerfully. "I can see it on your face. You get it from Obi-Wan, you know. The scowl."
She let the words hang in the air, watching as the young Padawan's lips pressed together even tighter.
The blonde Jedi Master laughed softly, shaking her head. "See? That's exactly it," she teased. "Oh, I feel like I've been transported back twenty years. You just made my week."
"You know, if I'd known that all these additional Ataru sessions with you included goading, Master Tachi," Jaina drawled dryly, "I would've been twice as adamant about my Master being my sole instructor."
Siri's grin widened as she rested her other hand on her hip. "And here comes the sarcasm," she continued. "The same dry tone. The way you get all defensive when someone points out that you're taking yourself much too seriously."
Jaina's ears heated up. "I'm not being defensive!"
"Oh, yes, you definitely aren't," she teased. "All that tension in your shoulders just, what, magically appeared? Completely out of the blue?"
Jaina huffed and rolled her eyes.
Siri cackled. "The eye-roll. Congratulations, young Padawan, you've completed the trifecta." She smirked once more. "Be careful, or you'll also develop that little wrinkle in between your eyebrows."
Jaina's eyes widened, her free hand flying to her brows—
"It isn't there yet, don't worry," she interrupted, her own blue eyes glittering with silent laughter at the girl's antics. "But if you keep overworking your brain, it'll grow."
"Now, come on." The Jedi Master casually twirled her lightsaber once more, keeping it in a loose, relaxed hold as she circled the small Padawan. "You're thinking too much. You know the steps, you have an attack plan in mind, I know you do."
Another step forward. "I keep telling you, you're trying to be tactical; but with Ataru, you don't have the time to overanalyze. You have to give in to the flow of the Force. Move at the speed of instinct, not thought. Now, go on. Attack me."
Jaina exhaled a sharp breath, finally shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet and leaping forward for the first overhead strike.
Siri smiled as their blades clashed, bright blue against brilliant violet—sparks flying as they pushed against one another for a moment.
The move was quick and precise; Obi-Wan's diligent training showing itself in his Padawan's form.
The two then broke apart, with the blonde Jedi Master taking a few deft steps backwards. "Good!" she called out encouragingly, pushing back against Jaina's blade. "Now follow through! Again!"
With a quiet sigh, Jaina lunged again; this time feigning a strike to the right instead of going for a direct attack, only to quickly duck down and sweep her blade low towards the Jedi Master's legs.
Siri chuckled as she easily dodged the blow with a little hop, then quickly followed the move up with a counterattack of her own, bringing her saber down towards the Padawan's shoulder.
Jaina gritted her teeth, trying to maintain the offensive as parried the strike. She attempted to press her advantage, aiming a series of quick slashes at Siri's midsection.
However, the more experienced Jedi Master easily deflected each blow, forcing the Padawan to retreat a step.
Sensing an opening, Siri pushed forward, her purple blade a blur of motion as she unleashed a flurry of strikes.
Jaina quickly moved to parry the next few slashes with ease, falling into her instinctive, tight Soresu parries, her feet planting firmly onto the marble floor.
Sensing the sudden change in her defense, Siri's eyes flicked down to the younger girl's stance, watching her feet rooting themselves into a firm and deliberate Soresu grounding.
The Jedi Master sighed, switching up her attacks. "Jaina, Ataru is all about swiftness and mobility." Her movements became faster, less predictable, her strikes sharper.
"You must stay light on your feet, ready to jump and move at a moment's notice. You cannot rely on rooted, defensive footwork like this."
Another heavy slash, this one with more weight behind the blade. "Don't think—feel, Jaina. Don't let me control the rhythm of the fight!"
"I'm trying!" Jaina's brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to spot a weakness in the Jedi Master's offense, her blue eyes darting back and forth, searching for any opportunity to counterattack.
But as the violet streaks came at her again and again, she found herself falling back on instinct and muscle memory.
She shifted her stance, tightening her grip on her lightsaber as she blocked yet another flurry of strikes. The more fluid, tight-bodied parries of Soresu flowed through her body, her muscles instinctively shifting to the comfortable familiarity of Form III.
Siri's lips pursed as she watched Jaina settle into a defensive position again, her blond hair shifting as she shook her head. " Focus. Let go of your mind, and let the Force guide you."
The Jedi Master increased the speed and intensity of her attacks, forcing Jaina to backpedal across the sparring chamber.
Sweat beaded on Jaina's forehead as she struggled to keep up with the onslaught, her blue blade a blur as she deflected strike after strike. She deliberately lightened the weight on her feet, blowing out a slow breath, and focusing on the Force.
She felt the opening before it actually arrived, lunging forward and aiming a quick strike for the Jedi Master's left rib.
Siri observed the young Padawan closely, watching as she tried to pick up on any and all openings. "Good, but you're still looking too closely," she said, blocking another strike at her hip. "Trust your instincts a bit more. Feel the flow of the Force through my intentions, and move against them."
Jaina sprang forward once more, her blue lightsaber arcing towards Siri's left arm.
The Jedi Master easily deflected the attack, beginning another rapid flurry that pushed the small Padawan back. Her purple blade moved in a blur, faster than before, her strikes coming in from all angles.
Jaina's eyes widened as she struggled to keep up.
The Padawan took another step back, her feet moving backwards across the sparring mat, her body automatically moving into tighter, more controlled defensive movements to conserve her own energy—
—Siri frowned as she noticed the younger girl reverting to her usual style. "Jaina," she chided gently, choosing to take a different tone—despite the sharp contrast to her ferocious slashes. "Do not give in to your old habits. Use your size! Use your agility!"
The two danced across the sparring chamber, their lightsabers clashing in flashes of blue and violet. Jaina felt the sweat drip down her lower back, her muscles burning with exertion.
With a frustrated grunt, the Padawan adjusted her stance and pushed forward, launching a furious series of attacks, desperately trying to overwhelm the Jedi Master's defenses.
Siri easily dodged and parried each onslaught, sensing the Padawan's movements beginning to tire and falter. She pressed onward, increasing the speed of her counterattacks, and began to channel the Force into her own strikes.
"Use your size, use your agility," she repeated. "Use your entire body!"
The Jedi Master dropped low, sweeping Jaina's legs from underneath her with a swift kick, and following through with a second one aimed directly at her lightsaber hilt.
She sighed softly, deactivating her lightsaber. "Lesson's over."
Jaina scowled, pushing herself back up on her elbows, taking in sharp shallow breaths to ease the burn in her aching muscles. "But I can still—"
Siri shook her head firmly, crossing her arms. "Nope. You're done for the day." She gestured with a head towards the entrance to the sparring chamber.
Jaina followed her gaze, her ears flushing. "Master."
Obi-Wan smiled warmly, stepping into the large chamber. "Council meeting ended early, so I thought I might observe the end of your lesson. Although it seems I've arrived just in time for the aftermath."
"It ended early this time?" Siri asked dryly, planting a hand on her hip. "What did you do to get Mace to stop talking?"
"Oh, I have my ways," Obi-Wan quipped with a smirk in return. He then turned to face his Padawan, who had started to dust off her sweat-drenched tunic.
He ran a considering eye over her, taking in her flushed face, her crumbling ponytail, the slightly trembling hands.
"I trust that you weren't working her too hard, Siri?" he asked mildly, a hint of chiding in his otherwise amused tone as he turned back to his oldest friend. "I don't want any pulled muscles before our next deployment."
Siri smirked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "You asked for my help with Ataru sessions, remember?"
She chuckled, shaking her head. "You know I never would've expected you to turn into the type of Master that hovers, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at that, a hint of irritation flitting across his face. "I do not hover, Siri," he shot back evenly. "I just—"
He broke off, turning to look towards Jaina. "Do I hover, my little one?"
"Uhh…no…?"
"See?" Obi-Wan said triumphantly, turning to give Siri a pointed look. "She certainly doesn't think I hover."
"Because she," Siri countered, still smirking in amusement at the young girl's rise in pitch, "is a loyal and doting young Padawan who wouldn't dream of calling her Master out on his overprotectiveness."
"I'm not overprotective," Obi-Wan shot back immediately. "I just happen to be a conscientious and thoughtful Master, who pays attention to the wellbeing of his Padawan."
The Jedi Master's gaze drifted to Jaina, who was currently attempting to re-tie her lopsided ponytail.
He sighed and shook his head, crossing the room towards her. "My little one, you're going to end up getting a headache, wearing your hair like that while sweating that much," he murmured, gently taking the ribbon and weaving a loose braid instead. "Remember what happened last time? Come on. Let's return home, you need a shower."
Jaina nodded wearily, the thought of a long shower and some dinner suddenly the most appealing image her brain could ever conjure up.
She turned towards Siri, lowering her head respectfully. "Thank you for today's session, Master Siri."
Siri's smirk softened into a warm smile as she nodded back towards the Padawan. "Of course, Jaina. It was no trouble. You're coming along well. Just keep practicing those moves and we'll meet again when we're both back."
Obi-Wan offered his old friend his own weary wave, before taking Jaina gently by the shoulder and steering her towards the doors of the training room.
"Let's go, my little one. You're dead on your feet."
Jedi Temple Residential Wing. 1830H.
Jaina sighed softly, following along next to her Master as the turbolift doors opened into the higher floors. She knew he was just waiting for her to speak, like he always did.
"…maybe Ataru isn't for me," she mumbled. "Maybe I just—shouldn't I instead be focusing on improving my Soresu?"
Obi-Wan glanced down at the young Padawan at his side, studying her for a long moment as they walked. He knew that the training session with Siri had not ended well, and that she was still beating herself up for it.
He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, slowing their pace down. "What makes you think that, my little one?"
Jaina lowered her head, her footsteps falling in line with her Master's as she exhaled a small, weary sigh.
"I just…I've never been good at it," she murmured, crossing her arms, her fingers fiddling with the end of her Padawan braid. "My performance is always just acceptable—at best—when working against the training droids, but in an actual spar…"
She shook her head, her gaze falling to the carpeted floor. "I just…I can't get my mind to stop thinking…in that specific way…it's as if Ataru…it just doesn't feel natural to me…"
His expression shifting to one of understanding, Obi-Wan input the access code into the front door to their quarters and ushered her inside.
He paused for a moment, then knelt so that he was now eye level with his Padawan.
"You do remember why I'm having you learn Ataru, don't you?" he questioned gently, tilting his head.
"To 'be prepared for anything'," Jaina responded like a reflex, an answer she'd given before. "Especially close combat."
She knew why she needed to continue training in the style, it was just…
The Padawan exhaled and shook her head. "'It can supplement Soresu'," she droned. "And it 'balances out my height and speed limitations', I know, I know."
As she said the last part, she sighed again and affectionally patted R4-P17's dome, before plopping onto the couch and staring blankly at the comforting light woods and muted blues of the living room.
R4 let out a series of beeps and chirps in greeting, before rolling and disappearing into the kitchen.
Obi-Wan watched his little one as she buried her head wearily in her hands. He sat down beside her, and placed his hand on her back. "Would you like to know how I came up with this combination?"
Jaina lifted her face from her hands, nodding softly.
The Jedi Master smiled. "Because I started out with Ataru," he said lightly.
Jaina's brows furrowed slightly. "…What? Really?"
Obi-Wan chuckled, nodding and crossing his arms. "Yes, really. When I was a young Padawan, not much older than you are now, Ataru was my primary form." He paused, letting out a soft chuckle. "I was quite the acrobat in those days, if I do say so myself. Fond of all the somersaults and the flips. Which I still utilize every now and then, as I'm sure you've noticed."
"I spent my entire Padawanship with Qui-Gon mastering Form IV," he continued. "And only transitioned into Form III as a Knight."
The Jedi Master paused as he reached up to rub at his chin, his gaze shifting to the nearby wall as he lost himself in the memory. "Ataru, and the Ataru mindset…it's all about trusting in the Force, allowing it to flow through you and guide your every movement. It is about speed and freedom. Motion. Fluidity."
Jaina listened intently. "…What made you switch to Soresu?" she asked quietly. "I assumed you'd always used Form III…"
Obi-Wan thought silently, staring at the shelves—at the books, the trinkets, and the memorabilia that lined them. "I switched after Qui-Gon, after he…" He paused, tightly pursing his lips together. "…I switched after Naboo."
Jaina's eyes widened, then eventually lowered to the carpet, her entire expression falling. "…oh."
The Jedi Master took a deep, calming breath in through his nose, still feeling the sting of Qui-Gon's loss even all these years later.
"I realized that Ataru, while powerful, left me vulnerable. The aggressive nature, the acrobatic movements, the constant motion…they drained my energy quickly." His gaze grew even more distant, as if reliving that fateful day.
"In those final moments, when I needed to protect my Master most, I found myself exhausted. And when the duel pushed towards rows of energy barriers, I couldn't…I was not fast enough to reach Qui-Gon in time."
Jaina raised her gaze, feeling her heart sink at the profound sadness in his eyes.
Her Master rarely ever spoke of the details of what happened on Naboo all those years ago, and she never dared ask. She knew the loss still weighed heavily on him.
The little Padawan gently leaned her head on his shoulder, and looped her arm around his.
Obi-Wan smiled faintly, placing his own hand over her small one, as he continued to stare intently at the wall. "After that, I dedicated myself to mastering Soresu. Defense before offense. Patience over aggression. Caution over haste."
"I wanted a form that would allow me to outlast my opponents, to protect those around me more effectively." He glanced down at his little Padawan, his eyes warm with affection. "And that, my little one, is why I believe it is important for you to master both. Just as I have."
"Soresu gives you a strong defense, my little Padawan, while Ataru provides options for quick, decisive strikes when needed."
Jaina's eyes lowered to the coffee table in a curious frown, puzzlement in her blue eyes. "…I just…I've always thought they required…I don't know, polar opposite mindsets…that they contradict each other."
Obi-Wan chuckled. "That is what many assume," he mused. "Ataru and Soresu seem to be at odds, yes, but they have far more in common than you would think. As I've told you since the beginning—the two forms complement each other."
"There are times when you must weather an attack, and times when you must strike swiftly. By mastering both forms, you give yourself more options, more ways to adapt to any situation."
He leaned back against the cushions, bringing a hand to his beard once more. "The patience of Soresu can inform when to use the aggression of Ataru. And the speed of Ataru can enhance the defensive capabilities of Soresu."
The Jedi Master smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling with nostalgia. "And, all those months ago, when I saw that the only youngling who had utilized Soresu during that last Exhibition Day was a certain vertically challenged little thing—one who had attempted to use her agility to her advantage but had failed to implement the strategy…well. That just made her all the more intriguing to me."
Jaina rolled her eyes, her cheeks warming slightly. "Don't remind me," she groaned playfully.
Obi-Wan chuckled and reached over, ruffling the top of her head. "Oh, yes, I will, for years and years to come."
"My point is," he continued. "You were the only Form III user amongst the younglings that day. And the weaknesses that you displayed…I knew they could eventually be strengthened with extensive Soresu training, complemented by Ataru." He smiled. "And—if I'm honest—those spars planted the seeds in my head, for our conversation later that day."
His lips curled into a smirk. "…Your little display of showing off how you could process information like a droid was simply the cherry on top, of course."
Jaina wrinkled her nose playfully. "And here I thought it was my embarrassing rambling that won you over."
Obi-Wan laughed heartily. "That too, of course," he said, smiling down at her.
The Jedi Master placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "Remember—the goal isn't perfection in every form, but rather to have a diverse set of tools at your disposal. You never know when the ability to switch between styles might save your life—and the lives of those around you."
"It will all work out, my little one." He gently squeezed her shoulder. "Trust me."
Jaina smiled softly. "Always, Master."
With that, Obi-Wan stood, stretching his arms to his sides. "Good. Now, how about you go and freshen up," he said lightly. "There is something else I need to discuss with you over dinner."
Jaina nodded and padded off to the refresher. "I knew your attempt to decrease work talk over dinner here at home wouldn't last," came her dry quip, just as the door slid closed.
Obi-Wan glanced up from his datapad as Jaina reemerged in a fresh lavender tunic and robe, her hair still wrapped in the towel over her head.
Jaina's eyes lit up as her own astromech, her beloved pink R2-KT, rolled up to her, holding up a smaller towel in her extendable claw. "Thanks, KT, I forgot to grab a new one," she said sheepishly, taking the small towel and removing the larger one from her damp hair.
Obi-Wan chuckled, watching as the pink droid began to roll off to Jaina's bedroom with a cheerful beep. He set aside his datapad, and gestured towards the two plates of pasta. "Come on, food's going to get cold."
The Padawan took her seat, unfolding her napkin and placing it on her lap as she did. "So? What is it that you wanted to discuss, Master?" she asked, beginning to twirl a few pasta noodles around her fork.
Obi-Wan put down his fork, a more serious look now in his eye. "This is something of a delicate matter," he said, as he folded his hands together on top of the table. "We have a very small window."
The Jedi Master paused. "The Council has approved a deployment to Felucia—it appears we finally have the window of opportunity we have been waiting for."
Jaina's eyebrows furrowed. "What? How?"
"I've been analyzing our troop placements since Ryloth," Obi-Wan explained, crossing his arms. "To decide where best to redeploy the battalions, now that Outer Rim Garrison Alpha is secure."
"There's a small opening right now where our current troops' presence will allow us to start a campaign elsewhere," he said. "So I proposed Felucia."
"…but the latest intel said that the Sep forces on Felucia were almost thrice the size of Ryloth," Jaina murmured. "Even if we were to move the Ryloth invasion force, wouldn't we still be coming up short? What am I missing?"
"Precisely why I said that we only have a small window," Obi-Wan answered with a nod. "Master Fisto is on the cusp of victory on Cestus. I'm assigning his forces to support, before they make their way to their next deployment on Bestine."
He paused, taking a small bite out of his pasta. "Between Master Fisto, the 327th, the 332nd, the 723rd, and Anakin and the 501st, we should have a large enough invasion force. And the Council approved my proposal."
Jaina blew out a slow whistle. "We'd finally have an opening into the other end of the Perlemian, and the Commerce Guild would no longer have such a tight chokehold on the export of Nysillin for the production of bacta…" She chuckled softly. "Wow, Master. That is lucky."
Obi-Wan quirked a wry eyebrow. "You know my sentiments about the concept of 'luck'." He playfully pointed his fork in her direction. "Let us call it what it is—good strategy."
He took another bite out of his pasta, leaning back on the chair. "So, try and get plenty of sleep tonight. We leave for Felucia at 0800."