Golden Envoy Karracca vs. Padawan Melek

Two towering, tinted, transparisteel doors slide open to grant you access to the central chamber of the Combat Training Halls. The main room is wide and open and as large as as a holoball field. Tall walls stretch towards a domed ceiling that is made up of rows of ambient lights that spread out and fill the room with soft even lighting that eliminates any shades or shadows. Those same walls are lined around the perimeter with racks and stacks of varied weaponry: everything from swords and polearms to rifles and flamethrowers.

There are two signs that hover over each weapon rack to create an alternating motif in the Combat Training Hall: “No Explosions” and “Accorded Neutral Territory”. While the first is fairly obvious, the second speaks to the single law of the Training Halls: all members of the Brotherhood are welcome, and no member is to be killed or maimed without incurring the wrath of the Grand Master and the Inquisitorius.

A trio of training dummies are statically set up and spread out in a line, each made out of a blend of alloys and padding that can withstand blows from any standard weaponry with the exception of lightsaber blades. To the side of the dummies, a large sparring mat has been stretched out to create a larger footprint than the typical shockboxing ring. The padding is good for helping teach new combat students how to take a fall without injury and offers firm footing, but the hard rubber mat is hardly forgiving.

Behind the sparring area is a door that leads to a small archives that combat students can use to view holorecordings of fights and duels from the past as well as relevant information on combat tactics, techniques, and forms. On the opposite side of the archives at the far end of central room is the locker room that members can safely store their equipment.

The final and probably most important element of the Combat Training Hall is the onsite Med Ward. The maglock door is sealed off and can only be opened by an attending Medic. The Medical facilities feature state of the art bacta tanks for recovery and aftercare. A combination of observation and waiting room rests adjacent to the recovery center and features two large monitors that display a live feed of the central room.

The Combat Halls are staffed around the clock, allowing combat students and mentors alike to come and go as they please at odd or regular hours. It also available for members looking to prove their worth to compete in the Antei Combat Center.

[Venue Note: Weapons incorporated into your match are allowed to be used, even if not listed on your Loadout for the match itself. Skill usage and all other ACC rules and guidelines still applies.]

Karracca lumbered into the combat training complex or centre, or whatever it was called on Arx having come straight from the shuttle park. He was doing a favour for a friend of a friend who taught Soresu and Unconventional lightsaber techniques there, had been called away on a mission and needed someone to cover his lessons for the day. 

The old Wookie grabbed a vocoder from a shelf on the wall near the weapons rack, instead of strapping it to his neck like most species he placed around his wrist his head would have full range of motion while they sparred.When he saw what he assumed was his trainee emerge from the locker room he waved as the young Angel.

“Greetings, we meet again Melek. I was asked to cover this session for your regular teacher.”

“Yes, he informed me he wouldn't be able to attend, I'm looking forward to sparring with a great Master such as yo…” Melek was cut off by Karracca lightsaber being drawn, ignited, and placed at his throat in what felt like the blink of an eye.

“First two lessons of the day. Number One, I'm not a Master, and I'm not your Master. Call me sir, or instructor if you must, but I am just a humble Knight and Sentinel. Number Two, never let your guard down, even when meeting what you think is a friend or mentor.” The spry silverback disengaged his weapon and hung it back on his belt before taking off his old cloak and dropping it in a pile on the floor along with his Golden Envoy Badge and bag, and the sensor jammer he always carried on him.

“What level of Soresu have you mastered?” Karracca asked as he walked over to the sparring mats. He had known and sparred with countless Jedi who followed the Soresu style over his nearly three century long life. 

“Made it through the first few.” Melek replied as he followed hulking strategist and part time pro wrestlers out onto the padded surface. He noticed the large depressions that Karracca feet left in the mats as he walked ahead of him.

The wookie then stopped in the middle of the mat. Before turning to face his trainee he said, “Defend yourself,” and performed a leaping backflip while he pulled his saber and ignited it again. This time Melek was quicker on the draw and was able to parry Karracca's first slash and get his own lightsaber out and engaged. The Golden Envoy then went on the defensive, intent on seeing what the Padawan had learned from Kalen's pal TuQuan. The Padawans style did not immediately impress him, but then again neither did most Soresu followers he had faced. It was the most defensive, and in Karracca's mind, more boring form.

He lunged a few casual and flitting attacks towards Melek who deftly blocked them, and remained on the back foot. The few strikes that young yellow glowing man did attempt could be described as desultory at best. And after another moment of dancing around and having the Padawan defend his intentionally haphazard assaults the wookie got fed up and disengaged his saber. He took a step back and put his arms out to the side.

As Melek still held his saber in the standard defensive posture of his chosen style without attacking, Karracca roared at the kid, “I haven't quit yet. I just don't need my lightsaber, because you don't have any offense. Look at right now, you have an opportunity, but you aren't exploiting it. Come on kid, defense may win championships on a nerfball court, but it sure as sith doesn't win lightsaber duels.”

He reignited his blade and went on the attack again for a brief flurry then gave the Diathim another chance to go on the offense, if he could muster the will to.

The problem wasn't that Melek couldn't attack.

It was that he didn't want to.

The thought came to him as Karracca's blade flashed toward him again.

Melek turned his wrist and caught the strike on his own blade. The impact jolted through his arm. He stepped aside, letting the Wookiee's momentum carry the larger Jedi past him before settling back into his stance.

Karracca was right.

That was irritating.

Melek tightened his grip.

Another attack came.

This time he didn't retreat.

He met the blade halfway, turning it aside with the smallest movement possible. Karracca's saber slid harmlessly past his shoulder. Melek pivoted on his heel, bringing his own blade around in a controlled horizontal sweep.

The blue blade stopped inches from Karracca's ribs.

Melek immediately pulled it back.

There.

For half a second, the Wookiee had been open.

Melek had seen it.

More importantly, he had taken it.

His wings shifted behind him as he reset his stance.

“Sorry,” he said, a faint smile appearing on his face. “I think I understand now.”

He barely had time to finish before Karracca came at him again.

Melek moved.

The first strike came high. He caught it.

The second came low. He redirected it.

The third forced him backward.

One step.

Two.

Three.

His heels nearly reached the edge of the mat.

Old instinct screamed at him to keep retreating. That was what he knew. Let the opponent tire themselves out. Stay safe. Stay alive.

But Karracca had given him the answer himself.

Defense didn't mean surrendering the fight.

Melek waited.

The Wookiee's next attack came hard enough to make the training blade ring.

Melek dropped beneath it.

His wings snapped outward for balance as he turned, his body twisting beneath the incoming blade. He didn't try to overpower Karracca. He simply wasn't there anymore.

Then he struck.

The training saber swept toward Karracca's thigh.

Melek stopped it short.

He could have followed through.

He didn't.

Instead, he stepped away and raised his blade again.

His breathing had quickened. His golden aura seemed almost brighter against the sterile lights of the training hall.

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“So,” Melek said, settling into Soresu once more, “I suppose defense can win a few rounds after all.”

He wasn't sure whether that was the lesson Karracca had intended to teach him.

But for the first time since the spar had begun, Melek wasn't waiting for the next attack.

He was watching for the opening.

Having given the kid a bit of a confidence boost and feeling limber himself, Karracca figured it was time to crank up the speed and tempo of the combatives. He was here to teach the kid Unconventional Techniques after all.

“Indeed, I suppose I can stop going so lightly on you then.” The behemoth of a wookie took a quick look up at the Arx dojo's rules that were gleaming on a large poster on the wall.

It read, ‘... shall not maim or kill.’

“Perfect. Nothing about bruising or slightly concussing in there.” He thought to himself before going to step across the front of the Padawan, and swiftly following through into a spinning back kick. The Diathim had been able to whip his lightsaber around in a defense motion but Karracca saw it coming and easily deflected it. When the kick landed against his opponent’s gut, the winged Jedi was sent sprawling back across the mat.

“Remember young one, it's not just about what you do with the lightsaber.” The old strategist hadn't put much behind the kick despite his swiftness, which was almost uncanny for a man of his size. Still, he gave the Padawan a few seconds to catch his breath and get back to his feet.

“You good?” He asked out of genuine concern.

The Diathim took a breath, assumed a defensive pose and nodded.

“Alright, defend yourself.” Karracca leapt at his for and let loose a flurry of hacking and stabbing thrusts. At one point he faked a side kick that the kid almost fell for. After another overhand lightsaber strike the wookie followed through with a heavy elbow that landed against Melek's shoulder and sent him stumbling back as one of his wings flapped to help him steady up.

They were near the edge of the mat again, so Karracca took several steps back towards the middle and motioned for the kid to follow. 

When they got back to the centre Karracca moved to leap and strike again, but this time Melek gracefully performed a front flip with a half twist. As the Diathim landed facing the wookies rear, he moved land a tete, or ‘touch’, but was surprised by a flubby elbow smacking into the side of his head.

Karracca winced slightly as he realized he had made good contact.

“Well, there goes using the blinding powder I got in my belt.” He thought.

“Agh, fark! Sorry kid. You alright?”

Melek feigned feeling pain, scrunched his head into his shoulder and dropped his lightsaber to his side while turning away.

Karracca felt bad and went to reach out and comfort the kid who swiftly reached out and hacked at his side, stopping just short of the wookie's mid section, counting for a touch.

“Wasn't that lesson number 2, sir?” Melek said almost mockingly, as he took a few steps back and again assumed his standard Soresu pose.

“Indeed.” Karracca raised his chin in the direction of his opponent to signal approval.

The wookie then went on a whirling rampage, scoring three touches against Melek in the next 20 seconds.

As the student started to look frustrated, Karracca feigned a few lazy swiping strikes, and when the kid was about to attempt a spinning counter the wookie grabbed the blinding dust from his belt and tossed it into Melek's face.

After that, all the wookie had to do was take a step back, watch the kid swipe wildly af the air a few times and score a final touch.

The computer, which had been automatically scoring the match, chimed.

“Winner, Karracca.”

“I…I can't see. What happened…” Melek waved his arms around and shut down his lightsaber.

Karracca stepped back towards the centre of the mat “Calm yourself Melek. I just threw some blinding powder in your eyes. There are many tools and techniques that an enemy can use to blind you, for this next round, use the force as we spar. Sense your surroundings, and me. The effects of the powder will wear off in a few minutes.”

“Now, defend yourself.” The wookie said as he purposefully stamped towards Melek.

The kid did well, considering he was blinded. Melek successfully used the force to defend against more than a dozen of Karracca's looping, arcing, telegraphed assaults. By the end of the match Melek's vision was starting to return, but he still lost 5-1 to the far more skilled and experienced Jedi Knight.

“Winner Karracca.” The computer proclaimed.

The old Jedi disengaged his lightsaber and chuckled from behind Melek, who wiped at his eyes and turned around to face Karracca, finally now able to see the blurry outline of rotund canid again.

“I could sense you, but I just couldn't keep up with your strikes.” Melek confessed.

“That will come with time, young Melek. Meditation and stretching your ability to sense everything and everyone around you is a skill. Like any other that us Jedi may wield, it must be practiced to remain effective with.” Karracca reached out and patted Melek on the shoulder.

“Now, let's go get something to eat.” He concluded and walked over to his pile of gear near the weapons rack.

Melek had finally stopped waiting.

That was probably his first mistake.

He came forward, blade raised, and for once there was no hesitation in his movement. The lesson from earlier had stayed with him. Defense was not supposed to mean standing still and hoping the other person made a mistake.

So when he saw the opening, he took it.

Melek stepped inside Karracca's reach and brought his saber around in a controlled strike. The Wookiee reacted almost immediately.

Too quickly.

Melek barely managed to redirect the counterstrike before it could catch him. The impact forced him sideways, boots skidding against the rubber mat.

He recovered.

Again.

He advanced.

Strike. Parry. Pivot.

For several moments, Melek stopped thinking about winning and concentrated entirely on what Karracca had been trying to teach him. His movements became less hesitant. His blade stopped merely answering Karracca's attacks and began looking for opportunities of its own.

But there was a difference between seeing an opening and knowing whether it was real.

Melek discovered that difference the hard way.

He committed to another attack.

Karracca was waiting for it.

The realization came a fraction too late.

Melek tried to pull his blade back, but the Wookiee was already moving. The exchange that followed happened too quickly for him to fully track. A flash of light. The crack of training blades. A sharp impact that threw his balance completely off.

Melek stumbled.

His wings flared instinctively as he fought to remain upright.

For one brief moment, he managed it.

Then another strike forced him down.

His saber slipped from his hand and clattered across the mat.

Melek stared at it.

He could still reach it.

His fingers twitched.

Then he stopped.

There was no point.

He had spent the entire sparring session learning not to surrender simply because he was on the defensive. But there was another lesson here, one he suspected would take considerably longer to master.

Knowing when the fight was already decided.

Melek lowered his hands and looked toward Karracca, breathing heavily.

“Well,” he said between breaths, “I suppose that's one way to make the lesson memorable.”

A tired smile crossed his face.

He wasn't happy about losing.

Not even close.

But he wasn't angry either.

He looked down at the lightsaber lying several feet away.

Earlier, he had thought the lesson was about attacking.

Now he understood that it wasn't.

Karracca had been teaching him how to fight.

And Melek had just learned how much he still had to learn.

He let out a small sigh and finally sat back on the mat.

“I'm going to need to practice that.”