“There’s always a bigger fish.” [Ani Training Thread]

[Annan Rainwalker]

“There’s always a bigger fish.”
―Master Qui-Gon Jinn

Continued from here.

[Annan Rainwalker]

“Most powerful is he who controls his own power.”
―Byspels of the Keepers of Ossus, s. 110

#
Naboo Jedi Temple grounds
Theed city, planet Naboo
Naboo system, Chommel sector

"You know how to Control the Force within you, Mister Rainwalker," Master Xin said as he led his Padawan through the Gardens outside the Jedi Temple on Naboo. "But you are only a beginner in that skill. Practice makes one perfect. Therefore, I must request that you spend this session honing your Control skill, taking that aspect of your skills to the next stage."

Ani nodded. "But, how exactly do I do that?"

Master Xin smirked. "What did you do the last time?"

Ani recalled. "I shattered a clay bowl with my fist?"

Master Xin nodded as he suddenly came to stop, signalling with his head towards the clearing ahead of them. "Well, we're going to need to do something harder, then, right?"

Anakin peeked over at what was ahead, from behind Master Xin ahead of him and saw, much to his chagrin, a giant swimming pool. "You want me to swim?"

"Please put those weights on, my young Padawan," Master Xin smiled kindly. Too kindly. Deceptively kindly. The Padawan knew this wasn't going to end well for him, but he trusted his Master, and so obeyed despite hesitation. He put on swimming goggles first, then put the weights on, two electronic durasteel bands on his wrists and two clipped shut around his calves. The magnitude of the weight was at the lowest setting.

"The ability to control the Force can help one slow down one's vital life processes," Master Xin explained, "which can help one survive even under extreme conditions of heat or cold or oxygen lack, for example," Annan paled, realizing where this was going, "you will be thrown into the pool, with those weights on. You will sink to the bottom, and hold your breath. The average firrerreon could hold their breath for about about three to four minutes underwater thanks to their ability to regenerate hypoxic damage, when unexpectedly thrown in. A calm individual, willingly, can hold it for up to ten minutes. You, being a Jedi, should be able to calm yourself enough with the Force and last those ten minutes. This is all normal physiology for an average member of your species."

The Padawan gulped.

"However, you must learn to control your metabolism and breathing rate using the Force; slow it down to last five minutes underwater without a single gulp of air."

"WHAT?!"

"We start now."

Master Xin pressed a button on the weights on Ani's wrist, which set the weights at a higher setting. The Padawan felt the added weight pressing down on him, but just as he managed to hoist himself straight on his feet with struggle, the Master closed his eyes and pointed his palm towards his Apprentice, lifting him up using Force telekinesis and promptly throwing him into the pool.

"H-hey, wait--!!!"

[Control 2 Training Begins here - Goal: 1000 Words]

A splash later, Ani watched his Master's wavering form shrinking overhead through the underwater surface, as he sank lower until his feet touched the bottom of the pool. Thankfully, the pool was not deep, so the effect of the water pressure was negligible - just enough to pose a challenge but not enough to crush him. His cheeks were inflated as he held his breath forcefully, using his left hand to pinch his nose. He sighed as, with considerable struggle, he managed to stand up on the pool floor. Here goes nothing, the Padawan thought to himself, closing his eyes. He could not breathe to find his meditative centre here; he had to meditate without the breaths.

Ani imagined the Force as not too dissimilar from the water around him, as he submerged himself deeper and deeper into the Light flowing within him. When he finally reached his calm centre in the Force, he could now perceive it circulating through his entire being, meandering through him like a gushing brook. He observed its fluidity, not dissimilar to that of his blood, as it felt especially bright at his chest and from there ran distally to caress his head, his lower body and peripherally over to each limb.

The Force put him in a serene state, diffusing the panic and adrenaline that put the untrained body in emergency mode whenever it was submerged and significantly decreased the time one could hold one's breath for. He was completely calm in a secure body of water, which allowed the diving reflex to take over. As Master Xin expected, Ani imagined he could last like this for at least two to three minutes, so he had that much time to master this skill or either he'd drown or his Master would pull him out of the water.

His focus increased as he utilized his previous training, beginning to manipulate and shape the flowing Force. Relaxing himself and clearing his mind from unnecessary thoughts, he diverted the Force generated by his cells from his abdomen, his lower limbs and his left hand, towards his chest, particularly his heart and lungs. He could feel the light becoming more potent in his chest, and he opened his eyes, the calmness of his connection to the Force reflected in the dull shine of his shamrock orbs.

Suddenly, Ani's concentration lapsed as his body could no longer cope with the lack of air. Despite his struggling and calling on the Force to aid him, he could no longer maintain focus as his body's survival mechanisms overrode his will. Before lethal amounts of water entered his lungs, he suddenly felt himself being jerked back onto the surface. The next moment he found himself at the side of the pool on all fours, coughing and vomiting out water while heaving in huge breaths.

[Intermission: Control 2 Training paused here - 472/700 Words]

"Hhhuhhh!!" Ani gasped, as he forced himself to sit back on his butt, before another set of coughs forced more water out of him. He collapsed on his back, face up towards the Naboo sky.

"Three minutes, fifty two seconds," Master Xin commented from beside him. He had telekinetically pulled his Padawan out when he saw that the Apprentice had given up. "You were almost there. Rest, my young Padawan. We shall give it another shot tomorrow," the Master suggested, and Ani simply drifted off to sleep, too exhausted to respond.

#

Next day, Naboo Jedi Temple grounds
Theed city, planet Naboo
Naboo system, Chommel sector

Padawan Rainwalker stood next to the swimming pool, weights on. Yesterday's failure had humbled the Padawan, for it was the first time he truly failed at something, and now he was determined to succeed, and make his Master proud. Next to him stood Master Xin with his hand-held stopchrono. The Padawan heaved in a huge breath, before setting the weights to the designated setting and diving into the pool.

[Control 2 Training restarts here - 472/700 Words]

After regaining consciousness later yesterday night, the Padawan had meditated on this challenge and how to overcome it. He had recalled and analyzed yesterday's entire ordeal, and spent a portion of the night extensively studying Jedi Holocrons on harsh environment survival, Force Control and Firrerreon deep sea physiology. The shamrock-eyed Padawan now had a theory on how to master this level of controlling the Force, and he was determined to put it to practice.

Now standing underwater on the floor of the pool, pulled down by the weights, yet again the Padawan closed his eyes and felt the soothing caress of the Force. Calm and serene, he pushed away all his fears of drowning, and his anxieties about not succeeding. His sole focus was succeeding in this training exercise. He focused on the Force generated by his living cells, feeling it distributed evenly across his body.

The diving reflex once again aided him for the first couple of minutes as the clock ticked on his time without breaths, until he began to feel the strain in his chest, the unconquerable urge to breath. He utilized the highest levels of Control he could muster, making his internal Force circulate throughout his body, but with equity, not equality - as yesterday, he concentrated it especially around his head, heart and lungs. The Force brought solace to his raging lungs, and he let it override his homeostatic response, until it made his lungs feel as if they did not need to breath.

The Force was life itself. If it could augment his strength, it could also augment his stamina. While he let it decrease his breathing and heart rate, he opened the rest of his body to its revitalising energies, letting it fuel his cells while mitigating the effects of most of the toxins generated by the biochemical reactions that should normally result in his body shutting down. It worked: he was still getting tired, but slower than before; the urge to breathe was still there, but it was held back by the Force. He felt his need for air decrease, and a few moments passed like this until his body once again began to give in, and he felt a blackness about to overcome him.

[End Control 2 Training - 472 + 369 = 839/700 Words]

Ani felt himself jerked back as his Master telekinetically pulled him out of the water again. Mimicking the scene from yesterday, once again he was heaving in deep breaths, as he fell onto his back face skywards. This time, though, there was no water in his lungs, as he had managed to not breathe in any.

"That is a full five minutes, my young Padawan," Master Xin flashed the chrono. "And a job well done."

[Annan Rainwalker]

“A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack.”
―Grand Master Yoda, Wisdom of the Old Masters, p. 301, l. 4

"Today, my apprentice, I shall be teaching the ability to shield yourself using the Force," Master Xin explained, as the Master and the Apprentice stood facing each other, each at opposite ends of the training room. The elder Jedi reminded himself that he would not be going all out on Ani in the beginning. "Now, draw your lightsaber."

"Right," the Padawan nodded as he unsheathed his training weapon. The blue blade ignited with a snap-hiss, and Annan assumed the basic Form I stance. He expected Master Xin to draw his lightsaber as well, but the Master nonchalantly brought his palm forwards and the next thing Ani knew, his lightsaber collapsed, the hilt flying from his hand straight into Master Xin's.

Shocked, the Rainwalker looked at the elder Jedi for an explanation, as his lightsaber levitated back from the Master's hand to the Apprentice's.

"I used the Force against you," said Master Xin. "You can use the Force to negate my power. This is one of the most basic defenses available to any Force user; imagine the Force as a shield, which your enemy cannot penetrate."

[Begin Force Shield Training - Goal: 300 Words]

As always, Annan closed his eyes and began to call upon the Force, feeling the light within him and the one without, surrounding and permeating this entire place. The shamrock-eyed Apprentice then collected the Force in the palm of his left hand, his lightsaber held in the right one. The Master once again pointed his palm at the Padawan, as the younger Jedi ignited his lightsaber. He felt the tug in his hand as his Master began to telekinetically summon the lightsaber towards him. Annan held onto it tightly, knowing Master Xin wouldn't pull it with excessive Force to enable him to learn this power.

At this, Annan brought his other palm forward, which was now a nexus of his internal and the external Force. The apprentice mentally imagined the Force emanating from his hand, and taking the form a barrier in front of him. Then he directed the Force to make that imagination reality, and the Force responded by materialising in the form of shimmering field of Force energy.

His fingers failed him as the lightsaber finally escaped his grasp, shattering the shimmering Force barrier into nonexistence as it passed through straight into Master Xin's hand.

"You almost had it, you just made one mistake," said Master Xin, as he telekinetically returned his Padawan's lightsaber to his hand, "you must sense my use of the Force as well and zero in on it as a target - only then can your shield 'know' what move to block, otherwise, it's just an intangible wall."

Annan nodded, understanding what to do. He stood up straight and twirled his lightsaber around in his hands, the lightweapon hissing in the air. Master Xin extended his palm and once again the Padawan felt a tug at the lightweapon. He brought his own palm to face his Master's. Ani concentrated, sensing the Force surrounding Master Xin and perceiving the strings of light emanating from his Master attempting to snatch his lightsaber.

Ani commanded the Force within him, pouring it out from his palm and shaping it into a shimmering barrier of energy surrounding him. He focused on the Force emanating from Master Xin, mentally willing his own Force shield to meet it, oppose its flow and thus cancel it out. He then mentally felt something collide against his Force barrier - Master Xin's use of the Force - before the tugging pull in his hand disappeared, the hilt firmly in his grip. He had negated Master Xin's Force pull, using his Force shield.

[End Force Shield Training - Goal: 423/300 Words]

Ani grinned jubilantly, and Master Xin smiled. "Do remember, the ability to negate someone's Force effect on you depends on the difference between your skill levels," the Master explained. "Therefore, it is imperative that you keep practicing this skill to not only make it second nature, but also to strengthen with you as you mature in your use of the Force."

[Annan Rainwalker]

“Lightsaber skills, important they are. How to use, as well as, how not to use. When to move, as well as, when not to move.”
―Grand Master Yoda, Wisdom of the Old Masters, p. 303, l. 9

"Alright, Mister Rainwalker," Master Xin began, a moment before the yellow glow of his lightsaber fell upon his face as the weapon snap-hiss'd to life. "Show me what you can do."

His Padawan, dressed in traditional Padawan robes, faced him on the opposite side. Bigweld Mk-II, Ani's SEP-unit enforcer droid stood between them, a droidotic arm extended. The moment Bigweld Mk-II saw Ani ignite his blue practice saber and assume the basic Form I stance, he withdrew his arm, signalling the start of the battle.

[Begin Advanced Lightsaber Combat training - Goal: 300 Words]

Annan grasped the hilt of his lightsaber with both hands, sprinting forward towards his Master for the opening attack. Shii Cho was simple, yet elegant - befitting lightsaber combat in general. Annan paced across the training room, as he lifted his humming blade and brought it down like an axe on the first body target zone he had painted on his Master - the head, or zone 1. Expectedly, the Master caught his Padawan's blade with his own, holding it in a reverse grip - the two plasma blades crackled as they made contact.

Annan did not hesitate, as, with a battle cry he leapt and spun around in the air to bring another two-handed strike in the second Shii Cho body target zone, the right side. Master Xin thought that although his apprentice had become quite proficient in lightsaber skills, the Padawan was still relying on basic tactics, and decided that he would teach the boy a lesson.

“Real life combat is not a spar, my young apprentice,” the Master commented as his yellow blade once again intercepted his Padawan's zone 2 strike. The Padawan seemed determined, and the Master noted how much he preferred Form I and how passionate he got during lightsaber battles as the former receded and brought his lightweapon in again towards zone 4, but the Master upped the game - a parry and a quick riposte and his Apprentice's training saber was on the other side of the room.

Ani grit his teeth, as he panted and looked at the Master.

“You lean too heavily on the Form we use to train younglings.”

Ani stood up straight after he fetched his lightsaber. “I have seen old holocrons, Master. Jedi have specialized in Form I in the past, and become formidable, despite many opining that Shii Cho is too clumsy for modern combat.”

“And it is perfectly well to do so, if you wish to do it, but easily wrought is the undoing of one too dependent on a single form,” the Master explained, “You must supplement your speciality with other forms, blend them together to make your own unique fighting style. This is why my Master trained me in both Form III, Soresu, and IV, Ataru, and I use them conjointly.”

Annan tilted his head at his Master, attempting to absorb this information, before re-assuming his Form I stance. Being his speciality, it would always be his basic stance, but the Apprentice realised the Master wanted him to use the other forms, in which he still only knew the basics. This would be an excellent opportunity for Ani to develop his lightsaber skills further by utilising more of the other forms. The two paced towards each other, blades meeting in mid-air. An overhead parry, a sudden riposte - they spent a few minutes warming up, before Master Xin leapt into the air, somersaulting to land behind his Apprentice in an instant and bring his saber swinging in from the Padawan's side.

The Rainwalker perceived the strike, and immediately returned with a subtle dodge and an efficient parry.

'Soresu... He shifted immediately from Form I to Form III,' the Master thought, internally proud. 'Excellent, my apprentice!' “And remember, fluidity is necessary. You keep charging in with multiple separate attacks, when the entire battle is supposed to be a single movement, lightsaber skill and Force combined,” the Master predicted Annan's next Form I zone 4 strike using his Danger Sense, deflecting it before his riposte was detected by Annan's own danger sense, and returned by the Padawan using the signature Form III 'deflecting slash'.

Xin withdrew his lightsaber, and responded to the Soresu's deflecting slash by bringing his opposite palm anterior to Ani's incoming blade, before clenching his fist and telekinetically collapsing his Padawan's lightsaber. The purpose was to teach his Padawan that he must use both his Force skills and his lightsaber technique simultaneously in battle, but Xin did not expect Rainwalker to catch on so quickly. For as Master Xin acrobatically leapt and brought in his blade via somersault in an Ataru-finishing strike, his bladeless Padawan suddenly grinned and caught his Master's lightsaber in the palm of his hand.

Master Xin's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Tutaminis!"

Sure enough, Annan absorbed and dissipated the concentrated energy that made up his Master's plasma blade in the palm of his hand, thus effectively rendering them both weaponless, now.

[End Advanced Lightsaber Combat training - Goal: 595/300 Words excluding dialogue]

Master Xin sighed, smiling, he clipped his now bladeless hilt to his side. His Padawan was grinned broadly, and the Master let the boy have this moment, for the elder Jedi had certainly not expected that last move.

“Brilliant. I did not expect you to caught on so quickly, but you did: advanced lightsaber combat requires that one utilize the Force and one's lightsaber in conjunction.”

“I recall you promised me a treat if I managed to surprise you,” the Padawan said smugly, once he caught his breath.

The elder Jedi began to exit the room, and the Padawan began to follow, and Bigweld Mk-II, who had been observing the battle, too began to follow, “Don't get cocky, my young apprentice. But yes, I recall I did, so to Glitters we go.”

[Annan Rainwalker]

“The best confidence builder is experience.”
―Byspels of the Keepers of Ossus, s. 15

[Begin Level-Up: 4 - Goal: 400 Words]

Eyes shut, chest rising and falling in meditation. Annan silently observed the Force, letting the surrounding energies caress him and the Force penetrating him whirl about his being. He heard it sing its silent symphony, but not through his ears, but his heart. Once he felt he had reached the level of Force immersion necessary, he opened his eyes, the green orbs now carrying a faraway look.

His Master had been meditating similarly to him a short distance away, and without opening his eyes or even so much as a warning, the elder Jedi suddenly raised his palm towards Annan. Annan felt the sudden tug, as he felt himself get lifted off the ground, but the months of Padawan training had honed his reflexes, and he reacted nearly instantaneously. Annan extended his left hand to his left side, palm open, before he mentally summoned the Force around him. He focused on Master Xin's telekinetic attack, and once he had it in his Force senses, he directed the Force to intercept and neutralize it - the only outward sign being the fingers of his extended palm clenching into a fist as he retracted it towards his chest.

Master Xin, eyes still closed, came in for a second attempt as Annan felt himself being pushed off his feet, losing his meditative position. But Annan realized he was silently trying to make him practice his ability to shield himself with the Force. The Padawan nodded to himself, before once again concentrating on Master Xin's Force signature and shielding himself from his Force push, now standing on his feet. His Master, still in the meditative position, tried again - this time his lightsaber suddenly unclipped itself from his belt and began to shoot towards his Master but Annan caught it in his hand before again shielding himself and neutralizing the Master's attack. They trained like this for a few more times, until Ani's head began to hurt. Eventually, Master Xin decided that was enough, as he got up and left.

Having nothing else to do, the Padawan opted not to end his training session there. After meditating a bit more to recover his strained mind, he stood up and decided he needed to train his lightsaber forms. Unclipping the practice saber from his belt, the Apprentice's blue blade snap-hissed into ignition. Master Xin had taught him that in order to advance in lightsaber combat, he must incorporate elements of multiple forms. While he deemed himself fairly advanced now in Form I, Annan decided to practice two other forms he would heavily lean on.

Basic Soresu was essential for any Jedi, thus Annan extended his left leg at the knee, crouching on his right leg moved backwards, pointing his left hand at a side as he held his practice saber in his dominant right hand - the Form III opening stance. The next hour was spent in Annan diligently moving cycling through each of the major Soresu defensive maneuvers, inscribing the energy-efficient moves and tight defense into his muscle memory. In particular, Annan devoted half of the hour practising how to rapidly switch between being extremely emotionally charged - the hallmark of Shii-Cho - to being flawlessly calm like the eye of the storm - the hallmark of Soresu. It was difficult to rein in one's emotions suddenly like that, especially in the midst of battle, thus ample time and effort needed to be devoted to that, and devote it he did.

Eventually, the Padawan crouched, tired, but instead of resting, he hauled the Force within him towards his limbs and torso - using the Force to both increase his stamina and rejuvenate his tired muscles, while practicing Controlling the Force at the same time; killing two birds with one stone. The Force would help him train a bit longer, as he felt it soothe his muscles and diffuse his lethargy. Annan decided to began training in the other lightsaber form he had decided to try out to supplement his personal style. For now, it was merely to supplement his Form I along with Soresu, but Annan had considered, once he could utilze telekinesis properly, he could consider taking up the Moderation Form as a specialty instead of Form I. Form VI did seem to match his personality: the middle ground, neither aggressive nor overly passive; no specific strengths, but no weaknesses.

Annan spaced his feet apart evenly, bringing his practice saber in a one-handed grip posterosuperiorly, folding the other hand across his chest in the Niman opening stance - his first step into a larger world. He then rapidly hopped forward, extended the off hand in the shape of a claw and retracted it, imagining tekekinetically pulling an invisible opponent toward him before bringing his saber down in an arc to slash through the nonexistent foe - the draw closer technique. He repeated the process, once, twice, and several times - before ultimately collapsing on the ground, exhausted. Yet it was a bittersweet moment as Annan felt the darkness of sleep overtake him, for with those aching muscles came an inner, peaceful sensation of his power in the Force tumefying.

[End Level-Up: 4 - Goal: 867/400 Words]

[Annan Rainwalker]

“Only through fire is a strong sword forged.”
―Byspels of the Keepers of Ossus, s. 42

Once again Padawan Rainwalker found himself in the training grounds of the Naboo Temple, sitting ready and staring incredulously at the materials Master Xin had laid out before him. His mind was whirling with the possibilities of what he would be learning in today's session. Master Xin, garbed in his customary black robes, sat cross-legged a short distance away from him.

“Today, my young apprentice, we shall be drinking caf,” Master Xin explained, as he closed his eyes and sighed in calm contentment with all that was serene in the war-torn Galaxy.

Ani raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, Master?”

“Caf, my apprentice,” Master Xin explained again, in a tone suggesting his dear Padawan had missed the most obvious thing in the world. “It is a remarkable drink, delicate of fragrance, of a crisp consistency and positively addicting.”

Annan released his frustration into the Force. He was used to his Master's irksome antics by now. “Well, Master, I assume that the addictive drink has something to do with my training?” he asked, nicely.

“No, nothing at all,” Master Xin clarified without skipping a beat. “I just wanted to spend some time drinking coffee, with my young apprentice. Some Master-Padawan quality time, as it were.”

Ani's eyebrow twitched, and then he sighed.

A short while later, Master Xin and Padawan Rainwalker found themselves approaching the Naboo Temple kitchens, Ani presumed for the purpose of acquiring the Caf that Master Xin so desperately sought. As they entered the food factory of the Temple, Master Xin suddenly pointed towards the back of the kitchen, and Ani walked over. Soon enough, Ani found himself staring at the opening of the freezer, while Master Xin stirred his newly acquired cup of Caf.

“Now, while I keep myself nice and warm, Annan,” Master Xin began, sipping his drink. “You are required to venture inside that freezer, and don't forget to bare your upper body while you do so.”

Annan snapped his neck around in Master Xin's direction. As he opened his mouth to protest, his Master cut him off. “This idea came from a colleague, Master Godot. You see, you will not always find yourself in ideal conditions. The Galaxy does in fact feature luxuries like Hoth. A Jedi must know how to alter his environment to suit his needs. In you go.”

[Begin Alter 2 Training: Goal: 700 Words]

Mentally shooting hateful jabs at whoever this Master Godot was, and pitying whoever he trained, Annan removed his upper robes, baring his chest and abdomen before promptly walking into the deep freezer. Immediately, the chilling cold shot through the green-eyed Apprentice's entire body, his Firrerreon body's homeostatic mechanisms activating, as he felt his hairs stand on end followed quickly by chattering teeth and shaking bones.

The Padawan turned around, but Master Xin had already shut the door of the freezer from the outside, leaving him with his clattering jaw, alone and exposed to the ice. Annan realized he could take no more of this sub-zero temperature, as his bare chest and arms had started to hurt - he literally felt pain! - at the incapaciting cold. He forced himself to rein in enough mental fortitude to focus on the Force. He barely caught the energy field as the cold kept diverting his concentration, but once he had latched onto a mere 'thread' of the Force, he held tight and pulled himself into the Boundless Sea, delving in as deep as he could.

The Force gushed at him in response, bathing him in calmness and tranquillity it always did. But it was too cold, and even as Annan was immersed in the Force he still felt his body about to give in. Quickly, the Padawan went back to Master Xin's words. He had to Alter the environment - make the cold, hot, to survive here. Annan, being a technician, was well-versed in the extremely basic Physics of temperature: objects that had more energy, and gases that vibrated with greater intensity, were hotter.

Annan knew he did not have much time. The pain in his upper, exposed body was already intense, the beginnings of frostbite. He could barely move his limbs without hurting. Eyes cinched shut, Annan tried to ignore the external pain as much as he could and focused on the Force that permeated the freezer. He already knew how to Alter in short range, but this time Annan spread the sphere of his Force influence around sufficiently to at least cover his entire person.

Annan Sensed the Force flowing through the freezing air around him, the air registering in his senses as dragging, sluggish and carelessly shifting currents. He willed the Force push those currents against each other with exceeding intensity. In response, the air around him did begin to move, but as macroscopic breezes that only made him feel colder. Annan spat insults at Master Xin under his breath, knowing that his inability to concentrate due to the freezing cold was what was preventing him from vibrating the air adequately. He was not supposed to make the air move around him, but rather Force the air currents and particles to vibrate against themselves at greater intensity, which should make the air hotter!

Realizing his mouth was so chilled now that he could not even vocalise, Annan fell forward on his knees, hugging himself in a feeble, reflex attempt to keep himself warm. Vaguely, he wondered if Master Xin had purposefully lowered the temperature of the freezer even more than usual to increase the intensity of this exercise. He probably had, Annan realized, and the Padawan decided he was not going to fail, because if he did, Master Xin would only make the next exercise even harder.

Teeth clattering and bones rattling, the Padawan Controlled the Force flowing within him, sending its natural comforting warmth throughout his body and letting it energise his more vital organs as he had learnt in his latest Force Skill lesson, enough to allow him to open his eyes and wobble himself back onto his two feet again. Annan then once again focused, sensing the Force flowing through the chilling, freezing air of the deep freezer. Then, as he had already learnt to use the Force to energise his own vital organs using his Control ability, he applied the same principle to energise the surrounding air in an attempt at Alter. He mentally compelled the air currents (and the particles those currents contained) to increase their rate of intrinsic motion and strike against one another with increasing intensity. He imagined the air particles, in his Force Sense, like tiny balls hitting and ricocheting off of each other with progressively increasing vigour.

Soon enough, the air immediately around his body began to feel warmer, and Annan half-grinned, even the minutest heat feeling exceedingly comfortable, like suddenly coming under a hot water shower during the coldest winter night. His success was encouraging, and the air immediately surrounding him was relaxing enough, to allow Annan to deepen his focus, and thereby increase the vibrations of the air using the Force. Thus he managed to make it progressively warmer, hotter... and soon enough, Annan felt the chill begin to leave his bones, an invisible blanket of warm air surrounding his lithe frame in the otherwise subzero temperatures of the deep freezer.

[End Alter 2 - Goal: 823/700 Words]

[Annan Rainwalker]

“A true heart should never be doubted.”
―Byspels of the Keepers of Ossus, s. 24

Naboo Jedi Temple grounds
Theed city, planet Naboo
Naboo system, Chommel sector

Once again we find Padawan Rainwalker in the training grounds of the Naboo Temple, Master Xin seated next to him in the grass.
“Now, my young Padawan, there is another skill which in principle is quite basic, but which I believe you shall find most useful during your tenure as a Jedi Knight,” the Master said, “which is the ability to Sense a Force User.”

Ani nodded, and listened to his Master as the latter briefed the former about the power. “When you perceive Life in the Force, you only know how to differentiate between living and non-living sentients; but if you meditate upon the living ones, you will realize that they too are distinct from one another. Those who have the Force are of a much higher energy than those without, and those who have the Force but have not awakened it, or it lies dormant in them, are in-between. Now, close your eyes, and feel the Force.”

[Begin Sense Force User Training: Goal: 400 Words]

Annan closed his eyes, sensing Master Han Xin in the Force as he had done so a million times over the course of his apprenticeship to the elder Jedi. The black-clad Master lit up in his Force sense in his 'astral form', as the Padawan considered it to be. At this point, the Padawan recalled what he had to do this session - he had to learn to distinguish Master's signature from other sentients, to find out the uniqueness of each Force signature.

The Padawan meditated upon Master Xin's astral figure through his Force Sense, observing how the black-robed elder Jedi's Force Form vibrated or resonated at a 'frequency'. Master Xin's frequency or presence registered across Ani's Force Sense as a tremor in the Force itself. A tremor that was unique to the Master, Annan realized, as he expanded his senses outwards, in an attempt to locate the nearest Force Presence, only to zone in on what was perhaps the presence of a Jedi Knight a few rooms away.

Annan inhaled, then exhaled, as he tried to distinguish between Master Xin's presence and the presence of the unknown Jedi. The unknown Jedi's tremor felt slightly different in the Force than Master Xin's. Master Xin's tremor seemed to be quite... personal, or familiar, to the Padawan, as if it were a part of his routine life that he had never really paid attention to before until now. Like one can live his whole life, night after day, but not really realise how beautiful the night sky is until one night when they just decide to look up and observe.

Whereas, the other Jedi's tremor felt something completely new, a foreign sensation. Annan surmised that must be because he had now been under Master Xin's tutelage for over a year, but he had no clue who the other Jedi Knight was.

“Good, I believe you have the basic principle down,” Master Xin's voice cut through his meditation, but it did not disturb the Padawan who resumed his immersion in the Force. “Now, reach out. What do you feel?”

Annan's chest expanded and contracted once more, as he expanded his Force Senses radially, until he could more or less perceive the entire Naboo Temple. He noticed a number of signatures that seemed... familiar, the same way as Master Xin's did, but still seemed to resonate at different frequencies from Master Xin's. Then, as if one recognises a face by sight, or a fragrance by smell, even if one has not encountered that particular face or fragrance for decades - his mind and Force Senses recognised those familiar sensations. That one signature, it reminded him of Padawan Nightrunner. Then there was another one that somehow felt like Master Sam Tallav, who occasionally assisted Master Xin with Annan's training. Annan realized that these... presences, had somehow always been there, but he had never paid attention to them, and therefore had remained negligent of them.

“It's... Phoenousa, and Master Tallav,” Annan replied to his Master after his meditation. “There are others, too, I can see... no, not see, of course. But I can recognise people I've interacted with before, my friends and fellow Padawans; even from this far...”

Master Xin nodded. “Lock onto the two Force Signatures you described, for they are those whom you are most familiar with. What is the difference between me, Master Tallav and Phoenousa?”

Annan nodded before meditating again. Focusing once again on Master Xin, who registered in his Force Sense brilliant and bright like one of the Suns of Naboo. Then he focused back to Master Tallav's Force Form, in the Temple building, and perceived him as of similar, but greater, brightness than Master Xin. Focusing back to Padawan Nightrunner's, Annan realized she was bright as well, but not blindingly so like the two Masters were. Annan would describe her as more like a Moon.

[End Sense Force User: 663/400 Words]

“Phoenousa is dimmer than both you and Master Tallav, you are exceedingly luminous, but Master Xin's signature outshines yours even from this far...”

“Which is to be expected, as Master Tallav has been a Jedi Master much longer than I have, and has trained extensively more. But I believe you have successfully completed this task, my young Padawan, so a congratulations is in order.”

[Annan Rainwalker]

“The best confidence builder is experience.”
―Byspels of the Keepers of Ossus, s. 15

[Begin Level-Up: 5 - Goal: 500 Words]

In the Meditation Hall of the Naboo Temple, Annan's chest rose and fell as he once again plunged himself into the depths of the seemingly boundless ocean that was the Force. He had been meditating there, seated in front of Master Xin, for several minutes. He sighed in contentment at the serenity that the Force brought to him, before he reached out and sensed the Force all around him, surrounding the Naboo Temple.

The Padawan recalled all he had learnt so far in his tutelage under Master Xin. He remembered coming to the Temple with no knowledge of his Force abilities and now, it was as if the Galaxy was no longer the same place. Now, he did not even need his eyes to see. He felt the multiple Force signatures stalking about the Temple, some as bright as suns, others moons and some stars - the younglings. Then there were others, most likely the Antarian Rangers, or Ambassadors from different planets, or the like: who registered in his Force Sense as bright, but like beacons not stars - those who were Force-insensitive. He breathed in and out, as he directed his senses onto them, realising that there were gradations of energy even in the Force-insensitive beings. Some felt brighter than others, though noticeably dimmer than the Force-sensitives, and Annan surmised that they must have dormant Force abilities, perhaps those whose children may one day be strong in the Force even if they themselves were not.

Breathe.

Out.

The Padawan then realised he had a trail of sweat going down his brow, and the Hall felt rather warm. He quickly figured that the heat was not coincidental, and had a particular Force signature latched onto it; that of his Master, who sat meditating a short distance in front of him. He had begun to elevate the Hall's temperature using the Force, and soon enough Annan's face began to redden, his robes soggy with his own perspiration. The Padawan deduced it as a challenge from his Master, and Annan realised he was testing his skills. Quickly, the Padawan Controled the Force flowing within him, using it to strengthen his body to endure the - now searing - heat. Simultaneously, the green-eyed apprentice utilised his newly acquired ability to Alter the surrounding temperature and counter Master Xin's challenge.

Envisioning the entire Hall in his Force Sense, Annan quickly felt the Force permeating through the hot air currents. The Padawan recalled his training in the freezer. Now, he had to reverse what he had done there, but it was still the same principle. This time, it was the whole Hall, and he was up against Master Xin, but he knew the challenge with only make him stronger in the Force and more competent. With another inhale and exhale, Annan used up all his mental fortitude to attempt to halt the Force-imbued air currents using his own Force pulse, decreasing their energy of motion considerably and quickly cooling the Hall back down to bearable temperatures.

It was only after the room began to feel slightly chilly, did Annan realise he had actually done it!

Annan grinned widely, though suddenly a huge headache almost split his cranium apart. While he was physically unhurt, the mental strain of using the Force to counter his Master's Force Power and Alter the temperature of an entire hall was considerable. Ani held his head in his hands and laid down on his back in the same place he was just sitting in, and became aware of the Force within him growing more potent and vigorous, as fruit of his meditation and training, than it had ever been before.

[End Level-Up: 5 - Goal: 610/500 Words]

[Annan Rainwalker]

“The power of energy over matter… and mind over both.”
―Grand Master Skywalker, Wisdom of the Old Masters, p. 702, l. 5

"Observe," was all Master Xin said, as he aimed his palm towards the seven foot tall and three foot wide boulder resting in the clearing of the Naboo Jedi Temple in front of them. Master Xin closed his eyes, and Annan watched with wide eyes as the giant geologic formation began to quiver noticeably. Soon enough, it rose, rising above the ground and levitating in the air with absolutely no support.

The ground underneath their feet trembled as the boulder was dropped back onto its original position.

"As a wise Jedi once said - I think it was Grand Master Yoda," Master Xin paused. "'Size matters not'. Whether it's an apple or an X-wing, moving anything is possible through the Force. But I recommend that you try not a lift a boulder on your first attempt."

[Begin Telekinesis training - Goal: 500 Words]

Annan watched his Master bring his hood up and conceal his arms underneath the sleeves of his black robes, backing away from the scene. Annan looked in front of him, observing the black, collapsed hilt of his lightsaber that had been embedded, half-way into the earth, a short distance distal to the boulder Master Xin had just completed his demonstration on. Annan inhaled, and then exhaled. He reached out with his right hand, pointing his palm in the general direction of the lightsaber.

As the young man closed his eyes, he recalled the lesson he had learnt not too long ago about moving fruit with the Force, when he had been training his skills to Alter the environment around him. The technician quickly realised that this was but an extension of that, and thus, he reached out with his Senses, quickly locating his recently-constructed lightsaber planted half-way into the ground. It registered in his Force Sense as a bright, luminous star - a light, it felt like he was feeling himself, no doubt because of the kyber crystal that had been imbued with his own Force Signature.

In his mind, Annan saw the Force pulsating around his lightsaber as if it were a beacon. It was like a sea of light and energy bathing the life around them, and the strongest ripples in that ocean were generated by his lightsaber, himself and Master Xin behind him. Annan breathed in and out, as he willed the lightsaber to move, to pull itself out of the ground and come into his hand.

Ani thought he felt something budge, but when he did not notice any lightsaber shoot through the air into his palm, he opened his eyes, seeing that the lightsaber had blatantly refused his command through the Force.

The shamrock-eyed Padawan quickly released any aggravation into the Force.

Once again closing his eyes, he stretched his palm towards the lightsaber hilt several meters ahead of him, feeling it creating waves of raw energy in the ocean of the Light Side around him and within him. Annan kept breathing, in and out, quickly locating his calmest centre in the Force, waiting for an epiphany. Good ideas always seemed to come to him when he was at his calmest. As expected, with just that little bit of meditaiton, he figured it out the key to this mind-lock soon enough.

“I do not command the object,” he muttered to himself, underneath his breath. “I command the Force. The Force brings the object to me,” he realised, as he focused now on the Force as it registered in his Force Sense as a whole, instead of merely the lightsaber; an ocean of Light, created by the Universe and the grass and trees around them, by his own and Master Xin's bodies, and also by kyber crystal in the lightsaber he was targeting. All those objects were like rocks in the ocean - the water burst through them but they also created ripples around them. Annan concentrated on those 'ripples', subconsciously clenching his fist tightly as he mentally ordered the summoning of his lightsaber.

Obediently, the 'ripples' that he sensed in the Force around his lightsaber developed into strong currents, and he formed them into a wave by his imagination. A wave of light, of the Force, that carried his lightsaber hilt straight up, vertically straight out of the ground with a slight sound, and into the air, levitating under his mental command for a full two seconds. Then he made the 'Force Waves' in his mind's eyes launch the lightsaber straight towards his clenched fist - which quickly unclenched to grasp the hilt.

[End Telekinesis training - Goal: 608/500 Words]

Annan clipped the lightsaber hilt to the side of his waist belt, glancing over at his smiling Master.

[Annan Rainwalker]

“The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.”
―Master Kenobi, Wisdom of the Old Masters, p. 301, l. 12

The vent grill would have dropped onto the floor with a clang, yet it began floating in mid-air for no apparent reason. The two Stormtroopers patrolling corridors of the facility thus remained blissfully unaware of this strange phenomenon taking place a few meters behind them. The floating vent grill was gently placed at a side, before a lone dark figure dropped out of the newest opening in the ceiling, landing in a crouch before scurrying away along the walls in the direction opposite the Stormtroopers. The Force was with him as, using it, he navigated away from any nearby life signs, approaching the containment cell which contained his target.

The containment cell guarded by a lone Stormtrooper.

Jedi Rainwalker's green orbs narrowed as he stared at the guard from the shadows, the blackness of his person concealing him from being detected. He closed his eyes and focused, sensing the life signatures throughout the facility, noting that the nearest patrol was not going to come back around for at least the next fifteen minutes, considering how far they now were.

Jedi Rainwalker decided to take this as an opportunity to practice something new.

Murph could wait. Besides, this way he could make a clean getaway without alerting the authorities that had captured his crew member. No one would be the wiser.

[Begin Jedi Mind Trick Training - Goal: 600 Words]

From his hiding position in the shadows of the corridor, Jedi Rainwalker pointed his palm at the Stormtrooper standing there and closed his eyes, utilising his maximum Sensory abilities to probe as deep as he could into the life signature of the Stormtrooper using the Force. With a few deep breaths, he localised the mind of the Stormtrooper with as much precision as was possible. He then opened his eyes, green orbs resting on the blissfully unaware Guard as he focused upon the mind of the Stormtrooper.

Like all living things, the Guard lit up like a beacon in the Force. Jedi Rainwalker, with his powerful Force Senses, could now perceive the broad, macroscopic neuronal network arranged in that extensively branching, intricate pattern - very much like the internal wiring of a hyperdrive, the Engineer inside Annan thought - of the Stormtrooper's mind. Each discharging synapse lit up in his Sense like a small spark.

Jedi Rainwalker walked out of the shadows, and immediately, the Stormtrooper screamed, "Halt! You're not authorised to be here!" and pointed his blaster at the black-cloaked Knight. Annan simply gave him a smile, before bringing his black-gloved prosthetic hand up, and waving his fingers over the Stormtroopers face.

While the gesture took a mere moment, in that moment, Annan focused on his ability to Control the Force that binded him to the very Universe around him - to the neuronal network of the very Stormtrooper that stood before him, ready to pull the trigger on that blaster and carve a huge, gaping hole right through Annan's heart. Willing the Force to respond to his movement, Jedi Rainwalker twisted his fingers, and he felt the life signatures within the Stormtrooper's discharging neurons begin to shift in a different direction.

"You're hungry," Jedi Rainwalker began the command, "Go to the mess Hall, and find yourself a big bantha burger."

However, when Jedi Rainwalker began speaking, his concentration waned ever so slightly - but enough for the Force he emanated from his hand to lose it's grip on the biological wires in the man's mind.

"What!? Y-You're a Jedi!?

Sith. It failed.

The scared Stormtrooper was about to pull the trigger and shoot him dead then and there, but Jedi Rainwalker acted quickly. A quick clenching of the Jedi's wrist and lowering of that arm to his side, and the Stormtrooper, caught in the raven-haired Jedi's telekinetic grasp, literally froze and lowered his weapon-bearing arm to the side mirroring that where the Jedi's own arm had lowered.

"Ya-Ya-You..." Annan did not need the assistance of the Force to palpate the Stormtrooper's fright. The Jedi sympathised; the Empire most probably did not train Troopers about the Force; about the power it held.

"Hey," Annan spoke with the most soothing and reassuring voice he could muster. "Relax. I won't hurt you. In fact, pretty soon you won't even remember me."

"W-What are you going to--release me!"

Now that the Trooper was caught in Ani's telekinetic hold with his left hand, the Trooper's blaster pointed down and away from him, the Jedi brought his free right hand up to the Trooper's face for a second attempt. This was a simple Force power in principle, but terribly tricky - excuse the pun - to execute. Yet it was one of the Jedi's signatures, right there with the blue and green lightsabers, Annan thought. Once again, the Jedi Knight completely tuned everything else. The facility, his current location, everything. His concentration now came to rest solely upon the Trooper's mind; on the sparkling synapses and the seemingly endless connections that lit up in his Force Sense like decoration lights.

It was not too dissimilar to reprogramming a droid, and that was something Ani did when he was bored. Yet, Jedi Rainwalker's teeth clenched behind his closed lips as the effort of trying to master the Jedi mind trick while trying to maintain his telekinesis against the Trooper's struggling body, took it's mental toll. The Jedi Knight persevered, and for the second time that day performed the distinct motion with his fingers, rearranging the 'wires of light' in the Trooper's mind and perceiving them begin to shift. A trickle of sweat rolled down his brow as he finally managed to set the frightened Trooper's brain in that particular state of complete obedience that the Jedi needed it to be in.

"You saw... no one. You're... hun.... gry," Annan spoke, his voice strained due to the effort of using two Force powers simultaneously. "Bantha burger... Fries... Can of Zoke, upsized. Mess... Hall..."

"..." the Trooper seemed to stare at him even from behind his helmet, and the Jedi Knight wondered for a second of he had somehow failed it again, but then, "I'm famished. I need to get to the Mess."

"At a boy!"

Annan released Jedi from his telekinetic grip, panting slightly as the Trooper held his weapon by his side and began to walk away in the other direction, now completely oblivious to everything except the command that Annan had made to stick in his head through the Force.

Jedi Rainwalker saw his retreating back, before once again raising his palm towards the Trooper and concentrating upon the target's mind. He waved his fingers, rearranging the neuronal network he sensed as lit-up wires in the Trooper's head for a second time. This time with much less effort, as he had gotten the hang of it, plus he was no longer simultaneously using Telekinesis.

"And drop the access key to the cell you were guarding."

"And I'll drop the access key to the cell I was guarding."

The small digitised holokey fell to the floor the barest of sounds, and the Trooper disappeared around the edge of the corridor.

[End Jedi Mind Trick training - 954/600 Words]

The Jedi picked the holokey up and quickly scanned it across the control panel, opening the cell. A pair of startled blue eyes and brown hair met him. Murph stood up on her feet, her hands in binders. "Took you long enough."

The Jedi did not answer, his head arching back slightly as he probed the Force for nearby life signs. The two Troopers who were on patrol in this section were nearby, coming back round to pass through his section again.. "Do you have it, Murph?"

Murph smirked, and nodded, glancing at her boot, where a certain data key rested in a hidden compartment impervious to the Empire's scanners. The Jedi swiped the holokey across Murph's binders, releasing her, and quickly grabbed her arm and pulled, the two sprinting out of the cell. They uneventfully climbed up the same vent through which the Jedi had initially stuck into the facility.

Mission accomplished.