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<blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 4439160" data-attributes="member: 10079"><p><strong>Chapter 588: Like Father, Like Son</strong></p><p></p><p>Jedi Knights were taught a great many techniques in resolving conflicts. While it looked as if most of this was combat training in the form of lightsaber technique, most of the training was actually in avoiding combat all together. The majority of the training is spent on Force calming techniques, proper negotiation and diplomacy, and most importantly, restraint. It is the last of which that focuses on when not to draw one’s lightsaber, and that is also one of the hardest things for most apprentices to grasp. A Jedi had to master many conflicting ideals, and that was one of the most fundamental.</p><p> </p><p>More times than he could count, Tobias BlueIce had failed to realize when he was in such a situation. But finally, working on his own in Bestine, Tobias had resisted the urge to deal with a difficult situation by drawing his lightsaber. But sadly, just doing that was not enough. Though he had almost managed to defuse an angry trio bent on violence for what seemed like no true reason, almost wasn’t good enough. </p><p> </p><p>Which meant that he was currently engaged in another technique taught by more than just the Jedi.</p><p> </p><p>The strategic retreat.</p><p> </p><p>Admittedly, there was nothing strategic about running as fast as he could through crowded, sand-covered streets, but Tobias liked to keep that adjective around if only because it made him feel better.</p><p> </p><p>After quickly slipping through a large crowd of beings of all kinds that were browsing a market in the alley he’d run down, Tobias risked a quick glance behind him. Over the heads of the crowd, he could see movement. That meant nothing, as it was a city and people were always moving somewhere. But accompanied by annoyed growls, curses in languages that Tobias didn’t know, and cries of surprise, Tobias was fairly sure it was his three pursuers. It had been at least five minutes of running and dodging down alleys and somehow, he’d not lost them. Even the damned Gamorrean had managed to keep up.</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, Tobias needed to lose them. His legs were starting to hurt, a fault of the smaller human body he currently occupied, and he had been out of breath for at least three streets. Only the help of the Force was keeping him going, and even that wouldn’t last much longer. Tobias just wasn’t good enough to keep up that kind of concentration for long. Not yet, at least.</p><p> </p><p>Talking would do no good, as he could feel through the Force their anger. Fighting was not going to happen. Tobias was determined to avoid that no matter what, even if it was becoming more and more foolish as he tired himself out. Eventually they would catch up and he wouldn’t have the strength to even defend himself. Which meant he needed another option. And that meant he needed at least a few moments to stop running, catch his breath, and think.</p><p> </p><p>Before he could even turn to look for another small alley between sand-coloured buildings, the Force alerted Tobias to a nearby danger in an odd screaming inside of his head. One thing Tobias had learned to do was truth that instinct, and not fight the immediate reaction his body was already taking the second it happened.</p><p> </p><p>Mid-stride, Tobias dropped to the sand in a roll and a blaster bolt went directly over him. The roll ended and he was back on his feet in a quick motion that he’d pat himself on the back for later. As he had been getting back to his feet, however, he’d caught a glance behind him. The bulky, three-eyed Gran had broken through a crowd and fired an ancient-looking blaster. It looked like the Gamorrean and the Weequay were also about to fire blasters of their own, but before that could be confirmed Tobias was up and running again.</p><p> </p><p>Again, he was given no chance to think. This time, however, the Force did not warn him of any danger. Instead, his head just tilted up at the right angle at the right moment so that the right thought crossed his mind. Tobias’ eyes locked onto one thing, and without questioning it, trusting entirely in the Force in a moment of amazing clarity he drew the Force to him and with that, jumped.</p><p> </p><p>Tobias leapt into the sky and landed surprisingly gracefully on the rooftop of the house he’d looked at. This time, he heard blasters firing, but they were going to miss again. This was not because of the warning of the Force, but because Tobias was already using the terrain of the rooftop to his advantage. Unlike many of the other buildings, the one he’d just happened to look up at had a waist-high, solid wall, presumably to prevent one from falling over and into the street. It also made a perfect shield for Tobias to drop down below.</p><p> </p><p>And he had it. The few moments of relief he needed. There was a door to the roof about five meters in front of him, with a few decorations that confirmed it was just a house with a unique design, but thankfully that door looked to be the only way up. That meant his pursuers had to get to the building, get in, and then find the way up. It wouldn’t take long, but Tobias hoped he wouldn’t need more time.</p><p> </p><p>Think.</p><p> </p><p>Can’t run aimlessly. Won’t fight them. Can’t talk them down.</p><p> </p><p>Then run.</p><p> </p><p>Already nixed that.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” for some reason, it felt better to have half of the argument out loud, “Need a direction to run in.”</p><p> </p><p>Where?</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know!” Tobias yelled at himself a moment before hearing the door below him break down, “Stop! Focus on this! Come on!”</p><p> </p><p>Well...we do know one thing in Bestine.</p><p> </p><p>“...we? But yeah...Master Ral. Find him. He can help!”</p><p> </p><p>Ignoring the slightly disturbing conversation with himself, Tobias took a series of short, deep breaths just like he’d been taught to. With each inhale, his eyes closed and he let the intake of air focus his vision on ‘seeing’ the Force around him. With each exhale, Tobias opened his eyes and tried to hold that focus so it made sense when in the context of the rather large city around him.</p><p> </p><p>In...dark, empty world with bright spots of the Force that weren’t really any colour that could be described. So many living things everywhere...</p><p> </p><p>Out...bright light of two suns scorching the planet and wiping the Force vision from his eyes with their intensity.</p><p> </p><p>In...dark, but with some of the patches of brightest growing...</p><p> </p><p>Out...blinding light...</p><p> </p><p>In...outlines of buildings etched inside his eyelids, dotted by the not-really-visions of beings in the Force, and one especially strong one not far off...</p><p> </p><p>Out...so much light but...</p><p> </p><p>There!</p><p> </p><p>Somehow, beneath the blinding light of the suns above and its reflections on the tan buildings all around, Tobias could see, actually see, that bright point of not-light that he’d felt with his eyes closed. He could see it through the buildings themselves. He could see it!</p><p> </p><p>Two streets down, directly in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>Just as he got to his feet, the door in front of him burst open. The large, green Gamorrean practically fell through it, and his Gran companion quickly pushed through, aiming his blaster straight at Tobias.</p><p> </p><p>Again, Tobias jumped. This time, though, as the Force managed to flow through him with so little effort on his part, he flipped backward, landing on his feet in the sand below right in the center of an already surprised crowd. Without missing a beat, he pushed past a confused Duros and an older Twi’lek and ran down the alley next to the building he’d just been on top of.</p><p> </p><p>Blaster bolts followed him, angling down from the roof above but striking the building next to him as he darted past with a newfound strength in his legs. A series of loud thuds followed the blaster bolts, and Tobias didn’t bother to turn around. He knew what they were. The three had jumped down, which probably wasn’t smart without the aid of the Force or a jetpack to ease the landing.</p><p> </p><p>But just as Tobias exited the alley into the next street over, more blaster bolts followed. They were poorly aimed, most streaking overhead and hitting nothing. But one went right past his left side and struck a passing landspeeder. The pilot panicked and swerved right into Tobias, who attempted to leap over the nose that came at him but did so a half second too late. The landspeeder caught Tobias’ right leg hard on the knee, sending him face first into the front end of the speeder before momentum sent him rolling off into the sand. Intense pain shot up his leg, so much so that Tobias couldn’t find the strength to remorph the definitely-broken bone.</p><p> </p><p>By the time he’d come to a stop and was trying to deal with the pain and, at the same time, get up and keep running towards Master Ral, several of the people in the street were heading over to help him, as was the pilot of the landspeeder. The human who got out of the speeder was greeted with another blaster bolt to his vehicle, and the man panicked again but intelligently dropped to the ground instead of taking out another pedestrian.</p><p> </p><p>“Ha! Look at that! He dropped his lightsaber! Was a Jedi after all!” the scratchy, annoying sounding voice of the Weequay managed to cut through the din of everything else.</p><p> </p><p>Tobias rolled over onto his back, cursing his lack of skill when it came to both the Force and morphing, and immediately saw that he had, in fact, dropped his lightsaber. The impact must have dislodged it from its place hidden beneath his jacket, as the hilt of the weapon was several meters off to the side. But, more importantly, the Gran, Gamorrean, and Weequay were nearly on top of him, now casually walking with blasters aimed and devilish smiles on their faces.</p><p> </p><p>In the time it took them to walk slowly over to him, obviously trying to be threatening and scare him into giving up so they could just shoot him, Tobias managed to find the strength to remorph his injured leg. But it took him until they were right on top of him, and Tobias suddenly realized he was stuck in a situation where he’d have to fight.</p><p> </p><p>No.</p><p> </p><p>There had to be another way.</p><p> </p><p>He was supposed to be a Jedi, dammit! He could find another way!</p><p> </p><p>...well, with time...time that he didn’t have...</p><p> </p><p>“One Jedi lots of credits!” the Grain laughed.</p><p> </p><p>The Weequay nodded his wrinkled face, “And there another somewhere!”</p><p> </p><p>When the Gamorrean grunted a response, he pointed his large blaster rifle right down at Tobias’ face.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, the rifle was ripped out of the Gamorrean’s hand, flying off to the side and slamming into a nearby building. All four of them looked around in surprise, and a robed figure dropped into view. There was a blur of movement around Tobias, with the Gamorrean flying a few meters away before hitting the ground hard. A second later, the blur stopped to form a distinctly humanoid shape within the robe and a wooden staff whipped around and took the Gran’s legs out from under him at the same time that the Weequay inexplicably was thrown into his companion. The two of their skulls hit hard and both dropped to the sand unconscious.</p><p> </p><p>Tobias lay there, looking up in shock before mumbling to the back of the robed figure, “You’re not Master Ral...”</p><p> </p><p>“And you’re quite perceptive,” a very feminine voice responded. The figured spun around and Tobias found he could see very little of the identity of this person who was obviously quite strong in the Force. She was about his height, if he’d been standing that is, the robe covered whatever she wore under entirely and all of her face except for her mouth, which was currently in the shape of a smirk, “You’re welcome, by the way.”</p><p> </p><p>Tobias finally got onto his feet, dusting the sand off him as best as possible and started to ask the obvious question pertaining to this odd person’s identity. But he didn’t have a chance to speak. Right as Tobias opened his mouth, a series of loud sounds from the distance grew behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a large pack of Swoop bikes heading right for him.</p><p> </p><p>“Introductions later,” the robed woman said simply. She removed one of her hands from the staff she carried and extended it off behind her. Tobias’ lightsaber flew right into her grip and she then tossed it to him, “Just follow me, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>Though he caught the lightsaber hilt out of instinct, Tobias was still too confused to answer. The situation had changed too fast for him and he was trying to catch up. And apparently this mysterious woman was not going to wait. In a flash, she made a Force-aided jump onto a nearby building, stopped and looked down at him again. That smirk, still visible beneath her hood, she called down to Tobias, “Come on, Jedi boy! Keep up!”</p><p> </p><p>Then she disappeared, turning in a flourish of the robe and darting off out of sight.</p><p> </p><p>Jedi boy?!</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! Wait!” was the best Tobias could come up with as he jumped up after her.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 9px">In the immortal words of Bender: "We're back, baby!"</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ankh-Morpork Guard, post: 4439160, member: 10079"] [b]Chapter 588: Like Father, Like Son[/b] Jedi Knights were taught a great many techniques in resolving conflicts. While it looked as if most of this was combat training in the form of lightsaber technique, most of the training was actually in avoiding combat all together. The majority of the training is spent on Force calming techniques, proper negotiation and diplomacy, and most importantly, restraint. It is the last of which that focuses on when not to draw one’s lightsaber, and that is also one of the hardest things for most apprentices to grasp. A Jedi had to master many conflicting ideals, and that was one of the most fundamental. More times than he could count, Tobias BlueIce had failed to realize when he was in such a situation. But finally, working on his own in Bestine, Tobias had resisted the urge to deal with a difficult situation by drawing his lightsaber. But sadly, just doing that was not enough. Though he had almost managed to defuse an angry trio bent on violence for what seemed like no true reason, almost wasn’t good enough. Which meant that he was currently engaged in another technique taught by more than just the Jedi. The strategic retreat. Admittedly, there was nothing strategic about running as fast as he could through crowded, sand-covered streets, but Tobias liked to keep that adjective around if only because it made him feel better. After quickly slipping through a large crowd of beings of all kinds that were browsing a market in the alley he’d run down, Tobias risked a quick glance behind him. Over the heads of the crowd, he could see movement. That meant nothing, as it was a city and people were always moving somewhere. But accompanied by annoyed growls, curses in languages that Tobias didn’t know, and cries of surprise, Tobias was fairly sure it was his three pursuers. It had been at least five minutes of running and dodging down alleys and somehow, he’d not lost them. Even the damned Gamorrean had managed to keep up. Somehow, Tobias needed to lose them. His legs were starting to hurt, a fault of the smaller human body he currently occupied, and he had been out of breath for at least three streets. Only the help of the Force was keeping him going, and even that wouldn’t last much longer. Tobias just wasn’t good enough to keep up that kind of concentration for long. Not yet, at least. Talking would do no good, as he could feel through the Force their anger. Fighting was not going to happen. Tobias was determined to avoid that no matter what, even if it was becoming more and more foolish as he tired himself out. Eventually they would catch up and he wouldn’t have the strength to even defend himself. Which meant he needed another option. And that meant he needed at least a few moments to stop running, catch his breath, and think. Before he could even turn to look for another small alley between sand-coloured buildings, the Force alerted Tobias to a nearby danger in an odd screaming inside of his head. One thing Tobias had learned to do was truth that instinct, and not fight the immediate reaction his body was already taking the second it happened. Mid-stride, Tobias dropped to the sand in a roll and a blaster bolt went directly over him. The roll ended and he was back on his feet in a quick motion that he’d pat himself on the back for later. As he had been getting back to his feet, however, he’d caught a glance behind him. The bulky, three-eyed Gran had broken through a crowd and fired an ancient-looking blaster. It looked like the Gamorrean and the Weequay were also about to fire blasters of their own, but before that could be confirmed Tobias was up and running again. Again, he was given no chance to think. This time, however, the Force did not warn him of any danger. Instead, his head just tilted up at the right angle at the right moment so that the right thought crossed his mind. Tobias’ eyes locked onto one thing, and without questioning it, trusting entirely in the Force in a moment of amazing clarity he drew the Force to him and with that, jumped. Tobias leapt into the sky and landed surprisingly gracefully on the rooftop of the house he’d looked at. This time, he heard blasters firing, but they were going to miss again. This was not because of the warning of the Force, but because Tobias was already using the terrain of the rooftop to his advantage. Unlike many of the other buildings, the one he’d just happened to look up at had a waist-high, solid wall, presumably to prevent one from falling over and into the street. It also made a perfect shield for Tobias to drop down below. And he had it. The few moments of relief he needed. There was a door to the roof about five meters in front of him, with a few decorations that confirmed it was just a house with a unique design, but thankfully that door looked to be the only way up. That meant his pursuers had to get to the building, get in, and then find the way up. It wouldn’t take long, but Tobias hoped he wouldn’t need more time. Think. Can’t run aimlessly. Won’t fight them. Can’t talk them down. Then run. Already nixed that. “No,” for some reason, it felt better to have half of the argument out loud, “Need a direction to run in.” Where? “I don’t know!” Tobias yelled at himself a moment before hearing the door below him break down, “Stop! Focus on this! Come on!” Well...we do know one thing in Bestine. “...we? But yeah...Master Ral. Find him. He can help!” Ignoring the slightly disturbing conversation with himself, Tobias took a series of short, deep breaths just like he’d been taught to. With each inhale, his eyes closed and he let the intake of air focus his vision on ‘seeing’ the Force around him. With each exhale, Tobias opened his eyes and tried to hold that focus so it made sense when in the context of the rather large city around him. In...dark, empty world with bright spots of the Force that weren’t really any colour that could be described. So many living things everywhere... Out...bright light of two suns scorching the planet and wiping the Force vision from his eyes with their intensity. In...dark, but with some of the patches of brightest growing... Out...blinding light... In...outlines of buildings etched inside his eyelids, dotted by the not-really-visions of beings in the Force, and one especially strong one not far off... Out...so much light but... There! Somehow, beneath the blinding light of the suns above and its reflections on the tan buildings all around, Tobias could see, actually see, that bright point of not-light that he’d felt with his eyes closed. He could see it through the buildings themselves. He could see it! Two streets down, directly in front of him. Just as he got to his feet, the door in front of him burst open. The large, green Gamorrean practically fell through it, and his Gran companion quickly pushed through, aiming his blaster straight at Tobias. Again, Tobias jumped. This time, though, as the Force managed to flow through him with so little effort on his part, he flipped backward, landing on his feet in the sand below right in the center of an already surprised crowd. Without missing a beat, he pushed past a confused Duros and an older Twi’lek and ran down the alley next to the building he’d just been on top of. Blaster bolts followed him, angling down from the roof above but striking the building next to him as he darted past with a newfound strength in his legs. A series of loud thuds followed the blaster bolts, and Tobias didn’t bother to turn around. He knew what they were. The three had jumped down, which probably wasn’t smart without the aid of the Force or a jetpack to ease the landing. But just as Tobias exited the alley into the next street over, more blaster bolts followed. They were poorly aimed, most streaking overhead and hitting nothing. But one went right past his left side and struck a passing landspeeder. The pilot panicked and swerved right into Tobias, who attempted to leap over the nose that came at him but did so a half second too late. The landspeeder caught Tobias’ right leg hard on the knee, sending him face first into the front end of the speeder before momentum sent him rolling off into the sand. Intense pain shot up his leg, so much so that Tobias couldn’t find the strength to remorph the definitely-broken bone. By the time he’d come to a stop and was trying to deal with the pain and, at the same time, get up and keep running towards Master Ral, several of the people in the street were heading over to help him, as was the pilot of the landspeeder. The human who got out of the speeder was greeted with another blaster bolt to his vehicle, and the man panicked again but intelligently dropped to the ground instead of taking out another pedestrian. “Ha! Look at that! He dropped his lightsaber! Was a Jedi after all!” the scratchy, annoying sounding voice of the Weequay managed to cut through the din of everything else. Tobias rolled over onto his back, cursing his lack of skill when it came to both the Force and morphing, and immediately saw that he had, in fact, dropped his lightsaber. The impact must have dislodged it from its place hidden beneath his jacket, as the hilt of the weapon was several meters off to the side. But, more importantly, the Gran, Gamorrean, and Weequay were nearly on top of him, now casually walking with blasters aimed and devilish smiles on their faces. In the time it took them to walk slowly over to him, obviously trying to be threatening and scare him into giving up so they could just shoot him, Tobias managed to find the strength to remorph his injured leg. But it took him until they were right on top of him, and Tobias suddenly realized he was stuck in a situation where he’d have to fight. No. There had to be another way. He was supposed to be a Jedi, dammit! He could find another way! ...well, with time...time that he didn’t have... “One Jedi lots of credits!” the Grain laughed. The Weequay nodded his wrinkled face, “And there another somewhere!” When the Gamorrean grunted a response, he pointed his large blaster rifle right down at Tobias’ face. Suddenly, the rifle was ripped out of the Gamorrean’s hand, flying off to the side and slamming into a nearby building. All four of them looked around in surprise, and a robed figure dropped into view. There was a blur of movement around Tobias, with the Gamorrean flying a few meters away before hitting the ground hard. A second later, the blur stopped to form a distinctly humanoid shape within the robe and a wooden staff whipped around and took the Gran’s legs out from under him at the same time that the Weequay inexplicably was thrown into his companion. The two of their skulls hit hard and both dropped to the sand unconscious. Tobias lay there, looking up in shock before mumbling to the back of the robed figure, “You’re not Master Ral...” “And you’re quite perceptive,” a very feminine voice responded. The figured spun around and Tobias found he could see very little of the identity of this person who was obviously quite strong in the Force. She was about his height, if he’d been standing that is, the robe covered whatever she wore under entirely and all of her face except for her mouth, which was currently in the shape of a smirk, “You’re welcome, by the way.” Tobias finally got onto his feet, dusting the sand off him as best as possible and started to ask the obvious question pertaining to this odd person’s identity. But he didn’t have a chance to speak. Right as Tobias opened his mouth, a series of loud sounds from the distance grew behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a large pack of Swoop bikes heading right for him. “Introductions later,” the robed woman said simply. She removed one of her hands from the staff she carried and extended it off behind her. Tobias’ lightsaber flew right into her grip and she then tossed it to him, “Just follow me, okay?” Though he caught the lightsaber hilt out of instinct, Tobias was still too confused to answer. The situation had changed too fast for him and he was trying to catch up. And apparently this mysterious woman was not going to wait. In a flash, she made a Force-aided jump onto a nearby building, stopped and looked down at him again. That smirk, still visible beneath her hood, she called down to Tobias, “Come on, Jedi boy! Keep up!” Then she disappeared, turning in a flourish of the robe and darting off out of sight. Jedi boy?! “Hey! Wait!” was the best Tobias could come up with as he jumped up after her. [size=1]In the immortal words of Bender: "We're back, baby!"[/size] [/QUOTE]
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