[Solved] (NJO) (Meego) Lesson: Combat

The newly mounted gong, a project completed between Asa and the Suggi Clan, rang throughout one of the inner courts. Meego and the other initiates sluggishly woke up and looked out the window to still see darkness reigning over the sky. Being tired, almost none of them spoke but to ask Aemos and Noko where they were going. An hour later, they reached their destination, a courtyard hundreds of hcotes below the main monastery complex guarded by navy-roofed turrets overlooking the smaller mountains surrounding the Grandmother.

The students immediately sat down, wishing they could all return to their rough beds. Jun, on the other hand, seemed extremely cheerful. 

“What’s up kids? Welcome to your, what is this, your fifth -  fourth subject?” he said, counting his fingers. After a moment, Aemos coughed, then Jun continued. “Either way, you’ll have just been with Suurm-Xachus, aye? Self Discipline, learnin’ how to not cut off your own hand, bit overrated if you ask me, but still worth practicin’ I guess. This lesson, taught by yours truly.”

 Jun took a short bow before continuing. “Is the next step: Combat! Fighting, surviving, winning, not losing, however ya wanna put it! Regardless of what Skyguy says, I’m not much of a Jedi, more a hunter, tracker of men, vagabond, expert duelist, ronin, that kinda guy. First things first, I’m gonna be teachin’ you what to do when you can’t use the Force. And that, kids, means blasters.”

Meego raised his hand, “B-b-but, uh, t-teacher Jin-Wa, I-I thought we didn’t use blasters?”

“Yeah, aren’t they ‘uncivilized’,” another student called out. 

“Uh, you ain’t a Jedi, so how would ya know? I’m barely a Jedi, but have way more experience then you kids, and I say that a Jedi that wants to stay alive is resourceful. That out of the way, how did ya like the sunrise? Purty, wasn’t it?”

The students looked at each other confused and tired, are we supposed to respond? None responded so Noko filled in from the back, “It was lovely Jun!” 

“Good to hear! Rest of ya look like sleepin’, uh, whatever lives here. Well, if ya didn’t notice, it’s a beautiful morning! Best get used to it, cause there’s a whole lot of ‘em comin’ up. The key to combat is practice, practice, and some more, ya guessed it, practice. Pair up, grab a training weapon, and prepare yourselves. It’s time for battle school!”  

The students began pairing up and Meego ended up with Lyra. Neither of them had really talked to each other. Lyra awkwardly waved at him as Jun was meeting with the various groups to begin instruction. 

“Alrighty kids, first, I just wanna see whatcha got. Get into position. Fighting stance Meego. Begin!”

Lyra easily won the match against Meego, who could barely even hold his training saber, and ended up tripping into the wet grass. Jun helped the young Rodian to his feet. He then walked in a wavy semicircle as he studied them. “Again!” 

Again, Lyra won. 

“Again!” Jun shouted. “C’mon Meego!” 

They battled, their wooden training weapons clanging when hitting each other, which wasn’t often. In the end, Lyra defeated Meego by knocking the sabre out of his hands. 

“At least he kept his balance this time,” Jun muttered. Then, he quickly walked to the center of the courtyard and shot his blaster into the eternally cloudy sky. All of the students looked around, were the raiders attacking them?

“For those who didn’t know, that’s what a blaster sounds like,” Jin-Wa said. “Anyways kids, take a short rest.” 

Jun yawned, mocking the weary students. “Y’know, I could really use a nap.”

Noko went around, and passed out pastries, fresh from the rudimentary oven that Rudy had built while the students were training, to the tired battle students. They rested for a few minutes, before Jun got up and called them back together while munching on a pastry.

Holding his half-eaten pastry in one hand, sabre in another, he pointed out all of the rookie mistakes that the initiates had made. For an hour, Jun had them run through basic stances, correcting and making suggestions as needed. Jun surveyed the various groups, arms crossed, finishing the delicious pastry. Most of the students seemed to be doing decently at the stances for beginners. Then, there was Meego. 

"Meego! Hey, hey, you're doing it again, my friend." 

Meego blanched. "Huh? D-doing what?" 

Jun reached in and tapped the wooden practice sabre, pushing it slightly so it came in contact with Meego's chest. 

"Bbbzzzzzt." Jun sounded. "You just cut yourself with your lightsaber. You're holding it way too close, kid."

 He got a look in his eye as an idea came to him. He reached down to the real lightsaber hanging at his belt, unhooked it, and placed it in a shocked Meego's hands. His fingers trembled as he pushed the button, erupting a brilliant blue blade from one end, thankfully pointed away from him.

“Run it again, Meego.”

Silence had come over the initiates as the sounds from wood on wood halted in curiosity. Meego ran through the stances, but this time, holding the buzzing weapon as far away as possible. He sweated nervously as he avoided the curious onlookers. He had control of his concentration, only to be broken by the one who’d taught him to do it.

“Jedi Jin-Wa, explain yourself! Why does one of the initiates have your weapon?” Aemos gruffly shouted at the duelist. 

“Oh, just teaching Suurm-Xachus,” Jun replied nonchalantly. He smiled lopsidedly, calling out encouragement: “No distractions Meego! Focus, don’t worry about everything else.”

Meego finished the given set and fumbled for the off switch. He muttered an apology as Jun carely turned it off for him. Some of the other students snickered. 

“Sorry… H-how was that?”

“Pretty bad, but nowhere as bad as before,” Jun shrugged. “I’ll spar with you myself next.”

He patted the Rodian on the shoulder before stepping back in the center and shooting the blaster into the sky. 

“Back to it!” he called before joining a very anxious Meego in the corner. While Meego still lost to Jun, who was going easy on him, he wasn’t cutting off his own arm, his stance actually looked like one, and he was more balanced. 

“W-was that better Master?” 

“Yep!” Jun replied cheerfully, before rejoining his fellow instructors. 

“Well,” he sighed cheerfully. “We’ll make warriors out ‘em yet.”

Aemos stood to one side, fuming. 

“Jedi Jin-Wa, that recklessness was dangerous, and how many times must I remind you that a Jedi’s weapon deserves respect,” he growled fiercely. 

Jun smiled, undeterred by Master Suurm-Xachus’ imposing and severe demeanor. “That recklessness worked.”

SIDE

SIDE

Cue John Williamsified Eye of the Tiger!