Some New Things [Judah]

[Satkia Beltrak]

ooc - takes place before these events.

Since both Judah and her were on Yavin VIII, following his recent promotion, Satkia had decided to catch up with him and work on some new skills at the Dojo of the Jedi Temple. It had been a while since they had met in this place, and it felt as if time flew.

Arriving early, the petite redhead was drinking tea from the take away cup she had brought with her. She sat on a bench at the entrance of the Dojo, waiting for her friend and pupil to show up. Using the time on her hands, she grabbed her comlink and sent a text message to her husband and daughter. They wouldn't get it right away with the time difference, but she did miss them.

[Judah Lesan]

"You were sitting right there just a few years ago the first time you called me to this dojo," Judah said walking up dressed in his modified robes.

There was a spring in his step that hadn't been there in a while. The recent visit of Kat and Sasha had made him happy, and the reunion the two lovers had made was one for the record books. It was ajedi business now though, as Judah was about to learn some new skills.

"It's hard being away isn't it?"

Judah didn't have to pry to know what he had just seen. Family was important, and Satkia had been away from hers while Judah had his with him.

[Satkia Beltrak]

"We've both come a long way since way, haven't we?" Satkia looked up and smiled to her friend and student as he joined her. She invited him to sit with her, as the first skill she would teach him could happen in such a setting.

She nodded to his question. "It is. I'm so used to have them with me on Corellia." She smiled softly. "I was happy to meet Katara and Sasha and am looking forward to having all of you for dinner once we're all back to Corellia."

[Judah Lesan]

"I am happy you met them as well," Judah responded. "Being a father was the one thing I was always afraid of because of the relationship I had with my dad, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. When we're all back on Corellia, we will have to have that dinner. I have to meet this husband of yours."

Judah had yet meet Maize. It wasn't that there hadn't been opportunity, Judah had just never been in the mind set to meet him. Sith, or former Sith, Judah had not been in a trusting place. His attitude had hurt the relationship he had with his master, but Judah was glad to see they had both been able to put that time behind them and move on.

"So are we heading in or...."

[Satkia Beltrak]

"I used to have the same worries about becoming a mother because of the relationship I had with mine." Satkia admitted. Things were better with her mother since Sarya Navaria was born, but she knew that deep inside, her mother might still regret that Satkia was her daughter alive, instead of Sarya. "And you do have to meet Maize indeed." She smiled, glad that things had been sorted out and they had moved on.

"We're staying here first, then we will head inside for the second skill." She explained before tackling the first part of the lesson. "The first thing we will focus on is the hibernation trance, which can be one heck of a life saver. While we are trained to meditate on a regular basis, this trance takes things to a new degree, both mentally and especially physically."

She gave opportunity to Judah to ask questions if he had any, before she spoke about the practical approach to this.

[Judah Lesan]

"So it is a way to play dead," Judah asked with a serious look.

The recently promoted Guardian could think of several uses for such a skill if that were the case.

"I apologize if I'm a bit skiddish about learning this skill," Judah said, refusing to hide his feelings on the matter from his master and friend, "but it has only been a year or so since waking up from my coma. I have no desire to slip into one again. This will not cause that to happen will it?"

On his part, Judah certainly hoped so. He had just recently been reunited with Katara in every sense that could mean, and he was not about to lose that because of a coma again.

[Satkia Beltrak]

"No." Satkia replied to Judah's question. "It is a way to stay alive, to avoid death." She had experienced it first hand twice in her life, this hibernation trance saving her life during both ordeals.

"I understand your concern but learning this skill is important and you have the opportunity of doing it out of harm's way, when your life's not at stake. Believe me, it is much more comfortable than having to give your first shot in hope to make it work decently enough to make it back to the Temple."

She offered a reassuring smile. "I am also here to assist you and make sure that nothing bad happens."

[Judah Lesan]

Judah nodded. Satkia did understand, and he was grateful to her for it.

"Very well then... You've never given me a reason to mistrust you yet."

The new guardian emptied his mind of any concerning thoughts he may have had. He came to a place of peace.

"Alright. I am ready."

[Satkia Beltrak]

"You have more healing skills than I do, but this hibernation one might still help you one day. It saved me a few times for sure."

She smiled a little when he felt at peace after having centered himself. There were a few ways to explain how this trance worked but she knew which one might work best for her pupil and friend.

"Approach this as meditation at first, but little by little, deepen it. Reach within yourself, find your inner peace until you feel your body and mind pull you into a slumber like state."

[Judah Lesan]

Judah nodded. His eyes closed and Judah slowed his breathing, and pushed his trance as far as he could go. From there Judah stayed there for some time. The thought of going into a force induced slumber was still hard for him, but soon Judah pressed past that.

"Alright, here it goes..."

Judah pressed passed it all and took himself deeper and deeper than he had gone before. Soon Judah felt a deep slumber and slowing. His heart rate slowed, and Judah fell into a force induced trance.

[Satkia Beltrak]

Satkia gave time to Judah to get into the new exercise, carefully but discreetly monitoring him through the Force as he did so. She felt his presence grow calmer and turned more inward. She felt his heart beat slow down as he deepened the trance.

At some point, she reached out to him, with calm and gentleness, speaking only in his mind. "Judah... You may let go of the trance, return to consciousness."

[Judah Lesan]

The mental message was foggy at first, but Judah eventaully made sense of it. There was something about the trance which had frightened him a bit, and Judah decided he would only use this in emergencies. He also saw how this skill may have kept him from the coma he had entered. The Jedi would ponder this skill further.

"I will have to think about this one further," he said after drawing himself back to a state of normalcy. "There is still some natural hesitency, but I do see the value."

Judah nodded.

"I beleive you said there was more to learn?"

[Satkia Beltrak]

Satkia was glad to see Judah exit the trance as he did. "Of course. Some skills are always more difficult than others, for several reasons." After all, she had no healing talents whatsoever, despite being an accomplished Jedi Master.

"Yes, there is more. Let's get back to our feet." She did as such and then walked around for a moment, going into another room in the dojo, where a couple of training droids were.

"The next skill we have left for today is another heavy one. You are going to learn how to repel Force lightning."

[Judah Lesan]

"Ironically, I've never been faced with it," Judah said standing to his feet. "I know the Sith use that skill, but the only time I have faced someone able to use it, she froze me instead, literally."

Satkia knew whom Judah referred to. The woman who had taken the fingers from his left hand. It had truly been the beginning of Judah's darkness. While he had come back to the Jedi, the choices he had made from that point on had been influenced by wanting some measure of revenge. He had spurned everyone who helped him get through it. There was a long way to go in order to regain trust.

"I could only hold my shield for so long, and eventually she captured me. Perhaps fire can be on the list at some point?"

[Satkia Beltrak]

"I have." Satkia replied, recalling the dramatic trip to Mustafar. Weirdly, she had always felt that the volcanic planet protected her. The same way as Fire was her favored element, even when she was a specialist of all elemental skills. It still surprised her how elemental and combat abilities had become her forte.

"What about we meet again in a couple of days so I teach you the Fire skill then?" She had very well understood what Judah had been referring to, which was why she hadn't asked for any clarification.

"The way you can survive against Force Lightning is to feel ready to make your body a conduit for the energy. You can do this by using only your hands." Afterwards, she produced a blaster and checked the setting was on stun.

Then, she took a few steps back and tossed the weapon to Judah. "Shoot me." She was going to demonstrate what she meant before giving more explanations.