Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 60 - Advanced Saber

Rey stood at the top plateau again, lightsaber in hand. She moved her arm out in front of her, twisting the saber down. She quickly pulled the saber back to her right with a twirl, using the movement to gain momentum to raise the saber above her left shoulder and spin it around her head as she moved her body in motion with it. As the saber came back to her right shoulder, she grabbed it with her left hand as well. She swung the saber across her body to her left again, bringing it down, and rotating it back up with her right hand—but she dropped it. She saw Master Luke grimace. Today, he was seated on one of the rocks, observing her practice.

She started again, dropping it early. And again. And again. After a dozen attempts, Rey finally passed the rotation above her head. She then brought it down across her left side with a single-hand rotation. Holding it straight out from her right side, she crouched low and then jumped to the left, striking at her imaginary opponent as she jumped. She had completed the entire exercise! Finally, without error, she had done it!

"Well done," congratulated Master Luke with his warm smile.

That smile, I live for it now, it seems, and I so rarely see it. He has a way of wrapping the smile in love and approval that goes straight to my soul. I wish I could make him happy more often, thought Rey.

You do. He just doesn't always show it. He doesn't want you to get cocky, mentioned Ani.

How would you know? asked Rey, setting up for another pass through the exercise.

You're not the only one I talk to.

"Again." Master Luke was a man of few words during training. Although at night when training was completed for the day, it was a different story. Each evening Master Luke became Uncle Luke, and Padawan Rey become Beloved Rey. She would tell him about her life on Jakku, and he would tell her about her family. It was during these evening talks that Rey found out Grand Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was just as human as she was and that he had a wicked sense of humor. The talks were not always about family, though. Sometimes he taught her Jedi history, showing the bad along with the good in history. She sensed he was of two opinions about the continuance of the order.

Rey's thoughts returned to the task at hand as she felt her arm dip in her form on the first pass. Parallel to the ground, Rey, instructed Ani. All right, now whip it around—don't let your elbow drop. That's right.

Rey completed the exercise and ran through it a dozen more times until Master Luke and granddad were both satisfied with form, speed, and muscle memory. Rey knew her practice was over when Master Luke stood and ignited his green saber. She also knew, he might not test her with the newly learned sequence first. He was way past doing the expected with her. He expected her to use the Force to anticipate every time they faced off together.

Master Luke started his first pass with a basic opening move, high outside at her head. She anticipated and blocked, adjusting her feet and arms in one movement. Master Luke smiled at her. He continued the battle with standard forms in a random pattern, and then he attacked with the new sequence. Rey barely kept up with him, as the old Jedi spun and struck with passion. Master Luke never ceased to amaze her. She knew he was holding back, as well.

Rey pulled in the Force and allowed it to speed her movements, anticipating where he would go next. The battle intensified as Master Luke displayed a new sequence Rey had never seen before. He struck left and right, spun, and delivered a kick, sending her to the ground.

Rey used the Force to regain her position and attacked with fury. Master Luke executed a disarmament move, but it failed. She had moved her feet just at the wrong time so that his saber connected with her shoulder. Rey expected pain. Instead she felt tingling.

Master Luke stood down, extinguishing his saber. "Enough for now. Always use the Force in the battle. You have to anticipate the moves with it. If you anticipate with your mind, you will be tricked, and you will be hit."

"Why does it tingle?" asked Rey, rubbing the creeping flesh.

"Power dimmer," stated Master Luke.

"Does mine have one?" asked Rey, looking at the hilt for additional controls she had missed.

"No. Yours was made by my father long before the dimmer control was invented," informed Luke. "So don't lop my hand off, okay? I've had to replace this one twice already."

Rey looked at him and smiled. "Then you'd better just watch yourself, because I am taking you out, Master Skywalker." She raised her lightsaber and started the first pass on the attack this time. This time, Master Luke was scrambling to defend himself as the blades made contact.