(3rd Person POV)
*TSCHHHH*
*TSCHHHH*
Vader and Xina are deep into their training in Shii-Cho, and their lightsabers flash around the air as the speed increases. The speed at which the Twi'lek learned was unmatched by anyone except the current Vader. In a matter of hours, she has achieved a level of skill in Form I of lightsaber combat that many Jedi wouldn't in their lifetime. And she wasn't even Force-sensitive as they were. It should have been impossible, but it wasn't. Her dedication and Vader's teaching skill allowed her to perform Shii-Cho to a degree that would probably grant her a title of teacher in the lightsaber form. Not only that, but the two also took it further than the Jedi ever would.
Obi-Wan Kenobi once commented that Form I was wild, raw, and deadly, requiring much emotional heat. Kit Fisto noted how hard it was to control the pull of Form I, so that he disabled opponents rather than killed them. But Vader was no Jedi, the furthest thing from it, and Xina wasn't either. So they allowed the pull of Force I to take hold and made use of it, cutting at each other and going for the kill each time they clashed. There was no way that Xina would defeat Vader right now, as he learned even faster than she does, but it is still impressive.
Shii-Cho swordplay is simplistic and raw. In the hands of a master, the bladework is described as "like watching water flow over the falls." However, less adept practitioners display much more basic and somewhat clumsy performances. Form I encouraged deliberate tactics in combat, calling for continuous, step-by-step advancement while cutting off the opponent's angles. Shii-Cho specialises in engaging multiple opponents, and the wide, sweeping motions are ideally suited for attacking numerous adversaries. However, Form I is not as useful against single opponents, as such enemies had complete mobility and could find a weakness in Shii-Cho's comparatively clumsy bladework. Plus, Form I is considered weak against Form II.
*VRROOOM*
Vader's lightsaber cuts diagonally through Xina's entire upper body, splitting her in half. As her body falls to the ground and life leaves her, Vader catches her and performs Force Healing. He has immersed himself in the Force and the training. He entered into the state of hyper-concentration, enhancing his learning ability even further, and simply acted without thinking. But now, he is shocked at what he did, as that wasn't his plan. He taps deeply into the Force, without thinking again, and uses Force Healing.
*Kchch puuh*
...
*GASP*
"Haaa... haaa..." Xina takes deep breaths.
"I'm sorry," she says as she stands back up.
"You have done incredibly well. I am impressed. There is no reason for you to feel sorry. Take a break. I shall continue with my research of these Holocrons," Vader says.
Xina thankfully lies back down on the bed and relaxes. She has almost or literally died a couple of times, but never has it gotten as close as this time. Force Healing has healed her body entirely, but she is mentally thoroughly exhausted and needs a break.
Vader continues with his actions, grabbing another Holocron. He repeats his previous action and activates the Holocron.
[My name is Cin Drallig. I began my servitude as a lightsaber instructor later in my life, keeping with the Jedi custom of passing on our exceptional knowledge to the next generation. I will teach you about Form II, also known as Makashi, The Way of the Ysalamiri, or The Contention Form, which is the second of the seven classic forms of lightsaber combat, with this Holocron.]
Vader turns the Holocron off. There is something that he has just asked himself. Ysalamiri... he remembers some things about this creature. He puts the lightsaber Holocron away and searches the shelves for what he wishes to know. Guided through the Force, he finds the right one.
[My name is Jocasta Nu, and I was the Master Archivist of the Jedi Order before its destruction through Order 66 by the Sith. In this Holocron, I shall teach you about the different creatures found in the galaxy and how they impact our lives as Jedi.
Let us begin with one you have heard of: the Ysalamiri. If you have arrived at this Holocron, you have already started your lightsaber training and learned about the different forms. One of those, Form II, is also known as Makashi. But it has another name: The Way of the Ysalamiri. But why is it called that? Having long admired the tenacity of the Ysalamiri, the Jedi Order named the second form of lightsaber combat after the creature. I will explain why.
Ysalamiri are lizard-like tree-dwellers about 50 centimetres in length, native to the planet Myrkr. They are best known for repelling the Force by creating a Force-neutral bubble, which evolved in response to predation by the Force-sensitive Vornskrs. Many Ysalamiri groups would expand their Force-neutral bubble by varying distances, sometimes by kilometres.
Ysalamiri sink their claws into the Olbio trees where they live and draw nutrients. It's believed that the high concentration of Mandalorian iron in the Olbio tree's leaves contributed to the Ysalamiri's Force-dampening abilities. It is very difficult to remove a Ysalamir from its tree without killing it.
Ysalamiri do not actually negate the Force; since all existence is infused with Force energy, this would not be possible. Rather, they project a bubble inside which users are unable to exert any influence over the Force. A single bubble measures up to 10 meters in diameter; large groups of Ysalamiri could extend their collective bubble by kilometres, but only in great numbers.]
Vader stops to think about this new information. Force-resistant bubbles. The use of this would be immense, but the question is whether he could use it himself or whether he could use it for his headquarter. Either way, it is a good thing to have and also a perfect next task for Xina. However, there is more information for him to gather, so before he sends her off, he will first go through all the Holocrons. So he did just that.
[Moving on to another special creature, the Loth-wolves. Loth-wolves are sentient canine predators native to the planet Lothal. They have a special connection to the Force and the planet Lothal, where they act as the guardians of the light side of the world. However, now that the Jedi Order and the Republic as we knew it have fallen, it is no doubt going to be hard for that wonderful creature to survive. Now, if you are a Jedi Master and have accepted a Padawan, you should go to Lothal before the Empire tears down the local Jedi Temple there.
The Lothal Jedi Temple is an ancient and megalithic structure established and maintained by the Jedi Order, probably more than 3000 years ago. Located in the northern hemisphere of the planet Lothal, it is one of many temples associated with us Jedi throughout the galaxy, and one of the few that might not get destroyed by the Galactic Empire, since to find it, you have to be a Jedi in the first place. Built into a natural stone spire and the caverns that sprawled out beneath it, the Temple was commissioned by the Jedi due to the vergence found at the site. It became a place where Jedi Masters would take their Padawans to determine their readiness to become a Jedi.]
Interesting, Vader thinks to himself. Loth-wolves, Force-sensitive creatures on the same planet as a vengeance of the Force and a Jedi Temple. He mentally notes Lothal and prepares to go there sometime soon. Vader takes a Holocron and sees the familiar figure of former Grandmaster Yoda appear.
[In this lesson, discuss the Force and the vision it gives us, we shall. Through the Force, a Jedi might see the past, the future, distant locations. Friends and foes. How is this possible? The answer lies in the nature of the Force itself. While from life it comes, connected, it is, to all things-- even the inanimate. Imagine it as a great sea, touching all things within it. Beings, creatures, stones, land, lightsabers, and vessels. All things. As living things move through that sea, they create currents. They move the water around them, in their wake and even in the path ahead. So too is it with the Force. As Jedi, with great focus, we perceive these currents. We see what has been, what is and even what might be.]
Vader grows angry seeing the figure of the Grandmaster. He remembers Yoda's voice when Anakin Skywalker spoke to him about his visions, his dreams, and the fears Anakin had. He forces himself to continue listening. He is no longer proud enough to forgo any power. He will do what he can to grow more powerful.
[Speak to us of events distant in time or place, the Force will... but unclear, its words often are. Locations exist where the Force is more sharply focused, but dangerous these places can be. Vergences, they are called, and should not be explored without training and preparation. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant has one such. The Living Sea of Gazian, another. Jedha, as well.]
"The Living Sea of Gazian... Interesting," Vader says and goes through Jocasta Nu's Holocrons, looking for one he had seen earlier. Finally, he finds the right one.
[... Gazian is a living planet in the Mid Rim's Gazian system. It is covered by the Living Sea, a large, deep growth of mushrooms with hallucinatory spores. The planet is strong in the Force; a vergence of the Force. Many Jedi have tried to uncover its mystery before, but none have ever returned. So you shouldn't travel there, unless you wish to stay trapped for eternity.]
[... Jedha, also known as the Pilgrim Moon, the Cold Moon, or the Kyber Heart, and formerly known as NiJedha, is a small desert moon which orbits the planet NaJedha. Located in the Jedha system of the galaxy's Mid Rim, the moon has a cold climate due to its lasting winter. The historical and spiritual significance of Jedha led the moon to become a world of worship for those who believe in the Force, and a holy site for pilgrims who sought spiritual guidance...]
Vader continued to listen to the Holocron. And eventually, he came across rather unpleasant information.
[... Another planet in the Outer Rim Territories is Tatooine. Tatooine is a sparsely inhabited circumbinary desert planet. Part of a binary star system, the planet orbits two scorching suns, resulting in the world lacking the necessary surface water to sustain large populations. As a result, many residents of the planet instead draw water from the atmosphere via moisture farms. The planet also has little surface vegetation. It is the homeworld of the native Jawa and Tusken Raider species.
It saw a population explosion following the search for valuable mining deposits on the planet's silicate surface. Finding ore with undesirable metallurgical properties, mining firms left the planet en masse, leaving behind valuable equipment, most notably large sandcrawlers later used by the Jawa population. The planet has since become a haven for smugglers and criminal activity, and fell under the influence of the Hutt Clan, while scattered, isolated settlements of hard-working inhabitants endured.]
Tatooine.
Vader suddenly has a vision. He sees a Jedi he has known quite well. He sees the face markings and a mask on his face. He sees him scouting, apart from his troops, when Order 66 was issued. The Clones are ordered to kill their Jedi masters. They go through with it and kill other Jedi, most of them. But when they get to the man, they fail. He kills the Clones assigned to him, saving only one long enough to learn why. Then the Jedi flees the planet.
The Jedi reaches out through the Force but can't sense any other Jedi. A light has gone out in the galaxy, making the Jedi believe that he is alone. Then, he sees the Jedi flee. He flees to a planet in the Outer Rim, a planet Vader knows well—a planet of sand.
The Jedi makes his way to Tatooine, back to his roots, and becomes a war leader of several clans of Tusken Raiders, as his father had been before him. He starts to punish the Settlers and Moisture Farmers who had been stealing Tusken Land and water for years. Under his command, the Tuskens start to be feared again, becoming a potent fighting force, reclaiming what they thought was rightfully theirs...
"Vader."
Xina's voice and hand on his shoulder wake him from the vision. His anger has been building up and woke the Twi'lek, who looks at him worriedly. He controls all that inside him and brings back the calm and cold exterior he presents to everyone. Everyone, except Palpatine and Xina, who know his true feelings at times. Although Palpatine is not getting as much information anymore, Xina seems to be getting better at it.
"Are you alright? What happened?" she asks.
"I need to go," Vader says and stands up.
"Good. I want to use what you taught me these past days," the Twi'lek says with a smile on her face and grabs her gear.
"No. You will remain here. There are other jobs for you," Vader declines.
"What? Why not? Where could you be going that I can't follow?" she asks.
"I said no," Vader says and makes his way to the body of Jocasta Nu.
However, before he can reach her, Xina stands in his way with a determined expression on her face.
"I'm coming."
*Kchch puuh*
The room grows cold as Vader looks at the woman. Xina starts to feel the cold, but she doesn't fear anything. She knows that the answer to defiance is death, but she doesn't care.
"Why would you defy my order? I can feel your thoughts. You are aware of what will happen, why do you still do it?"
"As long as you kill me, I don't mind. But this is important for you. So I'm coming."
*Kchch puuh*
*Kchch puuh*
"Very well. Get your things. If you die-"
"I was never worthy to be your student. I know," Xina says and gets her gear.
However, that wasn't what Vader was going to say. It is very uncharacteristic of Vader to agree to such a thing.