Hope Reborn - Chapter 19

Ventress held a wooden sword out to him, hilt first.

"There are practice sabers." Luke took the sword.

"A lightsaber doesn't feel the same as a normal blade." Ventress explained. "The weight is all in the hilt. Once you use a sword you will never hold a lightsaber the same way again."

Ventress held a sword of her own. Another set of two shorter ones rested on the wall behind her. Iden had set the route and had taken a spot to watch. The Falcon had a lot of room when the cargo area was empty. Bo-Katan had resupplied the ship. Even then, food and water for three people didn't required a lot of space.

"There are numerous forms." Ventress motioned for him to ready himself. "They focus on defense, offense, utility, creativity, speed, and power to name a few. I won't be teaching you any of them."

Luke cocked an eyebrow at her.

"They take years to learn and even longer to master." Ventress smirked at him. "We don't have time for all of that."

"What are you going to teach me?" Luke asked.

"I'm going to teach you how to fight." The smirk on her face shifted to a feral smile. "Ready?"

Luke didn't have time to answer. She launched herself at him. Her blade zipped toward him in a precise arc aimed for his shoulder. Luke wasn't the rank amateur that she probably expected. However, most of his lightsaber-based combat was against people with blasters. Crossing blades was rather rare in the grand scheme of things.

He danced to the side. The speed of the wooden blade made the air beside him sing. He brought his own up to deflect the next strike. A painful vibration erupted in his grip and rocketed up along his arms. His muscles reacted before he had time to think. The wooden sword clattered to the ground.

Ventress tapped his chin with the tip of her blade.

"What did you do wrong?" She asked.

"I dropped my sword." Luke held out his hand. The sword jumped into his grip.

Ventress tapped him on the chin again.

"A sword is not a lightsaber." She spoke in an easy manner. "When two sabers cross, the impact is not nearly as pronounced. This makes you lazy. You block strikes with your blade and are less mindful of what it hits."

Luke nodded to show he was still listening.

"It's not unwarranted." Ventress continued. "A lightsaber can cut through just about anything. Even then, when it makes contact with something like Beskar, the impact isn't as intense."

"And the stronger impact caught me unaware." Luke said..

"Good." Ventress nodded. "Now, tell me, why are we using solid blades rather than energy?"

"To prepare for the impact?" Luke answered with a question of his own.

"No." Ventress gave a single, dry chuckle. "That's just an incentive to learn fast. Another guess?"

Luke thought for a long moment. He shook his head.

"To learn more options for defense." Ventress answered. "A power-focused style isn't a good fit for you. The Force can negate the physical aspect. It is the intent and attitude that are important." She paused. "You do not have that."

"Thank you." Luke replied.

"Trust me." Ventress sighed. "It is a compliment." She motioned once more to the wooden blade in his hand. "We'll focus on speed and flexibility."

~§~

Vader, or was it Anakin Skywalker now, strode through the halls of his Destroyer. He wore a black, long robe with the hood up. It took a concentrated effort to keep his mind from connecting to painful memories. The ambient sound from the ship was too close to his days in the Clone Wars. He had not realized how accustomed he had become to life in that suit. Little sensations that had been forgotten were now back in force.

A deep longing to hear the voice of a certain Togruta spurred him to move faster. Speed. That was another thing he had forgotten. He had not realized how slow he moved as that twisted corpse.

It didn't feel right to think of himself as Vader anymore. That was a name Palpatine had given him. It was a constant reminder of the deep betrayal and manipulation that permeated his memories. Yet, he didn't think he had the right to be Anakin Skywalker anymore. It wasn't so much about redemption as it was the attached heroic tales. He needed a name of his own. One that inspired not only fear, but respect. It wasn't just revenge he was after; it was a clear disconnect from Palpatine.

His name needed to show he wasn't the impulsive Jedi that had been corrupted, or the lackey of a manipulative tyrant. The galaxy would open to him as were the possibilities. He would not allow some sycophant attached to Palpatine to take control. The Moffs had enough power to hold their systems with manpower and resources alone.

A wicked smile played across his face. Some would need to be culled. Not to mention that the Hutt Cartel had maintained their power. Even the Rebellion couldn't argue with that.

The Rebellion. Now that was another issue that required more thought. His current mission required time which would give him an opportunity to think.

He needed to be more calculated. A slave turned Jedi that was corrupted by the Sith who now controlled his own destiny. The story sounded familiar. Not an exact match , but close to an old tale he had read over the years. There was a Jedi that became a Sith Lord. Betrayal stole their memory but gave them a second chance at life.

It was a fitting name. One he would wear proudly. Revan. Lord Revan, not Darth Vader. Vader was dead. Anakin Skywalker was dead. Lord Revan was reborn.

~§~

Luke stuttered, mid-swing. The wooden blade connected hard with his ribs. It wasn't the first time Ventress had slipped his guard, but this time it was different. The look on her face meant she could feel it too. Something had happened.

"That's enough for today." Ventress stepped away.

Luke nodded.

"Rest up and eat well." Ventress said as she walked away. "I'm not going to go easy on you for now on."

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AN: I thought it was fitting
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