Blink Once, Blink Twice

Vaylin had assumed that the strange feeling that went throughout her body, was caused by Valad. He was the only person here, the only person she knew was on the ship. She sensed no one else up here except for them, as he was becoming more visible in the force.

He didn't answer her question, so she swore to be persistent. "How did you do that?"

Her tone was consistent, monotone. She was controlling herself, much greater than she had before. She could have suddenly attacked him if she wasn't in control. She had quickly become adept in the field which he had wanted to train her in.

However just because she controlled herself, doesn't mean he had to do so.

Suddenly without warning, she felt herself being dragged across the floor. She twisted and turned, her shoes squeaking against the waxed floors as she struggled. Finding herself flipped onto her stomach, her face was suddenly in his hand and her eyes were peering out from between his fingers.

She immediately blew air into his palm, making a comical farting sound, causing her to giggle snort immaturely. Her eyes then narrowed on him as she watched him open his mouth to speak.

"I have a unique technique which I use through the force," Valad stated as he looked into her eyes. She blinked once, moistening her eyes as she attempted to tilt her head. "A technique which would be seen as controversial due to its mind altering nature."

This was the first person he was sharing this with and she was immediately shocked. He had the ability to change and alter a person's mind? This was an ability clearly of the dark side, yet she felt no corrupting elements.

"Mmmm..." Her voice was muffled up against his palm, before she reached up and grabbed his wrist and moved his hand off her face. "And you used that on me?" Her eye was twitching, listening with an intense interest, as if it would influence her next course of action.

"No, not yet anyways. Even if I did, it doesn't hurt like the primitive 'Alter Mind' technique used by the Sith or controversial Jedi. It also wouldn't have thrown you off balance..." Valad shook his head slightly with a thoughtful sigh. "What I did was transplant information into your mind and body. The Seven Forms of the Jedi Arts."

Vaylin thought back to the information which she had seen in her mind when she had lost her balance and briefly lost her center at the time. "Form I: Shii-Cho, Form II: Makashi, Form III: Soresu, Form IV: Ataru, Form V: Shien / Djem So, Form VI: Niman, Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad." She found herself reciting the names of each of the forms without incident in the pronunciation. Unlike the things she learned regularly, she could completely imagine each of the stances and uses in each form given to her. She could feel the muscle memory which had been added to her body as she used the force to aid her in returning to her feet.

She automatically assumed he knew all of these skills he had just gifted her, through what she thought was the force. Yet it felt rather mysterious, unreal.

"The Jedi forms are flashy, the Sith use them in kind as well. However the Jedi typically use them incorrectly, at least not efficiently. The lightsaber is one big blade, on all sides. It burns with a simple poke, a simple slash without much power behind a heavy swing." Valad began to talk about how sabers were typically used by force users, and why many of them either were triumphant or dead. "Fencing fits the use of a saber much better, keeping your opponent at a distance, parrying their blows and jabbing them or slashing them. Wide slashes aren't necessary against organics, sabers don't need weight unless you're making contact with another saber." He knew fencing was a thing in the Star Wars Universe as nobles would do it with dinky sport sabers, especially during the Galactic Civil War between Imperial Aristocrats.

Vaylin nodded slowly to what he was saying, understanding partially. She had seen spars using fencing before back on Zakuul between nobles and soldiers. The weapon was held out to the furthest distance with a flimsy metal blade.

Suddenly a feminine sounding protocol droid's voice boomed over the loudspeakers. "Multiple hyperspace vectors detected. All systems are on high alert. Warning has been sent to the planet surface."

Valad and Vaylin both looked up towards the ceiling of the ship before closing their eyes and listening to the force. It was a weak disturbance. Their location had been found, but there was only a small number of enemies on the way.

A small number of Jedi Justice Cruisers came out of hyperspace just outside the planetary system. There was a total of six cruisers, each of them was around eighty-five meters in length. though some of them had gone under lengthy modifications, such has having their hull elongated or even more powerful blackmarket weapons added onto them.

"We are being hailed, They're pirates." The protocol droid's voice sounded annoyed. "We can just fire on them, right?" The droid was uncharacteristically militant, a sassy tone was used and couldn't be taken back.

Valad almost let out a soft laugh and gestured for Vaylin to follow him out of the conference room. Within minutes they were on the main bridge after entering a lift within the core module. "Answer their hail."

Walking over to the holographic suite, he watched as a colorful screen appeared. Showing the Weequay pirates with smug looks on their faces.

"Oh... Just Weequay?" Valad sounded rather disappointed, causing the smug looking pirates to frown in annoyance. he was surrounded by a handful of pirate vessels and all he could do was be disappointed?

The supposed Captain gave the girl a look over before gazing over the male on the hologram. He had taken note of the saber pike in the girl's hand. The man however was dressed in simple clothes as compared to her elegant design. "The Hutts have a bounty on you, boy. For killing Borvo and taking his assets without giving them a cut... But I think we can come up with a deal."

Raising a brow at the antics of the Pirate Captain, Vaylin looked over at Valad who was just blankly staring at the man. They both weren't too fond of hutts. Mostly because of their mannerisms and secondly because of their appearances. Slugs were gross and unsanitary. Talking slugs were unsightly.

"And how did you find us?" Valad questioned which made the Weequay pirate squirm.

Clearing his voice, "You have a tracking device in a... I assume vacant quarters now," the man scoffed lightly at the thought of the people still being alive.

It started to sound like there had been a group of people planted within the slaves to infiltrate his crew. Was this foreseen by another force sensitive? He knew that Plagueis no longer had the power of foresight. However, that didn't stop Dooku or any other entity.

"So who arranged that... Not that I'm going to live anyways, since it's unlikely I'd make a deal..." His head lulled to the side looking at the pirate, he seemed somewhat concerned about this act of Valad's.

"Just a, uh, certain someone."

Valad wasn't at all impressed by this reply and shook his head. Covering his mouth from view, he turned to the side and mouthed to his protocol droid, 'Charge weapons and release the Eye Balls,' who was at the helm. The droid did their best to nod, before bopping the top of the astromech which was charging nearby.

"Sir, they're powering up weapons." One of the Weequay's called out in a panic, knowing very well that it would be very difficult if the Lucrehulk made the first move at this distance.

"Boyo, boyo~! Come on," The Weequay Pirate Captain seemed to be sounding a bit more friendly. "Lets talk business, hand over the girl, and we'll–" His eyes narrowed on the scanners on the station in front of the person next to him. "I thought you only had Vulture droids...?"

It was clear they weren't fully informed. The sudden appearance of the Predator Class Star Fighters was definitely something they hadn't foreseen. They had never seen ships that looked like them, let alone being that small.

"Scan those ships! If we get information on these, we'll be rich!" The Captain yelled with a hearty laugh. Though paused when he saw that Valad wasn't showing any reaction. "What? You think those little dinky cockpits with wings will do anything to...?" He trailed off seeing how fast these little fighters were.

"How are they moving over 1,500 kilometers per hour...? They have shields?" His expression twisted and fear was struck into his heart. He slumped back into his chair. "Quickly! Prepare to enter hyp–" An explosion erupted after several hits from L-s9.3 laser cannons, the transmission ended.

Each of the droid operated TIE Predators had four L-s9.3 laser cannons and could move over 1,500 kilometers per hour within an atmosphere. With their forward deflector shields on however, they could move even faster. This iteration of Predators were almost completely painted black space-grade pearlescent paint, with a single blue matte stripe a foot wide wrapping around the vertical circumference of the cockpit.

This speed was even higher than the N-1 Naboo Starfighter which was around 1,100 kilometers per hour, while the X-Wing was even slower. The regular TIE fighters used by the Galactic Empire only went 1,200 kilometers per hour. So even if they had fighters back them up, which they didn't, they wouldn't be able to give much of a fuss.

Valad and Vaylin watched the explosions off in the distance from the viewport window of the mainbridge. The droids seemed to be enjoying the 'show' as well. They didn't even use any of the ships actual cannons.

The Justice Cruisers were generally caught up having to deal with the hundreds of eye balls constantly flowing around them like dragon flies over a pond. Constantly changing directions and unleashing hell upon their targets. Even though sound couldn't be heard in space, the two could feel the fear and frustration from the pirates who were being harassed and kept from entering hyperspace.

The blackmarket weapons they saw were rather top-notch, but one could tell that they were inexperienced. Even though a single shot landed on the hull of the Imperius, it didn't do any damage due to the high level shields.

"If you're going to take on a droid control ship... Wouldn't you send more than just six?" Valad contemplated with himself out loud, which caused Vaylin to tilt her head as she thought to herself.

The enemies were finished in less than several seconds as they detonated one by one.

Neither of them were feeling anything out of place. The disturbance was gone when the last ship exploded, having ended the lives of over eight pirates each ship. Once the eye balls finished their attack runs, they returned to the hangars on the starboard side.