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 Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:12 pm
22
Darth Trax was quite adamant that the student first understand Tutaminis before proceeding with his teachings. Vyrtem would respect Darth Trax' wisdom. He thanked the librarian and left the library. The first goal of his training was to understand how to use Tutaminis in a passive manner. To be able to focus on it as a fundamental part of his day, instead of a random, active power that one would have to focus on and activate only when one needed it. In this way, Vyrtem would always have energy flowing into his body, sustaining him as the power became second nature. Stopping a passing protocol droid, Vyrtem asked "where can I find the furnace room?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:17 pm
23
Vyrtem was anxious to get started, and so he made his way immediately to the furnace room, a massive, unbearably hot chamber deep beneath the Academy. When he got there, a gruff-looking human in a climate-controlled suit met him at the door.
"What a' ye doin' 'ere?"
Vyrtem took a subtle breath and steeled himself. "I'm here as punishment. I am to stay in the furnace room without a suit until I have learned my lesson."
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:23 pm
24
The man chuckled. " 's been a while since anyone 'as sent down 'ere. You musta done somethin' real smart. Whatever, kid. Jus' stay outta th' way an' don't touch nothin'."
It was hotter than a rancor's stomach in there. Vyrtem took two steps into the room and was already sweating. The heat hit him like a punch to the face, and he found his lungs burning with every breath. He steeled himself. This was why he was here. Vyrtem forced himself to breathe normally and walk calmly to the corner of the room, out of the way of the workers who kept the furnace burning correctly.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:37 pm
25
Sithspit it was hot in there... Vyrtem knelt down and sat on his heels, clenching his fists on his knees, closing his eyes and turning his face toward the ground. He took a deep, painful breath and attempted to meditate on what he had read. It was no use. He simply couldn't focus. It was far too hot. He began to grow frustrated. He was defeated before he had even begun. What the actual Hell was wrong with him? He was a Sith, for Sith's sake! He couldn't focus because he was a little uncomfortable? He needed to get ahold of himself. He would not be defeated. Not now. He needed a focal point. Something to concentrate on.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:42 pm
26
He chose another time he had been humiliated as a focal point. That day one week ago when he had been treated like trash in front of everyone. Oh yeah. he could focus on that. He still stung from the embarrassment, even if his wounds had begun to heal. His flesh crawled as he remembered the lightning piercing his body. Suddenly his mind was empty of all but one thing; his thirst for vengeance. The need for recompense. That Apprentice would pay for the way he had treated Vyrtem. The young Sith honed in on those feelings and used them to drive all else out of his mind.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:48 pm
27
Vyrtem focused on the idea of the heat the surrounded and penetrated him. He forced himself to think of the agitated particles that created what he felt as heat. If this feeling was as real as the Force, then Vyrtem could harness it. Could control it. He imagined the heat radiating into his body and reaching the particles in his own cells. He imagined the energy flowing across the bridge that his body made between the material world and the Force, and slowly being transformed into pure, raw energy that he might utilize.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:52 pm
28
Nothing was happening.
Vyrtem spent the whole day in the furnace room and had nothing to show for it except a slight dizziness and a cough. This was maddening! What was he not grasping!? He balled up his fist and almost punched the wall again as Mina walked by, giggling to another girl and pointing at Vyrtem. He grit his teeth, clenched his jaw and paced deliberately to his dorm room, where he spent a sleepless night seething and replenishing his precious water levels. He almost wanted to give up. He'd spent so much time on this already, and he was getting nowhere. But no. He would see this through. He had to.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:55 pm
29
The next day, Vyrtem went directly to the furnace room.
"Still ain't learnt yer lesson, eh?" The man chuckled and gestured to show his coworkers that the chastised brat had returned. He gave Vyrtem no more trouble and allowed the Initiate to go to his corner.
The young Sith knelt down in the corner again and attempted to clear his mind. Again he focused on his embarrassment. His cheeks flushed as he thought about Mina laughing at him.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 8:59 pm
30
His body shook, whether from rage or exhaustion it was difficult to tell, but shake he did. He spent the entire afternoon there in that same position trying to find the answer to a question he didn't even understand how to ask.
He was still there when the boys broke for their lunch. The gruff looking man came over and nudged Vyrtem out of his trance.
"I know it's bad luck t' wake a sleepin' Sith, bu' we're wondering if ye couldn't do wi' sommat ta eat."
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:02 pm
31
Vyrtem was cautious to accept a kind gesture from someone in the Sith Service Corps, but what was the worst that could happen? He couldn't be punished for it; no one knew he was down here in the first place. He stood and followed the man out into a side room which proved to be an airlock. As soon as the outer doors closed behind them, the boiling air was pumped out and the front door opened into a small break room, complete with a couple tables and benches, while the walls were line with lockers.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:05 pm
32
The gruff man removed his helmet and held out a hand to shake Vyrtem's own.
"Name's Teich. This 'ere is Bit, Krantz, and Luca."
He gestured to the others, who were removing their own helmets, and Vyrtem waved. Teich went to a locker and pulled out a lunch box before going to the refrigerator and pulling out a few drinks. He offered one to Vyrtem and took one for himself, leaving the others on the table while he opened his lunchbox. As he pulled out a sandwich, he offered half to Vyrtem.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:10 pm
33
Vyrtem gratefully accepted. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. Or thirsty. He guzzled his drink and devoured his sandwich. He exhaled and leaned back in the bench. "Ah... Thank you." Teich laughed, swallowing a bite of his own meal.
"Don' worry 'bout it. If ye don' min' m' askin', though, wha'd ye do to en' up down 'ere?"
Vyrtem had worried this might come up. He saw no trouble with telling the truth, though. A dose of humility might do him some good.
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:15 pm
34
"I... Lost my temper. I spoke out of turn and challenged an Apprentice to combat with my vibroblade... They said that if my temper was so hot, maybe I deserved down here."
Teich laughed loudly
"An' wha', pray tell, d'ye were ye thinkin'?
Vyrtem shrugged. "That that dress he was wearing made him look a little less tough than he might have looked in real clothes. The room erupted in laughter and applause.
"An' 'ow long're ye down 'ere fer?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:20 pm
35
Vyrtem nodded softly "Until I learn to keep my mouth shut... So possibly quite some time."
They all shared a laugh and the conversation turned toward their own interests and home lives. They discussed their wives and children and how everything was going before they included Vyrtem again. Bit spoke
"So how is it that you can stand that infernal heat? You have to be baking in there. I mean, we've all heard the 'just be stronger than the pain' stories, but what do you really do? What do you think about all day, just sitting there? What really keeps you going?"
Vyrtem didn't have to reach far for the answer. "My anger keeps me going. The pain feeds me, and I manage to keep fighting because of it."
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Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:23 pm
36
Bit frowned. "That's a pretty Sith answer. I didn't figure you for that type, if you don't mind my saying."
Vyrtem's eyebrow cocked. "Oh really?"
Luca interjected "He just means that you don't seem like the dark, broody type, like the others seem to enjoy being. It's not every Sith that's willing to tell a joke, you know?"
Vyrtem supposed he could understand that. It wasn't meant as an insult.
"No offense intended" Bit added
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