Volar's Story - part 05 It was difficult to tell what happened first; The lights snapping on or Nan's voice booming out: "Get up! Put on the body suit and stand in front of your bed!" Third squad put on the suits without too much difficulty. Most of first and second squads had to be shown how to put on the suits, as they had been too busy setting up machinery to review their datapads. It was an unusual suit. Volar put his feet through the only opening. Pushing his feet into the feet on the suit, he then pulled the suit up over his body. He finished by pushing his fingers into the hands of the suit and pulling the hood over his head. Only his face showed. One of the machinists asked "What's this!? You want me to wear pajamas?" The visage of Nan, set in a perpetual scowl, now narrowed it's focus onto the outspoken machinist. ...Who quickly put on his suit and stood in front of his bed without further comment. Nan walked around the room inspecting each person. He ordered Stirip to report to the Second with the instructions: "You will knock on the Second's door. When he tells you to enter, you will say 'Stirip the Reader reporting for duty'." Stirip repeated the phrase back and left the room at a quick walk. Nan stood at the door for about ten stipas occasionally glancing at his chronometer. He then ordered "Follow me!" Fourth platoon followed their Subleader down the hallway to the last door on the right. As they entered, Volar saw the multipurpose room was set up as a temple. The other three platoons were seated in groups around the podium. The Leader and Second were seated in the front, center. After fourth platoon was seated, Stirip the Reader entered and stood behind the podium. He began with a prayer. For ten tipas he read selected words from the Holy Writings. Words of men and women past. Words of good and evil. How to ask the Creator-Sustainor for strength to do what is right. He finished with the ancient phrase: "Let us dwell on these thoughts until we understand them. Let us keep them part of us. Let us depart". The Leader added in a loud voice "Reassemble here in a ten tipas!" With that, half the people left. Usually, at the end of spiritual instruction, Lazaveltians returned to their homes. But here, most returned to their beds. Some found quiet, out of the way places to meditate. The other half stayed in the temple and just prayed silently. Ten tipas later, the company reassembled. Redel the Dancer announced "Physical training will be conducted every littim from now on. Physical training begins now. Follow me." With that, the Leader and Second walked out of the cave. The Subleaders followed in order; first, then second, then third, and lastly Nan the Machinist. Each of the Subleaders were followed in turn by their platoons. The company walked at a quick pace about a quarter tsan (about 400 meters -translator) into the forest. The cold mountain air was refreshing and a gentle breeze carried the fresh outdoorsy smells of the forest. The colors of the vegetation (mostly blue-green with rich dashes of reds and yellows) and the open blue of the sky was a refreshing change from the green of the cave with its ventilated air. Suspended in the trees above the clearing was a large net. It was the same color as the sky. Volar didn't know it, but from above the net was the same blue-green and brown of the forest He did notice the Leader and Second stood in the middle of the clearing while each of the sub leaders spread around them evenly about ten paces apart. He noticed that they did this without any words. Clearly, this was all preplanned. Volar wondered where they found the time to set up the net and practice these orderly movements of such a large number of people. Redel the Dancer gave the order "Form for exercise!" Nan the Machinist ordered "Get in three lines by squads!" For ten tipas they were led in various stretching exercises. Some, they had all done in their youth, others were new. While the Leader led his company in exercises he obviously knew very well, the Second walked about providing additional instruction and demonstration to correct any errors. It was during this time, Volar noticed there were several trails leading from this clearing, not just the one they arrived on. He also noticed the body suit kept him very comfortable. It kept out the cold and moved with him. As he warmed up, it also seemed to cool him so he was always comfortable. He would have to ask someone what this suit was made of. After stretching, the Subleaders led each of their platoons down a different trail. The one Nan went down led to a series of obstacles. There were poles to be jumped over, pipes to be crawled through, walls to be jumped over, ropes to swing on, and several others. Volar thought these obstacles were impossible. "How can I be expected to jump over a sheer wall taller than me?" His question was interrupted by Nan's voice booming "We will not do these obstacles. We will conquer them!" He ran full speed at the wall, jumped as high as he could and used his momentum to run up the wall in defiance of gravity. He was over - leaving the whole platoon gaping "wow". His enthusiasm instantly caught on. The ropes were hung over pits of mud. Nan laughed that the pits were two paces deep. He instructed two men and two women to use the hanging ropes to cross over the pits. After three of them ended up in the mud and the last was left hanging on the rope over the pit, Nan demonstrated the only way to cross the pits was to run full speed and throw your body's full weight against the rope. The momentum carried him across and he let go landing on the other side. A yell went up from fourth platoon. Volar saw the trick was momentum. Again he was expected to throw his whole body through the air. Nan demonstrated how to traverse every obstacle. Some of them made it one the first try. Most did not. The men and women from fourth platoon were cheering each other on. Nan was cheering the loudest. Volar was about to make his run at the rope when a cry came up from behind him: "Healer!" A man came running up the trail. Volar did not know his name, but was pretty sure the man was from third platoon. He stopped in front of Volar and said "Tobin the Driver has fallen and struck his head. He is not moving." Volar heard Nan's voice holler out "Go!" The man from third platoon took off at a run with Volar right behind him. Running through the clearing, they ran up one of the other paths. Volar noticed in passing that second platoon was also on an obstacle course, but their obstacles were completely different. He could hear the other three platoons all yelling and cheering. Their voices came through the trees, but third platoon wasn't very loud at all. Volar was led to five logs which were laid horizontally so that the near end was a half meter off the ground, but the far end was a meter higher. He saw that second platoon was running up the logs and jumping off the far end. It was a speed, balance, jumping and landing obstacle. Off to the right side was Jocham the Dancer and Wendell the Gamer with a third man laying at their feet. The Second was yelling at the rest of the platoon "Conquer this obstacle as you were shown! Keep training!" Volar knelt beside the unconscious man. His medical training taking over, Volar's examination quickly found there was a bump on the left rear quarter of Tobin's skull above and behind his ear. Jocham asked "Do you require any assistance, healer?" Volar replied "This will take a stipa." (one stipa is 1/100 th of one tipa or about 15 standard seconds -translator) Putting his face on Tobin's chest, Volar could hear the man's heart beat...strong and steady. He could feel the man's breathing...slow and shallow, but steady. Volar put one hand on Tobin's face, the other on his chest, then Volar closed his eyes. Concentrating on his gift, he opened his feelings and could see/feel the injury: Some swelling at the back of the skull, some minor pain from his ribs when he hit the ground, some inflamation on the brain where it struck the inside of his skull. Nothing serious. Opening his eyes, Volar informed the Second "There are only minor injuries. I will not require any assistance. Just a tipa or two." From the look on Jocham's face, that was not the answer he expected. After a stipa the Second turned to Wendell and ordered " The Healer will take care of this man. But you are responsible for many others. Return to leading your platoon through it's training." When Wendell hesitated, Jocham added "Go! I will stay with the healer." Volar was only dimly aware of the third platoon Subleader running to catch up to his platoon. When he used his gift of healing, he had to concentrate. Everything else became distant background noises only dimly heard. Volar again stretched out with his feelings. He could feel the swelling as Tobin's body was well into it's automatic injury repair mode. Volar never ceased to be amazed at how the Creator-Sustainor had designed the body. But now, he concentrated on the body's healing response; directing that some blood vessel cells should begin bonding; that the swelling should subside; that the pain signals should stop running up the nerves. He focused and redirected the body's natural healing responses with the force of his will. The healing accelerated. The bruising began to fade as the blood was reabsorbed into the blood vessels and the blood vessels sealed. The swelling went down as cell walls, ruptured by impact, reabsorbed their spilled contents and mended. The bioelectric energy, moving at only minimum levels through the damaged brain tissues before, began to flood into the rapidly repairing area and returned to normal levels. At this rate, all damage would repair easily by tomorrow morning. Just as Volar lifted his hands and opened his eyes, he caught half a glimpse of Toban's mental state: Anxiety because he thought he was slowing down his platoon's training coupled with a fierce determination to conquer all of these obstacles...at least Volar thought that's what it felt like. His first sight was Jocham looking at him funny. A few stipas later, when Tobin woke, Jocham's expression turned to surprise, then amazement. Tobin asked " What happened? Oh, I remember...I slipped. How long have I been out?" Volar answered him "Only a couple of tipas. It's just a little bump." Jocham, switching back into his role as company second asked "Healer, when can this man return to training?" Volar, taking less than a stipa, replied "At the hospital I would say one littim of rest. But he is strong and his injury is so minor, I see no reason to hold him." Jocham turned to Tobin and yelled "O.K. You've rested enough! Get up! You will do this obstacle again, but I will show you how to do it the right way!" Tobin shot up and raced to the start point. Through his gift Volar knew Tobin still had some pains, but no one could see it by looking at him. Jocham said to Volar "Healer, you may return to your training...and when you have a tipa stop by my office before you go to sleep." Volar thought he saw something like respect in Jocham's eyes. But the company second turned away without waiting for an answer and began loudly instructing Tobin how to cross this obstacle before he was even half way to him. Volar returned to his platoon. They were moving through the obstacles as best they could. And Volar gave it his all as well. By the end of the littim's physical training, he had been called away five times. Scrapes, sprains, bruises, one woman fainted from over exertion- it appeared her determination was greater then her strength...nothing serious. Each time, people reacted when they saw him use his gift. But more important to Volar, when the company reassembled in the clearing at the end of the training, he was one of those covered with mud. Yes, it had been a good littim. He sat down heavily, as did most of the others. The leaders conferred in the center of the clearing. Sitting under the trees, smelling the mountain air with it's intoxicating natural aromas, Volar noticed none of the dancers were even breathing hard. His muscles were telling him they had been pushed to the limit, but the dancers weren't even sweating! Looking up into the sky, he saw the sun was just reaching it's highest point. It was not as late as he thought. He was definitely ready for a rest. He was not ready for the announcement that the company would take a five tipa break to rest then training would resume. Five tipas later Redel stood up and hollered " Form for exercise!" Nan ordered "Form by squads!" The platoons each formed into three lines centered on their subleaders. As the subleaders were arranged equilaterally around the leader and second, this caused the entire company to form into a large square. Redel was in the center. The subleaders all faced away from him toward their platoons. The platoons faced their subleaders, so all eyes were on Redel, who ordered "We will now demonstrate the Dance. Watch and learn!" At that all of the subleaders faced Redel and Jocham. The second then ordered "Attack!" At that, the four sub leaders charged the two company leaders! Shtopa and Khofu attacked with their fists while Wendell and Nan grabbed sticks as they charged! The two leaders responded by standing until the four men reached them, then they unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks so fast their hands and feet could not be followed. When Wendel tried to hit Jocham with the stick, the second hit the stick with his bare hand and the stick shattered! Jocham then laid a hail of punches in Wendel, who went down hard. As Nan swung his stick in a powerful blow aimed for Redel's head, the leader stepped right into Nan. Everyone watched as the leader turned his back to the immense machinist. Only after the leader had turned, did Volar see that Redel had grabbed Nan by one of his wrists. In a motion too quick to follow, Redel flipped Nan so that his feet went over his head. Nan landed on his back and Redel now had the stick! Volar didn't see this until after Nan was on the ground and Redel had spun all the way around and hit him with it. Shtopa threw so many punches and kicks in one tenth stipa that Volar couldn't even follow them. They were impossible to count they were so fast. As he watched, Redel used his arms, hands, and elbows to block these punches as fast as they were thrown. He even used his feet and legs to block some of them. Khofu jumped two paces into the air and spun all the way around as she did so. As she completed her turn one of her feet struck out hitting Jocham in the head. The second went down, but instead of hitting the ground, he rolled across his shoulders and came back up. After leaping and spinning all the way around and kicking, Khofu landed on her feet. All in the blink of an eye! She instantly lunged again at the second, who used his hands and legs to block several punches and kicks to his head and abdomen. Then Khofu was on the ground. Her head snapped back as the second struck her in the face. His hand was open when he hit her, but she crumpled from a hit that came straight at her - there was no swing to it at all. Redel crouched low and spun. His leg hit Shtopa's ankles who went down like a farmer's scythe cutting wheat. By the time Redel stood, Shtopa was down. Redel crouched as Shtopa, now on his back put his hands behind his head, kicked his feet into the air and leapt to his feet- feet first! Volar saw it, but didn't believe it. "That's impossible!" he said to those around him. Using both hands, Shtopa threw at least six punches, maybe more at Redel. At one of them, Redel spun. Was he hit? No! He had caught one of Shtopa's lightning fast punches and was turning like he had with Nan. No, not the same, but similar and in the opposite direction. Shtopa was lifted off his feet and thrown sideways into a tree. The company leader and second looked at each other and smiled as the four subleaders slowly got back up and returned to their places in front of their platoons. Volar was stunned. The dancers movements were...what was the word for it? practiced? stylized? What kind of fighting was that!? Redel said "The second and I will now show you the Dance." The two of them moved through a series of dance steps. Some were obviously punches and kicks. There was twisting and turning, and a lot of those strange blocking movements. Volar wouldn't have known what they were except he had just seen some of them used. There were a lot of other motions that he had no idea what they were for. Redel and Jocham continued side by side, moving through their dance. Each did the same motions at the same time. Their movements were so exact, Volar thought there should be a mirror between them. They did most of the movements slowly, but some were blinding fast. Redel had called this a dance, but what a bizarre dance it was. The two men finished at the same time. Redel then said to the entire company "This is a very old dance. Today, you have seen it performed exactly as it was performed over four thousand years ago, on Homeworld, before the great flight. In Museo, City of Artists, we know many dances. Dances of celebration, dances of love, dances for beauty, this is the Dance of Death. You will now learn to dance. Place your feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees slightly..." For the twenty tipas, the dancers showed the entire company the first ten steps in this most macabre of dances. Explaining each step, what it was for, what it did, and how to do it. The company moved through each step one at a time, then three steps at a time, then five, then ten. When the entire company could do the first ten steps together, those steps were repeated over and over again for the rest of the littim. Throughout, Redel led the dance. Jocham and the other dancers moved through the company providing corrections. They insisted that every movement had to be exact. If a hand or an elbow was a finger off, they corrected it and demonstrated it was correct by throwing a punch or kick against it. Volar was willing to put up with the slow pace of learning this dance because he had seen what the results were. The he heard one of the dancers tell Nan the Machinist that this was only the first ten steps of the dance. That there were one hundred steps in this dance. And there were two dances to learn. At the end of the littim, Redel ordered "Form the company". The sub leaders moved so they were all four in a line. The subleaders then ordered "Form by squads". One the entire company was arranged with all four platoons on line, three squads deep, The company leader formally commended the platoons to their subleaders with the words " Subleaders, train your platoons!" Without waiting for an answer, the company walked quickly back toward the cave. Only then, did Volar notice Jocham was not with them. The second must have slipped away before. As soon as the leader had reached the clearing the first subleader ordered "Follow me!" and led his platoon quickly back toward the cave. As soon as first platoon reached the edge of the clearing, the second subleader ordered "Follow me!" and led his platoon the same way. When the third subleader ordered "Follow me!" Nan ordered "Third squad, form on third platoon as a fourth squad". Volar and his fellow specialists ran over to third platoon and followed them. Behind him, Volar heard Nan order "First and second squads follow me!" and the company walked quickly back to the cave, each platoon separated by twenty paces between each platoon. Volar noticed the subleaders all seemed to be setting the same pace. They were ordered to stop when they arrived at the cave. The third subleader, Wendel the Gamer, ordered third platoon "Open your lockers. Grab your laser carbine, one detachable power pack, one power cable, and the goggles from your foot locker. Bring them to the multipurpose room." He then turned and entered the cave. Volar assembled his equipment and walked quickly. When he walked in, he saw everyone sitting down quickly. He thought about sitting in the place where fourth platoon usually sat, but he had been told to go with third platoon, so he sat just behind third platoon. This left the entire company sitting in three groups in a half circle around a table. Volar couldn't help but notice it was an ugly rectangular green table. On the table was a laser carbine, power pack, cable, goggles, and a datapad. Behind the table was a large screen. Redel waited at the table. When everyone was seated he said "It took too long to move from the clearing to this room. You must all move faster. When you are told to do something you will do it quickly." Raising his voice he said "Bearclaw the Hunter, instruct us". A small man rose from first platoon and walked behind the table. Facing the company he said "I am Bearclaw the Hunter. I will now teach you how to use a laser carbine. We will begin by watching a vid." Bearclaw tapped a button on his datapad and sat on the floor as the vid started. It showed a man wearing a full set of combat armor - just like the ones hanging in the wall lockers - picking up a laser carbine and aiming it at a series of what looked like round solar panels one foot across. The vid showed the ranges to the various panels in paces in the lower right corner. When the man tapped the firing post a green light flashed on top of the panel. Bearclaw announced "The green light signals a hit." The man in the vid then pointed his weapon several times at different panels. Each time the green light flashed. Volar noticed that the ranges in the corner varied from 200 to 800 paces. Then the man fired at a lone panel. The vidred in the lower right corner said the distance was 200 paces. This time a red light flashed on the right side of the panel. Bearclaw announced "The red light signals a near miss on the side indicated". The man in the vid then fired three more times. The red lights flashed on the bottom, left, and then the top. Bearclaw continued " The red lights are only to help you learn to aim the weapon. Only the green light signals a hit." The man in the vid then pointed the weapon one more time and the panel light flashed green. The vid ended and Bearclaw the Hunter stood behind the table. Picking up his goggles he said "These goggles will protect your eyes from laser light. Put them on" Showing everyone the switch on the left side of his carbine he said "Pick up your carbine. On the left side is a switch labeled from top to bottom HSDO. Push the switch to D. This is important. Anyone who fails to do this risks killing the man next to him. Check those around you to make sure theirs are set to D." Volar's was already set to D. All the others seemed to be also. Bearclaw continued "When the power switch is set to S the carbine will fire at it's standard output. The auxiliary energy pack holds sufficient energy for thirteen shots at this setting. When the switch is set to H this is it's high power setting. The pack will fire only once on this setting. When the power switch is set to D the carbine's output is very little. This is used for practice and directing laser guided weapons. More about that later. When the switch is turned to O the carbine is turned off and will not fire. Unless you are engaged in training the power switch on your carbine will always be turned to O. This is for safety. Pick up your power cable. Notice the connectors on both end of the cable are the same. It does not matter which way it is connected. Push the cable into the carbine like so." Bearclaw kept speaking as the company connected their weapons. " You know it is connected when you hear a quiet click. The cable will not come out unless you first depress the release ring around the connectors." Volar watched as Bearclaw pulled the ring back onto the cable with his thumb and forefinger and popped the cable off. It took Volar a couple of tries, but once he figured it out he showed those around him. "Now, connect your carbine to your auxiliary energy pack." Amidst the sound of a lot of quiet clicks, Bearclaw directed " Your carbine is now armed..." Volar decided Bearclaw wasn't the best public speaker, but he sure knew a lot about lasers. The rest of the time was spent watching vids and listening to Bearclaw the Hunter explain what they were seeing; how to aim the carbine, how many paces away it would kill a man, what the vidreds on the helmet faceplate meant. Volar thought it would be interesting to wear that armor. He learned that the auxiliary energy pack was considered a reserve only. The armor contained a energy cell woven throughout the entire suit and it held enough energy for fifty shots. You couldn't use high power constantly because each high power shot drained energy for eight standard shots and strained the laser. High power was only for lasing vehicles. Standard was for lasing Shifters. Volar was surprised how easy it was to aim the carbine at one of the many panels which were scattered about the multipurpose room. (There were even some on the ceiling). He also realized that unlike the man on the vid, he and his team mates were only lasing at ranges of at most forty paces. Once you understood how to align the front and rear sights, it was easy. It was just going to take some practice. The littim's training came to an end when Redel walked into the multipurpose room wearing a full suit of armor. His laser carbine and auxiliary energy pack were clipped onto the armor just as the datapad directed. Volar also observed that Redel's weapon was connected to his energy pack. He was armed. Redel walked to the head of the room and announced "Thank you Bearclaw the Hunter. That will be all for now. You are all advised to read your datapads for more information. Fourth platoon prepared my armor today. The fourth platoon subleader says he can adjust one suit per day. When it comes to be your turn, you will report to the machine room and do as directed. Once you are fitted with armor you will wear it at all times. Training is over for this littim. We will begin again at first light. Place your weapons on off and disconnect them. Get some sleep." After a brief meeting with the second, Volar found he barely had enough time to eat and shower before the lights went out. And that, only if the squad all used their time orderly. As it was, roughly a third of the platoon got into bed after the lights had gone out. Volar was among the last of these. Source: Mark Nielipinski These pages are in no way endorsed or sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd or West End Games. ®, TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL). All rights reserved. Trademarks of LFL used by West End Games under authorization.