Star Wars: Fall of an Empire - Part II

III - Finn

The Vantage Star Destroyer travelled through hyperspace. It was the last remaining resurgent type ship of the Empire and served as the mobile headquarters of Emperor Skywalker. Inside its practice arena Finn was training with Ben. They were using electroblade training swords and once again Finn was disarmed.

"Why not use real ones?" he asked as he picked his sword from the ground.

"It's best we stick to practice sabers for now, if you don't want to lose a hand."

"Do you think I'm so useless I'd cut myself?"

"No, it's myself I don't trust."

"Isn't self-control one of the values of a Jedi?" Finn said in a mocking tone as he walked towards him trying to read his form.

"It may be, but I have spent too much time in the dark side. I can't switch off some of my instincts when I'm in a battle."

Finn suddenly stopped. "So you might lose control and accidentally kill me one day."

"Yes," he said matter of factly.

Finn looked at him and Ben smiled. "Please don't joke. I never know when you're serious."

Ben whirled his saber in his hand and prepared to attack. Finn raised his saber to deflect it, but was unable to put his whole body behind it and staggered back from the blow.

"Precision isn't important," Ben instructed him. "Only try and keep each of your opponent's attacks from your body. That's all you have to focus at the first stages of a fight."

Ben's foot-work was rough and Finn always misjudged how he was going to attack. Ben didn't fight with the acrobatic ability of Rey or in any conventional way. Instead he chose raw power. Behind each of his blows he put all his strength. This was what Finn had to learn to replicate.

Finn attacked with strong repeated jabs to unsettle him. Ben moved out of each strike without breaking a sweat. He didn't do it gracefully, but with nonchalance. As if he could guess where the next attack was going to come from. Then when he saw an opening he attacked and with a hard hit sent Finn's practice saber flying. 

Before the saber hit the ground Finn was quick to Force pull it back into his hand and turned to strike him. Ben was caught off guard, but still was able to block his attack. He then raised his saber and brought it down with a powerful blow. Finn was unbalanced once more and though he blocked the attack he fell backwards to the ground.

As Finn lay there Ben came over him and extended his hand. Finn reached out to take it. "You're learning quickly," Ben said with a smile as he lifted him off the floor.

"I have to. My life was full of wasted years. I don't want to waste any more."

"It wasn't all wasted. You were trained as a stormtrooper."

"Exactly," Finn said sarcastically.

Ben smiled. "Still you have to be patient. You improve a lot with each practice, but it is in a real battle that the real learning happens. There you'll find out that forms are useless."

"Is that Master Luke's teachings or yours?"

Ben smiled and turned to his left as if looking at someone. "Luke believed you can only fight as good as you practice. I think there is some truth to that. I also think there are things that come up in a battle when your intent is to kill each other, that wouldn't come up when you train."

Finn nodded and considered this. "I haven't fought anyone as strong as you before."

"Never underestimate an opponent. Beating someone strong doesn't guarantee you'll easily win against someone weaker. Or smaller in size. With each opponent you have to adapt to their fighting style. Sometimes," he said and paused for a second. "Sometimes, an untrained opponent is harder to adjust to, if you're used to fighting experienced ones."