Alex woke up in his dark and dank prison cell perspiration dripped off his forehead, the night of Tatooine was still hot, at least to him it was, he could hear the whimpering of his cellmate who had the bottom bunk and was curled up in the fetal position. Alex leaned over the top bunk and stared down at the pitiful figure below him. The boy was young even younger than Alex's fourteen years of age, he was dark skinned with very short hair. "You might want to get some sleep, I have a feeling it's going to be a long day tomorrow." This only made the boy sob even louder, one of the guards came to the prison cell gate. "Shut your mouth boy or you will get a taste of my whip." The guard threatened as he smacked his neuronic whip against the cell which made a loud clang. The boy immediately quieted down and let out a soft sob every once in a while. Alex kept trying to sleep but just when he was about to the boy sobbed and woke him up, finally Alex looked down at the boy and asked. "How come you're crying so much?" The boy looked up, his red-rimmed eyes were unfocused looking at something Alex could not see. "I'm far from home, I won't see my mommy or my daddy or my sisters again, what isn't there to sob about? And I'm probably going to die soon." Alex gazed on the boy pity evident in his eyes. "I won't be seeing my family either, and I face the perils just as much if not more than you, but remember there's only one way out of life and that's death I'm not a Jedi I won't be living longer than seventy more years at most, whether I die fighting or I die an old man the result is the same. My name is Alex." Alex stuck out his hand which two of Tatooine's moons seemed to highlight from the barred window, the boy shook the proffered hand. "I'm Tnias." "Well Tnias, let's get some sleep we have a long day tomorrow and it will only be longer if we're tired, sleep and worry for tomorrow when it is tomorrow, agreed?" Alex said hoping Tnias would agree and pass out. "A..Alright." Tnias said as he dried his eyes with his arms and dried his nose. Alex turned on his shoulder and immediately fell asleep.


Clang! Clang! Clang! Alex was immediately awake after the first sound and looked around; there were guards smacking their neuronic whips against the cells. "Alright slaves sleep time is over, everyone stand up by your beds." "Stand up by your beds! Or I shall come in there and teach you how to obey orders." The guards appeared at Alex's and Tnias's cell. "Is this the crybaby?" The guard said pointing to Tnias, Tnias gulped as the guard opened the cell. "No it was me." Alex said as he stared defiantly at the guard, who grinned in return. "Oh, really? Let me give you something to cry about." The guard hit Alex with his whip which brought Alex to his knees, as he was on his knees the guard grabbed his head and smashed Alex's face with his knee. Tnias stood stunned gazing at the groaning body on the floor with terror in his eyes, the guard stepped pass Tnias and stared him straight in the eye. "You listen to me boy and you listen good, I don't allow crybabies or liars live very long, so you better shape up or I'll feed you to the rancor." With those words the guard stepped out and stood by the gate, Tnias hurried over to Alex. "You ok?" Alex had a hand over his nose which was bleeding profusely. "I just got my nose smashed in, I don't think so." He said in a highly nasal voice. "The fact that I got beat up because I didn't want to see you get beat up makes it feel all the worse." Tears were in Alex's eyes as he spoke. "I think your nose is broken, take your hands off of it." Alex obliged reluctantly releasing the pressure on his nose. "Yeah it's broken, want me to set it?" Alex nodded his head, knowing the intense pain that was going to come with it. "Alright, 3...2...1." Snap! The tears in Alex's eyes doubled but at least the pain was subsiding. Alex stood up, experiencing intense dizziness he sat down and waited for it to pass. The slave master walked up to their cell passing the abusive guard, he approached to two boys sitting on the hard stone floor. "You two are to begin training immediately, you will be trained for the next two years in the gladiatorial arts, and you will probably be sickened your first year but believe me when I tell you this; you might as well enjoy the killing, it will be with you for the rest of your life." Another man stepped into view; he was tall, broad shouldered, shaved head, bare-chested, and covered in scars. The slave master continued his speech. "This is Stew the Swordsman, he will teach you how to wield a sword without chopping yourselves up, or if you would rather use a different weapon ask now." Tnias looked down and shuffled a little, before speaking up. "I would like to learn to use an axe." The slave master nodded his head and turned to Stew. "Escort him to Yanni the Barbarian when you train the other one." The slave master turned away, while Stew nodded towards both of them. "Follow me." He said in a deep voice, and they did.


Alex parried the blow that was aimed for his head and tried to riposte, it ended with him futilely attempting to block his opponents next strike that caught him in the ribs, in normal circumstances it would of sliced right through him, but these were wooden swords and at most it would crack a rib, this blow however knocked the wind out of Alex and would give him a bruise in the morning. Stew raised his eyebrow, questioning Alex's condition, Alex looked at him an expression of pain in his eyes, but he nodded indicating he was ready for more abuse. Stew stepped back and raised his sword in a defensive positioning, Alex gave him the satisfaction of pressing on with the attack. Side blow, parry, riposte, overhand strike, parry, and thrust, the thrust caught Stew by surprise and Alex was able to hit him in his chest. "Enough." Said the slave master. "You will now learn how to properly use a dagger, whether it be wielding or throwing, follow me." Alex gave his sword to Stew, who mouthed; I'll get you next time, Alex followed the slave master to a small practice yard next to a range, standing by the range was a gaunt Twi'lek who was cleaning his finger nails with a knife, he was blue, short, and was wearing a loose fitting trench coat. The slave master turned around and gave Alex his orders. "Sharfaq will teach you how to master a dagger, when you are done he will escort you back to the barracks where you will rest until tomorrow morning where we will resume your training." With that the slave master left the two alone, Alex turned to Sharfaq. "I'm Sharfaq, what do you want to learn first? Fighting or throwing?." Alex pondered the question, If I learn how to fight it will benefit when I'm too close for swordplay, but I would be distanced at a great range. "I'll learn how to throw first." Sharfaq let out a shadow of a smile. "Good choice, in a match it might save your life, watch me first." Sharfaq reached into his trench coat and drew out five throwing daggers, he aimed at a target a short distance away and threw them one at a time until he was out. Alex stared in surprise as not a single one missed, Sharfaq had an amused expression on his face. "You see, you never throw it in a spinning formation otherwise the handle would most likely hit your opponent, always throw it overhand or underhand, overhand will give you more power and range, but the other hand is more accurate." Alex spent the rest of the day with Sharfaq learning the dagger and its untold secrets, when they finished up Alex returned to the barracks and sat in his cell until supper was served, a simple meal that covered all the basic food groups, or at least he hoped it was what he thought it was. Tnias showed up exhausted, the guard handed him his food, he ate and fell asleep, Alex looked at his cellmate. "That's a fine notion." He rested his head on the pillow and slept.

 
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He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator

TRP/PFC_Rogueboy/1SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR]

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Raiders
SL/SGT_Darr-Rann/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/VEA/VE/Tadath [LoR][CoR]
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SERGEANT
WARRANT OFFICER, 2ND CLASS
one of few - A vast Empire medic
Read Losses of Vandetta by me and Hellra
Flashmaker