Jekin was barely able to hold Merryn back in the lock as long as he did.  Two hands versus one was a poor match for the one hand.  He tried to bring his blaster up to 'fire' a shot, but he flinched when she spoke to him.  Would she really attack him so forcefully that she would risk hurting herself?  A very small part of him could handle being hurt or killed here, but it was larger than the dark voice in his head that wanted to punish her for threatening him.<br/><br/>He lowered his blaster as she began her assault.<br/><br/>"I-if you hurt yourself, we both lose!" he said as he frantically tried to parry and dodge her onslaught.  His bladework on defense was quick, and he had a way of turning what should have been stumbles into graceful steps back or to the side.  However, it was tainted by a lack of center now, and a weakened desire to fight back.  How long can someone trained an offensive style continue to avoid and evade in this really tight space, even with his level of acrobatic acumen?