Betazoid Martial Arts

Tassa'Akai

Betazoid Akai

Meaning, roughly speaking, “Harmony of Mind and Weapon,” Tassa’Akai is a Betazoid fighting style which uses the akai, or Betazoid collapsible fighting baton. The style relies on rapid movement, precision strikes from unusual angles, and dodging, not on brute strength or direct attack. Those facts, by themselves, would do little to set Tassa’Akai apart from dozens of other martial arts styles from around the Federation.

What makes Tassa’Akai unique is its reliance on the practitioner’s telepathic powers to improve her fighting skills (thus, the style can only be learned to full effect by those with certain Telepathic skills). The fighter uses her telepathic abilities to semi-subconsciously determine what her opponent will do next — where she plans to dodge or to block, how she plans to attack, and so forth. she then reacts to that maneuver almost before her foe has consciously conceived of it, which gives him a substantial advantage.

Watching two skilled tassa’akailar fight is almost like watching a ballet, albeit one with deadly intent.

Shel Azra (Jab)

A short fast blow, usually aimed at the face, and intended to set the target up for a follow-up attack.

Ton Azra (Power Strike)

A devastating blow in which the fist is turned, suddenly, to maximize impact by delivering the back of the hand into the target at a maximum velocity.

Daath Azra (Flick-Strike)

While striking with an un-extended Akai, the fighter flicks her in a special way, causing the weapon to extend and add the momentum of the extension to the force of the blow.

Teshtar (Riposte)

Parries armed hand-to-hand attacks., and increases the defender's chances of success on their next attack.

Zor Azra (Skilled Attack)

The practitioner makes a special attack with her weapon. Although difficult to execute properly, this maneuver is equally difficult for the target to block.

Maneuvers

Duna’ras(Feint) Regarded as dishonorable trickery by many warriors, this blow fools the opponent, creating an opening which it then exploits.

Kel Azra (Blunt Attack) The character strikes her opponent with the blunt or dull part of an edged weapon.

Kurais Azra (Crescent Strike) The attacker raises the knee, then extends the foot outward then snaps it around in a dorsal arc, with the heel as the intended striking weapon.

Onezh (Parry) Parries hand-to-hand attack (if attacker is armed, character using Block may need to use a weapon to block).

Sar Azra (Side Strike) The leg is extended in a straight kick to the side while the body continues to face forward from the target. This maneuver may be performed in conjunction with any hand strike on the same opponent without an additional action penalty if the first attack was successful.

The Khrysar'akai

Betazoid Akai

The sword of the Mystic followers of the teachings of Khrysaros. The blade is curved, slightly and sharpened on one edge. It is usually as long as 73cm, but some swords can be as short as 60cm, depending on the height, and reach of the wielder. Each Khrysar'akai is made, by hand, by it's user. And constructing the blade is a rite of passage for a Khrysarian Mystic.

Each wielder tunes their mind to the blade, and as a result can apply a type of telekinetic energy during combat that makes it easier for the Betazoid to hit her target, and fend off the blows of her enemies.

A Khrysarian may use a variation on the Kendo fighting style, or a more aggressive form of fencing when using the Khrysar'akai.

Using Betazoid abilities with other fighting styles

The Tassa'akai was developed by the Betazoids as a method of self-defense. Even the passive Betazoid people realize that sometimes the best defense is a good offense. And that is what the Tassa'akai provides for the skilled fighter. But, one does not have to be a practitioner of Tassa'akai to gain some of it's benefits.

The Akai, first of all, can be learned and used by anyone. And skill in using the Akai should be considered an Armed Combat skill, learned similarly to skills with Andorian, or some Klingon weapons. And, even without skill in Tassa'akai, a Betazoid can use their empathy, and their telepathic abilities in combat in tandem with other martial arts.

Whether the martial artist is using Klingon Mok'bara, Karate, Muay Thai, or the Ninja arts, Empathy can play an important part in predicting the intended maneuvers of one's opponent. And this can often mean the difference between life and death.

See also: Khrysarians