In my own words:
"Grandfather, I wish to perform the Razor Dance and prove my worth to wield our family's ka'toc."
"Razor Dance is gone, little one. If it survived the blast that killed your father it is lost beyond a hostile border."
"Nonethless, Grandfather, I wish to perform the dance."
The old man nodded, and the narn girl stepped back into the first stance, with the k'toc she'd used since her thirteenth birthday ready at her belt. She drew it and held it before her eyes.
"This is Razor Dance, the ka'tok of my family."
It was not. Razor Dance was lost to them, but she must perform the dance precisely while reciting the liturgy in a clam, even tone. She swiped around and low with the blade, bringing it up to her shoulder.
"It was once a plowshear, 'til Zal'thor, my ancestor, forged it into a sword."
A strike straight across at neck level, and the dance began in earnest.
"As it was forged, so have we been forged."
Quick spinning draw cuts to weaken a strong enemy.
"As it was once, it can never be again."
Gaining in speed, striking at more vital spots.
"As we were once, we can never be again."
Twisting full around to deliver the killing blow, but then, still...
"But this is not our final form."
The ka'tok moved slowly, drawing her behind it, and she understood what it meant to be one with her blade.
"To be a peaceful warrior is to dance on the edge of a razor."
The old man had tears in his eyes as his grandaughter sheathed her blade. He embraced her and kissed her forehead. "Ja'toth, you are worthy to wield the razor dance. Your father would be proud."
Even as she embraced her beloved teacher, her thoughts were not with him. I can't be like you, Grandfather. I can't let go of our tradition just because I'm the last of your line. I will wield Razor Dance."
History:
Ja'toth was born as the ocupation on Narn was lifting. Her mother--weakned and sickened from injuries taken in the revolution, died in childbirth. Her father, Ta'jar, and her grandfather, An'jorn, raised her to thrive in the new time of peace but to be strong and ready should war come again. With a broad variety of athletic ability, knowlege of dozens of weapons, and computer skills to give her a career in civilian life, Ja'toth was a child of hope and readiness.
When the Shadow War came, she was not yet old enough to serve, but her father rallied to Ja'kar's call. A year latter, he was slain in battle on a distant world.
On the day she came of age, Ja'toth performed for her grandfather the ritual forms that the wielder of the family ka'tok--Razor Dance--must master to inherit, and slipped away from her home to retrieve her blade.
Serving a human free trader as a computer operator and bodygaurd, she got into space, but the world they needed to reach never came onto their trade routes. Eventualy, out of friendship alone the trader ran a blocade to get her to the world where Ta'jar and died and they found Razor Dance.
