[Hop on the magic school ship] - I dub thee, but first...

[Luy]

Fine gold is recognized when it is tested.​

Luy awoke on the bed, the chronometer showed it’d been two hours since he’d informed his students to wash up, eat and rest. He didn’t even known when his head hit the pillow of his bunk! But as he looked to the chrono on the bedside table, he realised that he was over an hour late. He shot up, feeling all the blood rush from his head, he swooned back down to the sheets. Rising slower he dressed in his robes, took up his saber, found his dataslate sliding down he edge of his mattress and scooped up a large bergen; covered in is additional pouches and pockets.

Moving out of the small room he had assigned himself, he tore down the corridor, stumbling past his astromech making its rounds of the facilities. He turned to see the droid was fine and then made for the arranged meeting place. He still amazed at the scale of the Grey Lady the few padawans, the crew and a handful of droids seemed to rattle around the corridors, hardly ever meeting by accident.

He entered the cleared, portside mess hall. All of the benches and chairs had been placed into a cargo hold as soon as Luy had seen the space. It would make a serviceable teaching space. Spartan, spacious and lined in the metal of the bulkheads. The room was some sixty feet across and was near twenty feet deep. He saw each student, and composed himself for the lessons ahead, first and foremost would be one that he hoped would stay in their minds forever. He used the Force to send his lightsaber ahead of him. The cylinder of metal, with a leather grip that was wound over wood, and a tattered piece of cloth rotated as it drifted through the air. “This weapon is my life.” he made his way to stand in front of the assembled students, the blade returned to his grasp. “It represents a Jedi’s relationship to the Force. We guide it, as the Force guides us.” he looked to each one of them. “Now, under my instruction you will use your crystals in the construction of your own saber, and they will become your lives.”

@Killa Ree @EmilyHuene @TheMorrigan

 

[Nikka Toren]

After the events of the caves of Ilum, Nikka could not rest.

For twenty minutes, she stood in the warm fall of the showers, letting the steam fill the bathing room as she mulled over everything that had happened. She should have been conflicted, but... oddly, she was at peace. She was remarkably calm, and when she stepped from the showers she was clear-headed. Her shorn hair now no longer needed maitenance. Though it drifted down to her shoulders, it was much shorter than it had been, and when braided up showed more of the extensive tattooing on her neck. Her fingers idly drifted over the raised portions of skin where they had been inked in. She stood there simply for a moment, feeling these marks, until she slowly bent to pick up the towel and dry.

Her hair was still mostly damp by the time she braided it back into a simple style, quite tightly. She dressed in her usual pilot's uniform of dark brown pilot's trousers and a white tank; over top came the duster, and her crystals. The crab had been temporarily put in a transparisteel storage box, where it idly clicked its claws and stared at her with beady eyes.

She took one deep breath, and then another, before pulling on her boots and stepping out. Though her chambers aboard the Grey Lady were larger than any she had ever lived with, it was spartan in its' decorations: a simple cot and bench that doubled as a bedside table. A hanging space for her spare outfit and formal one, temporarily unpacked. The door leading to the small bathing room. And she preferred it that way.

She began to stride her way towards the mess hall. Sensing no others, she was for the moment relieved. She really wasn't ready to discuss what had happened in those caves... nor what she had gained yet. Instead, she sat cross-legged on the ground, content to meditate in peace for a few minutes before the others arrived.

When Horus and Kae would eventually filter in, their presence would stir her from her quietude. She would greet them both with a smile or nod.

She was the first to spot the belated Master, hurrying through the halls transparent in her Vision, and hid a smile, raising a brow. "Here he comes..." she muttered to herself, amused, and then bow as he approached, her voice light. "Good morn, Master. Happy to have you join us." But the smile she had took any bite out of her words. Instead, she listened, head tilted thoughtfully. The two crystals she had hummed in her pocket, reminding her.

Of what she faced.

Of what she would become.

Of what he expected of them.

Her hand slipped into the pocket, grasping them gently. Bringing them out, then closer to her heart. Feeling the same Light that resonated with them, sing within her. No matter what, she was ready. These trials were going to be a test within the Light...

But she had faced the Darkness before. Now, she was prepared to bring her crystals into the life he described. But.. there was a feeling. This was not the only challenge they would face... and it would test them all to their limits, perhaps. @Sangga @EmilyHuene @TheMorrigan

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Coming back to The Grey Lady was a blessing. Kae'Leigh was frozen to the core in those caverns and passing through the snow was just as annoying. When they got back, Master Luy advised them that they could go and wash up before he wished to speak with them again. Kae'Leigh didn't need to be told twice. She parted from the others -still shivering- and made fast for her room. Two hours was what he'd given them. Only now it had been over three. But as she sat there in the mess hall, Kae'Leigh found an overwhelming sense of peace. She was clutching her crystal in her hands and rubbing her thumbs across the edges. She'd never been a patient person, but in that caves everything had changed.

Her crystal came to her with a vision. A revelation of her devotion to the Force which assured all of her doubts and hesitancies. Kae'Leigh saw in herself not just that she would be a Jedi Knight -she'd already seen that future- but that she would be a mother. And through that crystal she saw her daughter's spirit waiting to come to her. It seemed only perfect she'd fight for that dream, and with that dream in her saber sword.

She'd since dressed out of her heavy clothes, she was now only wearing her robes and leather jacket. She still had her utility belt around her waist, with her old master's saber still clipped to a ring. She didn't think she'd ever wield it again, but she didn't want to be caught empty handed for any particular reason either. Not until she was sure her new saber was crafted. But as always, her R-5 blaster pistol was in its pouch on her right hip holster.

In her room, she'd gone straight to the refresher and tossed all her clothes down at the foot of the door to relish in the hot water. She wasn't dirty by any means, but she felt she needed some reprise of warmth lest she fall to the chill and freeze to death. The water dripped down her lekku giving her chill bumps despite being in all the heat. The room was filled with steam before she'd even set foot into the water; she wanted to make sure it was hot before stepping into it.

While Kae'Leigh let the warm water run over her, she thought about her vision in the cave. Even before she found her crystal she knew it was calling to her. She realized now that is was her daughter's spirit directing her down to the caves, playing a childish game of hide and seek with her soon-to-be mother. Kae'Leigh took comfort in the fact her daughter was watching over her, guiding her light to the future. It made her smile, and it had been a good while since she'd had something to actually smile about.

She'd spent about an hour in the water before she realized how much time she'd spent. Her own paranoia refused to let her stay in there any longer. After drying off, she rested against the bed and sprawled herself out. Looking to the ceiling she wondered where her life would take her. The future she knew she would become a Jedi. But she still had a choice of what kind of Jedi she would be. Would she follow Vu'thari and leave the Galactic Alliance? Or would she stay with the rebels and fight alongside them as she had these past few months?

Deciding it was best to not dwell on things too far in the future, she found her clothes once more and prepared to leave. It felt like it took longer to put the clothes on, as if coming back to the real world was somehow daunting. But she pushed through it and took her body through the motions until she was standing in front of a mirror to make sure everything was in order. In her reflection, she felt like someone else was standing there looking at her. Was this another Kae'Leigh? Or was this who she was now? Another thought for another time. Nodding her head she turned to the door and left the troubles behind.

Now that she was dressed she headed down the long corridors remembering the confusing paths of the ship's various levels. She didn't need the Force to guide her, her brain worked things out like puzzles with ease, and navigating the passenger liner was no different. She found Nikka had beaten her there, and Kae'Leigh would come to sit on the table nearest her. Not that the girl needed to be face to face as she didn't see with her eyes. It was mostly for Kae'Leigh's benefit. As she sat, she set a grey pouch she'd brought with her down beside her on the table. She then took out her crystal and began to think back to her vision once more. For good reason, it couldn't leave her mind.

This is what she was thinking about when their master would enter into the mess hall finally; Nikka's voice would inform them that he was coming before he even got to the door. Kae'Leigh looked up and saw the man who seemed to be rushing. Was he late? The blue Twilek couldn't even tell. She was so focused on her crystal she lost all sense of time. The Jedi master entered in and would hold his lightsaber out in front of him, guided by his hand in the Force. Explaining to them as he got closer, that his weapon was his life, their relationship to the Force. And then he informed them they'd be building their own sabers!

Kae'Leigh could not be more excited. Looking to the grey pouch she'd brought with her, she unzipped the top and peered inside to the several parts wrapped up in cloth. She then pulled the bag from the spot next to her and began to to rifle through the pieces. She set out the various parts and bolts until she finally got to the bottom and took out a larger cylindrical cloth and unwrapped it, revealing a long piece of Brylark. On Kashyyyk, for their Life day event, her and her old master had revealed themselves to some Wookies nearby who still believed in the Jedi. They gifted the group with the wood from the tree, and now Kae'Leigh would make from that her weapon of peace and justice.

"This is shiny!" she said to the others around her. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this. Not that I minded having Vu'thari's, but it will be nice to have a blade I can call my own."

 

[Horus Tempest]

Horus sat on his mat on his ship, calmly drinking some herbal tea and getting on with his morning meditations. He had a mental note that he was supposed to leave the ship and meet up with the others soon, but for some reason he disregarded urgency. A quick shower later, dressing appropriately and grooming for the occasion (by this point the others had most likely gathered) Horus finally lowered the landing ramp. His amber kyber crystal was wrapped around his neck, ceremonial robes that he tailored covered by his normal overcoat. His current green lightsaber hung by his side, as he prepared to craft a second. It was interesting to repeat the process, but this had some significant meaning. Luy was his Master after all, and he would likely model this second hilt after the one his master bore. From what he heard, it was somewhat customary to do so.

Walking up to the gathering, Horus offered a wave and a smile. When he looked over to Luy, who seemed to have arrived before him, he bowed gently before returning upright. He then joined the gaggle formally, listening to the very last of what Luy had to say. He understood the relationship between the lightsaber and wielder. It was one of the symbols that made them Jedi, one of the purest connection to the living force that existed, beyond raw utilization. He had constructed one haphazardly before, and it wasn't exactly the prettiest thing, but it was functional. His saber style complemented the design well, and he looked forward for it to have a twin. Dual sabers were something he probably wouldn't use, but having an off weapon was always an edge, he could deliver a second weapon to an ally who lost their own, or use jar'kai should the circumstances demanded it. He calmly tapped his foot, almost as a way of showing that he was thinking for those who couldn't see expressions and nodded calmly.

"I understand. I only constructed my own recently, but I think this will be a special occasion. My weapon is an extension of my will after all. But I do wonder... have you ever seen an amber lightsaber before? The most I've heard of are blue and green."

@Sangga @Killa Ree @EmilyHuene

 

[Luy]

“Good Morn Nikka, Kae’leigh, Horus.” He bowed to each of them as he said their name and then unceremoniously dropped the heavy rucksack. It toppled with a clink and a few clanks. The thing was around three feet tall, and about two broad and one deep. One, unfastened flap flopped open and several tools, screw and a switch or three tumbled out. He looked to each of them, his excitement glowing in twinkle in his eye.

He held his hand out flat, pointing to the bag and its contents, then Kae’leigh revealed the piece of Brylark. “This has sufficient importance to you, good. That is exactly what you should use in your saber.” He brushed a hand against the material. “Perhaps inlaid to the grip? Yes, as some of you may know and others have ideas of, crafting a saber is one of the most crucial and personal experiences you will have as Jedi. The lightsaber is a Jedi's only true ally.”

They all appeared keen, Horus asked a most intriguing question. Luy’s brow raised, as did his hand to his chin. “Hmm, I cannot say that I have seen one. But when my own crystal was revealed to me and my Master saw its Viridian colouration. He told me that a blades colour is a reflection of us and our link to the Force. Whether you choose to believe this…” he looked down to his notes and research on lightsabers, scrolling through the data on his dataslate. “... the Temple guards of the Old Order wielded lightstaves of yellow, as did the elusive and secretive Sentinels and Watchman…” the Master mumbled as he sifted through the data. He paused and pondered. “It would appear that I have very little on an amber. Orange sabers have been noted to exist, and I must say it seems to be somewhat of a fit…” he handed the dataslate to Horus.

Upon the screen was a treaty on the rarer colours that saber crystals manifested. It was hypothesised by this scholar, a Knight by the name of Kr’Krii, that those that wielded Orange lightsabers were conflicted, and had been close to the Darkside of the Force but have moved to the Light. Such individuals chose many Paths within the order, but none seemed to correlate to one Path.

“So who knows what your colour means, perhaps a you a destined for a merging of these things, but certainly it is your own Path.” He knelt down to begin removing some of the tools. A small lathe, some drills and drivers. Then he offered the bag to them. “Search, still your mind and visualise your saber in your hand. Think upon that which you need to connect you to the Force and this crystal. What will you need to ensure that you are safe when in danger, humble in victory and resolute in your defeat. I will help you achieve this, but once you have sufficient components and have tooled them correctly… then you will have to make it with the Force. Only in this way well you crystal be aligned to you and its new purpose, only then will you blade be the tool with which the Force will use you.”

@Killa Ree @EmilyHuene @Horus Tempest

 

[Nikka Toren]

She could practically feel the excitement coming from her Master, and the answering smile remained. She, too, had been looking forward to this for a long time, longer still when her dreams depicted the blades she would wield. She beamed at Kae's exclamation, joy marking in even her calm posture. It had felt like an age since she was a mechanic on Bothawui; it was the realization of a dream for her.

She could See them, as clear as day. Twins, bright and a steady set of companions. Ones that could be together in battle or wielded separately, but each with its' presence tied with hers. They came from the same facet; they would be wielded by the same hands. The designs would be simple, easy to maneauver for someone much smaller than her Master, and still rather short in comparison to her companions. No shoto sabers these, but of proper weight and heft.

The bag was set down. Nikka was ready. But just before...

She gave him a smile, and an inclined head of respect. "Thank you, Master." And that was the last she would speak for some time.

Yes... she could See them both clearly. Though she could not see their color, she knew they were bright. She took up her components; each one felt right after comparison, from switch to belt clip; they had to be easily hid on her person. Each hilt was disassembled in her head, and then brought together. This was what she had been preparing weeks and months for.

It had taken a long time for her, however. The hilt design was simple, with a slight curve at the end; better for gripping. The casing was simple as well, with a small decorative inlay of black wood. No leather for her, nor Brylark. Like Horus, she would wield two. Separate and together. They would be doubly effective as both sword and shield.

She could sense it, as she sat before them all. Feel them in her hands, hear the hiss as they would roar to life. But the color... she could not Sense it. And yet, the crystals she held in her right palm bathed in a pool of brilliant emerald green. She could feel the weight and heft of it, the elegantly simple balance in both heated battle and calm defeat.

And just for one moment... a face appeared in her mind. As resolute as stone. Eyes that glowed... and she knew one path of her Fate.

She was destined to face a Sith, and test her connection to the Force. And these twin blades, their strength together, would determine that Fate.

She was now ready. Each component was laid out gently, caressed by sensitive fingers and a selective mind. Everything was carefully selected, down to the individual switches, and even their lengths. She was ready to begin the build... she settled in with a breath, feeling her trained calm descend over her mind like a veil. She was prepared, so she began to bend to her work, prepared to build the tool, weapon and shields she was prepared to carry.

It was a simple matter of time, even if she took a bit longer than the others.

@EmilyHuene @TheMorrigan @Sangga

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

And now they were all here. Kae'Leigh hadn't been focused on the surroundings so she didn't realize Horus wasn't there after the two hour mark. But he was here now so that was reassuring. She wondered -since he came so close after their master- if the two of them were out having their own conversation elsewhere, thus making them both late. It made sense. Why else would they both late.

Luy would approach the table she was sitting at and then set out his bag of tools which caused Kae'Leigh's eyes sparked with delight. So many gizmos! So many whatchamacallits! She squealed and danced in her seat as she started to rummage through them. Her mind was racing now with different plans and designs for her saber; the ones she'd brought previously already in the garbage bin of her mind. He'd then ask if she was adding it to the grip and she'd nod; her lekku bounced gently behind her head from the motion.

Horus would then mention something of interest to Kae'Leigh, that he'd rescued an orange saber crystal from those caves. Kae'Leigh tilted her head, curious to see the gem. She was learning more and more about these magical gems. Green, blue, and now orange. How many other colors were there? She looked over to Luy as he inspected the brylark in front of her. Sufficient importance might not have been the right meaning to Kae'Leigh; it meant everything to her. But she understood the connotation behind his words.

Answering Horus' question, Master Luy then explained he'd not seen one either. That puzzled Kae'Leigh. Did that mean...orange was not an acceptable color? Or simply it was so rare that they were witnessing a miracle? Kae"Leigh would normally feel a ping of jealousy at the other Padawan, but she was perfectly pleased with the color of her own blade. She couldn't think of having any other color. His explanation furthered by saying the color reflected their link to the Force. She looked down at her blue gem and nodded. Yeah, that made sense.

Master Luy then pulled out a datapad and began looking through it. Kae'Leigh again cocked her head trying to get a look at it. She even got out of her seat to move closer to the both of them so she could get a look too. Not even in her research that Vu'thari gave her did it explain anything about other warriors of their Order. She'd been tasked with reading essays and the like of past Jedi and their interpretations of the Force. Ways in which to calm one's mind and suppress negative emotions. Master Luy would hand the datapad to Horus and the blue skinned Twi'lek would lean over his shoulder to keep looking at it. Her lekku fell gently against his back from this angle.

Nikka would thank her master and then move right along in her work to start crafting her blade. Kae'Leigh wanted to dig right in, but she was still excited to read the data that Horus was looking at. But that could wait until later. Master Luy wouldn't have these tools out all day. Kae'Leigh gave Horus a kind and caring squeeze on his shoulder and then returned to her seat. She pushed her pile of tools aside and started finding different ones within the pile. If the others wanted what she had, they were welcome to them too.

And so they toiled. Kae'Leigh looked up every now and then and observed the progress the others were having. Nikka it seemed was building two sabers. Kae'Leigh never thought about that. And Horus would have two now as well. Technically speaking she also had two, but she didn't plan on using Vu'thari's for the rest of her life. That saber would go back to him, and hopefully to another Padawan when they needed it. She didn't want two; she'd trained with one. And that's how it would stay. Her vision she'd seen herself of in the future only had one blade and she was perfectly content letting that vision come true.

It didn't take Kae'Leigh long at all to figure out the pieces she wanted. Though she did keep changing her mind. But as she searched through the pile and found a perfectly good frame on blue metal, she knew this is what she wanted. She tore through the rest of the pile and gathered as many scraps of blue as she could until she had herself a grip to the brylark tube. She'd already cut the frame as she needed it prior to this, so all she had to do now was design the rest and place the crystal and power pack into place.

Letting the Force guide her, she lined the framework piece by piece in an exploded view of what would come to be. She nodded at herself -her lekku bouncing again- as she looked down at the blueprint for her future weapon. Yes. This was what she wanted. Closing her eyes, she clutched her crystal to her chest once more as she said shared a peaceful wish to the Kyber gem. Then, letting the Force grip it, she moved the crystal out of her hand and into the air above the lightsaber pieces. One by one they would raise up and form together like a perfect puzzle.

The grip came together and she held her hand out to let it gently fall into her hand. Kae'Leigh stood and held the brylark lightsaber hilt outwards away from everyone. Just in case. But there was no place for fear. She trusted in her work, and in her crystal. Her thumb pressed the ignition switch and a blue beam ignited from the end, covering them all with its gentle hue. Kae'Leigh bit her lip as she tried to contain her excitement. She'd done it.

Kae'Leigh would spin the blade around gently, and give it a few good swipes. The blade was signed almost backwards, so that the user was forced to hold it with an inverted grip. This was the style Vu'thari trained her with. She made sure no one, or any thing, was in her way first before spinning it of course. She then smiled and let the blade die out before squeezing it happily to her chest like she'd done when it was just a crystal. "Thank you, little one" she whispered into the wooden grip.

 

[Horus Tempest]

Horus nodded slowly and bowed in return as he was greeted by Master Luy, who immediately began to talk to Kay with earnest. Gazing around, he noticed the pack their master carried, and from the odd cylindrical pocket holes to the strange shapes within, he had already gathered that the tools required to make the weapon of a Jedi Knight were already provided for them. The conversation between Luy and Kay'leigh went rather quickly, something concerning the customization of the saber with a custom component. Probably something of sentimental value. Since Jedi didn't keep many sentiments, if any, it was no doubt an important object. Once the short talk had concluded, the elder Master then considered Horus' question. To learn that his Master had not seen his type of lightsaber before caused a momentary flicker of wonder within him, only to grow successively as Luy explained the connection between crystal and Jedi, one he knew but was always interested in learning more. The data slate was handed over and Horus overlooked a small biography, missing some pieces it seemed, about an ancient Jedi who used an amber lightsaber. The hypothesis presented stated that it was likely Jedi that possessed the fiery blades where often conflicted, or extremely empathetic and prone to emotion. This falls in line with naturally Dark Side tendencies, but through the active choice of avoiding the taint, it seemed the kyber found a unique connection.

"Yes, I can't disagree... it is rather fitting."

He nodded completely as his Master uttered his last comment on the subject; that his path would perhaps be a convergence of many, or a definition of one. It made complete sense, his path was unique as it was for all, though perhaps it had become slightly more difficult due to his choices in joining the Jedi. This, however, was a sacrifice he was more than willing to make. He watched and listened intently as the bag opened and a variety of saber-design implements where placed on display. Diatium power cores seemed to be in one corner, a variety of standardized power sources, activation lever, switched, buttons and plates next to them. A variety of grips, pommels, and some interesting emitters sat beside the other objects within, and where divided by type. Horus already possessed in his mind exactly what he wanted his hilt to look like and represent. He began to set the pieces necessary aside. It was true, his lightsaber would likely be extremely customized and perhaps slightly archaic, but it would represent his family best. He grabbed three emitters, all silver, as was the handle with slight gold accents. He listened intently as he arranged everything - his kyber crystal included - into the correct order for which it would be assembled. Horus then simply sat, looking over at his Master, waiting for instruction. He vaguely remembered how to construct one and could likely succeed, but this would be a good opportunity to learn afresh and memorize it this time.

@Sangga @Killa Ree @EmilyHuene

 

[Luy]

Luy’s sabre lifted from his grasp. His eyes closed and each screw loosened and then hung in the air. Each panel detached as did the internal components from the framework. Eventually Luy’s’ crystal was revealed, a long thin and almost clear strip of mineral. Lenses, couplings and fixtures began to orbit the crystal.

“Use the Force to show you not only the design but how each component is to be linked, and is interconnected. When you have completed this task, you will be Jedi capable of receiving the title of Knight. This final lesson will create your companion, your ally and the weapon with which you defend the defenseless.”

Very swiftly, Luy’s saber formed in a single fluid motion, al the components closing together to form his saber. Once it landed in his hand he returned it to his belt and stood before his students to oversee their sabres being formed and the birth of three Kngihts of the Order.

End Thread