A sword be made

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Following info given by Ostanes star made her way to the planet of Concordia to find a man known as [member="Draco Vereen"] to have said sword made

Landing at the port stardust hopped out of her starfighter and started walking to where she'd meet this man

She entered a bar a pretty good one by the looks and say down looking around and waiting

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The heat from the forge deep within the Clan Hall was ever present. Like the heat rising from the core of the moon, sometimes I thought it to be the heat from hell itself, but I was unsure. The scarred lands concealed by the mountains always churned, the very mantle of the world exposed causing volcanic tremors throughout the region. The Clan Hall of Clan Vereen was built into a mountain side, lava flowing from a river carved from the scar. Within the fortress I sat on the simple wroshyr wood chair in the room that was my office, adjacent to my sleeping quarters. Brooding was my standard activity these days.

A familiar presence filled the door frame. "My lord. You were supposed to meet with the person for AEL a few minutes ago. There is a meeting place listed. Shall I prepare transport." Aten. My trusted second.

"No. I know why they are here. Send some of the boys to pick them up and clear out the forge. Have Ostanes' friend meet me there." I said without standing up from the chair.

"Yes Drahr'buir." Drahr'buir, Father of Dragons in Mando'a. As the man left I finally rose slowly, pulling on the leather apron and picking up a belt filled with the tools of a smith. Friends of mine had taught me the skills a while back, and I had combined the skills into one, at least in my opinion. Smithing the material, imbuing it with the Force, using alchemy to alter it on a base level. Putting all three together made for a potent finished project, or it would if I had more practice.

~

At the bar a pair of Mandalorian warriors approached the Stardust. "Are you here to meet with Clan Vereen, offworlder?" The larger of the two asked, bluntly, but not disrespectfully. It was noticeable that the bar seemed to be filled with men and women all wearing the red mythosaur and dragon on their shoulders. Probably due to the proximity of this town's location to the Clan Hall and the fact that ArmaTech and by extension, Clan Vereen owned the entire region.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust rose when the warriors came in and asked her

Yes I am here to meet with a man known as vereen"she said and looked around noticing the same emblem on all of them

I..assume your here to take me to him"she said as she stood taller than the two but wore a friendly smile and aura

Well lets not keep him waiting I hate being late

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The coals of this particular forge lay cold for the moment. They would be ignited again soon, but not right yet. I wanted to speak with the person I was crafting for, to understand what they wanted, the individual, and of course, to understand that there is always a sacrifice to be made for such things. And simple credits would not do. I had more credits than I knew what to do with. I put a hand on the beskar hammers and tools that hung on my belt and the large set of equipment that sat on the benches and on the walls around the private forge. The only thing different about this forge was the Dark Side presence. Lignan crystals sat in a small box, gathered from Phaegon III for this exact purpose and a mass of terenthium ore sat in a bag on the floor.

"Everything seems ready... I just need the subject." I said to myself, feeling the Forge, letting my presence merge with it. That was one of the many benefits to being a Force Sensitive smith. It allowed you to feel the metal through the Force, which was beyond beneficial in the long run. The smoke in the vent rippled and growled. "No. You will stay put unless ordered." The smoke rippled again, testing my will just a bit. One little demon was nothing. It took little effort to control outside of combat, and even less during combat most times. It tested me, but remained dormant, as I had commanded.

~

The two warriors in the local bar, nodded, "That is correct. The Drahr'buir is in the Forge as we speak, waiting. He apologizes for not coming personally, but he had preparations to see to." The smaller warrior said, waving her towards a speeder. The larger man, swung up onto a Bes'uliik droid and followed behind the craft to the Clan Hall.

The fortress was difficult to access from the ground, with only a single winding staircase up the mountain face to the entrance, flanked by a pair of big defensive guns. The stone, and duracrete, and durasteel of the Fortress was relatively warm inside, the lava flow keeping the whole complex warm from below. "This way to the Forge ma'am," they said leading her through the fortress. After a short trip they stopped, standing outside a large wooden door that sat closed. "He is inside, close the door behind you, if you would."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She nodded and filled getting on the speeder and watched as they took off towards what she could feel reeked of the dark side

She nodded to the two mandalorians and bowed "thank you for providing me transport to here

She opened the doors slowly feeling the heat and dark side hiy her she closed the door slowly and inhaled gbe air spotting the man she was still talk to

Hello..I assume your the man I am to meet" she said walking slowly up to him

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

As the door closed and the woman entered, I turned from my mediation to the door, hearing the hinges of the heavy wooden door creak as it closed and the tumblers fell into place.

"Yes. I am Draco Vereen, master of this Forge." Certainly she had heard of me somewhere, from someone. I had an entire government call for my arrest, but they had been to cheap to pony up a bounty. "And you are here because you want something." I stood opposite of the forge from her, regarding her closely, storm grey eyes moving across her form and my senses with the Force studying her aura. She was tall, a twi'lek, green, and pretty. But aside from that she radiated a power through the Force, so she was at least of some proficiency with it. I could not tell if she was timid or afraid as of yet, but those questions would be answered soon enough. She was at the very least, easy on the eyes.

I smiled at her and raised my chin, resting soot covered hands on the edge of the forge itself. "Ostanes owes you a sword, but I owe you nothing. And I do not work for free." I put just enough edge into my voice to get the point across, "And this forge requires a sacrifice to light, it is not something to be taken so lightly. Are you prepared to pay your debts?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Two debts with every sword. The cost of the smith and the cost of the weapon. They were both separate and yet the same.

The smoke above rippled and a low rumbling growl emitted from it, just enough to be noticeable. My eyes flicked from her to the smoke and it retreated up the vent, just out of sight, fear resonating through the Force. After a second I returned my gaze to meet her own eyes, and my presence settling around her. What secrets did she have that she held most dear, I wonder?

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She nodded as she was close now

Indeed...I cam for something

She stood taller then him by a inch yet she could still see into his eyes, he was pretty nice looking for sure, but the dark side reeked from his auar

She nodded"indeed ....I can understand you don't work for free"she said listening to him unmoved and not scared the slightest"I'm willing to pay my debts in exchange for a blade made by you"she said calmly and collectively

She watched the smoke ripple and raised a way brow before feeling fear"odd...oh well
[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

She may not have understood, but she would soon. Pity to have to harm such a creature, even if it was minimal. "Then I will need your blood to temper the steel," I said, taking a jar with a needle and rubber tubing from the work bench and setting it beside her. "Watch the flames." I warned, ushering her to step back from the smelter built into the side of the stone wall. The anvil and forge sat in the center of the room and as I moved away from it the black smoke descended back to its place, just inside the vent, two embers of eyes peering out from the blackness.

Dumping the terenthium ore into the smelter, I hit the pilot light. As much as I used more ancient technology, some simple things were easier when you allowed a little bit of modern technology into the mix. I shifted my attention to the fires beneath the smelter and urged them higher, the Force turning the flames black and making the simple fire into a roaring inferno contained within the equipment. Heat bellowed from the cracks in the furnace, causing the air to ripple. After a moment's concentration, I relinquished my control of the fire, letting it burn as it would, the Dark Side permeating the metal already. The first of many steps underway.

What many people did not know was there was a lot of waiting to be done in smithing. It was not something that one worked continuously for days straight, but more sat around for fifteen minutes, worked for thirty, rinse and repeat, and so with the first lull I moved to check on my guest. "When you have filled the jar, let me know and I will heal you. It would be a shame if you lost consciousness from blood loss." I said, being genuine. Sometimes it was hard for me to tell whether or not I was being genuine or not after all that I had done, all that had happened, but I could tell this time. "I don't want you suffering anymore than you have to."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She watched him out a jar, rubbing, and a needle and asked her to fill it"shouldn't be a problem filling it

She stepped back and sat down taking the needle, she looked at him and watched it awe ad he put the metal in then she felt eyes watching her, she looked to the smoke and was none the less greeted by eyes.

However she was not scared nor moved. She knew whatever it was wouldn't touch her

She then awed as he urged the flame higher

Right hahah should be OK but I'll let you know"she said as she put the needle into her leg seeing as she didn't have real arms

Heh little blood is hardly suffering my friend"she said as the jar started filling"

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I watched her drawing her own blood from her legs. I hadn't noticed the cybernetic arms until now. How sad about those. Part of me wanted to inquire about how they came to be, what happened that she needed them but I knew better than to simply ask. Perhaps I could draw attention to them later and obtain the history of her arms that way without being rude. I glanced over my shoulder at the smelter. It would be refined and liquid soon enough, ready to pour into the mold to begin the long process of shaping the weapon. "You should tell me about your sword. How you intend for it to feel in your hands, the balance you wish it to hold, the shape, and how it should feel in the Force." I said checking the bubbling ore. There was still quite a bit left to the process, but it was about ready to be poured into the mold and steeped in the Force.

Putting on heavy leather gloves I opened the smelter, heat filling the room, and sweat almost instantly appearing on my brow. The fires dimmed as the doors opened and the large case contained the liquid refined metals was extracted carefully, slowly being poured into the mold roughly in the shape of a sword and full tang. Steam and smoke rose from the mold instantly as the red hot liquid filled it to its brim. For this part she was necessary, but her usefulness as a smith was quickly drawing to an end. I would have her blood soon, and her essence was about to placed into the sword, but she would remain for anything that was not a closely guarded secret, of which there were few, but still a few.

"I must impart your essence into the blade. Tell me, how is your skill with Force Lightning?" If she was unable I could do it in other ways, but this was by far the best way to my knowledge. Have her steep it with her essence while I focused on chemically altering the weapon at the molecular level. The shared work load would expedite the process some. "If you are able, please, direct your lightning into the metal."

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She was about three quarters full on the jar "I'm wanting the sword to be able to be wielded one handed, like how I'd use my sabers when I duel weild" she said as she finished filling the jar and removed the needle from her leg

I'm pretty skilled with it I'd day I have enough knowledge in it"she said then spoke again"I can also use pryokenesis..and im a expert in that"she said saying quite proudly listening to him"it shall be done"she focused and held her hands out arcing lightning to it"I..saw you looking at my arms

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I nodded, remaining focused on the task at hand, but keeping my senses aware of what was happening around me. The terenthium base was changing, ever so slowly into something else, but that was the goal wasn't it. Heat from the smetling pot died off and now only the smoke and steam from the mold filled the room, running up the vent in the ceiling where the Smoke Demon sat watching, waiting. It was partially a last line of defense, partially there to assist in the heat treating of the blade. That would come later in the day. "Very well. Keep your focus on lightning for now, dear." I said in response.

So she remained aware of her surroundings. That was good. "Yes, I noticed them. I am sorry you lost you real hands. I am sure they were as beautiful as the rest of you. Don't worry though, the cybernetics don't detract from your appearance." I said watching as the metal, still red hot it had cooled into a solid as it became something new. Good. Unfortunately, it would be a good hour before it had cooled enough to be properly hammered and shaped. I sat back on the stool in the work place and met her eyes as we finished this step and now sat waiting patiently. Cooling it too fast would make the metal brittle and hard, and sometimes a blade needed a bit of give to it.

"We have some time. Why don't you tell me about yourself." My attention in the Force still fully on the weapon, but I could listen and converse some with the woman as we waited.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She sat there keeping her lightning on the blade doing as told"right

She gave a chuckled and smiled"heh yeaa aren't as good as these though "she said with a chuckled and bkushed lightly" why there's synth skin"she said as she kept the force lightning up

Ohhh boy where do I start with myself hahah plenty I could tell you to be honest"she said thinking for a moment "well I'm a gun for hire for one and a pilot" she said then looked at him on the eyes"well since I can tell your curious I'll tell about my arms

She said and took a breath in recalling all the details"left arm is pure cortosis, I lost it to a jedi on o'reen, pulled me into some slugs rounds that tore the arm to shreds"she said calmly"medic teams head to amputate what was left of the arm...person I was fighting for mad me the arm

She said then patted her rught"this one I lost to a sith in a dogfight...had droids or some crap....came from three sides boom took my wing out...I crashed and skidded in the ground before it pinned my arm...I had a friend cut it off with a saber and I built the arm with another help

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I frowned a bit as she told me how she lost her arms. Certainly not the way I would want to have limbs amputated, however I was no stranger to cybernetics either. The metal sat in the mold, the smoke and steam slowly clearing from the rough shape of the blade. It had an interesting composition as it stood, and was something I intended to be proud of by the end of its forging. "I had to have my spine repaired a while back. It feels like over a year now. Oddly enough I now consider the woman that broke my back to be one of my few friends. It is funny how things work out like that." Vrag was someone I admired and someone I would fight for if she asked. She might owe me later, but I would deliver. "I don't fly. Well, I shouldn't fly. I have been known to on rare occasion, but most of the time, I have a droid or a driver for that exact reason."

Once I completed with the first stage of altering the weapon there would be some questions and a few changes to be made to it through the Force. For the most part it would be altering its presence with the Force. Taking up the tongs, I lifted the little strip of metal from the mold and inspected it. It was still hot, but wasn't glowing at the moment, just a little red from the heat. I slipped it into the oil and quenched it for the first time. "Alright, I have a few questions about the blade, then we can chat more about you. What is it that you want the Sword to do? What is your specialty with the Force?" I asked, keeping my gaze locked with hers.

The smallest beskar hammer came out from the belt, an old hammer with a wroshyr wood handle, and struck the metal once. The metallic ring filled the air. Perfect. It was time to light the forge and begin the long process of shaping the sword into the physical form Stardust requested. I wonder how she intends to pay for such a blade?

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She listened to him speak about his own injury and chuckled"we'll they do say sometimes your enemies will become she friend "she said and chuckled " I happen to be a good pilot if you ever need a driver

She watches him pick the hot metal up and awed, she didn't Smith much but she still admired it"well I want the sword to be able to light on fire when I command it so and if its possible shoot lightning"she said looking into his eyes"

She watched it as he started pounding at the metal, using a old looking hammer"if its possible I want a slender type sword if that is possible
[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The coals of the forge itself lay barely warm, not yet ignited. That needed to be fixed. A single match was lit and cast into the coals, and with a deep inhalation I drew the Force to me and urged the fires start. The heart of the mountain itself rose up at my call, answering my desire for fire. Outside the lava that flowed from the river of fire grew wider, more spilling from it to the valley below. Fire and heat filled the forge and it sprang to life like a great beast disturbed from its slumber. In the roughly shaped sword went, the forge's heat licking at the metal. Gloves on, I pulled on the chains that worked the bellows, and with every tug, the flames grew stronger. Brighter.

Once the forge reached the proper heat, and the metal glowed, I withdrew the slender piece with the tongs, placing it against the beskar anvil. "You don't need to be in here for this. It will be hours of toil and effort, and there isn't anything but working the bellows to be done. You can if you like, but you don't need to." With the offer on the table, I raised the heavy beskar hammer, letting it strike the metal, glowing with heat. Showers of sparks flew from it with each strike against the anvil. Heavy blows sent sparks and a metallic clang through the air which each strike of the hammer. The Force charged the air as I worked and turned my focus into the weapon. Flames licked up from where the hammer fell upon the blade with each blow and the Force echoed through the room, reverbrating from and through the weapon as it took its rough shape.

As it hammered flat, I turned the blade folding it upon itself. Each time, the Force echoed with the Dark Side as the Force was folded in upon itself with the blade.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She smiled and bowed her head"I feel if I help it'll make my blade stronger"she said and went to the bellow looking to him as he worked feeling the force folding

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Very well," I nodded to the chains that worked the bellows that kept the forge alight with the fires of the mountain. The endless folds of the metal continued, working it into a flat blade only to fold it upon itself once more, drawing the steel out, watching the flames rise up from the weapon each time the hammer struck the metal. As the folds continued so too did the presence of the Force grow stronger, all of my focus on the weapon, urging it to heat as it was struck, for flames to lick up at the wroshyr wood, the beskar that dared strike its form. To hold the heat of this mountain for all eternity.

The clang of metal rang out from the forge as minutes became hours. Sweat dripped from my brow and ash clung to my clothes from the flames and still, metal struck metal, ringing throughout the mountain halls. Finally it was ready, forge welded into one solid piece, having been folded hundreds of times upon the anvil and reheated each time. Even now the weapon was still burning from the flames, and I could feel that it wanted to burn what it touched.

Wiping sweat from my brow I smiled at the Twi'lek, sighing, "Now for the blood and oil." I poured the jar of her blood into the trough full of oil, causing it to bubble and seethe with power. Taking up a brush, I covered the back of the blade with clay taken from the valley beneath the mountain. This would serve several purposes. Not only was it sentimental but it would allow the back of the blade to cool slower than the striking edge. The striking edge would remain strong and brittle, taking its edge easier, and had it not been imbued with power it would hold this edge better as well. The back edge would be more pliable, offering the weapon a measure of flexibility without detracting from the strength of the blade as a whole or the edge. Ancient arts and knowledge in sword making had discovered this when swords were more common than lightsabers and such.

Taking up a Lignan crystal, pressed into the blade, seeking its impurities, its weaknesses, and reinforcing them with my will as the blade lowered into the mixture of blood and oil. The hiss of steam and the sound of oil bubbling filled the air as the blade was submerged. Small flames lashed out from the blade, trying desperately to burn its way out of the oil, soaking up the power of the Force, and her essence trapped within her blood.

[member="stardust"]

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She conntinued working the bellow as she could feeling the force foldimg over and over and over again

She didn't know how long passed but knew it would be worth it

She watched him work now in silence awkng at the blade"amazing

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The blade, now quenched of the glow of heat pulsated. Even after being submerged for several minutes the weapon was unnaturally warm to the touch, resonating an inner heat through the Force. I inspected it, held it aloft, checking that it was straight and true, the slight curve to the blade maintaining its shape without leaving it crooked. This one was fine in its rough shape. It still had to be ground and polished to its final shape and blade, as well as many other things. I sat at the wheel. In ancient times, this wheel would have been set up much like the bellows with a pull chain to keep it moving. Thank the Force we had technology to have it spin at the appropriate rotations per minute without manual labor or the already labor intensive task would be exponentially so.

With grind wheels, the higher the grain, the finer the grind, so for this weapon, I took a high grain, intending to increase this further when I sharpened the blade to allow for a finer cut with the weapon. The spinning wheel carved into the steel, sending sparks from it, and having the blade resonate with heat. So much so that simple gloves did not suffice after a few moments of contact, slowing the process of refining the sword as it needed time to cool, as did the wheel. As the blade took its shape and shine from the wheel, the waves on the edge became more noticeable, more pronounced from where the metal had been folded so many times over itself. Some considered this to be art, and I had to agree. A finished blade was as much a work of art as any painting or sculpture.

I wiped sweat from my brow with ashen hands as I changed the grain of the spinning wheel and prepared to grind out the blade of the weapon before polishing it. Having to stop and start so many times left a lot of room for error rather than one would have one clean smooth run across the grinder. Smoke rose from the blade almost instantly, ready to unleash its fire on those that dared mare its surface. It was almost ready to be finished, to hold its edge for eternity, to stand the test of time and combat until the last star became nothing but a distant memory.

"Thank you for staying and helping. It shows commitment. I can respect that." I said, lifting the blade from the grind stone and polishing it with a pair of fine wetstones. The last few polishes were always by hand. There was only heat treating and finishing the alchemy upon it, and the final polish that she would do left for this weapon.

[member="stardust"]