Forging a Lightsaber (Crystal Search-Ilum)

[Kian Karr]

Kian Karr sat down at the terminal in his quarters at the Ossus Jedi Academy and typed out his message to his four apprentices, informing them of the meeting time and place for their trip to Ilum. It was time. Time for his apprentices to all meet and time for them to construct their own lightsabers. He remembered after he had joined the Jedi the trip to the icy planet as well, where he had constructed the very hilt that still hung from his utility belt.

After sending the message, Kian turned and threw on a heavy baselayer before throwing his Jedi Shadow robes on overtop. In a bad on his cot there was also a set of winter clothes he would put on when they arrived on the snowy planet. Grabbing his supplies, Kian threw his anti-ox mask and goggles on before leaving his quarters.

The team was to meet at the hanger on the western end of the Academy. Kian had arranged to take an Academy shuttle to Ilum in order to gather the crystals needed to construct their lightsabers. The ship had already been loaded down with a number of spare parts and components that his students could use to construct their weapons, though he had warned them about this trip in advance and suspected that many would already have begun to collect the materials needed.

Arriving at the shuttle, he was greeted by the droid that would be piloting the ship for them.

"Greetings sir, I am P147-D8." The droid said coming down the ramp to the vessel.

"Hello P147. Is the ship prepped and ready for takeoff?" Kian asked. It was an older droid, but appeared to be in good working condition.

"Yes sir, we are going through the final diagnostics now." P147 said and turned to go back up the ramp.

"Good." Kian said as the droid left, and then turned and waited at the foot of the ramp. He was curious which of his apprentices would arrive first. James and Varus were his more seasoned apprentices, as far as training with him was concerned, though James came from a diverse background that had afforded him a great deal of training. Mallisi was his newest apprentice but showed great promise. It was time that they all got the opportunity to meet each other and, hopefully, form the bonds that he had formed with his fellow padawans when he was a younger Jedi.

[member="James Mathison"] - [member="Varus Shatterstar"] - [member="Spike Arrel"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

That day had felt as good as any other. It had been a warm morning for Ossus, which would always put Varus in a good mood when he rose from his bed and prepared for a frigid trip back to Ilum, a place he'd studied tirelessly in order to find the most pristine crystals he could when making his own journey there months ago. That had been an interesting trip, the first of which he had been on that he was accompanied by Orron Thrask, a Padwan like him who he had grown close to in their time there at the Temple of Ossus.

Orron was a strong willed, powerful young Padawan who he was certain would make a stellar Knight one day. He had trudged through the snow just as he had that day, fighting vicious winds, cold temperatures and deep snow in order to get to where they were going. That's why, when Varus prepared for this trip, he took extra care in how he chose to do so. He was already wearing three layers when he arrived at to meet Kian at the shuttle, the first to arrive as he would have expected, though he would have preferred to see three, overly eager Padawan encircling the Kel Dor who, in his opinion, had certainly earned their being early and more than prepared for this mission. This mission hadn't been an overly necessary one for Varus, however, even though he knew that as he was still Kian's apprentice he would be asked to attend the event, if for nothing else to at least help the others in their search for a crystal that would become a limitlessly important part of their lives.

"No one else has arrived yet?", Varus asked as his boots clicked against the hanger floor which he traveled across towards the ship Kian was standing next to. He carried a thick, cold weather coat across his right shoulder, a pack of essentials, like maps, food, water and extra clothing across his left shoulder, and on his belt hung a bag full of some spare lightsaber and leather straps he'd tempered and conditioned himself. Next to that was the smallest leather bag that held two items, both of which could be heard above everything else as they clicked together and emitted a sound like two crystal glass items clicking against one another. The bag was holding two, dark violet crystals that had Varus had found on his first trip to Ilum with Orron. Two items that he hadn't been able to part with since that journey, and he wasn't about to leave them behind now.

[member="Kian Karr"]

[member="James Mathison"] - [member="Spike Arrel"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]

 

[Ahe'Rain Sekairo]

It was shaping up to be a warm day at the Academy, which only served to bolster this particular Cathar Padawan's spirits. It was to be her first trip off planet since her arrival, and they were traveling to Ilum to search for their lightsaber crystals nonetheless, an important step on their journey to become Jedi, and the first step in forging their own lightsabers. Her weapon was to be something more unique than just the singular blade used by most; she would be creating a saberstaff, something not used by most, as far as she was aware.

But beyond that, it would be her chance to meet the other Padawans she would be learning alongside. For the trip Mallisi had dressed in layers, an outfit much different than the one she typically wore every other day. Folded over one arm was a heavier jacket for when they landed, a pack complete with the basic essentials along with what maps she could manage to find in her free time on her back and a pouch with what lightsaber components she dug up hanging at her waist. All in all it wasn't much more than what anyone else would be carrying, but she was happy with her preparations. Being not only new under [member="Kian Karr"]'s tutelage but a new Padawan to the Order in general, it was all a bit daunting to her. Maybe this would be the chance to finally change that.

As she stepped into the hangar she noticed that she wasn't the first to arrive, and she smiled and nodded to the other Padawan in friendly greeting, turning to bow respectfully to the Kel Dor in greeting, although he'd told her to refer to him on common terms. "Master Karr." She supposed he would most likely remind her to refer to him by his first name, but it was more habit than anything that she refer to any senior Jedi with the prefix 'Master', and he had definitely earned her respect over their short time training together. Smiling again, she looked to the other Padawan once more. "I'm Mallisi. It's nice to meet you."

[member="Varus Shatterstar"], [member="James Mathison"], [member="Spike Arrel"]

 

[James Mathison]

Phasing out from a shadow in the hangar bay, James appeared to the group gathered before his master [member="Kian Karr"]. James walked forwards and bowed to Master Kian. He nodded politely to the others without a word.

Wearing his black robes and belt adorned with blades, he was ready as always for a mission.

Telepathically he greeted Kian. Adorned with his permanent stoic look, James awaited further instruction.

[member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] [member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Kian Karr]

((Spike is on an extended LOA, so we will be proceeding without him))

Kian turned to [member="Varus Shatterstar"] but before he could respond, [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] arrived and introduced herself. Then [member="James Mathison"] arrived and Kian bowed to each of them in greeting.

"Well then, we are all here." Kian said but didn't move to enter the ship just yet.

"I wanted each of you to meet, Varus Shattestar, Mallisi Kyrgen, and James Mathison, welcome." Kian said stating each of their names so that the others would know them.

"Today we will be traveling to Ilum, it is a cold world so I hope everyone dressed accordingly. If not, there are some supplies on the ship. When I first joined the Jedi years ago I went to Ilum with a handful of padawans to gather my lightsaber crystal. While I did not, many of the padawans there had force visions and powerful experiences. You must be prepared for these. I will be there to help guide you in the construction of your lightsabers, but finding your crystals will be a task you will perform on your own."

Kian said and turned his attention toward Varus. "Varus has already been to Ilum and gathered his lightsaber crystals. He will help you both," Kian said turning back toward James and Mallisi, "in finding your own crystals. The majority of the crystals on Ilum are green and blue.....but there are others if you look hard enough. Allow the force to guide you in discovering your crystal."

Kian stopped and eyed them all for a moment, smiling beneath his mask. They were good padawans, all from different walks of life with different experiences and he hoped that this would be the beginning of friendship between the three of them. Kian could look back fondly over the frienships he had made as a padawan.

"Are there any questions?" Kian asked and turned to enter the ship, listening over his shoulder at any questions they might have. Once they were all on board, the droid would pilot the ship out of the port and on its way to Ilum.

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

After Kian had made mention of the types of crystals Ilum would offer, Varus reached into his pouch and pulled the pair of dark, violet colored crystals from it. They had been brothers from the same stone node he'd found in a cave a few hundred yards beneath the surface of the planet which he and Orron had descended into. It had taken them hours to get as far as they had, and hours to get back, but the trip was very much worth it.

As they walked up the ramp and entered the ship, Varus held up the crystals, one pinched between his thumb and index finger and the other trapped between his index and middle fingers. They were a deeper color than purple, but they had an inner glow that was warm and inviting to the eye. They were obviously rare, and Varus had done extensive research to find the most suitable place on Ilum he could for crystals to manifest. A place where the ground was the softest, making it travel dangerous as the heat from the planet's core breathed through that very area. The core of Ilum had only a limited amount of areas on the planet's surface that it used for ventilation in order to release heat and remain stable, which was a breeding ground for naturally produced crystals.

Holding the crystals out to the others, Varus explained as they all found their way into the ship and got situated for the journey...

"There's going to be harsh winds, freezing cold temperatures and deep snow. That, in and of itself, is part of the point.", Varus said, having experienced all of this with Orron about six months prior. "It's necessary hardship and strife in order to test your resolve to see if you have what it takes to become a Jedi, but remember, as you experience such trying effects on the body, it's important to realize that you must keep your mind calm and focused. If you don't, you won't hear it's call. The call of the force will lead you to the crystal that isn't just yours, but an extension of your very being."

[member="Kian Karr"]

[member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] - [member="James Mathison"]

 

[James Mathison]

James made his way to the ship while he listened to Varus explain the process of gaining a crystal. He looked over to Mallisi as he took his seat.

To Kian, I will need to take you up on the winter gear. Once we arrive, I should grab a coat and gloves.


To Varus, If we let the crystal choose us, we shall find what we need? Seems easy enough, aside from the cold.


James buckled in and awaited take off to Ilum, the place where he would finilize his goals of obtaining a lightsaber.


[member="Varus Shatterstar"] [member="Kian Karr"] [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]

 

[Ahe'Rain Sekairo]

Blinking as she felt eyes on her, Mallisi looked to the man that had been introduced to her as [member="James Mathison"] with a small smile, remaining silent for the time being. Although she was usually more vocal when it came to her training with [member="Kian Karr"], now was her time to observe the others and simply center herself before the mission. This was going to be a new experience for her, despite the research she had done beforehand. The way things played out was always much different than anything read about, and now was her time to prepare for any eventuality. She could already feel the Force stirring within her at the thought of gathering her crystals, but that could have just as easily been her own excitement.

After a moment she took her own seat next to the other Padawans, buckling herself in and adjusting the straps for the trip. Still she didn't speak, simply listening to what the others had to say. Speaking just to fill the silence wasn't her way of going about things, and she figured there would be plenty of time for talking later, after they'd all gathered their own lightsaber crystals and were on the way back to Ossus. It was still a strange feeling, to think she was on her way to crafting her own saber, when she'd only just begun her proper training days ago. But she couldn't complain much about the thought, as she was eager to move on in her studies.

The deep violet crystals that [member="Varus Shatterstar"] held out caught her gaze easily, and she could feel the pulse of the Force emanate from within them, however unrefined her skills in that aspect were. That only served to make her more curious about how the entire trip would play out, and how easy or difficult it would be for the remaining two of them to find their own. She already had an idea for her weapon, but if the Force led her in another direction, she would be just as satisfied with it. The crystal would choose her, just as the path of a Jedi had as well.

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="Kian Karr"] [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] [member="James Mathison"] [member="Varus Shatterstar"]

Well someone did have a question actually, as she ran into the hanger steering towards the ship and those gathered nearby it. "I'm not too late am I!?" Solia certainly hoped she wasn't, after all, there weren't groups heading out to illum too often to make their lightsabers nowadays. She didn't even have a formal master yet either to guide her on such a journey, so she latched onto this opportunity to head out there with master Karr and his apprentices instead. Although by the looks of it since they seemed to be heading into the ship Solia was worrying she was about to miss this chance as well. Running as quickly as she could she rushed toward the ship hoping the ramp wouldn't shut on her just before she could get inside.

At the very least it didn't seem like they were going to do something like that to her, and for that she was thankful as she climbed up to join the others. "M-master Karr. . . . ." Breathing a little after all her running, she couldn't believe she really had went and wrote down the wrong hanger where they were departing from, Solia took a moment to compose herself before smiling. "Master Karr, thank you for responding to my message and allowing me to join you on your trip to Illum, I know its unorthodox since I'm not your Padawan, but I'm grateful all the same. I'm sorry for running late, I promise not to hold up anyone on the rest of the trip. . . . .did I miss anything important in preparation though?"

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian listened to [member="Varus Shatterstar"] share his knowledge of Ilum and gathering his own lightsaber crystals and turned to respond when he saw [member="Solia Tala"] rushing toward the ship. The padawan wasn't a Jedi Kian had met before, but word had reached him that she wished to construct her lightsaber and he had extended the invitation to join them on the trip.

"Your right on time." Kian said smiling, not wanting to make the padawan feel uncomfortable.

"This is Varus, [member="James Mathison"], and [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"], my apprentices, and guys this is Solia." Kian said turning back toward his apprentices and introducing the newcomer.

"We were just discussing the conditions on Ilum." Kian said and closed the ramp. "We have spare cold weather gear stowed aboard in case you will need it once we arrive. Ilum is a snow covered world." As Kian spoke these final words, the ship began to rise into the sky and out of the hanger.

Settling into a seat with the padawans, Kian eyed each of them smiling beneath his mask and continued.

"It won't take us long to get to Ilum, but why don't we take this time to get to know each other better. So why doesn't everyone share something about themselves and ask any questions they might have? Varus, why don't you start?" Kian said wanting the padawans to get more comfortable with each other by the time the mission was over.

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Varus smiled at the new arrival and nodded at her as she entered the ship. It didn't take long after that for them to be on their way, and as the ship flew from the hanger Kian started to suggest that they get to know one another. Varus might have argued that they should meditate for the trip in order to grow a stronger connection to the force when would arrive on Ilum. they'd need to be in tune with the force when they began their search for their crystals, but he hadn't considered the fact that none of them really knew one another, and in the interest of getting first greetings out of the way, Varus started by making his way to the common room of the ship and taking a seat.

"My name is Varus Shatterstar, and eight months ago I was approached by a Jedi about my place in the galaxy. Up until that day I'd lost my direction in life and my control was slipping.", he said as he glanced over towards Kian for a moment.

"I owe Kian Karr a great deal."

[member="Kian Karr"] - [member="Solia Tala"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] - [member="James Mathison"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="James Mathison"] [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] [member="Varus Shatterstar"] [member="Kian Karr"]

Solia breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she had managed to make it on time. This was an opportunity she wanted dearly to not let slip her by. Upon his introduction of her to his apprentices the young girl bowed as her name was given. "it is a pleasure to meet all of you. I apologize for nearly missing the departure time. I thank you all for allowing me to accompany you on this journey." Moving to take her seat with the others as the Jedi Master closed the ramp and the ship began to take off, Solia knew Illum was going to be a very cold place when the offer of gear was given to her. So she was rather happy everyone else seemed so prepared.

She also appreciated Master Karr's idea of everyone sharing something about themselves with the others. Feeling a little like an outsider, she welcomed the small chance to work herself into the group more since she was jumping in on their trip to gather crystals. Honestly though she wasn't sure how much she was supposed to say, and even after listening to Varus it didn't help much. . ."Well, I'm Solia Tala. I've been with the order for a while. I came from Onderon and recall having a mother and little sister. I've trained extensively to build my martial techniques and my goals are to someday master Ataru Form and Force Enhancements. . . .as for the trip I honestly am not sure what to ask. I don't even know what sort of lightsaber I want to build so I don't know what I should try to find. . . .or feel for?"

 

[James Mathison]

James nodded along as the others introduced themselves. He didn't speak, it always my exactly his strong suit to be social. James had spent many days alone and became use to the silence and solitude. Companionship was a new concept to him. Speaking with Kian alone during training was one thing, but a social setting made him uneasy.

The seat he was in made it difficult to get comfortable as he preferred a more slouched position, layed back if you will. He struggled with the confinement of the seat until he just unbuckled it and moved to a cross-legged position on the deck. There he stretched as the ride was long as he didn't want to be stiff before landing on the ice planet.


@[member="Solia Tala"] @[member="Varus Shatterstar"] @[member="Kian Karr"] @[member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian eyed [member="James Mathison"] for a moment and then shook his head moving on. He wanted the padawans to get to know each other better, but if he was going to be combative to that, then so be it. Perhaps he was simply to nervous around other people, and Kian wouldn't hold that against him.

"Thank you Varus and Solia for sharing." Kian said smiling beneath his mask and nodding to them both.

"[member="Mallisi Kyrgen"], why don't you tell us something about yourself?" Kian said. He would share information as well, but he wanted the padawans to start.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"] - [member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Ahe'Rain Sekairo]

Blinking, Mallisi thought for a moment before deciding on exactly what to say. It wasn't particularly often she was asked to talk about herself, so not much came to mind. "I'm Mallisi Kyrgen. I lived on Natinati with my older sister and our parents up until I joined the Order two years ago. Concerning the trip, I'll hopefully find two crystals in order to construct a saberstaff." She failed to mention the fact that the both of them were adopted, but figured that it wasn't a relevant detail. And if her sister ever chanced to arrive at the Temple, they would determine that just from looking at the two of them side-by-side.

[member="Kian Karr"]'s suggestion that they get to know each other had eased some of the tension between the five of them, and for that she was grateful. It would only be a benefit once they landed on Ilum, as a small bond was better than none when it came to traversing through difficult conditions together. It was a bit odd that [member="James Mathison"] had remained silent, but she wouldn't hold it against him. If he was awkward in social settings, then so be it. It wouldn't be their social skills that would get them through their quest on Ilum, after all.

[member="Solia Tala"], [member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian nodded along as [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] told the group a bit about herself, and then he turned and looked over the rest of the group. He remained silent for a moment. It was only right that he share a bit about himself as well.

"Very good. You all know who I am, but now that I think of it, you probably don't know a great deal about me." Kian said, clearing his voice, which caused a burst of static to come from his anti-ox mask. "I was born on Dorin, as are virtually all Kel Dor. I was raised by my mother Shan Karr for several years and when I showed an affinity for the force, I was given over to the Baran Do sages. I was with the Baran Do for many years, training in the force and spending much of my time in meditation." Kian said looking around and smiling under his mask. Among the Baran Do he had spent most of his time in quiet contemplation and study.....it wasn't something he imagined many of the Jedi present would have enjoyed.

"Then I came to the Jedi and....we'll the rest is history!" Kian said folding his arms across his chest.

"Any questions about anything before we continue?"

[member="James Mathison"] - [member="Solia Tala"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]

 

[James Mathison]

James turned to his master, his story of his life was interesting. James knew nothing about the Kel Dor as a race and to get a snip-it was intriguing to him. Meditation sounded relaxing. He rather enjoyed losing himself in thought and silence. That was most likely why James tended to travel alone. James coughed unexpectedly and rose.

"Yes, where are the storage lockers with the cold weather gear master?"

"Anyone else need some, I'll grab it for you? And my name is Mathison, James Mathison. New to the Order but I've been around the block when it comes to the Force."

Without another word, or allowance for questioning or replies, James wandered to what looked like storage lockers and began searching for the winter gear.

[member="Kian Karr"] [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] [member="Solia Tala"] [member="Varus Shatterstar"]

 

[Varus Shatterstar]

Picking one leg up, Varus placed the bottom of his boot on his seat and wrapped either of his arms around his leg, resting his chin on the top of his knee as he listened to each one of the other Padawans sharing stories about their personal lives with them. He looked genuinely interested, though his demeanor was so relaxed, but as each one spoke he smiled and nodded to them each one as if thanking them for their stories. He then looked to James Mathison who got up and found his way to the storage locker where he began sifting through the cold weather gear.

"I'm all set here, but thank you.", Varus said as he glanced around the commons of the ship once more at the others. "Are we all aware of what we should expect today, or can I be of any further use in the answering of any questions?", he asked the group aloud.

[member="James Mathison"] - [member="Kian Karr"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] - [member="Solia Tala"]

 

[Solia Tala]

[member="James Mathison"] [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"] [member="Varus Shatterstar"] [member="Kian Karr"]

Solia felt so much better with everyone offering things about themselves too, even though she was a little surprised that Master Karr himself had provided some details of his own life. Hearing Mallisi though made Solia quite excited! A saberstaff was much more special than just looking to make a normal lightsaber, it left the young girl wondering just what the other Padawan would end up with at the end of the trip to Illum. Regardless Solia had so many questions and she was happy that Master Karr invited them to ask, and that the other apprentice also was offering to answer a few for anyone who had any. So without directing her questions to anyone specifically she spoke without hesitating, and without much thought. "Um actually I was wondering if there was any sort of advice towards looking for crystals. . . I'm not really sure what style fits me or what sort of blade I want. I've tried a lot to build myself towards combat with the war and rise of the darkside in our time, but I haven't put much thought into things for the long run. . . . .AH! And can you bring me some of that gear James!"

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian nodded appreciatively at Varus when he offered to help answer questions. His apprentice had been to Ilum already and had some knowledge of what the adventure would bring. Kian was also glad to see the padawans getting more familiar and friendly with each other. This was the sort of thing he had hoped for. Soon they would be going on missions together, and camaraderie was an important part of that.

"Finding a crystal is more about letting the force guide you to the right one." Kian said turning to Padawan Tala, "When we arrive at the caves, we will all have to deepen our connection to the force and follow the call of your crystals. As I've said, there are a number of things you could experience, such as force visions, but this isn't guaranteed. I didn't experience such things, but as I constructed my lightsaber I felt more in-tune with the force than I ever had before."

"As for what sort of lightsaber to build, that is a personal preference really." Kian said pulling his dark grey and black hilt off of his belt and holding it up. "I prefer combat with a single blade, and I designed this hilt with practicing Shien in mind. It is a longer hilt, which allows for strong grips and powerful strikes. Most Jedi prefer a single bladed weapon.....but there are some who prefer to fight with a saberstaff and some who wield two lightsabers." Kian said, indicating Mallisi and Varus.

[member="Varus Shatterstar"] - [member="James Mathison"] - [member="Solia Tala"] - [member="Mallisi Kyrgen"]