Mission: It's a Nightmare [Silver Jedi]

[Kei Amadis]

Amadis took a copy of the armor's designs and turned to a small workbence nestled by the armor containers, brushing the cobwebs and dust away. “You won’t be alone now,” Kei tried to reassure the shade, whether she genuinely appreciated the comment, or was just playing along she smiled and vanished. Now they knew that a spirit or shade was here, the Jedi could keep closer contact with her, he could come down himself to check on her, him or it in the future.

“Yes, what do you know about construction Mark and how many of the parts do you have with you?” It just so happened a very old Echani had helped him construct his own precise saber, giving him very valuable tips, and every saber tended to be very different, but there were some core principles it helped to know.

“What do you want yours to be?” That was critical to know. He waved the padawan over to the workbench, looking to rig up one of his emergency lights out of his pack to put some light on the subject, and the workstation. When he had, he took a pace back letting Mark begin to setup, and he’d advise where needed, but let the man take the initiative as he often did.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sdf3YNCk0Y
"I've researched it quite thoroughly Master. And I have nearly every part I need." Mark replied. "I wanted it to be a tribute to our history, while also having a bit of myself in it. So, I was able to scrounge out a copy of the lightsaber blueprint that Master Obi Wan Kenobi gave to Master Luke Skywalker centuries ago, along with a few others."
At this, he took out a small, holocron-like device and activated it. It lit up blue and projected an image of a lightsaber blueprint.
"So for years, I searched for the right parts I needed. Trust me. I started a very long time ago. And now, I have them, or most of them at least."
He took the parts out of the leather satchel and set them on the bench.
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Kei studied the schematics while stroking his stubble, he could use someone like [member="Fyor Nayus"] here at this point, but weapons he could more or less visualize, he’d had enough passed over his desk in his general’s days. “Might fit both, even three crystals in depending on their size, one is used to focus the beam.”

Taking a pace back to get a better look at the projection, “ambitious, I like it,” Amadis grinned broadly. Might as well learn from the best, and Kenobi was one of the best. “Got to remember it’ll be your lightsaber, not his, so put yourself into it.” Still having that design was Mark’s choice, so it was himself in there already in his choice, Kei nodded firmly.

Artificial light cutting through the cave's dim shadows and falling dust, Kei stood back as the padawan began. He would advise or help only if Mark found he was stuck or to start him off, “many Jedi work on the outer shell first, making sure the grip is right for their hands, start there if it feels right.” There were a lot of smaller details to decide, how it would switch on, locked on, force activated, clicked was the most common. The alignment and type of focusing lens, how much charge the power cell would carry, among others.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

"I don't have any actual blueprints for my version of the lightsaber, but I can sort of see it in my head if you know what I mean. I've traded out or moved around a few parts either because it feels better for me or because I couldn't find certain parts that matched, so I implemented ones that suit my personality and fighting style instead. I guess I should probably start with the positions of the various parts on the hilt."
He started by placing the grip he would use in place of Master Kenobi's metal one and putting it down on the table behind the activation switch he'd placed down already. Over the course of around five or ten minutes, the outside parts were all on their correct places, creating the shell. He'd check with Master Amadis and the move on to the inside of the weapon.
"What do you think?"
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

“Good that’s important Mark to make it your own,” and if he was honest, better it be in your head till it was finished. That was just Kei’s opinion, his buddies [member="Taiden Keth"] or [member="Fyor Nayus"] would tell you different, but not fixing something down until it was complete was how he worked, extroverted as he was, and working on the fly.

“Looks good,” Kei encouraged as he usually did adding, “want anything special in the design? Hidden compartment?” The Epicanthix adjusted the light, giving it a tap as it began flickering. Somewhere around them, he had the feeling the shade was watching too, and eventually he was proved right when she appeared again, standing somewhere by the doorway, but Kei hadn’t noticed yet because he was too busy helping the padawan.

“Might want to adjust the focusing lens, so it’s as fine and hot, or as broad as you want the beam.” Other than that, things were looking good, the blade length adjuster usually covered most of this, but the width of the beam was hard to alter much once it had been focused and fitted. He blinked when he saw the shade, watching her carefully, but she seemed harmless and had both hands carrying something, or rather levitating it in her hands.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

He adjusted the lens a bit to his liking, so that the blade wouldn't be too thick, nor too thin. Just how he liked it to be.
Just as he was adding the switch that would make it a dual phase lightsaber, he noticed Myn was again standing at the doorway. She seemed Leeds sorrowful now, and she held something in her hands.
"I wonder what she's doing?" Mark thought to himself.
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

“For good luck” the shade said, passing her offering to Mark, the first time anyone had taken interest in her little tomb, it was a thin silver sash with an emblem of Voss, earned as her time as a Jedi, and she lay it next to the Padawan. Yes this fallen protector had once been a Jedi too, now here to guard this place forever.

Kei grinned and nodded in thanks, watching the padawan work away. “Looks you’re a natural,” which many Jedi were when it came to lightsabers, they needed to be often enough. Sure plenty of people practised form Zero and he respected that, but he couldn’t imagine not having unity on his hip when he needed a lightsaber.

Amadis offered small help and any further advice he could as Mark worked, but for the most stayed hands off, he’d done well today, “you’ve done the order proud today Mark.” Kei congratulated, and held out a firm hand to shake. He had, the mission had gone well, and the Silver Jedi had found another rich crystal cave and perhaps a guardian spirit too. “You have too,” Kei said to the shade, who smiled and then vanished again, “rest easy,” he said to her departing form.

“Aja Riou,” a distant voice said. “It’s my name… was. Thank you, both.”

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mark was sad to see the shade go, but he had to keep working. He was almost ready.
"I think I'm ready to do the last step." He said.
He slipped the dark emerald crystal out of his bag along with a focusing crystal.
"Here we go." He murmured.
He closed his eyes and focused hard. Soon enough, the various parts, random and unusable on their own, lifted into the air in unison and began to arrange themselves into their correct places.
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Standing back he nodded, he liked to be hands on but he knew how important it was to the padawan to complete this himself, Kei was learning slowly how to be a teacher, patience still eluded him more often than not, but he could be that for other people when it counted.

Sad to see the shade go himself, the Epicanthix sat back on the rock nearby and watched Mark work, sometimes tapping the light if it began to flicker again, he crossed his arms and nodded. “You’re getting it,” he encouraged, "let it go on its own, let it be what it’s going to be.” Seemed like the thing to say, as Mark was making the final adjustments, to let his own version and vision of a lightsaber come to life.

“Not bad, not bad at all,” Kei congratulated, with a firm nod, stroking his stubbled chin. Assembling through the force was more impressive than when he'd built his as a padawan, that was all hands on work, because that was Kei.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

A few moments later, Mark felt that it was done. He slowly opened his eyes, hoping he'd done it right, and saw that the hil had now floated back down to the tabletop. And it was exactly how he'd imagined it. It was perfect.

He picked it up slowly, testing how the rubber grip felt in his hand. It had molded perfectly over the metal. The weight was just right, the length was just right. Heck, he'd even included a little compartment at the bottom of the pommel.
Now all that was left to test it.
"May I do the honors Master Amadis?" he asked, his excitement probably showing more than the calm in his voice.

[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Mark’s own saber, not a copy but his. Kei was proud, and it showed in how he stood, you could hear a soft voice saying well done from somewhere in a wall, as the shade voiced the same thought. Big moment for a padawan, and he’d made it his.

The often broad grin came back, and Kei nodded fully, “it’s your baby.” He chuckled, an informal edge coming in as it often did with Amadis. “Please do,” he added. Taking another step back, “give it some room to be safe, and hold it out from you.” The last thing he wanted is the lad get a burn or worse, even if it looked like it was perfect, never could tell until the big moment came. At this point he still wasn't sure exactly what the beam would look like, he had an idea but seeing was something different.

Nodding firmly, Kei crossed his arms, watching Mark take his first step into a brand new world. One of the last of his trials to be completed, and somewhere behind them, you could probably tell the shade was smiling too, because it almost showed her what it was like to be a Jedi again.

[member="Mark Sage"]​

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRso94c6EOM

He stood back a bit, holding the weapon out in front of him. No point in blowing yourself up because you're too excited to pay attention. He let out a long, slow breath and closed his eyes for a moment. Opening them again, he moved his finger to pull the switch. He pulled it. A crisp hiss, vmmm ensued, followed by the insistent hum that Mark had grown to know and love. It had worked!
He held the brilliant, dark emerald blade out in awe. He swung it around once. It felt good. He twirled it around his body. It was perfect for him. He hadmade it himself, with his own blood, sweat, and tears. It was finished after so long. And it was all his.
[member="Kei Amadis"]

 

[Kei Amadis]

Giving his student time to be proud, because a certain amount of pride was good to have in yourself and your duty to others, despite what some old order Jedi might tell you it was healthy, “now its up to you to never use it, unless you have to Mark.” Kei added, because as much as this was a right of passage into being a Jedi, “its your responsibility to only draw it in defense of yourself and others.”

Extending his hand to shake the padawan’s in congratulations. Amadis had added the obvious but important point, letting go, his hand and beginning to collect the scattered items around the cave. Kei was tidying up this small refugee and tomb to be as good or better than when they found it.

“Take anything that will help us catalogue the site Mark, the order will hear about this place.” He affirmed collecting a small rock, the armor blueprints, and taking a written note about the tomb’s shade, entered into a datapad.

“I promise.” He said to the cave wall, and to where the shade might be, reminding her she wasn’t alone. With that done, and one last look aroun, he turned to leave, the two of them celebrating a mission well done.

Fin for Kei

[member="Mark Sage"]​

​

Spoiler

Sorry about the delay, Great thread, feel free to make a last post or leave it there.

 

[OriginsoftheJedi]

As they turned to leave, Mark heard a voice in his head. It was familiar, yet he couldn't tell whose it was. It wasn't the shade's, though perhaps she had planted the words there. He wasn't quite sure who the voice was, but he felt like he liked what they were saying. And yet they were so familiar...
"A lightsaber. This is the weapon of a jedi knight, an elegant weapon of a more civilized age."

End
[member="Kei Amadis"]