One Ring to Rule Them All (Phylis Alince)

[Veino Garn]

Location: Ossus
Master smith: [member="Phylis Alince"]

Ossus was a pleasant planet, for the most part, although he didn't spend a whole lot of time there anymore. Or any one planet. It just always felt wrong, like he was slowly being crushed, and his legs were caught in a trap. But for now, he was on Ossus, and had an appointment. With the master bookworm, as some said. It concerned his order for one of the new Light Side alchemy rings.

So, he had gathered the gold and other materials and went to meet her, walking through the temple, standing out in his traditional-not-traditional outfit made famous by Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Although his reasoning had nothing to do with that. It was relatively nondescript traveling clothes, which was clearly why the venerable old master wore them, right?

But he was not there for fashion, even if he was assisting in the creation of a piece of jewelry. This was serious work and he let his mind sink deeply into the cool depths of the Force as he approached the meeting place, wrapping it around himself, and feeling it stretch out into his the depths of his psyche. He floated in that state as he walked, stopping at the chamber, and sending a gentle mental nudge to inform her of his arrival.

Yes, there was a doorbell. No, he didn't use it. He's a travelling warrior monk with psychic powers. When do they ever use doorbells?

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
Two commissions in a week, and a third to come! The response had rather surprised Phylis, and now she had to scramble to actually be ready. Today she had a commission from Veino Garn, a semi-Jedi she'd worked with numerous times before. She was never quite sure of his exact status, but he was definitely on 'their' side.

With this in mind, the Jedi Master was preparing her tools and notes when her visitor gave her a mental smack. Starting, she almost knocked her book into the furnace. That would have been...bad.

"Hmm? Oh, right, come in!" Phylis said. "There was a doorbell, you know," she added peevishly.

She took from him the small ingot of gold and examined it critically. "Excellent. Now, as you are not part of the Order, but have done work with us before, this will be at half price," she offered.
The heat from the furnace was starting to build, and Phylis had removed her outer robe in reaction to the heat.

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

"Hmm? Oh, right, come in. There was a doorbell you know."

Veino paused in stepping inwards and ducked partially back out to scrutinize the doorway. Where was the doorbell? Oh, there it was. Now he felt like an idiot. But so be it. He pretty much was an idiot with a glowstick and wizardry who gallivanted around the galaxy trying to do good things and usually ending up getting beaten up. But past was past. Now he was here for some forgery. Or forging, to be precise.

It was even better she thought the gold was good. It had taken some work to acquire it. Fifteen thousand credits was going to hurt though, and his face blanked for a moment as he tried to remember how much he had in his accounts and on credit. Republic injury compensation should have everything covered with extra, so he nodded and moved farther into the room, eyeing the forge with a critical if not overly experienced eyes. He stayed far, far away from the Dark Side alchemy forge on Yavin, so he really wasn't sure what they were supposed to look like.

He spent much more time maintaining the gardens and tree in the Light Side nexus. No forgery going on up there, that was for sure. Anything mechanical or tool based tended to be outside his grasp of skills. So hopefully they could manage this without causing a catastrophic accident.

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
She smiled and went over to him. "Thank you for coming, Knight Garn. It's good to see you again."
She took the gold from him and looked it over before nodding.
"Excellent. So, I believe you wish for a ring to increase your ability to protect yourself? Very well."

She went to her workbench and produced a small blade and a vial. "I shall require a measure of blood from you to bind the item to you. I will also require you to use a power of absorption when you use it the first time to seal it. Any questions?"

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino dipped his head in acknowledgement to her greeting, "You're welcome. Good to see you again as well." He handed her the gold and waited while she inspected it. Hopefully it wasn't fool's gold. That would be embarrassing, although it would probably still work. It wasn't exactly like metal was that important, right? It was everything done to it.

He nodded as a reply to her question. Defense was something he was spotty at, which was why he had so many scars across his body. That and perhaps fewer people would end up dead. That would be a definite advantage. Blood though? Veino grimaced slightly as a shiver ran down his spine. That was the edge of a dark path. But, perhaps not. Blood was the stuff of life. In humans, it created it, sustained it, and made it possible, very much like the Force itself. Perhaps the Sith had corrupted this too? Or was it actually dark in nature? It seemed there would be only one way to find out.

"Just one question. How would you define a power of absorption? I've never heard of it before."

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
She noticed his hesitation. "Blood is powerful, but its uses need not be dark. The Sith have corrupted much with their rituals and alchemy, but there is always a balance. That is what I strive to create."

"The term tutaminis is the phrase the Order uses to define all such defensive techniques. A protective shield to absorb energy using the Force. It is knowledge and protection that gives you that strength. Do you know what I mean now?"

She put the gold into the crucible and turned back to Veino whilst she waited for it to melt.

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino considered that statement. It was true. He would admit that. But still, somethings became tainted through close association with the dark side. Although, it wasn't usually association of this type. It was an activity and material not inherently dark that had become too enmeshed in shadow to safely use. The monster dwells in the mind, so to speak.

"Yeah, that makes sense. I can throw up a Force barrier well enough for this, unless that falls under an entirely different group of techniques." His eyes drifted towards the crucible and the gold as it began to warm. It wasn't a fast process, by any means, but steady and difficult to discern. A journey, one might stay, from one state of matter to another as heat energy transferred into the molecular bonds of the metal until the energy began to break the bonds holding it together. Then the energy would dissipate and it resolidify into something new.

There was a Life Lesson right there. Challenge breaks beings down, changes them, grinds away at their edges and existence until something new and, hopefully better, takes its place. He really hoped that held true for intergalactic governmental relations.

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
Phylis nodded. "They are words for the same root ability. Note though that the type of ability you use will be the one the ring absorbs."

Whilst the gold heated, Phylis went to her work bench and produced some crystals, ground to dust. Their lattice still allowed them to absorb Force energy though. So, her first job was to use the power of the light to energise the crystals. With this done they started to glow faintly as she swept them up with telekinesis into a small bottle.

By now the gold was heating well, and would soon be molten.
"I need to get a measurement for the ring," she said. Going to Veino, she produced a fearsome looking contraption which gently encircled his chosen finger and measured it accurately so she could adjust the mould accordingly.

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino gave a small nod. That made sense then, and as that was his primary area defensive ability, well, his only one, to be precise. He wasn't sure what other ones existed out there. It would probably be a good idea to learn some, but there were more pressing issues going on.

Now crystals as well? That was unexpected. He hadn't thought they'd use those, but then, he had never done this sort of alchemy before. It was far more complex than the little Jensaarai knowledge he held. He wasn't even sure how much the Jensaarai knew. They were secretive with this sort of knowledge, and the other abilities that walked the line. And a ring measurement even. He held out his right pointer finger for the measurement. This was decidedly mundane. No secret here. He could even be getting engaged with this ring, except for the blood price. He didn't think engagements had those. Not that he'd actually met anyone who got engaged, so it's not like he was an expert.

'What's the next step?"

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
“Do you have enough fine telekinetic control to help pour? If not, you can use the tongs there. A slow, even pour into the mould is what I need.”

Phylis had been eying the crucible carefully. It was time.

Calling on the Force she moved it out of the furnace and onto the bench. Into the crucible she added some of the blood, the crystals and another dose of Force energy. Then, into the mould she poured it, with Veino’s help. Whilst he poured she called on the Force and performed incantations of protection and light upon the forming ring. That way, when it was done, it would assume its flavour as an item of defence.

“The blood binds it to you, so only you can use the ring. If anyone else tries nothing will happen. The Sith devised more wicked means of guarding their treasures, but naturally I am not going to do that!”

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino raised an eyebrow a bit at the question, and nodded. Did he have the telekinetic control to move a crucible? Yeah. He could move two dozen ball bearings in different paths and then send them in different directions faster than some slug throwers. A crucible wasn't that difficult.

He stretched out with the Force on his own, connecting himself to the universe and life around them, and assisted in lifting the crucible and pouring out the concoction. It was strange, watching what she was doing, as it Sith did similar rituals that were so much darker. But such was the way of things.

"Will others be able to sense it through the Force? Or is it not noticeable?"

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
“If they hold it, yes, a Force user will be able to detect the enchantment. A Dark Side user will be partly repelled by it. A powerful Dark user could destroy the ring if they obtain it. There is little I can do about that. I suspect though that if a Sith Lord has this ring you have other problems than it!” she said with a small smile.

“What I want you to do is now it is setting, I want you to use the Force to create a shield around the mould and lower it into the water so that the water does not touch it. It will not be easy, but it will help bind it to you. Then, when I say, release the shield so the water cools the metal. Understand?”

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino nodded slowly. He'd have to keep that in mind and keep any Sith from holding it. Or, perhaps he could claim it was a wedding ring and they didn't know the meaning of love. That would be an amusing situation. But she was indeed right. If a Sith Lord held the ring, there were larger issues at hand. No pun intended, of course.

Now those were interesting instructions and he contemplated them for several moments, trying to figure out the barrier. He'd never done a three dimensional one before. Was it one folded around the ring? Or four little ones? Probably one large one folded around. He took a deep breath, held it, and then released, feeling the Force flow through him, both sharpening and calming his mind. This was something he was capable of.

He reached out, creating a barrier along the bottom of the mould, and then frowning in concentration, began to fold the barrier around the mould. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and ran down his hair, and his hands began to shake with the effort. It was slow going though, as he felt its slow movement and shape adjustment. Veino clenched his jaw and kept working at it.

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
Phylis was always willing to help, calling on her own powers to help add strength to Veino's abilities, giving him additional strength and support to complete the barrier
"There, perfect!" she said, still focussed. "Now...release, I've got the mould."
When he dropped the shield she still held the ring in the water via the Force, but the cold water burst upon it, and it took all her efforts for the ring not to crack under this sudden change of temperature. However, when she drew it out it was whole, and there was an aura of the Force about it.

"Excellent, it was successful. Now, let me work at buffing this up." She set to work with her tools to turn the dull and unfinished ring into an item of true workmanship. As she worked she spoke to him.
"I have no doubt that in time my powers and skills will develop, but I am catching up on thousands of years of Sith 'progress'. Still, I think this is a good start."

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino felt the pressure slacken as the master offered her own assistance and the barrier molded itself around the ring. Then the came the command to release, and he dropped the barrier completely and mentally stepped away from the process as water surged around the ring and he felt her efforts to keep the ring from cracking. He leaned back against a wall, taking deep, slow breaths to recenter himself.

"Glad it worked, at least." He paused, considering his words carefully and the implications of what they would mean. Revealing the existence of the Jensaarai to the larger Jedi community could be incredibly helpful to everyone and the larger galaxy or it could be incredibly catastrophic. There had already been one Jensaarai purge by the Jedi, and while it had been warranted in its time, the sting and hurt had still not fully faded although everyone involved were long dead. "I may know someone who has... experience in this field. Perhaps together, the two of you could make quick hyperspace jumps in progress."

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
Phylis was busy polishing, buffing and sculpting the ring. “Oh yes? Who?” she asked, a bit preoccupied.

Finally, she looked over. “Is there anything you want inscribed on the ring? Any message or verse or image?”

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

"An instructor of mine," Veino said after a moment, "Been imbuing things with the Force since before I was born. Does a lot of engineering work as well." He paused, trying to remember something. "Pretty sure he built his own hover-chair as well."

As for engraving, well that was a question. It had to be something important. Something meaningful. Something that would fit while undercover. He couldn't think of anything. They all seemed trite or overly sentimental or pointless.

"Blank works for me."

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
Phylis shrugged. "Blank it is," she said. That was easy.

She buffed, rubbed and ground the ring until it was a perfectly golden circle. Using the Force she levitated it, spinning it slowly around so she could examine each and every part of it.
"There, perfect. Now, take it, wear it, and we'll test it out."

 

[Veino Garn]

[member="Phylis Alince"]

Veino nodded, studying the ring as it drifted in the air. Such a little thing. Yet it had power. He reached out and grabbed, running it through his fingers. There was not a lot of gold there, that was certain. But all that was left was to see how well it worked. He slipped it onto one of his fingers. It certainly didn't feel any different.

"How should we test it?"

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Veino Garn"]
“Feel the ring through the Force, feel the power inside it, call on it. Form your shield with the Force and…stop this.”

She produced a small blaster from her back and fired right at him. Because she wasn’t a total lunatic it was only a stun bolt, but it was still a good test!