The droid, Huyang, speaks to each Initiate in turn, receiving their requests solemnly, before moving deeper into the ship to start gathering parts and fabricating specialized components. While many parts are common between every lightsaber, other components will require some time to build from scratch. For example, the shell of each Initiate’s saber is often the most unique part, designed to the wielder’s specification. The user’s hand size, their style of combat, their desire for grip improvements, or ornamentation all result in what seems to be a mountain of work for the droid. But, it certainly seems up to the task.
In the meantime, each of you receives a schematic detailing the method for constructing your lightsaber, tailored to each Initiate. You will need to study it and follow along in order to properly construct your saber. The droid is especially adamant about following the schematic exactly, stating that even a small mistake in the lightsaber’s construction could be fatal to the wielder.
So, you and the others make your way to a smaller room in order to study the instructions before it is time for assembly. Pulling up the hologram Huyang handed to you, you begin familiarizing yourself with the contents.
On the surface, it appears to be rather simple. Each small component builds upon the previous, stacking their way throughout the cylindrical outer shell. A power cell sits at the base of the hilt, surrounded by an insulator. The energy stored within this cell is passed through a gate and into the kyber crystal and then into a smaller focusing crystal. It then passes into an energizer module and is turned into superheated plasma, which forms the basis of the blade of the saber. An emitter then produces the famous shape of the sword, coherent and clean.
Overall, a relatively simple weapon. Difficult to use. Deadly in any hand. Elegant when wielded correctly.
“Xena, a minute of your time, please.”
You look up from your studies. Master Fulier looks down at you, hand resting on your shoulder. You give him a silent nod and place the hologram projector in your robes before standing up. Master Fulier leads you out of the room and down the hall to another room.
As the door shuts behind you, you give him a quizzical look, wondering why he’s brought you here. Perhaps he takes issue with your lightsaber design? Even the droid looked at you oddly when you described it to “him.” Your friends had been too absorbed in the study of their schematics by the time it was your turn to pay attention to your design, but Master Fulier had kept watching through it all. Yes, your saber will be… unique. But, it felt right when you imagined it in your hand.
As Huyang said, this is the weapon that will resonate with you. You will wield it in the name of peace, justice, and the Jedi Order, no matter how strange it looks.
“Xena, do you have a problem with droids?”
Ah. Right. So, that’s the issue. Ever observant, and surprisingly blunt for a Jedi Master, Master Fulier cuts right to the point. You take a moment to think of excuses, but then decide to just speak the truth. After all, it’s not like it’s a secret. Master Masbau and your caretakers know of it as you have spoken to them on the matter in the past. After all, they were understandably concerned when you burst into tears the first time you saw a droid. You’re fairly certain your friends know about your problem to an extent, but they don’t really press the issue. It’s probably not at the forefront of their minds considering that you’ve handled yourself decently in front of the Temple droids for the last few years.
“Um, yes. I do. For some reason, I kind of just get really scared sometimes when I see a droid. It’s… irrational? I think that’s the word. I’ve talked to some of the other Masters about it.”
“I see. Do you know what exactly triggers your fear? Your phobia? Is it any kind of droid, or is it something specific? Humanoid droids for instance.”
“It’s any kind. Usually, I can suppress the fear, but I still feel it.”
“Hmm. Well, I’m not sure what I can do that those who know you better can’t. I will caution you though: this can—no, will, become a problem in the future. Droids are everywhere in the Galaxy, and you may find yourself working both with and against droids many a time. You must find a way to face your fear. Else, you may not pass your Initiate Trials.”
You freeze up at that, eyes wide open in panic. He’s right. This will definitely be a problem. What do you do? Can you master your fear? Or will you have to hide it?
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering…
One way or another, you will have to deal with it lest it draw you down the wrong path.
≡][≡ ⬦⬦⬦ ≡][≡
Huyang returns with everybody’s parts in only a couple hours, and by this time you’ve fully memorized the schematics. Unfortunately, the schematics didn’t exactly include step-by-step instructions, so you had to parse it out on your own. It certainly would have been nice to be handed a full user’s manual instead.
But, you think you’ve got it. The nice thing about the holographic schematic is that you can manipulate the digital components with the Force, simulating the actual process in front of your eyes. Now, it is time to put the whole thing together.
The shell of the saber comes in four major parts. Each piece of metal slots into the next with imperceptible tolerance, which will produce a seamless hilt when complete. Once together, the hilt will be around the length of three of your fists held together, allowing you to cleanly wield the saber in a double-handed grip. Three sets of twinned black lines, slightly inset into the metal, run down the length of the weapon, flaring out toward the emitter end of the hilt. Overall, your lightsaber appears to be a simplistic but elegant piece of art, belying its deadly purpose beneath a facade of polished durasteel.
Except for one thing. The one embellishment that almost made the droid and Master Fulier balk.
A set of three jawless skulls, ringing the weapon just below the blade shroud, glaring out at the world and flanked by a pair of eagle’s wings each. The tiny emblems extrude out of the hilt by only a couple millimeters, sanded smooth and anodized a matte black.
This is something so clearly un-Jedi-like that you almost couldn’t state the request to Huyang when you asked for this. But, it felt right. When you imagined yourself rushing into battle, you couldn’t help but think of the dreams you had in hyperspace — the dreams of Navigation. The dreams of piloting an all-powerful ship. A ship of the Imperium.
Whatever the Imperium is, it seems to have a morbid propensity to decorate everything with skulls. And, it seems this penchant for macabre imagery has rubbed off on you. Well, as long as you don’t let this sudden fascination with skulls get in the way of peace and justice, then you suppose that no one will really be able to complain.
All your parts are now ready to be put together though. You have arrayed each part in front of you, neatly and carefully. You will not need your eyes for this next part, so you close all three, breathe in, and reach out with the Force.
The Force flows easily this time, lofting each part into the air and into position.
The crystal is the heart of the blade.
You grip each piece with your mind, fixing them into place, aligned perfectly with one another.
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The heart is the crystal of the Jedi.
In seconds, you have everything ready to come together, and all you need to do is give it one more push and you will be done!
The Jedi is the crystal of the Force.
But, you hold back your excitement and check everything one last time against your memory of the schematic.
The Force is the blade of the heart.
Everything good, you give but one more thought, and the whole thing comes together in a series of satisfying clicks.
All are intertwined: The crystal, the blade, the Jedi.
You open your eyes and release your hold of the Force, dropping the completed saber into the palm of your hand.
You are one.
≡][≡ ⬦⬦⬦ ≡][≡
“You’re done? Already?”
You look up with a start, turning to your left. Doran sits next to you, apparently still struggling with his own saber. The tinge of frustration tints his emotions, but you can see that it just makes him all the more determined. He won’t let it master him. Doran is the type to ram his head into the wall until it breaks. With his stubborn “patience,” you know for sure he won’t give in to this kind of a task.
“Yeah,” you whisper back. “It kind of just… clicked for me. I’m sure you’ll get it soon. Just remember the chant.”
“Does that actually help?”
“Maybe? Might’ve worked for me.”
He sighs, then turns back to his work. “I guess I’ll give it a try.”
You quietly leave your seat and wander out of the room in search of Master Fulier. He’d been here at the beginning, making sure to supervise his charges. It seems that he and Hoyang don’t really trust you Younglings to not make a mess of it.
You hear the faint sound of a flushing toilet from down the hall. Well, that explains why he’s not there. As the door to the ‘fresher opens, you wait a few steps down the hall. Master Fulier steps out a moment later, turning to you in surprise.
“Xena! Are you already done? Has Huyang checked your work yet?”
“Ah, I kind of left before… Huyang came around. I guess I was a bit excited to test it out. I wanted to get your permission first, though.”
Master Fulier holds out his hand and you hand your saber over. He focuses for a bit, then a hint of confusion crosses his face.
“What did you do with it? From what I can tell, you seem to have done it correctly. But, I can’t take it apart to check. It’s almost as if the hilt is fused together.”
You take the saber back from him, and with a moment of concentration, the weapon comes apart. You separate the sections of the hilt slightly so he can have a good look at the innards.
“That’s certainly odd. Well, it does look correct. Try putting it together again.”
Click. Together it goes, seams disappearing as the parts slide together.
“And back apart?”
Click.
“And together once again.”
Click.
“Hmm. Let me try again.”
But again, he fails to take it apart, so he hands it back to you.
“Very very strange. But, not really a bad thing at all. There are certainly a few advantages to having you be the only one capable of breaking apart your weapon. Now, go ahead and— Sorry, wait a moment. Best not to do this in a hallway.”
He leads you to the next open area, then gestures for you to go ahead.
“Please activate your saber. This should be a safe enough location.”
“Yes, Master,” you say, stepping back a bit to make some space. Once you’re in the center of the room, you hold the saber in front of you and fervently pray to all the gods you know of that the thing doesn’t explode, and then you push the button.
Vmmmmm
A brilliant purple light bathes the room. A amethyst blade, roughly three-quarters your height, springs forth from the hilt. The emitter sparks worryingly for a moment before stabilizing.
“Don’t worry about that. Probably just a bit of dust or metal shavings stuck in the emitter. It happens with new sabers. A purple blade though…” he trails off, before speaking again. “Rare. Very rare. I believe only Master Windu wields another purple lightsaber at the moment.”
He thinks for a moment more, staring at your weapon. Wait, no. He’s staring at you. More specifically, he’s staring at your head. You tilt your head slightly, then see the lighting in the rooms subtly change in response.
Wait a minute.
You tilt your head back the other way. The lighting changes back. But, you’re holding the lightsaber steady.
It’s… It’s the reflection of light. The reflection of light off your shiny bald head!
“Hey! Stop staring!” you yell in embarrassment. You shut the lightsaber off, at the same time cutting off Master Fulier’s object of fascination.
“Ah. Sorry, Xena. It’s just… you’re certainly going to have some comments made about your apparent similarities with Master Windu. Heh, maybe he’ll even teach you Vaapad!” he teases.
Your cheeks bloom crimson in your embarrassment. You’re never going to live this down, are you? Tera is certainly never going to shut up about it! Why couldn’t you have gotten a blue one or a green one? Argh!
No matter the embarrassment, you’re still proud of yourself. You put the lightsaber together on the first try after going through a real-life trial! You’re allowed to be at least a bit excited, right?
By the end of the day, all the others have successfully constructed their lightsabers too, and you can finally say goodbye to this ancient ship and its abominable occupant. Well, maybe Huyang wasn’t actually too bad, but you’d certainly not had the best first impression of the droid. But, your experience and your talk with Master Fulier have truly made it clear that you will need to deal with this phobia of yours. Some way. Somehow.
≡][≡ ⬦⬦⬦ ≡][≡
“Farewell, Younglings. It has been wonderful to meet you all and I have been incredibly impressed with you all. I hope to see you all again soon. Unfortunately, it seems that my Padawan and I are to be sent off again very soon. Duty calls and all. But, I will return, and when I do, I hope to see you all having passed the Initiate Trials. May the Force be with you.”
And with that, Master Fulier departs.
You are back on Temple grounds, having passed the returning flight in deep thought about what to do next. Now that the Gathering is over, you will have to face the Initiate Trials soon. You have roughly a year left before it begins, and you’re definitely not ready!
The Initiate Trials are composed of three parts. You must first demonstrate your knowledge of the Jedi code. Next, demonstrate self-discipline through competency in meditation and lightsaber combat. Finally, prove your connection to the Force.
The first trial is easy enough. As far back as you can remember, you have been instructed in the Jedi code and have repeated it at least a million times. All you really have to do is repeat it, and possibly give an anecdote about how you have demonstrated it in your life.
The second trial however, requires you to get at least a bit better in lightsaber combat. You know you’re more than decent at Ataru and Niman at your age, but you’re certainly lacking in the other four Forms. You will need to show at least some competency in all six to pass. Thus, you will probably have to do extra training to prepare yourself.
Finally, the test of your connection with the Force. This one is likely to be the most difficult of all. If you have a “bad day” during the Trials, you’re certainly going to struggle in this task. Maybe if you can figure out what exactly you need to do to prove your connection, you can prepare yourself adequately.
Of course, you have plenty of other concerns too. You still must resolve your Bloodlust and your droid phobia. And, maybe you should explore your strange connection with the warp too.
For now, you’ll plan ahead and figure things out along the way.