Private Genesis

[Ilian Kastle]

Linny Rennis

Jedi Workshops
Palace of the Jedi, Galactic City
Coruscant​

The old workshops of the Coruscanti Temple were just as Ilian imagined they’d be. Stepping out of the turbolift felt like stepping through a time machine. Old stone walls; statues of nameless Jedi Guardians; and the odd banner, plant, and piece of ancient equipment serving as minimalist decoration. Unlike other parts of the Temple Grounds, it was difficult to discern whether this was actually a reconstruction or a surviving portion of the original structure.

This was the first time Ilian had found the time to explore here. Over the last few months he’d fallen into a fairly consistent routine: Meditation chamber, obstacle course, mess hall, dojo, personal quarters and, when possible, he’d find time to browse the library for texts relating to the subjects of his meditation and discussions. It kept him distracted and, by his own volition, mostly isolated from the masses.

However, today would be a break from the typical. A few days after returning from the crystal caverns of Jedha, Ilian received an unexpected request from one of the Order’s Masters. Padawan Rennis, a young woman who’d also accompanied Master Zark San Tekka into the holy world’s depths, had successfully bonded with a rare kyber crystal during the expedition. Ilian knew this much, of course, having witnessed it himself. It seemed the Order thought it was best for him to continue to aid her with the construction of her first lightsaber.

Despite being caught off guard, Ilian was honoured to accept. Building a lightsaber was a defining task on the path to becoming a Jedi. Brushing his fingers along the songsteel crossguard of his own hilt bouncing against his thigh, the fond memories of its construction come to mind. In his enclave, he’d built his saber as part of his Initiate Trials to become a padawan. He was surprised to learn that Linny lacked a lightsaber considering her age and rank, but the New Jedi weren't exactly known for being strict with tradition.

Nonetheless, he was happy to help and be a part of this memorable experience.

Coming to a stop infront of a small and already cluttered worktable, Ilian peers through the sparse groups of other Jedi throughout the large chamber. After giving a respectful bow of his head to a Master whose eyes catch his in passing, he manages to spot the Coruscanti padawan from a distance. A smirk cracks at the corner of his mouth, but he waits for her to close the gap before folding his arms into his sleeves and greeting her.

"Padawan Rennis," he says warmly, "it's good to see you again."

 

[Linny Rennis]

The lack of a lightsaber didn't rate very high on Linny's list of concerns, truth be told. The crystal thing, as she called it, happened all at random. A strange, half-insane event that had been awe-inspiring and insanely weird in equal parts. The thought of building a deadly weapon with what she'd found almost seemed too base and wrong. She'd grown quite attached to the crystal, even if it was pink. That wasn't even getting into the thought of her being eighteen years of age and making her own deadly weapon.

But Jedi do things differently, so there she was.

The workshops were testament of that, at least. Linny had assumed that the 'workshops' would look something like her old school's science labs. They looked more like a living museum at first glance. Though she did notice plenty of equipment around, stuff that seemed more suited to the room's purpose. The mix of old and new again. From what little she'd read up on the construction process, it seemed to match it. Engineering and technology mixed with belief and, well, that whole Force thing.

She caught sight of him from a distance and smiled in recognition. Outside of her fellow padawans, she rarely met people more than once. It was nice to see Knight Kastle again, who'd been the more sociable and less outright scary of the Jedi she'd accompanied on Jedha.

"Hi! Thanks! It's good to see you too!" she replied, a little more brightly. "I know you must be super busy, I'm really grateful, honestly." Babbling again with nerves, a little aware she was starting to fill the air. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she looked away, distracting herself by pulling on the thin cord around her neck. From within her blouse she pulled out the crystal she'd found in those caves, just a few short days ago. It glistened with a faint, half-dull shimmer of pink and magenta. Even just the sight of it made her stomach flutter slightly, for some weird reason.

"I kept it close, y'know, just to be sure." Linny wondered if that sounded weird. "It's... very pink, isn't it."

Ilian Kastle

 

[Ilian Kastle]

Linny Rennis

"Happy to make the time," he answers with a smile.

In truth, he wasn't all that busy. Not with anything official, at least.

Ilian watches the padawan pluck the crystal from her blouse, eyeing its glimmering shape with great interest once it's revealed. It was unlike any kyber crystal he'd seen before.

"That it is," he replies with a chuckle, "but it's a very special find. You were smart to keep it close."

Not wanting to leave a pause and risk the timid girl becoming anxious, Ilian takes a step to the side to stand next to the worktable. An assortment of tools are sprawled across the dulled metallic surface, left there from someone earlier.

"I understand that this will be your first lightsaber," he looks between the tools and Linny, "that must be exciting. And scary, for some. In older traditions of the Jedi, this was a trial for young initiates to be granted the rank of padawan. But, well, we all knows things are different these days."

He reaches down to his right side, unclipping the beryllius and songsteel hilt from his belt and holding it up to present it. He extends his fingers, balancing the crossguarded shaft in his palm for Linny to observe.

"Regardless, this is a pivotal moment in your journey to becoming a Jedi Knight. A rite of passage that everyone one of us -- every padawan, knight and master -- in one way or another, has completed," his grip tightens back around the leather grip and he twirls it before setting it at the corner of the table.

"The construction and use of the lightsaber is an ancient tradition of the Jedi Order, dating back tens of thousands of years. It's believe that our forefathers constructed the first light-blades from the ancient precursor temples of Tython," he rests his right elbow on the table, leaning over his saber on display.

"They're quite simple, in theory," his tone gives away his own excitement for the topic and he holds up his left hand, pointing toward the base of the hilt, "the device uses energy from a high-output power source, a standard Diatium power cell in this case, and forces it through a series of focusing lenses to create plasma."

He traces his finger a few inches up the hilt and taps at the casing several times, "These lenses regulate the beam; determine its length, stability and, depending on what you use, they can even imbue it with some special properties. Lenses made from kyber or Adegan are traditional, but most saber crystals can be used with some effect. I used Damind crystal for mine, which gives my blade a slightly wider edge."

Ilian lifts his finger again and taps it down near the center of the hilt.

"This plasma beam is then projected through a lightsaber crystal," he lifts his hand to gesture at the pink crystal dangling from her neck, "this is the heart and soul of the tool. The crystal you bond with determines your sabers properties, colour, and further refines the emitted blade's quality and characteristics. It's feel. While you can expect certain results from the same types of crystals, they're far from universal."

His eyes drop to the Jedha crystal; watching how the light catches its jagged edges, casting faint beams of pink across the table, "Most crystals are, in their own unique ways, sensitive to the Force. The bond you share with it may influence it's properties."

Realizing the information dump may have been a bit much, he drums his fingers against the table and stands up straight again.

"There are other components, but we can get to those as you begin. The rest is, generally speaking, purely cosmetic. Some choose to have their saber be strictly utilitarian, while others make it an expression of themselves through modifications and rare materials," he nods his head toward the hilt on the table again, "my own design is based off a tradition style of the Old Jedi Order."

With that, he reaches forward and plucks the saber from the table, returning it to his side.

"Don't worry, I don't expect you to remember all that," he chuckles once more, "You'll learn everything I said and more during your training and studies. But, there is one thing that is crucial for you to remember before we begin."

He glances around them, eyes hopping between the small groups of students and masters sharing the space.

"Despite what you might hear, a lightsaber is, first and foremost, a tool. Not a weapon, nor a toy. They are dangerous and can be quite destructive if used carelessly. It will teach you discipline, and over time you will learn to use it as an instrument to focus your mind and defend yourself."

Ilian's eyes come back to Linny, looking down into hers.

"I believe that a true Jedi should never draw their saber with the intent to cause harm. Only in the most dire of circumstances should one be used against a living being, and only as a last resort," he holds out his left hand and rests it gently on Linny's shoulder, "if you're to learn anything from me, Padawan Rennis, pray it be that."

The Galaxy was a dark place these days. Jedi of the New Order marched off to do battle with their enemies on a daily basis, it seemed.

Be the unmovable object; the rock that defies the wind.​

DARKCOM 's wise words come to mind.

If he could prevent such a grim fate for even one padawan, it would be a victory.

Lifting his hand, Ilian gestures with a tilt of his chin to assorted boxes and storage compartments lining the chamber. Other Jedi of varying youthful ages can be seen picking through them under the watchful eyes of Knights and Masters, pulling pieces from bins.

"The temple has all sorts of natural and refined materials and pre-assembled components kicking around. Most are newer, but there might still be some supplies from the older storehouses among them. These things can be changed later, of course, but have a look," he prepares to follow behind, "I'll be here if you have any questions. Once you've got some things to work with, we'll get started."

 

[Linny Rennis]

Linny watched carefully as Knight Kastle placed his lightsaber on the table in front of her. It was certainly a striking weapon. The crossguard design was unfamiliar to her, the only ones she'd seen around tended to be simpler types, single-bladed without much ornamentation. Every Jedi was unique, so it stood to reason that their weapons should be so. As he spoke, she followed the points and displays that he made. Imagining the pulse of plasma inside; the energy focused through those lenses and an unknown crystal of his own. Making a mental list in her head.

Power source. Lenses. Kyber crystal. Casing.

Quite what her lightsaber would look like, she had no idea. The details seemed murky, distant, nowhere near formed in her mind. Through talking to the other padawans, however, she knew some broad strokes of what she wanted to make. It'd be single-bladed, definitely. The thought of trying to work out how a saber-staff worked was a little too much, in her mind. It'd be simple and she wouldn't make it super ornate. Casual. Classy, perhaps. But not showy.

It was a comfort to find that Knight Kastle seemed to take a conservative view of lightsaber usage, though. In contrast to many of her peers, Linny'd never been really comfortable with the thought of holding a deadly weapon all the time. "A tool. Not a weapon," she agreed, nodding. That made it a little easier. It wasn't just for causing death. It just happened to be a very good tool for that. She matched his look, not faltering for once.

"I believe that a true Jedi should never draw their saber with the intent to cause harm. Only in the most dire of circumstances should one be used against a living being, and only as a last resort."

"I hope I don't have to," Linny replied, firmly and quickly, "and I'll take my lessons and training to heart." Some Jedi were natural fighters, devoting themselves to meeting the darkness head on in battle. Linny knew, even then, that her path wouldn't be like that. Not in her mind, at least.

With that, Linny was free to get stuck in. Suddenly left to the temptations of several different containers, Linny approached apprehensively. The choice seemed overwhelming, everything sort of 'partly-organised' in a chaotic whirl of smeared labels, mixed up parts and cracked materials. She browsed, feeling more like she was shopping for clothes than choosing parts to a lightsaber, just picking out things that she wanted to try out later. How does this look? Too showy? Too plain? Too stupid for a weapon?

A lens, slightly off-blue. A curved piece of burnished bronzium. A hazy crystal that looked older than the planet itself. A box lined with powdered rust, like the components had just worn away. Every shelf, every box, every bin filled with components brought a cavalcade of different things to her, all fighting for her attention. As she gathered some options, she wondered what she could ask.

"Why does yours have a crossguard? Was that your decision?" Linny asked. Obviously, it must've been, he'd built it. "I mean, why did you add that? If you want to answer, that is. I don't wanna pry." Her gaze kept flicking over to Ilian, almost for reassurance. It all looked okay, but she was half-expecting him to step in and tell her she'd found the lenses to a camera or a projector, rather than a saber.

As she arranged a few materials out, placing the outer materials around in a loose oval, she kept on asking questions. "Does the colour hold much significance? I already read about... red ones." Everything she'd seen in writing seemed strictly in favour of red being an 'off-limits' colour for a Jedi. "And when you mentioned Old Jedi Order, how old were you meaning? The past century? Older? " Her own schoolwork had given her a brief idea about the history of the Jedi Order, seeing as it had linked so closely with Coruscant in particular. Details had been in short supply though.

As she waited and listened, Linny laid her kyber crystal down, leaning over the table as she looked through a couple of lenses at it. Almost as if she could will it into doing something. Like she was expecting the kyber to glow, pulse or just outright nod to show her which would work. With a huff, she poked the small, rough lump of pink. It felt warm to her.

"What do you even do that's so special..." she muttered, more to herself than Ilian.

Ilian Kastle

 

[Ilian Kastle]

Linny Rennis

"A tool. Not a weapon."​

Ilian gives a satisfied nod when she repeats his words. Like her, he too could only hope she wouldn't have to.

As the young woman begins to collect her components, Ilian follows a few steps behind. Though challenging at times, he does his best to stay out of her way as she doubles back and moves abruptly. Although his expression doesn't show it, watching the padawan collect her parts and contemplate over them brought him great joy.

"Why does yours have a crossguard? Was that your decision?"​

He glances down to his hilt instinctively at its mention.

"It was, yes," he replies, looking back up to peer over her shoulder as she fishes through the bin of lenses "and no need to worry. I'm happy to answer."

"I meant much, much older," he begins, taking a half-step backwards to make room as the padawan moves from the container to her worktable, "It was a style that was common in what scholars refer to as the 'High Republic' era. 300 BBY or so. Over a millennia ago now."

He follows her back to the table, returning to where he had previously stood at its side.

"The Jedi who raised me were quite invested in the Old Ways. So, naturally, many of the texts I read growing up depicted sabers just like this one," he pats a hand against its cold casing, "They always captivated me. Like the metal blades of ancient history."

Ilian wordlessly examines each of the pieces as the padawan lays them out before her, calculating its final result in his mind. A perfect beginner's blade. One with room to grow as she does.

"Does the colour hold much significance? I already read about... red ones."​

"The colour is typically determined by the crystal you bond with," he answers without delay, "there are some that are more attracted to certain traits. In the past, some Enclaves would assign roles to their Initiates based on the colour of the crystal they bonded with, believing it to be indicative of one's skills. Coincidentally, my own blue crystal is quite accurate to my role within the Order."

He looks briefly to Linny's much less common crystal.

"As for pink? I've no clue," he says with friendly grin.

Ilian pauses after that, his features evening out as he considers his next words carefully. With everything happening around them -- the Stygian Campaign -- the subject of Sith and the Dark Side as a whole was a delicate one.

"There is a notable exception to this, however," he finally adds in a quieter voice, pursing his lips, "When a being submits to the temptations of the Dark Side, they embrace its domination. Their crystals resist, as most naturally forming kyber is innately attuned to the Light. But, the Dark Side is an all-consuming power -- and even a kyber's will can be broken by it. This process -- the bleeding of a crystal -- is what results in the crimson blades of the Sith."

At those words he crosses his arms, folding his hands back into the sagging sleeves of his Jedi robes. He watches her crystal intently, curious of its nature himself.

"There's only one way to find out," he breaks his gaze from the rosy crystal and shifts between the components laid out neatly on the table, "looks like you found everything you need without too much trouble. Well done, Padawan. Now we'll see how well your Force instructors have done."

He pulls his arms from his sleeves and locks his fingers together, allowing his hands to hang infront of him.

"Have a seat there," he gestures to the ground in front of the table with a dip of his head, "Cross your legs and relax your shoulders. Just like your meditation classes."

The Knight steps away from the table, moving to stand just a few feet behind Linny.

"This may not come naturally, but don't give up. Have patience and maintain focus," he closes his own eyes, "I want you to clear your mind of thoughts. When you're ready, try to recall the pieces that you chose from the bins. Pull them from memory first, then reach out with the Force and examine them in detail. How they look -- how they feel. Imagine how they'd interlock with eachother. Imagine them as one; and one with you."

 

[Linny Rennis]

It was all incredibly interesting. Linny felt like she was brushing against the long, twisted strands of a deep and rich history. One that couldn't all be investigated there and then... though Knight Kastle had done an excellent job. Just enough to keep her informed, while hinting at other things. As he described the way the Dark Side broke the will of a kyber crystal, Linny felt her hairs stand on end.

"Wow. I can't imagine forcing that kind of will onto something like this." She peeked at her own crystal, feeling just a tender hint of the strange connection she'd had back on Jakku. Novel as it was, Linny could never imagine imposing her own will in such a harsh, controlling way. Not on something like that, that clearly had it's own thing going on.

Still, there was a lightsaber to be built. Time for contemplations later. Linny nodded as she moved to the instructed place, sitting and crossing her legs. Just like the meditation practice had taught her. Her shoulders relaxed, moving a little further down. She shifted, legs nudging out of place a little more, just to avoid getting numb. She'd already learned that lesson in class. With the pieces laid out in front of her, she took a breath and closed her eyes, trying to keep that image in her head.

Knight Kastle was right, it did not come naturally. Not at all. Linny cycled between frustration and fake-calm as she tried to focus with the Force, tried to reach out with her own abilities and feel them in the Force. She could picture them all easily, but it wasn't the same. A picture was just a flash... reaching out with the Force was something more. Her face scrunched up a little as her fingers dug into her knees, pushing with that connection. Almost without thinking, she snapped back to the crystal in the middle of it all. Drawn to it without urge, able to see it perfectly...

And then everything became clearer. Through the crystal, she could reach. The components took shape there, now recognisable in the rushing tide of the Force. Linny could sense them, overlaid with her own mental image. Now, it was as if she could feel the smoothness of the bronzium sides, or the cool, glassy pat of the lens. After that, making them move didn't seem all that difficult. Though there was still clear effort on her face, with her jaw set straight as she concentrated, it was happening.

Before them both, a clumsy ballet was taking place. Components rose slowly, dangling gracelessly in the air as Linny sought to control them. Everything slowed down, turning into sluggish and very, very measured movements. The emitter rose, span slowly in the air and oozed lazily towards the casing. Pins and fastenings slid together, grinding metal against metal as they twisted until they started to lock together.

It may have been slow, but the lightsaber was starting to take shape. In her mind, Linny could picture it perfectly.

Very simple. Wide emitter at the top. Chromium with bronzium detailing. Simple and elegant and no-nonsense. Practical and stylish. A light, not a weapon.

Ilian Kastle