Post by Ky-Wan Zann on Aug 10, 2005 1:48:34 GMT -5
This is my first Fan Fiction about Ky-Wan's first mission with his Master Jil-Qun Tahm. He was only 12 at he time. It's much like the Jedi Quest first edition.
Jedi Legacy:
The Quest.
Chapter One:
Ky-Wan Zann focused his attention on seeing through the thingypit window. The mists that swirled around the viewport made it difficult to see anything but ice and snow. Beside him sat Ky-Wan's new Master, Jil-Qun Tahm. Jil-Qun made a grunting noise letting Ky-Wan know that he disliked this weather. Ky-Wan smirked slightly but kept his attention on the controls.
He was more worried about damaging his Master's ship 'The Womp Rat' more then getting himself killed. The Corellian vessel was small but it got it's passengers to where they needed to go. It was one of the few things that Jil-Qun cared for. It had been a gift from his brother so Ky-Wan didn't want to destroy his Master's only possession of value on his first journey with him.
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Jil-Qun felt the Force flow through Ky-Wan Zann, his new Padawan learner as he piloted the old ship. He had taken Ky-Wan as a Padawan a month ago after watching Ky-Wan spar in a Velocities training session with another student. Ky-Wan had won the match and Jil-Qun had seen that Ky-Wan had the potential to be a great swordsman and Jedi. He had asked the Jedi High Council if he could officially take him as a Padawan learner. They consented and Ky-Wan was made Jil-Qun’s Apprentice less then a day later.
During the month they had spent training together at the Temple and getting to know each other the two had both discovered they shared many of the same interests and even some of the same flaws. Jil-Qun had no doubt it was the Force that had urged him to go watch the students Velocities sessions that day at the Temple. And as always it had led him in the right direction.
In a few weeks it would be Ky-Wan’s 13th birthday. Jil-Qun had watched the young Padawan’s attitude and the way he cared for his training Lightsaber over the last month. He felt that Ky-Wan was ready to build his first working one. An honorable yet dangerous quest. The crystals that were needed to make the Lightsaber function were here, on the ice planet of Ilum. If his Padawan and he survived the ice storms and landed the craft safely there were still many dangers that awaited the unprepared Jedi……
The craft shook as they hit a wind gust. Ky-Wan almost lost the controls but quickly recovered them and balanced out the craft.
'That was close.' Ky-Wan said with a tad of nervousness behind it.
'It's alright Padawan. The ship doesn't look like she can even take an Ion storm but she'll hold up to anything that a Republic Cruiser can.' Jil-Qun spoke smiling.
'There.' Jil-Qun pointed. out the viewport.
'That's where we want to set her down.'
Ky-Wan looked at the what he hoped was a landing spot and saw nothing but ice and snow.
He thought to himself 'Is he on Spice!. There’s no way the ship is gonna be sturdy there.'
'No I'm not out of my mind.' Jil-Qun said as moved to the back of the ship.
'It will be fine.'
Ky-Wan held his breath and started activate the landing cycle.
The Womp Rat started it's descent to the 'Landing pad' Jil-Qun had directed him to. The ship was too big to fit in the usual covered crags in the rocks where transports landed when they arrived here. Ky-Wan let the Force flow through him, helping him and guiding him as he began to set the craft down.. One gust of wind from the wrong way and the ship would be crushed against the rocky cliffs beside the landing site.
'Master!.' Ky-Wan yelled to the back of the ship as he pulled the landing gear lever several times.
'Yes?.' Jil-Qun's voice echoed from the back.
'The landing gear isn’t working.' Ky-Wan spoke calmly but with caution for their lives.
'Hold on. I'll fix it.' Jil-Qun said calmly.
Ky-Wan heard a bang against metal, he first thought the ship had hit something or vice versa. He began to check readouts and sensors but as he heard the sound again, he realizing that it was coming from the back of the ship.
'Try it now!.' Jil-Qun hollered.
Ky-Wan pulled the lever and the landing gear flipped down with out any problems. He then stabilized the ground thrusters before shutting down the main engines. With little more then a thud the ship landed softly on the snowy landing ground.
Jil-Qun came back up to the front of the thingypit in his winter gear of a hooded parka, gloves and goggles over his tunics. He threw a matching set at Ky-Wan.
'Your going to need these.' he said as he powered down the system on his side of the thingypit.
Ky-Wan then removed his dark brown robe and began putting his gear on over his tunics as well.
Jil-Qun looked at where they had landed and smirked at the young lad.
‘Not bad for a pre teen’ he said to his Apprentice. Ky-Wan nodded in thanks.
'How did you fix the landing gear Master?.' Ky-Wan asked as he zipped his parka shut and put his hood up.
'Old Jedi technique' Jil-Qun smiled as they moved towards the Womp Rat's exit.
' You hit the manual release with something didn't you.' Ky-Wan said as he pulled his gloves on.
'Hey it got the gear down didn't it?.' Jil-Qun pushed the ramp opening and the door to the ramp slid open. Cold icy air gushed into the ship's warm interior.
'I didn't say it didn‘t, just never seen a ‘technique’ that old before.' Ky-Wan laughed as they shut the door and moved down the ramp towards the icy cliffs ahead of them that led to the Crystal Cave.
The two Jedi stopped at the bottom of the rocky face. Not that you could see any rocks, the entire cliff face was blue ice. No wonder it was such a trial to build a Lightsaber Ky-Wan thought. You actually have to survive getting there first. He glanced over at his Master, he too looked like he was not going to enjoy this climb.
Jil-Qun had not forged his Lightsaber on this world but always wondered what the crystals here would look like. He had thought that bringing Ky-Wan here would not only help his student but as well give him some new insight on another world. He now looked as if he'd gotten more then enough insight of this world and wanted to get back to the ship. They would have to use their Cable Launchers to reach the top where the crystals were.
'Ready!?.' Jil-Qun yelled over the howling winds of snow.
'Whenever you are!.' Ky-Wan yelled back.
Jil-Qun aimed his Cable Launcher up at the cliff and let it sail to it's mark above, Ky-Wan did the same. In a few minutes they had sailed up the ice cliff, being blown from one way to the other. Once they reached their hooks, they removed some picks from their parkas and hacked a foot hold into the ice. Then they did the same for the hands. Once they had the holds carved into the ice they released their cable hooks and held on the holds as they aimed up once again and fired.
They met their marks again and again sailed up, but a gust of wind pushed Ky-Wan into his Master. They collided and then began being pushed so hard it nearly made them loose their grips in their Launchers.
'Jam your pick into the ice!.' Jil-Qun yelled.
Ky-Wan followed his Masters orders and did as he was told. They couldn't stay here very long and both were beginning to tire from the icy wind. It had been a long climb
'Set your Launcher for maximum distance!.' Jil-Qun hollered over to his student.
Ky-Wan had not thought it was such a great plan. They could miss their marks and it would take some time for the cable to get wound up enough to get a shot again. They could both be pulled off the picks from the wind by then.
'It's the only way to get to the top!.' Jil-Qun yelled over the howling winds sensing his students reluctance.
'Alright!' Ky-Wan yelled as he took aim and set the Launcher for the farthest it could go.
He felt the Force. They both let their Launchers fly loose, the wind gusted their lines but they pierced the ice just inches from over shooting the cave entrance. With one last push off they flew towards the Crystal Cave opening.
Chapter Two
Ky-Wan and Jil-Qun entered the cave entrance. The winds were gone and it was warm inside. It caught both off guard. They stripped away their parka's and survival gear. Ky-Wan opened one of the ration packs they had brought. He took a veggie and protein cube from within and swallowed them almost whole, the trek to the cave had just about exhausted him.
He saw Jil-Qun take a seat on a nearby rock, his Master also looked tired. Ky-Wan offered him a veggie. Jil-Qun smiled and opened a packet from within his parka. It contained rations. . Fruit and crackers were stuffed into it. He offered his Padawan a fruit. Ky-Wan gobbled it like an eager child. Jil-Qun had to reminded himself that his student was still growing and needed more energy. Ky-Wan sat on a rock just below his Master, it was not proper to sit higher then a Master when in their company.
'There are still challenges ahead lad.' Jil-Qun said swallowing a cracker.
'Yes the visions and voices of my past and others. I learned about it from the other Padawan's who have come here.' Ky-Wan said as he removed a pouch from his pack containing the hilt that he had made at the Temple a week or so before. As well as another pouch containing the tools he borrowed and would need to forge his Lightsaber.
'Yes. They are shadows and fears. Accept the fear and then release it and you will no longer fear it. The challenge is part of the reward. If you can pass the visions and forge your hilt, you will indeed be on your way to Jedi Knighthood.' Jil-Qun said in serious but caring tone.
'There will be ancient writing on the cave walls. It is our Orders history. Some of the first Jedi carved their stories in the walls. The crystals make the carvings glow. They will be your guide to your quest.' he said looking at the cave passageway.
'Do not use a glow rod to navigate, wait till your eyes adjust to the darkness. We will stay here as long as it takes to finish. Do not rush. You know you must meditate before you begin to put the Lightsaber together. Let your feelings guide you to pick the crystals and then enter a state of trance. From there your final test for the rights of a Jedi will be tested.' Jil-Qun finished.
Jil-Qun sighed a tad.
‘Well now that I’m done saying what I’m supposed to say I can say what I want.’ Jil-Qun spoke.
‘Relax lad, just do your best and trust yourself. You’ll be fine. I mean after all you’re my Padawan.’ he smiled and put his hand on Ky-Wan’s shoulder as they stood before the passage leading to the crystals.
Ky-Wan looked up to his tall Master, smiled then he took a breath and began heading towards the passageway. He stopped for a moment to nod to his Master. He then proceeded forward.
'May the force be with you Ky-Wan.' Jil-Qun spoke softly to himself as he watched his Padawan learner swallowed by shadows.
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Ky-Wan had let his eyes adjust to the darkness from within the cave. It took a moment but he then could make out shapes of rocks. He saw a glow ahead, the walls of the cave were getting brighter as he moved towards them. Suddenly a voice whispered
'You will fail. Why bother to go on, your Lightsaber will never function.'
Ky-Wan closed his eyes for a moment then took a breath and moved forward. The voice stopped as suddenly as it started. He then saw a figure appear before him, it was a Jedi. He wore the traditional style robes and his Lightsaber hung securely from his belt. He had long brown hair with hints of grey showing he was a tad past his prime. He had a beard and it was neatly cut. The powerful figure stepped in front of him it looked so real.
'You will fail your Master. You will never become a Jedi Knight, you think you can succeed where so many have failed?.' it spoke in ghostly voice.
Ky-Wan felt the Force flow through him. He connected himself to the Living Force, it flowed from around him. He felt his Master at the entrance but he did not feel this vision in his path.
'No.' Ky-Wan spoke firmly.
'I will be a Jedi Knight. You are not real.' he stated as he walked right through the vision. It shimmered and vanished. Ky-Wan let out his breath and continued heading forward towards the his goal.
‘You have darkness in you Zann.’ another ghostly voice said. But no vision appeared to be seen.
Ky-Wan stopped and listened.
‘You try to hide when you let your emotions interfere. You are dark you can never walk the path of a Jedi. You are nothing ‘
Ky-Wan thought for a moment. It was true he had darker moments but he could control them, he would learn to. He would not fail. He knew his darkness was there, therefore it would not take him by surprise.
‘If I am nothing, why do you not appear?.’ he asked the darkness. There was no response.
He moved on.
All along his journey towards the crystals Jedi appeared and disappeared and shadows moved and faded. He saw the stories of many Jedi who carved their stories and the Jedi Orders history on the smooth black glowing walls. He then stopped. The floor was smooth below him, like stone. It was not rocky as the passageway had been. He saw the room filled with the glow of the crystals, so much that it illuminated the whole room better then a lamp.
'The crystals.' Ky-Wan said gazing around the room in wonder.
.He then found a smooth flat rock to lay his hilt and tools on. He stood and began to let his instincts guide him towards the crystals that he would forge into his Lightsaber. The one thing he could truly call his own. He would prove the visions and spirits wrong. He would not fail. He couldn’t………It would disgrace his Master.
Chapter Three
Ky-Wan sat before the rock he had chosen to use as a work bench. He had his hilt parts, tools and crystals lined in front of him neatly on the rock. He then began to feel the Force flow through him. It came from the rocks, stones below him and especially the crystals. He began to let him self slip away from where he was. He felt relaxation and happiness from his meditation. He sensed something though, it wasn't anything liked he'd felt before. He came back from his mediation, he looked around the room. There was nothing. He let it go and started work on his Lightsaber.
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He had just finished installing the secondary crystal in the hilt with the Microfusion tool he brought when he felt the same sensation again. Again there was nothing, Ky-Wan had never figured out what it was that he was sensing. It passed again. He turned his attention back towards the task at hand. He just had to flashmount the crystal that would serve as his focusing jewel to the internal power cell, connect the wire controls and weld the hilt shut and it would be completed.
Ky-Wan had lost track of time but he figured it had been at least 6-8 hours since he had entered the cave. He wondered what Master Jil-Qun was doing to keep himself busy.
‘Probably sleeping back in the ship’ he thought with a grin.
He removed his safety goggles. He now held in his hand his completed Lightsaber. It was metallic, silver and black with the standard red activation button. He had made the hilt to match the design of another Jedi he had admired since he was young. That of the now Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ky-Wan had heard stories of Obi-Wan’s adventures with his own Master since he was a small boy. Now Master Qui-Gon was dead, the Sith had returned and Obi-Wan had a Padawan of his own.
Ky-Wan had liked the design of Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber and felt that any Lightsaber that could hold up to the paces Master Kenobi had put it through, then it was a good design to start with. He had told himself and his Master that the next Lightsaber he forged would look more his Masters design. Jil-Qun hadn’t minded.. He thought Ky-Wan should design whatever hilt best suited him.
The pommel was black and it contained the power cell reserve cap. The handgrip was black. And the black ridges ran up to the top of the hilt covering the blade modulation circuitry. It's charging port was attached near the bottom of the hilt. The blade length and intensity controls were small and unobtrusive. It had matched the design perfectly. The hilt was smooth and showed no signs of bad welds or faulty craftsmanship. He rose to his feet. He felt a surge of pride surge through him. It was perfect.
Ky-Wan was about to try it when he heard a sound. He turned and saw Jil-Qun standing there.
'You gonna turn that thing on or what?.' Jil-Qun joked..
'Yes I was just about to.' Ky-Wan replied back with pride. He placed his thumb on the activation switch and pushed.
BOOM!.
Ky-Wan awoke on the floor of the cave. He had been badly burned. He tried to stand but shrapnel from the hilt had hit him when it exploded. He looked around for Jil-Qun. He didn't have to look far. His Master’s still form was crumpled against a corner of the cave. He was covered in blood. His tunics had been all but shredded in the blast. There were scorch marks all over the walls and some of the crystals were blown free, their pieces on the floor. Ky-Wan began to crawl towards his fallen master.
'Master?.' Ky-Wan spoke in pain.
Jil-Qun could only grunt in pain. Ky-Wan crawled up beside him. He had been seriously hurt and he could feel the Force ebbing away from him.
'No Master.' Ky-Wan spoke trying to suppress his pain with himself and from his injuries.
'Please don't,' he cried to his Master's face.
'...You.' Jil-Qun spoke with a low struggling voice.
'You have failed me Ky-Wan.' he continued.
Ky-Wan looked up with tears at his Masters bloody face. He had failed himself, the Jedi order and his Master. The visions were right he was not going to be a Jedi. He could not even follow a basic circuit diagram. He held Jil-Qun's still form in his arms until his eyes faded and his body became lifeless.
'NO!.' Ky-Wan screamed. It echoed throughout the cave.
'I'm sorry master' Ky-Wan said crying into Jil-Qun's still form.
'I was too full of pride to realize that I make mistakes. I was not ready and worthy enough to carry a Lightsaber. I destroyed the cave and took your life from you. I am not worthy to be a Jedi or your student.' Ky-Wan wept as he hugged his Masters body.
Suddenly Jil-Qun's form disappeared and the cave's damage faded as well. Ky-Wan's tunics were not scorched and he had no pain.
He was still seated in front of the rock table. His completed Lightsaber lie before him. It looked exactly as it had before it had exploded. He looked around the room. There was nothing damaged at all, and he did not have the feeling that he had kept sensing earlier. The explosion, Jil-Qun's death had all been another vision to stop him from completing his task. Once he admitted his failure, the vision ended. That was what Jil-Qun had meant when he said to accept the fear and then to release it, that the final test for the rights of a Jedi would be given.
Ky-Wan rose to his feet and gathered up his tools back into the pouch. He then moved to the middle of the room and held his new Lightsaber out in front of him. He let the Force flow through him, calming him. If the Lightsaber did explode he was prepared to become one with the Force. He put his thumb on the activation button and pushed it.
The blade extended to just under a meter and glowed bright green. Ky-Wan swung it in some downward motions a few times. It had a great balance ,much better then his old training saber. He put his left hand close to the blade. It gave no heat, it meant the superconductors worked. He turned the blade intensity control and heard the blade's hum lower and rise. He did the same for the length control and then being satisfied returned the controls to normal and deactivated his Lightsaber.
Ky-Wan smiled, He had done it, he had built the elegant weapon of his Order. He clipped it into it's charging socket on his utility belt. He glanced around the cave one more time before grabbing the pouch of tools and heading back towards the passageway. He was surprised to see Jil-Qun standing there, smiling at him.
'How long have you been there Master?.' Ky-Wan asked
'Long enough Padawan……Long enough.' Jil-Qun spoke in a serious but gentle manner.
With that, the Master and Apprentice started back towards the cave's entrance.... and home.
(The End)
Jedi Legacy:
The Quest.
Chapter One:
Ky-Wan Zann focused his attention on seeing through the thingypit window. The mists that swirled around the viewport made it difficult to see anything but ice and snow. Beside him sat Ky-Wan's new Master, Jil-Qun Tahm. Jil-Qun made a grunting noise letting Ky-Wan know that he disliked this weather. Ky-Wan smirked slightly but kept his attention on the controls.
He was more worried about damaging his Master's ship 'The Womp Rat' more then getting himself killed. The Corellian vessel was small but it got it's passengers to where they needed to go. It was one of the few things that Jil-Qun cared for. It had been a gift from his brother so Ky-Wan didn't want to destroy his Master's only possession of value on his first journey with him.
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Jil-Qun felt the Force flow through Ky-Wan Zann, his new Padawan learner as he piloted the old ship. He had taken Ky-Wan as a Padawan a month ago after watching Ky-Wan spar in a Velocities training session with another student. Ky-Wan had won the match and Jil-Qun had seen that Ky-Wan had the potential to be a great swordsman and Jedi. He had asked the Jedi High Council if he could officially take him as a Padawan learner. They consented and Ky-Wan was made Jil-Qun’s Apprentice less then a day later.
During the month they had spent training together at the Temple and getting to know each other the two had both discovered they shared many of the same interests and even some of the same flaws. Jil-Qun had no doubt it was the Force that had urged him to go watch the students Velocities sessions that day at the Temple. And as always it had led him in the right direction.
In a few weeks it would be Ky-Wan’s 13th birthday. Jil-Qun had watched the young Padawan’s attitude and the way he cared for his training Lightsaber over the last month. He felt that Ky-Wan was ready to build his first working one. An honorable yet dangerous quest. The crystals that were needed to make the Lightsaber function were here, on the ice planet of Ilum. If his Padawan and he survived the ice storms and landed the craft safely there were still many dangers that awaited the unprepared Jedi……
The craft shook as they hit a wind gust. Ky-Wan almost lost the controls but quickly recovered them and balanced out the craft.
'That was close.' Ky-Wan said with a tad of nervousness behind it.
'It's alright Padawan. The ship doesn't look like she can even take an Ion storm but she'll hold up to anything that a Republic Cruiser can.' Jil-Qun spoke smiling.
'There.' Jil-Qun pointed. out the viewport.
'That's where we want to set her down.'
Ky-Wan looked at the what he hoped was a landing spot and saw nothing but ice and snow.
He thought to himself 'Is he on Spice!. There’s no way the ship is gonna be sturdy there.'
'No I'm not out of my mind.' Jil-Qun said as moved to the back of the ship.
'It will be fine.'
Ky-Wan held his breath and started activate the landing cycle.
The Womp Rat started it's descent to the 'Landing pad' Jil-Qun had directed him to. The ship was too big to fit in the usual covered crags in the rocks where transports landed when they arrived here. Ky-Wan let the Force flow through him, helping him and guiding him as he began to set the craft down.. One gust of wind from the wrong way and the ship would be crushed against the rocky cliffs beside the landing site.
'Master!.' Ky-Wan yelled to the back of the ship as he pulled the landing gear lever several times.
'Yes?.' Jil-Qun's voice echoed from the back.
'The landing gear isn’t working.' Ky-Wan spoke calmly but with caution for their lives.
'Hold on. I'll fix it.' Jil-Qun said calmly.
Ky-Wan heard a bang against metal, he first thought the ship had hit something or vice versa. He began to check readouts and sensors but as he heard the sound again, he realizing that it was coming from the back of the ship.
'Try it now!.' Jil-Qun hollered.
Ky-Wan pulled the lever and the landing gear flipped down with out any problems. He then stabilized the ground thrusters before shutting down the main engines. With little more then a thud the ship landed softly on the snowy landing ground.
Jil-Qun came back up to the front of the thingypit in his winter gear of a hooded parka, gloves and goggles over his tunics. He threw a matching set at Ky-Wan.
'Your going to need these.' he said as he powered down the system on his side of the thingypit.
Ky-Wan then removed his dark brown robe and began putting his gear on over his tunics as well.
Jil-Qun looked at where they had landed and smirked at the young lad.
‘Not bad for a pre teen’ he said to his Apprentice. Ky-Wan nodded in thanks.
'How did you fix the landing gear Master?.' Ky-Wan asked as he zipped his parka shut and put his hood up.
'Old Jedi technique' Jil-Qun smiled as they moved towards the Womp Rat's exit.
' You hit the manual release with something didn't you.' Ky-Wan said as he pulled his gloves on.
'Hey it got the gear down didn't it?.' Jil-Qun pushed the ramp opening and the door to the ramp slid open. Cold icy air gushed into the ship's warm interior.
'I didn't say it didn‘t, just never seen a ‘technique’ that old before.' Ky-Wan laughed as they shut the door and moved down the ramp towards the icy cliffs ahead of them that led to the Crystal Cave.
The two Jedi stopped at the bottom of the rocky face. Not that you could see any rocks, the entire cliff face was blue ice. No wonder it was such a trial to build a Lightsaber Ky-Wan thought. You actually have to survive getting there first. He glanced over at his Master, he too looked like he was not going to enjoy this climb.
Jil-Qun had not forged his Lightsaber on this world but always wondered what the crystals here would look like. He had thought that bringing Ky-Wan here would not only help his student but as well give him some new insight on another world. He now looked as if he'd gotten more then enough insight of this world and wanted to get back to the ship. They would have to use their Cable Launchers to reach the top where the crystals were.
'Ready!?.' Jil-Qun yelled over the howling winds of snow.
'Whenever you are!.' Ky-Wan yelled back.
Jil-Qun aimed his Cable Launcher up at the cliff and let it sail to it's mark above, Ky-Wan did the same. In a few minutes they had sailed up the ice cliff, being blown from one way to the other. Once they reached their hooks, they removed some picks from their parkas and hacked a foot hold into the ice. Then they did the same for the hands. Once they had the holds carved into the ice they released their cable hooks and held on the holds as they aimed up once again and fired.
They met their marks again and again sailed up, but a gust of wind pushed Ky-Wan into his Master. They collided and then began being pushed so hard it nearly made them loose their grips in their Launchers.
'Jam your pick into the ice!.' Jil-Qun yelled.
Ky-Wan followed his Masters orders and did as he was told. They couldn't stay here very long and both were beginning to tire from the icy wind. It had been a long climb
'Set your Launcher for maximum distance!.' Jil-Qun hollered over to his student.
Ky-Wan had not thought it was such a great plan. They could miss their marks and it would take some time for the cable to get wound up enough to get a shot again. They could both be pulled off the picks from the wind by then.
'It's the only way to get to the top!.' Jil-Qun yelled over the howling winds sensing his students reluctance.
'Alright!' Ky-Wan yelled as he took aim and set the Launcher for the farthest it could go.
He felt the Force. They both let their Launchers fly loose, the wind gusted their lines but they pierced the ice just inches from over shooting the cave entrance. With one last push off they flew towards the Crystal Cave opening.
Chapter Two
Ky-Wan and Jil-Qun entered the cave entrance. The winds were gone and it was warm inside. It caught both off guard. They stripped away their parka's and survival gear. Ky-Wan opened one of the ration packs they had brought. He took a veggie and protein cube from within and swallowed them almost whole, the trek to the cave had just about exhausted him.
He saw Jil-Qun take a seat on a nearby rock, his Master also looked tired. Ky-Wan offered him a veggie. Jil-Qun smiled and opened a packet from within his parka. It contained rations. . Fruit and crackers were stuffed into it. He offered his Padawan a fruit. Ky-Wan gobbled it like an eager child. Jil-Qun had to reminded himself that his student was still growing and needed more energy. Ky-Wan sat on a rock just below his Master, it was not proper to sit higher then a Master when in their company.
'There are still challenges ahead lad.' Jil-Qun said swallowing a cracker.
'Yes the visions and voices of my past and others. I learned about it from the other Padawan's who have come here.' Ky-Wan said as he removed a pouch from his pack containing the hilt that he had made at the Temple a week or so before. As well as another pouch containing the tools he borrowed and would need to forge his Lightsaber.
'Yes. They are shadows and fears. Accept the fear and then release it and you will no longer fear it. The challenge is part of the reward. If you can pass the visions and forge your hilt, you will indeed be on your way to Jedi Knighthood.' Jil-Qun said in serious but caring tone.
'There will be ancient writing on the cave walls. It is our Orders history. Some of the first Jedi carved their stories in the walls. The crystals make the carvings glow. They will be your guide to your quest.' he said looking at the cave passageway.
'Do not use a glow rod to navigate, wait till your eyes adjust to the darkness. We will stay here as long as it takes to finish. Do not rush. You know you must meditate before you begin to put the Lightsaber together. Let your feelings guide you to pick the crystals and then enter a state of trance. From there your final test for the rights of a Jedi will be tested.' Jil-Qun finished.
Jil-Qun sighed a tad.
‘Well now that I’m done saying what I’m supposed to say I can say what I want.’ Jil-Qun spoke.
‘Relax lad, just do your best and trust yourself. You’ll be fine. I mean after all you’re my Padawan.’ he smiled and put his hand on Ky-Wan’s shoulder as they stood before the passage leading to the crystals.
Ky-Wan looked up to his tall Master, smiled then he took a breath and began heading towards the passageway. He stopped for a moment to nod to his Master. He then proceeded forward.
'May the force be with you Ky-Wan.' Jil-Qun spoke softly to himself as he watched his Padawan learner swallowed by shadows.
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Ky-Wan had let his eyes adjust to the darkness from within the cave. It took a moment but he then could make out shapes of rocks. He saw a glow ahead, the walls of the cave were getting brighter as he moved towards them. Suddenly a voice whispered
'You will fail. Why bother to go on, your Lightsaber will never function.'
Ky-Wan closed his eyes for a moment then took a breath and moved forward. The voice stopped as suddenly as it started. He then saw a figure appear before him, it was a Jedi. He wore the traditional style robes and his Lightsaber hung securely from his belt. He had long brown hair with hints of grey showing he was a tad past his prime. He had a beard and it was neatly cut. The powerful figure stepped in front of him it looked so real.
'You will fail your Master. You will never become a Jedi Knight, you think you can succeed where so many have failed?.' it spoke in ghostly voice.
Ky-Wan felt the Force flow through him. He connected himself to the Living Force, it flowed from around him. He felt his Master at the entrance but he did not feel this vision in his path.
'No.' Ky-Wan spoke firmly.
'I will be a Jedi Knight. You are not real.' he stated as he walked right through the vision. It shimmered and vanished. Ky-Wan let out his breath and continued heading forward towards the his goal.
‘You have darkness in you Zann.’ another ghostly voice said. But no vision appeared to be seen.
Ky-Wan stopped and listened.
‘You try to hide when you let your emotions interfere. You are dark you can never walk the path of a Jedi. You are nothing ‘
Ky-Wan thought for a moment. It was true he had darker moments but he could control them, he would learn to. He would not fail. He knew his darkness was there, therefore it would not take him by surprise.
‘If I am nothing, why do you not appear?.’ he asked the darkness. There was no response.
He moved on.
All along his journey towards the crystals Jedi appeared and disappeared and shadows moved and faded. He saw the stories of many Jedi who carved their stories and the Jedi Orders history on the smooth black glowing walls. He then stopped. The floor was smooth below him, like stone. It was not rocky as the passageway had been. He saw the room filled with the glow of the crystals, so much that it illuminated the whole room better then a lamp.
'The crystals.' Ky-Wan said gazing around the room in wonder.
.He then found a smooth flat rock to lay his hilt and tools on. He stood and began to let his instincts guide him towards the crystals that he would forge into his Lightsaber. The one thing he could truly call his own. He would prove the visions and spirits wrong. He would not fail. He couldn’t………It would disgrace his Master.
Chapter Three
Ky-Wan sat before the rock he had chosen to use as a work bench. He had his hilt parts, tools and crystals lined in front of him neatly on the rock. He then began to feel the Force flow through him. It came from the rocks, stones below him and especially the crystals. He began to let him self slip away from where he was. He felt relaxation and happiness from his meditation. He sensed something though, it wasn't anything liked he'd felt before. He came back from his mediation, he looked around the room. There was nothing. He let it go and started work on his Lightsaber.
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He had just finished installing the secondary crystal in the hilt with the Microfusion tool he brought when he felt the same sensation again. Again there was nothing, Ky-Wan had never figured out what it was that he was sensing. It passed again. He turned his attention back towards the task at hand. He just had to flashmount the crystal that would serve as his focusing jewel to the internal power cell, connect the wire controls and weld the hilt shut and it would be completed.
Ky-Wan had lost track of time but he figured it had been at least 6-8 hours since he had entered the cave. He wondered what Master Jil-Qun was doing to keep himself busy.
‘Probably sleeping back in the ship’ he thought with a grin.
He removed his safety goggles. He now held in his hand his completed Lightsaber. It was metallic, silver and black with the standard red activation button. He had made the hilt to match the design of another Jedi he had admired since he was young. That of the now Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ky-Wan had heard stories of Obi-Wan’s adventures with his own Master since he was a small boy. Now Master Qui-Gon was dead, the Sith had returned and Obi-Wan had a Padawan of his own.
Ky-Wan had liked the design of Obi-Wan’s Lightsaber and felt that any Lightsaber that could hold up to the paces Master Kenobi had put it through, then it was a good design to start with. He had told himself and his Master that the next Lightsaber he forged would look more his Masters design. Jil-Qun hadn’t minded.. He thought Ky-Wan should design whatever hilt best suited him.
The pommel was black and it contained the power cell reserve cap. The handgrip was black. And the black ridges ran up to the top of the hilt covering the blade modulation circuitry. It's charging port was attached near the bottom of the hilt. The blade length and intensity controls were small and unobtrusive. It had matched the design perfectly. The hilt was smooth and showed no signs of bad welds or faulty craftsmanship. He rose to his feet. He felt a surge of pride surge through him. It was perfect.
Ky-Wan was about to try it when he heard a sound. He turned and saw Jil-Qun standing there.
'You gonna turn that thing on or what?.' Jil-Qun joked..
'Yes I was just about to.' Ky-Wan replied back with pride. He placed his thumb on the activation switch and pushed.
BOOM!.
Ky-Wan awoke on the floor of the cave. He had been badly burned. He tried to stand but shrapnel from the hilt had hit him when it exploded. He looked around for Jil-Qun. He didn't have to look far. His Master’s still form was crumpled against a corner of the cave. He was covered in blood. His tunics had been all but shredded in the blast. There were scorch marks all over the walls and some of the crystals were blown free, their pieces on the floor. Ky-Wan began to crawl towards his fallen master.
'Master?.' Ky-Wan spoke in pain.
Jil-Qun could only grunt in pain. Ky-Wan crawled up beside him. He had been seriously hurt and he could feel the Force ebbing away from him.
'No Master.' Ky-Wan spoke trying to suppress his pain with himself and from his injuries.
'Please don't,' he cried to his Master's face.
'...You.' Jil-Qun spoke with a low struggling voice.
'You have failed me Ky-Wan.' he continued.
Ky-Wan looked up with tears at his Masters bloody face. He had failed himself, the Jedi order and his Master. The visions were right he was not going to be a Jedi. He could not even follow a basic circuit diagram. He held Jil-Qun's still form in his arms until his eyes faded and his body became lifeless.
'NO!.' Ky-Wan screamed. It echoed throughout the cave.
'I'm sorry master' Ky-Wan said crying into Jil-Qun's still form.
'I was too full of pride to realize that I make mistakes. I was not ready and worthy enough to carry a Lightsaber. I destroyed the cave and took your life from you. I am not worthy to be a Jedi or your student.' Ky-Wan wept as he hugged his Masters body.
Suddenly Jil-Qun's form disappeared and the cave's damage faded as well. Ky-Wan's tunics were not scorched and he had no pain.
He was still seated in front of the rock table. His completed Lightsaber lie before him. It looked exactly as it had before it had exploded. He looked around the room. There was nothing damaged at all, and he did not have the feeling that he had kept sensing earlier. The explosion, Jil-Qun's death had all been another vision to stop him from completing his task. Once he admitted his failure, the vision ended. That was what Jil-Qun had meant when he said to accept the fear and then to release it, that the final test for the rights of a Jedi would be given.
Ky-Wan rose to his feet and gathered up his tools back into the pouch. He then moved to the middle of the room and held his new Lightsaber out in front of him. He let the Force flow through him, calming him. If the Lightsaber did explode he was prepared to become one with the Force. He put his thumb on the activation button and pushed it.
The blade extended to just under a meter and glowed bright green. Ky-Wan swung it in some downward motions a few times. It had a great balance ,much better then his old training saber. He put his left hand close to the blade. It gave no heat, it meant the superconductors worked. He turned the blade intensity control and heard the blade's hum lower and rise. He did the same for the length control and then being satisfied returned the controls to normal and deactivated his Lightsaber.
Ky-Wan smiled, He had done it, he had built the elegant weapon of his Order. He clipped it into it's charging socket on his utility belt. He glanced around the cave one more time before grabbing the pouch of tools and heading back towards the passageway. He was surprised to see Jil-Qun standing there, smiling at him.
'How long have you been there Master?.' Ky-Wan asked
'Long enough Padawan……Long enough.' Jil-Qun spoke in a serious but gentle manner.
With that, the Master and Apprentice started back towards the cave's entrance.... and home.
(The End)
