The Wolf Pack

Chapter 7

The gathering had only been the beginning. We still had to assemble our lightsabers on our own, granted with the help of professor Huyang. It was quite shocking for us younglings to have a droid for a teacher and not a Jedi master. The temple employed droids for maintenance only, so having one serving as a professor was a little disorienting. But professor Huyang was professional, knowledgeable and patient. He explained things clearly and reformulated concepts if one of us hadn't understood something. He had taught thousands of generations, he'd said, and we would be no different.

A lightsaber was part of who a Jedi was, so personal design was often encouraged. Most Jedi chose something familiar to them, oftentimes reminiscent of their own cultures. I decided I wanted to pay homage to the Tuskens. Rough around the edges, practical, ruthless, but honest, and humble and honorable. Most metals used in weaponry in the outer rim was second hand or recycled at best, scavenging was a full-time job in Tatooine, and it was the biggest provider of raw materials. So I did what no one expected, but I knew was right: I asked huyang to give me all the pieces no one wanted, those that had been in storage the longest. He did seem quite surprised but didn't question my decision, and neither did Master Yoda.

Once we had been given everything we needed, it was time to get to work. Each youngling had their own working space, and in the middle of the room there was a hologram with the plans to lightsaber building. We were told to use the force to build it, and so we did.

I didn't start building right away, instead, I studied the plans closely, took notes and tried to figure out where the best place to start was. It wasn't easy, Jedi were no engineers unless they'd had training before being taken into the order or studying to become one after being knighted. So I had to use every ounce of logic and common sense I had. I might not have been brilliant, but I knew how to read instructions and think for myself.

There were at least two failed attempts in the other workstations. If built wrong, lightsabers would explode and leave you with nothing but your crystal. One of those explosions was Nahdar's, but I didn't dare tease him or I'd lose my concentration. It was tricky, it was complicated and it was also a very long process, but once I figured out the best way to assemble the weapon that would be with me the rest of my life, I got to work.

I closed my eyes and reset my breathing pattern. The pieces lifted up in the air before me and aligned as I had pictured them in my mind's eye. Slowly, patiently, I put them together, one by one. Piece by piece, fuse, cable crystal and switch. They all came together as if they'd been meant to be there, the final step was to put all of it within the outer casing: a cylinder made out of a matte gray metal that resembled an upcycled exhaust pipe. The outer casing was not just that, it had been modified to be as ergonomic as possible, so the grip was non-slip and there was a metal hook in the end to attach it to a belt.

When I opened my eyes, my lightsaber was finished and spinning lazily in front of me.

"Oh, good. That looks very good, Kriari," Said Huyang beside me. "May I see it?"

I smiled lightly and grabbed the lightsaber from where it was floating and handed it over.

Huyang turned the saber on and the green light of my saber illuminated the dimly lit room. I was mesmerized to say the least. It was beautiful, harmonic and powerful. But it also had the potential to be dangerous. It was a weapon that inspired both awe and respect, and I loved it.

"A job well done, that is, young Foreas. Yes." Said Master Yoda when he saw me staring at my new companion. "Care for it you shall, and care for you it will. Hmmm"

"Yes, Master Yoda." I said before turning it off and hooking it to my belt.

...

The graduation trial was simply put, a lightsaber competition. For us to have made it to the top ten of our class, we already had to have excelled in every other discipline and class, so the only thing left to test was our skill in combat. There was no point system, we were not graded, but that didn't make lightsaber dueling more important than the other disciplines. Masters looking for a Padawan were given a report on each of us, which detailed how we had done in each of our classes and any thing of note our instructors believed to be important. But that did not mean the lightsaber competition wasn't the main event. It was. They took place in the Temple's Arena, and most members of the order attended: Masters, Knights, Younglings, and even Members of the council. It was stressful, nerve wracking and there was nothing for me to do other than my best.

We would duel each other at random until only one was left. The duels were not to death, of course, but the aim was either disarm the opponent or incapacitate them. All while blindfolded. Being blindfolded was not something that concerned me, in fact it gave me a little comfort to know I wouldn't be able to see all the people around me. It had become a habit of mine after all these years, to close my eyes and feel for the Force when I was stressed or trying to concentrate.

And then the trials started. One by one we got called into the ring and given our blindfolds. One by one we gave all we had to try and secure our place as a padawan. When my turn came, I had a strange sense of peace. I should have been nervous, I should have been afraid of what would happen if I failed. It was what I would have done in any other circumstance. But not that day. That day I decided to meditate before going in, and the Force took all my fear, all my anxiety, all my worry and spirited it away. When I stepped into the ring, I bowed before my opponent, a girl from Naboo two years my senior. We were given our blindfolds and were told to start on the master's mark. The lights went out and I couldn't see, but that was okay. The arena went silent, and then I heard her left foot shift. Being unable to see was not a hindrance, in fact it was a blessing in it's own way. I had been forced to concentrate, to feel around me through the Force, to hear my opponent move and act accordingly. I didn't give her time to go on the offensive. I struck first. Blow after blow I struck once, twice. Reversed my grip, turned my saber left then right then right again. I sweeped it under her feet and pushed and pushed against her defences. I was at peace, I was concentrating and I was being ruthless and merciless, but there was no malice behind it. She was just my opponent for the day, she just happened to be there. Finally, I managed to disarm her, and once her saber hit the floor, I powered mine off.

I was sweating and a little out of breath, but that was all. My opponent on the other hand, was not. The resentment and hatred in her eyes when she took her blindfold off shocked me. I hadn't meant it as a personal attack on her person. I had just been doing what I had to. She didn't stay to bow before leaving the ring. She simply called her saber to her with the force and left. And that was the end of my first duel.

The rest of my duels were nothing like the first. We were all evenly matched, and I only came out in third place because Nahdar had managed to find a pattern in my fighting style.

"You rely too much on your physical strength and tire yourself out," He explained as we left the ring. "You should try to incorporate the Force and increase your stamina."

He was right, of course so I took his advice and continued to talk about the trials. Nahdar came out on top, followed by a Twi'lek boy and finally me in third place. Now, all there was left was to wait for a Master to choose us as their Padawan. It didn't take long, Master Kit Fisto chose Nahdar as his Padawan that very day, and the Twi'lek boy got selected by a master I didn't know. No one came for me that day, but that was okay, I was in no rush.

I spent the rest of the day talking to Ahsoka. We discussed the trials, the new Padawan, what she hoped to accomplish when her time came. Ahsoka had always been ambitious, and I'd always supported her because there had never been malicious intentions behind that ambition. I simply wanted to become a Jedi Knight and help keep the peace. We balanced eachother out, always had.

We were outside laying in the afternoon Coruscant sun when a master finally approached me. It was Master Plo Koon. Ahsoka greeted him with a smile before leaving us and winked at me before rounding the corner.

"I believe you know why I'm here, young one." He said before sitting on one of the benches.

"I do, Master." I answered.

"Have you decided if you want to embark on this journey with me? The road ahead will be treacherous, many trials await you."

"I know, master. But I believe there is no one that could guide me like you. It was you who found me, it is only fitting that you are the one to guide me the rest of the way."

"Then so be it, we will depart for Dorin in the morning."

"Yes Master."