Goodwood

*His master was taunting him, that much was clear to Ben'a.* "Pimp-slapping your Padawan? You have no class, Master," Ben'a said with a grin. *The Padawan could see that this could only end when one of the two combatants was knocked out...but it remained to be seen which one would go down. Ben'a did a quick two-step before lunging forward once again, again with a flurry of jabs, finishing off with a massive left hook to the gut that was followed in a twirl by another smack of the Padawan's head-tail. The sheer momentum of the attack forced Keiran off of his feet; he landed on the sand right on his bum amidst a cloud of sand.* "Well that was fun," Ben'a teased, bracing for the retaliatory strike that was sure to come.

*Hearing his master's advice as he recovered from the blow to his face, the Padawan closed himself off from the Force as the elder Jedi had done. Ben'a then assumed the stance he had been taught back on Correllia a decade ago...* "But isn't it some sort of Jedi rule to always have one's lightsaber with you?" the Padawan asked. *Ben'a betrayed no emotion in his words; only simple curiosity. But he figured he knew his Master's response already, judging from the practicality of his lessons thus far. And with a nod, the Padawan lunged at his Master, catching the Jedi off-guard, and with two quick jabs and a lash of Ben'a's head-tail, the master was pushed back, now sporting an angry welt on his cheek.* "I've had that little trick up my sleeve for years, Master..." Ben'a said with a small smile.

"Aaah, sithspit!" *Ben'a continued to lay facedown in the sand, awaiting his master's approach. The Padawan hadn't forseen the bolas, but he smiled to himself as he thought of how this could work for him. Furtively, and without using the Force, he loosened the wire caught on his foot, so that by the time Master Keiran was about to reach him, he was free... Ben'a feigned a cough as he heard the footsteps of his Master.* "That's a good trick, Master." *Without warning or the Force, Ben'a quickly rolled out of the shadow of his Master, bringing his saber up as he himself got up from the swirling sand. Again, as he assumed the neutral stance, the Padawan sank back into the Force, this time waiting for his Master's attack...*

"Holy Correlli, he's fast!" *The Padawan had managed to avoid the forward stab, but what his master did next surprised him quite thoroughly. As the white saber of his Master hummed at his throat, Ben'a chastised himself for letting his own speed surprise him -- if it hadn't, he might have connected -- but Ben'a knew that his master had him this time...or did he? The Force was still with him...* "You've got me, Master..." *The Padawan said this matter-of-factly, but as soon as the words were out, Ben'a did a back-flip, knocking away the saber with his own on the leap. The Padawan's feet were on the ground for barely a milisecond before he took off at a run, hoping his master would follow...*

*With his and his master's sabers locked, Ben'a took the advice and opened himself to the Force, letting it guide him as well as his blade. The energy beams continued to push against eachother when suddenly, the Padawan at once swung his saber back around, and took yet another quick sidestep to avoid the sudden momentum of his master's weapon. The two Jedi stood there, in the sand, barely two meters apart...both deep in the Force...* Feel, don't think... *Again, the Padawan lunged at his Master, closing his eyes as he let the Force take over his actions. Ben'a could feel as his master brought his weapon up in defense, could feel his master preparing to block, but just as easily, he could see what might happen.... With a speed that surprised even Ben'a, who knew he was doing it, his emerald blade gave slash after slash in rapid succession. Master Keiran managed to block most of the attacks...*

*The blow was easily blocked by the Padawan with an upward jab of his own saber. With a twist, Ben'a pushed the white blade aside, and with a quick sidestep to his right, sent his own slash right at his master's legs, the blow catching the Jedi Knight almost by surprise as it was deftly blocked.* Be aggressive, Ben'a thought as he recalled the blind teacher's words back on Hoth... *Yanking his saber up, the Padawan backed up several feet, and then lunged at his Master again. But this time, holding his saber high, he slid into the ground with his foot out, sending sand into the face of his Master.*

A duel, huh...? *Ben'a nodded at his Master as he fiddled with the saber hilt in his hand, adjusting the power setting of the blade. The Padawan knew this might be a possibility, so he had included this function in its construction. When his saber was ready, Ben'a nodded again to his Master.* "Yes Master, I am ready... *Ben'a then activated his saber, again the emerald blade gave a snap-hiss! and extended as the Padawan assumed the classic neutral stance.*

*As Ben'a walked down the exit ramp of the Strife III, he had to shield his eyes against the glaring sun...Tatooine was indeed what everyone thought it to be. The Padawan regarded his Master as the question of his training was posed.* "Yes, Master, I did recieve basic saber training. I was able to observe two practice duels of quite different styles, as well as engage in one of my own." *The Padawan smiled wryly, contemplating the deactivated weapon held in his hand...* "I don't think I need to tell you the result of that contest, but I feel that I have learned more since then..."

*With Jedi Knight Keiran Valoria at the controls, the newly dubbed Strife III streaks through hyperspace to the planet of Tatooine. Ben'a Solo, his young Padawan, sits in the back, deep in meditation, his lightsaber hovering in front of him. It is a time passed in silence; a time for deep thoughts...of the future...*

*Ben'a accepted his saber back from his Master with a gracious smile and nod.* "Thank you, Master, I appreciate the compliment." *The Padawan thought about the prospect of learning to master his new weapon, and the thought of going to Tatooine intrigued him, though he had never been to that world. However, everyone knew of it and its environment, at least...* "Yes, Tatooine does sound fitting, Master. The desert there holds many interesting things, or so I hear -- and it is out of the way..." *Ben'a gave a small bow to his Master before entering the Strife III, looking about the interior with his natural curiosity...this was indeed an old ship, from a far different time. The Padawan took a seat at what looked like the navigator's station, and began perusing the various controls and dials...* "When will the ship be ready?"

*Ben'a handed Master Keiran his newly-crafted saber with a slight reluctance...but then he realized the Jedi Knight wouldn't harm it -- he knew enough of sabers anyway.* "You were right, Master, it was no easy task making the crystal...but it was worth it...I feel stronger now." *As his Master examined the hilt Ben'a had constructed, the Padawan closed his eyes and tried to relax a bit; there was a strange energy hovering about this vessel, though it was faint from time...*

*Ben'a supposed that his master was probably out buying a new ship, so with saber in hand and his droid behind him, he began roaming the city, heading for the spaceports. It was a pleasent day on Correllia for walking, so the Padawan set a leisurly pace.* I wonder what interesting vessel he managed to find... *Coronet City wasn't much different from how Ben'a remembered it; things never really seemed to change very quickly in the galaxy these days. It seemed that if change were to happen, it would either be too slow to notice, or as quick as a day or two -- however long it took to forcibly sieze a planet. But still, to the young Padawan, it was good to be back on his home turf. He continued to the spaceport, all the while expanding his awareness to try and spot his Master.* "There can't be that many Force users here," he mumbled to himself as he arrived at the facility an hour later. R8 beeped an acknowledgment. *Ben'a stood still for a moment, again expanding his awareness as far as he could.* There you are, Master... *Ben'a had sensed his Master's connection to the Force, but his Force-sense did a double-take at the ship he was working on -- could it be? -- yes, it was, an old Sith Infiltrator... The Padawan smiled to himself as he decided his next course of action. If his master was preoccupied with fixing his newly acquired ship, he should be easy to spook...so Ben'a cleared his mind completely and sank into the Force, letting it quiet his movements and mask his preasence as he tiptoed in close behind Master Keiran...* "Well, that's an interesting find you've got there, Master!"

*It was impossible to tell how long he had been out when Ben'a awoke from his sleep. But it was readily apparent that it was long enough for the crystal to cool completely. It was ready, and now the Padawan was ready to complete his saber. But as he exited the factory, Ben'a felt something different -- it was like every sense he posessed had been magnified -- including his attunement to the Force. It was like a tingling radiance throughout his body. As he exited the dark building, Ben'a glanced down at the crystal in his hand in the fullness of daylight.* There must have been some interesting impurities in that molten ore... he thought to himself as he looked down at the dark emerald-colored rock. *Ben'a made his way back to the hotel at a leisurly pace, remembering that it was a good thing he had paid for another night's stay. R8 beeped his droid greetings as the Padawan returned, making him smile once again.* "Yes, it is indeed good to be alive, R8. We've got a lot of interesting times ahead of us, my metallic friend..." *Ben'a was ready to finally finish his saber, and as he took a seat on his bed, he opened himself to the Force once again, bringing the hilt that he had crafted and the crystal into the air before him. With the Force guiding his hands, he opened the hilt and set the crystal, connected the powercell, and dropped the lens in. The saber was ready, and so was he, and as Ben'a finished sealing the hilt, a warm feeling coursed through it and up into his hand.* "Here goes nothing, R8... *Ben'a pushed the activation button, and a shimmering emerald blade of pure energy extended rapidly from the silver hilt. A look of extreme satisfaction came over the Padawan's face. Getting up, he swung the lightsaber -- his lightsaber -- rapidly and with a purpose. This was his blade, and this was his power; a power that would heal and defend.* "Come on, R8. We've got to find Master Keiran." *Ben'a deactivated his saber and walked out of the hotel, looking for his Master.*

*Ben'a, his saber hilt now complete, chose to have a nice meal before attempting the final step of his lightsaber construction; the heart of his cause and the symbol of his committment, the crystal. It would take a massive effort to even survive the heat of the oven necessary to produce it, not to mention drawing on the Force to form the crystal itself, but after feasting on his favourite dishes and a short nap, the Padawan was ready...though he knew it was not normal for one to construct their saber so early in training.* "But that which does not kill me, will serve to make me stronger..." *Ben'a knew enough of the layout of Coronet City to find his way to a suitable source of heat -- the local metal refinery. After refreshing himself, the Padawan made his way there, with a single grain of sand in the palm of his green-tinged hand. This would be the seed for his crystal, and a powerful crystal it would be. He soon arrived at his destination, but the workers musn't know he was here.* Better use the back way... *No one saw the Padawan as he made his way to a blast-furnace. Ben'a sat down in front of it, and gave himself completely to the Force; he entered into a connection that he hadn't thought possible until now, inexperienced though he was. An hour passed as he meditated in preperation, and when he finally got up to enter, there was a reddish aura about him -- an aura that was visable to even non Force-users. He was now ready to enter the fire, and without hesitation, he walked into the moltan mass...* That is strange, it feels like warm breath... *But as soon as the molten metallic ore enveloped him, Ben'a could feel the strain on his body and mind -- it was indeed an incredible strain to keep this up -- but he did just the same, there was simply no other option. He held out the grain of sand, and watched with the Force as particles of some unknown substance latched themselves onto the grain. Ben'a understood that it was at his command of the Force that this was happening...* Keep it up, Ben'a, keep it up...you can do it... *The voice of his father in his mind gave Ben'a a new surge of energy...the process accelerated, but the strain at keeping this up was taking its toll. The sensation on the Padawan's skin was getting slowly hotter, by the time the crystal was two-thirds complete, the heat was approaching the temprature of hot dishwater.* "There is no emotion, there is peace...there is no ignorance, there is knowledge... *Strength lay in the words of the Jedi Code, and Ben'a used it...the process was nearly complete, just a few more moments...* "There is no passion, there is serenity...there is no chaos..." *The crystal was complete, the Padawan knew; slowly he staggared out of the molten pit, the lava falling away from his diminishing aura. The crystal in his hand still glowed hot, but it was rapidly cooling...but Ben'a was getting sleepy, his energy nearly completely gone. He found a quiet corner of the factory, set his crystal down to cool, and fell into a deep, recuperative sleep...*

*Ben'a awoke the next morning completely rested, and ready for the task ahead. It would be better to construct the hilt of the blade first, saving the crystal for last as that would be the most taxing part of making his lightsaber. And for the hilt, he would need parts that he did not have at the moment, but fortunately his trusty R8-V1 was with him.* "Come on, friend. We need to find some parts..." *The droid beeped happily as it followed Ben'a from his room, and the hotel itself. They were in a "not nice" section of the city, so Ben'a knew there might be something with sutible parts laying about...and sure enough, he found it. A swoop bike that looked like it had been abandoned for at least a year. It didn't take the astromech droid long to cut a sufficiant piece of metal from the wreck; with it, and a few other salvaged parts, Ben'a and R8 headed back to the hotel.* "Looks like it'll be another night's stay, buddy" the Padawan said casually as he flipped another credit chip to the hotel manager. *Ben'a's mind was completely blank and attuned to the Force as he assembled the parts; power pack, wiring, casing, lens, crystal chamber and connectors, all according to the workings he had gleemed from inside his Master's own blade. Everything hovered in midair in front of him as the parts formed together, and at last, the hilt was ready.* "There is only the making of my crystal, now..."

*Ben'a watched as his master left the bar where they had been discussing the construction of his lightsaber. He was now alone with his thoughts, and what he thought of now was the circomstances of his departure from this, his homeworld. It hadn't been a bad departure, by any means -- Ben'a hadn't had that kind of tragedy-stricken upbringing that seemed to make for such good stories of heroism.* "But then, I'm not in the business of being a hero, am I?" "Yes you are -- you are a Jedi, after all. And that's what Jedi do -- that's what I did." *The emergance of that voice in his head took the Padawan by surprise -- this voice of his consciousnes (at least, that was what it seemed like to Ben'a) had butted in with an intensity that he hadn't known before. It had always been there, that was true, but Ben'a had always resisted it; he was determined to make his own path, to make his own choices. Ben'a walked out of the bar, and into a nearby hotel. Paying hard credits for a night's stay, Ben'a went up to his room to rest and meditate for the task ahead...* "Are you the voice of destiny?" he asked his own mind as he sat and sank into the Force. "No, Ben'a Solo, I am the voice of your father... It has been a long time, my son." *Ben'a looked up, to see an apparition -- an apparition of a man he had seen twice before in quick visions of a past of which he did not know, wielding a blaster and protecting a young Twi'lek woman -- his mother! It seemed hard to believe, but at the same time, the Padawan knew it to be true.* "Yes, the Force is strong in you...and I know you will use it well. Now, you must rest..." *And without further throught, Ben'a fell back onto the small bed, quickly falling into a dreamless sleep.*

*Ben'a reflected on this as he continued probing the innards of the lightsaber he held before him.( "Fair enough, Master, that pretty much concurs what I knew, though I was not aware of the level of intensity required. I will only be a moment here, and then I will be ready to begin. *Ben'a thought of what the significance of this event would mean. A symbol all his own, to be sure; but what would that mean for his place within the Jedi Order? Wold the power that came with his blade damn him, or save him? What of the others around him? But Ben'a knew one thing: this was neither the time nor place to be asking such questions. The time for them will come soon enough. Ben'a finished probing the saber, having absorbed the knowledge of what went into its construction -- including the crystal within, a truly flawless diamond that could only have been created through the Force. But Ben'a needed to rest before he attempted his own construction...* "If you need me, Master, I will be resting for a while. I believe that I now have the knowledge of what I need to proceed.

*Somehow, Ben'a was not surprised at his Master's sentiments toward his weapon. A Jedi never lets others mess with his symbol, and by now Ben'a knew that was the symbol of a Jedi, as no other kind of person could weild one. Instead, the Padawan chose to put his awareness to the test -- using the Force to peer inside the blade itself, to see how it was made... Still, he wasn't entirely certain about synthetic saber crystals.* "One final question then, Master...what do you know of the creation of synthetic crystals? I know something of them, that they are powerful and require great energy to make..." *Keeping an ear open for his Master's response, Ben'a began to probe the saber in his hand with the Force...*

*Ben'a felt good to be given this praise from the Jedi Knight, his Master. It gave him, finally, a sense of worth; of finally realizing where his strengths and abilities lay. He would do his master proud, of that, the Padawan was certain. Ben'a had also heard rumors of synthetic crystals, though he had not known of a lightsaber equipped with one.* Perhaps this will be the first, he thought to himself. Ben'a regarded his Master's instructions. "Is it alright if I disassemble your saber to get an idea of the crystal's structure?" *Examining his master's hilt closely, he waited for the Jedi's answer.*

CHARACTER SHEET Real Name: Goodwood Nickname: Ben'a Solo Age: Late 20s Species: Half human, half Twi'lek hybrid (only one head-tail, and a slight green twinge to normal human skin) Height: 6' Weight: 181lbs Hair: A thin bristle of reddish brown with a braid down the back of my head-tail Eyes: Green Sex: Male Homeworld: Correlia Alignment: Good Clothing: Light leather jerkin w/flowing sleeves, dark leather belt, baggy cloth pants joining boots just below the knee Weapon: Vibroblades, vibroswords, ranged melee weapons (throwing stars, throwing spikes) Force User; Inventory: Holocron, medicine pouch w/meds, a vibroblade, food caps, small comlink Posessions: One astromech droid, R8-V1 I hope I got this in the right place...