Jedi Master Mu-Daru-Kardu feared that he already knew why he was holding the lightsaber. He met the resolute gaze of his student, waiting for her explanation.
"I'm resigning from my apprenticeship," she said, flatly.
Kardu's heart sank; he'd wanted to be wrong. Still, this was to be expected. Now, the Cerean had to at least try to change her mind. Anything less would disrespect their bond as teacher and student, though he didn't think any use would come of it.
"Renuka, I understand why you feel the need to do to this. However, you are playing directly into—"
"I'm joining the Agri-Corps. A letter of recommendation would help," she cut him off, her eyes cold as she bled fierce determination into the Force.
Kardu sighed. The pair stood wordlessly, a susurrus of contemplative Jedi footsteps around them. Outside, the sun was setting over the artificial Coruscant skyline, spilling a gradient of red-orange light into the Temple halls.
"I will have it ready for you in the morning."
"Thank you."
Core Worlds. Byss. Slopes of Mount Signis. Five Years Later.
The man was already dead. Miniature drifts of snow piled on the folds of his clothing. Tendrils of smoke rose from his body and twined with the swirling winds. His corpse convulsed, flipped over and sent dry snowflakes flying back into the storm. A scavenging figure hunched over the body, working furiously with utter disregard for the extinguished life and concentrated only on urgently peeling off his cloak.
The lining of the robe was still warm, but that didn't matter to the scavenger; the stinging cold of the rising blizzard was only a nuisance and the contents of this dead man's pockets were as good as lint. It wasn't there, either.
No, what mattered was finding it, and getting away from here.
Frantic hands scraped through the snow, seeking. A few ragged, manic sobs rose above the roar of the gale, followed by a gasp as desperate, blistered fingers clamped around the frozen lightsaber hilt, and instantly secreted it away.