-- I did NOT make Star Wars. It was George Lucas, such a genius… --

Three years had passes since Nia Loon had become a padawan. She was now just eleven.

/Today, I become a Jedi./

Her fingers trailed over the variety of mechanical pieces in front of her until they closed in on the right one.

She knew that the moment she switched on her laser-sword, she could be blown up. She still hadn't exactly grasped the severity of the situation.

Jay Mowa had called them 'lightsabers'. Weird name. "/Light/-saber…" she muttered. She liked 'laser-sword' better. It sounded more like a weapon. Of course, Jay had insisted, so 'lightsaber' it would be.

Nia reached over and picked up a small tool. When she flicked it on, a little blue flame jumped up from the tip.

Jay had told her that his first padawan had been incinerated by his lightsaber. "Will that happen to me?" she had asked. Jay had smiled. "Not if you pay attention and build your lightsaber properly."

It wasn't like she had a bad memory. Actually, Nia found remembering things quite easy. But only when she /wanted/ to remember.

Luckily, she had /really/ wanted to remember how to build a lightsaber after Jay's story.

Holding the tiny lightsaber piece in one hand, she used the other to fuse it to the inside of the hilt with the welder.

Even though she was only eleven – Jay's youngest padawan ever – he had told her that his first apprentice had had to build his lightsaber only a year after Jay had started teaching him. After he had been blown up, Jay had moved the lightsaber-building back to three years, just to be safe.

Now the crystal-choosing. The best part. Nia stared at the beautiful jewels. They came in many different shades of blue and green – Jay's favourite colours. 'Jedi colours', he called them.

She held up a sky-blue crystal, and peered through it. /Perfect./ It matched the colour of her eyes exactly.

Smiling to herself, Nia secured the crystal to the inside of her almost-finished lightsaber, and started sealing up the hilt panels.

/Almost done…/

Jay had warned her about rushing. She didn't think she had rushed, but Master and Padawan often didn't see eye-to-eye, especially in things like time, and distance. Anyway, she could feel that she had done this right.

/Finished./

Nia picked up her new lightsaber, hands shaking only slightly. This was the moment of truth, then…

She pressed the button with her thumb, almost in slow-motion.

The lightsaber switched on immediately. A beautiful pale-blue laser-blade jumped out from the hilt. It cast an eerie glow across the room.

She had done it.

She had made a lightsaber.

It wasn't like holding one of those borrowed lightsabers. This one was /hers/. She had built it /herself/.

She could feel the energy radiating from the hilt. The blade was so pretty, she almost wanted to touch it…

"Well done!" Jay's booming voice echoed across the chamber. Nia switched off her lightsaber and placed it in her new Jedi belt she had received this morning.

"Two out of three padawans survived the lightsaber-building," Jay continued. "Not bad, don't you say?" He grinned widely at his own humour, showing his perfect white teeth. Jay Mowa could be considered egoistic, and thought himself quite good-looking, even though his youth had long passed. His maple-brown hair and beard were greying, and his once-small waistline was gradually expanding. He had one of the kindest personalities, though, and never-ending patience, which was why all of his padawans had loved him like a father. Except for one.

Nia smiled in response. The relief of not dying meant she had momentarily lost the ability to speak.

"Come, now. We must tell my old apprentice the good news!"

Her smile suddenly vanished. It wasn't that she didn't like Kuni-Sun Lay, but rather that Jay's old padawan didn't like /her/. Kuni-Sun constantly 'reminded' Nia of the difference between Jedi Master, and 'youngling', as she called her. It was almost as if Kuni-Sun was jealous of Nia, who was quite proud of having started her Jedi training a full two years before her.

Kuni-Sun was almost 24 years old. She had finished her training in the same year Nia had started, and had immediately shunned and ignored the confused padawan, although even Jay didn't know why. He had told Nia that Kuni-Sun didn't agree with most of the rules he had implied. Rules like, not visiting you family until you are finished training. Apparently not seeing her mother for ten years had been very hard on Kuni-Sun. But not Nia. Nia didn't have any family that she knew of. She had been living in her city's orphanage, and really didn't miss it at all.

Nia had to jog to keep up with her Master's long stride. Jay's mansion was /huge/, and had over 50 different rooms. It was really easy to get lost. Even Nia hadn't been to every corner and through every passage, and she really didn't want to get left behind now.

When they finally reached the Grand Hall, Nia had no trouble finding Kuni-Sun. Her black cloak stood out dramatically from the pale furnishings, and her short red hair looked like an open flame.

But it was her /eyes/.

They were once a beautiful warm brown, according to Jay, but they seemed to be turning more yellow with each visit.

As Nia got closer, she realized that today, Kuni-Sun's eyes were no longer only yellow.

They were now turning red around the edges.

Jay's old padawan caught her gaze, and immediately glared full-force, right into Nia's eyes.

The power of Kuni-Sun's glare scared Nia so much that she immediately dropped her gaze to the pearl-coloured carpet, and let her long, white-blond hair fall into her face, covering her eyes. It had felt like Kuni-Sun's glare had been… /burning/ her brain.

"Jay," Kuni-Sun said in her ice-cold voice. She inclined her head in greeting. Jay nodded back. He had always liked to be addressed either by 'Master' or just plain 'Jay'. And, since Kuni-Sun still showed-off her status of Jedi Master, it was no surprise that she was done calling him 'Master'.

Kuni-Sun turned her head ever-so-slightly to look at Nia. "Youngling," she stated, letting her disgust colour her tone, and gave her the tiniest of nods. Nia blinked back, not meeting Kuni-Sun's eyes.

"Kuni-Sun," Jay said warmly, obviously trying to loosen the thick tension in the air. "My padawan just successfully completed building her first lightsaber."

Kuni-Sun nodded as if this conversation already bored her. The three lapsed into silence.

"Kuni-Sun," Jay said suddenly. "I sense someone else close by. Have you brought a guest?"

"Oh… yes…" Kuni-Sun turned to the door. "Leo!" she called. A small figure in a black cloak, similar to Kuni-Sun's walked in.

"This is Leo Thor," Kuni-Sun announced when the figure reached her side.

Leo stared at the floor, making it hard to see his face, but Nia could tell that this was a handsome boy. He looked about her age, and he sported a head of dark brown hair, messed up and ruffled in patches.

"He is my apprentice," Kuni-Sun said softly.

Leo slowly looked up and smiled shyly. His gaze locked onto Nia's and she immediately gasped.

Leo's eyes were identical to his master's.