Ethan came in from the range and checked the weapons he had taken with him, cleaning them and making sure they were in good condition before he put them back in their proper lockers. Satisfied, he turned out the light to the room and closed the heavy door behind him. The sound of the locking mechanisms was a reassuring sound as he walked the short distance to the hallway leading to the house area itself.
As far as he knew, Marin might have still been out and about so it surprised him only a bit to see her at the workbench across the hangar. Ethan wondered what she would have need of over there so he walked across and started to notice that there was something on the bench that was taking all her attention. When he saw the collection of items, it piqued his interest. "What is this?" he asked quietly as he walked to the bench and looked over the items in more detail. Whatever it was, it definitely had her attention.
Marin flushed, barely keeping from jumping at Ethan's approach. She was still quite rattled by the vision, but she wasn't about to admit it. She sorted through the parts in the metal box, picking out a few and laying them out on the workbench. Then, she drew a small metal case from the pocket of her coverall. It was wide and flat. This too she laid on the workbench. "Jetii'kad parts..." she said softly, her fingers tracing over the various metal parts for a moment. Then, she took a breath and cracked open the smaller box. Inside, lay three crystals. One, a deep orange, the other a silvery white, and the final one an onyx. They were all rough cut.
Ethan looked over the parts again, nodding as she told them what they were. The smaller case caught his attention, bringing out a soft whistle from him as she opened it to reveal the crystals inside. "Where did you get all these?
Again, she blushed. "Remember that delegate from the colonists' delegation? I stopped by the colony to check on their progress... and he handed me these. Wouldn't take 'no' for an answer..." She chuckled slightly, hoping he didn't notice that she was still a bit rattled.
"And they'll work, right?" Ethan said as he traced his fingers over one of them. Most weapons he knew, but the Jetii'kad...the lightsaber...was unknown to him. To be more precise, what they were able to do in the hands of a trained master of it he knew very well. It was the inner workings, the process of building it, and the lore itself surrounding the weapon was what he wasn't versed in.
Marin grinned slightly. "Only one way to find out..." she replied softly, as she gestured to a stool near hers. "You can observe if you like, but keep in mind, I may seem... detached. It takes a great deal of concentration to craft a saber." She continued to sort out the parts and electronics she felt she would need, laying them out in an order even she didn't quite understand. She breathed out, and relaxed as much as she could, letting the Force prompt her. When she had everything laid out, she set the boxes aside and took a deep breath, slowly letting her eyes fall closed.
Ethan pulled up the stool and moved it off to the side to where he give her that feeling that he was crowding her. This was completely new to the both of them and, truthfully, he didn't know what to expect. Seeing her starting to figure the assembly out was..fascinating..for lack of a better word. He'd seen the end result many times, most recently in the jaunt to Coruscant. Actually seeing one built was new...and he wondered if not many outsiders of the Order's ranks got to see this process for themselves.
To be honest, Marin didn't care if she was breaking some long-held tradition by allowing him to observe. He was family, and he understood how important this was to her. The only comparison she could make was that of a Mandalorian crafting their first set of beskar'gam after their verd'goten. her mouth twitched into a smile at that, and she took a slow breath, trying to breath all her tension out as she began to release into the Force, reaching for calm. The anger and other emotions from earlier slowly melted away. As they did so, various components of the saber began to float up from the table. The wiring and circuit boards were first as she carefully connected the wires, letting only the Force guide her. She had no schematics, and only a basic design idea.
When the parts started to float in front of her, it took all of Ethan's control to stay seated on the stool. All he had ever experienced firsthand with Marin's touch of the Force was her ability to throw him off with mind tricks during the tests that he put her through and the way she had sensed her way around on Coruscant. This side of her abilities were completely new to him now and he was pretty sure an outburst from him about would distract her so he remained still on his stool and paid close attention.
Marin felt the spike of surprise as if from a distance away and sent a thread of calm, in his direction as she continued to work. The components began to glow faintly as she connected them, the Force shifting elemental bonds for things not meant to be made into one whole. With the circuit board finished, she then brought over the housing for the focus crystal and the blade emitter, carefully putting them together, even with her eyes closed. Slowly, the inner workings of the saber began to take shape, from the emitter assembly to the power switch, down to the power cell housing. With the power switch, she made it dual-phase, allowing for both a low-powered and a full powered blade. Something Souvrin's blade did not possess.
As Ethan watched, he could see the beginnings of the lightsaber taking shape. In a way, to him it really seemed no different that a Cataani smith would work with the native metals that would be forged into a sword. It all took simple beginnings and a guidance in the hands of the artisan as he hammed out the blade. Though Marin wasn't one of them - those that still practiced the old ways took years and years of learning experience from a master - she still moved with a fluid knowledge of her own. Ethan assumed that it was the Force that guided her in this for she did not pause once in the steps that she took.
Slowly, and yet methodically, Marin continued to fit the components together one at a time, finally fitting the power cell into it's housing and connecting the wires to it and then the power button, and the small charging port near the base of the inner housing. Once this was done, she took what she was going to use for the outer casing, the metal pieces floating up from the workbench. What looked like the endcap from the handlebar of a speeder bike, and the grip portion of that same handlebar, one side of it covered in a dark ribbed mesh that made it easy to grip, the rest was smooth metal. For the button itself, she had found a small round button that glowed a steady orange when the saber was active. This she tested by connecting it to the powercell for a few seconds. With that done, she carefully fitted the inner casing and electronics into the outer casing, carefully threading any wires through as she connected them. Then, she set that aside, and began to carefully shape the crystals themselves, letting the Force guide her hand as she made each cut with the small lascutter she'd pulled from a pocket.
At this point, Ethan could tell that this was going to be the most crucial part of the entire process. Feeling that he needed to give her more room, he stood up and backed away a bit more. Even though he knew he hadn't distracted...or, at least, he hoped he hadn't...he wanted to make sure she was well focused still on the task at hand.
This was perhaps the longest and most important part.. and she was doing so without any kind of instructions... just a vague idea, and she let the Force take care of the rest. Slowly, each crystal began to take the shape she needed, as small bits of each stone, and a fine dust coated the workbench: orange, black and iridescent smudges could be seen if one looked closely.
A fine sheen of sweat appeared on Marin's forehead, and she swiped absently at it with the back of her hand without opening her eyes. Finally, she set aside the orange crystal after lifting it from the table, and turning it this way and that with the Force... looking at it, and sensing it... to make sure there were no imperfections before she gently lowered it to the workbench. She did the same with the silvery-white crystal and the onyx as well.
When the crystals were finished, she slowly lifted the mostly complete hilt, letting it float in the air as she carefully removed the outer casing to slot each of the crystals into place. Here, she hesitated briefly, a faint frown creasing her face as she made sure each one was oriented properly before she slotted it into place.
Ethan had seen the attention to detail that she applied to every aspect of this. But he had noticed the sheen of sweat that she was producing along with the lightsaber and he got up slowly to retrieve some water for her that was kept in a smaller cooler unit in the hangar. He knew Jarius kept it there for long sessions of working on the ship or something else at the same workbench. He grabbed two bottles out and set one for Marin within reach, but away from the task she had on her hands.
Marin kept the hilt suspended in front of her with the force as she carefully tested to make sure each wiring connection was sound, and that the crystals were seated securely in their chambers before she slid the outer casing into place. With that done, the saber floated in front of her, the pieces fitting into place as a faint glow surrounded them. Then, it lowered slowly to the table, where she picked up the lascutter again, and began carefully engraving something along the plain metal part of the hilt. If Ethan looked closely, he would see Cataani script... and the words of the resol'nare... and the remembrance.
He saw it and nodded approvingly, softly saying a few blessings in Cataani as he too closed his eyes for a moment.
Smiling faintly, she set the lascutter aside, and used the Force to bring the bottle to her, taking a long pull from it before she floated it back to its place. With slightly shaking fingers, she pulled a small portable generator from the larger metal box, and carefully connected the leads to the charging port near the pommel of her saber hilt.
"Do you need to rest?" Ethan asked her quietly. "You've been at this for quite a while already."
"I'm fine..." she whispered softly, the shaking in her hands gradually ebbing. It was more from a mix of exhaustion and the amount of energy coursing trough her body. With the power cell charging, she sat back on her stool and rested her hands in her lap as she extended her awareness to the hilt, bathing it with the Force, and feeling the elemental shifts that began to take place. As this was happening, she began to feel a familiar presence, and a smile tugged at her lips.
The feeling persisted, and became stronger. Slowly, memories began to surface, floating before her mind's eye: The day she and Jarius had met... the day he'd adopted her... her first day at the praxeum. She felt her throat tighten with emotion, and she breathed one simple word as she began to feel his presence more strongly, as if he were looking over her shoulder. "Buir..?" she breathed, that one word so full of emotion.
It seemed as if a fog was lifting, revealing a scene that they had stayed at before when they broke from training there near the house. He sat on a group of rocks by a stream, wearing - as usual - his utility pants that had been his Marine issue with an old loose shirt that Marin knew he normally wore as lounging shirt. He looked up at her from where he had been looking, almost in thought, and presented a warm smile that melted through any defenses she might have erected. "My girl," he said softly to her as he stood up and walked closer, with that gait she had missed so much.
She turned then and went to him, pulling him in close and burying her face in his chest, inhaling his scent. It was just as she remembered, and she felt her lips tremble as she looked up at him. To Ethan, she remained sitting on the stool, but she was staring off into the distance. She was still breathing, but otherwise un-moving.
Jarius looked down and brushed a loose strand of hair aside from her face and kept smiling. He could see the tears forming up and he sat back down on the rocks to be at her level and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, Marin."
She bit her lip, and looked away. "I... am too.." she said after a moment as she looked at him. "I was so angry.. and scared for you. I knew something bad was going to happen, but I couldn't explain it then.."
"Sssshhhh," he said as he wiped away her tears. "It was done...when the Lady decides its time for me to come home, there's nothing I can say or do to change her mind. The fact is, we have a few moments here, now... I don't know how or why, but we have them."
Marin hiccuped slightly, and sighed, leaning into his shoulder for a moment. "I... don't know how to explain it either..." she said softly. "I... felt you a little earlier. I was meditating at the altar, and I felt you for an instant... and then.. I was pulled into some sort of.. vision. It felt... real.."
He nodded softly as she was telling him this, noting that she mentioned the altar. "You found it, then?"
"Aye..." she said quietly. "But when I found it... it triggered some sort of... vision. I... thought it was real.." she shuddered slightly. "I had to fight Beviin again..."
"Beviin," Jarius repeated, the tone of his voice changing. He closed his eyes for a moment and looked at her, his previous mood returned. "Don't focus on him right now, my girl. If you've found that and the Force has brought you here. Heh, you must be working on what I think you are...Master Karrde finally got you to it."
That got her smiling, and she squeezed his hand. "Yes... he did. I never thought I would get to make one of my own..." Her voice was slightly awed. "You'll never guess where the crystals for it came from.." she told him with a smile.
He cocked his head sideways, wondering just what it was she was fixing to tell him about them.
Her smile widened, and she gripped his hand tighter. "A few months ago, Andrea came to me about some refugees wanting to settle on Tanagis V.." she held up a hand. "They settled in the southern hemisphere and have left me alone. I recently went to visit, and their leader handed me a box containing the crystals. He insisted I take them... he wanted to thank me somehow for giving them a new home." She chuckled a bit. "As soon as I touched them, I knew they were the crystals."
"Hmmm, who would have thought it," he said with a slight chuckle as he thought about that. "Have they been good neighbors?"
"Well enough," she said softly. "They leave me alone, I leave them alone. It works out well. Odd though... I guess that makes me the de-facto Watchman of this system, me'ven?"
"If you decided to do more of that path," he told her. "You know, the Navy keeps a group patrolling and there's a barracks on one of the inner planets. If you wanted, you could just keep to yourself there just like the colonists."
She grinned slightly. "I could, yes. And for the most part, I do. But I still want to be around for if they do ever need help. I can get there faster than the Navy," she said with a wink. "Though, I see your point," she finished quietly.
Jarius nodded and smiled at her, but then suddenly looked off to the side and then back to her, sadness in his eyes. "We haven't got much time left," he said as he stood up and looked at her. "But since we had this chance to say what wasn't said, I'm..." he couldn't stand it and knelt down again and traced her cheek. "I'm so proud of you Marin."
"Buir... what's wrong...?" she whispered, gripping his hand tightly. When he stood, she looked up at him, and when he knelt, and his worn fingers traced her cheek, she felt her heart skip a beat. "I love you, Buir. I always will. You're still alive.. in here..." she tapped her chest, and leaned forward to hug him firmly, burying her face in his chest as she did when she was little.
"And I always will be," he said as he held her close, noticing that the surrounding were starting to fade away. He pulled back and looked at her with his warm smile, which was also slowly starting to fade. "And I love you too, Marin. Give Ethan my regards...and keep that old brush steer straight, alright."
She smiled, reaching out to brush his cheek, but his form began to fade. "I will remember you..." she whispered as she slowly came back to herself.
"Marin?" Ethan asked quietly as he held his hand on her shoulder. "Marin....snap out of it."
She twitched, taking a deep breath as she sat up. A single tear traced its way down her cheek. "How long..?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly before she reached for the water bottle and downed the remainder of it.
"Several hours," he told her as he handed her a fresh bottle. "The charging cycle completed itself a while ago. You've been in that state ever since you started it."
She frowned for a moment, and shook her head slightly as she tried to organize her thoughts. Clearing her throat, she turned to look at him, holding his gaze. "Ethan... I saw Buir..." she breathed.
"What?" Ethan asked, almost dropping his bottle when she said that. "How?"
Her frown persisted as she tried to figure out how to explain. "A vision. It's like... when I mind-tricked you... you would see things. I saw Buir... It was as if he was standing right here... I felt him... talked to him..." She sighed softly. "I finally got to apologize for my last words to him.." she whispered.
"Well, I'll be," Ethan said with a chuckle as he leaned against the workbench. "I wish I could've seen that."
"Me too..." she said quietly, brushing sweat-damp hair from her face for a moment. "He wanted me to pas along his regards.." she said softly, going quiet for a moment as her thoughts went back to her earlier vision.
"He would," he said with a grin, then looked over at her. "What's wrong?"
Sighing, she rubbed at her forehead, trying to make sense of it. "I... had another vision... when I was meditating in the shrine. I had gone there because I felt the Force pulling me to that room. I went to the alter and knelt, and then I found the box of parts. When I found where it was hidden, it triggered some sort of Force vision... I think it was some sort of test... to see if I was ready.." she shrugged. "I've never experienced anything like it before.." For now, she didn't mention having to face Beviin again.
"Well, if this is any clue," Ethan began to say, gesturing towards the now-completed lightsaber, "I'd say you just might have passed it. Now, the big question...does it work?"
Marin grinned at him. Grabbing the completed saber from the workbench, she hefted it in her left hand for a moment, tested its balance before she brought it to a two-handed grip and turned slightly away from him. Her thumb pressed the power switch, and the button glowed a soft orange as the familiar snap-hiss sounded in the room. It was deep, and resonated slightly. The blade that appeared flickered for a moment. It was a deep orange color with a black core, and it had a silvery sheen to it, that seemed to coruscate up and down the length of the blade.
"Dear Lady..." Ethan said as he was starting to be mesmerized by the patterns and had to turn away and shield his eyes. "I'd say those crystals work. I'd love to see the look on Karrde's face when he sees that."
"So would I..." she told him, grinning.