Year Six – Day 25
He is still on the ship, but in another part that looks like a workshop of some sort. He is alone. He is sitting on the floor beside a table, in his lap is a tray of lightsaber parts and his crystal and he's frowning deeply at them in disappointment.
Everyone already has their training sabers made except me. Mine won't come together like it should. I... I don't understand why. I did exactly as Huyang explained, but then again I should have expected a droid to be incapable of fully grasping what is needed to make one. He may have the blue prints and the programming to say the right words, but I doubt he fully grasps what he's teaching.
He purses his lips and reaches out with a hand, closing his eyes as he does. The parts begin to float up and around each other as he focuses on assembling the weapon. The pieces come together but do not connect. In frustration, he drops the pieces back into the tray.
This is nuts. I can't put this thing together like he told me to.
He pushes the tray aside and climbs to his feet. Dooku strides over to a console with a purpose in his step and climbs into the chair. Sitting on his knees he accesses the computer in search of what he needs before copying it to a holodisk to take back to his place by the table.
A lightsaber blueprint soon oscillates beside him.
Trust the components to be together, he says. Tis the Force that binds them.
He huffs as he studies the hologram and examines each of his parts that he as.
The Force is telling me to assemble it this way, stupid droid.
As he begins putting each piece together by hand, his eyes once more close and he no longer pays attention to the hologram instructing him on how to assemble the weapon. His hands ghost over each piece, seeming to randomly select a piece before he adds it to the weapon. When he's done, he has in his hands a straight hilt lightsaber that looks rather plain at first, but upon closer inspection its aesthetics are elegant and classical, characterizing his subconscious tastes.
He smiles in triumph as his fingers glide gently over the finished weapon.
Finally! I built my lightsaber and not in the way that Huyang said to do it.
"Yes, but does it work, Initiate Dooku?" came the masculine voice of the droid. Dooku looks startled at the sudden intrusion as the machine noisily walked over to the young boy. "You constructed it like one would not touched by the Force. There is truth in what I say even if I may not comprehend its meaning fully."
The boy glared at the droid.
The Force guided me to build it this way.
"Then let us see if your feelings were well placed, youngling." He held out a metal hand for the weapon and Dooku refused to hand it over at first. But the infinite patience of the architect droid out-lasted the stubbornness of the boy. Reluctantly, Dooku handed over his weapon and immediately the droid began examining it.
"Hmmm..." he hummed as he turned the weapon over and over, looking at it from different angles. "Yes, a fine blade you have crafted. Graceful like a Jedi, but classical like times of old. You are from Serenno, correct?"
Yes.
"Hmm, yes, that explains much for your choice in parts. Serenno is an ancient colony of Alderaan. Did you know that?" Dooku shook his head and Huyang continued. "It is a civilization that cherishes elegance and culture. Many great composers and thespians have come from your homeworld, as well as great warriors and leaders. But they have a history of being defiant towards authority not of their own and very proud. Did you know a Count of Serenno had almost won the independence of your planet a thousand years ago during the Reformation Years?"
Dooku furrowed his brow, clearly not understanding where the droid was going with his lecture.
"Had the attempt on Chancellor Valorum's life never happened, your people would be outside of the Republic and you would more than likely be growing up in your ancestral home rather than training to be a Jedi. You see when the assassination attempt had been made, the Houses of Serenno were insulted and their pride demanded that they support Valorum despite their desire for independence. You have much pride and independence in you, and these qualities are built in your lightsaber. They are admirable qualities, but they can also be vices and hinder your goals."
I know that. Master Yoda constantly reminds me every time I am too proud.
Dooku growled his frustration at being lectured by the droid.
"And too proud you are now," Huyang replies and hands the weapon back to the boy. "Your desire to do things your way cloud your judgment and therefore your ability to hear the Force guiding you. You must trust the Force and set aside your personal desires."
I did listen. It guided me, told me which piece to assemble next. You're just upset that I didn't do things your way.
"Is that so?" Dooku folded his arms across his chest, clearly confirming that was his belief. Huyang gave a very human sigh and gestured to the boy. "Then let us see which of us is too proud, young one."
A look of uncertainty flickered in Dooku's gaze as he looked down at the weapon. He hesitated in turning it on before he handed it to the architect droid again after coming to a difficult decision.
Maybe you should?
"I sense doubt in your craftsmanship," the droid replied and accepted the weapon. He did not turn it on but rather opened it up and revealed to Dooku what he already knew. "And it is good that you had set aside your pride and listened to the Force, for if you had turned it on it would have exploded in your hand. You crossed the wrong wires and a feed-back loop would have been the devastating result."
I can fix that!
Huyang returned it to it's owner and Dooku did exactly that. The next time he held the completed weapon, he did not hesitate to activate the blade nor wore any expression of doubt. A gold beam of light sliced into the air between them and Dooku looked proud and satisfied that he had finally completed his lightsaber.
"Remember this, young one, pride comes in many ways and can be deadly when nurtured. The Force is your ally, let it guide you."
I will remember, Professor Huyang.
Seemingly satisfied the droid walked out of the workshop, leaving Dooku alone with the lightsaber. The boy turned to the camera and grinned, but it slowly faded as his thoughts turned to the lesson he just learned.
I hate to admit it, but that droid does seem to know something of the Force. Almost like it knew the Force would tell me that I had crossed the wrong wires and stop me from making a big mistake. I remembered my lesson in the Ilum cave and set aside my pride and listened to the Force's whispers. I'm glad I had.
He looks down at the disengaged weapon, lightly ghosting his fingers across the hilt before igniting it again. Dooku performed a couple Shii-cho katas before wincing when the blade tip brushed against a chair.
Oops. Maybe I should take this to the ship's training room before I break something. Last thing I need is Huyang coming back to lecture me about his workshop not being meant for lightsaber practice.
He laughs a little and disengages his weapon. The long hilt soon hangs from his belt and he gathers up the recorder.
