Part 7 – Tython Part 2
The next morning Bruce awoke to the feeling of R2 nudging him, "Morning R2," Bruce said as he sat up before looking around the room, "Where's Anakin?"
R2 beeped and whistled before turning around, which meant that R2 wanted Bruce to follow him.
Bruce stood up, and strapped his sword to his belt before following R2 into the archives where Anakin was messaging Master Yoda, "He's been doing well," he said, "He seems to have found a way to learn more about his technique."
"A very good report, this is," Master Yoda said as Bruce walked into the room, "Join us, Padawan."
Bruce walked up to his Master's side, and took a seat next to him, "I have absolutely no clue how you knew I was here," Bruce said.
"Surprised, you'd be," Master Yoda said, "How much I know."
"Indeed," Bruce said.
"Your mission," Master Yoda said, "How goes it?"
"We've downloaded as much as we can from the archives," Bruce said, "We also know that there are parts to build my lightsaber in the Ruins of Kaleth."
"Then begin at once, you should," Master Yoda said, "Need to talk, your master and I need to."
"Of course," Bruce said as he stood up, "I will return soon."
"See you when you get back," Anakin said.
As Bruce walked out, R2 followed him, "Not this time R2," Bruce said as he held out his hand to the small droid, "The Flesh Raiders don't take kindly to droids. I have to do this myself."
Bruce walked outside, and he knew that the Flesh Raiders were watching him as he made his way up the valley to the Ruins of Kaleth, he was suddenly greeted by the unwelcome scent of Guild spray.
They were most defiantly in mating season because when a Guild marks their territory it's because they're looking for mates.
The signs of life were pretty obvious when Bruce arrived, there was a small fire pit set up with scraps of what appeared to be food scattered around the pit.
Bruce walked up to the Ruins to see lightsaber marks running in multiple directions across the entrance, the scattered, rusted bodies, heads, arms, and legs of the Kaleth guardians were scattered all throughout the ruins.
As he began looking around the ruins, something happened he was expecting to happen since he arrived on Tython: four Flesh Raiders jumped out of nowhere and circled him.
The reports were accurate, the Flesh Raiders wore steel armor, and carried steel weapons.
"Hu-man," one of them said.
"Did you just call me 'human'," Bruce asked.
"Yes," he said, "Finally, a challenge."
He came at Bruce with an overhand chop to which Bruce went under the chop, drawing his sword, and slashing the Flesh Raider across the stomach.
The Flesh Raider bent over to grab the wound only for Bruce to come back in and cleave the alien across the back, dropping him against the grassy ground, dead.
He turned around just as another Flesh Raider shoot at him with a steel-tipped arrow.
The force allowed him to slow down, he dodged the blade and sliced it right down the middle of the arrow's body.
He then charged at the three Flesh Raiders shooting at him with bows.
The first one barely had time to pull out his own weapon before Bruce sliced him across the chest with his sword.
As he spun his sword around, one of the archers had just drawn his axe only to have Bruce knock the large weapon out of his hand, spin around, and stab the creature through the stomach.
The final one had drawn a large steel sword and swung only for Bruce to block it, and come back at him with a swift slice.
The swing was blocked and countered by an overhand chop, Bruce blocked it, and spun around with a backhand swing.
The swing was blocked, and the Flesh Raider kicked Bruce forward who landed on his chest, and then slid between the creature's legs as he came down with a stab, his sword embedding itself eight inches into the dirt.
Bruce sliced the Flesh Raider's legs, dropping him to his knees, and embedded the blade in the creature's skull, killing him.
The creature fell on the sword and snapped the blade clean in half.
What Bruce saw on the sword was something he wasn't expecting to find: the hilt of his blade must have been taken off of a lightsaber because when he fell forward, it snapped off, revealing it was metal and wrapped in leather, but it was hollow on the inside, and there was only one thing that could have fit inside.
That was one piece down, he already had the guts for the saber, now all he needed was a pommel, switch, pommel, and emitter.
Bruce continued through the ruins, and he kept thinking to himself, "If these walls could talk, what would they say?"
The simplest of things sent Bruce's mind running with questions, he bent down, and picked up one of the guardian's heads, what was this robot's story? How did it get decapitated? Who or what was it fighting?
Bruce had so many questions, but he needed to keep looking for saber parts, and he found just what he was looking for in the hand of the guardian who was decapitated: a saber emitter that had was shaped like a mushroom with two metal rings on the bottom and halfway up towards the head, and had a white finish.
It was almost like when he and his family would go to the beach, and pick up shells in the sand.
His mother would then take them home, and try to make necklaces out of them.
He sat down and exhaled, his family was probably over his death right about now, he opened his jacket, and looked down at the scar on his chest, it was perfectly circular, about the size of a penny, and the skin around it had spiked outwards.
As he ran his hand over the scar he could feel the twisting pattern that was a given with bullets as if someone had stabbed him with a corkscrew, and twisted.
As he felt the tears coming he heard a series of beeps and whistles from his right, and turned to see R2 driving up to him, "R2, what are you doing here," he asked, "I told you to stay behind."
R2 beeped and whistled which Bruce thought was, "Master Anakin told me to come."
"Let me see if I understand you," Bruce said, "Two beeps for yes, one beep for no. Master Skywalker wanted you to come with me," R2 beeped twice, "You said I told you to stay behind," two more beeps, "He said you thought it would be beneficial," another two beeps, "And here you are," two final beeps.
R2 beeped again, which Bruce didn't really understand, but he thought it was, "I can be useful."
"I guess there's no harm in having a sidekick," Bruce said as he rubbed R2 across the top of his dome.
R2 beeped excitedly which Bruce took as, "Let's get started."
"Come on," Bruce said as he ushered R2 to follow him.
Bruce and R2 went around collecting the pieces for his new lightsaber, really it only took a few hours for them to find the rest of the parts.
"I'd say that's enough," Bruce said as he stuffed the power cell into his pack, "You ready to head back?"
R2 beeped in agreement, as they were heading there was an eerie atmosphere about the walk back.
R2 beeped solemnly which Bruce took as, "I'm scared."
"Don't worry buddy," Bruce said as he ushered R2 to move closer to him, "I'll keep you safe."
As they were cresting the hill to return to the temple, they heard the sound of a lightsaber crackling.
Bruce and R2 ran toward the sound of the saber and saw Anakin battling a large group of Flesh Raiders.
As Anakin deflected the first blow, he spun around to block the strike from another strike from a large Flesh Raider, he then pushed the Flesh Raider's blade aside and turned around to slash one of the Raiders across the chest.
He turned around to block one of them, but just before another could bring his sword down, a single-edged blade blocked the swing, and a force-charged hand sent him flying backward.
"What took you so long," Anakin asked.
"Sorry master, I couldn't find a saber emitter that I liked," Bruce said as he deflected another blow from a second Flesh Raider, then swung high, the blade making sparks as it skated across his opponent's blade.
"Didn't know you were so vain about it," Anakin said as he brought his lightsaber down on top of his Flesh Raider's sword, knocking it outside, and allowing Anakin to slice the Flesh Raider across the chest, dropping him like a stone.
Bruce deflected the Flesh Raider's incoming blow, elbowed him in the chest, and back-handed him, briefly disorienting him before driving the blade through the creature's chest, "Only when it comes to weapons," he said.
Anakin bunted the final Flesh Raider on the top of his skull with the pommel of his saber, pushed the blade aside, and in one slice took the Flesh Raider's head clean off.
"Your training has paid off," Anakin said as he deactivated his lightsaber, and slid it onto his belt.
"Doubt words were going to pay off against things that have drank home-made stimulates for thousands of years and picked on Twi'leks," Bruce said, "I think I'm ready to head off to the forge."
"Let me see your components," Anakin said as he rolled out a small cloth on the stairs of the temple.
As Bruce placed each component down in front of his master, Anakin went to work examining them, "I often find myself wondering about these pieces," Bruce said, "And where they came from."
"I found it is often best not to dwell on such ideologies," Anakin said, "You won't worry so much about the weapon, but rather how to hold it."
"That a lesson," Bruce asked.
"That's a yes," Anakin said, "And what's also a yes is that you're ready to head off to the forge. We're finally going to construct your lightsaber."
"Then what are we waiting for," Bruce asked.
"Nothing," Anakin said as he and Bruce began gathering up the materials for his saber, and set off, R2 on their tails.
"I kind of like this planet," Bruce said as he looked around the wilderness they were walking in, "Very peaceful."
"I know what you mean," Anakin said, "Maybe I should raise my children on a planet like this."
"Leave the Jedi order," Bruce asked.
"Never," Anakin said, "Maybe take some time away, figure out a way to raise my kids without the Council knowing."
"Maybe reaching out to Obi-Wan might help," Bruce said, "He is the grandfather after all."
"Grandfather," Anakin asked.
"He's the closest thing you've had to a father," Bruce said, "You two have been through hell together. He puts up with you so that's one thing."
"Oh very funny Kirk," Anakin said as he slightly pushed Bruce away.
"Kirk," Bruce asked as he looked at Anakin when they entered the cave that would lead them to the Forge Remnants, "You're gonna remind me of an old friend back on Earth."
"Old friend," Anakin asked.
"His name was Jim," Bruce said, "He used to call me 'Captain Kirk' as a sort of honorary title."
"Someone you two know," Anakin asked.
"A cultural icon on my planet," Bruce said, "He was a fictional character that was a part of a fictional story. Used to solve problems, save civilizations, charm women, and blah, blah, blah."
"Indeed," Anakin said, "Has a nice ring to it."
The Forge Remnants were exactly how Bruce remembered them from the game, dilapidated, war-torn, and completely creepy, but weirdly there were no Flesh Raiders in sight.
The ancient war-droid they passed by was exactly how it was left in the game, fully disabled, and from what they could sense, completely powerless.
The final approach to the forge was more picturesque than the game made it out to be, over to the right the cliffs gave a very nice view of deep green valley that had a small river running through it, and off to the left was the view of a large field that had Guilds roaming in herds.
Up ahead was the forge, unused for a millennium and a half, but still magnificent, "Here we are my young Padawan," Anakin said as he put his hand on Bruce's shoulder, "Go ahead."
Bruce ascended the stairs to the forge, he could have sworn he heard the Force Suite song playing somewhere in the background.
As he stood before the forge, he placed the components on the table in front of him, and remembering the game said, "This weapon will be a light in the darkness."
As he finally placed the crystal down on the top of the forge, Bruce couldn't help but smile as he knelt down, and focused on the parts lying on the surface in front of him.
The crystal levitated first, the housing chamber was next, then the power matrix, the power conductor, the focusing lens, the emitter, the grip, the pommel, then finally the activation switch, and the entire saber just twisted together.
Bruce stood up as the saber levitated toward him, and as he gripped it, it was unlike anything he had ever felt, just power in such a small package. As he activated it, the small jolt of the weapon igniting was like a small pop. Raising the weapon above his head, he felt the weapon emitting a small hum as he let his own force flow into the weapon, the blade at the very base of the emitter glowing brightly.
It was then that Bruce turned around to see that a small group of Flesh Raiders was coming up the hill toward them with a small group of Twi'leks that they had apparently beaten to a pulp because they were bruised and battered.
Bruce put away his saber and walked down the steps to stand next to Anakin.
"Head-thing talk," the leader said, "Jeh-dai leave, other dies."
"Ok, ok," the head Twi'lek said, "He says he wants your master to leave, that you killed most of his warriors and he wants retribution."
Bruce looked towards him, and spoke, "Is that what he really wants," he asked, "Retribution for his warriors, or for his wounded pride? You seem like a proud warrior, and what are you reduced to," he pointed at the Twi'leks, "Kidnapping innocents, dragging warriors to their deaths," he looked back at the two Flesh Raiders who wore blank expressions on their faces, "I bet you these two are only here because you promised them something."
"He offered them us," the red female Twi'lek said as she looked up at him.
The head Flesh Raider walked up to them and raised his sword to kill her, only for a bright yellow blade appear right over her, blocking the strike.
"Touch one of those Twi'leks, and I'll take your arm," Bruce said as he swung sideways, and gathering a small amount of force in his hand pushed the Flesh Raider backwards, he then looked at the two other Flesh Raiders, "He promised you Twi'leks," he walked up to them before extinguishing his lightsaber, "He can't even kill one of them while I'm here. So how can he kill me? You've been lied to. You don't want to throw your lives away, I can see it in your eyes."
The two Flesh Raiders looked at each other before turning around and walking away.
"Traitors," the head Flesh Raider said before attacking Bruce.
Bruce deflected the incoming overhead chop, then the wild downwards swing before swinging downwards, having his blow blocked by the Flesh Raider's blade.
The next swing came from the Flesh Raider's sword as he tried to go at Bruce's legs, Bruce deflected the blade, and swung upwards, the blade was rather clumsily blocked which gave Bruce an opening.
Bruce stepped into the swing, bringing the Flesh Raider's sword into his arm's reach, and then in one move cleaved the sword at the hilt, separating the blade from the grip.
The Flesh Raider staggered backwards, his sword was gone, but he still pressed the attack, trying to grab Bruce, only for him to drive the full length of the blade through his chest.
As he fell backwards, Bruce extinguished his blade, and slid it onto the slot on his belt before hearing his master clapping.
"Very good," Anakin said as he approached his student, "You're training has paid off."
"Thank you, Master," Bruce said as he bowed slightly.
"Great for you," one of the Twi'leks said, "Now can you get us out of here."
"Sorry," Bruce said as he walked over to the Twi'leks, and using the force popped the lock on their cuffs.
"Thanks for the save," the female Twi'lek said as she stood up, rubbing her wrists, "I didn't know that the Jedi were still using the forge."
"This is a special occasion," Anakin said, "We're here to construct a lightsaber and be on our way."
"Before we go, we do owe you our lives," the head Twi'lek said, "Is there anything we can do in return?"
"Just be safe," Anakin said.
"Thank you both," the red female Twi'lek said before kissing Anakin's hands before turning to Bruce, turning his head slightly sideways, and kissing him on the check.
As they turned and left, Bruce brushed his hand across his cheek as Anakin slapped him on the back, "You've learned a lot from me haven't you," Anakin asked.
"I've learned a bit," Bruce said.
"Come on," Anakin said as he gestured toward their entrance, "Let's get back to Coruscant."
How was that…