The Tool of the Jedi {Midnight & Grawn}

[Iota]

The Mynock, a dantooine class light freighter made its way into the orbit of Ilum. Gaius prepped for the cold weatheras his reptillian species preffered the warmth, he lloked to eaites and erfies "Wrap up warm.. its a cold place" he nodded.

"Captain, place us down next to the other ship there..." Gaius knew Meira hadcome here with her padawan in search of a lightsaber crystal for the young chiss. He turned back to his compainons "Ilum.. very cold indeed... the jedi placed a temple here thousands of years ago.. you might find the odd jedi roaming the icey halls of this temple, they took a life of seclusion and this is oneof the best places for it.. it will be a brief walk through the temple until we reach the caves." He smiled as he skin turned a dark red colour signifying his mastery.

[Grawn]

Erfies stood standing against a wall aboard the ship near the exit ramp, listening to the Falleen Masters words. He had done research on the planet for leaving Coruscant, so it had packed a insulated set of clothes to go under his robes. Erfies scratched his beard as he listened, a old habit of his. During the flight, he had wondered what his crystal color would be but realized it wasnt actually the Jedi that claimed the crystal, but somewhat the other way around. A Jedi's lightsaber crystal defined other things beside color, its blade thickness, intensity and length were all determined by crystal.

Sighing quietly, Erfies closed his eyes and felt the Force around him. He had been regularly exercised his mind and Force talents, lifting objects and the like, going so far as to pick up Eaites succesfully, something the new padawan didnt care for the least. Smirking upon recalling the memory, he opened his eyes and looked at Gaius and the padawan. Everyone thought the Jedi as constantly serious, that wasnt the case with.

Looking out the window port, Erfies saw that they would soon land and shuttered of the thought of the cold wind of the place blowing against him. He didnt care for the cold but it was a discomfort he would deal with.

[Midnight]

Eaite walked up to stand beside Erfies. Ilum was breathtaking, even if hed been here before. The snow piled up to mountains of had packed ice. It as wonderous. Eaite hen remember something important... he hated the cold. Eaite looked aroung the freighter, and spoted a large brown Jedi cloak. He ran over to it, and draped it over his body. This would suffice for warmth.

[Iota]

Gaius looked to Eaites as he ran to get a cloak, to which he chuckled softly. "Come now.. your journey awaits you..." after a short period of time they had arrived into the icey jedi temple. It wasn't a common sight to see a lone jedi wander the great halls here, for its isolation from the galaxy is a haven for those jedi who live a life of seclusion.

"When we get into the caves.. a crystal will call to you..once chosen..you will have to meditate and focus your energies into the crystal to become one with it." he nodded in contemplation

[Grawn]

Erfies smiled as he listened to Gaius explain the working of the crystals. Glancing at Eaites, the Knight could tell the padawan didnt care for the cold but it was a reasonable dislike. Most creatures preferred to stay away from such conditions that would bring them out of their comfort zone. He was no fan of it, so it was something him and the padawan would have in common.

Feeling the Force around him, he was slightly amazed at the tranquilty of the place. It wasnt surprising but feeling it for the first time was something else. He could only imagine the number of Jedi, from the lowest knight to the greatest master, that had once traversed these secluded halls in search of a crystal that would inhabit their lightsaber. Erfies was lucky to be able to do this once again, something back on Tatooine perhaps as much as a few months ago he would have laughed at.

Wrapping his cloak around him, keeping his body heat and the Force about him, he walked along side Gaius and Eaites. There was a crystal that would call to him in this place and Erfies was determined to get it.

[Midnight]

Eaite departed the Mynock, pulling the hood of his dark robes up over his face. Griping the cloak tightly around his boy Eaite followed Erfies and his master.

(Sorry small)

[Jace]

Jace sat cross-legged on the floor of quarters, he had blocked out the sounds that emanated from the ship. He had just come back to Coruscant from the Outer Rim and now he was on his way back there. This time his journey should not hold much danger than his last one did. The memories of Korriban were still fresh in his mind, but he had learned much from that trip.

We are nearing he thought to himself as he got to his feet.

Jace walked into the main cabin of the transport, and the pilot informed him that they were nearing their destination. Jace made his way across the ship to the quarter of the other passenger on the ship. With a light knock he opened the door and stuck his head in the room.

"Talarian, We are landing soon, make sure you are ready"

He closed the door and went back to his chambers to go back to his meditation. It was unusual for a Council Member to be traveling so much, but Jace preferred to get out once in awhile. He supposed it was just a preference since he was almost never in the temple when he was a knight.

Jace was actually content that he would be in Ilum soon, it had been far too long since he had last been there.

[.:Falcon:.]

Talarian nodded as Master Beleren stuck his head in. As he left, Tal couldn't restrain a wry smile. She was looking forward to going to Ilum- the center of all lightsabers, the origin of the crystals that gave the sabers their life. She still had niggling fears about what might happen- her last mission still fresh in her memory.

She smoothed her tunic, tucked her saber into her belt, and finished braiding and pinning up her hair. She pulled on her boots, carefully buttoning them solidly on, then quietly left her quarters. Typically, she ended up in the front compartment to observe whatever was going on- landing apparently. She watched with mounting interest.

[Jace]

Jace stood up from the compartments floor as the ship made its landing at the pad. He walked outside his room and went to the bridge where the captain and the lieutenant from the Republic military were.

"Lieutenant..Captain, we shall not be too long I hope, but with lightsabers one can never know. You are free to wander about, I wouldn't want you being all clammed up in here for months..."

He left that thought of waiting for months lingering in the air, as he walked away with a wry grin on his face. He made his way to the exit ramp where he saw Talarian and motioned for her to follow him. It was decent distance when it came to walking to the caves. Jace enjoyed the fresh air, though it was relatively cold, he shut the discomfort out with a simple technique.

He turned to Talarian as they were walking "Talarian, you remember how I taught you to get rid of bad emotions or feelings. The same can be done with pain and other discomforts. For instance right now it is relatively cold but I can barely feel it for I have pushed the discomfort away. Of course it is easier to practice while your standing still but doesn't mean you can't try it right now."

He continued to walk until they reached one of the old temples, and Jace felt another presence there. It was probably the person he had been looking for, but moved forward with a bit of caution. Jace had been in way too many dangerous situations to not be vigilant at all times. He sensed no enmity in the Force though, so he wasn't worried at all.

[Grawn]

Erfies had been sitting in one of the corners of the Temple, silently meditating. Master Gaius and his padawan had gone off to do something concerning the younglings saber. The old Knight didnt mind the solitude at all however, feeling the currents of the Force in such a pristine condition on Ilum was refreshing. As he sat with his mind expanded and the Force flowing through him, he got a slight nudge from the Force, as if something had happened. At first he had thought perhaps Gaius's padawan had constructed his lightsaber but as he delved into it more, the event had occured outside where ships docked.

"Odd", Erfies muttered to himself and opened his eyes, the blue eyes shimmering slightly from his prolonged meditation. Standing up and dusting off his robes, the Knight began to follow the "nudge", not feeling anything negative from it. The Force worked in mysterious ways and if it wished him to check into something, it wasnt for nothing. He walked for a few minutes while savoring the Force and its flows as he felt it press him to go outside.

Opening the door, the Knight looked about and saw that two individuals were walking towards the temple. They werent hostile but oddly enough he felt like he knew one of them, he would confirm this but the distance ruined it. Standing straight and bowing, Erfies gave a warm smile.

"Welcome to the temple", was all he could think of to say. He wasnt one for talk unless pressed but for some odd reason he felt this person was going to be a boon for him on Ilum.

[.:Falcon:.]

Talarian tried to see everywhere at once as they stepped out of the ship. It was so interesting. The Force hung heavy here, and even she could sense its concentrated nature, its focus on one task. She was so caught up in that around her that Master Beleren's words barely registered. They penetrated far enough though, that she was able to turn her attention on him.

"Yes Master." she murmured- then looked ahead at another person that was coming towards them. Who was this?

[Jace]

Jace relaxed fully as he finally realized who the mysterious presence that he had felt was. It was the wayward knight Erfies who had been accepted back into the council by Master Gaius and himself. He wondered what the Knight was doing on Ilum but the answer came to him as quick as the question.

Ahh he needs to make a new lightsaber he thought.

Jace then gave Erfies a little grin and replied

"Ahh such a warm greeting for such a cold place"

Jace could understand Erfies lack of wanting to speak, for Jace had been much of the same way. It wasn't until Jace became a Master and took on a padawan learner that he relaxed more. Joining the Council did much of the same, mostly due to the quirky manner of the Grand Mistress.

The cold brought Jace out of his little reverie and he focused on the knight standing before him.

"I had received word from Master Gaius that you were in need of assistance. What is that I can do to help you Erfies?"

Some Council members and masters would not have responded to such summons. For Jace though, he welcomed an opportunity to go out into the galaxy. He also had finally taken on another padawan learner and after teaching recently, he realized he enjoyed it. Being able to pass on whatever knowledge you can to another gave Jace a great feeling of satisfaction.

[Grawn]

Erfies wasnt shocked, Gaius had informed him that he had called for someone to instruct him in lightsaber construction. Having a padawan to teach would be tough, having a overgrown one was maybe a little to much. It was important to keep the master student relationship intacted without distraction, its always possible if the padawan feels neglected in someway that there thoughts turn dark.

"I would like some assistance with lightsaber construction, that is all Master Jace. Its been awhile", chuckled the old Knight, hoping to break the serious sense that had seemed to descend upon the group. Or was it paranoia on Erfies part? The Guardian shrugged it off, he was at times to careful.

"My apologizes if this makes any unwanted hinderances upon you Master but a long journey can only begin first with a step", he added, smiling slightly. He was referring to his path of redemption in the Councils eyes. It would be a hard one but it was worth it in the end, the galaxy needed every protecter it could muster. Even on Ilum, he could feel the creeping darkness of the dark side begin to engulf everything and this was something that the old Knight would NOT allow.

[Jace]

Jace knew that returning to the path of the Jedi was a difficult one, and it required much dedication. If one wanted to take that path whole heartily then Jace would do as much as he could for that person. It had been quite awhile since Jace had instructed someone on making a lightsaber.

Jace then started walking in the general direction of the Cave, motioning for Erfies to follow.

"Remember Erfies, that the crystal is the heart of your lightsaber. You will see many hundreds, more likely thousands of them...but there will only be one for you. Just picking any crystal will result in a malfunctioning lightsaber, assuming that you managed to construct it.

The lightsaber is just not some machine for which there are instructions and you fit pieces together. People use tools to construct machines. What you are doing is in fact, constructing a tool. The lightsaber and the Force are the tools you will use to construct your life.

Once you have all the necessary components you must find a secluded area and meditate. The construction of a lightsaber can take anywhere from days to weeks and I have seen it even take months. You must be completely immersed in the Force and the components. So when your lightsaber is ready, it is not some objects in your hand, but an extension of it."

Jace was pulled out of his speech as they neared the Cave. He had instructed Erfies the same way he would have with any young one wishing to construct a lightsaber. For all intents and purposes Erfies was starting anew, and so Jace would teach him as such.

Jace then motioned his hand forward, signaling that Erfies should make his way into the crystal filled Cave.

[Grawn]

Erfies listened deeply to every word Master Jace had spoken as they neared the crystal caverns. He had the components in a pouch on his belt, getting them prior to his departure. Each word Jace spoke seemed right and just, like they had so many years ago when the Jedi Knight had gone to do the exact same thing with his master Asodek. He could only nod with each word and as they came to the entrance, Erfies found himself refreshed entirely both mentally and physically. Now was his chance to right a wrong commited so long ago and he would take it now.

"My thanks Master. Your wisdom is refreshing and warming in such a cold place. I'll not fail in this", he told the Master, believing he would not. Somewhere in the caverns ahead was a crystal that would be the heart of his blade and Erfies would find it.

"I forget if it is customary or not, but i would prefer to venture alone on this. You are most welcome to observe if it is dictated", the old Knight added and without a reply wrapped his robes about him in a last chance at warmth and began his trek into the caverns.

(OOC: After your next post weither he goes with Erfies or comments on something to Tala or the like, ill start the crystal searching. Wasnt sure on how you wished to continue)

[Jace]

Jace gave him a small smile and bowed as he replied.

"By all means, you must take this quest alone. I shall come and find you when the time is right. May the Force be with you."

Jace nodded to Erfies, turned, and began walking the way he had came. There was another person who Jace had to meet on Ilum this very day. Jace had recieved a request to help Erfies from Gaius so the Council had deemed it prudent that he also train this new arrival.

He kept a light pace, he had reduced the effect of the chill, but the young arrival probably couldn't to such an extent. Lately Jace had been running around the galaxy and even the temple on Coruscant. He didn't give much thought to it, but it had lately been taking a toll on him. Yet he found Ilum very relaxing and comforting, he felt renewed here.

He continued to make his way back through the temple.

[.:Falcon:.]

Tal listened silently to the exchange between the older Jedi. Her attention had begun to wander when Master Beleren began to speak about lightsaber construction. Her attention immediately recaptured, she looked back to him, and listened raptly.

They were soon done, and the other turned to leave. Master Beleren headed in the opposite direction. Tal followed him a few steps, then ventured to ask- "What should I do?" she asked, unsure of whether she should follow him or amuse herself while he continued on with whatever other meetings he might need to attend to.

To be honest, she would much prefer to wander about on her own, searching out any hidden secrets Ilum might have to offer.

[Jace]

Jace turned to Talarian before he left and gave her a smile.

"I have to meet another person now, you can either come with me or wander around..."

He could sense that she wanted to explore Ilum, it wasn't an unnatural feeling. Ilum tended to draw the interest of many people especially Force-users.

"Just make sure you don't get lost. I shouldn't be too long." he said lightly with a little wink and then he turned and walked back towards the way they came.

[.:Falcon:.]

Talarian grinned in excitement, and watched him go before turning and looking about. Deciding to dump her heavy Jedi robes, she carefully took them back to the ship, leaving them in the anteroom before dashing back out into the landscape of Ilum.

Her eyes scoured the area outside. They fell on a large cave nearby. She knew this was the place the Jedi found the specific focusing crystals they required to construct lightsabers. So, her curiousity taking over, she set off towards them.

[Grawn]

Watching Jace and his padawan leave, Erfies turned and headed into the temple, many things going through his head. He took the edges of his cloak and wrapped them around him in an attempt to keep what heat he could about him as he continued to walk. The cavern was beautiful to say the least, with several crystal formations dotting a surface at any given point.

It was a breath taking but Erfies gathered himself, allowing no distraction. He took a deep breath and let any of his stresses leave his mind and body as he let the Force take control of his body, leading him to the spot it deemed worthy of crystal harvesting. In his mind he looked through his past, delving deep past the years of emotional breakdown and alcohol to the years of his padawan tutelage. He wanted to access knowledge of his past experiences to help solidify his future goal.

"Remember young one, keep your mind from distraction. Think of nothing but the Light and the matter at hand, your crystal and your lightsaber"

Asodeks voice came to him softly in his mind and Erfies couldnt help but smile. He wondered if the Master was still alive? Perhaps he had just missed him at the Temple or he was off on Jedi business? Realizing that he had gotten off track, the Master chuckled and cleared his mind. He continued to remember his younger years, recalling his gracefully crafted lightsaber, its hilt curved to allow greater handling during Makashi stance combat.

As he recalled these things and events, a nudge told him he was where he should be. Opening his eyes he saw that he was at a small dead end, several crystal deposits surronding it but gave ample room to set himself down in the barren spot. As he sat he closed his eyes once more and took a final deep breath, then he gave himself to the Force and meditated, searching for the heart that would be his blade.

If it tooks days, weeks or even perhaps months, the old Knight would care. There was a crystal here for him and he would find it.