Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 63 - Saber Gems

As Rey grabbed the freshly-risen bread from the stove, Master Luke rummaged around in a cargo crate on the other side of his tiny hut. As she served the meat and bread for their breakfast, rain splattered in through the vent hole in the roof. It was pouring again, and it was decidedly colder. Uncle Luke had mentioned something about it being winter right now. Rey tried to remember what she had learned about climate cycles, but it was fuzzy. Of course, Jakku had climates: hot, hotter, hottest, and windy. She guessed it was colder and wetter here on Ahch-To during winter.

As she sat down in her spot as the learner, she placed both plates in front of her, Master Luke's a little bit in front of hers. She waited for him to come over before eating. As her stomach growled, the wait became more intense. It was odd having to wait to fulfill her own needs out of respect for another. On Jakku, she ate, drank, and slept whenever she wanted to.

Finally, after many minutes, he turned to his food and walked over, carrying a small metal case with him. Master Luke sat down and tore a hunk off his bread, gnawing on it heartily. Rey took a piece of her own and ate quietly. That was the morning ritual—no talking—just eating and feeling each other through the Force—determining mood, energy level, health. Rey could tell that Master Luke was brimming with energy and excitement. He was also developing a cough in this wet weather. She finished her meal and waited for him to take the lead.

When he had finished his meal, he licked the plate clean. "Ready?"

"Yes. You know my mother would hate you for licking your plate clean, don't you?" asked Rey with a smirk.

"What your mother doesn't know won't hurt her. Besides, she wouldn't hate me, not really. But I'll keep that in mind for when I really want to annoy her," remarked Luke with a twinkle. He laid his plate to the side and grabbed the small metal case that had captured Rey's attention all during the meal. It was a heavy case made of hard grey metal, about half a meter square, maybe a little larger. It was at least 12 centimeters deep.

He waved his hand over it and the lock sprung open, sliding the lid to the left and revealing a selection of precious gems. He spread a piece of black cloth on the floor and carefully emptied the box onto the velvet. Luke motioned to the stream of sparking gems and offered, "Pick one."

A piece of sapphire gleamed in the firelight from the stove. It kept winking at her, almost calling her. "Make sure there are no fingerprints, grease molecules, or other contaminants on the gem. Use the cloth to wipe them off if need be," directed Luke.

Rey took a piece of cloth from the bottom of the box and carefully picked up the sparkling sapphire. "Where did you get all of these?" asked Rey, trying to calculate the value of the collection with Unkar.

"Here and there," remarked Luke. To Rey's disgust, he was entirely too much like his father when he did not want to give an answer. Luke replaced the gems in the protective bag and stored them back in the curious case.

"What's this for?" asked Rey.

"You'll see," mentioned Luke with a grin, teasing her. He exited the hut and let her ponder her new gem, buffing any fingerprints and surface scratches. She blew some hot air on it, allowing it to fog up, and then buffed it some more.

When Master Luke returned, he was soaked. It was still raining. It had not stopped since the night before. Rivulets raced down the causeway of steps, washing a few out. Master Luke carried a large cargo case and set it in between them. As he cracked open the seals, the lid lifted of its own power, revealing a jumble of parts. Slid into a compartment in the lid was a hand-drawn diagram on torn and faded parchment. Beside it was a black cloth which covered cylindrical tube.

Master Luke took the diagram out and laid it in front of Rey. "You want me to make this?" asked Rey, incredulous.

"It is a task every Jedi must master, the construction of a lightsaber," confirmed Master Luke. "If you are going to defend against Force lightning, you will need two sabers. But these instructions are just the beginning. These were from my Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. They include a Khyber crystal, of which none other exist except for a few in the hands of the First Order. You have a sapphire. It will work as an optical device, but not as a power source. You will need to add a power source to your saber as well, and a dimmer control."

"What about you? You'll need two sabers, too," asked Rey.

"I have two. It's time this one came to life again." Luke reverently removed the cylinder from the black bag and revealed a black hilt with a silver grip toward the base. Luke looked up above Rey's head, at something. Rey turned and saw the ghost of his wife, nodding her agreement. Rey caught a tender smile pass between them both as Master Luke ignited the saber, sending a violet blade above his head. "This was my wife's. The last day it was ignited was the day she died. I swore I would never ignite it again except in peace or to save your brother, not kill him."

Rey understood then. What her mother and granddad had told her was true. Her uncle had almost killed her brother, and it seemed he still fought with the desire. "Master, tell me what happened. Tell me about the Purge."

Luke looked introspectively at the saber, remembering the friction between Naluma and Ben, remembering the weeks he was pulled away, remembering the warning signs he missed over and over again. Remembering the images of the Purge: the bodies of the Padawan and Jedi strewn across the Temple site, Naluma dying in his arms. Remembering her funeral pyre, standing vigil all night with Artoo. Remembering the guilt. "I can't."

"Please."

"I can't tell you what I wasn't there for. I only know the results. I only know the battle that followed. I only know the creature within me that was worse than Ben. I only know that I was one strike away from becoming the creature I despised the most: Vader," admitted Luke.

"No. You didn't kill him. You restrained yourself," pleaded Naluma, appearing again. "Luke, you used to tell me that being a Jedi did not mean you were immune from these feelings but that you could conquer them. And you did conquer them. And you continue to conquer them."

"But what if I one day I don't? What if I give into the rage, into the vengeance, into the loneliness and despair?" asked Luke to Naluma as he started to return it to its protective case.

Rey took a step back, not sure if she should even be witnessing this conversation. Seeing the chinks in her uncle's armor was frightening. Wasn't he invincible? Wasn't he the pinnacle of morality, the perfect example of self-sacrifice? thought Rey.

Ani thought back to her, He's just a man, a man who lost his Force-bonded love to a dark creature, a man tempted beyond control each and every day.

Naluma continued persuading, "I won't let you, Luke. I'll stop you before it comes to that. Please, use the saber. It will be one more thing that will draw us together. It's spent too long in that case. Give it life again, My Love."

"I will only use it in defense, to honor you," promised Luke. He deactivated, and using a Pilex Driver, removed the grip from the hilt. "This is the first saber with a dimmer control. It also has a power source. Use it as an example, but don't take it apart."

"Yes, Master," agreed Rey as she started rummaging through the case for the needed parts.

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Author's Note:

Not sure who Naluma is? Please read my trilogy. She first appears in Chapter 4 of Star Wars Ep VI-5: The New Jedi Order.

Why did I not choose to use Mara Jade? Mainly because everyone from Star Wars Story Group has verified (even as recently at Star Wars Celebration Europe in 2016) that Mara Jade will never become a canon character. Since she was doomed to live in Legends, Naluma came to life in my story.