Symphonia: Ad Asterim

Chapter Six: Weapon of Choice
(Song title: Fatboy Slim)

Kayla yawned and stretched, feeling a cramp in her neck. A glance at the chronometer showed that four hours had passed. These reports were far more interesting than I'd expected, even knowing they had some surprises, she thought. I completely lost track of the time! She was eager to try out some of the modifications suggested by the data reports on her own lightsaber.

I wonder how things have been going for Obi-Wan? I expected to hear from him by now. Sparring practice should have ended hours ago. Ah well, I suppose Qui-Gon's found him. She considered trying to reach him telepathically, but decided against it for the moment. She unhooked her saber and flipped open the panel beneath the emitter, exposing the three Ilum crystals within. She tapped the saber hilt gently, and the stones, pale green, indigo and clear, rolled out onto the desktop.

Holding the clear crystal up to the light, she inspected it for flaws; there were none. Better safe than sorry, she mused. She pulled open a desk drawer and took out a small knife, testing the blade with great caution against a fingernail. It shaved the surface of the nail into powder.

"All right. Let's see what happens when I carve one of those runes into you, why don't we," she murmured. With extreme care and precision, she painstakingly etched the symbol onto one side of the crystal, copying it exactly from the display on the datapad.

"Whew. Got it," she breathed, wiping sweat from her brow as she finished. She held the crystal up to the light once more, and noticed the prisms of rainbowed light that emanated from the rune into the heart of the stone. "Alright now, let's see what you can do," she said with a smile, placing the three crystals back into the saber housing and shutting the panel.

She stood up and walked to the center of her office, extending the saber hilt before her. Taking in a deep breath, she focused and pushed out her anxiety and apprehension out with her exhalation. A moment later, she could feel the aura of The Force surrounding her, and she pressed the igniter.

A palpable shudder passed through the saber hilt, causing it to vibrate for a moment in her hand. The blade of light shot forth from the emitter with a much louder than normal hiss, and the beam was no longer the vibrant indigo it had been. Instead, a beam of white light that flickered with all the colors of the rainbow playing across its surface extended from the hilt, faint sparks darting along its length.

//Kayla! Are you alright?// Obi-Wan's panicked voice filled her mind.

//I-I'm fine// she sent to him. //I just did…something…to my saber. I think it's good.// She could not take her eyes from the scintillating, multihued blade of colors that her lightsaber had become. She swung the blade to test it, and instead of the typical hum of a saber, it gave off a noise more like the crackle of static electricity. //It seems stable. I don't know how to describe it, you'll have to come see for yourself.//

//Thank gods you're okay. You projected like mad, all I could sense was that something had startled you. Master Jinn picked it up as well. I wouldn't be surprised if half the Temple heard you.//

Kayla groaned. //Well, I did promise the Council I would take the research beyond theory and put it into practice, so they can't say I wasn't keeping to my word. I'd better hunt down someone on the Council to let them know what happened, and that I'm fine. My saber looks…well, it's very different than it was. I'm going to find someone on the Council and see if I can't meet with them now to show them.//

//I can be there in five minutes, if you'd like.//

She thought for a moment before replying. //I think I should do this alone. But I'll let you know the moment I get back, okay?//

//Alright, then.// He sent a kiss to her across the bond. //I miss you.//

She smiled and sent a warm surge of affection through the link. //I miss you, too. Will I see you tonight?//
Images filled her mind of their bodies intertwined, along with a wave of passionate sensation. //Of course.//

She gasped at the intensity of his sending, and took a deep breath to calm herself. //I'll hold you to that. All of it.// She thought with a chuckle.

//Mmm. I hope that's a promise.//

Kayla was certain her giggle carried across the link. //It most certainly is. Now let me go; the sooner I get this over and done with, the sooner I'll be back.//

//Right. I'll be waiting. Oh, and by the way, Master Jinn told me he'd already spoken with you. I've been getting a Talk from him, but everything seems to be going well. We can talk about that tonight. Good luck, love.// He ended the link with a soft caress, and she lifted her hand to touch the spot on her cheek where she'd felt his touch.

****

"And so, Master Yoda, after I'd carved the rune we'd identified as Unity into the crystal and reignited the blade, this was the end result." Kayla stood in the center of a circle formed of Council members. "I'd advise you all to step back a pace, if you would."
She pressed the igniter, and the lightsaber crackled to life with a small shower of sparks.

"Your usual saber this was?"

"Yes, Master Yoda. The blade was indigo until this afternoon."

The tiny Jedi Master pondered this. "Indigo it certainly now is not. Nothing like this have I seen, not in all my years."

Mace Windu nodded. "Neither have I. Kayla, the crystals in that are from Ilum, correct?" She nodded, and he continued. "I thought so. And which one was it that you modified?"

"The clear one. There are three crystals in the saber; pale green, indigo and clear. The indigo one was unmistakably the strongest of the three, until I made the modification this afternoon. As you will recall, at our meeting this morning we discussed which of the runes to experiment with, and I did use one of the ones that was selected. In fact, the Unity rune seemed the least likely to cause problems, which is why it was the one I chose to use."

"Have you tested it yet?" Her former Master asked, folding his arms across his chest.

She shook her head. "No, not yet. I suppose I should." She glanced around the room. "Anyone care to volunteer?"

Several of the Council chuckled. "I'll take you up on that," Windu replied. "But I think that the arena is a far more suitable place for that than the Council Chambers."

Kayla nodded, chagrined. "Yes, of course."

"Go there now, we shall. Test your creation we will," Yoda spoke, leaning forward to examine the play of colors along the saber blade. "Know we should if this experiment is something you should continue."

***
"Alright, Master Windu, I'm ready when you are." Kayla set her outer robes aside and strode to the center of the arena ring.

Her former Master followed her into the ring and bowed to her before igniting his lightsaber. The vibrant purple blade hummed softly as he assumed an en garde position.

She ignited her blade, by now anticipating the mild shock and vibration that accompanied the act, and returned the bow.

Moving almost faster than she could see, Windu attacked with a classic Vaapad move. She countered instinctively, and the multi-hued blade connected with the violet one with an explosive roar. They both flew backwards; Windu stopped himself after a few steps, while she turned the maneuver into a roll and came up on her feet, saber at the ready.

"That was interesting," Windu remarked dryly. "Again, Kayla."

This time, she took the offensive role and launched into a flurry of sweeps with the blade. However, the moment the blades met, the results were the same. The backwards thrust of the repulsive force pushing them apart was almost enough to knock her off her feet, but she again rolled with the motion and came up en garde.

"Most interesting, indeed, this is," said Yoda. " Try it for myself, I would." He drew his lightsaber and ignited the blade. "Come at me, you will."

She took a deep breath and charged. The tiny Jedi Master executed an acrobatic maneuver and launched himself into an attack against her blade. Again, there was a loud roar and a strong repulsive burst of energy that forced them apart.

"If I may make a suggestion," spoke Master Plo Koon. "Perhaps this has something to do with the rune that you used on the crystal. Unity, perhaps, recognizes the alikeness of the crystals in your opponents' weapons. The effect I'm seeing is not unlike that of magnets repulsing one another."

Yoda got to his feet and switched off his lightsaber. "A good point you make there. More research on this matter you will do, young Kayla." He dusted off his tunic and smiled up at her. "A supply of crystals I will send to you, that spared further experimentation your own lightsaber shall be."

She grinned and nodded, shutting down her blade as well. "Thank you, Master Yoda. I will keep up the experiments, and will keep the Council apprised of the results. Is there anything further you require of me, Masters?"

"No, you're free to go. Thank you, Kayla, we appreciate all your work on this," said Windu. He patted her shoulder. "Even though it doesn't work well in combat, it certainly does look pretty." The rest of the Council laughed good-naturedly along with him.

Kayla nodded and bowed to them. "Thank you again." She took her leave and started back towards her office. Wait a minute; it's late enough, I'm done for the day, she thought, and changed her path so that she was now headed home.

//Obi-Wan?//

//Right here. How did it go?//

She sighed, knowing full well that her frustration would carry along the link. //Not very well. Back to the drawing board, it seems. I'm done for the day and headed back home. Gods, do I have a headache!//

//I know just the thing for a headache// he replied, his thoughts almost a purr. //Interested?//

She grinned. //What do you think? Meet me at my apartment as soon as you can. I'll be there in about two minutes.//

//I'll beat you there// came his reply. //I'm already on my way.//