Chapter Text
Luke made his way slowly to Ben - no, Obi-Wan’s - old home, his mood uncertain and worried. Many things weighed heavily on his mind, from Han’s imprisonment in Jabba’s clutches to Vader being his father and wanting him to choose the Dark Side to his lack of a lightsaber. It was strange. All his life, he carried a blaster, and Uncle Owen had taught him to use one fairly early on. Heck, he even had a blaster on him at present, but it just didn’t feel right anymore. It had become a secondary weapon - something to use only if a lightsaber wasn’t available. When did that happen? The weapon of a Jedi Knight. That was what Obi-Wan had said. Then did the lack of a lightsaber not feel right because he was not a Jedi without one? Maybe that was it. Obi-Wan and Anakin had them. For Luke to not have one was…well…That had to be fixed, and soon. But how did one build one? Obi-Wan hadn’t had time to tell him, and he stupidly had neglected to ask, assuming for some odd reason that he’d always have Anakin’s.
Making his way inside the hut, he spied the trunk from whence Anakin’s lightsaber had come. He felt a bit guilty about approaching it, but Obi-Wan had no more need for whatever might be inside. He called out to Ben, asking if it was all right to ransack it. An amused chuckle and a feeling of calm were his answers. Grinning, he attempted to open the trunk but found it locked. No problem. The Force made short work of it and the lid folded back to reveal a box and a lightsaber. He took the box out and put it on the floor. Where the box had been, Luke noticed a lock of blonde hair, a small carving of a black snake twisted into the shape of a spiral, and resting over them, the dewback plush he’d given Obi-Wan as a youngling. He smiled at the realization, and then gasped. These were mementos or gifts from people very important to him, of which Anakin’s lightsaber had been a part. But this other lightsaber…Whose was it? Qui-Gon’s, perhaps? He touched the dewback plush and then fingered the fine strands of hair and the smooth carving. Leaving them in the trunk, he picked up the lightsaber and stepped back, activating it.
Curiously, the lightsaber hummed but there was no blade. Luke wondered what kind of weapon would be working and yet not be able to cut anything. Surely, Qui-Gon didn’t go into battle with a lightsaber like this? If so, he wouldn’t have lasted very long. Nevertheless, Luke tried swinging it a few times and frowned. No. This weapon would be no good for him. He began to understand why Jedi seemed to custom make their sabers.
Deactivating the weapon, he returned it to the trunk and began to investigate the box on the floor. Opening it revealed a book, on flimsy, and a green crystal. Luke was immediately drawn to the crystal and picked it up carefully. Instantly, he noticed that the crystal reacted to him. He felt the Force pulse within the crystal like a heartbeat, with a steady rhythm, as his fingers closed around it. Intrigued, he put it in his breast pocket next to the stone Obi-Wan had given him and opened the book.
Flipping through pages, he discovered it was a manual of sorts concerning the Jedi as a whole - the ideals, lightsaber combat, the mantra every Jedi could recite in his sleep, Force abilities, meditation techniques, and lightsaber construction. Yes!, Luke thought. "Obi-Wan, you think of everything," Luke called excitedly. Another fond chuckle was Obi-Wan’s response.
Luke wanted to read the book from cover to cover, but he knew he couldn’t just yet. The knowledge he’d gained from Obi-Wan and Master Yoda would have to do for the time being. He studied the lightsaber diagrams carefully and read and re-read Obi-Wan’s instructions. He could get the components he needed readily enough, but the assembly was the problem. It had to be done with the Force, and he wasn’t so sure he had the fine control necessary to hold all the parts in position and bring them together without killing himself. But at least he now had an idea of how to accomplish his goal. He picked up the lightsaber from the trunk with the idea of disassembling it and using the clearly working components in his weapon, but Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon suddenly appeared in the room, freezing Luke.
"I don’t think you should use my components for your lightsaber," Qui-Gon admonished. "You already have my crystal. If you take any more from my weapon, it won’t be yours."
Luke considered this. "You have a point." And then he realized. "Wait…That’s why your saber has no blade. Someone removed it…" He eyed Obi-Wan peripherally, who nodded solemnly. "The crystal is alive. It’s like your stone. I feel the Force move through it."
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "You know, Master, I think that crystal belongs to him now."
Qui-Gon chuckled. "A worthy heir, I say. So it does. Luke, forget what I said. That crystal has chosen you."
"So…I can consider it mine? As though you never owned it?"
"Correct," Qui-Gon smiled. "All you need are the rest of the lightsaber parts and that weapon will be entirely yours."
Luke’s eyes lit up with anticipation. "What a proud heritage the crystal has. My blade will be extra special. I’ll come back with the parts I need." He took off at a trot, book in hand.
Obi-Wan stared after him, stomach fluttering nervously. "I feel like I did when I built my first lightsaber," he chuckled.
Qui-Gon grinned. "That’s just because you’re excited to see him succeed. I felt similarly when you built yours."
"It’s very gratifying to have such an eager student - so diligent, so respectful, so caring," Obi-Wan said quietly.
"I know that feeling, too," Qui-Gon winked.
Obi-Wan smiled. "I live to serve."
"I’d say you deserve to be served at this point," Qui-Gon nodded firmly.
Obi-Wan laughed. "Maybe. It’d be a nice change."
"Luke is about ready for his Trials, don’t you think? Or would be, if they existed now."
"Nearly so," Obi-Wan murmured, "but there are some things about his heritage I think I have to tell him, since he knows Vader is his father. He must have the whole truth now, or we risk losing him to fear and resentment, the way we lost Anakin. The Dark Side is predatory enough without giving it weaknesses to exploit."
"If Luke is anything like you, he’ll pull through. He loves you in ways Anakin didn’t, and furthermore, he does not fear loss or death."
"Still, I’m not really looking forward to the conversation," Obi-Wan sighed. "Luke was very upset I kept that information from him. Hurt, too."
"The way you felt when I claimed Anakin before the Council?"
"Partly. More the feeling when you said I was ready for my Trials. But it was the first I’d heard of it. It looked like you were just saying it to dismiss me. It felt like betrayal, and I think Luke felt similarly, that I owed it to him to tell him. It is a breach of trust. Someone we thought had never lied, would never lie, lied."
"But…But I didn’t…" Qui-Gon sighed heavily.
"Neither did I. But it is how it felt. We reconciled and you said I’d be a great Jedi. It was then I knew you’d been telling the truth about my preparedness in your view, and I think that forgiveness was just the edge I needed to stay in the Light and ultimately defeat Maul. Luke cannot go into battle thinking I lied to him. I believe it’s crucial that he understand I told him the truth as I saw it. And telling him about his family, though it may not be sound strategically, is the right thing to do. And this time, there’s no Council to gainsay me, which I actually think is a good thing."
Qui-Gon feigned shock. "What? My Padawan is rebelling? I’m so proud."
Obi-Wan grinned. "Of course, if you have an objection…"
"Hmmm?" Qui-GOn looked innocent. "Me? Object? Luke is your apprentice. It is not my place to interfere." He smirked at Obi-Wan, eyes twinkling.
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows melodramatically and returned the smirk. "And my Master is conforming. Is the galaxy ending?"
Qui-Gon laughed. "Honestly, I hope so. A new one is needed."
"I believe in Luke. I just don’t trust the Dark Side. But here he comes, and I’ve finally learned to live in the moment, at least some of the time. I aim to enjoy the show."
Qui-Gon’s affectionate chuckle was the last thing Obi-Wan heard as his Master withdrew from Luke’s awareness.