Chapter 13

The workshops of the Jedi Temple hummed with activity, the air thick with anticipation. Younglings sat at workbenches, their faces etched with concentration as they painstakingly assembled their first lightsabers. For most, it was a moment of pure joy and excitement. For Kaedan Dorn, it was a bittersweet reminder of the weight of his unique situation.

Kaedan's hands moved with a surety that belied his apparent age, each component falling into place with practiced ease. His adult mind, filled with knowledge from another life, guided his actions. He could almost hear the voice of Huyang, the ancient droid architect, instructing him on the intricacies of saber construction – knowledge he shouldn't have, but was grateful for nonetheless.

As he worked on his first saber – the one that would house the vibrant green crystal – Kaedan allowed himself a small smile. This was a moment he had dreamed of countless times as a Star Wars fan in his past life. Now, living it, he found it both exhilarating and sobering.

"Kaedan how...?," Zara's voice broke through his concentration. The young Twi'lek peered over his shoulder, her lekku twitching with curiosity and a hint of frustration. "You're already halfway done! ... how?"

Kaedan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I've... studied the schematics extensively," he said, the half-truth coming easily. "And I suppose I have a knack for mechanics."

Zara nodded, impressed but slightly dejected. "Jeez," she said shaking her head. "Sometimes, I wish I had your luck. I can barely figure out where to start."

Kaedan looked around the room, noting the various states of progress among his peers. Some, like Raz, were making steady headway. Others seemed completely lost, staring at the components before them with growing frustration.

"Here," Kaedan said, setting aside his own work. "Let me help you get started."

Over the next few hours, Kaedan found himself moving from workbench to workbench, offering guidance and encouragement to his fellow younglings. It felt good to share his knowledge and to help others achieve this crucial milestone in their Jedi training. Things like this made him feel more alive and less detached from everything around him.

As the day wore on, Kaedan returned to his own project. With the green-crystaled saber complete, he turned his attention to the second, more challenging build. The purple crystal hummed with a different energy, more volatile and complex. It required a unique design to channel its power effectively.

By the time Master Yoda entered the workshop to check on their progress, Kaedan had two completed lightsabers resting before him. The ancient Jedi's eyes widened slightly at the sight.

"Two sabers, young Kaedan has constructed," Yoda observed, his voice carrying a mix of impressed and concerned tones. "Unusual, this is. Powerful, but demanding, the path of Jar'Kai can be."

Kaedan bowed his head respectfully. "I felt it was the right path for me, Master Yoda. The crystals... they called for it."

Yoda studied him intently for a moment before nodding. "Trust in the Force, we must. If this path it has shown you, follow it you shall."

As the other younglings completed their sabers one by one, the workshop filled with the snap-hiss of blades igniting for the first time. Beams of blue, green, and the occasional yellow illuminated excited faces.

Kaedan ignited his own sabers last, the green and purple blades casting a unique glow around him. He could feel the power flowing through them, an extension of himself and the Force.

The celebration was short-lived, however. As they prepared to leave the workshop and head to the hangar bay for their return journey to Ilum, an alarm blared through the Temple.

Master Yoda's comlink chirped urgently. After a brief conversation, his expression turned grave. "Change of plans, there has been," he announced. "To the ship, we must go. Quickly now."

For some reason, Kaedan felt a bottomless pit form in his stomach. Fear....

As they hurried through the corridors, Kaedan's mind raced. This wasn't part of any story he knew from his past life. Something unexpected was happening, and he could feel a sense of danger growing in the Force.

They reached the hangar just as Master Plo Koon was preparing the ship for departure. "We must leave immediately," the Kel Dor Jedi said, his voice muffled by his breathing apparatus. "We've received word of Zygerrian slavers operating in the sector. They may be targeting Force-sensitive children."

A ripple of fear passed through the group of younglings. Kaedan felt his grip tighten on his newly constructed lightsabers. He knew of the Zygerrians from the Clone Wars series, but facing them in reality was a different matter entirely.

As they boarded the ship and strapped in for emergency takeoff, Kaedan could sense the anxiety radiating from his peers. He took a deep breath, centering himself in the Force. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it with the knowledge and skills of two lifetimes.

The ship lifted off, streaking into Ilium's upper atmosphere. For a moment, it seemed they might make a clean getaway. Then, without warning, proximity alarms blared throughout the cabin.

"Multiple ships dropping out of hyperspace," Plo Koon's voice came over the intercom, tense but controlled. "Zygerrian design. Prepare for evasive maneuvers."

Kaedan unstrapped himself, moving to peer out one of the viewports. His breath caught as he saw the sleek, predatory shapes of Zygerrian slavers' ships closing in around them.

"Younglings," Master Yoda's voice cut through the growing panic. "Remember your training. Trust in the Force. Defend ourselves, we may need to."

As if on cue, the ship rocked violently, struck by enemy fire. Emergency lights flashed, and the acrid smell of electrical smoke began to fill the cabin.

Kaedan's hands moved to his lightsabers, the hilts cool and reassuring against his palms. He looked around at his fellow younglings – friends he had grown close to over the past months. Their faces were a mixture of fear and determination.

"Stay close to me," he found himself saying, his voice carrying an authority that surprised even him. "We'll get through this together."

As the ship shuddered under another barrage, and the sound of docking clamps engaging echoed through the hull, Kaedan gulped and ignited his sabers. The green and purple blades hummed to life, casting their unique glow over the frightened but resolute faces of his companions.

This was real.