For days afterward, Khameir spent long hours inside his quarters dissecting the lightsaber’s handle and trying to modify it. He had managed to change the color of the blade so far, but this was not enough for him. He craved power and a different weapon with the same destructive capabilities. He eyed the twin crystals laid out before him, pondering over how to make them better. Absently, he sketched plans on a pad of paper beside the lightsaber’s handle. Dozens of drawings were piled on top of the other at the corner of his work desk. Wads of paper that had missed the trash compactor littered the floor around his chair. he paid the mess no mind as his thoughts raced.

Suddenly, he noticed an old sketch that had another blade accidently drawn next to it. Khameir stared at it intently, trying to see the possiblities hidden in the smudged lines. In his mind’s eye, the twin blades seperated and joined at either end of the lightsaber’s original handle. The stafflike weapon turned in his mind, it’s twin crimson blades singing a deadly whisper of torment. Khameir snapped out of his trance and eagerly scooped up the parts of the lightsaber. He pushed away from his desk so quickly the chair toppled over. He ignored it and raced out of his quarters.

* * *

“Hmm..very interesting, my apprentice,” Sidious remarked after Khameir had completed his lightsaber creation. Khameir allowed himself a small smile of pride as he displayed the long-handled saber to his master.

“Thank you, my Master. I had to add two more crystals in order to create the double blades,” Khameir explained, holding the saber out before him then pressing the activation button on the side. Twin red blades swished out from either end of the handle. Sidious eyed the blade curiously.

“Have you tried to use it?” he asked. Khameir shook his head. “I suggest you try.”

“It shouldn’t be any different from the striking staffs back home,” Khameir boasted and twirled the handle. The blades, being made of only light, didn’t quite balance out the heavy handle. Khameir cried out in pain when the blades struck his arm. Luckily, it was only a flesh wound instead of his whole arm. Sidious chuckled silently.

“Apparently, you’ve created something you knew very little about, my young apprentice,” he mused. “Perhaps if you tried a different method..?” Khameir touched the seared flesh on his arm and nodded reluctantly.

“Clearly, I’ll need to find a way to balance out the blades without hindering its abilities,” Khameir remarked, retracting the blades and hooking the handle back onto his belt.

“You do that; I have pressing matters of court to attend to,” Sidious said and turned away. Khameir bowed his head in respect.

“Yes, my Master.”

* * *

Four weeks later:

“Master!” Khameir rushed into Palpatine’s chambers breathlessly. Palpatine turned to his excited student.

“Yes, what is it, Khameir?” he asked calmly. Khameir held out the lightsaber handle eagerly. “Yes, it’s your lightsaber. What of it?”

“This,” Khameir replied and ignited the blades. Before Palpatine could blink, Khameir was spinning, twirling, and skillfully striking out at invisible opponents with his gorgeous twin blades. Palpatine felt Khameir using his control over the Force to aide in his moves. He smiled, very pleased with his student’s progress.

“Excellent, Khameir, excellent,” Palpatine praised. “In addition to honing your fighting skills you have also managed to form better control over your Force. You are truly a remarkable apprentice.”

“Thanks to your guidance, my Master,” Khameir answered respectfully, kneeling down before the Senator. Palpatine laid one hand on his apprentice’s shoulder.

“I have chosen well. You will become a great Sith Lord. In time, I will give you a new title. I haven’t decided what this will be however. Have patience.”

“Yes, my Master,” Khameir replied with his head bowed.

“Return to your training, Khameir. I will be with you shortly,” Palpatine instructed and left the chambers.