The Smoke be for the Fires: (Book 1)

[Akirapryde]

Places of Judgment and Enlightenment
Jedi Temple
Coruscant, Galactic Republic

Young Prince Biggs Saar looked at his time piece as he paced. He had been waiting for the flight for almost an hour. He looked around the landing bay within the Jedi Temple and sighed. He hated this new assignment he was given. It was so completely beneath him. SHE was so completely beneath him. And now he had to play nice with her. “Rim Rat” he muttered as he paced around waiting. That is all she was to him and that is all she would ever be worth. Not even true born nobility, she was adopted in to nobility. “I hate Rim Trash!” he said again not caring who was around to hear him.

Finally the moment he had been waiting for came, the loud speaker came to life announcing the late arriving shuttle, “Shuttle Flight 2967, Direct from Korriban arriving at pad nine.” The droid voice declared. Biggs smiled as he cleans his thoughts and heart of the revulsion that her existence caused him. He watched as the over due flight land on the pad and smiled when he saw her walking off the flight. Sure she was attractive, well maybe for a sand person's mate. 'Oh wait, I wouldn't be so cruel to a sand person.' She was just a mission that his Master wanted him to work on. And when Master Tra Vae wants something done. You had better do it right. With that being said, “Look out Lysire, your life is about to change for the better.” he said softly under his breath walking up her.

“Lysire!” he called out to her as she made her way through the crowds of travelers exiting the shuttle.

There was an inner smile Biggs could not ignore as she actually looked around to see if there was another female that he was calling, “Don't be so cute Lysire, I am talking to you.” he said once he got close to her.

She looked almost terrified as she realized that he was actually talking to her. Then her defenses set in. She quickly looked around for one of his cronies trying to sneak up on her. “Um......Prince Saar?” she said nervously still expecting the prank to be played out. Suddenly she felt like a trapped animal waiting to be slaughtered. She almost just hoped that he would get the prank over with so she can continue on with her life.

This was too sweet for him. Nothing plotted but the fear still remains in her heart. He had to remember that fact when dealing with the other Rim Trash Wannabe Jedi's he has to deal with. “Lysire, how many times have I told you, call me Biggs.” He said reaching to help her with her large number of bags, books and things. She pulled away though.

“Um never......?Biggs?” she said not sure if to let him help her or not. “Why are you talking to me?” she asked while a part of her screamed 'what are you doing?!' She never told a soul that she had deep feelings for Biggs. And why not, he was their training clan captain. A expert learner according to the Masters. He was born to the Royal Family of Trosia III. He and his friends were always the IN kids throughout training. Even as they became Padawans, he and his friends were always seen as better then the rest. He was so much better then the rest that even the Head of the Jedi Order named him as Padawan. All this didn't even come close to the fact that he was prefect in every way. Even now, she could just get lost in his light blue eyes as he smiled at her. 'Oh god those eyes.' she thought passionately about them.

Biggs laughed, “never? Oh come on Lysire. Surely you jest.” he said dismissing her comment, sadly as he would dismiss her if he could. “As for why I am talking to you. I heard you did poorly on your lightsaber training. So I figured I would see if you would like some one on one time with me. I want to help you make up for that lost time you wasted in the library.” He explained moving close to her and finally getting the opening he wanted. He carefully lifted her bags off her and helped her to carry some of her things. They started to walk a bit but it was clear she was still very wary of him and his motives.

Lysire didn't know if she should run screaming down the landing bay or melt in to his hands. 'Hands? Oh My God he brushed his hand against mine!' she thought as she felt her face flush. Though she snapped out of it and turned to face him, “Wait a minute. What kind of sick joke is this?” she demanded angrily.

Biggs turned and gave her a smile that he knew would melt her. And judging by the break in her anger he knew he was right, “Look, I have always had an eye on you. And in a way...” 'yeah like a the way I enjoy vomiting,' he thought to himself, “I really like you. So I just thought that this was a chance for us to get to know each other better.” he said softly taking her hand in his. He watched as her face turned a light shade of pink.

Lysire looked down at her hand in his. For her this was a dream come true but she refused to believe it. “Liked me? You and your cronies dumped a large bucket of industrial cleaner all over me.” she said not being able to take her mind off the fact that he was actually holding her hand. Oh how she wanted to believe this was real. Her heart cried out as her feelings raced and her heartbeat picked up. 'could this be real?' she asked then answered, 'please let this be real.'

Biggs laughed once more. This time because he could picture the way the little Rim Rat looked like a wet rat. That was how she earned her nickname Rim Rat. Her hair was blue for over two months and her skin. 'Now that was a sight. Who knew how hilarious it would had turned out.' he thought to himself. “Look I know I had done some really childish things to you. But truthfully, most of them were to just to get your attention.” moving so he could look deep in to her eyes. A bit of friendship wouldn't go to waste here either. The slight smile on her face gave it away to him that her mind was not fully focused on her guard, “Look I am sorry for what I did. Let me make this up to you. Let me help you pass your lightsaber training rank two test. Then if you don't think I am being fair and truthfully to you then just walk away.” he said making sure that she could see deep in to his eyes.

She couldn't think straight. Her eyes were lost in his, and all she could feel was his warm hand holding hers. Ever since she came to the Temple he and his cronies had made her life here a living hell. It was like she had somehow personally offended them. It wasn't like she didn't tried to be their friend, she really did! They just didn't like her for some unknown reason. A few years ago, she started to have feelings that she knew were natural and came with age. But most of her feelings were centered on him. She knew that deep down in her heart she loved him. It didn't matter to her if he never loved her back. In her mind she didn't think this moment would ever happen so she never planned for it. But now it is happening. 'How can I turn my back on this chance for love. I might never get another chance again' she feared.

His smile continued as her confusion persisted. He dropped to a knee looking up in to her big confused brown eyes. 'was that a tear?' he thought as he noticed moisture at the corners of her eyes. “Come on, what will it hurt for you to take some lessons from me? What do you say?” he asked her pushing her mind to force an answer.

She tried to think of all the ways this could go badly for her. But he was right, she needed help with her lightsaber training. That was all too clear on her last visit home. Home, she missed her home world and feared for her parents. The war was raging and her people were left to stand alone. There were still many questions in her mind about that visit. Her mother being a Jedi for starters. Her new found friends. The black out she had and the memory laps before they left. This Master Bund and his quest for....'oh crap! Thats right....' She snapped her mind from the haze and looked back at Biggs, “Okay, But I swear if this is another one of your sick pranks to hurt me. I will never forgive you!” she said now remembering what she had to do that was so important.

Biggs smiled and nodded his head, “Trust me. I will not hurt you. Meet me in training room five at six tonight. Bring your lightsaber and be ready for training.” he said as she took her things from him.

Lysire nodded her head, “Training room five at six tonight. I will be there.” she confirmed and then moved passed him, “I really have to get going. I have to speak with some friends.” she said softly. Her heart still racing from the truly unexpected encounter she just had.

Biggs smiled and waved as she hurriedly walked off. “Okay see you tonight. Have fun with your friends....” he said as he lowered his hand and revealed the data crystal he had stolen from her. “I have my own friend to talk too, little Rim Rat.” he said as a small group of other Jedi Padawans walked up. He handed the crystal over to one of the guys. “Copy it completely and then make sure it finds its way to lost and found. I don't want her to think that it was stolen.” he ordered. “I have to go take a shower. I feel dirty just talking with her.” he commented then looked at a pair of female padawans that were standing behind him. “Gara come with me. The rest of you. Lay low and put the word out. The Rim Rat is off limits for now. Any one messing with her will answer to me.” He said as he took one of the females in his arm and walked away with her.

*********************************************

Uris looked to the fire that lit up the camp site. It had been well over a month since he had taken his padawan and a medical droid (Well kidnapped if you listen to the droid) to this forest moon. Uris had been training her hard and almost none stop the entire time. There was good reason in his mind for this brutal training. Orchid will not go easy on her the next time they meet. Chances are, his Padawan wont stand a chance but he had to try to make her ready. Though for the moment, his mind lost on her question about his dark aura. He was never a man who could really talk about feelings or ideals. That was more his beloveds calling. He smiled at the image in his mind. She was truly his savor in more ways the others realize.

“You are familiar with the calling of the Dark Side. Since the day that the Republic and the Order crushed the Sith, there has not been any real answers to the calling. Sure every so often there might be one or two that pops up here and there. Generally however, thats about it. Many of them tend not to live long with the Hunters, like us, out there.” He said poking the fire softly, “My darkness comes from something much different.” he said as the sounds of his past came rushing back to his memories. His face turned darker and his stair lost in the fires of the monster he almost became.

“The Force, many will tell you is like a coin with two sides. This is not completely true. There is somethings out there that are far worse then the dark side. A draw that fills you so completely that you hate yourself for turning away from it. If the Dark side is evil, and the Light side is good. Then all I can say about this 'other' draw is like.....” he said softly then trailed off. He heard the sounds of men dying by his own lightsaber, “....is like, conflict.” he managed to get out, “This thing feeds off of it and empowers those with it.” he said then made a choice that he hoped that he would not regret later. “You know about The Sword.” he stated, “See it is like a focal point of conflict.” he started to explain, “in my hands I could feel how much power it held. But it drew me in deeper with the power it showed within me. All I needed to do was crush evil.” he said almost laughing, “It sounds funny, I know, but see it didn't care if it was used for good or evil. It wanted war! Death and suffering.”

“And the campaign of destruction I gave it.” he sadly admitted, “I waged a personal war against local blood thirsty tyrants. The blood shed was on a scale never seen by the world we were on. It was then I learned the true nature of The Sword.” He continued while looking down in to the fire. “See The Sword is only a focal point of a greater power. That power is lent to the user of The Sword for one reason. To steal life force. There are these beings. Horrible beings that should only exist in some twisted nightmare. They exist though. Just beyond where we can see. Because we can not see them, make no mistake, they are there. Taking the life force that their Sword steals and uses it to break through to us.”

As he continues to speak his face slowly grows darker and more distant. His hands gripping the small log he is using on the fire. “And once they pass over to us. The taste is something to truly beheld.” Spoken like a true madman, “I remember that day as if it was this morning.” he said pulling the small log up over his head gripping it like some wooden sword, “I remember the battle clearly. She was so out matched. There was nothing she could have possible done to hurt me. I was in touch with them. I could hear their voices calling out to me.” Still looking in to the fire as if some unseen force was before him, “finish her and open the gate.” He mumbled, “I could hear them all chanting to me.” His eyes started to water up as the clear battle over his soul has not been completely won or lost.

“I looked down at her........Her eyes wide with terror.....She knew her time was up......” He said still gripping the log as he relived that horrible moment in his life, “I could hear her begging for me....pleading me to look after him.....”he continued to mumble, “I was about to kill her and she was worried about him!” he yelled out with such rage that even the droid almost shut down out of fear, “HIM! WHY NOT HER!” he demanded in some confused madman logic, “I slammed the Sword down so hard that I broke the floor in to pieces!” He said driving the log in to the fire sending ambers high in to the night sky.

“It had to be for her and him.” he admitted, “How could I have turned my back on them.” he said turning to his padawan, “What kind of monster had I become do you ask? The worst kind that would destroy something so pure and innocent.” he said softly as he looked at her, tears still freely running down his face. “It was that moment when I knew I had to change this path I was one if I was to be a better man.” he confessed, “I had killed and murdered so many in the name of my own war against evil only to find out I had become the evil I was fighting. This is the gift of The Sword. This is why Rose can never be allowed to have it.” He said coldly the moved closer to her.

“You see, even you will be tested against the darkness as well. You will have to find something to hold on to. Something to keep you here in the light with the rest of us.” he said the turned away, “Because if you don't you will end up like me. Scares that run so deep that nothing you can do will hide them.” He said opening up his shirt and revealing horrible battle wounds across his chest and back. He then turned back to her, “Master Tra Vae has one thing right, emotions are not completely a bad thing if learned to be used correctly. Love can become a powerful anchor to the light side. As I found out.” He said softly then turned away once more.

Looking back to the fire, “Though there are times when I think all of these things are just not right. I have these dreams that show a world much different then I am aware of. A place where I am not bathed in light. This is a dark place where my name brings fear and horror to all those that hear it. I used to think that they were telling me of the man I could become if I was not careful. Then the Sword came along and I thought for sure that was the answer. But still nothing seemed to add up. For as long as I could remember I recall this tower calling to me in my dreams. A place I have never seen nor ever heard about.”

“I know that it is an ice world out there somewhere and this tower is there, built of gray stones. Some how I think the answers to my dreams are there.” He then once more turned back to her, “But believe it or not, I am scared to go seeking these answers. I am the man I am today and this I do not deny. I work hard to stay with those in the light. I struggle each fight to keep my soul free from temptation and pure in action. After my encounter with The Sword, I really don't think I am strong enough to face another temptation like that again. I can not loss them. They are my world!” he said almost making a promise.

Tossing his log on to the fire, “There, you have your answer about my aura. Does it help you understand me better? My question to you, now is, What have you learned form this? What will you use for your anchor. Orchid will temp you. She will deceive you. Should you fall to her, then she will claim you in more ways then you could dare think about.” he said slowly getting up, “I am tired now. Be ready for more training in the morning. For now, think of what you heard here and think of who you are and why.” He walked over to a small sleeping bag and slowly got in, “Good night, my little fish.” he said before rolling over and trying to get some sleep.