Embraces - an old story from the archive

EMBRACES

The nightmare is always the same. She falls, He cannot save her as Nocturne brings the red blade across her neck, takes the locket he gave her and runs. He hears her whisper to him

MIRANA – You’ll always be mine

Cyran Oghma then drains the contents of his glass. Lights a candle, and writes. Pours another glass and raises it to the flame.

CYRAN – To you my love and to the house of Oghma.

She was singing to him again, the dream came

Cyran Oghma was falling from a force assisted leap, blue sabers swinging in the night sky. As he brought them squarely on the head of the sentry droid. Cutting it in two pieces. Cyran chuckled to himself. He loved his work as an intelligence gatherer for the order. He had an easy charm that made him blend into any crowd. His skills with force persuasion and illusion were superior, and at his young age, he was an accomplished master in three of the seven lightsaber combat forms. A voice came from the darkness. As a violet saber came to his throat.

STARFALL – Never mistake flash for martial prowess, Oghma.

CYRAN – My apologies Master Starfall but it looked fantastic.

STARFALL – I’ve seen better. Now to the business at hand.

The two crept through the complex, taking out sentry droids as they came. Until they got to the vault they were seeking. Cyran promptly overwrote the security protocols and Starfall got the holochron they were sent for.

STARFALL – Remind me to discipline you tomorrow.

CYRAN – Always master.

The next morning Cyran was up for training. Starfall was waiting. Starfall ignited his saber with a snaphiss and charged. Cyran went blade to blade with his old master. In the surgical lines of Makashi the two argued. Cyran had just mastered the 1000 point thrust from that holchron he had liberated.

STARFALL – The council is giving you a padawan.

CYRAN – Oh please no. I don’t have time. There are secrets to gather. Booze to be met, women to drink, or is that the reverse.

STARFALL – Poetry to write.

CYRAN – I’ll never understand why you have me do it.

STARFALL – Poetry is swordplay Cyran, rhyme and meter, form and function.

CYRAN – As you say master.

STARFALL – You’re speaking.

CYRAN – But what I want is a family, Master Starfall. A bloodline of my own. The house of Oghma. My crest a sword and quill crossed.

STARFALL – That for you Cyran would be the summit of selfishness. The way you live. The risks you take. The Jedi is your family.

Cyran grumbled under his breath.

CYRAN – And my new apprentices name.

STARFALL – Mirana.

The next morning Cyran again woke for training, a light rain was falling. And in the courtyard stood a woman practicing the elegant cuts of Niman. Her back to him. She was singing a lingering haunting tune. He closed his eyes to listen, but opened them when he heard the words.

MIRANA – Master Cyran Oghma.

CYRAN – Yes I…

She turned to face him, she was a full foot shorter than he was. Eyes of oceanic blue. Waves of flame red hair falling into them. He was staring into a face beauty herself would envy. He was doomed from the start.
A little while later…

CYRAN – Remember Makashi is about finesse, not power.

She followed two spin thrusts with a wheel of death. Singing as she spun.

MIRANA – I remember.

CYRAN – How is your Jar’ Kai

Without warning she ignited a second saber and came at him with a pattern called the fan. Characterized by lightning quick snaps of the wrists. He barely got his own second saber ignited, when she changed patterns again. The two laughed matching strike for strike. Until both were exhausted.

MIRANA – So did I pass the audition.

CYRAN – Yes indeed.

That night he couldn’t sleep. She was in his head. Restless, he decided to write to her. Months went by. Papers stacked upon papers filled his quarters. Until the morning he overslept. And Starfall sought him in his rooms. Papers flew everywhere as the jedi master pushed open the door.

STARFALL – Redecorating Cyran.

CYRAN – Apologies master, I couldn’t sleep.

STARFALL – Well tidy this place up, and you think this is bad. Mirana’s room is full to brim with sheet music. Can’t you just admit it to each other.

CYRAN – Admit what master?

Starfall smiled. And slipped one of the pages in his robe.

The next day, the sun was shining. Cyran had that tune of her’s in his head in an infinite loop. She was there in the courtyard, back to him. She turned to face him. Crystal tears in her eyes. He went to console her. When she slapped him across the face. Stunned he looked at her.

MIRANA – Well it’s about time.

Then she kissed him, shocked at first he returned the affection. A tear stained page at her feet.
The next six months were idyllic. Letters and songs passed back and forth. Secret meetings, brief moments together. The love was all there was. She worried when he’d go on missions. Nursing his wounds on the Centurion. He would fight off world, the dark things the Sith had wrought. But there was always her to return to. The locket with his symbol he had made for her she wore under her robes. They were happy, Until….

STARFALL – Darth Nocturne is raising an army.

CYRAN – I know all the intelligence reports state…

STARFALL – He’s gotten hold of Jedi DNA. From the captured medical frigate Centurion.

CYRAN – Clones, I hate clones.

STARFALL - Tomorrow we go to war.

CYRAN – But tonight is mine.

The last night he’ll always remember. The night before war. All the promises re-made, amidst embraces that always feel final.
.
MIRANA – Tell me my love.

CYRAN – Anything.

MIRANA – You don’t want me in this battle tomorrow.

CYRAN – You can't go.

MIRANA – Please I’m a good a warrior as you are now.

CYRAN – But war is..

She stopped him with a kiss.

MIRANA – as you wish my love.

Something deep inside him stirred, he thought that she wouldn’t listen to him this time. He pushed the thought away.

CYRAN – I’ll survive, Just remember I love you.

MIRANA – I will

And they said in unison

MIRANA/CYRAN – And you’ll always be mine.

Then she sang Cyran Oghma to sleep.