My Heart Bleeds for You (D4, EE)

[Rannek Nire]

Rannek closed the tiny fridge in his little apartment with a drink in his hand and turned towards the undersized futon he'd been using as a bed and couch. He plopped himself down on the futon in a not so tender fashion and had a shot of pain climb up from his backside up his spine.

"Ow... what the..." He exclaimed as he reached down into his back pocket and pulled out the little parcel that Delia had given him in the afternoon.

"Oh this... wonder what it is..." He mumbled out as he started unwrapping the paper.

When he unfolded the wrappings he saw in front of him a dark red crystal. His eyes widened with alarm as he could feel an intense feeling of pain and suffering emanating from the shining yet dark object.

"How did she..." He reached his hand over the red crystal which seemed to bleed into the world around it. He felt a surge in the flow of the universe around him and he closed his eyes as waves of pain came washing upon him churning him it a whirlpool of memory and regret.

-----

The light of a hyperspace tunnel illuminated the cockpit where Juba sat with a datapad as he scanned through reports on Mirial. As he browsed through the relevant news stories he saw the title of an article published by the Imperial news channel titled: 'Separatist Ring Leaders Executed for Treason.'

He tapped the link and a video was brought up alongside a written article describing the crimes of Jor and Lylee Unduli.

An imperial official appeared on the video speaking in official lingo, "The traitors Jor and Lylee Unduli are guilty of the crime of high treason against the Empire for their role in promulgating dissent against the Galactic Empire and aiding and abetting the terrorist Jedi organization to escape capture. They are sentenced to death by firing squad to commence immediately."

The holovid cut out and Juba stared blankly at the datapad in front of him.

He heard a voice from behind him, "I am so sorry my friend..."

Juba turned to see his Master standing in the entry to the cockpit.

"But you said..."

"I know... I'm sor..."

The words that followed, if there were any, did not register in Juba's ears.

----

The feelings of pain and suffering... of loss and regret... swirled around Rannek as he fought to regain some control of his mind. The flood gates had opened... and he found it nigh impossible to close them again.

----

They ran through the dense jungle towards the Caamasi temple on yet another day of training. Juba had been withdrawn for the past few months since their arrival on the planet... His master had pretended not to notice.

Despite everything Juba enjoyed the morning runs... it always gave him a way to shake off the nightmares and the terrible sense of dread that he awoke with each morning.

Suddenly the pair of them stopped. Something had gone terribly wrong. They both looked up to the sky and saw the faint glimmer of the planet's defensive shield flicker and dissipate.

Not five seconds later a multitude of Republic Battle Cruisers appeared in the sky and immediately began firing their ordinance without restraint.

"Run Juba! To the ship!"

Republic... no... 'Imperial' starfighters flew through the air, strafing any target they could see in or around the temple. Major explosions rocked the ground beneath them and giant chunks of falling rock and falling trees filled the air around them. The training had become a deadly live exercise... and they could only pray that the ship would be well concealed enough not to draw any fire before they could get there.

As they drew near the ship just beyond the back of the temple the pair of them heard a cry as a woman ran towards a small child a short distance away. A blast struck a nearby column causing it to tilt and fall down towards the child as it ran towards its mother.

Without hesitation Master Talon jumped the distance in two superhuman bounds and pushed the child with the force out of the way... just in time as the massive pillar came crashing down on the seasoned Jedi.

Juba reached his hand out and screamed, "No!"

He ran over to the pillar and tried to lift it, but found himself entirely unable to do so... He allowed himself a deep breath and a moment of concentration before he lifted the beam with strength given to him by the Force.

"Master..." He said as he tried to roll Talon over gently.

"Juba... I'm... sor.. ry..." The wind escaped Master Talon's lips for the last time as the world filled with red-blood colored pain.

----

Rannek felt drenched in the sea of red around him... his mind was caught in the whirlpool... being dragged down to oblivion and regret he had long closed away. There was something though... something deep within him that didn't move... that called him softly in the storm...

----

He looked over to the child his master had saved. Its mother clutched it tightly to her chest as they ran away without saying a word of gratitude... the circumstances didn't allow such a luxury.

He reached up and closed the eyes of the old Caamasi sage. He put a hand on his chest for a moment and shook his head, "There is nothing to forgive master... It was the will of the Force. Be at peace... Thank you... for everything."

----

He felt his mind snap out of the trap it was in and he opened his eyes to see the world around him. He was back in his crummy apartment. The blood-red crystal still sat on top of the wrappings with his other hand hovering over it. He quietly replaced the wrapping and tied it closed again. He put it down next to him beside the futon and took a moment to breath in air again... air free of the drowning sensation he had just experienced so vividly in his mind.