DISCLAIMER - don't own, don't sue...though owning at least a Cand plushie would be great...sniffs

The Pyre

He was choking on his own blood. There were some wounds even his implant wouldn't heal. Funny thing... he was still feeling pain in his left leg, even though it was lying good few meters behind him. He chuckled, bloody bubbles forming on his lips. The Star Forge shook, answering his chuckle, explosions were stronger and coming much often. 'So finaly The Republic has done something right'. Right now everything seemed so damn funny to him, blood lost making him feel a bit tipsy. At least he was dying a good death, exploding factory would make one hell of a pyre!

There was just one thing missing.

His hands were oh so weak, yet he had managed to fish out a pack of cigarrettes, white roll almost falling off his trembling fingers, filter soaking with blood almost immediately after touching lips. Canderous reached to his left pocket for a lighter... and cursed Lighter was in a pocket all right, but the pocket and rest of his cloth and armour was right now unreachable... unless he would drag himself.

'Naaaahh... I was supposed to give up smoking anyway... This stuff would kill me' – he though to himself, letting his head rest against the wall, leads too heavy to keep them open.

He suddenly opened his eyes to a buzzling sound of a lightsaber being activated inches away from his face.

Canderous smirked and lighted a cigarrette from it.

- Hey, handsome.Sit taken? - something inside him sang. She had came back for him, she wouldn't left him. But it was already too late, and one glance told him she knew. The way her cheeky voice shook, slight trembling of the corner of her mouth, though she tried to hide it behind her trademark impish grin.

- It's a free Star Forge, you may do as you wish – he grumbled, shrugging and instantly wincing in pain.

- Good...- she seatedherself beside him.- Thought I would keep you company.

- What are you doing here?

- Already told'ya?

- Bantha dung! I may be dying, but I'm not stupid. - his grey eyes were piercing her, there was no way she could escape them.

-Told'ya I was a coward. I'm no fighter, I'm a scoundrel, and a damn good one! So I'll die here like good little hero that I am, saving the Council and Republic all the trouble with putting me on trial...Don't snort on me, geezer! They could think of me as a saviour for a while, but there will always be voices speaking of all the 'sins and atrocities' of my past, some would want 'justice'... - she huddled herself, arms wrapped tightly around her legs, chin resting on knees. She looked so ...odd... so un-Visper-like.

For the first time Canderous noticed dark rings beneath her eyes, strange paleness of her skin, underneath all that smudged blood and soot. But it was her eyes that amazed him. Something was amiss in them, something was so not right. Then it had struck him – the maddening glee was no more. Even in the heat of the thoughest battle her eyes bared sparks of it, and now... now ...it was lost. Her blue eyes, half hidden by the veil of lashes, looked so sad , so tired, so...soft. 'Well, it's not like she's going to tell anyone now...'- Canderous thought, gently lifting Visper's chin, placing a chaste kiss upon her lips. To his astonishment she answered fiercely, opening her mouth, allowing him to taste all the sweetnes she could give. And for that one very moment notthing else mattered. There were no explosions, no smoke, no fire, no howling alarms. It was just the two of them.

When the kiss finally broke, her mischievous smirk was back, eyes burning with more fire Canderous could ever imgined.

- You know what? It was just like licking bloodied ashtray...

- Shut up, and die already. Punk...- Canderous murmured softly, resting his forehead agains hers.

And the world exploded with a wave of burning white fire...