Chapter 13: Night Fire
Disclaimer: This author does not own Star Wars or KOTOR. But you don't either so it's all good. Sorry this took so long to get out and that it's so short, but I'm about to leave for college and have been working every day to make my way in the world. The next chapter is going to take awhile to come out, but I didn't want to leave it at a cliffhanger any longer. Part two of the novel will resume very soon with the start of open war.
Atton was faced with a choice he could not make: on one hand, he could join the darkside and condemn himself to a lifetime of suffering, but at least Mira would be free and alive, but if he stayed the path of the light, he would lose the one thing keeping him there to begin with. It was a lose, lose situation. He knew what he had to do, and he hopped she could forgive him someday. The red blade hovered dangerously to her neck and the gleam in her eyes was almost enough to make the tears run from his eyes. Atton Rand charged at the Sith warrior and with a slash of his lightsaber distracted him long enough to let Mira go. But his heroic move came at a high price, as Atton's lightsaber connected with the Sith's neck, the dark warrior brought his own crimson blade up to defend himself. Atton Rand landed directly on top of it, the blade sticking through his chest. The now headless Sith dropped to the floor and Mira crawled away. Panic flooded her mind and she struggled to move towards Atton through the smoke and blood. For Mira, everything seemed to be in a painful, dreamlike, slow motion. She could not stop what had just happened and she didn't want to believe it either. Finally she reached Atton and placed a hand on his sweat-covered brow. It was quickly growing cold. "Please don't leave me," she pleaded softly as she collapsed onto his chest sobbing. "I love you," she whispered even softer.
His breaths were labored as he fought to stay conscious. He moved his hand to cover hers and she raised her head. "You…have…to…move…on…my…love," Atton Rand breathed his last as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mira screamed at the top of her lungs as she fell onto his chest sobbing. The room around her continued to burn and soon the smoke filled her lungs as everything around her slowly faded to black.
Three Days Later…
After three days of emotional and physical pain, Mira stood silent as the body of Atton Rand was laid on a funeral pyre. She had passed out from smoke inhalation the night of the Chancellor's ball and smacked her head on the permacrete floor. When she awoke two days later she was again informed that it was not a dream, he was really gone and the medical wing of the Jedi Temple was filled with screams of agony for hours. A small crowd showed up to say good bye surprising not only Mira but the Ebon Hawk crew. Acquaintances, friends from the war, even a few past lovers (to Mira's annoyance) came to show their respects to the fallen Jedi Smuggler. Now she felt alone in the crowd as she watched her only reason for living from day to day turn to ashes before her eyes; and once the crowds left, going home to their loved ones and friends, she was truly alone.