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Light that Burns

by: Morgaine

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Part 1--I had looked everywhere

Rhianna D'laar was tired. It had been a long day dealing with various people, most of whom she did not *ever* want to see again. They all saw her as fair game, a Knight without a Padawan. She flicked the small braid off her right shoulder as she strode through a door to a public chamber and sank into a soft couch, visibly exhausted. Obi-Wan Kenobi raised his eyebrows. He sat in a chair across from her.

"Long day?" he asked. Obi-Wan was a close friend of Rhianna's, a few years older than her, and also a Jedi Knight. Friends was all they ever would be, to the relief of the Jedi Council, although the Council was not pleased with either's choice of lovers. "Dammit, why can't they just get this _over with_?!" Rhianna asked theoretically. Obi-Wan grinned. <You're more like him every day!> he thought toward her. <Am not!> <Oh, you are so!> They bickered jokingly. "Stop it, you two! There's too much disturbance in the Force already, and you have to add to it." A voice came out of nowhere and suddenly materialized into a figure, like a holo. "Cax!" Rhianna and the man, the Force-embodied spirit of Master Cax-Re Rual, embraced. They shared a passionate kiss that made the slightly embarrassed Obi-Wan wonder how Rhianna could still breathe. "My Rhianna, I've missed you." "I've..." "...been so swamped in paperwork. I know. Our room looks like Otoh Gunga." Cax and Rhianna had been Master and Padawan about one year earlier. Then Cax had been killed, and Rhianna became a full Knight. Cax had been personified in the Force and it was not hard from then on to tell the two were lovers and _in love_ heart and soul. "Let's just head back to it then. It could use some cleaning up." Rhianna managed to fill the words with innuendo. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, snapping the two out of their reverie. "Hate to stop you two, but Rhianna, you do have to appear to receive your Padawan." "Oh, _xxxx_." Rhianna moaned. "I have to be there in 15 minutes." She ran down the hall, a muffled string of curses following along with Cax-Re Rual's consciousness. Obi-Wan laughed aloud. Now, if he could only love that way...

The Jedi Council convened in the normal chamber. This kind of event was not too unusual. Rhianna stood in the center of the Representatives, waiting as a tall, lithe, black-haired girl was escorted in. "Rhianna D'laar, the Council has decided that you are not yet experienced enough to take on a Padawan." Rhianna began to protest, but Mace Windu silenced her. "Recently, I'm sure you've heard, Master Risa Quilental was killed during a shuttle accident." The girl bowed her head as Windu continued. "Her Padawan is not old enough to take the Trials. You will teach her and she will help you, so neither will be alone to fight the dark. That is the choice of the Council." "So will it be," the Councilmembers said in unison. "So is the will of the Force," the two females echoed. "Rhianna D'laar, your Padawan Iyarre Raven is," Yoda said. "May the Force be with you." The matter was done. The new Master and her Padawan left the Chamber. Obi-Wan met Rhianna and Iyarre outside. "How was it?" he asked Rhianna. "Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet my Padawan Iyarre Raven." "I have heard of your loss, Iyarre. I am sorry," Obi-Wan said. "Thank you, Master Obi-Wan. I'm sure Master Rhianna and I will do well together." The three walked around the Temple to the rooms of the Jedi when they were on Coruscant. Rhianna could feel Obi-Wan's attraction to Iyarre. She gave him the mental equivalent of a slap on the face. <Ouch! Rhianna!> he shouted in his mind. <She's only a girl. Probably no older than 16, and you fall for her.> <Actually, I'm 18.> Obi-Wan and Rhianna were amazed as the other woman broke into their thoughts. "We all have our own personal skills. Master Obi-Wan is excellent with a lightsaber, he was trained well and it also comes to him naturally. Master," she turned to Rhianna, "you are the best hand-to-hand fighter in the Core Worlds, you can think on your feet easily. Your Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Master Obi-Wan, is the best pilot anyone's ever seen. My skills are in my mind. I can read actual thoughts like they are words on a screen, if I choose. It was obvious that you two were conversing. Hope you don't mind, Master. I didn't know that your conversation was so...uh...personal." Iyarre looked sheepish and embarrassed. "It's all right, Iyarre," Rhianna said. <Go for it,> she mentally whispered to Obi-Wan. He rolled his eyes, but began to consider as he left the two by their chamber door.

"Master, I don't understand Master Obi-Wan's thoughts. He seems to be caught in a bind." "He'll be alright," Rhianna said, laughing. "Tell me more about yourself." "I was born on Kestarn, my parents were workers in the Republic offices. Always as a child, whenever Kestaren representatives would visit the Temple, they'd always remind me that I must regain the honor of the Raven clan. My parents' parents lost it by surrendering the clan's shield to the Boar clan during the Kestaren civil war about 40 years ago. The only reason I was allowed to leave Kestarn to train as a Jedi was so I could regain the shield. It always was my dream as a child, mostly to get those legislators off my back, but it's been paling," Iyarre said. "And you, Master? What of your story?"

Rhianna told of her birth on Corellia, her life as Padawan and then of Cax. To her credit, Iyarre did not bat an eye at the Jedi's strange life. She asked one question. "How did the Council accept this? Knowing Master Windu, he would not have been pleased." "They don't like it, Padawan, but there's nothing much they can do about it, since Cax is not really under Jedi rules." As Rhianna spoke, Cax appeared. He was more clearly defined to the experienced Jedi, but Iyarre could see his figure, then Rhianna embracing him. "Master?" Both turned at the sound of the Padawan's voice. "Iyarre Raven, Master Cax-Re Rual." "You are the one with the telepathic sense, aren't you? It is an honor." He bowed. Iyarre had known of Jedis' Force embodiment before, but she'd never spoke to one. However, Rhianna marveled that the young woman was unflappable. "The honor is mine," she said and bowed, as a good Padawan would. "Risa says to tell you she's alright and will come to you soon. She's always with you." Iyarre stammered her thanks. Cax took his leave, winking at Rhianna, exchanging courtesies. "I see what you mean about Master Cax-Re, Master," Iyarre said, "but...don't tell him...Master Obi-Wan seems...special to me." "Be careful, Padawan," Rhianna warned. "I don't mind, but going against the Council is not always wise." "Yes, Master, I understand."

Anakin Skywalker watched his Master. It looked like the boy was writing letters to his mother Shmi and his love, Padmé, Amidala the Queen of Naboo, but he was actually concentrating more on his Master's mood. Master (it was strange to call her that!) Rhianna's new Padawan, Iyarre, was very nice, although she always seemed to know what you were thinking about without even using the Force. Anakin felt a strange feeling from his Master, one _he_ had never felt from Obi-Wan before. One thing, the Master could not sit still. Another, he'd actually almost lost a training lightsaber exercise with Anakin that morning...and not on purpose either. Anakin, intrigued, probed deeper. It was a credit to Anakin's skill that Obi-Wan didn't notice, or so Anakin thought, until he remembered how preoccupied the Master was. Love and pain and something Anakin had never felt himself combined in the Jedi Knight's mind. <He's felt this before...> Anakin realized. He moved directly into the thoughts. <-Iyarre-> was the only word he could make out, the rest were images and feelings. Anakin pulled back, realizing what was making Obi-Wan so jumpy. He wanted Iyarre. <No place for you, Ani, you fool!> he berated himself. <Stay out of the Master's mind...you know that's not allowed.> <Maybe someday you will feel that way...> Anakin reached out for Iyarre and found a mix of doubt and yet, the same feelings that were with his Master were with her too. Anakin had been warned of the relationship between Master and Padawan of different sexes. He never thought it would happen to him, he loved Padmé, but this was part of his business too. He knew the consequences, but by the Force--it had brought the two together--he had to do something or the Master would...he didn't know what, but it wouldn't be pretty. Anakin decided to take his time. The Force would do its own work.