Madi Ibra

At last Madi knew what it was like to be Sith; to revel in the utter ferocity of combat as his energy focused on crushing his enemy. But she's not your enemy, she's your teacher. Alora's form was perfect whereas Madi's was basic. Her flurried movements were countered with simple defences. The idea behind the defenses were to let Alora tire herself out with her elaborate movements. Madi fell back as Alora pressed his defence. Her robe fell open and Madi was distracted for a moment as Alora's blade cut along his arm, leaving a fine cut. Focusing his pain into broad sweeping slashes he beat Alora back with his attack. She threw him back and Madi caught her side cut just in time. Their blades rang as they met and he sought to overpower her as the blades crossed and their faces were inches from one another between the crossed swords. Madi could feel her breath coming in gasps, he was breathing hard too. Madi's lips briefly touched Alora's before pulling back as they broke free of the blade-lock. A mistake was made, a mis-step and Madi found himself on his back, looking up at Alora. He could have grasped his sword with the Force but she had her blade at his throat.

"It was of us..together," Madi blurted out. He swore and turned away from Alora. "I don't know if it was a desire, a vision or a premonition," he told her. He felt angry and confused all at once. There were other ways to channel his anger. Madi tossed the training hilt to the side. Using the Force he brought the training swords to his hands with a focused movement. "Mistress," he called to her, "prepare to defend yorself." He sent one of the swords toward her. Madi took up the first stance in Form V. The first stance had many different options but Madi chose the heavy down swing from a high point. He focused all of his confusion, anger and desire into the downward swing which could have been a killing blow. With a lightsaber, the text showed that with enough power and force mastery the downward stroke could pummel an opponent, beating aside their defense or crushing it with a single stroke. I'm not an object..he thought furiously.

Madi had been following the basic steps of Form V. There were simple opening attacks and defensive stances that he could follow. For the more advanced movements he would need to find a holocron or advanced trainer in the art. I need a lightsaber, Madi thought as he looked at the training swords. I need to learn the Form with the weapon I'm going to use. There were other thoughts on his mind too. Madi kept going back to the vision he had had of himself and Alora. At one point his mind became so permeated with the thought that he threw down the swords in frustration. Madi knelt on the floormat and tried to clear his thoughts. He felt Alora's presence as she entered the room. Madi ignored her question. "I need a lightsaber to train with..when will I get one?" he asked her, avoiding looking at her lest the vision come back.

The longer Madi was in the spa room with Alora the more drowsy he felt; the fragrance that mixed with the steam made the air heavy. Madi's gaze lingered on Alora's form and he felt a roaring sensation in his head. He felt himself move and before Madi knew it he was walking down into the bath. His robes swirled around his body as Madi entered the water. He walked steadily towards Alora, who rose to meet him. The steam wafted off her naked body as Madi dropped his robes into the water. His body met hers and he felt a hunger like he had never felt before. Madi kissed Alora passionately as their bodies rubbed against each others. He grasped her body and lifted her up out of the water as she wrapped her legs around his body... Madi blinked and looked around. He was still standing beside the bath and Alora was looking up at him. Was it a dream? Or a premonition? I didn't fall asleep... "I'll return to my quarters," Madi said, clearly disturbed by what he had seen. She is my teacher...one does not do such things with their teacher. He turned and left the room. Instead of going back to his room and letting the vision he had of Alora and himself evolve into something more, Madi took the text from the Academy on Cardia and made his way to the training room. He would let his desire and confusion fuel his training.

Madi dozed off, the comfortable bed leading him into the world of his dreams very quickly. His dreams were dark, visions of murder and blood, where energy bolts mingled with the sizzling air of an atmosphere ripe with explosive energy. An Imperial battle standard was cast into the red dust, behind it fell a soldier, his white helm rolled off and Madi looked into the sightless eyes of a corpse. There were yells and screams, familiar sounds of battle and then the shrieking of the wounded, soldiers who wanted nothing more than to die but were being denied that one small mercy. The roaring of Tuskans became clearer as the pain filled screams became louder. He awoke in a cold sweat. Madi had experienced nightmares before but nothing like this. The images were so crisp and clear. He felt afraid...something terrible had happened. He had to find Alora. Madi reached out with the Force, just as she had taught him. He felt that Alora was close and followed his senses which led him into the spa. There was a slight fog in the room as steam and fragrance mixed and made the air heavy with scent. "Mistress?" Madi queried as he moved forward into the room. He made his way towards the bath, averting his gaze as he came upon Alora's naked form. "Mistress," he said, "I had a nightmare..but I don't think it was a dream. I think it was actual events...I'm confused."

Madi retrieved the texts Alora had given him permission to take on their journey. He knew how mundane inter-spatial travelling would become from his days as an Imperial pilot. These will be welcome companions, he thought as he carefully concealed the texts beneath his robe. The text that had come from the section open only to lords and masters had training techniques for Form V, and even though he didn't yet have a lightsaber Madi knew he could practice the style with training swords. He followed Alora out of the room and through the temple. Everything he owned Madi had on his person, and even some of those things were not his. Her ship took his breath away, it was...magnificent. He followed Alora as she gave him the grand tour of the ship. Everything was so luxurious Madi was completely overwhelmed by the decadence of its furnishings. He nodded when Alora pointed out her room, then he entered his own quarters. The room was one of the finest he had ever seen, let alone stayed in. He took the tets from his robe as he walked into the room, and laid them on a table. He looked around, silently taking in all the luxury, turning back he said, "It has everything I need mistress." Madi walked over to the bed and laid down. He was so tired after the day's exertions and the bed was so soft. He felt like he was going to doze off. Madi sat up, remembering Alora was with him. "Is there anything else I need to do for you today, Mistress?"

"I understand Mistress," he replied, "I know how to keep secrets." I've kept them all my life. His tone betrayed that his feelings were closing, the opening that she had found, the chink in his armor was no longer apparent. They returned to the formal relationship of master and apprentice. "I'm ready to leave when you are," Madi informed Alora.

He felt a break in her emotions almost as if he could sense Alora cutting him off from her feelings. There was a small thread of emotion between them but it was being hidden from him even as he tried to grasp it. When she looked at him again it was with clear resolve. Madi felt like he had just lost a glimpse of a piece of the real Alora. His hand gently untangled itself from hers. "If it won't interfere with my training," Madi said, "I would like to have them removed." He pulled on the gray and black robes. "When should we leave?"

Madi listened to Alora as she mentioned her own scars. Someone had damaged her at one point in her life. He took her hand in his and just held it, enjoying the feel of her skin against his own. Left no scars on her body.. Madi looked into Alora's violet eyes and said. "What happened? Was it the Jedi? Or another Sith?" His voice was soft, almost comforting as his hand rubbed hers.

Madi rubbed the scar that circled his neck. It had been there since he was fourteen, one of his master's 'experiments' in causing pain. Now Alora was telling him that he could have it removed. It won't remove any of the emotional scars he told himself. But Madi realized he could channel the pain of his past to use to make himself stronger. All the scars could be taken off... As Madi struggled internally with the decision he found himself gravitating closer to Alora. Finally unable to make a decision he took her hand and placed it on his neck. She had seen the scar now she could feel the rough skin. "If it was your choice would you have it removed? Or keep it as a reminder?" he asked as her fingers ran over his skin.

Madi looked up at Alora, in his eyes flickered the flames of deadly resolve. "He died far too quickly. But he died knowing pain; the dagger I stabbed him with was poisoned. Unable to speak correctly, he died making the noises of a wounded animal. Yes," Madi smiled unpleasantly, then said, "he knew pain in the end." His features resumed their passive look as he felt the nearness of Alora's body. She had not touched him but he was aware of his desire that she would. He knelt swiftly and collected his shirt and robe, pulling the tunic over his body to hide the scars of his past. "When I ran away," Madi spoke, continuing his story and breaking the intense silence the room seemed to hold, "I was looking for a place to hide from my master. I thought it would be better to hide in plain site and that is how and why I joined the Imperial Army." He stepped back away from Alora trying to counter act the desire to be closer to her. Also Madi did not know how she would react to the knowledge that he had been an Imperial. "I became a soldier. I learned many useful things during my time. I can fly a ship. I can fix or repair them as needed. I can use many different types of weapons. But greatest of all I was able to find out where my old master was and for the past three months I have been serving under his command. Hiding in plain sight," Madi reiterated. "The old fool thought he could beat me one more time when he found out about my existence," Madi said as he rubbed the scar around his neck. "It's difficult to conceal and people remember it after they've seen it," he said, hinting that the scar had somehow betrayed him. "He lifted his hand to strike and I buried the dagger in his side," Madi explained. "Then I made my escape..which brought me here..to you."

For a moment he hesitated, Madi had never told anyone about what he had endured at the hands of Master Galen. But he's dead now...and Alora does not seem to care that I killed him. Still he felt a cautionary warning resonate through his thoughts. Never tell anyone! Madi glanced at the floor then steeling himself began to speak as his eyes levelled to meet Alora's. "I was born on Naboo. I never knew my mother and was raised by my father. My father was a freighter pilot who liked to fly and was a good man. He took care of me until I was six," Madi said, his tone devoid of emotion. "When I was six he received a charter to fly goods to Tatooine. He was murdered there, in a cantina, by an Imperial officer whom my father had beaten in a game of pazaak." Madi's features darkened as he continued. "The officer took me as a slave, claiming that I was property as my father had cheated him. No one protested, even though Galen also took all the credits my father had won from him." Madi exhaled and ran his hands through his hair, pushing it away from his face. He wasn't going to recount every painful moment, every instance of suffering that Galen had forced him to endure. Show her.. he thought. "I served him for ten years until I gained the courage to run away," Madi said as he loosened his robe and let it fall to the floor. He gently eased the tunic over his head making sure not to put too much pressure on his ribs. "You've seen my neck," Madi said as he dropped the tunic to the floor. He stood bare-chested and all over his shoulders were criss-crossed welts and scars. Some were lacerations that had healed on their own. Others were from the lashes of an energy whip, burns that wrapped around his back and shoulders. "He enjoyed inflicting pain," Madi said, ashamed by what he had endured he dropped his eyes to the floor. He felt anger towards the dead Imperial.

Madi looked into Alora's eyes and for the first time realized how beautiful they were; it was if her agreement to friendship allowed him to see her as more than a master. Her acceptance of his offer spoke volumes, more than her re-assurances of not being a slave master ever had. He let his hand lie beneath hers enjoying her touch. As Madi looked into her eyes he became aware of another thread in their force bond linking the two of them. He felt a little closer to Alora than he had a few minutes before. The apprentice also became aware that his breathing had slightly increased as had his pulse. He became aware of other parts of his body being affected by her touch. There was a willingness inside of him to go further but also there was fear, great fear. Madi withdrew his hand and left the table, walking over to face the wall as he brought himself under control. "There are things that remind me of another time," he told her over his shoulder. Mastering his emotions Madi turned to face Alora. "I can tell you."

Madi listened intently as Alora told him about her life before the Sith. He held onto the comm link tightly, very aware of her presence on the bed next to him. At one point he tucked the comm link inside his robes but did so without taking his eyes off of Alora's face. He could feel sadness emanating from her, attuning to the emotions that he knew to be force sensitive. Her revelation about how she met her master didn't surprise him. When one was hurt so badly most of their actions afterward were performed like they lived in an insulated bubble, filled with intense emotions that dulled them to the outside world. So it was with me. Madi realized. He felt a little closer to Alora emotionally. But she had had a friend to help her struggle through, where as Madi had learned to depend on himself. Not that he wouldn't have liked to have a friend, it was something that he wanted very much but his life had not led to the opportunity. Their food was brought and after the servants left, Alora turned to him and said, "Shall we eat?" "Yes," he replied and moved over to the table, leaving the closeness of Alora's company. They ate in silence, the food was nourishing and Madi found himself feeling better after his meal. Madi was deep in thought for much of the time, thinking of Alora's life and what she had told him. "Mistress," Madi inquired, calling Alora by her title out of habit, "I have never had a friend. I know we are not equals and I am ready to accept 'no' as an answer but I would like to be your friend. Is this possible between master and apprentice?"

Madi glanced back at Alora as he eased down on the bed. There were other things he needed. He watched her carefully, trying to gauge her reactions as he spoke. "I..I wanted to know more about you," Madi said hesitantly. "I know you are a powerful Sith Lord. I know your name is Alora. I know you are strong in the Force. I know we are developing a bond, other than that I don't know anything about you." He had served his master for six long years before the man had shared anything about his existence with Madi. Commander Galen had only told Madi information when he was drunk and that was when Galen felt that information came with a price. Madi's hand went to his neck as he rubbed the flesh that had been burnt by hot metal. The Imperial officer had left other scars on Madi's body and emotional scars that no one could see. "If you would rather not speak of such things, I understand," the apprentice said, fearful that Alora's price for such knowledge would be greater than he could pay. His head bowed, as his eyes went to her face for a second and then to the dark marble of the floor. "My old master taught me that there is a price for such things.."