Kieran Sapphire

Kieran Sapphire was a male Nei Centurion of the Order of Keltrayu. A combat specialist, he excelled as a warrior, but found his true home in the study of the lightsaber, eventually becoming the first Praetor-Blademaster of the Order.

Biography
Born in 102 ABY, the same year the Tetrarchy of Mezlagob fell, Kieran was reported to recruiters from the Order of Keltrayu around his sixth birthday, when he leapt fifteen feet straight into the air to grab a balloon that had gotten away from him, exceeding even the normal agility and strength of the Nei. Approved as a Novice by Tariun Sakaros, Kieran trained for sixteen years, demonstrating an early proficiency for and interest in the art of. He finally became a Centurion at the age of twenty-two in 124 ABY after conducting himself notably during the Conquest of Sanduluc.

Though he did well on a number of law enforcement assignments through the Empire, Kieran's true love remained lightsaber combat, and nearly all his spare time was spent studying the forms. Recognizing the Nei's obvious preference for swordplay and his demonstrated ability to apply it in the field, Tariun appointed Kieran an instructor in the Order of Keltrayu in 131 ABY.

Now able to devote nearly all his time to swordplay, and learning from the Novices in his care even as he taught them, Kieran's skill continued to grow until Tariun and Rin Sakaros installed him as the first Praetor-Blademaster of the Order, having responsibility for the lightsaber training of all Novices, in 137 ABY. Though Kieran took to the field briefly during the Conquest of the Chiss Ascendancy, when the intense but brief conflict was over he returned to his new post and took to teaching the next generation of Centurions with gusto. He was particularly fond of Maki Centurion Arcantha Syr, who also demonstrated aptitude for swordsmanship. He began training Arcantha as a quasi-apprentice, helping her refine her swordplay.

In 149 ABY Kieran fought in the Battle of the Sith Star. Initially intending to defend the hangar bay, he instead delegated that command to Selish Anteran, going instead to intercept the Dark Jedi swordmaster Vev Nar. The two fought a duel in a corridor of the flagship, and though Vev Nar dealt Sapphire a light cut, the Nei pressed the attack and him.

Powers and abilities
Though possessed of the normal complement of skills displayed by any Centurion of the Order of Keltrayu, including especially strong telekinetic and telepathic abilities, Kieran's true love was lightsaber combat. His Nei physiology, combining grace, strength, and agility, gave him the ability to perform equally well in different styles, and due to constant practice and determination, by the age of thirty-five he had mastered Forms I, II, III, IV, and V. In addition, though the Sakaros siblings did not teach Niman to their Centurions, both believed that Kieran's mastery of the five earlier forms was so great that he had mastered the sixth by default. He knew of the existence of Juyo, but had not learned the actual details of it. By 141 ABY, he was the only Centurion who could match Tariun Sakaros in a sparring duel, even though the Sith Lord was over a century his elder. By the end of the decade, Breek Zagrev had also equaled him. Rin Sakaros believed Kieran's mastery went beyond dedication and effort, or even raw Force power, and that he was instead a natural prodigy for blade combat.

Though he had the skills at Var Shek required of any Centurion, Kieran seemed to the Sakaros siblings to be only really interested in the fighting style insofar as it could provide a melee supplement to his lightsaber fighting. He disliked blasters and other projectile weapons, viewing them as "lesser" weapons, though he trained to be able to counter them with his blade, and use telekinesis and saber throws to make up for the lack of distance.

Appearance and personality
Kieran stood 5'7" (1.70 meters), and had a lithely muscular build, though he was noted by many of his sparring opponents for being much stronger than he looked. Like all Nei, his flesh was furry in some parts and straight skin in others; Kieran's fur, like the hair on his head, was russet-colored.  He had bright yellow-green eyes.  He filed the claws on his feet to wear boots more easily, though he kept the claws on his hands.  His tail was noted for being constantly in motion, twitching at the tip even when Kieran himself was standing still.

Kieran's personality was defined by his love for the artistry and application of lightsaber combat, and he strove relentlessly to be a better swordsman, practicing with sparring droids and any fellow Centurion he could convince to fight him. He was loyal to Rin and Tariun Sakaros as well as the Golden Empire, and had great respect for the siblings and their fighting abilities. Kieran's students considered him a good teacher; though he demanded full effort and was rarely impressed, the Nei Blademaster would also go to great lengths to help his students improve their technique and personalize the lightsaber forms for their own use. Kieran had a very dry wit and a tendency toward sarcasm.

Although his technique was an eclectic mix of the many lightsaber forms he had mastered, Sapphire used a curved-hilt lightsaber, as he felt it gave him more precise control of his blade and enabled him to wield it just as well in one hand or both. He also spent extra time practicing blaster bolt deflection to compensate for the weapon's inherent weakness in that regard.

Behind the scenes
Kieran Sapphire's purring baritone is based on the voice of.