And they waited as beside them Galen stood, Terrin's hand on her shoulder.

[ 09-28-2002 03:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Mara1Jade ]

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She had absolutely no idea where she was. An incredibly faint image came into her mind of a similar room, one seen through the eyes of an infant, and for a moment she thought she had returned to that place she couldn't really consciously recognize, but could at least feel to be something closely approximating what others would call "home." As this thought slowly coalesced into a possibility, she sat quickly up, letting the covers drop from her to puddle in her lap. Without really understanding how she was doing it, she sent a tendril of her essence out, seeking the indefatigable strength of the one she had only so recently come to know as "Father," yearning to find that strength that it could then be somehow incorporated into her own, just as this eerie co-mingling had begun joining them together back on Kamino.

Back on Kamino. Now, why and how did she remember that?

Her uncanny eyes widened as consciousness slammed fully into her, bringing with it remembrance, total recollection. For the barest of moments her eyes darkened, her upper lip curled almost in derision....

Then she threw back her head and let the wildest and most gutteral scream she could vocalize rip from her throat. It crashed against the walls of the room she now found herself in, a room she knew to the depths of her soul was not one whose corridor without would lead her to her Father.

And so she screamed like a banshee, wild and unfettered... and sending out great blasts of the All in a manner equally as unfettered. Although that wondrous power would not let her harm others, including herself, it simply had to respond to the inherent command within her. A compromise as such then formed:

Should a certain wandering jedi padawannabe have come along to inadvertently stumble into this room, he would have quickly backed out. Else he would have run the very dire risk of having his head bashed in by the myriad objects now flying through the air as though caught up in an invisible whirlwind, a young lady with eyes literally on fire screaming over and over in the middle of it all.

[ 09-28-2002 04:01 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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Silently my own existence creeps forth into this place, through the walls, the ground, the air, even through the very thoughts of all present, untill i find that which i seek... the energy i find there is indeed what i am meant to seek... yet the control is not desirable... more time may pass...untill then, she is denied me...

[ 09-28-2002 04:07 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Elresar ]

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as they approuched the door to the room Recinis halted looking to graysith, he could very easily imagine what was going on in that room... Indeed, it was not difficult to create images from that unimaginable sound, and intensity being focused upon them at that moment.
"your daughter is a strong one, Jharmeen... she has to be calmed..."

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Here they were, Galen's old flame possibly dead, and probably because he'd acted on her behalf. And here Galen had pulled away from him and trudged off after Sorben. Which was logical, considering what had happened.

But was that all of it?

Some shoulder devil popped up to point out something he hadn't been listening to until now considering the worry he'd been feeling.Buster, your wife is falling for her old flame, and you are just standing around letting it happen.

So what are you gonna do now?

Terrin frowned at that, took a final glance at the downed bounty hunter then, as discreetly as possible pulled Galen out of the Sith home and towards the Sith Transport. She must have been in shock; she didn't say a word.

Not until they reached the Sith transport did he finally turn to her, still completely silent, and pinned her with his blue eyes.

The look in his read hurt. "Shawn and Shayla will be able to take care of Sorben," he said quietly. "I need you to trust me on that, ok?"

He quieted at that, now beginning to move for the Sith transport once again.

[ 09-28-2002 04:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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It was like I came around from somewhere very far away, only to find myself sitting inexplicably inside the transport, whether going to or from the spaceport or Khaandon alone even knew where, with Terrin's words suddenly impacting my ears. He was talking about trust.

Trust.

I still couldn't realize totally what was guiding my hand. I hadn't had anywhere near the time I needed to sit down and inspect this whole affair from start to finish. All I knew was that the hunter Sorben Tarnus had taken what might end up being a fatal hit and here I sat, my husband trying to talk about trust.

I exploded.

"Who are you to even bring the subject up, after dragging me here like you did?" I seethed, fresh tears springing into my eyes as I clenched my hands into fists with the effort not to let any words which might be considered unthinking erupt from my lips.

All the while my innards were in a positive turmoil....

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What the hell is wrong with you, buddy? a shoulder angel piped up. She thinks you don't trust her...

...well, since when has she been trusting YOU lately?! the devil replied.

"I do trust you, love," he said at length as the Sith transport came to a stop. They remained inside however. "And we'll check on Sorben very shortly, but I need you to hear me out," he continued.

"I personally blame myself for not having been there to take the fall instead of Tarnus. But from the day that you took off from my arms to go after our daughter I knew that you were still struggling to trust the Sith, and that convincing you to return here by my own words would never help you do that. I knew that you had gone to find Sorben, and I was fairly certain you intended to use him as a link to Roan.

"Never did I dream he would get hurt, or else I would have stepped in sooner. But I felt the place I could best help you from was here, for I was fairly certain you would chose to remain on course to help Graysith find her daughter, and I wanted to be ready should back-up be needed. And I wanted you to gain that trust that I knew you needed..."

His words trailed at that, and for a long moment his blue eyes met her browns as he waited to see what else she might say.

[ 09-28-2002 05:39 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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Somehow, in some manner, it was just like it was then. I couldn't rationalize, I couldn't believe what was happening, I could scarcely even think at all. All I could do was just sit there and let even more emotions rear up their heads to join the crowd already milling around somewhere in the pit of my stomach. It was as if I was some kind of helpless passenger on a roller-coaster ride spiralling hideously out of control, and all I wanted to do was get off. The only difference between this time and the last was that now I simply didn't know why.

But one sentence Terrin now spoke, as before, managed to worm into my brain and raise a finger for attention amidst all the others he has said. My mouth opened and shut a few more times before I finally managed to whisper,

"Do you trust me, Terrin? Then prove it."

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...yes, his very words.

He closed his eyes for a moment more, letting all the stupidity that had been running amuck in his mind and even in his eyes wash away.

Sorben Tarnus lies somewhere possbily dying, and here you are talking about what you want for her and what she needs?! Now is not the time...

"I'm sorry, love, I'm sorry," he said quietly, his blue eyes, seeking forgiveness, once again meeting her hurt brown pair.

Hurt that in his stupidity he'd placed there.

He reached out a hand, gently squeezing one of hers with it. Then, without another word or the least bit of further hesitation, Terrin did what needed to be done to get them headed back towards the home where they had so recently left. In but a few moments they had arrived and, quite gently helping Galen out of the transport, Terrin wrapped an arm about her shoulders and lead her back to where the hunter yet laid.

[ 09-28-2002 06:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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Even though she had protected them both with the erection of her shield she couldn't help but instinctively cringe back as a rather large and beautiful stone vase careered directly toward her head. It impacted upon the shield, which with an air of almost total nonchalance not only deflected it off into another direction but totally absorbed the energy of its impact. The vase then continued on and struck the nearest wall, where it simply hung listlessly for a moment before sliding down to land on the floor of the room.

As did the candelabra, the ornate framed bas relief, and yet another vase, in short order.

Graysith glanced quickly into Recinis's eyes for a moment before stepping fully into the room, letting the door close quietly behind them. Not saying a word, she just stood quietly until all the objects that had been whirling about, including those already shattered into remnants and shards of their former beauty, had found a final resting place on the floor. Only then did she raise her eyes to directly meet the seething pair of her daughter.

"Are you quite finished yet?" The words came calmly enough from her lips, but the meaning they carried was anything but. By that one simple statement, the Chosen Daughter clearly meant to inform this hot-headed child of hers that not only would any further tantrums prove to be utterly fruitless in the long run, but would quite easily be taken under control by the intervention of herself and her Lord.

Where the child meant to go upon hearing them, however, was a matter she as yet had to wait to determine. And so she fell silent, reaching out to Recinis to further twine her essence with his should a situation evolve where she would need every bit of power at her disposal.

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"You!" she seethed, actually growling in her throat like a Garosian boetay before completing that image by leaping from the bed in a movement as graceful as it was quick. En route to her seeming attackers she strove to lash out with the All...

...which of course remained absolutely passive to her command in the matter.

Frustrated into a sheer rage which was seemingly a palpable thing, she merely shrugged off the fact that her power seemed to come and go at a whim, and for some inexplicable reason would not obey her now. But it didn't prevent her from continuing upon the course she had set.

In front of her, the woman's eyes seemed to brighten the slightest before hooding altogether. She made the tiniest motion with one graceful hand...

...and the daughter of the Chosen Daughter of the Sith was able to then actually run through the place formerly occupied by the barrier her mother had erected, and come to a screaming halt about two feet in front of her. Her eyes blazing with fear and outrage and complete fury gone wild, she hauled back a foot and kicked Graysith square in her shin.

Then she just stood there, her eyes blazing, her hands fisted, smiling to hear the little cry of pain her mother let loose with, daring either of the two in front of her to do a single, solitary thing.

[ 09-28-2002 06:47 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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Indeed, Father was right! This is nothing but complete weakness standing before me...

Then, drawing herself up in queenly self-absorption, she let her foot shoot out yet again, this time to impact in utter contempt upon Recinis's shin. Her strangely bi-colored eyes forced themselves into his for a long moment before she turned from them as if he was but dirt beneath her feet. Giving a little sniff she then began to head past them and to the door, in order that she might investigate where in fact she was, and to thus learn all she could about this place.

[ 09-28-2002 07:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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Utterly, completely and totally intolerable.

She stood staring at the closed door, her anger mounting by the minute. Thought every black and dirty thought she could possibly ever conceive of regarding them, struggled to reach out with her innate, if uncontrolled, talents to let them know those thoughts, suddenly realized that she too was now reacting as she so sneeringly had pointed out they had been acting mere moments ago....

She couldn't stand it any longer.

Uttering something which was a cross between a growl and a snarling screech, she did the only thing she could. Drawing her foot back a third time, she kicked the door in front of her as hard as she could. Then she whirled and dismissing completely the pain rushing up from that abused member, hobbled back to her bed and threw herself upon it, bursting into tears like any other young adolescent the galaxy over who quite simply didn't get her way.

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"I do hope you are not too greatly disappointed with my daughter, my love," she whispered as she continued to let him draw her along. "For while I do feel she will eventually come to her senses, every hurtful thing she says to you is as the slice of a sword upon my flesh. She is to be your daughter as well, and it is not fitting that any child should treat her parents in the manner she is treating you, or me. Please forgive her, Recinis."

With that she fell silent, still moving along the corridor, but now letting her head hang down just the slightest. Though she knew the child was young, and had not begun her life in the most appropriate of manners, it still hurt her nevertheless that ShaRhylla would so openly defy her, her Lord, and the love they both wished to offer to her.

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With that he leaned down to kiss her gently. "come now, let us get something to eat... This day has been filled with much..."

As they walked on they soon reached there destination, and in moments were sitting down to enjoy a quite meal with one another...

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You should have gone to Kamino, Terrin, a small voice whispered. Maybe if you had, this wouldn't have happened. Maybe if you had Galen wouldn't have had to face being hurt like this...

His mind stopped short at this thought, his heart once again in his throat.

You wanted her to trust the Sith, but did you go too far to have the point proven?

Terrin couldn't help but shudder just a bit at that thought.

It is your fault, the devil whispered. He closed his eyes a moment at that, seeking to shut the door which his thoughts were seeking to pass through. Then quietly giving Galen another supportive squeeze, he waited.

[ 09-28-2002 10:30 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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Indeed her sister Galen seemed to be coming to her senses, but was this merely due to the natural cohesiveness occurring when a common enemy is faced by two? Would she return to her former suspicious state once again? Could she, Graysith, thus continue forcing her to remain here in Phrinnchatka, even though it was a given that her niece could not ever be allowed to leave? Would her own child, likewise now forced to remain within the secret confines of this place, ever come to her senses as well, or would she always be nothing more than a beloved enemy in their midst?

That final question brought her thoughts back to the mysterious personage who had confronted them on Kamino. Who was he, and what did he mean by the horrendous words he had spoken to her?

Frowning now, Graysith gave up all pretense of eating, and laid her fork aside. Folding her hands upon the table, she now leaned forward and studied Recinis with intense violet eyes.

"My love, do you recall the one who confronted us on Kamino?" she began slowly. "Do you-- do you think there is any bearing on the words he spoke to us? He did know of the sith, and that they are to be brought back to glorious life once again. By his words it would appear that my own daughter somehow stands in the way of a nation, and deserves to die...."

Her words choked off then and she looked down upon her plate, her eyes growing vague as she seemed to realize just how really full that plate indeed was....

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There was no time for chit-chat...

"We are not safe here..." Lo-Ban said, quickly coming to his feet...

There was something... something that just wasn't right...

Naad could fend for himself, as he did to escape... I must keep harm from coming to the child...

He wouldn't let another young girl die in his arms, as he did he little sister... at the hands of a jealous fencing competitor of Lo-Ban's...

As that thought came to his mind, he did all he could to regain himself...

Ok... where to go... the safest place possible, Prinn'chatka.... I only hope Aelvedaar will accept me if I can, in fact, get through to him...

Lo-Ban took everything he had been taught by his early master Trel... he let the force take over his wishes, and sent an SOS to Lord Aelvedaar... hopeful for a timely reply...

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Or least who appeared to be doing so.

I frowned at that thought, tried shrugging it away.

Well of course they were working to revive him, can't you see that? They're doing everything in their power to heal him...

...aren't they?

Now I gave my head a little shake, striving harder to put that thought back into the dismal little hole from which it had come. It poked it's head back out; I shoved harder, tried covering it with dirt. It just laughed up at me, its mouth full.

They all know Sorben took you to Actar, don't they...?

Something in me froze at that thought, like a gandy rak in headlights. I struggled not to let this notion slip, but merely stood there a moment longer, still watching, only now more closely.

What did I know about the jedi? And this Shayla; who the heck was she anyway? How could I be certain they were really doing all they could to heal Sorben; for all I knew this was just a pretense they were going through to make it look like they really tried... while all the time not doing everything that they could.

I don't know where the logic in all that was; Khaandon knows I wasn't looking for it now, nor had I been for quite some time. All I could see in my mind's eye was another time when I had slowly awakened, crawling in a dark and dank cell, and had come across him lying there just as pale and still.

I had plead with him then not to die, just as I was now doing under my very breath.

I couldn't stand it. There had to be something...

Inspiration. Shooting a look up into Terrin's eyes, I suddenly whirled and fled the home they had taken Sorben to. My feet flew on instincts of their own, running through the Phrinnchatkan streets until they at last found our own...

Empty. I frowned, then turned about and ran on. Back through the windless streets I ran, back in the direction from which I had come, shooting up one silent street and down the next until I at last came to that great avenue which led to the central Temple. Up the steps I flew, my heart pounding, my breath ragged, into the great courtyard and gigantic foyer beyond.

"Erik!" I cried out in great gasping heaves, my breath coming in quicker and quicker pants. "Erik Kartan! Where are you?"

Finally I came into the dining hall and skidded to a halt. Bending over and placing my hands on my knees, I just stood for a few seconds trying to catch my breath. Then I straightened.

"Erik Kartan, are you here?" I finally managed to gasp before falling quiet, trying to get control of myself once again.

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"What is it?" he asked.

About this time an equally breathless Terrin Danner arrived behind her, the look on his face concerned as well. Erik frowned a moment more, not sure what was happening.

But he waited to see what either of them might have to say.

[ 09-28-2002 11:49 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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"Thank you for babysitting while I was gone," I said quickly, cringing inwardly for the banality in those words. But there was no time for explanations; those could come later.

Whirling with Darra held tightly in my arms, I nearly crashed headlong into Terrin. For a split second I shot another unfathomable look into his eyes; then gripping my daughter more tightly to me I took off running once again.

In less time than I thought I found the house where I had left the healers and, I thought, Terrin. Although neither Shawn or Shayla moved or expressed so much as a smidgeon of surprise, I knew that somehow through their working my presence was duly noted.

And I fervently hoped not noted to the degree that nagging little voice kept suggesting that it was, either.

One way to find out. I raised JhinDarra to up in my arms, tilting my head down to kiss her soft little cheek. Then I quietly approached the too-still form of the bounty hunter.

"Look, Darra," I whispered, bouncing her little body up and down in my arms a bit. "Here is a nice man who I want you to meet. I know he would love to meet you, sweetie, but he can't right now... and I know you can help him, just like you helped your momma."

With those words I laid her tiny body on Sorben's chest armor and backed carefully away, praying that whatever the link she had maintained with her mother would somehow be activated in her biological father.

Surely this would work....

Perched on Sorben's chest like a kitten on a rhinoceros, Darra merely kicked her legs, let out a little coo, and stuck her fist into her mouth, her big blue eyes looking around the room with the vagueness of those of an infant...

...but within whose depths I swear I saw a glimmering of something slowly coming into life.

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