"Head for the spaceport," Shayla said simply, with no other explanation.

He merely turned his attentions back to the navboard, calculated their entry vector, and pulled out of orbit. In but a few moments stars became atmosphere and atmosphere yielded it's way into a view of the planet below. The Supernova's engines slowed, and she began her descent under Erik's piloting. Soon he was completing the final landing procedures, picking a landing platform amidst various and sundry ancient-looking spacecraft.

Once he'd set the engines of the ship to cooling, he turned to Shayla again. "It's night," he observed. "Would it not be best for us to wait til daylight before we head out?"

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We’re in the spaceport...

...and on the way to you.

Only then did she turn her greeny-blue eyes to Erik’s brown pair. “There isn’t any time to spare,” she said simply. “We need to be on our way.”

Erik didn’t even attempt to argue at this, but merely stood with his wife, wrapping an arm about her shoulder and guiding the way off the freighter, taking only a moment to secure it before they began to cross the tarmac of the spaceport on their way to find the Chosen Daughter of the Sith...

...and to hopefully discuss matters concerning these new enemies of the Sith.

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...and smiled.

"There are two who seek me, Salandaar," she thought out across the link she had made with the Sith guard earlier in obtaining his name.

"They are allowed entrance."

[ 03-24-2003 05:23 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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All this effort to bring a little life into the Universe...

...only for him not to respond to his mother...

Probably sensing the shift in her emotions, Erik’s grip about her tightened a bit. Then he frowned a bit, as if he were just becoming aware of something else. ”Roan is here,” he whispered, the tiniest bit of apprehension apparent in his voice.

Shayla simply nodded. “I know,” she replied, and simply left things at that as they approached the Sith transport and Erik stepped inside, helping Shayla inside. As they seated themselves and set the transport in motion, Shayla snuggled into his side and laid her head against his shoulder, and Erik let his arm go about her again. In the quietness of that moment, her greeny-blue eyes grew vague. ”What are we going to do if he never wakes up, Erik? Or worse...?”

He laid his head atop hers, and pulled her in closer to himself. “We’ll cross that bridge if and when we get there.”

Again the the transport fell into silence, and Shayla drew all the warmth that she could from the support Erik was providing her. In just a few more moments, the transport glided to a hault, and again Erik took the lead, helping Shayla back out of the transport. His arm went about her again, and they took the steps to the front of the temple, which was guarded by fearsome looking Sith warriors. At the head of them was a Sith with aquamarine eyes. Shayla stepped forward from Erik’s embrace, and bowed respectfully. Erik followed suit behind her. “We seek Graysith,” she said simply, somehow sensing there was no need for any other explanation than that.

[ 03-24-2003 10:39 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Knowing the Temple fairly well due to their past times in the place, Erik easily lead Shayla back to the little lounging area connected to the Dining Hall, where they had spent much time in fellowship with others the last time they had been here. On one of the plush couches nearby the fire sat Graysith.

Shayla stepped out of Erik's embrace, and for some reason unbeknownst to even herself felt the need to kneel once more, her dark blonde hair falling about her face as she did so. Then she looked up, her greeny-blue eyes only for Graysith's. "I have returned as promised, as your friend, as your Sister...

...and as your Adept..."

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"No need for such supplication, sister," she said smoothly, smiling toward her and then briefly to Erik. "I am pleased that fortune has presented itself in such a manner that we can meet once again. But as Adept--"

Now she rose to her own feet and paced over to a nearby sideboard where she took a plate and began filling it with food. She remained silent during this, the great vastness of the chamber silent as well save for the strangely echoed tick, tick, ticks as fruits and nuts and meats were placed upon the exotic metal of the platter. At length she turned back to Shayla and Erik, plate in hand.

"That is something of Lord Aelvedaar's doing, over which I have no control," she finished as she then went to the hearth, there to stand seeming to mull as she idly began to eat. The crackling flames lit her face, warming her features, and adding new fire to her hair.

"My familial sister Galen is gone, Shayla," she said abruptly, still speaking to the flames. "Long ago; she is filled with despair and mistrust. I seek to amend something of what has been done to her in the past; I sent you to Kamino seeking her daughter. Tell me, did you find JhinDarra, as I asked of you? Have you placed her somewhere for further keeping? Is she safe and well?"

With that she turned and directed a look at Shayla.

--------------------

Shayla paused at that, pursing her lips slightly. "I do not know if there is any way to gain Tarnus's trust as well as allow Galen to see her daughter again; I also let her know her child was on Kamino, and even had a brief rendezvous with one of Terrin Danner's men, Jasyn Lancaster. Lancaster took off for Kamino himself before I could let him know Darra was on Coruscant, and that was when I had my encounter with Tyberius..."

Again Shayla quieted briefly, and her look darkened. "I fear with Terrin Danner's death we've lost the only person who might have trusted us enough to return Darra safely to Galen, and even that was uncertain with his demeanor shortly before he died. I worry this might be a problem in the future...

...for there yet remains at least one certain threat to JhinDarra's life, one very formidable one: Tyberius. It may matter not whether she is in the safety of her mother's arms or buried deeply within the Empire...

...for the last time I spoke with Tyberius, he told me that the Universe was in grave danger with the return of the Sith...

...and once more stated that ShaRhylla, as well as Darra, must die..."

With that Shayla simply trailed, and her eyes darkened further as her anger with that shadowy personage began to take the upper hand, growing by leaps and bounds with each passing moment...

[ 03-26-2003 11:59 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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"Hostilities with the Empire?" she began at length, toying a bit with a piece of fruit on her plate. She lifted it to her lips, took a small bite.

"I was not aware there were any... hostilities between the Sith and the Empire. But--"

Cutting herself off, she turned away from Shayla and Erik, and stared long and hard into the flames which danced in the hearth.

Coruscant.

It was a long moment before she spoke up again.

"What we of the Sith do now, will in itself bespeak of the relationship we seek within this Empire," she began. "The death of Terrin Danner is indeed unfortunate, and something I can do nothing about... but his death is not the end-all of the relationship of which I speak. The Sith and the Empire will come to terms, this I promise you. But this Master Tyberius--"

Again she broke off, now turning about to face Shayla and Erik once again. For a long moment she simply stared at them, her eyes dark and flat. Behind her the fire limned her with its light.

"The All is in itself not the judicial force by which this galaxy shall be run. It is not to be used for this whim or that; not for one threat or another. I will allow no Sith to learn of its use; in this I do agree with Lord Aelvedaar. What comes to play, what actions are taken, whether they be preemptive, responsive, or retaliatory, against whatever action fate should decree to happen, will not be with the automatic use of this power."

She paused, moving now to set her plate upon the sideboard. Once again she spoke, her voice soft but filled with meaning.

"And thus it is I put you to task. Seek out this Tyberius, by whatever means you can; discover his true intentions, what reason it is he has to seek the deaths of my daughter and my niece. Bring him here to me, if possible. But now--"

She paused, a smile on her face. Her eyes remained dark.

"Thank you for this."

The Glyph ravened into life then, as the Chosen Daughter flung back her head, and now sent her talents questing in a prescribed direction. With the strength of the All to give foundation, she easily broke through the simple planetary blocks Lt. Tarnus had placed about the planet-city at the heart of the galaxy, sensing now about the entire populace for one particular living entity...

...which she abruptly found.

Her smile widened as she made a peculiar motion of one hand, opened a portal through the all, and stepped through.

It closed behind her, leaving nothing but silence and the crackling of the fire in her wake.

((OOC: Follow Graysith into the underworld of Coruscant in Return To Tomorrow in the "Empire/New Republic" forums, thank you.))

[ 03-26-2003 12:42 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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For a moment then she simply stood frozen in place til Erik responded by taking her hand and standing up himself. His brown eyes met hers, the concern still there, taking pre-eminence over his anger with Tyberius. She reached for his face and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, letting her greeny-blues fall into the depths of those browns then. "We embark upon this task together," she whispered softly.

Pulling slightly away from him then but leaving her hand in one of his she used her free one to motion forward. "Shall we...?" she queried, turning to him and cocking her head slightly.

He smiled in return, never saying a word or needing to do so for Shayla to read his his heart. With nothing more than that then, they departed the Warrior's Temple and the capital city of Prinn'chatka for the Supernova, not stopping until they'd hit the skies, retrieved coordinates for Kamino via a short exchange with a Stargazer Corporation staff member...

...and blasted off into the blanket of hyperspace towards that very destination.

(((OCC: Follow Shayla and Erik to Emissary in the CSWU. Thank you.)))

[ 03-26-2003 10:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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FROM "RETURN TO TOMORROW":

That's how they ESCAPED...

He leapt forth to the departing back of Graysith...

...through a portal...

And, so it was... Edgar could only hope he would come out on the other end, whereever that might be...

Not only could he not appear before the Lt. General without his daughter, but to tame the one called Graysith... that would be the key to the fast track he's been after all along...

Either way, most likely he'd never see Coruscant again...

Graysith did not gracefully step through the portal into the Great Temple of the Warriors of the Sith so much as she was literally flung through, as Edgar's desperate lunge sent him slamming into her back. She stumbled in surprise, the force of his impact combining with the force of her body slamming into the cold stone tiles of the temple being enough to send Darra flying from her arms.

But no harm came to the little girl. Even as she shook her head, her eyes flashing in anger, the Glyph ravening upon her forehead, she caught movement from the corner of her eye: it was Salandaar and his companion, coming now to protect her from the obvious threat. As Graysith rose to her feet, wrapping her composure and dignity and ire about her along with her cloak, she saw the former warrior was now holding the child, albeit somewhat inexpertly. His quick action had prevented Darra from hitting the floor as Graysith had done.

Now the remainder of her surroundings came into focus; they were in the great pillared foyer, which was rapidly filling with Sith warriors. Their multi-hued eyes flashing, deadly Sith blades pointing, they ringed their Dark Lady and the stranger who dared to touch her person. In fact even as Graysith composed herself one came bursting forward, an exotic-looking spear aimed for Edgar's throat.

A swift motion of one pale hand halted him in his tracks.

"No," she said, the order succinct but complete. The warrior came to an abrupt halt, panting a bit. Then he stalked backward to his place among the ring of Sith.

Now Graysith turned round to face the lieutenant. She smiled darkly, noting the look upon his face. The Claw gleamed upon her finger then as she waved a hand to one side, indicating the warriors and the chamber and any and all connotations the young Imperial could take from their strangeness.

"This is why the Empire shall fail," she purred smoothly, her upheld hand still holding the warriors in their place. It then moved a fraction.

And in the strong arms of the nodding Salandaar, Darra merely bubbled and cooed as a squad of warriors stepped forth to hasten the young Imperial away.

((OOC: The post following this one has been deleted by its author on 4-13-03. Basically, Edgar straightens up and says, "Fail?" That is all, thank you.))

[ 04-14-2003 12:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"Yes," she purred, her voice deepening to match the hue of her eyes. "Fail.

"For fail it certainly will... when the time comes for it. And oh, my fine boy, it shall come. Indeed, it shall come. This I promise you, and perhaps..."

She paused, now gliding up to Edgar to stare deeply into his eyes as if seeking something. A pregnant silence followed, which she let stretch out even further before finally nodding and turning away.

"...perhaps I shall let you live to see this Great Thing with your own eyes."

With that she clapped her hands, whirled and set off from where she was, nodding to the Sith to follow along with their reluctant guest. With no further ado she led the way to the Great Dining Hall, where she moved gracefully up to a beautifully carved sideboard, one groaning with food. Taking up an intricate crystalline goblet, she poured herself a jot of Sith wine, then placed herself artistically alongside the hearth of the great stone fireplace in which flames crackled and leaped.

Still smiling, she lifted her goblet to the young Lieutenant, as if in a toast.

And never once did she so much as blink.

((OOC: The post following this one has been deleted by its author on 4-13-03. Basically, Edgar approaches Graysith, took the goblet, drank the wine, and put the goblet back into her hand. That is all, thank you.))

[ 04-14-2003 12:37 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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She leaned forward just a bit, her breath warm upon Edgar's skin.

"In some cultures that would constitute a binding marriage," she purred in a low whisper. "And in others, a challenge to the death."

The Glyph flared on her brow, shining brilliantly into Edgar's eyes and causing him to squint. Her red lips still curled in a smile, she backed up a step, the Glyph howling down as well, raising a hand as she did in warning to Salandaar and his squad, who hovered anxiously nearby ready to take action in her defense, unnecessary though that might be.

"As I said, I may let you live that you see with your own eyes this... definition of position over the Empire, as you so poetically state, as well as the inevitable outcome of that meeting. Anything other than this small taste of what is to come is of no concern to you now."

The smile fell from her lips like the last autumn leaf finally baring the tree for winter, and she glided past Edgar to take up another goblet of wine. Sipping the heady spirit, she turned to Edgar and with one hand indicated the sideboard, inviting him to come and partake of whatever he would like.

[ 04-05-2003 12:05 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"You were foolish to do what you did, young one," she hissed, "as well as to ignore my hospitality when you had the chance to partake of it."

Now she smiled the smile of a predator, one hand flashing upward to halt the forward progress of Salandaar, who at her last comment had begun to round upon the young Imperial. Edgar still remained silent, but now there was something guarded flashing in his eyes, and they flicked back and forth between the Sith warriors and Graysith.

Graysith smiled a crocodile smile.

"Be certain to tell Tarnus that all his Reborn shall not be enough," she repeated the comment she had replied to Edgar while still in underground of Imperial City. Then before anyone could so much as blink, she waved her hand but once.

A portal through the interstices of space and time immediately opened up behind Edgar, who barely had the time to turn and confront it when Graysith waved that slender hand yet again...

...and with a push of her talents sent the lieutenant sprawling back to where she had found him with Darra.

The portal closed with a little snik as the Chosen Daughter turned back to Salandaar with a smile.

"See that my niece is well taken care of," she ordered, before turning her back on him altogether and turning back to her wine.

--------------------

ShaRhylla's uncannily bi-colored eyes fluttered at the sensation, and she opened them. For a moment they flicked from side to side in their sockets as she glanced a bit vaguely about herself; then they steadied and affixed to the abyssal pair above her. Her lips parted slightly, worked a bit as her tongue came out to wet them, but before she could so much as utter one word her mother placed a cool hand atop them, interrupting her by that one smooth action.

"Now we are Three, ShaRhylla," Graysith said in a soft and completely assured whisper, her own lips curling sensuously as the hand covering ShaRhylla's mouth now moved to stroke her cheek. Her daughter lay unblinking beneath that touch, simply staring in up at her, unvoiced questions shining in her violet-ringed turquoise eyes.

A certain sort of smile crossed Graysith's features.

"You will know of this, but only when the time is right. And now my child, rest."

Her hand slid over to cover ShaRhylla's eyes, and she could feel her daughter's lids close obediently beneath the flesh of her palm. For although her daughter grew stronger with each passing day, she was not yet well enough to bear the future Graysith had planned for her. Mortal flesh cannot endure the travails of the very depths of hell and recover from it in mere hours or days, whether or not that flesh encapsulated the awesome strengths of the All. And she needed ShaRhylla in absolute physical, mental and emotional perfection, knowing that the passage had given her a strength and maturity way beyond her years.

Graysith's lips curled further and her eyes slitted as by the flickering light of the dancing flames she watched her child fade slowly back into the recesses of restorative slumber.

Soon, my child, she promised her.

Soon.

((OOC: Continues in The Point of No Return in the "Jedi/Sith" forums, thank you.))

[ 04-22-2003 01:58 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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