I do not know how long it has been that I have stood here, staring into the silken greeny-golden swirls of otherness which encompass the interior of my Crystal Octahedron... as well as all that possibly could exist in all the timelines ever existing in this universe. Ages could have passed by without my knowledge; aye, once or twice a distant cry for help has come to my ears, but I heed them not, and merely choose to remain here watching events as they whisper quietly to me, revealing themselves within the verdant depths of the device.

My hand grips the cool crystalline side, my claws rake and scratch along its adamantine surface. I blink, watching the unraveling of time, watching as pain and sorrow march hand in hand through Phrinnchatka...

...and for the first time in all the years since I ever came to know of the wonder of the All, I have my doubts.

Is this the price? It answers the call of those who have come, it responds without hesitation as the one who was the child of my love bears off into the darker realms the daughter of another.

It makes not a peep as great evil seems to take the upper hand.

It cares not for the hearts of those within this city... only for...

For what? The good of the many?

What many? The Sith?

Does it remain obedient to those who command it as the path they follow yet will lead to the salvation of my kind? Or am I merely fooling myself; have the studies I have inherited, and augmented with my own, and with those of my brothers all been for naught?

Have we been misled? Or is the All a stern and unforgiving Mistress, who also demands her quota of blood and pain?

slowly he walked to wear graysith yet sat, and sat down beside her, quietly offering his shoulder to lean on should she desire it...

Staring off into elseness the warriors mind spun. How had he allowed this to happen? could he not have fought it?

A searing flame rose within his sould, one which again sought to consume him... But this time he was prepared for that flame, and simply put it aside, accepting it as a part of himself that would never leave... allowing his mind to clear he closed his eyes to look upon memories and thoughts that drifted sullenly through his head...
NO!
The word suddenly was screamed within his head, causing his eyes to snap open in serprise.

This will not consume you! it was ShaRhylla's choice to choose darkness, you tried your hardest!

he examined the thought for a moment, before accepting it as true. But what of Darra?

again his thoughts called to him for acceptance thought she is not here, she is alive, had you attempted anything, she would have died surly

He sighed again... While they were not comforting realizations, the acceptance of circumstance did at least relieve his mind from worry, and deep down that ever present phrase yet glowed brightly in his heart... In the end all would be well... It had to be.

And, Fates be with them, overcome.

But it was all she could do to keep her mind along that tiny wisp of reason which even now was striving to rise within her. It kept flying off into the same quadrant of darkness, no matter how tight a leash she tried to place upon it.

He had come back... and she almost had....

Though the essence within his handsome frame was not his, that which defined Darth Wicked as his own unique self still struggled within, completely subjugated beneath the heavy hand of that confining blight. She had clearly sensed it there, fighting, crying out.

He had been so strong! What was this thing that had taken him...

...as it had taken her daughter?

A series of uncontrollable shivers began racing through her body at that thought, her skin icing. She put her arms about herself and leaned into Recinis, seeking his warmth, striving with all her being not to burst out into tears of anguish.

She could not have ever even begun to know that losing a second child would be so overwhelmingly painful, that it would surpass the agony she had gone through when she had lost the First, The Child, the destined One, who could never be replaced as one.

That thought made her jerk up her head, new fear and pain clouding the depths of her violet eyes. She turned those eyes into Recinis's sorrowful pair, reading his own anguish, feeling with sudden clarity his own feelings of inadequacy which even yet were again trying to push up to the fore.

She tried to reassure him with a smile, but there was no emotion in that look. Her hand reached out, and laid gently on top of his, squeezing as with great effort she pushed aside her own pain to focus on his.

"There was nothing you could have done, my love," she whispered, her eyes never leaving his but now filling with tears. "There was nothing either of us could have done.

"And now..."

She choked to a momentary halt, her mouth working silently, as though trying with every ounce of strength she possessed to prevent the words she was about to speak from coming through her lips.

"We must find Ankrist Roan, and sooner better than later. For who else would stand as mastermind in the taking of the Children of the All? He now has the power to raise the Sith...

"My love." Now her eyes darkened into black wells as a slowly growing rage began creeping into life, pushing aside her agony and sorrow.

"He cannot be allowed to complete his dark designs.

"He must die."

Khaandon help me, but I couldn't move.

The ungodly look she shot at me did something, but I simply couldn't move.

I couldn't scream. I couldn't cry out.

I couldn't stop her as she slammed Terrin against the wall. I couldn't stop her as she crept up like the cold chill of night fog, and plucked my baby--

My little baby!

--right out of my arms.

I couldn't lift a finger to stop her. If she wanted my death, she had it, right in the palms of her hideously clawed hands.

But she didn't; somehow I knew she wanted me alive to know she had taken my Darra, and that I'd never, ever see her again.

Try as I might to fight this horrible thought, I couldn't. It rose up within me as certain as death itself, and mockingly informed me of that fact.

And all I could do at this time was fall limply onto my knees and stay there, by eyes growing vague and hot and blank, the image of Terrin laying on the floor of the corridor dimming before me.

Khaandon help me, I couldn't even cry.

Her eyes deepened with even greater promises....

Suddenly her attention was captured, and she turned her head a bit to one side to listen. A full smile revealed bloodied fangs then, and she turned back to drop her eyes into those of her Redeemer.

"Listen," she breathed with a sigh. "Can you hear it? Oh my Dark Heart, it is so clear, so clear...

"Can you hear their pain? It fills me, it is part of me; here, let me share it with you...."

Greedily he began taking from her all the delightfull kisses, and teases he could contain, licking up drops of blood hear and there that were staining her teeth and lips.

How had he gotten here again?

More blurry images...more confusion...

...and the death knell of complete failure as reality, though blurred it was, slammed into him.

At this understanding, adrenaline seemed to push harder to bring him fully awake; Terrin tried for all the life he had in him to get his body moving, to get his eyes to open; it wasn't exactly working.

But maybe someone was here...What had happened to Loban? Was Galen still here? Had she...?

Oh dear Gods, had he lost them both?

...maybe he was more confused than he could comprehend at the moment.

Taking as deep a breath as he possibly could, his head simply pounding and spinning, he forced out one single word, uncertain as to how loud it came out or if anyone was even around to hear it.

"Galen?"

And with her state of mind, how in the name of the Fates could she even help them? Hell of alot of good she was to them all back there...

Her eyes grew vague and even more despair filled them.

She WAS useless...completely useless...

...what good was an Adept who couldn't even step into the fire with her Teacher?

What good was she?

After her long search for meaning, was this the end of it all?

Suddenly overcome by the sense of total failure, Shayla stood from her position near the fallen Loban, walking slowly at first, then at length beginning to run from the Dining Hall into the courtyard outside of the Temple, tears now rolling down her cheeks.

He'd lost them. He'd lost them both...

...what could they be going through just now? What did that Hell-spawned kid have in mind for them?

Why couldn't Fate just play in their favor, just once, and provide Galen and Darra with the peace and safety he wanted for them to have so very, very much?

Despair began to take the upper hand once more, and for but a moment Terrin was very much considering curling into the little hole of himself and simply waiting to die there.

But in the shadow of despair, a little thing called determination began to seek a voice.

And after all, if he just lay here...

...where the Hell was he anyway...?

...on his back, he'd never be able to help them at all, and he couldn't give up like that. He loved them too much to let either of them face such torment without doing anything and everything in his power to reach them.

Spurred on by the will to not give up when the lives of the two most important people to him were in jepordy, despite such a terrible and demonic obstacle or his own injury, Terrin again strove to force his eyes open. After several false starts, the ceiling swam blearly above him; his stomach felt like it had literally turned inside out. He squeezed his eyes shut another moment then, planting both hands on the ground, forced himself into a sitting position against the wall.

Spinning...everything was spinning...

...not just the Universe around him, but his head and his heart.

He sat there dully for a moment, waiting for the images in front of him to still into some semblance of clarity, forcing the lump that had risen from his stomach back down. As things became a little more focused, a very blurry image of someone very familar sent another stab of absolute sorrow and agony into his heart.

Galen, on her knees in the middle of the room, despair and anguish clouding every feature of her beautiful face.

Not really caring how he got there or what he looked like at the moment, he forced himself into action; he simply had to get to her. His head was still spinning entirely too much for him to begin even thinking about walking so he quite literally moved on all fours, nearly slithering across the floor to at length reach her. He couldn't sit up again however--not in the middle of the room with no wall to lend any sort of support-- and lying down was so very, very much easier. So, simply reaching out a hand, he drew Galen's limp form to himself, feeling her numbness and her complete agony and seeking to lend any support to her that he could, his blue eyes darkening with yet more despair.

He struggled, but forced out one more coherent thought before the Universe went completely black again. "I promise you I'll do everything in my power to get her back...our little JhinDarra..."

...if it's the last thing I do, an unspoken whisper added.

"Lightsabers to ready positions..."

He then walked past each one, noting those that couldn't stay perfectly still...

"Those who have been marked, leave us now..."

Three children came from the row, and marched out of the room...

"Open ranks... today's lesson will be laserblast deflection training..."

Then, from the opposite side of the room, laser blasts came down on the children... slowly at first, then faster and faster...

In the end, 3 lay on the floor... had this not have been a training session, they would be dead... but, the other 6 were on their way to the next step in lightsaber training...

He was wobbling to his feet, when he noticed Shayla was having the feeling of great despair... again...

He quickly found her with the link they shared, and bolted down the hall and out into the courtyard... as quickly as he could, without running into the moving walls...

"Is it me or are a couple of people missing here?" Matt interjected.

Jasyn turned from his hand to regard Matt, puzzlement clouding his eyes at first. Then understanding came. "Oh damn," he muttered. "Where are Terrin and Galen? How the hell are we going to find them in this damn Temple...

...or wherever they went to?"

"If they are even together," Matt added.

Jasyn just nodded glumly, his mind spinning. The obvious finally registered in his mind. "Call Terrin on his commlink."

"Yeah," Matt agreed, something icing his usually brillant green eyes that Jasyn wasn't so sure he liked. He was supposed to be the pessimist. Not Matt.

After several attempts and no answer, Jasyn's look turned even more concerned, reflecting the look in the even icer green eyes that met his. "Now what?" Jasyn questioned. "Unless..."

He paused at that, his eyes wandering to the sullen figure of Erik Kartan. They darted back to his comrade's face once more in question. Matt simply nodded, letting Jasyn take the lead.

"Can you sense Terrin and Galen anywhere nearby?" he asked Erik without preamble. "I think this is very important."

"Well..." Erik started, "I'm not all that good at this, but with the emotions shooting out from everywhere, I think I just might be able to help you out," he responded, standing. Without another word he waved Matt and Jasyn to follow him, and took off into the corridors of the quiet and despair-filled Temple.

She flared.

"Do as you will, my Lord. This day shall separate the wheat from the chaff. Those who are weak shall give in to their weaknesses; those who are strong shall prevail."

She held the Claw of S'slan up, waggled it meaningfully in front of his face.

"He shall not succeed with his plans... and I shall go after the child of my sister!"

She said nothing about her own daughter, her silence in that regard shouting more loudly than any words her acceptance of the fact that she believed ShaRhylla was indeed lost to her. Likewise she said nothing at all to the effect that she really had no idea where Entaris had disappeared. She knew of only one other creature of evil capable of slipping so easily in and out of reality, and that had been Maladius, the demonic imp belonging to Ankrist Roan. Thus logic suggested that this entity must have some connections with that imp, and thus must physically adhere to darkness entirely... perhaps needing to return to it upon occasion.

And she knew darkness existed elsewhere than merely in places devoid of light in the plane of reality in which they all dwelled.

The fires of revenge ablaze in her eyes, the Glyph on her forehead lighting her way, she opened a portal through the All, seeking those places that sentients would shun.

The great hunt began.

the adept will be cured... This shall not persist

He turned a corner in the temple, finding his way outside, and following his senses to where he found Shayla and loban, loban having apparantly just reached her.

Sleep...sleep would be so very much easier...

Sounds of something were beginning to creep into his auditory perceptions, and the something sounded rather familar, but he just couldn't open his eyes again, couldn't move his hand to reach for what he knew must be his commlink, didn't even want to move an inch for the fact even thinking about it made his head pound even more. He couldn't even put a coherent thought together at the moment. Sure, guys who suffered head injuries of this nature were told not to sleep due to the possibility of never waking up again, but that was so hard to do when the injury was your own to deal with.

The only thing he did manage was opening his mouth one final time, letting it hang open for a long and silent moment, then at length squeaking out something that he sure as hell hoped sounded something like "Help." But for all he knew it was nothing more than a moan or a gurgle.

Sleep...sleep seemed so much easier...

Such as now.

I poked a bleary eye open and let it simply gaze upward. As there was nothing of any particular importance to hold my interest there, I rolled it cautiously to one side. It seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of time to get to its destination, so to pass that time I tried to swallow as another little inner voice was telling me, "Sorben, your lips and throat are dry, so very, very dry...."

My spit hit my stomach at the same time my eye fell on the form of a little girl.

A little girl...!

I was on my feet and crouching, my hand glued to where it fully expected to find the comforting grip of my blaster before the dual realizations hit me that, Sorben, that kid is a touch younger and smaller than the one you thought she was...

...not to mention the fact that not only did I not have my blaster, but I didn't have my armor, or my helmet or my netgun, or my gauntlets, or--

I remained in a crouch, feeling vulnerable yet instinctively knowing I could yet deal with most any given situation... even this one, which was fast unravelling into one where a person with the calm gaze that had "Jedi" smeared all over it came up to me, a hand held out in an equally calming manner.

I tensed.

"You wanna tell me just what in Hell's Seven Circles is going on, buddy?"

Cured?

At first she simply thought there was no way, and she wondered if at last the despair in her mind had completely taken over. Then the look in Lord Recinis's eyes registered in her mind's eye, and she knew without a doubt that this could and would be ended.

Without a word or even a look towards Loban, who had suddenly and strangely recovered, she followed Lord Recinis to the secluded room, drying her tears and meeting his green gaze with her own greeny-blue one.

"You are in Prinn'chatka, the capital city of the Sith," Shawn ended with, waiting to see how the bounty hunter might reply to any of this information.

Capital city of the Sith? Now, buddy, you've been here and there around the galaxy, but--

CAPITAL CITY OF THE SITH????

Other than the above, I didn't move one iota, yet somehow transforming my stance into one of durasteel readiness. I ran everything I knew about hand-to-hand combat through my mind as I assessed this Jedi further.

A Jedi who with his sister -- ??? -- had healed me... yet one who was here with me in the capital city of the Sith, Phrinn-whatever the hell it was...?

"You better tell me we're trapped here and once again I find myself facing overwhelming odds of survival. And if that's the case--"

I broke that thought off in mid-sentence, my eye casually dropping to find this guy's lightsaber hanging just as lackadaisically from his belt.

My crouch tightened just a touch wee further.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd point the way to my armor and gear, my friend," I went on smoothly, my tone lightening but the shadow in my eyes darkening by the moment.

"And then if you'd be so kind as to tell me the whereabouts of one Galen Jhin'Dar Danner, I'd certainly be most appreciative.

"She and I have a few matters which need to be dealt with."

I then fell silent, itching to get geared up and out of there. I had better things to do with my life at the moment than to hang around flapping my gums with Jedi.

he then aprouched her, placing his hands upon her shoulders to grip them tightly, obviously not caring if this caused her pain or not.

His eyes flared to life, focusing upon shayla's with greater intensity, as if to mock her weakness for not being able to rid herself of this thing, as if to laugh at her for needing his help... and so he reached into her mind, and took hold of her emotions with an iron fist, not allowing her mind to sway in any direction...

Slowly he brought forth what he sought, the dispairing feelings still fresh in her mind, he took hold of them, tempting them with his own hateful rage, causing them to burst into there full strength once more within shayla's mind..

He felt her body quiver as the despair flowed through her again, this time not simply roaming though, recinis rage guided it, as if to prompt it to destroy the adepts mind, which it surely would have, had be not been keeping it in check with his unbendable will.

Now, with the despair at its full intesnity,and shayla being held upright only be recinis claw's, which by this time had beed dug into the womans arms fiercly, recinis went to work...

He now studied the dark thing freely, considering it, Learning exactly what it was...

And so be begun purging it, using the womans inner love, he place the demonic substence within a cage of warmth so it could not escape, slowly filling that cage with more and more of the womans strong love, meanwhile keeping all other emotiosn she might have at bay, preventing them from providing a doorway for the thing to escape.

Slowly the dark thing grew smaller and smaller, untill it had no more room to contract, and was forced to touch the warm substance of love, which instantly purged it.

It was then he released his grasp her, and turned to leave as she fell limply to the ground... Her emotions, which had once been held by his uncompramisable mind, now rushign into to fill her every aspect once more.
As he walked away he spoke to her "Now you are free... use this time to enjoy such freedoms, we might soon be in battle again..."

he nodded to loban meanignlessly as he passed the boy, and turned again into the temple...

Kinda like you felt about it when you were first here, eh Shawn?

But then Matt got a good glance at that back of Terrin's head...

...it was slightly damp, some substance or other beginning to actually be visable to the careful observer.

"Jasyn, he's hurt!" Matt whispered, running to his friend's side. Jasyn came around to the other side to a listless and unmoving Galen, simply reaching out a hand to her. She seemed to be physically fine, but emotionally--Jasyn knew better. He wasn't gonna suggest moving her or Terrin at the moment, however.

"He's out cold," Matt said, frowning, trying anything and everything to get Terrin to respond to something.

It wasn't working.

Matt's green eyes jerked up to meet Jasyn's brown ones, concern radiating from them. "Go get help, Jasyn, this isn't looking so good..."

The other man nodded just once then scrambled to his feet, hurrying out the door to find anyone who might be of assistance.

When rancors fly--

My stance didn't slip an inch. I was only too keenly aware of the slight shift in this Jedi's mood, clearly saw the shadows rising in his eyes almost as though wanting to actively confront the ones I knew my own eyes held.

Jedi in Sith city. Sith city and Jedi....

Nope, no matter how I rolled the words around on my tongue, they just didn't blend well together.

I hesitated the barest moment longer, eyeing this Shawn Whoever, who simply stood there with his arms crossed as if I were a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

I never really did like Jedi, I reminded myself as with great effort I forced myself to straighten up, then sidling over to peer into the door to the room he had indicated, which was no easy task for the fact that through this all I never let my eyes stray from his own.

There it all was, laying across a bed of sorts, and at first glance seemed to be in its entirety. I gave Shawn another look, assessing him further, remembering that for all their maddening faults Jedi simply did not lie...

...and finally decided to trust the guy enough to take my focus from him long enough to regain my armor. Which I thereupon proceeded to do, donning all my gear in record time.

I hustled back to where I left Shawn, to find him in the same stance. Feeling more myself now, I tilted my head, allowing the enigmatic lenses of my visors do my talking for me. I raised a gauntleted and armored hand, indicating the door, then stopped.

Through this all, that little girl had simply stood in wide-eyed silence.

Good kid, that.

I tilted my helmet down into her innocent face, then lifted it once more into that of the Jedi's. In case he didn't get my unvoiced question, I crossed my arms in front of me and shifted my weight onto one leg.

Come on buddy, lighten up! You were healed, HEALED here!

Shawn was about to say as much, then thought better of it. Part of this was due to the fact he didn't think it'd do any good; another part was due to the fact that, when he reached out to the Temple to sense Galen and Darra, only Galen was registering.

And a wave of complete despair answered in tandem.

Not a smidgeon of this showed on Shawn's face however; he remained completely calm and aloof. Holding a hand out to Thea, he took her little one in his and began leading the way to Galen and to the Temple.

Turning his fiery gaze upon Mat, his orders were more of a growl then any spoken words "Get a bandage and water now"

He then turned his eyes back to terrin, Placing a firm hand on mans neck, hitting a certain pressure point which would force the man into conciousness.

He took up a piece of cloth from the mans shirt, and dabbed at the wounds for a moment, clearing the blood so he might better asses the situation... He nodded slowly, it was nothing to serious, simply enought to cause the man some discomfort for a week, but he would not die.

He then turned his gaze on the stunned galen, who seemed as if she had been in the same position for quite some time...

While waiting for the requested supply's recinis walked over to the woman, and lifted her to her feet, shaking her slightly as if to say "snap out of it, we have more important things to do"

His stomach lurched.

Then something else was crystal clear. Someone should have been down here with him just now, and he was suddenly becoming aware of the fact that her warm presence wasn't anywhere nearby.

His heart flew into panick.

Had that red-headed witch of a kid come back for Galen now? Where was she?

Again he tried to force his body into motion; again it refused, and the room spun in tandem with his motions.

His eyes clouded with utter terror.

"Galen...?" he mouthed, looking up at what seemed to be the form of Lord Recinis; gods help him, but the image was so damned fuzzy he couldn't be sure.

Something had come into the little world I was dwelling in; not much of a something, but something nevertheless. It seemed to be doing something to me, to be trying to hit me or something; truly it was unclear but at least it was something to focus on for a tiny bit.

A little grunt escaped my lips, and I blinked again. Images began to come into shadowy existence around me:

The Sith warrior leaning over Terrin...

Terrin?

Who was stretched out still upon on the floor. I stared at the scene as it tried to come into clear focus, blinking again.

It was just too difficult. I didn't care.

JhinDarra....

Completely unaware of what I was doing, I pulled my feet up on the chair I had been placed in, wrapped my arms tightly around my legs, lay my head upon my knees...

...and willed the universe to quite simply go quietly and completely away.

Satisfied he lifted the man and set him upon the bed in the room.
He then forced the man to drink a bit of water...

Considering things for a moment, he decided terrin was not in a critical state of being, and hit another pressure point, causing the man to return to unconciousness.

He then turned his gaze to galan... She had returned to her quite world of thougth and dispair.

Walking over to her, he once again shook her, a bit more forcefully this time, and then spoke "Can you not see? you are allowing them to win galen, Do not let yourself be consumed, you will have your daughter back soon, Jharmeen will make sure of that"

He then sighed, turning away...

Jharmeen... i wish i could have gone with you... But it is my duty to remain here, and attend to these matters... return to me safely...

He indeed had said that much, and indeed truly knew it to be so, and knew they were always together, but he still wished he could be there in flesh to assist her, though perhaps she would be better with only his spirit...

She now lay on the ground...

Tunnel vision... a blur, Lo-Ban was now on his knees... a single tread of blood now coming down his face...

He did all he could, to try and console Shayla... he fell flat on his face, out cold... he did manage to give Shayla his hand, and hoped she saw it as symbolizing his heart...

...and a second later put action to her words....

He smiled darkly at her. "No, I think not, If you held any understanding of the universe, you would release that evil strives to survive... And i assure you, i will survive, and not simply to be trapped here"

his eyes focused upon hers the way a warrior might face an adversary.

"You still do not understand, it was wicked himself who gave me this body... THINK, His body had been burned, turned to ashes, how else would i have known even to look for it? he lives within me still, perhaps not fully, but he does indeed live..." he smiled for a moment before revealing the rest "the truth is, and this is indeed the truth, he did love you... But his love made him lose himself, and because of that he hated you. That is the one truth i will give to you, accept it or deny it, either way, i care not."

His hand shot forth to point at her menecingly "You can not win, this is my place, you understand nothing, can you not see? there is no matter here, no space, it is all within your perspective, you would place a shield around nothing? we are not even within the place your shield covers, the world here evolves and changes with the merest whisper of desire..."

But he had not noticed one unique aspect of her essence. Or, if he had, out of sheer over-confidence he had chosen to overlook it.

Not having a speck of what surely would have been the impediment of Light any longer, nothing but darkness now filled her soul. Thus it was that though at first she was blasted backward just by the sheer power unleashed against her, she was able to slow her apparent retreat, to gain her footing, to stop, to face it...

...and to fully open herself up to it.

All the darkness Entaris had at his command, every lick that he now flung, cackling, into her being, she accepted with open arms, letting it come, letting it flow into her, strengthening that darkness which was really all that was left inside her at all.

That and the utter knowledge of what she was here to do.

She smiled a predatory smile at him, and took a step toward him.

"It matters not what words you speak to me, of whether or not the essence of Wicked loved me or not. Can you not see that? It is over, it is past; even I have come to terms with it.

"As I have come to terms with your lies... and the fact that in all probability, we shall be spending eternity here, together, you and I.

"Do you not see? Whether this is a place of my perspective or not, the simple fact remains that I have indeed placed us within a bubble of a chronotic shield, and that we are now removed even from the darkness you inhabit. Cease with your silly words, demon; stretch out with your own talents and find the answer for yourself."

Her eyes darkened further.

"You will never leave this place again. I will not allow it. And if you simply continue to pour your own darkness into me, then I shall simply take it all up...

"...and willingly remain here for the remainder of my life, that it should not seek sanctuary elsewhere."

And with those very words she stretched out toward him with her talents, seeking, questing, sending forth that tendril into his very being...

To finally reach into his darkness and begin quite willingly accepting it all into herself, reaching out beyond sharing to actively take, to suck him dry of all he was.

For she wanted this, and in that wanting discovered a Void of Eternity within her... one he was more than capable of filling simply by being what he was.

His teeth gleamed in the darkness as he spoke again, his words calmly rolling from his tounge to fill the air with there soothing sweetness.

"Then my dear Graysith, you have allowed me to win... You have given yourself completly to darkness, by your own words, then tell me, how are you defeating me? My greatest joy in this unverse is destroying good, one way or another, and now..." his lips curled higher into that sadistic smile he was so overjoyed to posses. "... You will take on my work, You wish to take unto yourself all my darkness? go ahead, but be warned, should i be destroyed in this way, you will be overcome, you will release yourself onto the universe, and destroy all you once loved..." his head titled back a moment to release a dark cackle into the air. "but then, i would rather do it myself!" now he reversed the tables, using the tendril of herself she had established with him to take his energy, to blast into her mind with all speed, and bring forth memories of love, and warmth... Wickeds weakness had just become his savior.

...and now being impacted with that selfsame emotion which she had purged from her being before coming to this place.

Being of evil which he was, and which she was becoming closer and closer to herself with each passing second, every memory of love, of desire, of caring, all she had felt toward Darth Wicked now sliced into them both like myriad tiny blades, on one hand bringing pain, yet on the other a shuddery ecstasy that s/he was feeling that pain.

She stood back, letting it slice into them both, struggling and smiling even more darkly to realize that though it sliced her, as with he, she suddenly found herself relishing each stroke of the blade.

Literally opening her arms up to him, she then pressed forward, thrusting herself back against his power, reaching out to take even more of it into her being.

"The more you send me, the stronger I in turn become, my evil adversary," she whispered chillingly. "And the stronger I become, the closer to you I step, the stronger grows my abilities to keep us both here for eternity.

"Stalemate."

A growl escaped his lips as he hurried off, finding himself in a small room he kneeled down, his mind working feverishly...

Suddenly realization hit... He knew he had felt that presence before, or at least something similer to it... Maladius.

Both demons, both hailed from the same origin of existance... But how could he reach that place?

An image flashed in his mind, of the strange demon being hungrily devoured by the sith magicks in his blade...

Slowly he withdrew that blade, examining it for a moment... The magicks absorbed energy, was there a way he could use the demons energy to take him to where his love now stayed?

He placed the blade tip first upon the ground, reaching into the sith magicks inherent to him, calling the magicks of the blade to reach that amazing harmony of warrior and sword... The blades glow became a fiery inferno which consumed the entire room, and slowly he reached within, searching...

Darkness filled that blade, all the evil he had ever slayed, all the energy he had ever blocked, could he control the energy enough to use this?

His mind went into a silent state of meditation, continuing to flow through the blade's power, seeking a way of using it...

Suddenly he heard a tainting laughter, it filled his mind, whisperign to him in the silence... The laughter was demonic, he had heard it before... Maladius!

His iron will wrapped about that essence, commanding it, forcing it to comply to his needs...

The blade flared ever brighter, his body was wracked by the strain of focusing the sith magicks of the blade at such a magnitude... Was it truly worth the risk that he would not survive? could he do this?

He growled in defiance, he would defy the laws of the universe... He would stop time, he would destroy every living thing, and bring them all back again, if it meant saving Jharmeen... And he meant to do just that... he would save her, from whatever had caused that link to break.

He growled again, as suddenly that demonic essence consumed his very being, wrapping about him, causing a shiver to run up and down his spine... The laughter grew more insistant, as if to say "you cant win, i will not help you." he growled again... The energy wrapped tighter about him, his mind was being shreded between one thought and the next, he could not contain the logic of thougth... Insanity broke through his once carefully ordered concious, as a door which he had once not known existed flew open within him...

Blazing red and flaming emerald mixed as darkness swirled about the warriors form, using all the hate and evil to tease the demons spirit into taking him to the deminsion of which he hailed, Recinis's mind knew only one true though

"i will save her..."

Suddenly he was again free of the hold of sith magicks, darkness was about him everywhere... He seemed intact.

Within this place he was so out of place, but something within him seemed to understand this... The taunting laughter again struck his conciousness...

He growled, and banished the energies of maladius to return to that smooth black surfice of his blade...

About him were many demons, they had sensed the demon's essence, they knew he was an enemy, and they sought to destroy him...

A growl escaped him as the demons jumped at him, many of them feel dead before him, his swords amazing edge ending there "lives" with amazing swiftness...

And so he ran, not wishing to waste any more time, he escaped from them, leaving them with a promise of death should they persue...

Finaly he found the a place that he could not penetrate with his mind... A chronotic shield...

He growled again, eyes flaring to there full brillence.

How could he penetrate this shield? and so he began thinking, his mind working in fiery denial of this obstical, he would not be blocked this easily... Not after what he had done so far... How could he so easily be thwarted?

"And here is where you fail, demon," she hissed with a growing smile. "Indeed I have this great evil within; how else did you think I could have within me its counterpart, to thus be the Chosen One of the Sith?

"The All is everything, even going beyond your one-sided abilities; how else did you think I could harbor a love so great as to fall in love with evil itself?

"Balance must be maintained; it is merely that now I choose to let the one side out for the purpose of what I must do."

She fell silent now, her violet eyes wide and blazing although the look on her face was otherwise mild. The Glyph flared out in glory, staining the night violet. Settling back on a black cloud, she made herself comfortable.

"And as for my daughter, no. She shall not awaken until I deem the time correct, my dear, dear adversary."

But something wasn't quite right with this picture.

Terrin was disturbed by this something, trying to figure out just exactly what was wrong. It slammed into him with the force of a Super Star Destroyer.Darra had been taken from here...and possibly Galen...

...hadn't she been here before...?

...he was still very confused...

...and he was just laying here doing what? Recovering? No time for that. Find Galen and Darra now, recover later. To hell with himself.

Putting every ounce of strength he had in the act--nevermind he'd certainly need more strength than what he had at the moment to go hunting for anyone--Terrin sat straight up, forcing his bleary blue eyes open. He fell slightly forward in the bed, but gripped the sheets and somehow managed to hold himself semi-upright. His eyes landed on about nine images of Matt; he wasn't sure which one of them was the real one but his look of anguish met each one, just to make sure someone would take him seriously when he said the next words that he intended to, nevermind how unrealistic they might seem.

And nevermind how long it took him to say them.

But then he never got the words out, for his eyes fell onto the very blurred image of Galen once more, shock still radiating from her.

Oh Galen...

And then that line of thought was interrupted as something else trailed into his perceptions, though muddled they were.

The sound of a gurgling infant.

At that particular sound, Terrin knew he simply had to be going crazy. He fell back against the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling as everything in his mind blurred with the persistence of the pounding therein.

And the sounds of what sure as Hell sounded like a happy, healthy baby.

He was too confused to even notice the surprised looks on either of his men's faces...

"It is you who do not understand," she finally said quietly. "What was within me was not a love of evil, but the ability to give love to that evil...."

She suddenly paused, biting her own words off even as she spoke them. Something deep within her soul raised back its dark head and howled in even greater rage...

...at herself.

Blinking, she quickly continued.

"And if the removal of one "good" from the universe is what it will take to contain your evil here, then it is a price I shall pay without question."

What was HE doing here?

She reached out a healing hand to him, then froze as images, muddled yet clear enough for understanding, traveled along a link and slammed into her, the realities of what might occur if things continued along this current pathway all too vivid. She got to her feet suddenly, her fists tightening as an upsurge of pain and anger filled her being.

NOOOOO!!!

Shayla struggled with her thoughts, seeking to assist her Sister, knowing that she could if only she could get to her. For by her very own words...

"It is you who do not understand. What was within me was not a love of evil, but the ability to give love to that evil...."

Shayla's feet were spurred to motion, and she turned on her heels and headed for the Temple, seeking one entity in particular: Lord Aelvedaar.

She simply had to get to Graysith, she absolutely had to. And Aelvedaar was the only one who could possibly get her there.

At length she reached his quarters where he stood staring into the Octahedron. She spoke up immediately. "You know what she plans," Shayla said despairingly, her own anger at the entity that Graysith was facing resurfacing. "Lord Recinis has cured the blight planted within me, and I am Graysith's Sister and Adept. I must help her somehow, even if it requires my switching places with her once more; even if it requires me never seeing the light of day ever again.

"Please...send me to her or switch me with her...

...I'd give my life for her, just as she would do for me..."

I shake my head sadly.

"I am afraid I cannot lower the shield she has erected," I say to her, voicing the words softly as if not wanting to speak them, let alone hear them at all.

"Only for the sake of the Greater Good may this be accomplished... and there is conflict beneath that shield.

Perhaps there was something else that she hadn't thought of...

At that she froze, suddenly sensing a very familar and very wonderful presence in the Temple.

The baby! The baby was here, now! Then perhaps...

She stopped that thought where it started, not wanting to get her hopes up just yet as she also realized someone seemed to be in a fair amount of physical pain; not to mention a couple of people seemed to be in alot of emotional pain.

Did they not know?

Turning towards the direction of these feelings and lifeforces, Shayla began to head down the corridor towards the others, ready to assist in whatever way she could, all the while still very concerned about Graysith's welfare.

All the while, Jasyn sat next to Galen, who was still sitting in a little ball in an attempt to shut out the entire Universe.

"Galen," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Your daughter...she's here..."

Like she's gonna believe that, buddy...

Terrin was laying on the bed, his head now bandaged and his blue eyes blankly assessing the ceiling, obvious waves of agony radiating from him that didn't have a thing to do with the fact he was hurt.

At these realizations, Shayla decided to go to the emotional needs before she did the physical ones. Gently taking the baby from Matt, she stepped over to the bed and deposited her on top of Terrin, who clearly still didn't understand she was really in the room.

Then Shayla reached out a healing hand to him then waited to see what he would do.

Yeesh, and I thought Invisec was weird....

However, I haven't earned the position of being the top gun hunter of the Tavlorean Guild just by my dashing good looks. The ability to focus on the job at hand to the exclusion of all else now came quite easily to me; I continued to stride alongside the Jedi, not saying a word, almost ignoring the fact that the little girl was trotting along with us, her small hand engulfed in Shawn's larger one, chattering happily about wanting to be a Jedi.

Soon we came to the stepped sides of the largest construction I had ever come across in all my born days. We mounted those steps, came to an apex, found a smaller entrance...

...and descended into more labyrinthine corridors, which led one to another, through a kind of foyer, and then twisted and turned and branched. We followed one after another, sometimes moving down, and sometimes climbing up, continuing on and on and on.

I tensed as a red-skinned being who fairly erupted vitality and strength in all directions strode past me, his brilliant green eyes utterly ignoring me as though people clad in Mandalorian armor were commonplace in this strange city. Heck, for all I knew they were. Then a shorter human came flying past, only to retrace his steps after we had moved into another corridor. I tensed inwardly at the speed in which he was travelling, noting that he was carrying what appeared to be first aid materials in his hands. I glanced at the Jedi at that; his calm demeanor only remained annoyingly unruffled, so I forced myself to just keep walking even though every nerve ending was screaming for me to start running.

At length a young lady came swifly past us, entering into a doorway up ahead. We came to a halt in that very same doorway.

And there I froze, taking in an impossible scene.

Though an entrance to another room I could see a man stretched out on a bed, his head bandaged. The young lady who had entered just ahead of us was leaning over him. I yanked my gaze to the room ahead of us, where another man was holding a baby--

A baby?!?

--in his arms, rocking and whispering baby-talk to her. Then the blond young woman came from the adjoining room, took that baby, and returned to where she had come from.

I scarcely noted the fact, my eyes immediately going to a slight figure who was huddled in a chair next to the man who had been holding that infant.

I froze in place, my heart leaping into my throat. I had seen that look in her eye before, or rather I should say the utter lack of expression... although admittedly it hadn't been quite this, well, blank.

A slight frown plastered itself on my face as I wondered why in Hell's Seven Circles no one was helping her.

OK, buddy, guess that's your number one priority here, isn't it? Ask questions later.

With that I stepped out, letting my armor provide the breakwater, strode to where Galen was huddled in a cloud of near-catatonia, and scooped her up into my arms.

I squeezed her as hard as I could, taking her chin in one hand and likewise shaking her face. Then I gave her a light slap, then another, harder one.

It had worked before. Couldn't see why it wasn't gonna work now.

Taking the baby up in her arms once again, she kept her hand on Terrin's shoulder a moment longer til he had drifted off into a renewing sleep. Assured that he was resting well, Shayla stepped back out into the main room to the scene of the bounty hunter, whom she had healed not so long ago, slapping Galen around.

She frowned.

Who the hell was this again, and how the hell did she think she knew so much about what would and wouldn't work on Galen? Seems their so called "gentler approach" hadn't been doing diddly for her, judging by the non-look she had in her eye when I had entered into the room....

Now I tensed, my eyes slitting behind my visor. I paused, one hand still cupping Galen's chin, and spoke as much to this woman, whoever in Hell's Seven Circles she was. Then I turned back to my ministrations, shaking Galen strongly and every now and again giving another slap to her face.

Dammit, but her smooth skin was beginning to redden a bit.... I cringed inwardly, only once, seeing what I was doing to her, but pressed onward.

Beside her, Jasyn reached for his blaster holster, only to be disgusted to find the blaster no longer there. She reached a hand down to his arm to stop him, then reached out into Galen's mind with her Force-sense, feeling the woman's complete shock. Maybe she wouldn't respond to anything in the physical world, but she had to at least hear what was in her head.

Galen! Galen! Your daughter has been returned to safety, and Terrin's going to be allright after a little bit of rest. The emotions welled up inside of you may hurt, but shutting everything else out will in the end hurt you more, and I know a couple of people who really wouldn't want that.

No, no, no! Do NOT give up, Galen!

Knowing that words would do no good and finally gathering all her strength about her, Shayla somehow--and she wasn't quite sure HOW--managed to shove Sorben Tarnus out of the way long enough for him to let Galen fall back into her chair.

Then, quite gently, Shayla deposited JhinDarra into Galen's limp arms, steadying her so that the two of them would be so very close...

Shayla waited, hoping for all the world that JhinDarra could do what she simply couldn't at this point.

Reach her mother.

...but something STILL wasn't right.

Slowly, so very slowly, Terrin opened one eye.

Yes indeedy, the spinning was beginning to slow just a just a bit...

He opened the other eye, then frowned.

Something was still so very, very wrong.

WHERE WAS GALEN?

Sure, on a conscious level he knew she was probably in the other room, but something was oh-so-very wrong about this.

Galen WASN'T the type to just blow off people when they were hurt. She was usually the type to hover and worry...

...and stick by til she was certain that they were gonna be okay.

Something was wrong. Didn't take a Jedi to figure as much. But how the hell to get out of this bed without cracking his head further, Terrin didn't know. But he knew that he simply had to. He half-rolled, half-fell out of the bed, hitting the floor in a crouch. The room spun in response...but not as much as it had been, which Terrin was so very, very thankful for.

Shakily, he gripped the wall for dear life til he was at least standing. His stomach rolled; but he managed to get his feet going underneath him. He wasn't quite sure how long it took him to get there, but at length he made it to the outer room to come to face the images--blurred though they were--of a bounty hunter and Shayla sitting on a chair close to Galen, who was holding little Darra.

With assistance.

Something inside of him literally almost broke at the look on her face, or rather the lack thereof. He waved to Jasyn, who was standing regarding the bounty hunter suspiciously. "Help me get to her," he said, leaning against the wall heavily for support. Jasyn nodded, coming to him and helping him hobble over.

Terrin didn't so much as take any more note of Sorben Tarnus for the moment; for certainly, that's who this man was that had so suddenly and unexpectedly appeared. He just waited for Shayla to move, and let Jasyn help him sit next to Galen, who now had Darra in her lap. He managed to move the baby so she was again in Galen's arms, then drew them both to himself, gently rocking, totally ignoring the fact that his head was spinning once again.

"Galen please...come back. You don't have to face this alone; I'm here, I'm here..."

Then, not completely aware of the reasons for his actions, Terrin leaned back a bit and kissed her gently. Then he whispered into her ear. "Please let me help you carry your burden; I'm here, and I love you..."

...but not immediately. I wasn't stupid; I realized this lady--

Lady? You call that a lady???

--was after all really trying to help Galen.

So I restrained my first impulse and merely shook my head, loosening my stance a bit as the man who had been laying on the bed was now helped to her side. I watched, swallowing underneath my helmet, as he scooped up the baby--

That just had to be her daughter. MY daughter as well....

--and began rocking them both, whispering to her but not so softly that I couldn't overhear his every word.

I swallowed again, suddenly feeling very much the fifth wheel, shaking my head a little in growing anger. I was angry that this red-headed vixen had managed to pop up in my life and break through my carefully manufactured facade... angry that Fate had dealt the hand it had to her since that time... angry at her for leaving me for all the wrong reasons, that I couldn't be there when she had needed me, as much as she might deny that fact, angry that I still hadn't been able to so much as hold my tiny daughter....

But most of all angry that it wasn't me being the one to be holding her now, rocking her, giving her all the love and support that I so achingly wanted to give.

Dammit Galen, I'll never be able to get you out of my life. Why can't I stop loving you?

My jaw worked wordlessly, as once again I sent a fervent thanks heavenward for the enigmatic masking effect of my helmet. Quee and Suess used to give me a hard time about it, saying I would scarcely go to bed without it on.

Sheesh, hadn't she just put the guy to sleep? He must have been very worried about Galen to have been crazy enough to get out of bed in his condition and stumble past the bounty hunter to get to her.

But then, Shayla wasn't so sure Terrin was really seeing the bounty hunter at the moment. She'd sensed he'd been worried about the baby; it wasn't very difficult to sense he was also worried about Galen. So she sat by, letting him speak to Galen and rock her, not daring to move either of the two at the moment. At length however, Terrin's rocking slowed little by little as exhaustion took over...

...after all, Shayla hadn't really gotten to healing his head wound. She had intended to, thinking that Terrin, fully healed other than the fact he would still need some rest, might be able to reach Galen even better than she could. But the entrance of the bounty hunter changed things, and Shayla didn't want to complicate matters.

As she looked upon them once more, Shayla noted that Terrin had at last stopped rocking his wife and little JhinDarra back and forth, and was dead asleep. She came round to make sure that the baby was secure as he began to go limp, then instructed his men to move him over on the nearby couch. Shayla had a suspicion that he was going to be out for a while; he'd really run himself ragged.

Shayla sat next to Galen again reached out for her mind once more.

Galen, your daughter IS here. Reach out for her, she's not very far...

And silently Shayla prayed that Galen would do just that, for she was believed the baby would sense the distress of her mother as she had on board the Sith warship what seemed so long ago.

He smiled darkly as thoughts began drifting in a certain direction.

"you are willing to sacrifice yourself indeed... But what of your child graysith? would you allow your child to live for all eternity in this place?"

He got to his knees...

What am I doing here?

The last thing he could remember, was approaching the dining hall... everything after that he blacked out, until now...

I remember looking into the dining hall... there I saw ShaRhylla... Recinis.. Graysith... and... SHAYLA... I went in to protect her!! from what??

He quickly shrugged off the last question, he could figure that out later...

This feeling was not what he wanted..he had fought before to preserve the warmth...it was not pleasant to know he was again being threatened by cold... though all of this was mere fact, and not true thought on his part.

it was then he stumbled upon the small trace of warmth reachign out to a once unreakable bond... His small concious reached out to that, pullign it to him, allowing the warmth to wash through him fully,hoping... hoping... Hoping she, who was she? somethign wiggled its way into what little conciousness he possessed... Mommy... He hoped his mommy would help him... he could not bring warmth back to his home by himself, but he tried, oh how he tried!
With the desperation borne of the freezing cold,and hope of warmth, he managed a fully coherent thought screaming out to her
"Help me mommy!"

She drew in a breath, frowning slightly as that niggle gained in strength. Along with it came an image, one of strength and vitality, a Warrior Lord with fierce demeanor yet the gentlest of hands and eyes in regards to her. Recinis; this was the Dark Lord of the Warrior clan, the new one, the one...

Her eyes dropped to her wrist, where a tattoo gleamed in quiet assurance there, affirming that warrior was more than mere warrior to her.

Now the little grunt transformed into a little gasp, and somewhere a door began opening, slowly at first, then wider and wider. It was as if some unknown someone were outside that door, knocking with quiet persistence, and another unknown someone inside was struggling to open that door and let him in.

The gasp broadened with the realization that neither of the two someones were intruders... but beings she suddenly found herself welcoming with all her heart.

With all her heart....

Somewhere, a tiny voice cried out in protest.

"No, my love, NO! Not now...."

It was too late. It was as if a great floodgate opened, and a veritable sea of warmth and love and cherished memories burst in upon her in an overpowering wave. That little voice bowed down before the inevitable... that the one she loved with all her being was trying to contact her.

She sobbed at the knowledge that the love within her had not only been reawakened, but made stronger than ever. She sobbed to see the strength, wondering if that strength she would be further weakened...

...but then quieted. Her daughter was still quiet, still under her control. Before her...

Before her sat the one she had once loved, at least the body of the one she once loved...

No. The one she still loved. A love so great as she had for him, no matter what kind it was, was indeed undying... as was the one she had for Recinis. The knowledge that yet within that possessed body, He still retained at least some of his essence, perhaps all of it, so strong was the evil holding him under its thumb. This knowledge easily being accomodated by the simple fact that there was indeed room in her heart for two.

And the greatest epiphany of all: the fact that she was able to reach out beyond evil, and offer love in its simplest and therefore purest form.

All this descended upon her in a rush beneath which she literally staggered, the Glyph now flaring anew, the Beast within whining once, then compliantly curling up to let it enter into her being. She allowed it full rein, her eyes beginning to glisten with the feelings roiling within her, feelings which simply grew stronger and stronger as she gazed into eyes growing more and more brilliant in hue, at hair becoming even more beautiful a raven's wing black, at features she had longed to caress for nearly two long years....

All this striking her, all this being totally accepted within her, she couldn't help herself. Slowly she reached out a slender hand which trembled but once, then stilled.

"My Dark Heart, oh my love... I know you are there. Can you hear me? Perhaps you have bound even more with evil to regain your body and your life, but oh can you yet understand that I love you, I always have, and I will until the end of time...?"

With that she stood, an arm outstretched, wondering if the words she had just spoken would prove to be her epitaph.

Yet now that love seemed directed upon him... No, not him, she was attempting to reach wicked... She would fail... But...

As the thougth passed he realized somethign within him was rushing outward to greet her... He growled, putting it out of thought with his dark will.

no wicked, This body is mine now... MINE! YOU CAN NOT HAVE IT!

he could easily fight wicked, he knew it to be so, wicked was nothing... But she had taken so much... his power was so depleted... He growled once again, hands shooting to his temples as the rolling will of wicked arose within him

BUT I DESTROYED YOU!

his inner thought screamed at him... Again he focused his dark will... But he needed rest, there was so little strength left in him... He had used much of his dark energy in resisting her, and she had drained him... And also his dark attack upon her... Suddenly his infanate power seemed to simply be gone, as if a flash flood, the power which had flowed freely through him now simply vanished...silently he cursed himself for using the energy to destroy the compound on kamino, had no resisted that urge, this would nto be happening... OH but it was happening!

the remaining bit of wickeds conciousness rolled over him, simply throwing him down
I have been waiting entaris... I may have given you my body, but you will not harm my love, the one woman i could ever find love,YOU WILL NOT HARM HER! Weak i may be. BAH! You are pittiful!

She had waited so long, so long, to hear that single word fall from those very lips, lips she had never thought she would ever see again, let alone hear any such word fall from again. The word was so quiet, so totally unexpected it was almost as if it were something completely alien, and therefore unrecognizable.

Almost.

And then that rush of warmth within her grew thousandfold, and her other arm rose to join its partner in reaching out to him.

"Dark Heart...?"

She took a little step forward... and another, and yet another, the steps coming faster and faster as she realized there was no impeding blackness laying in wait to trip her, that he was simply standing there, quiet after speaking her name, but having spoken it with an undertone of something she clearly recognized and had waited to hear and feel for far to lengthy a time.

"Graysith... I... Its been so long sense i have been able to truly see... I have been within darkness for so long. Is this real?"
How long can you keep him at bay? how long can you keep control of yourself? hold it together... do not fail

"Where are we, graysith? It seems as though i am once again alive... but there is no light...Have i returned to life, only to find death?"

he sighed slowly

"I-- I am not certain what this dark place is, my dark heart," she finally whispered, stroking his face, reaching up to run her hand along his shining hair, her eyes not leaving his. "But I found my way here; I can find our way out again."

Now she paused, gently probing into his essence with a loving tendril of herself, coming headlong against his rising fear of failure.

"Worry not, my loved one," she whispered quickly, before her finding that question could somehow manage to strengthen its impact in his mind.

"You shall not fail. I have never known you to fail; your strength has sustained me for two years... you simply can not fail."

With that, she reached up on tiptoe and at long last gave herself in to the kiss she had been seeking for a seeming eternity.

Then with a wave of her hand, she tore down the shield... stepping back out into the eternity of darkness which waited without...

...along with her Lord and love and husband.

She did not waste any time with explanations, but merely reached out her other hand to Recinis, and thus uniting them all in the unity of love, took them out of this place and back into Phrinnchatka.

He didnt care, he simply gave into his full love, sharing it with her as much he could, and in the proccess, likewise flowing over to extend his exceptence of wicked... And he hoped wicked it would remain...

He could sense her undying love for them both, and it truly made him happy that she had been able to find the love for wicked once more... For now she could truly be happy, no longer was there that unkept link in her love, no longer any unfinished chapters to there mystical book...

Crowded it was, he couldn't wait...

He noticed Shayla, sitting next to a limp Galen...

Did they get to her, after I left... I shouldn't have left her...

He then saw that the babe was in her grasp... well, sort of...

Well, everything must be back to normal... well... all things considered...

He then approached Shayla... seeing the sprawled out Terrin, laying on a near by couch...

His attention now fully on Shayla,"Are you ok? and what in the hell is going on..." He gave a quick gesture toward Galen, then simply waited for Shayla to respond...

She paused, considering the woman for a moment with concern as along a link she shared with Graysith images of she, Recinis, and a newcomer now returned to Prinn'chatka niggled it's way into her mind.

Returning her attentions to Galen, finally beginning to give her a few little shakes of her own, Shayla sent out information regarding the current status of things to Graysith, still waiting to see just what might happen.

"I feel that it is best for the moment that she remains in that realm, my Lord," she answered him, making the title into an endearment as she so easily did. For indeed no better endearment existed for him in her eyes; he was to her the Lord of her heart. "She can always be found and released at a later date; I do not think she has the ability to leave that place on her own, as from what this entity existing in this body has said to me--"

She indicated the handsome and imposing darth with a nod of her head.

"--he himself had been trapped there for an uncountable number of years. When the time is right, when the last threat of his evil has truly been completely demolished, then I shall return to take her home, that perhaps with love we can finally reach into her heart and regain what has been lost to us.

"Otherwise...."

She let the word trail off into silence, but a silence heavily weighted with nuance and implication. Then the smile on her lips darkened a bit, and she pursed her lips.

"My love, there is still pain running rampant in Phrinnchatka. We must go from here quickly, and ascertain if there is anything we can do to assist in the healing of... of my sister's mind and soul."

She stumbled slightly over the last words, an unwanted image of Galen rising up in her mind's eye, one of her laying in a dark and dank stone cell in a certain temple belonging to a particular darth....

Then casting that thought aside, she merely strode onward through the Phrinnchatkan streets, heading with swiftness and sureness toward the great and central Temple of the Sith which stood in looming sovereignty over the city. And as they hastened along, she sent a quiet thought arrowing into the mind of Darth Wicked, a thought open that her husband might hear it as well,

But now there was no need for such stealth. In fact, something inside me kept on insisting with greater and greater urgency that while everyone kept tiptoeing around Galen in the manner in which they were doing, she was slipping deeper and deeper into that little place I have only known her to disappear into but once before...

And once was quite enough, thank you.

I crossed my arms, giving Sleeping Beauty a scornful look from beneath my helmet. Then I tilted my head to one side, and shifted my weight, taking advantage of the motion to make my armor squeak in the loudest and most ominous manner that it could, a subconscious clearing of the throat, if you will. Then I broke the glum silence of the room with a carefully worded statement.

"If you're going to try to get through to her that way, you're going to have to be a touch wee rougher, Princess," I shot out with in a smug voice, my lips grinning beneath my faceplate but that apparent humor far from reaching my eyes, which in fact were narrowing by the second.

But for some reason she found herself beginning to agree with him.

Turning back to Galen, she didn't bother to send out another thought to her. If JhinDarra wasn't even connecting with her, then something was just really not right.

"You wanna help?" she said to Loban. "Hold the baby." Then she handed Darra to him and, putting every once of strength she had into it, shook Galen, hard. Then she landed the best bunch of slaps she possibly could, and continued to do so, ignoring whatever looks anyone else might be giving her at the moment.

And hey, the hunter had a point.

"Terrin's head wound is still draining fluid, badly" he interjected, concerned. "The bandages are beginning to become wet."

Matt glanced down at Terrin, for the first time taking his eyes off the scene with Galen and Shayla. Had he just fallen asleep a moment ago? Or was he slipping out completely again?

Shawn Petrolu moved over to Terrin's side. "I'll take care of this."

Matt nodded, then redirected his attentions to Shayla, who still didn't seem to be quite getting through despite her change in tactics. He observed carefully for a split second, then said, "Maybe someone a touch stronger should be doing that..."

"I have been using the Link with my Adept to follow the course of this new dilemma," she finally spoke aloud, letting both her loves know what was happening. Then she couldn't help but frown more darkly, not liking the undercurrents which were swirling in the background of that room.

She sighed, casting her eyes Recinis's way now.

"It would seem my Adept needs further training, my Love. Perhaps you would assist in this once we have Galen fully restored? Indeed, I must then continue on to discuss matters with my Sire--

"Matters regarding him."

She halted briefly, indicating Darth Wicked with a nod of her head, now shooting a plea directly into his mind.

Stay strong, my Dark Heart....

"It concerns me greatly why the entity he yet harbors, clearly being pure evil as was that demonic imp which has plagued us for so long, chose to inhabit this particular body," she continued aloud. "There are many, many who have died, and possibly many dark jedi stronger yet than him."

She now turned and continued walking along.

"The fact that he did indeed choose the body of my Dark Heart leads me to believe that indeed the ex-Lord Ankrist Roan has his fingers involved in this all; I cannot stress how imperative it is that he dies, and quickly, my dear husband."

Falling silent on those grim words, she merely kept moving through the quiet Phrinnchatkan streets, flanked by two who would forever hold her heart, two whom she knew she would die for although, as her Lord had once stated to her, to continue living for him, and thus them, through whatever adversity that might arise would be a far, far truer display of that love.

She hurried on.

I leaned over Galen, then physically picked her up by her shoulders. Holding her with one hand, gripping her upper arm roughly, I now reached the other up and yanked my helmet from my head. Then that hand returned to its grip on her other arm.

"Galen," I said in a grimly urgent tone. "Galen. Snap out of it now, girl; c'mon, you're stronger than this. It's me, Sorben; Galen babes, I'm here.

"And so's our daughter."

I then gave her a great and teeth-jolting shake, and another, and yet another. Her head flew limply back and forth; now I reached out a hand and stopped that movement before she suffered whiplash. Pursing my lips, I then hauled off and belted her a good one, right smack across her beautiful face, right on top of the bruises now beginning to develop where I had already hit her.

Oh Fates, Galen! Don't make me continue doing this! C'mon, c'MON!

I clenched my jaw then, quickly taking a hand from her to stick the fingers of my gauntlet into my mouth and yank that off as well. When I replaced that hand on her, it was on the rising warmth of her cheek. I peered deeply into the blankness of her eyes, seeing again that retreat she had gone to when she thought I had been killed, remembering the anguish I had felt then as I had struck her over and over to bring her back, anguish I was reliving now.

Dammit! Where was Quee when I needed him?!

I blinked quickly, then drew back infinitesimally. Then I hauled back that hand, fisted it, and sending a silent prayer to Khaandon as she was always wont to do, I let loose and literally round-housed her.

It was all I could do to remain just standing there as I felt that impact, heard the distinctive crunch of teeth breaking, and then forced myself to simply watch her as she flew entirely from my grasp to land in a heap on the floor.

"DAMMIT!!!" I hollered, suddenly sitting bolt upright, not knowing where in Hell's Seven Circles that I was, only knowing where I was NOT, my arms flinging out instinctively as I lashed out against all these somebodies who kept annoying and pestering and niggling and bothering me so, and just quite simply would NOT quit....

I froze then, as reality found the door these someones had begun to open and flung it wide. I blinked once, twice, then reached a hand gingerly up to wipe the blear from my eyes so I could take a better look at who I was going to have to fight.

A room swam into focus then, one occupied by that Adept of my sister's, and Matt, and Jasyn, and hovering over by the door was the continually unruffled form of that Jedi, Shawn... and sleeping nearby was my husband--

Sleeping?!

...and standing in front of me a particular bounty hunter of whom I have made an acquaintance, his baby blues holding the most worried expression I had ever seen... ok, amend that. Deja vu here; seems I've seen that look before....

It hit me then.

Terrin. Sorben.

Here.

Why are they here? What happened that they are here?

Them both.

Here.

My jaw would have dropped at the reality of them both together in the same room with me, but it simply hurt too much, suddenly hurting as feelings I really didn't want to face at the moment simultaneously rushed up to engulf me in a great and overwhelming flood.

I blinked sudden tears from my eyes, blinked again, confused, unsure of myself yet somehow so very, very certain of which feeling was beginning to take the upper hand.. and viciously slapped entirely away that whispering little voice which was suddenly informing me that little fuzzy place was yet waiting for me...

...for there, held in the arms of that young jedi padawannabe, was my little JhinDarra.

I gave out a sob through teeth which somehow did not feel quite right, and held out my arms to the ONE love of which I harbored absolutely no question or confusion or any associated pain.

None whatsoever.

He then gently handed Darra to Galen, and turned to go back to his position at Shayla's side...

Way to go and make a guy more suspicious, buster...

He sent into Shayla's mind, through the link they shared...

What the heck was Loban talking about?

Then she eased up both mentally and in stance, sending yet one more message along the pathways of her link with Graysith.

At that Shawn fell silent, scanning the room to see if anyone would respond to what he had just said, all the while noting what young Loban had just done, and reminding himself that the kid really could use some guidance in matters of public relations...

Glowering at them all, I uttered a snort of disgust. Then with the swiftness I have used to leave many a mark dead in many a system, I took myself to Galen's side, kneeling gently beside her. For a moment I remained quiet, searching her with my eyes, and inwardly heaving a huge sigh of relief.

I reached out a hand to touch her cheek yet more gently.

"C'mon, babes," I whispered softly. "Let's get you out of here and see to that jaw. You were in pretty deep, but I'll tell ya there's not a soul here who's happier than me to see you back...

"With the possible exception of our daughter," I finished, now rising up with her supported in my arms, my daughter cradled happily between us.

Do you have the heart to tell her that it was none other then yourself that told him how to get this body? your darker half yes, but you none the less... Can you tell her of your failure?

he sighed, a dark laugh rising up within his mind, as if to taunt him... Though he could not remember everything... He knew one thing for certain, and this was what made him stop dead in his tracks.

"he can not be destroyed... I am whole inside this body, yes, but... i am still dead... It is his life which allows me to be here...when it is removed... so to will i go."
Pushing his jaw forward in utter pride he stood tall "Should i lose control, i want you to kill me..." he turned slowly, looking deeply into graysiths eyes "I dont wish anything to happen to you... To any of you... A dark jedi i may be, but i am not heartless..."
Ow how i hope i am not heartless...

"Do not worry. You have already proven you are strong, or else, would that demon have chosen to inhabbit your body? and because you are strong, i can sense you will fight this to the end, you will not fail my friend..."

His eyes them gleamed with true respect as he spoke his next words "Your words show you indeed do have a heart... I know how it feels to be unsure of such things... But worry not, as long as you are with us, your heart shall thrive...and he will be contained..."

he then turned, continuing on there way... he was not sure what was happening, but he was ready to assist in anyway possible...

Her heart sang, buoyed by the approving and supportive love sent to her by Recinis, strengthened beyond anything understood by the cold realm of logic and the mind alone by the great wealth of understanding he lent to her as well. Now she approached Wicked, and laid a quiet hand on his arm, letting the other reach up to gently brush his lips.

"As long as I live I will love you, my Dark Heart; that I told you, I have always told you. All that I ever did I did for two purposes only: for the Sith, and for you. For Thee. With the strength I have sensed in you, have always sensed! -- with this strength and the love I bear, surely this evil thing will be kept beaten deeply within you. It is a foul thing, and one of much power; that much I know."

She paused with a little choke, her thoughts whirling immediately to her daughter. Then she got herself back under control and continued.

"It must not be allowed release, my dearest Dark Love; I trust in you and your strength. But I promise you this:

"I love you too much to allow his foulness to desecrate your body by rising to take control of it. Should that happen... I--

"I will slay you myself, and set your spirit free."

With that she turned quickly away from him, unable to let her thoughts travel in that particular direction any longer. In silence she simply continued walking through the quiet Phrinnchatkan streets, until at length they came up to the great stepped Temple of the city. The smile on her lips turned grim as she mounted those steps.

"My Lord, when we gain the interior, would you see to Shayla? She is so eager to please, to learn and to apply that knowledge... yet she does need once again a bit of reminding as to always look at the greater picture in all things. I was not pleased in how she ignored the hunter in his efforts to restore the mind of my sister... which at least now is restored, at least to a degree.

"Whether Galen trusts us still or has taken another step backward is something I shall have to assist with, I fear; she is with the hunter now, my love. Let her remain with whoever it is she wishes at this time.

"But Shayla needs some small lesson. I sensed from the hunter that he was fully aware of Galen having before fallen into the state she was in; he knew how to deal with it, and was deterred. That deterrence could have led to failure. Luckily, it did not.

"I would see to this, but I feel I need to bring My Dark-- that is, Darth Wicked before my Sire, that some type of plan might be discussed as to his role here in our growing population. As well as some other things."

She reached the top of the temple and the end of her directive at the same time, and there paused in silence to scrutinize her husband's glorious green eyes. She then smiled, and nodded once. Then before continuing on, she waited to hear what response he might have, or if her Dark Heart would choose to make one of his own as well.

Then, not even waiting for either Galen or the bounty hunter to reply, Shawn reached out, cupped Galen's chin, and in a matter of a few minutes was able to correct the injury to her jaw as well as heal the bruises on her face.

Seeing this was complete, he stepped out of the way and folded his hands in the sleeves of his robe, feeling that to say anything at this point would simply serve no good.

I appeased myself with a narrowing of my eyes, never letting my grip around Galen's shoulder's drop. But it loosened a touch when I realized that somebody other than myself was finally -- finally! -- trying to see to Galen's welfare. So I simply held her upright, letting him tend to her, and gradually felt some of the tenseness leave her body as his healing touch began alleviating the worst of the pain I had to give her.

I winced again as that thought struck home.

Galen babes, I sure hope you forgive me. You were in deeper than you were before....

Then I drew in a deep breath, forcing that thought aside. I had a feeling I'd have the chance to talk to her about this later; right now though, a more pressing issue reared its head.

Gently I turned Galen away from the jedi and took her other shoulder, letting my helmet and gauntlet drop to the floor with a little thud. I squeezed her shoulders, kneading them gently, staring into her face which at last lifted from our daughter to stare back at me.

I'd seen many a look in her eyes before, but never before had those eyes appeared as huge to me. My jaw worked a bit, then I spoke quietly to her.

"Is there somewhere I can take you, babes?" I asked her now. I mean, I might not particularly like this group of people who shared with me the suddenly too-small confines of this room, but I did realize that they were probably who she had been staying with. Hell's Seven Circles, her husband was laying on the bed over there, out like a light.

She had to have a home here or a room or somewhere I could take her while I figured out a way to get us out of this mess.

If there is an "us," Hunter! a little voice spoke mockingly inside me. You've finally admitted how you feel, but you haven't a clue as to what she's thinking, do you? So take 'er outta hyperdrive, hotshot, and give the lady some room....

My lips pursed into a grim line at that thought, but it didn't change my manner in the slightest. I just stood there, holding her shoulders, waiting for her to answer.

And while I was waiting, another thought hit home.

Might as well take advantage of the situation. Fates know you might not get the opportunity again....

Slowly I leaned forward, pressing my lips into the red silkiness of our daughter's hair, pausing there a moment to simply breathe in the sweet essence of our little girl. Then I drew back, staring once more into Galen's face, and waited to hear where she wanted to go.

...SLEEP?!

Now, there was something not quite right about this, but things were just now really beginning to come into focus for Terrin Danner again, so he took a few moments to assess.

Lessee...what had he been doing exactly? Ah yes. Getting Galen and little JhinDarra to safety when...

...that little brat of Graysith's came in and snatched Darra. Seems you vaguely remember snapping into things long enough to find out that Graysith had somehow retrieved Darra...

...so what's not exactly right about this picture again?

If he'd been awake enough to frown at this point, Terrin would have. He scanned through the good ole' short term memory to see what he could pull up, now that it seemed to be functioning properly. And that's when the "something wrong" with this whole situation slammed into him.

You were worried that ShaRhylla had grabbed Galen too, weren't you buddy? But she wasn't taken, was she?

No, no...not taken. But rather in shock, most certainly over what had happened with Darra. In horrible, terrible shock. You came out here to try to console her...

So what happened between then and now, that you seem to be lying somewhere without...

The missing puzzle piece fell into place. Terrin's eyes snapped open to a much clearer room as terror jolted him, and his eyes fell directly on the form of Shayla Petrolu first. Maybe it was just the bump on the head, but Terrin was suddenly feeling very suspicious and very worried.

"Why am I laying here, when my wife is in trouble? Why the HELL was I moved from her side, when she needs me?!" he seethed at Shayla, though the words might have been truly aimed at himself more than he realized. And while the words were somewhat quiet, Terrin was certain he could be heard.

He sat up on his elbows and was just about to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, whether they wanted to go there or not, when he continued with, "Where is..."

Then he simply froze where he was as his blue eyes landed on the pair, baby in tow no less, standing near the doorway. One final word rose achingly from his throat.

"...Galen..."

Quickly he came to the place where it seemed everyone was...

As he came to the door he stopped before galan and Sorben, his eyes locked upon sorben, studying him for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Greetings... I trust your wounds have been treated?"

he spoke seriously to the man, features straight, standing tall. He did not know the man, but he did hold a respect for him beyond what normal men were able to hold in the dark lords eyes.

Oh sheesh, he's come out from hiding beneath his helmet--!

--I took a little step backward. He didn't try to hinder me in any way, but let his arms fall to his sides without saying a single word. I worked my jaw a little bit more, trying to come up with something to fill the gaping void I suddenly found myself surrounded with, but nothing would come out at the moment. My chest constricting, I just stared at him, then turned and stared at Terrin, who I noticed propped up on one elbow, his head bandaged.

My chest constricted further. I then turned to look into Shawn's calm countenance.

"Is he--?" I asked, grinding to a halt, a veritable boulder filling my torso. All I could do was nod toward Terrin, then stare mutely into Shawn's eyes again.

A fraction of the boulder within me chipped off when I read the verdict in Shawn's returning look. Terrin was going to be okay... physically, that is. I was just about to say something when Lord Recinis strode into the room, and looked Sorben straight in the eye.

Something seemed to pass between them... then he went over to Shayla and started speaking to her.

I let out my breath in a sigh. That was my cue.

"I-- I have some rooms I've been staying in, Sorben," I began, shifting Darra's slight weight in my arms. "Thank you; ummm... maybe you'd better ask Lord Recinis where you can stay as well. I know there's a place here for you..."

I didn't bother to tell him that now that he was here, he was possibly going to be here for a long time. I just smiled a little shakily at him, gulping a bit when he turned his gaze from the Sith Dark Lord and arrowed it, full intensity, into my own.

I then walked over to where Terrin lay, reached down with one hand, and squeezed his arm.

Shayla was off for training as a sith...

This woke something up within Lo-Ban... he is a padawan, or at least was... perhaps he hadn't given Shawn a chance, or even the respect a Jedi Knight deserves...

I will learn all I can from him...

He gave Shawn a look across the room, and approached him...

One thing was for damn sure. This issue was gonna be resolved, if he had to resolve it himself. That little witch better have been permanantly removed from Prinn'chatka after flitting off with Darra like that...

Terrin made a mental note to himself to see to these matters very shortly, just as soon as he got just a little bit of rest.

"Just be certain that you know some of the things you will learn from me may stray from the typical training of a Jedi Knight. After all, we are right in the middle of the Sith capital. That's bound to change our outlook on some things, whether it has happened now or will in the future.

"In the meantime we shall indeed see where the road here leads you, my friend. And I would be more than happy to assist you as you travel."

He paused at that, pursing his lips. Then he turned to Loban once more. "Tell me, you were in the Temple when all this occurred with Terrin, Galen, and JhinDarra. So what exactly did happen?"

Shawn waited quietly to hear Loban's reply, his demeanor utter calm but a concern raising its finger for attention nevertheless.

By the Sith. The very words were enough to send a chunk of ice skating up and down my back. But then again, considering how I had first met Galen, it really wasn't that strange after all, I suppose. Well, casting aside for a moment that they really were a race who had died in the distant past, as legend had it, with members now walking the face of the galaxy.

Then on the other hand, that could happen. It's a pretty big universe....

I shook the thoughts from my head, going to an ornately apportioned bed and gingerly touching it with my finger. That hand then raised to finger the silken canopy which hung over it, then moved to run up and down the richly glowing wood which comprised its frame. That wood was a deep burnished copper, alive with glowing golden highlights, and carved into intricately detailed scenes of ancient battles, weird runes running alongside in mute commentary.

I blinked, lowering my hand to my side.

The Sith.

Then I quickly strode to a nearby sideboard, upon which I laid my helmet and gauntlets. After a little consideration, I quickly stripped myself of the remainder of my armor, and laid it carefully alongside. After all, Galen seemed to be living freely here, and seemed to trust them. I trusted that gal fully....

Then I remembered some of our adventures we'd had together, and quickly donned my gear again.

Babes, I trust you with all my heart. But you have been known to have slightly misjudged things in the past....

Until I was fully comfortable with the situation and the peeps living here, wherever the hell "here" was, it would be nothing but folly to let my armor and myself part ways. Nodding in satisfaction, I then strode out to find the room in which the Sith--

SITH.

--had told me I might find something to eat and drink. It wasn't long before I gained entrance into a large and comfortable room, a food-laden sideboard up against a far wall, an opulent stone fireplace filled with the crackling blaze of a roaring fire. Other than many couches and chairs scattered artfully about, it was empty.

I strode to the sideboard, grabbed myself a plate, found what appeared to be some kind of wine or brandy of indeterminate vintage...

Sorben, if it's what you think, it has to be the most aged wine in the universe. If things go well, you gotta get a bottle of this stuff for Quee; maybe he'll lay off about that 9700 credits....

Food and drink in my hands, I went to stand near the fire, only removing my helmet that I might eat, keeping my eyes peeled all the while on the door which seemed to be the only entrance to this room...

...and began quietly mulling over the quite startling events which had recently occurred to me, thanks to the unexpected reintroduction of Galen Jhin'Dar Danner into my life.

Jasyn shot a look over to Matt. "I think now is a nice time for a drink," he observed, cocking a brow. "Want to join me?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Jasyn, anytime is a good time for a drink with you. And I think I'll pass for now."

Nodding in understanding, Jasyn headed out of the room and back to the Dining Hall, not too surprised to find the bounty hunter there eating as well, fully clad in his armor aside from his helmet as he stood before the fire, his eye keenly trained on the entrance. Jasyn headed over to the sidebar and, not bothering with the wine goblets, simply grabbed a bottle of the brandy, strode over to a rather plush couch and sat, propping up his feet. He uncorked the bottle and took a good swig, sighing in contentment. "Gotta give the Sith credit for something. They've got the best damn brandy this side of Kessel..."

He grinned at that, taking yet another sip, all the while looking extremely forward to taking a momentary vacation from all the strange events that he'd recently observed.

He paused briefly, perhaps he did know why...

Slowly he strode down into the training area, looking about, searchign for greater detail, before suddenly he stoped and turned to shayla. "You have learned many things, your life has been given opertunities that many could not even dream of... But that learning is not over... Not untill you find a complete and undieing harmony with the will of the universe..."

Turning again away from her he took a deep breath before speaking again "Sit down... Before the knowledge i have to give you may be passed... You must first be taught how to learn that knowledge... You will learn a meditation techneque... One created by sith sorcerers in order to better find hormony with the magicks sith possessed... It is for this reason that they have such a great command of those elements..."

He turned about again, facing her. "You must allow your mind to focuse upon something. in this excersise, you will learn to flex your mind... within your mind, see a single droplet of water... Watch as it falls, watchs as it goes becomes closer and closer to the glassy waters of a crystline lake... But that droplet must never touch the other waters, it must continue to fall forever within your mind, becoming closer and closer to the water... First thought you might have in this excersise, is to make the lake move away, or for the droplet to fall more slowly... Neither is correct." with that he turned and went of to sit down, watching silently...

Then what exactly had happened to the kid, that he was all dirty and there was blood on his face?

Shawn frowned at that.

"By all means, take care of your needs, but do not stray for long for you might be needed. And regarding the reasons Terrin was hit and not you--I believe that was a cruel strategical move of sorts, though it might have just been the fact that ShaRhylla was focused on the immediate scene in the room, and not on anything other than that."

He quieted at that, pursing his lips as his former question persisted to point out the fact that Loban still hadn't told him something. "Before you go, what happened to you if ShaRhylla didn't attack you here?"

An answer of sorts came to Shayla's mind, but she was unsure of its accuracy.

If the droplet of water never moves more slowly, and the lake never moves away, then perhaps both the droplet and the lake move together...

"I apologize for my early... beliefs... I would greatly appreciate guidence, Jedi Master..." Loban was saying.

Thea held her breath, could Master Petrolu train them both? Would it be allowed? Or were the rules thrown out due to circumstance. Thea froze in the doorway waiting with baited breath for the Jedi's response.

"I believe some guidance can be arranged..." he answered.

Now Thea was a bit concerned, they hadn't forgotten her had they? She didn't think so but she wanted to be sure. She started forward to ask the Jedi when the two began thier serious conversation on the events of the day. She held back hovering just behind the Jedi, not moving, silently waiting to speak. She was just ready to go forward as Shawn dismissed Loban when the Jedi spoke again.

"Before you go, what happened to you if ShaRhylla didn't attack you here?"

...then she paid no more heed to the water below, but rather where the droplet was moving. As she continued to watch it, the droplet took a life of its very own, continually moving, never stopping, yet moving so that it never made contact with the other water, but never ever ceasing to move and always avoiding...

...while the lake all the while remained standing still.

Then he frowned the smallest bit, sensing Thea's discomfiture with the situation and her surroundings. "Perhaps it would serve you well spend more time with the people here. I sense you are afraid of some things because they appear frightening--remember that you must not judge a book by its cover."

He held a serious gaze with her for a moment then, standing, looked once more to Loban. "What caused your injuries?" he prompted, waiting quietly once more.

I've seen alot of weird things in this galaxy lately, but that ranks somewhere in the top five. I watch and assess everything; man, your muscles were buldging. It was like you were a different person or something."

...and they had gotten rid of the thing. So what was this all about? The Sith sorceror had given him a lightsaber when he'd sent him off to search for Freedon Naad...

Shawn held out his hand. "Loban, let me have your lightsaber before you go..."

One cannot cross space without passing through time; nor can one pass through time without moving from one space into another.

Now, the water droplet cannot move through space without taking up time, and vise versa. But if it is moving in your mind, Shayla Stargazer Petrolu, is it moving through space or time? No, for memories do not move. They just are. Whatever is inside you that you are focusing upon simpy is what it is and nothing more...

He became serious once more, placing a pebble before her, which he had picked up from the floor "consider this adept... It is you. Find its significance... all that this pebble is, is all that you are in the universe..."

Indeed, how is it possible to consider the worth of a pebble...to consider the worth of a oneself...when one considers nothing more oneself? Truly, this is not possible, for one has to look at the Big Picture of things in order to judge significance at all. And while one might consider themselves small as a pebble, even a pebble when thrown into lake creates ripples that in turn stir the water. Significance is determined by one's impact on the lives of others, and this in turn is only determined in relationship to what has passed, what is happening, and what is yet to come. Significance is determined...

Shawn had a really funny feeling about that lightsaber.

And all the while he made mental note that it would also be a good idea for Thea to have a more feminine figure in her life as well...and perhaps even a family. Shawn had a good idea who to go to with this particular issue, when the time was right...

Through the corridors, he was at the room he had chosen earlier...

Forcing down that dark element within her, she rose gracefully to her feet, and stood before Aelvedaar, clasping her hands quietly in front of her.

"My Lord," she began simply. "I bring you the one in whose hands you had foreseen my destiny. Yet within this one is a darker entity, momentarily held in abeyance. But then, this of course is already known to you."

She paused, reading a silent affirmation in his molten eyes, one which now urged her to continue. Certainly she had not brought this one to him merely to be formally introduced; indeed in that the sorcerer was quite correct. Graysith took a breath then continued, ignoring the way that Lord Aelvedaar was now turning to send his gaze into Wicked's eyes again as if to ask why he was here before him in Phrinnchatka to begin with.

"My Lord, it is of great concern that the shield has been breached, as the one within him has gained entry into Phrinnchatka; I do not refer to his standing here at this moment. I refer to earlier, when this one strode here in guise of Darth Wicked, and left to follow my daughter, who is now his minion. Now are both confined within the protection of the shield; the girl yet remains beneath my subjugation within the dark place where they lay in hiding, and the entity beneath the strength of the One I have always called Dark Heart to me.

"But one Child is lost, my Lord. We dare not risk another. Until this entity is defeated for good, and somehow it and my daughter are removed to beyond the influence of the shield again, I do not feel the daughter of my sister is safe here in Phrinnchatka any longer."

Now she cut herself off, raising a hand to stop the words she sensed forming within the mind of the great Sith sorcerer. She pursed her lips, her soft smile turning at first rueful, then grim.

"I know what it is you are going to ask, My Sire: why have I brought this one here before you to speak of such matters?"

She now stepped a bit to the side, turning so that she half faced the Sith Lord, and half faced the handsome darth.

"Why," she finished smoothly. "To keep an eye on him, of course."

Another time in this same place, not so long ago, when he had dreaded as much occurring and had been confronted for this concern. He should have known better than to have allowed them to sway his thoughts. He should have known better than to trust...

Something inside of Terrin at that moment, which had been somewhat muted til now, finally just snapped. He was so tired of letting Galen down. He was so angry with himself for trusting everyone else to do what he should have been doing. And the buck was gonna stop here. Darra had been snatched once; he wasn’t about to buy into the Sith saying that it just wouldn’t happen again, and he didn’t want to hear about how safe they would be any longer.

Terrin’s eyes flew open with a start, and he sat bolt upright in the bed, rather alert considering how he’d been feeling earlier. The room was empty aside from Shawn Petrolu, Matt Stanza, and some little girl...

Terrin’s eyes froze as he looked at her, auburn hair and big blue eyes...

No. No kriffing WAY...

He jerked his eyes up into Shawn’s curious greeny-blue pair. “Where are Galen and Darra?”

“They went back to their own suites...” Shawn started.

Terrin just glared. “Did somebody miss the part where, the last time they were off on their own, Graysith’s kid popped out of nowhere and grabbed the baby? Cause I sure as Hell remember it...”

Shawn stepped in a bit closer, and reached out a hand to lay on Terrin’s shoulder. “They’ll be fine. You need to calm down.”

Terrin jerked away and stood, his eyes almost wild and unseeing for the sudden flood of distrust and concern in them. ”Don’t touch me,” he growled. “I want to speak with Lord Aelvedaar or Graysith, and I mean now. Can you take me to them, or are you going continue to lecture me on what I should be doing right now?”

Shawn sighed, raising his hands in surrender. “Allright, allright,” he answered, taking Thea’s hand. “Follow me.”

...along with a third entity...

...he sent a message along the link he shared with Lord Aelvedaar.

I apologize for the interruption, but it seems Captain Danner is having some...concerns after what happened with ShaRhylla and JhinDarra. I sense something not quite the norm regarding his thought processes; although I've corrected the physical injuries he sustained I believe there may be some mental ones that have something more to do with simply the injury itself, but rather the incidents preceeding it...

...Captain Danner wishes to speak with either you our Graysith, and I am uncertain as to what precisely he is thinking...

Or at least a clean one...

He quickly sensed Shawn was not in the room he had left him, and found his whereabouts in no time at all...

He exited through another door way, leaving shayla to her thoughts...

She has what she needs to know... But she does not apply that knowledge to what needs to be done... if i live for all eternity... I truly will never understand the human mind...

he found himself in a small room with many weapons, unconciously he took up a small sword within its sheath.

He now returned to shayla, tossing the weapon to her dully. "tell me, Adept, this sword is a weapon that can be used for great deeds...but what good is it if it is leaft within its sheath?"

She was NOT stupid.

Then, reality dawned on her concerning the lesson which she was learning. Blinking yet once more, she answered Lord Recinis directly, returning the unsheathed sword to the Dark Lord in a horizontal position. "Indeed, it is worth nothing. As is all the knowledge I have been failing to use here." She tilted her head slightly for a moment, then returned her gaze directly into his. "The bounty hunter knew what to do to help Galen; I failed to consider his past knowledge, but rather assumed that I knew something which I could not. He had past experience, and I took it for granted.

And in doing so, I could have very well made a fatal mistake."

At this she knelt to one knee, her right hand upon her heart as she lowered her head to face the floor in a sign of the utmost humility, her dark blonde hair cascading over her face. She looked up at him for a moment more, speaking quietly. "I shall take whatever punishment you feel befits my error."

Again she let her eyes drop to the floor, waiting...

With a quick hand he guided her to a standing possition, taking the sword he had tossed at her, he strapped it about her. "where this blade as a reminder... You are an Adept! never forget what it is you are adept at! use your skills as best you can to help, whenever you have the chance to use them... But also remember that your actions mean nothing, if not benificial to the will of the universe..."

With that he turned "now... Be off, think of what you have discovered anew within yourself... Try and enjoy yourself, for there may be a time soon at hand where you might need to sacrfice for the universe..."

I then turn once again to Graysith.

"Indeed you are correct in your concerns, My Lady," I speak, addressing her with her true entitlement. "Come, let us go from here, and meet with the others that we might come up with a means to not only keep your sister and your niece protected... but you as well."

I pause with that, letting my eyes drop quickly to her stomach before they turn back again into the stoically silent darth. He merely returns my gaze with a flash of... something which I cannot quite determine at this time.

I nod, turn, and lead the two of them from my sanctum, out into the empty corridor without, and through the twists and turns existing within this great Temple until at length we enter into that Dining Hall all were wont to use as a central gathering place.

I waste no time in preamble.

"It is obvious this city is not as secure as once it was," I begin immediately, then pause. My Brother is not yet among us here; I quickly send a summons out into his mind through the all, supressing a small smile when I read the emotions currently raging within him. Perhaps one day I may sit with him, and discuss the techniques I have developed in teaching my Chosen One....

I make a motion to the couches and setees scattered about, that all might take a seat and make themselves comfortable. The other hand waves toward the sideboard, from which I see the bounty hunter has already partaken of.

"As soon as Lord Recinis and the adept arrive, we may continue. In the meantime, refresh yourselves."

Turning a complete 180 he exited through another door, taking shayla up in his wake as he passed her, moving swiftly to meet with the others, his pressence seeming much larger then it should, as was befiting a dark lord... He had allowed that aura to fail him durring his final words with shayla... and now it was restored in full.

He entered the room, and cast his glance about the room in a quick manor, taking in every detail, before taking his place at the table, smiling briefly to jharmeen before again letting his gaze sweep the room silently... Finaly satisfied he nodded to himself and spoke "What plans are to be made?"

"It doesn't matter anyway," she thought, "Master Petrolu will take care of all of us."

I bristled instinctively, then forced my hackles to lower. Then I set down the drink I had been nursing--

Indeed, I need to get a bottle or two of this stuff. Quee would love it; chance are he'd not only pardon my debt, he'd pay me an additional 9700 credits....

--and sidled carefully closer to the knot which was congregating on the other side of the room. I couldn't help but frown when I heard the words the tall horned being had said, and when he suddenly moved aside to reveal that red-haired witch of a sister of Galen's, and who was standing there with her....

I was in a defensive crouch, my blaster aimed directly at Wicked's head before I even knew what I was doing.

Indeed this city didn't appear safe at all, and I for one was going to do my utmost to get myself and maybe a couple others out....

"You have no need for that here..." he said, before finaly turning his gaze upon the bounty hunter "if anyone goes astray here, i assure you i will be quick to rectify any threat..." his eyes then narrowed "and i do mean any... That does not exclude yourself... All here are welcomed guests... again, including yourself... And none shall be harmed, unless they so show an offesnive gesture" his eyes narrowed further for a moment, before he stood, walking over to the side bar, he filled two small plates, and two glasses, and brought them back to the table, offering one set to Jharmeen, before sipping his own glass lightly for a moment, before returnign to the problems at hand. "Mr. Tarnus... if you wish to create safty... Then join us and help us devise such means, but do not ruin the safty of others with paranoiya..." turning again to the others, he nodded to himself. "do any here have idea's, as to how we might better our possition of saftey? any thoughts for a new course of action? where shall we go from here?"

He then heard Recinis' inquiry...

This place is getting to be most unsafe, to say the least...

"What if we were to return to the temple on Khar Delba..." He then quieted, and waited for input from the others...

"Ummm...boss?"

Terrin turned and looked at him, his own blue eyes previously affixed in curiosity at the unfolding scene between Sorben Tarnus and the newcomer.

"You know I hate it when you start out like that," he said pointedly. "What is it?"

Jasyn then quietly related that the newcomer was none other than someone who had been accompanying ShaRhylla when she had last been here...and had taken Darra...someone who claimed to be Darth Wicked.

Terrin's eyes blackened as he turned to again regard the unfolding scene, his hand unconsciously straying to his blaster hilt even though he heard Lord Recinis's words.

...what the kriffing hell was he DOING here...?

"have you not been paying attention, Mr. Danner... I have already stated, that ANY threats will be rectified by myself, as soon as they come about... I have further stated that EVERYONE here is a guest... And should be treated as such... and now, i state this, so all might here, if ANYONE at all has a dissagreement with these things, you may take them up with me personaly, AFTER we have discussed our next plan of operation... is that perfectly CLEAR?" His glance swept accross the room in a fiery wave before he spoke again, this time more calmly, his eyes again glassy pools of impossible to read emotions. "Now, does anyone have anything... Productive, to add to the fray?"

After eye-balling the crowd, assessing undercurrents strong enough to drown in and coming up with what I hoped was a reasonable answer as to why everyone was here in a Sith city, for nerf's sake, arguing as to why the only gal in the universe I ever cared about wasn't safe!-- I loosened my stance and finally lowered my blaster. Funny; I shot my eyes around a second time, only to find the same answer.

Seems that the one whose safety they were all so concerned for wasn't anywhere here; knowing Galen like I did, I knew she'd be hopping mad to be bandied about in this manner, and not around to speak on her own behalf. However, something told me there wasn't time to go find her; chances were that the way that Sith fella -- Sith?!? -- had gotten his feathers all in so much of a ruffle over my instinctive reaction to Wicked -- WICKED?!? -- he wouldn't let me step foot out of here to go get her.

So I just holstered my blaster, my eyes never leaving Wicked's form, and finally tossed in my two cent's worth.

"You know," I said, trying to sound casual. "If it's Galen's safety you're after, not to mention the safety of my daughter as well, I can think of no better place for them to be than with me in Coruscant."

his eyes strayed again to look upon sorben "Indeed, you have shown you will do anything to protect her... She would be safe with you, i am assured... But, of last accounts, corruscant was blockaded by admiral actar...who has been after galen for some time..."

He let the thought turn about his head for a moment, as he felt somethign rise up from the hunter, and recognized it he spoke again "perhaps it would be best if she were her to input her own wishes... Mr. Tarnus, would you mind finding her, or do you wish to remain here and see what else has to be said? it is intirely up to you..."

With that he turned to loban, and shook his head "Khar delba has been breached many more a time then would be enjoyed... The shield here has only truly been penatraited once, and as a resault we were breached the second time, but both accounts were of the same problem... we remain with more saftey here, then we do upon Khar delba... Though perhaps it is worth lookign into..." with that he fell silent, and gazed about the room, waiting to see if any other had anything to add...

Deep within the back of his mind though, a small idea was peeping its eyes through a small keyhole in his concious.

You know how to increase saftey... dont you? fire with fire... Blade against blade, that is the best solution... And you know how to forge a blade strong enough to fight back... its right beside you, recinis...

He paused, then thought of something he hadn't before...

We are under a shield... on the surface... why not place a shield on the surface of Khar Delba... as a second line of defense...

I bet this guy and me and a bottle of Quee's finest could put back a couple warrior tales between the two of us, couldn't we?

"You're right about the blockade, er.. Sir," I said politely, not really knowing how to address him. "But I, ahh... well, I happen to be in the employ of Actar. Yes he's been after Galen for some time... but from what he has said the last time we met... well, you can be assured his position toward her has changed dramatically.

"And currently, I don't know anyone more powerful in the entire galaxy than him. Erm... present company excepted, of course."

With that I actually bowed my head to Recinis.

But you have a solution!

That little thought cracked the door of his concious a bit to peep in and explore his idea's, growing stronger with each passing second.

He then turned to terrin for a moment, and nodded his head, though whether in agreement, or simple acnowledgment, even he was not sure...Recinis... The blade must be forged... roan was not afraid to create the weapon... You must not fail to create its counter... A great price it is to pay... but it must be done...

recinis sighed and stood his gaze addressing all... "I have come to believe, that perhaps a new form of defense must be forged... Roan has created a weapon of great power...a weapon that has been corrupted... I fear we must do the same, though we must purify our own defenses, rather then allow them to be blackened as roan has... Dispite what that we may wish to not follow his footsteps... Of yet we have one pure child of great potential, and another is in the making..." with that he sent a slight glance to graysith "Though it truly pains me to suggest it... We must advance them in age... so they might stand against roan... Our forces of yet, lack the strength needed to truly stand against him...and he is a threat that must not remain... There is much to discuss on these issues... SO now, let us have open though about this... Untill the other parrants of one of the child arrive..." with that he glanced at terrin "Worry not, your daughter will not be harmed...i truly do hope a better answer presents itself..."

He sighed then, and sat, placing a hand gently on jharmeens leg, looking deeply into her eyes... He felt intirely to helpless right now... But he knew this was the only way...

"These are children we are talking about, and not weapons," he growled. "I understand their importance, but I cannot agree with you that manipulating their ages to use them to fight against Roan is a good idea, nor is it even humane. It's a matter of not only physical age, but experience. So, to genetically manipulate Darra's age...

...absolutely not," he said.

Then he simply remained standing, unwilling to give in to this suggestion, refusing to believe they couldn't do this without so drastic a measure.

"You act as though i am heartless... As if i ask you to sacrifice so much for this task... Look beyond your own needs, for once... You wish for galens saftey, i have heard it many a time from your lips... Then act upon it... You are acting more for yourself then anything galen could need... You are being forced to sacrifice so much? What of myself? do you believe i truly would go through with this, if i saw even the smallest of other means? I have not yet even been given a chance to look upon my child... Not once have i held the child which shall be born... This is a sacrifice far beyond the simple one you would make... You have at least seen your daughter... My dear jharmeen... Has yet to even begin to know the wonders of truly being a mother... twice already she has been stripped of the chance... Yet there is no other way... I sacrifice more then you will ever know... yet you speak to me as if i do not care... Can you not see... This is the only way... Find me another path, and gladly will i follow, untill then, Speak not to me of heartlessness... SPeak not to me of sacrifice..."

The first child had been lost while yet early in her pregnancy, ripped cruelly from her by the unintending claws of her tuk'ata. The second had been likewise spirited from her body by Roan's use of Sith magicks. And now, if they were to follow through with this idea, yet again would she be cheated from feeling the magick of a growing child's first kicks within her....

Sensing his feelings, she nodded her head in loving response to her Lord's suggestion, knowing in her heart of hearts that he was right, whispering private assurances into his ear. And when she lifted her head, it was to the uncanny sensation that she was being watched.

She turned her head then, to find Darth Wicked's penetrating turquoise eyes staring directly through her, and another pang rushed through her.

It had been his child, The One, that had been torn from her, an act which now seemed to become an endless Mobius loop she was now destined to yet tread upon once again.

She shivered more strongly, then managed to quiet, leaning her head once more against Recinis's broad shoulder for support. Then she rolled her head to look at the young Loban.

"Your suggestion has merit, young one," she whispered softly. "However I really do not think we could all last long emotionally huddled beneath two shields. It is bad enough that we linger as long as we do beneath the one; I even wonder if it should be dropped that the healing rays of the sun should finally be let into Phrinnchatka after so lengthy a time."

She turned her head back to gaze up at Recinis once again.

"Perhaps that would draw Roan to us, and we could then destroy him. But... we assume too much.

"Ankrist Roan is crafty. We cannot dare assume that because he has acted one way in the past, that he would continue to do so. He has done what he has done with my daughter for a purpose of his own making; he knows as well as do we the necessity of having at least two strong---"

Her voice choked off to a strangled whisper, her eyes widening suddenly. Bolting upright then, she whirled to grasp Recinis's arms with both her hands, her eyes searching earnestly into his.

"He is planning something, my dear love," she sent along their private link. "Somehow, I can sense this...."

With that she fell silent, wrapping herself in her husband's arms, trying to still the sudden frissons of ice which were beginning to skate up and down her back.

He folded his arms against his chest, scowling. "For ultimately it's up to her. Galen's safety is important, but so is her happiness. You would dare use Darra as a weapon and think that she would approve?! I want you to ask her yourself, Sir."

He quieted at that, waiting to see what the Warrior would do.

he then fell silent... putting his temper in check once more... He could not afford to lose controll....

He wrapped his arms tighter about jharmeen, holding on to her dearly... He could sense that she was losing herself to something... Perhaps another bit of what roan has done to her.... He almost growled at the thought...

...to reveal a pair of almost glowing turquoise eyes, huge, towering almost godlike there within her, the rest of her own inner quietude shrinking and shrivelling before them, as though they were close to her, close to her's, bearing down in something approximating a memory coming from somewhere inside her she did not even know existed....

Somewhere, there came a wild and primal scream. Whether it was the howling of the Beast, or that of her own lips, she did not even know herself.

...and another, and another, only then coming to a halt. Something inside of him...which had been triggered by recent events...was waving its hand for attention once again, no matter how much he tried to stop it on a logical level.

Trouble in Prinn'chatka...AGAIN...?

Who knew. But things were looking worse and worse all the time.

I fought off the urge to sweep her up into my arms, and simply told her what was going on at the meeting I had left, and that I thought she ought to be witness to it since after all it did pertain quite a bit to her and the baby. She didn't say much, but simply nodded and stepped out of the door to join me. We both then returned to the dining area...

...just in time to hear all Hell start to break loose inside.

I froze, whipping my helmet on quicker n' a dianoga strikes in an Impy garbage chute. My blaster flew into my hand of its own accord as, motioning Galen to stay back, I inched up to the door and carefully peered inside.

Her sister was sitting with the shorter Sith, yelling her lungs out, and the look in her eye was not quite what I would call sane.

OK, now that really was enough. I whirled, holstering my blaster and taking Galen by her arms.

"Look, this place isn't safe for you, babes," I began cautiously, peering intently into her big browns.

As if it ever really had been! I wanted to add on the heels of that, but refrained. No need to try to color her thought processes; let her own sister's wild behavior serve to underpoint the words I had spoken, and was about to continue with. My grip tightened on her arms, the look I gave her growing even more serious.

"Look, Galen, let me take you back with me to Coruscant," I began, bracing for what I knew would come. Indeed it did; she started shaking her head, protesting, holding Darra more closely but quieted when I gave her the tiniest of shakes to get her attention.

"Babes, please listen to me," I came as near to begging anyone for anything right then and there as I have never done before. "Look, I know how it must seem; babes you have to trust me. About Actar... well, I'm his top gun, Galen; you don't realize what he wanted you for, it's not what you're thinking; babes, you have got to trust me here.

"He's not going to hurt you; he never had the intention of doing that, ever. And he's got POWER, babes; I can't think of any other place you and our little girl would be safer than in Coruscant under his protection."

I paused, taking in a breath while considering what I had told her. I knew it sounded weak and pitiful and she had no cause to believe me... all I could do was trust that she still trusted me as much as she used to. With that final thought in mind, I decided to go for broke.

I whipped my helmet from my head.

"Babes, please believe me. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you; I know it might look that way but you have got to believe me: I would never hurt you, and I'd die keeping harm from coming to you.

...and immediately was slammed with an image of turquoise eyes, bearing down on her. She gasped, her heart flying into a panic, while she was unsure of just what exactly was causing this. She didn't know what to do, so she did the only thing she could think of at that very moment.

She reached out and touched Graysith through the link that they shared together.

I blinked, considering his words. Fighting down the rising emotions which threatened to block what logic had to say about all this...

To hell with logic.

I gripped Darra tighter, blinking through tears which threatened to water my vision.

"Khaandon help me, but I still love you too, Sorben," I whispered, aching for having to say this, aching for Terrin, aching that I had left Sorben to begin with and thus had to meet Terrin, to then finally lead him into this ungodly triangle.

I didn't know what to do. But then again, maybe I did.

Getting a grip on myself, I sniffed. Before I could change my mind, I nodded.

"Take me out of here, Sorben, if they'll let you."

After all, didn't Actar at first save me from that raven-haired witch? Didn't he first give me opulent quarters, saw to my every need?

I shivered a little at the thought. Thought further, about who was in the room just beyond those doors, who was screaming, and probably why...

"Just take me back to where there are people, Sorben. Take me back to life; I am really getting so tired of anything having to do with the Sith...."

Something tells me that ain't gonna work, pal...

Still gripping his blaster, Terrin's blue eyes darted suspiciously from the scene with Graysith to some of the others who were sitting around looking more than just concerned, then over to Wicked. He then glanced down at his men who were, surprisingly enough, looking a little oddly at him.

Terrin frowned. If you'd been standing there when that hell-spawned teenager popped up and grabbed Darra, after suspecting she would do something of that nature without anyone listening to you, then perhaps you'd be a little more shifty now that everyone is not listening to you and all Hell is breaking lose AGAIN.

Terrin began inching back a few more steps when, out of the corner of his eye, Sorben Tarnus and Galen appeared in the room, the former's arms about his wife...

...his wife...

...and the later's arms around little Darra.

Oh Hell, Darra...

As the screaming persisted, Terrin actually backed up a few more steps, waiting til he was close enough to Sorben and Galen so that he sincerely hoped no one would hear him but them; maybe the pell-mell would help him out. Terrin turned his blues into Galen's big brown eyes, trying to deny the look that he was seeing in them.

Besides, at the moment, there was something MUCH more important he had to get out.

The look in his own eyes dead serious and the tone in his voice urgent, he whispered, "The Sith want to manipulate Darra's age as was done with ShaRhylla so they can use her as a weapon to go against Roan." He paused at that a moment, pursing his lips and wondering if he just might be digging his own grave.

Then so be it.

He was bound to the Sith; he'd promised to help them in return for Galen and Darra's safety, and he still had absolutely no qualms in helping them out against Roan. But admittedly using Darra as a weapon was pushing things too far. While she wouldn't be physically harmed through genetic manipulation, there wasn't any chance in Hell Terrin was gonna go along with this unless he was a dead man. There simply had to be another way to beat Roan that they hadn't considered fully yet, even if it meant waiting til the children grew up naturally; in Terrin's opinion this was the only real way they would have the knowledge base and experience in life to fullfill their said "destinies".

He then continued with his line of thought, actually meeting Sorben Tarnus's blue eyes with his own. "You've gotta get Galen and Darra out of here but, so help me, you've gotta keep them away from Admiral Actar too; I'd trust a rancor before I trusted him. Regardless you've just gotta get them out of here. I'll..."

He hesitated, then went on. "...I'll deal with the Sith."

I nodded toward him, my grip tightening around Galen, who still hadn't peeped a word. Then after a quick look around, I guided her to the Sith who was trying to calm her screaming sister. I came to a stop in front of him, and nodded once to him, a bit tersely. Then I spoke up, my words not nearly as succinct.

"We are not Sith," I whispered in a soft tone, yet one which cut directly through Graysith's screams and arrowed into his ears. "I don't know what all this is about these babies and whatnot, but I do know this. We are not Sith, and we are not meant to live like this. Galen and her child need people, they need human contact, more than the little group you have assembled here. My daughter needs playmates. She does not need to be used for whatever purpose you are intending."

I paused, cocking my head toward Galen's sister to underscore the unspoken meaning in those words. Then I straightened up, finishing with, "Give us a Sith ship, and I'll get her to a safe place where no one will harm her. I promise you that, and everyone here. She wants to go...."

He then spoke, not completly sure of himself "The children are vital... This you must understand... But i do indeed understand your needs and desires... You will be allowed to leave... By my wishes...But i am afraid you must speak to Lord Aelvedaar, it is he who controls the shield..." he paused for but a moment before continuing "you might take Galen, and your daughter to saftey.. But you must understand this... Darra is bound to the sith, and this can not be changed, her destiny will be fulfilled, when the time comes, you will be sought out, and i do hope you are all prepared to cooporate when it is needed..."

Then Graysith began screaming... And his mind virtualy split in two.... On one hand, he had his love for the woman... And his hope that nothing happened to her... But on the other hand, those screams were drivign him crazy... they were filled with such emotion... deep down, he knew the cause of those screams, and something seemed to strengthen with the knowledge...

Suddenly he stood, and though he still felt the same, he was not sure if his next actions were of good, or of evil...

His hand shot forth to slap graysith once, with amazing force, causing a reddened mark to blaze upon her cheek.

Echoing silence deafened them all as, blinking, her chest heaving with great gasping pants for air, Graysith suddenly found herself aware of the others around her once again. Her hand flailed instinctively out, as though seeking something solid to hold on to; then it fisted, and came to a shaky rest against her forehead where the Glyph remained screaming the loudest of all.

For a long moment she remained thus, every fiber of her being shaking and trembling as at last the floodgates of repressed memory flew open and images she had refused to recall came out to play and haunt her. A finger slipped to her mouth, and she bit upon it with the effort to keep from hiding once again.

Then she remembered, not only what had happened to her, but indeed who she was.

The Glyph never ceased its blazing proclamations but somehow segued from terror and anguish nonstop into heated rage and a deep desire for killing revenge. She leapt to her feet and gritted her teeth, her jaw working to keep herself under a modicum of control.

"Kamino," she whispered suddenly, her tone deadly quiet. "He-- Roan, he took me there, he--"

Once more she bit off her words, but it was not because they were too painful to bear. It was simply due to the great uprush of sheer hatred and evil within, all the evil she had taken unto herself in the Dark Realms when she had faced the Dark One therein, all of it now exploding up inside of her, channeling into one narrow direction.

And that was the simply yearning to tear Roan's throat out with her own teeth, to sink her nails deeply into his sockets and gouge out his eyes, to take the Claw and--

One final shudder wracked her frame, and she abruptly turned her gaze outward. Her words came out in a near monotone, flat and cold.

"I remember," she began simply. "He took me to Kamino; there, with the assistance of the scientists, he assured that he too would have children of the All available to him, children who were not clones."

...and indeed with her Sister. And for the first blessed and wonderful time, Shayla Stargazer Petrolu was angry, righteously angry, and not a speck of it caused an uprush of despair in turn.

I am by your side, my Sister, she spoke through her link with Graysith.

Indeed, perhaps things have gotten entirely out of hand. Although my Chosen One has come a long way, even she can err... as can I for agreeing to something that from the very beginning held nothing but elements of folly within it. I raise my hand to them all, bidding them silence themselves, that I might speak and pronounce my wishes in this matter.

"The hunter is correct," I begin without preamble, nodding toward him and indicating his freedom to leave. He does not hesitate, but departs the room, presumably to seek transport to Ch'arlingua that he might leave this planet altogether. They are dismissed from my mind the moment he is gone, for there are other matters which press forward for resolution.

"The difficulty now facing us is of the concern of none other than Sith," I speak out, making a motion with my hand that the protests I sense rising will remain stilled. "Of the Sith has it originated, and by the Sith will it be solved. While your joining with us has been appreciated, in the long run all that will occur will be that harm will continue to come to all. We have been breached, Khar Delba has been breached. There is no place in this galaxy safer than any other; thus among a crowd shall you be safe.

"You need your kind; you cannot remain here beneath our auspices any longer, for the health of all of you. Thus, this is my decree: all save for my Chosen One shall depart from Phrinnchatka, and return to their own. Among your kind you shall remain safe from harm; Ankrist Roan no longer has his demon answering to his beck and call, and as for the evil one within our midst...

"That problem shall be rectified as well.

"Now." I pause a moment, letting my molten eyes sweep the room, looking for the sparks of protest those unwise enough to press on with try to let fall from their lips.

"Leave now, of your own wills, lest I need find means to more appropriately persuade you.... And that the secrecy of the All does not threaten to let slip before any others are ready to face it..."

I wave a hand, and as once before remove from the mind of the Adept any of her abilities or teachings she had gained regarding it. For the All has already caused me much consternation; until the situation at hand has found a solution, I do not need worry about anything else regarding it.

Roan will meet his end soon enough... I assure you my love... Together...

He then rose to his feat, taking her up with him in his embrace, now whispering softly to her "stay strong... What has passed...has passed... now we move on, and change the universe forever... I am with you always..."

He then sent his gaze accross those present as aelvedaar revealed his stunning words...

He thought for a moment...for they truly where wise words, but something was not right with them... and so he spoke.

"Numbers, my Brother?" I ask him at length, lifting my eyes to stare steadily into his own brilliant pair. I then sweep the room with them, followed by my hand, palm up. "Look about you. We are less than a mote in the eyes of some distant and uncaring god. What good are such allies, who hunker within the shield of a city dead for four thousand years, destined to wonder when they will again see the light of day, to feel the warmth of the sun? What good are such allies to merely wait here to be attacked one by one, as shall surely happen to them? How is it this can help us, and how do we help them by keeping them hidden here with us?"

Now that open palm comes full circle, and halts in front of me. I close it into a slow fist, study it carefully, but see nothing but charnel-house flesh... My eyes grow vague with distant memories.

"I have too much blood on these hands now, my Brother," I whisper. "I will have no more, especially when the further bloodshed would surely end up being all for nothing. Nothing. For perhaps....

"Perhaps I have been falling to that most grievous of sins, arrogance. Perhaps my great scheme is indeed the stuff of which dreams are formed, and that our destiny is truly that of which you speak:

A fresh bout of fear fueled into heated existence within her, she whirled and grasped her husband's arms, searching into his eyes.

"No, my dear love," she breathed through tears standing in her widened, violet eyes. "This cannot be, the words he speaks are frivolous, born of sagging spirits."

She paused, her mind racing, wondering what she could do to help ease the situation. There had to be something...

There was.

Her hand fell on her belly, and a glimmer of hope came into her eyes.

"Kamino...." she breathed in an even quieter whisper. The she firmed, her hands now flying up to caress Recinis's face.

"My sister may flee from us, seeking others to protect her child, and a child whose strength we may need. But my love... we may need. Not necessarily must need.

"Unlike my sister, I have seen the wisdom in your words about accelerating our unborn child in age to where he may do his part in this great design my Sire has begun..."

Now she turned to pin a steady look directly into his glowing eyes, one which quietly spoke of her belief in him and the destiny he had laid out before her so long ago. Her hand reached to squeeze Recinis's tightly.

"What Ankrist Roan has-- has done to me may be re-enacted. I am most willing to contribute what I must and how, that Roan will not have opportunity to raise the Sith before we do.

This is great, you can leave now...

This thought was quickly smothered as he realized what might have been...

Shayla... she... where is she to go now... and that damned Erik by her side, I haven't a chance... no way...

He then thought about where he would go...

dare I go back to Tattoine, after I finally escaped the rule of the hutts... no, that's not an option...

His eyes caught on Shawn, who was on the other side of the room...

Lo-Ban gave him a look, as if to say:

What now?

Suddenly she simply froze where she was, bringing him to a forced halt by her side. Pulling away from him, she left him standing stunned as she turned, her mind made up, and came to stand before Graysith and Lord Recinis. Then, in a sudden move, she turned to the Dark Lord of the Sorceror clan, unsheathing the sword and placing it in his hands. As she had with Lord Recinis, she knelt, one knee up as she lowered her eyes to the floor. Then she looked up unflinchingly into those molten eyes of his.

"As the one who was chosen by your Own Chosen One, I beg of you to be permitted to remain by her side, devoted to this cause. For nothing Greater do I believe in; this Universe is in turmoil even as we speak and is in desperate need of the Sith, whether they know it or not. I willingly give my Life, regardless of what you chose to do with me.

Sister I was chosen as, and as sister I will remain."

Whatever the hell is the matter with you? Maybe you just don't deserve her after all...

Terrin closed his eyes a moment as that particular thought slammed into him, not ready to face it just yet. What he could face right now, however, was that he and his men had suddenly been given the freedom to leave.

He stood and turned to Shawn. "I'll keep in touch with you," he said quietly. "But I think there's something I've gotta take care of right now, if it's not too late. Besides that, Eagle Enterprises needs my attention desperately as well. You know where you will be able to find me...

...or at least where you will be able to reach me."

At that, Terrin turned to Matt and Jasyn as they too stood and all began to head to the spaceport, his mind all the while spinning with thoughts that he simply couldn't avoid facing at the moment. He didn't even notice as Jasyn swiped a bottle of Sith brandy from the sideboard before they left...

(((OCC: Follow Terrin Danner and his crewmen Return to Ground Zero in the Complete Star Wars Universe. Thank you.)))

But suddenly... something began to happen to that net. It seemed to be unravelling, unwinding, dismantling itself as if somewhere something even stronger than that love had finally broken it's hold upon it. Or perhaps had not broken through the strands, but had redirected that which had woven them to begin with. Whatever the case, the demonic daughter of Graysith and Ankrist Roan didn't know, nor did she really care. All she knew was that it was weakening all about her... and in moments more had weakened enough to where she could finally claw her way out.

Her uncanny violet-ringed turquoise eyes popped open, and she leapt to her feet. All about her was darkness, a black and hideous dominion populated by raging and mewling beasts and imps and lesser demons...

...and all too empty of one figure in particular.

She snarled, immediately sensing what had happened. Somehow She had either managed to destroy him, or had taken him with her. She now closed her eyes, sensing out to find his wonderful cloying and pain-giving blackness... only to run up against a small kernal of blighting Light. She snarled again, her eyes popping open only to slit into pools of ebony revenge.

This is what She had done to her Dark Heart?

INTOLERABLE.

Now she threw back her head, and raised her arms to the apathetic canopy arching over her head. Black and noisome clouds immediately formed in response to her strength, clouds cracking with great bolts of electric discharge. Her clawed hands reached up to that power which flashed and flared over her head, then fisted.

"As he has given me dominion over you, so I now call upon my domain!" her voice rang out harshly into that lightning-scored night. "I call upon the creatures who bend their knee to me as their Queen, to seek out vengeance for me and my Redeemer! For what has been done shall not go unavenged!"

With that she turned her head to one side and, reaching out with one slender hand, literally slashed an opening through the All back into the Sith city from which she had fled into this place. She found herself in an empty corridor, watching the receding back of an all-too familiar form.

She utterly ignored the demons and imps at her command, now spilling out into this new playground, keeping her gaze glued to that broad and imposing back. Then she took a small step forward.

"My Dark Heart!" she cried in a voice just shy of real love. "The shield of which you have spoken is down! I have come for you; we may leave this place together, as you have promised!"

Even as she spoke, she wasted no time, for she was fully aware of the abilities of those who opposed her. Quickly, even as that great darth was whirling to face her, she reached out with abilities of her own and, seeking into the mind he shared, followed a pathway suddenly laid out before her like a shining and beckoning road.

The pair of them promptly disappeared entirely from Phrinnchatka, to reappear in the dark and hidden Temple Entaris had forged, hidden away from all but his own eyes.

And now the eyes of the Daughter of Roan as well.

"We can't return to Yavin IV at the moment," he observed. "The Jedi are again all but extinct, and I don't think they'd welcome me back with open arms anyway."

He paused, folding his hands in the sleeves in his robes, considering. He turned to Erik even as Shayla departed. "Perhaps I can train from the Stargazer Corporation fleet, as well as be of service there. Young Thea needs a more stable environment to dwell in."

Shawn paused at that, considering once more as he again looked to Loban, sensing something from him. "The choice is yours, however. I sense there may be something else here you might be searching for even more than a Jedi Master."

At that he paused, waiting.

"I follow you, master..." He said, with still much doubt...

She is devoted...Her heart is a strong one, despite that it may be missguided at times... it is indeed a strong one.

Nodding to himself he spoke "Allow her to stay... To rob her of knowledge is one thing, but to deny her will to remain with those she cares for, that is something I must protest to. You may not be sure of your once strong convictions, but i know this to be true brother, One set of eyes can be the difference between spotting an enemey, or being struck down blindly, one sword can mean the difference between victory, or defeat... I do not know much of the falling day's of the sith, but if those times were anything such as the times i lived in... Then i believe our fate would have been avoided had we not thougth ourselves untouchable...Had we extended a hand of friendship to a few races whom we deemed lesser... I say this, we can not hide anylonger, sith we may be, but gods we are not, we to require outside contact...we can not allow ourselves to become blind... We must go out and make allies. My child will be ready to fulfil this destiny... As ready as i am to fight any battle to better the universe, as ready as My dear Jharmeen is to bring back the sith... As ready as this adept is to end her life, if it means bettering the cause of the sith. We are all that is left brother... Two true sith, in a galaxy so full of people...If this is the path you choose, then you are correct, we shall fail, but when all hope is gone, i will continue fighting, believing only in myself, and those i care for... i will fight on knowing only that my cause is correct. All that have been present here, have in one way or another chosen to be here... And do to this, i know, that dispite there disbaining, in some way or anther, there cause will remain ours, the sith shall be revived... I swear it on my blade... I swear it upon all the blood that blade has spilled... We shall be victorus, and if you can not hold hope, i fear you have lost yourself... Please brother, find your hope again, let your fires burn bright, let your conviction give you wings..."

He smiled upon her, nodding his head. "Very good My dark Rose... You have grown strong through this, ah yes... You truly are a black, and tainted spirit... how wonderful" his lips tugged up further into that demonic, and sinful smile. "Now perhaps it is time we pay your father a visit... Are you prepared to take his heart, and destroy it?"

He sat slowly as he spoke, sitting upon a throne of blackened stone, covered in dark oily silks, A hand raising slowly to beckon ShaRhylla to a secondary throne which was beside his own.

At that they headed for the Sith spaceport, boarding a ship that was none other than Shayla's own Relentless, a sleek little yacht that she had appropriated from Jedi Cella Poliani.

In moments they were off via Erik Kartan's own hand towards the Stargazer fleet, to whatever destiny might await them.

(((OCC: Follow Shawn Petrolu, Erik Kartan, Loban Kenobi, and Thea Morgan to A New Direction Taken in this same forum. Thank you.)))

My eyes blaze as I stride forth to my Brother, reach out and with one vicious move yank the sword from where he has embedded it in the stone floor of this room. I raise it aloft, my own eyes flaring in rage.

"It would appear that you will be needing this sword, my Brother, to gain safe passageway to Ch'arlingua for this adept. For I sense evil is yet afoot here in this city; the others are safely on their way, but she needs safeguarding to likewise do so."

I then turn to her, raising my hand to my Brother, upon whose lips I sense resounding protests arising.

"No further blood shall be upon the hands of the Sith."

With those words I turn and step toward the crackling fire, closing my eyes in seeking out to confront with my sorceries the evil I sense now howling and slavering in this Temple of the Sith.