As I enter into the Dining Hall, I am once more stricken by a sense of deja vu, for the scene is reminiscent of another day when we had all collected here to pit our minds against our adversary. A drop of sadness comes into my eyes; then I had truly believed that the restoration of the Sith would eradicate all sorrow within my breast; how was I to know the dark and twisted path we would then tread upon?

I approach the others, and come to a halt before Lord Recinis. My hand reaches out to clasp his wrist about the Tattoo of Titlement; his repeats the gesture as we once more reaffirm our connections with each other and recognition of our duties to our peoples.

For in the end, that is all that matters, after all.

"I have gone to Phrinnchatka in their night," I say simply, stepping back and casting a glance around to encompass all. "Even now my son undertakes the procedure to see if our new friend here is who he was indeed informed that he was."

I pause a moment, then continue with a slight nod of my head in SerKe's direction.

"It has come into my thoughts that if he was indeed cloned of Kri'faxx blood, and SerKe Kri'faxx he truly is, then that is the fact we must accept. Perhaps the mystery of his being may one day be ascertained; I have already determined that no other Kri'faxx bearing the name SerKe existed in all of Sith history other than the nephew of our fellow Dark Lord of the Sith."

I now move to the food-laden sideboard, and set about preparing a plate for myself that I might break my fast. For it has been long since I have last eaten, and I am aware that a fed mind is a keen one. Yet even as I place food items upon the plate made of our wondrously iridescent Sith metal, I cock my head to the others.

"It may be that he existed after Aeylmaar and I were killed four thousand years ago; this, of course, cannot be proven by any other means than returning to that time, or at least to one prior to when my peoples have been brought here, and at that point seeking particular knowledge of it in the Great Library. Whether this is something we really need spend the energy upon, though, is yet to be seen.

"We have, after all--" I turn now, plate in hand, and come to once more stand in front of my Brother.

"--other items of much greater consideration on our plates at the moment."

I fall into a somewhat brooding silence with that, and with slow bites start eating that which I have taken for myself. For some reason the food is suddenly tasteless upon my tongue, and sits in an equally tasteless lump in my stomach.

[ 04-14-2003 11:27 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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“I mentioned to Graysith that perhaps the Book of Ages can shed light on Serke’s situation,” she commented. “But as she mentioned, I do not even know if the book is yet in our keeping, or if Freedon Naad took it with him wherever he has made off to.”

She paused at that, wondering just what had happened to Freedon Naad now that his true Sith-self was back.

He’s probably FINALLY found his true body. Fates be with him that he has, anyway.

Then, “As for Roan, I think we’d best act soon. The longer he has with the Sith, the harder it will be for us to convince them that he is not all he claims to be. He’s a master manipulator; we know from our experience he’s well-versed in the arts of making people believe things in order to accomplish his objectives. He will do the same with the Sith, most likely manipulating them to strike against any who would oppose him. He might even lead them to believe that he should be the sole ruler of the Sith, since it was his plot that eventually brought them back. We simply have to confront him, and lead the Sith people on to the truth that he truly intends to rule over them with an iron fist...”

She paused at that, considering something. Then, “Lord Recinis, I do not know much concerning your family’s heritage and claim to title Dark Lord of the Warrior Clan. How are we going to convince the Sith, who have known Ankrist Roan as the Dark Lord for so long, that the title in fact rightfully belongs to you and your line?”

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

Quietly she rose to her feet.

"You speak over your head, Shayla!" she said in a low tone of voice. "For we are now with the Sith, and of them; there are protocols to be followed, and ranks of heirarchy.

"This is subject for the Dark Lords' table; when question they have, then question they will ask. And to answer your question: the Tattoo upon our wrists, Recinis's and mine, reveals to all who is true Dark Lord of the Warriors. For on whose wrist is it blackened, and on whose does it rival the gleam of the finest gold?

"But... this shows true Lord only in the eyes of those who would still follow the ways of the Sith. Which Roan, undoubtedly, no longer does because of his renouncement of his race and his heritage."

Now she turned a bit, to face Recinis.

"It is quite obvious he would lead them alone, or with those of his own choosing; what is not so obvious is the question of just who it is he will lead. Who will follow him? He is on the sister planet, the world of the warriors. Warriors are a bloodthirsty lot, but do have honor among them. If he has swayed them...."

She fell silent then, cutting her gaze from Recinis and into the eyes of her adept, before finally letting them linger on Lord Aelvedaar and his son.

"It may not matter that he is pretender, even though we can easily prove it. True, this is all but dire speculation, but...

"Have the Sith returned, only to face the terrible prospect of civil war?"

[ 01-22-2003 12:47 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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His head turned slowly to lord aelvedaar, "brother... Had Roan found a Lady to stand at his side in this time? could it be that that has driven him this path..."

He trailed off then and returned to his thoughts.
Does it matter? what is done is done... But then, could this help us, even remotly?

Again his thoughts trailed, and in his blank frame of mind his eyes moved to Serke, again pondering the mans existance...
Suddenly he reached out to aelvedaars mind, "Brother... Could 'serke' be... Of roans blood? a plot of roans sent here, without his own knowledge? Perhaps roan traveled to a time when his son was older, and took the infomation to clone? then hired someone to wait untill this date... And give him the false information? I am unsure, but i do not wish to leave any stone unturned..."

then his thoughts once more turned outward, his eyes turning upon Jharu's, "my son... Always remember, even the smallest possiblity, is still a possibility... And even the impossible, should not be over looked..."

His emerald eyes then found there way accross the group, "Has anyone anything they feel is important to throw into the midst of this discussion?"

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

Thus it is I now speak aloud, that all present may hear and consider and offer input.

"Indeed, my Brother," I begin, a small smile curling my lips to see the sudden startlement of those present. I capture a certain pair of violet eyes with my own, assuring her that her defense of me and mine was indeed the correct choice for her to make...

...but at that time. And Time progresses onward.

"There was a Lady in Roan's life, to be sure: his wife, the Lady Kreesha Roan, taken unto his side the day he underwent his acceptance rites into Dark Lordship of the clan. A fiery wench she was... and indeed, is; a warrior herself, one of the few of our woman to ever hold that profession. And quite skilled, as I recall.

"While at the time he took her as but chattel to him, perhaps it indeed is she who had tempered his darkness with the love that he needed to uphold his mastery of the All."

I pause again, now thinking of the possible connection to Serke. My eyes slide slowly into his; he stands in silence off to one side, listening, waiting... and I cannot help but wonder, planning?

"As for this one," I continue, waving a clawed hand to the newcomer, "Of whose blood he is will be revealed as soon as my Chosen Son returns with the results of the task I have put him to."

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

...but then what...? Think, Shayla. Roan is currently at least viewed as the Dark Lord of the Warrior Clan, and Kreesha the Lady of the Warrior Clan. So then what...?

Shayla’s thought processes suddenly came to a forced halt as logic dictated the answer.

They are the Dark Lord and Lady of the Warrior Clan. But they have no heirs...

...yet.

Finally, Shayla spoke up. “If in fact Lady Kreesha is the one whom Roan loves with such passion that he can achieve balance in the All, his actions will be driven out of his love for her. After all, he has done everything in his power to bring the Sith back and therefore bring her back to life no matter the risks. Knowing what his actions are driven by may help us uncover what his next move may be; with the consideration that she too is a Warrior I would think that he would make her his equal and ensure that they have heirs to continue their legacy.”

She paused at that, frowning as something else occurred to her. “I think that we can count on Lady Kreesha to fight for control over the Sith as much as we can Roan. For the wishes of the Lord are most likely the wishes of the Lady...”

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

"The only productive use this knowledge serves us is that if indeed a great love such as this is what keeps him mastered in the All, then the only way to defeat him would be to turn him against his Lady. Remember, all is speculation; I do not know if such a thing is possible among the Sith."

She paused a moment, slipping an arm into her husband's.

"I only know that nothing would sway this Lady from the side of her Lord; such thoughts are foreign to me.

"But if such a thing were possible, how would it be done?"

She fell silent then, wondering just how else this possibility could be used to their advantage, hoping that these peoples against whom so much tragedy had been enacted would not have to bear upon their shoulders the dishonorable spectre of civil war...

...the possibility of which, more and more, hung over her head like a portent of distant but unstoppable death.

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

His mind was reaching out and taking in everything through those eyes, hungrily devouring everything that was said or implied, using the best aspect of a pervect pupil...
[i]We want to persaude the sith... how can they be turned from roan though? if they are loyal to him, that will be hard to break...[i]

Finaly he spoke up not sure of what he was saying but hoping somethign would come out in a manor which made sense. "if we want them to see the truth... Then why not show it to them?

I may not be the oldest, or wisest here... But the truth is always simply the truth... if roan wanted to sway them to keep loyalty with him, then he did not show them the truth, for the truth about him is a horrible thing...

if we show them the truth, and nothing but the truth, they will have no reason not to follow behind... I mean, ive heard about the 'triad' roan is no 'triad' he is one... If they held loyalty with the triad, then with truth, they will not hold loyalty with roan... everyone hates being lied to..."

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

She smiled to herself and curled about him in a relaxed manor, tracing a little scribble on his chest...

Finaly she pulled herself to his face, awaking him with a strong, demanding kiss...

With hima wake she gave him a small nipp before locking her lips in his and pulling even closer, unconciously pulling the soft covers about them to add to the strange unity...

Finaly she pulled away from his lips and kissed his ear gently before whispering... "i have noticed my lord... But i do not fear that our subjects will find out of whatever has happend to remove the mark from your wrist... Instead, we must be stronger..."

he tongue crept out slowly to trace the edges of his ear before her arms wrapped about him and she continued softly, "My lord, I will be honest, i want to hold the power you have found in your endevers... she held it, i want to as well... Please my lord... You must teach me..."

She sighed a slight pure, and allowed her hands to roam gently accross his chest, "i promise to be a deticated student..." with her words done she brought him into another fierce kiss...

She paused, then continued on, hoping her point was coming across. “We also have to keep in mind that an action percieved as “bad” by one person, one group, can be percieved as “good” by the other so long as it achieves its goal. While we think what Roan did is horrible, and that he is a very evil being, the Sith will possibly see all he’s done as “good” because in the end he did manage to bring them back from death.”

Again she paused, this time pursing her lips as she tried to gather all of her thoughts into one final statement. “We aren’t going to be able to prove to the Sith that Roan is bad based on what has happened in the past, because that can be viewed in varying lights,” she stated then. “I’m afraid they will have to see it for themselves...”

[ 01-29-2003 11:45 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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"My Lady is second to none other," he purred in his deep bass voice. "True, the mother of the spawn I had to create does hold the power our sorcerers long had discovered... and even longer yearned to hold. If she holds it, given by Lord Aelvedaar to implement the Final Destiny...

"... then my Lady shall have this as well."

He paused a moment, his grip now tightening about her silken flesh. For a long moment he merely stared deeply into her eyes; then his head tossed back against the pillows, and a roar of delight escaped his lips in response to the look he saw flaring within their bi-colored depths. He quieted then, bringing his face to meet hers even as he removed one strong arm to pluck a t'plikk fruit from a bowl upon a nearby nightstand. Bringing it up before her, he thrust his thumb's claw deeply into it, instantly marring its otherwise pristine surface and sending moist juices running freely from the wound.

"Tell me, my Lady," he purred, craning his neck so that his tongue could caress her cheek.

"What is it that you see here?"

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

She was not stupid... it could not be as simple as it appeared to be... But what was there beside the obvious?

Quietly she reached out and took hold of the fruit, licking away the jucies from about her lords thumb and turning to look at him, "My lord... I see only fruit being pierced by your strong grasp... And of course... A chance to sedate my hunger..." As she spoke her tongue crept out to remove a bit of the juice remaining on her lips.

How completely and utterly had he failed to see the point of that lesson.

It still rankled.

Another dark shadow flitted through the depths of his eyes, and he abruptly disentangled himself from the blankets and his mate's trailing arms. Sliding smoothly from the bed, he approached a particular set of heavy draperies. A great thrust of one arm and they opened, revealing the waning night which lay upon the city below.

He stood there a moment, frowning down into the quiet Phrinnchatka, struggling with himself. Warrior he was, not a teacher. Then, without turning about, he continued.

"What would you do with this destroyed fruit?" he said at last, then whirled abruptly to stare directly into Kreesha's flashing eyes.

[ 01-31-2003 01:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dark Lord Roan ]

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She let them linger there for a long moment.

"All that has been said has made me realize: it is not so much whether or not the Sith view Roan as good or evil," she said softly, a sad little smile coming to her face. "It is the fact that we know he is, and that a great danger he remains. His most dire threat to us -- and to the Sith, and indeed, perhaps to the Galaxy in general, for although I am not certain I cannot help but sense that his plans are far-reaching -- is that he controls the All. None other among the Sith do so with the exception of my Sire-"

Here she paused in mid-speech, turning to Lord Aelvedaar and letting her eyes gaze calmly into his volcanic ones before she bowed her head in homage to him.

"And myself," she finished. "It is true that my son is beginning to learn of this power, for it is inherent in him. But consider this, my allies and friends."

Again she paused, pursing her mouth in distaste before forcing herself on. "Master Rean controlled the All while he lived... as Roan does. My Sire does. In the case of myself and my son, this power was "given," was emplaced whether by the magicks of the Sith or by simple inheritance. But in the case of the original Triad, it was learned. What was learned may be taught.

"I shudder to think that Roan would teach his warriors how to use this strength... and then use it to gain his own foothold in the galaxy. This must not happen; it must not be allowed. If I can think of this, so can he; we must consider that this is something he is planning on doing.

"He must be stopped before he can gain the slightest foothold.

"Now."

Once more she paused, casting her gaze around to all those she held so very dear. Then she quietly rose to her feet, holding up before her the hand bearing the Claw of S'slan. She stood quietly for a moment, drinking in all who were present there, the smile on her face growing even more melancholy.

"I love you all," she whispered...

...then before anyone could move, she opened up a portal through the All...

...and stepped forth into the Temple of the Warriors in the middle of the sleeping Phrinnchatka.

In the Temple in Phrinnchatka....

It was as if she were following a brilliant light. Somehow she had known, deep down within her very psyche, from the moment Roan had taken her those terrible times that he had, that it would come to this. Her feet flew noiselessly across the cold stone floors of the temple as she traversed corridor and passageway, somehow avoiding the presence of any other Sith who might be wandering there. Keeping to the shadows, she flitted along as one, an unerring link somehow kept alive between herself and Roan leading her to the rooms he had chosen to be his own.

At length she found those quarters, and came to a halt before the ornately carved door. She paused there a moment, girding her strength.

Then she stepped in, calmly, walking steadily, the flaring Glyph on her forehead lighting the way.

Before her: Roan was staring out a great arched window. A flaxen haired female Sith lounged upon a great and luxurious bed, holding a fruit in her hand. Both whirled to face her, stunned by her sudden presence there.

The female leapt from the bed, lithe as a panther. Roan frowned, then bared his teeth and began stepping toward her.

"No," said Graysith, and held up the Claw.

Then before either could so much as blink, she made a mysterious move with that Claw-bearing hand, and even as the great Dark Lord was raising his own hand in preparation of summoning that magnificent power for defense, she opened a portal into the Elseness...

And transported both herself and Roan into it.

Once there, she committed them further by raising a chronotic shield around them.

Behind them, the portal snapped closed even as the Lady Kreesha was making a desperate lunge to reach it.

Hidden in the Elseness, secured beneath the shield, the Chosen Daughter turned to Ankrist Roan. A small tremor raced through her; then she firmed.

"No one may drop that shield other than the one who erected it, unless it is for the good of all," she said quietly.

"Until you deign to alter your views, we remain here together... for eternity, if need be."

She fell silent then, the Clawed hand raised in preparation of fending off attack, but made no movement other than this. And before her suddenly moisture-laden eyes, the image of Roan gradually segued into that of another imposing Sith, a true and honorable warrior, one whom she knew could now lead his people in the glorious tradition they once held more than four thousand years in the past, as he was meant to do the moment the tattoo flared in golden affirmation upon his wrist.

She let her eyes slide to her own tattoo.

My love, you are not gone from my heart....

[ 01-31-2003 11:00 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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”Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!” she moaned, not completely aware that she had even said a word. For a long moment she said nothing more but simply stood in terrified silence, pining to reach out and help and somehow yearning to do so. If anyone was trying to console her or reacting in any other way, Shayla didn’t notice it. Finally, with great effort, she forced the lump that was her heart back down in her throat, and closed her eyes a moment, seeking clarirty admist her rampaging emotions. When she opened them again, she had succeeded...

...mostly.

She turned to Lord Aelvedaar at last and spoke, her words quiet but certain, underlaid with deeply-rooted concern and a sort of undying devotion. ”Please send me to her to assist in whatever way possible...

As adept, as sister, and as a friend...”

[ 02-01-2003 12:01 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Led by pure hate, Lo-Ban found himself searching for those who had hurt him...

It did not take him long to reach his destination... his dark powers easily allowing him to hone in on the two...

His ship landed near the Temple of the Sorcerers...

He entered the temple, just waiting... no, asking anyone to challange his power... or keep him from his path...

A path lead by pure hate...

[ 02-05-2003 12:56 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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...to find it suddenly snipping in twain by the ominous presence of a chronotic shield. And in those even briefer fractions of a second prior to that closure, I am stricken by the utterly vast non-ness of that indescribable place that exists between one second and the next....

"It is too late," I say succinctly, my heart growing into the size of a boulder in my chest, and laying there equally as heavy. I sense out further... and slam into a raw wall of pure rage.

But I do not find His signature, no matter how hard I seek. The boulder grows to epic proportions as realization strikes me an even harder blow.

"She- she has taken Roan into the Elseness, and has hidden them both beneath a chronotic shield," I whisper, fighting to remain strong for my own chosen son, for Her son, for her Adept....

For myself.

I open my mouth to continue... but stop. Even as I pull back from that white-hot anger at the end of my sensing out... it is to impact into another nearly as strong and determined.

One much closer to us, here in the Temple.

"Someone comes this way," I whisper and fall silent, waiting, one hand raised in preparation for who and what might come. There is something familiar about the signature of the one who now approaches; I frown as in seeking through my own memories I place a name to that rage.

"It is Loban Kenobi," I finish, and fall silent.

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

“Switch me with her,” she said at length, unable to think of anything else at that moment.

Beside her she could literally feel Erik’s look of concern, completely understanding why he felt as he did. Her own stomach seemed to bunch in little knots, twisting and untwisting in seeming randomness...

Shayla frowned then as she realized what she was sensing was more than her horror and concern for Graysith; something else was knawing at her, very nearly slamming into her. She sensed out, easily finding a wall of pure hate coming from Loban Kenobi.

Once more Shayla frowned, recalling the way he had departed from the Stargazer, recalling how he ignored her request that he return to them after telling Erik that he could “have her” then whaling him right between the eyes, knocking him over.

Turning from these thoughts, Shayla looked up into the molten eyes of the Sorceror, relating to him the conditions of Loban’s sudden departure from their party...

...as well as her sudden fear that Loban might be returning to seek revenge for a wounded heart...

[ 02-05-2003 11:32 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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She doesn't even recognize me?! More interest in that... WOMAN....

He now sensed the look between Shayla and her husband...

Words cannot express what he felt next, but he was no longer walking toward the two, he was now levitating... his powers growing the closer he came, almost feeding off Shayla and Eric's own force senses...

Closer and closer he came...

Less and less Lo-Ban Kenobi he was...

[ 02-06-2003 12:19 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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Now entering the room, he focused on the two he had finally found...

Not only was he still levitating, his ora began to spew dark force lightning...

His arms flew into the direction of each of them, and lightning came forth... encompassing their bodies, they too left the ground...

He spoke without movement from his lips, in the lowest demonic voice imaginable,"You are the accused... I am judge, jury... and executioner... the verdict, guilty... the punishment... death...."

"What say you?" He ended with, and waited... with limited patience...

[ 02-06-2003 01:41 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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No. Absolutely not.

The Mother deep within her shot out in protection, and she did the only thing she could at that moment to divert such a direct attack on she, her husband, and her child. Despite any pain she might be feeling in response to the Force lightning, she strove for everything within her to reach out and touch that energy which was the Force. In that moment, a blast of Force shot forward from her, slamming into the levitating Loban. He clearly wasn’t expecting such retaliation, for the blast took him off guard. Immediately he, Shayla, and Erik all fell to the ground, where Erik scurried to her side, concern rampant on his features. Her guard now completely up, Shayla finally spoke a reply to Loban.

“You endanger the innocent with your anger,” she growled, drawing the Force about herself and her husband protectively. Then she recalled a day, back in Prinn’chatka, when Loban had reacted in much the same way...

....but then it had not truly been him.

Was this the case now, or had Loban truly stepped over into the Darkside?

“Search inside yourself, Loban Kenobi,” Shayla stated. “This is not you, but is that Evil that links you to Tyberius seeking for a voice once more as it did in Prinn’chatka when you nearly killed Lord Recinis...”

She trailed then, waiting to see what would happen next even as Erik joined in her effort to protect them and their child with the Force.

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

So, hand raised in preparation, the other back to indicate the others present hold from retaliation, I wait.

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

His eyes were pure white, as his pupils disappeared behind his rage...

The more energy the two put into their defenses, the stronger Lo-Ban's powers grew...

Where one could not imagine a rage more intense... it increased ten-fold, when he realized what it was they were... 'protecting'...

With two swift motions, he summoned all of the dark powers at his will...

Erik flew into a near by wall, Force pushed with great magnitude... he was unconscious...

During the confusion, and 'concern' for her husband, Lo-Ban shot forth a redish bolt of Force lightning... making a direct hit in the small of Shayla's abdomen...

"You live... the sentence has been carried out... I've destroyed the only evidence of your love, your baby lives no more... I have filled it with my rage... my will has been done, I wished to hurt you... but now, I will keep on... hurting you..."

Lo-Ban now lowered, his pupils coming back into view...

With all of his anger and rage transfered into the small babe, Lo-Ban fell into a deep slumber...

[ 02-07-2003 01:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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Shayla knew Zack Kartan was still living amongst that evil, somewhere. She refused to believe otherwise. She WOULDN'T believe otherwise.

In that moment she did the one single thing any Mother would do when someone placed such a direct attack on her child. She stretched out for him through the shared Force-link that existed between Mother and child.

She stretched out...

...and she would not stop until she succeeded in finding her little boy.

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