Lost within the other-dimension of the Darker Realms, the Chosen Daughter of the Sith regarded a shimmering band of...

something other.

It was a rift, a portal leading from that horrid place of non-existence and back to the real universe. It shimmered before her, promising warmth and light and life to anyone who would only step through...

But not to this place, she thought to herself, eyeing hints of objects and people denoting exactly where it was that portal led.

She smiled as she faced it, then made an unconscious movement with her hand. The rift darkened, rippled, froze… and then resumed its earlier shimmering aspect. She cast a glance into it, smiling to see the familiar outlines of the bridge of the trapped Sith warship.

“First we shall have a little talk,” she said, then with no further ado waved a commanding hand toward the rift. She did not speak again but stood in that formal pose until all of the party had stepped through. Then she quickly followed, closing the Portal into the Darker Realms with a snap as she stepped out onto the bridge.

"As you already know, I am named Rykounagin, I have come to you through the bidding of, other sources." Said Rykounagin, ceasing in his visual scan of the bridge and now looking straight at Graysith.

"I have come to you for some of my own reasons, those of which I would like to keep to myself for the time, but as a friend and allie. Though you state that I carry the spirit of this person, I cannot be sure you are correct. However, if you are, then I would willingly aid you in communicating with this person. However, in the meantime, I offer you this hand of alliance and friendship." Rykounagin said, extending a dark gloved hand, lined with peculiar runes....

...but paused as a flash of insistent warmth erupted at her thigh. For an awkward moment she remained as she was, then smoothly withdrew her hand and folded it into the sleeve of her robe, never once coming into actual physical contact with this enigmatic young man.

"The words you speak are not answer to my question, other than that they give a name to an otherwise stranger. I say, greetings to you, Rykounagin, bearer of Danner."

She paused again, cocking her head a bit to one side as she peered directly into the young man's turquoise eyes. A ripple ran up and down her spine--

How similar is this one to my Dark Heart!

--that she quickly squelched. What was, was. What had happened, had done so. That Darth Wicked was slowly degrading into the chaotic realm of madness, that he had betrayed her and flung her away like a discarded bone... was history.

Fairly recent history, to her current knowledge. Painful. But history.

And if there was one thing she had learned from Wicked, it was how to stand strong. How to let the past roll off one's back, and in doing thus keep a clear head for whatever the future might promise.

She cast a glance to Phalomir, then back to Rykounagin.

"Danner is indeed within you, for we-- for I have placed it within. He is... necessary to us in our... quest."

She paused again, wondering to herself why she had spoken thus, then shrugged mentally. It was of no concern to this one as to why they had taken Terrin's spirit with them as they had Thoran's; all he needed to understand was the fact that it did indeed inhabit his body.

As well as the fact that she could speak with it whenever she wished.

She mentioned this last fact to Rykounagin, almost offhandedly, and just before she let a mental link slip out from her, probe into his mind, and make a firm and permanent link with the shade who was once the owner of Eagle Enterprises. Something... black seemed to slide away into another part of the young man's mind, something she couldn't quite catch...

Something somehow dark and purring and...

Oily.

Repressing an involuntary shudder she withdrew from his mind, taking care to keep that link with Terrin firmly implanted, but could not keep under control the protests of the Glyph upon her forehead.

It was blazing there like a tiny sun against the strangeness she had almost touched inside Rykounigan's mind, as if by its sheer presence it could send that blackness reeling back and away, forever.

"I know see that it is true that you have placed this Danner within me, and I find that is alright if it aids you in your quest, however, Danner may not find it very hospitable against my will. My mind and spirit are not pretty things, as something else already has, a reserved space."

"I know that I have not answered your questions to the fullest as I could, but I cannot tell you now most of it. But I will tell you a few things more. I do not have a homeplanet of which I know of, nor do I truely know of whom I am or my past. However, I do know that I had come to that desolate place upon the bidding of another, one of whom I obey, yet command. I also am not sure quite how I have come here, though I do come bearing gifts for my new friends." Rykounagin said, smiling at them.

Rykounagin reached into a small fold in his tight mesh, bringing out a small, plain black bag.

"I have here for you Rhua Ki, one gram of anti -matter, dont open it, or shake it, if it touches the air or anything, we're all dead. As for phalomir, I didn't know you would be here so I didn't bring anything for you at the moment, I appologise purfusely. For you, my dear lady Graysith, I have this."

He reached into the bag and withdrew a small tablet, etched with runes that looked familiar, similar to those she had seen somewhere, but just escaping her grasp.

"Do not ask me how I came appon this or what it is supposed to mean, for I have no idea, I was merely asked to give it to you. I have no idea how to read it or what it would mean or do in any case, though I do believe it was the sith sorceries that brought me, never mind."

Rykounagin broke off, replacing the bag within the folds, continuing to watch graysith, now with a bland face, revealing nothing of what he might be thinking, only misting over for a moment, seeming to speak inwardly once again.

Graysith smiled graciously and blinked her eyes, nodding once as she bowed perfunctorily toward Rykounagin. When she raised up it was with the rune-encrypted tablet in her hand. For a moment she frowned, eyeing it's near-familiarity; then she set it gently upon a nearby table and turned back to the youth.

"I thank you and your... Master for this gift, although what it is and what it means I do not know. That is something, however, I trust will be forthcoming, and in the near future."

Her eyes flashed a quick darkness, then lightened a bit.

"Who is this one who commands and is commanded by you? Why have you been sent to me?"

Rykounagin's face slipped into momentary thought, his brow furrowed in concentration, then, "He is a most powerful being by the name of, ARGH!"

Rykounagin clasped his face, screaming in agony as though someone had just burned his face beyond recognition. He continued to yell for a few more moments, then his screams of agony melted away into a pained expression.

"He compells me not to tell you, it pains me. I also cannot, but perhaps if I give it no thought, I may be able to... No, I cannot, I will not betray my master until he instructs, however-"

He suddenly crossed from thought into silence, then his eyes yet again misted over in silent communication. He stood there for a few more moments, then his eyes refocused and once again became home to identical Turqoise orbs.

"I am to serve you as a student, disiple, or whatever you wish to call it faithfully until I am instructed to do otherwise. You may ask anything of me as long as it places myself in no mortal danger or reveals my master's identity, and I will answer it truthfully, but until he deems it, I cannot speak any more of that."

...save for the Claw itself, which pressed down through hair and flesh and tissue until it struck bone, sending a small rivulet of blood welling up to pour down the back of Rykounagin's neck.

"By the blood which is your life, swear you fealty to me, and me alone? For in doing so you win my protection, and if not..."

Graysith pressed the Claw a bit more deeply, giving emphasis to that word, underscoring his. Then she withdrew it, raising it up before glittering eyes to regard it solemnly even as with a slight motion of her other hand she summoned the All. It came in quick reply to that call, taking hold of the very platelets and binding agents in Rykounagin's living blood, forcing them into contact with each other and calling upon others for reinforcement.

The edges of the piercing wound came close together, closer yet, and finally touched as accelerated healing progressed. Soon the only thing to show that such an oath of fealty had ever been sworn was the slowly coagulating blood now massed in his hair, and that which yet glistened at the very point of the Claw.

"As do the Sith--" Graysith murmured, not really knowing where the words had come from, not knowing how she knew of this, yet knowing deep in her heart that this was so. With those words she lifted the Claw to her lips and delicately lapped it clean, before suddenly plunging it into her own arm and drawing blood of her own.

He stained his hand with the blood from the claw and allowed it to drain over his head, entering the cuts from the claw and run down his face. "I hereby bind myself to you, and those you would deem allies, but mostly to your beck and call."

Graysith smiled, and placed her fingers beneath the young man's chin.

"Then rise, and serve not under me... but with us."

Her hand moved away and back, including Phalomir into their midst. Hovering in the background, Rhua Ki tried to become inconspicuous yet still a part of things.

Graysith nodded.

"And now we-- you shall see wonders," she said as with the silent urging of de' R'lous she opened yet another Portal into the Darker Realms, so that they might escape from the chronotic shield Lord Aelvedaar had placed about their ship.

"We may face dangers as we cross through, but if we keep steady and do not tarry we shall reach our goal...

"The Great Temple of the Warriors in the city of Phrinnchatka, on the Sith planet of K'eel Doba, and where it is said that--"

She paused, a shadow flicking across her face.

"Where I live as their Dark Lady."

Gently pulling the young man to his feet, she brushed his blood-matted hair away from his face. Then she turned and entered the portal she had created, stepping out once again into the Darker Realms, not looking behind her but secure in the knowledge that the others were following.

She shivered, going into a defensive stance while she waited those few unbearable seconds for the others to enter as well; then with a quick wave of one hand she closed the Portal that none of the strangeness from this realm leak out into her warship. She cocked her head and held her breath, listening...

But no bellow sounded in the distance, no rush of non-air heralded the approach of the once Dark Lord of the Warriors. Apparently this portal had opened into another part of the Darker Realms, one just as noisome and dreary and evil as any other, but one at least not holding the vengeful shadow of Roan.

"Quickly now," she said in a low mutter, aware of how far sound traveled in this place, and opened another portal. Through its shimmering silver she once more gazed, again to see an ornately decorated chamber through which wonderfully clothed, horned and red-skinned beings moved.

"The Sith--" she breathed in awe, before shaking herself to her senses and indicating the portal to the others.

"After you," she said, hanging back in case Roan should appear from nowhere to threaten them, Clawed hand raised in unconscious yet ready defense of all.

Swiftly pounding footfalls came to a sudden halt; with a start, the Chosen Daughter got hold of herself and turned to see the approach of an aquamarine eyed Sith. He came up to her, joy radiating from his face, and clapping one fist across his chest dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.

"My Lady, it is good to see you have safely returned," he said, not daring to meet her eyes.

Graysith's brows shot to the top of her forehead; with some effort she shoved the surprise from her features and got herself under control once again.

These are the Sith. They have returned. My destiny has been fulfilled; by me? I do not know, I do not remember...

She did, however, remember that she was the Dark Lady to these people. Drawing upon memories of Darth Wicked, she drew herself up to her full height.

"Don't grovel so, it is unbecoming," she snorted, tapping a foot while she waited for the Sith to arise. When he was upright, she beckoned him to attend to the others.

"We would sup and rest; lead us to where we might do so," she ordered. Whether the Sith was surprised at her seeming unfamiliarity, he did not say. He merely bowed, and led them to the Grand Dining Hall. There he quickly ushered them to a private room in the back, scarcely giving her the time to take in the ornate carvings and huge fire place and other grandeur this room was filled with.

Not knowing what else to say, but following something close to a hunch, she ordered a round of brandy for them all. Then she turned to RyKounagin.

"Tell me now, my young apprentice, why it is I of all those within this galaxy that you have been sent to serve."

She held her glass up to him, and took a careful sip of it.

...or was that to his host's senses??? Terrin really didn't know. All he knew for the moment was that he was most certainly not where he thought he was going to be...

...so as the brandy was handed out, he utterly ignored them, finally managing to worm his way through and take over his host.

"Kriffing hell!" he blurted, not particularly paying attention to the topic which was at hand before he interrupted, "This person's mind is a mess like he says..."

"Mr. Danner, I'm afraid you are where you are at the behest of one other than myself."

Quieting for a moment at that, he found himself almost at an utter loss as to what to say next, if anything at all, "And why precisely is it your wish that I am inhabiting this body, especially considering he would care little...if at all...for the one and only reason I would dare venture from the grave in this way...

She picked up her goblet and took a deep draught, letting the rim of heavy silver hide her features that Terrin would not see the expression now dancing upon her face.

Galen....

"Galen," she repeated aloud, pulling the goblet from her lips as she finally regained iron control over herself once more.

"So you were married to her, and you and I held a blood oath...

"Refresh my memory on these things, please."

Her eyes flashed as she took another sip of brandy.

“Dear lady,” the voice came to Graysith, “though I do not fully trust this new servant, he has passed the first test: the spirit of Danner dwells still within his body and has not been crushed by the dark presence inside. As so many times in the past, your judgement is sound in the usage of my powers. It was wise to test this one in this manner.”

Another soft wave of warmth moved upward through her arm.

"As best I can guess, for my old master never did tell me, He seems to know you of long ago. I suppose he is returning a favor you may have once done for him, or is merely sending me as an unwitting messanger boy."

Rykounagin was answering to the fullest, but was slightly occupied by an intrigue that had crept into him.
Well it seems Danner can use my voice as well, but this is something I had not known of, not that I know much of these magics. I do wonder. But how is it that Graysith could have acquired so much? I also do wonder what the rest of them are thinking about me? It would be so nice if I could just peer into their minds. But he doubted even Graysith could do that.

Instead she gritted her teeth a moment before setting the goblet down with a deliberate hand.

"You will kindly remove your hand from my person," she said in a low voice, not wanting the others to hear. At her side the channeler sent forth another blast of warmth; she let her scowl lighten a bit and turned her thoughts inward.

"Yes... it would appear that my memories do need to be rebuilt," she thought to de' R'lous.

"But in the rebuilding thereof, let us make certain those memories are indeed factual ones. Of course, there is a means by which I can make certain of this, you know."

She fell silent again and now turned a smile upon the Kaminoan. That worthy was sitting stone still in his seat, as though by moving but a fraction the antimatter in his possession would ignite, reducing them all into less than the atoms from which they were made. Her smile broadened, then she turned her luminous eyes back to Rykounagin.

Even as Terrin thought these things, he once more struggled forward in his host's mind until at length he had control.

"The deal was that in return for Galen's safe-keeping from Ankrist Roan, I would assist you in finding your daughter."

"My daughter," she finally repeated, letting the words roll from her tongue like waves upon a flat and distant shore. She took another drink, then set her goblet down once more and leaned back in her seat.

"There must have been something remarkably unique about you, Mr. Danner, that I should agree to such a thing. Some wonderful ability that I myself do not possess, some item of intrigue, perhaps?"

She let her eyes bore holes into his.

"Something of great power to substantiate such an agreement. Otherwise, believe me, there would be--"

She bit off the words as the channeler throbbed in warning at her hip, and let a hand fall gracefully to it that she could answer the unworded question she felt seeping into her body.

"Why else should I protect my sister?" she thought to Telion. "She had to die, as did my father by my own hand. There must be no surviving lineage; this my dear Sire had made quite clear to me. Only the Chosen Daughter..."

She quieted with a sweet smile, waiting for replies from both Terrin and the spirit inhabiting the Finger of R'lous.

“Your sire had his own agenda, dear lady,” came the reply from the device. “He has used you from the beginning, using your trust, your power, your love, to work towards his own personal goals.”

A warmth pervaded once again from the device.

“But that is long past, even though your memories do not agree with me. We shall unlock the doors that hold those thoughts from you, dear lady, and until then trust your feelings. And I hope that you once again find your trust in me, as I trust in you. The days of the Dark Lord’s betrayal are over, his hold on you has long been broken though he even now tries to pull you back into his control. You are greater than that, you are beyond the influence of any man, any Sith. You are independent, powerful, and free.

“But he was correct in one very important matter, though not for the reasons he stated. In order for you to survive, dear lady, your sister must die.”

"What is that thing, it seems to almost, speak to you?" Rykounagin was feeling like something was behind a veil, and he desperately wanted to see what was behind the veil, but couldn't for some reason.

"This?" she breathed, now letting her fingers drift along the channeler. They came to a halt upon the crystal knob at its end, which she then grasped protectively.

"Why-- this is something given to me by-- by..."

She trailed momentarily, frowning.

For Rykounagin could not know why he would feel such a strong connection, yet only that it existed, still pulling. Mayhaps it has to do with the past, but I should remember it, something like that should be memorable.

But I don't, so therefore I shouldn't need to worry about it, but if only he could feel it, or maybe even examine it, it may open more clues to himself.

Phalomir’s thoughts seemed to freeze for a moment, focusing in on that fact.

She doesn’t seem to remember who gave her this device, she doesn’t remember the contact she last had with her own sister – and it seems as if…

As cold realization set in, Phalomir felt a somehow familiar tremor pass though him, as if the air around him was beginning to vibrate. A slight nausea crept into his mid section and a feeling of dread blanketed his thoughts.

She doesn’t remember me…

He forced his hands to move, withdrawing from their positions around the Dark Lady, and stepped backwards one pace.

No, surely she remembers... I took her madness, we have shared so much, this cannot--

His face set in a blank expression, he grasped into the swirling mass of random thoughts circling through his mind and allowed one of them to make its way to his vocal cords.

“Who, Jharmeen,” he said hoarsely. “Who gave this to you?”

Your sister must die….

Somewhere deeply hidden within her, a dark spark of triumph began burning a bit more brightly, with a bit more intense of a heat.

It was as she had promised her Dark Heart; it was as she had deduced that day when she first touched upon that which would change her life forever; indeed, it was as that instinctive urge had first informed her of when she walked out of that ancient and hidden hanger, a yet-unignited Glyph laying dormant upon her forehead:

Her sister must die.

Would die.

A flicker of a smile passed over her lips; then she shook herself and forced her attention upon the Sith who had just addressed her. A frown replaced that smile.

“I do not really recall, actually; it really does not matter,” she said brusquely. “Possibly it was my Sire; no matter, the fact that I do possess this device now is what is of importance.”

She ran her fingers lightly over it once again, then turned inward to speak to de’ R’lous.

”I do not believe that which you say about my Sire,” she told him flatly.

”He would not betray me; he gave me that which I have, and guided me to my dearest Dark Heart that it should come to life.

“I could never turn against him… not without solid proof. More than the mere words with which you fill my head.”

With that she fell silent, then simply took another drink of brandy.

Yes, better to be left for a better time.

He stepped backwards further, hands going to his sides.

“No do not recall…” he whispered, his words barely audible.

“Yes, my—Dark Lady,” he forced, “that is what is important. Of course.”

Somewhere, buried deeply within him, was a ball of madness Phalomir had extracted from the Dark Lady not so long ago. Soundlessly, without notice, the strong hold he maintained on this madness loosened.

“Proof you shall have, dear lady. But yes, words are indeed not nearly enough to convince you, and more tangible evidence is called for. But to gather such evidence is dangerous, dear lady, and will require someone with great strength, power, and cunning. Of course, you fit that description perfectly, but you are far too important and will be needed here.”

A soft feeling of playful warmth crept into the Dark Lady.

She was sounding almost like...

...well, like her old self...

"To answer your question concerning why you made any sort of...

agreement with me," Terrin finally spoke up then, "I used to own a large ship-building company, one which dealt in manufacturing ships as large as the Super Star Destroyer. For this reason I had many influential business-related connections...

...ones that tended to also be of the political nature. You made the blood oath with me under the conditions that, when the time came, I would be willing to use these connections to act in your...

...and the Sith's...

Graysith smiled sweetly as she shot that thought back into the channeler.

"After all, I know all of you not. I only know of my dearest Dark Heart, no matter what misuse he had of me, and of the devotion and teachings of my Sire, Lord Aelvedaar.

"As do I know of the final destiny that has been placed before me now, now that the Sith appear to have been resurrected."

Now she turned to the young turquoise-eyed lad, but it was not to him that she addressed her next words.

"Mr. Danner, if we had a blood oath as you claim... then perhaps you can find the means of revealing the truth in what has happened in this mysteriously disappearing past of mine. Obviously you placed yourself in servitude to me by making that oath; I am Chosen of the Sith, and so in assisting me, you likewise assist them as well.

"That is--"

She paused once more, her eyes darkening to garnet.

"If I can assume that what you speak is truth, and not something simply conjured from thin air for your own interests."

Rykounagin quickly realized he would have to speed up to keep with the pace here, or he would be plowed under and left behind, the imprints of their boots still well formed in his flesh.

He decided that he would let Danner have command for a short while, and he relayed this to him quickly, hardly even focusing on the idea.

He decided to look back upon what had happened so far. His previous master had sent him to the dark planes with that shard, that still pulsated against rykounagins ribs in it's safely tucked away cubby in his mesh.

Then he had journeyed to that ship, where he had explained himself, and been greatly pained by his master for nearly revealing him. He then swore fealty to Graysith, also under the command of his master.

They had then journeyed to this place, and the spirit inside him had begun to make itself at home, and he had discovered that strange thing in Graysith's possession that seemed to commune with her.

That thing had struck a strong chord in Rykounagin for somereason, though he had no reason why. And now they sat here plotting about something he had no idea about. Though the rest of them seemed to have a good idea about what was going on.

Suddenly it seemed as though this had all been planned, all been laid out by something greater. Like setting a holochess board in places where one's pieces would been in more favorable or less favorable places, instead of their usual places on either sides of the board. Could it be that his master... No it couldn't be.

At first, after the apparent death of Romanus' body on the outskirts of the tomb, Ragorian had despaired, feeling that all was lost and he was doomed to isolation and silence again. Doomed to wallow in his own insanity for another thousand years. But this was not to be. For, not long after Romanus had seemed to have died, he had felt another hand grasp his hilt. Too weak to use his power of possesion, he had instead struck up a deal with the one who had taken him up. The boy called Rykounagin.

Binding his soul to the boy's, Ragorian began resting and recuperating his lost strength. During this time, he had discovered many dark and astounding secrets about the boy Rykounagin that he did not seem to quite be aware of yet. Ragorian had thought it wise to block these from him until he was ready to accept them, and instead use the lad to his own advantage for the time being. Giving his a shard of the sword that carried his essence in it to him, Ragorian had sent Rykounagin to find Graysith and the others, and win their trust. For Ragorian hoped to find some secret to Graysith's amazing power that she had defeated him with when they had first battled. With this knowledge, he hoped to harness the power for himself, and use it to return himself to his own body and power.

He had been amazed to witness Graysith's power when she defeated the swarm Dark Lord Roan had sent from the Darker Realms. He had sensed this force she called the All in the power she had used to eliminate the swarm, but there had also been a strong feel of Sith sorcery in the magick, which Ragorian knew the Lady herself could not use. So he had focused Rykounagin on finding this soure of Graysith's newfound might.

Ragorian had been startled, to say the least, when his connection with Rykounagin's mind had been severed through Graysith's fealty ritual. But as he had bound himself to the boy's soul, their connectiuon had not been lost, and instead he had also felt a slight bond with Graysith himself, as she bound to her the one with whom his soul was intertwined. Another shock had come when Ragorian had sensed another conciousness in Rykounagin's mind aside from his. One called Terrin Danner, who was somehow important to Graysith. Ragorian cared not for this Danner, and only viewed him as an annoyance that got in the way of his attempts to reconnect with the boy's mind. Yet just recently something had drawn his attention again. During the conversation, along his ever-so-slight bond with the Chosen Daughter, he had felt her conversing with another entity, separate from those in the room, and his interest had piqued Rykounagin's own. However vague Graysith's explanation had been, Ragorian had felt great power in that object she carried. This, indeed, was the source of her newfound sorcerous powers. This so-called Axis.

Upon coming to this conclusion only moments ago, Ragorian realised that he must take the Axis, for it, he was sure, could restore him to his former body at long last. He would worry about how to tap its power, or the wrath that he would evoke from Graysith later. Now was the time for action.

Focusing again on Rykounagin's mind, Ragorian noticed that the boy had relinquished control of himself to the spirit of this Danner. A perfect opportunity for Ragorian to regain control. Focusing every might of his power on the shard the boy carried, Ragorian leaped into the boy's mind itself.

Sweeping aside Danner before he could react, Ragorian quickly looked out through the boy's eyes, which now gleamed crimson, a sign that he had taken control. ven so, he felt the body's muscles reject him, as if they knew he was not their rightful master. Knowing he could not hold the lad's body for long, Ragorian took in his surroundings. Graysith seemed deep in conversation with herself. Or perhaps the Axis. The larger Sith, Phalomir, was he called? seemed to be struggling some pain or emotion, as he was slumped in a chair, holding his head in his hands. Perfect. They were both distracted. He had to act very quickly, or he would lose his chance. Surprise and assault would be the quickest method possible.

Gathering every mite of his power he could muster, Ragorian focused again on the shard Rykounagin carried, which began to glow steadily brightly as power collected inside it. Gathering the magick into what he called a "Mind-bomb," Ragorain let the flood of power lose. Searing light filled his vision for a moment, then quickly cleared to show him the scene in the room. Just as he had hoped, the intesnse assault on their minds had rendered Graysith and Phalomir unconcious. But, Ragorian assumed, not for more than a few minutes. Their midns and souls were very strong, and Ragorian knew they would recover only momentarily. At that moment, Rykounagin's true mind resurfaced, puzzled and furious. Desperatly, Ragorian turned his focus to the object that lay on the floor, near Graysith's outstreached hand.

The Axis! he half-shouted to Rykounagin, and simultaneously using what he could muster to throw a cloak of invisibility about the boy, directing him then to hasten as quickly and directly as possible to a particular point outside the tomb where he lay.

Grab it and return to me, quickly! We must get off this planet! Now is the time for haste!

I thought I had rid myself of him, he was gone! Rykounagin thought angrily as Ragorian fell silent and left his body.

I gave an oath, he should be gone! But, he did promise the truth...

Rykounagin looked back to when he had found the large sword that had lay next to that seemingly destroyed husk of a body. It had been so interesting to watch, so curious that he'd picked it up.

He suddenly found that it could speak to him, telling him its story, and striking that bargain to tell him of the truth that he had forgotten.

He stepped towards the fallen Graysith and looked around at the fallen Phalomir and Rhua Ki.

He stepped up to the glowing Axis, it's gems still glowing with the residue of it's suddenly halted conversation with Graysith.

As he picked it up he whispered in Graysith's ear, "I'm sorry."

He stood up straight again and walked in the direction indicated by his master.

Before he departed altogether, he looked back to all of them, some already showing signs of recovering from the attack. "I'm sorry to all of you, I hope to oneday return the Axis. I hold no feelings against you if you do hate me for this and attempt to kill me. I feel as though I deserve it. Goodbye."

With that, invisible to the eyes of any Sith who were there, he stepped through the doorway of the Dining Hall and into the corridor beyond, not stopping but hastening onward to his master, as that door quietly closed behind him.

But as it was, the strength of the magick of the Sith was stronger, having taken her so completely by surprise that she hadn’t had the time to raise defensive measures against it. All she could do was lay on the cold stones, feeling them become warmer and warmer as her rage mounted and soared, heating her skin until she felt she was veritably alight with a flame of such fury that it could never be extinguished.

She ground her teeth at the effrontery of it all… as well as in anger at herself for her own stupidity.

You acted as a child! she snarled inwardly. Your dear Father taught you better, did he not? Did not your own Dark Heart warn you of unexpected strangers bearing gifts? Yet your own ego ballooned out too far, blinding you to the wisdom they had imparted to you.

And you would consider yourself the Chosen of the Sith…

Hot tears sprang into her eyes, enraging her more for the fact that as yet she couldn’t even blink to eliminate them. Her world blurred, wavered; the bodies of the giant Sith, the willowy scientist merged together into a weird chimera of arms and legs all out of proportion to each other. The stone beneath her hot cheek fairly seethed with flame of its own making, strengthening new resolve now slamming into her body.

Vengeance is indeed a dish best served cold….

Time passed… and little by little she regained control over herself. Soon she was able to blink, then to extend her tongue to lick her dry lips. The image of combined Kaminoan and Sith resolved into two, both groggy, both jerking and groaning to get themselves to their hands and feet. She found her lip was able to curl, and that strength was starting to flow back into her body.

At length she rolled over on her stomach, then gained her hands and knees, and finally managed to rise to her feet. She lurched; one slender hand reached out, clutching, grasping; it connected with something and she found herself steadied.

She looked to the spot her newfound apprentice had so recently occupied, recalled his final words to her before he departed.

“Yes,” she now answered in a chilling whisper, and merely waited for the others to revive, one hand grimly stroking the place at her hip where the Finger of R’lous had hung.

But what was this? How had this happened? What insurrection of the peons had dared interrupt his reunion with the One?

Kidnapped? Yes, he had been kidnapped, stolen away like a babe from the arms of a weeping mother. Oh, this was precious. Indeed, Axis felt a sudden rush of amusement at the situation, the jewels on the Finger glowing a brief yellow before settling back into smooth deep red.

He called out to the mind of the youth who now carried the device, being careful to knock lightly on the surface of the boy’s mind, not venturing too deeply.

“Well done,” came the voice into the boy’s mind. “But what now, how do we plan to escape this planet of Sith? Amaze me, boy, and I may grant you use of my powers. Bore me, and you shall share the fate of so many others before you.”

“My lady,” he said, “what has happened?”

He looked at her other hand, patting the area where once hung the Finger of R’Lous. A feeling of dread washed over Phalomir, followed immediately by a sense of urgency.

“No, I am not hurt,” she said brusquely, pulling her hand from Phalomir’s even while something deep within her psyche roiled and writhed and yowled…

Liar-rr-rrr….

She sniffed in something approaching momentary embarrassment as she followed the direction of Phalomir’s gaze. The segue smoothly performed, she let that hand now press down upon her thrimm, removing any unsightly wrinkles it had taken in her graceless fall to the floor.

“He shall not get far; I can find him yet; I may require your assistance in this—“

Her voice trailed and the strange light now flickering in her eyes faded inward, as she reached out to regain contact with Telion de’ R’lous. For, had there not been a link? Did they not share minds; was not her ability, honed ever sharper by lessons she had received from Lord Aelvedaar, enough to now actively stretch out and find him?

For find him I must, she thought, and straining, stretched further.

Atop her forehead, the Glyph began whirring into life, while deep within her being the Beast sat up, shook away the remnants of long slumber, and began raking its razored talons up and down, up and down, up and down….

She ignored this then, jerking herself back to consciously focus on her surroundings... which were decidedly opulent. Recalling who she was here, she moved to a richly brocaded bell-pull and tugged it. It seemed she had scarcely let the thick material fall from her hand when she was approached by a large Sith with eyes of aquamarine. He bowed respectfully before her.

"Yes, Lady?" he inquired.

"There is a lad running loose somewhere in this temple or its grounds; he has stolen a personal object of mine that I would like back. Please send soldiers to find and detain him."

She dismissed Salandaar after providing him with the description of the young Rykounagin, then returned to her task of reconnecting with the spirit occupying the Finger of R'lous.

“He is human, and has taken that which is Sith,” was all he said.

Indeed, was all he needed to say.

The Captains growled in reply, whirled as a unit, and departed to their squads. Soon the temple and its grounds were alive with the steady march of feet, as the warriors of the Sith set out on their quest to find the object their Lady required.

As for what they needed to do to regain it, once it was found….

“Oh, dear lady,” he called out, feebly. “I have been taken, but I shall not allow him to use my powers. But hurry, dear lady, for I fear he intends to deliver me into the hands of another. Perhaps Aelv…”

Axis allowed the link to falter, cutting much of the energies he used to maintain his ever-growing bond with the Lady. He waited a brief second, then redoubled the energies to the link.

“Hurry, dear lady!”

Axis let the link dangle, feeding wave upon wave of energy to it, growing the Lady’s need and urgency in finding her treasure. He knocked lightly on the boy’s mind once again.

“If you have not another plan, may I suggest a stealth approach? This temple is crawling with Sith.”

I heed your call! she cried out to him, straining to maintain contact.

“They are yet on this planet,” she said aloud, her voice terse with the strain she was holding. “We shall go to them…

“Now!”

Tightening her hold on the spirit of de’ R’lous, she closed her eyes and concentrated. The Beast roared within, the Glyph flared into incandescence then, as with a wave of one hand she opened a portal in the fabric of time and space.

Wavering dimly through the shimmering energies was a dark and somehow ominous form.

“My soldiers shall soon be at hand; come, Armorer, and attend your Lady!”

With that she stepped through the portal to confront that which was lurking on the other side.

His concentration was broken briefly when another voice entered Rykounagin's mind: that of the Axis. Rather than sounding
angered or distressed at its separation from the Lady, the voice emanating from the so-called Finger sounded amused, of all things. Interesting. Ragorian was also mildly startled to find that the voice actually was asking Rykounagin to impress it, and offering him advice on how to avoid detection. Most interesting indeed. And it gave good advice as well, advice that Ragorian immediatly acted on.

Feeding and weaving energies as best he could through the shard of the sword that remained with Rykounagin, he draped the fleeing boy in a cloak of Sith magick that would render him invisible to any normal being's eye. For how long, Ragorian could not tell. His powers were still faltering; he still had yet to regain his full strength. And this was not a good time for him to not be at full power.

As he focused on the Axis, Ragorian felt it communicating along a link with Graysith...and then nearly close the link, after crying out desperatly for Graysith to help it. The Axis had shown two sides to this situation thus far. Which was an act, and which was the truth? Cautiously, Ragorian opened a link with the Axis.

My apologies for wresting you so quickly away from the Dark Lady, but my greed got the best of me. Ragorian said to it, attempting to sound friendly, which was not something he did often. We have not yet been introduced. I-

Ragorian suddenly cut off as he sensed a shift in the air close behind Rykounagin. As the boy's head turned to look, Ragorian felt chills go down his spine as he watched the Lady Graysith emerge from a portal just opened in the air, her eyes smoldering with rage and desire for vengeance. Shouting to Rykounagin to flee, Ragorian poured his own magick into the boy, aiding him to escape all the more swiftly, far faster than he could normally go. Still, Ragorian had little hope of successfully fleeing the Lady. Unless...

She was in a quiet little cove in one of the far gardens of the Great Temple of the Warriors. Nearby a small fountain tinkled lightly, on one side of her an ornately carved stone bench silently beckoned to those who wandered to come sit, rest, compose oneself in that meditation which is oftentimes the true core of a warrior's strength.

She snorted, turning her back on that bench, and cast another look about.

Nothing... yet there had been something, a dark wavering in the very bits of matter from which everything is made.

The Glyph flared in protest, the Beast roared, it's feast of blood snatched from beneath it's very claws. Pursing her lips grimly, Graysith now closed her eyes, and reached out along that link.

Once again, Ragorian's interest was piqued by the motives of this spirit inside the Finger of R'lous. It shared a large bond with Graysith that it seemed to want to use, yet when it was stolen away from her, it did not constantly alert her to their presence and location. Was the Axis merely playing a game, or did it truly wish to leave the Diamond of the Sith, and Graysith. Ragorian opted for the latter, although he could not guess if the Axis would even lend him its power if it did allow them to excape Graysith's wrath.

Sensing along his link with the Axis, Ragorian again felt Graysith calling to it. Wether or not it would answer was entirely beyond him. But Ragorian knew Rykounagin's ship was near enough. Soon they would reach it. Now comes the test. Ragorian thought to himself. The Axis' true desires, whatever they may be, will be apparent in a matter of seconds. Both Rykounagin's immediate and my eventual fate hang on its decision.

"My Lady, fifteen squads with hunting tuk'ata are searching the temple and the grounds," he informed her with a bow.

She regarded him, somewhat coldly, before finally answering.

"Increase that number, and go forth into the city itself if you must. That boy must be found; I will return that which is Sith, to the Sith."

Piercing Salandaar with another look, she then closed her eyes and resumed reaching out for the non-responsive spirit. But a part of her she did not wish to examine too closely frowned at her actions, at her choice of words.

I do not know who gave me that-- that thing, came sliding silkily unbidden to her ears.

I do not know fully why I seek it so strongly. It must be due to my dear Sire; all this must be of his device.

He would not let me down....

With a shiver she quieted, forcing down rising trepidation and self-doubt, and continued calling futilely to that which not too long ago had consistently filled her with such a welcomed feeling of warmth and...

Acceptance.

...not at the present time, anyway. He was vaguely aware of the fact that his host was now running like mad, away from Graysith. Gods knew why he was doing so, and Terrin couldn't say he was altogether thrilled with the way Graysith was sounding at the moment himself...

...but he did not want to be dragged off in this body when the only way to ensure that Galen was safe probably rested behind him. And it was then that Terrin recalled the link she had created with him, one which would allow him to communicate with her at any time.

He prayed it would work now.

What is going on? he thought then, hoping it was registering across the link, Graysith, can you hear me? This guy is possessed by something or someone very strong...

Not even bothering to open her eyes, she called out to the departing Salandaar.

"They are that way," she said, one slender arm rising to point the way.

Acknowledging his returning bow with a slight one of her own, she focused on the sense of rising panic she felt beginning to niggle at the end of the unexpected link that had suddenly revived.

"Patience, Mr. Danner," she purred back along that wavering mental connection.

"We are coming to your aid...."

Her smile broadened, darkened as she folded her hands into the sleeves of her cloak, then she finally opened her eyes to stare off into the direction in which she now was certain her unseen quarry had fled.

Now begins the final chase, he thought grimly to himself. Turning to his still-open link with the Axis, Ragorian once again spoke to it.

It would now be an excellent time to aid us if you wish to leave this place, for Graysith knows of us and our position, I would dare to think. I do not think we will escape without your assistance.

A power, held within this boy. A familiar power, something close… something Sith.

“You have Sith magick within you, boy,” Axis called out softly. “You intrigue me. Stay alive, and we shall meet again on better terms. But do not attempt to force me to your bidding. But how shall you stay alive? Perhaps we may strike a bargain? You shall be captured, but do one small thing for me and you may live. When asked, you say it was Aelvedaar who possessed you.”

Without waiting for a response, Axis re-opened the link fully with Graysith.

Reach I.

Well met, Axis. When you sensed Sith magick within Rykounagin, it was me you felt. I am Sith, though not physically, but mentally. I would seek your assistance and power in a task I have been waiting for eons to complete. I see now that I will be required to wait longer for this to be accomplished. But I do hope we can work out a deal eventually.

I do have one question, as you know the Lady better than I. I have met her before, and I believe she would know the mark of my possesion to not be of this Aelvedaar. Do you know of a way that I could disguise or mask my own aura to her, and stop her from noticing it, so that we may meet again and talk. if so, please tell me, before our time runs out.

Thus when the animal suddenly lunged forth, reaching out to rend and tear, wild yowls issuing from its throat, he quite literally set his heels into the dirt and hauled back.

M'wonBo'o came to a struggling halt mere inches from...

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

The Captain frowned momentarily... then turned his head and raised the alarm.

"Here, my warriors! There is something here!"

He was sorely tempted to activate the twin golden lightsabres that were shadowed under his bracers. But mayhaps he should listen to the Axis' commands.

After all, they did seek alliance with it, and did need it's powers for his master's needs.Yes, I will listen to your commands, as we do not seek to use you, only to benefit from each other mutually. I will follow your plan, though I hope it is a good one, for otherwise I may find myself at a fate that you will regret placing upon me.

He stood up before the sith and their vile beasts.

"All right, you have me, not by catching me, I'm just tired. Shall you take me back to the temple now? But don't be fooled for a moment, don't delude yourselves that you actually can hold me at this time." He said, raising his arms to his sides at shoulder height.

"Warriors, heed!" the Captain called as he gave the leash a yank. M'wonBo'o allowed himself to fall back a bit, planting his great paws into the dirt and growling, while his eerie pupilless eyes sought to find that which his nose told him was directly beneath it. He whined anxiously, twitching his face tendrils about as he sought to touch the prey he had helped to corner.

Moments later, the remaining warriors thronged to where the Captain's cry had led them, ringing about him five and six deep, the Captains in that throng straining mightily to hold back their own struggling tuk'ata. The Captain holding M'wonBo'o grinned darkly, nodding in satisfaction.

"There is sorcerery here, fellows," he spoke the obvious. No one bothered to reply aloud but merely nodded in agreement.

The Captain then cried out an order.

"Seek the Dark Lady, and tell her we have... something cornered," he said, now jerking his chin off in the direction from whence they had all come. The young warrior who had been assigned this task nodded once, clapped his hand to his chest in a salute, then dashed off to carry out his orders.

Behind him the ring held firm, and the cries of the tuk'ata resounded in the night.

"Do not pride yourselves upon a successful hunt, for it is not for you to congradulate yourselves. You should be thankful that I have given myself to you, for even in my weakened state, none of you would have been any challenge to me. Not to hurt your sith pride." He said.

So tempting it was to activate his golden weapons, so once again see them as they cut through sizzling and cauterizing flesh.
But, in my memory I've never attacked or killed anyone. Could it be from the forgotten past?

He could only wonder as he waited for graysith's inevitable arrival; or would she send the great Phalomir to retrieve him?

The Marshall was in a good mood. His Mystlynx was up, ready, and repaired, he had just rested for a full ten hours, and he was a bit tipsy off of the captains mini-bar. Only one thing tagged on the back of his mind.
What did that guy mean about the feds going after Miss Grace? Is she allright? Does she know had to stay out of sight?
Quit worrying you putz! She's a capable woman!
But what if she isn't?

Medan thought hard for a couple more minutes, and came up with a conclusion. He had to find out about Grace, so he would go down to whatever this planet was that the Captain has taken us to. Scince his MystLynx didn't have the comm-system capable for handling that kind of distance, and he was sure the Captain's cruiser couldn't take it either, it was his only choice.

Walking down the bridge he spotted the Captain. "Captain, I must go down to the planet to, umm.., solve some puzzles that have been naging on me."

"I shouldn't be gone for too long."

The words preceded the form of the Chosen Daughter as, quite suddenly, a rent in the fabric of spacetime developed directly between the blustering lad and the faithful Sith warriors and their tuk'ata who ringed him. M'wonBo'o gave a satisfied grumble to see his Mistress appear as with a final lurch he broke free from the Captain holding him and came to her side.

She approached the young Rykounagin, her eyes ablaze.

"What you did was not wise, fool," she spat; then her lip curled in derision as she beheld the object the young man had tried to take from her.

"I do not believe that belongs to you," she said smoothly as with a graceful wave of one hand she let forth a modicum of her talents. The atoms in the air immediately surrounding the Finger gathered up that released energy, becoming hotter and hotter by the nanosecond until at length the device was blazing with incandescent heat.

The lad could no longer hold it; it dropped from his involuntarily loosened fingers.

Graysith, however, was no fool. Her ego still stung from how Rykounagin had nearly escaped with this device; that memory lending others wings, she fell back on every bit of self-preservation taught to her during those long training days she had with Darth Wicked.

She did not touch the Finger, but instead just used her energies to move it up in the air above their heads. There she held it, and turned to her warriors.

"Everything always has to be difficult with you people, doesn't it?" he sighed and brought down his combat HUD.

The dreadnought's and star destroyer's loomed ahead of him, giving the impression of an impregnable defense. Inputing coordinates on his HUD, Medan thought carefully about his next actions.In all my times I've been wandering the galaxy, I've never been able to legally or without violence get onto a planet that is blockaded by, yes, yours truly, the empire. To put it bluntly I'll need to, like, um... take some things out. A diversion would be nice to. And some explosions.

Getting ahold of himself, Medan drew up some schematics andactivated weapons and shields. Ahead of him was gonna be one heck of a fight.

But he did not so desire.

But it was strange how Jharmeen had developed such a keen interest in this device, almost a need. Yes, it was he who gave it to her, but that meant nothing to her now. It seemed to have some type of connection with her…

Think, Phalomir, think. He questioned himself. Why did you give it to her? What did the Eye of R’lous show you that prompted that decision?

He thought back to the day in the Temple of the Armorers, the day he faced the spirit of Lord Rean and somehow freed that Lord from his curse, only to take it upon himself. He was given the Finger at that time, but the Eye showed him images of things to come, terrible things brought about by being obsessed with power, self-absorbed in his conquest of the galaxy, focusing on domination and throwing away the ones about whom he most cared…It is the Finger… It is as the Eye warned, she bound herself to the Finger when she used it behind the Black River. Now it is taking its hold upon her.

He walked quickly, joining the Dark Lady on the side opposite her tuk’ata. He now envied the beast, for though Phalomir was just as loyal, just as devoted, just as loving, the Lady had no memory of Phalomir. This thought echoed in his mind and bounced against the strange ball of insanity he now repressed, taken from the mind of the Dark Lady.

“My Lady,” he said quietly. “I have reservations of your use of this device. We do not yet know much of it, except of certain warnings I received at the time I gave it to you. If you recall…” He shut his eyes at the error, but decided to continue anyway. “The Eye warned that I should never use this device, and it was only safe in your hands, but was to be used only in the most dire of times. In light of recent events, perhaps we should ‘put it away’ now? For safekeeping?”

"You heard our Lady!" he cried out in a deep voice. "Search him!"

Howls of jostled tuk'ata rang through the night as four muscular Sith stepped forward. Two took Rykounagin by either arm, one stood directly in front of him, holding back -- just barely -- a snarling tuk'ata, while the fourth began patting down the young man's body. In the process, he removed all the lad's outer clothing, as well as the bracers adorning his wrists.

He stepped back, his arms full of Rykounagin's clothing.

"Very well then, go to your destiny!" The Captain-in-Command let forth a great bark of laughter as he came forward and pushed Rykounagin in the chest, sending him reeling in the arms of the two Sith warriors. They released their hold at precisely the right moment, and joined in the laughter as the momentum of that blow sent the lad sprawling on the ground.

A look from the Captain-in-Command, and they bent down to jerk him to his feet.

“Why indeed? Is it jealousy? Does he feel left out, now that you are remembering more of your life with me? Yes, the Eye showed him warnings, dear lady, but that is because his kind are hungry for power and are easily corrupted into abusing it. I have been in Sith hands for eons, and in each I was misused. Only with you am I at peace, only with you do I fulfill my purpose. I feel no reservations in granting my power to you, dear lady, for I know you will use it wisely.

"Perhaps neither of you have clear understanding of what I have said more than once, so pay heed.

"I remember neither of you! I know nothing of you, warrior--"

This to the silent Phalomir.

"--nor much of you, Telion, save your assurances of how we have supposedly spent so much time together."

She paused, her eyes blazing, as she drove a piercing gaze back and forth between the two.

"All I remember is that I have an obligation to my dear Sire, that I had a destiny, apparently fulfilled, that there are tasks undone yet to finish--

"And that both of you task me tremendously with your hints and innuendoes of what we supposedly were to each other! Yet, you--"

She whirled to Phalomir.

"You lag behind, all namby pamby, striving to revive memories you claim we share but by nothing more substantial than words, while you--"

She sent another energy blast up to the hovering Finger of R'lous.

"You, for all your connection to me allowed yourself to be taken from my hand with such ease...

"Considering the power you hold within you!"

She ground to a halt then, too angered to continue for a moment, then finally found voice to finish.

"There is one way that I know of to reveal the truth to me, a path I fully intend to travel upon in the very near future. But first, I have a particular little matter to attend to."

She let some of her anger fuel a rising smile, which crept forth to cover her features in darkness. Then she proceeded onward to the Temple, to await the coming of the prisoner, Rykounagin.

The look in Rykounagin's eyes flashed and shifted to something of pleading; although the young lad continued to struggle the air in his manner changed from one of haughtiness to determination mingled with despair.

"Wait, wait!" Terrin pled. "This is Captain Terrin Danner, the one who has been placed inside this one's mind by Graysith. I beg that you not make my fate the same as this one's...

...please..."

He struggled on even as he waited for whomever would reply...

...and however they might.

"Be silent worm! Do not force me to make your stay more unpleasant that it will be normally if you displease me."

"Your stay within me is only measured by my patience, if you continue to attempt to use my voice, I will do my best to make sure you feel whatever pain that may be betowed upon me just as much as myself!" He said, now focusing upon keeping Danner down.

I know them not, yet they know me...

A small shudder rippled through her, and she finally found her voice.

"It seems that I am somewhat lacking in memories regarding your people," she said offhandedly to Phalomir. "When I am finished with my current duty, perhaps you will--"

She paused as words came sailing feebly into her mind.

Mr. Danner....

"Have no fear, Mr. Danner," she sent along the dwindling link she held with him.

"You shall not suffer as you do for very long."

With those words she found and entered into the only room she knew of: the Grand Dining Hall. Not knowing where else to go within it, she headed to the gigantic stone fireplace that took up one end. There she placed one hand upon the mantle and waited, staring into the flames dancing there as if seeking advice from their heated energies.

She did not have to wait long.

A growl from M'wonBo'o, the sound of approaching footsteps, the distinctive clap of fists over chests, and she knew that Rykounagin was there. Moments later, a nudge at her side prompted her to look; clawed hands respectfully held forth Rykounagin's clothing toward her.

She stared at the items, letting her gaze dwell on the bracers... then reached out and took a deceptively gentle hold of them. They were strong and cool and sturdy in her hands... and from them there ejected quite suddenly something she found to be...

Interesting.

"Lightsabers," she breathed, holding the pair aloft and scrutinizing them carefully.

"How very, very quaint."

She then ordered the warrior to take them and lock them securely away. He bowed and left, taking the items with him.

As for the Finger... it continued to hover in the air, seeming to stare down at her as she now turned to face the defiant lad.

"Tell me why I should not kill you on the spot," she said, sending a piercing look directly into his eyes. "For He who has taught me, has taught me well:

"Do not suffer a traitor to live."

While she waited for the stammering explanation and excuses she was certain were to follow, she sent a single thought upward to the spirit in the Finger of R'lous.

"You claim a closeness with me, that I somehow have meaning to you, and you to me. Please, I beg you now, prove this by removing the spirit of Mr. Danner from this... pestilence that is before me, and place it..."

She stopped for a moment, considering.

"In him."

She did not point, but sent the image of the still-silent Phalomir floating into the essence of the spirit of Telion de' R'lous.

“As you wish, dear lady. But I shall claim no more roles in your past, you shall learn the truth in due time, and on your own. Simply use me as you require, and I shall count myself blessed.

“But as for Mr. Danner, it was not I who placed him in this body, and it is not I who can move him. I can only channel the power of Sith magick and feed into it the power of the All. But I must have a source, and only you may use this power I channel. So feed me, and then concentrate on moving Mr. Danner’s spirit.”

"Yes," she said, somewhat vaguely; then all the while keeping a cautious eye pinned on the device she lowered it from where it hovered in the air until it came to rest in her hands. Her fingers closed possessively about it's haft; it felt good in her grasp, coolly warm and full of not just life but that which forms the very foundation of all that is.

She smiled, her eyes darkening, and within her breast the Beast set up a steady, eager whine. This she ignored, and slowly pointed the Finger directly at Rykounagin.

Then she closed her eyes, and concentrated....

The universe exploded into a fantasmagoric kaleidoscope of every color imaginable. Songs burst out from the superstrings of existence, hurting her eyes for their brilliancy; rainbows danced loudly in her ears. The hairs on her skin stood up, electrified by the sheer purity of essence that now encompassed the very atoms of the air about her; she drew in a great breath of it, and cried out for the joyous pain it brought to her.

And when she finally opened her eyes....

Phalomir was on his knees, his ruddy skin paled by several hues to a sickly grayish mauve, his great clawed hands clasped over his temples, one horn piercing his own skin, unnoticed. Blood dripped from the wound and onto the floor; Graysith cocked her head a bit to one side, fascinated by the sight, and merely watched as the universe once more shrank back into normal proportions and the Glyph died down into merely ultraviolet beauty.

Now letting her fingers caress the haft of the Finger of R'lous, she turned her attention back to Rykounagin. To his credit he was still on his feet, still staring directly at her, unafraid. But the look he wore seemed somehow...

Uneasy.

She smiled, curling her lip.

"As I was saying, my fine young apprentice," she continued, spitting the final word as though it was an anathema to her.

"Why indeed now most of all should I allow you to live? Speak your words, and quickly, or suffer the consequences your own actions have placed before you."

"He is the one who is responsible for this evenings events, and I must say, you may not have met the standards he was expecting."

Yet--

She finally drew in a shuddering breath and managed to compose herself a fraction as another thought came to her.

Who had it been who so adamantly adhered to the supposition that Aelvedaar was traitor to her? Who had been in the possession, however briefly, of Rykounagin?

Who seemed to have an uncanny talent for persuasion, being adept with praise and warm-fuzzies and promises of friendship?

Her eyes narrowed, then blazed. In one swift movement she released the Finger of R'lous, and using her talents sent it hovering in mid-air above them once more.

"Touch this not," she said tersely, then turned to the youth.

"You swore an oath of fealty to me, an oath of blood, which is something not to be taken lightly. This you claim was at the behest of another; thus to you the oath was false and non-binding."

She paused, thinking.

"By rights you should die for this traitorous action. But, unlike yourself, I take such an oath seriously. It has meaning to me.

"Thus you shall not die, but believe me you shall wish you had...."

She suffixed those words by raising one hand. With a graceful wave and a dark smile, she used every bit of All-strength available to her, opening up a tiny corner into that chilling abyss known only as the Elseness.

A single, lithe twist of her wrist, and Rykounagin was propelled roughly into it.

The opening closed as nonchalantly as her next words, leaving an empty space where he had been standing.

"I shall go to Khar Delba, to meet with my dear Sire. Then I shall indeed know what is true and what is false, as well as the intentions of those who claim so much by mere words alone."

He rose to his full height, wobbling slightly. He was still slightly pale, but struggled to maintain an air of power and dignity about him. He took several deliberate steps towards the Dark Lady, pausing when he was in range for her to hear his soft voice.

“I know you do not believe me, and are frustrated by my words. But if you intend to visit Lord Aelvedaar, then please allow me to go with you. If all is well, I shall simply meld into the background as a visiting Lord. But if my fears are true, then I wish to be there to defend you.”

Indeed, she knew him not, but he did seem to hold steadfastly to her... at least far more so than had that traitorous whelp Rykounagin.

"That," she said, allowing a bit of a smile creep into her words as she swallowed. "That is acceptable, although M'wonBo'o might have some issues with your intentions of defending me from harm.

"But that--" She went on, nodding to the wound Phalomir was trying to bind with a napkin.

"That is unsightly, and offends my eyes at the dining table."

With that she closed her eyes, reaching inward. The Glyph obediently responded, springing into life as she then reached forth with her talents, seeking platelet and collagen and binding agent and the white cells swarming to the inflamed puncture...

...and strengthened them all. A few moments more, and the wound was entirely healed.

"There, that is better," she said as a hovering attendant leapt forward to take up and then dispose of the soiled napkin. She watched him go, marvelling to herself of how far she seemed to have progressed with her usage of the All; then sniffed and turned back to Phalomir.

"I am not above being open for suggestion," she stated in apparent non sequiteur.

"What do you think we should do with that?"

So saying, she raised the haunch to her lips once more, nodding toward the hovering Finger, her eyes pinned directly into Phalomir's green ones.

But I shall fear not, my master's plans shall not go awry, and even then at the point of sure sucess or destruction, I will survive. There is to much for me to learn of my past, and of my inevitable future for me to die.

Rykounagin thought this for a long time. Or did he? Did it merely happen in the flash of a heartbeat? Or did it take so long that before he could know it, he would be back before Graysith.

Graysith's words troubled Ragorian. If she truly did go to speak with this Aelvedaar, he would almost certainly not confirm the story the Axis had given them. And if that happened, Rykounagin would almost certainly either die or be ripped from him entirely, thus again leaving him unfound and lost, for millenia untold. He must stop that from happening, in whatever way possible.

Rykounagin, he said to the young boy, his voice tinged with regret, I am most sorry for getting you in this situation. I must say, I did almost believe we would escape from here with the Axis. Now matters are worse, and it is only because of my mistakes that your life is in danger. I promise, I will do whatever I can to protect you, and allow you to escape. No matter the cost.

Keeping that link intact, Ragorian opened another, much smaller one that he had been desperate to keep secret before. One that he had kept with the spirit of the Axis.

So far, my friend, he said in a cool voice, your plan does seem to have kept Rykounagin and I from death. But we seem to be in a predicament at the moment. If Graysith pays a visit to this Lord Aelvedaar, I doubt that he will verify our story. It seems likely that Rykounagin shall be either killed or tortured if this occurs, something I do not wish to happen. It seems necessary for us to escape the plantet soon. If you still wish to keep us alive, could you perhaps tell us what this place is, or how Rykounagin may escape from it?

“We need to know more of this thing. It is indeed a powerful tool, but there is something – ominous – within it. There must be a reason Lord Rean passed it to me. Perhaps the true power of this device is not yet realized.”

He turned his attention back to the Lady.

“I think perhaps until we discover more, this should be stored away. I do not deign to know the answers, but it seemed to have some sort of… hold upon you. I must retrieve the Eye of R’Lous, it may hold the answers.”

He bit on his upper lip as he considered his next words.

Was....

Nothing other than the time she had spent in the Great Temple on Khar Delba, alone for the most part, then a moment of sheer ecstasy with him that was followed by more time alone as he went off to...

To do what? She really didn't know. All she knew that she had stood loyally at his side, and he--

And he had betrayed her. Lord Aelvedaar had rescued her, taken her to his Secret Place, his Sanctum Sanctorum, and there had spent months training her, hard months culminating in the Blood-Hunt ritual in which she became bonded with M'wonBo'o.

Everything faded to soft shadows after that.

Her frown deepened, and she turned her eyes up to Phalomir's.

How green they were, how soothing, like a warm and tropical sea...

She jerked again, and steadied herself.

"I remember nothing, but if you wish I can take us to my warship--"

Momentary pause for quick inner reflection, for where in all the universe had that ship come from? How had she come to be in it? Indeed, when had she learned to pilot such a ship; she did not recall her Dear Sire teaching her....

"--and there you may hunt for this Eye you desire, if you think it will help us at all."

Again she frowned, wondering why she felt they needed any help; indeed, what was it they would need help against?

And where did that insidious "we" come from?

Again she calmed herself, and took another bite of food.

“Yes,” he said. “Perhaps a brief visit to your ship would prove worthwhile. I am concerned, however. I realize you do not remember, but before you… Before I went unconscious I discovered a bomb of some sort hidden in the storage bay, and used my magick to contain the blast. It was then that you became as if you were… well, possessed. I am concerned that perhaps whatever it was that caused this behavior may still be aboard.”

His eyes narrowed a bit as another thought crossed his mind.

“Then there is the concern as to why Aelvedaar left you on the ship in the first place. And if the Eye were there, he surely would have discovered it himself. But still, it is worth a brief visit.”

A strange twinge rippled through Phalomir’s mind, sending a small surge of Sith magick outward and causing his eyes to flash red for a moment. He put his hand to his head and closed his eyes, trying to find the cause of this sensation. He reached inward, struggling to trace this flicker of power, and came away with only the odd feeling of something slightly unraveling.

He regained his composure and faced the Dark Lady.

“I shall be ready whenever you are, my lady.”

Terrin Danner? Are you here? What are you doing?

It widened further, and through it the interior of a ship glimmered enticingly, mysterious sigils glowing while yet others flashed in harmony with each other.

Graysith rose to her feet and indicated the anomaly with the same hand that had created it.

"After you, Sir," she said smoothly as she rose up from her seat. "Unless, of course, in fear for my safety you think it best that I remain behind while you search for this object you have spoken of."

She fell quiet, but a slight smile flickered around her lips. That smile was a bit deceiving however, and did not come close to touching her eyes, which were filled with a combination of concern and curiosity as to Phalomir's strangely cryptic actions.

I shall never understand these people, truly, she couldn't help thinking, nor their magicks.

But that is irrelevant; the All shall protect me when and where it is needed, and from any and all adversaries.

This my Dear Sire has promised me.

Still smiling, she waited... but a small frown began vying with the smile on her face.

She just couldn't quite remember....

Phalomir let the thought roll through his mind, which still echoed of the magick that washed from him a moment before.

If the spirit -- or whatever it was – that darkened her mind is still there, then I am powerless against it. However, why would it be there? If Aelvedaar were involved in the bomb then he obviously has other plans for her now, after hiding her away in the ship with her memories wiped. That would concur with his suspected involvement with Roan in the Black River.

But, what if Aelvedaar was not involved with the bomb… However unlikely, then perhaps Aelvedaar would have eradicated the thing which controlled her and saved the Lady, possibly even being forced to wipe a portion of her memory…

But this is hard to believe… Unless Aelvedaar truly does care about her… This would complicate matters, considering the animosity he and I seem to have towards each other, but still…Perhaps there is a common ground we share after all.

Phalomir looked to the Dark Lady, the feelings he held for her transparent in his eyes.

“No, I would like it better if you were with me.” He smiled, then added “It would make me feel safer.”

Terrin Danner? Are you here? What are you doing?

Terrin frowned mentally. What the kriffing...??? Wasn't that the voice of that Phalomir guy? How was it that he was communicating as though he was seeking him out???

With effort, Terrin pushed the questions aside. After all, Phalomir was a Sith, one who had shown some serious power. Who knew what the guy could do...

I am here, recovering from the strain of being in that other guy's body, he finally responded to Phalomir. Then, And as for any means of helping Graysith uncover her missing past...

It was a tight mesh of countless ships that nothing seemed to be able to get through. It had several 'capture' ships with tractor beams and the rest simply waited behind them.

He was still several kilometers out from them and their ship sat waiting at full readiness for the slightest move from the imperial ships.

"Plot a course out to some blank area of space with out any nearby suns or planets. I want to be able to get out into the middle of no where incase they try to capture us."

With that said he went back to his quarters to wait.

She hesitated no further but quickly stepped forward toward the rent that floated so eerily before them. It shimmered strangely, like rays of sunlight seen filtering through depths of cold ocean water, brightening and darkening, wavering and strengthening, and as she approached it widened to allow her entrance between moments in time.

Abruptly the enticing images of the interior of the warship segued into something dark and dank and oppressingly heavy.

Lifting her cloak daintily, she stepped through and onto the horrific plains of the Darker Realms. She shivered a bit, then turned and waited for Phalomir to follow.

Medan thrusted his hand into the overhead storage compartment and fumbled till he found a bottle. Seizing it with his only functioning hand he popped the cap off and down a handfull of pills, Medan couldn't tell. Instantly his body stopped shaking and he fell limp.

Phalomir stepped forward, following the one single person he held dear in his life, whose love had now twice been taken from him. He stepped through the portal and into the blackness of the Darker Realms, which though the legends of his childhood Phalomir had referred to as the Land Behind the Black River. No matter what it was called, it was a land of evil, of death, and of madness.

He immediately set himself in a defensive stance, ready to call forth his magick to defend the Dark Lady. But nothing stirred in this bizarre realm.

But there was strangeness there, something powerful and unknown to him, yet oddly enough somehow familiar to him. It was as if the knowledge of that which she apparently was bearing was niggling at the mere corners of his mind, as if his brother, Lord Aelvedaar, was playing his usual mind tricks upon him. There was something there which she held, which came at her command, something more than the All...

And something he dared not confront alone.

Not bereft of Sith magick as he was. Not without the demons of this realm.

It matters not, he snarled to himself as he watched the tall Sith go into a defensive crouch.

There are myriad beings in the universe that man terms real, all with at least one evil thought bandying about in his or her feeble mind. My demons will grow again, this I know to be true.

As true as the fact that she cannot go readily to those places she needs to go without coming here first.

I shall be ready.

We shall be ready, ey my brother?

The thought of a lingering death dealt deliciously to the flame-headed one, not to mention the pleasures he planned once she was dead, was all that kept him hiding and watching....

That and the assurance that their time, Her time, was fast running out.Oh there will be death, one shall die, this my brother has foreseen....

He chuckled, watching Graysith and Phalomir, and continued to bide his time.

Yet something stirred deep within Phalomir, something longing to be unleashed. The strange atmosphere called to him, toyed with him, and beckoned forth the desire to let loose the control he held upon his magick and let his powers surge. He suddenly envisioned himself standing on a mountain top staring proudly down upon row after row of demonic imp, all awaiting his order to march upon the land of the living, to conquer, to kill, all in the name of the triad…

With a start, Phalomir jerked his attention away from those thoughts. He stood to his full height and looked cautiously around, eyes scanning for signs of anything.

You are out there, he thought. I know your presence. You want her, but you aren’t going to have her, and it shall not be my hand alone which prevents you. Hide in your shadows, shade. Think your dark thoughts. But never forget, there is an evil greater than yours, and evil has no friends.

“My lady,” he said quietly, “Are you ready? I do not wish to tarry here, it brings back… dangerous memories.”

“They proceed with caution, for what good it shall do them,” he said quietly. Roan, though not expecting the intrusion, did not flinch.

“I have come with word,” the Master continued. “Rebuild your armies, my friend, and we shall begin anew. Thanks to you, we now know T’elion’s capabilities, now it is time to determine its intentions. If all goes as foreseen, you shall have your vengeance.”

He stared out once more at the two individuals in the distance.

It was nothing, I saw nothing, he is nervous, remembering our previous encounter in this dark realm, she told herself as she nodded, letting her concerned expression segue into one more relaxed, more alert.

"Indeed, there are memories here," she began, then bit the comment abruptly off. Again she frowned.

Why is it that I feel I should have memories of this place, other than those just recently passed?

Concern again shaded her eyes to garnet, and she shook her head. Abruptly, she turned from Phalomir, putting her back to him, and made a slight motion with one hand.

A rip of darkness shimmered in the dark atmosphere, winking and wavering and exposing glimpses of a corridor of the Sith warship.

A chill running up his spine told Phalomir that it would better to not find the answer to that just yet. He lingered a moment longer on the dark spot, then turned to see the rip in space that led to the interior of the warship. The Dark Lady was already there, watching him with just the slightest look of concern -- or was it curiosity?

He lifted his eyebrows slightly and stepped through to join her.

"We must be extra careful when travelling through these realms, my lady," he said. "We cannot know what may be waiting for us next time."

With that statement she stepped gracefully through the interdimensional rift she had opened, and stepped out onto the shining deck of the Sith warship. Moments later Phalomir joined her; she wasted no time but quickly flicked her wrist, closing the Portal into the Darker Realms and effectively trapping themselves in the ship.

"We are now safe from any denizens of that horrid place," she said in a matter-of-fact voice as she turned to face Phalomir. She had to step back in order to meet his eyes with hers.

"However I am not so certain about this one. Hurry, and go seek that which you need to find, that we might sojourn back to my home and discuss what needs to be done."

To do what?

"Did- did you sense that?" she whispered to Phalomir, now turning her head about and actively questing out with her talents. The Glyph lighting the way, she stepped forward cautiously, tiptoing down the suddenly sinister corridor.

"I thought I--"

Suddenly she stopped. The Glyph let out a gamma burst.

She swallowed, turning back to Phalomir.

"There is something here, or rather... something not. Phalomir-"

She blinked, a sudden unease rushing through her being.

"Someone has been here-- but how? This ship is protected by a chronotic shield..."

“No, my lady,” he said, following. “I did not sense anything just now.”

He sighed and lowered his voice, leaning in closer to her as he followed. “But it would not surprise me that something would be here. When I last saw you here, it was if something had possessed you. Something foul, sinister. Whatever it was could still he here.”

Phalomir drew up a good amount of magickal energy, holding it in case it was needed. He then thought a moment, then added “It happened after the bomb went off, in the store room… there.”

Phalomir indicated the hallway leading to the store room, which by now was also where the Dark Lady had cast her attention. He took in a deep breath and tried to reach out to the Eye, but nothing responded. Yet something definitely had Jharmeen concerned, and he was ready to lay everything on the line to defend her.

While she paused, he slid past her and positioned himself outside the door. He inhaled again and turned the latch, throwing the door open wide to reveal…

… a store room.

Nothing more, everything neatly stacked for quick access.

“This room is not the way I last saw it. Boxes were scattered, the panel on the far wall was open… It appears the maid has been here.”

The pointing Claw indicated a dark shadow snugged between two of the packing crates. Involuntary energies flashed from it's tip, splashing the non-metal of which the ship was made with brilliant ultraviolet sussurations. Graysith pursed her lips, a tinge of annoyance creeping across her face at her own lack of control; with a surge she managed to keep the loosed energy from doing anything other than light the wall and nook and room.

"I thought I saw... eyes. Turquoise eyes...."

She couldn't help shuddering, recent memories of Dark Lord Roan's shade vying for attention with others of her dearest Dark Heart.

Who was that? Was it Roan? Certainly it couldn't be Darth Wicked; he had no All capability, he could no more enter into the warship than he could exist unprotected in the vast cold death of space.

Unless he had assistance... but whose?

Realizing that the shadowy being seemed to have disappeared for the moment, she relaxed a fraction, and turned to Phalomir.

"I find this unsettling, to say the least. Only one with the All would have the ability to guide himself through the Darker Realms into this ship; the Force used by jedi and dark jedi alike has no power here.

"Yet not that many can use the powers taught to me by Lord Aelvedaar."

She blinked, gazing up into his green eyes, seeking answer there.

"Please, find what it is that you seek, and let us hasten from this ship and back to K'eel Doba. I feel strangely... haunted here."

“I fear what I seek is no longer here,” he said. “Allow me one more moment, perhaps I can discern through Sith magick what has happened here.”

He turned to look the Dark Lady in the eyes, his face turning to a slight frown.

“I have never tried this before, let us hope it works.”

Phalomir closed his eyes and concentrated, allowing his magick to form into a coherent thread. He focused the energies and began weaving with it in his mind, blending his own personal experience with time itself, and forming a spell that could possibly read the trace of echoes left in this room. He reached out and touched the wall, the energy flowing outward all along the metal.

What happened here? he asked the magick.

His mind was immediately overwhelmed with images and emotions. Great anguish, waves of unbearable guilt, utter despair rushed through him, and flashes of a person on her knees weeping uncontrollably on the floor passed quickly before him. Then a moment of silence, determination, and she quieted and stood, then a wave of her hand.

Then nothing.

His eyes flashed open, and he looked again to the Dark Lady. He was left with an empty feeling, the energies within him depleted. THis was not a spell he felt he could attempt very often, especially for the small glimpse of imformation it provided.

Yet the woman, she was familiar.

Very familiar.

He continued to stare into Jharmeen's eyes, her concern and impatience growing visible. Millions of thoughts at once vied for attention in his mind, then a thought suddently emerged from the whirl and stunned him into realization.

She did this to her herself...

But why?

His mouth opened, as if it wanted to speak. Lacking purpose, it closed again. He fought against the strange feeling of hopelessness, a feeling most foreign to him until now.

“We should leave,” he said at last, hoarsely. “What I seek is no longer here.”

"Yes, I agree," she repeated even as she made ready to open another portal back into the Darker Realms, so they could then depart from this ship and finally gain safe haven in Phrinnchatka.

Suddenly she paused.

The Glyph blinked.

"There is something... something has happened," she said tersely; then with no further ado she whirled away from Phalomir and hurried down the corridor of the ship. After following several interior passages, she at length came to a large double door; a wave of her hand before it ignited the hidden sensors, and the door obliging slid open to reveal the bridge of the ship.

Her eyes flew to the nearest porthole, followed quickly thereafter by her feet. She pressed up against the cold non-glass of it, laying the Claw-bearing hand up against the material as if to clasp the defiant stars without.

"The chronotic shield," she whispered, not knowing if Phalomir had heard her, or indeed if he had even followed her.

"It is gone..."

She just couldn't quite... remember what it was.

The Glyph flared, giving no answer; with a little shudder she dropped her hand and straightened her shoulders. Her violet eyes cut into starry night outside the viewport.

"I agree, we should go," she finally spoke, her voice stronger now. Turning away from the window, she returned to the navigation board and let her fingers dance gracefully upon it.

"But I will enter that horrid realm no more. The shield is gone; we shall regain our ship."

“I believe the Empire has established a blockade of sorts around some Sith worlds,” he said as he sat in one of the chairs. “We may need to contend with that.”

Phalomir looked around the bridge, allowing the memory of the recent past come back to him. It seemed not that long ago when he had sat in the same chair discussing the next moves with Shayla and Jharmeen. When they had been sabotaged to emerge from hyperspace in the range of an exploding star, and then the discussion afterwards when Jharmeen had compared herself to Aelvedaar, and Phalomir would have none of it. She was much better than Aelvedaar, he had told her, because she had balance – she had looked into her own heart, and among the pain of what she had done in her past, the difficult choices, the hardships she had caused, she had still found the capacity of goodness, of forgiveness and to be forgiven, and the ability to love. She had found Phalomir there.

He looked to her, sitting at the controls of the ship, intently staring out the viewport as if trying to remember something.

He had walked with her in her memories, he had battled the beast within her, he had stripped the insanity brought on by the knowledge of her past and plugged that hole with part of his own consciousness, his own love. And no matter what had been done to her memory, either by herself or another, he believed that piece of him was still there.

But for now, perhaps that was enough. If she had indeed done this to herself, then there must have been a very good reason, and reversing it could have devastating consequences. Somehow, he would need to place his feelings for her aside, and keep himself alive with the hope that someday she may find that love once more.

But until then, he would remain fiercely loyal to her. He would do his best to serve both her and the Sith as Dark Lord and faithful servant. But he felt he could not hide his love for her, ever.

As he continued to look at the Dark Lady, a sudden chill crept up his back. He cautiously turned his head to the door of the bridge, hackles and defensive magick both rising. There was nothing there, but the strange feeling remained, a feeling that they were not alone.

Where was she? Was she safe? What was Roan planning to...do...with her?

The very thought made Terrin wish more than anything that he was in a better position to go after her, to help her on his own. But since he couldn't do that, at least not at the moment, he was bound and determined to make do with what he had. Thus it was that he found the strength to push forward in Phalomir's mind and take control.

"What about Galen?" Terrin opened up with, realizing that they were now departing from the Darker Realms, "She may still be back there with Roan."

But then he heard the thoughts of another. Hey, it was just like the old days when he and Phalomir had their minds stuck in the body of that Panthar guy! Each one would vie for control of the body, and the human didn’t have a clue for the longest time of what was happening. It was a good time, to be sure.

But this was different. Phalomir had his own body back, and Thoran was a prisoner in it. But who was this other consciousness? Thoran let his memory work…

We were in the Darker Realms, and Gray had me caught by the balls like a womp-rat… Oh, hell buckets, she had the Finger of R’Lous! And then she must have put me in here… So who is in here with me? Hmmm… Oh gasp, it’s Terrin!

“Darrin Tanner?” he called out softly with his mind. “Is that you? Buddy! I’m glad you made it out of the Darker Realms! Um, we are out, aren’t we?”

Graysith let a breath pass between herself and Phalomir, and was about to reply when something odd seemed to bite and nip at the corners of her memories. She frowned, blinking, trying to put a finger on the strange, yet somehow warmly familiar sensation, but to no avail.

Whatever it was, it had interrupted her reply to Phalomir quite cleanly, nipping the words off between her very teeth.

Her jaw dropped, and yet no words came. Then she twisted in her seat, and cast a look at the Sith.

He was returning a remarkably vacant look right back at her, his piercing eyes hooded and looking right through her, as if his full attention had been drawn inward to peruse something deeply smug and secret.

Or if he was... possessed.

She shivered, instinctively grasping her arms and holding herself tightly. Strange indeed, the suddenly new aura this warship had taken upon itself.

Not quite knowing what to do, she rose to her feet and came over to him. One slender hand laid lightly upon his broad shoulder, fingering the richness of the cloth it touched.

"I-- I sense... something," she nearly stammered; then she got a grip on herself and forced her voice to normalize. The Glyph flashed on her forehead, almost in reproach for this odd indecisiveness she seemed to be caught in.

"I cannot quite make out what it is; what is it you feel, Lord Phalomir?"

She quieted for a moment, letting her hand remain where it was, and then added almost as an afterthought:

"Do not fret yourself over the blockade; we are quite able to bypass it altogether."

Inwardly, she found herself frowning again, and couldn't help but react by squeezing his shoulder.

He was Sith. He certainly should know of the capabilities of this ship...

Putting that answer aside then, Terrin turned his focus back to taking control of Phalomir's body so he could get his concerns to Graysith.

Kriffing hell, but this was going to take time...

Still, he slowly managed to worm his way through the somehow distracted spirit of Phalomir to take control of his body. Suddenly, he saw what Phalomir saw, and at last he knew he was in control.

"What about Galen?" he then spoke again, figuring that this was probably going to be an abrupt change of subject from whatever Phalomir and Graysith might have been speaking of before he took control, "She may still be back in the Darker Realms..."

Graysith trailed even as the word slid from her lips, her eyes darkening as memories of a day which to her was in the fairly recent past came flooding over her. A world, stark and rust and sere shined hotly in front of her, beckoning her with insidiously promising fingers, quietly whispering to her of power and omnipotence and the role she could portray if she would only pick up that rock and--

She jerked, and focused more closely on Phalomir, effectively slamming that particular door closed as she did so. But it was not quite totally shut; a persistent image of another flame-headed young woman now rose up to taunt her.

Galen....

Then a crude burst of thought blasted from behind, rudely pushing Phalomir’s consciousness to the side. As he lost control of his own body he caught a thin veil of memory that vaguely reminded him of the human Terrin Danner, but that image was quickly lost as he suddenly felt the energy he had been seeking surge once again. Taking advantage, he allowed his mind to follow this new surge and trace it. Tucking his own spirit safely into a dark corner of his mind, Phalomir let his powers flow freely along that strange energy.

He felt his thoughts reaching outward, following the trail of power. He sensed open space, and soon his powers were stretching as they hurtled along this energy. Then a cloud of thought came borrowing along this line, and Phalomir paused. A message of warning filtered itself through the trail, followed by the feeling of an oddly familiar mind trying to communicate.

Aeylmaar jumped figuratively at the sudden influx of power, a mental reply bearing the unmistakable scent of Sith magick. He smiled then, nodding, and settling back against the pilot's seat reached out more strongly, now joining his own handling of magick with the powerful strength of the All.

The interior of the little fighter disappeared as he closed his eyes in concentration, strengthening the link he had sent out, and anchoring it upon the receiving end so it would not be severed unless he deemed it to be.

"I am Aeylmaar, of the Sorcerer's clan," he sent back along that link, knowing the recipient would recognize him by his voice and mental signature.

And as well, hoping that the one replying to his call would likewise recognize that he came once again as a friend.

"You are in danger of death, a Cult Assassin--"

He paused then, unwilling to "speak" any further, for fear that, improbable as it might seem, other unseen but big ears might somehow be lurking nearby. For a moment he fiddled with his controls, then sent another request.

"I realize these fighters are small; may I meet you in a system of your choice so we may speak of this further?"

He sat back more deeply in his seat, hoping he sounded as sincere as he truly was.

"What do you mean, what do I know of Galen? She's in danger, that's what I know," he stated.

Quieting for a moment at that, Terrin thought back, recalling how Graysith had mentioned some sort of memory loss and recalling how he himself had thought she was acting rather like her old self, a self that he and Galen had fled from on more than one occassion.

"If you can't remember your blood oath with me, and about protecting Galen from Roan," he continued with, "Then what do you remember?"

Something about that name brought a certain chill of familiarity to the Chosen One, even though she swore she had never heard it before in her life. As she had never heard of this Terrin Danner, or Phalomir, who both by their presence here and sheer body language told her otherwise.

She frowned, feeling the rise of the Beast within, feeling the Glyph beginning to flare. She cast a glance at Phalomir, who looked lost upon another world. It seemed strange to hear those direct words to her coming his mouth while his focus seemed elsewhere.

She struggled with rising emotions of her own. A figure, tall and imposing, clad in raiments of black and scarlet and gold and the most royal of blue, ashen black hair flowing into eyes of the most brilliant turquoise, danced before her. She saw him the first time they met; the image segued into one upon the sere and pock-marked surface of Khar Delba, where only the fiercely looming Temple presided over the lessons he taught her there.

Another image came before her, one molten-eyed and gentle and kind and smiling. A clawed, red-skinned hand reached out to her. A voice whispered to her in seeming guilelessness, telling her of her destiny with him, of what she had to do--

As well of who her enemies were, those who would stand opposed to this grand and glorious end.

The Sith. It was all about the Sith....

Yet--

She frowned again, and focused more clearly upon Phalomir.

If her destiny was to bring back the Sith... and if the only Sith, to her knowledge, that existed within this time was her dear Sire, then...

Why was this one here? Who was this Roan of which he spoke?

Why could she not remember?

She swayed, a dark inkling beginning to rise.

For if indeed vast portions of her memory were missing, who would be the most likely one to have made this to happen?

The Beast abruptly settled down with a trailing whine. The Glyph normalized on her forehead.

"I-- I remember only my dearest Dark Heart... and my Sire, Lord Aelvedaar, whom I brought forth into this time by-- by--"

Again she frowned, remembering. It suddenly all seemed so strange, almost surreal to her.

"By using a device of which I had no control," she finally completed the sentence. "One which had power enough to bring him here, even after his admitted death in the past.

"I do not know just how this happened, only that I did it. And then my Dark Heart-- betrayed..."

Her lip trembled as the foul memory of her brush with death flashed into her head. How Wicked had sent his brother to kill her. How she stood up to his accusation of betrayal toward Wicked, and how Aelvedaar had so unexpectedly wisked her away after Wicked's brother, instead of killing her, chose to humiliate her instead.

A humiliation which would affect her only from the standpoint of any connection with humanity, not Sithdom, as Aelvedaar had pointed out later to her.

She would have no need of humanity any longer, as soon as the Sith were returned from the dead.

That repressed memory popped up like a jack-in-the-box, starkly laughing and evil-eyed as a new realization struck home.

Who was she, to turn her back on her kind, all for the revival of another race long dead? How had she come to be in such a position: physically, mentally and emotionally as well?

Aelvedaar--

Another shudder racked her frame, and sudden tears welled up in her eyes.

"I don't know you, I don't know anybody aboard this ship.

"I don't even know myself," she whispered, coming close to losing control but then with effort strengthening herself and letting the tears dry upon her face.

She wavered, made a choice. A difficult one.

"I need you to help me by telling me all that has happened," she finally said, suddenly understanding deep in her gut precisely who and what, in all likelihood, Lord Aelvedaar truly was.

But he came with a warning? Of an assassin of all things? This sounded much too feeble an excuse to draw them into a trap, and it made no sense that someone with the power of Aelvedaar would need a trap in the first place.

“We have set a course for K’eel Doba,” Phalomir called back. “But if what you warn is true, then perhaps a more remote location is in order.”

Names of systems tried to come into mind, but one in particular leaped past all others. And why not, since it had been the object of much attention lately.

“Let us meet at Korriban,” he replied.

The power diminished, and Phalomir had to withdraw. He let his consciousness wander back into place, and prepared to shove aside the annoyance that had taken over his body without permission and throw it back into a dark corner of his mind. But catching the trailing words from the Dark Lady, and seeing her face as her tears ran forth to cover her delicate cheeks, his heart gave pause.

He stood and walked to her, gently caressing her forehead with the back of his hand. He moved aside a tangle of flame-red hair and moved his hand to her shoulder.

“I have returned, my lady,” he said. “I have received a long distance warning from a friend, and we should alter course to Korriban to meet. In the meantime, much has happened to you in your young life. Much more than anyone should bear. I enter your story only recently in the grand design, but believe me, you are integral to my own story. I will allow Terrin Danner to answer you, to relate what he knows. Then I shall return to tell you more.”

The beginnign was the only logical place to start. "This will take some time," Terrin started, "But I will tell you all that I know."

And then Terrin did precisely that, starting with his entrance into Galen's life on Ambria, of their trip to Khar Delba to find Shayla Stargazer, who had later become Graysith's Adept and Chosen sister. He spoke nothing but the truth concerning their struggles with one another, but at length also explained how, through a very real and deadly threat to both Galen's life and Darra's life, they had come to terms with each other He told her of ShaRhylla's birth, of Roan and his deception concerning Rhylla and JhinDarra, And of how he had used both Graysith and Galen in his schemes to bring the Sith back on his own terms. He told her about the alliance and the times spent under the chronotic shield on K'eel Doba, and of all which took place there until the group was finally dissolved by Aelvedaar himself. He even told her of his and Galen's split, mentally chatising himself for not seeing how he had failed to put Galen's needs first always, and of how Graysith had eventually rescued him and Jasyn Lancaster from Imperial prison at the behest of Admiral Actar, whose part in this whole picture Terrin also carefully explained. He told their tale up to the point where they had gone to the Temple on K'eel Doba, and how they had been taken into the Darker Realms.

Then he went back, trying to recall any final tidbits he might have forgotten.

"That's what I can tell you to the point of te Darker Realms," he then said. "I'm uncertain what happened after that point...just that I apparently didn't make it through that. And I haven't any clues as to just how the Sith finally did come back. Perhaps Phalomir can now fill you in to the present...?"

With that terse and somewhat cryptic message Aeylmaar closed the connection between himself and the distant Phalomir. Reaching into a nearby nook, he withdrew the navigational log from its emplacement, and quickly found the proper coordinates to that mysterious world of the Sith. Moments later and those coordinates were typed into the semi-sentient brain of the ship; Aeylmaar sat back with a brief exhalation of air, realizing that from this moment on he was in all likelihood traitor to his Father, and thus to his kind.

He wavered...

I could easily bring them back-- I think. The Chosen One would be of no real consequence, and quite easy to handle. For although she and I possess similar levels of All-ability, I have Sith magick to augment that. As for the other, while he has magick, does he have the All?

Such considerations were flung into the wind as his heart and conscience rose up in stern reprimand.

I cannot. They are in danger, undeserved danger. It is wrong... wrong....

Finally completely committing himself, he flipped a particular sigil, enabling the command to engage.

The little fighter took off toward unknown space, leaving in its wake a flurry of starstreaks and highly expanded space and time.

Fantastic, she thought to herself, not even bothering to question the veracity of those words. For within her being, the Beast lay dormant, and the Glyph as quiet upon her brow.

This has to be truth... at least as he knows it.

Now a shudder rippled through her as an image of her loyalty to Roan flashed into her head, placed there by Terrin's insistance that indeed, this was once so. Not to mention the fact that he was the father of her child, or at least one of them.

Another tremor shook her.

I cannot believe it, she chastised herself, somehow keeping tears from springing into her eyes. It seemed that said tears had been altogether too insistent in placing themselves there as of late; she lowered her brows against them, and continued to stare off into middle space.

That he and I-- that I let....

The image clipped off as if a book were slammed closed, safely enclosing that horrid near-memory safely between its covers. She thrust that book aside mentally, not wishing to peer into it any longer. There it lay silently beside another, smaller book which lay as if discarded into the dust.

One telling of her brief time on Dagobah. And one of which she was yet utterly unaware.

Waiting now for Phalomir to continue with this fairytale, she was stricken with a new thought. For while she truly believed that what Danner was telling her to be the truth, again...

It was the truth to the best of his knowledge. Which didn't necessarily mean it was one hundred percent correct. Not to mention the gaping holes which had to exist in that tale, for certainly he had not been physically with her the entirety of the years her missing memories dealt with.

She lifted her head, and spoke aloud.

“My knowledge of how the Sith were brought here is limited, my lady,” he began. “But what you had told me before leads me to believe that you were used by Roan, and possibly Aelvedaar, and your role in this event brought you great suffering. When we locate Shayla, she should be able to shed much light on this and independently verify much, if not all, of what Mr. Danner has spoken.”

Phalomir could almost feel the chills from the Dark Lady as she thought of Roan, and his own heart twisted at the thought of the hurt Jharmeen had suffered at the hands of the Sith. His own love for her wrestled with his logic, and perhaps for the first time in his life he had to struggle for words.

“I… I wish… For all you have done for the Sith, and for all they have done to you, I –“

He gave up and sighed.

“I wish I could answer all of your questions. But I am afraid that when I tell my story only more confusion will follow. It is perhaps best to understand your own past before you try to understand my role in your life. I’m not sure I understand completely myself. But for now please know that you have my devotion.”

And undying love… he thought.

Somewhere, somehow, there had to be a means to show her the truth, "corroborating statements" by others aside.

"I agree," she finally said, then leaned forward. Deft maneuvers of her hands upon the navigational console, and the ship dropped from hyperspace to orient itself. Then typing in the coordinates taken from the logs, she proceeded to alter their course, and set them on their way to Korriban.

And perhaps it was better that some of them were left buried…

No, he thought, everyone is entitled to know their past. So many things were hidden from me, many still are I suspect. She deserves to know everything.

“There is something that you should know”, he said, opening his eyes and turning to Jharmeen. “It may help explain things I say, and perhaps my future actions. Right before you—lost your memory, we had… Well, you see, we had just… I mean, I had been, and you just…”

He closed his eyes and rested his head on his hands, involuntarily grasping at his horns. He let out a long sigh.

Just what, Phalomir? What can you say? What would not seem laughable to her? ‘You said you love me?’ Oh that would be a precious thing to say. Strange red man, probably repulsive to her, taking advantage of her loss of memory. You are a sorry sot, Phalomir, you’d better get used to disappointment.

The road was long, and now you find yourself back at the beginning of it, with parsecs stretching out before you. If only there was a record of the past that I could just take and…

“Wait, my lady,” he said, opening his eyes. “There may be a way to show your missing past to you after all, and verify what we have told you. That is, if it is functional once again. On K’eel Doba there exists a library, and in it resides an item driven with Sith magick. It records events, and answers questions of the past. The library was being cleaned or having some such maintenance performed when I last visited, but surely it would be open by now. Do you know what I speak of?”

"Yes," she said simply. "I have heard of this Great Library of the Sith. My dear Si- that is, Lord Aelvedaar has told me of it, as well as of many of the other wonders existing upon his brethren world of K'eel Doba."

She paused, chewing the inside of her cheek a bit absently as she considered further.

"When we have finished with our business on Korriban, we shall hasten back to K'eel Doba. I am Dark Lady there, or so I have been told; this certainly would expedite the cleaning of this Library, if it has not yet been put to rights."

She nodded again, satisfied with their plans.

"Much will then be revealed to us, and to me," she said meaningfully, then turned her interest back to the navigation board.

"According to flight status, we have several hours before we enter orbit around Korriban. Does anyone have anything else to suggest as far as what we plan to achieve there?"

...like he should have at least a couple of times in the past. So once more he pressed forward in Phalomir's mind and took control of his body, using every once of effort he must to do so.

"Please, I don't mean to interrupt and be so very insistent...

,..but I need to know this," Terrin then said, using Phalomir's voice to speak once more to Graysith, "Are you going to help me find Galen? I realize just how difficult doing so is going to be for you, your memory loss considered...

...and believe me, it's not the easiest thing for me either. After all, the one thing I long to do more than anything is to be able to go off on my own and find her myself. You have to know that, while Galen is in the hands of Roan and possibly Aelveedar, they will...

...use her to accomplish their own dark purposes as they have in the past used you. While you may not remember coming to terms with Galen nor anything of what Roan did, the one thing I believe you do understand is that only someone like Aelveedar could have caused your strange memory loss...

...and thus you have already been used in some way yourself. If you want to stop Aelveedar, or at least hinder him from continuing his plans while you further examine who he really is and what he is really up to, getting Galen from he and Roan is the best way to do that."

Pausing at that, Terrin let his words fall into silence so that they could sink before he asked his final query.

"So," he finally continued, "Are you going to help me find her?"

The sith ship glided towards the warship, its cloaking still active. Suddenly, the warship melted away into hyperspace. Damn! Better call Aelvedaar for a locator, even our ships can't track the hyperspace coordinates!

He established a secure channel, and sent the following to the temple.
"Great Lord Aelvedaar, the prey has switched locations, an unforseen development. She appears to have commandeered a sith warship. I will need a locator or a tracker to find her next location, unless you can tell me of where she is headed, over and out."

"As I have spoken before, am I to perform your task for you? Have you nothing between your ears? You are assassin, and assassin is synonymous with cunning; have you departed from your cult, then, as something beneath the notice of their eyes and the acceptance of their kin?

"She deals in things of the Sith; she has been made the Dark Lady of the Warriors. There are four major Sith worlds to which she might travel, Khar Delba being one of them.

"Which, of course, you should know....

"Follow your own instincts, assassin; use your own skills. This is, after all, why I charged you with this task.

Not to mention who he was talking about.

She blinked then, struggling to keep her expression bland as images instantly rose in her brain, taunting images, images of perceived failures on her part whenever she had crossed paths with her sister:

Coming after her, the rock in her hand yet wet with the blood of her father, only to have sand flung quickly into her face, obscuring her vision, making her choke and scrabble to follow her fast-escaping quarry, the heated air all about her rising in wavery ripples from the uncaring stone and searing her skin...

Another time, another place; an image of herelf standing helpless inside a Force Cage, watching with animalistic fury while along with Sorben Tarnus, Galen had made a quick and clean escape from both her and her dear Dark Heart...

Yet another image now descending darkly: the deep and moss-beridden bowels of the Temple of the Sorcerers, Galen alone and unclothed in the most dankly depressing of them, her shivering body disjointed, bones cruelly snapped, skin ripped and torn from the hands of the hungry Noghri at the command of both her and Darth Wicked; Galen turning those haunting, pleading eyes upon her, as if begging... yet from this, too, she had managed to escape.

With the suddenness of an approaching sandstorm, the final image blanked out. She couldn't help but frown as everything went black.

What had happened next? She couldn't quite remember... and why? Why would the image of herself standing triumphantly over a clearly dying Galen disappear from her mind? Was this not a part of her task, given to her by--

By...?

By.

She inhaled deeply then, and tried her best to shake away the worrisome discordance she had so unexpectly found within. Wide, brilliant and for the most part, utterly sincere violet eyes focused upon the brilliant green ones before her.

"Of course, Mr. Danner," she said then, quite simply.

"When we have finished with our business on Korriban, I shall use the Great Library to determine the whereabouts of my-- my dear sister."

Another pause, as if the term sister wasn't quite right, as if there was something concerning this term that was somehow...

Missing.

A deeply buried hole within her heart cracked around the rim at this, and widened further. She struggled a bit more with herself and her recalcitrant memories, frustrated by the fact that she knew she was to kill Galen as she did their father.

But why was she feeling so suddenly ambivalent about it?

"The Great Library will reveal to us what we wish to know, so rest at ease," she continued, finally ending with,

"We shall find Galen, as shall we find the party who is yet lost -- and we certainly hope not dead -- on Korriban."

Raelgosh sat back, and began thinking.The ships' tradjectory was decidedly out of system. But that would be most unusual for a clan lord to stray so far from their home. They had a warship, so mayhaps an expedition or attack on some location.

Hmmm, the mind of a human is most intriging. But aside from conquest or exploration, what could they possibly want outside of our homes. But, mayhaps a warrior has fallen. But to have a clan lord themselves go to a burrial is purposterous.

Wait, burial.

Raelgosh had long ago, attended his fathers funneral upon the grave planet they called Korriban. While there, he had been asked to deliver a message to another sith too go and retrieve something from the archives. Though he could not remember what it was.Mayhaps they go to the archives or graves. It does match their tradjectory. Well, I can only hope that it is correct.

He turned to the controls, and set a course for Korriban.

Moments later, their vision through the viewport became no more than blurred stars and planets.

Then a thought he hoped Terrin would not hear, but knew not if he could hide any of his thoughts.

And I must do everything I can for my lady. Even if her memories are gone, perhaps the feelings she had for me are still there, somewhere.

Phalomir blinked, clearing his expression.

“My lady,” he said, “please forgive Mr. Danner’s intrusions. As for the next several hours, let us devise a plan, as you suggest. Our known objectives are to retrieve Shayla’s companions, optimistically believing they are alive. That being done, we return to K’eel Doba to ask the Revealer for answers. We also seek Shayla and Galen, and perhaps the Revealer may assist us in these searches as well.”

He bit as his lower lip.

"No," she said at last. "This is a name that is unknown to me as well. All I recall clearly are the names and faces of my dear Dark Heart, my Lord Aelvedaar, and--"

She stopped in mid-speech, frowning again.

Deep within her, something was struggling. Fiercely; the Beast yowled and scrabbled in response, reaching out with razored claw to grasp this struggling something, glaring about itself, its gaze flat and pewter and burning....

She swayed slightly, her focus now turning inward, and concentrated upon this new and sudden strangeness she was feeling so definitely within.

He thought a moment, then scowled.

“I also believe that if this is true, then it is not Aelvedaar who is responsible for your loss of memory. I had a brief vision when we arrived here, I tried using Sith magick to tell me what had happened in the storage room, why the boxes were rearranged and all evidence of the earlier explosion had been cleared. It showed me the image of a woman, dressed in a cloak, weeping uncontrollably on her knees with her head in her hands. I could almost feel her grief washing through the vision. Then with a wave of her hand before her, all grief vanished and I was left with a feeling of… nothing.”

The concern is his face betraying his thoughts, Phalomir leaned forward and took her hand gently in his.

“Was it you, my lady? Was the vision trying to show me what had happened to you?”

He searched for words, not quite knowing what to say.

...and that part of him would have struggled still in spite of all of this.I hope you can forgive me for my insistence, Terrin thought out to Phalomir, But I just can't rest until Galen is safe. She will remain at the center of my thoughts, and would be the center of my actions were I alive now...

...and for this reason alone do I sorely wish that the hands of time could somehow be turned back so I could help her. Thus I will persist, for when I'm forced to wait Galen remains in danger...

...and my heart breaks at the thought of even a hair of her head coming to harm...

Was it stunned silence? Were a million thoughts running at once through her mind, not one giving rise to a word? Was she fighting utter disdain at the lowly minion who would dare to exalt himself to be worthy of the Dark Lady’s attention?

Or was she remembering?

Phalomir waited patiently for a response. For her, he would wait for centuries. He had already, in a way. He allowed a bit of his thoughts to turn to Terrin Danner, the lost soul traversing within Phalomir’s mind.

I understand, Terrin Danner, thought Phal. We will find her. Please understand also that me loyalty lies with Jharmeen, as does my heart. Galen is her sister, and in another time, Galen was mine as well. I do not wish you to understand that, but I do wish you to know we will both do everything we can.

Was he correct? Were they in love, as he had said? Would the thought of possibly killing him have been enough for her to repress not only the act, but everything leading up to it? To instead regress mentally back to a time when her life as Graysith was simpler, bound only to her Dark Heart, knowing only respect of her Sire, he who had made her who she was.

Was this what had indeed happened to her?

Somewhere within her, a doorway made the slightest of sniks, as if quietly unlatching, if not completely opening.

But... this is not logical!

The Beast within reared back upon its haunches and roared out in protest.

Why would she repress so much? Memories of loves, consorts, being married to a Dark Lord and from what had been told her, very much in love with him.

Being separated from memories of her very own children....

No. It was not logical; this could not be so.

She could not have done this to herself...

Could she?

But could she have instead provided an easy avenue that another could?

At length she raised her head, her eyes wet with tears of frustration.

"I-I do not know the answers, Phalomir," she allowed at last.

“I would give it all away,” he whispered. “My title, my magick – to have you back with me.”

He opened his eyes and moved his hand down Jharmeen’s face, tracing a line with the back of his hand down her cheek, the corner of her mouth, and then her chin, pausing there for a brief moment. He withdrew his hand and swallowed hard.

“Then perhaps let us not speculate further, my lady,” he said softly, “We shall have our answers when we reach the library, and until then… until then please accept my loyalty.” He paused, then looked into her eyes. “And trust. In the meantime, we still have quite some time before our rendezvous, and we both need our rest.”

Phalomir touched Jharmeen on the shoulder and smiled once more.

"We have no time to rest, Phalomir," she said softly, forcing all trepidation and frustration deep inside of her. There it met with the salivating jaws of the Beast, who reached with pewter claw to grasp and rend and tear.

Somewhere deep inside, a door snikked quietly closed.

"Korriban approaches, we must make ready our arrival."

With that she gave his hand a little squeeze, then dropped hers altogether as she turned to the controls. That same hand now reached out to dance a minuet upon them.

In front of them the forward screen exploded into life, showing a dreary mauve and sand and beige and brown blight of a world hanging in front of them, lethally still.

"Korriban," she said simply, directing her violet eyes into his green ones even as she pointed to the screen.

"We shall soon be in orbit; I am initiating a scan for Sith lifeforms... strange."

She frowned, leaning forward to scrutinize the screens more intently. Sigils danced and played there, outlining something utterly unexpected, yet surprisingly familiar.

"Phalomir," she said, straightening to look at him again.

"There are others here... humans.

"And as yet, I detect no Sith."

Raelgosh activated the cloaking device, and glided towards the warship. But will they remain on the ship or take a fighter to the surface?