How far is it? What kind of people live there?

She relaxed and opened up her feelings. She wanted to just reach out to whatever she could sense as they sped towards the strange new place.

Excitement, adventure. A Jedi craves not these things...

"Khar Delba and K'eel Doba are worlds known by a select few people," Shawn began. "Those that we are looking for--whom were last known to be headed for K'eel Doba--are good friends of mine, among other things. There is alot of history to that side of the story...

...and perhaps you will learn it later. But for now, I must tell you this much. The world we are headed for is inhabited by a magickal race, one that, like any other, has both its good and its bad. You may find the name of the race a deceiving one; while you have heard of it before it has been connected with something the galaxy knows differently than what it truly is. The race of peoples we will be encountering...

...are the Sith."

"What do you mean? What kind of race are they? "

Her mind seemed to be going through a whirlwind with this new information. Feeling slightly light headed she continued on.

"How ae they a magical race? They have Force abilities that the Jedi don't know yet? Are they part of the Force or do they get their abilities elsewhere?"

Such a thing could be either devestating or beneficial, but he said they too have good and bad sides. So hopefully it could be more helpful than harmful.

"So do you have any connections with the Sith then, or are the people we are searching for in league with them?"

All this curiosity of the unknown...

...but then, this wasn't necessarily the unknown. More like the misunderstood. Which made her reaction to this information rather interesting...

His brows lowered at Sarisa's final question. "It matters not whether the people we are looking for are in league with the Sith or not," he answered. "All that matters is they are quite possibly being held by someone or have fallen to some ill fate. As for the Sith and the root of their abilities...

Take a breath Sarisa. Settle down and get through this.

Inhaling a deep breath and holding it for a moment she slowly released it and began regaining her composure.

"As for the Sith race...that is something completely new to me. I've never heard of them before. I like to get some information about things that I may be in contact with. Especially if it's something totally new. I guess you culd say I don't like going into something without having somewhat of an idea or view from which to base my actions. I know the Force is what guides us, but I like having actual knowledge on things if I can."

She checked the insruments and the computer just to make sure everything was going smoothly as they made ther way through the blurry starred environment.

...and truly know nothing of them just the same. You must base your actions on the situation at hand...

...not on what you think the situation is or should be. Being judgemental is dangerous, particularly for a Jedi since people are already inclined to think we are judgemental to begin with. Go in with an open mind. As for the Sith as a race, I know little of them except that they are red-skinned, have various kinds of horns on their heads, and are otherwise humanoid in appearance. And, like humans and any other race in this universe, they have a wealth of personalities and views on life. You can't judge them based on what you think you may know of them. I know, however, this should be a difficult task for you. You've been raised to believe that anything Sith is evil and bad, and that's not an easy thing to get past."

He paused, his greeny-blue eyes meeting Sarisa's. "Which is why I find your response about the Sith race...

...and your lack of any skepticism regarding them being good in any way, shape or form...

...a bit ahhh... peculiar. After all, if you've read about the darkness of the Empire in holocrons and through other sources, you've certainly done the same rgarding the Sith. A Jedi is mindful of the present, and remains open-minded in the face of paradoxes and conflicting information...

...but that does not mean he or she immediately dismisses what he alraedy knows. Believe me, I've been there myself. As for your feelings regarding the Empire...

All that only lasts a short time until he asks about why she hates the Empire.

"Yes that's right, but I know I need to rid myself of that feeling less I fall to the dark side. I was very attacthed to my father and he was taken away from me by this 'new' Empire. That is why I came off on the wrong foot with General Ahem."

Softly she sighs and relaxes.

"Master Petrolu I really don't want to fall. I want to be a great Jedi. One who helps the galaxy and universe grow and prosper in peace...

...and our division. There is always the possibility of a Vong re-invasion of our galaxy...

...but that doesn't mean that's the source of the Darkness in the Force. Be mindful of the present, and don't assume anything. Ever."

Pausing at that, Shawn's greeny-blue eyes strayed to the navboard. "We should be approaching the blockade in approximately seven standard hours...

...which gives us time to get rested. I suggest you do that, and rely on the fact that you simply can't know all there is to know about what we're about to do and face...

...because there is absolutely no way to do so. I don't even know what's going to happen, or where we might go from here."

With that she stood up and bowed respectfully to Shawn as sne made her way to find a bunk to rest and relax upon.
Soo many mistakes already made in his presence. What are you doing? You should know better.

...and was only interrupted from his struggle when the proximity indicator began beeping, warning everyone aboard the infiltrator of iminent reversion in two standard minutes.

He opened the inner-ship comm. "Ms. Ker, we'll be reverting in two minutes. I could use you up here..."

He fights back the feelings of trepidation that threaten to overtake him. Just another mission, he thinks as the starfield reverts to normal. Instantly his eyes fly to the sensors, one hand on the flight controls, the other on the weapons. Luckily for all involved, there seems to be no hostile activity from any of the orbital craft. Still, the vast array of capital ships further away from the planet is impressive.

...since this planet is not charted, we can't be exactly sure where the capital city will be. I would surmise that we should be reading densier lifeform readings in the area however, and I might be able to track some of the people we are here to find in the Force..."

He stretched out, collecting all the information in the Force he could, searching for lifeforms he would find familiar...

...and came up empty. Well, at least mostly empty. There was something familiar...

"I sense somethinng familiar down there," Shawn then continued with, "But I can't give you specific coordinates to it. You'll just have to follow me down...

...and trust me on this. I'll try not to bring us too close in, I'm not at all certain we will receive a warm welcome."

He turned to Sarisa then. "I need the controls. I might not be much of a pilot, but the Force is guiding me on this one."

"I need the controls. I might not be much of a pilot, but the Force is guiding me on this one."states Shawn.

She nods and relinquishes the controls and sits in the other chair as he begins piloting them down to the surface.

After both craft land Sarisa makes sure she has her saberes and draws her cloak over them.

"You aren't a Jedi, and have two lightsabers?" Shawn asked curiously, and nothing more than that. Then, turning on his heel and waiting for the response he knew would eventually come, he hit the release for the hatch, which then slid obligingly open to reveal a semi-mountainous region. Shawn stretched out with his senses, and honing in on the familiarity he was still sensing. Then he descended the ramp as the cloaked figure of Nefrai Kesh and red-cloaked figure of Dat Cyprios did likewise from their own ship. Shawn again cocked a brow, noting that Dat had even added his force-pikes to finish his Imperial Royal Guard uniform.

Shawn glanced back to Sarisa as he finally made it to the bottom of the ramp. "Sarisa, this is Nefrai Kesh and Dat Cyprios," he said, introducing each of the two other members of their party to Sarisa. "Sarisa desires to be a Jedi and believes she could assist us on our mission," he then explained, his greeny-blues wandering from Cyprios's force-pikes to Sarisa's two sabers affixed to her weapons belt.

If these guys think that those things are going to help in any of this, we just might be in trouble, Shawn couldn't help but think as he quieted a moment.

Exiting the ship Sarisa notices two other figures waiting outside. As Shawn introduces them she bows respectfully. After all if they were companions of Master Petrolu then they must be ok.

She strugles to figure out exactly what sort of being Nefrai is but she tries not to make it too noticiable.

"I'm honored to meet you both."

Pausing a moment at that, Shawn then proceeded on with, "And owning a Jedi weapon does not necessarily a Jedi make. I have every confidence that you have Force abilities, and that you have some knowledge of how to use them."

Now he turned, looking directly at her, his look utterly serene. "There's alot more to it than just those things."

Turning back to their other two companions, Shawn finished with, "We should get going. I think it will be another five to six hours before sunset, and I'd like to be as far out of this region as possible before then."

He followed Petrolu directly from behind, still warry of his "apprentice", as what Petrolu had said was true in many ways. It also did not escape his notice that there was another jedi, which in effect, might lead Petrolu to share that secret of Kesh's defeat.

A thing he did not relish, even in his new-found "alliances" and status.

Looking out from their impromtu landing site she wondered what awaited them. Just how advanced is this race of Sith? Master Petrolu said they had magick but are they primitive or are they advanced like humans in the ways of science, art, communication and space travel?

...but once again, there was still something strangely familiar, almost like there was a part of someone that he had been sensing for down there somewhere. Shawn wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

But he focused his attention, becoming so absorbed in the task at hand that both time and those around him faded, or rather merely mixed in with everything else he was sensing through the Force as he simply became part of it. This was the way of the Jedi, after all. And with each passing step down the rocky terrain of the mountains, vegetation began to emerge...

...and life became sentient. The amount of time which passed during this journey was unknown to Shawn; but at length the mountain range had disappeared completely, sequed into grass and trees, and then into the edges of a settlement. And that settlement remained as something familiar to Shawn, whether he was in Prinnchatka yet or not.

He knew this place. Pausing only momentarily, he looked back to the others who had followed him. "Just so that no one here is alarmed by it...

...I fully intend to be captured by the Sith."

Quieting a moment at that, Shawn looked heavenward, surveying the setting sun. He pulled his hood over his head, and shielded his eyes with his hand. "Sunset may hide us as we travel though the city, but I wouldn't count on that keeping us away from keenly watching eyes and ears. We may be captured, we may be welcomed...

...it all depends on what has gone on here since my last time in this place. However, initially...

...capture is likely," he reiterated. "I don't believe stealth is wise for us just yet...

...and I think we need to stick together. If something should divide us, then stealth is the next step. But until then...

...we should move on."

Without any further word than that, Shawn began moving once more, his hands folded in the sleeves of robes. On the outskirts of a city already, Shawn knew it would only be a matter of time.

Until one of them erred.

"S'slan!" his fellow Sith burst, whirling on the offender whose clumsy foot was even now in the process of lifting from the dried stick it had inadvertantly broken. He sighed then and, as their cover had been broken, emboldened himself to step out from cover to warily approach the jedi.

The young Sith's brow creased a moment as if he was puzzling upon something. Propping his staff in the ground in front of him he leaned against it, both hands holding it at a level next to his face, his cheek resting in turn against his fingers.

He brightened then.

"No," he said in a low voice, then raised his head up again.

"I don't know her but I know all about her. She and her Dark Lord are the ones who take care of every Sith here on K'eel Doba, and are why I'm gonna grow up to be the best warrior she's ever had."

He stuck his chest out, ignoring the stifled giggles emanating from his mates.

"Do you want to go see her? The Temple is that way, about a day's travel, in the biggest city in the whole universe. It's so grand; my father said he was going to take me there one day for my trials so I can become a warrior."

He stopped a moment, now turning to frown at the other youngsters, whose giggles were increasing with every passing moment. His eyes darkening to umber, he turned back to Shawn, now pulling the staff back to himself and planting it solidly in the ground.

"I can lead you there, if you want..." he began, but was interrupted by one of his friends.

"You know your father won't let you do that, you're not ready yet!" he snorted.

"Besides, you promised you'd be my sparring mate today; Aelenvaar can't block and he's afraid to hit so I can practice!"

The word came out as something other than a shout, but not the calm and relaxed words Shawn had been speaking either. Rather this was something belying his background in teaching the young Jedi students; a voice that commanded attention and respect. The young Sith stopped their bickering, and froze in place, turning to Shawn.

"Well... all right," he finally said, albeit not without a little reluctance. "But I still think I can take you there myself--

"No matter what you guys think!"

Levelling a final glare upon his comrades, he took hold of his staff again.

Sarisa took her actions from Shawn's lead and remainded in a non-offensive posture as she and the others listened to Master Petrolu speak to the seemingly youthful Sith.

The Sith bickered for a moment until Shawn regained their attention with a single word. Sounding like a father who was attempting to get his sons to listen to him.

Before she knew it they were being lead to one of the Sith's father. Who would hopefully help the small group in their quest.

AS they continued on she walked closely to Master Petrolu and in a soft voice she spoke to him.

"It would seem that the Force has guided us to these Sith youths. How do you think the one who's father we are going to will react?"

Then he shot Nefrai a sidelong glance, still moving and following closely behind the youthful Sith as a grouping of dwellings became evident not too far ahead. "As I've already stated, we need to find the Dark Lady. If anyone knows the whereabouts of those we are looking for, it would be Graysith."

Saying nothing further than this, however, Shawn continued on behind the Sith, those aforementioned dwelling places growing even closer with every step. In but a few standard minutes, they were right on top one, and to the door. The young Sith who had been leading them turned, motioned for them to stop...

...and then stepped inside the dwelling, leaving Shawn, Sarisa, Nefrai, and Dat with his fellows as he obviously went in to speak with his Father.

One way or another, Shawn knew it wouldn't be long before something--for better or for worse--happened. Keeping his thoughts focused on the moment, however, he simply appreciated the simple fact that they were making progress on his intended goal...

A strange sensation seemingly crept it's way over her. Was it the planet or something on the planet. It sure wasn't anxiety or nervousness, but what was it?

She caught herself from letting her mind wander as Shawn's word echoed in her mind.

"Perhaps you would care to explain the society a bit more?" He asked, still observing the dwelling. "So that we do not offend the local customs." He spoke as if he was unaware of the jedi undercurrent.

It was afterall, not in his nature to truely notice that, so much as other things.

Shaking her head slightly she focused her eyes on him with his puzzled look.

For some reason it seemed rather funny. That was the first time she had seen him with that kind of expression. Though she refrained from letting any of the supposed humor show.

"I'm not sure. It could just be the new environment or the Sith. I just got a strange feeling that I've never had before. I just can't place it. I am trying to keep myself focused on the moment though."

The all-too-familiar, inexplicable sense of danger that he feels when confrontation is imminent falls over him, heightening his senses and making him intimately aware of his surroundings. His mind begins to shift into its accustomed battle-calm, but something seems to be... missing. It takes all of his control not to stagger forward as the realization strikes him once again: the steadying, guiding hand of the Emperor is no longer present. Is that why I'm so uneasy, he thinks, or is it something else? Shrugging his shoulders slightly, he forces the calm over himself, turning the keys in his own mind to maintain that stillness over his thoughts.

He trailed a moment, arching an eyebrow Dat's way before continuing to speak to Sarisa. "They might have something to do with the Sith. After all, you are as unaccostumed to being around them as you are to being around, well...

...our companion Nefrai. Magick is a powerful thing," Shawn then said, his greeny-blue eyes wandering again to Dat, and focusing on him a moment. "Be mindful. I do not know exactly how these Sith will react to our presence; we need to present as open, honest, and cooperative a front as possible."

"Since you mentioned Nefrai could you please tell me what you know of him?"

She looks at Nefrai. "Or could you tell me yourself?"

Her eyes divert to the opening door as they wait to see what will happen next.

Will they help us or will something else happen. She didn't know, but she needed to stop speculating and just be prepared for the present. React to the action.

Kesh stretched out a hand for the first time in her prescence, and examined each claw-like finger one at a time. "I am an ageless being, a thing that has been around for a long time. For an almost unknown amount of time, I would sleep in a small pocket of space that even I knew not of it's significance. Every few decades, this pocket would open up at some point, usually near a battle."

He placed the hand underneath the cloak. "At that point I would wreck havoc upon any beings I came up, a beast, a monster of death and distruction. I have been at many famous battles, for I have been at the taking of Coruscant, at Endor, and many more places. Until I came to a ship recently. I assumed that there was something, and began to wreck a small deal of havoc upon the crew, until Master Petrolu here, recalling my ledgends, managed to make me de-materialize and be voided out into space."

She points to the opened doorway of the house.

"This isn't a game, or a... training session. If things here go sour, real blood may be spilt, and real people may die. Show me that same wonder then."

Quieting a moment at that, Shawn pursed his lips, his eyes remaining intense but otherwise totally unreadable. "Your being here is my responsibility and, for the moment, what you may or may not be prepared for has little to do with what we will do now. You have the Force and you have the ability to use lightsabers, that much is apparent. What I am interested in now is if you have the ability to use both for good."

What was wrong with being amazed at a being that apparently used to spend it's life destroying others. Wouldn't that catch anyone's attention? I'm sure Master Yoda would even be struck with wonder even for a moment.

Well, I guess we'll have to do better to please Master Petrolu and to keep Dat off my back. What does he know anyways trying to make himself sound like the perfect strategist. There are many ways to do battle.

"They are right. To be fascinated by me is to in a sense, be fascinated by death. As a bit of simple wisdom, treating me as an ally and nothing more is best." With that he looked out across the landscape, wondering when their sith guide would return.

Offhandedly he finished: "Besides, it's not as though I willingly wanted to walk amongst lesser lived beings. Before I know it you'll all be rotting away and I'll have to know different people. It will be very depressing, but also ironic in a way that I doubt you'd understand."

And there are two sides to every coin, came the echoing words of his sister in Shawn's mind.

She shakes her head then takes a breathe.

His son let out a sigh and backed away to disappear into the shadows behind him, leaving his father to turn back to the others, stepping forward out of his house as he did so.

In his hands was a sharp double-ended weapon: one end bearing an ornate spearpoint, the other a long scythe-like blade.

He spoke up sharply in the Sith tongue, waited a moment, then said something in a different dialect. When he was met with nothing but raised brows he cocked his head a little to one side, his eyes narrowing as he considered the group. Then--

"And just-- what are you?" he asked, looking down his nose at the party.

"How is it you come here, speaking of our Dark Lady? Why do you think she would help you... if you live long enough to even come into her court."

"You will guide us or allow your son to do so because if you do not, I see no reason to allow for you to bar our path. And if you do, I see no reason for me not to remove you physically from our path, as your pathetic facade of honor is little more than an attempt at Bravado that has no basis in fact."

"You speak of blood... very well. You will depart from my property now, or I shall remove you from it!"

She didn't think anything more of it because she didn't want Shanw to read her anymore. At least not about somethign as trivial as that.

He looked to the others. "You should all take a bit of distance now. Oh, and make sure Sarisa doesn't watch, less she become more fascinated by death."

Lightning fast he stepped forward, his eyes never leaving Nefrai's, his weapon swinging in an arc, altering in mid-swing in a blurring motion, one in which the scythe end was suddenly manifest, the spearpoint now down...

...to imbed itself into the ground as the scythe swept through Nefrai's body without even touching it...

...to come to a sudden halt now imbedded deeply into Sarisa's thigh. There the point stopped with an almost surprised abruptness, letting blood from non-intended prey, the shining metal creating a deep hole in the femur, greenstick fractures radiating like a spiderweb from the point of contact, odd bits of dirt and bacteria now flowing freely into Sarisa's bloodstream.

He laughed, and began shifting some of his muscles and joints to "limber" him up, his body more angled and loose, though still just as strong, if not as "thick".

"You know though, hurting someone else who's not engaged is just plain rude." He started stalking forwards, however, it was almost in a drunken way, juking from side to side randomly as he came closer and closer, before spiraling down within arms reach, and dragging his claws up across the ground and towards the sith, only to watch as his claws came close that they slid away just slightly.

"Aaahhh!!" she screamed as the scythe embedded itself into her leg.

Instictively she reached down to the wound after the weapon had been withdrawn. She looked at it and noticed it had already started to become infected.

From behind him there came a slight shuffling sound, as an attractive female Sith sidled around the doorframe, holding a steaming bowl in her clawed hands. She did not come out to confront the strangers but merely stood there, waiting to apply her ministrations...

...to whomever they would be needed.

He started to reshift muscles and the likes, and slowly paced, running his claw over the edge of the shield as he saw it formed a strange circle about the warrior.

There was a strange pause as Kesh came around to the point between the warrior and his home, then he smirked. "Now here is a question." he reached out an arm to point at the female sith. "What would you do if I were to be as dishonorable as you, and attack a non-agressive bystander without warning. Such as this-"

He suddenly pulled away from the warrior and placed his clawed hand upon the sith woman's neck. "I doubt you wish to lose that which is precious too you, as time is precious to us. You will give up this foolish folly, and you will take us to the dark lady, or, you will lose that which is precious too you. I am in no mood to play at this, as all we will do is go in circles until one of us dies of age."

He smirked as he ran his 5th digit over the womans cheek. "And I assure you, that is a competition that you would win at."

As he was cleaning the wound as best he could she looked up and noticed what looked like a female Sith carrying a bowl that seemed to have a hot substance within it as the steam was clearly visible.

Sarisa looked at the male Sith. Seeing his defensive stance and how he held his weapon. Something didn't seem right. The Sith wasn't trying to fight anymore. He was defending himself. Rightly so since his attack failed to have any affect on Nefrai.

Then everything changed as Nefrai managed to get into close quarters with the male Sith.

...and rightfully so. "My sister Shayla is Graysith's Chosen sister; my friends may be in hurt, in trouble...or worse."

...for nothing would stop him now.

My mate! She is in danger!

His vision reddened as unadulterated rage filled his eyes. But he needed no sight; he could smell the foulness of the being in front of him.

Letting forth another bellow he whipped the spear about and charged, pushing himself up and forward with surprising speed and agility straight at Nefrai.

This time the point easily slid into the dark being's body, the full momentum of the charging Sith's massive body assuring that the point exited from his back...

He knew he only had a few seconds before he would have to "release" and let himself fall away to heal, and, dispite every instinct he had, turned the hand upon the womans throat towards the sith, and lashed out, their proximity and the fact that he was now almost a quarter of the way down the shaft, confirming that he was in reach.

He felt his claws meet flesh as they raked across the warriors chest, spilling out the warriors own blood across Kesh, as the power of the thrust had "pulled" Kesh through the shield.

The pain of the infection only increased the already agonizing feeling of having her leg broken as well. The scythe had struck with enough force behind it that it snapped her femur.

She continues to concentrate and use the Force. Hoping to slow the spread of what seemed to be fire in her veins.

The Sith's head flew up and back. Rich purple life's blood geysered from his mouth, opened yet in an enraged "O."

The female Sith ran to his side, falling there, tears welling up to fall in silence upon his face. A face from which life was quickly fleeing.

Honor forbid her to speak at this sacred moment. But--

"Traitor! I brought you to my home!"

A small comet of rage exploded from the doorway, wooden staff held before it in an awful, ineffectual parody of a spear. The young Sith flew at Nefrai, holding his practice weapon as if it were highly tempered metal, and without any hint of hesitation attacked him with all the force his young body possessed.

Without thought, but with great focus towards his overall task, he grabbed the weapon in one hand and then brought his other hand into the young sith's stomach with a great force, knocking breath from him as kesh pushed his weak and near limp body to the side, dragging himself upright as he staggared back towards the dwelling, flittering bettwen material and immaterial.

As time seemed to stretch, he moved with pure agony forwards, compelling himself to right that which was wrong until he felt his claw on the dwelling door.

Beneath Nefrai's ministrations, the Sith lay stubbornly quiet, his flesh growing cold and stiff, for gaseous monstrosities do not living Sith flesh make...

Tear-filled auburn eyes now turned helplessly toward Shawn and the crouching Dat.

Good and well it had done to mend an ankle and cure toxins, but no good could it do against his own power. What gives me the right to be a maker and undoer? What gives him the right to die? He asked himself as he let himself focus on healing before voicing words to those who would hear.

In an instant Nefrai's blatantly incongruous words had the young Sith up on his feet once more.

"How dare you speak of honor and gods, you who came here as my guest, to provoke my father when honor bade him stand his ground...

"You who have killed him!"

His auburn eyes flashing in righteous anger, the boy now forced himself to stride up to Nefrai. Although tall for his age, he still had to crane his head back to stare up at the hooded being, standing his ground, his clawed hands held into tight fists at his side.

Out of the corner of his eye he noted the red-robed being seem to shift, as though ready to leap to the defense, but he did not care.

This being had broken every code of Sith honor that he knew of, and for that he deserved to die.

"I--" he gulped, then straightened.

"I challenge you to death," he said, bravely enough, every bit within his right to speak the words.

From off to one side there came a low moan, as his mother let loose a stifled wail for what appeared to be the upcoming death of her son as well.

Slowly he drew back the vapor-like hood, and with his skull-mask looked the sith dead in the eyes. "You are challenging death itself too a duel to death. That my young warrior, is foolish and unwise all in one."

He looked into his eyes with his own hidden ones for a long moment, then rose again. "The death of your father was not meant to be. Your honor in bringing us thus-far was great. But you dishonor your name and your families name by daring to challenge that which cannot be done. You are not old enough, nor wise enough to understand the implications of what you say."

"You dare to speak such words, and just after killing my father!" he spat, a red haze beginning to mist in his eyes.

"You challenged him, you killed him, you dare to speak of honor, you--"

He trailed, his mouth working as he strove to find the correct means to express himself in the meager Basic that he knew.

"You who are without honor yourself."

Trembling, he took a step backward, letting his eyes rake up and down Nefrai's body. If anything he was more his father's son in that moment than ever before.

Leaning forward he spat in Nefrai's face.

"Leave my house and my family. You are strangers here, and will be.

"Believe me."

With that final utterance he moved around Nefrai and went to his mother's side. Placing his arms about her shoulders he helped her to her feet, pulling her with him to go back into their house.

A few moments later two male Sith came through the door. They went to the slain Sith and picked him up, easily carrying him back into the house with them. The door then slammed closed with a finality that promised the door to the planet would as well, for even then the tale of what had happened was beginning to spread.

Such was the strength of the inherent magicks of the Sith.

"Yes?" she asked with a yawn of indifference, wanting nothing so much as to return to her bed.

"Milady, news of strangeness from the Outreaches."

The warrior bowed his head respectfully, a fisted hand clamped over his heart, before sinking slowly to his knees. Now he let his head fall back as if offering a bared throat to his Mistress.

But that was not the heart of his offering.

She chewed her lip a moment, then sighed.

"Oh, very well," she said plaintively as she reached out a small hand, fingers spread, to find certain pressure points on the warriors temples and nose and cheek. Now closing her eyes, she let her own head fall back in mimickry of him as visions slowly began to infiltrate her.

Visions passed from a distance, from mind to mind, as they always have, passed from Sith to Sith through their magicks, a method more reliable than that of mere electronic transmission. For the mind of each Sith, on all the Sith worlds, was linked to that of three others, in turn linked to three, and so on until a vast network was created.

If one Sith died, another could take up the message, for it flashed at the speed of thought between them. The odds of any three minds that were linked to one being killed or dying at the same time were astronomical; thus it was that through the magicks inherent to each and every Sith on K'eel Doba, the startling information of what had happened in the small village not far from the capitol city had propagated at almost the speed of light.

ShaRhylla blinked, interested in spite of herself.

That hooded one... ahhh, I detect a darkness about him. What is he doing associating with the others? And they themselves--

What is this red-robed one who stands ever alert but strangely aloof from the others? Who is the girl, who appears so weak by comparison? And the last--

Her eyes flew open in the closest thing to pure astonishment that she could allow herself to feel.

"The jedi--" she breathed softly, now letting her hand drop as she took a step back.

The jedi. I know this one...

She crossed her arms again, nodding imperiously to the warrior.

"You have done well to bring this information to me," she began, her mind beginning to whirl with plans and schemes and ideas. None found solid ground within her; she shrugged, the movement barely noticeable.

It matters not; I shall decide what to do when they arrive.

"Find them, and bring them," she commanded. Giving the warrior a nod of dismissal she turned to leave but stopped. For once an idea of something beyond the mere moment impacted her.

"They had to have come in a ship of sorts; I would suspect that such a vessel cannot be too far from where they made themselves known.

"Find the vessels and impound them; I shall send the Engineers from Ch'arlingua to deal with them.

"Notify me when they have arrived here."

A Jedi protects and defends. He does not attack.

Stepping in front the doorway to the dwelling and shielding it from Nefrai for at least the moment, Shawn's eyes hardened, and he spoke at last, his hand reaching toward the lightsaber at his belt although he knew it was useless against Nefrai.

"Why have you done this?!" he queried quietly yet not without emotion, pain etched in every word he spoke. "There was no reason..."

"I know that one day, some day, I will meet my reckoner. Perhaps it is upon that day that I will truely grieve for all I have done in my existance. But for now, to call me for what I have done and force me to stand trial before your judgement-" He let the unfinished sentance answer itself.

"I wish you to know that I do regret that which I have done. I am a maker and an undoer, and neither are pleasant things. I would give my own body to bring back even one of those I have laid low in my time. I know that I err, but perhaps it is not all at it seems. Perhaps I am not the only one to be held at fault here, but we shall never know that."

Which, perhaps, it was.

Something softly ominous, darkly insidious, seemed to fill the room with an unseen but certainly not unfelt miasma. It crept in upon little sandcat's feet, tiptoeing about, spreading like invisible oil until every corner, every nook and cranny, every single atom within was filled with its eerie presence.

ShaRhylla drew back a moment, readying herself to do battle with this new strangeness, when something gave her pause.

Something strangely familiar, almost warm, as close to comforting as what it represented could ever allow itself to be.

She blinked again, this time in surprise.

"F-father?" she stammered, forcing herself upright, turning this way and that as she stretched out with her senses.

"Is that you? Are you there?"

Suddenly she stopped, like a questing nek who has found game. Her talents homed in on a particular spot in the void around her, a void which suddenly only she could see.

Floating in that void were a pair of eyes the color of the sky.

She smiled slowly, beginning to listen, nodding in agreement, every so often lifting a daintily clawed hand to her mouth to stifle an erupting giggle.

Both hands clapped over her mouth to help her swallow a final rising giggle.

Her bi-colored eyes were wide and yearning, staring into one particular spot within the opulent immensity of her chambers.

A spot which quite suddenly was no more than that, no different from any other spot anywhere else in the great Temple.

Drawing a deep breath she returned to her door, opened it.

"Yes?" she sniffed, battling to return to her former haughty air, knowing deep in her heart that she would never be the same again.

Ever.

Shawn ttailed a moment, looking now to Nefrai. "...and I do not intend to run. Doing so would only implicate us further in some dark deed that was never intended...

... or needed. The Sith had rights to suspect us; they had every right to question us and our motives. And now you've given them more than the right; you've given them a reason. I will not flinch from that or try to cover the action as something that was either to be or just."

"The intruders have been confirmed to have disappeared from the vicinity. However, on a different level of news-"

Saying nothing further than that, Shawn returned his gaze to Sarisa, who failing in her struggle to maintain consciousness. He waited for no further movement from anyone else, but instead placed a hand on her wound, closing his eyes and stretching out to the Force, channeling it to the injury while at the same time reaching his other hand to Sarisa's forehead to lay it there, then channeling the Force to her mind to draw her into a healing trance which would be greatly needed.

"You expect quite a bit of a being that has done nothing but kill for countless millenia in a very short time. Perhaps it is that you should not test the limits of his patience when already it has worn thin. Perhaps it is your error that you brought me in the first place, but it is not something you can go back and change is it? Just as I cannot go back and change that I slew him."

A familiar sound like an echo. It was Master Petrolu's voice speaking to her. Telling her what to do.

She strained to reach out to him mentally as they were connected through the Force for the moment.

...and even more so when one considered the far too dangerous look now dancing in her eyes.

She pirhouetted, letting her hands fly out to her sides, much to the surprise of Kelvendar.

"Oh, I don't care; it doesn't really matter, you see. Those who are gone... are gone. And as for Salandaar..."

She stopped twirling, coming to a standstill directly in front of the Sith warrior.

"He doesn't matter any more either. Leave him be, he is of no consequence, no one shall believe what he might try to say anyway."

After all... wasn't that what her Father had just promised her?

Suddenly he stopped, his keen sense of hearing catching distant sounds, a faint vibration in the earth. "I think someone could be comming..."

He frowned. "Being a Jedi doesn't mean I don't have to take some stands. We need all the allies we can get here...

...but by your action, you've destroyed one potentially powerful ally we might have had here. And you destroyed your own crediability...

Then he turned to Dat, nodding then to Sarisa's sleeping form before he spoke once more. "We should get moving. She will be in a trance for some time...

...but while she rests and recovers we cannot afford to wait. We will no doubt be met by the Sith; word of this event has most certainly gotten out."

He paused, eyeing Nefrai and then finishing with. "We might as well face reality and let them take us when it is time. If you could carry Sarisa, that would be very helpful. I believe the temple is..."

He trailed one final time, sensing outward then pointing eastward, "...that way."

She was also doing what she could to keep herself aware of what was going on. She couldn't hear words whent he others spoke to one another, but she could sense their feelings. She hoped she wouldn't have to be in her trance for too long in case they might end up needing every able body they could get.

Kesh sighed, and reset his form to normality, stretched slightly, and loped over to where Dat was. "As Master Petrolu said... would you prefer if I were to carry Sarisa? Or would you not be comfortable with such a thing?"

He spoke almost cautiously, knowing he was quite close on the line. He held his arms aloft just slightly to show if Dat would like too hand her over or not.

"...Sounds like fun."

Dat shrugs his shoulders slightly. "I think I can handle it," he says, not even turning around.

...and simply halted where he was. "It's time," he stated simply, hoping the others would take his meaning. "This time..."

He trailed, looking at Nefrai specifically. "Do not attack. Or I will be fighting against you regardless of how it all might end."

Then, still standing in place, the others close behind him, Shawn spoke up, not necessarily to anyone in particular, but most definitely to any nearing Sith.

And he tried a bit of a new tactic as he then spoke, his voice commanding yet at the same time nonthreatening. "We seek Dark Lady Jharmeen Qu'taro regarding the disappearance of some friends...

...and some of us have made poor choices regarding how we could find her," he continued, his voice now actually showing emotion as he finished with, "Such loss of life was unnecessary, and not at all what I intended. My most deepest apologies to you all...

...do with me as you will."

But martyrdom?

If the Sith do come around, he's going to provide more of what he did before.

Actually frowning at the thought, Shawn turned to Nefrai once again. "Look, Nefrai. When I said that you should leave now...

...that is what I meant. Your presence here will put this team in jepordy, the people I'm looking for in jeopordy...

...and the Sith in jeopordy as well. Not all of us have the luxury of immortality."

Turning to Dat then, Shawn nodded in front of him. "Perhaps we have not approached the juncture yet I thought we might have. Let's keep moving."

With no further words, Shawn turned, doing precisely that, still certain that they would eventually be intercepted by someone.

He trailed at that, frowning, his look thougtful. "I have a suspicion the people we are looking for aren't here," he admitted openly to Dat. "But at any rate, this was their last know destination. I'm not certain how the Dark Lady will react to what Nefrai did, nor how she will react to our being with him at the time of the incident...

...which could retract from us getting any information from her. Still, we need information, and at the moment it would appear we have time. The only definite information I have is that Galen probably arrived here in Terrin's old lamby the Eagle. Matt and Jasyn took Aaron's lamby the Raptor...

He was in a Healing Chamber, naked, upon a stone bed. A thin fur lay rumpled at his feet.

He frowned; then his eyes widened as recollection flooded in.

The Lady-- dead. Who was not the Lady, but some foul doppleganger.

The coming of the Dark Lord Phalomir and his compatriots, to try to discern the hand behind this subterfuge.

The demon which crawled forth from Hell.

Starting, he cast a quick look about himself. Thanks, however, to the Healing ministries of the resident sorcerers and inherently tough Sith physiology, he lived. He had healed.

He took a breath, relishing the slow but sure return of strength.

A bit of time longer, and I shall return to my duties... and try to discover what evil it is, what madness that has descended upon us.

"Master Petrolu-" he raised his voice slightly. "-I will depart from this company. However, I shall bring into note that none of us was ever nominated or declared leader. I shall leave due to the animosity between us. It is also that you forget that you would not be here were it not for my healing of Captain Barnes."

"Yes, I suppose I am at that."

She cocked her head a bit to one side, now taking in a closer look at Kelvendar, as though seeing him for the first time.

"You were the one, to come when I found--"

She stopped, her eyes now widening, staring about as she patted herself, seeking...

"It is gone," she murmured, half despairing, half angry.

"Did you take it?"

She turned her eerie bi-colored eyes upon Kelvendar, pinning him with a look which had a strange brand of darkness swimming across the surface.

Some would call her insane at that moment.

Others... simply dangerous.

"A Healer?" she queried back, cocking her head to one side, staring directly at Kelvendar but now looking completely through him.

"Wh-why would I need a Healer? I am well, I am whole, I-- I am... I am h-happy; no, I am angry... angry for it is gone, he took it, it wasn't you after all, was it, it was him, he, the blasphemer, the common thief--!"

With startling rapidity she began shaking, trembling, shuddering, her body defenseless as wave after wave of reactionary shock struck her a tsunami's blow.

Her eyes grew wider yet, mirroring the rictus her mouth had become.

Suddenly she fell to her knees, slumped back on her rear, hid her face in her hands. The dainty, pearly claws raked the flesh of her face, sending rivulets of reddish-violet blood oozing down her cheeks, her chin.

Father-- what have you done to me?

Why?

Her mouth opened in surprised confusion, she stepped into the passage down which the blur had run.

"Sir?" she queried, calling after Kelvendar, holding her tray against herself.

"Do you need assistance? Is there something amiss?"

Down one passageway and into another she flew, coming at last to the section of the temple which housed the Chambers of Healing. Not bothering with any courtesy, normal for her species not to mention her station, she burst into the first one she came to.

"The Dark Lady is dying!" she cried out, glancing wildly about herself, seeking anyone who could help. She was soon approached by a Healer, who took hold of her arms, his grip a firm and steadying one.

"Show me," he commanded in a deep, quiet voice. One hand lifted from her arm to lay itself gently upon her face.

All he received was a vision of Kelvendar.

He drew back, a frown creasing his face.

"Where is the one you have shown me?" he asked, now staring deeply into her eyes. The look forced itself into her rising hysteria, banking it, bidding calmness come to the fore.

It came. She gulped, pointing behind her.

"B-back there, in the passage leading to the Lady's chambers. The Dark Lady's daughter... I mean, the Dark Lady."

Frowning a bit, the serving girl ground to a confused halt, staring at the floor as panic ebbed from her. The Healer understood what she had been trying to say, and after taking a precious second or two to assure that the girl was calm enough to leave alone, he hurried from the Chambers, following the course she had travelled.

It wasn't long before he found Kelvendar.

"You!" he called out, reaaching a hand toward the Sith.

"Come," he said urgently.

"We shall go to her; perhaps I can discern what it is that has so suddenly plagued her."

For sudden this was indeed. As in the case of all large structures of political import, word oftentimes seemed to fly faster than light itself. All those dwelling within the temple's walls already knew of the heinous act of the strangers who were out there, somewhere upon K'eel Doba. Indeed, it had been less than an hour that the Lady had given forth her decree upon them. Found they most certainly would be, and quickly, but the Lady needed to be herself so as to deal with them when they were brought to her. For that was the way of the Sith.

Taking Kelvendar's arm, the Healer urged him on.

"Let us hasten," he said simply.

The Healer cast a frown of alarm upon Kelvendar, then opened the door, allowing themselves into Lady ShaRhylla's private suites.

She lay curled upon the floor there, looking small and vulnerable.

Her eyes were wide, staring into nothing.

The Healer rushed to her side, reached out and touched key points upon her face...

...only to fall back with a gasp.

Darkness within. Darkness bearing ruby eyes...

...and eyes the color of the sky.

Shuddering, he gathered himself together.

The Healer looked down at the still form, actually having to force himself to make the physical contact with her that he had.

Such indescribable darkness lay within her.

And he had no idea whether or not it would lash out at them or not.

"Quickly!" he repeated, gripping her beneath her arms.

"She appears to be locked in some kind of thrall."

"I do not yet know," he admitted slowly, reaching out tentative hands to once again lay them upon her face.

Once again he recoiled, almost as if physically forced from her small frame. He turned eyes dark with concern toward Kelvendar.

"This is no disease, nor is it any mental ailment descending upon her," he finally stated.

"There are dark magicks afoot here; she will need the assistance of a Healer stronger than I.

"I agree with your assessment, and as for how the Lady would feel..."

He trailed a moment, lifting a brow toward Kelvendar.

"I find it far more acceptable to risk her wrath than to risk her possible death. At the very least, unless this darkness within loosens its hold upon her, she will remain in something similar to a coma for an unknown period of time."

He paused, letting his words sink in, giving Kelvendar time to fully assess them.

For all he knew, the Dark Lady's life could be in the greatest of dangers. He cursed the machine to move quicker, for each moment could be of the essence.

With small natural prejudice, he did hope that when he arrived the foolish nature of those who would dedicate themselves to the weaker sides of Sith nature would not bother with pleasantries, send their best, and would come and heal the lady before going on their dainty ways quickly.

He glanced about the ships in his immediate area, and went to a small courier, capable of carrying eight and with fast sublight capabilities for it's time.

Kalvendar quickly boarded, and began to prep for takeoff. With the blessings of S'slan, pray that I be not too late for the Dark Lady.

He began to lope ahead, and sniffed the air.

Civilization.

The familiar smell of technology, oil, and the other signs that were familiar to him had begun to reach him. He began to follow the scents, wondering what it was, until-

"That must be it...." He breathed, looking down upon the spaceport of Ch'arlingua (not that he knew the name), and began his loping jog down the hill he had been standing upon taking him, with every step, closer to the destiny that lay before him.

Captain Barnes, this is Shawn Petrolu. Have you done any tracking of the Eagle or the Raptor, as you previously suggested? Please give me an update, we have had no success here thusfar.

He stared at the dark blade for a moment, then looked up at a small sigil flashed to show they were out of the atmosphere, and now he could see-

"Dear Ss'slan... what have you brought upon us?" He asked, staring in horror at the blockade around the planet, stunned as he looked upon it.

However, with a klaxon and a blinking sigil flashing and wailing, he was jerked from his stunned reverie, and jerked the ship up and over the Star Destroyer that he had been so close to smashing into.

He breathed a sigh of relief, his heart pounding as he corrected the ships course to head for Khar Delba, towards the snooty, weak, and stuckup sorcerers, leaving one blockade behind....

He trailed. "...I sense Nefrai."

Sighing at that, Shawn could only hope Nefrai would not be causing futher trouble.

Think about how you are approaching the situation. I KNOW You've got it in you.

His greeny-blue eyes refocusing, Shawn finally let his feet move under him once more as he began to descend the rocky mountain upon which they stood. Although he couldn't be certain, there was some sort of life down there. Now, whether or not that life would be friendly after everything...

...but before Shawn could comment to say as much, something unseen and unexpected and deathly dark seemed to simply grab him where he stood, causing Shawn to come to a forced halt with a gasp for breath. Losing his otherwise sure footing, his feet took out from under him, and Shawn fell to the ground, sliding down the mountainside for a bit before once more being able to feel his senses which had momentarily be overwhelmed by a very real, very present Darkness. And while his Jedi robes had helped so that he only had minimal injury to his actual person, Shawn was very shaken.

For a few moments, he could only remain where he was, one elbow on the ground to brace himself up somewhat, his greeny-blues suddenly very distant.

His brows shot to the top of his forehead.

"Sir!" he called out even as his fingers repeated their rapid-fire tattoo on the board. Behind him came the sound of approaching bootsteps as the Officer On Deck responded to the alert.

"There seems to be a ship at close proximity.. very close proximity, I-- I think--

"Sir."

He turned in his seat, shooting his superior officer an apologetic look before returning to another furious attack on his console.

"I-- Sensors can't quite pick up on what's out there, I think it's a ship, a small one; it came up from planetside and...

"Well sir, it almost hit us, then flew over us. It seems to have slipped through the tractor beams. That is, I think that's what happened; as I said, Sir, sensors aren't quite picking up anything.

"It's almost like a shadow, Sir."

The OOD frowned and leaned over the other's shoulder, studying his console. His lips thinned into a serious line.

"Did you get a trajectory on this-- this shadow?" he queried at length, raising upright.

The officer shook his head, cut the motion in mid-shake, and segued it into a nod.

"Yessir," he said, this time with a greater ring of conviction in his voice.

"It seems to be heading to the sister planet of this system."

The OOD thought for a moment. Then--

"Send this information to Relentless, and keep your eyes peeled for any further shadows, Mister."

The officer kept himself from squirming at his post.

"Yes, Sir!" he said, letting his fingers fly again as he followed the order and sent the message winging on its way.

As Shayla stepped through the portal Jharmeen created along with the others and back into the Dining Hall of the Temple at Princhatka, Shayla instinctively stretched out with the Force to gauge the climate of her new surroundings. She found her initial frown almost immediately segue into a look of utter surprise. She looked to Jharmeen to explain what she felt...

...knowing Jharmeen probably already knew without any words whatsoever.

"Something is not right here," she said simply, stating what was probably already obvious before continuing with, "And I sense my brother."

Pausing a moment, the surprise once more flitted through her eyes. "He is here, on K'eel Doba."

Another silent moment passed then, one in which Shayla was uncertain of what else to say. She keenly sensed Panthar's distress concerning the injury to his hand, however, so she turned to him.

"Maybe I can help alleviate some of that pain," she commented, coming a bit closer to him...

...and noticing the somehow darkening look in Erik's eye. She shrugged it off, for the moment, however, and took Panthars hand in both of hers, one final comment escaping her lips before she stretched out to the Force to heal Panthar's wound, cocking a brow and looking to Jharmeen once more. "What is Shawn doing here?"

"I have no idea why your brother should be here," she said, chewing her lip a little while she watched her friend and adept tend to Panthar's hand. That esteemed worthy was trying his hardest not to wince; whatever had happened to his hand, although seeming a slight enough injury as far as the Sith went, certainly seemed to be painful.

"He's very close," Shayla replied, sensing outward a bit more. "I'd say no more than five to ten kilometers away."

Pausing once more, Shayla frowned. "I sense...

...other beings nearby him as well, all sentients. Strange..." she observed, then fell silent, returning her attention to Panthar once more.

He looked upon one of the sleek craft, and ran his hands over the odd material of the surface- feeling a strange crackling.

He winced as a strange jolt seemed to course through him as he moved closer. "How odd...' He said, not sure of what had happened- save that it had indeed hurt. "Who would build such crafts? And for what purpose?"

"Sister, if you do not mind..."

Not waiting for Shayla to reply she reached her hand around from the side and laid its palm gently against Shayla's forehead. Closing her eyes, she let her consciousness sink into herself, that by letting herself go completely she could touch upon her own considerable talents to see outward, following the link her friend held with the jedi.

Outward then did her essence seem to fly, following the emotional spoor like a hunting nek sniffs out its prey, until at length what she was experiencing became less and less simple feeling and more and more sensible awareness of her surroundings. She drew in a breath of air, opened her eyes...

...to see the vision of the not-too distant Ch'arlingua, a loping form making a swift and steady bee-line toward it.

She shook her head, letting reality overcome her once again.

"They are close to the spaceport," she said, letting her hand drop as she moved to a nearby bell-pull.

"I shall summon an honor escort at once."

Not elaborating any further, she tugged on the pull, and soon was rewarded by the sound of swiftly moving feet. A high-echelon servant burst into the Dining Hall.

"Yes, Lady Sha-" he began but stopped in shock when Graysith turned round to fully face him.

"M-my Lady?" he queried then, losing enough of his decorum to actually let his mouth drop open, his eyes blinking and widening in surprise. Then he snapped his gaping mouth shut as, fisted hand slamming across his chest he fell to one knee.

"You must pardon me, My Lady, but it-- it is good to see that you...

"Are well," he finished somewhat lamely before quieting to receive his orders.

Jharmeen smiled and moved to the servant.

"Rumors of my death have been highly exaggerated," she said, her lips curling with humor as she then reached out to take the servant by the shoulder.

"This is a matter that will soon be attended to; in the meanwhile, there are visitors approaching from the northwest whom I wish to be provided with an honor escort. Please see to it's implementation, at once."

The servant managed to keep the rest of his shock and surprise at bay as he nodded, saluted, then rose and left.

Graysith smiled as she watched him go, then turned back to the others, her smile becoming dimmer then.

"Who should try to kill me, and have the ability to make it seem as though it could have happened?" she asked to no one in particular, then moved over to Phalomir's side. Sinking into his warmth, she remained quiet, watching Shayla administer to Panthar and utterly ignoring her own sister, who seemed to be growing more and more uncomfortable by the second.

I tried to recollect, but it was a faint blur. "Retrieve the axis and then return." What a curious command it had been, and more curious how I had followed it. To simply fall asleep in my contemplations.

...and instead watched everything that was going on very carefully, suddenly very concerned with all that was proceeding...

...and for one very specific, very important reason. Looking at Galen for a moment, he could read her discomfort with the demon still on her back...

...but he sensed another deeper, more palpable discomfort, lack of Force ability be damned.

"And with someone with such ability, what of your own daughter?" Terrin queried, the words directed to Jharmeen. "And what about Darra?"

"Are you insinuating that my own daughter may be the one who has set up this ruse? Or that she too is in danger; a possibility that my dear, sweet sister has already put forth."

Her gaze shot briefly to Galen, then settled back upon Terrin once again.

She sighed, all bravado and haughtiness laid to immediate rest. Bowing her head, she let her memories flow back to those horrible days when she had last entered into the Darker Realms, when ShaRhylla had been held in thrall to the demonic Entaris. Recalled clearly what her daughter had been like, knew with terrifying clarity what she had gone through.

Realized what she might yet be harboring, in spite of the love and healing and teaching given to her upon her rescue and adoption back into Sith society.

"I-- I do not know," she said, a tinge of misery moistening her voice.

"I-- do know that my daughter was once under the spell of pure evil, was in fact herself close to being as evil as the personage who held her in his grasp.

"As evil as your daughter is innocent."

The Onidorei had been witness. With his own brand of eyes and ears he had seen and heard. He, of all present in the Dining Hall, had more than mere speculation or supposition to operate upon.

He had firsthand facts... if, indeed, what he was relating was the truth...

The Dark Lady's eyes flashed open as that final thought struck her. Moving away from Phalomir and Terrin she approached the odd entity, who had remained silent for so great a time but who, for once, when finally speaking had presented information that could not be ignored.

She stopped before him, nodding once, and held a small hand out to him, palm up.

"Forgive me... but, may I?"

We bowed our heads just slightly, and then awaited whatever Graysith might do.

"I intend you no harm," she said as she then reached out to lay the palm of one hand against its porcelain-smooth forehead. An eerie electric tingle jolted through her at the contact; shivering, she strove to ignore it and let her essence begin to worm its way into his elaborate circuitry.

“There are things which I overheard between the Master and Roan during my – time – in the Darker Realms. Things which strengthen my suspicions of ShaRhylla. I was in and out of consciousness, but I am certain this is at least partly her doing, and that Roan is behind it. There was something about her and the vials on the ship, but I do not completely recall that conversation.”

A rush of other memories came to Phalomir, causing him to shudder and take a step backwards. Thoughts of torture, of being surrounded by a dozen winged female demons biting and sucking his skin, taunting and tearing at his body… pain everywhere… each one whispering his name in deep seductive voices as they probed and bit…

To get Galen and Darra the kriffing hell away from here, since it was suddenly seeming oh-so-dangerous in this supposed place of protection.

Terrin looked Phalomir, the look in his eyes suddenly hot. "So you are all telling me," he paused, looking to Galen in concern before returning his gaze to Phalomir, "Telling us that Darra, who, because of her age-advancement, is as innocent as a little child, has been here with ShaRhylla...

...who quite possibly is involved with a plot to make her own mother at least appear to be dead? Am I the only one here who things she intends to claim the "throne of the Sith" for herself? And what kind of position does that place Darra in? And furthermore, you're telling me Roan might also be tangled in this whole thing? And kriffing hell, aside from what Rhylla can do..."

He trailed a moment, now able to clearly remember that day back in the darker realms when Rhylla had altered his own mind.

"...we all certainly know what Roan can do."

Quieting at that, Terrin's eyes fell into a very worried Galen pair...

...hell, more than worried.

Terrin's look darkened at that, and he made one final comment. "Doesn't sound like Darra is the least bit safe here anymore."

Her lips curled in an instinctive smile, but it was not one of joy or amusement. At length she pulled back from the Onidorei with a sigh and let her hand fall limply to her side.

"It is true," she said morosely, choking back the sudden rush of tears. For indeed she had thought her daughter was over her horrific experience in the Darker Realms, that she was healing. For promises of the bright young lady that she could have been had indeed flicked into existence here and there, responding to life in the Temple and her position therein.

Now Graysith knew those promises to be built of ash.

She hung her head a moment, studying her feet. Then she jerked it upright, stared Terrin straight in his eyes, once again ignoring the growing thundercloud that was her sister by blood.

"I shall send for JhinDarra," she said simply, going once again to the bell-pull.

"This must indeed be stopped."

But no.

She was coming here.

Now.

I blinked, letting my mouth fall agape as I struggled to find words to speak. For suddenly the rising storm within me had totally dissipated, letting sunshine begin to peep out to warm me.

She was coming here. Now!

Suddenly I realized what I must look like; clearing my throat self-consciously, I crossed my arms and shifted my weight to one foot.

"She'd better be okay," I tried to grumble, though the attempt at threat came out sounding more like sour grapes. That wasn't what I wanted either, so I settled on hunkering close to Terrin and closing my mouth.

...and most definitely not the demon on Galen's shoulder...

...snorted in warning. Terrin did his best to ignore the thing, and focus on every nuance of the moment. Hoped like hell that what appeared to be about to happen was going to happen.

Hoped like hell that Darra would recognize her mother, despite the fact she'd been told by Jharmeen that she was Darra's mother.

"She will be, you must trust me, Mr. Danner."

...which took him so much by surprise that he took his eyes off the goblet and directed them first her way then towards Terrin and Galen, then towards Matt, then back again to Graysith.

Til at length he started noticing that his arm suddenly seemed rather wet. Frowning at that, Jasyn looked down, and with a curse stopped pouring the brandy bottle and sat it back on the bar. His goblet had been full a long time before, and the overflow of the green liquid had now left its mark on his left arm.

"Oh, kriffing hell!!!" he sputtered, no doubt drawing scowls and looks of surprise from everyone else.

Totally ignoring the looks, however, Jasyn took the goblet in his hand, upended it, and took a healthy swig.

Tossing it uncaringly to the floor, she then leaned forward into his personal space.

"Believe me," she hissed, letting her lip curl at his dependency upon alcohol.

"If I were being anything but truthful regarding JhinDarra's sake, it would be the farthest from that which you would be worrying about."

Pulling back, she let her demeanor lighten, folded her hands inside the sweeping sleeves of her robes, and was returning to her spot when a servant entered, bowing before her.

"The visitor's coming in to Ch'arlingua are arriving, milady," he said, clapping his fist over his chest, his eyes riveted to the floor.

Graysith nodded, cut a look to the others, then turned back to the minion.

"This is good, show them here the moment they arrive," she ordered, then waved the servant away.

"And now we begin to delve into mystery," she said at length, letting her gaze sweep over all before stopping at Phalomir, giving him a look that stated she had most assuredly not forgotten all he had mentioned earlier, but that she was waiting until all allies were together before speaking further of his concerns.

And, perhaps, at a time when Galen's new little pet was caged for its daily nap...

With a smirk, I added a small stagger to my step as I stumbled towards the door to the hall, a look of slight delirium upon my visage as I shoved the doors open, and shoved past a startled looking servant. Upon seeing them all, suprised at "salandaars" interuption into their midst, I slammed my closed fist against my chest as hard as I dared for a wounded being, and bowed.

Odd. Nefrai had killed one of their own, and they had been hailed as strangers. Only to be escorted to the Temple with such aplomb?

Well did Shawn know the path they were taking, for he had been here before, and with others. And he certainly hoped that it would be with others that he would once again cross paths, sometime soon.

Which he would do perhaps sooner than he expected.

As he and the others were lead into the Dining Hall of the Temple of Prinnchatka, Shawn kept his hood over his head, not wanting to alarm the Sith gaurd by any unexpected movement on his part. They were lead into to face about three Sith, the Dark Lady...

...and a rather familiar bunch of humans. Relief poured into Shawn, and he nodded respectfully to Lady Graysith. "My friends and I have been sent here at the request of Captain Aaron Barnes, to seek out two of his employees and Galen Danner. He was very concerned as to their safety after their departure from the Hornett some time ago...

...as I was about yours, and yours," he added, looking first to his sister then to Erik Kartan.

Shawn trailed, turning a moment to look at the others. "I am glad to see that..."

He trailed then, his eyes widening as they fell on Terrin's tall, lanky frame.

"Terrin?" Shawn queried in surprise. "Aaron told me that you were dead..."

I gave Terrin's hand a squeeze, shouldered by way past the mechanical entity.

"Not now, ya walking tin can," I muttered as I strode past him to come to a halt in front of the surprised Jedi.

Who only looked all the more surprised to see what I carried upon my back.

"It would appear that rumors of his death were highly exaggerated as well," I grinned, giving the scorpion-tailed creature another heft to get him more comfortably placed. Then my grin burst forth full force.

By her mother.

Instantly, sorrow flashed into incredible joy, the aura of bereavement she had carried disintegrating in the wink of an eye. Hurriedly, not even taking the time to wait for the servant to accompany her, she fled her chambers for the Dining Hall, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls of the corridors as she ran through them in a most unladylike manner, her hair trailing behind her.

Coming to the Dining Hall, she pushed the doors open, ready to enter therein--

--but paused.

Indeed, her mother was inside, alive and well. But she was accompanied by many others, others who were strangers to her, yet who seemed to be somehow familiar.

It was as if she had met some of these people in her dreams.

Pausing at that, he squeezed Galen's hand in return then continued with, "It's good to see you again, Shawn. It's been..."

Trailing at that, however, Terrin's blue eyes wandered to the now-opening Dining hall doors. In the opening stood a young lady, red hair, blue eyes, and slight frame.

Spitting image of her mother.

"Galen..." he whispered, the word barely even coming out.

But in that brief movement they had swept across the space in the background, normally something to overlook, of course, just being a white noise kind of thing for the most part.

Except now.

For this particular background was filled with the double doors which led into this huge reception and dining area, doors now standing slightly ajar, the space between them being filled by...

I swallowed whatever else I might have to say, and simply stared at my daughter, for practically the first time in my life completely at a loss as to what words I should attach to the wealth of thoughts and feelings that were now sweeping over me.

...and of the young woman inside them. His jaw dropped, and in his drunken state the words in his head slipped from his mouth before he could really process them or the situation at hand.

"Woah, baby, who is that?" he queried, momentarily oblivious to the jagged blue look he was getting from his boss, let alone from others...

She took a step forward, raising both hands to beckon the young lady into the Dining Hall. The flame-haired young woman bowed her head and complied, coming quickly to stand before the one she thought to be her mother.

Graysith placed her arms about her in a warm embrace, lingering there for a moment before turning Darra about to face the others.

"You speak of JhinDarra Jhin'Dar Tarnus Danner," she said simply, squeezing the shoulders which began to stiffen in shock and wonder and denial beneath her touch.

How pathetic... he can't even attempt a mating call correctly. He watched the reunion though, with not just amusement, but a strange feeling of longing.

What was it to know that someone cared for you? Was concerned? Missed you?

Honestly, he couldn't understand, but he did feel a strange wish to know that.

She turned her head, straining to look up at the Dark Lady.

"Wha-- what do you mean? I am of the house Q'utaro; this you have told me, Mother. I and my stepsister, ShaRhylla, are your children..."

But even as the words stuttered out, her natural empathic abilities stretched out with them. Roved the room, touching lightly upon the wonder and surprise and poignancy which filled everyone present...

...the latter coming from the dark shade hovering in the shadows, a personage seeming to be overlooked by all.

She gulped, finally turning her head to follow her feelings, coming at length to the red-haired young woman who appeared not much older than herself.

Who was standing there staring at her as though simply trying to drink her in.

Her brows creased, she frowned, wondering... and then a memory came flashing back.

This was the same woman who had held her with such love, who had taken her and placed her in a seat which hummed and thrummed as, unbeknownst to her, the ship they were in fled from the planet-city which called itself Coruscant.

Blood calling blood.

She gulped, now stepping forward, her head cocking to one side as her eyes narrowed just the slightest.

The call grew stronger.

"M-mother--?" she whispered, hesitating.

This was happening. This was really happening. Finally.

Giving Galen's hand another gentle squeeze, Terrin then stepped back slightly, wanting more than anything to give Galen and Darra space.

Then Galen and her daughter were simply together: hands reaching out to touch each others' face, arms gripping tightly then pushing back so they could drink in the sight of each other before tightening once more in the kind of embrace that only exists between a mother and her child.

The elaborate room grew wavering then, as the tears the Dark Lady had been holding at bay finally sprang into her eyes.

To have that simple love, how she longed for it. For of her own children...

Refusing to let forth even the tiniest of sounds that could intrude on the joyous moment she moved aside, going off to the fireplace where she laid her hand upon the mantel, losing herself in the dance of the flames held within its hearth.

Mother. How Shayla had longed to hear those words someday herself...

This was JhinDarra, for he definitely knew her Force-signature...

...but Darra was supposed to be a two year old, not a twenty year old. Which meant, quite obviously, that somewhere along the lines her age had been advanced significantly.

Moving from hs thoughts of the moment, however, Shawn regained his total composure, and removed the hood of his blue Jedi robe from his head, now training his senses upon the feelings in the room.

Warmth, love, peace...

These things were not to be taken lightly, with what he had been feeling only a short time before. Which was, of course, something he was certain he should at some point address with others here...

...for he most assuredly was not the only person feeling such Darkness.

He walked quietly to Jharmeen, standing behind her as she watched the flames dance their stories. Her place in his past life was unexplainable, but what mattered to him now was the present, and his love for her had not diminished since the day he had discovered it. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and joined her in gazing at the fire.

And dammit, he didn't want anything to change that ever again.

And it was that little thought that prompted Terrin into action. Not wanting to disturb Galen and Darra, Terrin took a few steps to the side, to the fireplace where both Phalomir and Jharmeen stood, both of them seeminingly lost looking into the flames.

Oh, this would never do. How were they going to protect the hope of the future they were presented with in this mode???

Clearing his throat, Terrin placed a hand on Phalomir's shoulder to divert his attention from the flame. When he was satisfied that he had it, he then spoke up. "Now, I don't want to interrupt the moment, or your own thoughts...

...but as we were discussing before, we have a very real threat facing us...

...and a future to protect."

Stating these words, Terrin's blues wandered to Galen and Darra for a moment. "I suggest we start figuring out what we're going to do to protect that said future, and to minimize the threat facing us or at least be able to meet it head on. And we know that ShaRhylla is here. We need to find out exactly what it is she is up to...

...and ensure the safety of others in the meantime."

But Terrin was correct. They could ill afford delay in resolving the immediate threat of ShaRhylla.

“You surprise me, Terrin Danner,” said Phalomir. “I feel your desire to let this moment linger, but I hear also the sense to your words. But bear in mind the heavy weight of this moment, for all involved, and give a little time to those who need to let the past resolve itself, even a trifle.”

He felt Jharmeen move slightly under his hand, but he could not tell if she had tensed or otherwise. He looked down at her for a moment, then returned his eyes to Terrin and spoke softly.

“I believe strongly that ShaRylla is being used by Roan, but even if she were a puppet she must be the one we face immediately. If she has raised followers among the Sith who would remain loyal to her even after the Dark Lady’s death is proven false, then we must prepare for that. We must also assume that Roan has supplied her with powers or devices to aid her. But we must also reach the vials in the ship immediately, that was something I specifically overheard as a key point in the Master’s plan.”

He again looked to Jharmeen.

“This I can do, my lady. The rest must wait until we are all ready.”

...or are the others of us going to have to start plotting our stretegy...

...cause buddy, I garantee you we've done it before, and we're all ready to do it again, with or without the help of a Dark Lord."

But, having read those two texts far too many times, I was more than a single beings fare share of bored; though this did not register upon my assumed visage.

I moved to Graysith, and licked my lips as though a bearer of bad news. "My lady, as joyous as this occassion is sure to be, there are problems. In your absense there has been a... rift of sorts. Some sith have openly embraced your daughter as their Dark Lady. Others such as myself have stead-fastly remained your servants...

"...though the timing be imperfect, I beg your command so that we might deal with this impending threat." There was a slight wince on "my" visage, as though pained by the idea of warriors perhaps battling warriors over a senseless matter; or perhaps created by the "wounds" that dotted "salandaars" body.

“For the love of Sla’an,” Phalomir hissed lowly. “We can spare one single moment for this reunion, for all involved. I appreciate your eagerness, but never – NEVER – mock my station.”

He blinked and lowered his hand. Still looking at Jasyn, he released his grip.

“And we all need to be together and clear as to what our plans are. There is a complicated plot put forth by a powerful enemy at work here, we can ill afford personal matters to stand in our way.”

By this time Salandaar had addressed Jharmeen. Phalomir turned to him.

“Salandaar,” he said. “It is good to know you survived the attack. Please, have Shayla attend to your wounds before you proceed.”

“My lady,” he said gently to Jharmeen. “I shall take Panthar with me. After we quickly freshen and find more suitable clothing, I wish to determine the status of the ship in which we arrived, and if the vials have been removed. It is then perhaps imperative to find your daughter and deal with the usurpation of your position. I shall change and return shortly.”

With an indiscernable look, "I" smiled faintly at the offering of healing. "No no Lord, the healers have been doing well enough. Besides, the group of you, if you mind not my saying, seem quite exhausted already. If the dark lady does not mind, I shall return to the infirmary. As pleased as I am to see that you are alive and well, merely comming here has wearied me."

Flame-red hair, such as she bore. As did her sister, and her niece...

...and her daughter.

Deep within the logs which fed the fire, an ember flared, shooting out vivid turquoise blue. Graysith winced, reminded ever more of ShaRhylla, ever more of the painfully wide chasm which separated her from her daughter. For well she remembered what the young halfling had been through, whose tutelage she had been under.

And of course, she could never forget her father.

The thought made her grimace; tears sprang into her eyes as sudden sharp pain exploded in her face and hands. Her tongue snaked out to lick her lips, bleeding where her clenched teeth had chewed them; her eyes cut to her hands, the palms of which now bled for the strength with which she had fisted them.

She allowed herself the luxury of another indrawn breath of air, then raised her head.
Smiling a little, she turned to Shayla, placed a blood-smeared hand lightly against her face.

"Thank you, sister," she said softly, then straightened further, her eyes moving to the glowering, if a touch wobbly, Jasyn. His gaze caught hers and he scowled again, raising the bottle to his lips in a vicious swig.

She smiled without humor.

"You must forgive Lord Phalomir, for he has been through much-- but, take care, sir. For we have yet far to go." She nodded meaningfully toward the bottle held in his hand.

She then approached Galen and Darra, who managed to jerk themselves away from each other and face her.

"Perhaps Salandaar is correct. I am weary, you must be even more so; we have passed through many travails to return here that you might be reunited, and have more ahead.

"I believe we should retire--"

Clapping her hands, she summoned a servant, who after choking down initial surprise at seeing the group, bowed his head to receive his orders. Soon he departed, leading Matt and Jasyn and Shawn off to share a suite, while Darra led Galen and Terrin off to her own opulent chambers.

Graysith turned round to survey those remaining. The dark entity hovered in the shadows, silently watching matters through baleful eyes; a young girl who had come with them stood in anxious awe, staring round herself. A slight smile quirked Graysith's lips as she clapped her hands yet again, this time summoning a young lady in waiting who hurried in and curtsyed.

"See to her needs, and be companion to her should she need it," she said, nodding toward Sarisa. The lady in waiting curtsyed again, then led the young woman from the Dining Hall.

Graysith watched until the pair had disappeared through the enormous carved doors, then turned back to Nefrai.

"I somehow sense you do not need a private chamber; you may remain here, if you wish, or if not--"

She paused, cocking her head a little toward him to indicate that the choice was his.

"Perhaps you had not heared-" He said with a simpleness to his voice. "-I am not the most welcome of individuals at this time. Perhaps if there were a closet that I could hide my face in, I would do best." The way he said it was not sarcastic, but honestly simple.

"What do you mean by this, I do not understand," she replied, taking another step closer to the skull-faced being.

"There is no need to hide away from the others; here, refresh yourself by the fire, rest on the soft couches."

But this did make him wonder. Though he had long ago accepted that he had killed many, he began to wonder how many he really, in number, had killed.

Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?

For be dishonorable blood that of myriad souls, or merely one, it was one and the same.

With great effort she managed to repress the shudder that strove to rise up inside her; letting a tendril of herself follow that squelched emotion ever deeper into her own psyche, she sought out the Beast within for strength.

Only to find it as strangely silent as she herself had been.

She cleared her throat and her eyes, looked up into the towering Nefrai's enigmatic face.

"There is no soul existing within this universe who is untainted; we all carry secrets, my friend," she began, shifting her weight a bit to ease a cramp from suddenly tensing muscles. Muscles tensing as if in preparation of running toward something.

Or from something.

But what?

She continued on, never letting the cadence or timbre of her voice betray the trepidation which was suddenly flooding into her being, threatening to overwhelm her.

"What is past is past; we are who we are on a daily basis, and the future always holds nothing other than a clean slate."

The Master stepped through the portal, closing it behind him.

He waved his hands, opening another portal behind the surprised healer who stood before him. He smiled endearingly and pushed the air between them, sending the healer backwards through the portal and into the darkness beyond. The portal closed, and his dark skin seemed to glisten in the low light as he took in ShaRhylla’s beauty. He stepped to her bed and ran his hand across her forehead, feeling the darkness within her and relishing in the despair he felt inside of her.

...yet at the same time seemed to be eons ago. He and Galen had shared several nights in suites similar to these before they moved out into the village of Prinnchatka where they made their home...

...with Darra, who at the time was an infant. And who should have now been no more than a toddler, around the age of two...or was it three?

"Your daughter is as innocent as ShaRhylla is evil..."

ShaRhylla...

Terrin's blue eyes darkened a bit, and he turned to Galen, the look in his eyes clearly conveying his concerns.

"I am concerned for your safety here," he admitted, his eyes now shifting to Darra, "And for yours."

Pausing a moment, he then returned his gaze to Galen. "Even with the possible security of an alliance here, there is still danger lurking within these walls. I can think of no place safer for us, however, even with the danger...

She has too be warned.

He thought, starting to push through the cracks, but suddenly pausing at a voice. Who would dare-?

But he still hated being Sith, no matter how good he looked.

Panthar placed the laser blade in his pants pocket, and waited for Phalomir to finish pulling on his boots. Phalomir seemed to move a bit more slowly.

“Now,” he said to Panthar, “we thank our assistant here and ask to be shown back to the hall where the Dark Lady… the REAL Dark Lady hopefully still sits. Then we proceed to the ship to ascertain the status of the vials.”

The servant bowed to Panthar and Phalomir, then turned to the door. Phalomir stood and caught the servant’s arm.

“One more thing, please,” he said softly. “I know this hall has had many visitors, some less welcome than others. I know it is foreign to our ways, but if you know of any weapon that may have been disarmed from such a visitor, please bring it to my friend. Oddly, he is skilled in such a firearm.”

The servant bowed again, hesitantly, and then proceeded to lead the two back to the door of the hall. Phalomir nodded and the servant departed. He stepped inside the great hall and looked for the others, surprised to see only Jharmeen, the strange mechanical Onidorei, and a mysterious newcomer.

Phalomir cleared his throat.

“My lady,” he said. “Panthar and I are ready. Is everything all right?” His eyes turned to the dark stranger.

Not that fearsome really mattered these days. He'd see so much of such that it all was just sort of blending in to reality.

He scowled at Nefrai. "Woopty damn doo," he stated pointedly, loudly. "Hey everyone, this is Nefrai Kesh. Isn't that just wonderful?"

Sighing then, Jasyn seemed to realize the harshness of his words, and finished it off with, "I just wish someone here would not dismiss the imminent danger. ShaRhylla is here, somewhere. Who is to say she's going to 'stay in her place' even overnight, especially considering she may even now be hearing of her mother's return?"

He shrugged at Phalomir, trying at last to ease over any rough edges. "Maybe I'm coming off as a pushy, assinine drunk guy. Maybe that's exactly what I am. But I'm not all that fond of sitting around and waiting for trouble to find me unless I'm prepared for it's arrival."

“Right, anyway, we’re all a bit tired here and I hope everyone went to get some rest. Phal here wants to go with me to check out the ship, but I think he better stay here and rest, after what he’s been through he needs it. Hey, buddy, you look sharp in those new threads, but leave the sneakin’ around to someone not so tall, all right?”

He elbowed Phalomir, then continued.

“So, anyway, I’m fine, so I am going to do so some recon around here and see what I can come up with. I’ll report back in a while, but hopefully you guys will be sleeping by then.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“You too, Jasyn and company. Get some sleep, everyone needs it. We’re no good if we can’t function.”

He paused, then turned to Nefrai Kesh.

The Tower lay at the heart of the Darker Realms, it was tied closely to the power of the land and was as ancient as its walls were black. Many had lived within its confines, in the days when the Realm had its own succession of Lords. Those days had long since vanished, the last true Lord swept away into the nothing, leaving the rule of the Realm to the darkness of Entaris. But even that unnatural creature was bound to the Tower, and the Tower always remembered.

And the Tower, granting a small portion of itself to the Master, remembered ShaRhylla.

“All happy with daughter, we is?” it hissed happily. “But now peoples must listen, before peoples go to nighty night. Tireds you be, but deads you be soon. Time for pet being over, time for story tellings now.”

The imp regarded Galen, then peered at Terrin.

...a shade at the time...

...for Galen. And remembering how long it had taken him to even remember dying, and how.

The imp trailed, growing vacant for a moment.

“Devil-spawn daughter lady dangerous, too dangerous. Make very bad for homeland and here. Dark Lord, he plans you see her, she wait for you. When she find you, then you make bad.”

The imp jumped the floor, surprised by its hardness.

For a moment they remained thus, staring upward as if studying the ceiling above her bed, where flickered shadows made by the flames dancing merrily in her fireplace. Then those shadows seemed to deepen, to darken; her eyes blinked once, then cut to the red pair which stared so intently upon her.

She blinked again, taking in the darkness, the black, the glowing red eyes. Her lips started to curl into a ravishing smile, her hands began drifting upward, reaching out, seeking, while every cell in her body strained to remember that which memory itself could not provide.

At least had not yet provided.

Not until now.

My Dark... HEART.

She was up and out of the bed and on her feet in an instant, crouching there upon the flagstones of her chambers, dainty fang and pearly claw bared as her own shadow now began to dance upon the wall behind her. The ravishing smile segued in a flash into a snarl; the violet-ringed turquoise of her eyes disappeared into black as her pupils widened.

"Who are you, to bring this mockery to me!" she hissed as memories of Entaris-aka-Darth-Wicked broke free from the shackles with which the Chosen Daughter had bound them, descending upon her in an almost completely overwhelming flood. Memories of darkness and blood and pain and delight.

He, her Dark Heart. And she...

No big surprise there; they were completely trampled into the dirt by the onrushing army of goose-feet, which rushed icily up and down my spine now bearing with them all sorts of tidings of woe and despair and danger.

I sidled over to Terrin, who was looking as though he wanted to tear the little imp into pieces.

"He could be right, sweets," I ventured with a shudder.

"Don't blame the messenger; we all know what Roan can do--"

Now I gave the shudder rising within me full vent, grasping my elbows with my cupped hands as I hugged myself.

"What he has done," I finished in a whisper. A few ticks passed... then I pulled in a breath and continued.

"ShaRhylla is very dangerous; I-- I don't know if you know what she did to you; at least I think she did something to you right-- right before you di- were ki--"

I paused again, gulping back tears now as the full impact of what he had gone through really hit me for the first time.

I wasn't certain of it, but... he had been acting most strangely when we had left ShaRhylla in those terrible, terrible realms; he had been so suspicious, hateful of others even; I knew Terrin, this wasn't like him, I knew what Roan could do to peoples' minds, how he could worm his way inside and sit there like a gloating, bloated tick, waiting and whispering and laughing...

He was the Father, she the Daughter. The powers they held were so fiercely frightening...

"I-- he--"

Words wouldn't come to me. I gulped again, and leaned into Terrin for support, closing my eyes to feel his strong warmth, feeling the slight tickle of his breath against the top of my head as he looked down at me, heard the steady beat of his heart.

"Not again," I murmured, clenching my fists against his chest.

I gasped for breath as I gave a prayer to any god that could listen, and pressed back against the hidden passages wall, wishing I could shrink away. Where had it come from? Where had that experience come from? the darkness? The hate? The rage? What could possibly send out such powerful emotions that could threaten to tear the very souls that bore witness too it?

"Enough!" she cried out, her voice no longer that of a mere human who had been thrust into events over the years under which most people would buckle, but now the timber of her position: the Dark Lady of the Warriors.

"Nefrai-"

She reached out to the tall shadow, placed a slender hand on his shoulder. Could not refrain from wincing at how that shoulder felt beneath her light touch, but let her hand remain there anyway. In fact, she gave him a gentle squeeze.

"What you speak of is a mystery to me, and is something I hope to be made aware of soon. For whatever this is, is something which truly distresses you; as an ally of ours, such distress must be alleviated and will be, to the best of my ability, as soon as I have understanding as to what this mysterious event is. But now is not the time to brood over what has gone by; now is the time to look to the future, and thus plan what we must to walk the correct path.

"And Jasyn--"

She turned to him, her eyes narrowing a bit. Indeed, his addiction to Sith brandy was starting to become a bit wearing, and could in fact prove beyond a hindrance to them.

"Nefrai is one of us; this I say to you as well, Mr. Dantares. Both of you must accept him as he is; and what great danger is that? What the drear outsider that by your actions and hints of words you would lead others to believe? If so, then why is he yet here with us, and why you here in this room?

"This bickering must stop. We simply do not have the time for it. Nefrai, what or who you are does not matter; what does is that you are here with us, lending yourself to our needs; that is enough for me.