"Of that there shall be no doubt." I said with a smile, taking the work of art I was too wear from her grasp, and donning it with a gentle grace borne of my past body.

I took a moment too glance in the mirror across the room, too examine the sith I saw, unable too believe that it truely was I. "Marvelous.." I said as I saw her caught in the reflection beside me.

Then I turned to regard her directly and smiled. "Come, let the eyes of men and sith alike gaze upon their new lord and lady too be."

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

"Oh, kriffing Hell!" Terrin growled as he instinctively wrapped arms about Galen in protection, infuriated with the prospect of a third party in the shower with them...

...and especially a third party demon.

"Can't you give a man and his wife a little warning before you...

...pop up?"

Stretching an arm out then, Terrin reached for the knobs which controlled the shower heads, turned them off...

...and gathered the fluffy awaiting linens to wrap about Galen and himself. Then he eyed the demon again irritably. "You really must learn the art of timing. I think whatever it is you have to share can wait just a few minutes...

...a few minutes which we require to dress... alone."

Emphasis on the final word very evident, Terrin didn't move, his final statement clearly more than a simple suggestion.

[ 02-13-2006 08:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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The imp paused, reflecting on the additional orders it was given, not wanting to carry them out. It deicided to wait to reveal what it know, it had started to like Panthar, and it owed him that much.

The imp lifted itself by the tail to give Galen and Terrin some privacy.

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

A sound that Erik wasn't quite certain of, perhaps knocking on the door or the actual closing of a door, jarred Erik from what was, quite honestly, an uneasy sleep. Opening his brown eyes wearily, he eyed the couch which should have held Panthar...

...only to find it vacated. Immediately disturbed by this, Erik sat up, being careful not to wake Shayla. He succeeded...

...and she slumbered on, the look on her face totally at peace. Erik frowned a bit.

Fates, but how does she do that?

Turning from the thought, however, Erik got to his feet, scanned their suites for Panthar without success, and then headed for the door, at first a bit hesitantly. After all, things had gone so awry the evening before, and Shayla had been fairly perturbed by it.

But with Shayla's observations regarding the relationship between looks of Panthar's wound and that Thing from the Darker Realms, Erik couldn't just sit back. So he stepped outside their room, and didn't have to wander all that far before he found Panthar stumbling through the hallways. It actually didn't take Erik much effort to stop the man in the Sith's body, he was so off balance.

Which made Erik even more concerned.

"What are you doing?" Erik asked Panthar. "You know with all the trouble we got into last night this is not a good idea to go wandering without everyone else, particularly Graysith or Phalomir. Whatever you were considering doing can wait."

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

"I wonder when or where everyone is going to meet?" he queried then, realizing that no specific time or place had been set the evening before.

Lack of planning. How kriffing annoying...

Saying nothing further at that, however, Terrin moved to get back into the Sith flightsuit Galen had helped him procure aboard the Sith fighter they had last flown in. She too garbed herself, and in no time they were both quite more presentable for public viewing than before...

...and in attire comfortable enough that Terrin decided he could get quite used to wearing it...

[ 02-14-2006 09:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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No matter how much Dad had scoffed at science fiction holo-vids, with their penchant toward cross-species attraction.

"Not feasible," he would laughingly point out as yet another incomprehensible creature from who knows where decided that the charming heroine was just the one in the entire universe that he wanted to perpetuate his species with.

I shuddered, looking around for Fido's peepers, but didn't see them. So finally, scowling a bit and grumbling, I finished dressing, turning an ear Terrin's way as I wrapped my Sith belt about myself.

"Yeah," I agreed, nodding emphatically as I came up to Terrin's side.

"He sure is adamant enough about offing ShaRhylla, that's for certain."

She's your niece, Galen. Remember that--

I shuddered again, images of the last encounter Terrin and I had with ShaRhylla in the Darker Realms, followed by the "lesser" one of Sorben getting blasted at her dainty little white hand flashing to mind.

I don't care if she's the Queen of Naboo; maybe the imp is right, maybe she needs to be offed at that--

My attention was drawn away from such dark thoughts by Terrin's final question.

"Umm--" I said in prelude, reaching up to kiss the lobe of his ear before turning away toward the door.

"I dunno; I suppose we can wait here until she sends someone for us. Sissypoops does so dearly love to do that sort of thing; however--"

I paused at the door as I leapt onto another track altogether.

"It also seems that big ol' Dining Hall is always used for such a purpose; maybe we can just head on over there? I'm kinda hungry..."

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

And young women do not take kindly to playing second fiddle to somebody else's clothing, particularly when they have gone to great lengths in making themselves as attractive as possible.

"Take a care; it takes more than robes of state to fill the position," she stated in borderline anger. Then she swept out from Rykounagin's side, a wave of one hand opening her door to allow her egress from her rooms.

Moments later, she was flouncing down the hall, not caring one way or another if Rykounagin was following her or not.

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

"Perhaps you did not interpret what I said correctly, for it was not my new broadened and heightened frame that filled the mirror." I said in a plainer, more audible voice.

"For, though it is not the robes that fill the position, in your case that would substitute quite nicely." I chuckled and with good humor, walked up too walk alongside her.

"Do we dine first? Or do we meet with the warriors of our blood?"

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

They moved on toward the Dining Hall, Rykounagin stating his words, she struggling to interpret them correctly, wondering to herself why it would matter that they were interpreted correctly, indeed, wondering why she wanted to impress him and had been angry when she felt she had not.

She felt a light touch as he took her elbow, escorting her in a manner most gentlemanly, making inquiry as to dining arrangements.

"It is not proper for a Lady to demean her Lord by appearing to be a hag in his presence," she finally stated, tripping over the oddly expressed words she was uttering even while that something black and noisome on her soul rose up to berate her for it. Fighting against both, she stared down at the floor.

"Just as it is not proper for a Lord to demean his Lady by ignoring her efforts in the matter."

The words were straight from her teaching in Temple etiquette.

The stones of the corridor disappeared, returned as she blinked. Then she raised her head, cut a quick embarrassed sort of glance to Rykounagin, returned her eyes stonily ahead once again.

"Food would be nice," she said in a manner far too tense for the situation, then just let herself be propelled along at the touch of Rykounagin's hand.

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

"I know that I perhaps did not openly display my approval of your appearance, but I do indeed." I said as we trod upon the stones.

"But I also wish you too be less conflicted. I want you too take more liberties in the fact that I do not understand many of the sith ways yet, nor do I approve of some of the smaller points." As I spoke, I watched for her reaction, whether it be ponderous or angry at my suggestion that the sith ways could be flawed.

"Perhaps it is my folly that I find some of the traditions too be out of date -in my breeding as an imperfect specimen of sithdom- but I still find some things too be truely illogical."

I paused as we came too the doors of the dining hall. "So bow not your head in submission, contrary too the nature I know you truely possess, and speak your mind and have your will done as it would be whether I was here or not."

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

Abruptly then she grasped the sides of the gown she wore, pulled it out on either side until she stood before him as though draped in the sweeping shades of star-studded night.

"Your true appreciation of that which you are receiving shall go a long ways toward making this relationship-- tolerable," she said, glowering. Then she released the rich fabric, letting it fall once more in thick, enveloping folds about her slender frame.

One hand lifted, exposing her strangely altered Tattoo of Entitlement to his eyes.

"By this union--"

Suddenly she paused, her eyes widening as though a thought was striking her at that very instant. A thought, and idea, a memory...

A distant whisper...

She shivered briefly, blinking. Then she forged on as if nothing untoward had happened.

"By this union, we represent something unique in the history of the Sith. For Entitlement has always been passed down from father to son, who then takes a wife into his house. Or, occasionally, a daughter has taken a consort, to serve as husband and Lord to her Dark Ladyship.

"But with us--"

She paused again, letting her hand slowly drift down to lay, pale and trembling, against her dress.

"We unite two Houses within the Clanship, both-- both having claim, now together as one."

Now in pausing she closed her eyes, as if that incorporeal voice were now whispering directions into her ears.

"The offspring of this union will be undeniable--"

Her eyes flew open, her old haughty air now filling them.

"It would behoove you to remember the honor being bestowed upon you!"

With that she turned, shoving savagely against the doors as she did so. The oiled obediently open, allowing her to then flounce her way into the Dining Hall, her vision black, angered at she knew not whom for she knew not what reason. She came to a screeching halt in front of the fireplace, where after beckoning imperiously to a hastening lady-in-waiting for a Sith brandy -- nevermind the atrocious time of day for such imbibement -- she stood in stony silence, staring up at the weapon she had hung there not so very long ago.

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

I however, did not speak my thoughts at her indignation. It appeared however that in my attempts too be more compassionate, I was annoying her even further. Stubborn is the Nerf that was never broken.

However, as I looked too what she was staring at, even my normal thoughts were... thrown askew.

"Ragorian..." I breathed, taking a single step towards the place at which it hung. Though I dispised the sorcerer who inhabited the ancient blade, it was at the same time that I felt a nostalgia; almost a longing for the simpler days when I knew not the consequences of what I could do.

I stared for another moment, lost in my reverie, then at the faint sound of poured and delivered brandy, I snapped myself from it, and looked too my bride.

"Fair enough my lady-" I waited until the servant had moved beyond generalized earshot. "-I bow too your wisdom and knowledge of these matters. I am still but a newborn in this land of traditions and intricacies of yours, and I will beg patience in small doses; for you obviously have put more thought politically into this than I."

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

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

“Your loyal Lady in Waiting has been at work, my lady,” Phalomir said as Jharmeen stepped though the portal. The light from the wall globes danced with fire along her hair, and Phalomir caught himself holding his breath as he watched her. He inhaled quickly, raising his eyebrows and grinning at his moment of wonder.

“And as much as I hate to point it out,” he smiled, “our clothing awaits us.”

He slipped into his black silk pants and shirt, tying a black belt around his waist. His boots were also waiting for him, and he pulled them onto his feet. The silk felt good against his skin and brought memories of feeling… stately.

“This attire reminds of a time when I was less an adventurer and more of a statesman,” he said, pulling on the last boot. “When all my worries were dealt with which mage was assigned to which duty, how many places to set for the visiting Warriors, and other banal trivialities of a time when the Sith were at peace with themselves and the galaxy.”

He paused, realizing something.

“My lady,” he said. “Some of my memories… I think they have returned. I can remember…”

He looked to Jharmeen, his eyes lighting.

“Summer days by the sea… state dinners, visits from foreign dignitaries… reports from the outer rims of strange attacks by an unknown terrible force… my lady, I remember when they gave me these…”

He indicated the designs on his face.

“My lady,” he said soberly. “The spiders walk up and down the tree, attending to their own world. They are unaware of outside influences until it is too late, and fight the battles they can. We are those spiders, all of us. We as the Sith, we lead our people and build our race. But the spiders are more than he Sith, they are the Bothans, the Wookies, the Fallanassi, even the Empire… everyone in our galaxy. We all move up and down our trees, minding our own lives, not caring…”

He straightened and stood.

“But you and I know what is outside the tree, and it is coming to chop it down. And that is why I am here. The Vong are coming.”

[ 02-20-2006 12:59 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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“There’s something I have to do,” he said. “I just can’t remember it. It’s annoying, like something really important, but all I want to do right now is go eat.”

He scratched his head.

“We were at the bar, right? And I was there because I saw ShaRylla and that one guy go in there… and there were these two Sith guys… dang, I wish I could remember.”

He turned and staggered back down the hall some more, Erik following irritably. He paused again, shaking his head.

“I don’t know, I give up.”

His head quit spinning immediately, and he straightened. He turned to look at Erik once more.

“Wow, that was strange,” he said. “The dizziness is gone, just like that. Hey, cool.”

He looked behind Erik, seeing nothing.

“How, um, is Shayla? Everything all right?”

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

"She's...fine," he responded, still not at ease with Panthar asking about Shayla in such an offhanded manner. It was almost as if...

...he knew something? Erik frowned, continuing with, "She's sleeping soundly, strangely enough. She must be worn down from having to do so much healing yesterday."

Erik wondered who he was trying to convince regarding Shayla still sleeping. Panthar, or himself. After all, Shayla's gift was healing, and she usually bounced back from the effort it cost her rather easily.

Something was very funny about all this.

Erik's eyes slitted slightly then as he looked at Panthar. "Is there some reason you would think everything isn't allright with Shayla?"

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

...or whatever the Sith equivelent of that would be."

Crooking an arm, Terrin cocked a brow. "Shall we?" he then asked Galen, then pausing for a moment, frowning a bit. "Wait a minute, what about Darra?"

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

"She's a big girl, I think she'll come along when she wants. Besides, she's lived here and knows her way around; I'm sure that if she wants breakfast, she'll be joining us.

"And as for whatever meeting we all end up having afterward, well--" I paused a moment to reflect.

"I don't really think it's her place to be in it... and I don't know if I want her getting involved in something she might not have to."

I sent a little smile Terrin's way, took his proffered arm, and headed out.

[ 02-20-2006 01:59 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Panthar blinked, snapping out of the strange image that had blasted into his thoughts. He staggered backwards, suddenly very frightened of what had just happened, and wondering if Erik had felt it. He backed into the hallway wall and put a hand to his head.

“Erik,” he started, “I think there is—“

A sharp pain blasted through his head, making him wince and lose the ability to speak. He suddenly felt an overpowering urge to get away from the Jedi, to find the dining hall, and sit alone in a corner. He could do nothing but obey this impulse. He waved off Erik and padded quickly down the hall.

He looked down at his hand, afraid of what he no longer felt there. He took a quick second to peek under the dried bandage, and was not even surprised to see the wound was gone.

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

"You think there is what?!?" he growled. "You think there is something wrong?"

Pausing, Erik eyed the bandage Panthar was still holding up partially with his uninjured hand. Usually soaked with purple blood, the bandage was eeriely without blemish.

Something shot up and down Erik's spine, and he backed off. "I...I'm going to check on Shayla..."

Again he trailed, this time stretching out with the Force, which he hadn't dared to do since his little ordeal in the Darker Realms. "She seems so very still in the Force..." he muttered to himself, his eyes defocusing.

And without any further explanation, he turned on his heel and began heading back towards their suites, his pace quickening as if to stop some possible imminent doom.

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

I scarcely had time to gasp as said shadow bumped into me without seeming to notice, sending me slamming up against Terrin and in turn shoving him into the wall. But although the shadow quite obviously gave us no notice, I didn't have that problem.

"Erik-?" I asked, gulping out his name in a little gasp. Whether he didn't hear me or was choosing to ignore me was moot; he just kept up his fast pace, his trajectory appearing to head back into the guest quartered area of the temple.

I looked up at Terrin, my eyes wide. Shrugged.

Then moved on down the corridor, turning round the corner Erik had come from, and coming to another involuntary halt when I saw no one other but Panther, huddled farther down the corridor, leaning against the wall, his shoulders slumped.

I frowned at his obvious distress, and quickly moved from Terrin's side.

"Hey, Big Red," I said as I came up behind him to place a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"What's up? Is there something the matter? You don't look so hot, although I'll admit I'm no early bird myself, and having to get up--"

I stopped the quip in mid-sentence when he turned toward me so I could read the pain which filled his face.

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

His hand went to his head, and he tried to straighten himself.

“I—I’m not sure,” he said, grimacing. “I keep getting these sudden headaches. I, um, I think I need some food or something, that’s what I keep thinking about. I’m trying to find the dining hall…”

Panthar’s head cleared immediately. He stood, lowered his hand, and shrugged.

“Wow, now it’s gone.”

He smiled at Galen and Terrin.

“Must be the company,” he smiled. “I hope Erik is all right, he said something about Shayla not being strong in the force and took off. I don’t know what the heck that means.”

He looked down at his hand and unwound the bandage, wadding it up and stuffing it in his pocket.

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

Especially since the bandage I saw him hurriedly wadding into his robes appeared as clean as the driven snow.

I frowned, shot Terrin a concerned glance.

"Are you sure you're ok?" I pressed, hesitantly but insistently. I took another small step closer to him so as to read his face better.

"I mean, Erik is a jedi; I can go get him, maybe he can come back and give you some kind of healing whammy or something--"

The remainder of Panthar's words struck home them, and I switched rontos in mid-stream.

"What did he mean, 'Shayla was weak in the force?'"

I turned questioning stares in both directions, for although I had picked up a smattering of knowledge concerning this weird power darling Sissypoops and her even more charming daughter wielded, said power which some persisted in believing I held a modicum of sway over, not that I believed that for a moment--

--although I knew a tad wee about that particular brand of strangeness, I knew as much about the Force and Jedi in general as did a worrt.

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

“I’m fine, really,” he said. He began to say “too fine” but a sharp pain started in his head. He suppressed the thought and the pain stopped. He felt a sudden concern about this, and again the pain started. He cleared his mind and the pain stopped.

He looked from Galen to Terrin, his face void of expression.

“I don’t know what he meant,” he said. “He was having some Jedi moment or something, but all I can say is that I have got to eat something really soon or else I’m going to be sick. That’s all I can think of right now without getting a headache.” He emphasized the last sentence.

There was a pause, then the pain blasted through him once more, briefly, as if in warning. He winced, then recomposed himself.

“So, I am going to the dining hall right now, to keep this headache from coming back.”

He waited for the pain, but it did not come. So he turned on his heel and proceeded down the hallway. Without thinking, he secretly hoped something would have been odd to Galen.

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

"I dunno," I ventured at length, giving Terrin a meaningful nudge.

"Maybe we'd better go get that Jedi after all, or better yet--"

I stopped, pursing my lips a moment before continuing.

"I bet Jharmeen can help you; Terrin, you go with him in case he needs a stronger hand than I have to lend. I'm gonna go get Sissy."

With that I shoved Terrin in Panthar's general direction and departed, hastening quickly back along the direction from which we had come, for I knew the corridor leading to the private areas of the Temple intersected the one we were currently traversing, albeit perhaps farther into the bowels of this ancient and august place.

I didn't really care. It just meant that I had to hurry all that much faster, didn't it?

[ 02-22-2006 10:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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