Curious as to the strange workings of what his companions referred to as a Portal, the Verpine watched closely as Shayla, Aaron and Panthar stepped into the strange, black rift and disappeared from sight. Thus it was that he was able to observe what happened when Lord Aelvedaar followed suit.

The spacetime rip, rather than remaining black and writhing, suddenly seemed to freeze. This strange state of affairs was immediately followed by a burst of color which flared forth, casting a weird, chromatic shadow on the floor of Aelvedaar's sanctum sanctorum. The colors had scarcely faded, when the Portal simply disappeared.

The insectoid engineer cocked his head, and chattered his mandibles for a moment. Then he turned to Aeylmaar, who was off studying images in the Crystal Octahedron.

"Usual, is this?" he asked, his manner nonchalant due to the tough carapace which prevented him from any emotional displays. Giving another clack of his mouth-parts, he approached the young Heir Apparent, who had turned round in surprise to face him.

"Strange colors, from the Portal came," K'kihl elaborated, pointing to the ominously empty spot formerly occupied by the rip. "After the sorcerer, departed he had."

He allowed his mandibles to clatter a final time as he let his arm drop, then fell silent.

"I hope nothing untoward has happened to them," he then went on, as the very real possibility of such a thing happening raised its face. He shot the insectoid a worried look, then turned back to the Octahedron.

"Show me the whereabouts of Shayla, Aaron and Panthar," he stated, then stood in silence while after much writhing and roiling the greeny-goldness resolved into the three, standing amidst rich and thick greenery. Another command to the device that it show him the system occupied by this planet revealed that they had ended up on Dagobah, as intended.

But Lord Aelvedaar was nowhere to be seen.

Aeylmaar gulped slightly, then issued another command, this time that the Octahedron show him where his adopted father was located. In much less time than before, the image developed of the Dark Lord dangling unceremoniously from a tree branch. It did not take long for the young Sith to determine upon what celestial body that tree was planted.

"Endor," he burst out, momentarily overwhelmed.

"My father has somehow been ported to Endor!"

After allowing himself a few seconds to get himself back under control, he turned to the Verpine.

"I cannot open a Portal there to retrieve him; indeed, as it is obvious that something has disturbed the normal workings of portals this would more than likely be an unwise thing to do. I am certain my father would not risk opening another, else he would have done so by now."

He swallowed, eyeing the Verpine with rising anxiety.

"I-- I do not know what to do," he finished, his voice becoming more worried and forlorn by the minute.

"More usual, there are, methods of travel," he asserted, giving his head an emphatic nod to take the sting out of his words. For either the young Sith had forgotten what the others had discussed mere moments ago, or he had not paid any attention to them at the time.

He was certainly paying attention now; the Verpine nodded again, and continued.

But now--

"You are right, my good friend," he finally said as he raised his head. Going then to a bell-pull, he summoned a servant who was quick to arrive. He then instructed the sith to guide K'kihl to the private hangar once utilized by Darth Wicked, where a few ancient TIE fighters and interceptors were yet berthed. The servant bowed, and took a step back, holding out a hand toward the door to indicate the direction in which K'kihl might move.

Aeylmaar watched as the Verpine first nodded to him, then headed out.

"Go with speed and safety, my friend," he called out to the departing insectoid. "May the gods watch over you; I promise that I shall."

As good as his word, he turned back to the Octahedron, commanding it to continually present him with the image of K'kihl's whereabouts. Thus it was that he watched as the Verpine was taken to a small patch of heavy undergrowth, interspersed by moss-dripping trees. The servant seemed to speak to him a moment, then stepped far back as K'kihl disappeared into the dense greenery. After a moment or two, the Verpine reappeared and approached the servant. He held something out to him, which the Sith accepted before stepping even farther back from where he had first positioned himself in the surrounding greenery. From that vantage point he watched as the Verpine disappeared for a second and final time.

After a moment or two, the plants which hid the secreted hangar shriveled in the heat of exhaust as a sleek interceptor burst forth, heading upward. The servant appeared to watch it's departure for a moment or two before then turning about to trek back to the temple, the object K'kihl had given him clutched tightly in his hand.

Aeylmaar nodded to himself, and laid a clawed hand against the cool crystalline surface of the magickal device.

"Thank you, my friend, for reminding me who and what I am," he whispered, closing his eyes a moment to think, then opening them as after a bit K'kihl's escort glided up behind him and placed a portable communications device upon the stones at his feet.

Aeylmaar only smiled, and then settled himself down to watch attentively over the Verpine's interstellar flight.

((OOC: K'kihl departs for Endor in If You Go Out in the Woods Today in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

But nothing. The magickal device remained ominiously black.

No, he amended to himself with growing consternation.

Not black.

BLANK.

He shivered then, wrapping his arms about himself as the realization that he was quite cut off from everybody slammed home to him, before the thought struck him that there were other, simpler magicks which perhaps would prove useful. Going to where his adopted Father kept his potions and wards and strange machines and bits and pieces of the natural world, he quickly mixed up a scrying potion. This he took to the fireplace, and tossed it into the flame.

The flames turned a magnificent shade of cyan, but otherwise did nothing but snap, crackle and pop.

The chill coursing through Aeylmaar's veins grew glacial in proportions and he staggered back, falling onto a nearby couch as heavily as the descending acceptance that all he could effectively do at this time was just...

Wait.

And hope K'kihl would find his father and bring him safely back to Khar Delba. Perhaps then they could begin to figure out exactly what had gone so terribly, terribly wrong with the Universe...

((OOC: To see what happened to cause this, see page 7 this date, in Out of the Unknown in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

With a start he realized it was the incubator... and it wasn't empty.

"Healers!" he shrieked as with a leaping bound he went to where the device stood in mocking silence. His clawed hands went to its crystalline surface, seeking purchase as if by dint of will he could bring it back to life once more. But the wonderful machine stood silent, and deep within its shadowy depths he could see a tiny, suspended form.

"Hea-" he began again, only to be jostled roughly aside by three or four Sith who appeared as if what little magick that might yet remain bound itself together to make this so. He staggered back, his head turning from side to side as he sought something, anything he could use to help, but when his wide-eyed glance came full circle it was to the realization that someone had somehow broken the delicate and magickal device. Strange waters flowed about his feet, wetting the hem of his robes; the stamp of rushing footsteps filled his ears as en masse the Healers who had come to his panicky cry departed. In their comforting arms they bore a tiny form off to the nether regions of the temple, there to seek archaic forms by which they could yet sustain this young human's life.

One remained behind.

"Fear not, young Lord," he said softly. Then whirling, he followed his companions, and soon Aeylmaar found himself, blinking in shock, quite alone in the shadowy rooms of his father's great Inner Sanctum.

The majority of which was now completely useless.

As they drifted off into hyperspace and Shayla was satisfied the navboard was set properly, she turned to the others.

"Well, I guess we're all squared away," Shayla said evenly. "Our ETA is approximately 5 standard hours...

...and I'm assuming someone is making some caf, because I don't recall seeing anyone with it when I entered the Red Level lounge on the Hornett...

She trailed then, first eyeing Erik,then Panthar, and finally Jasyn and Matt.

"Harrrier this is Eagle II. I copy that frequency of 789.231; will commence search planet-wide for locator signal concurrent to search for human and Ryn life sigs. Tell the Big Guy not to worry; if that's the planet he's hunting for, and the stuff he's talking about is there, I'll find it.

"I've had a little bit of experience in this kind of thing, you know.

Panthar closed his eyes and leaned his head back into his seat.

“Or maybe just try to remember what we’ve all been doing lately? I mean, Phal and Gray are supposed to be getting Thoran and Tarnus and coming back to Khar Delba. Aelvedaar was taking us to go get Galen and help with Erik and Shawn. At least we’re all here now, but for whatever reason Aelvedaar didn’t end up here with us. Yaoksi and Cel are hopefully getting rescued. The cricket guy is back on the ship with Aaron and crew… did I leave anyone out? Well, anyway, if all goes well we’ll all be laughing about this tomorrow morning in the grand dining hall and begin making our plans to stage a united front against the Vong.”

Panthar let a scoffing laugh escape.

Pausing with that, Jasyn's brown eyes became impossibly broodier. He ignored Matt Stanza's reprimanding look. "You all keep worrying about how the Sith are managing the possibility of losing their magickal technology...

“Well,” he said at length, “the reason we’re going there is to meet up with the rest of the team, and figure out if they’ve managed to bring back this Sorben guy. One reason this is important is because the Empire and the Sith cannot afford to be at war with each other, which is exactly where things are heading. If we’re going to fight the Vong, we need to do it together. And a Sith without magick is really not going to be as powerful.”

Panthar felt an ire rising in him, and puzzled for a moment. Then he realized why.

Pausing then, she puzzled further and further in her mind, actually pained at the possibility which presented itself. "We're going to have to face the possiblity that we may need to move on further without the others if they are not there when we get there."

She chewed her lip. "Without All capabilities finding missing parties in our crew would have to occur in one of two ways. Eventually, perhaps they will turn up and meet us at the stated rendezvous. Or we may need allies with big ships, and good scanners."

Falling silent for a moment, Shayla's eyes turned extremely dark. "We've got Eagle Enterprises..."

She hesitated a moment, looking back at Jasyn and Matt, "...but even that won't be enough. We need to remember that the ultimate goal we should all have is dealing with the incoming Vong invasion. I mean, what if all this has happened to us to focus back on the reality of things? We're so caught up in using this magick and that ability to help ourselves...

...when we really need to be looking at the big picture."

He paused then, shaking his head. "How will you explain how you know that? And what will you tell them about Tarnus and the destroyed ships around the Sith worlds? They have to know your connection with the Sith...

...so why would they trust you in light of the destruction of their fleet? You'll be in the prisons in Coruscant before you can blink."

He shook his head again for emphasis. "I don't like this. The only way we'll convince the Empire of anything is if we can manage to reason with Tarnus. If the others aren't back with him then, well...

Panthar shrugged his shoulders before anyone else had a chance. “All right, I know there’s not much we can do about finding that out, but I can still wonder.”

He looked up at the ceiling, trying to collect his thoughts.

She paused then, clearly not liking having to say what she was. "And as nice as all this speculation is, it doesn't really help us decide just where to go and what to do next if the others aren't on Khar Delba as planned."

She sighed then. "Erik's right, without Tarnus, we won't really be able to approach the Imps at all without being suspected. And, as far as we know, Graysith and Phalomir went after him...

...and I've got no Force sensitivity or All ability to try to connect to her. Which we all already know."

She shook her head, feeling very redundant, not seeming to get anywhere as she thought aloud. "If only we at least had Sith techno--"

She trailed, drawing various kinds of looks from the others. "Hey, Graysith has a glyph on her forehead," she then said, her thoughts initially seeming disjointed. "I wonder if all this loss of powers affected it...

..and more importantly, even without powers and technology, I wonder if there is some way we can use it to find her and the others if they aren't on Khar Delba."

He trailed, his look darkening. "Look, I've been in the Imperial prisons, and as far as I know the Imps don't know how the kriffing Hell Terrin and I got out. I'm not particularly anxious to alert them to our presence outside of prison walls. And I'm not particularly anxious to go marching into Sith territory if they are all in turmoil due to possible loss of technology, either."

He fell silent then, ignoring whatever looks he might be getting. He would have much, much rather been out helping to find Yaoksi than being one of the EE representatives here. Jasyn wondered why Terrin and Galen had decided to go alone. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that the two of them just wanted some time alone...

And that thought actually drew an inexplicable lopsided grin. One which was explained immediately. "At least Terrin and Galen are getting some brief but quiet quality time out of this."

Pausing again, he got to his feet. "Oh allright, I suppose I'll pass on a drink...

...and get a mug of caf." He arched an eyebrow. "Anyone who cares to join me go right ahead."

With nothing further than that, Jasyn headed aft to find a caf machine in the galley of this rather small ship, with others following him. He had full intentions to drink a whole pot of the stuff...

...since he couldn't drown his disapproval of the set-up of the mission with anything... stronger.

"Hey everyone back there," he called towards the aft. "Strap in. Reversion in 3 standard minutes."

As Erik said this, he could here people behind him shuffling to seats, belts being snapped together. Beside him Shayla roused. "Want me to take over?" he heard her ask.

"No," he replied, "I think I've got it. I need you to help me get a bearing on a good place to land so we don't scare the entire planet of possibly distraught Sith."

She nodded, leaning forward and getting to work. Erik kept his eyes and ears and hands tuned on the navboard, and the transport smoothly reverted to realspace. Erik continued on, and in a few minutes they began travelling through atmosphere.

"Shayla?" he queried, looking sidways at her. She nodded, and pointed to a series of coordinates on the central monitor she had programmed in already. Erik got to work again on the navboard, a natural pilot himself although he usually gave Shayla piloting control. In a few minutes he had the ship down and engines cooling in an unpopulated woodsey area just outside of the city.

"Allright," Erik said then, gettting to his feet, recalling his main reasons for coming here, "Let's get going," he said, hitting the controls that extended the hatch. "And let's hope we receive a warm welcome."

Without further ado, he reached down and check his blaster in its holster, nodded towards the now-yawning hatch, and waited for everyone to begin exiting the ship.

...then paused for a brief moment. "Hey guys," she then spoke up. "I think we've got about a 3-mile hike to the Temple, and we need to take all precaution in looking overly suspicious. Fortunately for us, we have someone here who looks very much like one of the natives," she continued, indicating Panthar with a nod of her head. "And maybe some of our faces will be familiar..."

She trailed, eyeballing Jasyn in particular, "...for the better, let's hope."

Trailing again, she motioned towards the still-open hatch, actually smiling a bit. "So, we should all stick near to our resident Sith. After you boys."

He scanned the area for signs of life, aside from the jungle animals, and wasn’t sure if he should be relived or worried to find no alarming riots or fires or other signs of chaos. In all, even though he had never actually seen the land surrounding the Temple of the Sorcerers, he thought it quite like the way he imagined it.

When the party drew closer to the temple, they were met by curious gazes from the few people that wandered outside. A small crowd followed a robed figure along a cobblestone path to the left of the walkway, and Panthar could hear the robed Sith trying to speak in a calming voice, using the High Sith language.

Shayla paused, recalling something, and eyeing a worried looking Erik, "--at the least Aeylmaar should still be here."

A lump formed in her throat despite her best efforts. "If the technology has been affected by the loss of powers..."

“Then we better keep moving,” he said. “I don’t know the exact way to the temple, but it’s a little hard to miss, and they were kind enough to put up signs.”

Panthar pointed to a small set of symbols set in the stone walkway.

“Er, down, rather.”

Panthar led the group through more of the surrounding area. While not overgrown in population like Phrinnchatka (in Panthar’s opinion), the city that had grown around this temple was certainly nothing to dismiss. They passed several groups of people, some working to alleviate one problem or another, others praying, but in all everyone seemed calm and collected about their situation. This was a far cry from the widespread panic that he expected to see. In his heart, however, he felt that the scene was far different around the Temple of Warriors.

Soon the party came upon the outer reaches of the Temple of Sorcerers. Panthar scanned the area, and saw that the only approach was guarded by a pair of Sith that looked as if they could have been on loan from K’eel Doba. He drew in a deep breath and walked towards them.

“Greetings!” he called out. “I am Panthar Dantares, special, um, emissary to the human worlds. We are here at the request of Lord Aelvedaar, with whom we are to meet. If he has not yet returned, then we are to meet with his son, Aeylmaar. Could you tell me if either of them are available? Time is of the essence.”

"Emissary to the human worlds?" he queried, then cast a glance down his nose in Panthar's direction. But strange although that introduction might have been, it had been suffixed with a polite enough request, and there were some strange beings accompanying this Sith whom the guards took to be human.

They were at least sithoid in appearance, although their lack of delicately curving head ornaments seemed a bit discomfiting to look upon.

He leaned his head toward his companion, whispering in Sith, his own horns coming dangerously close to locking with his partner's. But they had been on this assignment together for too great a length of time, had been confronted by more than one stranger seeking admittance. Their horns knew almost as if by magick how to avoid one another...

But then, perhaps it was exactly that.

The brawny guard drew himself up to his full seven-foot height.

"Come this way," he intoned as he then stepped gracefully to one side, his head nodding in acquiescence as he held one clawed hand out toward the immense double doors behind him. They were not as ornately decorated, as intricately carved, as the ones adorning the Temple on the world of the Warriors, but they guarded secrets and a culture every bit as important to the Sith society.

The doors oiled silently open, exposing a high-ceilinged hallway arching off into shadows.

"Enter freely, and of your own will," he intoned with another stately nod of his head.

"Follow the hall until you can go no further. You will be met therein."

Saying nothing else, he remained statue-still, silent, standing yet to guard the Great Temple of the Sorcerers even as by habit he attempted to reach out with his magicks, to inform those within as to whom they could shortly be expecting. That he could not expressed itself upon his swarthy visage as, with a snort, he moved before the door he guarded, a door now closing behind those who he had allowed to enter into the temple.

And even more importantly, as her adopted Sister. As they continued to walk, Shayla cast an unnoticed sidelong glance at Shawn, thankful for the moment that he was without his powers to sense her glance or the direction of her thoughts.

Isn't that the crux of it all, though? some little voice within suddenly commented. When you hold powers, are those powers what make you who you are, or rather are your powers defined by YOU? And which way, indeed, should it be?

Shayla unconsciously pursed her lips, never truly having thought of things in this light. But, when she really thought about all of it, Shayla realized that this was the heart of what Graysith had been teaching her all along. The Jedi were so into goodness and darkness...

...when really what mattered was using all that you had to serve the entire Universe in the best way.

The Greater Good.

“So…” he began. “Is this where we ‘can go no more’?”

He placed his large red hand upon one of the doors and pushed slightly to test his theory. The door gave way and opened on a well lubricated set of hinges. The room beyond was palatial, ornate carvings of Sith men and women, some of which Panthar recognized from artifacts found on his digs, lined the walls in individual alcoves. Shelves lined the upper portions of the circular room and held delicate jewels and crystals that seemed somewhat dull to Panthar, as if they lacked sparkle. A deep maroon carpet spread to the wall, and several comfortable looking chairs were placed at various positions within the room.

“Guess not,” Panthar shrugged. He stepped through and paused at the center of the room, waiting for the others to enter. Soon enough they all discovered that the only way out of the room was the doors through which they came, and everyone took to sitting or admiring the Sith artwork on the walls.

Panthar remained in the center of the room, and turned to face the opened doors in time to see a robed Sith figure turning the corner in the hall.

"My friend, oh my friends, it is good to have you back, things are not all well, how fared you?" He skidded to a halt in front of them, robes a-skirl, and it was only from sheer nobility training that he didn't simply reach out to the nearest member of the returning party with a great hug.

"F-father has gone a-miss; that is to say," he hurriedly appended, seeing rising consternation starting to shadow their faces.

"That is to say, he himself is not amiss but his destination is; he has somehow traveled to the moon of Endor, but how he fares there I cannot tell for all my magicks and All-use are fled from me, I have nothing I can do; the Verpine has gone off in one of Darth Wicked's TIE fighters to fetch him, one can hope, but I cannot determine how he fares either, oh this is terrible--"

He brought himself up short as his wildly flicking gaze finally settled upon Shayla. His own eyes began filling with tears then as understanding of the implications his words carried began to cross her face.

"Your- your child, he is with the Healers--" he said at length then spoke no more but clapped his hands instead. A servant appeared magickally at this side, bowing respectfully and remaining in that position as he awaited what orders the young Lord would dictate.

That of course would depend upon the reactions of his newly arrived comrades.

As Aeylmaar’s hand shot forward to grasp the proffered hand, Panthar’s need for a hug gave way and he stepped forward and grasped the heir in an embrace.

"I am afraid I do not know where anyone is at the moment," he finally admitted, somewhat embarrassed. However that embarrassment was short-lived before the words Panthar had just spoken.

"That Which Is?" he paused to state dumbly.

"How have we offended It yet again?"

Puzzlement shining in his amber eyes, he turned ahead again, leading the others to the first doorway on the left. Mystic mosses lay shriveled and dead against the oily door; stifling a sigh he pushed the doors open, and led the others into the Dining Hall of the Sorcerers. Therein yet more comfortable chairs and couches rewarded their eyes, and an immense fireplace gave off welcomed heat.

Aeylmaar led them to places where they might sit, although Shayla and Erik chose to remain standing. He could only imagine what was going through their minds at the moment, and wondered just who they would blame should the Healers be unable to maintain the life of their tiny fetus.

"I- I do not know; our Healers' skills come primarily from their magickal abilities, and it would appear that magick has left us behind, floundering in the wake of its leaving," he finally said, turning his eyes away from hers then and down to the floor.

"I-- I do not know if they know of other, more mundane techniques of keeping one so very small and frail alive. This was not the area of expertise in which I myself was to be trained."

With that he fell silent, wishing with all his heart that he had a broader, more useful background, and that he hadn't strayed from his more normal magickal education by the sweet enticement of the All.

But even then, what could I do? he could only wonder further.

We are Sith, and by our blood magickal. It is part and parcel of who we are; perhaps when this terrible time has passed we should consider learning of other, more reliable, methods by which to live...

Deep within the very cells of that part of his brain which truncated consciousness from unconsciousness, he let that little germ of an idea plant itself. Knowing it would somehow grow into something useful one day, he turned his focus back to the problems at hand, which seemed to be growing in leaps and bounds by the minute.

Made him angry, in fact. "Well," he then spoke up, suddenly breaking the silence. "We might be troubling the Sith if we were to concern them with our son," he said pointedly, obviously angry. For the moment it completely slipped his mind that the Sith had been helping them.

At this particular juncture, at least. He couldn't forget how Aeylmaar had treated he and Shayla when he'd first brought his laboring wife here for help. He wasn't sure how Shayla could.

"Your anger won't do our son any good," she said, suprisingly evenly considering the events which were transpiring. "There may still yet be hope," she continued then, letting her eyes swim in his. How easily she could read his pain and anger and sheer hurt, even without her Force senses. Finally, she turned back to the others. "I remember the Kaminoan," she said. "We left him on K'eel Doba, a very long time ago. We should go there to see whether or not Graysith, Phalomir, and Tarnus are there."

She paused then, her eyes growing a bit distant. "And to see if this Kaminoan is still there as well, and can help us..."

She paused then, trailing, sensing a need hidden behind her husband's last query. "And please, can we at least see him? I know there is no Force-link there at the moment, and I have no healing abilities to help him..."

She paused again, once more waveriing. "But he is my son, though small, undeveloped child he may be."

"But of course," he replied simply. Then he turned to the patiently waiting servant, and instructed that the pair be taken to see their tiny son. As they departed, he turned to Panthar.

"Perhaps this Kaminoan scientist will be of some assistance," he said after a bit of thought. "For although our Healers do have some of what you would term normal medical skills, they primarily use Sith magicks in their techniques. With our powers having vanished, I truly do fear for the life of the tiny one.

"Perhaps the Kaminoan, with the skills of his ilk, will indeed be able to assist us. And to that end, I can of course offer you a ship by which to travel to the home of the Warrior Clan. But as for me--"

He paused again, drawing in another worried breath.

"I shall remain here, so as to be present when my Father finally returns home."

“Going to K’har Delba sounds like a great idea,” he said. “We have a ship, actually, so we don’t need to burden you with that. Well, unless Shayla and Erik decide to stay here with the baby, then I’ll take you up on the offer. I wanted to stay a little bit, but the baby’s situation makes thing a bit more urgent.”

Panthar glanced at Jasyn, then back to the heir.

“I hope we can save the baby, but we need to think on a grander scale as well. We have strong reason to suspect the Vong are indeed on their way, and that they have the assistance of someone – or some thing – that has access to the Elseness. For now, we need to get everyone back together, and see if talks have progressed with Tarnus and the Empire, for we all need to be on the same side. Even when Aelvedaar returns, he will be needed elsewhere, so we’ll be counting on you for a lot of support back here. I guess what I’m getting at is, well..”

"Wait here," he said, then with no explanation simply left the Dining Hall. Long moments passed in which he sped down this corridor and up another, through this passageway and down those stairs. Finally, after traversing a particularly tiny set of stairs he entered into a dim tunnel-like passage, which truncated in a set of age-dark wooden doors, which in turn provided him entrance into his Father's Sanctum sanctorum.

Moments later he was backtracking the route he had taken, something clutched tightly in his hand. It didn't take much more time before he returned to Panthar, to whom he held out that which he had gone to fetch.

"Here," he said simply, nodding his head as he dropped the comm-link into Panthar's outstretched hand.

"The Verpine gave this to me to keep in contact with him, but I must confess I am at a loss as how to use it. Perhaps it would serve you better than it would me."

“Well,” he said, “I really think this needs to stay here with you. We actually have some of these on the ship, so let me show you how to use this and we’ll be able to keep in touch.”

Panthar set the com link on the table and pointed.

The servant lead them in furter beyond these obvious sickbeds and to another, smaller set of wooden doors, pausing for a moment to knock once before entering, allowing them to follow.

The scene within could be classified as nothing more than dismal. Several healers surrounded a pristine table upon which a primitive-looking, transparent incubator housed a very tiny, very weak looking infant. A nultitude of small wires and tubes ran from his tiny body.

Shayla's legs buckled from underneath her, and she only remained standing for the fact that Erik stepped in behind her and held her close.

Her eyes again filled with tears, a deep, despairing anger growing within. "He...he is going to die like this," she said softly, turning then and burying her face in Erik's chest.

...but perhaps from a different angle than that of his wife's. He still had to wonder whether or not things would be different if Aeylmaar had let them stay with their child so long ago. Or if the baby wouldn't have been born so early if Graysith had helped Shayla when she went into premature labor.

Or if he had served both his son and his wife better if he had taken them for medical attention somewhere else all together.

"We need to consider other options if this Kaminoan can't be found or can't help us even if he is found," Erik then stated pointedly. "After all, the Sith really don't have anything particularly unique to help him right now, not without their magicks."

He paused then, pursing his lips a bit, shaking his head then. "I don't understand why Aeylmaar once believed it was so important to leave our baby here, in stasis."

Quieting another moment then, Erik turned to the quietly awaiting servant. "Can we find out just how well the Healers are doing in keeping Zackary alive right now..."

“So,” he said to Jasyn, “do you think Shayla and Erik would rather stay here or go with us to find the Kaminoan? I assume one of you guys could pilot the ship, right? I mean, I can fly too but I’d rather not have the responsibility of piloting someone else’s expensive…”

Panthar paused, considering something that Aeylmaar had said.

"Yes," he said simply. "This temple, after being left to the vagaries of time upon our deaths--"

He paused for the briefest of moments before continuing on.

"--has been inhabited by an occasional... occupant here and there. One of these was what you would call a sith, but in fact was a darth by the name of Wicked. He had a hangar of ships hidden here at his disposal, ships of old Imperial and Alliance lineages, ships which we still maintain in their hangar for--"

Again he paused, now wondering to himself just why it was his Father had indeed maintained those ships. For with inherent Sith magicks and the wonders of the All, did not the Sorcerers find such ships to be not only terribly mundane, but in fact utterly useless to them? Unless--

He pushed away yet another rising niggle of rising concern, and continued as if he hadn't even paused at all.

"For the occasional use of those who might need them," he said smoothly, dipping his head to underscore his words.

"The Healer states that the fact your son yet lives indicates the level of their skills, loss of magicks or not. But it is an extremely difficult feat they are maintaining; they do not wish that you further approach either them or your son, for fear that your mere presence alone might bring about unintentional harm.

"In fact, our presence here more than likely bodes no good will; shall we then return to your friends?"

And she just couldn't stand to stand around and watch what was happening.

With effort, she looked up to Erik and locked her eyes on his baby browns. "We won't help him by staying here," she opened with even as another, more significant reality set in, "And we certainly won't help him by staying here given what is enroute to our galaxy."

Quieting then, she said nothing for a long moment, finding unexpected strength in her own final words, willing Erik to somehow undrstand. At last, he sighed and nodded. They both turned and headed in the direction indicated by the awaiting servant, back to where they had left the others...

"Of course not," he said simply. "Our ships operate via controls, as do any other ship. These are how one speaks to the cyberbiotic computer, the true heart and soul which actually runs the ship.

"I haven't a clue what Shayla and Erik will decide to do about staying here. Stanza can fly though," he said, pointing to Matt. "I think we should get moving soon and find this Kaminoan guy, and quit all this chit-chat. And we need to check in and see about Terrin and Galen and how their mission is going. They should be headed here once they get done, after all."

...I sure as kriffing hell hope so, anyway, came a final mental addendum.

“Yeah, that’s right,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be back before they get here, but make sure they know where we have gone and that we’ll be back soon, and try to keep them here if you can so can all meet.”

“As for the ships, you have simplified a big part of our quest!” he exclaimed. “We were concerned that the Sith ships would be of no use, but this is great news. We still have much to offer to the Empire in an alliance against the Vong.”

Panthar’s eyes shifted to Shayla and Erik as they entered the room, and his smile faded at the sight of their sorrow.

"You do not understand," he broke into the tiny spot of joy which had come from nowhere to encompass the human-in-Sith-clothing.

"The fighter ships are in the great spaceport of Ch'arlingua, which is on K'eel Doba. You have all been speaking of trotting off there as if that would be the solution to our problems, but you forget one thing."

He paused to draw a deep breath.

"It is the Chosen Daughter of the Sith who is in current rule over the warriors, the one you know as Jharmeen Q'utaro, called the Graysith. But she is gone missing; in her stead, her daughter ShaRhylla rules in her place.

"Help us--? How?"

He paused to sigh, then moved over to stare blankly into the fireplace. There he watched the flames leap and crackle, carrying small bits of soot and ash soaring upward before their heat, cast one way or the other in just as willy-nilly a manner as, to him, now were his people before the Great Unknown that had some to assail them.

"Can you bring back our powers?" he spoke to the flames, his voice barely a whisper. "Can you bring back those who are lost to us? Can you truly bring accord between us and this Empire, of which you speak?"

Now he turned, stared Panthar straight in the eye.

"How?" he repeated simply.

A long and somewhat uncomfortable moment passed before he broke the silence again.

"Perhaps you can begin with a slighter task, that of seeing what you can do regarding the Kaminoans and the premature human who is currently in our care. I do not know if it would be a better thing for you to travel to the planet of Kamino itself, or to go to Phrinnchatka and see if that Kaminoan scientist is yet there.

"Either way, that is a more feasible first step for you to take, I think."

He quieted, wishing heartily that Dark Lord Aelvedaar was present. Troublesome matters seemed as nothing but dream-fluff in his more than capable claws; as time dragged on beneath the loss of the Sith Lord, Aeylmaar only felt more and more inept.

She trailed then, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "...we were speaking, and working together, at least. But that was when I..."

She trailed, her eyes darkening and defocusig a bit. "...when I had the darkness in me," she finished.

Panthar stepped closer to the heir, then looked deeply at him.

“As for the rest, I do believe we can accomplish much. But we need to pull together, bring in those who can make these decisions. The Dark Lords and Lady must meet with the commander of the Empire forces and strike an arrangement. War will be upon us, and without this first alliance we may as well give up now. I cannot promise to bring back your powers, your magick, but maybe it’s time to stop worrying about it coming back and figure out how to get along without it.

"That will not be necessary, at least not yet. For before the magicks fled from us, I found my Father to be on the moon of Endor, recall you not the words I spoke earlier? Even now the Verpine K'kihl is en route to retrieving him, and may in fact be there already."

He heaved a sigh, and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, his demeanor was calm, collected.

"In fact, we can contact the Verpine; he did give me this--" He held up the com-link K'kihl had given him, which he had just tried to offer to Panthar.

"So, we can see if he fares well, or if ill has befallen him as well." A look of discomfort crossed his young features. "I must apologize for my ill behavior upon your arrival. I was just so relieved to see you safe and sound, after Father had disappeared--

He fumbled a moment, then went on.

"I know the device is a means of communication; but I am not versed in its application. Perhaps you can use it, and ask our Verpine friend how he fares, and whether or not he will soon return to Choyapenthe with Lord Aelvedaar. If so, you might wish to wait and gain his advice regarding the issue before you."

He paused again, this time to envelope the others with a concerned look.

"Or, if you wish, you are welcome to another of Darth Wicked's ships, to go either to K'eel Doba or Kamino, as best you see fit to do."

He paused a moment, glancing at a brooding Jasyn, "We should also see if we can contact Terrin and Galen and see what's going on with their search as well."

With the commlink in hand, Matt quickly ascertained that a K'kihl had preset his frequency. He pushed the button to send a message.

"K'kihl, this is Matt Stanza. We are on Khar Delba with Aeylmaar after coming here to see if Graysith and Phalomir had returned from a search of their own. Please let us know how things are progressing with you and how you are faring."

"K'kihl this is. Lifesigns more have I found, than expect did I. Life plenty, this moon has, but-

"Sith signs, yes, but two. Human two, in addition. Unexpected is this; elaborate, can you? As well-- Lord Phalomir, Lady Graysith: with you are they?

"Transmission sending now--"

"Lord Phalomir and Graysith are not here, although they might still be on K'eel Doba. Unless someone else here can explain, I'm not certain who the other Sith or the humans could be. I do find it a bit peculiar that it has taken Lord Phalomir and Graysith this long to return here from K'eel Doba, however."

He paused with that even as a certain line of thought began to form in his mind. Arching an eyebrow at Aeylmaar and the others, he then commented, "Allright, anyone got any ideas on who might be on Endor that is Sith along with Aelvedaar? Could it have something to do with the sudden loss of powers, and the particular preferred method of travel using portals? After all, how in the Universe did Lord Aelvedaar even end up on Endor, of all places?"

"When Father stepped through the Portal, there was a strange burst of colored light. The next thing I discovered was that he had ported to Endor, rather than to Dagobah, where he intended. To my knowledge Lord Phalomir and Lady Graysith portaled to K'eel Doba, but perhaps something happened to them in the same manner as it did with Father, and they too were detoured elsewhere... perhaps Endor's moon as well?"

He moved away from the fireplace then and headed to the back of the Dining Hall. There an intricate sideboard offered a slender, silver carafe. Grasping this in his claws, he upended it over a golden goblet; seeming momentarily fascinated by the stream of greeny-gold liquid that gushed forth.

Placing the carafe back on the sideboard, he turned back to face the others, raising the goblet to his lips as he did so.

"Perhaps the problem is somehow linked to Endor," he suggested at length. "Perhaps all who intend to use the All to portal here or there, end up instead on Endor. Perhaps this misdirection is connected with the sudden disappearance of our powers?"

He paused another moment, this time to regain his wavering composure which his own words had threatened. When he felt he could speak calmly, he continued along his former train of thought, as if nothing had happened.

"Maybe the extra Sith signature and one of the humans' is explained by the presence of the Dark Lord and Lady. As to the remaining human, well..."

He raised his brows and let the thought dwindle into the eching chamber, before finally taking a great draught of the Sith brandy he had poured.

"Landing not am I, until knowing others identity..."

He looked in its direction eagerly, a brow now cocked. Then he paused and looked down a moment, figuring he should actually be contributing something to the conversation other than observations on brandy. "And if anybody is going to Kamino, I must warn you all, I've been there...

Will the Kaminoans assist us? he thought to himself morosely. Would it be best that I send these friends to K'eel Doba, there to seek the scientist who, if unable to assist us directly, might be persuaded in speaking to his people on our behalf, as has already been suggested?

Or would it be best to get the input of the Dark Lords, if indeed it was their lifesigns which were being picked up by K'kihl...?

He lowered his face to contemplate the liquid swirling in his goblet. When he raised his face, it was with new determination.

"How is it you use this; like so--" he murmured as in approaching Matt he delicately plucked the comm-link from the man's hand. A slight smile flickered on his lips once more, and he went so far as to wink to the others before raising it to speak.

"K'kihl, this is Lord Aeylmaar," he announced, cringing a bit at his use of his designated appellation. It somehow just didn't seem quite fit... at least not yet. Such musings were interrupted by a returning squawk from the device; after the Verpine had responded to his hail, Aeylmaar took the plunge and went on.

"It is our concensus that the lifesigns you are reading are indeed those of the Dark Lords Aelvedaar and Phalomir, the Dark Lady Graysith, and the.. lad, Rykounagin. However, if you feel uncertain yet and do not wish to... inconvenience yourself and the craft you are in, perhaps you can find a means to communicate with those on the ground, to request they come out of hiding into an open area, that you might make visual contact and thus confirm their identity--?

"Lord Aeylmaar, over."

Handing the comm-link back to Matt, he bowed his head respectfully before turning to Jasyn, both goblet and brow raised in invitation even as he nodded toward the sideboard...

...and filled a goblet full of it and returned to the table, took a seat and then a good initial sip faster than a Toydarian makes a bet. "You know, I'm sure the Healers are doing the best they can, and the Kaminoans might be able to help with the baby...

...but maybe we need to resort to what is simple and proven, like some of us have already been saying. Hornett has some of the best medical technology on it, you know, and we could get to that and bring it here without any major fuss."

"Toward that end, will I now apply myself.

Then he quieted a moment, his eyes defocusing. "And I don't think we should forget going to the Kaminoans because they may be difficulty and unusual, either. If we go about everything we are talking about doing just based on that sort of observation..."

“Speaking of uniting the galaxy,” he said. “I know this weird loss of powers has twisted things around quite a bit, but until we see proof otherwise we must assume the Vong are still n their way. Our priorities remain the same in regards to that. However, other pressing matters now exist as well.

“What I suggest is that if K’kihl finds all of the Dark Lords and Lady and returns them here, then we can commence with talks with the Empire. Hmm, come to think of it, the Sith and human signatures he saw could be Sorben Tarnus and Thoran… I guess we’ll know soon enough.

Jasyn paused, glancing in the quiet Jedi's direction. "He's here, remember? Only he's alot quieter htan usual. You sure you don't want some of this?" he asked, indicating his brandy goblet. "It does wonders for a variety of problems."

Pausing to take another sip then, Jasyn turned and looked at Matt Stanza. "As I was saying earlier, we probably ought to get in contact with Terrin and Galen and see how they are doing as well before we make plans to go and do anything else specfic. After all, Terrin is the Boss, and he should have the final say on what we are doing, dontcha think?"

"Terrin, Galen, this is Matt. We've reached Khar Delba and gotten in contact with Lord Aeylmaar, but Graysith and Phalomir have not returned. Furthermore, the status of Shayla's premature infant is critical and we were considering getting some medical supplies to help from Hornett along with a possible visit to Kamino for assistance. We also are considering a trip to K'eel Doba to check o the status of Lord Phalomir and Graysith...

...and to search for a Kaminoan who once helped us before and may be able to help here with the baby along withother things. We were wondering how your search is proceeding and if all is well. Please respond ASAP."

Sending the message off, Matt waited for a response...

...and sincerely hoped that all was going well.

Pausing a moment then, Shawn looked at Erik. "I know you have been trained as a Jedi in the past, but you never finished your trials, and you've never relied on the Force that much. And Shayla, you know a bit about this as well," he added. "I think I'm going to need help from both of you."

As he fell silent for another moment, Shawn pursed his lips in thought. "I'm wondering how I can help you all here best without my Force abilities...

...and I'm wondering if the best thing might not be for me to take a trip to the Kaminoan world like someone here already suggested. The Kaminoans have, after all, worked with the Jedi in the past...

...and their technologies may be helpful in a few unpredicted ways. They matured clones more quickly by blocking them from the Force using ysalamiri, so they may be able to help us with the blockage of the Force and other powers and abilities we currently are all experiencing. Granted, this All That Is may be some supernatural thing, and I don't know much about it...

...but what if All That Is is really a tool some real, physical being is using to scare us all? At any rate there may be some way to get around this blockage, and if there is, I'd bet Kaminoan technology, along with some Sith and Jedi history, may be our only shot of harnessing what we have been blocked from.

That is," he finished with a final, dark look actually glinting his otherwise still-serene eyes. "...if there is any way to do so at all."

"Hey Matt, this is Galen. We've accomplished our mission, and are en route back to Hornett.

Matt, we are enroute to the Hornett and can confer with the medics there regarding equipment that may be helpful for the premature baby and bring it to save you a trip. If you need to take a trip to K'eel Doba, go ahead and do so. We had an...

...interesting experience on the planet we found Captain Joao and his companions on so we really need to ALL be together to discuss...including Tarnus. We will fill you in on details once we arrive there on K'eel Doba, but for the moment we are receiving a distress signal out here in the boonies...

With that he took another long drink, emptying the remaining contents. Without even batting an eye he got up, headed back to the sideboard, and got a refill before returning to his seat once more. He took a small sip. "You know," he then proceeded to comment, "The longer we sit here the longer we're wasting time, unless someone has something futher to say. We might as well decide who goes where, how they are going to get there...

"If you decide to travel on at this point, either to your Master Ship--" He bowed politely toward Shayla and her little party. "--or to K'eel Doba, there to continue with your quest--" Now he turned and bowed to Panthar.

"I shall detain you no longer."

He quietly turned then, and approached a tapestried bell-pull, which he then took hold of. Although there was not a sound to be heard, somewhere in the bowels of the temple summons was made, for soon a tall, gray-eyed Sith appeared and bowed to everyone.

"This one will take you to where you wish to go; as for me, I choose to remain here, should the Verpine indeed return with my Father and our missing comrades. Which--"

Now he pinned Panthar alone with a steady gaze.

"Which brings a question to me. Panthar, you spoke of the possibility that Thoran and Sorben Tarnus would be found on Endor. Might I ask how you have come by the knowledge of their whereabouts, which so far has eluded us? That is to say, the last I knew was that Tarnus was captive in Phrinnchatka, and during this time you were recuperating here, in this temple, were you not?

"As for this Thoran--"

He merely shrugged and fell into a shared silence with the servant, in which both now stood quietly waiting.

The Healers were good with their ancient arts, there was no doubt about that. But they were most exceptionally good when it came to preserving the lives of their own species...

The Head Healer cast his chromatic eyes up into those of his fellows. All were ringed about a tiny, quiet form... which had gone suddenly quieter, and in that seemed ever so much tinier than before. He blinked back a single tear; this small being was not Sith, this was true, but it was a youngling, and any youngling lost to the claws of death was something deserving of tears.

For a moment he remained silent, his head bowed.

"Bathe and wrap this infant," he finally instructed. "Make him presentable for his parents' sake. But take of him enough cells, that perhaps someday when our magicks have grown strong again, we can revive this child in the creation of a replicate in repayment for having lost him now."

The other Healers bowed in acquiescence, then hastened upon their tasks as their guild Master sighed, and departed to find Lord Aeylmaar...

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

He found the young Lord in conference with the other humans. Sliding up on silken feet, he nodded gracefully to the others before whispering into the young Heir Apparent's ear. Then he stepped back a pace, keeping his face lowered but keenly aware of the stricken look which passed across Aeylmaar's face as he struggled to fully assimilate with what he had just been told.

He didn't say anything of this aloud, of course, for it was a gut reaction so ethereal that it could scarcely be said to be a solid thought. But it was there, and had taken root in his soul, if not his conscious mind. Which was filled with sudden shock and horror and pain.

He turned eyes suddenly wet to Shayla and Erik, waved his clawed hand once again in a manner most useless. But in a manner which precisely denoted that awful thing he was carrying within himself now.

"My friends, oh my friends--"

He stumbled, unable to voice that which he knew he should. But it was impossible, simply inconceivable. He was no Lord, to bear such a burden of responsibility; more than anything he wanted to run, to hide behind his adoptive Father's robes while the great Dark Lord took this awful matter from his young shoulders.

But the Dark Lord wasn't there.

"Oh, my dear, dear friends. Your son--"

He could say nothing further but choked to a despairing halt, filled with an acute sense of overwhelming loss. In part for the sake of the infant. But primarily because he felt he had let them down.

...but the tears in her eyes began to flood forth, spilling, as if the well within her soul was emptying out its contents.

And perhaps it was at that.

Finally, her face beginning to streak with tears, Shayla managed to whimper out one single, despairing word. "Nooo..."

Shaking then, Shayla looked down, hiding the increasing stream of tears with her lengthening blonde hair. "My...my little Zackary...." she whispered softly...

...at last looking up directly at the quietly waiting Healer, a lump in her throat. "W---where...is he?" she managed.

...but his dark brown eyes were trained on Aeylmaar. Although he didn't say anything to Aeylmaar at that moment, the young Heir Apparent had to see the anger in his eyes. How well he remembered his treatment of him and Shayla when they had come here for help with the baby, so long ago. What if they had taken him from here then, and gotten help?

Zackary might still be alive.

Unable to voice as much at the moment, however, Erik simply kept a strong arm about Shayla, who was quite literally shaking as the Healer began to lead them on. As he held her, he could hear footsteps behind him, ones which he assumed must belong to the others with them.

Perhaps they all felt it appropriate to mourn the loss of little Zackaray, who hadn't even gotten the chance to live...

Tears now forming in his own eyes, Erik kept as rock-steady as he could, all things considered...

...and he couldn't use them. All he could do was stay nearby and lend his support. ALong with him came all the others, but he figured Shayla and Erik were barely aware of that fact.

He felt so helpless.

As they entered the small, quiet room, Shawn saw his sister's legs nearly buckle beneath her...

...and he rushed ot her side to help her stay upright even as Erik held onto her.

Hadn't he turned them away, when they came for assistance? Hadn't he blithely plucked their child from them, without any more thought for either it or them, other than he could use this to show the world the greatness of their wonderful Incubator, which surely would keep the child alive?

Until their magicks fell, that is. A fall completely unexpected, coming from the left field to crush him beneath its terrible weight.

Slowly, he sank to his knees, staring at the cold stones of the floor. They offered him no solace, no answer, no words to help still the anguish he had created both in himself and in the hearts of his human friends.

...and let go of her husband and brother, reaching out for her tiny, sweet, infant.

Her deceased infant.

Even in death, he looked like an angel to her, his features pure white, his eyes closed. If she hadn't known any better, she might have thought he were simply sleeping.

She had lost him, and she couldn't even feel his sweet little spirit in the Force, for the Force was gone. The Force was gone, and so was her baby.

Shutting all other things out of her world, Shayla stood in that horrible place, cradling her little Zackary...

..rocking back and forth, back and forth...

He paused again, and realized that Aeylmaar had not followed. Curious, he returned to the great room from where they had been led and found the Dark Lord To Be on his knees. He struggled with the notion of returning to Shayla and Erik after all, but again he felt he should not interfere with their grieving.

And this… this was not right either.

He was angry. Quietly, still shaking, she handed their little one to him, and her mind raced off elsewhere.

For didn't he truly have every right to be angry? They were made to leave the baby here.

Shaking her head a bit at this, trying to clear her eyes somewhat, Shayla's mind continued to wander to the things which had lead up to this one, horrible, soul-crushing event. She had been healthy, carryng her baby well...

...when Tyberius tried to take him from her with Darkness. Graysith had ammended this, and once more things had been going well.

Until Dark Lord Roan slapped her to the ground. And why...? Because she was a human in his Temple?

Shayla unconciously shook her head. No. It wasn't that. She remembered the look in his eyes. It was something more.

She was Graysith's Chosen Sister.

Another wave of anxiety swept over Shayla, and she would have fallen to her knees if it weren't for Shawn's support. she turned and looked into her brother's sympathetic greeny-blues...

...and realized with a start that she couldn't stand the look in his eyes.

He cared. But he didn't understand.

She turned from him, and looked back to the others who had joined them. Their look was also sorrowful, sympathetic. Again, those who cared. But they didn't understand.

She took a momentary glance at the mournful looking Healers...and then her eyes rested on Erik, who was still looking at their still son, his brown eyes stormy and pained.

Here was someone who at least understood, on some level. But even so, he didn't understand. At least, not entirely.

"I...I need to sit down..." she whispered, surprising everyone as she began to back away, at first slowly, crashing into others behind her. She turned to face them and their sympathetic looks.

"I need a drink of water," she then said simply, perhaps too evenly as numbness began to take over, the numbness of still not truly believing something had really happened. Someone or another offered to help her, but she shook her head and extended a hand to stop them as she then left the healer's chambers entirely. She didn't know what was coming over her, but with every step she took, her feet began to take wings...

...and before she knew it or was even totally aware, she had exited the Temple. Totally at a loss for the time it was taking her, no one immediately behind her for the rapidity and unpredictability of her movements, Shayla made it all the way back to the ship which had brought them all here. She keyed in the access code to extend the hatch, moved inside and closed it behind her...

...and quickly warmed the ship. Only then did she truly know what she was doing...

...and where she was going. Taking control of the ship, she headed for atmosphere, out to space beyond, quickly and accurately pulled up the coordinates to her desired destination...

...and put them into the navcomputer. In moments the little transport exploded into starlines as she took off into hyperspace, on a path that only she could be certain of.

(((OCC: Follow along with Shayla to...

...a destination yet to be revealed.)))

His anger only escalated with every moment.

Finally, he looked up and directly into the eyes of the Healers. Still quite unaware as to where his wife had gone, he made on simple statement then.

"He needs to be taken and buried in the manner of those of his kind, with those of his kind," he uttered a bit darkly.

Beside him, Shawn Petrolu muttered. "Erik..."

Erik ignored him, his eyes only for the healer. Although he knew deep in his heart he was not angry with any of these directly, he couldn't help but direct said anger towards a target closest to the right one.

For the true target of his anger was not here.

To his relief, Erik nodded...

...but he didn't let go of Zackary's lifeless little body. And Shawn suspected his brother-in-law intended to remain thus until a decision was made.

But Shayla wasn't there. And Shawn suspected she had left to mourn alone, to try to come to grips with what had happened.

"I will look in the dining hall," he then responded to Shawn. "If she has gone elsewhere you probably stand a better chance of determining what place and finding her," he then reasoned.

Petrolu nodded in agreement, so Jasyn backed out of the room, heading back towards the Dining hall. Petrolu headed off in a seperate direction, back towards the entrance of the temple. Jasyn figured he assumed Shayla might have gone out to get some air and get away from all that was happening...

...which quite frankly made some sense to him. Even as he continued to walk, Jasyn came upon Panthar, who was leaving the side of a kneeling and grieved looking Aeylmaar.

Alone...?

What was going on in the temple?

He shook his head, gulping with effort as he fought against his very gut. But he was no mere animal, to be ruled by such things; gradually his head began to clear and he began to see the situation more clearly, from a standpoint not oriented so much toward himself. At last he rose to his feet, and turned to the pair.

"Thank you for your concern," he stated, albeit somewhat tightly. "But my emotional state is not the issue at hand. What is, is the fact that due to-- due to our--"

He stumbled, grimaced slightly, then forced himself to continue.

"Due to our inability, the infant in our care has passed. And now the mother is lost within these walls, more than likely attempting to flee the grief which she most certainly did not deserve."

He made a motion as if ready to lead them onward but stopped in mid-step. Indeed, his first reaction had been to seek his Father's great Sanctum Sanctorum, there to utilize the Crystal Octahedron in finding the bereaved mother's whereabouts. This initial reaction, though, was offset as memory rose up to wave their lack of magick once more in his face. So instead, he once more approached the bell-pull, and gave a yank upon it.

The same servant appeared moments later.

"Go out with others, and search these halls," he ordered. "The mother whose child has- has died is fleeing within them, toward what destination or end I do not know."

He watched in silence as the servant bowed and departed, setting the task in motion. After watching the double doors oil silently closed, he returned to the others.

"I do not know if there is anything else I can really do, other than actively hunt for Shayla," he admitted.

Oh, but now did he need the advice of his Father, for certainly this was something the young lord had never thought to be facing in his future career as Dark Lord. More wisdom than he possessed was in order...

"Perhaps the Verpine has found Father?" he asked, the question pressing into his eyes.

"I-- I could use some assistance in what it is I should do."

Saying nothing further, Jasyn turned and did precisely as he had suggested, going back into the small chamber and quietly exchanging words with Matt Stanza. In a few moments, Matt exited the room along with him, commlink in hand, and sent off a message inquiring as to K'kihl's progress...

...and received nothing in return but static. Arching a brow, Matt made another attempt yeilding the same results.

...and it did not bode well for the human's mental or emotional stability. For contrary to what some might believe, the Sith are extremely cued into life, are well aware of the strengths and frailties life doles out to the living, and in that celebrate it as joyously as would any other sentient being.

In turn, they mourn the passing of life with equal fervor, but not to the extent where continuing life is pushed aside or ignored. For to the Sith, life and death are part and parcel of the natural cycle of how things are; they celebrate life, mourn death... but recognize the necessity of death as something coming to all.

The Master Healer held out a sympathetic claw toward Erik. And though his magicks had fled him, he did not need them to feel the waves of rage and despair that rolled from the man like those in a tsunami.

"We understand," he said quietly, trying to show his sympathy. "Please... we tried everything at our command. There was nothing else to be done..."

He stopped himself, bowed his head a moment, then tried another avenue.

"This is necessary," he said, the comment coming from deep within his gut. Indeed, this recognition sprang from a larger one, a soul-encompassing knowledge of a great and grander picture... and was indeed why the Sith were so easily able to utilize the wonder of the All. Of course the Master Healer didn't recognize this within himself; he only knew that the humans were greatly bereaved by the death of a young one of theirs, that he boded them no ill but sympathized completely...

Yet also understood the simple fact that this was just a natural thing...

"Do you wish for us to prepare the body for travel?" he inquired kindly. "For--"

He paused, trying to figure out a way to state what needed to be stated in a manner that would not crush this human's fragile hold on reality.

"Otherwise, perhaps a very fleet ship-?"

This was necessary? For what? How could this, in any way, shape or form, bode any good towards that Greater Good of things that the Sith were always rattling on about.

That Shayla was always talking about, for that matter.

Erik frowned at this thought, finally realizing that she hadn't come back, wondering just where in the Fates she had gone. With effort, he meet the Healer's sympathetic eyes with his own dark brown ones. He had to mentally remind himself that the Healers had been doing everything in their power to save Zackary.

Or at least, that is what they were being told.

"Yes, please, prepare him for travel," Erik said, for the first time showing perhaps less anger directed towards the Healers. "In the meantime, I need to go find my wife," he said, casting a final, despairing look the infant's way before returning him to the strong yet somehow gentle arms of the Master Healer. Erik swiped a hand across his eyes to mask the tears...

...and with a final nod to the Master Healer, departed the healing chambers and headed back towards the Dining Hall, where he assumed Shayla had gone based on her statement that she needed a drink. Enroute he was interrupted by the gathering in the hallway including Matt, Jasyn, Panthar...

...and Aeylmaar. He shot a hard look Aeylmaar's direction, making a statement then to no one in particular. "We're going to take the baby somewhere to properly bury him," he stated, his voice even yet betraying the emotions he wasn't overtly displaying. "Did Shayla head for the Dining Hall?"

The Place of Preparation in Joyous Death.

The wall slid downward, clanging to a stony close, swallowing the Healers and effectively hiding them from sight as they went about initiating arts even more arcane, more ancient, using materials and devices which when finished with would prevent the natural breakdown of tissues from taking hold for many, many years.

It was in this manner, and this manner alone, that the Sith betrayed themselves and their view on life and death. For what better way to overcome death than by preserving the physical state of the deceased indefinitely...

“N-no,” he stammered. “I didn’t see her go through here.”

Panthar stepped towards Erik, his eyes going soft in spite of the cold look that Erik was casting into the room. Confused, but letting it pass, Panthar stopped in front of Erik.

He trailed, his eyes defocusing. "Maybe she went to the room that was once hers, one Graysith had given her...

...or she went to the rooms Graysith occupied when she was here."

Erik’s eyes shot at Panthar, and he did not press the matter. There was something there that Panthar did not like, some deep feeling from the past, perhaps.

“So, we do the next best thing and ask for directions— except that nobody here would probably know what we were talking about, would they? Well, then let’s deploy one of the tricks of my trade, when an archeologist is on the hunt for something… we ask around.”

And asked her to marry me here, came the errant thought.

"I suppose it would be allright to go take a look in those rooms," he then said a bit numbly, casting an unreadable look Aeylmaar's way. Then he began to head in the direction of the room he and Shayla had occupied...

...and froze. Oh no. No. No way.

He turned back to the others, his brown eyes impossibly darker. "She has been known to...

...to leave when she really upset. I don't think she would have, with the baby not even buried yet...

...but what if...?" He fell silent for a moment. "...but it wouldn't be the first time."

He trailed a final time, too-recent memories of her getting so upset about their lack of progress in finding Graysith when they were on Tatooine rising forth as, like this time, her emotions lead her elsewhere...

Panthar scratched his head and looked around nervously.

No.

He stopped in mid-thought, blinking as another one came flying tangentially in.

What strange happening is it that has caused our magicks to disappear? And the Force these jedi rely upon? And the All, that beautiful, wonderful All? Who or whatever it is that has impeded us all, that is the one at fault for the death of the child!

He didn't say anything, however, deciding that there would be a more opportune moment to do so sometime later. Instead he nodded his head, and held a clawed hand out to one side.

He sighed, shaking his head a bit. "She may very well be here still...but if not, we should extend the search all the way out to where we left our ship."

He paused, looking at no one in particular then as he continued. "Panthar and I will look in those places I'm at least familiar with. Jasyn..maybe you and Matt wouldn't mind looking too? You've been here before, after all."

He arched an eyebrow both men's way, and they nodded. Erik's eyes grew distant then, and again gathering his wits, he looked at Aeylmaar. "And Shayla does know about some of the more private areas in this Temple, she was here alone with Graysith for quite some time."

He quieted another moment. "Maybe you can think of some places that we wouldn't be aware of...

...or would your servants look in those places as well?"

He let the question linger a moment before finishing with. "At any rate, I think we'd better split up and get looking because this could take quite some time. I think everyone here has a commlink--"

Here he quirked a brow at Matt Stanza, who handed K'kihl's comm back to Aeylmaar. "--if someone should find her, we can give everyone else a comm. If not--"

He trailed, his eyes defocusing once more, his look darkening. "Well, let's just hope we don't have to meet back here in three hours and try to figure out exactly what else to do."

With nothing further than that, Erik turned and motioned Panthar to come with him as he began walking away. Jasyn and Matt followed suit, heading in another direction.

Erik could only hope the search wouldn't take a long time...

...but it did not seem right that in fighting it, Erik was also somehow fighting him. Perhaps his sudden clarity regarding this was due to the insight of who was really to blame for the infant's death, or rather, who was not. But with the lifting of the cloud of guilt from his shoulders, room was now made to allow other emotions to settle there in its stead.

I try to befriend this one, I offer all hospitality, all assistance, everything which is at my disposal, and he still treats me like--

Something dark glittered in the back of his amber eyes, and he thought back to That Day, the day when the Dark Jedi overran the Temple, killing all Sith in their path, pounding through the corridors, slamming their way deeper and deeper into its bowels until they were outside the door of Aelvedaar's Sanctum Sanctorum, pounding, pounding, coming to kill them too...

Well he remembered the look he exchanged with his then Master and now Adoptive Father, the subtle pass of information, a nodding acquiesence that such was understood:

That humans were indeed inferior to the Sith, the Sith were then Lords of the Galaxy, holding that position by reason of might and power and yes, justice...

He swallowed, watching the men leave, clenching his fists as he clenched his jaws tight, tight, tight, tightening his stance to prevent himself from flying after them and striking the arrogant, dark haired man a blow.

“The ship?” asked Panthar. “You don’t think she’d take off, do you? I mean, on Tatooine she was possessed by the Darkness stuff, so I figured that was a special case. But why the hell would she just take off? Good grief, I know something terrible has happened here but that’s awfully—“

Panthar stopped, sighing.

He faltered. "...our son."

Quieting for a moment then, Erik tried to gather his thoughts. "I guess we could look in the ship first. She is a pilot after all...

Seeing the emotional tug of war in Erik’s eyes, Panthar said nothing more and began walking towards the temple entrance chambers. Erik followed, and soon both men were standing outside the temple, shielding their eyes from the sun.

Panthar looked around but saw no sign of Shayla, then tilted his head towards the outer edge of the populace and began walking with Erik. The sun glinted against something high in the sky, and Panthar strained his eyes to see what it was, but it disappeared into the clouds.

Looking at each other, Panthar and Erik hurried along to the edge of town and in a few minutes they crested the hill where the ship had been left behind.

Had been…

“Um…” said Panthar. “This doesn’t bode well… ”

Lovely, he thought a touch muzzily. A lovely thing, cold and... real.

He gave a start at that, then refilled the goblet and took it over to the fireplace. There his focus fell upon the dancing flames, which seemed to be trying to tell him something. They flared and swirled, snapped and smoked, sending tongues of energy soaring high up in the back of the great stone barrier, sending their vicious heat shooting out to skim his skin.

He leaned into it, closing his eyes now, relishing that heat as, in lieu of the flames, other images began dancing upon his inner eyelids.

The blockade. Hadn't there been a blockade? Who had brought that blockade to the Sith worlds?

Humans.

His eyes flashed open, but he no longer saw the fire in front of them. There was too much beginning to leap within those amber orbs; he raised the goblet to his lips and took a savage drink of it.

And who destroyed it--? A human, albeit one Chosen by Father.

Chosen.

The word had meant something very special to him. He had been chosen too, chosen to follow in his Father's stead as Dark Lord of the Sith. But, he reasoned, should this not have been a singular honor?

Why was She Chosen, too?

He knew a little of the All, and what it meant to his people. He knew a tiny bit of the story, mentioned in passing by Lord Aelvedaar, that it was She who was needed to resurrect their people--

And She was human.

He shook his head a couple of time in trying to clear it, the brandy now doing what brandy does very well to a first-time imbiber who doesn't know how to restrain himself. At length he gave up altogether, and swayed, his arm dropping, the goblet clattering to the stone floor unnoticed.

Father always said... but there should have been a way, another way. How could he have done this, a human to save us? We who have always saved the humans and others in our care?

He blinked, made a motion to drain his goblet, then stared in startled amusement to find his hand was empty. He opened his hand wide, spreading his fingers, admired his sharp claws upon them, then closed his hand in a fist.

True colors are coming into focus this day...

Now a dark-haired image swam before his eyes. It was followed by others, the entire party there in the temple. Vague memories of him helping these people, leading some from the dungeons, assisting in finding others, floated amidst the jittery, growing throng in his head. Superimposed over it all was a glimpse of flaming hair, overlaid with eyes more flaming so as to be volcanic.

A black shadow called "Vong" lurked somewhere beneath.

How do I consider them? he mourned to himself. What am I supposed to think?

No answer came, but the damage was done. Illogical though his thought processes might have been, the seed was firmly planted. He swayed slightly on his feet, then stumbled to a nearby divan, where he let himself sink down with a heavy-eyed sigh.

The Dining Hall.

Upon entry, he scanned the room, at length finding Aeylmaar sitting on a divan, his eyes distant and dark. Frowning to himself in concern, Shawn approached quietly, nodding in consideration to the other.

"Shayla is not without the Temple, unless she has gone much further out," he said quietly. Aeylmaar's eyes remained dark and somehow...

And wasn't that precisely what it was? some little voice snorted within. The Jedi were always promoting no emotion, no fear...

...no feelings. Which was the very reason you could never be one of them.

Erik looked to Panthar, his eyes clouding. "She's gone," he then whispered, looking down to the ground. "She's gone..."

"Erik and Shayla will realize this in time as well...

“That much is clear,” he said. “I don’t understand women at all, but maybe you can tell me why she might have done this. It’s really rather… well, annoying. Again, I don’t pretend to know what is going through her head, but it seems that this is a time when she would want to be with you.”

Panthar took his hand from Erik and scratched his own head.

“But, that can be discussed on the way back. Because now we really need to rely on Aeylmaar’s hospitality to get a way to K’eel Doba, or anywhere else.”

He and Shayla should be mourning this together. Burying their son together. But she had gone...

...and he wasn't even certain why.

"I don't know why she left," he said, sighing heavily. "She hasn't been the same since we left him here..."

His eyes defocused as he thought. "No, before then really."

He trailed a moment then, shaking his head. "I just don't know anymore," he admitted. "I don't know where to even go from here."

As he finished saying as much, the Temple loomed closer and closer in sight...

...and he could understand Shayla's feelings somewhat. For quite suddenly he did not want to face what he was about to have to deal with. At least Shayla's disappearance had provided a momentary...

...distraction.

If only it had ended in actually finding her. What if she was about to do something drastic in the face of the loss of their son...?

Or maybe it’s one of those ‘I am still possessed by the Darkness after all and need to go talk to my Vong buddies’ moments…?

He froze, an answer dawning on him. "She's gone to Graysith."

Who were their people?

He and Shayla weren't Jedi. She had no family alive other than her brother, and his family back on Corellia had passed as well. Aside from that, he wasn't particularly welcome there after he had broken ties before his Jedi trials. And he had sold Stargazer Corp.

"Shayla's family is all dead except her twin brother, and she spent her growing years in the Praxeum on Yavin," Erik finally replied, sighing heavily once more. "It's very unlikely she would have gone there, especially considering her feelings about the Jedi."

He paused then, as a dark observation came to the forefront of his mind. "And the last time I went after Shayla when she left me I was trapped in a bunch of vines, pinned in place and left there to die...

...by her."

His thoughts further darkened. "I can't bury the baby without her." He shook his head, his eyes distant. "I can't."

Saying nothing further, Erik fell into silence as he and Panthar took the last few steps towards the Temple, approaching the entrance where the same two Sith gaurds stood. Erik nodded in acknowledgement of their presence, his eyes yet distant, as they recognized he and Panthar and allowed them both entrance. They worked their way down the corridors until they worked their way back to the Dining Hall. They worked their way to where Shawn and Aeylmaar sat on the divan.

"She's taken the ship and left," Erik then said to both parties, shaking his head, suddenly at a loss for what else to do or say. "I have no idea where she might have gone...

...or how I should proceed from here. We haven't even buried our son..."

With the last sentence, Panthar pantomimed the swallowing of a pill, hoping his hint would be taken. To the best of his reckoning, Erik was in shock, and no amount of further distress was good for him. What he needed, in Panthar’s view, was a mild sedative.

“Shayla has indeed left the planet in the ship. But Erik has suggested that she may have run to Graysith for comfort or guidance, as she has done in the past. If this is the case, she should be returning soon, for you have sent K’khil to find that very person. If she has not gone there, then it’s very unlikely that a search will do much good until we calculate some potential destinations. In that case, Erik needs some rest in order to help us with that should the need arise.”

Panthar sighed, wishing he did not have to bring up the next topic.

Father, I let you down!

The equally silent cry rang loudly in his ears; with another great shudder he squelched it away, deep within himself. Then he blinked, gradually becoming aware that there was someone else speaking to him.

Good. Another Sith! But-- no, not quite, not really. It was the one, the human in Sith disguise, the one who should be locked away, so his elegant race would not be ashamed to see the boorishly and obviously human behavior which emanated from him.

But wait. What was he saying?

Aeylmaar stifled a belch, swallowed, and with some effort focused on Panthar's words. Thus it was he caught only the tail end of his head-pounding speech.

He wanted to go to K'eel Doba? To the warriors? Fine! Send him; this would be the first of many decisive acts he planned upon implementing from this point onward, that when his Father returned it would be to find not a young and shaky Adept, but a true Dark Lord in the making...

"Y-yes, yes, by all means. Please, go to K'eel Doba, take a ship, a servant will lead you to the hangar."

He let out a great sigh of air, swayed a bit, then headed once again to the bell-pull. This of course wasn't necessary, for by this time servants, aware of his presence in the Dining Hall, were hovering about, waiting to fulfill his every need. One appeared before him, bowed, and offerred his service.

Aeylmaar nodded, perhaps a touch vigorously, and commanded he lead Panthar immediately to the hangar, where he might find an appropriate craft in which he might fly off to their sister world.

And the warriors shall most certainly deal with him there... even ShaRhylla, though she is half human. I understand her fierceness more than makes up for that sad mistake in her genetics...

Panthar paused, then stepped closer to Aeylmaar.

“Oh, um,” he said softly, “And I’d seriously consider that, about maybe getting a little sedative and a cot for Erik. I can’t believe she’d just stand him here, but I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

Panthar was being reckless, going off on his own. The EE guys didn't even know that Shayla had taken off with their ship yet, and Erik clearly didn't have a good grip on everything that was going on. And Aeylmaar...

...well Aeylmaar was obviously drunk...and perhaps something else was going on with him as well, although what exactly was unclear.

Standing up, Shawn scanned the room to be certain neither Matt nor Jasyn had returned. Not seeing them present, he then took Erik--who was turning an irritable glare in Panthar's general direction--and pulled him to the side. "You need to take a break and give all this some time to settle," he said as he let his eyes fall into Erik's stormy brown pair. "Panthar is right, you need to get some rest and give yourself some time to really think."

Pausing at that, Shawn continued to pin Erik with his greeny-blues, something in them both sympathetic yet reprimanding at the same time. After all, he was keenly aware of Erik's tendency to act before thinking...

...and that wouldn't do any good here.

After a brief moment then, Shawn turned from Erik to head after the departing Panthar and the servant, catching up to them. "Panthar, wait," he said as both stopped.

"Someone does need to go to K'eel Doba, but not alone. I'm afraid Erik is not mentally ready deal with anything like this...

...or to be left here on his own without some counsel either. Matt and Jasyn are still off looking for Shayla, and she's not here. Don't you think we ought to let them know what's going on first...

...and have at least one of the two of them go along with you if not both?"

...but realized with a sudden jolt that he didn't have any rebuttal. And then he realized with an even more alarming jolt that he didn't feel like he belonged here...

...or anywhere, for that matter. His son was dead, and Shayla was gone. And despite what Panthar was saying, Erik couldn't help but wonder if Shayla was coming back at all. Even if she did come back, she might not be coming back to rejoin him here.

Erik sank into the divan recently vacated by Shawn and Aeylmaar.

He literally didn't have a clue what to do. He'd sold Stargazer Corporation and was no Jedi. Aside from that, all powers and abilities had been blocked by...

...something, so what good would it do to go back into training?

Erik shook his head, feeling defeated...

"Look, pal. I know you are the observant one here and all, but we don't know this place," he said, making a large motion to indicate the Temple in general. "Aeylmaar's servants do know the place, and they are looking. And Stargazer is obviously not in the Dining area," he continued, pointing back in its general direction.

Matt Stanza turned to look at him, stepping away from the more private dining area he had been investigating just outside of the main dining hall.

"Besides," Jasyn then added, "I don't want to wander somewhere and have some Sith get angry with me for being somewhere I don't belong. You've never been lost in a sith temple and had any unfortunate experiences as a result...

...I have." Pausing then, he clearly remembered getting lost in the K'eel Doban Temple and accidentally finding himself into a room with ShaRhylla and that Ryk-whoever person.

"Let's at least check in with everyone else."

Much to Jasyn's relief, Matt nodded in agreement. Both worked their way through the corridors of the Temple and back to the dining hall where they found Shawn, Panthar, and a servant in an apparent conference.

Which didn't catch Jasyn's eye as much as Erik Kartan, seated on a divan looking forlorn and as though someone had just shot him in the heart, did. To that he caught sight of Aeylmaar standing near the sidebar, practically swaying on his feet.

This couldn't be good.

"Allright, this can't be good," Jasyn then said to no one specifically. "What's going on here, has anyone found Stargazer...

...at least with his observation regarding Aeylmaar. "Shayla's not here," he then began. "She took off in the transport and left us all here. Erik is still reeling and I think it's really important we try to reestablish communications with K'kihl and find out if he's found anyone."

He paused for a moment. "Panthar has decided to go to K'eel Doba as we've been discussing using one of the ships Aeylmaar says are here, but I don't think he should go alone."

Again, Shawn arched an eyebrow. "Erik doesn't need to be left here alone, and I don't think it's a good idea he go off on a major mission just yet either."

...and it might be a good idea to have a good set of numbers for what we may be headed in to."

He shrugged again. "Matt is Terrin's second, so he should have the final say on whether one or both of us goes though...

...and Kartan still really looks like he needs a drink."

Not saying anything else, Jasyn headed off to the sidebar, pausing a moment and looking at Aeylmaar, who hadn't been saying so much as a word. "Hey buddy, we're going to try to get in contact with K'kihl again and find out what is going on."

"I think he means you wouldn't be a good choice," he quipped. "Besides, you're better with technical things than I am, and someone needs to figure out why we can't seem to get a comm off to K'kihl anymore. And speaking of, keep an eye and ear on yours. If something comes up, I'll be in contact."

Turning then to Panthar and the Sith servant, Matt finished with. "Allright, like Panthar here said...

...let's get going."

The sidebar.

Shawn shot him a warning look after first sparing a moment to glance at Erik, who was drinking the brandy Jasyn had given him, his eyes defocused and distant. They continued to near the sidebar, and Lancaster's step seemed to be growing in stride...

...but Shawn slipped a hand out to stop him from moving any further just shy of the bar, just so they were standing in front of Aeylmaar.

“Not too bad, eh?” he said to Matt as he waggled his eyebrows. “Most of these look like fighters, but I bet that one in the corner will do. Unless I’m wrong, that’s a TIE Transport – they would modify a TIE bomber to ferry troops from ship to ship, back during the old Rebellion. But you probably already know that, sorry. Antique ships are a hobby, kind of an aside from the archeology. But these fortunately are not that antique just yet.”

"Our trip should take us approximately..."

He paused, calculating again. "Five standard hours."

Saying nothing further than that, Matt keyed in the coordinates to K'eel Doba into the computer, and started the sequence to take them into hyperdrive. In only a few minutes the little transport burst forward into starlines.

Only then did Matt turn to Panthar. "So, what next? We land and head for the Temple and hope we're given entrance to find out Phalomir and Graysith's status?"

He blinked slowly, drawing himself up to his full height, and it was only with great effort that he refrained from reaching out and grasping Shawn by his throat.

"You overstep your authority here," he muttered ominously, his tone low with a tinge of menace in it. He blinked again, then nodded to a nearby divan.

"Well, then...!" Shawn vaguely heard Jasyn mutter beside him.

He shook his head at this, and was in the process of turning to address the other man when he realized he was beginning to make his way towards the sidebar, in the same direction that Aeylmaar had just gone.

"Hold it," he said abruptly, reaching out and stopping Jasyn with a hand on his shoulder. "We need to take a step back here," he then said, nodding in the direction of the side bar, and perhaps elsewhere as well. "He's right, this is his Temple, and we've been traipsing alll over looking for Shayla. And you have had plenty of brandy."

Shawn paused then, seeing the word "but" form on Jasyn's lips but his look broaching no argument on the matter.

"Come on, let's head back over to the divan. Erik's downed that goblet of brandy you gave him, and he's got some decisions to make..."

Shawn trailed then, his mind going back over all that had been happening so recently. "...and unfortunately he's not been thinking too clearly. With the way he's been acting, and the loss of the baby and disappearance of Shayla...

...I'm afraid we are going to have a problem."

Quieting then, Shawn pursed his lips thoughtfully as something registered, something he knew...

...but hadn't quite put together til that moment. His hand still on Jasyn's shoulder, he walked over to the divan where Erik sat staring at the empty goblet he held, his brown eyes distant and dark. "We need to talk," Shawn then said evenly, taking a seat next to Erik. "You need to rest...

...and get a handle on what you are feeling, before it leads you down a path that will do more harm than good. The Sith did all they could for the baby, and Shayla will come back, she always has."

He quieted for a moment then. "Hate will gain you nothing here."

He paused at that, trying to remember the last time he knew where the guy was, for that matter, although he really wasn't sure. "And aside from that, what are we going to do if Graysith and Phalomir aren't on K'eel Doba, and Tarnus is still there imprisoned? He vaguely knows me, so he might trust me, but after being imprisoned in a Sith tempe...

...and since you look mighty sith...

...he might not trust you."

“It’s not like I exactly asked you to come along. Happy to have you, though, of course. But as for Thoran, Phal had found him an K’eel Doba, I forget how – I think he was with you guys or something, wasn’t he? Anyway, there was something wrong with him, his leg was all injured – something about being stung by a demon. Phal, before leaving with us to what we thought was going to be Dagobah, but turned out to be the Elseness, had left Thoran in the care of the healers there. But I think that the way he phrased it, Thoran might very well be in a mental institution for all I know.”

Panthar leaned back again, placing his hands behind his head.

Pausing then, Erik's eyes defocused even further. "Even if she comes back...I don't think I can do this anymore. Ever since she was taken from the Praxeum, she comes and goes, comes and goes..."

He trailed, his eyes seeing something other. After a long period of time, he shook his head a bit, eyes yet cloudy. "I just need to bury my son..."

He paused a moment. "Our son ...and perhaps the only thing we had left to bring us together."

Aeylmaar stood in silence, his eyes staring into the cinnabar depths of the hearth where the hottest and bluest fires lurked. The heat from them prompted beads of sweat to form upon his cheek and brow, which trickled unnoticed down the smooth planes of his face, utterly ignored. For he felt no heat, he saw no flame. All that occupied his thoughts were the events which had so rapidly transpired, from his point of view, in too short of a period of time.

We are the Lords, the thought rumbled about his head. We kept them all, took care of them. Why, it was but scarce months ago that I was sent on an errand by my Master, now my Father, to assist one human world in-- what was it?

He frowned with the realization that the specifics seemed to have fled him, overwhelmed by the barrage of events which had ensued since that time.

I had just returned, and Father drew me into his Inner Chambers, and told me of the others, the evil humans, those who were in the process of slaughtering us to a Sith, they with their weapons of light and their souls of dark.

When was that? Not long, mere weeks ago, right?

He sniffed a little, and put a hand atop the mantel to keep himself from overly swaying.

And now... now they run in our Temple again, doing as they wish albeit ever-so-politely... so they think. I yield to Father in welcoming them here, in assisting... but they forget, they forget who they are, who we are, we who have guided and aided for as long as the universe held history.

He cocked his head a bit to the side, and shot a sidelongs glance in the general direction of behind him, where the Jedi sat with the whining human male.

Jedi, how light is your soul, truly?

...sometimes people will only trust so far. The last Tarnus saw her, according to what we know, she blasted the Imperial blockade and threw him in the dungeons. And I know from prior knowledge that hasn't been the first time there has been a conflict."

He paused then, shrugging. "I just think it would be unwise to assume anything just yet. Or to think anything is going to be that simple and straightfoward."

Quieting for a moment, Matt checked the navboard a bit, using the moment to at least gather his thoughts. "And, begging your pardon, while you didn't exactly ask me to go you didn't exactly think through your plan either. At any rate, we've got about four and a half standard hours til we arrive...

...and I think there is little else we can do as far as planning considering there are only two of us. But our assests do now include a blaster and a commlink...

...neither of which you presently have yourself."

Then he turned to Shawn. "So what're we going to do?" he then asked, arching a brow. "We want to give Lord Aeylmaar some space," he then said, holding one finger up to designate his thoughts, "And we need to rejoin with everyone else, somehow. Waiting around doesn't thrill me...

...not in the least. Sitting here and doing nothing certainly doesn't, unless it's going to involve partaking some more brandy. And even if we did have a ship, I'd hate to leave here with some unsettled issues going on, for someone else to step into them unaware."

Falling silent for a moment then, Jasyn turned and looked at Erik, whose eyes were still vague and brooding. "You seemed fine with everything that was going on here until..."

He trailed a moment, "...well, you know. The Sith didn't turn off the powers that were keeping your kid alive, buddy, that was our pal Ole' Googly, I know, I was there."

Jasyn paused then, frowning, his own brown eyes turning a bit distant. "So if you really have to have something or someone to blame..."

...but the general direction of what he was saying was troubling regardless. "You're going to have to let it go, and let him go."

Shawn trailed. Not to mention the fact you might have to let Shayla go too... came the small mental addendum.

The tall Healer coughed slightly and bowed, holding the container out in front of him.

“Under normal circumstances, this child’s remains would be preserved indefinitely,” he said quietly as he straightened up. “However, times are far from such. A thousand pardons, but the best we could do is to preserve him with a refrigeration device. His appearance should not alter for at least several years.”

He took a deep, shuddery breath, and with effort gathered himself. Suddenly he knew what he had to do.

And he had to do it alone.

"I need a ship," he then said to no one in particular, almost saying it out loud simply to confirm with the inner demons now trying to take hold of him. "I want to bury my son...

...alone, on my home world. With Shayla gone, I don't belong here anymore."

And I never have, came a final and completely damning thought. Standing, he paused a moment to steady himself, ignoring what either Jasyn or Shawn were doing, and quite frankly not caring. He took a few steps in Aeylmaar's general direction, but did at least take a care not to get too close to his personal space.

"Can I have a ship, please?" he asked before then falling silent, gripping the box which held the remains of Zackary as though they were the only thing he had left in the universe.

Which was, perhaps, precisely what they were.

No. Requesting-- a ship? Now he too wants a ship?

Aeylmaar's brows thundered a moment longer before the obvious logic of the situation presented itself. Perhaps if he provided this human with another one of Darth Wicked's TIE fighters, he would go away and leave him alone. That would be one more human gone from the world of the Sith.

He nodded crisply, once, shooting one arm out to one side to point at a hovering servant.

"Take this one to the hangar, and provide him with a TIE fighter," he commanded, not bothering to even turn around. He remained thus for awhile, sensing outward until he knew the servant had acquiesed with a bow and had approached Erik. Then he turned round and pinned the dark haired man with a firm look.

"I once stated to you that this is a world of the Sith," he remarked evenly. "I shall refresh your memory in this once again. This is not a place for humans... any humans."

He fell silent, dipping his chin down just a hair to level a too-bright gaze at Erik, his brows still lowering dangerously over the intensity of that look.

He paused, wavering slightly, "But perhaps you should point this out to them as well," he then finished, nodding in a particular direction to indicate both Shawn and Jasyn before then turning to follow the waiting servant out of the dining hall and to the the place where the fighters were berthed, trying his best to keep his mind on the task ahead...

...for it hurt him more and more with each passing moment to look back. Loading the small sith box into a fighter, he got in and prepped it for departure and keyed in the coordinates to his home world of Corellia into the navcomputer.

He wasn't welcome there, but it was the logical place to bury Zackary. And what other place was there to go at the end, than back to the beginning...

What he has said may indeed be true... but their purpose has been served. We have returned, and no longer need them. In fact, it perhaps would be a danger to have them about in any shape or form, knowing what they do and having done what they have.

Father will see the wisdom in my thoughts; I shall explain it to him upon his return. Until then--

He cut any further conjecture in the bud, unwilling to concede the assistance these humans had indeed provided his race in the recent past. All he could see was what to him was the past, the true past, the past before the Dark Jedi had come bringing terrorizing anger and death.

Now he turned his gaze to the remainder of the men present. He opened his mouth, closed it, kicked the shattered crystals and remained silent. Another ounce or so of brandy took control of his senses in that brief moment of time, making it even more difficult to think, let alone speak.

Panthar scratched his head and walked to the back panel across from him. Touching a button, he caused the panel to slide open, revealing a stack of three sleek black boxes sitting atop a larger flat box.

Intrigued, he removed the top box and opened it. Inside was white blaster, set in a cushioned niche that seemed to be made just for it. Below the barrel, also set in its own niche, was a com-link. Panthar smiled and checked the next box. Finding rations in this box, he removed the other identical box and set both aside.

Truly curious now, he took out the larger box and peeked inside. His face lit with delight and he whirled to return to the cockpit.

“You will never guess what I found!” he exclaimed as he sat. Matt returned a curious look to Panthar’s beaming face. Unable to control his excitement further, Panthar lifted the top off of the large box.

“Holo-chess!” he shouted.

Four standard hours later, Panthar finished a last game of solitaire chess and placed the lid on the box. Matt had been dozing for some time, and Panthar cleared his throat loudly to wake Matt.

“We’ll be entering normal space pretty soon, I think,” he said as Matt stirred. “Do you want another game before we do?”

(((***OOC: Hear Matt’s answer in Creep of Shadow in this forum. Thank you!***)))

If only they had gone with Terrin and Galen instead of with Stargazer and the others. He always hated being on the Sith worlds.

Unable to take anymore of the waiting and the Jedi's silence, Jasyn whirled to face him on the divan. "Look!" he then blurted. "Something is very wrong here, and you and I both know it, so we should quit pretending. Graysith and Phalomir should have been back by now with Tarnus, they've had more than enough time to free him and come back here, even via a ship...

...which they have access to in Prinn'chatka. So stay here and meditate all that you want...

"So what happened to not wanting to leave here and let anyone walk into a mess?" Shawn asked, sighing. "Still, you have a point, something seems wrong with the fact the others haven't returned. But you have commlink communications with Mr. Stanza, correct?"

"Matt, this is Jasyn. Checking in to see if you and Panthar have come up with anything. Let us know; Graysith and Lord Phalomir still haven't returned here, and Shawn and I agree it's been too long. Might be time to do something else if they aren't on K'eel Doba for some reason."

"Allright, that's well more than enough of this," Jasyn growled, keying in another freqency into his commlink to send a message to Eagle II.

"Terrin and Galen, this is Jasyn. Shawn and I are still sitting here on Khar Delba, mood unfriendly. No sign of Graysith or Lord Phalomir...

I chose a seldom used text option to reply to him.

"Jasyn, this is Galen. I am answering in lieu of Terrin, but will clear with him and send further information if there is any.

"Unless your life is under immediate threat, sit tight and play it cool, buddy. If the Sith are suddenly going predatory on ya, running might induce them to chase.

"I'll inform Terrin of your situation as stated; meanwhile, I'm sure he'd appreciate a bit more information than Aeylmaar 'turning sour.' If you possibly can, send a little more detail. Use personal comm-links; we're due to debark on Hornett in a few minutes, and won't be aboard Eagle II to receive your reply.

"Watch your back, and wait for further contact.

"Galen on Eagle II, out."

Such was the case here. He turned and took a rather abrupt seat on the divan next to Shawn, who arched an eyebrow at him, seeming to already know what the incoming response had said. Jasyn sighed, and opened a new comm message box to respond to Terrin's personal comm frequency.

After the death of the Kartan infant, Stargazer took sudden leave. After a search for her we determined she has left the planet; in the process Erik was hostile and seems to have angered Aeylmaar. He too has departed with his son's body, but Aeylmaar remains aloof, telling those who have left to not return and not wanting us to speak with him or make any requests. He has fainted from a drinking spell and has been removed from the Dining area. We have not seen him since. For the moment, we sit here and wait.

Just keep doing what Galen said to do. Lay low and try to smooth the waters. Mind what Shawn might be thinking and feeling, he is more of a negotiator than you. We may need friends on Khar Delba; stay civil.

Then he quickly began with a response.

"Unfortunately there are few of us left that I am aware of, although there may be those who remain under cover. At present, I know there once was one man who was going to assist me in recreating a Jedi Temple on Tatooine, which was approved by the Empire, but I have not heard from him in some time and fear the worst. Other than that I know of at least two others who are not full Jedi but force sensitive, those being my brother-in-law Erik Kartan and my sister Shayla Petrolu Kartan. I have encountered an individual here or there who longs to be trained in the Jedi ways but does not remain. Our status, I fear, is grim. And at the moment I, along with all others that I know, have lost our connection with the Force...

...so we are no more able to deal with anything tto come than the next person other perhaps applying our training in ways that does not require Force-usage."

Sending his message off, Shawn continued to wait patiently for whatever was to come next...

...much to the chagrin of his companion. "He will return soon," Shawn said evenly.

That place unknown to all but the Dark Lord and his closest and most trusted servants, to be used only in time of dire circumstance. That place where, eons ago, his adoptive father had cloistered himself to wield the finishing touch on his Grand Plan of bringing the Sith back into glorious and vibrant life.)

His roving eye settled on a peculiarly empty-looking place which nestled between the few magickal devices hidden here. It looked as if someone had removed something... what could that be?

The muffled sounds of voices broke through his puzzlement, and he forced his recalcitrant brain to think further. It took a moment or two more before he recognized the sounds: it was that of the two humans speaking to themselves, the words they spoke indistinct but the general sound of them picked up by the exquisite hearing of the young Heir Apparent. Abruptly, images clicked neatly together.

The humans. Those who should be respectful to him as the son of the Dark Lord of the Sorcerers, but who had come into his house with seemingly almost blatant nonchalance, overstepping their bounds, speaking of their own plans and ignoring him as if he was no more than a bit of dust on the floor.

Or so it had seemed.

Aeylmaar let out a frustrated sigh, and rose carefully to his feet. No matter what his feelings were, as the Heir Apparent and acting Dark Lord he needed to show the humans at least a modicum of polite respect. Perhaps it was simply a matter that these particular two just didn't have knowledge of Sith-human etiquette; the pair that had come before with the premature infant at least had recognized that important quality, and had used it well.

Going to a little niche he pressed a stone lever. Counterweights dropped noiselessly, letting a portion of the wall which separated this hidden room from the Dining Hall oil open with the sound of a single snowflake falling. He knew this chamber was back in the recessess of the Dining Hall, and that to the men he would seem to have simply appeared as if from nowhere.

Entering the Dining Room, he waited until the wall had replaced itself before moving gracefully -- if yet a bit unsteadily -- to where the two were yet seated on the couch. Nodding to a servant who appeared from nowhere he came to a short stop a few paces from the men, then went to a sideboard where fruits, meats, and hot -- and thankfully not potent -- beverages waited to break his fast.

Turning, he watched as the servant returned and came to the pair. That worthy bowed, holding platters of precious metal in his hands, and waited.

"Perhaps you would care to break your fast?" Aeylmaar announced, as if nothing in the world had happened at all between the three of them.

"Yes, please," he responded quite simply, getting to his feet. Shawn was relieved that for the moment Jasyn bit his tongue and stood with a nod, making his best effort to remain polite (which was no doubt saying a lot for one such as he). Still, Jasyn began to reach for one of the shining plates in the servants hands...

Kriffing hell, someone has got to make a move or we'll be standing here until the rontos come home!

So Jasyn decided to take the first step, much to Shawn's chagrin. Before the Jedi could stop him, he reached out and took one of the proffered platters, nodding to the servant thankfully. Then he turned to Lord Aeylmaar, who seemed to be watching intently. He didn't have to look at Shawn to feel the look he was getting.

"Ahhh...after you..."

And as Terrin would point out, everyone likes free parts and service.

"Ahhh, I was thinking," Jasyn started awkwardly, drawing looks he tried to not analyze from both Aeylmaar and Shawn, "Maybe I could help you hook up some communications until your magick is restored?" he then ventured. "I might need some parts from Eagle Enterprises to hook you up, but then again you might have something I can use here. This way you'll at least be able to make quicker contact with your people and maybe allay some of the concerns here til things are better."

He paused, hoping that was only surprise he was reading in Aeylmaar's eyes. He didn't dare look at Shawn.

"And it'll allow you to keep in contact with K'khil while he looks for Lord Aelvedaar and the others more easily since all you have at the moment is a single comm unit."

Jasyn quieted, hoping that maybe this offer would help smooth the waters over some as Terrin and Galen had wanted, hoping his lack of negotiating skills wouldn't totally screw things up.

What do I do? What have I said? These humans are not like those before-- for by now, hangover be damned, enough logic had returned to him to point out quite matter-of-factly that much, much time had passed in the Galaxy since those days when Men called Sith "Master."

I have spoken ill of them, to myself; I have spoken ill to them. Father would be ashamed of me...

Slowly, a rather shaky hand lifted a cup of steaming caf-equivalent to his lips. He took a quick gulp, then after forcing down the onrush of nausea that swallow cost him, set it down and went seeking something a bit fruitier. All the while his thoughts churned, bringing with them a modicum of embarrassment and shame.

What would Dark Lord Aelvedaar do if he ever discovered his secret? Not that he actually hated the humans, as his words and actions of the night before more than likely led them to believe, but that he simply could not handle his brandy.

Nor, the more his Father was away, the less he could keep himself from it.

He sighed a little, reaching out to pour himself some juice but was quickly apprehended by a servant, who rushed apologetically up and performed the little task for him. Handing him the goblet, the servant bowed himself back into the shadows of the overwhelming Dining Hall; Aeylmaar could only stare after him in silence, sipping a bit from the drink.

Sometimes I wish my life was as simple as that-- no. It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen as Heir Apparent! I will not let my Father down!

Carefully setting the goblet upon a sideboard, he turned carefully around and approached the two humans. The Jedi appraised him with a quiet look, while the other wore an expression that was half curiosity, half fear, and half anger.

He looks like a young tuk'ata just before mindlink is achieved, Aeylmaar could not help but think, as with that thought one hand reached out, palm up to the men.

"I- I- You must forgive me; you are guests here in my house and I have behaved abominably."

As I once did when the other came to me, with his woman, seeking help for their child... and I tossed them off-world in yet another brandy-induced rage!

He fought down a momentary tremble; no matter how badly he was feeling, he was Still Sith and Heir Apparent to the sorcerers. It would not do well to show any further weakness in front of these two men.

But accepting assistance is not necessarily a sign of weakness, and can indeed sometimes be one denoting wisdom.

"Tell me more of what you speak," he said simply before clasping his hands in front of himself and falling into silence.

And heeeey, was that brandy in that goblet over there...? asked the little demon on Jasyn's shoulder.

With effort, he ignored the beastie. After all, Aeylmaar seemed to be trying to make ammends, and seemed interested in his suggestion.

Woah. Maybe he was getting better at this public relations bit. Fat chance.

Shaking himself from these thoughts, Jasyn directed his attention to Aeylmaar's query for more information. "Well, it's called a comm unit, and it operates off a subspace radio. ?Although they can be stationary, you typically use a hand-held or wrist-mounted unit with a specific numerical identification to talk back and forth to others. That's the basic gist of it; maybe you have something similiar here that I can rework to operate on the subspace radio? With the Imperials that were in the area and communicating back and forth, I know once a unit is established ere you should be able to tap into a subspace radio station. The signals can be encoded and secured so nobody unwelcomed taps in, too."

But yet, something of what the man was speaking rang a distant bell.

"I do not know of such things as... radio," he admitted honestly.

"But as subspace is a subcategory of space itself, perhaps the ships we use to traverse the spacetime continuum will have something in them you might use? There are many TIE fighters and other such small ships in the Temple Hangar.

"Could you use something like that?"

And maybe if you do this for him he'll give you more brandy... Damn shouder demon.

"Yes, the TIEs and so forth should have comm systems onboard. Which makes giving you communications even easier. They should already be programmed to work."

And he can keep you here on planet where he can keep an eye on you too, the demon snorted.

"It will be good to get in contact with some of those who have left here and see what progress they are making."

He paused, frowning, trying to keep his final thoughts quiet. He couldn't. "Everyone has been gone too long."

We have not heard from anyone! the alarmed thought rang in his head as he fought once more for control of himself.

Father--

Shaking his head to chase the negative thought from himself, he stepped out toward the double door that opened out onto the corridor beyond.

"I will take you there myself!" he said as he beckoned them to follow. Not bothering to look, he simply assumed the men would follow him as with boyish exuberance he flung open the doors and stepped out.

"Come, they are this way."

Onward he led them, chattering all the while about the great mystery of the TIES; how he had "fallen asleep one night..."

Calmly omitting the fact that sleep was the one of death, brought about by the rampaging Dark Jedi who had killed him.

...only to awaken the next day and find that a strange building had been erected in the night. far stranger yet, it was filled with an assortment of strange little ships, ships not nearly as wonderful as his races' own Sith fighters, but worthy little spacecraft nonetheless. On and on he went, explaining here, deducing there, until at length his words and lengthier stride had carried him to the secreted hanger built on Temple grounds by Darth Wicked, before Aeylmaar and the rest of his race had returned.

"In here," he said simply as he opened a small door meant for beings to enter through. Sensors picked up on his body heat, and blue light flooded the half-buried bay.

Aeylmaar waved a hand toward the array of little craft secreted within.

"They are at your disposal; please, let us contact the others as soon as we can. The Temple is missing its Master."

He trailed, worried about his commrade whose comm signal he'd lost entirely. Again with effort, he shook himself from these thoughts. "Shawn can help you with that while I scavange these ships for comms and their numbers. Should be plenty of units to make you a good system...

...and maybe then we can start talking to people and figure out just what the kriffing hell is going on."

He paused then, frowning. "Damn," he then said, eyeing the TIEs. "If we're going to pull these comms from these ships and find their numbers, I'm going to need something or other to notate which number goes with which comm...

...but then, where there are TIE fighters, there is a computer system and technology to do that," he then said, answering his own question. Waiting for nothing further, Jasyn approached and made entry into the first of the fighters, beginning to work the comm unit free and establishing a method to keep track of each one's number using the onboard computer in that TIE.

"Oh, I forgot," he said simply, now fishing in his robes until his claws rounded upon the device Jasyn had referred to. He pulled it out into the open and held it in the palm of one hand.

"I remember this, somewhat," he said, a bit embarrassed to have utterly forgotten about it. For a brief moment he rolled the comm-link about his fingers before, after letting his lips curl into a smile meant to hide that embarrassment, he held it out to Shawn.

"Perhaps you can use this to contact K'kihl; I am not very adept in the use of these devices," he said.

"K'khil, this is Shawn Petrolu. Just checking in to see how things are progressing there on Endor since we've not heard from you in some time. No news to report here either; all is about the same. Please respond ASAP. Petrolu out."

After completing this brief message, Shawn sent it off along the specified channel to the TIE K'khil had been using...

"Nothing?" he said, the concern apparent in his voice as a dark frown grew on his face. He shook his head then. "You could contact Hornett and see if Terrin, Galen and the gang are still on board. At the very least, Commander Barnes or Garrison should be there to let us know where they were headed next if they aren't there; I do know the secure frequency to get in contact with the ship. And for that matter, I also have the secure frequency for both Terrin and his personal ship the Eagle."

Pausing, Jasyn shrugged. "I'm getting a very bad feeling about all of this. All our commrades are spread right and left across the galaxy, and with some of them missing."

Quieting again, Jasyn turned to face Aeylmaar. "I've got the comm frequencies for these units notated and they are ready for use," he stated, nodding slightly to the load he was still carrying. "Do you have any particular places you want them placed, or anyone in particular you want to try to contact?"

"What the kriffing hell is Kartan thinking? He's obviously off his blasted rocker."

Shaking his head, Jasyn fell silent, not saying anything for a long moment as they all digested what had been said in the message. He would love nothing more than to reestablish connections with Terrin and Galen and everyone else and get off the Sith worlds, and was about to respond as much...

...but something made him pause. Considering all events that had taken place as of late, and especially considering Erik's recent and continuing stupidity, Jasyn knew he had to defer making any decision to someone else whether he really wanted to or not.

Who was this Erik Kartan, anyway? he wondered further. While he did remember him from the first time that the man and his wife had come to Khar Delba for assistance with their prematurely born infant son, they hadn't then been on-planet long enough for him to learn much about them. He had run them off, not understanding at that time the importance of re-establishing bonds of unity between Sith and Human, but instead had deemed them as being nothing more than minions to his people, and thus worthy of nothing but being ignored. That instinctive reaction Aeylmaar struggled with yet guided his actions in regard to the man when Erik had come again, leaving this second time with the tiny body that had died when their magicks had disappeared.

Had something further happened to it? Was he yet crazed with grief, and coming to seek revenge for his son's death?

And more disturbing... what powers had he that could be utilized against the Sith? Or at least toward Aeylmaar in particular? At the very least he would have blasters and such other energy weapons that could be wielded against him, while he in turn could barely defend himself with a sword. He could call upon the Warriors for assistance, but would any of that elite have time enough to come to their sister world to assist him?

His eyes widened as that train of thought derailed at one distressing conclusion.

He did not have the capability to even call K'eel Doba. In the past the Sorcerer clan relied solely upon their magickal devices to maintain communication between the Diamond. With that power now dead, he couldn't call upon a bird in flight through the air above his own head.

Sighing a bit in frustration, he turned to Jasyn.

"I would be grateful for your aid in this," he said simply. He waved a hand once more toward the little array of ships.

"I can make you something with what is available for tracking purposes, but I'm not sure how far we'll be able to sense out with the small sensor arrays in these," he then admitted, indicating the ships in the hangar with the wave of his hand, pausing to chew his lip once more in thought.

"Still, I seem to remember hearing something once about this temple being occupied by others who were not Sith in the past, which is a reasonable assumption since these TIEs are here." He frowned. "Some dark jedi or something, wasn't it?" he queried thoughtfully. "If they were as adamant about protecting what they claimed was theirs as I think they would be, wouldn't they have had some sort of tracking system of their own? Maybe a droid or something that is laying around?"

"I am sorry," he began, truly frustrated that he couldn't be more helpful. Indeed, it did frustrate him that here he was, the Heir Apparent to the powerful Sorcerer clan of the Sith, and he couldn't even sense if there was so much as a bug crawling about at their feet.

"I do not know of anything else that might be here. All I know of are the devices in my Father's Sanctum Sanctorum, and they have been rendered useless."

He shot an apologetic look to Jasyn.

"I'm afraid I must put my faith entirely you... and this in light of how I must have treated you earlier."

The latter was spoken in the softest of whispers, terrible words for a Sith of his standing to be saying, words now dragging his face downward again in embarrassment and contrition.

"For that I am sorry."

"You're talking to someone who is notorious for drinking too much and then saying and doing really stupid things," he finally said, his eyes defocusing as memories flooded into him of times that still seemed like yesterday when he'd screwed up so badly all because of this drink or that. "so don't worry about it. What I am worried about is Erik blasting in here and doing something even more stupid than any of us have done all together and then totally ruining any chance of agreement between humans and the Sith."

Jasyn paused, scowling, and then something occurred to him. "ALthough it seems like if he left from the Hornett to come directly here, he'd have already arrived." A slight pause with a frown. "Maybe he has..."

He paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "Maybe now is the time to join those Jedi together once more so they can help fight whatever this is, as well as whatever might be incoming. If Erik is out there making friends with the intent to attack here, I'd hate for him to think of those frightened force-sensitives and stir them up against you," Shawn then stated, frowning. "I don't know if he'll think of that, but if he does..."

This one speaks of Force sensitives, he pondered to himself. That is something similar to what Father was trying to explain to me on That Day when--

He let his thoughts truncate at that point, side-tracked.

They are not aware of All That Is. They do not understand how to truly See. Thus they exist in the roundhouse of What Is Good, and What Is Evil.... A slight frown now creased his features as he too struggled to understand that which his adoptive Father was yet in the process of teaching him. Unbeknownst to him he had much to learn, far to go, as once did a certain flame-haired human female.

But he knew enough, and despite the loss of his powers he yet had the innate sense to realize that what happened from this point onward could very well prove crucial to their survival. All this flashed through his thoughts at lightspeed; after a moment or two had passed he lifted his face, taking a step backwards as he did so as to be able to fully focus on both Shawn and Jasyn together. The fact that inwardly he knew he was making a high-level governmental decision on his own fought battle with worry for the missing Dark Lord, in turn united with his concern for what might be happening on their sister world of K'eel Doba. Not to mention the little fact that deep down he was wondering like hell whether or not he should take on the responsibility being flung at him now.

"I agree," he said simply, nodding toward the humans. "Now is the time to put our reliance on the supranatural aside, and work with those devices yet available to us. But I believe eventually all will be resolved--"

At least he hoped it would...!

"--and with that resolution will come the eventual realization that our people are here amongst you again. As much as we would like --" Here he stumbled a bit, his brain obstinately flashing back to What Had Been, that deeply seated expectancy he had held throughout his life that the Sith were the Masters and Caretakers of the Galaxy. Something now, however, was struggling to inform him that this may no longer be true, that paradigms must be changed, expanded.

Indeed, he yet had much to learn, far to go.

"As much as we would like," he went on, "once our presence is known our People will more than likely no longer be viewed as they once were." He shot a piercing look into Shawn's eyes, then Jasyn's, not knowing if they even understood the true meaning behind that otherwise cryptic statement. Not giving them time to dwell on it, he went on.

"It would indeed be beneficial to all if we were introduced as who we are, not who were are perceived to be. Perhaps these, these Jedi of which you speak can be our ambassadors to the Galaxy, and you Shawn can be our ambassador to them. It is a small step, but one I feel my Father would have taken, for indeed years have passed and times have changed."

Again he didn't bother to elaborate. He just let the frown of confusion his words evoked from Jasyn remain on the man's face, but took heart to see a light of understanding shining deep in Shawn's eyes.

"Although it would mean diminishing our group, perhaps now would be the time for you, Shawn, to go to your clan, and speak to them of what I have spoken of here. I do not wish that they receive knowledge of only one side of the coin, should Erik decide to try to turn them against us. He cannot understand all that is truly happening with us now, and may somehow believe that we ourselves might be the ones responsible for the loss of the Force-powers your people carry."

Now he focused primarily on Jasyn.

"Please, my friend, do what you wish, cannibalize all that you need. But we need ears and eyes to protect our world; perhaps placing something in orbit might help as well, although that would be easily seen by anyone approaching Khar Delba.

"Shawn."

He turned back to the human who was standing in such deceptive calm before him, even though he knew the man's thoughts must be whirling about his head as much as his own were.

"Perhaps you would take a ship, the best one here, and go to the place of your Jedi. Find them, teach them, open their eyes to us. Be our ambassador.

"I would attend you but I feel I should remain here should my Father return."

Please Father, come home. We need you; I need you. I need to know if I have made the correct decision.

Sahwn trailed again. "As with anything this new and profound, sometimes the concrete is the best way to convince even the deepest mind...

For of all the worlds for such a query to be put, it was this one: the Sith World of the Sorcerer Clan. By very definition the peoples' lives here were guided by their magicks. It was more than a just a tool to use; it defined them as a subgroup of an ancient and powerful race. The Weapon-makers likewise heavily utilized Sith magick, incorporating it as they did in each and every one of their creations. Even the swords and spears they made for the Warriors were imbued with a drop of magick, to help assure they remained in the hands of their owners, or instantly returned to them on their own should they inadvertently be dropped. And as for the Warrior world of K'eel Doba...

"No, that would never do."

Aeylmaar didn't notice that he whispered the words aloud. But the small sound of them brought his thoughts back to the others; raising his head, he pursed his lips.

Then he sighed.

"To be honest, I do not know what I can send that would be of assistance. I cannot think of anything that would be... central enough, grand enough, or..."

He paused, floundering for the correct words to use.

"Representative enough in and of itself to convince your clan."

Wondering if he should indeed take the next logical step, he allowed his gaze to sweep out over the array of little ships tucked into the hidden hangar. Then his eyes widened as a thought struck him.

"Do these vessels have any recording devices on them?" he asked, turning back to Shawn. "Perhaps you could fly about this world and record what you see: our villages, our people going about their daily routines as much as they can at this time, and our Temple.

What better way for others to see the race here living their daily lives? What better way to explain that the Sith were far more than the Dark Jedi many thought they were?

"Yes, that can be done, and quite easily," Shawn responded. "And the realtime examples of how your people live their daily lives should go a long way towards showing the Jedi who the Sith are."

Shawn paused, pursing his lips slightly. "I should be on my way. With Erik out there doing the Force knows what, and with far more dark and elusive things occurring, I hope we can all get past our differences and unite."

Having said that, he turned to Jasyn. "I trust you can provide me with at least one comm frequency that you will be using here, so that I can touch base here and report occassionally on my progress?" he asked.

Jasyn nodded. "I can program in a few frequencies into the comm unit of whichever ship you leave in," the other responded simply.

Satisfied with that, he turned to Aeylmaar one final time and nodded respectfully to him. "I will be in touch with you then, via commlink if not in person. May the Force --and All Else That is--" he added, "be with us."

With nothing further then, Shawn turned and headed into the docking bay beyond, Jasyn following to assist him in programming some of the requested comm frequencies as he had promised into the ship Shawn chose to take. In little time, Shawn found himself within a small TIE fighter, its systems old yet quite well maintained, flying around K'har Delba taking some images of the Sith going about their daily lives as they had proposed. At length satisfied with the images he had taken, and hoping that he had not alarmed any of the Sith below too much, Shawn turned to the task of heading to space beyond. Although he wasn't much of a pilot, he managed to do so with a modicum of skill, surprised once more that the little fighter's systems were so well maintained. In only a few more standard minutes. he had broken the gravity well of the planet and went to hyperspace beyond...

(((OCC: Look for Shawn to revert to realspace in Round and Round She Goes in the CSWU, thank you.)))

Heh. This means you're the only human left here. That is, unless Matt finally returns.

Jasyn frowned at this thought. Dammit Matt, where are you?

Shaking his head as if to clear both concerns for his friend and his negative thoughts regarding being the only human on Khar Delba away, Jasyn returned to where he'd left Aeylmaar standing near a pile of comm units.

"All I need to do with these is place them where you think they will serve you best," he said to Aeylmaar, indicating the pile of units. "I can also teach whomever you would like to use them as well. That should not take long."

He paused then, chewing his lip in thought and ignoring the sudden hankering he had for some Sith brandy in the face of being here sans any other humans and with not much else to do. Fortunately, another idea came to mind about that time to prevent said desire from growing too far out of porportion.

I didn't know one could actually fly a ship without magick! came a sudden thought, ridiculous if only for the fact that Shawn had just indeed done so. But thus deeply are traditions and mores sunk into one's being; he knew his people had the intelligence to learn, but had to hope they would allow themselves to do so.

"Let me call--" he began, then cut himself off, embarrassed. Reliance on magick did indeed run deep; he couldn't call anthing or anyone. Giving Jasyn a rueful grin, he modified his erstwhile hasty rejoinder.

But then what did he know of ships? He knew that before they had returned, a Darth who had been inhabiting the then partially ruined Temple had stocked this hidden hangar with ships. Unless he had lived here many, many years in the past, it seemed to the young Heir Apparent that the ships should work just fine. It would not make any sense for someone to stockade non-working merchandise.

He said as much to Jasyn.

...so pay me no mind."

He paused then, a bit amused with himself for still having some of that old EE desire to sell bigger, better, and faster after being behind the scenes for so long.

"As for teaching you and your guys how to fly and operate the systems on the TIEs...

...whenever you are ready," he finished with, glad to finally feel like he was doing something of use.

"Good!" he exclaimed somewhat enthusiastically before catching his gaffe and forcing himself to display a demeanor more worthy of his office.

I must remember that in Father's absence, I rule the Sorcerer clan...

The thought sent shivers up and down his spine, shivers he couldn't quite suppress. It weighed heavily upon him that their magicks were gone, that his people were in disarray because of it...

But most of all because his beloved adopted Father was missing.

He sighed, suddenly deflated, then raised his head to look at Jasyn.

"I am sorry," he said, not wishing at the moment to go into anything further than that. Then he forced himself to brighten a bit, finally settling upon an emotion something of a cross between youthful enthusiasm and royal hauteur.

"Perhaps we should return now to the Temple? You can eat or drink, or otherwise entertain yourself while I arrange for some suitable students for our-- that is, for your venture. I believe it best we begin this tomorrow morning; in the meanwhile, the night is yet young."

"Yeah, all this work has stirred up my appetite," he began as he and Aeylmaar began walking back towards the Dining Hall, trying to push back the mental image of what he was really wanting. He was successful for about ten standard seconds.

"I don't suppose there will be any Sith Brandy on the menu?" he asked, the eagerness radiating in his voice despite any effort to keep it back. "Someday you guys should really market the stuff, best thing I think I've ever drank."

And pal, you've had your fill of quite a spread of drinks, a shoulder devil snickered.

That which some have come to think of as Which Was reared its wonderful one-ness back into the omnipotent non-ness of what it was/wasn't; cradled its quite unique non-ness into the accepting arms of the all-encompassing one-ness and let go a little, virtual smile. It took a look about its non-self, taking in the grandeur of ALL there was, the ALL of which some little portions of it were now being allowed to awaken to the fact that their gradually progressing perceptions of it were on the right track.

There was a time Man thought HE was the center of it all. In response to that silliness time was given; Man then thought his little celestial body was. Then his little stellar; oh, such wonderful beings those stellars. Perhaps one day their language would finally be deciphered by the other pieces at play.

He/she/it shook a figurative head, smiled more smugly at the Progression Of Things, which albeit slow was at least on an accurate track.

One day those little motes awoke to the fact that there was more, oh indeed quite more; their tunneled little view expanded its paradigms and took a leap of faith.

Stellars existed, vast quantities of them in wonderful pin-wheeling units. At first only each individual one was recognized by the motes inhabiting it, but slowly, bit by bit, in a manner yet evolving, each little bit grew cognizant of the fact that there were more, there were hundreds, millions, billions of those units, each in turn encompassing billions of stellar brothers.

That the stellars were the true Life of the Universe was not yet understood by the little motes dwelling in the All-ness; it was enough that they now looked out toward a universe with tiny eyes that were gradually opening in recognition of the fact that perhaps the better term was in fact Universes...

"Hey, unfair move! That's partiality!" The cry from him/her/itself came from behind him/her/itself.

That-Which-Was took up some stuff of what is, coalesed it into the brilliant ultraviolet-and-chrome Eyes of which he/she/it had become quite fond, and cast them behind his/her/itself.

A figurative sigh was heaved.

"We hoped we wouldn't have noticed..." it non-said, then muttered in further rejoinder, "But a fair move had been made."

Nothing back but a snort; he/she/it sighed, and then waved a figurative hand.

The fabric of Stuff which wove together existence of both forms, be it living or non, rippled, gathered into an immensely tiny little bunch, and exploded outward in the virtual equivalent of a Big Bang.

Here and there certain motes began waking up, some in surprise, some with regret, but one by one those certain few began to wake up as if from a deep slumber.

The Other still wasn't satisfied. "We're not just giving it away!" it protested, the non-words loud and born in total effrontery.

That-Which-Was merely snorted.

"Of course not. Balance must be maintained; it must always be maintained. We know that, and some of us still know it at different degrees, at different levels than others.

"We'll see now..."

The Other muttered beneath its non-breath. "We still think you're making up the Rules as you go along! But we'll wait.

He paused in mid-step, his mouth hanging open in preparation of replying to Jasyn, as in immediate response to the flood of warmth he just pushed everything else off the table so he could reach out in a welcoming embrace. Unbeknownst to him, he had let his head hang backwards, his face uplifted, his arms rising as they reached out to the All, letting it back into his essence.

"It is back," he breathed in a little whisper.

Then the moment was gone, the overwhelming feeling of rapture and gratitude and acceptance put out in an instant as normalcy rushed in to take its place. He whirled to stare at Jasyn, a great smile now threatening to split his features.

"It is back!!"

He waved a hand through the air in a particular manner, grasping hold of the various and sundry molecules from which it was made, wrenching out a small proportion of them and reassembling them as a child would a jig-saw puzzle. From seeming nowhere, an apple dropped and thudded at Jasyn's feet.

"The magick has returned,; I can speak to All There Is again!" he cried joyously as with another frivolous expenditure of energy and ability he created another fruit. This time it was a t'plyyk fruit that fell to the ground. A smile still plastered on his face, he picked it up and started to take a bite out of it when again he paused. Cocking his head to one side, he cast a peculiar look at Jasyn.

"I don't know how quickly my people will recognize the return of magick, if they are not actively looking for it," he finally said. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to continue on with our original plan? This way some might learn a new skill, and learn a bit of independence should such an event ever occur again."

Nodding in a satisfied manner he turned an continued on his way to the Temple.

...or two or three. He wondered just what had prompted the sudden return of powers.

Jasyn frowned to himself. Or if again they were somehow being tested as he and Matt had been in the cave when they were looking for Shawn.

Damn, where the kriffing hell was Matt? And Panthar?

"Forgive me for being a suspicious soul, but I wonder what prompted the return of powers?" Jasyn asked, hoping he wasn't overstepping.

Jasyn frowned, remembering. "I was there when they were all taken, and it sounded like the Eyes wanted us all to do something before powers were returned."

Like not take Them for granted anymore, maybe. So who did what, or was that it at all?

"The-- Eyes?" he asked, turning to face Jasyn in genuine curiosity. "You mean That Which Is, or the thing Panthar refers to as 'Ol' Googly?' Do you think that it was That which caused the loss of our powers?"

Without waiting for a reply he turned and continued walking, his mind full of fear-tinged worry.

What was this Thing, that it had such awesome omnipotence to rip from reality not merely magicks and what the Jedi called The Force, but even the overwhelming splendor of The All? Why would it toy with them so?

This last thought brought along with it a subsequent one which pondered another imponderable: who, or what, were they all to It?

That sent worry to the four corners of the Universe, leaving nothing but rising fear in its wake.

Father; I need Father; he will know what to do, he will know of these things. With The All returned, I should be able to find him now.

"Come," he said, his step hastening. "I will take care of your needs; in the meantime, I believe I need to go fetch the true keeper of this Temple, and this world."

"Wait, wait!" he called after Aeylmaar. "Maybe that's not such a good idea."

He cringed at the sound of what he had just said, so he added an explanation. "Matt and I were looking for Shawn Petrolu when all this came down and Ol' Googly took the powers away. We were being tested or someething...we were struggling to find Shawn and suddenly this nightbat appeared and lead us to him. The next thing we knew the nightbat morphed into the Eyes and It started spouting off words about the easiest path always being taken for the sake of one."

Jasyn frowned. "Whatever That Which Is is the Thing doesn't seem to think we are using the Supernatural appropriately."

It seemed to be a solid, logical one at that.

He sighed, and continued walking. "Then-- I do not know what to do other than... wait."

His worry-filled amber eyes lit with a tinge of excitement as an idea struck him.

"I cannot believe that That... whatever-It-is, is truly unhappy with the way powers have been used. If so, why risk further misuse? Why return them at all? In fact, why were we even given these abilities to begin with? Or why have any of these supernatural powers been given out to so many different races throughout the galaxy? Why do the Jedi have their Force? Why do we have our Sith magick?"

Why can Father touch the All... and teach it to me? And to her as well...?

He shook his head.

"Perhaps you are only partially correct. Maybe I need to do this the way our people have dealt with such for millennia."

He stopped walking altogether and, turning to face Jasyn, paused a moment further for thought.

"I believe we need to take a ship, and go to K'eel Doba, to consult the Great Library which is there," he finally said. "Or perhaps the Crystal Octahedron in Father's Sanctum Sanctorum can provide an answer, if I can still utilize it correctly.

"But you may be right, Jasyn. Maybe just finding Father with a wave of one hand is too much of a shortcut. Maybe we need to find him using the strengths we Sith have always possessed, and have used for countless ages to help not only your kind, but others in our great Galactic community."

Even so far as bringing people back from the dead.

Jasyn frowned to himself at this final thought, then turned his attentions back to Aeylmaar. "Yeah, what you're saying makes sense," he then said aloud. "I'm sure the Octahedron can tell you quite a lot, and it's here and accessible," he then observed.

"How long have they been gone?" he questioned outright. "I-- I do not remember."

The skin of his face reddened to a deeper hue as his own words exacerbated the embarrassment he felt at how he had treated his guests.

Great S'slan, how long was I unaware of my surroundings? How long had the two who were under my care been out of contact, and I not even knowing?

Father would be so very disappointed in me.

He lowered his face until the flames in his cheeks cooled; then he raised it to pin Jasyn's eyes with his own.

"We will attempt using the Crystal Octahedron," he said, nodding his head in a manner that brooked no dissuasion. "In using it, we will not be able to hear any words being spoken, but if we ask the right questions we might yet obtain the answers we seek.

"Come, follow me. We shall hasten there directly."

"Matt and Panthar have really only been gone a few days," he then stated. "But I can't get in contact with him via his commlink at all."

Jasyn paused, shaking his head. "Something is definitely wrong with that."

Quieting for a few moments, something occurred to Jasyn. He figured he didn't know much about what he was thinking, but decided to say it anyway.

"Hey, Jedi all have this connection with one another via the Force. If all the powers are back, don't you and Lord Aelvedaar have something similiar...

"I mean," he hastened to amend. "Yes, Through the wonders of the All we are linked, mind to mind, blood to blood. But as we have just discussed, would not this be similar to using the All to simply, poof! go directly to him? Would that not risk bringing down the displeasure of That which took it away from us?"

He cast a meaningful look upon Jasyn.

"No," he then finally asserted before turning away from the human male and continuing into the Dark Lord Aelvedaar's Sanctum Sanctorum. Through a series of concentric chambers they progressed, chambers filled with mystical hangings and even more mystical devices. The use of most were as yet completely unknown to Aeylmaar; the Dark Jedi had come to their world while he was yet but a young apprentice.

As still I am! he told himself fiercely, reminding himself to remain humble, mindful, nevermind the apparent weaknesses that Jasyn displayed simply for the fact that he was human.

There is always the unknown to everyone, to everyone there is always something new. That does not make them weak; I am not weak, either!

Not deigning to speak his thoughts aloud, he merely kept on, winding partway along a curving corridor only to come upon a doorway into yet another chamber, stepping lightly but quickly through that to pass through yet another door, into yet another curving corridor, onward and onward, bypassing one door only to enter through yet another, inward and inward...

As well as downward and downward. For although it was but in a slight manner, the stone floor did slope. And so the Sith lordling led Jasyn not only into his adoptive father's Sanctum Sanctorum, but through it downward as well. The closer they came to the center, the deeper into the bowels of the Great Temple did they travel.

Until at length they came to the final chamber. It was occupied by two great instruments: one tall and utterly dark, with crystalline walls, inside which tiny little specks of some small substances floated, indicating that it was fluidic in nature. The other...

"The Crystal Octahedron," Aeylmaar said, his voice hushed without his even being aware of it, one hand indicating its greeny-gold roiling brilliance with the most respectful of gestures. For a long moment he stood quietly, silently comparing thd oh-so-obvious differences between the two strange and magickal devices: the one tall and dark and void; the other a great, plump octahedron, crystalline of wall, but brilliant with the light of...

Of Life.

"This is the fruit of our magick..." Aeylmaar breathed, then continued toward the shining instrument. Drawing in a deep breath, he then laid a slender, clawed hand against it.

The crystal, surprisingly enough, was hot to the touch, the strange material within it roiling and coiling upon itself, some of it now seeming to coalesce on the other side of the wall where his hand lay quiet.

Quickly he gestured to Jasyn, motioning him to come closer. When the man complied, Aeylmaar let his free hand dart out, catching the man by the face, his long fingers wrapping themselves about his jaw, his cheeks, his temple. Firmly, yet hopefully not painfully, he let the very tip of the claw of his forefinger poke into the man's flesh, on the cranium just over his left eyebrow.

...and by an influx of something he couldn't even begin to describe if he tried. He vaguely heard Aeylmaar's command to think, but for a long moment struggled against what was long a part of him and still a part of him whether or not he would admit it--wariness of the Sith, of their magicks, and of their intentions. But the logical portion of himself took hold in this too, for the Sith had helped in the past as much as they had come against them.

And Aeylmaar, as best as he knew how, was attempting to help here and now.

So Jasyn managed to relax enough to do exactly what Aeylmaar was requesting of him. In his mind's eye, he recalled when Matt and Panthar had departed the Temple of the Sorcerors, and allowed Sith Magick to interpret his memories of both men. Slowly but surely, Something happened and images began to flash on the Octahedron's crystalline surface...

...images of Panthar piloting a ship that Jasyn didn't recognize, and images of Matt, bound by chains and a dank, dark moss-laden cell.

Suddenly, there came upon its surface and within its roiling depths, a quick-flash of images; images of Matt and Panthar leaving on their little journey to the Sister World, landing, their capture by the Sith soldiers, being brought before the young halfling ShaRhylla beside whom was standing a familiar blonde young lady with even more familiar greeny-blue eyes, Matt's sudden eviction to the dungeons, and then Panthar's departure with the females, human and halfling...

Their arrival upon Endor's moon. Time within their little vessel and their leaving it; the return of Panthar carrying the silent Phalomir, followed by the females now joined themselves by a newcomer, a young man white of hair and red of eye...

Their departure. Off into the unknown; a sudden rift, a change; a new ship, now, if judged by its interior, one strangely familiar; a roil of demonic imps, and then there was Panthar and Phalomir and the halfling, Panthar at the controls, the white haired young man not observed, nor was the blonde human female...

The images came slower and slower as they approached real-time, until they finally stopped with the image of Panthar at the controls of the strangely familiar ship.

"This is bad. This is very, very bad," Jasyn muttered, still shaking his head. With effort, Jasyn stopped shaking his head...

...and managed to look Aeylmaar in his own widened eyes. And about this time a blinding white arrow of wisdom hit Jasyn square between the eyes: Matt's predicament was bad...

...but what of the other things the Octahedron showed? Hadn't they already learned the lesson of what could happen when they placed the needs of one over the potential doom of many others? And something told Jasyn that was exactly what was shown here.

And he said as much to Aeylmaar, much to his dismay.

"I don't know where to go from here," he admitted. "My friend is in trouble...

Inside the Octahedron, the final image faded, supplanted once more by roiling green-golden brilliance. Behind him came some buzzing noises.

Frowning, Aeylmaar shook his horned head, and brought his focus back to reality. The buzzing then segued into a strangely patterned sequence of buzzes. Jasyn was speaking; with some effort, still chilled by the magicks of the conduit, he managed to dissolve the buzzing into words, and gave the words meaning.

"N-no," he finally whispered through suddenly dry lips. He licked them, tried again.

"No, you misunderstand," he said more firmly now.

"This is our magick, it always has been. There is no interpretation; what is shown, simply is."

"Oh, Bloody kriffing hell."

Despite their crassness, the words managed to carry with them a certain depth none the less. "So what do we do now? Sure, I'd love to go rescue Matt from whatever dungeon--probably on K'eel Doba--that he is in...

...but what about the other images? I know that ship the one the demons were in from somewhere, I am almost sure of..."

He trailed, his memory finally registering. "Oh hell, it's the Devil May Care, Joao's ship," he then said to himself as he recalled the trip on that ship with Terrin, Galen...

...and what happened there, with a bit of a shudder. "And that other ship Panthar is piloting, it's a bit familiar too, but I can't place it."

Jasyn paused, shaking his head again.

"If I learned anything from back on Degobah when we encountered 'Ole Googly, it's this: Magick and powers should be used for the good of more than one single person."

He sighed, his look darkening. "We have got to do something about all this."

"I cannot leave the people, not while the Dark Lord is yet absent," he said softly. "Much as I would like; I could, on the other hand, send you in a ship with an emissary to K'eel Doba, to present ourselves to-- to--"

He trailed a moment, suddenly sidetracked. For nowhere in any of the images had they seen the Dark Lady; only her firebrand daughter.

"Is the Dark Lady in residence?" he wondered aloud, then shook his head.

"Perhaps we should wait and see what our friend Shawn uncovers in his search," he said. "Or, better yet, perhaps you should contact him and let him know of what we have just now learned."

...but what Aeylmaar was saying was making a whole lot of sense.

"Yeah," he responded ot Aeylmaar, nodding to affrim both himself and what the Heir Apparent had said. "He might have some insight into what to do, at least regarding his sister."

"This is a plan," he said simply, and turned to go when he suddenly cut himself short. Turning back to Jasyn, he gestured toward the Octahedron.

"Perhaps..." he said softly, then returned to it and once again laid a firm hand upon its deceptively hot surface. Within, the magicks roiled, churning and writhing like a serpent's nest, coming together only to subduct, to descend into itself, round and round and in and inside...

And the image became clear amidst the chaos.

It showed a red-haired female, hunkered as if in pain, leaning heavily against a wall of a heavily populated city. She raised a face; it was lined with care, with worry...

With tears.

...but sheesh, that ain't Endor unless the Ewoks have gone into modern trade overnight."

He paused, chewoing his lip even more, and simply scowling. "If I had some databases to tap into or something, then maybe I could analyze the image and get something...

...but that wouldn't even help very much."

He paused, trying to come up with something...

...nd that's when the image finally matched itself with something in his brain. "Oh kriffing hell, Bespin, she's on Bespin! I've been there before," he finished in explanation.

And if need be, I could get there again, came an unspoken addendum which Jasyn was certain Aeylmaar would be able to surmise for himself.

Complete and simple surprise etched the word bursting from Aeylmaar's lips. He shot Jasyn an excited look then as the rest of the man's announcement finally assimilated.

"You've been there? Then you can return! Jasyn, you must go there, or seek out your friends for assistance; you must go lend the Dark Lady aid! For if anyone that I know can help us in turn, and help us find father, it is She."

He took an urgent step toward Jasyn, and once again placed a clawed hand upon his shoulder.

"Please," he said, the tone in which he spoke the entreaty clearly indicating that he really was not used to speaking in such a manner.

...but then it might be best to get in contact with my Boss first regardless. They need to know what is going on, and they need to know that Matt is imprisoned on K'eel Doba."

He paused, pursing his lips and considering. "Yeah, I'd better let the Boss know what's up first."

As he said this, Jasyn pulled a comm unit from his belt, keyed in Terrin's personal comm frequency, and quickly filled those aboard in on what he and Aeylmaar had seen via the Octahedron.

"Terrin, heads up on some things Lord Aeylmaar and I have found out via the Octahedron. It seems Panthar left Matt imprisoned on K'eel Doba and took off with ShaRhylla and Shayla...

...only to somehow end up on some other ship with Phalomir, Sharylla...

...and that weird white-headed guy she has been known to hang with. We have also found out that Gray--errr, Jharmeen--is on Bespin, and seems to be very upset and in pain. Aeylmaar feels she can help us find Lord Aelvedaar, who has not been heard from in quite some time, so I am going to head to Bespin and get her unless you think we should proceed in a different fashion."

"Jasyn, you are safe sticking with the plan to head out after Jharmeen," he responded. "Keep in contact and I'll let you knwo what we are going to proceed with next as well as there have been developments here. The Lt. General is not imprisoned on K'eel Doba as we suspected, at least not anymore."

"It is good to have the blessing of one's Lord when going to battle," he observed, taking that from the only thing he knew: the way of the Sith. Then he went on to actually reply to the words the human had directed toward him.

"Yes, please, go to the aid of the Dark Lady. To this end you may take whichever of the ships you have seen that you desire."

He paused then, pursing his lips thoughtfully as if considering whether or not there was anything to say. Then, realizing there really wasn't anything else, he turned to go...

...and then paused, turning back to Aeylmaar. "You know, I'll bet Stargazer left good ship or two here somewhere as she and Graysith spent quite alot of time here once and she is an excellent pilot."

He paused, shrugging. "Maybe I won't have to take something as kriffing small as a TIE fighter. Gods know I sure don't know much about flying one."

And with that, he began to walk, making his way out of the Sanctum Sactorum, and wondering if Aeylmaar was going to remain or follow him back out.

Or perhaps just to gather himself for whatever may lay ahead.

Not that any of this did Jasyn a lick of good in finding his way around. He made his way out of the Sanctum Sanctorum to the upper levels of the Temple well enough...

...but making his way back to Darth Wicked's hanger was a bit more challenging. Jasyn must have wandered around for quite some time before finally managing to make his way back there...

...only to be reminded of just how many of those damned little TIE fighters were berthed inside. Granted, there were other ships as well...

...but nothing Jasyn was readily familiar with. He'd never been much of a pilot, and was really rather hoping to find something that could fly in auto for the majority of his trip.

As he got to the back wall of the hangar, he'd just about decided he was going to have to take one of those lousy fighters and pray he didn't kill himself flying it...

...when he saw a door leading out and couldn't really stifle his curosity. The door opened willingly as he turned its handle, and he stepped just outside.

His jaw fell to the ground. The door led to a courtyard with a small tarmac beyond...

...and there sat a beautiful little ship, one which most certainly did not appear like it belonged on a Sith world.

Aeylmaar did say he could take any ships he had seen that he desired...

This one would do very nicely. Jasyn just hoped he wasn't going to have to wire the thing to get inside. If Shayla had been flying it, which was a possibility, she might have it locked down. Luckily for Jasyn, the hatch controls responded by oiling open smoothly, the ramp lowering and inviting him in. As he stepped inside and checked out the ship, he noted that it had been taken care of impeccably. She was cleaned, had a stash of arms...

...and hopefully was well-fueled. And there was only one way Jasyn was going to find that out. After closing the hatch, he headed into the cabin, took the pilot's seat, and fired her up. As the engines warmed and main computers came online, Jasyn pulled up a status check on all systems. The ship was fully fueled, as he suspected, and all systems were go. When he pulled up the ship history, the computer identified it as The Relentless. Upon even further inspection, he also found a former name as The Pride of Yavin.

Jasyn shrugged to himself, for it really didn't matter one way or another what the computer was calling the ship. Either way, he was going to appropriate it for his journey.

In only a short time, Jasyn had taken to the skies in the little yacht, plotted a course for Bespin, headed into hyperspace.

He could only hope that after he appropriated one of the blasters in the arms collection and checked out the ship a bit further, he would find some sort of distraction in the form of liquid beverage while he travelled...

Heading on then to the third and final set of small but sufficient quarters, Jasyn found nothing in the way of clothing in its wardrobe, and assumed the room had probably not been used but still continued his investigation. He sat on the d double bunk and, still curious, opened the top drawer of the nearby nightstand.

Curiosity killed the sandcat.

The drawer oiled open smoothly, revealing sterile bandages and synthflesh as though the room had been used to care for someone who had been injured. Jasyn arched an eyebrow, and was about to close the drawer and move on when something that did not seem to quite belong in there caught his eye. Whatever it was, the material was once soaked in quite a lot of now-dried blood. He shifted the other contents in the drawer to get a better look without actually touching it...

...and froze as he recognized something on the material, which he realized had been torn as though ripped from something...

...or more precisely someone, by an animal or something extremely ferocious. Jasyn knew the emblem on the material: it was the crest of Eagle Enterprises. Suddenly, Jasyn knew exactly where the material had come from, and more specifically, whose arm it had once covered.

Jasyn's stomach roiled and lurched, and he turned green. Unable to move, the only thing he could do was lean over and puke. After his initial nausea finally passed, he finally managed to get up, clean the floor somewhat, and then head out of the room as quickly as possible, heading for the galley fo the ship as his head continued to swim. There might be more of interest on the ship, but it could wait til later. Quite a bit later.

...it did however, for the time he was drinking it and then only shortly after, give him a mild buzz.

Serves you right, trying to get yourself plastered, a shoulder devil popped into existence and scolded.

Jasyn could only hope that when he reached Bespin he could load up on something a bit stronger before they headed back to the Sith worlds. And that thought only made him scowl even more.

The Sith. The ones who had waffled back and forth between allies and enemies so many times he couldn't count. But then, if he was going to choose between the Sith and the Vong...

...and maybe not all of the Sith were so bad, right? Aeylmaar seemed to be a decent fellow, and Lord Aelvedaar...

Jasyn shook his head, trying to clear it of his darkening thoughts. He didn't have time for such, especially with whatever was coming down the pikes. I mean, he thought the Vong were going to be their doom, and now Panthar had gone bezerk and Stargazer was traipsing about with ShaRhylla.

Sighing, Jasyn pushed the drink to the center of the galley table and stood, stretching, then heading to the cockpit to uselessly check the controls. Seeing that all was still running smoothly, he sat back in the pilot's chair and dosed off...

Despite his ability to finally fall into slumber, he was not met with an entirely peaceful rest. Dreams of times past, of darkness and demons, haunted him til at last the final nightmare triggered a fight or flight response in his body. Not at all awake, he jolted up from the bunk, half slid, half fell out of it to the floor, and grabbed what he at least thought was the blaster he had appropriated from the arms cabinet onboard.

It took him a good minute to realize he was instead aiming an empty ale bottle, clutching the long-necked end, and uselessly pressing his thumb against a trigger that wasn't even there. The remaineder of the ale in the bottle was beginning to drip down the sleeve of his shirt, much to his dismay.

"Aww, bloody kriffing hell!" he growled, his voice hoarse from sleep as he reached back and sat upon the bunk to wake further before moving. Scowling, he ruffled his matted brown hair, placing the ale bottle to his lips and then upturning it completely, ensuring he had drained all the contents before putting it on the nearby nightstand.

For a long few minutes, his eyes defocused and grew vague, his thoughts totally elsewhere. But with a sigh, he at last shook himself alert and stood, heading for the wardrobe to retrieve a clean jumpsuit before heading to the 'fresher.

"Jasyn, Terrin here. We are staying on course and heading after Matt. Keep me posted on your progress; I'll do the same. If you need anything, let us know. Danner out."

...Jasyn headed for the galley to get something to eat only to find that there was really nothing there that was still good excepting a few ration bars. He scowled, sitting down at the galley table and propping his feet up, his eyes defocusing.

There is the remaining Corellian Ale, a little shoulder demon popped up and chortled.

Jasyn shook his head, trying to ignore it. But then, he recalled what he had found just a few hours ago...

...and figured to hell with it all. Jasyn popped another bottle of the ale and took a heady swig, letting it burn down his throat.

Not as good as Sith brandy, but it was better than he remembered.

ON ENDOR'S MOON:

I exit the hut, straighten and stretch. It is good to stand upright, to view the canopy over my head. The warmth of the air tickles my face; for a moment I wallow in this, aware of the small rustlings coming from behind as the Ewoks follow me outside. I remain silent but for a moment longer, then turn to the one going by the name Eensha.

"I must take your leave now, and seek my Brother," I explain with a wave toward the sky. "This is something I am quite able to accomplish now, thanks to you and the care you have given to me."

"F-father? Father!"

The young Sith rushed to Aelvedaar, threw himself against the larger Lord's body and enveloped him in the most undignified of hugs. Then, remembering his decorum, not to mention the seriousness of the situation the Dark Lord had returned to, he drew back.

Eyes of fire flicked off over his shoulder, then return to capture his own. He gulped, stepped back, and waved a hand.

I grow silent then, awaiting her expected reply.

((OOC: Lord Aelvedaar calls out to Graysith, currently in Event Horizon in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

I turn now to the Octahedron, give it a command. Within its roiling greeny-golden depths and image forms, that of a Verpine of my acquaintance who is moving along in the company of...

"The Master."

I say the words aloud, then pass this onto the Dark Lady of the Warriors.

"No, my child; it was not I. By the Octahedron's Truths, I have discerned that in fact it is the Master who is close by to you on Bespin. The Verpine, K'kihl, accompanies him.

"Take a care, Daughter; perhaps you should return here to Khar Delba at this time? From here together we might discover the truth of what is happening on that gaseous planet, for it appears there is much more at hand than what merely meets the eye."

"I am in the accompaniment of a human male, my Sire, one whose immediate concern is to assist me. I feel it unwise at this time to reveal myself fully to him; also, I have covenant with K'kihl. I need extricate him from his predicament, which at least for the moment does not seem to be a lethal one.

"Let me do so before it does indeed develop into that. Upon retrieving him from the clutches of the Master, we shall both return to you and my beloved Khar Delba.

So I now turn back to my Son and Heir.

"Tell me of all that has transpired in my absence, as you know of it," I state in softened command of him. "And let us use the wonders of the Octahedron to assist you in filling in the blanks."

I speak nothing further, but turn to the task with the lordling Aeylmaar, that together we might ask the right queries of our wonderful device, and thus have clue as to what has happened, and indeed may yet be happening, to our friends, companions and allies.

"Go!" she screamed, then took off herself, leaping toward them now, running, arms outstretched toward them as if she was a mother reaching to embrace her children. Her arms touched their bodies, her momentum did the rest.

The Portal she opened shrieked once more, then accepted the sacrifice and allowed them entry. Seconds later, after they had passed, it snapped closed, leaving behind no sign they had even been there...

They tumbled out into the Great Throne Room at Khar Delba, flying literally out of thin air. Screams and cries of alarm announced their coming as those few Sith apprentices and underlings who happened to be passing through on one mission or another reacted to their sudden appearance. Then those cries were squelched, and they regained their normal decorum.

For such things, while somewhat rare, were not a completely unnatural occurrence on the World of the Sorcerers.

Graysith landed on her hands and knees, her hair flung all about herself; tossing her head, she blew it from her eyes, and quickly rose to assess what possible damage she may have caused. The Verpine looked as calm as could be, but the two men...

"Please, you must forgive me," she said as with outstretched hand she headed to where they lay together in a tangle of arms and legs.

"I only seconds prior discovered that we were in the greatest of danger, one that demanded I expedite our arrival here on Khar Delba. I am sorry if I shocked you, or caused you harm."

She turned to one of the nearby underlings, drew herself up into Dark Lady mode.

"Please inform Lord Aelvedaar that--"

She stopped a moment, bit her lip. Then--

I let my voice ring out, watch with a growing smile as those Adepts among us immediately bow their collective heads, and move away. In their wake is left a sight that sends tears running from the blaze that is my eyes.

"It is good to see you, Daughter; how I have missed you!"

...and the next minute all bleeping hell had broken lose.

You really should be used to this sort of thing, pal. Really. But you're not, are you...?

As they were pushed through the portal, a mess of bodies and appendanges, Jasyn still managed to scowl, somehow, before he grunted against the sudden impact of the floor on his back and some being or another, Verpine or human, fell atop him.

"Bloody kriffing hell!" Jasyn growled, even as Graysith managed to get to her feet, rather elegantly all things considered, and easily explain away what she had just done.

Well, at least you got rid of the Master, a shoulder devil popped up and snorted.

Jasyn shifted, untangling himself from the heap, at least enough to sit up and look wide-eyed at Graysith. Suddenly he felt very much like a fish out of water. After all, Terriin wasn't here, Galen wasn't here, Shawn wasn't here...

...and neither was Matt. And all Jasyn found himself really wanting, at the moment, was to be back in league with them, and not at the location he suddenly found himself in. And then, as if to make things even more uncomfortable, Lord Aelvedaar stepped in, taking Graysith in his arms.

Now that really did it. "What the hell just happened?" was all he could manage at the moment, however.

For Jasyn was afraid if he said anything further it wasn't going to help them very much.

He lay, a giant humanoid icicle, then instinct took over. Letting out a yell of pure animal terror, he scrambled backwards in a flurry of arms and legs, crab-walking and slithering across the stone until he smacked up against the sharp edge of something. It was the edge of the dias holding one of the Great Thrones; without even bothering to see what it was he continued his mad scramble until he had clawed his way backward up the steps and slammed against one giant foot of the throne.

He quickly slid up, placing his back against this perceived protection, and then drawing his knees up to his chin held his legs tightly with both arms.

I wave to a nearby Adept.

"See to their needs."

I then turn back to Jharmeen, give her tear-stained cheek a gentle kiss, and place an arm about her slim form.

"Come, my child. While it is rest and food you need, I feel it will do your body no good until your mind is put at ease. I feel your great need to know what is; come, we shall go to the Crystal Octahedron, and let it reveal to us that which is troubling your heart, that it troubles you no more."

I hope.

A reassuring arm yet about her, I guide her away, leaving the care of the humans and the Verpine to the more than capable hands of my Adepts.

Well then!

Finishing the work of disentangling himself from K'kihl...for at this point Cazun had managed to get himself completely out of the heap...Jasyn stood, turning to regard the wide-eyed miner even as the Verpine began to regain his footing as well.

Awww hell, Cazun wasn't ready for this, not at all.

Jasyn moved towards the terrified miner, walking up the steps towards the great throne Cazun was hunered against, and stopped just shy of him. "Com'n pal, it's going to be okay," he said, even as a black little thought raised its ugly head and ammended the statement with: At least for now.

While Jasyn didn't say his final thoughts aloud, they quite possibly could be read in his eyes. After all, he wondered just what would happen if they were to turn down the graces Aelvedaar had mentioned...

...and instead asked if they could simply return to their own kind.

Okay. Things are going to be... okay?

He clenched his teeth against the shriek that was rising from his gut, gritted his jaw so tightly the effort made a soft, grating sound. Cold beads of perspiration dripped down his face, and he dug his fingers more tightly into the sanity of his own flesh.

Moments ago... mere moments!... they had been moving quietly aboard the man's ship, coming to a group decision as how best to be breaking free from the traitorous Lady and the evil-eyed Master, planning their strategy, deciding what would be the best course of action to take against those horrors that were surely to come...

And then they were here.

He stared blankly at the hand Jasyn was offering him, looked up into the man's eyes. Shuddered to read the expression he found there; the man didn't look the least bit frightened. He didn't act the least bit frightened. Why wasn't he acting as he should, which should be frightened out of his wits?

He only seemed to be slightly annoyed.

Cazun drew in a great, shuddering breath, tightened his grip around his legs, and closed his eyes.

Just kill me now and be done with it, was the mantra now scrolling through his mind, over and over and over.

Or at that, if he had ever actually successfully won one.

He remaned where he was, hand extended, for another moment or two...then realized he was going to have to be more emphatic to get his new-found friend off the ground and moving.

And maybe to some Sith brandy to settle his nerves while you both discuss just what you are gonna do about being on this blasted planet without a ship...

... again? snorted a shoulder devil. Jasyn did his best to ignore it, and finally dropped his hand. Then he got closer to Cazun, and squatted on the ground, right next to him. He wasn't keen on invading someone's personal space, and he was even less keen on the risk he was potentially getting ready to take, on more than one level, but now was the time. Cazun kept his eyes closed, still shaking his head every so often, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Dammit, you remember feeling like this, once. You've gotten entirely too comfortable with it all.

Jasyn lowered his voice to a whisper, and leaned in closer to Cazun. "Look pal, we're gonna do something to get out of this...

...somehow. But I need you to get up and get moving, so we can drink some brandy, eat some food, and place nice for a bit, at least until we can get somewhere else to talk and figure this out. I've been here before, remember? Too many kriffing times. So you've got a friend with some experience...

...and who is gonna stick by you til we get this figured out..."

He trailed again. "Somehow."

Moving away from Cazun then, Jasyn stood once more, and extended his hand again. "Com'n, friend," he reiterated aloud, waiting once more...

...and hoping like hell Cazun listened to what he was saying. After all, he really didn't know how the Sith were going to respond if he just kept sitting there, against one of their blessed thrones, looking as white as a sheet.

Of course, that was assuming they would even notice enough to care at all...

...and found it wasn't as terrifying as it had been mere moments before. Well, at least the immediate moment wasn't; Cazun drew in a shuddering breath, and forced himself to open his eyes.

"Y-yeah...?" he faltered, swallowing spittle as thick as honey in the attempt to bring a semblance of moisture into his mouth. It didn't work, and only made his lips more dry. He took another breath, and in the process managed to shift his position against the foot of the throne against which he was glued. The rustle of his own clothing caught his attention, and he froze again, waiting for Something Heinous to come swooping down to finish him off.

Nothing happened other than Jasyn drew back a little, as if to give him room to gain his senses and his feet. Taking yet another breath he obliged the man, and with one hand braced against he rich wood of the throne hauled himself upright.

With some serious effort, Jasyn managed to stifle his blackening scowl. At least, mostly.

"Yeah," he then said, deciding the moment the word left his lips that it sounded pretty stupid. After all, they really had no good reason to ask to depart so suddenly, seeing as he was well accustomed to popping in and out with the Sith after this amount of time. If they asked if they could leave for absolutely no reason this quickly...

...well, it just wouldn't bode well. Jasyn shook his head unconsciously, much to Cazun's probable chagrin. And that was when he realized they did have a more than logical reason to skedaddle, and soon.

Matt had been missing for far, far too long. Hell, for all they knew he wasn't even alive anymore.

Jasyn's look only darkened further, but this time with something much more meaningful than mere annoyance or even worry.

Sincere alarm.

"An associate and very close commrade has not been heard from for quite some time after heading off to another Sith world," Jasyn then spoke up in normal voice. He hoped Cazun was going to follow what he was doing. "I'd like to find out if we can get a ship and go after him." Jasyn paused, frowning once more. "it's been too long."

"I am to see to your needs," she opened with, her voice a rich alto that fell upon the ear like honeyed water. Smiling then, but being careful not to show her fangs, she unclasped her hands and held one out to the side.

"There is food and drink if you so desire, or if you need more with which to refresh yourselves there is a chamber ready and waiting for you."

Time aboard Insidious passed as expected: smoothly, efficiently, and quickly. At least as quickly as one would expect it to do in the light of crew proficiency and plenty of hyperdrive to power the vessel along. The Hunter spent most of it in his quarters or ready room, seeing no one, waiting to see when his new "crewmember" would approach him, and under what circumstances.

But the Jedi remained absent, ostensibly continuing in his self-training per Seus's instruction. All reports provided by staff who subtly watched the man's progress by carefully hidden remote devices proved alleged actions to be factual; Seus smiled when he considered just how much to heart Mr. Kartan was taking this strange alliance he had proposed.

I do believe he is going to prove very useful to us after all, he mused as he clicked off his desk monitor, efficiently snipping off yet another report about the man by yet another crew member.

He doesn't appear to have left off his "work-out" since he began it.

No sooner had the one image faded than another one appeared, this one coming in from the Bridge.

"Sir, we are approaching the Unknown Sector, and are due to drop from hyperdrive in approximately ten standard minutes," came the crisply delivered information.

Seus nodded, his thoughts segueing smoothly from one issue to another.

"Very well; please contact Mr. Kartan and inform him of this," he ordered benignly enough. Sitting back in his seat, he let the nerfhide leather creak a moment or two as he let the chair rotate slightly from one side to another, thinking, his legs crossed while he pondered the best course of action to take. Well did he remember what Sorben had reported to him of these worlds, before the man had gone off to work with the Empire.

A momentary frown creased his face. Then he allowed the tiny muscles to smooth out again.

"Drop us in along the Z-axial, mister," he ordered lightly. "And see if you can find a moon or something to hide behind. Keep me informed."

As the crew member entered, Erik opened his eyes, uncrossed his legs, and got to his feet. Now on his weapons belt were two items: a simple blaster and the lightsaber his Father had trained him with as a small boy. Without a word he nodded once in deference to the other crewmember, allowing him to take the lead as they then left the training room behind.