Eagle came blazing into the fiery skies of Sullust looking like nothing so much as yet another bit of volcanic ejecta being blasted against the heavens, only to fall earthward, trailing heat and flame of her own. But this particular bit of ejecta seemed to have a mind of its own; it descended to about five kilometers when its rather steep trajectory flattened, and it began swooping the surface like a nosing nek, searching for something.

It found that something in the form of the Piriingisi spaceport, nestled amidst the crevices and crannies of one particularly immense and ancient lava flow, long since eroded into the approximation of valleys and hills.

I brought her screaming in, only to nestle her lightly against the tarmac. I then whirled in my seat, and pinned Lo Ban with a look.

"Go get her," I gritted through my teeth, getting up myself and checking to make certain all was ship-shape aboard the shuttle we were about to depart. Lo Ban went aft; I heard the door sliding open, and he soon returned with a very pale Shayla slung over his shoulder. He paused at the hatchway, then proceeded down onto the tarmac. I gave everything a last once-over, settled my blaster on my hip, and disembarked in his wake.

Once upon the tarmac the incredible heat went a long way toward reviving the woman Lo Ban was carrying. She soon began stirring; he promptly set her down and took her by the arm. Pulling her along, we proceeded to the nearest tunnel leading into the underground capital city of Sullust; once gaining entryway, I paused, getting my bearings as people of all ages and species thronged about me.

At length I pointed.

"The police station is that way," I said briefly. "They'll let you send a transmission."

With that I sent Lo Ban my own version of THE LOOK, and then stepped forward... coming at length to an old familiar face.

The Blue Asteroid.

Oh what the hell-- I thought to myself as I entered and headed to a booth in the back. There I flopped with a little grunt, propping my elbow on the table to swipe my hair back from my forehead, and ordered a light drink from the little waitress who appeared at that elbow as if by magic.

[ 03-09-2003 02:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Zack was alive...

...but something was just wrong, he just wasn’t responding...

Sorrow clouded her eyes further as she continued to try to reach him, practically oblivious of the fact that she was being carted somewhere-or-other by Loban Kenobi. Nothing else mattered at the moment.

Her little boy. Her sweet and innocent little boy...

Erik tried to warn you about going off alone like you did...

Her heart broke further. Erik...how was she going to tell him this? She couldn’t bear it herself...

And that’s when it hit her. She couldn’t bear it alone...and he deserved to know the truth. He’d always been so strong and steady, and she needed him so badly...

Shayla froze in her steps, jerking Loban to a halt. “I need to contact my husband,” she said softly, her greeny-blues boring into his electric eyes. Then she just stood there waiting as an insidious and troubling thought traveled its way to the forefront of her mind.

She was going to spend the next few months carrying a baby within her who might never respond to her presence ever again...

[ 03-09-2003 02:58 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Lo Ban chuckled to himself a bit, as Galen walked off... into a nearby cantina...

Lo Ban was already to the Police Station, when Shayla sprang up from his tight grasp on her forearm...

Lo Ban simply speared her abdomen, taking her up onto the strength of his right shoulder...

Police Station

Lo Ban entered the station, not receiving any looks his way that would construe difficulty amongst the situation...

Evidentially many people were drug in this way, kicking and screaming...

He walked to the officer desk, in charge of admissions...

"I'd like to admit this one, for detox..."

In Shayla's state, she neither had the strength to resist the officer... nor the state of mind to present full coherency...

"Make sure she get's her transmission... she'll be contacting her husband for pickup..." Lo Ban said, as he turned and exited the station...

The Blue Asteroid...

Lo Ban approached the only woman in the bar...

"That's a tight flightsuit... how does one go about getting into it?" He said, as he waited for an invitation to share the booth with this redheaded fireball...

[ 03-09-2003 04:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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DETOX?!

Shayla might have been in the depths of despair, but she wasn't quite as clueless as Loban Kenobi apparently thought. Maybe a little slow to realize what was going on, but far from clueless...

She jerked her hand from the officer now dragging her to the back, her eyes ablaze. He whirled on her, preparing to take measures to retrieve what he thought was an idiotic drunk, only to hear these words waft into his mind:

You don't need to take me to detox.

He wasn't even totally aware that words now slipped forth from his mouth. "I don't need to take you to detox."

Then, he could have sworn he heard: You can direct me to the nearest hotel.

But he then heard his own voice. "I will direct you to the nearest hotel."

And he did just that, not laying one more hand on Shayla Kartan, but instead stepping outside the police station with her and pointing her to the Azure Planetoid.

She thanked him, and headed on her way, buying a room and then heading there, her mind and body very weary...

...and still very much in pain.

Before she slipped off to slumber, too tired to call upon the Force to do so herself, she dialed up the frequency for the Sith warship, praying that Erik was there. "I'm on Sullust in the Azure Planetoid, Room 423. Please hurry...I need you so badly..."

Before the reply came, Shayla dropped into sleep, succumbing to the darkness of despair which was calling to her...

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

I grinned back, and set the glass down.

"Nice line," I opened with a toss of my head. "That and about twenty credits will buy a lady some dinner. You in the market?"

I let a bit of mischievousness tinge the look I returned to him, and patted the tabletop a couple times.

Dinner would be good; I was starved.

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

The waitress promptly scooped them up,"I'll have a Nerf steak, medium rare/bloody... the lady will choose her meal, and would you please send us your best bottle of wine... this should take care of that..." Lo Ban said, handing the waitress an additional 200 credits...

Lo Ban turned to the redhead, eagerly waiting to see what she would order...

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

It wasn't so much that Lo Ban had the credits to spend... but that he was willing to spend them on me.

The lady....

A warm little feeling wiffled between my shoulder blades, spreading out until my entire torso was feeling like a treat a child would roast upon a campfire. With a small effort I jerked my gaze to the waitress.

"I'll have the same, only I want my steak still staggering."

The waitress nodded, left, and soon returned, a bottle of the House's best vintage on a silver tray. She set it down, popped the cork, and set it on the table to breathe. Then after pouring a bit into a wine glass for Lo Ban, she waited for his affirmation.

He ran the glass beneath his nose, then smiled, sending her on her way. He finished pouring the glass, and handed it to me, then poured one for himself.

I already had mine raised in a toast.

"To beginnings..."

My eyes poured into his as I raised my glass to my lips.

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

He raised his glass, never taking his eyes from the browns they swam in...

"To the undiscovered..." They touched glasses, then drank the contents... and the rest of the bottle, as well...

"Another bottle?" He asked, sparing any expense for the first of many magical nights...

At least, one could hope so...

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

A smile lingering on my lips, I shook my head.

"I don't think so, love," I said softly. "I think I've had enough to drink; I-- I'd like to keep a clear head tonight...."

I trailed off as a little yawn erupted from somewhere deep behind my eyes, which were suddenly feeling as heavy as lead. I put a hand to my mouth to stifle it.

Gods, when had I slept last? A true, restful sleep, that is, in a real bed between real sheets....

Another start: it had been some time ago, again during my last visit here.

Way too long a time. Well, at least it seemed that way.

I blinked again, and settled my eyes into Lo Ban's.

"If you don't mind...." I said, waving a hand somewhat vaguely.

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

He stood there alongside his father, staring into the greeny-golden depths of the Crystal Octahedron, watching. There in the enigmatic swirls of something other contained within the crystalline latticework, another enigma hovered: a ship, and a most peculiar ship indeed. There were no stars or constellations about it to give one bearing as to its location; indeed, none were needed. For spatial relationships of that ilk are dependent upon time and space itself, and slowly but surely he was learning from his Father that such things really have no meaning in the greatness of All That Is.

Aeylmaar gave his adopted Father a direct glance, his amber eyes unwavering before the volcanic pair before him.

"Now, Father?" he said simply, his voice quiet and controlled even though every inch of his body was trembling with barely restrained excitement.

The great Dark Lord of the Sorcerers inclined his horned head, closing his eyes briefly in acknowledgment. And when he lifted his face, it was to find his adopted son had vanished.

He smiled.

SOMEWHERE IN HYPERSPACE....

Aeylmaar glided into the Sith warship from the non-ness of the portal through the All like a tawny ghost, his eyes veritably glittering in the dim lighting therein. So quiet was his entrance that, Force strength or no, Erik wasn't aware of him until he had come up directly behind him. The young man whirled in his seat, blinking back his astonishment.

Aeylmaar waved a robed arm about himself, then laced his clawed hands together at his waist. He pinned an exceedingly expressionless look upon Erik.

"I believe you have something of ours which we would like back now," he said, utterly quiet but with utter meaning. He then fell silent, deigning to grace Erik with the opportunity to then make a decision....

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

After all, this had only been the second time he's had a drink in his life...

The first time wasn't as happy as this one, stumbling with a drunken stupor into the magical bedchambers of Graysith...

Then to find himself on a naked trek past Galen's home on Keel Doba...

This time would have a better ending, indeed...

Lo Ban slid out of the booth, holding his arm out to guide Galen out as well...

They made their way to the nearby hotel, The Azure Planetoid

"I'll take care of the bill babe, it's room 14..." He said, handing her the key...

Lo Ban didn't know if it was the alcohol, but his face turned so warm from the simple touch of hands between he and that redheaded fireball...

[ 03-10-2003 03:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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Erik had to literally force himself not to reach for his blaster as he whirled, listening to those quietly spoken but very meaningful words. His look hardened a bit and he stood, folding his arms as he faced Aeylmaar.

"Take the ship then," he said a bit flatly, his look not shifting one more iota. "My wife...

...and son...?

is in trouble, and I've gotta get to her as quickly as possible, so I'd ask that you drop me somewhere so that I can purchase a ship and be on my way again...

...that is, of course, unless you would be willing to bring me right to her..."

He trailed at that then, his certainty in the Sith clearly shaken by his wife's uncertainty in them. After all, Shayla had always trusted the true Sith until recently, when matters became unclear.

But then, maybe there was still hope...

Erik waited to see just what Aeylmaar was going to do next...

[ 03-10-2003 09:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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Sheesh, Galen ol girl, either that wine sneaks up on ya or you're more tired than you thought....

The recalcitrant door finally opened; I pushed it with my foot and marched in... and directly in front of my eyes saw the most inviting sight I'd seen in too many hours.

I didn't bother to close the door tightly, just let it drift partly shut in my wake. At least I thought so; I was too busy focussing on the bed and trying to take off my boots as I headed there.

Moments later, and I had skinnied out of my flightsuit, now dressed only in the silken, form-fitting undersuit, and was snuggling into a pillow of down, making a nice little indentation and trying to disappear beneath the covers even as my lids dropped....

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

A display of flowers, imported from Naboo, were in the window...

Lo Ban entered the shop, placing 500 credits on the shopkeeps counter...

"I want those-" Lo Ban pointed at the flowers,"In room 14, within the hour... all of them..."

The payment was enough for the flowers, labor of placing them in the room, and a handsome tip for promptness...

Happy with his purchase, Lo Ban exited the shop...

At length, he decided to go back to the hotel Clerk's desk... Lo Ban asked for the room next to # 14, not wishing to interrupt what they both needed so badly... sleep...

Room 16

The wine had taken over, as Lo Ban fell into bed...

Large card, attached to the largest arrangement in room 14, read:

Dear beauty, from the cantina;

I'm not one for one night stands, I hope these greet your morning where I could not...

All my Love, Room 16...

[ 03-10-2003 11:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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My room was filled with color and fragrance.

Now I let out a disbelieving little yip, a hand instinctively rubbing my eyes to clear them. No, the jungle was still there....

I slid from the bed then and headed toward the nearest bouquet, where I took hold of it gently and plunged my face amidst it's silken petals. I moved on to the next, and the next and the next, shaking my head to myself all the while.

Where--?

Then I found the card, hidden coyly amidst the leaves of the largest bouquet... and it was then that I realized the fact that, save for the flowers and myself, Room 14 was empty, and had been all night.

That warm little spot began growing behind my shoulderblades again, digging deep to spread itself through my torso. I smiled like a kid on Boonta Eve, and pressed the card to my cheek. It smelled like all the flowers in the world were bundled up into that little white greeting, a scent incredibly overlaid by another, one deeper and clean and somehow fresher and masculine.

I tottered to the bed and slowly sank down upon it. A realization then struck; this was perhaps a nexus, a turning point.

Galen Danner, how do you feel about this? About him?

I knew the answer before I even framed the question. Knew he did indeed love me, had loved me for some time, and was now professing that. Knew that I, in turn, knew little of him--

But then, what had you known about Sorben? About Terrin? Since when are background investigations prerequisites for such matters?

--only that he was reaching out. And I?

Found myself facing the utter certainty that I had been hurt too many times. That I had love yanked from me more times than anyone should in their life, if indeed they should suffer such at all. That not only was Lo Ban reaching out to take my heart in his hands and hold it... but that deep inside I was jealously guarding it myself, clutching it, afraid to let it go too soon until I was absolutely sure.

And even then I'd think about it?

No. How could I judge that? I'd go the rest of my life, afraid and sere, if I placed myself under such harsh restrictions. Life is pointless if one stops taking chances. How can anything grow if one refuses to plant the seed?

He had suffered the pain of losing a spouse as well, yet he was reaching out.

Jedi, heal thyself....

My head whirled, and finally came to a stop. The pathway cleared a bit before me. I went to the large bouquet, where hidden amidst the scent and color and rich luxury a tiny flower beckoned. It was a Dagoban swamp-orchid; tiny, delicate, the color of pale, pale apricot, its shaggy-edged petals rimmed with white, it's throat the deepest, richest violet.

This scent shall be my perfume for him....

I plucked the orchid from the bouquet, placed it in my hair over my ear. Then I went to the door dividing our rooms and flung it open.

I paused on the threshold, suddenly shy. Then I proceeded in, finding him coming awake as I did.

Perhaps I didn't quite love him, or just didn't recognize the fact of it. But that didn't mean I never would.

I swallowed, wet my lips, and let three little words escape from them:

"It's still morning--"

Even as I spoke I was moving forward then, suddenly eager to explore this unexpected, undiscovered aspect in our relationship, needing to nurture back into life another all-too similar aspect of my very being.

[ 03-11-2003 12:45 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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To Erik, Force or no, through budding All-use Aeylmaar remained a statue.

He let an eternity pass. Then--

"Such matters are not of concern to us. You will come about, and return this ship to Khar Delba immediately."

It was only after those words had been uttered that he let a flash of something bordering upon darkness flicker in his eyes. Then he raised a clawed hand, ripped open a portal in the All, and returned to Khar Delba.

The portal winked smoothly out of existence in his wake.

((OOC: Return with Aeylmaar to Khar Delba in the Shall We Dance? thread in the "Sith Temple/Jedi Praxeum" forums, thank you.))

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The Goddess simply stood there at first, her tongue then sensually showing itself in anticipation...

Galen fully entered room 16, the door still ajar in her wake...

With her sight fully in Lo Ban's view, it took all of his strength to pull away from the depths of her brown abysses... to note which flower she held as her favorite, and how it accented every aspect of the fiery colors within her hair...

Speechless...

As he now caught the fragrant mixes of Galen's natural perfume and that of the swamp-orchid... he was beyond speechless, passing onto paralyzed with anticipation...

He simply sat at the edge of the bed, soaking up all that was Galen's beauty...

[ 03-11-2003 04:12 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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Hyperspace...

After Cartina's "inquires," Jasyn had slipped back into unconsciousness, having nothing more in the external universe in which he had been existing to respond to. When in a few hours he woke again, he found his mind clearer...

...but yet he was still confused as all Hell.

Where was he? What had happened? Where was Cartina?

And why the HELL was he lying...

He cracked an eye open in sudden curiosity...

...on the deck of the Raptor?!

Along with this realization came another, even as Jasyn tried to shift from the uncomfortable position he was in, his shoulders extremely sore and the side he was laying on aching dully.

His hands had been bound behind his back.

Opening the other eye, Jasyn sat up as best he could with no hands to help him out, licking his dry lips to wet them a bit.

Well, lessee, buddy. You have just woken up bound on the deck of the Raptor. You've probably been drugged...

...and the last thing you clearly remember is kissing Cartina...

...a bounty hunter...

WHAT THE HELL were you thinking?!

Jasyn could give her one credit: she was sure a damn good bounty hunter, considering how convincing she had been. To think it was nothing more than a cleverly designed trap all along...

“For a pretty gal like yourself, it sure must be Hell living life heartless,” he commented at length, his brown eyes hardening.

[ 03-11-2003 09:45 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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”And why the Hell should I expect that the mere plight of a human would concern the Sith?!" he growled at the place where the Sith had appeared. "Nevermind what was..."

Falling silent at that, he turned and reseated himself, his eyes glazing over with determination. The Sith could have their damn ship back. But only after Shayla was back safely with him...

[ 03-11-2003 10:50 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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She took a long swig of ice cold water...

Cartina sighed, swallowing the last of the glass,"Now, that was refreshing..." She condescendingly replied...

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

I halted in my tracks, suddenly shy again.

No one should be placed on the pedestal his gaze was apparently placing me upon....

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what I wanted him to say. All I knew was that suddenly the moment seemed to be leaning toward something of an awkward one... and that was the last thing I wanted.

No awkwardness between us. Just honesty.

Blinking a little I stepped forward again, quickly gliding across those last few meters still separating us. Coming to a halt in front of him, I sank down on my knees, and took up his hands in mine. I could feel the hot trembling in his palms, like earthquakes on the sun.

"I don't believe in one night stands either, Lo Ban," I began at last, my voice a whisper but my eyes lifted up to his. I paused...

...complete honesty. COMPLETE.

Then I surged on.

"I-- I'm not completely sure how I feel about you, about us, Lo Ban, but I do know this. I know I want you in my life, if you want to be there. And I want you to get to know me as much as I would like to get to know you."

[ 03-11-2003 11:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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With that he turned to the Octahedron, raised both arms, reached out through the All...

...and within the warship the cyberbiotic brain awoke. It immediately sensed the Calling from its Master, the singing of the Beacon, the Beckoning Home...

...and smoothly popped an emergency override into play, turned itself about in hyperspace, reoriented, and headed toward the unknown space where a dim little star existed with it's twin children....

[ 03-11-2003 11:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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...and envy every drop of water as it disappeared.

Why the little...!

He jerked his eyes from that glass, and glared right into the darkened lenses of the hunter's helmet, knowing there was a pair of brown eyes somewhere behind them.

"Not that I'm going to tell you anything anyway," he growled, "but I sure as hell won't be able to do so if I die of dehydration..."

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

He had crossed the line of no return aboard the Eagle... from simple attraction on Keel Doba, to something much much more...

"I'd be lying if I said I could completely express my feelings toward you, either..." He continued, simply returning Galen's gaze in reply...

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

...after all ships do that to avoid crashing into stars or planets...

...and the lights all quieted in what had to be less than a second...

...excepting one sigil that burned a constant green. Erik frowned, not recalling what this sigil was for, nor recalling it ever lighting up in the times he'd flown this ship. A little niggle in the Force told told him that all might not be well...

..so for at least a standard hour, Erik inspected every crack and cranny of the ship, in the end finding nothing that would trigger that sigil to burn in warning or announcement.

Finally sighing and sitting back in his seat in utter frustration, Erik's mind flashed back to the look in Aeylmaar's eye when he'd requested that the ship be returned at once. There wasn't much to read in it, but there had been a little flash of something...

...and Erik didn't think it was something entirely pleasant. About that time he glanced down at his chronometer...

...and realized he should have been at his destination a half hour ago. He reached for the controls with intentions to get a course bearing...

...only to find he had no control whatsoever. His browns flashed up to that green sigil...

...and the probable meaning registered at last.

This ship was on her way home...

(((OCC: Follow Erik back to Shall We Dance? in the Sith Temple and Jedi Praxeum forum.)))

[ 03-12-2003 12:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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