For the fourth time I came barrelling into the heated atmosphere of Sullust, Eagle's gleaming white skin reflecting the eruptions of the volcanic landscape below until she glowed red like a veritable ball of molten lava. I gritted my teeth as I flew her down to the sole spaceport, my eyes darkening as I took in that wild and fiery landscape surrounding it.

It suited my mood just fine.

Eagle screamed through the thickening air like the bird of prey she was named for, arrowing down like a stooping raptor to finally blast to a stop amidst a flurry of running technicians and port authority figures. My eyes darkened further....

Let 'em run. This is the new me. It begins now... and everyone just better get damned well used to it!

My little lambda had scarcely begun venting her excess heat when I popped the hatch and clambered out. As I did a flashing light on the console caught my eye. A quick glance confirmed that it was the indicator light in communications; someone had left me a message....

Maybe it's from Lo Ban....

I frowned, firming my resolve. Then I simply turned away from Eagle and continued on toward the tunnel entrance which would lead me down into the underground capital city of Piriingisi. Whatever that light was all about, I'd check it later. For now, I just wanted to get myself established here.

Not knowing of any other place to go to, I made a determined trek to the Azure Planetoid, and there obtained a room. I winced at the room number the desk manager handed to me:

Room 14. It had to be room number 14....

Then girding myself with as much inner strength as I could muster, I proceeded back into the city streets to find somewhere that I could obtain some credits and get a bite to eat before returning to my room for some much needed rest.

((OOC: The post following this one has been deleted on 4-13-03 by crazed author: basically, Lo Ban Kenobi had followed Galen to Sullust, and had gone into the Blue Asteroid where he found and joined Cartina. Thank you.))

[ 04-14-2003 10:27 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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Thus it was that as I entered the restaurant, I really wasn't seeing where I was going. It was only when something sharp jabbed into my hip that I was jerked from my reveries. I blinked, realizing I had just run into the corner of a table...

...and an occupied table at that.

"Excuse me," I stated reflexively, blinking my eyes a bit to focus on where I was. "I wasn't--"

It was only then that I realized just who it was sitting at that table.

My heart -- recalcitrant beastie that it is -- soared to the sky...

...and immediately came crashing back to earth when I saw that he was not alone at that table. Not to mention the fact of just who he was sitting with....

I froze, my eyes widening to huge, pain-filled holes in my head. Then--

Well Galen, you promised this to yourself back in Cloud City, didn't you?

--I simply reached into the pocket of my flightsuit, withdrew that golden ring Lo Ban had slipped on my finger, gods... was it merely a day ago-?

And threw it straight on the table in front of him.

Then I whirled on my heel and stormed from the establishment, somehow managing to retain enough dignity to refrain from running until I hit the streets of Piriingisi. There I did indeed run, faster and faster, letting my feet carry me of their own accord until I came at length to that familiar tunnel I used to take, so many times, so long ago, after Roan had had his way with me and everyone was so caring about my well-being, and Yaoksi Joao would sneak after to make certain I wouldn't do anything foolish...

...there on the fiery, volcanic surface of Sullust.

Without so much as a rebreather to help fend off the noxious atmosphere I clambered up a crazily tilted pile of broken basalt columns. There I hunkered down on my haunches, drew my legs up beneath my chin, wrapped my arms around them and, laying my cheek atop my knees, just sat there beginning to cry, wishing to Roon that the universe would just up and go away and take me along with it....

((OOC: The post following this post has been deleted 4-13-03 by crazed author: basically, Lo Ban Kenobi had then continued on to the lobby of the Azure Planetoid, thank you)).

[ 04-14-2003 10:29 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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Heaving a great sigh I clambered down from my perch, coughing and shaking my head against the overpowering rotten egg smell of the Sullustan atmosphere, and began picking my way back to the tunnel from which I had exited the underground city. For a brief moment a flash of deja vu struck me and I turned, expecting to see the lanky form of Captain Joao leaning against the rock face of the entrance, but no. There was no one foolish enough to brave the poisonous air of Sullust but me.

Coughing repeatedly I made my way back into Piriingisi, and there on the walkway onto which the tunnel emptied I paused, briefly contemplating food while I gained my breath. The only establishment I was really familiar with was Blue Asteroid, and Khaandon knows I didn't want to go there. Besides, I suddenly found food to be the furthest thing from my mind.

So I merely let my feet retrace the path back to the Azure Planetoid, now looking forward to obtaining whatever rest I could. I wound through steadily increasing foot traffic, passing tunnel and spa entrances, the soft inviting lights of the latter in sharp contrast with the yawning aspects of the former. At length I reached the hotel and entered the lobby, intending on gaining the hallway in the back, across from the entrance. But that was not to be so.

There he sat, as if knowing all along I'd be here, simply waiting for me to enter. My eyes flew into his like homing birds seeking their nests and waited there, tying to read his, to determine if he would jump up and leave or what he would do.

Frozen like a Gandy Rak in headlights, I stood in silence, my eyes round with shock and pain and anger and expectation...

...and hope, dammit.

And hope.

[ 04-03-2003 02:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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So Ruhatt sat in the lobby next to a guy who was staring right at the red-head woman.

[ 04-03-2003 10:20 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Ruhatt Luthan ]

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The Imperial shuttle dropped out of hyperspace above Sullust, carrying the insidious Romanus so he could complete his mission.

As soon as the stars resetted themselves to being still objects, Romanus felt his stomach twist and his mind drowning out the sounds around him as the Force went on alert.

Just like before...and I ran into that Jedi and the crew of Force-users...

As the ship entered the planet's atmosphere, Romanus can sense something familiar of the planet.

Did they come back?

((OOC: The post following this post has been deleted 4-13-03 by crazed author: basically, Lo Ban Kenobi had then ignored Galen and turned to Ruhatt, asking if he could help him with anything, thank you.))

[ 04-14-2003 10:33 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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[ 04-04-2003 10:20 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Ruhatt Luthan ]

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"OK. Listen up as soon as we land, Stun the jedi and put him in the sack, then we go to a hotel and go in throw him in a room and then leave as soon as possible. Any Questions. Good."

The guy came up to me with his stun weapon.
Not again. AAAAAHHHHHH I thought.

I threw myself at the guy and fell on top of him. The only problem was I couldn't punch him, because I still had cuffs on.

The guy threw me off and stunned me before i could do anything else. I fell to the floor into blackness. Again.

The smugglers put me in the sack and headed out the landing ramp and headed to the nearest hotel.

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

...but Lo Ban had the unmitigated gall to turn to him in pleasant discourse, while here I stood, seven kinds of fool, my heart hanging out on my sleeve.

My mouth must have indeed opened after all, as I heard the distinct snap of teeth meeting as it closed. I drew in a shaky sigh, now shaking my head in tandem.

I couldn't believe it.

I sent Lo Ban a long, heartfelt look straight into those damnably electric blue of his, turned on my heel, and strode from the lobby. Soon I came to room 14, entering with something more than a flourish, to say the least, and stormed inside. A quick kick to the door to make myself feel better, a quicker visit to the 'fresher to tidy up a bit, an even faster peel out of my flightsuit, and I flung myself upon the bed, flat on my back with my hands crossed behind my head.

And it really came as no great surprise that sleep remained elusive.

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

Maybe another hot shower would calm me enough to sleep, I thought, followed by, or a midnight visit to a hot spring. That would be soothing.

In fact, the latter idea didn't seem at all to be a bad one. I nodded to myself, trying to put thoughts of Lo Ban from my mind and to put plans of how to retrieve Darra back into it as I swung my feet over the side of the bed and got to the floor. There I padded toward the 'fresher unit to see what this establishment offered in the way of towels, when my bare toe stubbed against something.

It was the belt to my Sith suit, laying askance upon the floor. I grunted, eyes flashing back to seeing red as I thought exactly why my belt was there and not carefully hung up as I usually did; then the anger simply boiled up from deep within me to flow uncontrollably out. In one fluid motion I scooped up the belt and threw it from me as hard as I could.

It hit the wall, impacting... and as I turned away, grumbling to myself, my foot moved out somewhat from beneath me once again. There was an immediate click as a section of flooring flipped up, catching me off-guard and nearly sending me to my knees. I flailed my arms a bit for balance, then looked to see what I was standing on.

Or rather, in.

It was a hidden compartment. I blinked in surprise and lifted my foot, peered into that opening. A neatly stacked horde of data chips lay within.

Now, this is isn't right....

My first reaction was to simply close the cover and forget the discovery. That didn't last long; casting a somewhat furtive glance about myself I retrieved the data chips, and held them in my hand.

Data chips hidden in a Sullustan hotel room... gosh wee, Galen ol girl; ya think it's directives to the maids on how to properly make a bed?

I didn't think so... nor did I really think the information contained upon them was anything honest or legal. Which meant the chips held potential merit... or should be turned in to the authorities.

Or both.

That thought settled matters for me. I retrieved my flightsuit from where it lay abandoned upon the floor, and carefully placed the chips in a storage pouch attached to it. Another visit to the 'fresher, and I donned that suit, belt and all.

I'll take 'em to "Eagle" and see what's on them; maybe make a copy.... I thought as I headed out. Then I'll turn the chips over to the proper authorities.

I then nodded to myself and headed out, having every intention of doing just that.

[ 04-05-2003 07:31 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Ruhatt stopped talking as 4 guys, 1 with a sack over his shoulder came into the hotel lobby.

"We need a room now." One of the guys said to the clerk.

"I'm sorry but none of the rooms are avaiable."

another one of the guys took out his blaster and shot a rodian coming out of the elvator.

"Now you have a free room."

"But, you..."
The guy shot the clerk and he fell to the floor dead and the guys went down the hallway into the elvaotar.

Ruhatt got up and went over to the Rodian, but he was already dead. He went back over to the guy he was talking to and said.

"Do you have a blaster or something? So that we can stop those guys, before they kill anymore people."

[ 04-05-2003 08:38 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Ruhatt Luthan ]

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I don't want to spend another minute on this hellhole. I need that job with the Empire, otherwise I'm out of business... he thought.

Romanus spotted the Azure Planetoid, and began to head for its doorway when he spotted a red-haired woman heading the opposite direction.

He sensed the Force within her, but it wasn't very strong...nor was it very weak...

Almost as quick as he saw her, the woman disappeared amongst the crowd. Romanus fixed his eyes back at the hotel...

Again after he stepped through the doorway, he felt the presence of other Force-users in the Azure Planetoid.

This is getting suspicious...

A simple walk up the stairs and down the hallway to Room 14 followed.

Twenty thousand credits...I'm made for life. Romanus thought as the door slid open.

There was no one, in or around the Azure Planetoid, that could not hear the violent scream of rage that erupted from Room 14. Within seconds, Romanus was back down the stairs, his face red and his right eye twitching. He shoved an incoming Sullustan out of his way of the hotel entrance.

A group of people stopped to stare at the red-faced, bald human standing in the street, looking around as if he was searching for something...

Someone has them. That panel had a timer on it, so it was opened recently!

Romanus's mind back-tracked trying to see who or what was leaving the hotel when he arrived. He used the Force to "slow" his memories, allowing him to have a better look...

...And all he saw was the red-haired woman leaving...

Romanus dove into the crowd, pushing and shoving his way through. The predator had picked up the scent of his prey, and now moves in for the kill...

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"No one Move!" He said.

The 4 smugglers put there hands up.

"Open the sack up." Ruhatt said.

The 3 guys obeyed and opened it up, while he was ocuppied with them the 4th guy crept around the door way and knocked Ruhatt out. Then the guys left, but as soon as the guys shut the door and left, they came face to face with an object flying in the air.

[ 04-06-2003 09:49 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Ruhatt Luthan ]

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This stuff was incredible, simply incredible. No way in Hell's Seven Circles that I'd run the risk of losing this to anybody, as outlandish as the thought of someone finding me with this data might seem. As long as there was the remotest possibility, I was taking no chances, and just the fact that I had the chips instead of them being hidden beneath the floor of my room was possibility enough, however minute, that someone could know they was gone.

The hatch securely latched I returned to my seat and continued reading.

Reborn... the Empire had troops of something called Reborn. And listed here was anything and everything about them: numbers, capabilities, weaknesses, deployment...

...and in the very last file, the coordinates to the Valley of the Jedi itself.

The information had long finished before I jerked myself out of wherever it was I had gone to. A million questions ran through my head: who had obtained this information, and how? How current was it? Who had hidden it in room 14 of the Azure Planetoid and why? And most importantly: where was it destined to go, and to whom?

The latter question had me stymied. Admiral Actar's attack on the galaxy had been too recent for any real resistance to form. I might be the farthest thing from a war strategist, but even I knew that it took longer than mere months for disgruntled persons to form into motley cells, which would then grow into bona fide, coherent rebel groups. Especially on a galactic scale.

I reached a numb hand out and took the primary data chip from the input slit and held it in my hand, all the time looking at it as though it would bite me any moment. Slowly the import of what was contained upon those chips began to sink in... along with a fresh worry.

What the heck was I going to do with this info now that I had it?

The answer was obvious; my lips curled in a cold smile as I placed the last chip back into the input slit and hit "copy." Then, after much thought, I scanned through Eagle's maintenance records until I found that which I was looking for: the digital address to the Eagle Enterprise branch that Terrin had set up when we had first come here to slip away from our troubles. It didn't take long to link in and upload the information to our computers there; then I erased all trace of the transaction ever crossing through Eagle's systems and put an encrypted protection code around the upload.

I removed the last chip and tossed it into the air. My smile broadened as I caught it in my hand, then tucked it and the others down the front of my flightsuit into a hidden pocket.

Suddenly I was very, very certain that I would have Darra in my arms once again....

The smile still planted on my lips, I departed Eagle, securing her hatch with a retina-match guardian lock, and headed back into Piriingisi once again. I had to get back to the Azure Planetoid where I had last seen Lo Ban.

I had to talk to him about a great many things... and I sure hoped he was still there for me to find.

[ 04-12-2003 01:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Then I looked at the floor and saw none other than my friend Ruhatt Luthan. I went over to him and arose him.

"Ruhatt are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah, but I have an awful headache though." He replied.

"Come lets get you out of here. I've got a lot to tell you."

As we left the room, in the hallway not far from the room we were in were 4 bodys, or what used to be 4 bodys. Now it was just human body pieces evrywhere.

"Guess i got a little carried away. I was pretty mad."

We got in the elvaotor and waited while it took us down.

[ 04-07-2003 12:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jebbua Dahutt ]

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He was determined to kill this woman, and the thought that she is the only one who knew where the data chips were, in fact if she even has them, was lost to Romanus.

Trying to cost me a fortune...I swear, I'll nail her to a wall...

Moments after he thought that, Romanus spotted the redhead, apparently going back to the Azure Planetoid.

Seizing an opportunity, Romanus reached inside his trench coat, and gripped one of the knives he had attached there. He balanced the tip between his fingers, and prepared to throw it.

A horde of people were in the way, but Romanus only needed a second to have a clear line of sight. He waited...and waited...

The Force revealed the moment to him, where every person stepped out of his view. Romanus threw the knife at the red-haired woman, watching it cut through clothing, hair, and leaving cuts on people's necks who were too close.

He used the Force to push it faster to his target.

Let's see how skilled you are in the Force...

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Dammit, but from out of the blue, here was another one of my famous hunches....

I hadn't a clue what was going on. For all I knew the roof was about to cave in, or someone was being robbed, or someone had inadvertantly stepped on somebody else's toes. But amidst all the noisy hustle and bustle that surrounded me...

...something just was not RIGHT.

Thus it was that I suddenly found myself crouching, whirling about on the balls of my feet as I did so. And at that exact moment, the crowd of people behind me seemed to magically clear to either side of an imaginary line....

A line connecting the dots my eyes represented... to those of a man who although unknown to me certainly was no stranger.

I remained in that defensive crouch, my eyes wide as something whizzed over my head, glittering in the light of nearby wall sconces as it did so. But I didn't pay much attention to what had to be a blade of some sort.

I was too busy staring directly into the enraged eyes of the man I had yelled at, and most rudely, in the hallway of the Azure Planetoid.

Oh hell....

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

I walked around the people and walked right up to her.

"Hello Galen, I sorry about what happened last time, I was a little frustrated, but i'm ok now, so I hope you'll forgive me."

((OOC: THIS post has been edited by the admin for clarification, thank you.))

[ 04-08-2003 01:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"Sheesh!" I blurted, reaching up and grabbing this kid by the arm. I yanked him down to face level with me....

Briefly.

"I suggest you make tracks, kid!" I hissed, my eyes never leaving those of the menace in the black trenchcoat. "This isn't going to be a safe place to hang out in much longer!

"In fact..."

In one sweeping motion I pushed off with my feet, shoving the kid from me as I did as hard as I could. He fell back against some bystander or another, I wasn't really sure as to who because quite frankly I had more issues on my mind at the time than worrying about being impolite to a stranger.

"Time to go!"

Using the momentary distraction I had thus created, I took off running, dodging and weaving through the crowds, trying to get somewhere, anywhere other than close proximity to that ominous stranger.

For sure as there's Treasure on Roon, he wasn't playing games with me. Not in the slightest. And this I knew with something more than a chilling certainty, for even as I ran something came slicing into my left shoulder from behind.

I staggered, nearly fell, somehow managed to retain my footing and fled on, weaving and ducking now in earnest, the feel of my own blood warm and sticky as it ran down the inside of my flightsuit.

[ 04-08-2003 01:18 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Me and Ruhatt sat in the cockpit of his ship.

"I'm going to send a message to Dash first." I said. I typed in the frequency and then said over the comm.

"Hello Dash this is Jebbua, don't worry about me i'm fine. I'm on Sullest where I will be for a few days, so I hope you get this message before I leave, but if I do leave i'll send another message to let you know.
Jebbua out."

I leaned back in the co-pilots chair and fell to sleep for the first time in a long time.

[ 04-08-2003 02:11 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jebbua Dahutt ]

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Got her!

A smile curled on his face, but it slowly faded away as she got back on her feet and continued running.

At this point, the people finally saw him throwing weapons into the crowd, and a panic quickly spread out. As they ran back and forth, they blocked his eye sight of the red-haired woman. With a snarl, Romanus used the Force to knock a group of people in front of him to the ground.

The way clear again, Romanus took off running, enhancing his speed with the Force yet again.

I may have to finish this one quickly... he thought as he fingered the lightsaber on his belt...

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No good, no good... this is it, Galen ol' girl....

Gasping, I slid to a halt and fell onto my hands and knees. I grimaced in pain as another brilliant bolt sliced through me, one that created a fresh stitch in my side to add to my woes. I hadn't a clue where I was; I had no idea if I was still following the main arterial walkway of this underground city or had unknowingly run off into a side tunnel. What I did finally realize was the fact that it was all too quiet around me, save for the wretched pounding in my ears. A pounding suddenly amplified by an adjoining echo as booted footsteps came into my ears, footsteps that seemed to slow down the closer they came to me.

For a brief moment I remained on all fours, panting like an animal. The image of Darra flashed before my eyes.

Darra, baby, I'm sorry... Mama is so, so sorry....

Then I gathered all the courage I could and rose shakily to my feet. The pounding in my ears began to abate a bit, the black spots to lessen. I drew in a deep breath, ignoring the stab of pain that brought on, and turned round to face my trench-coated pursuer. My hair hung in limp strands across my forehead.

"What do you want from me?" I managed to gasp, holding with my last ounce of strength to a slim rope of sanity and self-control, one that threatened at any moment to completely unravel right between my fingers.

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"I'm going back to my house for now, but I'll come back later." Ruhatt said.

"Ok, I'm going to the cantina so, i'll be out too. Meet back in about a hour." I said.

I left and headed torwards the cantina with so much on my mind. Galen, Dash, and Alexis.
Yeah, a drink would help clear my mind.

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A simple swing and she won't be a bloody nuisance anymore, he thought. Fortunately for her, Romanus's rage died down a bit when he attacked, and leaving another body on Sullust would ensure a bounty on his head. Besides, he still didn't know where she took the data chips...

"You stole something of mine. Data chips, resting in a floor panel back at the Azure Planetoid. I'll either have them...or your head."

((OOC: The post following this post has been deleted 4-13-03 by crazed author: basically, Lo Ban Kenobi suddenly pops up, lightsaber ready, and challenges Romanus, thank you)).

[ 04-14-2003 10:36 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"Reckon I should've seen you coming. After all, you were hanging around her last time at the Inn..."

His remark hid the surprise he felt when this new Jedi appeared out of nowhere.

I didn't sense him coming...and as he young as he is he seems about as powerful as a Master.

The thought was quickly dismissed along with his fear, and held his saber up in a guard position.

The smile was still on his face as one of his hands darted into his coat. "My skill with the saber is indeed far quicker than my mouth..."

As he pulled his hand out, a spike was set between each finger.

"But are your eyes just as fast, Jedi?"

One sweep with his arm, and all of the spikes soared towards the Jedi, and were soon followed by Romanus whirling his lightsaber to attack...

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

Everything was all in a whirl about me. Time seemed to strobe somehow, taunting me with flashes of tunnel and distant light and glowing green lightsaber and predatory grin and...

...and the wonderful electric blue of another lightsaber, Lo Ban's lightsaber...

...which was quite suddenly there, seemingly from thin air.

I blinked, gasping still as pain seared hot and red through me, sweat now cooled into almost icy droplets dripping from my hair to sting my eyes. Trying my best to ignore the continuing slices of fire emanating from my left shoulder I tossed my head, both to get the hair and sweat from my vision and perhaps to ignite that pain a bit more in order to clear that vision. Shards of glass did seem to grate through every nerve ending on my entire left side, but I did finally manage to focus on where I was.

And who was with me.

Lo Ban. He had found me. He was here, really and truly here, and telling me to move back slowly....

My lips whitened in pain as I moved back as he requested of me, all the while keeping my eyes pinned on the action ahead. Then I grimaced for an entirely different reason as I saw the underhanded tactics employed by my trenchcoated pursuer. Never mind that Lo Ban seemed to be doing very well against him, thank you; the fact that this guy wasn't adhering to anything close to honor in battle made me see red for an entirely different reason.

Not to mention give me strength to put in my two cent's worth.

Maybe I can help distract this guy, I thought to myself as without any further thought I reached around with my right hand and yanked the blade from my shoulder. It felt like a rancor had dipped his claws in molten lava and had then raked one completely down my side, but I managed to put my initial reaction to that feeling on temporary hold -- albeit a brief one. Grunting a bit, I widened my stance, flipping the knife end for end in my hand. Raising my arm back, I let 'er rip, aiming straight for the back of this guy's neck.

And would wonders ever cease, though I missed his neck the blade at least impacted and stuck in his flesh, right between his shoulderblades. Hadn't a clue as to how hard, but at this point I considered myself lucky to just have had the blade hit home at all.

I then backpedaled as fast as I could, looking quickly around myself to see if there was anything else I could make into a weapon to help Lo Ban fight off this guy who so badly wanted to see me dead.

[ 04-09-2003 11:04 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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