Erik lead Shayla through the portal Lord Aelvedaar had opened and into the warm light of Tattooine's twin suns, all the while a dark look plastered on his face.

He didn't like this risk Shayla was so willingly taking. He had a bad feeling about it, regardless of his lack of training.

Perhaps it was just part of him that just didn't want to see her hurt. He'd seen enough of that.

Jerking himself from these thoughts, Erik turned and looked as others began to step through the portal. He still kept a steadying grip on Shayla, who still seemed to be slightly befuddled even though her greeny-blues were clearing. "So where do we go from here?" he queried to no one in particular. "A room? A quiet eating establishment?"

Jasyn Lancaster stepped through the portal about this time, hearing Erik's words and adding two of his own. "A bar?"

Erik frowned a bit, shaking his head. "Somewhere quiet," he reiterated, waiting for suggestions from others.

[ 06-04-2006 08:53 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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And then it sent out a subtle tendril into the mind of the one who carried them both...

[ 06-04-2006 09:06 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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"I'm fine," she then said to Erik, in one smooth motion stepping away from him and out of his grasp, surprising even herself.

She looked up to the two blaring suns of Tattooine, frowning. "Let's get somewhere away from all this heat," she said simply.

And away from all of this light... another voice cackled deeply within.

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

Terrin stepped through the portal with Galen, the light of the two Tatooine suns almost blinding. He squinted a bit, immediately surveying the landscape...

...and wondering something very specific, and very important.

"Where the kriffing hell are we?" he queried out loud, raising a hand to cover his eyes to see if anything was immediately visible in the fortunately setting suns. "After all, I don't particularly care to be standing out here in the middle of nowhere--if that's even where we are--in the middle of the night. Strange things go on in the desert in the evening, and it can get cold."

Terrin could almost hear Jasyn's comment before he grumbled it. "I hate the cold..."

"I'm not even sure what planet we're on...

...but twin suns and deserts screams Tatooine to me, although I suppose I could be mistaken."

Pausing at that, Terrin frowned thoughtfully. "Any way any of you can get lifesign senses to direct us somewhere safe to go?"

[ 06-08-2006 10:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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"Oh sure this is Tatooine; I mean, of course it is, how could it not be? Tatooine, after all, is the only desert world in the entire galaxy with twin suns now, isn't it?"

Snorting a little, I uncrossed my arms, using them now for balance as I stepped out onto the shifting surface. Tiny granules of sand flowed down and away with each step I took, causing my feet to sink a little before twisting slightly one way or another; sand wasn't the steadiest surface to walk on, you know.

Maybe three of four meters away I gave up and came to a stop. Still in sarcastic mode -- for sure as there's Treasure on Roon, what we've been through would take the patience of Khaandon himself! -- I pointed off in one direction, wobbling a little.

"Yeah, can't you see? I recognize that sand dune; Mos Eisley is over there--"

I whirled a quarter turn, still pointing toward the absolutely featureless horizon.

"--which would mean the Dune Sea is that way, and Beggar's Canyon--"

Hw I managed a full one hundred eighty degree turn without moving my feet I couldn't say, but it wasn't easy.

"--is that way."

Unwinding myself, I planted my fists on my hips and glared at the sand which spread out in all directions. It didn't do anything other than look innocent, remaining quietly smooth and inoffensive that tiny night creatures could begin their evening foray out for food.

Sighing, I plopped down where I stood, waved one hand wearily about.

"I suppose it could be Tatooine, but who knows? And even if it is, who's to say we're even on the same side of the planet that Mos Eisley is? Assuming we'd even want to go to that hellhole.

"I say we see what we can do to just stay alive where we are, and wait for Aelvedaar to get here with Jharmeen. I'm sure he wouldn't be placing us in a compromising situation now, would he? I mean, yeah he's got some strong powers and all, but let's not go making it any more difficult for him to find us again.

"That's what I think."

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"I just hope Aelvedaar doesn't take too long; I sure have no pressing desire to meet any sand people or desert creatures. But, hey!" he then said suddenly, "Maybe they'll at least bring some food with them."

Still scowling, he looked off into the distance. "I hate the desert..."

[ 06-13-2006 07:25 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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Of course Aelvedaar would leave you in a compromising situation, it whispered into her mind insidiously, He did it before, back in Prinnchatka.

Then her look shifted to Galen, and another thought surfaced, equally as black and oily, And of course she doesn't care about moving. She doesn't care if there is a threat to Jharmeen, she's tried to kill her before, and she killed her child. And he...

Her eyes shifted miniscuely to Terrin. ...he helped her, as did all of the others.

And Erik tried to take you from Khar Delba, and from the only true Sister you ever knew.

And Shawn...

"Oh, now I get it," Shayla spoke up suddenly, darkly. "You all would prefer her to be dead anyway."

She paused, her greeny-blue eyes so distant they didn't see the looks anyone might be directing her way, her mind now formulating a plan that didn't even make sense to her.

"If no one else here will make a move to protect her...

...then I will."

And in that moment, something totally unpredictable occurred. In that moment, Erik reached out a hand to stop Shayla from whatever it was she was doing, to stop the words she was speaking...

...only to be force-shoved several meters across and into the desert sand. Much the same happened to a stunned Shawn Petrolu, as well as Terrin Danner and his men, the action so fast that perhaps not even a second had passed.

Shayla turned icy greeny-blues Panthar and Galen's way.

"Don't either of you dare follow me," she darkly, under her breath, her final look clearly directed Galen's way, "Or your fate will be worse than theirs."

And with nothing other than that, Shayla Stargazer Petrolu Kartan turned and began walking away from the group, as quickly as possible, using the Force as her guide to light her way to an area with sentient life.

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

Blinking, I cut an incredulous look to Shayla's departing back, watched in utter shock just for another nanosecond or two as she disappeared swiftly into the heat-hazed distance.

Wha--??

Common sense waved a flag; my muscles thawed, finally loosening enough to let me run to Terrin's side. I dropped to my knees beside him, laid a concerned hand on his cheek.

He was down for the count...

"What in Hell's Seven Circles was that all about?" I whispered to no one in particular, then letting my hand slide to Terrin's shoulder.

"Terrin hon, wake up," I said, giving his shoulder a shake.

[ 06-13-2006 09:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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...and the next moment he was seeing stars, and all went black.

Man, it's been a while since you slept, a little shoulder devil popped up and snorted, one which was immediately truncated with the certain knowledge that this just wasn't right. And then there was that little bit of a gentle shake trying to grab his attention...

He strained for it for a few minutes, trying feeling for the universe like he'd been hit by a ton of durracrete blocks. Finally his eyes fluttered a little bit, and the first word he thought of sorta croaked out of his mouth before he ever got his eyes open.

"Galen...?"

A few more flutters of the eyelids, and Terrin finally managed to get them to stay open. He was still seeing stars...

...but ringed in those stars was something that looked a whole lot like Galen's face.

"You allright?" he asked worriedly, trying to sit up but then grunting, that feeling of durracrete blocks slamming into him returning to his senses. He grunted and winced, settling on looking Galen's way. "What the hell?"

He frowned then, considering the words Shayla was flinging at them, and came to a simple realization. His look darkened. "She sounded like Khar Delba, all over again," he muttered, his blue eyes locking on Galen's, a new concern filling them.

[ 06-14-2006 08:54 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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He focused on her form, staring hard and intently, and let her essence waft into his senses. He closed his eyes and allowed his powers, weakened yet strong enough to feel her aura, search for the answer.

He gasped, his eyes flying open. His hands went to his temple and he staggered backwards. Thoran caught him before he went down completely, and the Master allowed one knee to settle onto the sand.

“What do you mean, old man?” he demanded. “Just what the sand blast do you know about this?!”

Panthar paused, realization setting in.

“Oh no,” he said. “It’s that black tar stuff, isn’t it? The stuff that was in me? That stuff that was all over you?! You said it was dead, you lying piece of poodoo!”

Panthar doubled a fist, then stayed his anger. He looked around at the others.

“I can go after her,” he said. “We need to know where she is going, and we sure as hell can’t lose her! If she’s got that stuff inside of her, then she’s in so much danger it’s not even funny. And if it somehow works its way into Gray, then we’re in even in worse trouble! We have to stop her from doing whatever it is that the stuff is telling her to do!”

Panthar turned to the Master.

“Can you open a portal to her? Send me through it!”

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

“My strength is gone,” he said gravely. “But yes, I can sense the darkness. It is still small within her, not yet strong enough to give her the powers it holds. We can still stop her if we can get through her own abilities. But I know not how much time we have before it completes its influence on her, and worse yet before it overtakes the spirit of Graysith. It cannot use the All, for that we can be grateful, but it can have a very strong influence upon its host, and if its host has the All… well.”

He sighed, waving a shaking hand before him.

You're a Force-user, man, and you're laying here while your wife is walking into the night in something that seems to approximate nothing other than madness.

Oh Shayla, not again...

Erik reached to the Force, quickly becoming more and more conconscious til at length he was able to open his eyes and sit up, his dark browns immediately scanning the area for Shayla.

She was long gone. But to where?

Panthar's words wafted into his ears, as well as those of the Master's. A warning flag begin to wave in his mind's eye, and he turned to Panthar. "I have a Force link with her, and she is my wife," he stated. "I can track her and find her..."

He paused, trailing a moment, memories rushing up from a place deep within where they were buried. "...I've done it before," he then finished, beginning to make an effort to get standing once more. For although he had the Force to help bring him back to wellness, even the Force takes some time...

...and Shayla could obviously land a wallop when she needed to do so.

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

“I’ll help you,” he said. He looked around the group, seeing the same expression of shock and concern in everyone’s face. All except the Master, that is, who had collapsed with dignified exhaustion into a heap in the sand.

“With him out, the only magic type person we have is Thoran. Just as well, I don’t trust that Master guy. But I wish Galen or Darra could control their powers, it would be handy.”

Panthar sighed and tried to give a smile.

“I guess it’s up to cunning, Force, and good looks. At least I know what part I can offer.”

Panthar looked back to everyone.

“We need to get going after her, but someone had a point about staying here, too, in case this is where Aelvedaar expects us to be. Who is going with us?”

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

...it might take something more than what any of us have right now to stop it."

He frowned. "But then, she's got Jharmeen in her head, so we need to do something to keep tabs on her..."

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

"Do we have to go after her at all?" he asked simply. "I mean, she said she would fry us if we followed, and if that stuff wants Jharmeen then it probably already has her. I can find her, if we need her. You see, I put Jharmeen's spirit in Shayla, it's my magick behind it. I can sense that, if we need to find her, I can. Why can't we stay here until Aelvedaar comes back?"

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"No way, no kriffing way in hell!" I shot out, sending dark glances toward everyone. Especially toward Phalomir's dear ol' daddykins--

You bastard. You're the one who got us into this mess to begin with! No way am I moving an inch away from where I can keep my peepers peeled on you--!

But that wasn't the only reason I wanted to stay put.

"Look."

Groaning a little, I got to my feet, brushing off sand from my person as I did so. Then I took a stubborn stance, hands on hips, chin out, eyes glaring.

"I've seen Sissy pissed, and I've seen her ornery, and I've seen her mean and nasty, and I've even seen her all high-falutin' and full of herself and just plain dark.

"But if she's got that stuff inside her now... no way am I getting anywhere near her. I know what she can do; no way, no kriffing way in hell.

"Sure as there's Treasure on Roon!"

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Ever the true Jedi that he was, ever devoted to the ultimate goal, he stretched to the Force for strength as he became conscious once again. His greeny-blue eyes opened, his vision cleared...

...and for a long moment he simply listened to the conversation around him, particularly the varying views on what to do next.

He came to a conclusion.

"Galen is right," he then spoke up, sitting up as he did so and brushing sand from his blue jedi robes. "And I know my sister well enough to know that once she's convinced of something, nevermind that this is perhaps having to do with something other within her, she won't be easily stopped. If whatever is going on with her has anything to do with the tar that was in Panthar, we're going to need Lord Aelvedaar to help her. Going after her unprepared may only worsen the sitaution.

We don't want to push Shayla so far away that we can't get to her when it is time to help both her and Jharmeen."

[ 06-14-2006 11:19 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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He trailed, his look darkening, "...more importance," Erik then finished. "No way am I letting Shayla wander off on her own to do gods know what and go gods know where. You forget she is an exceptional pilot, and can quite easily blast her way off this planet and go to any destination she damn well pleases.

If that black stuff is as insidious and dark as you claim," he continued, turning to the Master, "I think it'd be getting her the hell off this planet. And to where, I have no idea. But I'm going to find out. I've lost her once, a long time ago..."

"...and I'm not gonna lose her again."

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

...or any number of any other random settlements on whatever desert world she might be on. The only thing she was quite certain of was that there was sentient life out there, and she was heading for it. In short, these possibilities didn't mean anything in regards to just where she was going, or where she was, in the least.

Regardless of these facts, however, Shayla certainly knew where she was not staying.

This sudden decisive decision on her part lead to the the realization that, if she intended to be on her way unmolested and uninterrupted, she'd better take precautions. The desert, regardless of which one she was in, was known for its creatures and rough natives; she wasn't going to risk having to deal with any of them. And she was not going to risk being tracked by those she left behind, either. Not while there was still something she could do to stop them from doing thus.

So, stretching out with her Force-abilities, Shayla quite easily and effectively blocked any of the major Force-links she had, especially those with her own husband and her Jedi brother.

If someone was going to stop her, it would not be either of them. And knowing them both, they would be dragging their feet and debating for so long before they did anything she could make good distance from them in the meantime.

She had done so quite effectively in the past.

Now turning her attentions to the other possible hinderance to her goal, Shayla then drew the Force to herself as a shield to ward off any unwanted attention from whatever beings and creatures might be lurking out in the deserts. The suns now setting for the evening, Shayla knew that the time was right for scavengers to come out seeking unsuspecting prey.

Only she was not unsuspecting, nor was she unarmed. The sudden reminder that she had no material weapon of any sort was immediately thrown to the wind with a resounding memory.

You will soon have no need of such... toys.

At this thought, a somehow dark and knowing smile crossed the features of Shayla Stargazer.

Indeed. Why have need of such toys when other, much more effective avenues, can be utilized?

Still keeping her quick pace across the sands, Shayla still saw nothing but sand in her visual field. She had far to go just yet, but Shayla would get wherever it was she was going...

...and she would take care of Jharmeen in the process, with the plans now formulating in her mind. She had no need to trust those she left behind, for she was suddenly so certain of the fact that in the end she would not be able to trust them regardless.

Besides, she had her Chosen Sister. And she needed nothing else.

[ 06-15-2006 12:21 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Pausing a brief moment, Shawn stretched out to assess that possibility. His suspicions were confirmed, and he shook his head, his eyes now defocused. "I can't sense her, she has me blocked."

His greeny blue eyes snapped alert then, and he looked back to Erik. "Lord Aelvedaar has a connection with Jharmeen, that is the link that will lead us to her. And he is the one we must wait for."

[ 06-17-2006 11:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shawn Petrolu ]

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"She may have blocked you," he said to Shawn, "But she wouldn't block me, she wouldn't..."

He trailed, sensing out as Shayla's brother had already done...

...and coming up with much the same result. He shook his head in disbelief. "She...she wouldn't ," he persisted, "Not of her own volition. And I don't think I can stand idly by and just wait, Force link or not..."

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

“Hold it you two!” he finally burst out. “You mean she blocked the links she had with you? It’s got her, that’s all there is to it. And I’d lay odds it’s either pounding on Jharmeen’s door or already has her, too. And if Shayla can block links like that, I’m sure it will convince Jharmeen to knock out hers as well, including the one with Aelvedaar. It’s mighty persuasive…”

Panthar looked out into the distance in the general direction Shayla departed. The night was coming down on the sand, and the wind seemed to carry tendrils of the darkness with it. Panthar squinted and exhaled slowly, feeling tears suddenly wanting to well up. He choked them back shook his head.

“It’s so strange,” he said. “I can almost see her in my head…”

Panthar stopped, realizing that he actually could almost see her in his head!

“It’s still with me,” he said slowly. “The darkness, I mean. It’s gone, but it’s not. It left a mark on me, I can feel it.” He looked to the others, his face serious. “And I can feel Shayla… or at least I can feel that creepy stuff in her. I don’t think I could track her, but I know she is still out there.”

Panthar turned to the Master.

“If I can sense it, and it had me for only a short while, then you should be able to practically talk with it!”

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

“It is completely gone from me,” he said. “I feel no trace of it whatsoever.”

The lie was simple, but if he expounded on the nightmares that still plagued his thoughts then they would kill him for certain.

“Um,” he started. “I, um… I’m not sure how it happened. I mean, I was sorta watching things happen, and my buddy Diffy was there and found me. I mean, he used that link thing we have, and spoke to me in my head, where I was at the time… I mean.. Oh, hell! I don’t know what happened! I think he came over and tried to eat me, and that’s when it left me.”

Panthar looked around helplessly.

“Does anyone know what happened?”

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