"Indeed, these are good plans, my friends," I say at length, now rising to my feet. "And I believe the best approach is one of stealth. However, because we go in with velvet gloves, it does not mean the hand within does not bear claws.

"I shall see what I can determine..."

With no further ado, and not needing to go to my inner sanctum, I simply let drop the chronotic shield that had kept Phrinnchatka safe from all harm. Then, even as my eyes begin to roll inward, I reach out a clawed hand and take up the slim one of my Chosen Daughter. For while I have not made the acquaintance of this bounty hunter, she has. She shall provide the link....

Outward then, our co-mingled thoughts explode from this place, out hunting among the stars in the night for a very singular prey. Out and through a portal into elsewhere, our questing senses race along. in all directions, as fast as light, only unlike light not decreasing in intensity with distance. Onward, ever onward, following a path leading to the water world of Kamino...

...and there finally finding a signature hearteningly familiar amidst the cool sterile alienness of the natives. The slyly coy tendril recoils from the comfort of Galen JhinDar Danner, nosing about from her, and there, not to far from where her unique mental signature is lies one which my Chosen One suddenly recognizes. It slides into his essence like the merest will-o'-the-wisp, and quietly begins sifting through the sudden wealth of knowledge it has found.

And there, glittering blackly amidst old hatreds and an undying love, lurks the answer.

My eyes open simultaneously with Graysith's violet ones, as the knowledge we have gained snaps us back to our reality once more, lightyears away from where that knowledge has been gained. We turn them to one another; then my brows lower as she shrinks back against her Lord.

It is not that movement which has caused me consternation, however. Pursing my lips, I slowly divulge what we have just learned from the unsuspecting mind of the hunter Tarnus.

"He does indeed wish to clone the child, but this is not all he plans to do." I pause, taking in a deep breath at the following words I must speak.

"He plans to create his own Triad, all from this child of his loins, and with them resurrect the Sith under his personal leadership. With his daughter... nay, daughters! acting in the stead of the three Lords, he plans on taking position above them as Supreme Overlord. Together they will keep the Sith under iron control, as they all have use of the All...

"...which is something the Sith would not have at this time. And," I press further, finishing with, "in order that the children shall have the mental and emotional capabilities to handle this task, yet still be willing to bow beneath him, he plans to have all of them accelerated in age to that where they may ascend to power together, with him at their head."

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

Oh, hell. KRIFFING HELL.

Suddenly Terrin knew with certainty that it was mostly likely impossible for Galen to assist her niece in the way she wanted at this time. In fact, it might be impossible even in the long run.

Which meant she and Sorben Tarnus were sitting on Kamino probably waiting for...

...nothing. Nothing that they could do anything about yet. For certainly if Roan was there already putting his plans into effect, he had taken precautionary measures to ensure they were not foiled until they were complete. Roan was no fool.

Terrin turned and looked to Aelvedaar, concern on his face. "Can you sense Roan on Kamino at this moment? Because if you can't, I'd say it's a good possibility he's shielded himself and whatever else he must to continue with his plans without interruption. If this is in fact the case, we need to let Sorben and Galen know what is going on, cause this is really bad timing. We're gonna have to sit down and consider as a group what to do to deal with this, and that means getting everybody back here so we have alot of heads to think with..."

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

deep within his thoughts were turning...

How could they stand against this? three children, along with roan, all of which hold a terrible strength in the abilities of the All...
we have but three now, for Darra is yet a child, and while strength is within her, she lacks the age and wisdom to use that strength to our advantage...
he then changed the focus of his thoughts.

Three? no, aelvedaar was powerful, but no fighter was he. His talants lie in his great wisdom, and pouring knowledge. WHile these things make for a great ruler, and a wonderus guid, they were of little match against an ex-warrior and three of his children...
But then... Roan had done something to graysith, he could yet sense her trepidition in these matters... She could not truly stand against roan, dispite her great strength. Perhaps though with her friends at her side she might have the strength to resist? perhaps... But roan was no weakling, his actions were most likely beyond that.

he reached out another loving thought in her direction.

that left shayla... and shayla, while with a strong heart, and desire to do good, had but a defensive use of the all, and to add to that a great dispair when angered...

And he himself, while great warrior he was, could not hope to stand against any of them, while easily could roan be defeated in combat, with his use of the all recinis had not a chance...

slowly he put the thoughts out of his head. he would not return to those thoughts of failure, no longer would he entrap himself by them... For they held something roan did not, They held good and honor... and with these two simple things, they could forge a defence...an offence...they would find a way...

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

Recinis, my love.... A bit of that reflexive fear immediately squelched beneath the comfort he was now sending her as, sensing her fears and trepidation, he sought to eradicate them from her being. Leaning against him once more, she now raised a hand and laid it upon his hand, which had come to protective rest upon her shoulder.

Then with the greatest of efforts, she put thoughts of him aside for a bit and straightened in her seat, renewed by the fresh burst of strength he had given her, heartened that, inexplicably terrified though she might be at the prospect of facing the fallen Dark Lord, she would not have to face him alone.

"My Sire," she put forth, turning her gaze into Aelvedaar's stormy, molten one. "It seems to me that we only have one path which we can take. We must go to Kamino, and there confront and destroy Ankrist Roan. As well as... as well as the clones of my daughter he is having created. And... if we then cannot sway the blood of my flesh from his dark path... we must d-destroy her as well."

She choked briefly on the last portion of her statement, closing her eyes as she fought against the burning anguish those words sent flooding into her, before once again finding strength in her love. When she opened them, the look in them was steadily resolute.

"All for the Greater Good. This plot cannot be allowed to see fruition. But it will not be easy to confront Roan; the only means I can perceive of intentionally drawing him out is to devise an active and real threat against ShaRhylla. I believe with Captain Danner that she is under chronotic shielding, for when we found Tarnus's mind on Kamino I could not sense her in the tiniest bit.

"My Sire..." Her eyes suddenly brightened as sudden inspiration struck. "I have the Claw of S'slan, by which the All may be used for an overtly aggressive act. Such aggression has roots in the dark, no matter how righteous the cause they seek to defend.

"Can we not return to the Valley of the Lords, and with the augmentative magicks there use the powers inherent in my niece, combined with those you have placed within me, all channeled through the Claw, to destroy the chronotic shield he has emplaced somewhere on that world? Then we could easily step in to take back what is rightfully ours, and act which I am certain would draw him out in turn, that we may destroy the menace he presents once and for all."

[ 09-21-2002 12:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

My horned head tilts down at the words I must reveal to them all.

"I-- I do not know if this will work," I say softly, not liking that I must put yet another dampener into the hopeful spirits her inspiration had produced in everyone. "I do know it is far more difficult to erect such a shield around a city or a world than around a vessel or a being, for these were initially created to be a defensive device."

Then I fall into silence, recalling well the difficulty I had in erecting the shield I had around Khar Delba, now suddenly cursing the fact that the act had become so much easier over time. Did that ease translate into a firmer defense by the shield, as the All was accepting the command of the one emplacing it?

That was something, to be truthful, that even with all the Sith magick at my command I truly did not know.

[ 09-21-2002 01:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

his mind continued down many different pathways.

We need assistance... We need something that can help us in our struggles... if only the third piece of the triad were in place...
Slowly his mind return to something he had said earlier...
The cloak which could bend light, where exactly was he planing on taking hold of such an item? not exactly a common sight, such things were known only by the weapons lord...
Suddenly it clicked. "perhaps we could find something of use within the inner sanctom of the weapons lord... within such a place is bound to be some record which might assist us, some item that can help us in our journy."
he nodded to himself "i remember being within an inner sanctom of just a sub member of the clan, their room was littered with many creations, the weapons lord would be sure to have a similier room."

[ 09-21-2002 01:16 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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

"That is an easy enough feat to accomplish, my new Brother," I reply in turn, now bowing my head respectfully before seeking out through the long-silent corridors of this Temple. It is but a matter of moments to find that which I know is within its bowels: the rooms of Suranas Rean, silent in turn as they continue to wait for the coming again of their Master.

Putting aside all small encroachment of sadness the empty rooms provoke in me, I now channel their images into the minds of this new Master, that he and his Lady may more easily find the pathway there.

"Go ye hence, and quickly," I finish with, "and determine if an answer lays somewhere within the hidden sanctum of my now-dead Brother, Lord Rean."

I sit back in my seat and fold my hands into the sleeves of my robe, for at this particular moment there is nothing more I can do other than wait, to see what they may discover, and to hear if anyone else has any more suggestions to offer.

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

Traveling down the many hallways within the temple, they finaly found their way to the room which Rean had once occupied.
Taking in a deep breath, recinis sighed lightly, before bowing his head in respect for the lord that once lived within, he opened the doorway with a gentle shove.
turning a light smile on Graysith he nodded slowly before entering...

As was to be expected the room was litered with gadgets, many upon tables next to tools, some neatly stacked upon shelves, some in boxes, everywhere you looked there was something...
Finaly his eyes locked for a moment on a shelf that held many tomes... tomes which were locked by sith magicks, only the weapons lord would be to look upon them...
Recinis nodded for a moment, most likely the trusted secrets that would teach the lords to come how to make that which had been discovered...

He turned his gaze from their upon another shelf, which held many scrolls and tomes, all of which were open for any to view, most likely holding notes and perhaps some kind of organization key, if organization had even been known in this room...
he then turned to graysith "where shall we begin, M'lady?"

[ 09-21-2002 01:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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

"My Lord," she repeated both the title and the caress upon which it was carried. "We shall begin...

"Here."

With no further ado, she reached out and took up one of the tomes laying on the shelves, and began to ruffle through it's pages with light yet rapid fingers. Beside her she could sense her Lord doing the same, and soon both were immersed in the hunt to find that which they both sought.

Time ticked past. Tomes and scrolls were picked up, scanned through, discarded. Bit by bit the pile of those investigated grew larger and larger on the heavy wooden table where they had been stacking them. Bit by bit the shelves grew emptier and emptier as one after another their burdens were lifted from them. Then....

A flash of incandescent joy burst through her essence as a quickly indrawn breath came into her ears. Beside her Recinis was straightening up, now turning his intense green eyes into her violet ones as he held out the somewhat newer-looking scroll he was holding. Her own eyes latched for a moment longer upon his, then she took the manuscript between suddenly shaking hands and sent a swift glance along its length.

There, in ancient Sith script, notes on the development of what she had come to know as a chronotic shield. With a particularly important note scribbled in the margin, almost as an afterthought.

She raised her eyes back to Recinis again, her own now widening to join his in joy.

"Here are his thoughts on the reaction of the All in the creation of chronotic shields," she said in a hushed whisper, reverence for the abilities of the dead Weaponry Lord filling her as realization struck how little time he had had to devise anything at all regarding the wondrous power they had found in literally his last moments of life. "And here..." Now she tapped a slender finger against the tiny, scribbled marginal note. "Here is the limiting factor he planned on writing into the spell.

"While generally speaking only the one who has raised a chronotic shield may then lower it, this may be overcome by any All user, if the All is utilized properly, and if only for the Greater Good..."

Her voice trailed off into silence as, her eyes wide, she could only stand there falling into Recinis's green and widening pair.

Could a partial solution to their dilemma truly be as easy as this?

[ 09-21-2002 02:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

"I know this is speculation," Shayla said into the quietness of the room, "But I wonder just how ShaRhylla will react to this whole cloning process, and to her 'sisters'. Might Rhylla sense her clones as a threat? Regardless of her physical age, she will still have the mind of an infant for some time, and infants usually demand the attention of their parents. Although an infant will simply accomplish this by crying, a child who is physically older while mentally and emotionally still very young will have more means to gain the attention she feels she deserves.

"Certainly it will be next to impossible to force ShaRhylla to come with us when she has clearly chosen her Father. But could we, based on our knowledge of Roan's ultimate plot to use his daughter along with Rhylla's logical reaction to her clones, sway her decision?"

Shayla paused at this, waiting.

[ 09-21-2002 02:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

With those words said, soon they were off, on thier way to inform the others of their important findings...

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

I close my eyes but once, almost in relief, to find this major obstacle so easily hurdled; at least it would seem to be so. For if ever a chronotic shield needed to be dropped for the sake of the Greater Good, this would be that very one.

"Then it is settled," I nod my head firmly with the words, as Lord Recinis now takes his seat after having divulged this information to us. "You must indeed go to Kamino, and drop what shield you are certain to find there. While even to say the words is to continue along the lines of speculation, I cannot help but extrapolate that beneath that shield, should there be one, we shall find the child. Hopefully being in such close proximity to her will draw Roan out from cover, that he might be dealt with. Hopefully, as well, the child will choose then to return to Phrinnchatka with her mother."

I pause now, looking from one to the other before asking the final question:

"Has it yet been determined which of you have been chosen to go to Kamino? As well as where exactly it is you wish to be emplaced?"

[ 09-21-2002 10:01 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

For while he was no coward, he was no idiot either, and he knew their chances were slim in facing roan and returning victoriously.
Nodding slowly in affirmation he returned to his seat.

Stealth would indeed be thier greatest ally...

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

"Perhaps it would be best if I went alone, my Lord," she said softly, fending off the frown which was beginning to crease his features with a gentle touch of her hand. "There is greatest stealth in one, and since Galen already has it in her mind to rescue my daughter, perhaps this means she has begun to trust, and would therefore listen to me."

She trailed into silence, simply staring into his eyes, and waited for his answer, keenly aware of the shifting movements of the others gathered together.

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

With a sigh he let his eyes lock into her's, finding that there was no arguing with that determined gaze...
Finaly he nodded.
"Very well, If you are set upon this, Then i will not try to stop you, your words are indeed wise, my dear Jharmeen...
"but remember, i will go along with you, in spirit, in mind, and in heart, Never will i allow you to be alone when in such a time of possible danger."
Nodding once more, he smiled gently. "Should any danger become apparant though, i will go to you, i will deffy all possible laws in this universe to help."

turning his gaze upon all present he sighed. "are there any that may dispute her wisdom?" his eyes locked upon those of terrin Dannar, Whom recinis knew was most likely not pleased with this turn of events. For with his wife, he knew the man would want to be... But it could not be.

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

Now, Mr. Danner, what are you gonna do against Roan to best help out here? As much as you’d love to see the guy nailed for everything he’s done, wouldn’t you be best assisting Galen and Darra, as well as everyone else, if you remained here, ready to bring in backup plans should, gods forbid, this mission fail?

After all, you are more a strategist than you’ll ever be a fighter. And while you’d lay your life on the line for Galen or JhinDarra at any given moment, you also know that Darra will remain here in safety and that Galen is not currently in danger but rather is laying in wait.

And how would Galen feel if you went charging after her at this point anyway? Would this indicate to her that you are simply very concerned for her safety, or that you don’t trust her to come to the trust she is just beginning to develop and needs so very much? And, however incorrect the conclusion would be, might this also make things appear as though you don’t even trust the Sith enough to protect her and bring her back on their own?

For when it’s all said and done, your deepest desire is that she knows not only that she can trust you, Mr. Danner, but the Sith as well. Or else, every time it comes down to little Darra going off on a mission, Galen is gonna struggle with believing that the Sith can keep her safe.

And that’s not how you wanna see her going through life now, is it?

Face it, Danner. As much as you’d love to step in at this point, doing so might only reverse the very thing that you want to come about here; that being the very thing that Galen needs the most...

...Trust.

“I think...” Terrin started, biting his lower lip, “That my place is here, where I can be ready to lay backup plans should they be needed. I am more than willing to talk to Galen when the time comes, but I’d rather she develop the trust she needs in the Sith first, and perhaps this is where it can begin. After all, she does want to help you find your daughter,” Terrin continued, looking to Graysith, “and I agree that indicates she’s gaining some trust already. And I feel that, just as much as taking Darra to Kamino would negate the trust Galen is learning, my participation at this point may do much the same. Should you need me, I will come. But for the moment I believe it would be best for me to wait and help from here while Galen continues to develop the trust in you that she needs.”

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

Hadn't he seen what happened in the Valley of the Dark Lords? How could he let her go off alone, even if Aelvedaar could easily bring him to Graysith if and when he was needed.

Recinis was needed now.

But then, Shayla figured it wasn't her place to make that choice for him. But she could make her own choice in the matter.

"I will go," Shayla said, her greeny-blue eyes resting in the violet pair of her sister's. "There is stealth in one, but there is also strength in some numbers. This may very well take the strength of more than one."

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

"No, Shayla," she said with a shake of her head. "Your presence there would imperil yourself, and our mission. There has been something placed within you regarding your emotions; though balance enough to begin using the All a bit you do possess, you need to maintain that balance. The emotion affected cannot be denied or suppressed, else you lose what abilities you have learned thus far. Thus your presence there would not serve this endeavor, but may actually prove a danger to it.

"Therefore," she finished, now leaning into the strength she felt from her Lord, both physically and emotionally through the Link they shared. "I shall go alone. If Roan is indeed cowering beneath a shield, he will not be able to sense my presence there. Should he drop it, he bares himself to this."

She held up the Claw-bearing hand. The device glittered on her finger, quietly proclaiming its ability to attack with the swiftness of an electric charge, and the omnipotent power of a supernova.

"I will attempt to destroy the clones, as well as to retrieve my daughter if at all possible. If that should prove fruitless... " For a moment her words trailed off into silence, but one which by all present was easily filled with the words finishing that statement. Ignoring that line of thought, Graysith smoothly continued with,

"...then I shall be able to show Galen Danner how fruitless her 'rescue' would be, and thus may more easily persuade her into returning here to Phrinnchatka with me."

With that she paused altogether, quieting and waiting to hear what final thoughts anyone else might wish to express before she departed.

[ 09-24-2002 06:43 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

Shayla paused, not liking the words she had just spoken. "Should you need me I will be ready."

And with that she fell silent, waiting to see what else anyone would have to say.

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

I hope so, kiddo. I sincerely do.

With that he turned his gaze to the others and made one final quiet comment. "If I can do anything please let me know as well," he said, pausing a moment and pursing his lips as he strove to keep the worry at bay. "May Khaandon be with you..."

At that he trailed, trying as best as he could to lay his concerns and fears to rest, seeking assurance in the yet calm gaze of his daughter once more.

[ 09-24-2002 08:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

"I take your strength and your heart as I go, my Lord and love."

Following those words with a lingering kiss upon his lips, she then stepped back. Then, looking once into the expressionless face of Lord Aelvedaar, she described a rune upon the air. Immediately a portal opened within those mysterious places existing on the other side of spacetime, its inky elseness hovering off to one side like a roiling pool of oil.

She didn't hesitate in the slightest. Her step firm, her visage darkening, the Glyph beginning to flare on her forehead, she stepped into the portal and disappeared from view, following the link she had initiated between herself and the hunter.

In less than a second, the Portal had closed, taking her with it to Kamino.

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

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

Suddenly his focus returned to those within the room, he flashed confedent smile in all their directions for a moment before nodded to himself and begining to walk away.

"Should any need me i will be in the court yard-" he then looked to aelvedaar "-i ask you to contact me should anything even appear as though it might go astray, i wish to be on hand should i be needed." turning his gaze upon them all once more, he finaly departed, and began a slow paced walk down the many corridoors.

[ 09-25-2002 03:21 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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

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