Quietly he quested out with a tendrel of the force, slowly finding who it was held such feelings, and a brief smile crossed his face once more... For sisters they truly where... each had found reliefe from something haunting them, connected beyond what even they could realize...
he squeezed Jharmeen gently at that. Changing thier course slightly, so they would not intercept, and possibly interupt galans moment of joy, for during her stay in this city, such moments had been few for her, and hopefuly, this would be one of the first, of many to come...
With a slight turn in his mental pathway's he returned his thoughts down the road consisting of Jharmeen, and himself, together always, the return to that wonderful place bringing once more a soft swelling to his heart, one which could never be deflated...

As they continued on a waft of sleepieness crossed into Recinis concious, and with a bit of a chuckle, and a light grin he quickly, and surprisingly scouped Jharmeen into his arms, turning into a sith home, carrying her through the doorway as a groom might his bride on thier wedding night, finding a soft bed and seting her down upon it quietly, and soon joining her on its luxurious comfort.

Smiling brightly as he spoke, his words came out filled with a gentle calmness, and all the love and caring in his heart.

"Let us stay here for the night Jharmeen... a night away from all others so we might not be disturbed by any idle callings, or pointless disruptions."

with that he gently wrapped his arms about her, drawing her into him as if they were two pieces to a puzzle, each complementing the other, snuggling warmly on a bed, so soft it could only be made by a sith hand.

He then set upon her a soft, lingering kiss before speaking once more. "i love you my dear Jharmeen, let yourself be free..." he smiled then, letting his eyes fall deeply into her own, complete joy evedent in his own eyes at being able to simple live forever in those soft violite orbs, which represented a doorway into the very place he loved most to dwell... Her soul, her heart, her love... All the things in this world he so cherished most, and that cherished feeling came simply because it was her... And with her he knew he was complete, and such a wonderus completment it was... indeed, he loved her more then any save her would ever be able to comprehend.

[ 09-30-2002 12:00 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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"What of ShaRhylla?"

Then the Glyph on Graysith's forehead flared in a softly radiant glow as the answer to that question came directly on its heels, an answer she knew which came not of her own thoughts nor of Recinis's, but from the wonderful and nearly indescribable union which they were together:

Let her then find her own way within the Temple, and the city as well. Let her discover the first step in knowing the love we have for her, that there are no fetters or chains upon her, nor doors to lock her in, nor hands to grasp and force her in one direction. Let her be free to discover this freedom.

With that, Jharmeen Q'utaro let herself simultaneously go limp and flare out in all directions in the pure joy of the moment, as the love of her husband entered into her being to take her upon even greater heights of ecstasy... one begun when he had managed to utterly surprise her by literally sweeping her off her feet, to bear her away into this quiet corner of the world, to then offer to her yet another wondrous new chapter to read in the Book they were still writing together. A Book without ending; they would pen it for eternity....

Seeking that eternity with him now, that this moment would not end, Graysith merely smiled and whispered up into Recinis's ears, "Again you have succeeded in freeing me from the moment of our daily trials, my dearest husband. Do you know how much it is that I love you?"

Then the Lady Q'utaro lifted her lips and her arms to her husband, and let him continue to sweep her utterly and cleanly away with him.

[ 09-30-2002 11:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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And Galen nowhere to be found.

Terrin finally decided to step completely away from the matter for the time being, his heart heavy with the thoughts of another man possibly dying while taking a place he felt he should have been there to fill.

What had prompted an attack on Sorben Tarnus like that, anyway? Had Roan tried to get his claws on Galen again...?

Dear gods, he had to know she was alive now...

Terrin shuddered at the very thought. He strayed from it, angry that he hadn't been there, unsure of what the ramifications for that might be.

She's in love with Tarnus, and you know it, a damnable shoulder devil popped up and spouted. That's what you get for falling in love with someone who loves someone else, Danner! And then YOU didn't even have the nerve to go and protect her...

...her ex did!

Terrin's pace slowed a little and he closed his eyes a moment, trying to sort out the thoughts that were whirling through his brain.

It was never, ever, ever that he didn't want to be there to protect her. Rather it was because he had chosen her freedom to gain peace of mind over everything else.

And what if Roan had gone after her and you had taken the fall? That would have really given her peace of mind, now wouldn't it have, buster?

But again the devil persisted. Wouldn't have mattered. She doesn't love you like she loves him. You are just second best...

He sighed at that, mentally flicking the devil that kept badgering him as far away as he possibly could.

He couldn't believe that, at least not yet. He trusted Galen enough that she would be honest with him about this, no matter how much it would hurt him. And after all, a whole Hell of alot just came down the spacelanes and landed right into her lap...

...kinda hard to figure out just HOW you feel when emotions are slamming you from every direction fathomable.

It's too soon to know what will happen. Cross one bridge at a time, as they come. And in the meantime sincerely pray that Sorben Tarnus can be revived.

After all, Galen had never wanted anyone to take a fall for her--except perhaps herself.

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Now if someone would be so kind as to get the blasted thing back to its wallow, I'd be more than appreciative and would then be able to get down to the business of figuring out just what in Hell's Seven Circles had happened to me.

I won't say that I've ever felt worse than I did right now, but Fates know I've certainly felt better. The last time I felt remotely as awful as I did at the moment had been that time Galen and I had decided to partake of Quee's absentee hospitality, only then I at least had the 9700 credits worth of Alderaanian wine under my belt in compensation. But now....

I tried the groan again, and this time it managed to sigh out from between my lips. Immediately I felt cool hands on me; someone was then trying to say something to me, but strive as hard as I might I just couldn't make out the words.

All of a sudden it was just too much of an effort altogether to even think of listening, let alone try and decipher what the words were saying. The dewback seemed to shift its weight obligingly as well, now perching upon my eyes which although still closed, suddenly became impossibly heavy.

Time to figure it out later, now it was time for this bounty hunter to check out the inside of those heavy lids for awhile. Cuz I sure couldn't have opened up my eyes if I wanted to at this point; it was soooo much easier to keep them closed, and to begin to drift--

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Injured. Not dead. Just injured. Thank the Maker...

"He sleeps," she whispered quietly, channeling to him as much comfort and warmth as she could. Then she looked to little Darra, who had been quite contented through all of this to simply remain where she was, occasionally kicking and cooing happily. Shayla rubbed her on the back softly, then returned her attentions to the injured man.

"We could get all this heavy gaunleting and chest armor off him," she observed. "Might relieve some of the pressure," she ended with, looking to Shawn.

He simply nodded and they went to work, waiting, yet remaining in place to provide all of the assistance that they could.

[ 09-30-2002 12:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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[ 09-30-2002 10:23 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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For although he appeared as silent as he had been when I had left, I could just tell by the look in Shayla's eyes when she turned her face up into mine that he was indeed now in the stage of true and restorative sleep.

Dad always said the universe was open, and now I knew it to be true, for I could feel it literally exanding as it moved out and away from the place upon my heart where it had been laying. I let out a deep sigh of thanks to Khaandon, and then a more mundane and verbal one to those present in the room.

"Thank you," I said quietly, somehow uncomfortable around Shayla for how I had treated her earlier. I looked into her greeny-blue eyes, then shifted my glance quickly away; time for apologies later, if the time came for them. I mean, a more thorough one than the purely heartfelt one I had just uttered....

I blinked, then moved up to Sorben quietly and laid my hand on his chest. He didn't move an inch, but snored on uninterrupted. I smiled down at him, the joy in my soul pressing outward even more until I couldn't stand to hold it in any longer. I simply bent down and kissed his cheek.

Then I gathered my daughter up into my arms, and turned to leave.

"Tell him we'll come calling when he's up to visitors," I said as I headed to the door. Then, a spring in my step which hadn't been there for what seemed simply ages, I left to take JhinDarra home.

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Insufferably.

At length ShaRhylla sat up in her bed, her face reddened and puffy from the effects of her tantrum. All about lay yet more shards and splinters, attesting to the strength of her latest caterwaul; she merely shrugged, deeming the destruction of priceless objects d' art as unworthy of her attentions.

Then she slid out of bed, stalking the perimeters of the room to determine what it yet held that was in one piece. A gigantic wardrobe lurked in a shadowy corner; going to it she flung it open, rummaging around to finally draw back with a pale aqua gown of sheer star-sprinkled gossamer in her hands. For a moment her face softened as she caressed the luxurious material, then with quick motions she ripped off the rather plain gown the Kaminoan scientists had provided her, and slipped into the utter heaven of one once belonging to Sith nobility. It fitted her like a glove, showing off her blossoming frame to perfection. Going to a mirror, she smiled in genuine joy to see her reflection shining out at her there: indeed she now looked fitting of the mark her father had told her of, the Emblazonment of Roan, to which she was heiress. She looked at the black tattoo on her right wrist, wishing it were gold, knowing one day it would be so.

Then she whirled around, placing her former air of queenly hauteur about her like a cloak, and striding to her door grasped the handle. For a brief moment she paused, half expecting to find it locked. But it opened smoothly beneath her hand; and she stepped out into the corridor beyond.

Tossing her head, well aware of the exquisite beauty she presented, she set out to see what she could learn about this place which she had awakened to find herself in.

[ 10-01-2002 12:42 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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"Brought you something," he said, presenting a small package that he had been carrying. "All your eating needs, directly from the Kartan catering service," he quipped.

Shayla grinned at him, leaning into him as she began to help herself. After a small bit of time, the snacks had been consumed by the three in the room, and Shayla snuggled into the warm embrace of her fiance's arms, slipping off to a comfortable sleep as her brother continued to keep an eye on the resting bounty hunter.

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They always manage to get at you, don't they buddy? Just when you aren't looking, that's when they pipe up to argue with you about things you can't even control: namely the past and the future.

What you've got here is the present. Don't let that slip by into the past as well by being an idiot and dwelling on those things you simply can't do a thing about.

Right now you have the present. That you can do something with.

So what exactly are you gonna do with it, pal?

First things first, of course. Stop worrying about things that have already been decided, and have already happened. Fretting over them isn't gonna do you any good. That'll just waste MORE time.

And then? Don’t worry about the things that might happen, that haven’t even happened yet. The only way you can change any of that is simply by what you are doing now. After all, there are sayings in nearly every religion dealing with the fruitlessness of worrying about what is yet to come.

So what are you going to do, right now, to best show that you love Galen and only want she and Darra to be safe and happy, that you trust her, and that you are there should she need you?

Actions speak louder than words, pal. Ultimately it boils down to you letting her go to discover the truth of all this, because the truth of it all is most certainly there.

Leaving his mind to rest on this final conclusion, knowing that he simply had to trust Galen on all counts and let his actions pave the rest of the way, Terrin quietly headed to their little Sith home, which was a heck of alot closer at the moment than the Temple. He didn’t want to be too far should she decide she needed him, but then Terrin didn’t want to be too close should she feel that he was stifling her, although he would have liked to check to see how Tarnus was doing. To do so might imply to Galen that he didn’t trust her to tell him what was going on, and he’d already clearly stated that he was ready and waiting should she need him.

And in all honesty, Terrin could see why she might struggle with bringing her feelings on the matter regarding Sorben Tarnus to him, so he again decided the best thing to do would be to simply wait. All these things decided, he headed inside and got a little something to eat, leaving part out should Galen return, and then remained patiently waiting.

[ 10-01-2002 11:13 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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Terrin.

I heaved a sigh, suddenly shaking as memories of him and our time together now raised its figurative head to clash directly with those of the time I had shared with Sorben. It really was rather weird, had I been able to somehow step out and look at myself objectively: the image of a short redhead rocking a baby in the middle of a silent Sith street, all the time obviously occupied by something none other than she could see. But I could see it all too well: in my mind's eye the image suddenly seemed to switch about, the figures segueing and blurring into each other until when they parted they were both armed for battle... which they then proceeded to ensue directly against each other... with neither side taking any sort of clear advantage, let alone anything remotely deciding a victory.

I jerked myself back to reality with another sigh, blinking out from introspection with a quick mental jerk.

How could this be? What was the correct course to follow? Whatever in Hell's Seven Circles was I going to do?

This had never happened to me before. In fact, I had never really dreamed it was possible to ever happen to anybody. It wasn't logical; but then, whoever said affairs of the heart ever were? I started to shake my head again, instinctively backing off from this particular dilemma, a need to once more run and find a sympathetic shoulder welling up inside me. But then something else within me nipped that reaction clean in the bud; I stopped suddenly, firming.

Running away isn't going to help, Galen Jhin'Dar Danner! a little voice spoke up inside me, shaking its diminutive finger at me for emphasis. And you know it. This is something that YOU have to face, and YOU have to decide; all the crying on anyone's shoulders, all the advice the universe has to offer isn't going to do a damned bit of good until YOUR head is clear enough to make use of it.

But I wasn't running away... was I?

Conflict raged within. I drew Darra up more closely to me, burying my nose in the soft, clean scent of her, debating back and forth with my inner demons until suddenly a road of sorts opened up in front of me.

I needed space. I just couldn't go home, not after what I had seethed at Terrin, not with this emotional clash still struggling within me. Not until I had had a chance to sit down quietly someplace, let my inner self calm down, and then inspect what to me was not only something bordering upon the unbelievable, but which a growing part of me was beginning to see as probably being completely unsolveable as well:

What does a person do when she finds out she loves two men at once? Or -- and Khaandon help the soul if this was the case -- at least supposes that she does?

Struggling yet with the incessant back-and-forth aspects of my raging emotions, I then turned in my tracks and headed off to where I knew I could at least find food and a room to call my own while I mulled things over. However long that would take.

"Let's go and see your aunt, Darra," I whispered into the soft swath of her shockingly red hair as I let my feet take on a mind of their own and begin leading me back to the imposing Temple in the middle of this ancient city of the Sith.

[ 10-01-2002 01:51 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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As he noticed this, he reallized something...

Galen has feelings for Sorben, as well as Terrin... perhaps we have something in common... I have feelings for Shayla, yet there is another in the way...

After realizing this, he decided to follow Galen... not to lend advice, but... perhaps, they could help each other...

He noticed Galen stop in the middle of the street...

Is this the time to approach her? She is with her babe, seeming to decide which she shall choose...

Then, Galen started to head toward the temple...

I'll follow her, until I see the perfect time to announce my situation... to try and find a solution, for us both...

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A rather stale cake at that...

Jasyn grimaced a bit, eyeing the little seven year old named Thea that they'd apparently been left to babysit.

Babysit?! Yeesh! Last time he'd babysat anyone was his kid sister back when he was a young teen and she was about the age of the little girl currently in question. Needless to say, it was the only time. But maybe that was because they were playing hide-and-go seek, and he'd made sure to forget to seek when his sister had gone to hide...

But it wasn't that Jasyn didn't like kids. He just didn't like kids he didn't know, annoying kids, or kids who thought the Universe owed them everything.

That, in his opinion, was the approximation of the majority of the kids in the Universe...

Scowling again, Jasyn folded his arms, rolled his eyes, and simply waited for someone to say something or do anything. Idly, he fingered his blaster for no apparent reason.

Where the Hell WAS everybody anyway?

[ 10-01-2002 11:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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Odds were that she would become lost within the great echoing sanctuary in less time than it takes to tell about it. But the young halfling was incredibly lucky, unbeknownst to her. As she wandered along, she at length began to focus on a soft sort of buzz coming from somewhere up ahead. Her interest peaked, she homed in upon it, following it as a migrating bird follows the magnetic field lines of its homeworld, until at last she came upon a particularly rich set of wooden door which oiled open at her slightest touch...

...to reveal a grandly apportioned chamber set out to be a central gathering point. Luxurious couches and setees were scattered artfully about, a great fire roared and crackled in the most beautiful stone fireplace imaginable, one made not of regular rock but of graven slabs of semi-precious stone instead. But what caught her eye was the immense and nearly overladen sideboard hunkered against a far wall, fairly groaning with the bounty laid out upon it.

She paid scant heed to the men or the little girl who were lightly chatting in the room, but made an immediate bee-line to the sideboard. True to typical teen psychological response, the moment Lord Recinis had mentioned food, she had gone into what seemed to her to be paroxysms of starvation, her stomach rumbling intermittantly through her ensuing tantrums, the empty hole in her middle expanding outward at an exponential rate. True, she wouldn't have admitted this fact to anyone, not even to herself, but the sight of the food was enough to bring her hunger to the fore.

Without so much as a "by your leave," or even bothering to find a plate, she swept regally across the Dining Hall and fell on the sideboard like a ravenous rancor. There she began stuffing food into her mouth with both hands, occasionally sweeping the room with an imperial look as though to remind the other occupants that the bounty offerred here was hers and hers alone.

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Who in the bloody ghost of the Fates was this?

Hadn't that Adept whosis of Graysith said something about Graysith's daughter being retrieved?

But Graysith's daughter was around Darra's age...

...right???

Then something else registered.

Not since her visit to Kamino, probably. And bloody kriffing Hell! The kid had slapped down Sorben Tarnus, and she was just idling about?!

Something was very, VERY wrong about this picture.

WHERE WAS EVERYONE?

Jasyn was beginning to get on the defensive nature. Before he knew exactly what he was doing, or could even think about it for that matter, he grabbed little Thea and pulled her closer to him, his hand on his blaster, his eyes suddenly alert.

So much for not liking this kid. Fates knew he had a bad feeling about this...

[ 10-01-2002 11:51 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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Something dark and menacing began to grow within her, and she tilted her head down, her eyes now beginning to slit a bit. Had she inherited her mother's shining Glyph, it would have been ravening up into the higher frequencies about this time....

[ 10-02-2002 12:15 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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he took graysith up with him, and smiled into her loving eyes, kissing her softly before speaking. "I love you"...

With those words he awoke slowly, his mind turnign back to reality from that wonderful dreamland that had shown him things he so dearly wished to come true...

As conciousness hit, he realized that his arms were still wrapped around graysith, and thier lips were still gently pressed together.

On impulse he renewed that loving kiss, which they had fadded into slumber with, now using it as a guide to return to reality.
They had slept for a bit before this, and so a great deal of sleep was not needed, but indeed they had needed this rest, he could feel that she was as refreshed as him...

Slowly his eyes opened, and were looking into those wonderful, soft pair of violet orbs, that seemed simply lock into his own pair of emeral orbs.

He smiled for a moment before kissing her again then drew her up with him and drawing apart to speak.

"Are you well rested my love?" her shinning eyes more then answered his question, so he simply nodded and took her up with him, kissing her once more in a loving union before they turned, and headed off to the temple, arm in arm, each leaning into the other...

they soon entered the temple, and found thier way into the meeting area withing, to see ShaRhylla affixing Jasyn with a look that shot venom.

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But a wise man once said, better not to act first. Or move at all, least ye attract more attention.

Jasyn slooowly took his hand off his blaster, all the while holding a shocked Thea close, simply waiting.

You just eat your food, kiddo, and we'll mind our own business...

Then, as if some gift from the Maker had been bestowed upon him, deciding that he just might not die today, Graysith and that protector Sith stepped into the room.

He breathed a sigh of relief. But a barely perceptible one at that.

Who knew how fast that kid could move...

[ 10-02-2002 12:24 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin's Crew ]

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Her lip curled and her nostrils flared. Then, sniffing as though they were nothing more than dirt beneath her feet, not even worthy of her contempt, she turned about and began stuffing herself with food from the sideboard once again.

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

For some reason, he had just realized that he had forgot the reason he was out here in the first place...

He came to a dead run, passing Galen...

He slowed as he entered the greeting room...

Good... they have arrived to greet her...

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A smile then spread from the frown which had creased his face.
Turning away to continue thier walk and sit upon a soft couch together, he spoke as they passed her. "i am pleased to see you have found your way about the temple... Enjoy your meal"
with that he sat and smiled at graysith for a moment, looking deeply into her eyes, which had momentarily darkened with sight of her daughter glaring at Jasyn.

simply content in sitting there, he sent a slight message to her through that tender link that continued to blossum, like a garden with the comming spring.
"she will come to find peace...I feel it is so..."
he then spoke softly to her, now taking his thoughts to the verbal level...
"what now shall we do, my dear jharmeen?"
He then fell quiet.

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

Lo-Ban approached Thea,"Lets get you something to eat..."

He kindly took her to a table... as she found a place to sit, he went for the food...

He noticed a young lady in the middle of the food sideboard, blocking Lo-Ban from reaching anything... without being rude...

So, he waited... until either she quit eating, or gave way to him...

[ 10-02-2002 01:42 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Loban ]

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Her eyes slitted, and her lip curled yet again.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" she snarled through her full mouth, not bothering to be polite enough to swallow first. The look she pinned the young man with fairly cried out that he even dare to reply to her....

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