Finally he found himself sitting on a grassy hillside overlooking a lake. He lay back on a blanket and plucked the petals out of a purple flower. The sky suddenly began to darken and thick black clouds rolled in. The ground trembled slightly and ripples appeared on the water, growing quickly into roiling waves. Foam bubbled from the surface and soon afterwards a giant hand thrust forth from the water. The hand was missing the index finger. It was a scene Phalomir had seen many times in his dreams, but the despair that always accompanied this dream was not present.

A pair of enormous yellow eyes peered through the clouds, casting an ominous glare through the storm. A thunderous voice blasted down from above.

“You are a thorn,” the voice rained down. “I shall pluck you from my heel and discard you into the Elseness. Stop your foolish quest and let her go, or share her fate.”

Phalomir stood slowly, keeping a steady glare trained on the eyes above him.

“Leave us, nameless one,” Phalomir called out. “If you harm her you shall feel pain like none you could possibly imagine.”

“Oh, dear me,” the voice chuckled. “A Dark Lord in love, with the wife of another no less! How precious a moment is this? Leave her and I may spare your life.”

“Better to be dead,” Phalomir said steadily. “But you no longer frighten me, you have lost your hold. Be gone, you worm.”

The eyes flared and the hand in the water clenched into a fist.

“We shall see!” the voice boomed. The fist plunged into the lake, splashing water all around it. The surface boiled and foamed, and impossible amounts of water flooded up the hill at tremendous speeds. Phalomir barely had time to move his eyes to see the wave before it struck him.

---

Phalomir woke with a start. He looked around himself quickly, his senses catching up with his mind and together coming back to reality. He caught his breath and tumbled out of the bed, and for a time sat motionless on the floor with an arm resting on the bed.

“Whatever am I to do?” he asked the darkened room.

After several moments he shook his head and dressed, knowing his sleep for the night was over. He remembered the open garden near the temple entrance, and suddenly had a craving for night air.

[ 11-26-2003 12:01 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

She trailed a moment, then continued, "...we saw Dark Lord Roan do much the same with your blood-sister's daughter in the past. It's something to keep in mind as we continue on with all that we do...

...for most certainly Lord Aelveedar still has more up his sleeve while he has yet to obtain the total control that he seeks..."

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

Turning quickly he decided to investigate, whatever had happened.
As he turned a corner he almost collided head on with the quick striding phalomir, however both being of quick reflex they avoided eachother.
Recinis looked at phalomir for a moment quickly before pointing out the obvious fact. "it appears niether of us find sleep this night... May i join you?"

As he waited for Phalomir to respond, his mind continued to flow, untill finaly he came to a quiet decision.
"Jharmeen... Forgive the interpution... But i would like to speak with you in private before we depart this morning... Please allow me this..."

His mind quested quietly to hers... knowing she would hear it... Hoping she would not ignor it and push it from her mind...

[ 11-27-2003 10:11 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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

“Yes, of course,” he said. “The company is welcome.”

He rubbed at his eye, hoping to pry a bit of the sleep matter from it. He felt a certain unease at the awkwardness of the situation and wondered what may play out from this encounter, chance or not.

“I was on my way to the gardens for some air. With the fatigue I felt earlier, I would have thought to have slept the sleep of the just, but dreams of my past, and perhaps warnings of the future, keep me awake this night."

He smiled gently.

"Do the worries for your son trouble your sleep, Recinis? We shall find him."

[ 11-27-2003 06:59 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

his eyes drifted downward for a moment, "what worries me is my place... You said it well... I am un-needed here... And yet at the same time i am... My place is uncertain... And i am unfond of uncertanties..."

he then turned his gaze to consider phalomirs other words for a moment, quietly he placed a hand upon phalomirs shoulder.
"Dreams of your past? It seems we share some things in common my friend... When i arrived... My memory too was hidden from me... And every moment of it haunts me to this day... But there is one thing that i have found helps... You must realize, the past is done with... Only the future matters."

he could not contain a slight chuckle as he considered something... "it is strange really... my past is ancient history... Your past is our future... And your future lies in our pressent..."

Quietly they walked for a moment before he turned to regard phalomir seriously for a moment.
"Listen... There is something of great importance i must tell you... in your time you were born as the combination of all three of the great clans. You said once that you were hier to all of them... And that you could replace me if it was needed... You also said that your quest does not require you to kill me... But i am unconvinced of this..."

His gaze remained serious. "I do not wish to cause war between us... When common ground has only newly been found... And that is precisily why i believe i must bring this to your attention this very moment..."

Taking a deep breath he began. "The symbols which signify rulership are, as you know, inscribed with sith magicks... As you can gather they are thus forged to assure that our laws are maintained, and that leadership does not become altered by a powerhungry being... In your time, you are meant to rule all three clans... I know not why, and i dont need to know, things will unfold as they must i am sure. But in this time im affraid there is a slight problem with that. For there are others intitled... And by sith law no one shall carry more then one title unless no other's live that are entitled to take the titles... in this case, though you bare the symbolze of all three clans... You will be unable to take head of the sorcerer clan without Aelvedaar and his heir being killed. Likewise, you will not be able to claim the title of dark lord of warriors, even if Jharmeen should will it be so, unless Myself and my son are killed"
And perhaps even ShaRhylla too, knowing roan... But i will not bring her into this...
"It is thus that i must say your earlier statement is flawed... You say you need not kill me... But in the end, if you seek your full title, the one you for some reason or another were born to fulfil... You will have to kill me... And my son."

recinis turned his gaze to the stars for a moment and took in a breath of the gardens sweet scent.
"I tell you this... And also i would tell you that when that day comes, i will not hold you at fault for attempting my life, i will not let you have it, but i will not fault you for attempting, and if you succeed in it, then i do say i could die to no better a being... My sons life however, is an entirly different mattor, i will not see him die to anyones hands... I only remane calm in this current situation because I realize that allowing myself to hit dispaire and worry does not only injustice to him... But also will render me less effective in bringing him back to complete saftey.."

His gaze turned extremly serious for a moment before he continued, "I do not know if you have the heart to take the life of a child born to Jharmeen or not... Love is powerful, and i know you love her greatly... But i also know how powerfuly you believe in your destiny and your mission... I know that every action you take is to accomplish what you feel to be right... In the words of Jharmeen and Aelvedaar... The greater good must be served... And it is because of the fact that i am unsure what actions you will be capable of taking when the time comes for you to consider the options... That i tell you this... Please do not tell Jharmeen of what i have told you... I am unsure of what she knows about the laws of entitlement... For it never before became needed that laws even be considered, and so they were not mentioned... And i do not think she has had any need to research them on her own... And if she has... Then perhaps she knows this already... But i do not think she does, or she might be somewhat more weary of her trust in you... She needs to be able to trust you Phalomir... And so i ask you to guard the information i have placed upon you tonight, i know it does not seem to any who have seen my actions of late that i love her as i claim to... But i do... every action i take i take with her happyness, and well being in mind... Actions speak louder then words... To mine she is deaf... And perhaps forever shall be. But whether she see's or not does not affect the reasons in which i do them. And whether you or Shayla can see it, it does not make the love i feel for her any greater or less..."

But I must at least tell her of my reasoning... Whether she accepts it or not... Whether she views it as lies meant to keep her close... Or the truth from one who can no longer bare to withhold it... That is her decision...

He smiled softly for a moment and then spoke quietly, "do not ask me why i told you that... For i do not know."

As he fell to silence, he began to wonder what his words might invoke in phalomir... He hoped they would remain allies... He hoped that the gesture was taken as it was intended... Taken as a token of saying: while someday we might have to meet as enemies, for the time being let us be friends...

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

...and there was no Dash Kelderon in sight. Once more Matt frowned in spite of himself...

...and then he was taken aback as he began to see the outlines of a city, its architecture grand and beautiful. His intense green eyes took in the scenes as his escort continued on, too caught up in all he was seeing to think of just how exhausted he was. It was after dark when they finally began to approach a massive structure...

...a massive structure that Matt had to admit he recognized from the last time he was on this planet.

And you know just who they are taking you to, don't you pal?

As Matt shoved that errant thought away and focused on the moment, the escort came to a halt and the leader of the group approached a group of Sith who had been apparently gaurding this structure. They exchanged some words which Matt couldn't make out and then the leader turned once more to the escort party. He motioned for them to come closer, and they complied. The Sith which he had been talking to then said not a word, but merely motioned that they follow him and began ascending the steps into the Temple. As they did just that and Matt fell in step, that little irritating voice spoke up in his mind once more.

Here you go again...

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

...whom Aaron insisted was Galen's sister...

...would tell them she had no sister and then sent them all away. Sounded very much like she was covering for something...

...but then that didn't necessarily mean that Galen was being held here. It just meant that perhaps this Graysith knew where Galen was, and wanted to throw them off the trail.

"Galen?" he then repeated as if it was just finally registering that Za'in had asked him a question. "I met her when a friend of mine ran into her and hired her as a pilot in our company. He married her, and our circle of friends expanded as we did alot of...

...traveling and working together."

Jasyn paused a moment at that, frowning as he realized he couldn't remember the exact reasons for alot of their travels. Aaron had said they had tangled with the Sith alot, but he certainly didn't remember it...

Jasyn forced himself to stay alert, gazing across what now was approaching jungle-like terrain.

"Take your ship down there somewhere," he said as he pointed downward. "The foliage will give you some cover, and it'll allow us to walk the rest of the way on foot. I don't want to announce my arrival to the thrumm of ship engines."

He paused at that then, his thoughts once more returning to Galen's possible whereabouts.

Could she be here, somewhere, or had she been taken somewhere else? Other than apparent connections with the Kaminoans, these Sith didn't appear to get out of their own territory much. So just maybe, if Galen was being held by them as he suspected...

Jasyn reached for his comm even as Za'in continued to work the controls of his ship. He flipped to the frequency which connected with the Impys. "We're about to head in to those coordinates my commrades are headed towards with the escort party," Jasyn started out, "We've done some surveying of the planet here in the meantime, and although I have no proof, I'm beginning to think that perhaps the party we were originally searching for is not here. I'm wondering if you could give me any information concerning any of the other planets in this system...

...just to give me some food for thought. I might be able to gain some leads which may change my mind while I'm after my buddies...

...but if we happen to make it out of here with no such leads I'd like some other options to fall back on..."

[ 11-27-2003 10:52 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Jasyn Lancaster ]

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

“Recinis, I have no intention of claiming the lordship over the warriors, especially if it means your death, or Jharu’s. At first I thought it was my destiny, but the more I wanted it the more I wondered why I wanted it so badly. Then an encounter with Thoran and his strange master made me realize I was being manipulated into wanting it, that by attempting to claim all three titles in this time would be the catalyst for some grand scheme of darkness.”

His eyes grew slightly distant.

“And it would bring harm to Jharmeen. And that I cannot have.”

He refocused upon Recinis.

“I cannot say that I do not love her. In my time, she was my wife. I do not even wish to try to explain how that strange parallel came about, for I do not know. I can tell you long stories of how we met, our courtship, our marriage, and our son… and the pain of losing them both in the invasion.”

He sighed.

“I understand also that she is not mine, but I dearly wish it were so. This pains me to say at the dawning of a new friendship between us, but it is better to know this beforehand. I would stand by your side in battle, in a triad, and all other things, Recinis, but if she were someday to grant me her love… then I would accept it. I am sorry for any rifts this causes between you and I, but she is a constant I carry within my very soul. I do not doubt nor diminish the love you have for her, I know it is great. I only wish you to know my thoughts. I stand by her decision, should she ever need to make one.”

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

Instinctivly his hand went to the formerly pulsating mark upon his chest.Indeed... Who knows how close we are to seeing what i will do in such a situation...
his hand dropped and he shook his head a bit to rid himself of any semblence of sadness that might have snuck onto his features.

Then his gaze fell upon phalomir with confidence and he nodded in affirmation.
"We've both spoken plainly... I feel there can be no greater a weight lifted then that... It is good that we have done so... For a heart wieghted with things unsaid... Even if one does not at first think he need say them... Is a heart that can not fully concentrate on the task at hand..."

as his words trailed off again his eyes caught sight of a strange flower... Quietly he bent to pluck it. he examined it carefuly and his heart lurched.
How did this get here?... Such a striking resemblence to the one i once placed in her hair... But that was koris'ian...

He blinked for a moment before quietly placing the flower in one of his pockets
A flower such as this appearing here... The night before we head to the planet where before i saw it... it is either a sign of some sort... Or i am losing my mind...

His thoughts grasped upon the idea for a moment before finaly he realized both seemed strangly fitting...

The emerald gaze returned to phalomir a moment and he smiled softly. "So my friend... Tell me of your son... Perhaps talking about your past, will help you sleep at night."

[ 11-28-2003 12:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Recinis ]

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

“He was strong, both in spirit and in body. He inherited the best from both of us in that. I liked to think he had his mother’s will and stubbornness, and his patience came from me, but patience was never one of my virtues. He was a halfling, of course, which only added to his grace and charm. Next to his mother, he was the light of my life.”

Phalomir walk slowly, looking at the ground as he spoke.

“I remember we had a special beach we would visit, I had a home built in the nearby cliffs for the times we stayed. We would visit for weeks at a time, I had an office built into the home so we could continue to work…”

He trailed off and stopped walking.

“Then came the Vong… I… I wish I could remember more of what happened…”

He lifted his head and stared at the stars, unable to say more for the moment.

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

“Yes,” she finally whispered, drawing back a bit from Shayla, then rising to go off to a large and ornately designed dressing curtain behind which she quickly changed for the night. Coming out attired in the green velvet, she went over to a sideboard upon which sat a strangely shaped bottle; unstoppering it, she skillfully gathered up two apertif glasses in one hand and poured a Sith brandy for herself and Shayla. Her smile still a bit on the dark side, she returned to the bed and settled herself next to the young woman, holding out the glass as she did so.

“Yes,” she repeated, this time a bit more strongly. Her eyes grew thoughtful as she raised the glass to her lips with both hands, and took a sip from it. When she lowered it, however, the aura about her had lightened a bit.

“Your words have great merit, Shayla, but that was not quite the direction I was intending for this conversation to travel when I asked what I did. I really meant to ask—“

She paused a moment then as a polite whisper broke into her thoughts.

”Please excuse the interruption, Jharmeen—“

Recinis.

She nearly dropped her brandy right then and there.

Then she quieted, and sent a reply along the link between them.

”Of course, my Lord, I will speak with you. You need not act in so formal a manner towards me; I am your wife, or have you forgotten this?”

She couldn’t help wincing a bit at herself as that concluding snipe crept forth from her and sped into Recinis’s mind; giving herself a mental shake, she straightened on the bed and took another sip of the brandy.

”Any time you wish, call for me,” she concluded, "Unless you plan to conduct whatever it is you wish to speak of through this mind link. I do have a door upon which you may knock, you know. There was a time when you did not wish to remain so-- distant from me."

Not deigning to converse any further, she then quieted her thoughts and turned her full attention back to Shayla once again.

[ 11-28-2003 02:17 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

Proud Men, just like his father...

The grin that was once on his face was replaced with a cocky smirk. The Almar's were a proud family, great, strong and adventurous as any other before them. He knew this for a fact, even without a full understanding of his father's past or even his mothers for the record. Yet, they had taught him, influenced him, that adventure was the route to greatness and so he did as he was influenced.

Now he was onto a new expirence on a planet he would never have thought to be on. A planet of the Sith, a people he cared very little about and knew anything of. They just were a figment of a word to him, but in the brown eyes of the worried man beside him showed they were more significant than that. It was a worry in the man's eyes that Za'in detected as he spoke into the comm. unit and it intrigued him.

"Is something wrong," Za'in began, as he reared back on the control rod, shifting the weight of the ship. "Somethin' up with Galen or the others?"

Finally, the ship landed as he spoke, the lit up cokcpit being coated with a darkness as the lights perodically flickered off. Reaching out in the darkness, a light flicked on, shining down on the two as they sat there in the dark ship.

"All the engines were shut down." The dark skinned human stated, his hands sliding into his pockets as he came to a stand.

"So, whats the answer?"

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

... after all, wasn't that what they had been talking about all along...?

..."I think perhaps it is too soon to know. Although I must admit, I think a Lady should have a Lord who can claim and hold his station in the same manner which she did hers. Although you originally gained the title through marriage, it was by actions of your own that you truly became the Dark Lady. Whomever is truly destined to be your Lord...

...he should follow suite. I know no matter what happens what you had with Lord Recinis will always be a part of your whole...

...but perhaps Lord Phalomir is destined to be a part of that whole as well."

Shayla paused at that, taking another sip of her brandy. Then she finished her thoughts with one final statement.

"The Jedi always say that the Force guides us to our destiny, and I've always thought that to mean that when something is right, we will know it deep down. When the time comes for you to make that choice...

...I believe you willl know in your heart who your Lord should be."

[ 11-28-2003 02:58 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

“You speak true words,” she finally said, shifting her goblet to her left hand so as to place the right one over her heart. For a moment she remained quiet, questing out along the link to Recinis which remained stubbornly silent.

She sighed, let her hand drop.

“While I am not Sith by birth, and as such am still learning the intricacies of their ways, one thing seems fairly clear to me. I would think that a Dark Lord of the Sith should gain and maintain not only that station by blood-right and strength… but his Lady as well. In all that I have learned of the Sith, it is their determination to follow a true course, whatever it is that they have chosen, that stands out most to me. Their perseverance in the the face of adversity; their…”

She paused, groping for words, then smiled as a saying her father used to say to her came to mind.

“Their stick-to-it-iveness.”

That smile dimmed a bit as she turned back to Shayla.

“Lord Recinis has seemed distant toward me, not only now but the last time he was here as well. I have never yet received a strong reason for his action and behavior, unless it is that—“

She paused again, her eyes growing shadowy as once again logic reared up its head within her to do battle with the void where her former emotions toward Recinis had resided. Then she sighed.

“I know how I felt for Lord Recinis, Shayla; it is simply that now I do not. Whether or not that feeling could be discovered anew would depend upon… whatever it is that triggers such things in newfound relationships. I only know that he does not appear to be actively seeking me out.

“Lord Phalomir, on the other hand, is.”

She paused again, her eyes softening as she considered the contrast. On one hand, a Lord who by his actions was only continuing to repulse his Lady; on the other, those actions taken by a Lord who was trying his utmost to regain his.

She shook her head and stood up, gathering her robe about herself.

“I am not sleepy,” she announced as she tied the robe closed. “Do you wish to retire, or would you join me in a short walk? My mind is too restless with matters which by rights I ought not to be concerned with, not at this time, with so much that is unknown yet ahead of us.”

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

...but first I would like to change into something more comfortable."

At her last statement, Shayla scooped up the teal nightgown and robe Graysith had given her, heading then to behind the dressing curtain to quickly change. In less than a minute's time she reappeared with the soft teal robe already tied about her waist. She tilted her head slightly then as she spoke, allowing her dark-blonde hair to tumble into her face a bit. "Where to?" she queried then simply, one eyebrow slightly arched over her alert greeny-blue eyes as she waited for Graysith's reply.

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

...at least, nothing new. I've just got the feeling that perhaps Galen isn't here after all, but I've got absolutely no proof of it. That's the long and the short of it."

Explaining no further then, Jasyn proceeded down the hatch and outside the ship into the darkened jungle. "We should probably keep moving while it's dark," he then continued. "That'll at least give us some cover from prying eyes."

He paused at this, looking towards Za'in's ship. "Are you planning on securing your ship, or what?" he asked. Then eyeing his silent wristcomm, he finished with, "And I wonder if the kriffing Impys are planning on replying to my comm..."

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

“Perhaps the past is not something to dwell upon,” he said quicky. “The present and future are what are important.”

He regarded Recinis.

“I appreciate your speaking with me. I was concerned about our dispositions, but now I feel we can work together to accomplish the goals at hand. The night air is refreshing, but it has also accomplished its purpose in making me wish to sleep.”

Phalomir smiled at Recinis, partly at the things he did not wish to say out loud. He mentally caressed the weak link he still held with her through the love he embedded when he removed the swelling madness within her.
I do not ask the Dark Lady to make any choices regarding me, it is not within my rights to do so. But if she were to somehow wish my love, I would give it gladly.

He bowed his head to Recinis and headed back to the doors of the temple.

[ 11-28-2003 09:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

The young ensign at communications sat back with a little smirk of satisfaction of a job having been well done. He had just finished sending the Lt. General’s reply to whoever it was on the surface of this secretive little planet that had gained his attention; who that was, the ensign himself, of course, hadn’t a clue.

Again, such is the manner in which the Imperials work, even with Admiral Actar’s new dictates going into effect.

”Ground personnel, this is from Lt. General Tarnus himself. There is only one other planet in this system, one going by the ancient name of Khar Delba. It is primarily a polar world, with one small equatorial strip of jungle to hold life; scans show a thriving populace, but not one as large or widespread as that which exists upon the planet you are now on.

“For Lt. General Tarnus, Imperial Forces, out.”

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

...and with the wrong answer, no less. He had to admit he was basically hoping to find a planet that was the Sith equivalent of Kessel out there somewhere...

...and as it appeared that just wasn't going to happen. Back to square one. Without waiting for any further reply from Za'in, Jasyn began heading towards the coordinates where Matt and Dash were supposedly headed, his mind spinning all the while.

Dammit, he just didn't know enough about these Sith to know where to start...

...and he didn't know if he was going to find any more help where he was headed. It really didn't seem the Sith had made a mark anywhere else than in their own little system...

...and on Kamino. Perhaps the Sith did have some associations on other planets...

He raised the wristcomm to his lips once more, still walking. "Any chance these Sith have any ties to planets other than the two in this system...

...planets that might serve as a good prison for someone they don't want found?"

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

Whoever this guy was, he was sure taking advantage of the Lt. General’s generosity, he scowled to himself as he scanned, analyzed and forwarded for a second time in so many minutes. Moments later and he had another reply to send down, which he did as quick as he could.

”Ground personnel; Jasyn, what are you asking me? Recall, if you will, that until just recently, the Sith were not only regarded as being dead… they were not even regarded as ever truly being. No one knew of them in the way that you and I have come to understand; how would we know of any other planets they might have… associations with?

"Keep up your search there; perhaps you may find someone there who would have the knowledge you seek. I trust said knowledge will be dutifully passed along to us… for future reference, you understand.

“This is Lt. General Tarnus, out.”

The echoes of the former bounty hunter’s words faded into silence, one nevertheless heavy with the unspoken implications carried in his final statement to the Eagle Enterprise’s employee.

[ 11-28-2003 10:04 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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

"Dutifully passed along," he growled. "The kriffing nerve of that guy..."

At that he trailed, his pace quickening and lengthening, his mind on the only plan he had that seemed to be plausible:

Get to the coordinates the Impys had given him, find Matt and Dash...

...and hopefully find either some clues or assistance or perhaps both from there.

"I want to reach the coordinates before daybreak if possible," he said over his shoulder to Za'in. "We'll figure out what to do next from there..."

...nevermind that it probably won't be that simple, a shoulder devil pointed out.

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

taking a deep breath he reached out to her again,.
"jharmeen... If it is possible... Would you meet with me tonight? I know i have been distant... But no more... You are my lady... You are my love... And you are my life...

My existence is incomplete without you by my side... I have made mistakes... I have taken actions that have hurt you... All i can say, is i have my reasons for those actions... But those reasons have expired...

As words flowed from his mind he followed through with the gentle warmth of his love, offering it to her hopefully..."I know you are catching up with all that has been missed with shayla... But... But it would be....

His mind faulted for a moment before he reached out again, rather then speaking he merly sent a gentle image of the park where long ago they had danced, laced with the warmth of his love... knowing instinctivly that she would undrerstand... Hoping she would accept.

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

“I really haven’t the foggiest notion!” she said, a sparkle coming into her eye. She looked at the goblet of brandy which she still held in her hand, and with a start suddenly realized that she hadn’t eaten anything, even though there had been food available earlier when all were in the Grand Dining Hall together.

“Care to raid the pantry?” she asked, linking her arm in Shayla’s.

Then with no further ado she led the way from her chambers, arm in arm with her Adept, not really caring where her feet carried her at the moment but nevertheless wandering in the general direction from which they had earlier come.

It was as they wandered the dark-shadowed corridors that Recinis's plea came to her, once again via the link they yet held between them. Her grip tightened slightly upon Shayla's arm as those words impacted her.

The reason had expired?

Within her soul, the Beast raised slowly to its feet, its head held low, flat pewter eyes staring coldly along that connection and directly into Recinis's heart.

It growled a warning, flexing its massive claws.

Then she loosened her grip to one more natural of a sister upon a sister, and continued along as if nothing had happened.

"Recinis has just contacted me, Shayla," she finally allowed. "He wishes to meet with me in the park where we once-- where we had wandered once on a far happier night."

She chewed her lip, while inside her the Beast continued to rage.

"This is still not the manner in which a Lord should treat his Lady, is it Shayla?" she asked. "He-- he deigns that I come to him; that is not the mark of a warrior nor that of a lord, but rather of a--"

She bit herself off before she could say anything further, that logical part of herself solemnly informing her to take a care and not go flying along a self-designated roadway. Shaking her head, she sighed.

"Let us continue on; I am suddenly quite starved."

Surprisingly enough, after a brief inward inspection, she found that statement to be true. She shook her head again, gave Shayla's arm another squeeze, and moved on down the corridor, her suddenly flaring Glyph lending a soft violet light for them to see by.

[ 11-28-2003 10:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

“Oh, forgive me, Shayla!” he cried. “I-- I was not paying attention to my striding.”

He then noticed the Dark Lady beside Shayla. A sudden rush of -- happiness – flowed through him, causing him to flush with his sudden embarrassment. He then noticed the attire of the ladies and averted his eyes to the ceiling.

“F-Forgive me,” he stammered, almost laughing. “I could not sleep.”

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

...when once more quite the reverse presented itself. Or perhaps himself.

"There is no need to apologize," she said simply then, her tone light. Then she turned to Jharmeen, her head slightly cocked as she sensed that her sister was perhaps noting the striking contrasts between a certain two Sith Lords as well...

[ 11-28-2003 11:02 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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