One glance was all it took.

"That's your bud?!" I gasped, stepping back reflexively as one of the immense creatures turned its great head, seeming to stare me straight in the eye. I winced, even though common sense told me that it couldn't see me, that it was just an animal, that we were perfectly safe as long as we just remained here.

"I don't know if the invisibility shields will protect us from those things," I went on, ignoring Panthar's statement of friendship with the Devil's very own sidekicks.

"How well can they smell--? Oh, Hell's Seven Circles, how are we going to get into the Temple past those critters, anyway?"

I shot a look to Panthar then.

"They look like they're lined up waiting for the smorgasbord to begin; you're plain nuts to go out there, if you ask me, at least not without some kind of weapon with more oomph to it than a stupid sword!"

My hand slapped against my thigh where my blaster used to be; I sighed, and just crossed my arms and continued to stare out at the certain death arrayed so nicely outside the ship. After a bit of this, I pulled away, our desperate position suddenly strengthened as Terrin's last, pleading whisper trickled through my mind.

I went over to Phalomir and, standing on tiptoes, reached up and grasped him by his royal collar. Yanking upon it only served to pull me up more closely to his face; oh well, it served the purpose.

"Listen here, creep. I don't know what game you're playing in there, but it had better come to a halt now.

"You let Terrin go now, or Jharmeen be damned, I'm gonna toss this body you're in to those nasty canastas out there... and follow it up with dessert as well!"

[ 11-18-2004 04:09 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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He grunted and moved to Erik. He spoke in low whisper.

“I’m telling you, that big guy at the steps is the tuk’ata that led you and me through the temple. He spoke to me, somehow, in my mind! He tried to protect us from Thoran when – oh, whoa… Just thought of something, remind me to tell you later. Anyway, something really interesting is going on out there, at least open a window so we hear them! Better yet, open the door and let me go out there.”

[ 11-18-2004 04:12 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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...but that's just the one. There are a heck of alot more tuk'ata out there than just him, and I don't know that I want to see anyone marching out there until I know they'll make it back here in tact..."

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He paused then, pulling two cylinders from his belt. "I don't know if they still work, but I figured at least a couple of people around here could weild a lightsaber..."

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[ 11-18-2004 04:26 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Thoran ]

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"That's the idea; good boy!" I spat between clenched teeth; then with a dramatic shove I pushed off, releasing my hold on the satiny material and landing a couple meters back. My attention was then drawn to what Matt held in his hand--

"Lightsabers?

"Now, where in Hell's Seven Circles could those have come from? Anything else, like maybe a good old fashioned blaster wherever you found them?"

[ 11-18-2004 04:35 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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“Here,” he said. “I need my hands free, and this way you can feel useful.”

He looked at the light sabers in Matt’s hands and rolled his eyes. How convenient, he thought. I wonder what else has been planted along the way for us. I don’t like it when things are too easy.

“Now, shall we open the doors and have a tuk’ata bloodbath? I’m ready, and maybe someone could even stay here and man the ship’s guns? Oh, and don’t forget, there was some sort of communication from some assassin.”

He paused, then burst out laughing.

“Sorry,” he mused. “It just seemed so silly there for a moment. I’m back now. Shall we go?”

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“Now just hold on here, everyone! I’m telling you, I don’t think those tuk’ata will hurt us! That big one at the end helped me and Eric when we were lost in the temple not too long ago! Let’s give them a chance!”

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...but I'd assume whatever she's got will be pretty powerful and far-reaching. I don't think I want anyone using any of those particular weapons on these tuk'ata while the rest of us are trying to get into the temple. Too much chance of one of us being hit...

...or for that matter, all of us. Now, if there were something we could hit to knock over and get rid of some of those tuk'ata before we get out there...

...I could see that. But I have to be honest..."

Here she trailed, pursing her lips and sensing outward, "I know tuk'ata are only semi-sentient, but they do radiate specific feelings in the Force...

..and at the moment, I don't sense any immediate hostility."

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"How?"

I snorted, turning from Shayla to Panthar again--

This from the guy who wanted to "open a window" on a spaceship, fer Khaandon's sake...!

--and stomped over to him.

"Just how exactly are we going to do that? Just stroll out into their midst, like meat-on-a-stick, saying, 'here we are?'"

For a moment I held that sarcastic facade before me like a shield; then I let out a sigh and crossed my arms. I couldn't help but notice how--well, nice he looked, standing there cradling my sister in his arms.

"Look, what if you're wrong? I mean, if you are... well, you're bantha fodder -- er, tuk'ata fodder, and you know it!"

And hell, much as I hated to admit it, but even though we'd had our differences I'd sure hate to see Big Red eaten...

[ 11-18-2004 05:03 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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I found myself standing right in front of Panthar, one hand reaching out to touch his arm, hanging on as I stared up into his face.

But that wasn't what I was seeing.

I had seen firsthand the terrible injuries these predators could inflict, and I knew how lightning fast they were.

I squeezed his arm, lost for the moment in hideous memories.

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"Panthar, this is Terrin. Listen to Galen," he said simply.

And saying that he found himself once more stepping closer to Galen, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder for a moment in silent support.

[ 11-18-2004 05:29 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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“I don’t know, it just seems right somehow. But, you know, this might be the first time someone’s actually been worried about me, and I’m not going to let that go to waste. All right, let’s think of something else. Hey, how far can those Jedi lifty-levitaty powers work? Could we lift someone over them and see how they react? Or maybe there’s some other Jedi stuff that could work? Or could we use the suits and disguise our scent somehow?”

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

Sheesh, do I ever feel stu--

"Yeah!" I said, trying to brighten up some. Obviously the memories I had been lost in were dragging everyone else down; surely such a mood was not conducive to creative thought, and I had to give Panthar credit for his brainstorm, as silly as it was.

I mean, really. Picture it: Panthar being levitated over the heads of snarling, flailing tuk'ata....

I jerked, going back to something Shayla had said.

"You said you sensed no hostility from them; what kinds of emotions are they radiating, anyway? And--

"You guys are Jedi; can you offer protection against these things in case they're not quite the chums Panthar thinks they are?"

I hate it when my brain burps; it's worse than helmet hair, I swear....

[ 11-18-2004 05:50 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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She paused, trying to find a word for it, "...expectancy? Maybe even honor? It's difficult to say, since these guys are semi-sentient, and I've only been around the ahhh...

...more domesticated version. But in terms of getting around them, we might be able to use the suits and disguise our scent with something onboard this ship," Shayla answered thoughtfully. "I don't know if levitating anyone will work...tuk'ata can jump pretty high. But you know, I was just thinking..."

She trailed for a moment, pursing her lips and tapping them with her right pointer finger, "Who says we have to go in that way? This temple has rooms with balconies...

...and I could levitate each one of us up into one of those."

At this she quieted, waiting to see what everyone else might think.

[ 11-18-2004 05:39 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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"If you think you can do that, then I guess we should go for it. Like our buddy here said--"

I jerked an offhand thumb Phalomir's way.

"We'll never get anywhere if we yammer about every conveivable angle we can think of.

"I'm for trying this; and ready to-- wait."

I strode over to Jasyn, who had been remarkably taciturn throughout this entire exchange--

Probably just waiting to see when the Sith brandy breaks out, and from where--

--and yanked a nicely weighted sword from those he had carried onto the bridge. Stepping back from the others, I gave it a cautious swing; it sliced the air with a whoosh, leaving goosebumps tingling all over my body.

"I'm ready," I announced, feeling a touch more secure now that I was armed, Jedi among us be damned.

"Somebody pop the hatch, and let's get this show on the road..."

[ 11-18-2004 05:53 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Stepping up to the red-headed man, she took one of the lightsabers...

...and quickly discovered it was useless. She took the other one, ignited it...

...and the blade came alive, although she could tell the workings of the weapon were crude.

"On second thought," she then said, turning the blade off, "You take it, Erik. I'll rely on what the Force gave me. If anyone else wants a weapon, hurry and take your pick."

Saying this, she tossed her husband the operational lightsaber, and headed for the navboard, sitting and quickly pushing a sigil here and there. After a moment, the hatch popped obligingly open.

"Let's go," Shayla said then, "Unless, of course, someone plans to stay behind and keep an eye on the warship..."

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He turned to Shayla and called out, “See! If you still want to levitate me then go for it, but I think I’d rather walk!”

As the others made their way out of the ship, he turned back to face the temple and took a step. The tuk’ata continued their antics. Panthar inhaled deeply and took another step, hoping dearly that he was right, and that the others were fast if he was wrong. He could hear the others behind him, and walked slowly until either they could catch up or until he and Jharmeen became dinner.

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For, Hell's Bell's, it sure as there's treasure on Roon looked like that was exactly what it was.

Those tuk'ata were making a remarkable racket, but it wasn't composed of threat-screeches or attack-yowls. They yipped and yodeled, and every now and again a muzzle would point skyward, tendrils waving, while the massive, clawed feet would stamp and rip at the ground beneath them.

But they never moved from their positions which so clearly flanked a beeline straight toward the temple, upon which steps there awaited an even larger tuk'ata. He sat there, a misleadingly tiny figure on those distant steps, head cocked as he listened to his fellows sing.

Dammit, that's what they're doing... they're singing!

I turned an astonished gaze to Shayla, for by now Panthar had apparently taken heart, and was proceeding toward that temple with an increasingly confident stride. At one point he paused, looking over his shoulder at us with a big ol' beaming grin plastered across that red face of his; then he turned round and kept going, nearly sauntering now.

"Well," I said in a low voice.

"They're either going to let us do this or not. I mean, Panthar is in a Sith body, we're not. I hope that won't make any difference."

I shot a final look about, taking in the anxious faces of my companions. Then, gripping the sword even tighter, I stepped down the gangway and onto the soil.

The nearest pair of tuk'ata stopped singing and turned their heads to me, eerie pupilless eyes raking me up and down.

I shivered--

In for a credit...

--and kept going, quickening my pace a bit as I passed that pair and then hurrying a bit further in order to catch up with Panthar.

"Great Khaandon's Ghost, but I think you're right, pal!" I whispered as I caught up to him, then fell into respectful silence and just kept moving, listening to the wildly beautiful song of the tuk'ata as it wafted us along.

[ 11-18-2004 10:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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...but only a moment.

"If everyone else wasn't seeing this too," he heard Jasyn say, "I'd think that I had one too many Sith brandys."

At this Terrin, still in control of Phalomir's body, shot the other man a sidelong glance. He was sporting one of the swords, holding it in front of him with a serious look etched onto his face.

Some things never change, he couldn't help but think.

Then he turned forward once more, willing his feet to move, finding that the motion wasn't as difficult as he originally thought it might be with his newly-surfacing memories. But then, perhaps there was a reason for this.

If one of those creatures...or heavens forbid more than one of them...changed their tunes, there was no kriffing way he was going to stand around and let them turn on anyone here.

He gripped the sword now in Phalomir's hand, his blue eyes intense and very alert.

"I sure as kriffing hell hope this is a hint of the reception we'll get once we're up there," he said in a low voice then, nodding towards the large tuk'ata at the front. Then his look turned a touch darker, and he frowned. "I wonder where the hell Thoran went..."

Saying this he trailed, eyes still trained on his surroundings as the group continued to move closer and closer to the foot of the temple.

[ 11-19-2004 01:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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"Please, believe me," I yell towards them as they walk through the ranks of tuk'ata, several of them snarling at me as I prepare for the worst to happen. "I truly do not wish to harm you." I hate having to degrade myself like this, but it is necessary I think as I run to join the group, hoping they don't attempt to attack me.

In the meantime, he would allow Terrin to control the body, and lie in wait until either the time was needed or Terrin failed to follow the direction of images and suggestions Thoran would quietly throw his way. For now, it seemed to be working, as the calming and reinforcing power he sent to Terrin seemed to be overcoming the man’s desperate fear of tuk’ata. This feeling blanketed Terrin’s thoughts, and Thoran feared that without assistance Terrin would not be able to guide Phalomir’s body through this corridor of death. He wondered what had happened to cause such an intense emotion, but for now it did not matter.

The destination was the Temple, the goal was the Shar’tak. In their way stood the guardians of the temple.

He thought of Galen, Shayla, Panthar, and the others, and the dangers they were about to face, and was grateful for the fodder.

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Standing at the start of the rows of tuk’ata was a man. The look in his eyes was almost pleading, and as the others turned to him the end tuk’ata stalked forward and hunched down on their forelegs. One of them turned to the group, as if waiting for a command.

Panthar turned his head slightly to Galen, but left his eyes on the ever-stranger-growing scene.

“Um, do you know who this is?” he asked. “It’s almost as if those tuk’ata are waiting for us to decide if he lives.”

[ 11-20-2004 09:58 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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