He? She?

--halted and sat down, moving only to rake once against the door with its hideously immense claws. The rasp those great claws made as they scraped against the wood set tiny hairs tingling on the nape of my neck; I was about to turn to say something to Panthar when the beast turned its elegant head and stared straight at me.

Its eyes were icy, like a moon on harvest night.

I shuddered again, but not quite aware of it this time; those eyes grew icier and larger, expanding exponentially now as my vision tunneled, until the creature and I were linked together in a weird and utterly silent communion. The antechamber dimmed before the brilliance coming out of those eyes, the murmurs of my companions disappeared beneath the music flowing from them, music which filled my ears and my soul and every cell in my being, combining with that icy flare until there was nothing in my personal universe but simple, all-encompassing perfection.

In the middle of that perfection there came a blot: a dark shadow, turning, two red dots glimmering toward me, waving an amorphous pseudopod toward something even icier than the eyes of that tuk'ata.

It was my sister... and Phalomir.

Frozen.

Their eyes as empty as the death for which they seemed to scream.

I gasped, jerking backward in reflexive shock, and quite suddenly found myself sitting on my hiney on the cold stone floor of the great and echoing chamber we had entered.

I shook my head.

"Wow." I said, unable to elucidate much more, other than:

"What in Hell's Seven Circles was that?"

[ 11-24-2004 02:07 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

The tuk’ata snorted and turned, pushing open the double doors and stepping through. It walked a few steps and turned its head, waiting.

Panthar stood and offered a hand to Galen. He looked up to Phalomir.

“I think this is the start of the guided tour,” he said.

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

...tour guide know that we have some things of our own to do here?" Jasyn interjected, cutting off the words anyone else may have been preparing to speak. "I'd love to have a little look around this place to see what might be here to help us out...

...but I'd like to finish at least one thing very soon. Terrin's body is in the underlayers of this very Temple, waiting for his soul. I'd like to ahhh...

...put his body and soul back together as soon as possible, if not for the fact that I think we might need him then for the simple fact that he is a friend."

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

...in whose body my husband was being remarkable taciturn, considering the fact that I was sprawled on my tush on the stony floor at his feet.

I couldn't help but frown a little; then I reached a hand back to Panthar.

"Thanks, pal," I said a bit gruffly as I clambered upright. My own words hit my ears, and I cringed at the tone I was using.

"It's not your fault, sorry."

I let the apparent non sequiteur hang on the quiet air of the temple, then broke that uncomfortable moment by brushing my hands together then fisting them upon my hips. It was then that I noticed the doors were open; in that brief look, I caught the unmistakable outline of a tuk'ata's tail vanishing into the darkness beyond.

All offense vanished. I blinked.

"I don't think I want to follow that critter; you don't know what's in there... and I think I do.

"It ain't pretty."

I shot a glance to Phalomir, envisioning again his frozen doppleganger passed on to me by the tuk'ata. Immediately on the heels of that there arose another, unbidden vision: that of father going into carefully lectured detail of the impossibility of time travel, of the inability of matter to occupy two places at the same time.

I shook my head once again to clear it, then spoke to no one in particular.

"We're going in there, aren't we?"

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

At that statement, Terrin glanced to Panthar, but only momentarily. He returned his look to Galen, growing more and more concerned at the look in her eyes. He reached out a hand to then place it on her shoulder, meeting her eyes with Phalomir's green ones, which were probably looking more blue than anything at the moment. "What is it that you think is in there?" he asked in concern, falling silent at that and simply waiting for her reply.

[ 11-26-2004 02:59 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Her greeny-blue eyes widened, and for a moment she glanced down to the motionless Jharmeen, who was stil cradled in Jasyn Lancaster's arms. But her gaze was drawn up once more to the open doors through which the tuk'ata departed.

"They're in there, aren't they?" she queried to no one in particular, her tone completely unreadable as she did so...

...but the look on her face perhaps very much so.

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

There is no way for me to do this on my own...well, last time I checked there was still Imperial ships blockading the planet...maybe I can convince one of them to bombard the temple. I doubt it would kill Aelvedaar...or my brother for that matter...but it could distract him so much that he cannot keep his concentration on Graysith. I think as I begin to prepare for my trip. I better let them know, but I doubt that they'll even believe me. I think and pick up the comlink they gave me.

"You guys, I'm sorry but I'm going to leave. I have a matter than I'm going to attend to, and I hope that it proves to be benificial to both of us. It is also something that I hope will help earn your trust. This will be something you have to trust me with." I say over the comlink, and not waiting for a reply, lifted off, set a course for Khar Debla and lifted off. This just might concinve them of my sincerity I think as the small sith fighter slips into hyperspace.

((OCC: Sa'kal'ishaalas flies off to The Flame, Triumphant, Burns in the Jedi/Sith forums.))

“I guess that’s one problem down. See? We’re doing great so far. He’s leaving, and it’s going to be beneficial. And as for our beastie friend here, he hasn’t led me astray yet. So unless someone else has a better idea, then yes, we’re going in there.”

He turned to Shayla, his expression a bit darker than he realized. “And yeah, I think they’re in there. But I don’t know if that’s what he’s taking us to. I’m hoping it’s Terrin’s body.”

Panthar sighed and followed the tuk’ata into the next room. He looked back to Galen as he walked.

“Hey, Lil’ Red,” he said. “When I was here last, Diffy there got into my head and showed me things, and it was a bit disorienting. Is that what happened? What did he show you?”

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

"I didn't see any tuk'ata, but I did see a body." I called after his receding form.

"Two of them, in fact."

I nodded toward Phalomir, and then turned around and indicated my sister with a jerk of my chin.

"I don't get it; if it was a vision of what is in there, as I think it is, well... how could it have been them?"

Not willing to follow anyone into what I was beginning to believe more and more to be the jaws of impending death, I remained fixed in position, trying to ignore the sudden arrival of goosebumps that set the nape of my neck to tingling and every cell of my body on alert.

[ 11-29-2004 02:49 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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...but she knew it had to be said. She shivered a bit at her thoughts then firmed, speaking up. "The only conceivable way for those frozen figures to be Phalomir and Jharmeen--at least, the only conceivable way that I know of--is through pulling them from a point in the past, freezing them, and placing them here. As to just who could do this...

...we all know of at least one individual who could do so. Lord Aelvedaar pulled himself from the past into this future, so it is highly possible he could pull someone else from a time in the past and place them into the future as well. I don't know why he would do such a thing...

...but I suspect he may have had some sort of plans for them. Unless, of course, this Master has the capabilities to pull someone from the past and into the future, and in which case...

...just what reason would he do such a thing?"

Trailing at this, Shayla's eyes darkened, as she waited for anyone's response to her suppositions.

[ 11-29-2004 03:07 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Scowling, he then finished with, "I don't like this one damn bit."

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

I shook my head.

"I haven't the foggiest clue of who would be doing this, let alone why. All I know is that it's just getting creepier and creepier by the moment, and I just don't want to go in there."

I pointed toward the door through which the tuk'ata had departed, followed by Big Red. Shaking my head for emphasis, I then walked over to Phalomir and stood in front of his towering form.

"Sorry Terrin," I murmured before hauling back and socking the Sith square on his jaw.

"Thoran!" I yelled, socking him again.

"I know you're in there! I also know you've probably got a pretty good idea of what in Hell's Seven Circles is going on around here; now wake up and offer us something helpful!

"Phal here is sure out of commission!"

I belted him one last time for good measure and then fell silent, hands on hips, filled with a strange admixture of an unaccountable seething rage and the most tremendous fear I have ever felt in my life.

[ 11-29-2004 03:15 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

“Hey Darrin,” he called out inside of Phalomir’s mind. “Tell your babe there that I’ll come out when I’m needed. I don’t think that tuk’ata there has forgotten the last time we met, and will probably do nasty things to Phal’s body if it knows I’m in here. So be a good boy and keep her under control, OK? The sooner we can find that dead hunk of meat—er, your body, the sooner we can all get back on with our lives, right? So stay in control up there, and keep her calm, all right? If we need my magic, it will be there. Right now we don’t need it.”

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

...and red.

Tell your babe...?!?

Terrin gritted Phalomir's teeth...or rather fangs, for a moment, and thought something right back to Thoran.

Look, buddy, don't you dare refer to Galen like that again. Give her the respect she deserves. And while you are hiding...

...you could at least give us a clue as to why there is a frozen figure of Phalomir and Jharmeen here.

His vision clearing a little then, Terrin finally spoke up after reaching up to hold Phalomir's jaw with one hand. "Oh, hell," he started with, "And Thoran's not coming out...

...he just told me that he's hiding from Panthar's buddy right now, and says he won't do anything else until we get to..."

He trailed a moment, then finished with, "...my body. In the meantime, however, I'm waiting for him to at least tell me why those frozen figures are in there."

[ 11-29-2004 03:46 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Of course....

"When did I ever say that what I saw was really Phal and Jharmeen?" I whispered, backing up a bit as one hand fluttered to my mouth.

I was almost in awe of myself; this answer was so, so simple, really.

"I mean, yeah, it's them," I amended, then went on, slowing a bit to think this thing through as I spoke.

"But is it really them? It might just be an image, a disguise, a masquerade; oh hell, something that just looks like what it's supposed to be but isn't really.

"And isn't it the strange and intriguing that invites the prey to dinner, once initial fear wears off?"

I folded my arms and did a three-sixty, sinking a serious glance everyone's way. All except Panthar's, that is; he was still somewhere in the other room, following that damned tuk'ata.

"That discrepency is meant to be a riddle; don't you see it? Identical bodies can't occupy the same time; there are all sorts of physical laws that prevent it. So someone is giving us something that shouldn't happen, in the hopes that we trot right on up to it and try to figure it out.

"Don't you see? It's a trap, but for who?

"And why?"

I took another step backwards, away from the door ahead, and crossed my arms as I then came to an adamant stop.

No way in all the known universe was I going in there.

Uh-uh; not this li'l red hen....

[ 11-29-2004 03:57 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

...after all, the laws of time and space corroborated them, as far as Shayla knew anyway.

"I think you're right," Shayla said simply, then, her greeny-blues widening once more. "We'd better stop Panthar...

...one way or another."

Quieting a moment at this, Shayla took a few steps forward to the beckoning doors, stopping when she was standing directly in front of them, but not in them...

...and where she was able to make out Panthar's departing back.

"Panthar, stop, it's a trap! There can't be two Phalomirs and two Jhrmeens in the same time frame!" she called out, simultaneously sending thoughts of warning his way as well.

[ 11-29-2004 04:45 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Thoran ripped his consciousness through Phalomir’s mind, seizing control of the body in a blast that left Terrin reeling once again.

“All right,” he said in a cadence that made his presence unmistakably known. “Look. If the tuk’ata eats me, then he eats me. But let’s cut the bantha doo and get things in the open. You really want to know about the frozen bobsie twins? All right, I’ll tell you. It’s really them. Yeah, bono-fide Phal and Gray bodies. But that’s what they are, just bodies. Aelvy told the Master that they were snatched from another timeline, right at the time of their deaths. I don’t know if it’s true, but the Master believed it, and now he’s a prisoner because of that belief. That fuzzball there had nothing to do with it, and truth be told he caused all sorts of trouble when we – when the Master tried to carry out his big plan to nab Phal and take him back to the Darker Realms – um, anyway… The trap was for the Master, all right? Now can we please stop acting like scared womprats in a Hutt deli and get the heck on with it?”

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

Saying this, she reached out with the Force towards Panthar and levitated him just a little bit off the ground, sending him a mental message as well.

Come back now, Panthar. Your buddy there has you going the wrong way.

Then she set him down, waiting for him to make the final move back their way. Turning to the others in the group then, she spoke once more.

"As Jasyn has already stated, Terrin's body is in the underlayers of this Temple. If everyone will follow me, I can get us there, and then we can get on to the business we are here for...that being getting Terrin back then trying to find some help so that we can get Jharmeen and Phalomir back as well. I have a feeling Panthar will be heading back in our direction shortly...

...but perhaps a couple of us should stay behind, just in case he doesn't follow suite. Erik and Matt, do you mind holding up the back and making certain we get Panthar?"

The two men nodded in agreement, so Shayla then finished with, "Allright then. This way."

And with that she gave a nod, one which indicated the direction she would now take. In that pathway they would find a corridor which would then take them to a set of richly carved and wooden double doors, ones which would open to reveal a series of winding stairs which would finally lead them to the underlayers below.

[ 11-30-2004 03:18 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Nodding for emphasis, I hurried after Shayla, following her down the corridor she had indicated until we came in front of that set of doors. A slight push and they opened obligingly before us, the movement as light and whisper-quiet as thistledown on the wind.

Beyond them, the corridor narrowed, dimmed, and disappeared downward into the bowels of the temple, a pathway that was suddenly familiar to me. Somewhere in the distance came a flicker of light, undoubtedly from wall sconces set there to light the way.

The fact that they were actually lit didn't even register with me; all I had eyes or thoughts for at the moment were those descending stone stairs, which I knew led to the burial chambers of the temple.

Well... at least to one in particular.

I moved quickly forward at the prospect, trying not to remember Terrin as I had seen him last, trying instead to bring out his gentle smile and the laughter in his blue eyes. I hung onto that image like a lifeline, knowing that if I let it go all I would see would be that last horrid view of his fearfully ripped body...

And that was an image I didn't want in my head when we came upon his actual body.

I stumbled a little, then strengthened and continued downward. En route I grabbed a sconce; it really wasn't necessary, as the corridor, although dim, was lit enough that our path was not a treacherous one. But the fact of having light in my hand seemed to transform the prospect of Terrin's resurrection from simple hope into a more tangible reality.

It's funny how light can do that.

I didn't realize how fast I was moving, hadn't really noticed that I had hurried faster and faster until at length I was leaping down those stairs two and three at a time. Before I knew it I had reached the bottom of the stairway, which made a junction with three more corridors. These were utterly black, totally unlit.

But I had light. And that light banished the demons even as I moved with almost instinctive precision to the corridor on the left. It wound away like some stone tributary, not traveling straight, but bending and turning smoothly. It's walls gradually segued from cut stone into rough-packed dirt, and then finally to solid rock.

And finally that snaking tunnel brought me to a single door, one heavy with age and memories.

And magick.

I paused a moment, my heavy breathing joining with my rapidly beating heart to break the otherwise deathly silence of this place.

I placed a hand upon that door then, and pushed gently. It creaked open...

...and there upon a stone bier, covered with a simple flowing and white coverlet, was Terrin.

I went up to him and then just stood there, looking down at him. He looked to be asleep; now the memories of his ripped and torn body fled into the ether, replaced by memories of happy times we had together, before I had gotten stupid and had run from him.

I laid a trembling hand on his forehead, making silent promise to him that I would make amends, sure as there's Treasure on Roon.

And this was how I was when the others finally found us.

[ 11-30-2004 03:56 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

“Sorry,” he said. “I need to stay with them. I’ll come back, really!”

The tuk’ata lowered its head and turned away, continuing on its path.

“Oh, crap, don’t make this hard. Wait, what am I saying? It’s not hard!”

Panthar turned and joined with Matt and Jasyn, then followed the sounds of feet ahead of them down the stairway. They entered the chamber to see Galen standing over a body, her face a mixture of sadness and joy. She was about to be reunited with her husband, a miracle beyond miracles. This must be the greatest moment of her life.

Panthar suddenly felt an inexplicable pang of sadness himself.

Why, Panthar? What the heck is going on?

He shook himself and grabbed at his chin, the feeling of his claws on his flesh bringing him back to the moment.

He looked to Phalomir.

“So, that’s you?” he asked quietly. “This is truly amazing. But now how do we put you back?”

[ 11-30-2004 04:28 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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

...but it was only for a few moments, as he seemed to recede back, as if still trying to hide from the tuk'ata while everyone decided what to do. And perhaps he was doing just that...

...or perhaps it was something else entirely. But as the group began to move downward, it was Terrin who moved Phalomir's feet all the way there, each step becoming a bit faster as he tried to remain near Galen.

He had promised her she wasn't going through this alone again. And he had meant every word.

Even as they finally reached that place, Terrin gathered his wits about himself, his eyes falling on the form of his body...

...with Galen standing over him, an admixture of hope and sadness in her eyes. And that was when Panthar's words finally hit his ears.

"I don't know," he then replied, his eyes never leaving Galen. "That's our buddy Thoran's job."

Saying no more than that to Panthar, Terrin then stepped up to Galen, placing Phalomir's clawed hand on her shoulder, lending her silent strength and support.

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

I let a brief moment pass, almost afraid to say anything. But faint heart ne'er won fair reward, or some such; taking in a deep breath I opened my eyes and turned to Phalomir, raising my eyes to the green pair towering above me.

I peered deeply into them, seeking shadows hidden amidst the wind.

"All right, Thoran ol' buddy ol' pal, here we are.

"Do your thing."

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

Now why did I strike this deal? Oh, right, to talk to the Master about a deal… wait, this isn’t following. Put numbnuts back so they could all be happy, THEN go make a deal with the Master to save the galaxy? What is wrong with these priorities? What is wrong with these pansy-sniffing sissy-whipped lollyfarters? And they called ME crazy?

Oh well, whatever. Just do it, Thoran. Get it over and done with, freedom is in your grasp. Back home, after so long! It will be good, won’t it? No more time skipping. No more high and mighty Sith lords to deal with. Just the peace and tranquility of an orderly society. Everyone living their own lives, not bothering anyone else, under the rule one of race. And remember, this is the moment that really makes it all possible.

So put the bozo in the body, let him have his day. They’ll all be oh-so-wonderfully happy, then it’s sit-back-and-wait time.

But I can’t just go…. I’ll leave him a little present for down the road.

No smoke, no lightning, no blazing host of intense energy. No pomp, no circumstance. Just a blink of the eye and Terrin was gone from Phalomir’s mind.

And so was Thoran.

Phalomir’s hand pulled away from Galen and went to his forehead. Terrin stirred, knocking dust from his hair and skin, then coughed. Phalomir quietly stepped backwards to the wall and, unnoticed for the moment, slumped.

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

I couldn't help it; I knew this miracle was going to occur... yet I also knew with a certainty that went deep into my bones that Terrin was dead, he had been killed, and this just wasn't natural....

He stirred, coughed and sat woozily up. The coverlet fell from his body, revealing a completely unmarked chest.

I took an involuntary step backwards.

"T-terrin?"

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

Panthar smiled widely, but somehow the feeling in his heart did not match the look on his face.

This is nuts, you doofus. Shake this out of your head right now and get back on your-- Phal!

Panthar walked to Phalomir’s limp form and knelt beside him. He was breathing, and struggling for consciousness. Phalomir’s eyes opened and tried to focus on Panthar. Finally he managed, then his hand shot up to grab Panthar’s shirt. He pulled him closer and rasped out a short question.

“Where is Jharmeen?”

Panthar’s eyes widened, the realization that Phal was back in charge hitting him. He slapped Phalomir’s chest and broke away from his grip. He strode to Jasyn, and without explanation scooped up Jharmeen from the man’s arms. Before Jasyn could respond, Panthar was already lowering Jharmeen in Phalomir’s outstretched arms.

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