I watch with interest as the door to the reception hall opens and two beings are ushered in by a squad of my troops:

A human and a blue-skinned Ch'iss.

Behind the T-shaped lens of my visor, my brows arch. However, I am careful not to betray whatever emotion I might be feeling at the time; I merely lift my head a little but other than that remain absolutely motionless.

The guards bring the two men to the shining table at whose end I am seated; a flick downward of my eyes, and I see their reflection there upon the tabletop. My lip flickers, once, in the briefest flash of a smile:

That is always such an impressive sight.

Silence rolls by, broken at length by the creak of my armor as I settle more comfortably into the chair in which I am seated. I say nothing, the guards remain as statues with their weapons available but not threatening; all would appear to the casual eye as nothing more than a stalemate...

...or the last move before checkmate.

I have learned many things in my long experience as a bounty hunter, but the first and foremost of them is patience. That and the stark truth that one should never, ever, assume anything about anyone.

Actions so many times speak louder than words, after all....

And so, I remain silent, and wait to see how these two will deport themselves under the rather unique circumstances they are in.

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

Interesting, I thought, still holding myself stone still. Throughout the room, however, my troops felt no such compunction; armored hands flew to their weapons, readying them to fire at the slightest mis-move either of these two should make.

I raised one finger, settling them down, like a rider settles a wild and unruly mount. The only error in that analogy, however, was that my troops were far, far from unruly. Simply highly trained, and itching to do their jobs.

To the best of their ability.

Which was considerable, I might add.

I leaned back against my seat, to all outward appearances relaxing; this was not the case, though, as even then my own coiled muscles were quite capable of sending me off on whatever trajectory I desired, to fulfill whatever task I wished.

Too long a time being a hunter, Tarnus, the thought came unbidden to me.

Never trust anybody... anybody.

The image of a short female, eyes mink brown, hair the color of a Tattooine sunset, rose on the heels of that, taunting me once again in the most inappropriate of circumstances. That Galen's image would indeed choose such times to tear into my heart was in itself so entirely representative of her.

This time it laughed in my face the fact of the little matter that I did indeed once trust someone....

I remained stoic, hard as steel, ignoring that thought, focusing instead on the pair before me. Another wave of a gloved hand, and an aide appeared as if by magick, his hands full of a tray which bore the best of what the galaxy had to offer in the way of foodstuffs and wines.

"Refreshment, gentlemen?" I asked, the tone of my voice pleasant enough.

"Let it never be said that Lt. General Sorben Tarnus was remiss in his duties as a host."

I reached for a goblet of Darosian elder-wine, but did not partake of it. Instead I set it down on the table in front of me, and looked over its rim to the two men.

"May I ask what it is that sends you with such urgency to seek out the assistance of someone you do not even know?"

I lifted that goblet in a silent toast to them, and waited.

[ 12-15-2004 12:30 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

I turn them into his own pair.

"The misuse of energy, of one's powers, one's abilities, is a transgression you must learn to overcome, my lad."

I nod meaningfully toward the remainder of the food of which he has partaken, which now lays in vanquished crumbs upon his plate.

"I know of your strengths, son; such a display was not necessary for my benefit, nor for the simple act of eating one's dinner."

He fidgets; I let my smile thaw out a bit more, and lay a fatherly hand upon his shoulder.

"While there is much I can deduce about you from your actions, and much I know in general about the Cult Assassins--"

Here I cannot help but wrinkle my nostrils in distaste.

"--indeed, there is much in particular that I do not know of concerning you.

"Tell me of yourself, of how you came to be as and who you are."

I fall into comradely silence then, and picking up my eating utensil begin making a serious dent in the food which lays so succulently before me.

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

He took a long, quiet breath, then began to speak of his story, and the past of which he had only recently recovered.

"As my marking indicate, I am of the blood of the cult of assassins. I was raised and trained in the typical arts, of which once again anyone with your knowledge could have asumed without effort."

"After my training, my parents then shortly disappeared without a noted cause, though I suspect my brothers involvement. Then we ventured the galaxy, "taking in the sights", but even I became restless in time, and in concequence, my brother took me to another of your worlds and cursed my appearence and memories from me."

He took a short breath, and drank from the glass before him, then continued.

"Then, for several years, I wandered the world I had been left on, but then suddenly, seeming in but a few seconds, a society was there. I avoided it, for by that time in my confusion, I was afraid of them....

Then I came upon my previous master, Ragorian. At first, I was afraid that it would only cause me pain and punishment, a foolish thought looking back upon that moment, but then I slowly came to know him well, and in a mutual agreement, I served him, binding a part of his spirit to me, the material connection the shard of his blade."

Rykounagin took another short pause, then once again, continued.

"I ventured to another place under his command, where I encountered Graysith. I ventured back to another place, a ship, with her and her companions, under the guise of being sent by another master, a truth as it was. I swore a false oath to her, then returned with her back to her temple upon the world I had been trapped upon before."

He took a drink, and closed his eyes. Along his journey, this had been what he felt, to be a most important, yet bitter time.

"My master was impatient for my task to be completed, to steal an item of power from Graysith's possession, and he sent out an attack of force upon them, and commanded me to take it. I then fled under a magical guise he had granted upon me, but as my pursuers drew nearer, I made an agreement with the spirit of this item, and allowed myself to be captured."

He continued his recollection slowly, as he began to close upon its end. "I returned to her under a guard, and was removed of my possessions, save the shard fortunantly. The bargain I had made, deemed that I should name you as my master, instead of revealing my own, though I did not know who you were at the time father."

His voice became embittered as he continued his recollection, his voice beginning to quicken.

"Then that witch, one I dispise though it pains me to speak with such hate, cast me into that realm of Elseness, where I was taken from all ability to communicate with any being, where I lay in memories that I now see to be those I would have prefered to leave behind. But then I encountered a sort of anomally in the elseness, a strange thing that reminded me of love in tangible form, though the mere face any such emotion could exist in that place is beyond my comprehension."

He slowed again. "Then I came to your healers, taken by the sith in the area I had come too, and I do believe you know of the rest, my attempt at freedom and my disrespect, that I do regret deeply."

He swollowed as his story closed, and drank deeply, then awaited his fathers response to his tale.

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

Quietly then, without preamble, I lifted my drink to the bottom of my helmet, the drinking straw allowing me to join this enigmatic person in something that did not quite approach a true toast. I let the moment stretch out a bit, breaking the stillness only once, to lift my finger from my goblet and then set it there again.

A trooper behind the pair nodded his head, turned, and quietly departed.

Gently then, I set my goblet down on the shining table, leaned back, and placed my gloved hands upon the superlative greel wood of which that table was made. Before I said anything, I cast a quick glance to them; from the depths of shimmering darkness a mirrored pair seemed to touch them in turn.

Interesting how reality can be so easily twisted, falsified....

"My friend, I am afraid that it is you who assume too much."

The pair didn't really move, but the sensors in my suit easily picked up the tiny intake of breath each one gulped, the acceleration of their hearts. Likewise they picked up a sudden rush of electrical activity they were putting out; this of course was a simple biological response, their nerves sending messages to their muscles, which I knew sure as Khaandon made little green worrts were now coiling, tensing, readying them to burst into activity.

Which of course would have been extremely foolish, not to mention fatal, on their parts.

So I decided to ease their minds, if only a touch. I lifted my hand from my goblet and raised it a fraction, palm toward them, telling them by that one movement that they were quite safe, and would remain that way if they had the sense not to do anything stupid.

Their electrical activity did not drop, but neither did they move in their seats.

I nodded briefly, then clasped my hands and leaned over them.

"I am extremely curious, my friends, how it is that you have come to know not only of the situation upon the planets below, but your belief that I in turn am in any need of learning anything more about it."

[ 12-17-2004 01:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

The other...

"There is anger in you, son, much anger. Anger and fear, although you have blocked that fear deep within you.

"Anger is usually self-directed, my boy, but this is a difficult thing to understand. Not understanding this leads one to hate; I see you have much hatred toward this Graysith.

"Why?"

I let the frown relax and take up another bite of food, that by those simple actions Rykounagin will hopefully understand that this is not meant as chatisement toward him in any manner. He does seem to be extremely emotional, a characteristic which I feel will be the first to be addressed when his training beneath my hand should begin.

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

In the short time he had come to hate graysith, it had truely seemed extremely self explainitory.

But now as he sat there, faced with his fathers wisdom, he was suprised, unexpectant of such a returning comment.

"I now see my flaw, my error in judgement. I had worked under a foolish ideal that it made perfect sense, but now, even I must see the true reason behind my hate."

He took a long time before speaking again, the faint sounds of his fathers devouring of his own meal comming to him faintly as he thought.

Finally, he found his voice again, and spoke. "I hate her, dispise her you could say, for hate is a strong emotion that is often to lightly used, because of what she did."

"For several years, I was stuck in solitude, barely alive, barely human. But then I found my master, and I regained that humanity, and was connected."

He was speaking slowly, as though he was still puzzling over his answer. "I was afraid, afraid of loosing the connection I possessed with this humanity, but now that i had lost it, I was terrified."

He paused now, his voice returning to its common neutrality. "I did not know how long I would wait, how long I would exist, or if that connection would ever return."

His voice began to gain power now, growing in his next words. "But now I realize, that though solitude by oneself is comparable to death, a minor fate, an inevitablility. I now see that my hate has no true basis. Though Graysith did not realize it, she taught me a well needed lesson."

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, the magick that had coated them reemerging in their pure red color.

"Death is inevitable, to fear it, is foolish. Being separated is inevitable, for it will come and pass. But now, with this newfound realization, I can make my best attempt to remove that emotion of fear, and hate, for I do owe her a great debt."

He closed his eyes again, and smiled. "In her attempt to punish me, she has only made me stronger."

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

But--

"Punished you?"

I let the words hang delicately upon the air, as delicately as I now reach out and nibble upon a juicy haunch. One would indeed believe that I, a powerful Sith and Dark Lord, the possessor of such magicks and skills that very few can hope to touch, let alone experience, I who bear upon my head such frightful horns, in my mouth such brutal fangs...

...could ever nibble with so light a touch that not a drop of juice escapes, that not a tendril of the rare meat is wolfed but carefully chewed.

Again, such are the assumptions others make; this is something which I have found to be, in the end, the most useful attribute of all:

For it is by the assumptions of others that true power is really gained.

I lay the haunch upon my plate, take an even more delicate sip of wine. From the corner of my eye I see growing astonishment filling Rykounagin's face; undoubtedly he too has made the error of linking delicacy with weakness.

I smile.

"I do not believe she was attempting to punish you, son. At least not directly."

I pause a moment longer, debating how much farther I should continue in this line of thought, while I let him ponder upon the words I have just spoken.

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

He pondered his fathers most recent words, and considered them. If one would not consider it punishment, then what would one consider it to be? Disipline, torture, storage? What mere words could you voice to define it then?

He then laughed at himself inwardly, the foolishness of his own assumption. "Perhaps it was a gift, and opportunity she wished to give? Perhaps she knew I could escape that realm, and in that way come to find you in this sense?"

He watched his father, wondering what thoughts crawled back and forth between the eyes that focused upon him so intently.

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

I let the words float from my lips whisper-soft, incongruent to the expression harbored in my eyes, an expression now boring into Rykounagin's pair bringing with it a secret he shall come to need far sooner than he expected.

If one can indeed consider something totally unexpected to be something one expects.

I quietly rise to my feet, take great care to adjust my robes properly, for such respect does this lad deserve. Whether he continues to hold that respect, the future will tell.

"How easy it is to see through one eye, with vision carefully tunneled. False answers come to one with such flawed insight, answers good only for a particular moment, and then useful to one no longer."

I wave a hand; a roiling splotch of non-ness appears next to Rykounagin. He rears back in mingled astonishment and fear and anger; ah yes, I see it coming so well. I wave toward that portal I have made, then tuck my hands into my sleeves and continue.

"Little beings scurry about their little lives in this universe, all concentration on their own peculiar little moments in time. All scurrying along side by side, but not connected, not understanding; all living in one fear or another with themselves, and even more fearful to break out from that muffling miasma which coats their eyes and hearts to truly understand that there is a Bigger Picture, a Grander Scheme, to all that is. Those with wisdom understand that this schism exists, and in striving to understand their place within it can only grow stronger for that struggle.

"But the first step is in truly understanding oneself. Then one can toss the coin and easily guide it to land, not heads or tails, but in delicate balance upon its edge."

I wave meaningfully once more toward that Portal into the Elseness.

"This is not a place from which to escape, my son. It is one through which to travel upon journeys toward oneself, and is departed from when the soul is ready."

One final time I pull my hand from my sleeve and indicate the Portal. Then I place both hands upon the table, carefully retake my seat, and reach for my goblet.

Next to Rykounagin, the Portal into nothingness writhes and beckons.

[ 12-17-2004 03:19 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

He let all expression fall from his face, as he reached out a hand slowly, a touched the surface, his fingertip just brushing the endless void.

"Nothing.... and everything... all in one moment." He whispered. He reached his hand in further, then withdrew it, new comprehension in his mind, new knowledge to be explored and exploited.

He turned towards his father. "You are right of course. No matter what I do, I have small impact. Though I might consider flipping this table of some significance, leaving you now the same, it truely means little. We as small beings in the universe make no ripple, though massed together we can create one upon the surface."

He sat down slowly, and slowly poured out some of the liquid from his drink onto the now bare plate. He watched as the liquid moved, rippling, then ceased. "The creation of the universe."

He smiled, then touched the surface lightly, as it rippled. "The events, they bounce off of each other slowly." He touched the surface in several places, watching the water tremble as the small ripples collided.

"In the end though, they fade, and once again join the stream of time. But there is no such thing as time, time doesn't pass, but we do. Here, there is the only power we possess, to try to add to the universe, to change it, to make our pathetic attempt to sculpt it in our way, but to no avail."

As as he spoke, he took small berries, crushing them and watching as their ripples quickly disappeared, the juice becomming a part of the liquid already present. "In the end, we all be come a part of it, and can only hope to have a major effect."

He pointed a finger to the surface as a larger ripple then those previous appeared, not fading but moving back and forth on the center where he had indicated. "Though whether our influence aids the universe..." he send the liquid splashing up in a small erruption to land neatly on the plate again, the ripples not fading at all now. "Or to destory it, remains to be seen."

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

My goblet is replaced with a light and musical ring, as the exquisite Sith metal comes to a purposeful rest upon the table. I reach to Rykounagin, grasp his chin between my clawed fingers, the touch neither light nor vicious, but one meant to imply the urgency my next words will carry.

"Understand this, Rykounagin. It is not we, the pitiful little beings who race hither and yon through the Great Chasm as some bacteria infecting a herd of dewbacks; not we who impact That Which Is.

"That Which Is... is; those with wisdom see this, understand this. The Universe, the All Which Exists, does so to its own rhythms, to its own music; it follows its own course, one laid out before it when it first awakened from the Non-ness from which it sprang."

I pause, drawing in a deep breath and let my hand drop. The boy's eyes remained pinned to mine.

This is good.

"Those with wisdom, who know of themselves, who know who they are and their true place within this All That Is.... only those as such will gain what the others within the Universe see as having great powers, but which those who have learned the correct answer find to be something they have had within them all along.

"It is the life'sblood of existence, my lad. And one must know of oneself, truly know, to taste of it.

"This place..."

I wave toward the writhing portal once more.

"...is where one may journey to find the answers one has been seeking throughout one's life."

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

He finally managed to wrench his attention away from it, and turned to reguard his father again. "Now I do see." He reached out again, his hand penetrating the nothingness that made the portal.

He went around the other side, and smiled as he could not see his hand. "Would you have me venture into this place, in some form of philosophical training? Or is this yet another test?" He asked, leaving his arm in the portal as he watched his father.

"No, it is not. The weight of your words is to great, for it to be such a simple thing, such a task." He withdrew his arm, and turned to completely face his father.

"What is your next lesson?"

[ 12-23-2004 02:38 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rykounagin ]

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

I rise to my feet.

"You are too full of yourself, of your puny abilities, Rykounagin. Until you see both for what they truly are, they will blind you to the reality of All That Is.

"I cannot teach you... not now. And thus, instead of teaching, I set upon you a task.

"How you will deal with it will determine whether or not I have chosen wisely in taking you as my son."

Nodding to him, I wipe my lips delicately, and as I stride from the Dining Hall I let that Portal close with a sizzling snap. Behind me there ensues a short silence; this is followed by the scrape of a chair against stone and then the softest of footfalls as he follows me.

I lead him back to my Inner Sanctum, and go directly to the Great Octahedron. There I stop, wait until he has come up beside me, and place my hand against its cool, crystalline surface.

"Show me the threat to the Sith," I state, fully expecting to see the dangerous image of the Imperial blockade that I know circles our worlds like vultures waiting for their victim to die.

But I am not awarded thus.

To my surprise something unexpected appears, a tiny place which after much thoughtful perusing I finally recognise as being a small village on K'eel Doba. There is one there who I see standing in the middle of their small village centre, one arm upraised as he speaks to the Sith. While I cannot hear what they speak of, I can imagine, if this is what my device chooses to show to me instead of what I had assumed.

My lip curls with amusement at myself.

Never assume, Dark Lord; is this not what you teach?

I point toward the Octahedron.

"Take a Sith fighter, and go to K'eel Doba," I command Rykounagin.

"Seek out this one, dispel what it is he foments, and bring him to me alive, his condition matters not. Just...

"Alive."

[ 12-23-2004 03:10 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

He looked up at his father, and dropped his guises in all ways. "I will complete this task, and as you have said, I am to full of myself. Though this may sound as a foolish act of pride, I shall use none of my abilities. I must learn to become independent in that state, though as you have said, I must come to face the small fact that I am only but a small factor."

He breathed, then spoke again. "This task of which you give me, I shall complete." He turned from his father, his shame etched deeply into his thoughts. "If I am to fail in this, for one failure to my own name I have commited, then I cannot return, knowing that my pride has held me too enthralled. But until I pass that doorway, I can only hope I can return."

He walked from the room, and as though some outward force guided him, strode directly to the docking areas, boarded a ship, and began to plot his course, lifting it from its berth to go to his destination.

How he knew to control the ship he did not know, nor did he care. In this duty, I shall not fail you. Father.
(((OOC: Rykounagin sets off in search of Freedon Naad and his rebellion, in "Lost but Not Found", in this forum, thankyou.)))

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

It has come upon me from nowhere, this strangely out-of-sorts feeling.

At first I do not understand its meaning, for it is unfathomable to me. It is something I have not experienced in my rather unique life; but wait...

There was a time, once, several years in the past, when I felt something close to this, the time She was stricken a near-fatal blow by the beast, the tuk'ata, her Blood-Hunt companion...

And I thought she would die.

There was another time, but death was foiled as well, attacked by the pair she had taken unto her.

This strange feeling is somewhat close to what I felt at those times; it takes me a moment or two longer to recognize it for what it is:

Terror... but not unfounded.

Something has removed the tether, the restraint, the Watchdog I placed within Her being upon that day so long ago when alongside it I placed that kernel of budding All-strength, that she might be guided in its use, that she might find insight in the handling of it.

And that I might watch over her from afar... and provide both praise and punishment where necessary.

But the Beast is suddenly within my own being, back to the loins from which it has sprung.

Now blind anger surges through my being, and I rush to my Inner Sanctum, there to approach the Octahedron, to demand of it, to command that it reveal the one who possesses power greater than mine.

There is no response. Nothing roils within its greeny-golden depths... nothing moves.

I look and I stare and in a strangely disjointed manner I realize that this can mean but one thing, that Time has stopped, that all has come to a halt, yet I move, I think I can see I do not understand there is nothing there, there is no one anywhere yet this is indeed my Inner Sanctum and what is that bite deep within my being, my essence, I can feel it snarling and ripping there.

It is the Beast, and it strikes out in cold, cold fear...

[ 12-30-2004 03:17 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

"It's not really important. I've been ah, stuck, down there for a while, and just recently was able to make it off the planet through 'unorthodox means'. But I'm sure you'd have some interest in what goes on down there."

Sa'kal'ishaalas smiled, and took a small drink, hardly a taste, more for effect than thirst. "There are many things, many secrets I'm sure you could benefit from these people, these "sith" who would horde their knowledge and secrets for themselves, depriving all of the others such as us, of what we deserve."

I watched him. "But look at this fleet you possess, with a single stroke, you could take a reward worthy of your efforts here, claim a greater prize than logistical records, and letting your suplies dwindle in this forgotten sector!"

Thoran dropped into a very complex and dark mind. His panic slowed, but turned instead into a deep dread.

Oh no… he thought.

Aelvedaar, he called out in his most groveling voice. Forgive me! This is Thoran, remember me? I was with the Master when you, uh, yeah, never mind. I was trying to protect Shay- I mean, Jharmeen, and I really had no idea that I was jumping into you. Look, this is really just a crazy mix-up, I’m sure, and I’ll happily just jump right out again. But that beast is a nasty thing, and maybe we can have a quick chat first? So, um, got a minute?

Thoran winced as his sudden inability to communicate effectively and waited for the pounding to commence.

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

Is he aware I’m here? Of course he is, don’t be stupid. So why is he silent? Why hasn’t he splatted my spirit into cerebral dust? Maybe he is contemplating the most satisfying way of ending my existence? Maybe I shocked him into silence? Naw, that can’t be it. I should probably take the silence as a signal that I should speak my peace and get the hell out of his mind.

Thoran stirred his bravery and sallied forth.

“Right, so, first allow me to apologize for this rude interruption. I really didn’t know that the beast in Jharmeen’s head belongs to you. I mean, the others have been hinting at that but I figured ‘what do they know’, but I guess they were right.

“Anyway, I have some news for you, and a proposition. I’ve been travelling a bit with Phalomir and his gang, not really by my choosing, but I figured I could use them to my advantage. I’ve been without substance for a while, you know, since you disposed of the Master, and I would really like to go home. Anyway, we, um, did something, and met with someone who changed my perspective around a bit.

“Look, I know you have this plan for ruling the Sith all by your lonesome, and from what I’ve been learning about Phalomir, I don’t think he would have objected too hard. But something happened back there, and I think he is determined to talk to you. All he keeps saying is that we need to see Aelvedaar.

“Would you consider calling a truce for a while? An opportunity to talk, on level terms, no power struggles, no zapping?”

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

Dreams are such funny things. Rykounagin's unconcious mind thought. They continue to speak to me, offer me worship and poison me with lies at the same time. What strange entities within them as well. He rolled over in his bunk as a klaxon warned him of the ships arrival.

He was sore, and did not wish to awake as the Klaxon persisted. "Be quiet...." He murmured. "I'm tired... so tired...." He kept his eyes closed, no longer truely asleep, though he wished with all his might he could pretend so.

"I am weak, and I have no comand over it what-so-ever." He sighed, then got up slowly, his eyes still closed. Focus.

He kept his eyes closed, and treid to remember the room, focusing on his memories of it as he did so.

There's a table in the wall to my left, a refresher entrance to my right, and the exist before me. He opened his eyes, only to find he had mixed the table and fresher. It doens't matter. He thought in response to his discovery, slightly angry as he stood up and went to the fresher, quickly splashing water over his face.

He turned afterwards from the fresher, and went down the hallway towards the cockpit, and entered it, looking through the viewport to see dozens and dozens of star destroyers surrrounding his fathers home. His home.

We'll get rid of them someday father and I. He thought angrily. But they have not prohibited us from comming or going yet, perhaps they might prove as a defensive buffer if Sha Rhylla does come to attack. But such thoughts are self centered and foolish for now, I must focus on the present.

He deactivated the autopilot, and began to set his ship on a course that would guide it down too the surface and to his home. I can only offer him reports of my failure, a gift of an inferior ship, and the report of Ragorian and Graysith's daughter. This will not be a meeting that will be pleasing to recollect.

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

"Such a surprise; perhaps you would care to enlighten me as to just how it is that you have come to brighten my day?"

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

These types are all alike, I couldn't help but muse.

So self-assured, full of themselves and the abilities they purportedly have... yet here is yet another of such who has come running to greater strength for assistance.

I had dealt with these types many times in my wild career, a natural consequence of my former lifestyle. I mean, the hits bounty hunters are paid to make are rarely the small, non-assuming types now, are they?

I moved slightly in my seat, aiming the T-shaped lens of my visor directly at the sneering human and his overly-silent buddy.

"Interesting," I continued at length, picking up my drink. I turn to scrutinize it a bit, as though the answers to the mysteries of the Universe were revealed in the rich depths of the liquid held therein.

"Interesting that you believe I would need any help discovering these, ahh-- treasures and technologies...

"Not to mention the fact that you would just happen to be aware of just what those tidbits are and where they would be located."

I slammed the glass down on the table and turned a stony glare on the pair.

"I think there is something else you can offer me... such as answers to the two questions inherent in what I have just said to you."

With that I slap a hidden control with a gloved hand. Immediately a squad of goons materialize behind the pair.

"Take these two to detention, and spare no effort in persuading them in telling you just how it is that they would know things no one in this entire Galaxy should be privy to!"

They slap fisted hands across their chests before snagging the startled pair and after performing a quick strip tease and thorough--

Oh yes. That kind of thorough...

--body check during which various and sundry interesting weapons and devices are revealed, the leader of the squad hauls from his belt pouch a couple crinkly white detention gowns and mishandles them onto my erstwhile "guests."

They are then hustled from my sight; it isn't too long before an intra-ship communique confirms they have been handily incarcerated.

I think a moment, then lean forward.

"See that a Force Cage is implemented about the pair, and please treat them as Level 6 security risks. There has to be something they possess that would justify their waltzing in as they did; somehow I don't think nerves of steel is it."

I hit send, then lean back in my seat for a moment. Getting to my feet I go to a nearby viewscreen; a single verbal command and it obligingly springs to life, revealing the beautiful image of the myriad warships I have intricately laced together in this, the second largest of the blockades I have put into effect.

I don't need assistance with what's going on down there, I think to myself.

There's not strength enough in the entire Galaxy to withstand what could be coming. The blockade is here only because someone is allowing it to remain here, that's a fact.

A brief shudder ripples through me; well do I remember the weirdness I have gone through with Galen over the past years.

No, this is going to take more than brute strength. This is going to take cunning.

And that's where Sorben Tarnus, Lt. General of the "New Empire" schisms with Sorben Tarnus, bounty hunter....

Time recedes to the inconsequential then, and I continue to stare into the viewscreen, watching as yet another bright blip easily slips through our interlaced tractor beams and heads down to land on the planet below.

[ 03-11-2005 03:43 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Sorben Tarnus ]

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

He sighed as he punctured the upper layers of the atmosphere. "This is almost pathetic, that I failed in something that I vowed.... THAT I VOWED!" He slammed his fist against the bulkhead.

"Damn...." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I am a failure... I have to be...."

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