"Lord Roan is my father, and the one you call Jharmeen is my mother; they are the Dark Lord and Lady of this House, and as they belonged to each other in life, now in death they join together for all eternity."

She paused a moment, feeling the Finger beginning to warm against her thigh; one hand reached down to grasp it protectively, but she did not draw the weapon. Instead, although she was perfectly able to unleash the furies of the All against Phalomir, she merely continued on as before, her every aspect the epitome of mildness and sincerity.

Blinking, she widened her eyes and lifted her chin, trying to meet Phalomir's eyes with her own. All she could see was the underside of his jaw.

"But my dear Lord, there is no need for such theatrics! There has truly been foulness afoot within the ship that bore you here; clearly you were victim as well, for my warriors found you unconscious near my mother's cold, still body."

She stopped artfully, letting that image sink into Phalomir's heated brain.

"But if there is some means that you might retrieve my mother from her eternal rest, and if there is some small way in which I might help, why... I would be happy to do so.

"I would do anything to have my dear, dear Mother back--"

Now she let her head drop, a few hot tears dripping from her eyes to fall onto Phalomir's strong arm.

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

“Child, there is much you do not know of Lord Roan, but for now we will not speak of such things. For now, let us speak of you mother.”

He took his hand away from the girl and stepped back, his eyes briefly flicking to the Finger of R’lous.

“If she was indeed slain,” he said, choking on the last word, “then it must have been at the hands of a foul beast known as the Master. I have reason to believe that he wants me to follow him into the Darker Realms to save her soul, and for her I shall surely do it. There is a way, although it is very improbable now, to bring her back. I must try, don’t you understand?”

Phalomir closed his eyes, hardly believing the surreal quality of it all. He reopened them and stared at the girl.

“Tell me,” he said. “I do not know you, yet you are obviously the daughter of Jharmeen. Do you possess your mother’s abilities? And are you Jhindarra?”

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

"Perhaps if we wait, can follow some of these Sith back into the Temple, where we can look for the others or find Aeylmaar. I get the feeling that party who boarded the ship had no idea who the people aboard were...

...I mean, why the hell would those who know and are loyal to Graysith react to her comrades...and her own student...

...in such a manner?"

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

I let the words escape on the barest of breaths, afraid to be overheard by the assumably keen ears of the Sith warriors.

"It doesn't make any sense to me; but yeah."

I cocked my head up to Terrin.

"I'm with you, sweets. There is something about all this that doesn't quite ring true; I think we need to find Aeylmaar as quickly as we can."

Wherever he might be in this whole, entire planet, came the naturally following thought.

Assuming he got here safely at all....

My dark thoughts were interrupted as a couple of the lounging warriors stood up with a yawn and blue comment or two in response to being approached by another pair. The four exchanged a few words in High Sith, then the first two casually picked up their weapons and began walking across the tarmac.

"There go two now; let's follow them!" I whispered, stepping out swiftly and silently to make good on my suggestion.

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

...and perhaps she was, for a moment. But in that same moment she stretched out to the Force, her very lifeline, and assessed all which had occurred.

Graysith had been taken, by the Master, from under their noses. They had landed here: a place they had left with Graysith, who had in turn left Salandaar in charge of all the goings-on. But with their return, they were welcomed with guards...guards who had found Jharmeen dead aboard the ship...

...somehow. But the Master had told them that Phalomir and Aelvedaar should meet him in the Dark Hall...

...so what was the sense in Jharmeen's sudden murder? And furthermore, why were she, Erik, and Panthar alive and imprisoned if these Sith believed that they had murdered their Dark Lady...

...and WHERE WAS SALANDAAR??? Why weren't they all in the scrutiny of the Sith right now? And finally, WHY HADN'T SHE FELT THE LOSS OF A FORCE CONNECTION IF JHARMEEN HAD BEEN KILLED, TRULY?

She would know it, deep down in her heart, she knew she would...

...so...

"She's still alive; we have to get out of here," Shayla suddenly whispered into the dank chamber she, her husband, and Panthar had been thrown into. Then, without any further explanation, Shayla stood, and began walking the perimeter of their dark and dank cell, running her hand along the mossy, moist walls.

[ 04-26-2005 10:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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"I am ShaRhylla," she said, her eyes flashing, just once.

"JhinDarra is my-- s-sister."

Then she sagged, her royal bearing fleeing to the wind. One hand came up and touched a pearly horn that peeped out from her wavy, fiery tresses.

"My father is-- was teaching me the Ways of the Warrior; Mother had told me that my Sith blood endowed me with their magicks. She was teaching me some of its use, but I do not recall that I have had that many lessons."

Now her frown grew quite sincere, for indeed she had no real childhood from which to recall lessons and play and love and joy. Only sudden memories of her strong and wildly loved father, scattered throughout with images of her mother.

That something else came at her beck and call, something she did not need to learn to use, something inherent to her very being, part and parcel of every atom of her body... of this, she made no mention.

"I-- I don't know how I might help; I know only a few paltry tricks."

Now she waved to the suspended Pod, shadowed with the outline of its mysterious occupant. Then she shrugged.

"I am really quite good with a sword," she finished before falling silent, letting her eyes grow wide and soft while, carefully hidden within her very soul, a dark and noisome portion of herself raised its head and howled with gleeful laughter.

[ 04-26-2005 10:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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Strange, but now at our height we did not dare risk further movement, for if she did not take kindly to our actions, she may be tempted to let us drop, and our thousands of years of waiting would have all led to a great nothing....

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Phalomir’s thoughts shot to Galen, and the reason for her fear and hatred of Roan. He could feel the anger rise inside of him, and quickly squelched it as best he could.

But then this one was being taught by Roan, which makes her dangerous indeed. The thoughts he would have placed in her head… But Jharmeen would not have known of Sith magick, not so much as to teach this one. If she were to learn any such magicks from Jharmeen, it would have been the use of the All. She told me that the All is passed on to her offspring, and if this girl is truly the product of both Jharmeen and Roan, then she has been telling me half-truths. And the way she speaks of Roan, she seems proud to be his daughter… which makes me not trust her.

“I believe you may help indeed,” Phalomir said calmly. “But I need to speak with someone first, it is vitally important. Please, can you take me to Salandaar?”

[ 04-27-2005 10:52 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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Rykounagin felt myself pass through fully, and felt a small breeze. "So he sent me to a room?" He chuckled. "Father, you have such a sense of humor that I will never understand." He calmed and took stock of his situation.

By experience, he knew direct assault would not work again, and it would most definately work to his advantage to remain unnoticed. He went too the door and put his ear to it, keeping his cloak close to his body, it's edges stiring slightly from the breeze.

He heard nothing in the corridor beyond, and pushed the door open slightly. "THe best place to remove it from her possession would be to take it from her in her slumbers, so to her chambers I shall go..." He crept along the passage with unnatural silence, and felt himself rise upwards along the passage slowly.

He focused a moment, and called upon a "tracer" magick, to locate a place most heavy with the "stench" of a particular person, a place they spent much time. He searched and found a room nearby, and stole towards it, cloaking himself in the shadows themselves as he did so.

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

Panthar stepped up to the odious-looking wooden door and felt along the edged with his good hand. The small hole in the upper center allowed him just enough angle to see the chain draped across the door, and the bolt that was slid on the side.

“Well, there’s a chain and bolt out there. The door itself is thick, but I bet the hinges are old enough to break if I hit it hard enough. It will be more difficult with only one hand, though. If I could get the leverage, I might be able to push it with my whole body and do some damage. If only we had a way to slide that bolt out first…”

Panthar looked to Shayla thoughtfully.

“Hey, remember back when we locked up with Galen? Can you use that power here?”

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"Why would you wish to speak to an underling?" she questioned, cocking her head innocently to one side.

"For now that both my father and mother are dead, I am Dark Lady of the Warriors. This is my Entitlement to Inheritance."

She held out her hand, clearly displaying the cross-hatched tattooes combining the Houses of Roan and Recinis embellished upon her wrist.

"If there is something of dire importance of which you must speak, you must now do so to me."

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“Very well, milady,” Phalomir bowed his head to the girl, then raised it. “Please forgive my ignorance of your true identity. Allow me to formally introduce myself, then. I am Phalomir, newly anointed Dark Lord of the Armorer Clan. Your mother is – was – very close to me, and I hope the bonds of friendship carry forth between our houses. At the time of my last visit, Salandaar was charged with a task while your mother and I were away, and I wish to speak with him regarding that task. With your leave, of course.”

Phalomir’s eyes again went to the object hanging from ShaRylla’s belt.

“And, if I may ask, how did you come across the device you carry at your side?”

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

That she herself really had no idea as to what it was, that in turn was beside the point.

"The Dark Lord of Armorers," she said, lowering her lashes then and tilting her head respectfully. Raising her chin, she looked up into Phalomir's eyes.

"Are you of the House of Rean, then?"

While he had not taken it upon himself to overly teach his child of her Sith heritage, her father had, however, told her some of the facts....

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

He looked about the chamber, it's large bed and such around the room, and quickly decided to hide out upon the balcony for her to return and go to her slumbers. He went to the balcony and cloaked himself carefully against the wall to the side of the entryway onto the balcony, looking out across the city.

"Curious, they seem to have built or acquired a large vessel...." He murmured, looking at the massive ship. "It does seem familiar somehow...." He shrugged it off, for such distractions could only hinder him in his task to steal the axis.

He went back to pressing his back to the wall, and focused, waiting for her to return.

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

Phalomir paused.

What house indeed? Phalomir was taken aback by the lack of anything to say. As far back as he could remember, which in truth was not that far, he had always been simply “Phalomir”. He could not recall even his father’s full name, as little as it meant now. A dark shadow crept over his thoughts, making the second seem as long as the day.

Finally, in the back of Phalomir’s mind came the whispered word “Jhin’Dar”. He blinked away the confusion and continued.

“—of no importance. I am the first of my line, bearing the entitlement through ritual of combat.”

He looked once again to the item on the girl’s belt.

“Tell me, what of the others who traveled with me? There were several humans, and two Sith. One of the Sith is the treacherous villain who committed the cowardly act of murder, while the other is my loyal companion, Panthar. I would assume the former would not be found, being well versed in the ways of the All, while Panthar would be causing a major scene.”

Phalomir hesitated once more.

“And may I make a request… an appeal from a tortured soul, if you will. I would wish to see Jharmeen.”

He cut off the startled look from ShaRhylla with a raise of his hands.

“Please, allow me this. The Master is most treacherous, I need— I need to be… sure. By saving her soul, I am very likely not returning, please…”

[ 04-28-2005 11:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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It was the magickal checks that had been most difficult, I had nearly died immitating death at those times, letting all air hiss out of my body, stopping my own heart, and putting myself into a near commatose state, but in my service I had not failed.

Still, once a suitable "replacement" has been created or placed to take my position, then I can leave and resume my duties to the dark lady. I let out a mental sigh, still unmoving upon the slab of stone, waiting to be "retrieved". How tedious....

[ 04-29-2005 09:14 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Lord of the Masque ]

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He walked inside from the balcony and focused his magicks towards the doorway, preparing a ward of sleep, for whoever might pass through the doorway might soon find themselves in deep slumbers. He decided to set the counter to be that it would end once the axis had been brought to his fathers world. "That should keep it at a strong level, and assure no interference while I am making my escape.

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

She was aware that the three clans arose at a point far in the smoky past of the Sith, the segregation thereof being a natural result, over time, of the inborn magickal abilites of each individual Sith. Some, genetically speaking, were stronger than others in the use of their inherent powers, while others were more adept in things involving physical prowess. Thus it was that those, having had been determined by the ancient, pre-Triumvirate Council of Elders to possess tendencies toward a particular trait, in those early days were apprenticed into separate guilds. This process gradually changed over the course of history in that the guilds slowly developed into the three clans; gradually the appointments ceased and the Sith began to rely upon lineage to ascertain the clan membership of their young.

Thus it was that the Sorcerer's clan arose from segregating the Sith who were naturally adept in the wielding of their magicks, while the Warrior's arose from those who were physically strong, with more of a natural military bent in both their mind and spirit.

The Armorers, however... here the lines of obvious separation grew blurred. They too needed the mindset of the warriors, thus to more clearly understand what weapons would be of best use in the protection of the clans and the general populace. On the other hand, they needed strong magickal abilities, that such weaponry could indeed be created and empowered.

The question here was... how strong in magicks was this newcomer? Would he be able to see through the deception the halfling was carefully fomenting? Would Mask be able to hold his end of the deception?

But... what excuse could be given to deny him the privilege of going to the body?

ShaRhylla scoured her mind, seeking an answer to this dilemma, trying to find a speck of information hidden within the crevices of past instruction which might now come to her aid. None was forthcoming; apparently this particular pearl of wisdom had never been presented to her.

Then a new thought caused her to straighten up in pride.

What did it matter to her? She had others yet imprisoned within her dungeons upon whom she could call for answers; if this Phalomir proved a threat to her for any reason, didn't she have the All, and the Finger of R'lous, and T'elion, and Ragorian to assist her?

She smiled, and bowed her head.

"Of course," she said simply, then clapped her hands together in a manner far too imperious for a young halfling of her age. A Captain of the Warriors materialized before her.

"Take this... guest to the receiving room in which my poor mother lies in state, that he might pay his respects to her.

"For such I will not deny any Sith."

The latter words, though apparently spoken to the respectful Captain, were clearly meant for other ears.

She bowed her head, and watched as the Captain rose from where he had knelt, to turn to Phalomir. ShaRhylla pointed.

"M'lord, if you will accompany him...."

[ 05-01-2005 01:45 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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He could not understand why ShaRhylla allowed the slayer of her father to walk "free" within the halls where he had ones commanded those within. How she could even stand his very breath tainting the sanctity. She must have a reason, it is just that I cannot see it in my blind service.

Kalvendar inwardly sighed and continued to stand attentively, wondering how someone who had been so intimate with the previous dark lady could not hope to be able to find the truth about the late dark lady.

I suppose that I'll know wether she is truely dead or not when he returns.

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

Sorta like old times, came a random thought.

But Terrin had little time for such thoughts. He remained focused on the Sith ahead and where they were going. In little time they could see the grand Temple of Kee'l Doba in view, and now fully alive...

...something which, the last time Terrin had been here, had yet to come about. He shot a sidelong glance Galen's way, one which clearly read a simple, Whoa baby. Then he directed his eyes forward again.

"Should we follow them all the way in, and see what they are up to...

...and who's in charge...

...or should we break away as soon as soon as we get inside?" he queried, the words spoken so silently he was quite-nearly mouthing them.

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

This place is huge!

But then... the thought of inadvertently stumbling into the heart of these guys' barracks didn't exactly warm the cockles of my heart either.

So I just held up that warning hand and shook my head, and continued to shadow the pair, every so often reaching down to make certain my belt was still activated which, thank Khaandon, it was...

The temple hulked over us, looming like a thunderhead as we approached. I trembled once, then took hold of Terrin's hand even more tightly as we followed the warriors up the stepped sides to the apex where the familiarity of the courtyard welcomed us. I didn't have time to do more than glance around, memories rising even more strongly within me, but hurried on after the pair, who had picked up the pace a bit. We crossed the courtyard and entered into a small, stone door on the far side of it.

The shadows of the Grand Foyer swept down upon us like hawks, gliding and playing about the myriad stone pillars that held this place in mystery. I gulped, gluing my baby browns to the ornate, carved doors in the distance, willing that we pass through them. For not far on the other side, as I recalled, was the Dining Hall; perhaps we could find somewhere to slip away and hide there until night fell and we would be more free to creep about the Temple of the Warriors.

However... so much for luck and angels who watch out over fools such as ourselves. The warriors had only proceeded about a fourth of the immense distance separating us from those doors when they made an abrupt turn to starboard.

I had a fraction of a second to react; gripping Terrin's hand so tight I whitened his knuckles I jerked to a halt, slamming us against the nearest stone pillar, hunkering there in the gloomy shadow it made.

Quiet thumps informed me that the others had done likewise; in the distance, the cadence of the warriors' booted footsteps gradually faded into obscurity.

I waited a moment longer, then dared to breathe.

"Ok, everyone all right?" I asked, glancing around, counting noses.

All accounted for; I took in a deeper breath.

"Okay," I repeated in a soft whisper, for the acoustics of this place were truly tremendous. Not wanting to press our luck, I merely raised a hand and pointed to those double doors.

"I think we want to get in through them, but how exactly, I don't know. If there's someone on the other side it might look mighty strange of those doors just opened all by their little lonesomes, and nobody came in."

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

There was only one way he could think of they might get in them without being noticed. What they needed was for someone to come in or out those doors so they could slip inside...

And he was just about to open his mouth and communicate this thought when, as if on cue, the grand double doors began to open, slowly yet with definite purpose.

Terrin peeled his eyes away from the doors, looked to Galen, and then looked back over to them, nodding in that direction as if to say Now's our chance...

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

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

...perhaps replacements?...

...began to march out, spears in hand. Terrin couldn't help but wonder exactly where they were going, and what they were doing...

...but he dismissed the thought, keeping his attention on the still-open door. He was keenly aware of Galen's momentary hesitation...

...as well as her brief glance to her boots before she began to move. Her thoughts read loud and clear...

...and he couldn't agree more. Just as they approached the door he rose his free hand, motioning for them to stop, as his back went against the wall of the Temple, right next to the still-yawning doors.

If they didn't want to blow their cover right away, everyone's boots were going to have to come off...

He pointed downward to his own boots, reaching and slipping one off, knowing that everyone would get the idea and follow suit...

...hopefully quickly enough that they could get inside those doors before they began to close...

[ 05-01-2005 04:40 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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