They rounded several corners, taking a strange route to the receiving room. As Phalomir’s suspicions grew, they were quickly acquiesced as the captain opened a small side door that led to the correct hallway. A shortcut, or a path that would allow the fewest eyes to view the Dark Lord, Phalomir was not sure which he been led through. He followed the captain into the receiving room.

Phalomir paused at the entrance, momentarily overcome by the scene within the room. Servants were busy lining rows of flowers along the floors, forming a circular pathway through the room. The path would lead visitors around a large dais in the center of the room, illuminated by spotlights in the ceiling and focusing on the still body of the Dark Lady. An ornate gown had replaced her black form-fitting clothing, and her throat had been covered with a silky scarf. Phalomir swallowed hard and walked to the platform.

He stood staring for a full minute, not thinking. He took in her features, her beauty, his mind emptying of thought. His lungs involuntary gulped in air, bringing his mind back to the present. By all appearances, this was indeed Jharmeen. The weight of the worlds seemed to lower down upon his mind, and his body seemed suddenly too heavy to move.

But he managed to move his hand to hers, taking her small fingers in his own. He caressed the dull glyph on her forehead, and in a final gesture bent to kiss her cold wrist. A tear trickled from his face as he neared her arm, landing upon the mark of entitlement on her wrist that showed her heritage and right to hold the title of Dark Lady.

The mark of Q’utaro…

But Jharmeen had divorced Recinis, Phalomir himself had witnessed the change in the mark of entitlement.

Phalomir wiped his face and gently lowered the limp arm back the body. His mind raced, fueled by hope. He reached out into the body with a tendril of magick, probing, searching. Soon he had his answer, and as another tear flowed from his eye – albeit this one born of hope – he backed away and turned to the captain.

“Thank you for allowing me a moment,” he said, wiping his face with a finger. “The new Dark Lady will need much guidance, and I wish to assist her in bringing the killer to justice. This must not go unpunished. I must visit with Salandaar, please.”

[ 05-01-2005 08:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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Did I err in my visage? Did I.... Suddenly I knew how I must have erred. The mark, somehow there must be something near it! I inwardly moaned, knowing that he must know what had happened to some degree, that tingle of magick that even I had been unable to escape.

He must not escape.... I took a moment finish the thought, and if I could have physically, I would have smiled. Alive.

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

...but I don't know about going upward like we did in the Temple at Khar Delba. There we had a shot at that because the ceiling was already cracked, but this one..."

Here she trailed, looking up and surveying the prospects, "...it looks very solid," she finished. "I"m going to give the bolt a try..."

Quieting then, Shayla closed her eyes and reached out, feeling for the bolt with nothing more than her Force senses. For several minutes she stood silent and unmoving, til she found it...

...and with quite a bit of effort, tried to wiggle the bolt free.

No luck.

Finally, with a great sigh, she opened her eyes. "It's been jammed or something," she said, taking a deep breath, "I can't get it. But..."

Here she trailed, eyeing first Panthar then her husband as the wheels in her head began to churn. "Maybe if I put some pressure on the bolt, and you and Erik put some force on the door...

...we might be able to create enough damage to break out of here," she ended, quieting and waiting expectantly for an affirmative reply.

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

Nodding then to Erik, he placed his good hand upon the right side of the door and leaned heavily into it. Erik took a similar stance on the other side, and paused to look at Panthar. Panthar nodded, then threw his weight against the door, dropping his hand and bearing his shoulder full force into the heavy wood.

Panthar felt the ancient door creak from the pressure, but the bolt on the outside remained in place, providing just enough support to keep the door from moving. Panthar strained his head around to look at Shayla, who was preparing to work on the bolt itself. He turned back to concentrate on the door, hoping Shayla had enough power to move the bolt.

“One good shift and the wood might even splinter around the bolt just enough to free it,” he growled. “Hope you can do it!”

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"The Dark Lady did not give me leeway to grant you any such request--" he began, just a bit on edge to be caught between his loyalty to ShaRhylla and respect for a Dark Lord, when his dilemma was suddenly resolved.

"That will be enough; you are dismissed."

The voice ringing out from the shadows was riven with authority of its own making, a calm assurance that carried its owner out to face the startled Phalomir.

The aquamarine-eyed Sith approached the captain and Phalomir, his clawed hand raised both to dismiss the former and greet the latter. His silken robes of state whispered about his tall, lean frame as he came to a halt in front of them, but he didn't speak another word until the captain had bowed and departed.

"I am Salandaar," he said simply, letting his gaze cut to the closing door and then back to Phalomir.

He cocked his head to one side, studying him admittedly with not a little curiosity. His questioning facade disappeared behind a frown then, as if he was trying to recall something from some time ago.

He straightened up even further.

"What is it of which we must speak?"

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

“I am Phalomir, newly arisen Lord of the Armorers… and dear friend to Jhar—to Dark Lady Graysith.”

His stare lingered a bit longer, then Phalomir glanced at the unmoving body. His eyes returned to Salandaar.

“We have never been properly introduced, though I have seen you upon many occasion. Please, walk with me a short way. Although it is an unbecoming trait, I find it difficult to speak without a tremble so near to my departed friend.”

Phalomir walked to the doorway, side by side with the acquiescing Salandaar. Phalomir lowered his voice and leaned to Salandaar.

“Where may we speak,” he whispered. “There is treachery afoot. I feel strongly that is not the body of Jharmeen.”

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

Then he blinked.

Once.

"Indeed, the sight of my beloved Lady is painful for me as well," he said in a carefully measured tone of voice.

"I have been standing in vigilance beside her since she was brought here; perhaps it would be best if I go to partake of some air."

He nodded his head imperceptibly, then let an expression of utter repose flash quickly across his face. It was quickly masked by one of carefully contrived grief.

"I find the courtyard a refreshing place to be in time of sorrow; the lights of the city below shine out in promise of new beginnings..."

Continuing on in this idle manner he began walking, not deigning to see if Phalomir was coming along or not, knowing in his heart that the giant Sith most certainly was. Head held high, chin trembling ever so slightly, his aquamarine eyes tear-filled pools of moisture, he continued on, out of the Reception area, down the corridor, past the Dining Hall, through the Grand Foyer, until at last he exited the temple and came out onto the courtyard.

He didn't hesitate but headed straight toward the immense stone balustrade that ran the courtyard's perimeter. There he stopped, laying his hand on the cold stone to lean out into the night.

A soft breeze riffled his hair, ruffled his robes of state. He leaned out farther into it, closing his eyes, sensing the presence of the Dark Lord behind him.

"That is not my Lady," he said softly, abruptly, then turned his head to face Phalomir.

"There is indeed treachery afoot, my friend; may the gods help you if you are a part of it."

He assumed it was the mark, something was wrong, but knowing not what it was, he couldn't change it to adapt... there had to be some way to make it impossible to identify. He sighed inwardly, it was going to hurt.

He let one of his nails sharpen and harden, and drove it to a corner of the mark, and began running his "blade" of a finger through the mark over and over, until the mark was a blob of torn flesh, mangled. So tempting to leave a message, but it's suspicious enough....

He smiled to himself, then laid down, making sure to suck the blood of his nail and make it normal before cleaning away the blood until aside from the damage, the "dead dark lady" had never moved, nor been touched.

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

Phalomir glanced at the sword in Salandaar’s hand, then looked back to his face.

“Much has happened since we last left this place. There is a conspiracy against her, but for lack of physical proof I shall not make accusations against any other Dark Lord. I fear Jharmeen has been taken by a creature of the Darker Realms, perhaps in league with someone in the very ranks of the Sith. I believe this is an attempt to lure me back into that land, and I shall go.

But first, I must uncover this plot. We were returning here to meet with Aeylmaar, son of Aelvedaar. He warned us of a plot against us, and we felt we would be safe here. But I see we are not, and of all the Sith, you two are all I trust. There were others with me: Shayla, Erik, Panthar Dantares, and others; people I believe you may know. Do you know where they are now?”

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His eyes narrowed just the tiniest bit.

"They have been escorted to the dungeons; I can take us there but it must appear to be a visit worthy of those who are held in suspicion of murder," he said in a low voice.

Nodding meaningfully to Phalomir, he stared deeply from beneath his brows into the green eyes before him.

"Only to this end can I authorize a visit..."

He turned his face back into the quickening breeze and the night, closing his eyes once again, but not in the least bit dismissing the giant Sith lord from his awareness.

"The very walls have ears..." he breathed, then fell silent once again.

Hunkered against the wall, I had just silently removed one long boot -- no mean feat, that -- and was sticking it under my armpit so as to have both hands free to remove the other when one of the warriors barked out something in High Sith to his fellows.

They immediately formed parallel ranks, two lines as straight as my grandmother's morals, and with a snappy move turned to face each other. The closing doors flew open once again, but this time only two Sith came through.

One was tall, dressed in heady robes of state; the other was--

Phalomir?!

I almost spit his name aloud, but bit my tongue just in time. Which wasn't easy, let me tell you, since my jaw was laying somewhere in the vicinity of my feet.

I turned wide eyes to Terrin, to see him looking just as surprised as I was. Not daring to even whisper anything, I jerked my head toward the pair's receding backs, and gave my shoulders an imperceptible shrug.

Then I just stood there, one boot on, one boot off, holding my breath for--

Ahh. There they go now....

It was all I could do to keep from letting the breath I was holding out in a gigantic whooshhh of relief as, Phalomir and his companion having passed, the warriors broke rank and headed on their way.

Presumably going off to follow the others, I thought, and smiled to see my hunch once again proven -- apparently -- correct as they turned off in the direction in which the other warriors had travelled and soon disappeared into the gloom.

Behind us, the cadence of booted feet grew quieter and quieter, the echoes produced less ringing, less echoing as Phalomir and pal approached, opened, and then moved on through the door leading out into the courtyard we had traveled through just moments before.

Now I did sigh in relief.

"Well?" I asked the others, still keeping my voice low, arching my brows.

"Shall go dog Phalomir's trail, or do you really want to go traipsing about Khaandon alone knows where in this monster of a temple looking for the others?

"From what I can recall of it, it's really easy to get lost here. Remember, Terrin?"

My smile dimmed just a tad wee as memories of the last time we had been here came flooding back, empty city, Aelvedaar and all.

[ 05-12-2005 04:47 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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“Then I request an audience with the accused, I would certainly wish to ascertain the truth of what transpired, since I was apparently unconscious when— when my lady was murdered.”

Even though in his heart Phalomir knew that it was not Jharmeen that lay motionless in the receiving room, the words still caught in his throat.

“There is much to tell you, Salandaar,” said Phalomir in a low soft voice. “Until I find Aeylmaar, you are the only one here I trust. I have traveled the Darker Realms and faced Roan, uncovered foul play by Aelvedaar, and have met the Empire. None have been met well, and great games are afoot that could bring disaster to the Sith. We need Jharmeen, and I will do anything to find her. I do not know if this deception falls in accord with Aelvedaar’s plans, but either way it involves ShaRhylla. Traveling with me is Jharmeen’s sister, Galen, and her husband and crew. They remained aboard the ship, and I do not know where they are now. But I feel it would be very bad if they were discovered by someone other than your loyal warriors.”

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Then, quickly getting his boots back on--and making certain that everyone else got theirs back on as well--Terrin stepped out closely behind Phalomir and the Sith, knowing that Galen, Matt, and Jasyn were falling in as well. They got near the courtyard where Phalomir and Salandaar stood talking just in time to hear:

"That is not my Lady," he said softly, abruptly, then turned his head to face Phalomir.

"There is indeed treachery afoot, my friend; may the gods help you if you are a part of it."

Standing in silence then, Terrin stood listening to the conversation which followed, wondering just what Phalomir and this other Sith were talking about...

...and wondering just what Dark Lady they were talking about, considering Galen's sister had been yanked from their ship by the so-called Master.

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

...along the push both Erik and Panthar were placing upon it as well...

...would be enough. The moments seemed to turn into seemingly endless minutes...

...and at last, an audible snap

Shayla's eyes flew open just as the door began to give way. She nodded towards the door as her two companions realized what was happening as well.

"We've gotta get out of here quietly!" she said in a whisper. "And quickly..."

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

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...embedded quite deeply, he noticed. This Phalomir was truly not to be underestimated.

Pulling himself together despite his sudden weariness, he watched the events unfold around him; Phalomir threatening ShaRhylla, her reply, Sith coming and going with much discussion, until one he recognized, one called Salandaar finally came forth, and Phalomir followed him from the room.

For what reason, Ragorian knew not. And he did not like not knowing.

Reaching out, he again touched ShaRhylla's mind and spoke to it.

"My apologies for my silence, my mistress," he purred. "In his sudden fury, the Dark Lord repelled me from his mind so forcefully that I was...stunned momentarily."

"I seem to remember him threatening you," he continued. "Are you all right, milady? Whither does this Phalomir go with Salandaar?"

"And what may Ragorian do for you now?"

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

The hallway was indeed empty. Panthar moved quietly down the wall, keeping his back close to it as he sidled. He came to a corner and paused, quietly taking in a deep breath and ducking his head quickly around and back again.

Panthar recalled the scene he saw. In the hallway around the corner was a Sith warrior holding a spear. There was only one, and the warrior was facing the other direction, as if to stop anyone from entering the cellblock. Panthar took in anther deep breath, closed his fists tightly, and hoped he could reach the warrior before he knew what hit him.

Panthar moved quickly, springing from around the corner and bringing his fist up into a strike to the warrior’s head. In the brief second before impact Panthar noticed the warrior had not moved at all, and as Panthar’s powerful fist connected with the back of the helmeted head, the Sith warrior flew forward and sprawled to the floor. Panthar stood quietly over the warrior, then bent to make sure that he had only been knocked out.

Panthar felt a slick wetness when he touched the warrior’s neck. When he pulled back his hand, it was covered in blood. Panthar then noticed the floor was also covered in blood, and cringing, rolled the warrior over.

He recoiled, wiped his hand on the damp wall, and turned back to where Shayla and Erik stood waiting behind him. He held up his hand to them.

“He was already dead,” he whispered. “Something very bad is going on here.”

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

--the fact remained that she was young and untried. Indeed, considering her past, she hadn't been in the universe long at all; a young one of her age would have more innate ability to manage matters, simply because of having had the advantage of living through the years he or she had.

ShaRhylla had not. Born scarce years ago, artificially aged, she had not the maturity nor wisdom, however sparing, that comes with the passage of time.

To tell the truth, having set into motion something she could only see at a moment's notice, she now hadn't the slightest idea of how to continue with it.

Strategist she most definitely was not.

She frowned, then drew in a breath of air, trying to draw with it some semblance of a thought as to what she should do. Then an idea struck her.

"Ragorian, my pet," she purred into his mind. "Your concern for me warms my heart. But...

"I find I am needing a bit of... assistance. I need your help, help that no one can give me but you.

"I need eyes to watch over this Dark Lord... as well as over Salandaar to whom he keeps wishing to speak; let this one--"

She pointed a dainty claw toward Kelvendar.

"--take your essence back into his presence, and when you come upon Salandaar enter into him. Find out what the Dark Lord knows; is the deception complete? Are there others loyal to mother?

"Follow in the pathway of the strategist that you are; in this regard I, however, find myself somewhat lacking.

"I need the assistance of my father; the Dark Lord spoke words leaving me to believe he yet exists. Find the answers for me, my friend, that I may go to him myself and seek his counsel and wisdom."

With that she took up the sword and moving quickly, went to Kelvendar and placed it in his hands.

"Keep your link with me, my consort; or enter into my being as well if you desire. We must not become separate from each other; this is of the direst importance."

Now she reached out and placed a hand on Kelvendar's shoulder.

"Now you are to prove by actions how true your loyalties are to me, my warrior," she said simply, squeezing until her claws pierced his armor and flesh, and drops of bright Sith blood welled up to soak into his robes.

"Carry this sword and go to our-- guest. Tell him I grant him permission to speak with Salandaar, and seek him out.

"Show Salandaar this blade, let him touch it.

"Then return here to me."

[ 05-22-2005 07:02 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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He took the blade, looking for it, and wondered to what cause her objective was for Salaandar to touch it, but it was not his place. He held it delicately. "I shall carry out the task immediately." He bowed, and turned to leave the chamber, and go to find Salaandar, asking some of the guards of his whereabouts.

[ 05-22-2005 06:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Kalvendar ]

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He chuckled. "Foolish me, it's never out of reach, just a little bit harder this time." He began sensing for his blade, and smiled, feeling that it was still embedded in the hearth. "So easy to reach." He slowly called it, and felt it returning to him, his faith in it calling it's immaterial form to his hand.

"There you are old friend." He chuckled. "Friend." He almost laughed, but knew someoen was bound to hear him, and continued to wait.

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

“Someone nearby is using a Sith device,” he whispered. “I can sense it.”

He turned his head from Salandaar, reaching out with his feelings, letting this strange new sensation guide his eyes. Finally he paused on the space from where the sensation seemed to emanate, and stared coldly into the seemingly empty air. Not caring for stealth, he simply lifted a finger and pointed at the spot.

“There,” he said. His hand began to glow, steadily and quickly increasing in intensity, as he prepared to incinerate the area.

“I care not for spies,” he stated.

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

But every red flag and warning bell was flying and waving and clanging frantically within me.

I didn't wait to discuss this in committee.

"Wait!"

The word scrabbled from my mouth even as my fingers scrabbled at the device on my belt. I hit a hidden switch, and we popped into view like a space slug popping out of an asteroid.

"Phalomir, wait, don't; it's us, we're out, and Kessel are we glad to have found you!"

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“We appear to located Galen and the others… most of the others.”

He took a few steps towards Galen.

“It is good to see you,” he said quietly. “Come this way, all of you, and keep your voices down.”

Phalomir walked back to the shadows where Salandaar still stood.

“Galen, listen without reacting, please. Below in the receiving room lies the body of Jharmeen, found murdered on the ship. In the dungeon is Panthar, Shayla, and her husband, accused of Jharmeen’s murder. What do you know of this?”

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