He closed our eyes for a moment, longing to feel air again, to have a scent other then the disgusting anti-bacterial solvent we had left this shell in. "Most pleased indeed..."

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

Tired, yes, but not weak, he thought. She needs to rest, so do what you can for her Panthar. Doing that is helping Phal. Besides, I am beginning to think that maybe after everything, she might really feel the way he does. For his sake, I hope her words were true.

Panthar turned back to the pod and contemplated. The locks were breakable, weakened by Jharmeen’s powers. The hinges too would break, but the construction of the pod was such that he would need leverage. Plus, his injured hand would not prove useful. He needed something to pry with…

He scanned the room, searching for something sturdy and long. His eyes came to a stop on a very solid looking sword hanging atop the fireplace, and started quickly for it. He reached the fireplace and grabbed for the blade, stopping short with his hand perched above the hilt. He turned to Jharmeen.

“I’ll need something to pry with,” he called over. “But I just realized I better ask before I go breaking something. Is this sword all right to use, or is it something valuable?”

[ 08-09-2005 10:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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"If you need something to pry with, perhaps a tool of some sort would be better. I shall send a servant to fetch something; meanwhile, perhaps this... being would begin by telling us of anything he might have noticed since he had been placed in the arial position he had.

"Indeed, as well as who it was who did so to him."

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

We let out a mental sigh at the recolection, slightly difficult to locate after millenia's, but it had been done, now we awaited our freedom.

[ 08-09-2005 11:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Onidorei ]

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As the conversation continued, Ragorian began to be able to match names with faces, Thae two humans and Sith that had run into the room earlier were named Shayla, Erik, and Panthar, and the creature in the pod, the collection of eighty minds, was called the Onidorei. He assumed that the other human woman was named Galen, and the three other humans were Terrin, Matt, and Jasyn.

An odd company of individuals, Ragorian mused to himself.

His focus on the conversation sharpened greatly when Panthar pointed his vessel out to use as a prying device, then Graysith dissuaded him against it. Then the Onidorei creature mentioned the possesive ShaRhylla had shown towards him, and the assignment she had given him and Kelvandar. If Graysith and the others discovered the ward ShaRhylla had placed around him, they would likely attempt to break it.

An interesting development, he commented to himself quietly, and quickly set to planning what he would do if the ward was broken and one of these beings grasped his hilt.

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

After all, she had up and departed rather abruptly, and then had been long gone from Phrinnchatka, without communication with anyone left behind.

--certain aspects troubled her.

Salandaar. Dear and loyal Salandaar; had he come to ill during her absence? She would have to check into the possibility.

And why would ShaRhylla be possessive of the sword which hung over the mantel? Why send a warrior to Salandaar with that sword in particular?

She was not foolish enough not to understand the full ramifications of all the Onidorei had said.

"Back away from the sword at once, Panthar, and do not touch it!" she called out, new urgency in her voice.

"There may be magicks involved with it, for I see no other reason that my daughter would either make certain the warrior she sent carried this particular blade, or in turn that it would be so carefully placed -- or replaced -- over the mantel."

Now she turned away from Oni and came up behind Panthar. Placing a hand on his upper arm, she gently pulled him back, then stepping forward herself to more carefully scrutinize the blade.

At first she frowned in thought... then her eyes widened as she recognized it.

"I know this blade," she breathed.

"There was a time -- earlier -- that it came into unto my scrutiny..."

As had another being, one dark and strong, whom she had been beginning to groom as a possible consort to her.

"Do not touch this blade!"

With that she stepped forward, reaching toward it in utter paradox to what she had just said. But it was not to touch the blade that she did so.

Scarce millimeters from the hilt, her hand began to tingle. Quickly she withdrew it, and turned back to the others.

"It seems this sword is protected by a shield; I can sense the strength of the All, but there is more that encompasses it. Yes, it does seem this weapon holds a special place in my daughter's heart...."

The frown deepened on her face then; then she masked it and moved to a bellpull. A couple determined jerks upon it soon brought a Sith servant running--

--who skidded to a surprised halt in front of her before falling to her knees.

"M-milady, I-- I thought--" she stammered in confusion. "I saw your body..."

Graysith smiled grimly, and with a soft touch gently guided the servant to her feet.

"Bring something with which my friend here may pry open the containment pod you see here...

"...but do not mention my presence here as yet to any others you might meet."

The servant nodded her comprehension, then fled at her Mistress's bidding. Graysith turned back to the others.

"Thoughts, my friends?" she asked simply, then fell silent.

[ 08-10-2005 04:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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...but we all know that Salandaar was suspicious of something when we spoke with him, before he..."

Terrin trailed, his look turning blacker as his memory reminded him of something. "Salandaar was attacked by a Sith demon after he caught eye of it and tried to keep it from attacking anyone else. Phalomir was pinned for being involved with the Sith demon attacking Salandaar as well..."

Terrin trailed, still frowning, not knowing that from the appearances of things something was very much wrong. "I don't know what to make of all this...

...but I know for certain that, from what we've seen and heard, the warriors seem jumpy, anxious. No doubt they are suffering the effects of supposedly losing their former Dark Lady...

...but even so, they almost seem uncoordinated...

...even confused..."

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

Terrin thought the Sith were confused?!?

Well! I could say the same thing about a particular little group of people of my more than personal acquaintance, only one of whom was forgiven of that fact purely by reason that she had been unconscious during the entirety of--

"Now, wait just a hellbent minute!"

True, I hadn't said so much as boo since events had transformed into a helter-skelter roller-coaster of a ride, beginning with the sudden appearance of my sister from the corners of Hell. I mean, really, when one thinks about it there hadn't been all that much time; events had just spiraled too quickly to where we were now all grouped together oh-so-nice, all so willing to let this... thing out of its trap....

The sheer enormity of what I felt in my shoes to be a terrible, terrible mistake on our parts effectively squelched any interest or focus on anything other than the bacta tank, which squatted in front of us like some kind of overgrown worrt.

I took in aother breath.

"Wait just a kriffing minute!"

There. That second little outburst got everyone's full attention. When I was certain everyone's focus was at least in my general direction, I continued.

"Pardon me for seeming to lag in all this guys, but... ummm, what's with the sudden decision to open up this thing? Don't you think it still might be a touch wee on the dangerous side? I mean, ok, so it spills the beans about stuff which, hey, how convenient! -- we need answers to-- Ok, so maybe it was here, able to observe, and maybe what it is saying is true...

"But what if it's not? What if it's just taking us by the nose and leading us willy-nilly by it? And for that matter, so what if it's telling the truth; why would it suddenly be so helpful? What in Hell's Seven Circles would prompt something that has no affiliation with us to be our ally? Our comrade? One overly eager to--

"Doesn't anyone remember what it said back on the warship?! Just before Phal's dear o'l dad up and absconded with my sister? Seems like it was something along the lines of:

'...provoke us and we are sure that we will do our best to destroy at least one of you, we have very limited capabilities, but we are sure we could do enough damage, now calm and speak, we have waited many millenia in solitude and we WILL NOT be turned away at the paranoia and whim of one simple being!'"

I paused with that, crossing my arms in front of myself and glaring at the seemingly innocent bacta tank. I never trusted this thing to begin with, and that mistrust had exploded exponentially when it had been dragged aboard the warship by the Master. And so far I hadn't seen any real reason to alter my opinion one whit.

Sure as there's Treasure on Roon.

[ 08-11-2005 01:35 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back, the Glyph bursting into life. One slender hand reached out to the tank, the index and little fingers extended like horns, the others curled to meet the thumb; quickly she twisted that hand at the wrist.

The bacta tank seemed to waver, to grow indistinct...

...and then disappeared altogether beneath the chronotic shield she had placed about it.

She sighed a little, then turned back to the others.

"Tell me all that has transpired, everyone, while I was unconscious. If I am to save my beloved, I must have the facts...

"All of them."

She fell silent then, standing straight and silent, but unable to keep the expression of sheer exhaustion from her face.

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

"It seems our blabby little friend there was leaving out something. It said it had been placed where it was by-- well, probably by ShaRhylla--"

I stopped for a moment, casting an apologetic look Jharmeen's way. She looked so tired, and now that exhaustion was infused with a quick flash of pain.

"Hey, we don't know her motives, Sis," I pointed out as an aside before I went on.

"But anyway, it didn't just 'pop up' here due to her; it came to K'eel Doba with us, on the warship.

"Remember? Saving the Universe and all, sliding the Korriban system into-- well, somewhere? The big ol' Oogly-Eyes? Remember all that?

"And in the middle of it all, Phal's dear ol' daddy switches rontos in midstream, after agreeing with me two hundred percent about this pod, and drags it aboard, and then takes off with Jharmeen... remember guys? Sis, any of this sinking in at all?

"Oops, wait, sorry... I think Big Red there already covered all that; hey guys, a little help here, please..."

I shut up then, frustrated beyond words. Clearly, the input we needed now was that of the big ol Dark Lord, input we would never receive until we rescued said Dark Lord, input we would probably need to rescue said Dark Lord.

"What does anybody remember about this Master dude, and what Phalomir said about him?" I said, seeming now myself to switch rontos in midstream. Anybody remember anything Phal said that might be useful?"

Other than the fact that he had been so blasted adamant about opening up the bacta tank....

An idea hit me then, square between the eyes.

"Thoran!" I blurted, surprised at myself.

"Thoran- he might know something; where is he anyway?"

[ 08-11-2005 02:31 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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But why? We had cooperated at every turn, even helped them now, and still she brought up something that led to suspicion and paranoia! We had spoken that threat out of anger and desperation! But her in her ignorance took every possible thing we could do as a negativity. It was sad that not a single one of our concious minds had ever studied psychology, for she desperately appeared to need it.
"WHY?!" We let out another frustrated scream, the extent of our telekenetic powers lashing out at the sides of the container, though it did no good, as it had never done in the past. We sighed and managed to lower our tall frame a meter before the bonds that held us inside the container were stretched to their limits and allowed us no further comfort, a flash of "machine pain" comming from the teathers.

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

...well at least, not anything that was being said until Galen's last little query.

Kriffing hell, where WAS Thoran???

Terrin actually called out for him in his head just to check...

...several times in fact.

Nada.

His frown blackened. "I have no idea where Thoran is. In fact, I personally have had no contact with him since...

...well, back when we first began trying to fight for Jharmeen on the warship, when Aelvedaar first grabbed hold of her. I remember Thoran pitching in to fight Aelvedaar..."

Terrin trailed, something about those words triggering yet another memory. His frown got another shade blacker. "Do you think Aelvedaar may have gotten Thoran during that incident, somehow?"

Quieting a moment at that, Terrin searched his mind, trying to recall anything regarding Phalomir he knew, anything that might be of help in getting him back. And, after all, Terrin had been in the Dark Lord's head for quite some time before he'd been returned to his own body...

...and he'd spent a good deal of time with him and Thoran in the Darker Realms. Oh, and the Kaminoan, Rhua Ki...where was he?

"I know when I was in the Darker Realms with Thoran and Phalomir, they spoke of how the Master made some sort of deal with Aelvedaar to save the galaxy from the Vong, or something to that effect. I know this deal had something to do with the Master needing Phalomir alive...

...and Phalomir mentioned something himself about ruling over the Darker Realms at some point. I believe, if my memory serves, that the Master’s original plan, before his deal with Aelvedaar, had something to do with trading Phalomir’s life to that dark entity of the Darker Realms...the one who posed as Darth Wicked. Apparently both the Master and that guy underestimated Phalomir’s abilities, and Phalomir defeated them and took over. That’s when the Master made his little deal with Aelvedaar...

...and that’s when Phalomir was yanked from the future right before he died and placed in that crystal with Thoran. I’m not certain what this new deal with Aelvedaar entails, however. Maybe someone else can fill in those details...

...and for that matter, make certain what I’ve said so far is accurate? That has been some time ago, after all.”

Still frowning, now deep in thought, Terrin quieted and waited to see what else might be said.

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

“Allright, whoa,” he said. “If you remember, I got stuck inside my own body with both Phal and Thoran for a long time, and if you think that loony bird no-good stinker Thoran can be of any help, then you are as nuts as he is. He was planted there, remember? He was a mole all that time, keeping an eye on Phal until the Master could do whatever he was trying to do. This whole time and spirit and crystal thing was all screwed up, and whatever they were trying to do failed. Oh hell, just thinking about him gives me the willies.”

Panthar shivered, then shook his head.

“Thoran let it slip that he can do this body jumping thing. Personally, I don’t think he has a body of his own. Weird, I know, but I think he just exists hopping from person to person like some sort of freakish squatter. If he was helping to fight Aelvy, then that just doesn’t add up… unless it was because Aelvy turned against the Master, and Thoran’s allegiance lies there. Hey, that’s right! When we found the Master, he was being held prisoner in the back room of the ship! We accidentally let him out, remember? He was stuck away with the freight… and those cases of vials. Am I being random here, or does anyone else remember that? Anyway, if Thoran had jumped into Jharmeen to fight Alvy, then he is either there, or he is inside of Aelvy – or at least was. Do you feel like there is a little weasly good-for-nothing worm hiding in your head, Jharmeen?”

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

She came up against.. something; something with flat pewter eyes that hunkered deep in the very core of her being, crouched and slavering, watching; even as she began to pull away from it, it reached to her in turn, one massive paw going to her as if seeking solace in contact with her.

The moment it "touched" her, she forgot all about it.

Her essence continued its inner probing, then backed away and turned outward once again.

"No," she said, a bit breathlessly. Nodding to the others in apology, she moved to the couch in front of the fireplace and took a seat there. For a moment she simply sat in silence, scrutinizing the blade which hung in such deadly innocence over the mantle. Then leaning back more comfortably, she lolled her head back toward the others.

"So what we know is this," she began to reiterate.

"The Master, simply put, is not to be trusted. He needs the life of his son-- or at least the one he claims to be his son, as vassal in some kind of plan he has either developed with Lord Aelvedaar, or against him. Either way, from personal experience alone I will vouch hs is not to be trusted.

"He wanted the pod destroyed... but brought it aboard the warship, which seems a bit odd to me. But other than the initial vehemence he held toward it, there is no real connection that we know of between him and the pod--

"--containing an entity, or rather entities which in turn have shown themselves to be both a possible threat or possible ally to us.

"And Thoran is missing. Have I missed anything else?"

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

“Whoa, just had a thought! Thoran knew about the Finger, too. Maybe to plead for his life he told Aelvy about it? And, if Aelvy is the one who imprisoned the Master, like the Master said, then maybe Aelvy would be interested to know what has happened. Oh, heck, wouldn’t it just be the greatest thing that after all this, we might need to get Aelvy back on our side?”

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

"I-- I have never truly believed that he was not on our 'side'..."

The words were softly spoken, yet rang loudly throughout the Dining Hall. Graysith sighed, then went on.

"I simply refuse to believe that he would bring harm to me, or to those I love; Lord Aelvedaar might have some plans of rising to supreme power amongst the Sith, but truly...

"Is that wrong? I have never known him to be evil, he was always gentle and wise and-- loving with me."

He is my Sire, the One who chose me, who taught me, made Me who and what I am today; how can I believe he is what they have been trying to tell me?

Even with her memories mysteriously and fully restored, that one stubborn thought from the time she had been mind-blocked yet remained, strong and pure, in her heart.

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

“Why did he bring your ship out of hyperspace just as a sun went nova, killing an entire system? He wiped your memory, he stole your son, and according to Phal he tried to hand you over to Roan in the Dakrer Realsm, and who knows what else he has done. Plus, it sure seems like his ‘son’ Aelymaar sure got shafted as of late. I suppose it could all be a misunderstanding, but I don’t know, the circumstantial evidence doesn’t look too good.”

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

"All right, I will concede to you the fact that... circumstantial evidence is, as you say, not appearing to look at all conducive to his earning our continued trust.

"But, I want to point out to you -- and to everyone here that appearances are most certainly never truly what they at first seem to be. There is always a larger picture to think of, always; Shayla! You of all present know this to be true!"

She paused a moment, casting glance to all those with her.

"We know Aelvedaar has dealings with this so-called Master, but what we do not know is precisely what those dealings entail! We only know what precious and select few of us have been told; and in that regard perhaps cannot hold that knowledge as being the complete truth, if indeed truth at all.

"Has anyone paused to consider that Lord Aelvedaar himself may be held in thrall to someone quite against his own free will? That perhaps he is being forced into doing those dire things that he has done?

"That in fact he just might be needing us as much as we might be needing him?"

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

He gently pointed at the still glowing glyph, his mouth moving into a half-grin.

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

"Then... you are suggesting we go to Lord Aelvedaar?" she said slowly, gazing deeply into Panthar's eyes as if to read his very soul. Pulling back then she spoke to the others.

"And you all? What do you think? I am willing to lay my life on the gamble that indeed I have nothing to gamble, if any sense at all that makes--! But I have been in the Darker Realms, pitted against one with mastery over both the All and Sith sorcery. I am strong in the All, and grow stronger as time passes...

"...but I have no experience at all in the art of Sith magicks. In that regard, and without the Finger of R'lous to augment the All, I am helpless against Phalomir's father."

She drew in a breath, held it as if unwilling to say what she planned to finish with, then let it out all in one burst.

"We need a sorcerer, I fear. And so, I must ask you all now of your feelings in this, for it is no light matter to go to Khar Delba, not after all that has transpired. And--

"What of the Pod? Shall it be left safely here, or do we take the entities within it on their word and release them?

"Of these matters I will not take any action until I have heard from you all; indeed, we shall take a vote, for in this we must be solidly together, a strong unit, no matter what course of action we choose to follow."

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

...or of dissappointment.

After all, this myraid collection of humans and Sith seemed extremely interesting. Ragorian had always been fond of tales of grand adventures and deeds of derring-do ever since his childhood, and it seemed to him, just from listening to the conversation, that this group had taken part in many tales such as these.

And in addition to that, he knew of the immense power that the Lady Graysith commanded. She was, after all, the only being who had ever defeated him, when he had attempted to take control of her mind.

And such power greatly intrigued him, for it seemed to make her one of very few beings who could grant him a new body faster than Lady ShaRhylla could.

It is good that she remembers me, he murmered to himself, chuckling quietly.

He quieted for a time, continuing to listen carefully to their conversation, his interest continuing to rise as they spoke. Finally, as they talked of considering to go see Aelvedaar, his interest reached something of a peak.

They need a sorcerer, do they? he said to himself. The Lady Graysith may recall that I myself am skilled in Sith magicks. If she does, then this situation could become extremely...interesting.

And Ragorian fell silent again, now very seriously considering, if he could, somehow contacting the Dark Lady and conveying to her his desire for talk...

...and his potential usefulness to their cause.

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

...and he wasn't certain if that instinct would mirror anyone else's or not. But he had to say his piece.

"I don't like the idea of going to Khar Delba to ask for Aelvedaar's assistance," Terrin stated point blank. "I understand what he has done may be part of the grand scheme of things...

...but aside from what he has done, my problem rests solely in how he did it. When we all believed he was an ally who would never turn his back on us, he did just that. And, for that matter..."

He trailed, his look turning dark once more, "I have serious reservations regarding what the Dark Lord of the Sorcerors true intentions were in protecting Galen from Roan all that time ago. After all, I'm not even certain now if he truly was interested in protection...

...or if he was in fact planning a scheme of his own behind our backs. I often wonder...

...and others of us have entertained the notion...

...just how Aelvedaar knew where the Vong ship was when you, Jharmeen, were captured. Being many galaxies away, that must have been a very difficult, if not impossible task to accomplish...

...what if he already had a way to find that Vong ship? What if he is on their side?"

Trailing, Terrin let his words sink in, uncertain of how anyone would take this. Then a thought occurred to him. "And what about Aeylmaar? He is waiting in the Temple of S'slan for us to contact him. Perhaps we should confer with him before we jump from the frying pan and into the fire? He does, after all, have a unique perspective regarding the Dark Lord of the Sorcerors...

...and I would like to be damn sure of just where he stands before any of us dare to trust him blindly again."

We've been down that road before, Terrin thought silently, And I wouldn't like to go there again...

[ 08-12-2005 03:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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"But how are we to know where he stands unless we go directly to the source and find this out? Seeking out Aeylmaar may still be a wise suggestion...

...but even Aeylmaar would act to us as a secondary source of information. The only way we can even possibly know of the Dark Lord's intentions is if we go to him and find out..."

At this Shayla trailed, turning to Jharmeen, a phrase deeply held springing up from within her. "There are indeed two sides to every coin. We should investigate both sides, fully, in order to see just what we should do...

...and I do mean we."

Again she quieted, her greeny-blue eyes intent upon the violet eyes of her Choosen Sister. "Whatever it is we decide to do, I will go with you, I am ready to do whatever is necessary to help you save Lord Phalomir."

Falling silent at that, Shayla simply stood her ground, the most earnest and sincere look planted upon her features. But even as she stood in silence, one final thought surfaced in her mind, its roots deep in her heart and her soul, possibly only perceptible by Jharmeen, who no doubt could read the faint traces of the look which flashed in Shayla's eyes for a moment's time.

If we seek out Aelvedaar, might I see my premature son...?

[ 08-12-2005 09:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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In my minds eye I could see the city and the temple and the surrounding land, a faint and almost invisible line stretching from the temple outwards. "Trace..." I murmured again, forcing more of my energy to search for that precious object.

"It's gone...." I murmured, feeling the line disappear. "I'll have to go to that spot... and try to find it again..."

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

Falling silent then, his blue eyes rested on her figure as something deep inside of him registered: his mistrust in this situation rested in something more than his tendency to be wary of others, in more than just his past experience with Aelvedaar.

Instead it rested in the possible risk dealing with Aelvedaar might bring to Galen. Again he spoke to Galen, knowing that her feelings on this were more than just very important to him. Quite frankly, they were the only ones that mattered. "How do you feel regarding this?" he asked her. "This could place you at a terrible risk...

...and your safety is at the root of my concerns. Still, if you think we should take the chance, I will stand by you. Lord Phalomir's safe return is important...

...I just wonder if there is not another way to achieve it than dealing with Lord Aelvedaar, since we don't know...

...and may never know...

...exactly where he stands."

[ 08-13-2005 03:19 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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