“No need to whisper,” he called back. “We’re all friends here, even though some of us are just a wee bit touched in the head, if you know what I mean.”

He turned his head back to Shayla, who walked a few paces in front of him. “I do not fear the Temple, nor should any of us. It is a sacred place, and well protected by the magicks of the Sith, and of this planet.”

The Master’s smile vanished as he walked.

“What does concern me, however, is why That Which Is would concern itself in the affairs of our realms so deeply. And why it would cry foul when I discovered the truth behind Lord Roan. You see, he is not--”

That brought a touch of reason back to me; drawing a shaky breath I only then realized I was gripping Thea in a death's hold. Trying to send her an assuring smile, one which more than likely looked like a grimace, I set her down gently, making sure she didn't sully herself with Phalomir's blood.

For of course it was his; whose else could it be?

Even though my heart was hammering hard enough to nearly burst from my chest, I managed to speak.

"What in all the known universe was that?!" I whispered to no one in particular, still holding Thea pressed close to my body.

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

Somewhere distantly I heard an echoing cry, somewhat of terror, but for now chose to ignore it.

I let my torso feel agony for one more moment before drawing a harsh and pained breath, placing my hands at my side and pushing myself up to kneeling, before, with practiced grace, steadied myself standing.

I looked at where Phalomir had been, looked around at everyone else for a moment, then looked to where the brush still trembled. Oh... had way to much experience with these things. But this time there isn't a warrior riding it. Free game.

I looked at Yaoski. "That was a Tuk'ata, unless I'm very much mistaken. Now calm down, we're going to go get him back."

I looked over to Cel and held my hand out. "Vibroblade, quickly, if you please."

[ 03-21-2007 07:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rykounagin ]

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

At length the tuk’ata stopped before a mound of earth. It was overgrown with vines, covered in soil, but closer observation would betray the outline of an ancient stone hut. The tuk’ata dropped Phalomir onto a pile of leaves near an opening in the mound. Phalomir rolled to his back and pushed himself away as far as he could using his feet, until he struck the mound and stopped. He was covered in saliva, and he bled from light puncture wounds in his chest. He sat and stared at the tuk’ata, who sat down on its haunches and stared back.

Phalomir, wiping the goo from his face, studied the silent beast. Then he realized something.

“Md'diffnnd?” he asked.

The tuk’ata snorted and brought its front legs forward so it could lay on its belly. It stared at Phalomir intently, and at length a small pain persisted in a corner of Phalomir’s mind.

Dark Lord come home, he heard in his head. Dark Lord stay, Dark Lord now dead.

Phalomir merely sat there staring for a moment, not quite sure what the tuk'ata, his bound companion though the Lordship of the Armorers, had meant. Then he realized it.

"No," he said. "Not dead yet."

Phalomir felt inside his mind and found the link he held with Rykounagin. "I release you," he said, breaking the hold he had on the assassin.

"Now I am dead," he said. "What do you want with me?"

[ 03-21-2007 07:41 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

I pulled out my vibroblade and threw it a a tree near Rykouagin where it stuck into the side of the tree. Seeing a branch about 2 meters above me I jumped up and grabbed it with one of my hands and my tail, then swung myself up onto it.

"I'll follow from up here. I might be able to get a better viewing angle then the rest of you."

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

I paused, considering for a moment, then turned back towards them all. "Too late. He's dead."

I sighed, and walked back onto our "path", feeling an involuntary sense of failure from the death of my "master", as it were. "Well, that is disappointing." I said, letting the blade swing loose from my hand at the ground; the edge nicking over the loose soil before bringing it back up into a firm grip.

"So what now? Keep walking until someone else decides to pop in who can take us back?"

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

"How do you know that?" I snapped, my brain beginning to kick back into gear now that the intial adrenaline rush was over.

"I mean, he might be injured--"

I stopped at the looks that received. Annoyed for how destiny was having such a hey-day with us, I pressed on.

"What the hell is a tocatta, anyway?"

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

I looked at Shayla and the Master. "Do either of you doubt me in perception to the fact that he's most easily dead right now, provided that thing had the intention of eating him?"

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

No need to have foul surprises later on...

Unnervingly enough for anyone watching, Shayla Stargazer closed her eyes and stretched out with the Force, sensing the life surrounding them with her talents, sensing for one familiar life signature: Phalomir's.

At length Shayla's greeny-blue eyes snapped open. "Our friend here is mistaken," she announced. "Phalomir is not dead...

... yet. I sense his life essence not far from here."

She turned then and regarded the still-stunned Master coolly. "Why would a creature of this planet attack the supposed Dark Lord of this place, and leave the rest of us standing?"

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

...and shaking his head even more at Shayla's announcement that Phalomir was still alive. "Something wild on one of the Sith worlds killed Terrin," he then spoke up, his eyes darkening. "I think it was one of those things...

...but then, Terrin is human, and Phalomir is Sith. I don't think I can stand just leaving here without making certain..."

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

As I spoke, I looked at the Master. "I do not mean to say that I 'give up' on him, but short of some extreme reason that a Tuk'ata could bite him, leave that much blood, and then run off with him, and then moments later I lose my bond with him, I see no reason that he's alive."

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

“If Rykounagin no longer feels the connection of the bond he held upon him,” he said darkly. “Then it is true, my son is dead.”

He turned to face Shayla, his face stone cold.

“What you feel must be his spirit within the land, within the tuk’ata. His heir will now inherit the Lordship of this clan.”

But the Master knew she was right, but he did not make this known to the others.

"Ohhhh, no, brother, not there again!" I took an involuntary step backward, shaking my head and holding a hand up as if by doing so I could make this guy's announcement disappear like mists on the wind.

"Not me, nope; been there, done that, ain't going back!"

Even if poor Devil's leftovers still remained in that awful place!

[ 03-21-2007 09:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

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

"Protection? Yeah, right. Like how you protected your son just now, right?"

I pulled Thea even closer to me, then shot a look off into the trees. By squinting I could just make out a glimpse of white fur.

"Link, hey, can you see anything from up there? Is there a chance of trailing that tomato? Can you make out enough to see where he took Phalomir?"

Even if he was indeed dead, we could at least find what remained of him and give him a decent burial, after all.

[ 03-21-2007 09:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

"There right, these things know the jungle to well for us to track them effectively, besides if we follow it that thing might lead us to its friends."

I turned around to face Rykougin and extended and open hand to him.

"I'll take back my Vibroblade now."

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

She stretched out to her Link with Graysith. The Master and Rykounagin are here, but for what reason I do not know. A tuk’ata has taken Phalomir into the jungle, leaving all others alone. This may be my chance to poke about the Temple...

...but then, there were certain things in the Temple that perhaps the Master and his pet were looking for. If this place truly finds Phalomir its Dark Lord...

...should I venture to its Temple and poke about without him, leaving him to possibly return and come after me? He is yet alive...”

[ 03-21-2007 09:41 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

What was with him anyway? Why this sudden pressure to return to that awful place? No one in his or her right mind would want to go there...

"Well, all right then. Do what you want to; I'd rather take my chances here with the live beasts than the dead ones."

Not to mention those who fall somewhere in between those parameters.

I stared harder at the Master, then glanced around, not saying anything, just letting the others decide on their own where they wanted to go and with whom.

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

I looked at the Master. "I'm ready to go with you. Anyone else hopping on the "living" train?"

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

...saying he was tracking the essence of his son...

...to then react nonchalantly when that son is taken off into the jungle by a large, vicious predator, making no effort whatsoever to go after him, regardless of the fact that he is alive."

Shayla paused, actually looking at Thea. "You are a padawan. Trust me or not...

...you know you can trust your own senses. You feel him too, don't you?"

She feel silent, her greeny-blue eyes meeting Thea's unreadably. Then she pressed on, looking once more at the group in its entirety. "I do have Force abilities that can assist in protecting us from the tuk'ata that has Lord Phalomir...

..but there is another option besides tracking him randomly. The Temple is just ahead; you can already see it. There we will find ships, and other devices, which will aid us in our search."

She paused. "The choice is yours regarding what you do, however."

[ 03-21-2007 10:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

"Have no trepidation regarding the Dark Lord Phalomir, my dear," Graysith purred along their link. "For he has one failing which may be so easily utilized: deep within himself, he cares not only for me but for you as well.

"Continue your course; should he suddenly choose to interrupt you, well... my dear, I know you have been practicing your use of guile with him, and hopefully with the others as well.

"I foresee you having no difficulties with Phalomir... but beware his father. He cannot be trusted, as neither can the assassin Rykounagin."

[ 03-21-2007 10:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

He remained focused on saving his people, succeeding here where he had failed in the future. But to do this, he needed power. Why had it rejected him? Who was the new master of the Darker Realms?

“A Sith mourns in private,” he said. “I do not wish to place others in danger, and I hold very little hope that even my son could survive a surprise attack from such a beast. It had him in its jaws, his blood stains the ground, he shall not be alive for long. But I am touched by the compassion you show for him, and I am moved by your persistent hope that he will survive.”

He looked first to Rykounagin, then to Yaoksi.

“Come, then,” he said. “We will rescue my son and then decide the best course of escape from here.”

The Master turned to the jungle where the tuk’ata had stolen off. He waved his hand and the vegetation all moved to the left before him, creating a narrow path into the darkness. He then looked at Shayla once more.

It was only with great effort that I refrained from shaking my head. Instead I gave Thea a little hug.

"C'mon now, let's go," I said, cutting a look to Aaron and K'kihl before stepping out onto the strangely cleared path the Master had opened up for us. I couldn't help but shiver; there was something not right about that either. As there was just something not right about the shadows which seemed to be pressing in even more closely in upon us.

I squeezed Thea again, a little harder.

"Hon, while you're sensing out to see if Phalomir is alive, you might want to keep an antenna trained on whether or not any more of those tescaderos are still hanging about..."

Shuddering at the image of how lithely it had disappeared with the burly Sith Lord held as easily as I would hold a Dantooine fabool, I moved along into the unknown that now stretched out before us.

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