"Yes," I agree, now turning to Phalomir. "As Mr. Dantares has pointed out, since the Sith ship is on the planet then one could reasonably assume its location is now within the navigational logs. That is, if we are assured of the fact that its pilot was indeed Sith."

A pregnant silence follows this, for there are some of us who recognize the fact that indeed, some of our ships have been piloted by beings non-Sith.

"However," I press on. "This possibility is indeed a small one. For the ship we see on the mystery planet appears to be half-buried; obviously it has sat where it now is a very long time, long enough for this planet's life forces to alter it's geomorphology to put the ship in the quandary it now finds itself in. I can only assume it has been there since the Days Before, and since at that time, to my knowledge at least, we kept very good track of our own expanding fleet, it stands to reason the pilot was in fact Sith. Therefore the coordinates of this planet should be in our logs--

"Unless, of course, something happened then, to place the ship in jeopardy, and it in itself went offcourse and crashed upon what was to its pilot an unknown planet within an unknown system."

[ 09-09-2007 01:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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"These coordinates, in the ships' logs?" he queried, cocking his insectioid head to one side. His shining multi-faceted eyes contemplated the others as he then stated what was to him the rather obvious.

"How to exactly determine this, which coordinate is this place, can this anyone easily do? Numbers know I, and numbers there are many; if not unknown to ancestors was this place, know you its name, to then attach correct coordinate so find it we may?"

He silenced then, shifting quietly from one appendage to another, for once refraining from clacking his mandibles as he waited to hear if his words had any bearing on the converation.

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Panthar smiled slightly as he thought of Galen. He felt terrible for having to leave her there, but at the time he had little say in the matter.

“But if were able to get Galen back here, maybe her and Shayla can work with your people to figure this out? Where are the Sith ships or logs or whatever? And can we set people to task and then continue on with other things as well?”

[ 09-09-2007 02:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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He frowned, for even his simple magicks revealed her slumber as stemming from something other than a natural need for rest. Still bent, he turned his head to his Dark Lord, waited patiently until he had caught his volcanic eyes, raised his brows in a questioning yet meaningful manner.

When Lord Aelvedaar replied with the slightest of returning nods, he then returned to the small form, dipping his head respectfully as he did so. Then after scooping her into his arms he straightened, turned, and swiftly departed from Lord Aelvedaar's inner sanctum, taking the human girl to a Healing Chamber where by their magickal arts the spell she was placed under might be broken.

How could the servant have known the difficulty of this task, for the spell Thea was under was indeed not of the Universe of which she was a part...

((OOC: Until the return of Thea's author, this character is to remain asleep in a Healing Chamber in the Temple of Sorcerers on Khar Delba, thank you.))

She paused then, chewing her lip in thought. "What we need is to map out this starfield so that we can then connect it to any of the said navigation logs, first of all. The problem is, as K'khil has pointed out, that the starfield alone won't help us much as it will take a very long time to figure out its location in the vastness of space."

She cocked her head a bit then, considering the non-descript little planet and its starfield. "If we even had more details about the planet itself...terrain, weather, elements...maybe we could narrow our search. Unless, of course, the Sith nav logs do in fact have all the information we need."

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"I am afraid that while I am very good at what I do," I say with a return of my smile, albeit now a rueful one, "I do not deal much with matters of ships and navigation. If you understand such things, and if Galen Danner does as well, then it would indeed behoove us to find her that she might assist us in finding our lost Captain Joao."

I wave a hand back toward the Octahedron, which patiently yet displays the brilliant and mysterious starfield the intrepid Captain would undoubtedly be viewing from his alpine location.

"This task is a major one indeed; if Mr. Dantares' notebook might be of assistance, then this should be located as well. I also find merit in his suggestion that we allot tasks amongst ourselves, that we might lessen the time we have to take away from the other matters we most direly need attend to.

"Lord Phalomir, your thoughts on said assignments?"

[ 09-09-2007 03:07 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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“If they have worked on this before, then perhaps Shayla and Panthar should work with Galen. From what I understand, however, retrieving Galen may be an issue – Thoran had told me that they were trying to locate Shawn Petrolu. That, and…”

Phalomir looked solidly at Shayla.

“I understand the darkness influenced you to do some very bad things, as a receiver of some of those I want you to understand that I know it was not you who perpetuated these incidents. However, Thoran told me also that you had done something to Erik, and those on Dagobah may not understand what has happened to you. Assuming Erik is -- well, perhaps you should not be with those who contact Galen, but allow for someone such as Panthar to first explain.”

[ 09-09-2007 03:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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And once again his skills were seeming to be ignored. Perhaps those present were not aware of what he could do? Certainly he could do more than the hulking Sith Panthar; after all, navigation logs and star map assessment manuals inherently bore iron-clad logic within them. Indeed, they represented logic in physical form, for it was from logic they were essentially created. In that regard they were very much the same, in theory at least, as not only the engineering manuals and blueprints K'kihl lived and breathed by, but were by their very nature quite similar to the natural working of his mind.

And Panthar--?

The Verpine clacked his mandibles more loudly, unwilling to bring attention to himself in a manner any more aggressive than that. A quantitative whizkid he might be, but when it came to any sort of a confrontation, he was the biggest pansy of them all.

[ 09-09-2007 03:33 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by K'kihl ]

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Yes. She had attacked all now on Degobah with the Force and had left Erik for dead in a natural trap in order to reanimate Jharmeen, whose spirit she hosted, herself.

And what else she had hosted in that moment that she would only later realize...

She shuddered slightly at the thought, her greeny-blue eyes growing vague and moist. "I cannot say that all which was done by me was done by the Darkness alone," she said softly. "When I left all on the desert world to go to Degobah, it was my heart and not the Darkness within that had a mission, a mission that, at the time, it seemed everyone else was dragging along to complete."

She paused then, looking to Jharmeen, knowing she if any understood. "As to my other wrong-doings..."

Trailing, her heart grew even heavier. "I too should be answering the justice of the Sith, for it was through my workings that the Temple of the Armorers was damaged. I do not know if the others will ever be able to trust me again...

...or the Sith."

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"Look," Aaron finally spoke up to the surprise of eveyrone. "This guy," here he nodded to Rykounagin, "Seems to be the variety that shows his face just to cause problems. Now I don't know who did what to whom, but the last time I saw her," he continued, nodding then towards Shayla, "She tried to whammy Phal and then did something to little Thea, I'm sure of it."

His blaster pointed at her for a moment for emphasis. "If you need someone who is good with numbers and is a good pilot, Galen Danner is the best. And if you want someone else who is good with numbers and can actually be trusted...."

He paused a final time, nodding towards the apparently miffed Verpine. "K'khil's your...

Bug? Insect..?

"...he's the Verpine for the job."

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“But I think our Verpine friend here might be useful in many ways, if you are willing. If we can locate my old campsite, find my notebook if it’s intact, and have you look at my equipment and maybe salvage some of the data, then it might be useful.”

“By the way,” he said, turning to K’khil. “I’m Panthar Dantares. I don’t think we’ve officially met before.”

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Clutched within its grasp is a worn leather-bound notebook.

"Gentlemen and ladies--" I interject quietly, the words arrowing into their discussion and snipping it into sudden silence.

"I believe I have found the whereabouts of Mr. Dantares' notebook..."

((OOC: To discover what Lord Aelvedaar is referring to, please see the thread Dark Destiny in the "CSWU" forums, and follow through into Back Into the Fire in the "Empire/New Republic" forum, thank you.))

[ 09-09-2007 04:01 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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...and his jaw immediately dropped to his chest. "It's the Blue Fuzzball," he said, nearly growling. "This critter was on Sullust, talking left and right aboutImperial opression, artifacts, strange ships and missions to some coordinates he found in some book..."

Aaron trailed, realizing that what he was saying sounded like the book Dantares had been referring to. "Hell, last time I saw that Spitball, he was in some hidden base on Sullust. And his Boss was some evil witch, whose computer files we all have decrypted back on the Hornett."

He frowned. "She's planning to take over the galaxy, or something...

...with the ships that Furball said were drawn in what I'm assuming is Panthar's book."

He shook his head. "She's crazy, and the blue critter is too. She took Thea and drugged her right under our noses, and the medics on the Hornett said she had coordinates to some Dark Valley or something that could control Force users, according to our sources."

He eyed the blue guy with his book...

...and looked at the surroundings the Octahedron placed him in. "If there's one thing I do know well, it's ships. He's on a Super Star Destroyer."

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A bunch of hipocrites, one and all. It seems that being attatched to the big and sparkley darkness is something that gets you off the hook. Wait a minute...

Hadn't I killed the darkness with ShaRhylla in the tower? Had the master not been inhabited by it? Slave to its wonton ways? So how did it keep returning?

I opened my mind again, letting the faint veil of magic fall. "Do you mind if I sit while I'm excluded?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I mean, I'm sure my lifetime of training on how to track and capture or kill people will be worthless wherever you end up going, since my offer of help isn't accepted. After all, what's flesh and blood to the power of gods in the hands of mortals?"

I then glanced over at Aaron. "Speaking of which, you could probably save your arm some strain and put the gun away. I'm surrounded by people who can move worlds, so I don't think 'covering me' is a big issue."

[ 09-09-2007 05:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rykounagin ]

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"Well do I recall our encounters, lad," she began, her voice as neutral as she could make it. "And well do I recall your attitude and bearing at those times. You are no different now than you were then; however, I agree with Lord Phalomir.

"You apparently feel you have some grievances against me; pray tell, divulge them to us. Then, if you have anything of merit to add to the issues of which we speak, I give you leave to speak what you think. We shall weigh your words, perhaps with a bit more care than you apparently have weighed ours."

She paused a moment, giving Rykounagin time to assimilate what she had just stated. Then she pressed on.

"You do not have to respond now, if this brings you discomfort. But it would do you good to remember exactly what it is which causes us to mistrust you; do not play the buffoon, you know what you must do to come close to winning a spark of trust from us.

"Bear in mind as well, there is justice you must face, as must I. It is the particular path you choose to follow now that will decide what position you shall be in when facing that justice: alone, a despised and traitorous assassin, or a budding useful member of this party.

"The choice is yours."

She gave him a final, heavy look; then fell silent, waiting to see who would be assigned to what task, and to see where she herself might be put to best work in the matters at hand which faced them.

[ 09-09-2007 08:24 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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I narrowed my eyes. "When I did not know who I was, I was 'kindly' taken in by a supposedly benevolent spirit. That spirit asked me to take something that it said belonged to it, from someone that it told me was an evil dictator. Now, let's put this into context. A sword holding the spirit of Ragorian, told me to take the Axis from you, after telling me you were 'the bad guy'."

I sighed. "Now, in response to this theft, you cursed me into Elseness with no intent of ever retrieving me, not to mention sticking some man's spirit in my head before doing so, and in my attempt to escape it, I nearly died. That's my grievance against you."

"You had no qualms about "justice" then. No, it was judge, jury, and imprisoner in the space of a minute. No who, why, or how behind it."

I looked at Shayla. "As for your question from earlier, you provoked me in two ways. One, simply by being associated with one who I hated, and two, openly stalking me. If I threatened to follow you as you were to me, would you not seek a way of avoiding the stalker, especially when you know that the stalker can track you with the force? I knew that no juke or run would shake you, so I thought to keep you down for a while."

I chuckled quietly at the memory now, remembering my own surprise at the power of the trap that I had set. "Yes, you were harmed apparently. In a way, I was. I'm sure you didn't think short hair was a fashion statement. Regardless of split hairs, that was your "provokation". As for you Phalomir..."

I looked over at him, considering. "To be honest, I had no logical reason to attack you, save for fear that you were in allegiance with Graysith at the time, and that you were there to stop me. Which, you did quite easily, reason for it or not."

My expression turned sour. "As for 'opportunities to be useful' that is a downright lie. Comming to me in my craft and giving me an ultimatum isn't an opportunity. Regardless of the past-" I continued, cutting off any retort.

"I am offering myself now. I doubt I'll ever be truely a 'budding useful member of this party,' because you'll always be glancing at my hands for the dagger, but I intend to do something rather than nothing in what is comming."

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I ignored the sensitive point that the Master and I had been evesdropping. "After which point, he decided that it would be prudent, and foolishly so, to consult a different version of the Octahedron on something... damn if I can remember what he told me what it was for."

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I sighed. "CLear enough for you? He's under the disillusioned impression that only he can save the universe if he can get his hands on the finger, which is also the world's greatest tempter of fools."

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She paused then. "You seem keen on placing the blame squarely on those who have used you, those who have wronged you. What blame do you take on yourself?"

Letting the question fall into silence for the moment, her eyes turned a bit vague. Then they snapped alert once more. "As for the conversation in question, it should also be of note that the Master backed away from it because he was discovered. As for his desire for the Finger..."

She trailed, her look darkning. "Rykounagin is correct,he thinks he can save the Galaxy from the Vong with it...

...and he thinks that by delivering Phalomir to the Darkness that he will get it."

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“But he believes he did deliver me to the Darkness, correct? And we have heard from neither the Master nor the dark ‘me’ since.”

Phalomir paced a little, thoughts roiling.

“I suggest we break into teams,” said Phalomir.

“First, with the help of a translator, Shayla and K’khil can begin working on locating the coordinates of the planet where Yaoksi and Link are trapped. In the meantime, Panthar and Aarron can travel to Dagobah to deliver the message that Shayla and Jharmeen are free from the darkness, and we must regroup to battle it further. Also, provide assistance if needed in retrieving Shawn and Erik, and when you return take Galen to assist Shayla and K’khil.”

Phalomir glanced at Aelvedaar.

“I realize it causes stress upon you to open a portal, but time is short for us. Would you be willing to send Panthar and Aaron there? Jharmeen and I can return to Khar Delba to deal with Sorben Tarnus and arrange a peace with the Empire. You are more than welcome to join us, of course, and your wisdom would be much appreciated.”

Phalomir then stopped, his eyes resting upon Rykounagin.

“It is of great importance to know what has happened to the Master, and if he indeed has achieved the Finger of R’lous. Do you think you could undertake such a task? Perhaps if we could find Thoran, he could assist you in this, as he spent a long time in the reluctant service of the Master.”

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But surprisingly, he had, much to her astonishment... and now Phalomir seemed willing to utterly ignore the crimes he had committed... to put them aside and welcome him as a member of their party, instead of remembering him as the assassin he was created to be, to overlook the trials he had caused them all, to put that aside with a seeming, "oh well, he's come over to our side now..."

Well.

It was simply unbearable.

She yanked away from the Dark Lords, stared at Rykounagin and then at Phalomir.

"We shall most certainly not go and "make peace" with the Lt. General; are you naive enough to believe he will actually accept that? This is not of your concern, but of mine, and mine alone.

"And as for this one--"

She pointed a trembling finger at Rykounagin, he who had done more than she herself could ever forgive.

Consider words he might have to offer, perhaps. But forgive... never. Never, ever would she trust this one. And to tell the truth she really didn't care if the entire universe knew this.

She could not continue for the moment, but stood rigid in a silent and growing anger, her pointing finger trembling all the more. Then--

"You would add ammunition to his fire, my Lord; I hardly find your choice in his task the wisest one you could make! Send this one into the Darker Realms, to that evil which is there, that evil which this one so nearly already welcomes into his own soul--?"

Now she truly could go no further, and fell into silence.

[ 09-09-2007 09:59 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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