“Then I shall wait,” he said patiently.

He turned a careful eye towards Jharu, still wary of the situation.

“There is a long story to tell,” he said. “But for now know that we suspect your mother has a darkness within her, one which may have come from the realm of spirits. Shayla here also has this within her. But mean them no ill will…”

Phalomir turned to look again to Shayla.

“For they remain still the ones we love, and no harm shall come to them.”

[ 01-11-2007 11:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

A second or so ticked past; I peeped one eye open, drawing in an involuntary gasp of surprise to find myself not only alive, but unharmed. Then her words wormed into my head, and I cautiously flicked my gaze to the quiet form she had indicated.

Aaron.

I wavered, caught between a bantha and a Tusken Raider.

The approaching horned giant, when considered along with the fact that my blaster had seemed to find itself a new home, made up my mind for me. Before Blondie changed her mind about leaving me in relative peace, or at least in one piece, I sidled over to Aaron, and knelt down beside him.

Years of spacefaring had by necessity taught me the rudiments of nursing; my quick manhandling of him determined that there was nothing broken, but from the size of the bruise on his forehead which let forth a slight stream of blood I wa fairly certain we could add a concussion to his list of earlier injuries.

I sent a heated look toward the blond, who seemed preoccupied with the giant, started to say something, changed my mind, and went back to nursing Aaron the best that I could.

[ 01-11-2007 11:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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Jharu. Dear gods, it was, it WAS! It was her dear son returned!

--grew stronger with the proximity, giving her the impetus to at least try and struggle.

Shush, you! the Graysith-thing told herself, quietly in her own mind, in her own being.

They can never gain you back, you are now mine, ours; just as is the Daughter!

The feeble mote sruggled vainly, but only succeeded in strengthening the resolve and awareness of That Which Held Her.

Which, as it thrust her deeply into something like a tiny kernel that had once held another, far and away when razored-claw had gripped it tight tight, now turned outward, seeking to touch Itself that was in the Other.

She frowned at the second seeming failure on the part of this New Experiment.

This shall be dealt with as well, the Thing peeped open the kernel a crack to chuckle at the cowering Jharmeen, who lay in virtual fetal position, lost within her own psyche.

It is not proving an appropriate vessel, it fills then spills, fills then spills--

The unspoken words segued into maniacal inner laughter; then sobered and disappeared completely as the door to the Healing Chamber was reached. Tucking her hands decorously into either sleeve, the thing recomposed itself to the calm and beatific Jharmeen JhinDar Qu'taro, and entered.

She paused in the doorway, surveying the room. Her eyes came to a halt on Shayla.

"Come, come, my dear; is this how we treat our guests?" she asked, her eyes then flitting over and into Jharu's, pausing there for a seeming eternity before going on their way to meet directly with the brilliant emerald green ones of Lord Phalomir.

[ 01-11-2007 11:51 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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But caution danced behind his eyes. Yes, he was brimming with joy to see her, and had it not been for the circumstances he would have rushed to her and shown her the love that struggled to burst forth. But he could feel something, something… it was vaguely familiar, yet totally alien.

But he did walk towards her, his hands out before him in an offer of an embrace. The smile on his face dimmed to a loving stare.

“Many have given much to bring you back,” he said. “And I am eternally grateful to them all. This is a most joyous day, my lady, welcome back. Even your son has returned.”

He stepped forward another step, waiting. His love for her showing most genuinely, but his caution now screaming in protest.

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

His eyes first lit up as he saw the form of his mother enter, but something within him protested. Something within him stayed the rush of his body to her side...

Phalomir's words echo'd in his ears at this moment...
we suspect your mother has a darkness within her

What did that mean? What had happened to her? He could feel something was not completely right... She was different... But she was still his mother...that much he was certain of...

It is said, that the faith of a child, trancends all things. That the innocence of youth can do things which no one who has had years of experience can manage to do...For experience hardens you, breeds into you fear...tempers into you a caution that is hard to shake...

Jharu was however...still possessing of the innocence of youth...still possessing the unstopable faith of a child. And while he knew not what had happened to his mother, he knew not what this "darkness" that was supposedly in her was, and what it was capable of...But he wanted to help his mother...Wanted to be by her side...

And so with a breath, he made a choice, and walked towards his mother, letting down all his defenses, letting the coil in his muscles relax, letting his mind open, as best he knew how...Letting that innocent smile return to his features he strode towards her, defensless...With the faith of a child, who's earliest and strongest memory was the warmth and love of his mother...

He would come to her, and embrace her. And should anyone stop him, he would shrug them off...and were he flung away, he would come again untill he could not come any more...She was his mother, and were it to be all he could do...he would come to her. For he loved her, and always would.

"I'm home mother...I've missed you. I hope I am still welcomed here"

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

Her manner remained completely calm, her eyes a brilliant violet.

"My dear, dear son!" she murmured, now taking a step toward him in turn, enclosing him in the warmth of her arms, burying her face against his shoulder, for he had grown tall.

And only then, when her face was completely hidden from the sight of the others, when she was absolutely certain no one could see, no one could sense, not even That Other Part of Itself in the Other... did she let a whisper of the black seep quickly into her eyes.

Her lip curled in an expectant smile then, and again the oil was banked, camouflaged; she pressed herself more strongly into her son, letting the Link between them strengthen, bond more tightly...

...to let an insidious bit of itself creep along it, unnoticed, to curl up in the very depths of his being and wait, a tiny, tiny seed waiting to sprout.

She pulled back from him a little, turned her other cheek against the brilliance of his robes, purposely let her smile soften.

"How I have missed you, my dear son," she murmured further.

"And your father."

An eye peeped open, pinned Phalomir with a steady look; then closed as with a sigh she seemed to content herself with this long-awaited reunion, blood to blood.

But she was merely waiting: waiting to see who would say what, who would react how, what the Other would do.

What he would do... and how He would next direct her to act.

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

And now She was there too. He'd only seen her once; back when she had allowed him to speak with Terrin regarding giving an unconscious Galen to a couple of Sith. Still, he remembered very much what she looked like with that thing on her head.

His eyes shifted to meet Yaoksi's. "That's Galen's sister," he mouthed almost inaudibly. Then, worry clouding his eyes, they barely shifted to indicate Shayla before returning to Yaoksi. "The kids?" he mouthed, now totally inaudible.

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

...at least, mostly. She considered Graysith's words, cocking her head a bit to the side, struggling with the Darkness for a moment.

"They spoke of destruction," she said evenly, flatly. "But it is unfortunate that those who should not be involved are," she commented almost offhandedly then, her greeny-blues shifting to Aaron and Yoaksi, finding a resting place in the widening eyes of the latter.

"Let me assist you with your friend's injuries," she said then, her tone lightening, as though she hadn't a thing to do with their arrival upon Aaron's person.

She moved to do just that, stepping closer and closer to the injured man and his companion, leaving Graysith and Jharu and Lord Phalomir to their own little unfolding drama as she did so.

[ 01-12-2007 01:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

I whirled, crouched, stared her straight in the eye.

She's not got all her engines in alignment!

That realization burst across my thoughts even as my empty hand yanked up, invisible blaster trained right between her shiny, greeny-blues.

"You j-just stay right where you are, Sister!" I growled, surprised to find that I had the ability to speak up to her.

Now whether that was voiced from a sense of moral outrage, a sturdy basis of self-preservation, or sheer insanity on my part, I really at the moment couldn't tell.

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

"They spoke of destruction..." then "Let me assist..."

Both statements caused a momentary frown to flicker, unnoticed by all, across her features. For while the former statement clearly explained the rash action implemented by That Part of Itself in the Other, the latter only negated that action, and thus the reason for it, entirely.

The sheer contrariness of it all would certainly prove nothing other than to put each and every one of their purported guests on red alert; indeed, the one human, brave if foolish soul that he was, had already plucked up the courage to address this, however obliquely.

The frown deepened, then disappeared from her face as once more she turned it into the warmth of Jharu's body...

To think.

[ 01-12-2007 01:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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...and then vanished entirely. "Very well then," she responded in almost a whisper, "If that is what you wish..."

Trailing, she stepped back then to return her attention to Graysith, Phalomir and Jharu.

[ 01-12-2007 01:37 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

It was the white-furred Ryn, tugging the small human female along with her.

The Sith stopped in her tracks, bent down somewhat, for she could no more crouch or kneel at that moment than she could fly, and extended her arms to them, capturing them in a warm and concerned embrace even as they smacked against her and proceeded to seem to try and bury themselves in her skirts.

“Long overdue reunions are in abundance today,” he said. “Perhaps I should call for a crew to begin a cleanup in here, Shayla was a bit overzealous. But I do not blame her, for she was taken off guard by words from Thoran. He seems convinced of something strange, and I would advise he be placed under guard for the time being, my love. And these humans are here in search of your sister, they probably need some healing.”

Phalomir kissed Jharmeen on the top of the head and backed away. “But you remain, and shall always remain, my topmost priority. I am sure you are exhausted from your ordeal, and there is much to talk about. I hope you will have time for me?”

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

But it could not. The Links were not there, having been severed at one point by the Dark Lady of the Sith.

It growled to Itself, ignoring the fact that not only was it indeed itself which had implemented this, but that it had then completely overlooked that fact, so heady had been the rush of what it thought was another battle won in the war it was fomenting.

It blamed Her instead, vowing Her pitiful body wouldn't have even a spirit to find peace when it was finished with it.

The Graysith-thing pressed harder against Jharu, seeming to ignore Phalomir as it sent more of Itself into the boy, heated retaliation against its inability to infect the towering Phalomir.

Remaining silent, unmoving, it simply proceeded to wait, to quietly observe...

...and to judge.

[ 01-12-2007 03:43 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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He stepped forward and reached for Jharmeen’s check, and turned her head to face him.

“My lady?” he asked, his voice full of the anxiety and insecurity of a lover ignored. But inside, deep within the hardened mesh that had formed from repeated heartache, from physical abuse, and nurtured by the will of the Dark Lords past, the core of Phalomir’s mind watched and learned. Masked by the genuine emotions playing on the surface, it waited, contemplating numerous cold-hearted scenarios.

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

"For-forgive me," she stammered gracefully. "For I was lost in the joy of having my son once more in my arms; you are returned as well, my Lord.

"This is pleasing to me as well."

Now she let her arms twine lithely about his neck, holding him close in turn for a brief moment before letting him loose.

"You speak words of truth; as I recall, Thoran was ever a thorn in your side. Perhaps it would augur us well to keep him under a more careful scrutiny than he already is."

Now turning away she moved to one of the Healers, who was beginning to finally stir. Helping him to his feet, she waved away the Healer's immediate reaction, which was to show respect and honor to her station, and indicated such to him.

"And see that those who are injured have their ills speedily met."

She waved one hand about, following that with her eyes, which then swept full circle to come to a halt directly in Shayla's widened pair.

And there they remained as she stood in silence once more, observing.

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

The elresar at his side did, however, scream in protest...it pulsated and demanded the boy's attention... It had sensed the alien link enter into the boy's soul... But the boy was not focused on his sword, and the quiet voice was silenced and given no heed, and as was the swords way, no sooner had the boy silenced its thought then did the thought leave it.

Jharu shuddered coldly as his mothers warmth left him, he shifted within his snowy robes to find comfort. then cast his gaze upon things to see how they would unfold... He hoped all would be well...

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

Sobbing Thea tried to answer the Lady's question. "It's her. It's Shayla. She attacked the Healing Chamber. I saw her. I felt... she used so much power... I could feel the Force screaming through it all. No one should even think about using the Dark Side, much less so much of it. I don't... how could anyone live through that kind of attack. Are you well enough to go in there and get Yaoksi and Aaron out? Neither one of them can fight her. Only a real Jedi would stand a chance. And is there a place we can hide? She'll be able to sense that I'm here. We were linked, once."

Thea buried herself in the lady's skirts again feeling more lost and out of place than she had before.

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

...but then, a somewhat logical portion of It rose up to point out something darkly obvious. So she banked her initial feelings, allowing her widening eyes to then soften a bit, bowing her head slightly as she then spoke.

"My apologies for my actions," she stated then simply, at length looking upward to meet Graysith's steady gaze. She then turned to nod humbly to Lord Phalomir before her eyes returned to the violet pair before her...

...the deep oily darkness within her own soul now finding a place to secret itself away for the moment.

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

Phalomir opened his eyes and immediately averted them, and stared at Shayla for a few seconds as she spoke her apology. Again he reminded himself that this was still Shayla, still Jharmeen, and whatever was going on could be stopped.

He hoped.

No, he was confident.

He sighed, long and breathy.

“I would hope so,” he said flatly.

“I am anxious to hear of your adventures,” he said, turning to Jharmeen. “And to hear of what you plan next. I also would like to call together the triad, and bring Lord Aelvedaar together with us soon to discuss a matter that is making itself urgent. May we speak, please, my lady? All of us, of course, Shayla and ShaRhylla included.”

[ 01-13-2007 11:04 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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Jharu Didnt like the silence...it echoed within him like the wilted flowers of a giant field, durring the cold storms of winter.

The boy took an instinctive step back from the silence, as his gaze drifted from person to person taking in each, and considering...He was not sure what would happen between them all...he hoped everything would work ou-

There was a momentary wince within him as something seemed to crack deep within...and then there was nothing...

The boy shook his head and returned to his thoughts, Hoping all would work out for the best.

And from within, there was a momentary hiss, like a hatchling serpent greeting the world. Jharu's gaze drifted around but he could not identify the source of the sound...Eerie...

his hands drifted to his face momentarily and he shook his head as his words came forth, more to himself then anywhere else, though the volume he spoke them was uncertain, perhaps a mere silent whisper, or perhaps an audable noise....he was uncertain...

"perhaps I've been away to long...this reuinin seems to have worn me down...perhaps i should to lie down..."

He then fell into silence considering whether or not he should go seek a place to rest or remain present to see how the current situation would play out.

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

"My dear son, of course; how insensitive of me to not see to your needs."

Letting one arm twine about the tall young man's shoulder, she motioned with her other hand to a nearby Healer, addressing her.

"See that my son is given a place to recuperate; perhaps there is yet a bed here that has not been reduced to splinters?"

A quick flick of an eye to Shayla, one just as quickly removed.

"Unless--"

She turned back to Jharu.

"Unless you would prefer your old rooms; they are ever here for you, my son, no matter how far you stray or how lengthy a time you remain away. For you are my son, and this is your home."

She cocked her head a little to one side, waiting to see what Jharu's wishes in the matter were, that she could then direct the Healer accordingly: either find a place for Jharu here within the Royal Healing Chamber, or send an underling to escort him to his own royal suites.

Feeling she had now slighted the Lord Phalomir, even though the purpose was a plausible one, she now turned back to him.

"Of course I will acquiesce to this meeting, my Lord; when and where is it you wish everyone involved to gather?"

She raised her face smoothly and stared him straight in the eye, calm, cool, collected, and not a lick of anything other than that about her entire demeanor.

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

"I believe i will retire to my rooms for a time, actauly."

He smiled warmly once more, and gave a polite bow to the others within the room, bidding them all goodday, before begining his departure. Hoping the wariness that had overcome him would be easily battled. The anxiety and anticipation of returning to the temple had been a razor line in his mind keeping him focused, but now that it had come and passed his mind desperately needed time to recover.

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

“When Lord Aelvedaar arrives,” he said. “He had urgent matters to attend to… I should expect him back shortly. The ‘where’ is entirely up to you, but someplace secure and private. And of course, I welcome your second and your daughter if you so wish their presence.”

“Until then,” he said, looking sidelong at Shayla, “I am sure we all could use some rest. If the Dark Lady does not object, I shall continue to stay in the chambers I have been using.” His eyes darted slyly back to Jharmeen, a slight smile curling on his lips. “Unless, of course, you wish me to move elsewhere, my lady. Somewhere closer, perhaps.”

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

Jedi...

They had referred to themselves as that, or so whispered tales had pronounced.

Them. The Dark Ones, those Out There who had come, forcing the Armorers to depart from the homeland they had commanded for generations to the relative safety of Khar Delba.

Where they had gone from there, what had next occurred; these were mysteries that seemed to settle like mist into the fog of Time, for none other had come to threaten their sister worlds.

Only now this young human girl was speaking their name to her...

Jedi...

She raised upright, still letting one hand hold Thea's shoulder, and stared down the corridor which led toward the Healing Chamber.

"I shall find a place where you may remain, safe from all," she finally said. Then sweeping the pair beneath her arms, the long silken sleeves of her servant's robes falling like angel's wings all around them, she led them off to her rooms in the Servant's Quarters. Being an Elder, she was privileged to have private ones.

"Now, my children," she said, smiling as she ushered them into her plain but comfortable little apartment.

"Remain here; no one shall bother you, you are quite safe. I shall inform a lesser servant that you are here; if you need anything, she shall be standing at the door, ready to get it for you."

She turned to go, then paused.

"Remember, remain here."