Link snapped the panel back into place and pressed the first button and was greeted by the storage unit powering up. "This unit is now active, from what I can tell these where built using technology of at least three different groups, one of which uses some form of technology I've never seen."

"The operation of these devices is simple enough the first button turns it on, the second either puts the subject in stasis or unfreezes them depending on their current state. The third button turns the unit off but has another function in addition, that button was wired to components I couldn't identify their purpose so I suggest against using that button."

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

Such weakness, she thought blackly. It will be a surprise if he can truly deliver that which he promises.

Her eyes snapping alert then, she sent yet another thought into his subconscious, knowing that the otherness within him would hear regardless of his state of awareness.

You know where to find me, her mental thought whispered through an oily connection. But it is time to set some matters straight. This place is sacred and powerful...

and should not be defiled any longer.

Stepping back a few steps then, Shayla gave the golden globe one long, final glance. Then, not even thinking twice about it, she reached out with her right hand, palm out and fingers extended, and literally touched the greeny-golden depths within.

All about the Temple of the Armorers, the flames within sconces flickered in warning. The strength and abilities ingrained within Shayla’s body wound themselves around that Something Other, and her powers were therefore extended beyond her normal capabilities to achieve an objective laid out not only by she and her Sister, but by that Something Other as well. As if responding to the internal vibrations of the dark power Shayla was connected with, and in fact doing precisely that, the ground beneath the Temple started to shake and shudder. The plates beneath its surface began to shift as a great earthquake took hold of that area of the planet, extending for approximately five kilometers of the Temple’s perimeter. Within the Temple’s walls, glasses and contraptions and materials of the Great Armorer’s makings fell to the ground, from shelves, shattering and twisting until at length they were substantially, if not permanantly, damaged.

After only a mere minute or more of this, the quaking began to cease, the Temple and anything nearby in utter chaos and disarray. Shayla, still in her space below the Temple, stood in front of a strangely undamaged golden globe, at first seeming totally unaffected by the quaking which had occurred all about her. But it was then that her head flung back and her hand fell to her side as she gave a great cry of intermingled agony, pain....

...and dark glee. In that moment, her legs turned like rubber beneath her, she fell to the ground in front of the golden globe, exhausted and unconscious.

[ 07-08-2007 08:47 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

What was that???

I don't know if I hit the floor out of self preservation or fell to it because I couldn't keep myself upright.

All I know is that I was down momentarily, and I do mean momentarily, for the count, while everything around me rumbled and growled and generally tried to bury me beneath tons of rock and soil.

I picked myself up before I knew I was down, castin an instinctive self-preservation kind of glance around as I did. At least the Cricket was upright and appeared relatively unharmed by---

What?

"What in all the known universe was that?" I shouted, whether out or fear or trepidation or self preservation, I truly did not know.

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

A broad grin appeared on the Master’s face. He stepped forward and grabbed the quiet Sith Lord by the robe and lifted Phalomir as if he weighed nothing. He did not notice the other Phalomir stirring on the floor next to Yaoksi. A hand quickly sliced the air and a portal appeared from nothing, tearing into the fabric of space and time. The Master stepped through it quickly, his prey in tow, and closed it behind him.

Once through the portal he let Phalomir drop to the floor and looked about him. He spied the unconscious Shayla on the floor and cocked his head wearily.

“What have you done, my dear?” he asked. “I bring the Darkness what it seeks, and now I find you lying down on the job. I have done my part, now give me what I seek.”

The Master bent down next to Shayla, scooping her delicate head in his hand. He leaned down close to her cheek, his breath hot fire upon her skin. His mouth opened slightly, exposing his fangs, and he ran one of the tips along her face and nibbled slightly on her earlobe. A small trickle of blood ran into his mouth and he savored the salty taste.

“No more games, my love,” he whispered. “You know what it is I seek, keep your end of the bargain and give me the Finger of R’lous.”

His instinctive move to inspect the condition of his companions was aborted in complete shock, however, when one of the two objects they were attempting to deep-freeze clambered to its feet, shook itself off, and unobserved by the only other semi-lucid being there -- that being the green-eyed smuggler -- grasped the other being meant for the strange device and disappeared with it seemingly into thin air.

Unable to widen his lidless eyes, he could only stand a moment chattering his mandibles in agitation. Then he moved, insect-quick, going about the others and rousing them all from varying states of unconscious- and semi-consciousness.

"Up, up, quickly up," he allowed in a loud voice.

"Gone is he, and with him the other has taken. To where--"

His mandibles chattered like castanets.

"This is unknown."

[ 07-17-2007 09:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by K'kihl ]

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

"Oh hell," he growled, "I think we are in Hell. He sure woke up and moved out with convenient timing...

...nevermind the fact he is supposedly our only ticket out of here right now. What the hell just happened here, and what are we going to do? Look for him? Stargazer said he was a turncoat. I suppose she was right after all."

[ 07-17-2007 09:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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

Ok, ya ol' pirate. 'Nuff about self-presevation already!

--and got quickly, if shakily, to my feet.

"The kids, are they all right?" I wheezed, for there was so much dust yet lingering in the air that I could scarcely make out the walls of the tiny chamber we were in.

"Aaron, you ok? Where's Phalomir and his daddykins? And Phal, I mean Phal Number One, are you all right?"

I peered into the dusty gloom, coughing and sneezing and nodding my head when I felt K'kihl's chitinous, inquiring touch.

"I'll live; what about the others? Hey guys--?"

I trailed, still blinking. Dang, I think there was something in my eyes, for it was getting harder and harder to see.

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

“Is everyone all right?” he asked, still coughing. He looked about, the dust still hanging in the air. He scowled and held his hand above his head, realizing that despite the bumps and scrapes he had just suffered, the incredible pain he had been feeling was suddenly gone.

His hand began to glow bright red, and a small whirlwind of dust began in his upward turned palm. Soon the whirlwind grew larger, and the red glow about his hand extended outward and upward until it was a large ball hanging in the air above his head. The dust in the air stirred into a stream that flowed into the red ball, and within a minute the air had cleared enough to breath easily.

Phalomir let his hand drop and the red ball of dust floated gently to the ground and rolled to a corner. He then spied a white furred leg lying under the unconscious Thea.

“Yaoksi,” he said, pointing, “there!”

As Yaoksi headed for the children, Phalomir turned to Aaron and looked him up and down.

“We will deal with my father soon. But for right now, are you hurt?” he asked.

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

Link gently pushed Thea off of her and into a position that didn't look like she fell there.

"Next disaster it better be stormtroopers, bounty hunters, or something that makes sense."

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

Knowing she'd be embarrassed I jerked my arms back and straightened, seguing the move into wiping both palms on my thighs.

"I'm with you, kiddo!" I agreed with Link's comment, sighing inwardly with relief to see that she was apparently okay, and not too concerned about the still slumbering Thea. Which meant she was all right, too.

I jerked my head around to the others.

"What the hell just happened there?" I inquired of no one in particular, frowning a little as an insanely giggling little devil popped up on one shoulder to whisper into my ear that in all probability we were destined to remain the rest of our lives stuck in this godforsaken place.

[ 07-17-2007 10:15 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

“There was some sort of earthquake,” he said. “A large one that shook the very pillars of our surroundings. There was something similar on K'eel Doba, not long ago. If the Master had something to do with it, then he did it without any of us seeing him move. I think that is highly unlikely, for even when he does mundane magic work he seems to require some sort of movement component. But he certainly took advantage of the distraction to escape, regardless of what actually happened.”

Phalomir exhaled heavily and surveyed the room.

“The damage here is extensive,” he sighed. “I am concerned as to the stability and condition of other parts of this underground area. If we can find a location that is part of the Temple complex, I can figure out how to escape.”

Phalomir raised an eyebrow and looked back to Yaoksi.

“If the Master attacked you once, chances are he shall return to try again when he has recovered. We must be ready for him. My pain is now gone, and I feel I can properly defend us against him, but he also has knowledge of the All, which I do not. If he is under the influence of the Darkness, there is no telling what he will do. Let us try to exit this place and return to the surface, perhaps?”

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

"Nothing would make me happier!" I agreed with some vehemence, for to tell the truth I was beginning to absolutely detest creeping about beneath the ground, following this tunnel or that to who in all the known universe knew where.

"There's something unnatural about sneaking around underground; I'm a spacer, not a mole-rat!"

That comment carried me to where Aaron and Phalomir were standing; the massive Sith seemed a touch preoccupied, studying our surroundings with sharp eyes, which honestly didn't do much to make me feel any better. The little hairs on the back of my neck insisted on rising up, as if in warning that the entire chamber was about to give way.

Now, logic precluded that, of course. But tell that to the little hairs on the back of my neck.

I waved a hand.

"There's a stairway up to the surface," I offered, now giving Aaron a curious look. He sure hadn't responded to Phal's inquiry as to his physical well-being, and personally I was beginning to wonder if perhaps he hadn't received a knock to his noggin or something. I strained to see his pupils, but the dimness of our surroundings prevented me from seeing his eyes in any great detail.

Another reason to get to the surface! I reasoned, concerned.

Check him out, and Link and Thea too. Cricket seems all right though...

I jerked my wandering thoughts back to the situation at hand, now turning to address the Sith Lord.

"I'm all for the surface, even though there are tomatoes up there!" I said, then with no further ado turned and began heading toward the spiral staircase that I knew would take us back into sunlight once again.

[ 07-19-2007 10:53 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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

"Ahhh...why did the Master take your twin with him when he left?" he asked out of the blue to Phalomir's departing back. "This is all giving me a headache..."

He trailed a moment, holding his forehead a bit, "...really."

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

Such a frail thing...

The Darkness, however, was interrupted by the intrusion of another, one familiar, and bringing another familiar.

Ahhh....

Her head was still in the Master's hand when her greeny-blue eyes began to flutter. The Darkness sneered at the Master's apparent weakness, and she reached out to place a hand on his cheek, drawing his lips to hers, and kissed him briefly.

The Darkness within him brought her to full awareness, and her eyes opened bright and clear. "Take us all to the Tower in the Darker Realms, before he awakes...

...and you will have your reward."

[ 07-19-2007 04:06 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

“Yes, my sleeping beauty,” he said. He loosened his hold on the back of her head, but only for a brief second, for an instinctive impulse rippled through him, spurred on by that bit of blackness haunting his soul and influencing his actions. He gripped her tightly once more, and pressed her head to his, taking Shayla in a full kiss that seemed to meld them together for several moments. When he withdrew, both pairs of eyes were locked on the other, neither noticing the mixed violet and red trickles of blood that ran from each mouth.

...and I do desire it to continue. For if he wakes before we leave here, he will surely put up a fight."

[ 07-19-2007 09:49 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

“He shall not awake,” he said. “Not until I allow it. Fear not, dear creature of darkness. You enjoy my swiftness, but I shall show you how much more enjoyable it is to be slow and deliberate.”

He wiped away a remaining trail of blood on her face, then moved away strands of wet blonde hair from her eyes. He fought against the urges he now felt, for in his heart he knew the path upon which he was stepping would lead to no good. But he did not care.

“It wants this,” he whispered, more to himself than Shayla. He could not help it, and moved his face to her neck, nibbling and licking. A soft moan escaped Shayla, but whether from her or the darkness he could not tell. He did not care.

Practically.

Still, the Darkness observed the Master coolly, through an almost uncaring eye, and analyzed. It pulled Shayla back from the Master's grip. "You want this," Shayla then spoke softly, her eyes arrowing into those of the Master's, sensing something there. "If your promise to do what I ask is a true one, then do it."

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

“I do not fully understand the actions of the Master,” he said. “I have tried, truly. Our goals at times seem to be the same – to prepare for an impending invasion from the Vong. But I do not understand his strategy and tactics. He believed he would need a great power to defeat them, and was willing to trade me to forces beyond our realms to obtain that power. It was on that day, as a boy, that my powers came into their own. He was speaking to a man – well, a man made of tar – that had come through a portal from the Darker Realms. I escaped by blasting them both through the portal…”

Phalomir paused, thinking.

“Perhaps he thought my clone was me? Perhaps he is still trying to make this deal? Or perhaps the is some other reason, I do not know.”

He exhaled loudly, rubbing his hand across the back of his head. He surveyed the room one more cursory time and turned to look at everyone.

“Are we ready to leave?” he asked. “Hopefully the halls are not blocked too badly. I also dearly hope the temple is not too badly damaged, but I am sensing great losses, and I fear the worse.”

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

“Do it, I shall,” he hissed.

He stroked his hand across Shayla’s forehead, then traced a finger down her face and to her neck. There he gripped her, holding the back of her neck in a tight embrace as his other hand followed the curve of her hip upwards. Boiling passion threatened to tear him apart, feelings that had evaded him for years. A fire had been rekindled, a once-bright flame that had not been seen since the death of—

Death of—

He froze, his thought suddenly focused on memories that had long been buried, for what he thought would be forever. Memories of a time when he was not the Master – when he was Aelomir, Dark Lord of the Sorcerors. When his life had belonged to another, a woman whom he loved, when he could love… and to the son that was born from that love.

Shayla stared at him with piercing eyes, anticipation firing back at him. But anticipation of what, he now wondered. This was not Shayla speaking to him, it was the darkness within her. That same darkness had left a residue within him, had forced him to attack Yaoksi and Aaron. And now it wanted him to couple with Shayla, and to promise to follow its wishes.

He could feel it within him, controlling his hormones, his innermost desires…

“NO!” he shouted, dropping Shayla to the cold floor. “I will not give you that! I will uphold our bargain, but what you ask now is outside of that scope.”

He wiped away a bead of sweat from his face, hiding with it the tear that had formed. He then swiped at the air with his hand, slicing open a portal to the Darker Realms.

"This is getting old, and it's time for a change." I mutter. "Feth the witches with their damn alls, and fethed artifacts, and hell forsaken mythology!" I began to trace long, interconnected runes across the surface of the rock.

"I'm going to get out of this hellhole, get back to reality, and reclaim ShaRhylla from whatever peril I'm sure she'll have gotten into in my absence." I muttered, finishing one rather intricate design, before tying it to the next one in line.

Within five or so minutes, I had tied a total of sixteen runes across the surface of the rock, which slipped across to the upper left corner of the pile, where, from my crawling excursion before it had collapsed, I knew the rock was weakest.

"Let's get it done then." I stepped back nearly a hundred feet, taking it slowly and running a fingertip through the dust to keep myself connected to the runes. When I had reached a safe distance, I cracked my neck and smiled.

"Let's get it done." I murmured again, crying out in a gutteral voice as the first rune triggered, vanishing from the surface of the rock; the magic that it was bound to flashing across the others to the main one upon the weak point.

An explosion tore straight into the rock, vaporizing a meter or so of stone. I let out another cry, sending another blast through the rock, doing so again and again, until the fourteenth rune went off, leaving a hole in the rock.

"About time..." I muttered, standing up and letting the last two runes go, beginning to trot to the hole and crawl through.

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

Aaron chewed his lip a bit at that. "Seems a bit odd to me," he admitted, turning to continue towards the spiral staircase once more.

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

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

...and the Darkness within her practically cackling as something of the Master's innermost feelings brushed against She Who Once Was...

...but for only a moment. That small connection, one sparking a similiar memory of a time much like the Master's, was instantly squelched, locked far away and far away and far beyond anyone's reach.

Her eyes locked with the Master's, oiling over into a deceptive calmness. "He must be taken to the Tower," she said then, indicating the still unconscious Phalomir. "What you seek is there."

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

And with luck, the Tuk'ata should have cleared off, considering what the Master did to one of their number. I thought, trotting down the passageway towards the once hidden doorway into the tunnels.

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