...but the tears in her eyes began to flood forth, spilling, as if the well within her soul was emptying out its contents.

And perhaps it was at that.

Finally, her face beginning to streak with tears, Shayla managed to whimper out one single, despairing word. "Nooo..."

Shaking then, Shayla looked down, hiding the increasing stream of tears with her lengthening blonde hair. "My...my little Zackary...." she whispered softly...

...at last looking up directly at the quietly waiting Healer, a lump in her throat. "W---where...is he?" she managed.

The Healer nodded meekly and motioned for both she and Erik to follow as she got to her feet shakily, gripping the side of the table for support as Erik helped her to her feet quietly.

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

...but his dark brown eyes were trained on Aeylmaar. Although he didn't say anything to Aeylmaar at that moment, the young Heir Apparent had to see the anger in his eyes. How well he remembered his treatment of him and Shayla when they had come here for help with the baby, so long ago. What if they had taken him from here then, and gotten help?

Zackary might still be alive.

Unable to voice as much at the moment, however, Erik simply kept a strong arm about Shayla, who was quite literally shaking as the Healer began to lead them on. As he held her, he could hear footsteps behind him, ones which he assumed must belong to the others with them.

Perhaps they all felt it appropriate to mourn the loss of little Zackaray, who hadn't even gotten the chance to live...

Tears now forming in his own eyes, Erik kept as rock-steady as he could, all things considered...

...and didn't dare look back. For he had no idea how he was ever going to forgive the Sith for this.

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

...and he couldn't use them. All he could do was stay nearby and lend his support. ALong with him came all the others, but he figured Shayla and Erik were barely aware of that fact.

He felt so helpless.

As they entered the small, quiet room, Shawn saw his sister's legs nearly buckle beneath her...

...and he rushed ot her side to help her stay upright even as Erik held onto her.

"Shayla, Erik, I'm so sorry..." he whispered as they came to a hault. A healer, holding a small blanketed bundle, stepped up to them, offering the small bundle to Shayla...

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

Hadn't he turned them away, when they came for assistance? Hadn't he blithely plucked their child from them, without any more thought for either it or them, other than he could use this to show the world the greatness of their wonderful Incubator, which surely would keep the child alive?

Until their magicks fell, that is. A fall completely unexpected, coming from the left field to crush him beneath its terrible weight.

Slowly, he sank to his knees, staring at the cold stones of the floor. They offered him no solace, no answer, no words to help still the anguish he had created both in himself and in the hearts of his human friends.

Dimly, he wondered if they would continue to be thus to him, or if a chasm had been suddenly ripped into being that was so immense it would never, ever be scaled.

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

...and let go of her husband and brother, reaching out for her tiny, sweet, infant.

Her deceased infant.

Even in death, he looked like an angel to her, his features pure white, his eyes closed. If she hadn't known any better, she might have thought he were simply sleeping.

She had lost him, and she couldn't even feel his sweet little spirit in the Force, for the Force was gone. The Force was gone, and so was her baby.

Shutting all other things out of her world, Shayla stood in that horrible place, cradling her little Zackary...

..rocking back and forth, back and forth...

...as though by doing so she could hang onto him and would never have to let him go.

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

He paused again, and realized that Aeylmaar had not followed. Curious, he returned to the great room from where they had been led and found the Dark Lord To Be on his knees. He struggled with the notion of returning to Shayla and Erik after all, but again he felt he should not interfere with their grieving.

And this… this was not right either.

“Hey, are you all right?” he called over softly. “Hey, I know this is a terrible thing, but I hope you are not blaming yourself. You did all you could here to keep the baby alive, and from what I understand it was a miracle that it lived this long.”

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

"Leave me," he whispered hoarsely, and fell silent.

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

He was angry. Quietly, still shaking, she handed their little one to him, and her mind raced off elsewhere.

For didn't he truly have every right to be angry? They were made to leave the baby here.

Shaking her head a bit at this, trying to clear her eyes somewhat, Shayla's mind continued to wander to the things which had lead up to this one, horrible, soul-crushing event. She had been healthy, carryng her baby well...

...when Tyberius tried to take him from her with Darkness. Graysith had ammended this, and once more things had been going well.

Until Dark Lord Roan slapped her to the ground. And why...? Because she was a human in his Temple?

Shayla unconciously shook her head. No. It wasn't that. She remembered the look in his eyes. It was something more.

She was Graysith's Chosen Sister.

Another wave of anxiety swept over Shayla, and she would have fallen to her knees if it weren't for Shawn's support. she turned and looked into her brother's sympathetic greeny-blues...

...and realized with a start that she couldn't stand the look in his eyes.

He cared. But he didn't understand.

She turned from him, and looked back to the others who had joined them. Their look was also sorrowful, sympathetic. Again, those who cared. But they didn't understand.

She took a momentary glance at the mournful looking Healers...and then her eyes rested on Erik, who was still looking at their still son, his brown eyes stormy and pained.

Here was someone who at least understood, on some level. But even so, he didn't understand. At least, not entirely.

"I...I need to sit down..." she whispered, surprising everyone as she began to back away, at first slowly, crashing into others behind her. She turned to face them and their sympathetic looks.

"I need a drink of water," she then said simply, perhaps too evenly as numbness began to take over, the numbness of still not truly believing something had really happened. Someone or another offered to help her, but she shook her head and extended a hand to stop them as she then left the healer's chambers entirely. She didn't know what was coming over her, but with every step she took, her feet began to take wings...

...and before she knew it or was even totally aware, she had exited the Temple. Totally at a loss for the time it was taking her, no one immediately behind her for the rapidity and unpredictability of her movements, Shayla made it all the way back to the ship which had brought them all here. She keyed in the access code to extend the hatch, moved inside and closed it behind her...

...and quickly warmed the ship. Only then did she truly know what she was doing...

...and where she was going. Taking control of the ship, she headed for atmosphere, out to space beyond, quickly and accurately pulled up the coordinates to her desired destination...

...and put them into the navcomputer. In moments the little transport exploded into starlines as she took off into hyperspace, on a path that only she could be certain of.

(((OCC: Follow along with Shayla to...

...a destination yet to be revealed.)))

[ 06-11-2008 12:40 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

His anger only escalated with every moment.

Finally, he looked up and directly into the eyes of the Healers. Still quite unaware as to where his wife had gone, he made on simple statement then.

"He needs to be taken and buried in the manner of those of his kind, with those of his kind," he uttered a bit darkly.

Beside him, Shawn Petrolu muttered. "Erik..."

Erik ignored him, his eyes only for the healer. Although he knew deep in his heart he was not angry with any of these directly, he couldn't help but direct said anger towards a target closest to the right one.

For the true target of his anger was not here.

That thought only triggered even more anger. Figures. For what did the sorrow of mere humans matter? It hadn't before.

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

To his relief, Erik nodded...

...but he didn't let go of Zackary's lifeless little body. And Shawn suspected his brother-in-law intended to remain thus until a decision was made.

But Shayla wasn't there. And Shawn suspected she had left to mourn alone, to try to come to grips with what had happened.

"I will go find Shayla," he then said evenly, turning to the others. "She may have gone back to the dining hall," he then stated. "But I'm not sure. Will someone help me look?"

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

"I will look in the dining hall," he then responded to Shawn. "If she has gone elsewhere you probably stand a better chance of determining what place and finding her," he then reasoned.

Petrolu nodded in agreement, so Jasyn backed out of the room, heading back towards the Dining hall. Petrolu headed off in a seperate direction, back towards the entrance of the temple. Jasyn figured he assumed Shayla might have gone out to get some air and get away from all that was happening...

...which quite frankly made some sense to him. Even as he continued to walk, Jasyn came upon Panthar, who was leaving the side of a kneeling and grieved looking Aeylmaar.

Jasyn looked from Aeylmaar to Panthar and back. "Stargazer took off alone from the healing chamber, saying she was going to get a drink of water. Has she come this way?"

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

Alone...?

What was going on in the temple?

He shook his head, gulping with effort as he fought against his very gut. But he was no mere animal, to be ruled by such things; gradually his head began to clear and he began to see the situation more clearly, from a standpoint not oriented so much toward himself. At last he rose to his feet, and turned to the pair.

"Thank you for your concern," he stated, albeit somewhat tightly. "But my emotional state is not the issue at hand. What is, is the fact that due to-- due to our--"

He stumbled, grimaced slightly, then forced himself to continue.

"Due to our inability, the infant in our care has passed. And now the mother is lost within these walls, more than likely attempting to flee the grief which she most certainly did not deserve."

He made a motion as if ready to lead them onward but stopped in mid-step. Indeed, his first reaction had been to seek his Father's great Sanctum Sanctorum, there to utilize the Crystal Octahedron in finding the bereaved mother's whereabouts. This initial reaction, though, was offset as memory rose up to wave their lack of magick once more in his face. So instead, he once more approached the bell-pull, and gave a yank upon it.

The same servant appeared moments later.

"Go out with others, and search these halls," he ordered. "The mother whose child has- has died is fleeing within them, toward what destination or end I do not know."

He watched in silence as the servant bowed and departed, setting the task in motion. After watching the double doors oil silently closed, he returned to the others.

"I do not know if there is anything else I can really do, other than actively hunt for Shayla," he admitted.

Oh, but now did he need the advice of his Father, for certainly this was something the young lord had never thought to be facing in his future career as Dark Lord. More wisdom than he possessed was in order...

"Perhaps the Verpine has found Father?" he asked, the question pressing into his eyes.

"I-- I could use some assistance in what it is I should do."

[ 06-11-2008 01:41 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aeylmaar ]

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

Saying nothing further, Jasyn turned and did precisely as he had suggested, going back into the small chamber and quietly exchanging words with Matt Stanza. In a few moments, Matt exited the room along with him, commlink in hand, and sent off a message inquiring as to K'kihl's progress...

...and received nothing in return but static. Arching a brow, Matt made another attempt yeilding the same results.

Jasyn's look darkened. "Oh kriffing hell. What now?"

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

...and it did not bode well for the human's mental or emotional stability. For contrary to what some might believe, the Sith are extremely cued into life, are well aware of the strengths and frailties life doles out to the living, and in that celebrate it as joyously as would any other sentient being.

In turn, they mourn the passing of life with equal fervor, but not to the extent where continuing life is pushed aside or ignored. For to the Sith, life and death are part and parcel of the natural cycle of how things are; they celebrate life, mourn death... but recognize the necessity of death as something coming to all.

The Master Healer held out a sympathetic claw toward Erik. And though his magicks had fled him, he did not need them to feel the waves of rage and despair that rolled from the man like those in a tsunami.

"We understand," he said quietly, trying to show his sympathy. "Please... we tried everything at our command. There was nothing else to be done..."

He stopped himself, bowed his head a moment, then tried another avenue.

"This is necessary," he said, the comment coming from deep within his gut. Indeed, this recognition sprang from a larger one, a soul-encompassing knowledge of a great and grander picture... and was indeed why the Sith were so easily able to utilize the wonder of the All. Of course the Master Healer didn't recognize this within himself; he only knew that the humans were greatly bereaved by the death of a young one of theirs, that he boded them no ill but sympathized completely...

Yet also understood the simple fact that this was just a natural thing...

"Do you wish for us to prepare the body for travel?" he inquired kindly. "For--"

He paused, trying to figure out a way to state what needed to be stated in a manner that would not crush this human's fragile hold on reality.

"Otherwise, perhaps a very fleet ship-?"

This was necessary? For what? How could this, in any way, shape or form, bode any good towards that Greater Good of things that the Sith were always rattling on about.

That Shayla was always talking about, for that matter.

Erik frowned at this thought, finally realizing that she hadn't come back, wondering just where in the Fates she had gone. With effort, he meet the Healer's sympathetic eyes with his own dark brown ones. He had to mentally remind himself that the Healers had been doing everything in their power to save Zackary.

Or at least, that is what they were being told.

"Yes, please, prepare him for travel," Erik said, for the first time showing perhaps less anger directed towards the Healers. "In the meantime, I need to go find my wife," he said, casting a final, despairing look the infant's way before returning him to the strong yet somehow gentle arms of the Master Healer. Erik swiped a hand across his eyes to mask the tears...

...and with a final nod to the Master Healer, departed the healing chambers and headed back towards the Dining Hall, where he assumed Shayla had gone based on her statement that she needed a drink. Enroute he was interrupted by the gathering in the hallway including Matt, Jasyn, Panthar...

...and Aeylmaar. He shot a hard look Aeylmaar's direction, making a statement then to no one in particular. "We're going to take the baby somewhere to properly bury him," he stated, his voice even yet betraying the emotions he wasn't overtly displaying. "Did Shayla head for the Dining Hall?"

[ 06-11-2008 02:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Erik Kartan ]

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

The Place of Preparation in Joyous Death.

The wall slid downward, clanging to a stony close, swallowing the Healers and effectively hiding them from sight as they went about initiating arts even more arcane, more ancient, using materials and devices which when finished with would prevent the natural breakdown of tissues from taking hold for many, many years.

It was in this manner, and this manner alone, that the Sith betrayed themselves and their view on life and death. For what better way to overcome death than by preserving the physical state of the deceased indefinitely...

“N-no,” he stammered. “I didn’t see her go through here.”

Panthar stepped towards Erik, his eyes going soft in spite of the cold look that Erik was casting into the room. Confused, but letting it pass, Panthar stopped in front of Erik.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Erik. Please, can I do anything? Like perhaps help you find Shayla?”

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

He trailed, his eyes defocusing. "Maybe she went to the room that was once hers, one Graysith had given her...

...or she went to the rooms Graysith occupied when she was here."

He shook his head. "For all we know she's not even here in the temple. But like I said, she knows this place. I don't even know where to begin."

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

Erik’s eyes shot at Panthar, and he did not press the matter. There was something there that Panthar did not like, some deep feeling from the past, perhaps.

“So, we do the next best thing and ask for directions— except that nobody here would probably know what we were talking about, would they? Well, then let’s deploy one of the tricks of my trade, when an archeologist is on the hunt for something… we ask around.”

Panthar looked at Erik, trying to read his thoughts. Panthar gave up and simply raised his eyebrows.

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

And asked her to marry me here, came the errant thought.

"I suppose it would be allright to go take a look in those rooms," he then said a bit numbly, casting an unreadable look Aeylmaar's way. Then he began to head in the direction of the room he and Shayla had occupied...

...and froze. Oh no. No. No way.

He turned back to the others, his brown eyes impossibly darker. "She has been known to...

...to leave when she really upset. I don't think she would have, with the baby not even buried yet...

...but what if...?" He fell silent for a moment. "...but it wouldn't be the first time."

He trailed a final time, too-recent memories of her getting so upset about their lack of progress in finding Graysith when they were on Tatooine rising forth as, like this time, her emotions lead her elsewhere...

...and away from him.

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

Panthar scratched his head and looked around nervously.

“If you really think she’d leave the temple, then should we tell the others and go out looking for her? I’m sure someone would have seen her out there. Or do you think she’ll be back when she is ready?”

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

No.

He stopped in mid-thought, blinking as another one came flying tangentially in.

What strange happening is it that has caused our magicks to disappear? And the Force these jedi rely upon? And the All, that beautiful, wonderful All? Who or whatever it is that has impeded us all, that is the one at fault for the death of the child!

He didn't say anything, however, deciding that there would be a more opportune moment to do so sometime later. Instead he nodded his head, and held a clawed hand out to one side.

"Please, the Temple is yours. Feel free to investigate wherever you wish. There are no doors to be closed to you."

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

He sighed, shaking his head a bit. "She may very well be here still...but if not, we should extend the search all the way out to where we left our ship."

He paused, looking at no one in particular then as he continued. "Panthar and I will look in those places I'm at least familiar with. Jasyn..maybe you and Matt wouldn't mind looking too? You've been here before, after all."

He arched an eyebrow both men's way, and they nodded. Erik's eyes grew distant then, and again gathering his wits, he looked at Aeylmaar. "And Shayla does know about some of the more private areas in this Temple, she was here alone with Graysith for quite some time."

He quieted another moment. "Maybe you can think of some places that we wouldn't be aware of...

...or would your servants look in those places as well?"

He let the question linger a moment before finishing with. "At any rate, I think we'd better split up and get looking because this could take quite some time. I think everyone here has a commlink--"

Here he quirked a brow at Matt Stanza, who handed K'kihl's comm back to Aeylmaar. "--if someone should find her, we can give everyone else a comm. If not--"

He trailed, his eyes defocusing once more, his look darkening. "Well, let's just hope we don't have to meet back here in three hours and try to figure out exactly what else to do."

With nothing further than that, Erik turned and motioned Panthar to come with him as he began walking away. Jasyn and Matt followed suit, heading in another direction.

Erik could only hope the search wouldn't take a long time...

...although the last thing he wanted to think of at the moment was burying his son.

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

...but it did not seem right that in fighting it, Erik was also somehow fighting him. Perhaps his sudden clarity regarding this was due to the insight of who was really to blame for the infant's death, or rather, who was not. But with the lifting of the cloud of guilt from his shoulders, room was now made to allow other emotions to settle there in its stead.

I try to befriend this one, I offer all hospitality, all assistance, everything which is at my disposal, and he still treats me like--

Something dark glittered in the back of his amber eyes, and he thought back to That Day, the day when the Dark Jedi overran the Temple, killing all Sith in their path, pounding through the corridors, slamming their way deeper and deeper into its bowels until they were outside the door of Aelvedaar's Sanctum Sanctorum, pounding, pounding, coming to kill them too...

Well he remembered the look he exchanged with his then Master and now Adoptive Father, the subtle pass of information, a nodding acquiesence that such was understood:

That humans were indeed inferior to the Sith, the Sith were then Lords of the Galaxy, holding that position by reason of might and power and yes, justice...

He swallowed, watching the men leave, clenching his fists as he clenched his jaws tight, tight, tight, tightening his stance to prevent himself from flying after them and striking the arrogant, dark haired man a blow.

He watched the double doors swing shut behind them as they left the Dining Hall, and for a long moment just stood there staring. Then he calmly walked to the sideboard, and poured himself another Sith brandy.

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

“The ship?” asked Panthar. “You don’t think she’d take off, do you? I mean, on Tatooine she was possessed by the Darkness stuff, so I figured that was a special case. But why the hell would she just take off? Good grief, I know something terrible has happened here but that’s awfully—“

Panthar stopped, sighing.

“Well, anyway, if you think she might have gone to the ship, then maybe we ought to start there?”

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