I gave the console a final glance; all was quiet on the hyper-front. Not that we could tell if there was anything out there after us, but I really doubted our pursuers could plot any possible directional vectors at all. With all the pitching and rolling and yawing I had utilized to get us off Ambria, we could literally had hypered off anywhere within the area of a three-dimensional sphere.

Which, basically, encompassed the entire galaxy in one shot.

I then settled back in the pilot's seat, letting the adrenalin seep from me. The cabin bleeped and ticked quietly around me as the Eagle murmered her own little comments as to where we were going.

I really hadn't given it much thought. I just had plotted the handiest escape route I could, and had quite simply gotten us outta there. I really didn't know where we would end up; all I knew was that this far in the Outer Rim I hadn't had to worry much about any threatening stars getting in our immediate way.

Hmmm... maybe I ought to bring us out of hyperdrive pretty soon, just to check our position....

I reached for the console again, and paused. Our position? Like I was going somewhere with this guy?

I sat back as this hit me. Now that the immediate concern of escaping Ambria was over, I realized I had no afterplan. No idea what was going to happen, what would happen to me, where I was going to go. I had formerly entertained a vague idea of entreating Terrin in returning me to Yavin 4 and the Jedi Praxeum, but suddenly realized that this might not be in my best interests.

Actar had found me there once. He could certainly find me there a second time.

I sniffed, pondering. The thought of maybe aligning myself with this guy for a bit rose enticingly before my eyes. He did have a nice little ship with hyperdrive capabilities, after all, and that was something very useful to have.

Worth it's weight in gold, even.

I decided to wait, to let him take the comm regarding my next move. I closed my eyes, and settled back into the pilot's chair, my ears focused on the quiet sounds of the ship, and the tad bit louder, and very explicit, ones wafting from the aft.

I smiled, sensing his return to the cabin, feeling the rustle of material as he regained the seat next to me.

I beat him to the punch.

"Sorry about the 'ding,'" I opened with, following that with, "but better 'ding' than death."

I paused a little, then sat up, opening my eyes as I faced him, finding those blue ones of his peering directly into my own.

I gulped a little, then firmed.

"So, where do we go from here, Captain Danner?"

[ 08-06-2001 01:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

He could sense it, Graysith landed. He had to get to Galen before she did. He hoped Swatzi wasn't confronted with Graysith, he would surely be killed, especially if trying to protect Galen.

He ran through the corridors. H thought breifly of stopping at the Command Center and putting the building on High Alert, troopers in every hallway, but decided against it, he needed to get there asap. He got to elevators and nabbed one before anyone else was able to get on. HE put his hand on the panel and, with the force, accelerated the elevator. As soon as it opened he ran out, but standing there was Admiral Swatzi, he ran right into to him. He grabbed Swatzi's shoulders and said, "Is she alright?!"

Admiral Swatzi was a little taken away by it and managed to mutter, "Who?"

"Galen. Her sister is coming, right now." He took off to Galen's suite. He sensed something wasn't right when he was outside the door. He slowly opened it, to find.....nothing. It was silent. Few lights were on, the doors to the balcony open, allowing the breeze to come in, blowing the drapes that hung from above the doors. He looked around....she was gone...

He fell to his knees, and crouched down. Where was she. Well, she wasn't with Graysith that's definately a good thing. Admiral Swatzi walked into the room, and interupted his mild meditation with, "I put the building on high alert, I'll send troops out to search the city, if you want."

"No, let her go." Admiral Swatzi left the room.

Actar got back onto his feet, went to the door, closed it, locked it, pulled a chair from the table to the center of the room, and sat down. He took out a crystal. The crystal was the only thing he had from his childhood, though, he couldn't remember anything from before the age of 21, but the crystal gave him the strength to go into deep meditatation, without using up a lot of energy. Or, that's what he thought, the strength really came from within...the mind is very powerfull, but can be easly tricked.

For the next few hours he sat in deep meditation, sensing the wereabouts of Galen and Graysith, watching, hopping Galen got away. She did, away with Terrin, the man who had quesioned him about Shayla. And Graysith....back in her ship....hopefully it would be over before it really started...or at least off of Ambria.

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

I know you are probably looking for passage to somewhere, and you certainly deserve it after getting us out of the place. But truth is I'm looking for someone...very important... and I must find her. I know she's being held prisoner on a shuttle in the area near Ambria, and I've even learned that her captor is probably some sort of Sith. So I'm kinda in a hurry to get to her."

Why are you explaining EVERYTHING to her? Jeez, man, she's got you bewitched.

"So, if you are up for a little adventure, I could use you as part of my crew while you wait. And if not, you are welcome to stay on board my Star Destroyer until we can either transport you elsewhere or you can find a ride with someone else. But I'd really like a pilot like you on my team, your skills are hard to come by. So what do you say?"

You just offered her a job, Terrin buddy, you know she's got you hooked. The last female you offered a job like this was...well...Shayla.

But nevermind that.

He looked over at Galen, who seemed to be pondering his words, searching into her big brown eyes with his deep blue ones and hoping to find a positive answer somewhere within them.

If only she'll accept the offer, I'd really like to get to know her...

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

The woman who had saved her from nothingness had returned to the shuttle again at last..the woman who seemed as though she wanted to be Shayla's friend...Shayla's sister even...

Something she'd been trying to keep shoved in the back of her mind was blaring at Shayla loudly even from the distance.

Who put you in the nothingness? How long were you there? What did you see there? And why is Thea trapped in a dream? Was it she...this woman who wants to be your friend...that made this all happen?

Confusion was taking over again, and Shayla knew she needed to fight it now more than ever. Truth would reveal itself in time, it had to. And just maybe if the woman had released her from the nothingness, she would release Thea too. And someone who was willing to release those she enslaved couldn't be all bad...she had to at least have a kernel of goodness within her.

Yes, Shayla thought to herself. Think of only Thea for the moment. Plea for Thea. Go to this woman, she will surely at least listen to you.

Gathering all the strength and courage she could muster, Shayla left the dining area and followed her Force sense to the room of her captor.

And how she wished she knew her captor's name.

At last, she found it, only to realize that the creature was in front of the door. Startled and frightened, Shayla shied away.

Maybe later... she thought.

But later would never come. Without Shayla ever reaching the door or knocking, it whirred open, revealing her captor, who looked somewhat fatigued.

Shayla opened her mouth, hoping the right words would come to her. "I...have a request, if you would please hear me out," Shayla said.

And then she stood, waiting hopefully...

[ 08-06-2001 10:43 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Lessee, now.... In the mere months (ye gods, was it only months?!?!) since my world had turned completely topsy turvy, I had rescued a bounty hunter from the clutches of an evil Sith Lord intent on his demise, had joined forces with said bounty hunter and as a result had been dragged hither and yon across the galaxy, both at the controls of my own little Sith ships-- yes, not one, but two!-- and as passenger in his and others as well.

I had suffered being slammed into force cages, been involved in rescuing the kidnapped wife of the head of the Bounty hunter's guild, had been captured by no less than three evil beings intent on killing me as well. I had been in and out of one Imperial shuttle/brig after another, had actually killed with my own hands, had been nearly killed in turn on more than one occasion, had been present at the destruction of a hidden moon base (heck, the entire moon had gone kablooey!) and had wound up pregnant by the only man I ever thought I would really love.

I had been shot, sliced, ripped and broken, in body and almost completely in mind, by hideous forces commanded by my sister... said sister who, after so casually murdering our father on that dim and benighted little hellhole, had left me there to die alone, while she went off to become some sort of self-proclaimed Sith herself.

And he wanted to know if I was up for adventure???

I blinked back tears bordering on hysteria. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. But the thought of sitting out my days alone, Khaandon knows where, waiting to have this baby, then raising it equally alone, appealed to me about as much as rolling in a dewback wallow.

After what I'd been through, I knew with deep certainty that I just could not go back to my former, naive little life. I just couldn't.

I blinked myself back to the awareness that those damnably blue eyes he had were searching deeply into my own as he patiently waited for my answer. I gave a little start; was that actually hope I saw hidden deeply in their depths?

I pushed that thought aside, afraid to examine it too closely at the moment. Then I drew in a deep breath, and once more stuck out my hand.

"I don't think I'd be happy hanging around a SSD..."

Great Khaandon's Ghost; this guy had a fleet, and his own Super Star Destroyer??? Now THAT was impressive!

"...but I don't really have anywhere to be at the moment."

I paused a little, one hand slipping unobtrusively onto my abdomen as I considered the prudency of telling him of my current condition.

I decided it could wait.

"You've got yourself a pilot, and I thank you for asking."

The smile that broke out on his face in response to that brief little sentence rivalled Sorben's for it's brilliancy. White teeth exposed in a quick laugh, he grasped my hand firmly, shook it.

His hand felt surprisingly, unexpectedly good around mine...

I jerked a little, withdrew my hand from his grasp as gently as I could without seeming obvious. The little niggle that crept out of nowhere in response to that touch, one that had the effrontery to warm me inside, surprised me, and confused me as well. Again, I didn't want to examine it too closely. I wasn't ready.

A little desperately, I tried to shift the conversation into a safer territory. I focused in on something he had said. Something that might be more important than he realized.

"Um- " I began a little shakily. "Y-you said this person, this woman who was so important to you, was taken by a Sith.

"Whatta coincidence. I've been kinda mixed up with Sith for nearly a year now, and actually have been hunting for one in particular for that entire time.

"Maybe we can help each other more than we first thought."

I wound down with that, thinking maybe there truly was something to a Force that connected everyone together as it was purported to do... and that maybe sometimes that connection brought beings together in a union predestined by something Other than Fate alone.

[ 08-07-2001 03:27 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

"You uh...say you've been tracking a Sith?" he started hesitantly.

Surely this wasn't the same Sith that Shayla was with. If it was, this WAS a small universe...

"In your tracking her, have you encountered her around Yavin IV lately, possibly snatching a Praxeum student?"

Thoughts were spinning in his head, trying to piece together if he and she were looking for the same target, and just a different person.

Maybe he should explain to her that he was after Shayla for matters of business repayal only...

No, not now. Maybe later.

"I think you and I might be headed in the same direction."

Damn it all, Terrin, there you go telling her everything! Why are you so inclined to trust her so since you haven't even really told her why you are after Shayla?

Be honest with yourself man, you are SO falling for her. And the last time you were hooked, you ended up backing out on the girl and hurting her badly. And now you are after the same girl on business.

Universe to Terrin, get a grip.

He flashed Galen a half-smile, but he didn't think it looked too convincing. He did hope that they were on the same path, and that their journey would coincide and they would truly be able to help each other out. And as much as he hated to admit it and wouldn't for a while now, he was really starting to like her.

She's not like the other girls, and I could use a switch. But these things take time and patience.

"So," he asked, realizing he was daydreaming and she was staring curiously at him, "What do you say we switch places here, let me get us on course to my fleet, and you tell me what you know of this Sith while I get us headed in the right direction?"

[ 08-07-2001 10:04 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

I shook my head slightly to myself, musing at his choice of words. Wondered if indeed there really was any "right" direction for anyone anywhere, if anyone really had control of their own helm in travelling that path.

Came suddenly to a simple yet very profound conclusion. It just... was.

Flank speed, ol girl, and straight on til morning....

I moved aside and, bowing slightly at the waist, waved Terrin into the pilot's seat. That little flush of warmth pooled about my torso as he gracefully seated himself and reached out to play upon the navigation board.

He reminds me of a Tattooine sandcat. The thought leapt into my mind as I studied him as discreetly as possible. Lean and lithe and very controlled.

Sorben was more like a nek, although not so vicious. Stockily muscular and very much aware of it...

I pulled myself up short in surprise at this comparison. Galen, what in Hell's Seven Circles are you thinking?

Or... feeling....

I shook that thought from me, shying from it like a young ronto. It was leading me along a byway toward something which at the moment I really didn't want to face.

At least not now.

I crossed my arms, and took in a deep breath. On to safer waters....

"Well," the word exploded from my lips rather louder than I intended. I smiled a wan little smile as Terrin jerked his face to me, one brow cocked in question.

Still smiling, I quickly sat down in the copilot's seat and snuggled there, my crossed arms hugging myself, trying to get comfortable. Quickly, I ran the last words he had spoken through my head, settled on a topic much safer than that which was hovering in strange expectation about the corners of my psyche.

I tried again, my voice now under control.

Might as well let him know everything. I mean, if you're gonna be his... pilot, then he certainly deserves to know everything.

Well, practically everything.

And so, in the quiet haven of the Eagle's command cabin, I told him everything. About my sister, Jharmeen-cum-Graysith, and our father, and the Sith ruins, and all my adventure seeking her, and of the times when I had in fact fallen directly into her hands, and therein fought bravely (if perhaps with some naivety) to "change her back." How I had been ignored, brutalized, nearly killed.

Downplaying my relationship with Sorben, and studiously avoiding mention of my pregnancy, I told him of my solo departure from my erstwhile companions, of being captured by some hellcat, rescued by Actar, brought to Ambria.

And more importantly, how I just knew Graysith was still hot on my own trail in retaliatory fury.

I paused for breath, and suddenly found myself at a dearth for words. Quiet, I could only look at Terrin, trying to read the inscrutably blank look he was giving me, wondering if he was thinking about just dropping me off at the nearest base and skedaddling away from me like a womp-rat running from the aforementioned sandcat.

Khaandon, I hope not....

I cleared my throat, and ended my soliloquy with, "So I don't know if she is the Sith you are after who has this...woman you are hunting for. It could very well be; I don't think there are that many of them running around.

"But if she is, I just want you to know this: She's got some awful, terrible power at her command; you're friend is in deep doo-doo, and if you get her hot after you, she won't be shaken from your trail until you're dead."

[ 08-07-2001 11:55 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

But for some strange reason, she could not place herself into the meditative state she so desired. The image of another child kept swimming before her violet eyes, segueing like an alternating electrical current into the image of Shayla and back again.

That child had meaning to this one, my chosen sister, she thought to herself, as she finally fought back the last bits of fatigue which still plagued her. She cocked her head to one side, lost in a bit of introspection, considering all the implications of her impending move.

She suddenly straightened, firm and in coolly powerful control once again. It is inconsequential, she finalized to herself. That little one is no threat to me, or to my love, or our designs. We can surely prevail against whatever mewlings she may cry out with. They disturb me not.

But she plagues my sister as I would plague another...

The thought broke off in mid-sentence, crashing head-on upon the durasteel wall of suddenly erected conclusion Graysith had built within.

So be it.

Now she softened, once more aware of the sight Shayla presented, standing bravely yet clearly discomfited and even nearly terrified in her presence. The fact that M'wonBo'o was growling his disapproval at her side did not go very far in soothing Shayla's obvious distress.

Graysith smiled, placed a quieting hand upon the head of her tuk'ata. "In time, he shall come to know you as I wish to, my sister," she purred quietly, her voice black silk.

M'wonBo'o obediently ceased his grumbles, but his pupilless eyes never left those of Shayla, which were growing huger by the minute. With a final little snarl, he settled down to crouch at the feet of his Dark Mistress, ready to leap at any perceived threat against her.

Graysith's smile deepened, yet somehow became even softer in that deepening. The Glyph on her forehead washed the threesome with a radiance equally soft and beckoning, as, moving with a sure and studied grace, the Chosen Daughter reached out to lightly touch Shayla's cheek with one finger.

"I wish only to prove my sincerity to you, Shayla," she murmured, stating the name of the young padawan for the first time, her violet eyes boring steadily into Shayla's. "And in this, your desire is mine."

She blinked, and it was as if somewhere the very fabric of space and time roiled, coiled about itself, seeking new purchase, new pathways, new direction as it drew back from a tiny little corner of the multiplicity of universes which made up existence...

...and returned a little girl to her own.

For a long moment Graysith merely lost herself in Shayla's uncomprehending gaze, waiting until the Force-sense she knew was there would discover the truth of what had actually happened in that brief second.

Shayla's eyes widened further.

Graysith gave her a genuine smile. Then, drawing in a shuddery breath, she gracefully turned and re-entered her quarters. M'wonBo'o rose immediately beside her, turning to plant himself as self-imposed guardian without her door.

That door whooshed to a simple closure, leaving Shayla standing in the corridor, her only companion a thirteen foot cat-lizard which now cocked its betendriled head to study her distrustfully.

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

Or rather what he should say.

He had a good mind to drop her off at the nearest cantina, but the problem with that was he really did need to find Shayla. Sure, Moff Krenoff was probably angry enough to not pay him a credit for his work if he found her, but something else about the whole thing was eating at Terrin too.

Whether he liked what Shayla had done or not, he didn't think she deserved to be imprisoned by a Sith. Shayla had some impressive Force powers that he'd seen in action, and he'd hate to know how much more powerful those skills might be with a bit of Sith hate behind them.

So he resolved he'd at least help her out of her funk.

And so what if the Sithy would be after him? At least it'd be more interesting than an Imperial Moff chewing on his heel. And besides, Galen did have his interest. And she needed his help. No one had ever needed him before, not even Shayla...with exception of this one incident. And he rather liked the feeling of being needed; it felt, in a word, good.

As for Shayla, regardless of whether he was saving her only to confront her about a little vengeance of his own, at least he'd keep her alive. That was better than what a Sith would do if Shayla resisted being turned, and if Terrin knew Shayla, she would do precisely that.

At last he shook himself from his musings to refocus his eyes on Galen's brown ones. She seemed to be looking through him, worried that he might just abandon her then and there.

You wouldn't be the first one, Sweetheart, he thought to himself. But you just might be the first one that I'm not going to dump off at the first sign of trouble.

"Ah well," he said, finally breaking the silence. "I seem to have a talent for making people want to kill me anyway," he said a little too jokingly. "But, better to be brave and live a little than never live at all."

[ 08-07-2001 04:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

She let Thea go.

And she seemed to truly care about Shayla's concerns as well. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. How could ANYONE, in granting the wish of another that might confiscate their own well being, be all that bad?

This wasn't the only thing that Shayla was in wonder about though. Thea's release was certainly a good thing, but something else had just happened.

When the woman first came through the door, in her fatigue, Shayla had caught a flash of something.

A flash of the rest of the Force, perhaps?

No. That wasn't it.

There was something distinctly familiar about this, whatever it was. And she couldn't place it not yet.

It was like a sudden warmth...a touch in the Force.

But not a touch like Thea's. This was the touch of someone who somehow impacted Shayla's thoughts, possibly her past experiences...

Then it dawned on her.

Erik? she thought into the darkness of the Force that she could still feel.

It must have been a dream, or some strange desire of hers for him to come to her again. He wasn't there, and certainly if he wasn't there now he couldn't have been there before.

Or could he?

Slipping from her reverie, Shayla looked down at the creature before the woman's door, and she noticed it was looking at her in the most peculiar fashion.

Feeling a bit spooked by the thing, Shayla wandered back to her quarters, closed the door behind her, and returned to her meditative state.

She didn't know if he was out there, or if what she had just felt was even real. What she did know was that she needed to rely on herself to stay safe. All other hopes she might have for someone to save her would get her nowhere.

But she didn't know if she would ever have what it would require to take care of herself...

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

"Ahhh, seems we are about to the fleet. It'll only be five minutes now." He smiled over at her, but she seemed still deep in thought, so he rambled on. "We can make plans once we reach the my Star Destroyer The Hornett. Of course first we'll be able to get some rest, clean up, and eat. And," he added, a michevous grin spreading across his face, "We can find you some shoes while we're at it..."

[ 08-11-2001 11:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Potential...your true potential...

Those words just kept ringing in her head. She still wanted to fight it, and to remain in blissful ignorance, but she knew she couldn't do that anymore.

If I'm going to rely on myself to take care of myself, I have to be honest with myself too.

The thought sounded strange, and she laughed inside at the reduncancies.

Was that the first time she'd laughed in so long? But it was true. Shayla had to take care of herself, and she had to be honest with herself in order for that to work.

Hesitantly but surely, she let her mental guard down. She allowed the memories from her trip into the nothingness to return. The visions...and their implications, all permeated her thoughts.

The woman had done all this to her, and rather her cohort...the horned creature, had swept her into the nothingness.

She remembered being "blanked" by the woman, then being transported somehow to him. And when he was bored with her, he'd sent her off into what seemed to be, for the most part, another deminsion.

But the woman had brought her back.

The discrepancies, the good versus the bad, frankly confused Shayla. But she isn't all evil, I know that now. I've seen it. This woman needs my friendship, and even my sistership. I can certainly give that to her for the time being without sacrificing myself completely. What harm can it do to befriend someone who wants to be befriended?

The answer came rather easily to Shayla.

No harm could come whatsoever.

And there was something else she saw in all the memories, particularly the visions. The message was getting clearer all the time: Trust yourself. You have all the skills, just let go.

Very well. Time to trust yourself Shayla. And, she thought, finally opening her eyes and wiping the sweat from her forehead that she didn't know had formed.

And time to investigate your surroundings as well...you've been sitting here doing nothing far too long...

[ 08-13-2001 02:23 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Fleet?!? Wow...

...brought me momentarily out of the morass I had been starting to sink into. I shook off the feeling of...well, I suppose "trepidation" is the closest I could come to describing what I had been feeling, and pinned my focus on what was going on around me.

There it was, dead ahead of us. Now, I don't know what kind of fleet old Palpatine had in his heyday, but if he had ever had to pit it against something of this nature, it's no wonder he lost the war.

It was that impressive. Waiting patiently for the return of its... Captain?? Admiral?? "Take me to your leader..." was an assortment of Imperial leftovers enough to knock the pants off a Hutt.

An enormous SSD occupied centerspace, surrounded by no less than three Victory-class Star Destroyers. They in turn were flanked by a couple of Imperial-class destroyers, and underscored by the menacing presence of one shadowy Eclipse-class. The space within their somewhat daunting mass was taken up with the buzzing about of various and sundry Skiprays, Scimitar assault bombers, TIE defenders and interceptors. Heck, they even had an old Nkllonian shield ship; I put aside my wonder of what in Hell's Seven Circles they could ever use that for, and turned to Terrin.

My eyes were probably as wide as the space surrounding us.

"Ahh-- er... " I gurgled a little stupidly. "Nice fleet..."

I then allowed myself to sit back more comfortably in the copilot's seat, letting him play the navboard and do the formalities in getting us safely ensconced in that quietly deadly mass.

Who the heck WAS this guy, anyway? Well, if I had to find someone to hook up with, at least he has some "oomph" to him, I thought to myself, casting a quick sidelong glance toward Terrin's strong face. A little grin niggled about the corners of my lips...

So he want's ME for a pilot, ey?

...and was promptly squelched by a rapidly and completely overwhelming sensation of terror and impending doom that suddenly shrouded me.

The Sith he was chasing, who had his friend. It WAS her. I knew it; I could feel it, could feel her hovering out there like a Dagoban swamp slug, just waiting for us to get close enough so she could crush us all into tiny little bits and spew us from one end of the Galaxy to another. If we're lucky....

Great Khaandon's Ghost, we're gonna need way, way bigger ships....

I didn't even know that I was pulled up into a little ball, that my arms were gripping myself so tightly that my nails pierced my flesh and a tiny stream of blood was trickling upon them. The sight of Terrin's wonderful Fleet faded before the image of Her pale face, which rose before my unfocused gaze, her eyes dark with hatred, that damnable thing on her forehead blindingly bright.

Sheer, uncontrollable terror washed over me in a flood.

I don't know if I can stand up to facing her again....

[ 08-13-2001 03:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

It was rather like looking into the eyes of a god, and spitting. One had to pay the piper afterward.

Even though she remained apparently removed from her surroundings, she was quite aware of all which was occurring aboard her ship. Well she knew of Shayla's continuing inner demons; the smile which lightened her pale face at that recognition broadened yet further. Without her door, still her self-imposed guardian and Blood-Hunt Companion, M'wonBo'o continued to fret.

She smiled even further, feeling strength returning to her body and her mind, feeling the Glyph upon her brow beginning to brighten with inherent energies. In this pleasant state she began to reach forth a tendril of herself to calm her Beast...

...when quite suddenly, it was as though a completely darkened room became impossibly darker.

Graysith's eyes flew open at the sensation, and there before her was writhing an oily, blackened bit of otherness. It coiled about like some venomous serpent, lengthening, broadening, seeking strange egress as via even more bizarre contortions it finally slithered upright, and took form.

Graysith gasped slightly. Then, her eyes closing of their own accord, she crossed her arms across her breast, bowing her head in allegiance and subservience and respect.

"My Dark One," came her whisper, as silken as the the invitation of a succubi. Then, her head still bowed, she waited in silence as the inky ribbon exploded into matter and Aelvedaar stepped forth into her quarters.

He fixed her with his powerful, molten gaze, one clawed hand reaching out to cup her cheek with deceptive gentleness . "My Love," came his answering bass rumble.

Graysith raised her face to his at his tickling insistence. "What is thy bidding, my love?" she finally inquired. "A most welcomed visitation this is, albeit one completely unforeseen. In what manner---"

She gasped, as the grip upon her face tightened its hold, and immediately attempted to drop her face and gaze before Him.

He would have none of that, and held her in a grip of tempered durasteel. His volcanic eyes drilled into her, boring into the back of her skull.

"Take care in thy current ministrations, my Dark One," his bass whisper deepened to that of thunder threatening upon some dismal skyline. "For it is not becoming of a Sith."

With an effort not visibly evident, Graysith kept herself under control. Even the Glyph remained neutral to an extent, its energies humming forth in the low ultraviolet. "My love," she stated smoothly. "What has prompted such an accusation? For am I not the One Chosen by you, and in this manner made more than the Sith you would have me as being? Surely my Lord and Love has not erred in his design, for I--"

The grip upon her face tightened more cruelly, the claws now leaving definite imprints upon her flesh. He brought his fearsomely horned visage close to her own, his eyes still pinning her, his mouth mere millimeters from her own. His breath was charnel-house hot against her lips.

"Seek ye within, that thou shalt be made aware of thy wayward path."

The Chosen Daughter fought briefly to shake her head in denial... then ceased. At his merest bidding, she closed her eyes. Not true, not true! she raged within as, reaching deeply inside herself, she sought to prove Him wrong in His assessment.

And there, deep within her own psyche, she came upon a familiar scene. A tiny kernel, jealously guarded by a still-quiescent Beast, its turquoise eyes peering helplessly into her own, awaiting discovery.

Or rememberance.

"No-" she whispered. "No, he scorned me, he meant to kill me, he is dead to me..."

The turquoise eyes continued to stare at her in helpless accusation, suddenly deepening and taking on a more greenish hue. Ashen black hair framing those brilliant orbs sequed into golden blonde, then deepened to red as the eyes likewise deepened to velvet mink.

Their continuing accusation was a literal blow to Graysith. She gasped, flung closed an inner door, and ripped her face from the powerfully clawed hand that held her.

"NO! THIS CANNOT BE!"

In one fluid motion, she was on her feet, the Glyph flaring, her eyes burning into those which still looked through her own and into her very soul. She trembled in anger, an anger she did not even know she had been harboring, not to mention the direction that anger had been directed. With all her strength, the Chosen Daughter pulled herself into control once again.

Aelvedaar merely smiled. "Ahh, my love, " he purred, one hand reaching toward her face once more, this time with the lightness of a lover's caress. "Ever the fiery One you are. One of the myriad reasons I have chosen you amidst eternities."

He paused, waiting for the response he knew was forthcoming, as he gently pulled her face close to his own once again.

"Yours am I, ever, my Dark Heart." The soft whisper in which the words were finally spoken made them more of a valkyrie cry than had they burst forth from her lips in strident passion.

Aelvedaar smiled. "My own Dark Heart in turn," he murmured; then raising his other clawed hand to her opposite cheek he drew her cupped face across the millimeters which separated them, and kissed her.

Rejuvenating strength and purpose flared in Graysith's breast at that kiss. For the briefest of moments, she flung one arm about Aelvedaar's powerfully muscled neck, the other hand reaching upward to play with the horns atop his head as she returned that kiss with an impassioned one of her own. Then she stepped back, a bit breathless.

"Again, my love," Aelvedaar's voice lingered in her mind, even as his body began to fade from her quarters. "Take care in thy current ministrations."

Then he was gone.

Graysith stared at the spot so recently vacated by the Sith Sorcerer, then smiled cruelly. "All that I now do, I do for thee," she vowed silently across the parsecs between them.

"And for the Sith."

[ 08-13-2001 05:18 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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He turned, about to interject a fatheaded remark into the quiet void of the cabin when he finally noticed that she was sitting in a little ball in the copilot's seat, looking very pale. A little trickle of blood oozed from somewhere beneath one of her fingernails, where she had hugged herself too tightly.

Sithspit, what is wrong?

"Galen?" he called.

No reply.

"Are you alright?" Stupid question, Danner. He reached over and shook her slightly. Her face was starting to shift from being flushed to a little ashen.

At last, she turned and made eye contact.

"What is the matter, Galen?" Terrin wondered if this had something to do with her sister, the Sith that she was certain was following her even now, and the Sith that he was also certain was holding Shayla. He was a little concerned that maybe she could sense the Sith's presence coming near. He had to know. "Is it...her?"

She remained quiet, observing him thoughtfully, as though wondering if she should really tell him anything at all. "Oh come on, you can talk to me, I promise. Trust me...please?"

[ 08-13-2001 09:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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...Promising what? That I didn't know, couldn't ever begin to fathom. I just somehow knew it was something beyond Big, far surpassing Momentous, something on a Galactic scale perhaps. All these images somehow were important to each other, as well as to her, and she was important to...

...whatever it was we were up against.... and that same little undefinable sense inside told me with calm assurety that it was far more than the mere retrieval of a jedi padawan.

Problem was, I don't think anyone else knew this but me. I couldn't prove one whit of what concerned me so, either. But I knew....

I took in a deep and shuddery breath, chased my rising trepidations into the back of my head, and brought my focus on Terrin once again. I smiled a bit, suddenly feeling worlds better when I saw the concern he in turn was fairly oozing with.

Concern even a blind Toydarian could see was over me.

I loosened the grip on my arms, one hand reaching tentatively to grasp the one of his own that still held my shoulder. That simple contact broke through the last of my fears, and stirred me back into my old self once again.

"Yeah," I answered him at last. "It's about... her. Jharmeen... I mean, whatever she calls herself now, since it's finally gotten knocked into my hard head that she's Jharmeen no longer.

"But it's her, I know it. I don't know exactly how I know it..."

Don't go there, don't you dare, but oh yes you know how you know this, don't you Galen...?

"I just do."

I paused for breath, searching into his blue eyes, letting myself swim in them for just a moment. Just a brief time of simple enjoyment, for that same sense was now niggling with greater and greater force that pretty soon we weren't gonna have any time to spare for things like that.

And afterward...

I jerked back to the here and now, focusing with stronger determination now. I squeezed his hand.

"I can tell you right now, Terrin, that I don't think your ships are going to be enough. I mean, they're magnificent, and would do well against someone like, well, like the Yuuzhan Vong maybe. But not this, not her, trust me.

"We're gonna have to do some serious talking, and even more serious planning."

I gulped a little, thinking what we were getting ourselves into, then firmed, my hand holding his in a deathgrip now. He winced slightly, and I immediately loosened a touch, but did not let him go. I forced the bigger smile back on my face, then turned to the forward viewscreen.

"Ahh-- are we gonna dock in the normal manner, or splat into Hutt slime?" I queried, with something of my old joie de vivre as I motioned with my free hand toward the rapidly approaching Hornett. I then gave his hand a final squeeze before letting it go, whereupon it joined its fellow in dancing the directions for final docking procedures upon the navigational board.

How in the name of all the Treasure on Roon he managed to do that while still pinning me with those blue eyes of his, I'll never know. Heh... guess we really did have something in common after all, besides the fact that we were both on the trail of the same Sith.

A very, very dangerous one. This wasn't gonna be easy.

I said as much as we entered the docking bay, and settled to a halt. Then I quieted along with the Eagle, as she shut down system after system and put herself to sleep.

Terrin turned to me, crooked a brow in my direction, waved a hand gallantly. I grinned, suddenly feeling much better, as I rose from the copilot's seat, rubbing my torn arms a little as I did.

"Umm-- you said something about shoes?"

[ 08-14-2001 12:29 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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He heard his voice come out, but it was hollow.

What the Sithspit are you doing, buddy? You aren't just falling for this one the typical way. You really like her. She and you are on the same path, and apparently a very deadly one at that...why is it that you stay when so much is at risk?

Sure, there was Shayla, whom he still needed to find, but after his bust from Ambria he highly doubted he'd get paid if he did find her. In short, he could abandon the whole deal with the Moff and not be in worse shape than he already was bussiness-wise. Even so, he sensed something within him that he'd tried on numerous occasions before to push back. For once he actually cared about someone other than himself. It might be the close proximity he'd had with Galen, or the fact that they'd escaped together, but still, he cared for her. More than he would have ever planned.

Ah well. Life is what happens while you are making other plans, he thought, grinning a little.

He hit the release lever that extended the hatch of the Eagle, and lead Galen down the ramp.

At the bottom Stanza, his personal assistant, and a few of his men stood waiting in line Imperial-style.

He smiled over at Stanza.

"Good to see you in one piece, Terrin."

"Yeah, good to be here in one piece," he replied. "I'd like you to meet Galen," he said, waving a hand in her direction. "Galen meet my asistant, Matt Stanza." The two exchanged pleasantries, and Terrin added, "Galen is the reason I made it here in one piece. Quite a pilot she is, and I think we'll find her talents quite helpful in our next venture."

Matt arched an eyebrow at Terrin. "Next venture?"

"All in good time, buddy. First I want Galen to be taken to the Red level guest suite so she can get cleaned up and rested a bit. It's been a long trip. We'll all meet in the dining hall in three standard hours.

Til then, I'll be in my quarters if anyone needs me. And Galen, I'll drop by to pick you up from your room, so you don't feel lost trying to find your way around my SSD."

"Your SSD?" Matt asked, grinning again and shooting Terrin a knowing look. "You ole smoothie. Come on, Galen, let's get you to the guest suite."

[ 08-14-2001 02:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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To her right was the woman's quarters, and the cabin of the ship...she'd been there. To her left, the rest of the ship, which she'd only seen a little of while getting something to eat.

To the left then.

Shayla began wandering down the short hallway of the shuttle, curious as to exactly what she was looking for. For some reason she suddenly wanted to understand all of this...why she was here and where precisely here was.

Follow the guidance of the Force, she heard from somewhere. She wasn't sure who spoke those words or if anyone spoke them at all.

Very well then. She proceeded down the hallway, noticing that there were a couple of other rooms, most likely quarters like her own, all the way down the hall. She walked past the kitchenette where she had eaten earlier.

No reason to go back there, Shayla thought to herself.

Oddly enough, she felt as though the Force was really guiding her somewhere...to something that she should see. As she continued walking, she observed strange markings all over the shuttle, above door controls and any sort of controls for that matter.

A language? Whatever it was, Shayla didn't recognize it. She stored that information in her mind, and proceeded on, The shuttle was not very big, for shortly she reached the back of the shuttle where she found a sort of very small cargo hold...and a small closet with some rather peculiar objects to look through.

As she stepped into the closet, she noticed some dark robes hanging on a rack to her right. She ran her hand through them, feeling the material was soft and flowing.

Sith robes? The thought made her shudder, and a feeling she hadn't had for some time was trying to emerge. She shoved it back.

There is good in her too, and she needs me, Shayla reminded herself.

In front of her she found a rack of old books. Curious, she flicked on the light switch to her right and picked up one of them. The book was heavy and very worn. She opened the front page, and immediately realized that this writing was the same as the writing all over the shuttle.

Then, it all began to fit together. Sith robes, strange writings, the woman...this was a Sith shuttle...

Shayla closed the book and put it back on the rack, and turned to leave when to her right she noticed something shining. Surprised by this, she peered over to the source and spotted it...on the floor, next to her feet.

Crystal? Here? How bizarre...

Shayla intended to leave the four crystal shards where they were, but something was pulling her towards them, as though one of them was meant for her.

Fine, she thought. I can take a hint.

She picked up the smallest of the crystal shards, which was about the length of her thumb. The crystal shone, and was of a soft violet hue.

Feeling satisfied with this find, Shayla left the closet and the cargo hold and wandered back to her quarters, suddenly feeling as though she was being watched.

What she was going to do with this crystal, she had not yet determined. Why she had even decided it must be hers was beyond her.

But the Force was guiding...

[ 08-16-2001 11:17 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Take care in thy current ministrations... The words, uttered so softly, rang with unwonted harshness in her mind. Take care...

Abruptly, she came to a halt, her hands clenched by her side, working the material of her signature cloak. Her Sith cloak.

For Sith I am, am I not? That unsettling question came welling up from deep within her soul, to hover laughing before her inner gaze. Within, the Beast reared it's blind head, beginning to grumble its misgivings, one taloned paw tightening its grip upon that tiny kernel which yet lay hidden there, unbeknownst to her until now.

From whence came that mote? Graysith let the growing rage die down a bit as she pondered this apparent enigma. For once it was alive within me, only to have been squelched when... when He dared to toss me aside like an old bone....

Old bone... That image provoked yet another, several in fact. Shadowy images rising from a cloying mist, seeking to dissipate that dark fog with a ray of light, fighting against it in a proposition neither winning nor losing. But in their silent battle, winning here and there a semblance of victory in that something of themselves were allowed brief egress from that dark.

Shadowy landscapes tumbled across deep memories: landscapes dusty and sere, in which an older man and two young women seemed to laugh and dig, unearthing both bone and remnant and shard and ancient stone and shining crystal... until One which shone with the Darkest light of all was discovered.

"No..." The Chosen Daughter was scarcely aware that she had uttered the word. Her eyes closed in something close to pain, as one slim hand reached up to the Sigil upon her brow.

With obstinate mockery, it remained low-keyed, as though it too were waiting. Somewhere, something uttered an evil little chuckle. Somewhere, a doorway, peeping open, slowly closed.

M'wonBo'o raised his fearsome head, and growling, rose menacingly to his feet. There he silenced himself, his head down, his tendrils alertly sensing, his pupilless eyes affixed upon the cloaked figure before him.

A dark whisper came to her ears, its echo coursing icily through her very essence. Chosen Daughter, none but thee... chosen thou hast been, and allowed to choose in turn.

What hast thou indeed truly chosen? What strengths guide thy path? To what End do you adhere?

Slowly, slowly, Graysith's eyes opened, focused... upon herself. All that she had been, and now was. All she had endured, believed, succored within her. What she did indeed choose in the end.

As well as the End path she chose now.

And toward that End, saw how she had erred. Saw with new eyes the wisdom of Aelvedaar, who had through it all remained silent until this last moment, letting her find her way. A Way now beckoning before her, its road suddenly a rocky one, but one she began to step forth upon with a new and much grimmer determination.

And in a blinding flash of insight, understood the true depth of those six brief words he had uttered.

The All was her strength, the great Powers bestowed upon her a beacon shining her way to her final destiny. But she had misused them so greatly; she saw that with such clarity now...

One ought not reveal one's complete armament to one's enemies until the moment one strikes out with it with deadly force, lest in that glimmering the enemy finds a chance means to protect himself from it.

"So be it."

The words came in a whisper, yet one which rang far beyond the walls of her quarters. Graysith's focus was slightly diverted as she felt a nudge against her leg; the great tuk'ata had clicked his way to her side, and was butting his head against her affectionately, his earlier misgivings vanished, his simple mind awaiting instruction.

She looked down to him, caressed his streamlined head, playfully tweaked a face-tendril. Go, my Faithful One, she sent forth a bit of herself into his mind. Go now and seek she who is with us, who I in turn have chosen. Bring her to me.

I have much which needs attention.

With that, she let her hand drop from M'wonBo'o, who growled in obedience and departed from her quarters. As did the Chosen Daughter, who let her feet take her to the bridge.

There she seated herself, and closing her eyes, concentrated.

The entire bow section of the Sith ship then burst with violent energies as, in her final utilization of them until The Time Was At Hand, Graysith called upon the All to release the ship from its hidden spot in elseness.

It popped into the Universe like a cork from a bottle, spewing forth seeker droids in the process.

Then she sat back in her pilot's seat, pondering her next move. There were those out there who sought to stop her. It was only a matter of which one she wished to destroy first.

[ 08-16-2001 01:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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Crouch I as... yess-ss-sss... there, toward strange moving canyon-wall comes this ONE, this SHE, HER fur through non-stone of some strange place reeking, HER hand of non-life small source being... alarmed, her mind I creep into, as my eyes wait to plunge into HERS...

[ 08-16-2001 02:01 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by M'wonBo'o ]

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And there it was, the creature, looking at her as though to pounce on her.

At first Shayla winced back, bumping against the door of her quarters. Then, from somewhere deep within herself that she was not aware of until now, calm emerged. Complete and utter calm. Shayla bathed in the peace, and took a deep breath, withdrawing from the door on which now she was leaning.

And as though her mind and its were one, her thoughts seemed to suddenly become its thoughts.

A Telepathic being, Shayla reasoned. She had been in contact with such before, just not this kind. Most people, when approached by such, pushed the other being from their mind. Shayla, however, had learned to deal with the circumstances, and let her mind become part of its.

Where? she asked it.

The reply, as was her question, came in a thought rather than in words. She was to follow him to the cabin, where She awaited her.

Shayla nodded, and sent out a message of understanding.

And to the bridge, they proceeded...

[ 08-16-2001 02:38 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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Well now, this looks somehow familiar, doesn't it Galen ol' girl? Heh; same song, second, third, or was it the fourth verse....

For the briefest of moments the smile on my face dimmed as the words to those other verses ran quickly through my mind.

That Kaladorian dress given to you by Seus on the Bounty Hunters Guild World... the black jumpsuit and jacket bought for you by Sorben... the opulence of the suites afforded you by Actar... the Sith flightsuit appropriated aboard the Jester ...and restored to you by Her....

I shivered a little, then quieted, a rueful little grin upon my face. Sheesh, ol' girl; when ya ever gonna get a job and buy your own wardrobe, hmmm???

The answering "when rancors dance" was pushed firmly away as I slapped my hands to my thighs.

No better time than the present, I thought. Let's see what bounty awaits you here.

After a brief reconnoiter of the rooms handed to me... as well as confirming that, yes Galen, the door does indeed open to your touch, you are definitely not a prisoner here... I headed for the 'fresher. Once more I wallowed in the hedonistic pleasures of hot, running water and perfumed soap. I took my time, putting myself in a sultry and lazy mood. Then I slinked out, a T'Bryllian towel muffling my body in its likewise heavenly folds, and headed to the locker.

Locker. Now, that's scarcely the correct name for this, Galen... For though my quarters were scarcely warmed by the touch of carved greel wood, did not have the whole-foot encompassing carpet upon its floor that the Bim Rennian suites had possessed, the accomodations which surrounded me were scarcely of a militaristic bent. Originally spare, they had yielded to the expert touch of someone who had enriched them with art works and throw rugs and pillows and wall hangings from all over the Galaxy. The aforementioned "locker" was a large and ornate cabinet, hailing from the Corporate Sector. It fairly oozed with a strangely austere glitz.

I opened its doors, and rummaged about its rather large interior. At length I emerged with two items of clothing clutched in my hands. For a brief moment I hesitated, knowing full well that first appearances are the most important ones, and I was to be introduced to those who mattered as some sort of hotshot pilot whom Terrin had found. I glanced from one item to the other...

...and common sense won out in that it backed off entirely in the matter.

I flung aside the simple black jumpsuit with its accompanying gold-buckled belt and ankle-length, sleeveless tunic, and turned my attentions to the dress I now shook out to admire.

I believe the planet of its origin was Naboo, and it looked to be meant for royalty. What it was doing here I hadn't a clue, but for one night it was not going to languish any further in that darkened cabinet. Basking in the feel of the rich material, I pulled it on. Then I went to the full-length mirror embedded in the bulkhead of the sitting room, and stared.

Long and flowing it was, of the deepest midnight. Its entirety was covered with something that glittered and sparkled like the very stars of the heavens, giving the garment a look of having captured that canopy and incorporating it into its folds. Here and there hung hand-worked other things, which likewise glimmered with a soft, silvery light, and tinkled with an approximation of starsong as I moved. The dress hung like the Night about me, covering me yet at the same time revealing coquettishly that which ought to be revealed. A line from a long-lost poem jumped into my mind; Khaandon knew who had written it or when:

She walks in beauty like the Night....

It would do nicely.

I looked for the shoes Terrin had promised, and found them sitting unobtrusively in the bottom of that wondrous cabinet. Simple they were; soft leather slippers of a hue to match the glimmer in the dress. I slipped them on; of course they fit perfectly.

I then moved to the door to my quarters, opening them with a single gesture. There I poked my head out, looking right and left down corridors which extended seemingly to infinity. I smiled to myself; guess I'd best wait to be retrieved. Terrin was right; this was a Super Star Destroyer...

Wow...

...and I could quite easily get lost if I decided to go wandering about. The best thing to do now would be to show some patience and wait until Terrin came to get me, as he had promised.

A sudden and very insignificant noise startled me out of my pleasant thoughts. I jerked, my eyes roving around to determine the source. Ahh-- there it was, hiding in the shadows of a nearby alcove. A small mouse-like messenger droid sat there, its antenna quivering in my direction.

My smile broadened. "Boo!" I said, the tone of my voice a cross between a whisper and a shout.

The little droid fairly jumped, bleebling a startled protest of its own. Then it rose on its tiny repulsors and fled down the corridor, churbling and prattling its outrage as it went.

Still smiling, I pulled my head back into my quarters, letting the doorway whoosh closed behind me. Somehow, I knew I wasn't going to have to wait long for my retrieval.

[ 08-16-2001 03:49 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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Without, the pinkish-mauve ball of Ambria slowly turned about its axis. So far her little ship had gone unnoticed; soon she would have to make certain that it remained thus by taking her departure. But first things first...

"Ahh-- Shayla," she began in a softly inviting tone. "Thank you for coming to me."

Now she turned in her seat and, rising gracefully to her feet, approached the young woman, her hands held out in quiet offering, a genuine smile brightening her pale face. Upon her forehead, the Glyph lay quiescent.

Now coming close to Shayla, she took up her hands in both of hers. For an impossibly brief moment, her gaze bored through the greeny-blue eyes before her, and into the back of Shayla's head. There it began to quest about, as though seeking something... but abruptly recoiled itself and backed out.

The small incident took up the barest of nanoseconds. Graysith still smiled. Her hands remained clasping Shayla's. The Glyph remained dark and somehow brooding.

Graysith continued on as though nothing untoward had happened. "You must forgive me for seemingly ignoring you, Shayla," she spoke up smoothly, leading the young woman in a manner equally smooth out of the command bridge and down the connecting corridor. "I am usually not so remiss to those I... entertain aboard my ship."

She paused outside a small hatchway, reached forth, opened it. It slid silently upward, revealing a small but comfortable lounge within. With a smile, the Chosen Daughter beckoned to Shayla, bidding her enter. After but a moment's hesitation, she did so, with Graysith following her and taking a seat across a small table from her.

The Dark Lady smiled again, her head cocked as she studied the woman before her. "You must have many, many questions," she began softly, accentuating the words with a quickly raised hand to fend off those very questions seeking disclosure before her. "In due time, all shall be answered, young one.

"But first I have one I would ask of you."

The smile on Graysith's face seemed to simultaneously deepen and darken with those words as, taking a moment's pause, she reached for one of many delicacies gracing a small platter upon the table between them. Leaning back comfortably, she took a bite, her free hand indicating that Shayla help herself. The jedi paused uncertainly, then acquiecsed, leaning forward and plucking an enticingly ripe t'plykk fruit from the platter, then bringing it to her lips, her eyes never leaving the violet pair before her.

The bite she was intending to take froze at the next words Graysith spoke to her.

"What would you have of me, my sister-to-be?" the Chosen Daugher inquired.

[ 08-16-2001 04:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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You have a female to impress and some business to work out, buddy. Time to get up and get ready for whatever lies ahead.

Sighing and blinking the last bits of sleep from his eyes, Terrin got up and wandered over to the fresher, where he stayed in the shower for a good thirty minutes. He emerged in a dark blue robe that matched the shade of his eyes, and wandered over to his closet.

Gotta look good for this one, man, he reminded himself. Usually when it was just he, his partner, and the rest of the guys they all stayed pretty casual. But with Galen there, things would be different. And besides, this dinner was more business than usual, considering the topic that would most certainly come up.

From the assortment of jumpsuits and uniforms he had in his closet, Terrin pulled out a pair of casual black pants and a deep blue tunic. He changed out of his robe into these clothes, then slid on some less-worn boots than the ones he had been traveling in.

Feeling satisfied with his clothing, Terrin went back into the fresher, where he gave his semi-wet blonde hair a look. It was starting to get longer, but was still fairly short. He hoped it didn't look too messy to Galen.

Didn't look to messy to Galen? Since when do you care about something like that? He grinned michievously at himself in the mirror, amused with his sudden concern about his appearance.

After combing through his hair, Terrin set the comb down on the fresher station's counter. He picked up a bottle that had been sitting next to the sink, screwed the top off, then turned it over above his other hand, allowing a little of the liquid to run into it. Then, he returned the bottle to it's upright position and sat it on the counter again. Rubbing the hand with liquid on it from the left side of his chin over to his right, Terrin applied the shave lotion. He replaced the top, then gave his face one more glance in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable.

Terrin turned, proceeded to his door, shut the lights in the room off, and exited his quarters. He locked the door behind him, then walked down the hallway a short distance to Galen's guest suite. He knocked, and in only a few moments, she answered.

And he couldn't keep his jaw from nearly falling to the floor. There she stood, her big brown eyes looking straight through him, in a gorgeous midnight blue gown. Or was it that SHE made the gown look gorgeous? The blue accentuated her short red hair and pale skin esquisitely.

He was, for once in his life, completely...speechless.

"Urrmm.." he started, the roguish grin that had been pulling at the corners of his mouth at last emerging, "Ready to go?"

[ 08-16-2001 07:19 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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