Graysith merely sighed, a bit annoyed as time continued to extend itself in this impasse. She had expected Galen to resist to some extent, but had actually been surprised to see how she recoiled from her husband's words with such complete disbelief. Shaking her head, she reached out her other hand to Galen, and touched her lightly on her forehead.

"As much as it does pain me to say this, my dear, the words your husband has said to you are in fact true," she began, her violet eyes darkening a bit in inverse proportion to the suddenly brightening Glyph. "Whether or not you believe them is indeed entirely up to you; I don't expect a rancor to change its spots.

"But!" she went on, her tone of voice darkening, utterly belying the sweet smile she now let spread across her face. "It would do you good to believe them in their entirety. Whatever you think of me or the path I have been privileged to set out upon-- and yes, sister mine, it is a privilege and an honor I would not expect one such as you to ever truly understand --you at least are aware of what that path entails. As well as what pitfalls and destinies lie scattered along it.

"As much as you would dislike it, Galen, you are yourself now bound up upon that path, as is your daughter. There is nothing... NOTHING IN THIS UNIVERSE OR BEYOND ...which will alter that pathway now it has been set into motion. And how you choose to face this particular future, again, is entirely up to you."

She drew back a bit, lessening the pressure of the Claw-wielding hand just a bit, and allowed the other hand to lightly stroke across Galen's forehead. For a moment her eyes flicked over her sister's head and into the eyes of the waiting Shayla; then she dropped her gaze back to Galen and spoke up for a final time.

"This has gone on long enough. I cannot allow this silliness to impede my path any longer."

With that, and before the sleeping Darra could be awakened, she sent a tendril of the All into Galen's brainstem. There it met and coiled about the sleep centers hidden deeply within the protection of tissue and bone, and niggled them gently.

Galen's wide eyes promptly fell closed, and her body relaxed into the first true rest she had had in months.

Graysith reached out quickly and plucked the still-sleeping JhinDarra from her sister's arms even as Galen fell, and then handed her to her Adept, who had quietly approached her. Then stooping, she picked Galen up, the All boosting her physical strength, turned, and carried her from the docking bay. Leading Shayla, a contemplative Recinis trailing behind, she hadn't traversed but a couple of the winding corridors when she came upon the unexpected presence of Terrin. He was hovering there as though not quite certain if he should continue on as directed, or return to Galen as he so deeply desired. In fact he was just in the process of actually turning about when the presence of the Chosen Daughter and her Adept stopped him in his tracks. She likewise came to a halt, and held Galen out to him.

Their eyes met in silence over her sleeping form.

With another nod, Graysith sent a silent directive to Shayla, who now complied by bringing Darra up and laying her once again upon her mother's exhausted body. Then she stepped back, waiting along with her Teacher to see what Terrin Danner would now do.

[ 08-05-2002 06:13 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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You're losing her, it whispered darkly. She doesn't understand. She cannot see. All that you've fought for has been for nothing...

Then, his eyes falling on the tiny form of his sleeping daughter, that little thought went poof! and this one was left behind:

You have NOT fought in vain. You've found your daughter. She needed her mother. Through the events that have so recently occurred, daughter and mother are now reunited. Though your involvement in that may seem questionable to Galen--beyond questionable--you did the absolute ONLY thing you could to bring them together.

You have NOT fought in vain.

On the heels of that, a rather strange thought presented itself to Terrin--something he hadn't really had the opportunity to consider, but something that seemed oh so blessedly possible.

Little JhinDarra. She KNEW him. And not from just since he'd been reunited with her and her mother aboard the Sith ship. She knew him before then...

...had protected him that fateful day so long ago on Khar Delba in the Temple. Had again recognized the danger later on the Devil May Care when he'd lost his arm.

Darra knew him. Knew him as Daddy. Gods, but he was just certain of it.

And she knew his intentions even now. She had special gifts...

...could probably read him like a book with her primeval yet highly sofisicated senses. She would be the link.

Quietly yet gratefully, Terrin scooped up his family from Graysith's eeriely strong arms. Held them closely to him, "I think we all could use some rest," he said.

Then he silently stepped away to find quarters where he and his wife and daughter could find some rest.

And hopefully a bit of understanding as well.

Settling Galen and Darra in a bed in some rather plush quarters, Terrin nestled in beside the two of them, striving for sleep yet struggling to gain it.

Sighing at that, he reached out to stroke Darra's forehead, his arm draping over Galen's slumbering body in the motion. He let it rest there as a solid reassurance to Galen that he was still there, his fingers barely brushing the soft skin on Darra's arm.

How he wished their lives would slow down for more simple moments like this. How he wished life wasn't always so complicated.

But then, nobody ever said life was easy. And nobody ever said personal growth didn't hurt; that sacrifices you made were always understood for what they were.

Only those with the keenest of senses, such as little Darra, could truly see. As well as those who knew a person so well they'd somehow eventually come to understand their true intentions, as Galen knew him.

Terrin resigned himself to waiting for the moment when that understanding was gained. When the realization that he truly had done the only thing he possibly could have to save them all arose.

It just HAD to happen. He HAD to believe it. Or else the shattered person that was the Terrin Danner of old might just have his way and resurface.

And THIS Terrin Danner wouldn't let him do that.

As these thoughts progressed, Terrin's wife and little daughter slept on...

[ 08-05-2002 09:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Mara1Jade ]

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Then she thought to her Teacher, Strange that she notes not the incongruity of the situation. Strange she does not see how very easy it would have been for us to leave the Child in safekeeping, far away from her. And strange that she has not considered that we allowed the Mother and Daughter to link, knowing full well what the consequences of that action might entail. Seems as though she believes her husband to have handed the Child over to us, when indeed the complete opposite is true.

Shayla paused at that, her eyes defocusing as she considered this. Then, The Child DOES seem to equate Mr. Danner as her blood father--at least, she does not seem to sense him as a threat to her Mother. Perhaps the family indeed needs some time alone to consider these incongruencies. What think you my Sister?

[ 08-06-2002 11:30 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Mara1Jade ]

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The little entourage moved quickly onward, Graysith preferring to remain silent for the length of the journey. At the hatchway to the command center she came to a stop, turning to peer into her Adept's face.

"Your observations are only as I expected them to be, my Sister," she said softly, "and keen they are indeed. What you do not know is the relationship I have had over time with this blood-sister of mine, all that she has suffered as a result of my actions. This is what is goading her now to disbelieve our intentions, whether or not her child is with her. For you see, she knows me. And deeply within her she feels the presence of the child to be yet another ruse, I believe."

She paused, bringing a finger up to brush against her lips thoughtfully, studying Shayla and then sliding her eyes to encompass Recinis as well.

"It will be interesting to see if she in fact does know me to the extent I believe that she does."

Saying nothing more, she opened the hatch and entered the large and geometrically wrong command center. There she settled herself in the seat next to Erik, to await their arrival at K'eel Doba...

...and sent a final comment quietly into Shayla's mind:

"Personal and deeply held beliefs are the most difficult to persuade one into changing, are they not, my Sister?"

The Sith ship continued to howl through the glory of hyperdriven space.

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[ 08-06-2002 03:32 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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