(((OOC: I'm just taking a stab at reentering the RP. Not 100% sure where I was but this is as close as we can figure now. Post will be short until I get back in the swing of things. Feel free to edit this post if anything does not fit well with the continuum of the RP Thanks!)))

It has been months since I was captured aboard that Sith ship. Much have I endured in that time. Torture, loneliness, heartache, and most recently pain. Pain from the feeling of all the sudden tragic deaths that occurred in the destruction of the Empires blockade around the Sith worlds.

I spent many long hours in my cell before I was granted a limited freedom aboard the SSD. I learned my captor was one named Sorben Tarnuss. A reasonable man, when he is getting what he wants. I am actually a little surprised that I was not sent back to my cell or confined to my new quarters during the aftermath of the mass destruction. But like I said... Tarnuss can be a reasonable man.

The months have been long here, and I long for some adventure, an adventure of my own. Word has it that we are headed back to Coruscant. I'm sure there will be plenty of adventure there!

Many things have I learned in my private meditation. Mostly force related. My Lightsaber was confiscated long ago, and though I had, and have, the use of the force, I still felt rather defenceless. So I developed a technique to remedy that situation. I can now create a feild of Force lightning so controlled that it can be wielded as a lightsaber. Granted it has limited cutting power, but It should be enough to keep those who dare attack me at bay.

There is much to do upon arrival on Coruscant, if I am allowed off the ship that is. I see no reason why I shouldn't be allowed off, but that decision is not mine to make at this time. I am still a "guest" here, and will abide by the rules of Lt. Tarnuss. I will seek audience with him before we arrive and request permission to stay on Coruscant. My first order of business will be to track down my first child, whom I have not yet met, in order to do that I must first find my hetero lifemate Dink the Wonder JAWA, and my ship, or at least transport to Tatooine. The homeworld of Alexis, my lover and mother of my child.

[ 06-22-2007 03:12 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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I don't think I'll ever get used to how large an Imperial Super Star Destroyer really is. The walk to the turbolift just from my quarters took a good 15 standard minutes, of course that was at a leisurely pace, the troops and officers on board walked much faster, due to years of training and hurried schedules.

I entered the turbolift. "Administration Office." I stated to the computer.

"Access Denied" was the automated reply.
Access denied?!? I thought. "How strange?!? Oh well. I'll just comm them from my quarters." I thought out loud.

I walked back to my cramped "guest" quarters and hailed the Admin office on my wall comm. "This is Dash Kelderon, requesting an audience with Lt. Tarnuss at his leisure. Preferably before we arrive on Coruscant."

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Landarian sat in military-stiff silence, just as he had the moment they departed orbit; well, departed from the space where they had been in a far-orbit: filling the seat normally occupied by Lt. General Tarnus, keenly aware that he was far from completely filling it's potential.

Sorben. Was...

Gone.

He blinked, his hand once again fisting atop the shining desk, vowing for the umpteenth time to return with an even larger blockade, to pluck his Commander from the jaws of presumed imprisonment--

If indeed he was yet alive, that is...

--and reduce those worlds to rubble.

His self-imposed hermitage was rudely interrupted when an incoming message blinked on the desk in front of him. He loosened his hand, slid his eyes downward with a grunt, reached out with a single finger and flipped the comm.

"Yes?" The word was more bark than vocal.

"Dash Kelderon, prisoner of the Lt. General, requesting audience, Sir."

Prisoner of Tarnus? Out roaming Relentless free as a proverbial bird? Landarian shook his head, reached out and flipped the switch, opened his mouth to order the apparently former prisoner be reinstated to his earlier status, when he stopped.

Could his presence onboard be more than just a coincidence? Could there be some connection between this man and the Whatever-It-Was that rocked them nearly senseless, and destroyed every last ship that had been parked in orbit around the Sith system?

Deep inside he knew he was grasping at straws. But considering the enormity of what had occurred, he didn't dare dismiss even the tiniest irregularity as being trivial.

He leaned forward.

"See him in," he replied, his voice now calm, his manner back to it's usual aplomb. Then he released the switch, straightened an imaginary wrinkle on his uniform jacket, and waited.

[ 06-22-2007 01:36 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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"You have been granted an audience with our commander. Report to the Administration Office post haste."

I made double time to the Administration office. I took nothing with me, as I was relieved of all my possessions a long time ago. All I had was the clothes on my back and the Force. But I do not believe they knew about that.

After a relatively long ride in the Turbolift system, I arrived at the Administration Office.

"Dash Kelderon. I have a meeting with Lt. Tarnuss."

"Right this way" And the officer at the desk bid me to follow her. She gave me the once over with a security scanner. The Imperials were always a cautious bunch. She keyed in the security code to open the door to Lt. Tarnuss' ready room. "You may enter."

I bowed politely and entered. I looked around the lavishly decorated office, but the man sitting at the desk in the center of the room was not in fact Sorben Tarnuss.

"Dash Kelderon, at your service." I bowed.

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

After letting a carefully calculated minute pass by, he cleared his throat genteelly and addressed him.

"That should be my line, under the circumstances," he said calmly, letting Dash know by those opening words just who had presumed to contact who first.

"May I ask your purpose for this meeting?"

Saying no more he folded his hands atop the desk, millimeters from the communications switch, and waited.

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

I felt a twinge of something within the man through the force. As if he were pained at the mention of the name Sorben Tarnuss. I paused giving him the opportunity to offer his name to me. No response came.

"Moving along to my second reason for requesting this meeting... I wish to take my leave of this ship upon reaching Coruscant. I will understand if the mighty Empire wishes repayment for their great hospitality, and I am willing to offer my services if need be to pay off my debt to you."

"I really hope that he tells me that I can just leave... But something tells me, they may take me up on my offer of repayment..."

I bowed slightly, and left the next move to the man standing before me.

[ 06-24-2007 04:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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Sinking ships and all that...

The Captain of Relentless and Second to Lt. General Tarnus stared keenly at the blue-skinned man, noting his calm yet open expression, as well as his apparent naivety and simplicity. And didn't believe any of it one whit.

"Thank you for bringing to my attention the fact that there are loose lips aboard this ship," he stated at length, reaching out a finger to signal for an orderly. Moments later an ensign entered quietly, saluted, and then disappeared after taking the order to return with tea for the two of them. During this hiatus Landarian spoke nothing further but merely studied the man before him, debating with himself as how to how best approach this small dilemma.

At length the orderly returned and set two steaming cups before the two men. Landarian nodded at Dash, took up his cup, and drank deeply. Removing it from his lips then, he studied the Ch'iss further over the cup's rim, letting his eyes narrow thoughtfully.

"I do not think that can be allowed at this point," he finally said. "Furthermore, there is nothing you might have of Imperial interest with which to buy your freedom, unless--"

He stopped as the look he cast upon Kelderon segued into a rather shrewd one, and took another sip of his tea. How the man replied to this rather oblique statement would guarantee his fate, and as far as Landarian was concerned there were but three stretching out before him...

The third in all probability being the least likely of them all.

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"unless..." That statement bothered me a great deal. Did he know about my abilities? Or was he just probing me for more information about myself. Perhaps a false pretense would be best.

"I am a pretty good shot with a blaster, and not a bad snub fighter pilot if I do say so myself. Are you sure there is nothing I can do to pay my debt to you and be off this ship? Captain...? I'm sorry, I still do not know your name."

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

Perhaps this one was truly innocent after all-- unless he was very, very cunning.

The Second and Captain doubted the latter; he hadn't risen to his present position because he was foolish, or unable to read the body language of others clearly. Considering the words Dash replied with he carefully set his cup down, and loosened his shoulders a few degrees from their former and absolute military stance.

He leaned forward, clasping his hands together and lanced a direct look into Dash's eyes.

"Are you saying you would be a willing recruit to this ship?" he asked, genuinely curious as to what the reason for this apparent turn-about might possibly be.

"That is not something one usually hears coming from the mouth of a pris- that is, of a former prisoner," he amended, then took his cup of tea in hand once more.

[ 06-24-2007 07:26 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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I took the offered beverage and sipped it slowly. Buying myself some time to think.

What have I got to lose? I do not know the whereabouts of my friends, my family, even my ship. Perhaps this is just the opportunity to venture around the galaxy searching for them, relatively uncontested. For there are very few areas where the Empire does not have at least a small presence."

Setting my empty teacup carefully back on the tray, I made a decision I never thought I would make. More of a counter offer really, but still something very unexpected.

"I would offer my services to you for a period of time, not as a part of your crew, but more of a secret agent. I would have clearance to enter all of Imperial space unscathed, in a spacecraft provided by you. I'm not talking about any standard military vessels, for that would not fit the job. But rather an armed unmarked transport, with a private channel linked only to you and the command crew of this ship."

I looked him square in the face, trying to get a read on him.

"But first I would like the pleasure of your name. Before we agree on anything."

[ 06-25-2007 11:16 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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“Weren’t expecting that were ya,” said the young and decidedly unkempt Sith navigator from the pilot’s chair. HaFassil made no effort to hide his awe.
“In my years as a warrior,” he gasped, “I have sacked many a well fortified planet. But I have never seen a defensive fleet such as this.” He mumbled some words under his breath, audible only to AyaShaar who was shoulder-to-shoulder with him. She assumed them to be part of a prayer. AyaShaar had spent the traveling time sequestered in her bunk where she had been reading up on galactic history via the HoloNet. Freedon had been right about everything, she had learned. All his wildest claims about the deceptions the ruling bodies had perpetrated against them had been proven true. Her recent scholarly endeavors had prepared her for a sight of this magnitude, and though she was startled, she was not nearly as awestruck as her bodyguard. She did not say this. Instead she pretended to be dumbfounded. AyaShaar had learned it was best, in most cases, to play your cards close to your chest and not reveal anything unless it was necessary.
“So what now boss?” JenSaan asked.
Neither she nor HaFassil (who stiffened visibly at the appellation ‘boss’) deigned to respond to such an informally phrased question. Traveling the past few days had been trying for both AyaShaar and HaFassil. They were people of action and did not abide being cooped up for long. The irritation was further aggravated by the presence of JenSaan, the young pilot who had been assigned to their mission. Although undeniably competent, JenSaan was infuriatingly informal in his manner of speech and frequently insubordinate. HaFassil had confided in AyaShaar once they he felt that the qualities JenSaan possessed were, in his words, “exactly what was wrong with you the Sith Youth today.” AyaShaar had been less than receptive to his indictment of the “Sith Youth,” and the two had shared little conversation after that. AyasShaar suspected that he now lumped her in with the obnoxious JenSaan, but didn’t care enough to set the record straight.

“Do not divert course,” she instructed, “fly us into the blockade.”

“Don’t you mean establish a wide orbit and wait to be hailed?” said JenSaan.

HaFassil swatted the back of his head, “Do as she says.”

AyaShaar rewarded HaFassil with a brief smile, which he abruptly turned away from. He wanted it to be painfully clear that he was doing only what he felt was his duty. Meanwhile, JenSaan complied. A wing of tie fighters pulled up next to the Sith transport. JenSaan glanced nervously out the viewport at them. AyaShaar could see the blood drain rapidly from the pilot’s face.

“Open a channel. Hail the blockade.” She ordered.

“Which ship?” asked the frightened pilot.

“Any, all, just do it,” was AyaShaar’s sharp reply.

“Alright, your on,” said JenSaan, his voice quavering audibly now.

AyaShaar was beautiful by Sith standards. She had long dark hair that curled luxuriously about her short, elegantly tapered horns, which swept back from her face, following closely the contours of her skull. Her face was girlish and sweet even though experience had long ago robbed her of her childhood naivety. Nonetheless, when she straightened herself up before the holoprojector, preparing to transmit her message her two companions were struck, for the first time, by how regal and self possessed she looked. She appeared absolutely in control and at ease. As if it were she who commanded the vast armada and they who were in the lone transport.

The words, "ETA Coruscant, 42 standard minutes," scrolled by in all their digital glory; quickly he acknowledged and flipped off the screen. It lowered itself back into the desk, and went to sleep once more.

Landarian raised steely eyes to the waiting Dash.

"We could use one as you, if what you claim you can do is indeed true. But surely even you can see the foolishness of handing over what you wish on a veritable platter, especially since we were not the ones to call you to our ship in the first place."

He moved his brows in a meaningful manner, trusting Dash would recall more clearly how he arrived aboard Relentless, and remember as well how lucky he was to have been given the relative freedom of it.

Captain Landarian folded his hands atop the desk.

"In order to comply with your desires, you must join into Imperial Forces. You will be tested to see what talents you possess; if you have the inherent predisposition to gain the MOS of stealth fighter, or -- ahem! -- gatherer of information, we shall place you as such.

"Otherwise, my friend, I fear you are in no position to obtain any such deal from us, unless of course, there is more you have to offer which you might have neglected to mention? Odd your request to act as a spy for us; perhaps there is something you know now that you'd wish to divulge?

"It might prove to gain my interest and leniency regarding the proposition you have presented here."

As he spoke, his fingers had been busy, typing a swift message to Captain Sarontogo aboard the flagship Catalytic, currently in command of the protective blockade around Coruscant. In it he asked formal permission to penetrate the blockade, that he might send a message to Admiral Actar without any undue electronic disturbance that would be produced by the web-work of tractor beams.

After a moment's thought, he scribed a quick missive to him, just as a backup.

"Blockade around Sith sector destroyed. Show-Man missing. Relentless only survivor; if no further message from me within the hour, send information to Actar, doubly coded, encrypted, and pig-backed.

"Matter is of the utmost urgency."

A tiny movement of one finger, and the message winged off, being doubly encoded, encrypted and piggy-backed atop his formal request for re-entry into Coruscant space. Once it was safely sent off he returned his attention to Dash, and quietly took another sip of his rapidly cooling tea.

[ 06-27-2007 07:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Captain Landarian ]

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I shifted in my chair. Wondering what the Imperial officer sitting before me was doing or reading on that screen.

"I have been to the Sith worlds, as you no doubt already figured out. I have some information that may be of use to you."

I gazed at him, hoping deep down that I had peeked his interest. No dice! His return glance was as cold as ice.

"It seems that you leave me little choice in the matter. I either join the Empire, or stay here on board this ship, indefinitely."

A nod from my captor, and a faint smile crossed his lips. He did believe he he had me cornered.

"With all due respect sir. I do not wish to formally join the empire. I am afraid that the information regarding my new status as a member of the mighty Empire would leak out, and I would become a target by many who do not believe in the Empires principals and practices."

I was stuck. I didn't want to show him any of my Jedi abilities, but I was backed into a corner. And I hate being backed into a corner.

"Would you do something for me?"

A questioning gaze was all I got as a response.

"Take your blaster and fire a shot at me."

This plan had better work.

(((OOC: Sorry about the Capt. Obvious post. I didn't realize I was still logged in as him. Please delete it when you get a chance. Thanks)))

[ 06-27-2007 07:58 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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He folded his hands, shifted his weight just so.

"So," he said in the softest and most level of voices. "You have been to the Sith worlds. You must have seen things, heard things, observed their culture, spoken with the natives--

"It interests me how you came to those worlds, and what you might have learned during your sojourn there."

He picked up his cup again, glanced at it then grimaced. The tea had gone quite cold, as cold, in fact, as the tightening constriction growing within his chest. For it seemed doubly odd that this man had made no mention of the titanic rocking Relentless had undergone.

Just as odd, in fact, as how he knew they were heading to Coruscant bearing news as to the cause of such a horrific event.

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"I know of their culture and society. But I wish to have confirmation that my previous requests will be carried out before I divulge any information about the Sith. I wish to have my leave of this ship."

I refilled my cup from the quickly cooling karaffe on the desk. And used the force to gently coax the molecules of the beverage into motion, thereby heating the beverage until it began to steam slightly.

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Sith?

He couldn't help but rear back in surprise, blinking.

Sith?!

Training took over; he whirled in his seat, calling out for the Officer on Deck.

"Sir, I have an incoming transmission, sir; it requests permission to land on Coruscant and meet with Admiral Actar, sir.

There was an imperceptible pause.

"They claim to be, ahh-- United Sith, sir."

The Officer on Deck had been coming over with a scowl, for such a request was one to be automatically denied unless formal permission was given, and the Ensign had no business passing this hail along to him. But when he heard from whence the hail originated--

"Put that ship up on screen, Ensign!" he barked as he came up behind the Communications officer and stood there, arms crossed. He pinned steely blue eyes to the forward screen.

"Aye, Sir!"

Immediately there appeared on-screen a strange ship, a ship whose configuration was utterly different from anything anyone on the command deck had ever seen. Now it was the turn of the OOC to blink, taken momentarily aback.

"Sith?" he repeated awkwardly, then resumed his normal, icily military control.

"Send what you've just told me to Captain Sarontogo, His Eyes Only."

"Aye, Sir!" came the automatic response, and it was done.

[ 07-25-2007 01:53 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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Another? he wondered to himself, thinking it was Landarian squirting more information to him. His brows rose even further after he quickly read the glowing digital print.

United Sith... as in coming from the worlds in the Sith sector, our blockade around said worlds having just been handily destroyed?

By this lone ship--?

He snorted in disgust.

Hardly; no single person or ship had the wherewithal to destroy an entire blockade; this Sith ship now suddenly showing its face here simply had to be the forerunner of--

What? Invasion?

They certainly weren't here simply to say hello.

He grunted, realizing that although to all outward appearances these strangers were powerful, they were not omnipotent. For while they were aware of Actar being Number One in the chain of command over their New Empire, they hadn't a clue that the man wasn't on Coruscant at all, but secreted away on the world of their shipyards, Ambria.

His lips curled.

"Request reason for said contact; the Admiral is a busy man," he sent back to the bridge, then settled back to await the reply he knew was sure to come.

________________________________________

At his station on the bridge, the Ensign did as ordered, sending the Captain's words verbatim along the same frequency to the strange little ship.

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So that's what this was all about. A faction of dissidents, seeking asylum, he thought to himself. For he certainly did not believe a word the strangers were saying.

Even if he did believe them, how was he to know that indeed they were not behind the purported destruction of the blockade? Purported since, to this moment in time, he had nothing to go by other than Landarian's message, obliquely backed up by that of the newcomers.

Who may indeed have somehow feigned the missive supposedly coming from Relentless.

He sighed a little, nodding to himself.

Nothing for it, actually, but to wait and see if Relentless actually does show her face, and then after conferring with Landarian, he finally decided.

But in the meanwhile, what to do with these so-called United Sith?

"Inform them to stand by," he sent back tersely, nodding when an "Aye, Sir," came back from the bridge.

"Now we shall see what we shall see," he said to himself before calling for an aide to bring him a cuppa caff.

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He avoids answering my direct queries, he makes no mention whatsoever of the pounding we so recently took, and now there is no reply from Sarontogo.

The icy constriction in his chest constricted further, and he cast an even more discerning look upon Kelderon.

Something is happening, that's a certainty, but what?

He sighed. There was nothing for it, then. Quickly, he contacted security via his touchpadd, ordered guards to his ready room and from there to escort the strangely complacent Chi'ss to quarters-- and to keep him under heavy guard there, both within his room and without. When the order had been carried out, he turned his attention to other important matters.

Leaning forward, he flicked a particular switch, his lips thinning when a penetrating wail responded to that move. His finger moved and opened ship-wide communication.

"This is Captain Landarian. All personnel, battle stations code two; I repeat, battle stations code two. This is not a drill."

Knowing the entire ship was now on alert, he sat back in his chair, letting his growing trepidation escape him in a single, great sigh. Then standing, he straightened his uniform and departed for the bridge, where he belonged during circumstances such as this.

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Just as we rounded the corner to the hall that my quarters were located on, there was a ship wide hail.

"This is Captain Landarian. All personnel, battle stations code two; I repeat, battle stations code two. This is not a drill."

This may be the chance I was looking for.

I returned to my quarters, and waited for the right time. I had a feeling that the time would pass quickly.

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Tensions aboard ISSD Catalytic had lessened a touch when at length Relentless had showed her face. From there a sleek interceptor had carried Captain Landarian to board the flagship of the protective Coruscant blockade, a small fact undoubtedly noted with much interest by the newcomers who were yet hovering nearby.

But nothing untoward occurred; at the moment Landarian found himself in Sarontogo's ready room, his tea cooling in front of him, his eyes filled with worry he would allow no one other than Command rank and above to see. Uppermost in his mind was the troubling memory of his fleet's utter destruction, but even more troubling was the naggingly persistent question of, by whom?

It was a world of the Sith. The newcomers proclaimed themselves to be of the Sith. And what did the Empire know of the Sith? Nothing, other than whispers of them being Darkside users, foes of justice and democracy, haters of Jedi and all things good, selfish beings who lived purely at the expense of others... and who purportedly existed only as a single pair.

A single pair.

Yet here was a ship, albeit a small one, who carried beings claiming to be of the Sith. And behind Landarian was an entire world full of them, if what Tarnus had stated was indeed true.

A world around which an entire fleet of Imperial star destroyers had been flicked from existence with no further thought than one would give in the flicking off of a gleeberfly.

Indeed it was enough to fill one's mind with worrisome "ifs" and "what ifs." And so the little ship remained where it was, blocked by the fleet's tractor beams from entering Coruscant's atmosphere, likewise (if hopefully) kept from departing by another set of criss-crossed beams, while Landarian and Sarontogo debated over entirely too much caff and tea as to what in all the Galaxy they should do.

Sorben's absence, not to mention the cricket noises emanating from Actar and Swatzi, were a set of keen and aching holes both men were very much aware of, which quite obviously did not help matters in the least little bit.

[ 09-09-2007 12:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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Bon followed at the rear of the group, followed closely by a pair of armed stormtroopers. For years he dreamed of this moment, living it over and over in his nightmares, but in that dream he always ended with pulling out a thermal detonator in the main reactor room and taking the elite command with him. But even though this was a very different situation, he still felt oddly at ease.

Maybe it was the pure hopelessness. But no, there was something very serene about being in the very belly of your enemy, thinking there might be a vague sort of hope that you may live through it. He would play the part, and hope that the Empire actually would be reasonable.

Sure, and maybe womprats would fly out of his rear, too.

Well, there was always the thermal detonator idea.

If only he had one.

I dunno if it was the stormtroopers following us, or the cameras all over, or what, but the hairs on my neck stood straight up for a little bit, like something unnatural was spying on us.

Well, it didn’t last long, at any rate, because soon we were hustled into a holding room and told to sit tight until someone came for us. I think we all knew the place was bugged, because nobody said anything for a long time. Even Bluebell didn’t fidget, he just kept his hands glued tight on that big book of his.

After what seemed like an eternity, I couldn’t take it any longer.

“So,” I said. “Anyone else get the feeling something big is going on around here? Who do ya think we’ll meet?”

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