Qaela

Starlisk's response was. . . sufficient. She sensed no deception within his words or intent. She kept her reaction buried under the deepest layers of security and mental defenses she could muster, refusing to let it show. Ads', on the other hand, was amusing enough, even if she could only get a taste of his intent from the connections she had made with his mind throughout the buildup of the spell. To him, she offered a small smile. She had no reason to believe that he would ever be interested in her, but it was useful to be sure. It might have been fortunate if he had some sort of interest in her because she could have used that. The twinge of indignation at the thought of not being desirable was quickly quelled. Perhaps he may find at least a tiny amount of attraction, but that her question was too narrow in its scope. Surely one so young as he had not had all of his urges purged by Jedi domination and tyranny. Her smile wasn't because of the thoughts she was having, but rather for what she had just done to the young Jedi. He had braced himself for a strong, overbearing assault on his mind. That was understandable as so many Sith preferred brute strength to subtlety, but she wasn't Sith and such crude displays of power were never her forte. Instead, while she still had small elements of her mind wormed into his subconsciousness, she planted the impression that the scar he had recently focused his healing energies on itched and desperately needed to be scratched. Likely, he wouldn't even think the urge to scratch was a foreign one, much less that he was being manipulated. Then again, he had resisted even the side effects of her first empathic attack. This one either had a strong natural resiliency to such attacks or had experience with them that he hadn't mentioned before. Distraction was key with any deception, so she provided it. She shifted her daughter to her other arm and gave Starlisk a small bow. "I apologize if you were displeased with the demonstration or felt that I overstepped my bounds in using the Force near your apprentice. I only sought to educate him as to the craftiness of my kind." She looked at Ads. "Never go into an encounter with expectations of what will happen. You expected me to strike at you in strength, and at a certain point. I could have opted for brute strength to drive apart your defenses, but even if your master would have let me, that wasn't my intent. I find that the quiet whisper of death can be as dangerous as a roaring fireball, just without any of the warning offered by the latter. As I am sure you are aware, sometimes your enemy will seem to go after one target when, in truth, their sights are trained on another. Starlisk is experienced and powerful enough to have either sensed my intent, or knew from his past that it could come, and prepared his defenses accordingly." Her eyes flashed in anger for a moment at his lowering his defenses before the final attack came as though he didn't think himself capable of being overwhelmed by her unless he intentionally bared himself. It was an insult to her, even if he didn't realize it, but one she chalked up to typical male ignorance. Quickly releasing the anger, she smiled and added, "He was gracious enough to lower his own defenses to aid in the demonstration, though doing so was a dangerous and foolish thing to do. Had I decided to urge him to strike you down instead of asking a simple question, then you would be dead now and he would be full of anguish and guilt over his decision not to resist. Never trust a Sith, they will only betray you because that is their nature."

Qaela very much did want to learn a few things about what she had seen--or at least, heard--of Jedi doing, but Starlisk himself was likely not willing to indulge her on them without a little help. He seemed a little too stiff necked about some things, but that was what she had come to expect about these Jedi. She was delighted that Ads asked about mind control because that was something she knew a great deal about and would be more than happy to provide a demonstration. It was a simple matter to begin the spell silently within her head as she had done it so many times to so many marks or enemies. She had plenty of emotions to draw from ranging from her frustration at Starlisk's stubbornness, her love for her children, and her hatred for the Kirlocca who had nearly taken them from her. The trick would be in casting the spell just right to accomplish her goals without being too obvious about it. In a velvety voice, she answered him, "The minds of sentients are fickle things, prone to wander from point to point sometimes at random. See something, smell something, or hear something different and your mind can jump back to old memories or have emotions tied to those things surface." A touch of the Force against his mind was all she needed to start. She began drawing his attention to her, slowly causing distractions to fade into the background. "Children in particular have a susceptibility to distraction. As we grow older, we learn to focus better and ignore those distractions." Her voice slowly began to lower to force him to focus harder to hear her words and draw him deeper into her spell. The spell itself wasn't just a narrow, single beam like a blaster bolt, but was spread out throughout the entire ship. Even her children would be affected, though she was not concerned. What she was doing wouldn't pose them any harm. She definitely kept her focus on the young Jedi, but the spell itself was designed to affect a crowd. For now, it commanded silence and urged listening to all within its path. She wanted Starlisk more worried about his Padawan than himself, though she wasn't sure how well that was translating into her spell. She smiled at the Jedi pup and continued her lesson, "Almost all species experience at least some empathy with those around them," she said. "You can use the Force to heighten that sensitivity to the point of reading emotions and surface thoughts with ease, almost like passive scanners. If you focus your intent onto an individual, you can dig deeper than what is on the surface and delve into their subconscious. The step between being able to sense emotions and being able to alter them is not a very large one, once you know what you are doing." So far, she hadn't injected any particular commands into her spell beyond the urgency of listening to what she said. She was teaching Ads, and as far as she knew, nothing she had said was exactly evil dark side voodoo that might anger Starlisk. It was simply the truth without bias as far as she could tell, so hopefully Starlisk wouldn't be put too off with any "dark side influence" gibberish. The spell was slowly building up strength, working its way into the targeted minds with subtlety and craftiness, slowly eroding at their defenses and opening them up to her suggestions. "The trick with altering minds isn't to force the mind to do something it would never do. That only causes them to resist and requires you to then use a far more invasive and energy consuming spell to take control of their mind. The best way to manipulate minds is to subtly urge the desired memories, emotions, and urges that already exist within that individual to the forefront. If you need them to be silent about something, bring up the memory of some dark secret that they had never told and imprint that same urgency for secrecy to whatever it is you wish kept in the dark. If you need them to fly into a rage, bring up something of their past that sends them into a fury. If you want them to make love to you," she struggled not to allow that particular sense into the spell, "then conjure up images of lust and passion." "The effects can be quite profound for one gifted in manipulation," she said mesmerizingly. The spell was at its zenith and needed to be released. She held it back for a few more seconds so she could add, "I told you that I find it best to learn by experience." She unleashed the spell, focusing not on Ads, but rather on Starlisk himself. To be sure, Ads would receive a healthy dose of the spell, but the brunt of her power and focus suddenly switched from Ads to the senior Jedi. With her influence at its height, it was now time for her command. "Release your inhibitions, do away with your self control. Speak your mind and shy not from the truth for fear of repercussions both desired or feared. Tell me now, could you ever love me as I am now?" As she said that, she dredged up everything that she knew about the Jedi and their honor and slipped into both of their minds as best as she could. With that, she mixed in every positive element touching the virtue of telling the truth, being honest, and not concealing anything. She also threw in a touch of disgust at those who lied and kept things in darkness for good measure. Light within the shuttle rippled slightly as though there were waves of heat inside. The spell was completed and her power unleashed. Qaela stepped back and waited for the responses from both Jedi. She wasn't entirely sure that the Jedi Master would be entirely taken in, but there was a chance that he had been. If he was, then his response would be most interesting indeed, and could answer a great question she had been pondering. If he had resisted her spell, he would likely be quite wroth with her. That would be. . . unfortunate, but she didn't think he would try to kill her. That, too, would provide a clue for her. It would be an interesting test of wills between the two of them. Ads was bound to get a good dose of the spell, too. Since her focus wasn't entirely on him, she wasn't sure if he would be able to resist her influence. If it did work, it would be amusing to hear his response. Either way, Ads was bound to receive an interesting education in the theory and use of what the Jedi and Sith called mind tricks.

Qaela smiled at the Jedi pup's apparent concern with amusement. These Jedi were squeamish about the dark side almost as though they were afraid of it. Maybe they were. She waited patiently while he focused on the Force, though she didn't quite see what he had accomplished until he looked at his hand and the small mark on it. Apparently satisfied, Ads clarified on his earlier hesitation and she realized that she had read the man wrong. It wasn't the dark side or her using the Force that he was afraid of, at least, not in this matter. It was her cutting herself that he wanted to avoid. How chivalrous. How offensive. It was so much like these offworlders to think women were the weaker gender and could not handle a little pain or hardship. It was pathetic really, because so many of the women in the Galaxy believed that bunch of drivel and allowed the males to dominate and shelter them. Her first reaction was to lash out at this one's ignorance and chauvinism, but she did not. Maybe it was being around these Jedi or maybe it was that she had began to gain control of herself, but she didn't act on her first impulse. Ads was simply ignorant, innocently so. He didn't know better and had probably been taught that pain was a bad thing to be avoided. "You need not fear my arm," she said as gently as she could. "It would be just a small cut, one that would be quickly healed. I have suffered far worse. But, if you do not wish to see and learn, I will not force it upon you." She wasn't even sure Starlisk would have let her anyway, so the subject was probably moot.

From the doorway of her cabin where she had been standing for a few minutes, Qaela said, "Or, if you prefer, I could give you a demonstration so that you might see what to do rather than having to guess." She shrugged casually. "I always found that seeing something done was far easier than just hearing it described, but that may just be me." In one smooth move, she shifted her daughter to her left arm and, with her right hand, pulled out the wooden dagger from its sheath on her hip. She readied the blade over her left forearm but did not draw blood. Her eyes fell to Starlisk and she added, "That is, as long as your master would tolerate such a thing from one such as myself. He may not want you influenced by my tainted teaching."

Once more, Starlisk wasn't talking sense. If a Jedi went where the Force took them, how did they control it at all? The Force wasn't sentient, it wasn't aware. Even if it was, what if the Force wanted to unleash lighting instead of healing someone? It would be most awkward if a Jedi was trying to heal a wounded friend and "went where the Force took them" and ended up frying the patient with lightning or ripping them in half with telekinesis. Besides, she wasn't entirely comfortable with simply surrendering her own will and allowing some ethereal Force to control her. The Force was to be commanded by a powerful wielder, it wasn't meant to control them. She had spent the first two decades of her life allowing others to control her destiny and what she did. No more. She was in control of herself and her actions, not her mother, not the Sith, not even her rage. She wouldn't trade her freedom for a new master, even if the Jedi thought it benevolent. She was going to respond to Starlisk, but he made it clear that her questionings were not desired. With a sigh of frustration and a hint of anger at the dismissal, she left the lounge and went in to the cabin where her babies were sleeping. Let the Jedi play, she thought somewhat bitterly as she picked up her daughter and held her close. The girl woke up and moaned a few times, but quickly settled back down when Qaela reached out to soothe her mind. It felt good to be able to reach out and feel her children without the burning wall of light that had been inflicted upon them. It also felt good to feel that mind embrace their mother without any of the hesitation or layers that others had. Having spent the last couple of weeks alone with Starlisk, she was used to having his sole attention. Truth be told, she had come to enjoy that. The last time she truly had someone's sole attention was with Ca'Aran. Even on the few times they were alone, he was typically distant or focused on other things. Starlisk was at least interested in listening and providing honest feedback and she felt that she could speak her mind without fear of him striking out against her. It was a rare quality, one that she had never found in anyone else, even the Sith. His tepid response to her not so subtle invitation to him a few minutes ago stung. Either he was completely missing her aim or he was unwilling to even consider taking one who embraced the dark as a mate. She had always known that Jedi were as arrogant and prideful as Sith, just in a different way. While Sith thought everyone beneath them and had inflated egos, Jedi thought everyone as less pure and were proud of their supposed goodness. With Starlisk, at least, he was willing to look past her darkness and work with her despite the things in her life he disagreed with. He had given her hope that perhaps, after all this time, she had finally found someone who would accept her as she was without feeling the need to dominate, control, or even kill her. The Sith hated her for not being Sith and would have tried to destroy her even if she was one of their kind. Her Sisters were jealous of her power and eager to maintain their own places. Not only that, but she really wasn't interested in women beyond the occasional emotional release. Other Jedi would either try to lock her away or kill her because of the "evil" she embraced. Non-Force sensitive were not really acceptable either because of the inequality between her strength and theirs. In Ca'Aran, she thought she had found one who was willing to accept her strength and past, but who wasn't weak himself. Sadly, her own rage ruined that and turned him against her. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. What a mess things were. Who would have ever guessed that her best hope in finding someone she could trust at her side to be a Jedi Master who seemed to hold no interest in her? How much more sad was it that she was sitting here in this small little cabin having this very mental conversation? Maybe Furion was right, she really needed to change a few things up and accept the Sith path of constant drive toward dominance of others. All she had ever wanted in life was to escape the constant threats of death that hovered around her and to be able to rest knowing she and hers were safe. What had turned her off--and still did--about the Sith was that they fed upon each other as often as anyone else. One was never safe among the Sith. They may offer power, but they took from security in doing so. There was a reason why the Sith had undergone half a dozen or so changes in leadership since she had been among them. What was her alternative? The Jedi path wasn't for her, that much she was sure of. That didn't mean she couldn't be around them, as long as they didn't try to kill her. She could behave herself and follow their rules for a time as long as they didn't try to change who she was, but she couldn't embrace it. She was a creature of the darkness and was quite comfortable there. She had no desire to be responsible for protecting anyone but those she choose, and she didn't want someone or something telling her that she couldn't do whatever was necessary to protect those she did choose to protect. She had no real lust for death and power, but neither did she want the added chains of Jedi rules and inhibitions. She had no illusions that what Furion offered was done out of the goodness of his own heart. He wanted her because of the power she could give him. She was no wide eyed weakling any longer and she knew it. Her strength was great and he had recognized the beginnings of that when they met on Dathomir. That was the reason why he wanted her, and if he got her, she would quickly be put to use as a weapon in his machinations, whatever they may be. Even though he had more tolerance for her heritage than most other Sith, he still looked upon Nightsisters--and by extension, her--as being inferior and beneath him. There would never be a chance of equality with him because that wasn't how the Sith functioned. To them, everyone was either a pawn to be used or a master to be served until they could be made pawns. She had no desire to be part of that sort of game due to the inherent instability and danger of it all. Starlisk wasn't perfect, either. He wanted to convert her, to change her. That much was obvious in how he tried to push her toward the Jedi path. He was perhaps willing to look past her darkness for now in the hopes that she would change, but she felt that he always hoped to mold her into one who embraced the light. Unless she had totally misread him, it was unlikely that he would ever see in her anything other than a darkly tainted creature not to be consorted with for fear of sullying himself. Maybe he could move past that and embrace her as a woman and only a woman, but she wasn't sure that his Jediness would allow that. She could probably tempt him with the hopes of her converting and string him along for a time, but that wouldn't really be what she wanted. She wasn't looking for someone who was being manipulated to love her, she wanted someone who could accept her and what she was yet still loved her. If only she could end these feelings toward him. Perhaps the closeness of her children and the love she felt for them was clouding her mind and making her susceptible to other forms of emotional turmoil. That could explain part of it, but not all. What to do? She was at a crossroads in her life and she knew it. Her mother was dead, her former love was lost, and her children restored to her. She had ties to both the Jedi and the Sith, two warring factions that would never stop. She was heading home now with the materials and strength to establish herself as a leader among her Sisters. She had obligations to Furion, despite his failure to deliver her children, but she also owed Starlisk for saving them. Despite their differences, she had more in common with the Sith, but the developing emotions within her created potentially potent ties with Starlisk and the Jedi. So much of this was out of her hands. Starlisk would make his decision, hopefully soon. She would secure a peace between the Jedi and the Nightsisters and use that to gain power among them so that her children could be safe. From there, she would see how Starlisk turned. If he could look past her darkness and embrace her, things would get interesting. Furion still had to be dealt with and she knew better than to renege on any bargains he offered. It would be difficult to work with the Sith and not act directly against the Jedi or those they protected, but she had some ideas regarding that. Having Starlisk at her side would change things immensely, but that much was out of her hands. She would have to see how things played out on Dathomir and take them as they went. Until then, she would bide her time here and let the Jedi play. ((Starlisk, Ads: feel free to post between yourselves without waiting for Qaela. I will be paying attention, so if you wish to approach her, I will respond.))

Qaela was mildly intrigued at the mention of learning how to improve her healing abilities, so she decided to listen in. Part of her was surprised at how awkward what Starlisk said was. It made little sense to simply "quiet your mind." If you weren't focused on anything, how would you be expected to achieve the appropriate spell? How would you bend the Force to your will if you didn't direct it? She knew the spell he was describing and the way he was explaining how to use it was simply wrong. The spell was a simple one, one taught to young Nightsisters so that they could better tolerate extreme conditions such as storms or icy nights. To use it required bending the magical elements the Jedi and Sith called the Force to the will of the spellcaster. You forced the magic to slow your bodily functions down and sustain them, not by giving into it, but by using your will and strength to do force the magic to do as commanded. After having learned from the Sith, Qaela knew now that the ritual motions, words, and chants were simply a way to place the mind into the appropriate state to use the Force as desired, much as constantly practicing a particular spear technique allowed one to repeat it without really thinking. Dathomiri used the spells to make their mind do what offworlders did without thinking. There were benefits to the Dathomiri way just as there were benefits to the Jedi and Sith way. She chuckled at Ads' first attempt. "How can you command the Force if you do not bend it to your will? If you put a boat in a river without a rudder or sails, the boat will float aimlessly as the current takes them until it eventually crashes or overshoots the destination. You must force the natural elements of the wind and current to do as you wish them and not let them control you."

It wasn't the response that she had wanted to hear, but it was at least something. It still hurt her to hear him seem so doubtful, but what was she to expect from a Jedi? "I am not a Sith," she said quietly, mostly to herself. He didn't seem to hear, or rather, if he did, he simply didn't believe. Not all who embraced the darkness were Sith, nor were they all the same. He would not have liked to be compared in deeds to what the Kirlocca had done, yet he continued to equate her with the Sith, most of whom she would gladly kill if given the opportunity. It was a sense of annoyance, but nowhere near enough to be worth fighting for. Besides, the alpha male had decided to turn focus to the pup. He held some interest to her, though without Starlisk, there would be little point in making him an ally. Still, if there was hope to mold him to view her kind as something other than enemy, it might be worth her effort. She didn't say anything, but remained near the entrance to the small cabin she occupied and nursed her own concerns. She would watch them and calculate, but it was not her place to interfere. Starlisk wouldn't want one who was tainted as she to pervert his charge.

Qaela found herself hurt by Starlisk's response, and she couldn't even deceive herself by saying she was surprised by the reason. "There are Jedi who have taken mates and birthed offspring," she said quietly. She looked straight at the Jedi master's eyes and continued. "Tell me, Onderin, is it so abhorrent to consider being with one who embraces the dark if they are able to temper the more destructive elements inherent to it? I know that you do not consider one who embraces the dark as untouchable because of what you have done to help me, but is my kind so repulsive that you are eager to be rid of me so that you may go purify yourself in what you consider the only right way to live? Would you be unwilling to even consider that perhaps one who embraces the light and one who embraces the dark are not fated to always oppose each other? That perhaps, if both are willing to open themselves to the possibility, such a thing would not be painful, but that mutual affection could form between them? If I am willing to see past the differences I have with one who seeks the light, can not one who embraces the light do the same?"

Qaela sighed at the pup's response. "Of course any such union would be after a truce was made. My Sisters aren't as open minded as I am and would surely rather kill you than lay with you. It would have to be a very special Sister to ever be willing to treat a male Jedi as anything but a slave, but such a woman could be found once the Jedi show their strength and willingness to stand to their words of peace. "I know that in many ways, our culture is quite basic and primitive compared to the rest of the Galaxy. We prefer simple things rather than the complex and often superficial trinkets favored by your people." She looked pointedly at Starlisk as she continued, "Taking a Jedi as mate would be seen as a true bond of purpose, one that would bring assurances on both sides that the other could be trusted to maintain the truce. Of course, such a thing would only work if both involved accept that the other is what they are and will not change, but that they can still show the openness of mind to work with one that abides in a different light." She returned her gaze to Ads. "My kind can be difficult, true, but I am sure some sort of agreement could be worked out if there are two willing to make such sacrifices. It could even be that any offspring of such unions would be divided between Jedi and Nightsister, say with the males going to live among the Jedi and females raised as Nightsister. No Sister is so without honor as to strike out against one of her own, so if there is such a union formed, then it would go far to solidify a truce between our kinds."

Qaela was interested in this one's past. It hinted of his ancestors being of a darker nature if breaking away from it meant joining the Jedi. She was hoping to hear more, but his voice trailed off. Secrecy was nothing strange to her, even if she had been in a more open sort of trend since coming across Starlisk. She still had plenty of secrets, but it was surprising what it did to her to find someone in him that she could tell all of her dirty deeds and not have him either leave or try to kill her. Perhaps this pup would be the same, though likely not. He might still have that zealousness that came with beings who were still young and not yet exhibiting the wisdom of age like Starlisk. She had done plenty of foolish and irrational things herself and was not at all above doing them still when the situation suited her. "You surprise me, Pup," she said, though her words weren't harsh. "So many in the Galaxy here do not come from venerated ancestry of spellcasters. Dathomir is rich in such lines, but that is due to the same isolation that diluted our potential. Most here are nothing more than accidents of the Force, born to parents who cannot cast a single spell. That you do is not something to be ashamed of, but to embrace. The Jedi foolishly prevented unions that would have produced Force sensitive children for thousands of years. In doing so, they weakened themselves and lowered their numbers. As you are well aware, I and my kind do not make such mistakes. We embrace the strength and power that can be found in such relationships. Children provide a means to continue yourself long after you have passed on. They also keep you sharp and strong because they will seek to surpass you and take your place. "We are heading for Dathomir, to meet with my clan. You would do well to consider the many options that could present themselves to you there. I mean to form a truce between Nightsister and Jedi, and you could greatly benefit from such dealings. There are many Sisters there who would take great pleasure in making children with you. Of course, special considerations would need to be taken since you are a Jedi and not a normal male, but one of them could provide you with children strong in the Force. Unlike women of the Galaxy, Nightsisters do not require any of the frivolous gestures or protection, so you would be free most of the time to do whatever Jedi tasks are required. You could take time between your duties to visit your children and see them grow strong and powerful. It may do you a great deal of good to know that something of you will continue on even if you should fall in battle, plus I can guarantee that you would enjoy the time spent with your woman."

((En route to Dathomir from Bothawui)) Qaela was smiling as she left the cockpit. They were heading home and into the next step of her plans. Her children would be safe, her power base secured, and things would be looking up for her after so long of despairing. She returned to the small lounge area and considered the Jedi pup. He had been silent for some time, but that was no matter. She wanted to see if he could be pushed toward the darkness, but now might not be the best time. For now, she would get to know him and determine how far she could trust him when they arrived on Dathomir. "So, young Ads, how is it that you came to be ensconced within the ranks of the Jedi?" she asked. "I doubt that you were born to them, so you had to have made a choice at one point or another to join them."

Qaela's anger was still simmering as she secured her children in the small cabin she had been occupying. A part of her still wished she could have unleashed the darkness against that bunch of thugs and shown them the true power of her people, but in hindsight, it was probably better that she had not. Creating such a scene would have not only gotten most of the planet against her, but it would have definitely turned Starlisk in opposition and left her stranded and alone with three infants to protect. It still irked her that she had been forced to retreat without dishing out any pain and death, but that was part of the responsibilities of watching out for infants. If she had been alone, that would have been an entirely different story, at least, that is what she told herself. Once the children were settled down, she tended to the head wound. As was the case for such things, it bled more than it was really damaging. As her mother used to say, her skull was pretty thick and a quick probe with a healing spell revealed no damage to the bone. Unless she was otherwise occupied, she would tend to it with a full healing spell tonight. Until then, she just cleaned it with water and gingerly dried her face and hair to make sure it didn't reopen. The Jedi pup was strangely quiet, but maybe that was for the best. She still didn't really know how he felt about traveling with one such as she. Maybe there would be a time when they could talk alone and she could see just how much of the darkness he had experienced. It would be most interesting to see if she could coax some of that out in him, even if Starlisk wouldn't like it. She walked up to the cockpit and gave Starlisk a wide smile. There wasn't really a reason for it, but it felt fun. She wasn't truly surprised when he wondered aloud where to go. It seemed to her to be an invitation to decide their course, one she was eager enough to pounce upon. "It is only logical for me to find some place to keep my children safe, someplace where I know where they are and can be assured they are cared for by their own kind. You were right back there, you know. The crowd was being altered by someone strong in the Force. I have not seen such widespread mind altercation before. Whoever it was nearly got my children killed and for that, they need to suffer horribly before dying. I don't think their new sentiments exactly endear them to you, either, so we have common cause." She sighed. "I am not sure if you are willing to release me from your custody. You have fulfilled your part of the bargain we made on Ilum, even if the Kirlocca is still free. Therefore, I will not try to inflict harm on you or yours, but neither can I rest easy with my children in such a situation. If you are willing to take us to my homeplanet, I have a proposal that may interest you that could resolve this situation and benefit us all. "For a long time, my people have lived in fear of the Jedi returning and destroying them. Decades ago, a Jedi came to Dathomir and inflicted tremendous losses upon my people, the Nightsisters. Since then, we have planned and prepared ourselves for them returning and finishing what they started. It was only after I started to explore this Galaxy on my own that I realized nobody truly cared what happened on Dathomir and few even knew who the Nightsisters were. The Jedi had no plans to attack the Nightsisters any more than the Sith wanted to go after the Witches. We were too primitive and uncultured to be bothered with. "When I reported as such to my mother and the other sisters, they ridiculed the notion and punished me. To them, it is inconceivable that they wouldn't be considered a true threat. I was sent to ally with the Sith so that we would have protection against a supposedly imminent Jedi assault, but things did not quite turn out as planned. I suffered terrible abuse at the hands of the Sith, something you saw back in Ilum. The Jedi, though, have not treated me as such. While I have had my problems, you have shown me that Jedi can be honorable and aren't all bloodthirsty zealots out to destroy everything that doesn't embrace the light. "I wished to speak of this before your Council, but you did not afford me the chance. What I would like is for you to join me on Dathomir and negotiate a peace between our people. Due to my dealings with Ar-Pharazon and my knowledge of the Sith methods of casting magic, I am one of the most powerful of my kind. That means I will be able to command great fear and influence among my clan and some of the others. With you at my side to represent the Jedi, I believe I could not only solidify my own power, but also ensure the protection of my children and a peace between Nightsister and Jedi." She looked at him intently and said in a more somber voice. "Of course, this would mean you would have to trust me for a change and place yourself within the grasp of my people. I cannot assure you safe passage, but I can assure you that any of my sisters who tried to harm you would have to go through me first. Would you be willing to trust me in this matter?"

Qaela made no attempt to hide her anger at the situation. "What is happening here?" she spat out. "What is happening is that these kriffing dogs are trying to kill me!" She threw her arm out across the gathered guards and added, "And these are just standing there blocking my way in." Her brown eyes narrowed and her voice lowered so that the Bothans around them couldn't hear. "I warn you, Starlisk, I have restrained myself so far. If there is one more provocation or if they again try to harm my children, blood will flow in rivers."

Qaela used the decent amount of cash Starlisk had given her to buy food, proper baby clothes, and a true stroller that could fit the three of them, as well as a few other small bits and pieces of things for them and herself. Remaining in a single set of clothes was tiresome, so she got herself a more proper flowing black dress to wear. The dress wasn't expensive or finely made, but it was far better than the overly modest, robe cut in Jedi style that she had been wearing. This dress was not the most immodest she had ever worn, but it did show a good bit of skin. The Bothan who sold it to her didn't seem too interested in how it fit on her, but that was fine because she wasn't interested in a furball. She still didn't have any weapon beyond the wooden knife that Starlisk had returned to her on Ilum, but that was okay. The only thing she could possibly find here would be a blaster or an metal knife that was inferior to her wooden one and those were not of any use to her. She much rather would have had a proper spear, treated with the Force to resist energy and lightsabers, but that was not possible here. She doubted that any of these paranoid, suspicious creatures would allow a human woman with three infants in tow to walk around with a spear strapped to her back. Plus, if she had a spear, she would want to don the traditional leather attire that her people normally wore and that would look plain awkward, even if she could find something suitable on this urban planet. After wandering around the streets of the multiple markets and assuring herself that Starlisk hadn't sent anyone to follow her, she decided to make a call. Going to a public terminal, she put in a few decicreds, enough for a text based message, and dialed in a number she had memorized back when with the Sith. It may have been tied to the Sith, but the number of relays, shell companies, and false names would make it uselessly impossible to track. She wasn't even sure if the Sith would get it now that their Temple had fallen, but if anyone was monitoring the contact line, they would know what to do with it. Her message was simple. "Trip to Ilum was an ambush. Entire team captured and separated, status of other members unknown. I have limited freedom, attempting to improve situation. Do not send rescue attempt, but focus on locating and freeing mission leader. --Qaela" It was short out of necessity. Shorter messages were harder to track and spot among the mass plethora of messages that went out in a city like this. Plus, if this was intercepted, she didn't want to give anything away that could compromise the Sith, Furion, or the others that were with her. She had no idea what happened to the others, but wasn't at all guilty about not trying to get them out. When things went bad on Ilum and the Jedi discovered who they were, she was responsible for herself and herself only. She didn't have any apprentices or a master to worry about and Furion was supposed to be able to take care of himself. She was responsible only for herself and her goals, both of which she was doing a rather fine time in dealing with. Once the message was sent, she left the public terminal and started ambling back to the place where Starlisk and Ads were when she started to notice an increase in the local Bothans glaring at her. She had, being human, received her share of strange looks, but this was getting a little more odd. She reached to the darkness and immediately began to feel a tingle go down her back as the Force hummed in tension and hatred that was building rapidly. Picking up her pace with the hover stroller in front of her, she managed to get a block and a half from the Social Hall when her danger sense piqued. A split second later, a fist sized stone flew past her face, missing by just a few centimeters. She looked over her shoulder to see who had thrown it and was confronted with a small gang of what she figured to be young adult Bothans glowering at her, each armed with makeshift weapons. Their hatred for her sang out in the Force, but she didn't know why. She hadn't ever done anything to Bothawui that would deserve any such hatred and they couldn't have known she was a Force user. Only a handful of people within the Social Hall may have been able to guess that she was based on her interactions with the Jedi, but the chances of these thugs knowing were so astronomically low that she didn't even consider it. Making sure her body was between the quickly growing mob and the stroller containing her children, she began to walk at almost a trot toward the hopeful safety of the Social Hall and its guards. Another hurled stone was quickly followed by a piece of sharp metal refuse that bounced off the side of the stroller. Anger exploded in Qaela's mind at the mere thought of what would have happened had the trash hit one of her babies and she whirled around to confront the mob. "What is your problem!" she hissed at them. "Imperial murderer!" one of the thugs in the front shouted. "You can't come here and spy on us!" chimed in another. "We don't tolerate your kind here!" a third yelled. After that, the rest began shouting in a cacophony that drowned out what each were saying. Qaela didn't care because at that point, she realized that this was a rapidly deteriorating situation that could get deadly very quickly. If it were just herself to watch out for, she didn't think the mob would pose any problems, but it wasn't. She had her three children and a bag full of supplies to hinder her. Running didn't seem to be an option, neither was standing and fighting. The only option she saw that didn't result in mass bloodshed the likes of which would get too much attention and retribution brought upon her was a fighting retreat. "You should know better than to mess with a Sith," she snarled at the crowd, though nobody seemed to hear. The use of the Sith name didn't seem to phase them one bit, neither did her blocking several new missiles with simple waves of her hand and a judicious application of the Force. Since that wasn't working, she decided for some theatrics. Normally, ripping the heads off of a half dozen or so of them would provide a most effective demonstration of how poor an idea it was to attack a Nightsister protecting her own, but she didn't think Starlisk or the Bothan security forces would approve. Instead, she spat out a quick and simple spell relying mostly on her rapidly rising anger and lifted the front row of malcontents a meter or so into the air with the gesture of one hand. She held them there for a couple of seconds so everyone could be sure of what she was doing, then splayed her fingers out. The six or seven hapless punks were thrown back into their own crowd. Without waiting to see the reaction, she turned and fled up the street pushing the stroller with her now crying babies ahead of her. Anyone who got in her way was quickly shoved aside by a telekinetic burst of the Force. Shouts and a continued barrage of stones, pieces of trash, and other things near at hand continued to rain down on her from behind. She focused her defenses around her children, a move that left her somewhat vulnerable and earned her a gash on the top of her head from a sharp piece of ferrocrete. Without thought, she turned and pulled down a large signpost with the Force. The resulting shower of sparks and massive crash provided her with a temporary reprieve from the mob, but that didn't stop one or two angry looking Bothans in front of her from charging in. She tossed them aside with the Force and laughed as their bodies hit the wall and slid down to the ground. She didn't think that she had killed them, but they would definitely feel that in the morning. Seeing the first two go flying gave the others in front of her pause, so she ran past them while ignoring their curses and threats. The fallen sign wouldn't hold the mob for long, but she was close to the gates of the Social Hall. At last, she got within the guard perimeter. There, instead of letting her in, the guards blocked the gate in confusion at what was happening. "Let me in!" she shouted. Cursing under her breath at the blindness of the Bothan guards, she added, "The mob is trying to kill me!" One of them, a male with a slightly more fancy uniform than the rest, didn't seem too convinced. Qaela's heart sank a bit as she sensed the same bitterness from the mob coming from the guards. At least they were self controlled enough not to shoot at her. For now. "Why would we allow a miscreant such as yourself into this sacred place?" the officer scoffed. "You are nothing but a trouble causing Imperial human, after all. If there are citizens after you, maybe you deserve what you get." "Are you insane?" she gasped. And after I played nicely, she thought. "I have done nothing but shop and spend good money in your stores. Is this how the people of Bothawui treat foreign visitors?" "No," the officer retorted. "This is how we treat meddling aliens who come to our planet and kill our beloved elders." Qaela was growing more desperate now because the mob had gotten past the downed sign and was flooding into the street behind her. There was nowhere else to go but into the Social Hall because they had cut off any other hope of retreat. At least the presence of armed guards was enough to give the mob pause when it came to throwing things at her, but it didn't stop the insults and threats. "I came with Jedi Master Starlisk as his charge and under his guarantee of safe passage!" she shouted in desperation even as she struggled to keep her fury in check. She wanted to lash out and start a bloodbath so badly that she was shaking. Blood from her scalp wound had soaked through her hair and began running down the front of her face, but she ignored it. "Ask him yourself if you don't believe me! He's inside the Hall right now with your leaders at some funeral." She now wished that she had bothered to learn the name of the being who had died. At the sound of the famous Jedi's name, the officer blinked a few times and drew his head back. Just in case, Qaela applied a touch of the Force to persuade the man and was relieved to see him reach into his pocket for a commlink. Seeing that, the mob moaned and began to boo the officer while jeering the guards to turn her away so they could get at her. She hoped that Starlisk and someone with a little more sanity left about them got those gates opened for her before things got bad enough that she would be forced to shed blood. She might be willing to restrain herself for Starlisk's sake, but she wouldn't stand by and allow herself or her children to be harmed for any Jedi morality. If they pushed her much farther, blood was going to be spilled and, even without a lightsaber or blaster, she would take a great deal of these creatures down before they could get to her or hers.

Qaela considered her options and decided that she wanted nothing to do with any funeral. Starlisk was correct in that she needed to get proper supplies for her children. What kind of mother would she be if she didn't at least take care of their base needs? "I believe I will leave you to your Jedi business and tend to my children," she said casually. She briefly considered sneaking in a kiss just to see how Ads would respond, but decided against it. Instead, she only smiled and gathered up her children. As she walked away from the Jedi with them in tow, the thought occurred to her that this was the first time since being captured on Ilum that she had the opportunity to escape with everything she wanted. She could disappear and find some way to get off planet. It wouldn't be too difficult, even without killing someone. Money wasn't as necessary as one might think when the Force was in play. Taking over some fool pilot's mind for a few days wouldn't be all that difficult. The question then came down to where she would go if she did leave. She didn't need the Sith any longer, not now that she had her children back. She still wanted to work with Furion on improving her Clan's position, but now she didn't need to come to him as a beggar looking for his benevolence in saving her children. In their future dealings, things would be different, but how different was something she needed to figure out before returning to him or his servants. Going home to Dathomir would need to be her first stop. Her children needed to be kept in a safe place well away from the Sith and anybody like the Kirlocca who might wish to harm or use them for their own purposes. It wasn't that her own Sisters were much more trustworthy, but if she could establish her supremacy and power among them, they wouldn't dare touch them. Her alliance with the Sith would be a major boon, as would her own inherent strength gained through her own children. Now, if she were to bring her Clan a peace agreement with the Jedi, that would be most interesting. She had wanted to talk with their Council about exactly such a thing, but the dismissal of the Kirlocca had apparently disrupted things too much for that. For decades, her kind had been afraid that the Jedi would return and finish what the Skywalker had started. One of her greatest surprises upon coming into this Galaxy was that it seemed that neither the Sith or Jedi remembered the Nightsisters nor cared what happened to them or the Witches. She had quickly realized that the Jedi weren't waiting for the right time to wipe out her Clan because they had either forgotten them or had far more important issues to tend to. She couldn't convince her Sisters of that fact, but bringing a Jedi Master such as Starlisk home to testify as such would go a very long way toward doing just that. Starlisk was an amicable sort of man. He seemed to want peace over death and violence, otherwise he would have killed her as a dark sider and been done with it. She felt fairly confident that she could convince him to come with her to Dathomir in order to make a peace treaty with her people. Such a thing would benefit the Nightsisters greatly since they wouldn't have to worry about Jedi attacks and could finally grow into their own right. They would require a great amount of watching over to ensure that things didn't go awry when he approached, but she was confident that between his strength and her own, they could ward off any overzealous Nightsisters. Of course, the wording of the treaty would have to be very careful to ensure that the Nightsisters would have enough room to live according to their traditions and yet, not so loosely that the Jedi couldn't tolerate it. That could be worked out later, but it would be most interesting to see how it played out. Furion wouldn't like it much, but as long as it didn't violate her agreements with him, he would have to live with it or waste his preciously scarce resources against her and extend himself out for a Jedi counterstrike. Qaela strolled into a market place feeling more hopeful about her future than she had in a long time. Security for herself and hers was within her grasp. Peace might not be something that could be tolerated forever, but there were times when it was necessary. She had experienced enough fighting and danger, it was time to rest and recover. Her children needed to grow and become strong. Her people needed time to adapt to the Galaxy as a whole and find their place among the powers that reside here. Striking out for the sake of fighting had cost the Sith Coruscant. She wouldn't make the same mistake. If there was to be blood that must be spilled, she would rather it be later than now. Sooner or later, someone, be they Jedi or Sith, would want to come after her and hers. If she could take a few years to prepare them for that eventual attack, then she would and perhaps some of them might survive.

Qaela blinked twice at the Jedi pup's response. She hadn't expected him to accept her offer, but that wasn't what surprised her. His pithy response is what gave her pause. If there was darkness in this one's past, perhaps she could find a way to rekindle it. If she could, she could find herself with a new ally who would fit quite well into her plans. A sly smile appeared on her face and she said, "My, my, maybe there is some hope for you after all, Pup. Very well, then." She walked over to the younger man and placed her hand on his forehead. This time, the spell was far more difficult to muster, but she would not show weakness to this one. With Starlisk, it was almost natural to transfer some of her energy to him, but not with Ads. She didn't know him hardly and had little empathetic bonds with him. For a moment, she was tempted to give less than what she had for Starlisk, but that would have been a sign of weakness that she would not tolerate. Instead, she dug deeply within herself for the most powerful emotion she could find and used that to fuel the spell. To her surprise, it wasn't the familiar rage that came the easiest, nor was it anger or hatred. It was another, strange emotion that she wasn't familiar with. As she delved into it, she couldn't help but glance at her three children with a calculating eye. It didn't matter to her what she was feeling as long as it was powerful. Revitalizing the Padawan took a good deal out of her, but she was strong and could easily carry on. When she was done, she removed her hand and took a few steps back while trying to control her breathing. Her face was a little flushed from the effort, but at least she was standing without difficulty. "Most interesting," she said quietly. "I have not tried that spell twice in such a short time before. Normally, just doing it once leaves me weary for hours, but this wasn't nearly as bad before. Those Sith were onto something when they tap into emotions." She didn't say which emotions she was using. Best not to reveal too much of herself to a relative stranger like Ads.

One by one, her children were restored to her senses. She could--and did--reach out to them in the Force once more and feel their familiar presences. As the last one was freed, a great sense of peace came over her. Finally, after months of anguish and searching, she had her children restored to her. Starlisk had been true to his word, and for that, she owed him a great deal. She didn't think he would turn on her now and thought that he might even be willing to help her get them all to safety back on Dathomir. Just one more step and this dark chapter in her life would be closed. Not yet wanting to wake them, Qaela let them sleep on and walked over to Starlisk. She nodded at his question as she reached out to touch his sweat covered cheek tenderly. "Yes, they are," she replied softly. Silently, she began forming a spell and was surprised at how easy it came. Normally, anything to do with healing required her full attention and drained her quickly, but this wasn't as bad as in the past. She was stronger than she was a year and a half ago when she left Dathomir, and the foreign ways of non-verbal casting were easier. "You have done what I have asked and I am in debt to you," she continued. "Here, take some of my strength to revitalize you after what you did." Using a similar spell to the healing she knew, she transferred some of her own life energy and stamina into the Jedi to give him strength. The last time she did this was to allow the defeated Sith, Lucifer, to survive a trip to the bacta tanks. She had not done this to very many people because it rarely was worth weakening yourself to help another, but in this case, it was worth it. With Starlisk, it was almost easy because she already knew him and had a bond of sorts that she wasn't sure how to react to. He had helped her a great deal and asked for little to nothing in response. Nobody had treated her as such before. When she was done, she took a few steps back and took a deep breath. Using anything like that was tiring, but it was worth it just to sense her children once more without the pain of the light that had surrounded them. She looked at Ads and said, "I am willing to make the same offer to you, but I am not sure how you would react to someone as 'tainted' as myself touching you with the Force."

After they worked on their spell, Qaela began to notice a slow change. At first, it was tenuous, but then, like a curtain being ripped, one of her sons was free. She could feel him finally through the Force and her maternal bond, all without the disgusting sphere of light that had been smothering him. A sudden sense of hope and exhilaration flooded her and she lost the rather violent spells she had been forming in preparation of their treachery. She had expected a long and torturous quest to get them free, but this was turning out to be far more simple than expected. Starlisk was true to his word and seemed capable of getting a lot done in a short time, all without demanding anything in return. If he completed his task without any complications or hidden surprises, then perhaps her next goal wasn't too far fetched after all. She would need him for it, but at the rate he was going, he would likely be more than happy to oblige her and bring her one more step toward securing a safe future for hers. She still wasn't so sure about Ads, but he would follow Starlisk's lead. She wasn't entirely sure how the pup would like what she had in mind, but that didn't matter as long as he followed his master. Starlisk, on the other hand, well. . . . She smiled at a new set of thoughts that flooded her mind.

Qaela had no objections in presenting the sleeping triplets to the Jedi for their ritual. She gave each an extra dose of the placating spell to ensure they didn't wake up and cause problems. It would be interesting to see how they accomplished this and if she could learn any of it herself. One could never learn too much about undoing such a wretched curse if it were ever used against her or hers in the future. She stood off to the side with her arms crossed across her chest, waiting and watching. Just in case they intentionally failed in their task, she began calculating how best to take them out. She was fairly certain Starlisk wouldn't consciously betray her at this point, but she hadn't survived throughout her twenty-one years by trusting people. Ads, on the other hand, didn't seem as genuine or eager about helping her and might object to what was being done on some sort of sick philosophical grounds. Him, she would take out first because Starlisk would hesitate if it came to killing her. They might be armed, but what was a crude physical weapon next to the power of the Force? She had plenty of quick ways to drop someone without being armed. She wouldn't make the first move, though. Despite what these Jedi thought of one who embraced the darkness, she did keep her word. Just because they embraced the light didn't make them enemies any more than the darkness embracing Sith had always been her allies. Starlisk had been true to his word so far, so she would trust him until it became clear he wasn't trustworthy. Starlisk gave some basic instructions then began using the Force. She wasn't a part of the spell, but it looked and felt somewhat similar to the coordinated, large scale attacks that her Sisters employed against the Witches. She had never been able to create such a web, but she had been in one once or twice and seen even more. Fascinating as it was, she wasn't entirely sure how it would undo the curse, but she would wait and see.

She didn't buy the excuse that they were being hidden. One couldn't simply reach out and find people in this Galaxy like that except in the Holos. If they could, then the Sith would have found the Jedi bases long ago by simply trying to find individual Force users and vice versa. It made her wonder if that lame explanation was the best that the Kirlocca could come up with to cover for something more egregious such as a desire to punish her or perhaps revenge against Ar-Pharazon. She was only partially mollified by confirmation of her suspicion as to what happened to the Kirlocca. She was also more than a little suspicious about what Starlisk said about undoing what was done. Why did they have to do this instead of forcing the Kirlocca to do it before it scrambled away? She knew of some spells that required multiple casters to do or undo, but the Kirlocca should have been part of the spell itself since it would know it the best. Maybe it had lost too much of his arrogantly Jedi emotionless state and the other Jedi couldn't trust him. It seemed mostly in control, if not a bit petty for not even looking at her, but that might have been an act. She didn't like this, but maybe it was better not to have the Kirlocca anywhere near her children any longer. "Very well," she said, "you can try it. I can trust you enough to attempt your Jedi sorcery, but if you fail and harm them, then I will claim both of you as recompense." She gave Starlisk a wicked smile and added, "You will probably not like what I will do to you, but it would go a long way to soothe my rage over having even more damaged or dead children. I will even promise not to involve any other 'innocents' on this planet." She hoped that they would at least go to a more private place for such complicated spellcasting because she didn't want their focus interrupted. Plus, it would be so much easier not to have witnesses if something went wrong.

Before the Jedi pup could respond, she could sense Starlisk's discomforting aura of light get closer. It was always uncomfortable around someone who was powerful in the light just as it was pleasant to be around others who embraced the darkness. If she wasn't entirely mistaken, it wasn't as jarring as it had been when she first approached Ilum. Perhaps she was getting used to it, or maybe it was because the near pain of being around her children overshadowed whatever he was giving off. She glared at him as he approached and made a flippant comment. She shifted her daughter to her other arm in agitation and answered him, "This one was going to explain to me why the Kirlocca was right in doing what it did to my children, but I would much rather hear why it was allowed to walk off still able to use the Force. This was not part of the truce we made, Starlisk. Either the Kirlocca is punished with what he did to mine or my children were to be freed from the curse put upon them. I see him gone and my children are still bound in the damned light prison."

Qaela glared at the Jedi and had to force herself to refrain from lashing out with an expletive filled response that would have drawn unwanted attention. She took two deep breaths before responding in a voice full of ice. "I believe I have answered enough questions here, why don't you answer that for me. After all, you are the Jedi, not me."

"You know nothing!" Qaela snapped back. "Here," she said while waving her free hand around them, "those who can cast spells are very, very rare. Among my people, they are far more common. They are the ones who lead and control everything and are free to live as they wish. Those who don't have the ability to wield the Force are lesser and are bound to the spell casters. The lucky ones exist at the bottom of society as mere peasants; the rest are slaves. Without the ability to cast spells, my children will be looked down upon and mocked. They will never be able to amount to anything of significance."

Now Qaela's anger was directed at the ignorant Jedi pup. "Who is that furball to dictate how I raise my own children? Ar-Pharazon intentionally gave me these children and even risked his life to protect me while I carried them. Even if the Kirlocca was right to take potential enemies away from me, he violated the game by stripping them from their birthright. Had he killed them, then it would be just another low move in the game. I would be enraged and would get vengeance, but that is to be expected. What he did is worse by far. Instead of giving them a clean death, he consigned them to live as half people! He kept them alive so that I might have hope of retrieving them, but now that I have them, I cannot ever be truly comfortable around them and their people will never accept them. He is a vile, despicable creature worse than any Sith I have ever had the misfortune of coming across!"

Qaela snorted in derision at the blindness of the Jedi. "That beast took them from me and then, instead of just 'protecting' them as he claimed he was doing, he had them stripped of the Force and bound in that cursed web of light. Even being close to them is discomforting and actually trying to touch them in the Force is painful and gives me headaches." Her voice was getting a little heated, but the rage was still quite safely under control. "No mother should ever feel pain just for being around her children. That wretched bastard deserves far worse than what it seems he got."