Space

[Raynuk Montar]

It seemed that Emily was indeed laughing at her Master, but be it out of comfort in the situation or sheer daring to do so, Quietus did not know. His attention had turned back to Ar-Pharazon, watching him intently as the Sith Master attempted to regain control over the situation. Quietus had thrown him for a loop, and it was clear that Ar-Pharazon did not like being put off balance like that. With the occasional glance at Emily every time she giggled, he answered Ar-Pharazon intently.

 

"Why should you tell us about Krissi Kenobi? That answer is not mine to give you Ar-Pharazon, but clearly this secret is a weak spot for you, one that is to be exploited by our enemies. Look at how easy it was for me to get to you, to strike a cord. The reasons you should discuss it are not mine, but yours. Should you decide to not tell the story further, that will not affect me, or my apprentice, or those gathered here along with us. It would affect you and you alone."

 

He paused just long enough to take another sip of wine. never taking his eyes off Ar-Pharazon. He knew enough that at this point Ar-Pharazon was searching for the slightest excuse to unleash hell upon Quietus, but he was ready for such actions.

 

"Who am I you ask? Simple. I am your equal. I am as much a Sith legend as you are Ar-Pharazon, but while your legend builds while you sit in your dark palace on Midsengard, mine comes from actions, from combat. This necklace? This is proof of MY legend."

 

He reached up and touched the necklace, centered with a rather odd looking eyeball. He removed it and looked at it for a moment before tossing it to Ar-Pharazon to inspect.

 

"That necklace was woven from the flesh of the Tiamat bugs Ar-Pharazon... And that eye? That eye is from the Tiamat hive mind, the creature that I killed on Kashyyyk. I was the one who stopped the Tiamat bugs that day, after losing everything I ever looked up to in Barohm Zar. That is my immortal legend Ar-Pharazon; the man who stopped the Tiamat bug fleet that day on Kashyyyk, after making them fight for every inch of Korriban. You werent there, you never saw what they did up close and personal, but I did. That necklace is my legend, my legacy, and that necklace connects me to the other side. Listen for it Ar-Pharazon... Listen to what it has to say, to you."

 

If Ar-Pharazon listened closely enough as he held the necklace in his hands, he would hear a familiar voice, if but a whisper. It was the whispers of perhaps the only other man Ar-Pharazon ever considered to be his equal; Barohm Zar.

 

"Yes... You can hear him too cant you Ar-Pharazon? Barohm Zar, forever my master, forever my brother in darkness. Who am I to you, you ask?"

 

Quietus slowly rose from his chair, and reached out with the force and plucked the necklace back from Ar-Pharazon's grasp, placing it back around his neck, he answered his own question.

 

"I am Darth Quietus, Sith Master and former Dark Lord of the Sith. I am the one who stopped the Tiamat hive mind, and I am the one who carries Barohm Zar's legacy, I am a legend too Ar-Pharazon, I am your brother in darkness. I have clawed my way back from hell itself numerous times, refusing to give in to death, for my greatest moments are still to come. I am your equal, and clearly, I do not shy from being in your presence..."

 

He sat back down, his point almost fully made.

 

"I am to you, what you are to me. If you want respect from me Ar-Pharazon, showing me the same respect will go a long way. You call yourself an immortal Sith Legend... I am my own legend, but I do not feel the need to shout it from every mountain I see. Who are you trying to convince; me or yourself?"

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

Vexed with himself, Ar-Pharazon frowned. What he could not understand was why the mere mentioning of Krissi proved so painstaking, since he worked to avoid them. The dark side of the Force was likely affecting his temperament more than he initially figured. It was already ravaging his eyes and now likely his judgment too. He prided himself on his total lack of empathy, or at least one he could turn off at will. However, it did not help that Raynuk's supposed maturity fluxed like a mathematics assignment on parabolas, one moment howling about crayons and the other raving as though he were being removed from the Sith Order for lack of accomplishment.

 

Sighing, Ar-Pharazon gave in, gripping the Force more intensely. His irritation crackled like lightning, utterly astounded that Raynuk viewed him as an equal. But he understood that the only way to even approach infinity was to start climbing forever. Perhaps, that was Raynuk's destiny. In that sense, he pitied the man. He would be eternally mired in the shadow of an immortal tyrant. What a sad life. There was mutual respect and appreciation for the man's accomplishments, but it seemed to fade exponentially. He let the Force trickle away.

 

”œI don't think you understand me, Raynuk. I'm not saying the legends about me are immortal. I'm saying I am immortal. But that's a given,”

[Terra]

Terra sighed and placed a hand on one of her flechette pistols. If that female apprentice, Emily, even looked at LAP with laughter in her eyes again, she'd blow her brains across the macabre hull. It seemed that the Sith girl thought Lord Ar-Pharazon childish, which anyone could decipher from the girls demeaning looks. The girl was even fighting to keep a straight face. If she kept it up, Terra decided, the girl's face would make a good addition to the decorations around her and she would be honored to be the one detaching it from her disrespecting skull. She sent Emily a long glare from her blood-red eyes. She moved it away from the girl as Lord Ar-Pharazon began to speak once more.

 

Terra's eyes widened a few scant millimeters at Lord Ar-Pharazon's revelation. The ancient Sith memories within her stirred, she had known of the existence of this Jedi Master, but knew very little of her. She swirled her coffee slowly, letting the heat from it rise to warm her face. The Sith Master, The Golden God, was revealing his heart to them, who were certainly not worthy of such deep revelations. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat nearby the Sith Master, watching as he hung his head. She reached out with her black gloved hand and placed it on the Sith's shoulder. It was not placed out of pity, but out of a deep respect for him, and for his story. She began to slowly speak, choosing her words carefully.

 

”œI am honored to be among that list of names that know of your secret union. I shall carry it with honor, and take it to my grave. If I may ask, how did you two fall in love?”

[Slicer]

Slicer looked the recent communication over. Filing it away for later he leaned back in his pilot's chair. His ship knew where it was going. The real question was, would he get there before any one else. For all intents and purposes, he was in a race.

[Emily]

Quietus' response set Emily's blood tingling. He was reminding everyone in the room what a powerful Sith Master he was, and the tone of his voice echoed with that suppressed energy and strength. He was indeed a legend, just as much as Ar-Pharazon. In a way, Emily privately wondered if he was even more so, at least in terms of his achievements. Actions spoke louder than words, and Quietus had not only destroyed these Tiamat bugs, but had also risen to the mantle of the Dark Lord of the Sith. She didn't think Ar-Pharazon had ever done that. True, his power and fame were considerable, but she had never heard of him doing more than random slaughterings.

 

But perhaps that was partly the awe of an apprentice to her master. If Emily was biased, she certainly didn't know. Although, she admitted deep down that she probably was. She was indebted to Quietus for many reasons--for accepting her for training, for opening her mind to the larger world, for the small kindnesses he had shown her over and over again. In her book, that made him a better man that Ar-Pharazon, despite the other Sith's legend and near immortality.

 

But she kept her expression carefully thoughtful and her mind guarded save for a brief Force touch to Quietus' mind. It was her trying to repeat what he had done to her; a mental touch that expressed her high opinion of him and showed him the effect his speech had had on her. As soon as she did it, she marveled at her own daring.

 

She was glad that Ar-Pharazon had decided to address the issue. Emily was only slightly surprised to hear that Kenobi had been his wife. She had, after all, been picturing something dramatic. But she was equally curious as to how it had all come to pass. What had Krissi seen in Ar-Pharazon? How had they even met? And what had happened to her, and consequently him?

 

She was glad when the other woman, Terra, asked the details. Terra had been quite silent, although not as much as the other Black Sun agent, only tossing Emily a few glares now and then. But Emily wasn't about to be intimidated by the woman. Perhaps Ar-Pharazon was teaching her some arrogance.

 

She also silently marveled at this sometimes hidden but clearly quite common practice of Sith matrimony. She had always thought as a child that her parents had been in the minority. Now she was discovering that it was in fact quite the opposite, a knowledge that began to soften her own perceptions.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

Lord Ar-Pharazon graciously accepted the comforting hand of young Terra. Since she was essentially possessed by some sort of Sith demon force, he knew that she could be trusted. ”œWell, Terra, it's a long story, and one I will describe in detail later.”

[Fynn Relmis]

The hours passed as Fynn and Adenna practiced their dueling. He then took a few minutes to explain the principals of how to attain the dream plain to Adenna, and then proceeded to meditate. After What seemed like forever, a warning beacon buzzed, and Fynn realized that the dream like state had to end.

 

"This place is always open to you Adenna, and to you Sandy, when you are capable of course and your teacher deems it appropriate." He said as stood from his position and closed his eyes. Within seconds the whole illusion dropped and they were back in the Argos once more. The panel in front him showed that in one more jump they would be at Coruscant.

 

He breathed in deeply as the other two jedi awoke from the pleasant diversion and back into the real world. "We'll be arriving at Coruscant in about an hour, any business you wanted to handle before arriving Adenna?" He asked the woman as he checked a few of his instrument panels.

[Adenna Alluyen]

((I like what you did, we really do need to move on.))

 

"Business?" replied Adenna. "No, no business, but I would like some mental rest. While our bodies were resting comfortably here, our minds were working in overtime. Perhaps it would be a good time to see how well Sandy here can meditate and use the Force to rejuvenate their minds. We wouldn't want to arrive on Coruscant exhausted and not on our best."

 

She shifted her body to get rid of some of the aches from sitting in the same place for too long. "You should know how to do at least a basic meditation from your Youngling training, but I want to see if you can calm your mind and focus enough to siphon energy from the Force directly into yourself. I will help you get your mind into the right level of meditation."

[Slicer]

He was very good at what he did, and his ship was very fast. Upon arriving at the coordinates, the tracking beacons that had been placed on the target's ship were located via bouncing the signal through holonet discreetly. What was found was surprising and in a way annoying.

 

Well looks like my AI was bamboozle. Guess I will have to up grade the sucker.

 

Three brains at work quickly calculated the current course for the target. They would find her yet. Reentering hyperspace, they were off in a flash of light.

[Wookiee Jedi]

The ship felt cold, but it was a welcoming cold as Kirlocca always enjoyed space travel. The slight hum of the engines as they worked during hyperspace travel and other systems buzzing and humming along. The Jedi Master took this time to turn towards Dahar and continue their conversation they had during their walk through the Tython forest.

 

<< Adenna will be a great Jedi Knight, you have trained her well. I must admit that none of my own personal apprentices have ever made it very long as a Jedi Knight before death comes for them. But others within the Order seem to believe that when younglings and hopefuls start off with basic training from me that they do succeed. The last time I was instructed a class of Jedi was on Gala, which is why it seems fitting to start the Praxeum there. >>

 

It wasn't totally relevant to what Dahar and him spoke about, but in Kirlocca's mind, it seemed fitting to inform him of such. Perhaps maybe it would benefit him to know that Kirlocca wasn't as wise a teacher as some seem to say. But it wasn't like the Wookiee could flat out change his mind either. Only time would tell what his final legacy would be within the Jedi Order.

 

<< Now onto the topic of Wru'torr. It is a difficult form to learn, requiring a strong mental discipline as the base for Wru'torr is the mind. One must be willing first seek out the harmony between the Force and the body, for that is the forms strength. >>

[Raynuk Montar]

”œI suppose subscribing to a profane field of energy that draws upon on our emotions and wrenches them over time, so that we can derive the power to enslave all others, is bound to lead to a disagreement or two. Even among old friends."

 

Quietus sighed, knowing that in this line of thought Ar-Pharazon was correct. There was so much anger in both men, both from their own lives as well as prolonged exposure to the darkness of the Force, that it often came out and ran unchecked. The truth of the mater was, that even if Ar-Pharazon did not respect Quietus, Quietus respected him. He would not have embarked upon this journey with the other if he did not feel that it would be mutually beneficial to both of them.

 

He nodded again as Ar-Pharazon spoke finally, addressing the topic of Krissi Kenobi. While Quietus did not know that the two were ever husband and wife, he could have guessed, even without aid from the Force. There was something in Ar-Pharazon's eyes and mannerisms that spoke to such feelings, even if they were now buried deep within. He knew that at times, both in the past and to come, Quietus himself would most likely fall victim to the same tell tale signs as he looked at his apprentice.

 

That Ar-Pharazon chose to reveal such truths spoke beyond what he physically said, and upon catching Ar-Pharazon's gaze if for just a moment, Quietus nodded quietly and respectfully.

 

"Such information shall not leave this room Master Ar-Pharazon, at least not with me."

 

To a point, Quietus was unsure what else to say, or even what else he could say to Ar-Pharazon regarding the issue. He had origionally brought the topic up as a way to stick it to the other Sith Master, but realized the folly in his reasoning now. He would not press the issue further, at least not among others. it was as he was figuring out his next words that Quietus felt the slightest of passing grazes upon his mind, not remotely enough to be considered an attack of any sort, but it was more of the presence behind the touch that Quietus knew it was of no harm. He turned to Emily after a moment and allowed a tiny smile to cross his face as he looked at her.

 

As he looked away however, Quietus couldnt help but be at least partially evil, and so as he turned his attention back to Ar-Pharazon as he began to conjure a spell, Quietus reached out with his mind, and took a playful jab at Emily's mind, not enough to hurt her by any means, but much more forceful than he had ever done to her before. Only this time, as he was being a little evil to her, he focused the entire force of his touch on the portion of her mind that was responsible for pleasure. In essence, he suddenly flooded her with extreme and intense pleasure, to the point that Emily would feel as though she was drowning in it. Quietus didnt know exactly how his apprentice would react, and he dared not look at her as he did so, but he knew that he was laughing hysterically on the inside for doing it.

[Emily]

"You can be assured of my secrecy as well, Lord" Emily added. She didn't know why he cared so much, but the subject had been dropped and Ar-Pharazon was starting some kind of ritual. That interested Emily, as she had never heard of or seen other Sith doing such a thing.

 

She opened her mouth to question the purpose of what he was doing when she suddenly felt Quietus in her mind. All at once, her mind flooded with sheer pleasure. She gasped involuntarily, and was forced to lie through her teeth when the others in the cabin glanced her way. "Sorry, I just...remembered something I forgot to do." She rose and moved towards the back of the cabin.

 

It got their eyes off her, and she was glad of it, for her heart rate accelerated and she began breathing faster as her body made physical changes in response to the signals her brain was sending. Her eyes closed as she struggled to maintain her composure. It took all her considerable willpower not to rush to him. If they had been alone, Force only knew what would have happened, but as it was, she pressed herself to the bulkhead by force of will. When her eyes opened again, they were turned on Quietus. A smoldering look lingered upon him, and for the first time, there was desire that she couldn't hide.

 

As the feeling trickled away, she knew he had been manipulating her, and while she resented that, she couldn't blame him. He had been teasing her, and she chose to take it as a harbinger of what might be yet to come. She reached back out to his mind, but this time, she spoke into it, much as he had done with her on previous occasions. That, she said into his mind, was mean. She withdrew then, but her own thoughts continued in the privacy of her own mind. Next time don't manipulate me; provide it for me yourself, if you dare.

 

It was the first time that she had ever felt like he truly was beginning to feel something when he looked at her. Sure, he had said he was interested, but she had seen no other manifestations of his supposed regard, save for him being kind to her. The fact that he had chosen to apply his mental touch in such a way hinted that perhaps he did feel something real underneath his impassive exterior. That, or he was just being evil. She smiled to herself. Always unpredictable, that one.

 

In her distraction, she had missed the first parts of the ritual Ar-Pharazon was preparing. She came and sat back down in her chair. Now she did everything she could to pay attention, but she couldn't control how her mind would disobey her and linger on Quietus.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Guest

[Brina Thalin]

The Crazy Mynock popped out of hyperspace just long enough for it's pilot to plot a new course, then vanished again.

[Slicer]

A sudden flare and there was a sudden movement in what had perceived to be nothing but deadspace. Like a spider lying in wait suddenly being brought to life by tremors in the thread. The ship that moved, seemed to slink across space. The unfocused eye easily lost track of it, amongst the back drop of emptiness.

 

The ship moved with purpose, though there was no one at the controls. At least no one living. The only living occupant was hard at work, trying to figure out the next move.

 

It would seem she gave me the slip.

 

"Using last known vector, follow the ship."

 

I have one thing in my favor. She has not removed the tracking beacons yet.

 

He gave a sigh as he felt the ship lurch into hyperspace. So the hunt continued.

[Sandy Sarna]

And boom! After hours of hearing the blades whirl and Sandy sitting there concentrating, the illusion was over. She was tired. Concentrating took work, which she was not too fond of. But none the less, she was ready to continue her training. She opened her green eyes and yawned, perhaps a little louder than she had hoped to, but she still hadn't learned the proper technique on how to resist yawns. She covered her mouth with her hand and looked out the transparasteel viewport to the swirling plasma of hyperspace. Her mother used to say that when she looked out she was looking into the souls of those who died. Looking beyond the veil, and sometimes Sandy could swear she could see a face staring back. That always frightened her a bit, and was the source of a few of her nightmares. That would not be something she would tell her master, being chided for religious beliefs was not the way to spend a long voyage. Even if they were only an hour from Coruscant.

 

She glanced up and placed her hands over the earpieces on her helmet, still struggling with the too big helmet and the drone of the engines. "Yes Jedi Alluyen, the masters at the temple did teach basic meditation. I can commence on your orders"

[Adenna Alluyen]

"Good," Adenna replied. There wasn't much they could do in the way of getting into a meditative position, so she began teaching in a calm, smooth voice. "The object of this exercise is to use your mind to connect to the Force and draw its energy into you. In doing so, you will find that your mind is sharper, less exhausted, and later on, that it can be used to fuel other Force abilities. This particular technique is just the basics and is only useful if you have time to meditate. Once you master this, I can teach you how to absorb great amounts of energy very rapidly so it can be used in combat.

 

"There are many ways in which using the Force to restore your mind and body can be useful. Later on, you will be able to build off this technique to utilize one that can boost your mental defenses from psychic attacks. Those attacks often overwhelm your mind and pound it with senses, memories, and emotions designed to dismantle it and thus put you out of action and possibly even take control of you. If you can draw on the Force to sustain you, you can withstand those attacks and sometimes turn them back on your opponent.

 

"It can also be adapted to help you recover from shock such as from stun grenades or even just falling from a height. When your physical senses are overwhelmed, it also overloads your mind. Relying on the Force, when combined with techniques designed to replace your physical senses, can enable you to fight even if you have been blinded by acid or ruptured your eardrums.

 

"While not directly related, refreshing your mind can also be used to enhance mental projections to others. This can range from sending emotions to others in order to soothe them to launching mental assaults on enemies. What Jedi Relmis did with the dream state was an advanced form of this projection. You can use this even for a form of telepathy to send basic thoughts and images to others, something that is handy to warn someone of danger or to find out where people are.

 

"The reason why this is so important is because, in some way or another, nearly all Force techniques and abilities from this point on will rely on you knowing how to draw energy from the Force into yourself. Do this and we can begin putting it into practice on Coruscant."

 

Adenna directed Sandy to begin meditation and slowly linked her mind with that of her Padawan. She wasn't able to control her nor did she want to, but she was able to sense what the girl was thinking and guide her on the right path. "Sense the Force," she urged in an almost hypnotic voice, "you know how. Sense its flow and its power. The Force has unlimited energy, we are limited in our consumption of it only by our physical bodies and our minds. Take too much in at once and it could literally burn you from the inside out or it could drive you mad. You do not need to worry about this right now as only those with great skill and knowledge can do that.

 

"Once you sense the Force's power, reach out to it and take some for yourself. Immerse your mind in its beauty and strength. Be at peace and it will guide you to its will and direct your path. When you take its energy, never do so for selfish or evil purposes as that only profanes it. Only draw upon it to better yourself or others or to strengthen you in the path of peace and justice. Sometimes we must use the power of the Force to kill, but we should never kill without a just cause such as the protection of innocents."

 

Adenna continued to guide Sandy as she herself used the Force to refresh her mind and give her strength.

[Darth Grief]

The crystal in Ar-Pharazon's hand continued to beat, sanguinary and grotesque, oozing suppurating crimson light as it evoked the attention of spirits near and far. After a few more long, hesitant pulses, the light shrunk away, dimming to a barely perceptible ember, as though it were a bulb being drained of power from without.

 

What is this...?

 

A raspy whisper trembled through the bulkheads, but Ar-Pharazon's lips stayed still. He was not the speaker.

 

This is not my reward!

 

In the air above the barren floor, encircled by flickering obsidian candles, there coalesced a hazy phantasm of a massive Falleen male. Clothed in chains and rags he stood, with a few scarcely buckled tatters of military armor lashed to his shoulders. His wild hair was singed in a hundred spots, his gaze raking back and forth between the few assembled ritualists. Most of his body remained bare under the sparse threads he wore, a profane mockery of the dignity of the deceased.

 

No... this is better.

 

The apparition's shifting gaze fixed on Emily, and a leer spread across his face, barely discernible, but coming into greater focus...

 

One chain for another.

 

The shackles around the man's arms snapped, and the chains shattered into a thousand component links, spraying blue sparks across the floor, all too bright. In the crook of his freed left arm, the man was suddenly cradling another ghostly form, one that wasn't there just a moment before.

 

One... triumph for another.

 

The form in the man's arm was a young girl. Not being held. Being strangled. The eyes, desperate, but empty. She was dead, even in that faraway place. She wasn't the only one.

 

One desire expended. Another forms.

 

In the Falleen's eyes, for a split second only, there was reflected a vast, hellish array of corpses. All young girls, all murdered. Not supernaturally, not bluntly, but professionally. Bullets to the head, stabbings to the throat, a metal baton strike to the base of the skull while sleeping. Laid out in all their vulnerability, stripped bare, drained of life.

 

Drool lingered on the man's lips. He was suddenly as real as anyone in the room, given new life by the dark side, charged by the fusion of Force energy and his own dormant desires.

 

Empower.

 

His free hand shot out and grabbed Emily by the throat.

 

Empower. Feed. Life.

Empower.

[Delta73]

Delta slowly walked around the periphery of the seance his hands on the weapons that had brought down many hundreds of lives. His gloved hands slowly came up and removed the helmet from his blonde head. His steel blue eyes caught sight of Quietus and there they stayed. His boot steps slowed to a stop when he was at Quietus's rear, and Delta slowly walked to his shoulder, brushing his shoulder slightly he found a seat just inches away from Quietus. His gun trembled slightly as he brought it up and around, he opened the breech and examined the gas magnifying array.

 

The barrel just inches from Quietus stomach, and Delta was completely unaware. When the demon was summoned the room temperature dropped like a rock, and Delta's cold blue eyes stared towards Quietus and Emily.

 

"Malbureck, ishtarthane? Goortam verta?"

[Raynuk Montar]

As the voice rumbled through the ship, Quietus knew only one thing for sure; whoever it was that Ar-Pharazon was bringing back from the grasp of death, he was mad as hell. But he watched silently as the phantasm appeared hovering in the middle of the room. Quietus did not recognize him beyond knowing that it was a Falleen judging by visual cues. Quietus remained silent and motionless as it continued to speak, viewing the Falleen from head to toe. For those few first moments, Quietus felt nothing but curiosity for whoever this was, but the moment that it's eyes fell upon Emily, he tensed ever so slightly. The words that accompanied its gaze and leer only served to heighten Quietus' mind, a reaction that gave him the ability to see the shackles snapping a mere moment before it actually happened.

 

But still, Quietus did not move or speak as the sparks littered the floor, causing Quietus to squint for just a moment before refocusing on the phantasm to see the ghostly form being cradled. As Quietus watched, his eyes turned upwards to meet the gaze of the Falleen, just in time to catch the glimmer of death in its eyes. It was in that moment, of seeing the death and horror reflected in it's eyes, that Quietus knew something was about to happen, and it would not be something pleasant.

 

Quietus jumped to his feet again as the Falleen became ever so real within the room. It suddenly had a presence within the Force, and it was as dark a night as either Quietus or Ar-Pharazon themselves emitted. Such a move was not so much a reaction to what Quietus realized, but instead one that was due to the Falleen's sudden... existence. Quietus' gaze shifted to Ar-Pharazon, who was still sitting in his large and opulent chair, clearly still quite involved in the conjuring. What came next he was neither prepared for, nor was he able to stop or do anything about.

 

He watched statuesque as the Falleen flew from the center of the room towards Emily, his hand grasping her by the throat. It was all Quietus could do to hold back an inhuman snarl, looking away for just a moment to give himself a moment to collect his thoughts and not to act brashly. Every fiber in his body had been intent upon launching himself upon the phantasm Falleen, but such gut reactions were brash and often lead to less than desirable results. Quietus had experienced the pitfalls of brash gut reactions far too much in his extended life, and was not about to make such a mistake while Ar-Pharazon was present. The last thing he needed was to give the other Sith another reason to look down upon Quietus. He sighed and returned his gaze to the Falleen and Emily, who he could feel through the Force was fearful. His eyes met hers and he nodded, attempting to offer her at least some semblance of comfort and control. He then turned to the Falleen and spoke, finding that his words were cold and bitter, exuding a level of calm and calculation behind them. His own dark presence in the Force was blazing like fire, revealing the real anger that was walled up behind the words.

 

"I would appreciate it if you removed your vile hand from my apprentice's throat... I have claimed her for myself you see, and you simply can not have her. Find someone else to feed and empower from. Let her go, now. "

[Slicer]

He was tired of always following the target but as he had not caught up with the target, it was the fate he was resigned to. In his time as a bounty hunter he had learned that targets loved to stop in the middle of no where, then switch vectors as if they were trying to shake him.

 

He had come up for a contingency for that, and was at work with it now to make sure it worked. His sensors were the most advanced a ship for personal use could get. What he was doing was both simple and complex.

 

He had one set working on tracking the stream of highly-charged particles that were forced through the engine's exhaust port at nearly the speed of light from her ship. He had caught a whiff so to speak back when she first began running, and had the sensors scanned for something similar at nar shaddaa. Now he had her scent so to speak yet to him this was not enough. The sullustan had been very good at what he did. This of course had allowed Slicer to estimate some things for further use. He would be able to detect the wake rotation and Cronau radiation of her specific ship. This would keep him from over shooting, should she suddenly stop and change vectors. It would give him enough time to also stop and either intercept her, or go right back to following her. Depending on how fast his system caught it.

 

He had also been in her drive once, and so knew the 'route' so to speak. Next time he was in range, he would be able to steal the data from her drive as she jumped. Yet he was far more interested in doing what the other AI had done. Implant false data. Then he would be able to get her to go where he wanted her to go. That was what the hunter worked on as his ship tore through hyperspace on a chase.

[Emily]

The sudden appearance of the Sith Falleen had been the last thing Emily had expected to occur from Ar-Pharazon's ritual. She hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly hadn't been this.

 

Delta was saying some kind of weird phrase, his weapon pointing uncomfortably near Quietus, and it was only due to Emily glancing that way that she wasn't blinded when the Falleen's ethereal chains shattered into blinding sparks. The explosion drew her attention back to the newly materialized Sith. She could feel his power, his malevolent presence. She suddenly got the feeling that this man...he was one who had given himself over to the dark side completely. Had embraced the storm in all of its wild untamed power. Just as clearly as she knew that, she knew he was unstable.

 

But even that didn't prepare her for him to leap over and grab her by the throat. Her instincts were to toss him back with a Force push, or at least to break his grip on her neck with a quick hold break that the Nohgri had taught her back on Raxus Prime. But something stayed her, held her in check. Instead, she merely took some of the pressure off her neck by using the Force as a cushion, a tiny barrier between his fingers and her neck. It wasn't complete--it still hurt, and she was having a hard time getting breaths--but it helped a little.

 

She looked into the Falleen's eyes and saw his madness. But she wasn't afraid. For Quietus' voice now cut across the room, and it contained that same measure of pure power as he had used earlier. Only these words reminded her of his promise. He had promised that he would protect her. And so she was not afraid. She met the Falleen's glare as evenly as she could, letting only a bit of anger seep through as she struggled for each breath.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

Ar-Pharazon's pulse quickened as he looked at the hastily summoned, merciless Sith murderer known as Darth Grief. Without any hesitation whatsoever, the foul spirit appeared anxious to claim yet another victim, even in death. Claiming victims was like a sport for Darth Grief, who seemed to make an all-star career out of it. His numbers were unreal ”“ like some mythic headsman from an ancient heathen era, who worked tirelessly to behead every single citizen of a medieval realm on behalf of a wicked, unstable king. Though, his glorious axe was actually an even more glorious rifle.

 

This is even more entertaining than I could have imagined, but yeah, this is getting out of control fast. Ar-Pharazon was frustrated that the other Force-users present would be likely overtaken by the summoned Sith villain. In life, Darth Grief was wholly evil, and even in death, he was proving to be a fully malevolent and mean-spirited djinn of sorts. Ar-Pharazon was happy to see that the foul being had graduated to a higher plane of malicious existence.

 

Ar-Pharazon closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of how to undo such profane conjuration. It was far from an apprentice's exercise, and required immense concentration, with wholly secret knowledge to even attempt it. Only nine Sith, ever, were even aware of the technique, and only four of them actually knew how to perform it. Ar-Pharazon was a master of it.

 

The red crystal in the Sith Master's hand continued to glow like a bleeding sun. Taking note of the behavior of the swirls within, Ar-Pharazon understood exactly how to approach the necessary ritual of banishment. The evil, tyrannous man leaned forward in his chair and cleared his throat loudly. ”œYour name, Darth Grief, is actually Nyfe Merdir, isn't it?”

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy forced herself to close her eyes, hyperspace was just so pretty to look at. Gazing into the rift was a lot of fun, especially when she couldn't hear the masters talking and or fussing...so she closed her eyes and forced all the thoughts from her mind. She opened her mind and just sat, open and slightly confused to the aura of the mighty force. Within her mind's eye a huge vast space opened in front of her, huge and awesome in power. Her eyes flickered and she perceived it, wholly light on one side, and wholly dark on the other, yet in the very centre, a patch of many colours. Her mind stretched for the centre, and she resisted herself. Surely there was a danger in that void, she could see beings on either side, most ignoring her, others silently beckoning for Sandy to join them. She maintained her focus and continued her silent walk of the void. Maybe it was all her imagination, or perhaps not. Her fleeting thoughts vanished as she saw a figure approaching, tall and courageous, flowing hair, surrounded by a white pallor of light, stretching from the fingertips and from the tips of his or her hair. She was mightily confused, here in the void, there couldn't be people...

 

Hello ma'am, welcome to the void, or the veil if you will. I am Eruaphadion and I am your guide.

 

You sure look like an angel or a demon even...by the force this can't be real!

 

This is in your mind, there is no doubt, with your master watching we cannot speak more, perhaps another time, I will make a deal with you, and you can be free...

 

The being departed, leaving Sandy to wander her mind, searching for the essence of the force that her master wished her to find, she was frustrated, and she opened her green eyes. She gazed around the cockpit again, and looked at Adenna, "I saw someone while I was meditating, is that normal whilst in hyperspace?"

[Adenna Alluyen]

While she was working with Sandy, she sensed that the girl was definitely touching the Force. That was a relief as she worried that she wouldn't be able to call upon it at will. Adenna remembered that it took her some time before she was able to reach out and touch the Force, but she hadn't spent time among the Younglings before being trained by Dahar.

 

Adenna frowned at her Padawan's words. "I can't say I have done extensive meditation during hyperspace, but I haven't heard of it being very common. Perhaps it was a vision or premonition of a possible future. It would be rather odd for one as untrained as you to receive them, but not impossible. The Force does odd things. Tell us what you saw."

[Dahar Raikanda]

"Well Master, and I say this with humility as I know that all gifts come truly from the Force, I am in possession of a body I never thought a human could achieve. I feel a constant connection to the Force as it pulsates through my being. I feel it inside each muscle and blood vessel, controlling the very essence within me. I have trained long and hard to be who I am and know that a Jedi's training never ends. I have honed my skills with a lightsaber. I have also harnessed a power that, I fear at times, brings me dangerously close to the Dark Side. I originally discovered it from a book in the archives titled Retribution." Dahar remembered the dark line this power nearly crossed as he had used it to manipulate the energies of others. "I have established a strong connection between my body, my mind, and the Force, yes. But I know Master Kirlocca that there is an infinite amount I can still learn."

[Wookiee Jedi]

Kirlocca slowly nodded his head. It was good to hear that Dahar had a very similar life style and history as to himself, but the Dark Side struggle might need to be the focal point of training.

 

<< It is something that I have always said. A Jedi life is one of learning, and it is when you stop learning is when you stop being a Jedi. I feel that your history and very nature will put you in a good spot to learn under me. Our similar past might put you in a very good position. >>

 

There was a sudden beep signaling that they were coming up on Gala.

 

<< It would seem that our time together is about to fully begin. Hopefully, we can manage to get both training and building set up during our time. >>

[Terra]

Terra watched with great curiosity the séance that played out before her eyes. The spirit of the long-dead Sith Falleen, seemed quite intent on being evil, having just snapped a young girl's neck and whose chains exploded in brilliant light, which made the entire crew wince. Terra blinked away the pain in her eyes, the demon within her beginning to stir. A dark storm began to wash waves of intention upon the shores of her mind. Her crimson eyes grew darker for but a moment, before lighting with a hidden flame. The demon within her had no intention of allowing another demon anywhere near its territory. Her black-bound hands pulled the flechette pistols from their holsters, and then rested them on her armored legs, fingers held on the trigger, but a few pounds of pressure away from unleashing death into the cabin. The demon called for blood.

 

Within her arm, the Sith amulet of draining, given to her by the Sith Lord Ason Antilles, prepared to be activated, to break the concentration of the Sith present, an advantage that would help to draw the blood necessary to calm the demon's lust. A voice broke through the demon's cloud, coming from beside her.

 

”œGood bye, old friend. It's back to Hell for you!”

[Sandy Sarna]

Sandy nodded slowly and adjusted the too big helmet again, bringing the mic to bear in front of her thin lips. She closed her eyes to relive the moment, "I saw....I saw two sides, one light and one dark, arrayed against an expansive field and mountains. There were steep mountains covered in darkness, and the fields were shining with light." Sandy fidgeted and continued. "There were figures on both sides, all dressed in clothes and armour from seemingly across the ages." Sandy wiped her brow and scratched her forehead. "In the centre of the Light and dark there was a path, narrow yet filled with an array of colour. It was beautiful for sure. Yet I only looked at it for a second, for I looked at the figures again. Some of them were ... Beckoning to me, like asking me to join them. Then one come towards me, he was shrouded in light, so I couldn't really see his face, and he talked to me. He said 'I will make a deal with you for your freedom' or something like that. I was rather scared."

 

She looked to her master slightly concerned, was she going crazy?

[Adenna Alluyen]

Adenna was truly concerned about what her Padawan reported. She did not know what was happening as she had never experienced such a thing herself. Though, it wouldn't do to show that concern to the others, so she hid it deep down inside.

 

"That is most interesting," she replied in a calm voice. "It could have been a vision from the Force itself, or it could have been an attack from a Sith. Be careful when meditating, if anything ever feels uncomfortable, flee and break the trance. Many a Jedi have been corrupted by the musings of Sith encroaching on their minds. Until you know more about the Force, I would be very wary about acting on anything you see, especially if it is asking you to join them or make any deals.

 

"We will not meditate in hyperspace for some time, so you can see if it was perhaps being in this odd reality that caused the visions or not. However, no matter where we are, the next time you see anything like that in meditation, you tell me immediately. Even if it is just a Force vision, those are important and should be pondered upon quickly."

 

They would be arriving on Coruscant soon, that much was good news. Adenna never liked enclosed spaces such as this fighter. It would be good to walk around again on her own two feet and be able to stretch.

[Raynuk Montar]

(Moving on since Grief's post was just a cameo)

 

Just as quickly as it had come, the spectre of the Falleen Sith was removed by the foul magic at play by Ar-Pharazon. Like a black hole in space, or some sort of fantasy holo-vid about four scientists who get paid to hunt and bust ghosts with nuclear reactors strapped to their backs, the spirit was sucked into the darkness. The Falleen did not go quietly however, wailing about rewards and triumphs to come as he tried to claw his way away from the black magic that was streaming from the gauntlet of Ar-Pharazon behind him.

 

Quietus only watched, as he did before, while the phantom was removed from the ship and hopefully from the galaxy at large. All the while, Quietus' gaze followed the eyes of the Falleen, and saw its power and desire for more death quickly replaced with fear as it was slowly dragged back to whatever hellish existence it had come from. To see the fear in the phantom's eyes brought justification to Quietus' mind. When the Falleen has been fully removed, Quietus' glance shifted to Emily just long enough to be assured that she was fine, before he turned to Ar-Pharazon.

 

He did not speak to the other Sith, just watched him for a moment as Ar-Pharazon stood there in front of his chair. Finally after a few moments of silence, Quietus spoke, addressing all who were present.

"Well clearly this journey will be remembered now... But perhaps we should move on from memories of the past and shift our focus to those of the future. Specifically, our destination. It has always been an iconic location, similar to that of Naboo... Which is precisely why I want to spread chaos there. Im sure we all have heard what occurred on Naboo, the unprovoked attack upon Theed that resulted in a slaughter. I want the same resultant chaos on that matches and builds upon what has occurred on Naboo. I want to shift the balance of power from where it is currently... I do not trust this Galactic Alliance. Not even our own representative within it. What are your thoughts on this Master Ar-Pharazon?"

Whether Quietus knew it had been Ar-Pharazon, Delta, and Terra who had orchestrated the attack on Naboo or not didnt matter; He was addressing them now in the view of not knowing. If for no other reason than to throw off any listening devices upon the ship, whether they were put there by Ar-Pharazon or not. Quietus was not going to point fingers, even in passing, and along the same lines, he was smart enough to not mention the target by name. But he could not do this alone, which is precisely why he was among the company that he was now.