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[Qaela]

Though she was enjoying the relaxing bath, Qaela paid rapt attention to Ar-Pharazon's words. In her experience, it was almost unheard of for a superior to actually ask advice. It was a very odd thing to her, just as was a lot of things since she regained consciousness. Perhaps it was due to her being deemed worthy in his eyes to attain the title of Sith Lord. Perhaps he was genuinely a different master from the cold Haphaestus. Or, it could be that their intimate relationship tipped the balance.

 

Either way, Qaela enjoyed it. She had always envied the full Sisters and their interactions with each other during the meetings. While there was always caution and wariness for betrayals, the Clan was just that: a clan. Rarely did betrayals result in death and sometimes not even in violence. It was different from the Sith who seemed to kill each other more than work together. Most of the time, the other Nightsisters were at peace and valued shared information and updates on the Witches and their movements.

 

It was definitely not a sentiment she ever expected to share with a Sith with the reputation that Ar-Pharazon had. Either he had carefully cultivated the reputation for the outside world, or something had shaken him deeply. She couldn't understand what it was, he had personally killed the Jedi Grandmaster, his chief opponent. Infighting was always the way of the Sith, even Qaela understood and accepted that. Raynuk's attack should not have caught her off guard as it did, but it was what it was. She hated the chaos of the Sith, but it was their ways and she couldn't truly hold it against any one of them. As long as they embraced the darkness completely and made themselves stronger, she had no problems with them.

 

"I have no anger toward Raynuk," she said after contemplating things. "He did what he did for his own reasons. For me to seek vengeance would be a futile exercise that would waste time and energy best spent against those of the light. If there is a greater purpose in killing Emily, I will do so. Unless she shows she did not learn her previous lesson and abandoned her ties to the light, I have no reason to kill her.

 

"As for Raynuk himself, I am curious to know why he choose to attack me. If he had good reasons, then perhaps I can still work toward placing him as Dark Lord. If he struck at me out of petty jealousy against you or a pointless reason, then he is unworthy of becoming the Dark Lord and should be abandoned until such time as he rectifies those flaws.

 

"Either way, I cannot trust him again, not at this point. I may not seek vengeance, but I do not forget nor do I turn a blind eye to what he did. He tried to kill me, something I do not take lightly. Though, if I were to refuse to assist any who harmed me, I would be forced to seek out the Jedi for companionship. Life is full of pain, growth often causes it, and power means you will have to survive it. I have suffered plenty of pain in my life and would have the scars to prove it were it not for bacta, healing spells, and a little corrective surgery a few months ago.

 

"Perhaps after you have spoken to him, I might have the chance to do so. I would desire you there as a mediator to prevent another foolish attack on his part. I believe serving the darkness takes precedent over petty rivalry or feuds and if you believe that he is still the one to become the Dark Lord, then I will set aside my personal distrust and follow you."

[Raynuk Montar]

Quietus had spent the last several hours since he awoke lying on that cot in the corner of the ship in silence. His eyes were open, seemingly staring straight through the bulkhead that was above him, his own thoughts rolling through his mind, churning together the facts of the attack as well as the knowledge he had gotten from his near death experience. The Force had shown him exactly what he would need in the days and weeks to come; a vision that removed all doubt of the prophecy that surrounded him.

 

It wasnt long before the Sith Master could lay there no longer, and made the efforts to stand on his own accord. There had been no one to check on him since he had awoken, leading Quietus to assume that either the others were asleep, or they were purposely giving Quietus isolation for his actions, as if he was a scorned puppy. As he sat up and swung his legs off to the side of the cot, Roe'gall stirred, having apparently given up on devouring the bowl. The beast stood as the pain continued to shock through Quietus with every inch he moved to stand, finally resorting to using the massive tuk'ata for support in standing.

 

Slowly but surely, Quietus emerged from the room he had been put in following the attack, still leaning heavily on Roe'gall as he limped through the ship. Each step and each breath brought new flashes of pain from all over his body, but pain was useable, pain would serve to only increase his power. He could survive off his pain. Finally, he made it to the large sitting room, which by now had been cleared by the silver droids of the table and chairs from the feast. The room was largely empty once more, which suited Quietus just fine. He resigned himself to sit on the floor near the middle of the room, sitting almost exactly on his own blood, of which a stain still remained visible.

 

There he would focus on the Force to ease his pain, and there he would wait for one of the others to find him alive after all.

[Terra]

Terra awoke and rose from her bunk, still slightly groggy from the long rest. It had been quite some time now since she had almost ended the life of the Sith master she was meant to protect, and action that now confused her. The demon within her would have enjoyed watching the girl die, and even more so the Sith Master Quietus, but Terra had allowed neither. She rubbed her crimson eyes, clearing the bleariness from them, but not from her mind. The demon's grip was loosening; the old Terra had broken through her cage during the battle, and had been responsible for saving two lives. She breathed in and began to get dressed, slipping into a set of matching black shorts and T-shirt. The lack of sleeves revealed her scars, uncommon on a normal sixteen-year-old, as well as the Sith metal prosthetics that adorned her pale body.

 

She braided her hair, taking her time, enjoying the silence. The demon within her slept on, unstirred, allowing her to do as she wished. Her mind was still corrupted, but no longer seemed completely controlled by the bloodthirsty fiend that now slumbered within her soul. She sighed, finishing the long braid that now hung down her back. She smiled seeing one of her bangs hanging loosely down, so she braided it too, in the style of the old padawans of the Jedi. She slipped one two shoes, in the style of converses and slipped out into the hallway, her body feeling completely her own, for the first time in months.

 

For the first time in months as well, she went unarmed, except for those weapons the Sith Lord Ason Antilles had installed directly into her. She held her hands up in front of her eyes and looked at the contrast between the two, one crafted from Sith metal, a weapon, and the other pale, scarred flesh, representing her past. She smiled sadly and continued along the hallway coming out into the large dining area, and observed the sitting figure. The figure of the man she nearly killed. Anguish and guilt stabbed into her heart like a thousand needles. She approached slowly, her converses making nearly no sound as she approached him. She sat down across from the man, and slowly met his eyes, hers filled with guilt and apology.

 

”œQuietus”¦”

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

”œPerhaps I will mediate. We shall see. But know too that I am fully committed to the darkness. I wanted to make sure that you were as well. It would infuriate me to see these random altercations delay or compromise our valuable mission to dethrone the so-called Dark Lord of the Sith. The fulfillment of Raynuk's prophesized rise to the throne is all I care about right now. It is canonical darkness. In-fighting is one thing, and with purpose to dethrone the weak, or to murder one's opponent in revenge or just for the sake of being evil, yet what has happened aboard the Dreadfully Unpleasant and Very Unholy Chariot of Unwarranted Suffering is different. We have a glorious mission, of unrivaled importance, that should be set higher than this mere squabbling. I am frustrated to see such a setback.”

[Raynuk Montar]

The Sith had felt Terra coming down the hallway, his focus still mostly drawn inward to ease his own pain while the bacta and various other chemicals that still coursed through his body repaired it. Quietus did not acknowledge Terra when she entered the room, his eyes closed as if sleeping or meditating. He gave no response as she sat down in front of him. But then she spoke his name, and his eyes slid open and fixed his gaze upon her.

 

From the first day he had met Terra, it had been clear to Quietus that she held within her two people; the young girl that sat before him now with tears in her eyes, and the ravaging monster that had slaughtered so many people over the past few days. At times they seemed like the same person, but it often came across to Quietus that Terra was fighting with the darkness within herself. That fact was made clearer to him now, as he felt the darkness within her pacified, like a sleeping child in its mother's arms. For what it was worth to the Sith Master, what sat before him now was simply the scared, upset, and guilt ridden young girl. He watched her for another moment, watching the tears in her eyes and feeling the guilt within. Terra the young girl was sorry, not the demon within.

"So it seems. But from what I understand, I have you to thank for still living, even in this pain."

 

It was true that Quietus had no difinitive proof, but he had well enough assumed that it had been Terra who had shot him in the back and nearly vaporized his skull. But he had also remembered seeing blonde hair cross his gaze shortly before he had passed out, and Terra was the only one with such hair aboard the ship. He looked down at the floor in front of him, to the blood stain that still remained.

 

"My blood was spilled upon this very spot, and my life was nearly extinguished... And I can only assume that it is you who is responsible for the hole in the back of my head Terra."

 

His gaze once again fixed upon her, watching for her reaction. He practically knew it to be the truth, but he had also figured out during his time alone on the cot, the reasons why Terra had acted in the first place. She had taken a vow to protect Ar-Pharazon and his interests, and Qaela was his plaything, his 'property' in a sense. It was not a large jump in logic to assume she had acted according to the vow to protect his interests.

 

"But given that I acted foolishly and forced your hand with my actions, and the fact that I still live thanks to you... You are forgiven Terra. Shed no more tears over this issue, for it is a sign of weakness."

 

He closed his eyes once more and began focusing on mending his own body once more, pouring the Force into his bodily systems to speed up its own natural regeneration. But he spoke one more time.

 

"With my forgiveness comes the request of a favor; Fetch my armor for me if you will, it will do me no good to have punctured armor when it comes time to deal with the droid. After that, you may stay if you would like."

[Qaela]

Though she personally saw little difference in Raynuk's attack against her here and the countless other random acts of violence she had seen Sith perform, she held her tongue. It would not do to disagree with Ar-Pharazon, not at this time at least. The Sith were an inherently violent, fractious entity that killed each other as much as outsiders. It was the chief reason why she did not want to join their Order.

 

He asked an odd question, especially considering recent events. It was true, she had indeed manipulated others to kill a Jedi, though she didn't have to force anyone to do anything. She merely had to present the opportunity and let them take action. The assassination of the Grandmaster fulfilled everyone's goals and made all parties happy, but her own plans were broader than just killing a single man, though she doubted the present company would object to most of those goals.

 

She needed to respond, though, "In a way, I have. While all of you were more than willing, I set things into motion that would see the Grandmaster killed by your hands. It was most satisfying, as you said. I would be celebrating now were it not for the attack against me."

 

She did not miss the other hints of his story. Whether he intended on it or not, she was reminded that to one such as him, all were but puppets and tools to be used and disposed of when their purpose was complete. Qaela knew this and accepted this fact. She planned on remaining useful to the Sith Master one way or another. Everyone needs allies at some point, even the two of them.

 

The bath was getting cold so she got out and began drying herself. She still had her black dress, but it had not been washed. It wasn't very dirty, all she had been doing when last wearing it was healing Ca'Aran and meditating, so it would suffice for now. When they got to Coruscant, she had to acquire some more clothing and perhaps some armor.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

”œYour condition is improving, Qaela,”

[Qaela]

After getting dressed, Qaela debated on something. She was not completely bound to Ar-Pharazon in all things and she did not truly need his permission to do what she would. Despite that and her claim to independence, she knew it was probably best to seek his opinion before he found out another way and grew infuriated. Though she held on to independence, she also realized that sacrifices had to be made to gain further power and to survive.

 

"I will seek out the others, but I do not yet wish to confront Raynuk until I know the loyalties of the others. On that note, there is a small matter which I seek your opinion on regarding the soldier Delta. I will probably have the opportunity to introduce him to carnal pleasure, if he so chooses. Normally, I would do what I wished with whom I wished, but in this case, I wish to know if doing such actions would meet with your disapproval."

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

”œSexual intercourse?”

[The Chameleon]

Corruption is so common. Sadly, it had come to doorstep of The Chameleon. Aboard his ship he stood in the refresher. He slashed cool water upon his face, his original face. It was something only he had seen. Something he would only see. He had grown tired of the Zabrak guise, and it was time for a new identity. But to retain the same personality? That would be a interesting conundrum. He reached for the water again. He had done little research into the Black Sun, but there were rumors that the leader loved money.

 

With how much money we could stand to make, we could make a planet”¦ He laughed as the water dripped from his silver face. He store into the mirror, he grumbled.

 

The thought of the two CoreSec agents angered him greatly. So much so that he threw his fist against the mirror, and even denting the wall behind it. The glass animated the room. Tiny shards bounced off the metallic body. For a moment Chameleon had contemplated his own existence. Back home he was respected, admired, and even envied. Was it so bad to just go along with the Government? Sometimes he was just too outspoken.

 

Hopefully the Sun would want some Higher-End Criminals. That's what he was after all”¦. Chameleon held himself to a higher standard.

 

The buzzer outside the refresher rang out. Five minutes till he was out in real space again. He was late, but once he explained himself to the agents, maybe they would understand. After all”¦now all he wanted to do was kill CoreSec agents.

 

But what guise would he take this time? He grabbed his copy of Catalog of Intelligent Life in the Galaxy. A fantastic guide for a shapeshifter like him.

[Qaela]

Qaela had no intention of getting thus entangled with Ca'Aran on this ship. There were already enough problems brewing to add any fallout by doing that right now. She would bide her time until a proper opportunity presented itself. She wanted to develop an alliance with the soldier precisely because he wasn't Sith. In her opinion, Sith were too explosive, unpredictable, and quick to kill. Perhaps being one of the vast majority of this Galaxy who was not fluent in the Arts as a spellcaster, Ca'Aran would be more reliable as an ally. If he had a part in helping save her from Raynuk, that only made it more obvious that an alliance with him would be good, and if that alliance could develop into a more enjoyable discourse, she would welcome it. After all, when one could mix business and pleasure, why not?

 

With a sly smile, she said, "Do not worry, Ar-Pharazon, I have no intention of 'being penetrated' by him now and will return to spend the night with you." As she walked behind him, she gently brushed the back of his neck and left.

 

She had to be cautious now. As far as she was concerned, she was in the middle of enemy territory. With the Force, she could sense where everyone was: it was too small of a ship not to. Raynuk, though he was still in pain and recovering, appeared to be in the sitting room on the main floor. She would have avoided that level except that was also where Ca'Aran was.

 

She frowned for a moment, then choose a different approach. Instead of going down to where he was, she would see about getting Ca'Aran to where she was. It took a few seconds to prepare and cast the correct spells, but when she did, she was able to reach out to his mind. She nudged him and fed a quick image of her face with a suggestion to come up to the upper levels if he could.

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

((Ok I've given you both long enough to post (Calmin & Drake). It's been 5 days and you have yet to reply so I'll continue us on regardless. ))

 

Lucifer waited for his two apprentices to do as asked but before given the chance the alarm went alerting the kiffar that they were exiting hyperspace above the planet at any moment.

 

With that alert Lucifer said one final word before leaving for the flight deck.

 

''Continue as you were doing. By the time I return for you I expect you to have done something.''

 

With that the sith lord left for the cockpit leaving the two to decide what to do next.

 

((Continue on Onderon))

[Terra]

”œYou are forgiven Terra. Shed no more tears over this issue, for it is a sign of weakness."

 

Terra sniffed and wiped away the tears welling up in her crimson eyes, not wanting to show any form of weakness. The demon within her was strangely silent, and her soul felt hallow, as if the power that once flowed through her no longer took a form. She watched as he closed his eyes in meditation once more. She shifted uncomfortably, but then sat straight once more when Quietus spoke once more.

 

"With my forgiveness comes the request of a favor; Fetch my armor for me if you will, it will do me no good to have punctured armor when it comes time to deal with the droid. After that, you may stay if you would like.”

[Raynuk Montar]

When Terra returned, Quietus almost instantly noticed the change within her that came with the happiness. He was not blind to such things, nor would he bring it up or question it. If anything it only cemented the fact that Terra was fighting internally as two people.

 

"Thank you Terra."

As his eyes slid open he glanced at her, and couldnt help but be infected by her happiness despite the fact that he had nearly died, a small grin flashed across his face before he attempted to reach for the armor to begin the repairs. However, reaching as he did aggravated the wounds he had up and down his side, causing the Sith to hold his breath and grimace in pain as he pulled the breastplate of his armor back to him and sat back in a natural position and began examining it. As he set about repairing the small holes with the repair kit, Quietus again spoke to Terra, but this time did not look up.

"How long have you been fighting it?"

 

The question was ambiguous, with the topic being seemingly unknown. But given Terra's thoughts and what lay within her, it would be clear to both parties what he was talking about. It was a simple question, but one that would allow Quietus to better understand the blonde girl who sat before him.

[Lord Ar-Pharazon]

Directly after Qaela left, Ar-Pharazon found himself sprawled in the large chair with one leg over the arm and a leather-bound book propped against his knee. A stolen copy of a Jedi tome always made for a fun read, as the Sith Master perused through a thick history of Force-inspired prophecies obtained through so-called light side meditation. The calm, mind-freeing techniques were a lame substitute for belomancy.

[Delta73]

The two mouse bots and the epic scissor kick having completely disappeared from his memory, Ca'Aran made his way back to the refresher. After relieving himself and taking a quick sonic shower, he emerged, shaking his head. There appeared to be little wheel marks on his leg, so very strange. He must have been so very drunk or something after the epic shoot down. He sat down on his bunk and put on his armour, repaired and all. His WESTAR Blaster at his side as well as the rest of his weapons which had cut down the sith lord a while ago. He regretted it in a sense, but also, he had saved a girl's life, and that was worth something.

 

 

As his mind came to ponder her, a flash of an image and a feeling of want went through his mind, in an instant he was on his feet and walking towards her quarters, it was time for some....business. Of sorts. He straightened the armour he was wearing, and brushed his hands through his blonde hair. He knocked lightly on the door. The inevitable was finally there.

[Qaela]

When she heard Ca'Aran coming into the sitting room, Qaela smiled. He had received her message and even more, decided to come up. It bode well for him possibly being an ally. Either that or he was coming to finish her off now that she wasn't holed up in Ar-Pharazon's quarters.

 

She was sitting in a couch when he arrived and gave him a warm smile. Despite the smile, her lightsaber was within reach, but not obviously so. She also kept her senses alert for any hint of deception, betrayal, or danger. Until she knew better what had happened and where everyone stood, she wouldn't take any chances. With Ar-Pharazon, it didn't matter what precautions she took: he would overwhelm any defenses she could muster. She wouldn't even try that tactic around him, but rather another.

 

He was armed, well armed. That didn't bode well in her mind. Though, to be fair, he could be arming himself in case whoever he opposed in the melee decided to get revenge. Despite the weapons, she didn't let the smile slip off her face. For a moment, she debated using some of the more subtle means available to her to help influence him, but rejected that just in case Raynuk sensed it and took action.

 

"I am glad you got my message, Ca'Aran. I know Raynuk is below and I didn't want to risk another confrontation with him by going down there to seek you out. As I was sort of knocked out in the recent fight and Ar-Pharazon is strangely mute on the details of what happened, could you help fill me in?"

[Delta73]

Ca'Aran smiled as he entered the sitting room, she was sitting, smiling with her lightsabre and her beautiful form. He blinked and found a seat opposite of her. Her gaze lingered on his weapons and he grinned. He reached down and withdrew the blaster and flechette launchers from their holsters and placed them on the table opposite of them. There would be no confrontation here. He would very gladly take his armour off as well if that made her uncomfortable. Though it had never made Kailen uncomfortable, yet she had been a very different person than who he was sitting opposite of now. He had been in different company then, better, kinder, organized. He could feel a twinge of regret when his thoughts pondered upon Kailen. Qaela was no doubt looking into his mind at this moment seeing the flashes of memory with his General.

 

He shook his head, attempting to pull himself from dismal thoughts, ”œI am glad Quietus is not here, he is a dangerous man.”

[Qaela]

Qaela eyed the weapons on the table between them. She didn't think that was all of his weapons, not by a long shot, but it was better than nothing. "You will have to forgive me if I am a little nervous around 'allies' after what happened yesterday," she said. "These Sith are not the most trustworthy of allies and will turn on outsiders or each other with equal frequency and viciousness."

 

She listened to what Ca'Aran said and nodded. It fit in with what she figured might have happened in order for her to survive. Ar-Pharazon didn't say as much, but she could guess. "I don't think we have to worry about a simple disruptor, though. I am sure it is the least of the illegal things Ar-Pharazon has on this ship."

 

She shifted a little in the couch. "Thank you for saving me," she said with a genuine smile. It was rare for her to offer such a smile, but it was also rare that someone saved her life without expectations. Mother had several times, but she needed a daughter to do her work. Haphaestus had as well, but he wanted an alliance with the Nightsisters. If Ca'Aran and Terra wanted anything, they hadn't asked for it.

 

"I will not forget what you did, it is a blood debt that I owe to you. For saving my life, you have earned yourself a place among my people without fear of enslavement. Unlike the Sith, I do not betray those who save my life and fight beside me."

 

She looked intently into his eyes with her normal violet ones. "When we get to Coruscant, I will have to see if there is a way for me to at least partially repay you, but now is not the wisest time or place."

[Delta73]

Ca'Aran gestured to the table of weapons, "These Sith are legendary for their back stabbing, and then again, so are Black Sun agents." He laughed and looked at her again, she was very pretty, yet her smile then had been something he had not seen since the great war. A smile of genuine happiness, he could tell, her eyes showed her sincerity. He inclined his head honourably. "I did not save your life for your debt, or other materiel things." She accented the words with a firm shake of his head, "I did them because they were the right thing to do." His mind flirted with the idea of them two escaping from this evil party, but his code would not allow it. He had signed a contract, he was a leader of Black Sun, he would not abandon his agent in the field.

 

His hands closed into fists, "I will fight beside you any day miss. Not for money, or other things, but for friendship. I think you for the honour of such a thing."

[Qaela]

Qaela blinked once and looked at the man in front of her in a new light. She had figured he was a soldier and follower of Ar-Pharazon. She did not think he would be from the Black Sun. Back at the Sith Temple, she had read that the Sith attacked the Black Sun's citadel on Coruscant just before the war ended. Why they would ally with the Sith again was interesting and something she would need to get to the bottom of.

 

Not now, though. She needed to make sure she survived this situation first. If possible, she would have to see if she could further secure Ar-Pharazon's trust and keep him from deciding to kill he. If she could do that, she just might be able to learn more Sith spells from him or, more importantly, gain a far greater power. If not, then she would have to withdraw from this bloodthirsty group and carry out her backup plans.

 

"I am glad to hear that, for it would be good to have an ally I could trust," she replied as she stood up. She walked over to where he was sitting and sat down beside him. "I am curious though, why do you believe it was right to save me and not the Sith master? I profess that he has killed many more than I, but I am not a paragon of righteousness myself, and neither are you."

[Delta73]

Ca'Aran lowered his head, and sighed. "I was righteous once, long ago, perhaps what saved your life was the last shred left in my dark heart." His voice was strained with regret. "I wasn't always a demon amongst men, but where I am now, there is nothing left to me." He had sinned one to many times, he had fallen from grace when he pulled the trigger on his general. His Kailen, he could feel the dull ache in his belly again. But Qaela would most likely not be impressed with this sudden portrayal of emotions long kept silent.

 

He stayed silent for several seconds, "Well, I guess I will never know what possessed me to save your life, but none the less, the deed is done." He ran his hand through his hair again.

[Qaela]

This one was most interesting. She could sense his turmoil, but didn't quite know the cause. Nonetheless, it was the very presence of at least some core of honor that made him a potentially trustworthy ally. "You are not Sith, you do not need to be as concerned about the encroachment of the light or goodness," she said softly. "If your remaining shreds of righteousness is what directed you to save me, then I am grateful and approve of them, no matter what the others say."

 

She reached out and took one of his hands in one of hers. "Loyalty can be a positive trait because it can inspire loyalty in others towards you. Everyone has to have allies at some point. Sometimes, allies can make you more powerful."

 

She let some silence reign before asking, "What do you know of Terra? Is she also of the Black Sun? Why would she not side with Raynuk?"

[Delta73]

Ca'Aran laughed softly to himself and took her grasp. She was right, he was not aiming to be good, not bad. He had to do what was best for his men. "Thank you miss, I will hold onto the shreds then." He smiled slightly, "WEll I am glad to have you as an ally any day..." She asked about Terra and Ca'Aran mentally went through her case file.

 

"Terra is a good agent, still a little young for promotion, but she is loyal to Black Sun and Lord Ar-Pharazon, she will be a valuable ally in the days to come."

[Qaela]

At this point, it didn't surprise her that Terra was Black Sun. Though why they would take in someone as young as her was surprising. It was different with spellcasters than with normal beings, but then, Terra had something odd about her. Qaela would have talked to the girl except she seemed to be with Raynuk. That alone was concerning, but if she was loyal to Ar-Pharazon, that probably meant she would be loyal to anyone who was loyal to him. At this moment, Qaela was as loyal to the Sith Master as she was to anyone except Mother.

 

Though there was Ca'Aran.

 

Him she was not sure about. Part of her wanted to believe that he was willing to remain loyal to her and wouldn't betray her. It was an odd thing for anyone in this group to be truly loyal to anyone, especially when it meant risking their lives as he had done. He could have simply stayed out of the conflict just as she had with many at the Sith Temple and not risked his life. But he didn't. He got involved and intervened on her behalf, for whatever reason.

 

She didn't know him very well, not yet at least. If he, as a non-spellcaster, managed to gain the confidence of Ar-Pharazon, a man not known for suffering fools or the weak, then there must be something to him. It could be his ties to Black Sun or it could be his ability to unleash destruction. Either way, that alone meant he was not normal. If the opportunity arose, she would have to learn more about him, and in more ways than one.

 

"I hope you are right about her," she replied. "I think it is time to go down below and see what can be done with Raynuk. We still have a Dark Lord to remove and it will be very hard to do it without a candidate for the position to replace him. Ar-Pharazon doesn't want the position and I am not so sure about supporting a man who tried to kill me unless he had a damn good reason to do so. If some sort of understanding can't be reached, then we will not be able to carry out the mission. I hope you will back me up if he chooses to attack. Though, if he does again, don't spare his life. One unprovoked attack can be overlooked, but twice is unforgivable."

 

She started to get up, but thought better of it and remained sitting. "If we both survive the trip to Coruscant, we should find a nice, quiet place to spend a few hours and get to know each other better and I where can thank you properly for saving me." She reached and gently grabbed his jaw and turned his face toward her so she could give him a long, warm kiss. When she was done, she stood up and gave him another smile, "I guarantee you will enjoy it."

 

* * * * *

 

Hoping that he would follow, but willing to go forward if he didn't, she went down below to the main level of the ship. There, in the sitting room that had not quite recovered from the recent violence, was Raynuk and Terra. Raynuk was sitting down in the middle of conducting repairs on his damaged armor while Terra was standing before him. Qaela was surprised at the damage that armor had taken and that Raynuk had survived the attack. She would have to look into getting some armor like that.

 

The two had been talking, but she waited until they had paused before coming into the room. Her senses were fully employed to detect any threats. After his latest ambush, she wasn't going to be caught unawares again. If he struck at her, she would be ready to meet him with either spells or lightsaber.

 

"Raynuk," she began, "if we are going to ever be able to destroy the weakness that is Haphaestus, then we are going to have to come to some sort of understanding. You tried to kill me. I can get over that if you had good reasons, but I am going to be hesitant to help put you in a place of even more power if you are going to try again. Why did you try to kill me after I told you that I was willing to help make you Dark Lord?"

 

((Qaela didn't interrupt anyone, so Terra can respond before she steps in. I would wait longer, but we really need to come to some resolution regarding this and get to Coruscant where we can either part ways or continue together against Haphaestus.))

Edited April 22, 2011 by Guest

[Raynuk Montar]

After a decent amount of time spent sitting on the floor repairing his armor with the focus and precision that came from one so in tune with the Force, Quietus was at last satisfied with the repairs. He briefly considered taking up crafting as a hobby, before dismissing it in the wake of his known future. He set the gauntlet, the last piece of armor that he had worked on, down on top of the pile of the rest of his armor, and then looked up at Terra for the first time in a while.

 

He had asked her a question shortly before he began fixing his armor, but had found her to fall silent in the wake of it. Whether it was due to the implications of the question, or due to the joy that was still present in her mind, he did not know. But he would not push the issue either; everyone was entitled to carry their own secrets.

 

Just as he was about to stand, he felt the presence of Qaela nearing him. he had figured that she had survived his attack, given that Terra and Delta had interrupted him with their flechette launchers. But he did not expect the nightsister to seek him out first. it was an unexpected move, but one that spoke volumes about the girl that Quietus had dismissed as useless many times over up to this point.

 

"Raynuk," she began, "if we are going to ever be able to destroy the weakness that is Haphaestus, then we are going to have to come to some sort of understanding. You tried to kill me. I can get over that if you had good reasons, but I am going to be hesitant to help put you in a place of even more power if you are going to try again. Why did you try to kill me after I told you that I was willing to help make you Dark Lord?"

 

Quietus allowed himself a grin as he was still facing away from the Nightsister. As if finishing the repairs on his armor were not enough of a reason for Quietus to rise to his feet, as well as Qaela's questions, the Sith also found himself becoming rather stir-crazy. He had spent two entire days laying on a cot in a dimmed corner of the ship, and had spent the last hour or so sitting rather idle on the floor. He simply desired to be up and about. So with only a slight grunt, an improvement by his own standards, Quietus rose to his feet. He turned to face Qaela, the same look of determination and steely resolve upon his face and within his eyes.

 

"You are correct that we need to come to an understanding. Yes, I tried to kill you. Yes I failed to do so because of the actions of Terra and Delta. Do I regret my attack on you? No, I do not. The reasons I had for attacking you are mine to know, not yours."

 

Quietus' voice was calm and level, but his words would most likely be perceived to have an edge to them when heard by the Nightsister and the others. It was intended, but not the final judgement.

 

"With that said, the attack upon you is in the past, and it is clear that you were not meant to die by my hand this day. It is clear to me that the rest of our gang of merry murderers have taken a liking to you, and that merits respect of their choice in companions. I do not have to like you, but I shall accept your place here. I will not attack you again without clear reason. Of that you have my word Qaela Zemosa, Nightsister and Sith Lord."

 

Quietus' little speech finished, he watched her for another few seconds before turning from her. He then picked up and donned his armor. It was snug around his freshly healed wounds, a sign that the areas were still swollen, but it would be only a minor discomfort, and one that he would get used to and feed off of if the need arose again. When he was fully suited once more, he tested his own body within the confines, stretching side to side and checking his range of motion.

 

To his own satisfaction, there was currently little residual pain from the wounds he had taken upon his sides, and what remained was little more than a presence. The wound to the back of his head was still causing him pain, but at this point it amounted to little more than a massive headache, despite the bandages remaining. With a sigh, he looked around the room before turning his attention back to Terra, who was still seated on the floor.

"Thank you again for your medical attention Terra...

 

He extended his hand towards her, if for nothing else than to help her up. Because after all, Quietus was still a gentleman somewhere behind all the darkness.

[Qaela]

It was a better reaction than she had feared, but not exactly what she wanted. She was going to be going through a lot of risk in helping to put him in command of the Sith. If he was simply going to bide his time and strike again when he had what he wanted--something he had already done once--it would not be worth trying to help him. He had already gone back on his word once when welcoming her into this group as an opponent of Haphaestus while standing in this very room.

 

"What, to you, is 'clear reason' enough to attack me?" she pressed. "You already said that though you disliked me, you would not act upon it where it to endanger our goals. Trying to kill me before you were Dark Lord and when I could be the key to leading Haphaestus into an ambush sounds to me like it endangers our goals, especially when you were nearly killed as result.

 

"What have I done to you to warrant such hatred? I am no threat to your power or strength. I have not threatened you or harmed you except in self defense. I have no designs on being Dark Lord that would cause me to challenge you. On the contrary, I have allowed this group to kill the Jedi Grandmaster and have pledged to fight Haphaestus along side you so that you could be made Dark Lord."

[Raynuk Montar]

Quietus cackled slightly at the Nightsister's response. Clearly she would not, or could not, leave well enough alone.

 

"Your purpose here was to lead us to the Grandmaster, nothing more. This group had set upon the course to destroy the droid long before you joined our ranks. Your presence changes nothing of that plan if you ask me. THAT is why I attacked you with the intent to kill you, because you had done your job of leading us to the Grandmaster."

 

He turned again to the nightsister, facing her fully.

 

"I have no need of luring the droid into an 'ambush'. I do not attack people out of cowardace or when they have their back turned, despite what you may have seen from other Sith. I am a Sith Master of honor. I will fight with the droid face to face, and I will fight him with the honor that the mantle of Dark Lord demands. Perhaps Ar-Pharazon has been influenced by your presence, but in my mind, nothing has changed when it comes to the droid. In the end, the fight is mine, not yours, and not Ar-Pharazons."

 

The Sith allowed a sigh to escape his mouth before continuing.

 

"What have you done to warrant such hatred? Nothing. But by the same token, you have done nothing in my eyes to warrant respect from me Nightsister. You were a tool to be used when it came to the Jedi Grandmaster, and once he was dealt with, I sought to dispose of that tool. But it is clear now that you are still a tool to be used against the droid, and that is why you remain. I have sworn to you once, but I shall do it again so perhaps its meaning will not be lost on you; I will not attack you, ever again, unless a clear reason presents itself. I am not a blood thirsty monster who slays anything that moves Qaela, but I do not suffer ignorance any better than Ar-Pharazon."

 

He turned again and picked up the shoulder-capes before attaching them to his armor while he spoke.

"That is all I offer to you Qaela. If it is not good enough for you, then I suggest you remove yourself before it becomes an issue."

 

His capes set, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited to see what the Nightsister would say. He really had no intention of attacking her again, if for nothing more than to avoid the complications it would bring. Delta was fond of her, Ar-Pharazon was fond of her, and that would have to be good enough for Quietus, because he respected both of them enough to make it so.

[Qaela]

Before her was the reason why she hated the Sith Order and would never swear allegiance to it. If this was who the Sith were going to put as their new leader, then they were in trouble. It was no concern of hers, though. Let the Sith follow one who simply kills people he doesn't have use for at that very moment and without regard to the thought that they might be useful allies later. They were so short sighted, just as Mother had warned. Momentary satisfaction for whatever passions they felt at that moment with scant little discipline or self control. She had seen it in the Sith Temple, she had seen it now here.

 

Deep down, she had been hoping that Raynuk had some solid reason to want to kill her. That much she could at least respect. Then at least the Sith might be getting a leader who was both ruthless and yet could focus their energy where it needed to be focused: at the Jedi, not at those who served the darkness. Haphaestus had plenty of the latter, but appeared to lack the former. Raynuk definitely had the former, but was lacking in the latter.

 

She debated on whether she should call him out on his speech's contradictions with reality, but it wasn't worth it. Unnecessary conflict with beings who were supposed to be allies was pointless. She no longer had any desire to help this man become Dark Lord. Before coming down, she had hoped, but that had proven to be a foolish thing. She would help him only if Ar-Pharazon wanted her to. It was the price she would pay to hopefully learn more power from him.

 

She held her tongue from what she wanted to say. Instead, she nodded and said simply, "Very well then."

 

Without another word, she turned and went back up to the upper level. When she was there and the door was closed to where Raynuk couldn't hear her, she muttered, "Fool, you are no better than Haphaestus, just for different reasons."

[Delta73]

Ca'Aran was shocked completely when the woman kissed him. It was not a shock of disgust, but more of shock concerning how easily this woman gave herself away. He returned the kiss, his blue eyes wide as their lips met with ferocity. When they were finished, as she was walking away, he called out, ”œDo not think to give yourself away to me, you needn't do that. Unlike some, I do not need your”¦.”