serious (jegan/southstar/tso open)

[Trric Skyvold]

It had been nearly three weeks since Trric Skyvold had entered the med-center. Her parents and friends had continued their daily vigils, but the doctors had seen no improvement.


It was a peaceful night on the ward. A few orderlies roamed the halls, checking patients every few rooms.


...I wish I could wake up. I'm too tired, I don't think I could even open my eyes.

I was still in the same place I had been, roaming the desert and stopping at random towns that popped up here and there. The demons were long gone, but I still couldn't find the way home.

"This is your world, only you control it, and only you can decide what happens here. Dismiss these petty demons, and seek your way home."

...

The machines hooked up to her began to hum louder, turning into a low sickly whine. Her fingers dug into the bedclothes as her eyes slowly blinked open. She tugged at the tubes and wires that were attached to her, pulling them off, ripping out her IVs. She sat up, one hand going to the bandages that covered her left eye.

"Uhhhhhhh..." My feet touched the icy floor as I staggered to my feet. "Where the frell am I now...?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Behind her, Je'gan jerked back, one hand going reflexively to the hilt of a lightsaber. He'd come here only a few minutes ago, mind-controlling his way past the facility's personnel with ease, planning to try waking up coma patients - if that wasn't a challenge, nothing was. This girl had been the first that came to mind (the receptionist's mind, that is), so here he had come. He's just begun reaching out to touch her mind, and wasn't even far enough in to begin to exert any influence or tell what was wrong...

It hadn't been him. What were the odds that she'd choose this moment to wake up?

"Medcentre," he choked out, forcing his hand away from his weapon. "Coruscant."

[Trric Skyvold]

"Huh?"

She turned slowly, looking at him over her shoulder. "Who are you? What happened to the desert and the demons?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He found himself coughing uncomfortably before responding. One or two people would have called him a 'demon'. For whatever reason, things associated with good and evil were getting to him lately.

"You, ah, seem to have been in a coma. Whatever you saw was a figment of your imagination - or else you're a Force-sensitive who's prone to dreaming prophecy."

Now where had that come from?

[Trric Skyvold]

"A who...?"

Again, her hand went up to her bandaged eye, the other reaching out for support. She grabbed onto Je'gans' arm, pulling him to her.

"What are you talking about? I was in the desert, and there were demons, and...card players...and ships. Who are you?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"A Force-sensitive...like a Jedi..."

He leaned in a bit as she grabbed him, putting that hand to the small of her back. Though few people knew it - and getting fewer as Je'gan got smarter - he had always harboured a bit of chivalry from his pre-Sith days. If she needed support - as she obviously did - he was going to help.

But there hadn't been opportunity for chivalry in some time, and he hadn't been ready for his own reaction.

"Je'gan," he stammered before he could help himself. "A-and you are?"

[Trric Skyvold]

"T-trric. I think."

She rested against him for a moment, placing her hands on his arms to steady herself further. Trric looked up at his face with her one good eye. "You're a ...Jedi? Can you help me?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Yes," he said after a moment. "Yes, I'm a Jedi, and yes I can help you. What do you need?"

He had no plan - he hadn't thought this trip would require anything along those lines. Then again, it certainly wasn't going as expected. Genuine interest held a quick skirmish with a desire to get out of here and maybe put her back to sleep in the process. Interest won out. With a mental shrug, he shifted his balance for better support. His life had lacked variety for a while, anyways.

[Trric Skyvold]

"I need to get back."

She didn't tell him where she needed to go - to be honest, she had no clue where she had been. Something inside her was screaming out to all her senses, telling her she had to go back to that desert. She stumbled towards the bedside table, opening the drawer and digging around for something to wear.

"Or...at least get out of here. I can't do it alone."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He could put her back into the coma - probably - and she obviously wanted to be there...

In the end, he decided to be selfish. That, and one of the tatters of his former self decided to intervene. Putting her back under would not be nice.

He snarled at himself, thanking the Force that her back was turned for as long as it took him to get his face calm again. And longer. Abruptly, his mind caught up with him and he realized what she was hunting for.

"If you can't find anything," he suggested, "you can borrow my cape. Not great, but with a hospital gown underneath it'll be plenty presentable."

[Trric Skyvold]

"Hmmm?"

No clothes. Why didn't she have clothes? She sighed heavily, turning back to him. She finally took a better look at him...A little smile crossed her lips. Only briefly, and then she was next to him.

"I guess I'll have to. I don't have any other clothes..."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan reached up and unclasped the neck of the long cape. Dense black fabric - armourweave - it would stop a low-power blaster bolt and slow a lightsaber. Not that she'd be needing that kind of protection, but it was more or less warm, and fairly comfortable. He took it off and handed it to her, draped over one arm.

"How's your eye feeling?"

[Trric Skyvold]

"Sore. I don't remember these bandages." Trric pulled the cloak around her shoulders, fastening it at her neck. She reached up, gently feeling for the end of the bandage. "I wish I could see with both eyes. But..maybe..there's something wrong. That would explain me being here."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"So would being in a coma," he countered, examining the eye and the bandage overtop with an admittedly amateur knowledge. "Wish I could help with the eye, find out if anything really is wrong, but my talents lie in other directions."

Mind control, Illusion, and killing people - pretty much in that order. He'd never even looked at healing, or at the prerequisite skill of delving.

Then an idea popped into his head. Not the best idea, but maybe it would work.

"Do you remember your last name?"

[Trric Skyvold]

"But I wasn't..."

Her voice trailed off, her brow furrowing as she tried to think of her last name. She knew she had one, everyone does, but what was it. She glanced at the chart resting on the end of her bed.

"Uh..Skyvold? I think. At least, that's what the chart says it is."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Subtly, and then with increasing visibility, Je'gan began to blush. Between combat, training, missions and so forth, his life hadn't given him the time to develop the finer aspects of common sense. More irritated than ever at himself - this was, after all, turning into a full-out catalogue of his weaknesses - he ducked his gaze and took a moment to try and pull himself together.

"Ready to go?" His gaze sharpened and lost its preoccupied cast. His mind began to hum along familiar patterns, thankfully giving him something to think about besides just how many of his insufficiencies he'd managed to display in the past ten minutes. "I hope you don't mind moving slow, because I can't do what I have to if we're running."

He blinked as a thought struck him. "Are you sure you're up to being moved just yet?"

[Trric Skyvold]

She noticed the subtle flush of his cheeks, but shurgged it off as she stumbled - only slightly - towards him. Her legs still felt weak, mostly from not being used in weeks.

"I should be okay, I just have to get used to standing again. It's been awhile."

She smiled weakly, trying to put on a happy face. "Moving slowly won't be a problem."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Yes, that's a plus," he said, half-serious, putting a hand to Trric's shoulder to steady her. The flush had faded, thankfully.

"All right. All you have to do is walk beside me. Don't get to far from me, and don't make any loud noises." He smirked a bit and adjusted the front of his tunic. "It's a Jedi thing."

[Trric Skyvold]

"Okay."

Her smile brightened a bit. Walking beside him wouldn't be too hard, and being quiet was easy. Soon, they'd be out of here...and then what? She hadn't thought that far ahead, but he was a Jedi. He'd know what to do.

"Lead the way."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

And so he did, leading them through doors and turbolifts and halls, all the while blanketing the both of them in a simple illusion - invisibility - and fogging the minds of any who might think askance of doors opening themselves. It wasn't the simplest of tasks, but it wasn't exactly difficult. After all, he had a lot of practice.

They exited the front door and found themselves instantly immersed in a mess of sentience: loud, boisterous, and above all normal. As the door closed, Je'gan dropped the illusion and glanced over at his new ward through telepathy, trying to see if she had a problem with the noise.

"Where to?"

[Trric Skyvold]

Trric blinked.

It was so loud - the streets were full of beings. It was like a thousand voices suddenly rose up from the quiet of the med-center. She held onto Je'gan a little tighter.

"I..don't know. I don't remember where I live. Maybe you could take me to the other Jedi? Wouldn't they know what to do?"

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth's attention was suddenly caught. He senced Je'gan a little ways off from himself I wonder what Je'gan's up to? He wondered before standing from where he had been sitting, watching the air traffic go by, and headrf off in the direction he felt Je'gan

He moved to the corner of an alley entrance, staying in the shadows, He looked out and saw Je'gan standing there with another person. Rather then walk up to greet them Zereth sent a telepathic message to Je'gan

"Hello Je'gan. What are you up to? Who's the girl?" Zereth moved out of the shadows enough that if Je'gan looked he would easily see him.

[Southstar]

"Awful lot of Sith to be hanging around Coruscant, don't you think?" Southstar said as he walked up next to Zereth. "Except for that girl over there."

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus Devaneaux walked up to the group of Sith, chuckling. "Ah, Coruscant. The lovely overindustrialized stench of home. It's no green country, but it works for me." He grinned broadly. "Are we having fun yet?" To other observers, Artimus was just a tad insane....and that was putting it politely.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

On the verge of answering Trric, Je'gan glanced over to the alley's shadows, where three figures were outlined. He knew both Zereth and Southstar - one had been his Apprentice, the other had been his Master - but the third figure escaped him until he delved into the mind in question and realized that this was their newest recruit, Devaneaux. Southstar and Zereth could be trusted not to tip their hand prematurely. Devaneaux wasn't even close to that trustworthy.

He'd paused, and now he found himself searching for words. "That would be a good idea," he said after a moment. "But we have other concerns. Look over at that alley, but don't be obvious about it. We're being watched."

With a mental 'flick', he replied to Zereth's telepathy by giving both of the Sith Knights a quick summary of what had happened so far. He sent one Devaneaux's way as well, but laced with Force Compulsion: do not move. keep quiet.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus shut himself up, as Je'gan had instructed. He merely stood there, wondering what was going on. He had just arrived from the Rim, and was getting adjusted to the Order. He remained silent, waiting...

[Trric Skyvold]

She squinted over to the alley, briefly, then glanced at Je'gan from the corner of her good eye.

"I see them. Who are they? Friends of yours?"

She was sure they weren't - why would a Jedi be associating with people who snuck around in dark alleys?

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth almost jumped out of his skin when Southstar spoke. He had never thought someone capable of sneaking up on him. It was something that didn't happen often. He was also aware of another person in the alley with them. A darksider by the aura coming off him. Must be a new recruit He thought to himself

"Welcome Southstar" Came Zereth's voice in Southstar's mind. Just as soon as he sent this message he got a message from Je'gan and a vision of all the things that he had done inside the hospital.

He was quite confused "Where are you going with this? Is there something you have planned to do with this girl? He said telepathicaly to Je'gan

[Southstar]

Now things were getting to the point where he almost wished that he hadn't shown up and just went to his ship and headed home. Alright, I'm not moving... now what? Take the girl and move out of sight. He thought to himself, slightly irritated.

He had been eavesdropping on the telepathic conversation between Je'gan and Zereth. "No kidding." He added. "What's your plan here?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"I've met them," he said, "and I'm sorry, but they're here because of me. I don't think they know we've spotted them, so let's just move slowly."

I'd like your help, he stated telepathically, aware of the thoughts of his fellow Sith, to test this one's character. I haven't given her a Force test yet, so I don't know if she could be a Sith, but I think she could be valuable either way. Will you follow us and help when I ask?

He stepped into the street before they could respond and began waving down a taxi.

[Southstar]

"I suppose this means we need to also catch a ride." He said outloud upon hearing Je'gan's message. Sure thing. He added.

"Excuse me, but we'll be borrowing this." He said to a man who was just exiting his sporty speeder. The man didn't realize it but he was compelled with the Force to do as Southstar said.

"Um, ok." He said and held out the keys.

Southstar took them and tossed them to Zereth. "You drive." He turned to Artimus. "And I'm riding shotgun."

[Zereth Lancer]

"very well" Zereth said before jumping behind the controls of the speeder. Southstar sat down beside him and the new guy jumped in the back. He started it up and drove after Je'gan's taxi

He drove a ways behind the taxi, Not wanting to frighten the girl at the sight of them following behind their taxi "This should be fun" Was all Zereth said as he drove.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

"As you wish," Artimus replied to Southstar as he sat in the back seat....

[Trric Skyvold]

Trric raised an eyebrow, looking from Je'gan to the alleyway. She took his hand and followed him to the road, waiting for a taxi to stop. She followed him into the backseat of the cab, staying quiet as it sped into traffic.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan didn't know where he was going - and it was him driving. Mind control was very useful in that regard. Simply telling the driver to go to the Jedi Temple took care of the passenger. The driver didn't hear a word, merely drove as Je'gan sent him mental suggestions: left, straight, and so forth, leading them more or less towards the distant spire of the Temple.

"Can we pull over for a moment?" he said abruptly. The driver, of course, complied, and Je'gan opened the door. "I have to use the 'fresher," he explained over his shoulder, gesturing at the tapcaf they'd pulled up beside. "You staying here or coming inside? I don't think we were followed, so either one should be at least reasonably safe."

Once we're separated, one way or another, jump her. Don't hurt her, though. She's got enough damage as is.

[Trric Skyvold]

"I guess I can wait here."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, watching Je'gan step inside the tapcaf. She shifted onto the middle of the seat, using the rearview mirror to get a look at herself. Her skin was pasty and sickly pale from being inside for weeks, her hair was stringy. And her eye was covered in bandages...At least she could take them off; maybe then she'd look more "normal" and less like some accident victim.

She slowly began to peel off the bandages, setting them in a neat pile on the seat beside her.

[Southstar]

"You heard him." Southstar said as the vehicle came to a stop along the same side of the road. "And let's be discreet, this is the Jedi homeworld, mind you."

He walked forward with the others surely behind and as he did, he manipulated the mind of the driver. Just dont move. He arrived at the passanger side window and cupped his hands over the window looking in to confirm this was the car.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus waited in the shadows, stun baton in hand - set at low intensity, where it would knock her out without damage, as Je'gan had instructed. If she escaped Southstar, there was only one way for her to go....he smiled and concealed himself in the welcome darkness.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth jumped out of the car and crouched down as he crept toward the taxi. He moved to the opposite side of the taxi then Southstar and waited

"Should we jump her together? he asked telepathicaly to Southstar as he moved his hand to rest on the opening latch for the back seat on his side of the taxi "I could go in this side and you could go in on the other side".

[Trric Skyvold]

She finally removed the last of the bandages, a small square of gaze that covered her eyelid. She blinked slowly, letting her eye get used to the light. It stung - she could see in the mirror that her pupil was a dark reddish color.

And that there was a man staring into the side window. Trric scooted across the seat, towards the opposite door with a squeak.

[Southstar]

He wanted to smile at her reaction, but held it in. With telekinetics he sent a pine-prick sensation across her skin to further any frightened feelings she might have. He opened the door in a hurry but didn't crawl across the seat to persue her, that he left to Zereth.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth peaked in through the window and saw the girl was sitting right next to the door he had his hand on. He pulled the door open quickly and moved inside the taxi

The girl turned around and Zereth grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her out of the taxi. He pressed his hand against her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus stepped away from the shadows. "Need someone to give her some incentive?" He grinned as he held up his stun baton.

[Southstar]

"If you must, do it hidden from everyone." He said as he moved past Zereth and the girl, then Artimus. He sat in the passanger seat with the door open, rifling through the compartments of the car for a disc with a layout of the city. He didn't want to stay in the vicinity for long or else trouble came.

Je'gan, I'm looking for a place to take her for the moment. Is there anything else you need?

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan watched through the eyes of the driver, being himself locked inside a 'fresher stall.

Let's just see her reaction first. Use your discretion: I'd suggest a hospital, a different one from the one we just came from.

[Trric Skyvold]

Trric felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder, dragging her from the back of the cab. Another hand covered her mouth, muffling a scream. She looked frantically at the driver - why wasn't he helping her?!?!

One man sat in the speeder, looking for something in the glove compartment. Another was apporaching with a baton of some kind...she couldn't see the man behind her. She let out another muffled scream, then kicked hard against Zereths' legs. She wasn't about to let them take her without some kind of fight.

[Zereth Lancer]

"Stop that" Zereth said when the girl started kicking him. He dragged the her over to the speeder "We arn't going to get anywhere if she's screaming the whole time and someone else will have to drive if I'm holding her."

[Artimus Devaneaux]

"Allow me." Artimus tapped the girl lightly in the head with the stun baton. The stun energy should knock her unconscious in a second or two.....

[Southstar]

Southstar hopped over the center console and sat in the driver seat. "Just make sure she doesn't wake up for a while." He said and pulled away from the spot they were parked in.

"There's a hospital on the other side of the district. If traffic is light, we'll be there in twenty." He said and though he drove, he let his mind wander. He was suspicious that the girl might try to pull something. He kept an eye on her with the Force.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Long-range TK wasn't his specialty, not by a long shot. It took more than he really had to give to stop the baton a moment before impact, giving Artemus a very clear picture of Je'gan's wishes in that respect, and telling Trric pretty much nothing save that someone else didn't want her hurt.

She was doing well, he saw, observing through the eyes of the driver, who was still immobile in the taxi. On a different plane entirely, he moved out of the building and took shotgun, then commanded that they follow. The driver complied.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus silently cursed in irritation. Thought it would have been easier....ah, well.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth pulled the girl into the back of the speeder with himself and let the new sith sit wherever he wanted "If you are quiet and don't struggle..." He wispered into the girl's ear "...I promise no harm will come to you"

He wasn't too a sure at his own words. He had no idea what Je'gan was planning to do with this girl.

[Trric Skyvold]

<font size=1>OOC - can you guys SLOW DOWN? I can't post all the time (I have work and RL things going on), and you keep leaving me behind! I can't react to five different things that are happening when I post once and you guys post twice before I get a chance to. Please try to keep some sort of posting order going. Thank-you.</font>




Trric winced as the baton was brought down -- it stopped, barely touching her head. She went limp in Zereths' arms, pretending to have passed out. She was shoved into the back of the speeder, but she kept her eyes and mouth shut tight. There wasn't anything she could do with the speeder moving - she'd have to wait untill they got to where-ever they were going.

[Southstar]

They arrived at the hospital in reasonable time; traffic wasn't that bad. He parked it along the street and turned to Zereth, who was holding the girl. "I suppose we should check her in, get her checked up and let Je'gan do what he pleases with her."

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus was still muttering curses as he sat in the speeder and waited. Damned nuisance, it is.

[Zereth Lancer]

"Yes" Was all Zereth said as he climbed out of the speeder while holding the girl "I'd just wish Je'gan would just tell us what he is up to, It'd make this all much easier"

His eyes darted around the area. Making sure no one was watching them "I don't like standing out here in the open. Lets hurry up and get inside" With that said he started for the entrace of the Hospital. With Southstar following close behind.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

As by far the weakest of the three Sith, Devaneaux was chosen to be Je'gan's eyes and ears in the first car. His infiltration was subtle, but efficient, coming into play about half-way through the trip.

"-checked up and let Je'gan do what he pleases with her."

The Sith Knight in question hissed and slammed his fist into the armrest hard enough to split the synthetic leather. The driver, still retaining a few vestiges of mind-numbing, didn't object.

"Yes.

"I'd just wish Je'gan would just tell us what he is up to, it'd make this all much easier."

Je'gan gritted his teeth but decided against inflicting further damage on the armrest. Now that he really thought about it, this would present a far more interesting test. Someone Trric thought was helping her was actually the mastermind of sorts behind her kidnapping. He wondered how she would react to that.

[Trric Skyvold]

"Je'gan?"

Her eyes flashed open as soon as she heard his name. She quickly shut them, hoping none of the men had noticed. What would Je'gan have to do with this?! She had seen the hospital doors in the brief second she had opened her eyes - why would they take her to another hospital, where she could possibly get help? It didn't make much sense to her, but then none of this did.

Trric opened her eyes once again, If she was going to get away, she'd better start something now. She struggled against Zereths' arms, screaming and yelling as loudly as she could.

"Let me go! Where is Je'gan? Why are you taking me back to the hospital?"

[Artimus Devaneaux]

"Peace, child," Artimus said with a seemingly disarming smile, placing a ring-studded hand on her forehead. "You will find out soon enough."

[Southstar]

"Alright, listen to me." Southstar said turned the girls head towards him. "You, are going to go to the hospital to get checked for good health as it seems you need to be. Je'gan does not concern you, yet." He allowed for the medical droid to take her to the back room for some tests.

"And we are going to wait here for the moment."

Je'gan? The girl is at the hospital. He sent telepathically, but then assumed that Je'gan knew that. I'm about to toss her into traffic. I don't see why it is so important to hang on to her.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

OOC/ I was waiting on Zereth, but OK.

IC/ A minute away, perhaps less, Je'gan closed his eyes.

Go ahead. Toss her. Or at least make it look like you're going to.

[Southstar]

Southstar sat down in the waiting room, picking up a magazine from the nearby table. He skimmed through an article, waiting patiently for Trric to return from the doctor's offices.

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth released his grip on the child and let the nurse take her. He sat down next to Southstar and kept alert. He removed his weapons from veiw by moving them under his black cloak, He didnt' want to make more trouble then they needed.

[Trric Skyvold]

She was escorted into an examination room, the door locking behind the nurse as she left. Trric looked around the room, her eyes stopping on the tiny window...

Several moments later, Trric was outside, pulling on a pair of scrubs. She tiptoed through the alley beside the hospital, being careful not to step on anything with her still bare feet.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The taxi pulled up, at Je'gan's orders, half a block short of the hospital door. He exited, wiping the driver's short-term memory in the process, and began casting his mind about for Trric.

Oh, nicely done, he thought, a slight smile gracing his face as he hurried off down an alley. He turned a corner - and lo and behold, there was Trric.

"Going anywhere in particular?" he asked, nonchalant and a bit amused.

[Trric Skyvold]

She stopped short, her mouth dropping open slightly at the sight of him. She quickly shut it, arms wrapping around herself.

"Yes, as far from you as I can go." Trric pushed her way passed him, continuing down the alley he had just come from. She wasn't entirely sure where she would go, or how she would get there in her current state.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"Stop."

Force Compulsion rippled through the air between them, though Je'gan's voice was otherwise quiet.

"I did lie to you, as you've probably already guessed. I'm not a Jedi.

"I do, however, want to help you."

[Trric Skyvold]

She stopped, turning on her heel to face him. "And how exactly are you going to do that? By having me kidnapped?"

Her hands became tightly clenched fists by her sides, her eyes flashing with anger. "What are you if you're not a Jedi? Why should I even believe you when you say you want to help me?!"

[Southstar]

She was outside now, he knew that. "Time to move." He said outloud and walked out the door. He could see Je'gan's taxi leave the curb and just assumed that Je'gan himself was around the corner with Trric.

"For now, let's stay out of sight." He said and lead the group of Sith to the opposite corner.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He stared inscrutably at her for a while, formulating what to say but keeping any hint of indecision from his face from sheer habit.

"You've heard of Sith?"

[Trric Skyvold]

"No!"

Had she? She couldn't remember. She just stood there, glaring at him angrily.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"We're either demons," Je'gan said slowly, "or people who use the powers they were born with for their own benefit." He wasn't sure that was the best possible definition, but it would have to do.

"Me, I use my powers for whatever I want..."

[Trric Skyvold]

"Demons...?"

She started to back away from him, slowly. The mention of demons and powers was begining to bring back memories of when she had first arrived in the desert.

"What does that have to do with me? I don't have any powers."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan shrugged, slipping around a bit on the 'professional recruiter' mode he'd cultivated ever since essentially taking over the TSO training program. The other fact there was that he liked this girl - liked her determination and her refusal to bow to catatonia in the face of a surreal existence. Somehow, though he wasn't quite sure how, he saw an echo of Kes in her.

The thought of his dead Apprentice was enough to make him let out a sigh and slouch against the alley wall.

"You might, and you might not," he said at last. "I'd like to test you for that, and I suspect I know what I'd find."

The young Knight shrugged, and suddenly looked his years.

"It's your choice," he said quietly.

[Trric Skyvold]

"Then test me! You can do it right now, tell me what you have to do, and we'll do it!"

She stopped her retreat, running one hand up and down her arm as if she was trying to warm herself. A small half-frown formed on her lips. "It's not like I have a flock of other people willing to help me...You're the only person I have right now."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

A tiny hint of colour appeared at the tips of Je'gan's ears as, from his belt, he withdrew a small square of opaque plasteel. He carried the little thing everywhere, and kept it quite clean; it wouldn't do to transmit disease between potential Sith acolytes.

"Hold out your hand, then," he said with a slight cough. He proffered the square, a glint of light shining off the tiny needle that projected from one corner.

[Trric Skyvold]

She held out her hand to him, trembling slightly at the sight of the needle.

"Is that all you need? A few drops of blood?"

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He nodded.

"That, and a bit of a mind probe. You won't feel a thing from either process - trust me on this."

Stimulating the pain centres of someone's brain was something he generally used only in battle. He couldn't recall if he'd ever done the opposite and deadened pain. Still, with the right adjustments it would almost be like blocking a memory...hmm...

Engrossed in the puzzle, he was immobile for a handful of seconds. At the last, he blinked and stabbed the needle into Trric's fingertip, withdrawing it instantly. As he had promised, she did not feel the prick. He might not have been able to block out much pain - it had a way of slipping through his fingers - but a single needle was nothing. As he withdrew his influence, a very slight soreness could be felt in the area of the finger, but that was all.

[Trric Skyvold]

She stuck her fingertip between her lips, sucking the wound lightly. She wasn't sure what he meant by "mind-probe", but she hadn't felt any real pain and shrugged it off as unimportant.

She pulled her finger from her lips, pressing the tip down to push out more blood. "That's all? That seems....way too simple."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He found himself shrugging. "All we have to do is wait for the indicator. The brighter the red, the more potential you have. If it stays white, you don't have any. Simple enough. Now for the mind probe..."

The indicator would take a minute or two to change colour. In the meantime, he closed his eyes and looked inside her mind again. There was a totally subconscious reflex buried in the minds of most humanoids and all humans, a reflex that only worked if they had Force potential, no matter how untapped. They felt nothing, but the person doing the mental intruding -

He was shoved back, almost losing his balance in the process and pinwheeling his arms to stay upright. The indicator, though it had dropped from his hand, was called back for his inspection. True to his supicions, it was red.

"No doubt about it," he said, looking up at Trric. "You've got potential."

[Trric Skyvold]

She looked down at him with genuine concern, reaching out to help steady him. "Are you alright?"

She hadn't made a move towards him, or touched him, and yet he had been pushed back. Hard. All of this was begining to become very confusing.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

The young man snorted and pressed a slide on the scanner, clearing it for another use. He accepted Trric's steadying hand.

"Quite. It's just a reflex of yours; all Force users have it."

He quirked an eyebrow, and the scanner disappeared into his belt. "So?"

[Trric Skyvold]

"So what?"

She held his hand still, a shy smile on her face. "I guess I go home with you...and we see what happens from there? I don't really know what else to do, or where else I can go."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

He shifted uncomfortably at her wording, but didn't allow that discomfort to reach his face. Nor did he take back his hand. One of the very few things that could breach his self-control was an internal conflict. In this particular case, propriety and long experience - his few relationships had been uniformly horrible - warred with something he recognized as a far more integral part of his humanity: hormones. He hadn't had to deal with this in years. All the women he ever came across either hated him or were targets of his own hatred - generally both. Aztaroth, Vill, St. Hilare, Kasajian...the list went on.

"If you wouldn't object to being my Apprentice - someone who learns," he added hurriedly, forgetting for the moment that the word was used in circles besides those of the Sith and Jedi. "If you wouldn't object to being my Apprentice, I'd like to see what I could teach you."

Oh, yes, he though grimly, he was babbling. He was definitely babbling. This was not good.

[Trric Skyvold]

"Okay."

She said simply, her smile growing. She shivered slightly against the cool night air, leaning in closer to him. Trric was oblivious to Je'gans' internal battling - any similar thoughts she had about him had been pushed aside by the "kidnapping" and tests. She couldn't remember anyone else being this kind to her, besides a few beings in her dream-world, and it made her feel a bit safer to be with him.

"Can we go home now? It's getting cold."

[Je'gan Olra'en]

"'Home', eh?"

He eyed her askance for a brief moment but did not pull away.

"I suppose it's going to be. And you're about to meet your brothers - the men who helped test you."

Walking towards the alley aperture by which he'd come, he used their linked hands to pull her gently along.

"Southstar is the one with the chin tattoo; he was my Master, almost like a father. Zereth is the ninja. I trained him. And the crazy man with the white hair is Artimus - I don't know him very well. None of them can hurt you if you're under my protection, and only Artimus might try. He really is quite unhinged." Je'gan shrugged. "Price of power. Sometimes you have to associate with those you normally wouldn't get anywhere near."

[Artimus Devaneaux]

"Insanity is the ultimate aphrodisiac," Artimus said, grinning. "Artimus Devaneaux at your service. And I don't hurt ladies, so no worries."

[Southstar]

Are they holding hands? He thought. They are. What the hell? It was strange turn of events but Southstar assumed that Je'gan knew what he was doing.

"Hi." He said towards Trric keeping in mind that only minutes ago he had planned to toss her into traffic.

Then to Je'gan. "She's coming with us to the Palace?"

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth bowed slightly to the Trric but said nothing at the moment. He aslo noticed that the two where holding hands. His eyebrow arched slightly. It was something he'd never seen Je'gan do before.

"If we are going back to the palace then we should leave as soon as possible. I don't know about you four but I don't want to be on this planet a minute longer then I have too."

[Artimus Devaneaux]

"Agreed," Artimus said with a nod. "My ship is waiting to take us back if anyone needs a ride."

[Trric Skyvold]

She hung back, standing almost behind Je'gan, meekly waving a hello to the three men who had just kidnapped her.

"Hi."

[Southstar]

"Well then, I have to go." He said. "And artimus, thank youfor the offer, but I'll pass." He took his leave of the group, his head a little messy with thoughts, bu again, he reminded hismelf to trust Je'gan's judgement. Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't followed up on the Sith's presence on Coruscant. Perhaps it would have been better if he had left directly after his meeting with Nadja. Perhaps he should stop thinking about it.

"Perhaps." He said softly as he flagged down a cab to take him to the port.

[Je'gan Olra'en]

Je'gan nodded in satisfaction, shooting Artimus a quick grimace at the line about aphrodisiacs. That could have gone far worse.

"We'll see you all back at the Palace, then," he said. The Chevalier was docked about six clicks away, in a private slip. Transit would be quick; he flagged down another taxi and, giving Trric's hand a quick squeeze of reassurance, opened the door for her.

[Artimus Devaneaux]

Artimus grinned sheepishly. Couldn't resist. Sorry. Still smiling, he strode up to his own ship. "Artimus, boarding. Begin prelaunch sequence."

"Confirmed." The ramp lowered. That wicked smile still on his face, Artimus shouted over the thrusters powering up, "Catch you later, fellas." He strode up the ramp and headed to the cockpit. Moments later, the YV-666 blasted from its ramp and headed for orbit...

[Zereth Lancer]

Zereth watched the four leave. He stood there for a few more minutes, thinking to himself, before turning and heading off into the shadows and towards where his ship was waiting.