Requiem: Blood Bond

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth sighed, gazing at the readouts on his ship. He was almost too close to the Yavin System for comfort. He had to wonder if the Jedi would even sense his presence in his weakened state. He would take a gamble and assume that they couldn't. Space drifted by outside of the sleek gray vessel, silently lulling the Dark Jedi into a state of hypnosis. Saphire had passed away months ago, but he had only learned recently that he now had a niece... Warren Azalin's daughter. She was worth a great deal to Jeseth - but whether or not she would come to the coordinates he had left for her was yet to be seen.

He didn't have to worry all that much, though. Afterall, she was the one who contacted him, so why would she now refuse his request to meet in person..? Unless it had been a trap all along. Jeseth found his fingers impatiently caressing the ships controls. If a squadron of fighters suddenly came screaming out of hyperspace, he would be waiting for them.

[Saharia]

:;Saharia watched the screen of her ship carefully, she ahd no love of ships, but they were handy. She opened the commlink again and nodded softly as she saw another ship near to her::

I have arrived, permission to come aboard?

::her blue eyes watched the screen and black hair was swept into her face as she swept it away. Damn wavy long mess, someday she'd have to cut it. Getting a waepon for protection, she hid a small knive in her pants, her purple top hiding scarres from a while ago::

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn was crouched next to the bacta-tank with several tools in hand. He could hear the voice of Saharia Azalin over the ships comm-chanel as he worked on the tank.

"Can we trust her father?"

[Jeseth Cloak]

Father..?


Jeseth pondered the thought. He had never been reffered to as father. He had fuzzy (almost dream-like) memories of his wife on Ambriel. A sudden wave of feeling surged through him, stabbing at his heart. It was so long ago, and while the memories just kept fading, that feeling never did. He could hardly even remember her face clearly. She died before their daughter could be born... Would she have called him father as well, had she been born into this life?

"Perhaps. We'll see." He pressed his finger against the comm-transmitter. "Permission to come aboard granted, Saharia. It's nice to see that you decided to show up." Jeseth stood up, walking back out of the cockpit and past Slayn. The ship just continued to drift in space, awaiting Saharia's arrival.

Come, Slayn. I'd like you to meet your cousin.

[Jehova Eaven]

Jeseth's newest apprentice hovered slightly above the ground in the cargo hold. Since he first came into contact with Jeseth he had been obsessed with gaining power. Meditation was one of those ways but in order to properly meditate he thought he had to learn to hover without the use of his wings. The strain it placed on his mind and soul was almost unbearable. Within a few minutes the fatigue finally got to him and he dropped to the metal floor with a muted crash.

Just then his master entered the room. With a curt nod Jehova proceeded to stand up as Slayn walked in. This puppet of a son did everything he was asked to do by Jeseth. Jehova nodded to him as well.

[Saharia]

::Saharia let the ship slide next to her uncles ship and walked out of the open doorway into the loading port. She looked around and found a lifting device to where she assumed the man called Jeseth would be waiting.
Her eyes looked around, this was obviously a very well built ship and she was aware of security devices around the area. This man was very careful it may seem, anyone could enter if they were skilled enough.
The technology onboard seemed very sufficient, the computer on the lifting device was of good quality, but she did not know enough of this world to judge just how good. Slowly the lifting device came to a stop and she stepped off it and turned around to look at the man called Jeseth, someone her mother had held in high regard. He must be a decent person, but she was not sure how the cards would turn, so being careful was the best tactic.
She nodded her head politely to Jeseth and the man beside him that must be his son or something, judging by his looks. There was another there, but she kept her eyes on jeseth::

You must be jeseth Cloak.

[Jeseth Cloak]

"It's a pleasure to finally see you in the flesh." He walked closer to her, bowing as he took her hand and gracefully kissed it. "I was very close to your mother. I'm glad to see that she was able to give you a way to reach me. I feared that you'd have been led astray by your father. Your mother was right to flee from his reach while she still could. Tell me, did Saphire train you in the ways of the Force..?" He smiled slightly, a malicious overtone to his mannerisms.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn gestured a greating to Jehova as he entered the room. Watching Jeseth orchistrate this encounter was quite a learning experiance. He watched his father change his manerism and overall demeanor. The Sith warrior was standing behind his father and next to Jehova. That is my cousin. He watched her react to meeting Jeseth and awaited her reply to his questions.

[Saharia]

::Saharia smiled slowly, not maliciously, not warmly and not a recognition of any emotion that showed feelings he wanted to see was there on her face. She saw both sides before siding into one corner. This man was powerful, she was sure of that::

Where i grew up there was no such thing as the force, only your own instincts just like everyone else. MY mother died when I was a baby. I have been trained as a warrior in other ways, but not this force. But I feel something now, i suppose it is the force.

::She eyed her uncle carefully and knew there was a question she may as well clear up now. She looked at him in her direct manner and her eyes sharpened as she forged a feeling of trust in her words::

I have seen my father, and Kat. I look for news of my mother, what she was like. I have recieved news of her as she was, but not as she was after leaving. I have come here to see you as I have stories from my mentor, and know my mother had a great deal of respect, and maybe a feeling deeper than that for you, great friendship perhaps, but also to find more about her.

::She looked at him, he would want to know if she could be trusted she was sure. She also felt he wanted something else, but her insticnt was fading as this force was becoming stronger and she could not find a clue to what he wanted.
She turned her eyes to the supposedly son of Jeseth and saw curiosity and that trust question in them. She nodded at him and her sharp eyes returned to jeseths::

[Jehova Eaven]

Jehova was beginning to feel something strange from this girl and from Slayn. If there is one thing he learned since his return from that planetoid, its to never trust children. She wasn't exactly a child, but she still seemed to have the look of innocence. She would have to be watch closely to make sure that she didn't try anything.

He then sent a mental message to Slayn, "This girl is very interesting. I could sense your feelings, you seem to be curious about her. I warn you though, she seems to be hiding something." He only hoped that Slayn would get the underlying tones in that message and not Jeseth, for he knew that Jeseth could probably pick up any of their mental conversations.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn continued his study of Jeseth, but sent a reply through the force to Jehova. 'That is the light in her Jehova. Father will sway her, she is but a child and untrained in our ways. I feel I will learn much from this encounter. You too might, if you wish to."

[Jeseth Cloak]

"Yes... I knew her very well." Images of Saphire and Jeseth flashed through Saharia's thoughts, memories slowly pushed into her mind and through the usual fog of emotions that existed inside of her. She felt much of what Jeseth felt, and experienced most of the moments. They came briefly and then died away, vanishing without a trace, and leaving her wanting for more. Jeseth offered Saharia his hand as he led her to a place on the ship where they could discuss matters in private.

"Follow me. For now I would rather we talk in a more personal setting... and have question to ask of you as well..." He turned to Jehova and Slayn, nodding for them to resume their previous activities. "Leave us now. I'll call for you when we are ready to depart. I have need to speak with her in private."

A thought projected into Slayn's stream of consciousness. Watch Jehova. He is an opportunist...

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn hadn't moved since Sahria's appearance and still remained with no change to his own manerism. He recived his father's words and replyed to them."An oppertunist he may be father, but he doesn't strick me as a fool. What of Saharia, if she should try something is she to be dealt with." His words were prominant in the mind of Jeseth and one word in particuler carried over with a grim undertone.

[Jehova Eaven]

He nodded once again to Jeseth, and sent him a thought, "Should you need us, you know how to contact us." After Jeseth and his niece had left the room he turned to whisper with Slayn.

"You know, this girl could be dangerous to us. She may replace us as his closest apprentices. Do you want that? Do you want her to replace you? Do you want her to recieve more training and knowlege than us?"

He would not have anyone getting in his way to learning the secrets of attaining ultimate power. Jeseth would not replace him as his top apprentice. He hid these thoughts of jealousy and anger very well. "Hopefully Slayn would join me against this new girl." he thought.

[Saharia]

::Yes, she did want to know more, she yearned for it, yet knew that Jeseth would be dangerous if she tried something, but she wanted to know facts, wanted to know things. The force, as he was eager to ask her about before, wa something on the back of her mind. One more thing bothered her foremost, but that could not be helped. Prices were paid to be a halfling, and she could feel the price coming now, but was praying with all her might it would not. Not in front of people, especially this man who would not let her alone even for a few minutes.
Yet the risk was worth it, he knew things she wanted and she followed cautiously, yet with a normal pace, aware of the reasons for being alone. What did he want to know?::

Very well, lets go.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn could feel anomosity growing inside the Sith disciple next to him. Slayn wouldn't speak with words just yet. This was a small ship and voices no matter how low could posably be heard."Use those feelings Jehova, the fear of loss and the anger of compatition. You will find your hate to be a strong tool. She is of no consequence to either of us. She will simply join us or be no more."

Slayn turned his head slightly to watch them walk away. Father... He sighed in his head and waited for aresponce from jeseth.

[Jeseth Cloak]

I'll deal with her should the need arise. Now go. Slayn received Jeseth's reply. It was short and curt... Inside, Jeseth thought of those words. "Father..." They felt... strange. Slayn was created to be a tool, unfeeling and obidient. Why then had he begun to take on this emotional attachment? It wasn't right. [/i]Did I fail in his creation..?[/i]

These and other thoughts drifted through Jeseth's head until he reached his quarters. They were littered with items that had belonged to the ship's previous owner, most of which he tossed out from within a chair so that Saharia could sit. "Now," the door hissed shut behind them. "I'll show you everything I know of your mother." The images flashed through Saharia's mind, all of them blazing with the intensity of the moment in which they were forged. Jeseth's eyes were closed, his muscles tensed with concentration.

Saphire and Jeseth fighting, sparing, then another flash as they hugged briefly. Jeseth's eyes were different, somewhere in them there was feeling. Saharia could here the two talking as Jeseth handed Saphire a disc. Then the Dark Jedi's eyes opened, and the images stopped. He lost his balance for a moment and slipped forward, grabbing on to the edge of a table. "That's everything... I didn't want them to see me... weakened..."

[Saharia]

:;Saharia loked at Jeseth, a kind of respect in her eyes as she struggled to hold onto her own emotions::
Th..thank-you...
You were very close to her. I guess I should tell you something else...I dont know if you already know.
She cared for you more than a very close friend. But I wasnt sure if you wanted to know, but now I see you deserve it.

My mentor never told me much, but she told me much about the people my mother knew. Not much abotu my mother though, thats why I ask you these questions.

::Saharia balanced herself as she shook with emotion again and relayed all the memories in her mind, so much about her mother she had lost in not knowing or growing up with her. Saharia felt a deep sense of loss and maybe even anger as she thought of those creatues that programmed her mother and the rest fo the species. Anger at taking her away. One day they would pay....
that thought shocked her mind but it sank in and lay comfortable into her emotions::

She really was so different rom what I had imagined.

[Slayn Cloak]

Jeseth and Sahria had been gone for quite some time and Slayn was growing inpacient. Jehova and Slayn had walked to the cockpit and taken seats. He was hungery but that wasn't important. No there is more to be seen. Slayn turned his head to Jehova and spoke.

"What is taking so long? What do you supose they are talking about? Did we check her for wepons? This is a small ship should a fight or something happen... We could find ourselves in a messy situation."

Slayn relized he was becoming uneasy and needed to calm himslf before he got worked-up. He stared at Jehova wating for a reply. A moment had passed and Jehova seemed to be thinking. Slayn began to look out into space it was so peacefull.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth caught his breath at last, sighing. A last trace of emotion receded back into his mind, vanishing as he attempted to mask what he truly felt. "Perhaps in my own way, I cared for your mother more than I wanted to admit to myself... but it's too late for that now. I only want to offer you the opportunity I never had... I'm offering you a chance to be a part of something.. To have..." Jeseth stopped and smiled as he felt a ripple of anger going through her. "...revenge - and a family." Inside of her, Jeseth sensed the wild and untamed emotion. Just like her mother.

"I'll watch over you, and all I'll ask in return is that you watch over Slayn." Jeseth opened the door that led out to the loading bay, stepping out of his room. "If you want to come, then go to your ship, pick up all your belongings, and bring them back on board. We'll leave the craft here so you won't be tracked. If not, then you can always get in your ship and go." He walked on, not looking back. He would watch over this one as a favor to his lost friend. ...but will she follow her father?

[Jehova Eaven]

The door had opened and Jeseth and his niece were standing inside. Slayn seemed a little pre-occupied with his own thoughts to be bothered by anymore of his words. But, by the look on their faces it would seem that she wasn't there to replace Slayn and himself.

"No, she won't replace you. You are much too useful to him now."

The voices were right, as usual.

[Saharia]

::She would watch over this slayn, though she felt he might not need it. Revenge..how had he know tha anger she had felt.
As for the family part, it took a long time for her to trust someone after her family. Not that it had been a horrible experiecne, just that it had never been close. More like a family that never communicated. Trust was a thing earned.
Jeseth had earned some trust by showing her this, and she would nto betray him, but who would she take revenge on?
She did not know who was responsible, what race made her mother die. Revenge was a good word, but it was nothing unless directed, only anger and hate came from it. She did what she always did with hate, stored it somewhere it didnt touch so it was not thought about. .::

Thank-you.
I appreciate what you have shown and told and I will remember. I will look out Slayn if he may ever need it, I may come to trust him as well.

::Trust, it was a word that lay heavy things and dangers on a person. Trust could be thrown away and used against you. Unconciously she touched a side of her back where the scarres were hidden as she looked at Jeseth. Her father was family too in blood, but somehow family lay dead in a grave back home, the two family she had ever known and loved, or wanted to love. What was family? was it people who shared blood ties? or people you trust your life with? Is family people who take things from you because of prejudice. Did family give you pain or joy?
She almost laughed, Mentor had once told her she thought too much for her own good.::

I will regard you as my part of my family, for what its worth.
I will remember and honour what you have told me and the trust you have given me, as trust I shall give back. WHat has been done today has been a great gift.

::Saharia smiled that smile that held a little warmth, but wary still as she until she could sit down and ponder properly what had just happened today.
Things had come quickly, and too fast to sift out.
Maybe she had found a little warmth in this universe. Maybe::

[Jeseth Cloak]

"Set a course for The Sith Empire. Saharia is coming with us." Jeseth stepped into the cockpit, placing a hand upon Slayn's shoulder. "She's staying with you now. Jehova and I are going back to Corellia..." The hand quickly went away, leaving behind a cold and lifeless after-feel. Jeseth stepped back towards his quarters, sealing the door behind him. The journey would be a short one, but he felt tired enough as it was, and sleep would help to pass that time away...


[Slayn, make a thread at TSE so we can continue this there and drop you and Saharia off.]

[Jeseth Cloak]

<center>[i]<font size=7 color=gray>THE END</font></center>