The Element of Chance

[Darth Havok]

Where in does the heart of a Sith truly lie? And what is it that compels such a heart that would call upon the powers of darkness for it’s bidding?

Questions that in all respect have no clear cut answers.. One could theorize on such things, but it would be just that, speculation.. Their are transitions in everyone’s lives that lead them to a better understanding of one’s own character, motivations, and capabilities.. It is the dominant quality or qualities that distinguish a person in life, and the dispositions they convey unto themselves and others that show their true individuality.. One’s inner most nature is what sets us all apart from the rest.. Represented through feelings, either spontaneous or deliberate. Through actions be it for intentions of good or evil.. The possibilities in life are endless..

Is a Sith capable of having a sympathetic consciousness of others distress, together with a desire to alleviate it? In other words, can it be deemed as proper for them to be genuinely compassionate?

It is my belief that in an undersigned way the Sith have evolved over the thousands of years since their conception, and that they can and forever will in the future use such emotions.. But don’t believe for a second that this can hold to be true in every case, for obvious reasons in certain situations the results could vary. Some can question, or take for granted wherein their faith and loyalties truly lie, undoubtedly this can happen throughout different periods of one’s life..

As the pendulum of time carries on, so will life in whatever form the almighty force desires..

-

It was a day like any other, though this day was to hold much significance in the light of one persons future..

A week ago to the day this message was sent to the private quarters of one Dalethria Mal Pannis..


Greetings Lordess.. I know this may seem rather unorthodox, but this is of a private nature.. I assume that since you’ve been taken with child that the daily stresses of life around the Empire might be straining on you.. So this is a request by me, for you to join me on a journey in the near future, I’ve had it cleared by the other council members, and I’d be pleased if you’d accompany me on this diversion from the each and every day distractions of life at the Empire.. If so? Then meet me in the council room at 900hrs a week from today..

~ Havok

Though the true intend of this journey was not given.. Havok even insinuated it would be of a recreational nature, deceitful of him yes, but would you expect anything less?

A transport was awaiting for departure in a nearby hanger, as Havok awaited the time of her possible arrival in the Council room..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

On this day, there were no pressing matters that required the entire Council to be assembled in the Council Room. Her fellow leaders were dealing with personal matters as well as some restructuring of the Empire's facilities that needed to be done. The room contained nothing but silence and the ever present vigil of the Empire's guards.

The grandiose double doors opened inwardly as Dalethria beckoned them to let her gain entrace to her position of power. Once completely through the archway, they closed behind her with a barely audible click as they locked together. Dressed in her usual black cloak, the only item of note that was out of place was that her hood was pulled back. She felt no need to cover her features as she normally would for she was meeting an old friend instead of a comrade in arms.

Dalethria adjusted the leather bag she was carrying over arm and continued to walk foward along the blood red carpet leading up to the Council Chairs. She had no idea what Havok had planned, nor how long they would be away from the Empire. She packed light and only what was necessary. If it came down to it, depending on her mood, she would either buy, steal or kill from whoever came along their path.

Depending on her mood ...

Running her free hand along her protruding stomach, she had to smile and laugh inwardly at that statement. She was close to nine months pregnant and soon Ogre and her daughter would be born. No one knew that but her. She had kept a diligent front in her mind to block Ogre from finding out that information and Dalethria intended to keep it that way. He would wait, like the rest, until the child was born.

Folding back the black cloth that hung from her arm, Dalethria glanced at her chronometer and noticed that it was almost 0900. Master Havok would be here soon to meet her and hopefully the Lordess would find out where they were headed.

[Darth Havok]

Stepping out from the shadows and pulling back the hood of his cloak, he greeted her with a genuine smile; once she’d noticed his presence, a rarity it was to see from the Master; though now was not a time for holding back such pleasures. It had been some time since Havok has had the chance to speak privately with, much less go on a journey with Dalethria for the sake of just getting away from it all..

“I’m pleased to see you’ve come, Dalethria..” Saying as he takes a short gander at her lightly packed bag.. “Everything is all set, so… Whenever your ready..” Implying that they’d speak more of their journey through his tone and his slight sense of urgency..

As to minimize the number of other members to see them go.. He’d planned to take the secret passageway from the council room, certainly their departure would not be unacknowledged by the others for long, and a vehicle was in waiting for them from the exit of the undisclosed location..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

She was not surprised to see that Master Havok was already waiting for her. Dalethria was surprised in the smile that greeted her that she could not hold back the one that formed on her face. It was going to be quite a relief getting away from the Empire that her own sense of hurry matched the tone in which Havok spoke.

Dalethria made her way over to where he waited and nodded out of respect to him, "I believe I've been ready since I received your message Master Havok. Please ... lead the way."

[Darth Havok]

“Very well ..” he said, also having been looking forward to this escapade to call it..

By the wave of a hand a lever was activated and a passageway in a darkened corner opened, very few knew of this route, as it was only used by select members.. Traipsing through the murky corridor hastily, they soon came to a lift, which lead to the surface. They both got in and began to ascend and Havok curiously; though not in a prying manner inquired about her..

“So, it’s been sometime it has.. Since we’ve spoken social wise..” The memory of his visit to irentios long ago, during their duration whilst members of the Royal order of Sith sprang to mind..

“You’ve been well I presume, other then the obvious?” as his eyes avert to her belly momentary while he spoke, and they neared the elevators destination; being a basement room within the waterhole known as Rama’s Corner..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

As Havok led the way, walking besides her, she made a mental note about this corridor. This was something that Dalethria had yet to learn since joining the Council and she also put on her list to find the rest of them for surely they existed.

How had she been? That was a difficult question that was as difficult in answering. Dalethria folded her hands together and rested them on her stomach, "Yes. All is well with my little one." She half-smiled at Havok, "Luckily I shouldn't have to worry about labor on our trip. We should be back in time. As for how I am ..."

She trailed off and looked down at the floor, "With the departure of Ogre to who knows where and my sister completely disappearing, I am unsure of how I feel lately."

[Darth Havok]

And with a hiss the lift came to a halt, as Havok fingered at the console to open the doors..

“Aye..” he said understanding what she was going through, though in his own way.. As he motioned for her to exit first as the doors slid open.. Entering a highly secured room a few levels below the surface he continued.. “I’ve felt a little out of place myself with the departure of so many of our comrades over the past few years..” saying with a gloomy look within his eyes..

These memories weighed on his mind, though he’d always remained sharp and consistently rich in his beliefs.. It was almost as if he’d felt he made a grave mistake long ago, when giving up his rein as Emperor of the Rogue Sith Order to return to the Empire.. With his position now, he’d felt much more isolated, and not nearly whole as a person; a true Sith.. And with the loss of his brethren over these times, it only made things more difficult in the sense for driving to attain something great..

His heart was burdened with these thoughts, and many others, one’s he’d felt could be remedied with the test of time.. Time will tell he’d always told himself, whether or not this is where my home is.. But it was clearly evident he was beginning to doubt even time would heal all his wounds.. He felt as if he were a bird, and could only fly away.. Not knowing where his home truly lies, not knowing what his soul genuinely craved..

“I believe I’ve reached an impasse, my dear friend..” he uttered softly as they moved through the security checkpoint into a hall which lead down a darkened corridor; unto which a stairwell lie at the far end..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Dimly lit torches illuminated the corridor as Havok and Dalethria continued on. She had to wonder when they would reach their destination. In her mind, she was trying to place where they were exactly from where they started. Dalethria was turned around but it would make sense soon. There had to be some sort of hanger or ship waiting for them at the end.

Even inside the shadows, Dalethria could picture her dark friend frowning deeply in thought. He was lost ... as was she. The Empire was her home since Sorsha, Kat at the time, found her. Now, it wasn't the same. She felt distant to those that she considered friends and comrades. Her Apprentices made her proud and was pleased her teachings would live on with them ... but there was something missing. It was more then just her family gone.

"I know. So have I," was all she said as Dalethria stepped onto the stairwell. It was only a quiet remark but she felt her lip twitch each time it echoed down the hall.

[Darth Havok]

The slight clanking of their shoes upon the stairwell was all that was heard.. Reaching the top they continued through another door, this one took them into a back room of Rama’s Corner.. Exiting through a back door, he saw the transport no more then fifty metres away, the one that would take them to the hanger..

“Well… I’m hoping this journey shall enrich both of our perspectives of the future..” It was a fair assessment; traditionally speaking Sith often embarked on such journey’s to find answers to their queries.

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Perhaps it was how Havok said that or maybe it was just the entire conversation itself that something in the back of Dalethria's mind caused her connection with the Dark Side to waver. Something about the future was forming and becoming clearer. It was like a path had been laid out for the Lordess as soon as her eyes turned to look at the transport.

Wherever they were going, she was going to have to decide upon a great many things ... some Dalethria already knew the answer too.

She spoke of nothing as they boarded the transport. The engine rumbled before the entire thing rattled briefly before lurching forward. It wouldn't be that much longer to the hanger and then only the Force would know what ...

"I hope you are right ..." she mumbled quietly under her breath, responding well after Havok had spoken.

[Darth Havok]

The transport lumbered slowly through space as it negotiated a turn. It was drawing a new course on a rarely used hyperspace lane, one that led towards the unknown regions.. The coordinates had been set into the navigation computer and their trip was now coming that much closer to its goal. Explore a new world with a mystery that Havok wished to seek, and a mystery which he had intentions of having Dalethria face. He turned to her.

“This trip should prove to be most interesting.. Do you wish to pull the hyperspace lever, and send us on our way?” He knew what is was like to feel like nothing more than baggage at times and did not wish for his passenger to feel that way.

There was a foreboding gleam in his eyes, there was more to this whole thing than just a pleasant journey.. but wasn’t that also something Sith did often, pursued difficult tasks and tribulations?

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

The trip continued in silence until Master Havok finally spoke. Dalethria was wondering if there was anything she could do on this trip but he was being most secretive. She had no idea where they were going, nor was she privy to the nav control. It would be a surprise alright but one the Lordess was still looking forward to. Already her body was relaxing, being away for the confining walls of the Empire and politics that she had to deal on a daily basis.

She reached for the control and turned to her companion, "I'd be delighted and thank you."

The look that Havok was giving her caused her to stop. There was something in those eyes that the Master Sith wasn't telling her and it caused a brief flash of danger to come forth. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared... was it a foretelling of the future? Surely Havok would do no harm to her for another Sith Master would have his hide...

Dalethria shrugged that off and hit the lever. Whatever would happen she would face when necessary. Right now she was enjoying herself for the first time in months.

Tiny pin points of stars streaked into white blurs as the transport entered hyperspace and for Dalethria, to parts unknown.

[Darth Havok]

Ah freedom! Finally loose from the constraints of the Sith Empire and being a leader of said organization. It was a most uplifting experience and feeling of being at ease. Their trip through hyperspace was long and each of them exchanged words about their past, present and possible future at the Empire, both hinting that such a future may change drastically in the near future. Neither said anything definitive in regards to their future though, it was all only speculation and casual talk.

The subject of where they were going, and what they were doing, was skirted by the Sith Master each time Dalethria tried to pursue the issue to get some answers as to the details of their trip[. It seemed that Havok had some plans that he wished to be a surprise that he did not intend to fully divulge at this time. Soon enough there would be occasion to tell her more, just not right at this moment.

“We are almost there lassie..” Came his voice, ending their long conversation about various issues unrelated to what they were doing.

The sound of the hyperdrive engines winding down became a duller and duller hum behind and around them as the stars in the view screen slowed down and became mere pinpoints in the sky again, as they had left behind a long while ago.

There was something unusual about the stars ahead of them now though.. They didn’t appear clear and were hard to distinguish, as if there was something veiling them from clear sight. The dark veil ahead was looming closer and closer with each passing second.

Only a few scant seconds after exiting hyperspace they became engulfed in the cloudy veil that they had seen before them. Piloting instruments began to flash and cut in and out and alarms went off erratically, Sounding then silencing as if there were system wide failures, which suddenly resolved themselves.

Havok struggled to try and navigate, it seemed that he was having difficulty getting the craft to respond properly to the input he was providing.

“Welcome to the Black Curtain. It promises to not be a walk in the park from this moment on..” It seemed like Havok was going to say more but was cut off by the sight that now was becoming clearer and clearer in the view screen. They were very close to a planet. Neither of them could see it until now and the proximity alarms had not sounded, or if they had, their noise was lost in the sea of other sounds that all the instruments were emitting.

“BRACE YOURSELF!!! WE’RE GOING IN HARD AND FAST!” He said urgently as he fought with the flight controls.

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

She felt it right before Havok stopped speaking. The danger that the Lordess had felt indeed was real and here it was now but ... something wasn't quite right. It mattered naught... surviving this situation was imperative. A hand came across her stomach defensively as Dalethria thought about how the safety of her child was in jeopardy.

Her eyes scanned the controls and she started doing system checks, "Nothing is responding! Engines are offline and the scopes are useless!"

The planet was growing larger and larger. The complete sphere that was their destination now was only partially seen as the ship continued to plummet straight into the atmosphere. All their efforts were useless and didn't help their situation.

That left only one other option and Dalethria opened her mind to the Dark Side. First, she created a force field around herself. It was invisible and would protect her and the child when the ship impacted. That was something unavoidable but it didn't mean that this ship and its occupants would became littered across an unknown planet!

Her senses brought her to an overhead view above the craft. Blackened clouds obscured the land below and was soaring passed her at an alarming rate. What power she had at her command, that wasn't focused on herself, tried to take control of the ship. To divert her energy into two different tasks was painful but that helped to fuel the fire of her desire to live. She could feel her body shaking and beads of sweat quickly formed along side her face, trailing down her cheeks. It felt like any moment her head was going to explode but still she pushed her body and mind to the far limits.

The Tarkin stubbornness was quite the trait that Dalethria had inherited. No matter what the odds, never would she give up.

[Darth Havok]

Pulling back on the flight stick was almost completely futile, except it seemed that a few of the more antiquated retro rockets were still functioning and the sputtered to life, helping to slow their cataclysmic descent. He flipped a switch on the yoke and the manual airbrakes on the craft flipped into an upward position and it was all he could do to use the aerodynamics that the shuttle did possess to bring the nose upwards. His plight to do so was helping, but wasn’t working fully..

At first he was annoyed at the fact that his planned navigation to this planet had been incorrect. They were supposed to arrive at a time when the planet’s orbit took it out of the adverse effects of the Black Curtain, and it would have been safe for them to land with no trouble. That annoyance was now building into outright rage and fury. The last thing he had wished to do on this journey was have it end with the death of himself and his passenger and her unborn child, at least before it even really began...

His anger intensified his connection to the Dark side of the Force and he now sensed what Dalethria was doing. She was struggling with it, but she was determined to live and doing all she could.. His own resolve to do the same for her more so than himself kicked in and he too reached out through the Force and took hold of the ship hurtling toward the barren land of rock and lava below them at breakneck speeds..

Coupled with her efforts and the efforts he had put into the mechanical end, it paid off. The transport began to slow down and the nose rose to a more parallel angle with the world’s surface.. Bulging blood vessels lined the side of his head neck and arms, as he put everything he had into his abilities in the Dark side and helped Dalethria guide the craft to a safe landing..

What had occurred in only a few fleeting seconds, had seemed like it lasted for hours when the ship finally cam to a skidding stop on the surface of the planet.. The only damage taken was to the hull of the underside. And the hull of this particular transport was thick and strong, specifically chosen by Havok for this trip for just such reasons as this..

The viselike grip his hands had on the yoke of the ship finally loosened and he pried them free of it, knuckles white from lack of blood due to the strain.. He ran both his palms over his face and wiped away the sweat..

“It was beginning to look as if our trip would be ended before we even got to the good part..”

A look out the forward view screen made one wonder exactly what kind of get away spot this was. The surface of the planet was riddled with crags, rocks and rivers of lava, as far as the eye could see. In the far distance were some very bleak looking mountains, smoldering in the brownish light that this world’s daytime hours provided..

“Well, we made it to Allahsak in one piece, and if my data is correct, leaving should go more smoothly than arrival.. Shall we have a look around?” He asked, not yet telling her why they were here. He knew the questions would come soon, but he was in no hurry. Besides, he wanted to inspect the outside of the craft for major damage, before getting to that..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

The power that she had been tapping, left her drained. Her already pale features had turned ghostly white and she wiped away her own perspiration with the back of her hand. Slowly she looked around the cockpit. Between both their efforts, the shuttle had landed with minimal damage. Havok did not appear injured and the force field that Dalethria had erected, which had fallen since being spent, left her and her child unscathed.

Dalethria's face winced in pain as the pounding in her head was quite evident. She tucked loose strands of hair behind an ear to mask it and took a look outside. Watching the descent of the ship into the planet gave her a bleak look to what the surface was to be like. Now the sullen view before her did nothing to abate her first impression.

Light that was soiled flittered through the sky that was not covered in black clouds. All around there were outcroppings of sharp crags and boulders. Nothing resembled a trial of any sort since the ground was cracked and withered. Rivers of red molten lava streamed by them and that mountain range before them could only be laden with volcanic activity. Luckily the craft skidded to a stop before it fell into the lava...

Dalethria tried valiantly to find something that resembled something alive, but none could be seen. Not even a blade of grass... Oh what else could be waiting for her here on this little adventure with Havok.

"There is a good part in all of this?" Asked Dalethria with sarcasm in her voice. "You want to get away from it all with me and you bring us here."

She motioned to the lovely scene before them, "My first choice of course as a vacation spot."

[Darth Havok]

“Aye.. me lass, I thought ye would like.” He said with a crocked smile. “I need to do something before we go sight seeing..” He chuckled after his last words..

He walked around the ship and surveyed the scene of it in its unintentionally emergency landed state, finding that the hull had indeed been dented and scratched but not compromised..

“Good, good..” came his words as he came back to where Dalethria was looking out towards the horizon..

“If my data is correct the Curtian will pass approximately every fourty eight hours and give us a chance to leave once we are through with our vacation..”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

She had enough of this little dance and slid out of her seat, following Master Havok out of the ship, "Alright ... no more of this."

Her blue eyes froze upon Havok, her patience lost, and demanded answers, "You tell me we are getting away from the Empire and that much is true, but from what I'm seeing now, you led me to believe something else. My child has already been put in danger for reasons I don't understand. Now tell me ... What is going on?!"

[Darth Havok]

Smirking with a sideways smile, he knew the time would come when she would want answers, and indeed it had, and it had with a vengeance only a Sith woman could convey.. His head started to nod in his acceptance of her question and his brows furrowed in thought briefly..

“I didn’t really want to spoil the surprise, but we have come here to find an object..... a powerful object. From what I was able to learn of this planet, I didn’t really think it would be too dangerous for ones such as we are..” His brows furrowed again as her menacing look continued to bear down on him unchanged..

“I wanted to get your child a gift, a very unique one.. One that could only be found here..”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

This still didn't placate the Sith Lordess and Dalethria stepped further into Havok's space, "If your plans involved we, why was it necessary to keep me in the dark?"

The anger inside her was far from subduing and with each inhalation of breath, she could feel her nostrils flare, "I would've been better prepared for this situation but instead, I get strung along."

Her eyes grew dark. The coldness that her icy eyes reflected was replaced with fire, "I know you're not telling me everything but ..."

Dalethria looked around at the lovely view of molten lava and cracked rocks littered about, "... what dreadful gift could we find here for my child?" She was still angry but the prospect of finding something of value for her little one kept her from continuing the argument fully...

[Darth Havok]

He smiled as he could hear and sense that she was giving into his vague elusions to some extent, though of course not completely. What true Sith wouldn’t want answers and demand them just as she had? He would have done the same to be sure.

“Would you like to help me scour this place to locate the amulet of Azrairlaksh? From my readings we must first find the Orcale named Giyula, but I know not where she can be found or even what she looks like.”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

"Azrairlaksh?" Came the words slowly from the Lordess' lips. She wanted to hear it clearly from her own mouth. Havok's pronunciation was not quite up to par but Dalethria knew Kashirian when it was spoken.

How could an object of her husband's dark diety be found all the way out here? Now things were defiantly getting interesting. Her stance was not as rigid as answers were finally being given.

"If I am not mistaken... the word you used means "Aeriel". Not sure what that means for an amulet ..." Finally, a grin appeared on her face as she pointed at Havok, "... I have a feeling you and Ogre have been plotting behind my back... Not many know of Kashirian artifacts and language."

[Darth Havok]

“The studies I did that told of the Amulet did not tell me if its name was Kashirian, though I did assume it may be, considering that it was intended for only those of Kashirian decent... I found no reference material on the Kashirian language in any of my research, but it did seem to be a very suitable gift for a child born of parents with Kashirian blood..”

Havok had heard of the ritual that had taken place on Meras approximately nine months ago, which had bound Ogre and those closest to him by blood, his blood. So he knew that Dalethria also had Kashirian blood within her veins..

“That’s a yes then… to helping locate the Oracle and the amulet?” He asked, skirting around the mention of the possibility of he and Ogre plotting, as casually as he could..

Havok looked eager to be underway, the climate of this world was rather hot and dry, and altogether not very pleasant. Brisk winds that offered no soothing blew across the area they stood in, bringing only gritty sand that stuck on his sweat-dampened skin..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

"Well..." She licked her teeth, trying to regain some moisture in her mouth for it had gone dry. The winds were not comforting as they batted her hair around violently at some points, "... to come all this way and not retrieve this amulet would be a crime."

With some difficulty due to the winds, Dalethria brought the hood of her cloak up to provide a barricade and to stop the whipping of her brown hair to her face, "You have no idea where to find this Oracle?"

Her face become long as she thought about options, "From what you said, we don't have that much time... Perhaps splitting up to cover more ground is a good option? If we find habitation we can easily communicate with each other through the Dark Side...."

[Darth Havok]

“The materials that provided me the little information I do have was written much like a ridlle and from my interpertations all I was able to find out was that the Oracle was to be sought, and this was the place to do it..”

His eyes lit up as she suggested the two of them splitting up to go in search of this Oracle, because he two had been thinking the same thing. He looked to his left towards the dark volcanic mountains, looming ominously on the horizon, then turned to his right and looked out over the scraggly plain.

In the far distance it looked like there may be some kind of forest, though the foilage upon the trees looked far from anything resembling the typical colors and appearance of a wooded area on most planets. That direction did look somewhat less dangerous. He knew that the Lordess Dalethria could take care of herself, but he wanted to try and not put her into too perilous a situation because of her still unborn child she carried..

“How about you go that direction?” He pointed to his right towards the distant trees that looked like blag twigs jutting skyward..

“And I will go this way.” He motined his head back over his shoulder towards the mountians..

“There is food and water in the ship that we can take with us, which I prepared for this trip. Ready for travelling it is..”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

"Very well..." Not like she was going to argue the point. The mountains looked ... perilous. Better for Havok to go that way. More rivers of lava and sharp drops created by past earthquakes for him to navigate.

Granted... the blackened color of the forest wasn't all that inviting either but Dalethria felt more comfortable in a similar environment, like the forests of Meras. The dangers would be new but her knowledge would be better suited for such land.

The two Sith climbed back on board to fetch the supplies needed for their journeys. Havok was true to his word that everything was already prepared. Dalethria pulled out a small knapsack and filled it with food rations and a first aid kit. She had thought some of the other equipment would not be working, but punching up a display on a datapad actually worked. She decided to take that and a commlink just incase.

Slinging a canteen across one shoulder and the pack on the other, she turned to Havok, "I would say communication every hour? Best to stay in touch."

She started to make her way out of the ship but stopped, and turned around. Dalethria's features were hard to make out for her hood and the darkness of the ship had completely enveloped her face with shadows... but there was a grin there, "You never did answer if you and Ogre were plotting behind my back..."

And with a small bow, the Lordess left the ship and started to make her way across the rocky terrain towards the forest....

[Darth Havok]

Just as she turned to leave, Havok smiled at her last words, but she did not see it, or the all too telling look in his eyes…..very indicative of what had actually occurred previous to this trip..

He to retrieved some of the necessary supplies for his trip before, he nodded to her in a slight bow, then turned and walked in the opposite direction. The dark peaks in the distance his destination..

He agreed that communication every hour was a good precaution to take in these circumstances and as he walked he checked his chronometer, making note of what time it was so that he would know when the next check in time was to come..

It would not be difficult to keep track of Dalethria through the Force here since there was no significantly strong presence in the darkside emanating from any other on this bleak world’s surface..

The mountains grew closer with each step and the metallic surface of the transport’s outer hull became dimmer and dimmer as he vanished over the horizon..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Half the day was wasted in circumventing large pools of lava, finding the best way to navigate large fields of tall boulders and crossing over large fissures in the ground... as well as keeping her timely communications with Havok. It was tiresome and time consuming and was seriously getting on the Lordess' nerves. If she were not nine months pregnant, this excursion would not be so difficult. One could call it a curse and in this situation... Dalethria almost thought that... It was easy when thinking about her unborn child about what possible future was shown to her through the Dark Side...

No one could guess how much she didn't want that child at first. She thought about getting rid of it, to preserve what loomed over her head if this child lived.

... but her maternal instincts won over all because of the mental link that was created between mother and daughter. To feel life inside her.... growing .... a heart beating ... living inside of her ... part of her ...

Was this how her mother felt? Maybe that was another reason why Dalethria had kept the child ... that and of course Ogre .... then there was Sorsha. She was so excited in being an Aunt...

Finally she had reached the beginning of the forest. It was quite welcoming with the black leaves and brown, almost decaying, looking tree trunks. The smell did not go with the decor... it was strangely out of place. It was like the familiar scent of a normal forest...

She would have to be cautious... this forest wasn't exactly what it seemed.

Extending her senses around her, focusing on hearing and any presence of life that lay within, Dalethria walked forward into the unknown...

[Darth Havok]

Havok too, had rivers of lava to pass either over or around in the time he spent working his way towards the mountains. If it weren’t for the fact that he was able to use the Force to aid in the length of his leaps, he would not have been able to pass many of them..

The temperature and climate of this world were so hot that it required a short break about every 30 minutes for a drink of water. The air was acrid with the stench of molten rock and it was beginning to cause his lungs to burn inside his chest. He was pleased that Dalethria had gone the other way, because this air would most certainly not be healthy for the child Dale bore within her..

The land was becoming less flat and his range of vision was lessening the closer he got, but not only because of the rising and falling landscape, also because of the smoke in the air, produced by the lava that was in such abundance..

He paused for a moment to look up into the sky, wondering if there was in fact a night and a day on this world. The brown light that had been present when they first arrived was still just as it had been.. The three stars that could be seen in the sky had changed position, but did not appear to be any closer to the horizon..

After going over a rocky ridge, he found what looked like tracks on the ground.. He crouched to examine them closer….letting the dark side ebb outwards from where he was while his attention was drawn to the ground.. It would be his early warning signal if whatever it was that had made these large and heavy looking footprints suddenly appeared..

The tracks seemed to go in the general direction that he had just come from, yet he had not seen or felt anything during his hike.. He decided to follow these tracks backwards and see where this being, which from the prints did not look human, had come from..

[Lhuurg]

Eyes pierced the midnight-black wood, at the sound of an approaching stranger. Yes, Stranger was the appropriate thing to call this one. Neither a sound or a smell to familiarize with a memory. It walked aimlessly on two legs, struggling to uphold its bulging belly.

Strength, for one such as the Kashirian named Lhuurg was never in question. His focus instead was lent to stealth, as he watched the intruder delve deeper into his domain. Beneath one of Lhuurg's massive feet lay the broken neck of a corbot, a creature of game within the withered black forest. The animal's one visible eye stared up at its killer in a death gaze. Lhuurg's attention returned to his uninvited guest, his lips sneering around his ancient tusks as he growled lowly. Without a sound, he flung his kill over his shoulder, plunging soundlessly into the shadows, and thus, becoming Dalethria's shadow as well.

The first faltering of foot or drawing of second breath would be her last. None entered the domain of Lhuurg without paying homage to his mistress with their lives as forfeit.

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

The forest was barely lit by the light that managed to filter through the canopy of black leaves. For periods of time, Dalethria had to navigate through patches of darkness where eyes could do no good. Those areas took twice as long to cross but she wasn't going to accidentally trip over a decaying log or low part of the ground which could result in hurting her child... or leave her open for attack.

It was not too long after exiting the last patch of darkness that she felt that familiar buzz in the back of her mind, warning of her of danger. Someone, or something, nearby wished to do harm to the Lordess.

Dalethria did not lighten up on her pace and continued to trudge through the forest. Her mind was alert and searching through the tall trees, the ground itself, and even underneath it to find out who had thought she was interesting to harm.

Negashi kvriun treh

It was a random thought that she had picked up and it was close... and it was behind her. The emotions that emanated from the source of that mind were focused on one thing ... death. The animalistic words had a familiar ring to them but Dalethria's mind was on survival right now, not being a researcher.

Dalethria continued to walk forward, showing no signs of slowing down or stopping. The components of water and limestone were already on her person, all she needed was her anchor. Her eyes locked onto the tree nearest to her and quietly spoke the all but lost language of Kashirian.

The incantation itself was not all that long and once the last word left her mouth, Dalethria became translucent and disappeared completely from sight.

[Darth Havok]

From the look of the soil the tracks were in, it looked as if they were not more than twenty-four hours old. Following the trail was not too difficult since the being that had made them must have been large and heavy, with little care for stealth..

The trail winded though hill and over ridges and finally went into a valley between two large mountains. Havok followed it diligently, his senses scanning his immediate proximity for other life signs, yet returning no results. The creature whose footprints he was backtracking was either unable to be sensed, or a long distance away..

Deeper and deeper into the volcanic mountains Havok traveled until it came time for a check in with Dalethria via the comm. unit. He pulled it from his belt and tried to raise her on it, finding that it still operated, but was returning nothing but static. He looked behind him at the smoke spewing range of volcanoes and attributed the block in electronic communication to them..

He had yet to sense any perilous danger through the dark side, so he went on about his way acting as if he were a ranger on the trail of his prey’s home. Not long after returning to the trail, he came upon what looked like a stature carven in the mountain. It was standing next to a pass between two cliffs. Havok approached it so he could investigate..

[Lhuurg]

Out of sight, yes...but not out of scent. The woman's smell contrasted on his palate, stark and contrasting, an alien aroma amongst his inner sanctum. It lingered up to the very spot he'd last seen her. In the darkness of the wood, Lhuurg's cold eyes saw a most interesting thing, indeed. The woman knew of Kashirian ways...or at least the art of not being seen. Her subtle glance to a knotted tree, and the echo of her tongue on the wind could not be mistaken. A sign of the old Clerics, to be sure. But what would such an offworlder know of them. Her very use was practically a blasphemous shout in his ears.

Unfortunately for her, Lhuurg needed no such parlor trick. The forest was his niche, and a lifetime among it had ensured a closeness of living that few creatures could ever understand. Massive as he was, Lhuurg's footfalls would never disturb a fallen leaf, or snap a dead twig. He was one with it, and every bit as unseen.

WWWWSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHIIING!!!

Like a vengeful thunderbolt, the massive axe the Kashirian wielded was hurled double-handed over his head. With a shaft of twelve feet, the bladed monstrosity cut through the air like a blood-hungry tornado, whooshing the air past it in savage arcs, until its gleaming metal wedge buried itself into the heart of a knotted black tree. The hardwood shaft wobbled slightly in the aftermath vibrations, sure sign of the death-gash that had cleaved the tree nearly in half.

Now...he would see what else this intruder knew.

[Giyula]

:: Giyula's eyes opened as the walker came near. Eyes that could not see, but she could feel. Many had tried to pass her. They tried and died. Their bleached bones lay in abundance for Havok to see with his own eyes. A female voice speaks to him. It was all around him like the wind ::

"Who seeks to pass this hallowed way? Have you the words to make me sway?

Hold your tongue unless in rhyme, or it shall be a waste of time.

Such songs are all that I can hear, now tell me what has brought you near?"

:: a small scorpion peers from the gaping mouth of a skull to Havok's right. It twitched it's feelers, as if waiting to hear his fateful awnser ::

[Darth Havok]

He stopped dead in his tracks, not moving any closer to the statue he saw before him. Its voice seemed to come from all directions as if it were part of the very air he was breathing..

He looked upwards into open eyes that contained no eye, only cold stone and dust, but somehow knew it was this, which was speaking to him now, and in no ordinary fashion.. It spoke in verse and rhyme and instructed him to do the same, Havok decided quickly that he had better answer or become like the bones he saw strewn around this place..

“Havok, is my name. I am the comrade of a Kashirian, of some fame.
His name he doth not know, but my purpose is not to find out so.
I seek an Azrairlasksh amulet, as a gift I shall bequeath it.
Onto his family, of which I have brought one with me.”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Safety was found in the Ethereal Plane. Here, nothing could touch her but it worked both ways. The realm of the Prime Material could not be harmed by her. In this plane... much was the same but there was subtle differences. The sky was a purplish color and mists of incandescent light filtered through the trees. All living things spiritual essence could be seen here... even the rocks and dead leaves and twigs had an Ethereal presence that could be seen.

Only drawback was that no voice could be heard. If one could not speak telepathically, their words would be carried off into the void that created no sound here.

Not that Dalethria needed to do that... all she wanted was a better look at what was following her. What she was seeing was impossible. She knew that Ogre's Clan was wiped out and there were no other Kashirians. Ogre, Dalethria and Sorsha made sure that none would survive on a trip back home to Kashir. Not all were killed. Those that were off planet live and the only other member of Ogre's planet she had met was Aseloth.

Now here was another Kashirian on this planet. She could tell by his spirt. Being in the Ethereal could give the Cleric insight the spiritual essence of a creature... and this creature was of Ogre's world. Kashalla had found its way here through the beings that worshipped him. It made perfect sense to why an amulet of this Deity would be found here. But ... how did they get here?

Danger was looming in the back of her mind again. The Kashirian was looking around and was eying the tree that she used as an anchor. The old ways were not forgotten by some and now she was in a predicament. She was hoping to avoid a fight because of the safety of her child ... but so be it.

There was nothing she could do. Not even affect its mind so that left one option.

She had not strayed far from her anchor. Quickly she put the canteen strap into her mouth and pulled out her sabre. Dalethria stepped forward a few feet closer to the Kashirian and watched as its axe cleaved right into the tree.

The pain came swift and with no remorse. She knew it was to come and already prepared her mind for incoming pain. Her teeth barred down onto the leather strap, forcing her to suck in a scream as she was ripped back into the Prime Material.

Besides the pain ... it wasn't a nice feeling. A nice feeling was channeling the Dark Side and feeling its power. It was being in the same room with your family or that special alone time with your husband.

No... this was the feeling of your soul being ripped apart from your body and then someone throwing it back it in the next second.

It took all her resolve to keep standing but she wasn't just anyone. Dalethria was a Lordess of the Dark Side. A power unto herself that wielded a Force that few could imagine.

In the next second after her senses realigned, she reached forward and pointed the end of her sabre in the middle of the Kashirian's back... and then thumbed the trigger. A purple blade ignited into existence and plunged straight through his body.

[Lhuurg]

The pain was quick, immediate, and searing. Lhuurg looked down, at the shaft of fire now piercing his torso. His mouth snarled and yawned wide, casting a sound forth that shook the trees of the forest from the canopies to their root foundations.

RRRRROOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

Yet even now, the critical wound caused the Kashirian's strength to ebb, as he slowly fell to his knees, and then further to the ground.

[Giyula]

:: Giyula speaks again as a warm wind blows around Havok ::

"I sense the words you speak are true
Of who it is you've brought with you."

The relic of my making
To you I shall allow the taking"

:: then there was a musical sound, like an ocarina, followed by a golden flash that blinds Havok. As his vision clears, he sees the amulet floating before him, surrounded by tiny sparkles of light ::

<center><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/sigshop/alipp2.jpg width=150 height=132><center>

[Darth Havok]

His eyes still blurry from the flash of light, he slowly beheld the object he had come here for. Hands reached up and took the relic slowly, the sparkles of golden light floating around it fading as he made physical contact. At first his hands touched steel, which was unlike any other, a tremendous burning sensation, causing his to let go for a moment and the talisman fell, its strap catching on his hands when it did..

Now holding it without pain, by its strap, Havok looked up at the Oracle before him and lowered his head..

“My thanks go to you, for what you do.
You precious relic will be with its kind, just as I am true of mind.
Farewell to thee I now say, I will be on my way.”

He turned slowly from the statue and began to walk the way in which he arrived. A few moments after stepping away from the Oracle, it seemed as if his senses came alive after being somewhat dulled.. The Oracle’s presence had effected him in some way and his awareness of his surroundings was not as it should have been, because suddenly he sensed a disturbance in the dark side..

Dalethria was in peril, and pain, but from what he could tell she was through with the enemy he also sensed fleetingly. From her presence he knew that soon she would not be awake, her body demanding rest for whatever had just happened..

There had been another reason he had brought her here, and his opportunity to put that into action would be coming soon.. He did not pick up his pace as he backtracked his earlier steps, but his soul reached out and began to gather dark energies fueled by all the emotions he had dealt with in his life. The anger, the pain, the fury and fear, he drew on it and built himself up for his planned task as he walked..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

The wail was so powerful that even Dalethria herself could feel it reverberating inside her every bone. It compounded the fact that she was wobbly from the violent expulsion from the Ethereal Plane to the Prime Material one and it caught up to her now.

The Lordess clumsily stumbled backwards, removing the sabre from the Kashirian's back as it fell forward. She mused to herself as the scenery was shifted in front of her if she should have survived being pulled back into the Prime Material. Ogre never really explained that to her ... just that an anchor was needed. There were always risks in casting the Clerical Magick's of Kashalla and if she survived this forest ... Dalethria would have to do extensive research about those risks. She just wanted to wield the same power as her husband ....

As she felt her body hit the cool, damp, ground of the forest, she heard her sabre shut off as she could no longer fight the affects of the unintentional attack. She was shaking and her body was coated in a cold sweat. It felt as if Dalethria was suffering from some sort of withdrawal and as the last spasm hit her body, no longer could she stay conscious.

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

“Navaria.”

It was a familiar sound as the curtains in the room were drawn back and the morning’s light filtered in. A woman’s voice, pleasant and soft.

“Navaria, its time to wake up.”

Next to the bed stood Lise Tarkin, her big brown eyes looking down on her daughter. The room was that of Navaria's, in their home at Imperial Center.

[Marc Tarkin]

A sound could be heard in Navaria’s room…someone was coming down the hall. A brown haired young man peeked in the open doorway.

“Come on sis. You need to get ready. Dad is going to be here soon.”

He grinned wide then closed the door behind as he went back on his way, walking down the hallway.

[Navaria Tarkin]

The light blinded her briefly and she brought a hand up to fend off its affects. Her real name being spoken didn't register until the second time around and Dalethria shot straight up in bed.

Staring at her was her mother... her real mother. Lise Tarkin. She was alive and what was behind her was the busy metropolis of Imperial Center that could be seen out her window.

THIS ISN'T RIGHT!!

That screamed in her mind as she looked around like a wild animal. Her blue eyes darted all over the place. The last thing she remembered was being in the forest out in the Unknown Regions looking for the Oracle. She passed out after the confrontation with a Kashirian went completely wrong and she ...

Dalethria blinked.

She couldn't remember but this was her room. That much she did know but it was her room, it wasn't her room now.... Right?

“Come on sis. You need to get ready. Dad is going to be here soon.”

This was a familiar face. It was her younger brother, Marc but ... he had been away for some time after visiting not too long ago. He wanted to see how she was doing because of the ...

Dalethria threw off the covers, ignoring the weird looks from her mother and brother. What she was looking for wasn't there ... a bulging belly that was heavy with child.

She wasn't pregnant and they were going to meet ...

"Father ....."

She slowly formed the words, not believing she was saying them again for the first time in years. It was then a memory came to her.

"But ... he's at Endor ... fighting the Alliance."

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

Lise tilted her head to the side a little in confusion, wondering why he daughter was talking about something that happened years ago.

“Are you alright Navaria? Your Father played a part in winning that battle years ago. There is no more Alliance.”

She walked away from the bed and walked over to a nearby dresser and picked something up off of it. Turning around, Navaria set eyes on what her Mother now held. It was a picture of Andron and Wilhuff Tarkin being awarded Imperial crests that held an image of the planet Endor in their centers.

She wondered what was wrong with her daughter and thought maybe she had just woken her from some kind of dream and she hadn’t quite come to her senses fully realizing she was awake or in the real waking world now.

She placed the picture back on the dresser and turned back to her daughter.

“Hurry and get cleaned up Navaria. Like Marc said, Father will be here to pick us up soon.”

With that said, Lise left the room closing the door behind her.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Dalethria stared dumfounded at her mother until the click of the door closing caused her to blink and be aware of where she was once more.

Quickly she kicked off the rest of the covers off her legs and ran across her room to what her mother was looking at. Her grandfather and father were standing proudly in their Imperial uniforms, being decorated by the Emperor himself.

"This can't be right..."

Her father died at Endor and her grandfather died at Yavin.

"... can it."

That feeling kept coming back again, haunting her perceptions of what was real.

Turning around in a full 360 degrees, Dalethria looked around the room and thought about what had happened. She had thought she was pregnant, crash landed on some unknown planet and was being chased by some ... monster in the woods. It had the makings of a great nightmare didn't it?

"Maybe that's what it was."

She pulled up the sleeves to her nightgown and saw no scar where there should be when she, Tirsa and Sorsha had taken the blood oath with Ogre.

"... a nightmare...."

Her mother's voice echoed down the hallway and past her door. She was complaining that Navaria was dawdling and needed to get ready.

She put the picture back on top of her dresser and opened one of the drawers, picking out an outfit.

"Can't have dad upset that I wasn't ready."

[Andron Tarkin]

Shore leave. It didn’t come often, but when it did, Andron utilized his time in the way most valuable to him, with his family. Other vehicles speed by as he drove towards his home, piloting a very upscale speeder. His family was quite wealthy. After the victories at Yavin and Endor, his and his father’s salaries had been increased dramatically. Andron had also been promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Things were good all around, and this leave would make them even better.

He hadn’t seen his wife son or daughter for eight months and his heart was swelling with anticipation as he neared their home. Such occasions as this, it was customary for them to get the whole family out of the house, doing various things. He had arranged it so that he and Marc had both received some leave time, in the duration of a month’s time. It was strange to Andron that he had managed to actually pull the right strings to accomplish such a thing. Did someone else help him pull those strings? He wasn’t sure.

The engine of his speeder winded down and finally cut off completely as he parked in the cubicle next to their home here in Imperial Center. He got out of the vehicle with a beaming smile on his face, which seemed to grow tenfold when he saw who was looking out the window at him. One of them was upstairs looking from the window of her room, and the other standing in the open doorway. There were the two women in his life, Lise his wife, and Navaria their daughter.

Andron met his wife at the door with an exuberant display of affection, hugging her and lifting her off the ground as they greeted each other with a kiss. Once that was over, he looked up from the doorstep and waved at Navaria, still standing in her window watching.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"This is all so strange but feels so right ..."

Tentatively Navaria raised her hand and returned to wave to her father. Seeing her parents together filled her senses with feelings that she hadn't felt for anyone but Ogre and Sor...

She turned away and closed the drapes, rubbing the sides of her eyes. There was so much confusion inside her mind. Memories of two separate lives were intersecting. What was real and what was dream were indistinguishable.

As she left her room, her eyes were wide and searching, absorbing everything around her. Pictures of her family lined the walls. Some of which Navaria remembered but others seemed so foreign to her.

Alot of the pictures that she had no recollection were of pictures of her and Marc at various stages in their live. She witnessed their growth with each step down the hall. One image in particular was a farewell picture when her brother had joined the service.

You would think Navaria would remember that. She tried forcing the memory to come forward but all she got was a headache and a fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

It was wonderful to see Andron again. It had been so long and her feelings clearly showed on her face as the two of them walked back in the house. His arms was over her shoulder and one of hers was around his waist and back, as they enetered the foyer of the home, Navaria coming down the stairs just as they did.

“Ready for our trip? I know your Father has something special in mind for us and we have a schedule to keep.”

Asked Lise of Navaria, as Marc walked out of the kitchen munching on something with a duffel bag hanging from his shoulder.

[Andron Tarkin]

He didn’t even give his daughter a chance to answer her mother before he stepped away from Lise and picked his little girl up into his arms.

“Its good to see you again princess.”

Came his words just before he kissed her and hugged her to him tightly, her feet up off the floor.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Fear overcame her and her body became rigid. She didn't return the hug at all as her arms stayed bent beside her father's sides. Her eyes sought comfort in her brother Marc. For some reason Navaria was most comfortable when he was near.

She felt strangely trapped and gave him a pleading look.

[Marc Tarkin]

With a grin on his face Marc spoke up.

“Come on dad, she is twenty years old now. I think she would rather have Jac be the one to hug and kiss her like that.”

[Andron Tarkin]

He slowly put his daughter back down, still keeping his hands on the sides of her arms. He bent down a little and looked into her eyes.

“There is another man you haven’t told me about? I’m hurt.”

He made a whimsical pout type face then smiled indicating that he was kidding.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She half smiled, which made her look more guilty to her father when Navaria was even more confused then before.

Jac was the Captain of the ship she used to smuggle and slice on. Ellis was her best friend back in the day along with a couple of twin Rodian mechanics. The crew of the Koriolos took her in after her mother died and were going to make her .... They were going to make her ... something. Was it a promotion or were they surprising her with a gift?

It was the oddest feeling. The memory she vividly remembered was now on the tip of her tongue but couldn't quite see it clearly. What she did remember was her and Jac fondly dancing in one of Imperial Center's finest restaurants. He was a Captain alright ... but a Captain for the Empire.

She laughed to herself, feeling quite foolish. The Koriolos was his Star Destroyer that he commanded.

Navaria fell into an embrace with Andron and held him tight. She was finally waking up from that dream.

"Love you, Dad."

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

Lise just laughed at her family’s interaction. She didn’t get to see all of them gathered in one place very often now that Navaria and Marc were adults. She looked at her watch and then cleared her throat very casually with a slight ‘hrumph’

“Isn’t the transport scheduled to leave soon honey?”

Her question was directed at Andron.

[Andron Tarkin]

He embraced his daughter again, cradling her cheek in a hand.

“I love you Navaria. You will always be my princess, even if you find yourself a husband.”

He pulled back from the hug a little and winked, then looked over his shoulder at his wife.

“I wouldn’t want to hurry so much that I miss quality time with my family like this, but we will have a lot of time for that once we get to our vacation home.”

[Marc Tarkin]

Marc laughed a little as he leaned against the couch just finishing his snack.

“Should I go up and get your bag sis? It doesn’t look like you brought it downstairs with you.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

"Family home?"

Navaria took a step back and then her eyes went wide with delight.

"We're going to ... to ..."

There it was again. That familiar sensation that was on the tip of her tongue.

"... to Irentios?"

Her father smiled back at her and then laughed at Marc's remark.

She cringed and looked at her brother.

"I was too excited to see, Dad, that I forgot."

Then a playful smile spread across her lips.

"Since you offered, you have my permission to go get it."

Then a strange thought crossed her mind.

Did she pack?

[Marc Tarkin]

With a nod Marc moved from his slouching position and headed towards the stairs.

“Righto sis.”

He trotted up the stairway to Navaria's room.

[Andron Tarkin]

Still crouched down at an eye-to-eye level with his daughter so he could fully absorb her beauty, he looked back from Lise into his little girl’s deep blue eyes.

“Such a pretty woman as you is alright with being separated from…Jac was it?…for a few days right?”

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

Lise smiled at her husband and walked around to the back of the couch, picking up a bag of her own holding it under her arm. She looked like she was going to say something but stopped herself hearing Andron’s question to Navaria.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her cheeks flushed. Why did all parents have to embarrass their children when it came to their love lives?

"Yes ... I think I can. Besides, when would I ever have another chance to spend time with my entire family?"

That wasn't quite true... Grandfather wasn't here but considering how high up he was in the Empire, Grand Moff Tarkin probably had quite the busy schedule.

[Marc Tarkin]

Marc came back down the stairs after only having been gone for a minute or so. He was now carrying two bags over his shoulder.

“Looks like we are all ready to go then.”

[imported_Lise Tarkin]

She smiled and walked to the door opening it and holding it so. She was hinting silently that everyone should file out into the speeder, so they could head to the spaceport and board the transport that Andron had waiting for them.

[Andron Tarkin]

“Thats my grown up little girl.”

With an arm around Navaria, he led her out the door first followed by Marc and then by Lise. They all got into the speeder and left their home here at Imperial Center behind them for the time being. During the trip to the spaceport they all discussed various topics regarding current events and what they had to look forward to on their vacation.

It was always nice to visit their vacation home on Meras and get away from the hustle and bustle of life on Coruscant. Such a serene and peaceful environment as Meras had a way of uplifting the hearts and minds of those that visited there. Adron certainly did look forward to it, as did the rest of his family.

About twenty minutes of driving through busy traffic, they arrived at the spaceport and Andron parked the vehicle in his reserved space, knowing there would be no chance of it being hauled away even if it were left there for months, though this trip was going to be no more than about five days long.

Marc and Andron gathered the bags and led Navaria and Lise toward the awaiting Shuttle.

“Back into space, but only for a short while and the destination is better than any other I know.” He said to everyone with a wistful look in his eyes.

[Navaria Tarkin]

"How long will it take to get there, Dad?"

It echoed outside as Navaria already had made it onboard the shuttle. After a few moments she poked her head out with a smiled.

"I mean, I haven't been there in so long that I forgot what the place looked like."

From what Navaria remembered, the last time they all had been to Irentios was to celebrate Marc's promotion. He hadn't been in the Imperial Army for that long and already he was showing the Tarkin intellect and drive that the Emperor expected from this family.

But ... Emperor Palaptine didn't quite know how obnoxious her younger brother could be.

As she waited for her family to catch up, something nagged at her. Andron and Marc were military and mother always was a the perfect military mother but what did Navaria do?

She felt herself going faint and leaned on the side of the door to keep her balance.

[Andron Tarkin]

Andron and Marc stepped past Navaria not noticing that she suddenly weakened and leaned up against the door. Andron stopped and turned to her as Marc kept going into the shuttle.

“Its about an eight hour trip Navaria, but I thought you knew that being a pilot yourself.”

It was while he was talking to her that he noticed her face seemed flushed of its color. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder wondering if she was getting pre flight jitters or something.

“Are you okay princess? I wouldn’t think a seasoned pilot like you would be getting pre-flight butterflies.”

He squeezed her shoulder lightly.

“If you are feeling okay, why not head to the cockpit and see if the pilot needs any help and let them know that the passengers have all arrived and are onboard?”

[Grand Moff Tarkin]

In the cockpit of the shuttle, the eldest of the Tarkin family was making final preparations. According to the chronometer, the scheduled departure time they were supposed to meet was in no less than two minutes and he still hadn’t heard from his son, or his family.

“Can they ever be on time for anything when all in a group?” He muttered to himself under his breath as he completed the pre-launch checks.

“I suppose it may just be me going to Meras for this vacation that was supposed to be for the whole family.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her pallor started to return to a more lively color when Andron mentioned about going to the cockpit. Navaria had no idea why that wave of dizziness occurred and her father was right, it wasn't because of pre-flight jitters.

The Empire did not take too many females into its ranks and those that tried were looked to be inferior and given the worse assignments. Navaria had yet to apply to the Military Academy but she had been schooled at the Imperial Academy and given special treatment, because of her Grandfather, with the troops stationed on Imperial Center. Not many citizens could take a shuttle off world and get to fly a TIE-Interceptor just because she felt like it.

She still was uncertain about joining the Navy but she loved flying. Navaria loved the exileration that came when she participated in some war games but she also enjoyed the simple pleasure that being alone in space had to offered.

How Navaria had trouble remembering this was insane. What was wrong with her?

She patted her father on the shoulder and put on her best smile.

"Guess I'm still a bit sick or something. I'll be fine."

Navigating her way to the front of the ship, she pushed a button on the panel next to the door and watched it slide open.

"We're all aboard. You can start taking off once you get clearance......."

This had to be a dream.

"Grandfather??? But ..."

She felt like a bumbling idiot.

"... yo-you were away on business for the Emperor."

[Grand Moff Tarkin]

The sound of the door opening behind him was a little surprising, but to see who waited on the other side of it was even more of one. He had almost given up home on the rest of the family making it before their launch window came and went.

Something that very few people ever saw happened at that moment, the old Moff’s face light up and he cracked a wide smile..

“By the asteroids of Yavin, if my son hasn’t gone and managed to deliver my precious little gem to me and on time even.”

His voice was more pleasant sounding than any regular Imperial officer had ever heard from the old man, but this was no regular Imperial officer, it was his granddaughter, the mirror image of his own wife, who had passed from old age not all too long ago.

“I’ll explain en route, For now, we have only two minutes until launch. Are you going to buckle in?”

He motioned towards the empty chair next to where he was.

[Navaria Tarkin]

He continued to speak but Navaria heard nothing but garbled basic. Like a machine, she sat down and buckled into the co-pilot's seat.

Precious gem ... gemstone ...

Her eyes looked down to a shaky hand. Navaria was sick of this. Every little thing that reminded her of that delusion dream was really making her mad. She is a Tarkin and Tarkin's define their own destiny instead through action and living in the now, not coddling to some fantasy.

Why would she want any other life then this? Her entire family was feared throughout the galaxy and were personally responsible in bringing order to the lesser beings that held no disciple an vision. Grand Moff Tarkin started that foundation which would live on infamy through his children and his children children ... like Navaria and Marc.

She finally regained control over her mind and ignored any thoughts that strayed to those dreams. Now she was in control of herself and helped her grandfather work through the pre-launch.

A light flashed on the console and it was a communication from the Spaceport Control Tower that they were cleared to take off.

"Roger that. Ready to take off in one minute and counting."

Imperial Center was always such a pain to leave. The heavy traffic of shuttles and ships coming and going always congested the space lanes and it could take hours to find a time to leave ... which was why Grand Moff Tarkin was worried they might not make their window.

Navaria turned to her grandfather and gave that well known Tarkin half-smile.

"You better not forget to tell me how you managed to get here."

[Marc Tarkin]

The trip was moderately uneventful, at least in the fact that there were no problems or interruptions of any kind. Navaria and her Grandfather piloted the ship together and he told her his reasons for having been able to make this trip. Something about a personal tip the Emperor himself wished to take and his not needing the Moff for it.

Time during the vacation was spent rather carefree and whimsically. The Tarkin family spent a great deal of time playing various indoor and outdoor games, discussing Imperial protocol and procedure, and much time near the fireplace at night listening to Adron and Wilhuff (Grand Moff Tarkin) tell their tales of battle and victory. Wilhuff was so proud of his successful Death Star project and how well it had stood up to the Rebel attack, eventually leading to the total destruction of the Alliance and its sympathizers.

Every tale and every moment of time caused Navaria to fall more and more into the belief that this place was reality while her faint flashes of occasional memory regarding being among the Sith were nothing more than a bad dream she had woken up from. It was to the point that after three days on Meras, she was completely accepting of all she heard saw and did. Her memories collaborated the tales she heard and the information she gathered, everything just felt so right and so much less surreal than any fantastical idea of being a Sith.

All the sights, the smells, the sounds, the emotions, and the pleasure of this time with her family was so overwhelming, it felt so good and rewarding that there was no more consideration of fragmented memories or even any hint of them existing any longer. All around her, was all there was. It was reality and it was ideal. The Tarkin family was whole and they were great people in the Empire and in the grand scheme of things. She was proud to be one of them. Navaria had a wonderful and rewarding life to look forward to.

The fourth day vacationing on Meras at Irentios came and the family was lounging around after a hearty breakfast when Marc had asked Navaria if she was up to a little challenge.

“Think you can beat me sis?” He taunted.

He was referring to having a speeder bike race with her through the woods, which she being a proud member of the Tarkins affirmed, saying of course she could.

“Then prove it!” Marc replied with a broad proud smile.

He was just as confident in himself as she was and this could prove to be a great deal of fun. It had been a longer time of seperation between Marc and his sister than it had for her being around their father. An entire year and a half he was away vocational training for a position among the Imperial officers, just as his father and grandfather had done when they were his age.

The two of them mounted their speeder bikes and Adron had been conned into being their referee, responsible for starting the race and declaring the winner when they returned. Each of them had reviewed the course through the forest and valley thoroughly. Andron dropped the flag and the two of them zipped off into the forest in a blur, the hum of the speeder bike engines echoing off the nearby mountain walls.

For a while they raced side by side through the trees, exchanging words of challenge in shouts and bumping into the other trying to wrestle for the advantage. One such exchange had caused both of them to temporarily lose control and veer away from the other. They were split up and now traveling out of the sight of the other, not even able to hear the whine of the engine of their sibling.

It was during this separation that Navaria had some problems with her speeder bike. The engine started to cut out and finally died, leaving her stuck several miles from Irentios in the middle of the woods nearby a particularly ominous mountain. There seemed to be a path here, though it was hard to tell if a beast or person made it. The path led to an opening in the side of the mountain. And Navaria seemed to be drawn to it, though she wasn’t sure why.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She looked away from the path and back to her bike.

"Thanks alot. Now Marc is going to win."

Navaria got off the bike and sighed. She didn't take much with her since it was suppose to be a quick race to the largest tree in the forest that they both knew of and back. Strapping the blaster to her side that was in a small compartment, Navaria looked around for any signs of unfriendly critters. Grandfather had made sure long ago to kill any of the inhabitants of this planet to ensure that it was safe for his family. Such inept and stupid creatures were an unpleasant sight and took away much of the natural beauty and splendor of this world. They were weak and inferior so the Emperor had no qualms about lending a few squads to the Grand Moff to cleanse Meras.

But that didn't mean there weren't natural predators in the forest.

Since she lost Marc in that brash attempt to gain more of a lead, he probably had no idea she was stranded here. She tried to radio him but all she got was static.

"Just my frelling luck."

Grumbling, Navaria leaned her back on the speeder and crossed her arms in defeat. Marc or her father would eventually have to look for her and staying in one spot was the best option. Maybe they would be able to contact her even though she couldn't.

Time ticked away and her thoughts kept straying to the worn path. It hadn't been used in what seemed like ages. Most of it was overgrown with fresh grass but it was easy to make out that there was a dirt path there.

That inkling of curiosity was there again. The pull of it was stronger this time. She did not know how long she was standing there debating whether or not to investigate but she was agitated.

"Marc is probably gloating anyway."

She put on her camouflaged cloak and started to make her way towards that large mountain that seemed oddly out of place.

[Andron Tarkin]

Back at the estate, Marc pulled up and Andon waved the flag. They both turned around to look behind, expecting to see Navaria right on his heels. They watched and watched, and nothing happened, Navaria didn’t arrive back at the house.

Andron turned to Marc.

“What happened?”

Marc shrugged looking concerned.

“We were side by side for a while then got separated. I haven’t seen her since then.”

“We had better go looking for her then.”

Came Andron’s reply as he was already on his way to get a speeder bike of his own.

“And we had better take some comm. devices with us so as to not get lost ourselves.”

[Navaria Tarkin]

It took about an hour to walk down the path. Luckily for Navaria, the denziens of the forest decided to leave her alone. Mostly birds and a few critters that enjoyed fruit watched safely from the high branches to the human that walked by.

Finally the forest opened up and much to Navaria's surprise, it wasn't a mountain that greeted her ... it was a cave.

She approached with caution. There was no sign of tracks or anything for that matter coming through here. Peering into the mouth of the cave, she could only see for a few feet because the light was quickly swallowed up by the darkness. She held her tongue ... just incase there was something deep within, Navaria didn't wish to disturb it ...

She started to turn back when a cold chill ran down the length of her spine.

Navaria......

Her name echoed out of the cave and she turned around in confusion and awe. The way it sounded was so alluring and it wanted her to follow its call.

She found herself already walking towards the cave well before Navaria had made up her mind to investigate.

As she entered, the light disappeared before her but there was still some visible light on both sides.

"Hello?"

She pulled out a small flashlight from her belt and turned it on ... trying to find anything of interest.

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: Navaria hears a female voice as Tirsa peers out of the darkness at her ::

"Dale??? Is that you???"

<center><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tback.gif border=3 bordercolor=#8080FF><tr><td><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/tirsa/bugs50.jpg width=237 height=200 alt="Miss Blue"></td><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tright2.gif></td></tr></table>
</center>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria turned around to try and figure out where the voice was coming from.

"Who said that?"

She flashed the light around but no one was there to be found.

"Stop with the games! I know someone is here!!!"

[Tirsa Krylana]

"I'm right here, and we've been waiting for you."

<center><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tback.gif border=3 bordercolor=#8080FF><tr><td><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/Tirsa/bugs44.jpg width=156 height=200 alt="Miss Blue"></td><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tright2.gif></td></tr></table>
</center>

[Navaria Tarkin]

She turned around again and found this strange looking Alien staring at her. A feeling of deja vu hit her but Navaria shrugged it off.

"Who are you and what do you mean by 'we'???"

Little did she know, the light outside had vanished not too long ago as Navaria was swallowed in darkness. Following whoever this was had caused the Tarkin to head deeper into the cave.

[Tirsa Krylana]

"I'm Tirsa, and the others are that way." :D

:: points deeper into the cave ::

<center><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tback.gif border=3 bordercolor=#8080FF><tr><td><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/Tirsa/durka112.jpg width=251 height=200 alt="Miss Blue"></td><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tright2.gif></td></tr></table>
</center>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Tirsa...

That name sounded very familiar to her and she acted like she knew her ... but not as Navaria, as Dale?

Dale what???

Navaria would be stupid to keep on going deeper into the cave but she was also quite sure that if she ran, whoever it was that wanted to see her would come after her. Escape was not an option.

Besides, no Tarkin ran away. She would confront whoever these people are and so no fear.

"Very well then ... Tirsa"

She walked past her, curious to see who awaited her...

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: sits in an animal crouch, twitching her nose as she watches Navaria walk away :: :D


<center><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tback.gif border=3 bordercolor=#8080FF><tr><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/tirsa/misc/time90.jpg width=200 height=150 alt="Miss Blue"></td><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tright2.gif></td></tr></table>
</center>

[Navaria Tarkin]

She was almost completely engulfed in darkness when something made Navaria turn around. Her face was firmly set when she saw the grinning Tirsa blocking her escape, not wishing to show any sign of weakness ... and then continued on, flashlight in hand still.

[Vicet]

:: lights a cigarette and waits for Navaria ::

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=orange><tr><td><table cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=black border=0 background=http://www.geocities.com/sithkat999/pics/misc/shadows.gif><tr><td valign=center align=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicet48.jpg></td><td valign=top><fontcolor=red size=2><center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicetname.gif width=129 height=49 ><font color=red size=2>
A Chimerical Spirit of the Darkside


<center>[i] Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes; When Monarch-Reason sleeps this mimic wakes; Compounds a medley of disjointed things, A mob of cobblers and a court of kings: Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad; Both are the reasonable soul run mad: And many monstrous forms in sleep we see, That neither were, nor are, nor e'er can be.[i]</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

It was strange. First she was walking blindly through the darkness and all of a sudden the darkness folded away. Navaria could finally see the sides of the cave but when she glanced upwards, all there was to be seen was blackness. At least it didn't feel so confining anymore.

She continued for a few paces and noticed that the cave curved up ahead. There was an odd odor coming from that way ...

.. was someone smoking?

Her face crinkled a little and when she slowly rounded the corner, a vision of a two eyes appeared before her. They were large and filled with intensity as they seemingly pierced her soul. She could feel her heart beginning to beat faster ... almost like she was having a panic attack.

Eventually her vision cleared and her heart began to beat at a regular tempo. What she saw confused her and wondered what in the name of Vader had happened to her. It was just someone casually sitting down.

[Vicet]

:: looks in Navaria's direction as she casually takes another drag and blows a smoke ring that floats her way ::

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=orange width=550><tr><td><table cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=black border=0 background=http://www.geocities.com/sithkat999/pics/misc/shadows.gif><tr><td valign=center align=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicet45.jpg></td><td valign=top><fontcolor=red size=2><center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicetname.gif width=129 height=49 ><font color=red>
A Chimerical Spirit of the Darkside


<center>[i] Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes; When Monarch-Reason sleeps this mimic wakes; Compounds a medley of disjointed things, A mob of cobblers and a court of kings: Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad; Both are the reasonable soul run mad: And many monstrous forms in sleep we see, That neither were,nor are,nor e'er can be.[i]</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

She waves a hand in front of her face, dissipating the smoke.

"Nice start to a conversation."

Navaria looks around to see if there was anyone else present. Tirsa did say there were others here...

[Vicet]

"Oh that'sss right ... you don't sssmoke. Ssso ssssorry, my bad."

:: waves a hand ::

"Come clossser, my chick. Sssit down bessside me."

:: takes a sip of her Margarita and licks her lips in a smile ::

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=orange width=550><tr><td><table cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=black border=0 background=http://www.geocities.com/sithkat999/pics/misc/shadows.gif><tr><td valign=center align=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicet47.jpg></td><td valign=top><fontcolor=red size=2><center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicetname.gif width=129 height=49 ><font color=red>
A Chimerical Spirit of the Darkside


<center>[i] Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes; When Monarch-Reason sleeps this mimic wakes; Compounds a medley of disjointed things, A mob of cobblers and a court of kings: Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad; Both are the reasonable soul run mad: And many monstrous forms in sleep we see, That neither were,nor are,nor e'er can be.[i]</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her voice was something out of a dream, the way she accentuated every s. Familiarity came back to Navaria, much like it did with Tirsa but it was hard to focus on something specific.

She felt she could trust this woman but stopped herself from doing what was asked.

Navaria wasn't stupid but she still felt the pull to actually move closer.

"No thanks. I'll stand."

[Vicet]

"Ssssuit yourssself."

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=orange width=550><tr><td><table cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=black border=0 background=http://www.geocities.com/sithkat999/pics/misc/shadows.gif><tr><td valign=center align=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicet51.jpg></td><td valign=top><fontcolor=red size=2><center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicetname.gif width=129 height=49 ><font color=red>
A Chimerical Spirit of the Darkside


<center>[i] Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes; When Monarch-Reason sleeps this mimic wakes; Compounds a medley of disjointed things, A mob of cobblers and a court of kings: Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad; Both are the reasonable soul run mad: And many monstrous forms in sleep we see, That neither were,nor are,nor e'er can be.[i]</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Her patience was wearing thin with this person.

"So that's it?"

There was no reply, just her continuing to stare at her nails.

"Fine."

Navaria shined the light around until the darkness gave way to more of the cave. Might as well find out who else was here before they found her ...

[Vicet]

:: a shadow slides beneath Navaria as she walks and then she feels herself falling ::

<table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=2 bordercolor=orange width=550><tr><td><table cellpadding=5 cellspacing=0 bgcolor=black border=0 background=http://www.geocities.com/sithkat999/pics/misc/shadows.gif><tr><td valign=center align=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicet49.jpg></td><td valign=top><fontcolor=red size=2><center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/vicetname.gif width=129 height=49 ><font color=red>
A Chimerical Spirit of the Darkside


<center>[i] Dreams are but interludes which fancy makes; When Monarch-Reason sleeps this mimic wakes; Compounds a medley of disjointed things, A mob of cobblers and a court of kings: Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad; Both are the reasonable soul run mad: And many monstrous forms in sleep we see, That neither were,nor are,nor e'er can be.[i]</font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

She lost hold of the flashlight as she fell through the ground. Navaria had no idea how that happened but that really wasn't important right now.

Her scream echoed off the walls and bounced back into ears. There was no way of telling when Navaria would reach the bottom for the darkness was consuming her once again.

Hope of survival dwindled as the tiny pinpoint of light from where she came disappeared ...

... and so did her scream when she hit bottom ....

[Andron Tarkin]

Meanwhile, back outside in the forest of Meras, a pair of speeder bikes scour the area looking for signs of Navaria. The two Tarkin men had first started off together following failry closely to the path that Marc and Navaria had taken early on in their race.

The got to the point where Marc remembered that the tow of them got split apart when jockeying for position and each of them went a separate direction, traveling slowly through the forest hoping to catch sight of any piece of evidence they might find that would tell them where Navaria had gone or what might have happened.

It was a slow tedious process, but neither Marc nor Andron would relent. They were a very stubborn family and hell any family who had lost one of their own would do the same, look until the search yielded results.

[Anbira Hicchoru]

:: A greyed and aged figure sat at the periphery of the darkness, swaying back and forth in a rocking chair. He looked not too unlike Navaria's own grandfather, though this man's face seemed to hold even more tales behind it. A long scar trailed down the right side of his face, a landmark given significance by time and age.

His grey eyes looked expectantly at her. ::

You've come back at last, Dalethria.

:: He rose from his seat, approaching her, but not walking...as if the air itself carried him. Travelling...but not moving. ::

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria wasn't dead but she should have been. No one could survive a fall like that and yet there was no pain and no signs of what had occurred.

The ground was cool and jagged so she was still inside the cave but as she looked around, there was no way of knowing where she was.

Then a creaking noise caught her attention as it bounced off the walls behind her. Turning around, Navaria got to her knees and saw an old man sitting down just on the very edge of her vision.

You've come back at last, Dalethria.

Her body shook with fear in hearing that name and then watched in awe as he came towards her, seemingly walking on thin air. This was too much ... why did these people want and why were they trying to trick her, pretending that they knew her. She was happy and had a whole life ahead of her.

She hugged at her body and screamed.

"I'm not Dalethria!!! She's a dream, nothing more then a twisted nightmare!!! I'm Navaria Tarkin!!!"

[Anbira Hicchoru]

:: He arched an eyebrow ::

You fear your nightmares? Do they anger you? Can you feel your blood pounding now?

:: His gaze pierced her own ::

When you see my face, and I speak your name, do you want to lash out blindly into the darkness?

[Navaria Tarkin]

His gaze was unwavering and she felt her heart stop. Navaria was forced to stare at this man until memories of another place, another time ... her dreams ... whispered in her mind.

It was uncertain where she was but Navaria could hear the deep voice of someone talking to her.

"I'm sorry Dalethria, but Kat has been killed.."

Her senses exploded in a burst of rage and anger as she heard this terrible news. The last time she felt like this was when her brother Marc had died...

.. but he didn't die ... he was alive! Why would such intense sadness like that swell up inside her just by looking at this man ...

Another vision flashed in her mind. An acrid smell filled her nostrils as clouds filled with rain loomed over the horizon. A black castle, broken and weathered by the planet cast shadows upon the ground and Navaria found herself locked in battle.

It was the man from the cave and she was speaking in a strange tongue. When she spoke the last word she pressed her knuckles into the man's neck, shoving him aside.

She didn't know what was happening but felt eyes watching her from the castle. There was no danger, only a deep rooted desire to kill Anbira.

"The Angel of Death!!!"

Navaria found herself back in the cave, kneeling before the floating visage of Anbira, staring in awe at her hand as the image of a ring faded away from her hand.

http://darthogre.clanpages.com/dalethria/chaosT.gif

Her lips curled into a snarl.

"You killed my sister!!!"

[Anbira Hicchoru]

:: Anbira smiled. NOW he could feel her anger ::

She was foolish! I payed her with release!

:: The form of the chaos ring began to sear into the old man's neck, the smell of scorching flesh acrid in the air. ::

And now your hate has made you powerful.

:: A flash of light, and a change of perspective, and Navaria now saw the old man, broken and injured, lying bleeding on the shattered black ground before her. ::

I am dying, Dalethria. But I will not be destroyed. My hatred, my anger...is now inside of you.

:: He smiled darkly ::

You are my prodigy. Even when my body is dust, you will carry my legacy. And even when I am no more, what I am will be what you are.

You and your grandfather...shall both serve the same Master.

[Navaria Tarkin]

A twisted smile shadowed the one on Anbira's face. A snap-hiss was heard and now the broken body was bathed in a brilliant yellow light as Shenlong's Fang was ignited.

"Then so be it ... Father."

She twirled the blade in her hands.

"... and as you gave my sister, I give you your release!!!"

The blade came arching down and cleaved Anbira's head cleanly off his body.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: looks down as Anbira's head rolls to a stop at her feet ::

"Greetings, Sister."

<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/7-08/bs-ca03.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Sith Witch"></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Lightning crackled across the sky as thunder shook the heavens. Navaria could have sworn that the clouds were way off by hours, but now it looked like they were going to break with rain at any moment.

She looked back down at Anbira's decapitated body and found herself shaking. Navaria wasn't a Sith but she expertly wielded a sabre like she had done it for years.

With a childlike curiosity, she began to swing the sabre back and forth in awe, wondering why this felt so right ... why everything here felt so familiar. This all happened in a dream but the feelings felt too real for it to have been only imagined.

The rage and sadness that built up and exploded in her killing Anbira was all because Kat had died. Family meant everything to her and it was why she wanted him to pay the ultimate price.

But this wasn't how it went down ....

"Greetings, Sister."

Her head spun around fast. She didn't hear anyone approach her and who Navaria saw caused her to drop the sabre in shock.

"K... Kat?"

She was dead ... but this wasn't how it went down. She lived? How?

The memories were there waiting to be let out but the two realities that Navaria lived in where still pulling her in opposite directions. It was a jumble mess inside her head and she put a hand up to her head, trying to rub the sharp headache that started to pound without mercy.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: speaks to Anbira's decapitated head in a mocking tone ::

"Who's the fool now, Anbira??? You've turned into a pitiful old man ..."

<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/7-08/s1-ca44.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Little Viper"></td></tr></table>

:: crouches down and bats the head away, shapeshifting into demonform before her Sister's eyes ::

:wings " ... and I've never been better."

<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/fa/fa-035.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Little Viper"></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

She felt her jaw drop and could do nothing but watch her Sister morph into some demon. It caught her completely off guard that Navaria started to retreat backwards and tripped over a rock. Navaria hit the ground hard and felt her hand brush up against something metallic. It was the sabre she had dropped.

Quickly she gripped the hilt, igniting Shenlong's Fang once more, and got to a knee. Fear was laced with each word.

"You... You're not my Sister!"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"Become what you are, Dalethria. Or have you forgotten your true nature?
You're a creature of chaos, like me."

<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/fa/fa-037.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Little Viper"></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria had a feeling that she had a similar conversation (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8596&highlight=flashbacks) like this long ago. Memories of death by her own hand, of her family all but dead, and a new life with the Sith trying to force themselves as truth. Countless pieces of the puzzle were being filled in as the larger picture came together.

The memories were almost all there and were just as strong the day her father had come home. They were just dreams and nightmares brought out by an overactive imagination. How could two sets of memories be so real and lifelike.

It made no sense and she wanted so desperately to have the confusion to go away.

"Stop using that name!"

She slashed with the sabre for emphasis.

"I'm Navaria, not Dalethria! She doesn't exist!"

[Sorsha Kasajian]

"Why must you cling to your humanity like a frightened little girl? This temporary version of yourself ... it's pathetic. What would Ogre think of you now?"

:: fades into the shadows and disappears ::

<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/fa/fa-034.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Little Viper"></td></tr></table>

[Navaria Tarkin]

The landscape shifted and now Navaria found herself alone once again in the cave. She had no light source but strangely enough, Shenlong's Fang was still with her. It provided an eerie glow that helped illuminate the immediate area.

As she stared into the yellow blade, her eyes narrowed. They narrowed so hard that deep creases set on the bridge of her nose. The words of her Sister left her feeling angry at herself. Angry for being weak and not strong enough ...

"Strong enough for what?"

Was it Ogre? That was part of the answer as was seemingly everyone that appeared to her. Tirsa, Vicet, Anbira and ....

She sneered at herself for being stupid. Kat was killed but Sorsha still lived. This blade was a symbol of her death and she won by beating Anbira in battle on Vjun. Sorsha was the presence that Navaria felt when Anbira appeared before her because Sorsha was there on Vjun ...

More memories started to come forth as if some barrier had been lifted. They were still fuzzy, all the feelings and images, but one thing was certain ... Ogre would not be pleased with her at all .... she could sense it ...

[Andron Tarkin]

They hadn’t searched all that long when Andron came across Navaria’s speeder bike. He had stopped his own next to it and gotten off to examine hers. Upon quick inspection there were no signs of damage or a crash. He pulled out his comm. unit and informed his son.

“Marc, I have found her speeder and it appears to be undamaged, but I see no sign of her nearby. I’ll leave this signal open for you to find, while I start looking around here.”

He set the still active comm. unit down on top of Navaria’s speeder and then started looking around. He noticed what looked like a slight path that led toward a mountain that was fairly close by. He started walking down the path in the direction of the mountain, knowing that Marc would be along soon enough to see where he had gone.

[Marc Tarkin]

“I’ll be right there!”

He said anxiously, glad to hear some news of his sister’s well being, even if it wasn’t all that informative. It was still better than not knowing anything and looking in vain.

It only took about a minute for him to find Navaria and Adron’s speeders and looking around he saw his father heading for a nearby mountain. He called out to him.

“Should I come as well?”

Andron turned back, stopping for a moment and nodded, answering if in the affirmative.

“Yes, I think she might have gone this way.”

Marc dismounted his own speeder and hurried after.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

As Navaria looked around, from out of the darkness a shape started to form. It was lanky and large and most certainly not human. The yellow glow of Shenlong’s fang reflected a most strange color off of his green skin. His eyes and tusks were most prominent in the artificial light as he stepped seemingly out of nowhere and stood only three or four feet away from her.

The one known as Ogre spoke, his deep voice resounding through the previously quiet cave.

“Have you come to kill me as well my precious gem....like you have Anbira....or will you just dismiss me as you did your Sister treating me as nothing more than just a nightmare?”

[Navaria Tarkin]

"I ..."

Lips quivering in surprise, Navaria stepped backwards as Ogre advanced.

"... I don't know what's true anymore! There are two sets of memories!"

She slammed her hand against the side of the stone wall in anger to match the pain she felt inside.

"Are you doing this???!!!"

Navaria was sick of the games and she wanted what was true to be so this entire head game could end. At this point, she didn't care which one ... just as long as she could be free from all this.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

His head shook from side to side, as he continued to move towards her. Her back met a wall and she could move away no further.

“Chance has provided you a choice. You must decide what is real and what you want.”

Ogre seemed to walk right through her and into the wall, yet she felt no sensation of touch whatsoever.

[Navaria Tarkin]

There was indeed no sensation of touch but that was not the case mentally. Navaria dropped the sabre but was too busy screaming to hear it disengage. The pain was intense and as she clutched to the sides of her head, her nails dug deeply into her skin forcing blood to the surface.

Seemingly all at once the life that was Dalethria's bombarded her senses in a fast forward production. Meeting Kat, killing Ellis, finding her way to the Empire, battle Luke and Leia countless times, being kidnapped, going to Bakura, claiming Bakura for the Empire alongside her comrades, having become the watcher inside her mind as Navaria was brought forth, joining the Jedi, wishing to kill Leia with her bare hands as Leia was training her, becoming one of the first Knights of the Empire, training her Disciples, the Royale Order of Sith, becoming blood bound to Kat, defeating ReaperFett in battle, Ogre becoming a Sith Master and proposing to her, the clones, Kat's death, Daalethria's death, Sorsha's return, her loss of control, Rama, her self imposed exile from the Empire, Vjun, Anbira, Shenlong's Fang, The Black Hand, returning to the Empire, suicide attempts, Shimi, Anbiraa, Vicet, the Kashirian Blood Oath with Sorsha, Ogre and Tirsa, discovering she was pregnant, becoming a member of the Empire's Council, her final departure from their ranks and finally returning home to be with her family on Meras.

Image after image overloaded her senses until one specific memory came and stayed the longest out of them all. Consciously or not, the vivid scene of the blackened forests was awakened inside her. She could feel the moistened ground through her cloak and feel herself being lifted off the ground. It was a passing image but through the open slits of her eyes, she could see wisps of blond hair and sense through the Force a signature that she all but forgotten about ...

Physically and mentally she was tired. All her strength was tapped from her and the scene faded to black ...

Shocked and bewildered from the stress to her being, she passed out and hit the ground hard .....


..... only to be shaken by someone sometime later ...

"Mother?"

[Aliandra Mal Pannis]

"Mother?"

Aliandra shook Dalethria's arm again, trying to wake her up. She was getting worried that she wouldn't and it was evident in her voice.

"Wake up, Mother."

<center><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/ali1.jpg ALT="Little Gemstone"</IMG></center>

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

"Uhhh ...."

Dalethria batted away the arm forcefully and with shaky arms, started to push herself off the ground.

"I'm awake all right," she growled.

Starting with Anbira, the seed of realization was planted and blossomed with Sorsha. Ogre was the culmination of its growth and had overtaken the Lordess head on until either she accepted what was true or loose herself inside a false reality forever.

What she didn't understand was why and why was Havok the orchestrator of this deceit.

As she got to her knees, Dalethria ran both hands through her hair to remove it from her face. Her eyes bulged out the sockets at the sight of the young girl in front of her.

It was a face she had seen in her dreams.

"Aliandra?"

It was a name chosen long ago by both her and Ogre if the child was a girl ... Dalethria had known that she would bare a girl ever since realizing she was pregnant. The gender of the child was kept secret all these long nine months from Ogre, for it was to be a surprise...

[Aliandra Mal Pannis]

A familair grin spread across Aliandra's face, much like that of her mother's, and that sparkle in her eyes reminded Dalethria of Ogre.

"Of course it's me. I'm always with you ..."

She pulled herself closer to Dalethria and took her hands within her own.

"... but that won't happen if you stay here."

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Dalethria looked deeply into Aliandra's eyes and saw the fear there. She tore away from her daughter's eyes and her mind lingered on those words.

The danger hadn't past yet but she reverted to her old self. As Dalethria looked at her clothing, she wore the familiar black cloak and the newly constructed sabre was at her side. No signs of her weak incarnation was to be seen ...

Then it hit her. She stood up, tearing her hands away from Aliandra to straighten out the front of the cloak.

Her wedding and Chaos rings were clearly visible but her bulging stomach was not. Dalethria wasn't pregnant so there was still something else that had to be done ... but what?

She looked to her daughter, "What else must I do?"

[Aliandra Mal Pannis]

Instead of answering her mother, Aliandra's eyes shifted to Dalethria's right and she reached for one of her sabres.

"They're coming."

[Andron Tarkin]

They had found the entrance to the cave and decided that they should investigate considering the ground near its entrance looked as if someone had passed this way recently. Neither Andron nor Marc had any kind of artificial light with them, but worry drove them to follow what looked like signs that Navaria had gone this way.

As soon as they got inside both of them could hear a voice, talking to either itself or something they could not hear. Andron turned to Marc, still able to see somewhat because of the light filtering in through the opening they had just come in through.

“Is that?”

Marc nodded and both of them picked up the pace heading towards the voice now running through the dark cave. The could see Navaria now facing the toe of them and her father spoke first.

“Is everything alright?”

He looked around and saw nothing really unusual.

“Lets get back to Irentios now and talk about this all there.”

[Marc Tarkin]

They had finally found her after looking for what seemed like hours but in reality had been less than one. It was very strange where they had found her. A dark and seemingly deserted cave, when the weather outside was beautiful, why?

”What is she doing here.”

He thought to himself looking at his sister seeing an almost beastlike look in her eye.

The words that came from Marc’s mouth were directed to his father and sounded a little shaky and nervous.

“Something isn’t right here dad.”

He turned and looked back at his sister with concern.

“Navaria?”

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

When her father came in, the feelings that she had been forced to go through were heightened ... the longing of being with Andron and how happy she was spending time on Meras with him. All the love a daughter would have for a father.

She could feel herself being pulled towards that path once again. Already Dalethria had to stop herself from answering Andron's question and looked away and set her eyes on Aliandra. This was her strength and Dalethria wondered if Havok actually brought her child forward. What her daughter looked like was locked deeply away inside her mind that Ogre couldn't find it. How could Havok ....

Perhaps her little gemstone decided to help her mother out?

Aliandra was not real yet, this she knew ... but there was also something else that she knew deep down at the very core of her being. Her daughter's time was soon ...

"Navaria?"

Her head turned at Marc with a devilish stare, "Navaria?"

It happened so fast that one couldn't tell exactly when Dalethria pulled out her sabre and lopped Marc's head off.

"Nope ..." Fiery eyes watched in delight as her brother's body spasmed with what little life was left and fall over. "... no Navaria here."

<center><img src=http://thesithempire.clanpages.com/ndale3.jpg ALT="One Deadly Gem"</img></center>

[Andron Tarkin]

He yelled and rushed towards her but was not fast enough to stop what had happened.

“NOOOOOOO!!!”

Andron reached his daughter just in time to have Marc’s detached head roll and come to a stop against his foot.

“How…how…how could you…my daughter, my daughter…….”

He began to sob, clutching at the sides of her arms falling to his knees before her.

[Aliandra Mal Pannis]

A flash of purple sliced the air in front of Dalethria as Aliandra added another head to their collection.

She stared down at severed heads with fascination. The look of shock and horror were forever etched into their faces.

Aliandra savored the moment and then grinned up at her mother.

"They were weak. Not like you, father or my Aunts."

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Mother and daughter relished in the chaos they had shared together.

Aliandra was still laughing as she picked up Andron's head and started talking to it.

"Pathetic. You deserved the death that fate handed you."

Dalethria placed a hand on her daugher's shoulder and Aliandra looked up to a smirking mother. "I know to keep you away from, Sorsha. She's already rubbing off on you."

She watched her daughter pout and throw the head away.

"No fun."

Standing up, Aliandra looked to her mother as her eyes filled with sadness.

"I've got to go now."

Dalethria brushed back the golden strands of hair back off her shoulders, "I know but I'll see you soon."

"I know ... but please. Don't believe everything you've seen."

"What do you mean? I already know that because ..." She was cut off as a sharp pain caused her to double over. Her abdomen was clenching tightly and she felt her arms give way to her pregnant stomach.

"It's time."

She looked up and saw that Aliandra was fading away slowly.

"Bye, Mother. Say hi to Mara for me."

Dalethria blinked, "Who?"

And then her daughter disappeared with a mischeivious grin on her face as Dalethria laid double over on the cold cavern floor ...

[Darth Havok]

At the controls of the transport, Havok sat, the streaking lights of hyperspace just starting to slow and stop as they once again entered normal space. It only took a few minutes and there was a planet before them very familiar to Dale and her immediate family.. Havok recognized this world as well seeing he had been here many times before. It was Meras, the place that Dale had been during the majority of her vision, which Havok had seized the opportunity to induce..

He had been meaning to test her to become a Sith Master and the opportunity had finally arrived when he sensed her losing consciousness on Allahsak.. It had seemed that their trip was chock full of surprises. They had encountered the Black Curtain, and both found something they were seeking by chance, encountering something strange and new in each of their own ways.. But Havok’s two goals for his trip had both been accomplished..

He had merely started Dalethria’s delusion on its course, while monitoring its progress only occasionally, letting her own mind drive it on its path. There had only been a few occasions during it that required much from Havok and those were only small parts at the beginning and end. She had made her choice of who she really was instead of choosing to be what she could have been, which would have left her in a comatose state for the rest of her life.. She had chosen evil and Darkness, she had chosen to be what she was instead of what she could have been.. She had chosen right..

As Havok set course and computers for Irentios and automated lading procedure, he heard her stir from the cot she was lying on in the back.. It was a sound of being in pain, but it was also the first sound that told she was waking from her delusional state..

He turned and looked at her over his shoulder as Meras grew larger in the viewscreen in front of him..

“Welcome home Sith Master Dalethria Mal Pannis..” There was a look of deceitful innocence in his eyes as he spoke..

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

The words that Havok spoke was lost on deaf ears as Dalethria woke up from the deceitful word that the Sith Master had created. Her body was in perfect shape because it had plenty of time to heal during the long trip back to Meras. It was her mind that felt like jello ... no thanks to her comrade.

She pushed herself up to a sitting position and if looks could kill, Havok would be a pile of ash in a nanosecond. "You bastard!!! How dare you put my life in jeopardy much less ..."

A contraction hit Dalethria hard and she doubled over, much like what happened in the very last moments inside her mind. She took it as an omen that Aliandra was going to be born soon but not this second.

Growling in pain through her teeth, she was able to see clearly enough the view past Havok.

"Get me home now!!!"

There was no way of knowing how long she had been in labor while being unconscious. It could have been minutes, hours .... she didn't know but Dalethria did know that her child was coming now. The newly appointed Sith Master would rather be somewhat comfortable having her daughter in her own home then being stretched out on this flimsy cot ...

They were still many hundreds of miles above the planets surface but Dalethria's mind could transverse that in seconds. Reaching out through the Force, she quickly found her sister's and husband's signature.

Sorsha? Ogre? It's time!

Only Ogre could feel it because of the unique bond that wife and husband shared ... on the very edge of his wife's mind, it was faint and succinct. It was another presence wanting to be known but he couldn't quite identify it completely but knew it was his child ...

[Astral Ogre]

Not more than a minute after her call she could feel something very familiar enter the transport and move towards her. Havok would not be able to see or sense quite as easily as Dale could because of the union on minds that the married couple shared.

Ogre was now by her side in the only form he could be from this distance….his Astral form, while his physical form remained at the landing pad ("") awaiting the arrival of his wife.

”I am here gem. I am with you as always." She heard his voice in her mind as she saw his ghostlike hand reach out for her.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Chain lightning illuminates the night sky as Sorsha felt her Sister's call. The birth of her child had begun. She reaches out to Ogre's mind as she mounts her horse and rides swiftly to Irentios ::



<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/7-08/Art04.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Sith Witch"></td></tr></table>

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: she was in the kitchen snurching some food when Tirsa heard Ogre's massive voice echo throughout the mansion.

It scared her drenless as she slammed the refrigerator door shut ::

"What the frell!!!"

:: he said something about going to the landing pad and that was when a green streak flew past her into the back yard followed by the droid ::

"Okaaay ...."

:: Tirsa followed right away and saw Ogre standing motionless on the landing pad, looking up into the sky.

She approached him cautiously and looked up ::

"So ... what're we staring at?"

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

She had leaned her back on the wall, finding that this position was a lot more comfortable then half hanging over the cot while having a contraction. Her teeth were clenched tightly together as already the first signs of perspiration was becoming visible ... it was only to get worse from here on out.

Dalethria opened her eyes and the look of pain on her face disappeared upon seeing her husband. He was in his Astral form and knew that Ogre was waiting at the landing pad.

She reached out to him, her own fingers passing through thin air.

I know ... I'll be there soon ... Havok is going as fast as he can ...

The arrival of her child had shifted Dalethria's anger away from the Sith Master ... but there was no mistake that once she and her little gemstone were settled, there would be a confrontation.

"So ... what're we staring at?"

As another contraction hit her, Dalethria didn't feel much of anything as she laughed at Tirsa's confusion. Hopefully her Sister would be arriving soon ...

[Darth Havok]

“Aye milady, we will be there in just another minute or two…”

He turned to face forward again and could see they had crossed over to the darkside of the planet as it was now night at Irentios.. All Havok really had to do was monitor the autopilot as it had already been programmed to make the landing..

He knew from the sound of Dalethria’s voice there was more than just the pain of a contraction behind it, she was displeased with the mental agony he had caused, but it had been for a purpose. Her time of trial had come and it was a suitable test to see if she had truly embraced what she was, or if she would rather be what could have been her destiny..

Two minutes later the repulsors fired and the transport started to hover and descend upon the landing pad nearby Irentios. Close to the pad four figures could be seen, one on horseback and the others standing, the lights surrounding the pad making their forms more visible as they got closer..

The transport touched down softly and Havok turned to Dale..

“Looks like everyone is ready and waiting..”

He had noticed a small disturbance in the force just after she had woken but did not immediately tie that in with her having communicated with those here on Meras. He climbed out of his seat and went to help her off the ship, placing an arm under hers and lifting her from the cot to the doorway... Outside awaited Tirsa, a droid, Sorsha, and Ogre. Ogre looked like he was just coming around from being in some kind of trance and Havok grinned knowing that the worst was yet to come for the father to be..

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

Coming back to reality after having brought his Astral presence back took Ogre a few seconds and he had to reacclimatize to his surroundings. He seemed in a daze and somewhat disorientated as the transport touched down but as soon as Havok walked off the ship helping his wife he was himself again, though looking as if he were nervous.

He moved quickly and was immediately on the other side of Dalethria helping her walk, well, more like carrying her down the ramp-way. He motioned for the medical droid anxiously, wanting it to access the situation as soon as possible.

It moved near and ran a quick scan, saying to all afterwards.

“There is plenty of time to get her into the medical room. It will be much more suitable to take her there than have the child born here.”

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: follows behind at a stride to match Ogre's in spite of her human legs ::

[Tirsa Krylana]

:huh

"Why didn't someone tell me that Dale was gonna pop?!?!?!"

:: tries to catch up to Ogre, Dale and Sorsha as they enter the mansion ::

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

Dalethria looked at the droid and then to Ogre, "I see you've been busy while Havok put me through mental hoops. Which of course you had nothing to do with right?"

Her icy eyes pierced her husband's green ones and already knew the answer.

Before Ogre could have a comeback, Dalethria's face winced in pain as another contraction was underway.

She dug her nails into Ogre's arm, drawing up blood. "Medical room, my room, the frelling floor ... I don't give a damn, just get me there! I'm sick of walking hunched over!"

[Darth Havok]

Havok followed along for a minute as they all entered the house and went up the stairs. He felt somewhat out of place being around the family members and it showed in the expression on his face. He did have other things to do and this day was theirs to share not his..

He waited as Ogre placed Dalethria on a comfortable bed in the new medical center within Irentios then when he saw that she didn’t seem to be in pain for the moment, probably being between contractions he approached, pulling a small black leather pouch out from inside his jacket..

“Here you are Dale, for your child, and one of the reasons we went where we did. We were both successful in getting that which we desired and sought..” He said with an evil glint in his eyes and a quick wink, before he turned away not giving her time to respond..

He looked to the others gathered and spoke so all could hear. “I would stay but I have other pressing matters that require my attention elsewhere, may the Darkside be with you all..”

With that said, Havok left the room and made his way back to the transport, taking off and disappearing into the night sky and becoming but a spot within it like all the other stars..

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

Ogre didn’t wince or show any pain at all when she dug her nails into his arm. Had it not been for the fact that they had undergone the Kashirian ritual to bond via blood his body’s fluid would have severely burned her, but as it was it just passed harmlessly over her hand and to the floor where it smoldered as it hit.

He did however respond by fully taking her into his arms and carrying her the rest of the way up the stairs and into the medical bay, where he promptly laid her down on the finest bed in the place. He watched the exchange with Havok and seemed as if he did in fact know what it was all about, but he said nothing, only nodded to his comrade before he left and then looked back to his wife with a worried expression.

His movements were quick and erratic, he seemed more nervous about this all than Dalethria did as he turned to the droid.

“What now?”

He said quickly and erratically just as his movements were. The droid responded.

“First sir, I must ask you to leave. Your presence would most likely do more harm than good right now by looking at how your hands are shaking and the sweat on your forehead.”

Ogre looked at the droid with a glance that would have wilted a redwood and growled lightly, but he knew he should probably do as the droid suggested. Before he left he bent down and kissed his wife’s lips.

“I love you precious and will see the two of you soon.”

With that Ogre turned and reluctantly left the room looking back over his shoulder several times before the droid closed the door behind him

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: watches in curiosity, her eyes darting about the room at every movement ::

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: her eyes grew wide at the pouch that Havok gave Dale and leaned in to get a good look at it, ignoring the pleas of the droid to back away ::

"What's that?"

:: turns around before 3-RB could get another word in ::

"And hush you! I'm not bothering her."

[Dalethria Mal Pannis]

She wasn't in pain right now so Dalethria could enjoy Tirsa's enthusiasm. "We went to the Unknown Regions to get away from the Empire. Little did I know that Havok was testing me ..."

It was a story for another time. She wasn't in the mood to go into the whole detail about the Master trial ... all that mattered was she passed and was with her real family.

Opening the pouch up she continued, "... Havok on the other hand was looking for this."

http://www.swforums.net/forum/avatar.php?userid=949&dateline=1011581575

"It's a gift for Aliandra," she said with smile. It was almost if her little one had heard her as another contraction started. She gave Tirsa the amulet and pouch as the medical droid came over and scanned her stomach.

It then looked to Sorsha and Tirsa, "The baby is coming soon."

At the sound of that, Dalethria had to guess that she was in labor for quite sometime while unconscious ...

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

If it hadn’t been for the fact that this home was constructed of the finest and most sturdy materials available, Ogre’s frantic pacing outside the door would have worn a hole through the floor. He was worried, anxious, and eager all at the same time.

It wasn’t a site that many ever saw from the huge green Sith. He was a wreck. It was actually humorous to see the feared Master of the Darkside so affected by such a thing as a new life coming into the universe. He was much more at home taking them away than welcoming them into it.

His pacing went on for what seemed to him like days and his mixed emotional expression never changed except for the occasional look of concern when he heard unpleasant noises coming from inside the room that he had been kicked out of.

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: peeks out of the room and laughs giddily at the sight of Ogre ::

"Congratulations, Big Green!!! It's a girl!!! :D

:: runs behind the huge kashirian and laughs again as she tries to nudge him forward into the room ::

<center><table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tback.gif border=3 bordercolor=#8080FF><tr><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/tirsa/s1caps/dvdcap15b.jpg alt="Miss Blue"></td><td><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/tright2.gif></td></tr></table>
</center>

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

It didn’t take much to get him to go into the room. He was so anxious to know that everything was alright and with the tone of Tirsa’s voice it seemed that all was, and his child was a girl! He wanted to see the new arrival badly and hoped for her sake that she had taken more of Dale’s appearance traits than his own.

He walked into the room and stood in awe at what he saw, his mouth gapping open and no words coming. There was a most unusual beam of happiness upon his face as he stood speechless.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: Sorsha grins widely at Ogre as he enters the room ::

"Congratulations, Brother. You're a Father now."


<table border=0 cellpadding=15 cellspacing=0 background=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/misc/SorshaKasajian.jpg width=555 height=284><tr><td width=271 valign=center><img src=http://darthogre.clanpages.com/sorsha/pics/roc/roc99.jpg width=240 height=182 alt="Sith Witch"></td></tr></table>

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

His gaping mouth slowly closed and he smiled at Sorsha, before he moved closer to where Dale was now sleeping with their child wrapped up snuggly in small blankets on top of her. He bent down and looked at his little girl quietly and carefully. His smile grew even wider as he noticed that she resembled her mother very much so, except for the pointed ears. He whispered almost to himself, but loud enough for the others to hear just barely.

<smallfont>"Now there are two precious women in my life, my Gem Dalethria and our little Gemstone."</smallfont>

[Aliandra Mal Pannis]

She was wrapped all snuggly in a warm blanket that Sorsha had helped put her in. The Sithling was resting comfortably with her mother as she yawned when Ogre came nearer to look at Aliandra.

[Sorsha Kasajian]

:: smiles and gives Tirsa a nudge as she slips silently out of the room ::

[Tirsa Krylana]

:: she was having fun watching the little one and Ogre's reaction to her. Big Green actually looked cute :D

Then she got nudged by Sorsha and turned around, watching her leave ::

"What?"

:: it was said a little too loudily and Tirsa cringed. She stole a look over at Ogre, sleeping Dale, and baby ::

"Heh ... sorry." :rollin

:: steps out of the room backwards feeling really stupid ::