Interlude: Illumination

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria was cleaning up the morning dishes while an unusual visitor was sleeping in her quarters. She peered over her shoulder, making sure that Slayn was still sleeping peacefully in the bedroom and resumed her task.

It was all still somewhat of a shock to what happened at Yog's today. Cleaning up around her quarters was, in a sense, Navaria's way of relaxing and mediating on the occurrence (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21215).

Even now, without meaning too, she could hear Slayn's breathing within her mind and what he was dreaming ....

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn felt as if a thousand faces had entered his mind, he was learning, and making sure to be receptive. It was a tale of a lonely girl, and explained everything to him; Slayn was still very much in Navaria's mind, and had grown to understand this connection. He knew that his life had been forever altered; The mental connection between the pair was unbreakable. This dream state witch wasn't really like sleep, or for that matter dream, but a shared consciousness, he was aloud into Naviria's most private mind, and had lost himself there until he awoke, to her thoughts and realized where he had been taken.

" Navaria... I..."

This was so new to Slayn, he could think without account, or any effort, almost directly into Naviria's consciousness.

" Thank you, but where am I?"

[Navaria Tarkin]

The results were much the same for the Jedi Knight. Memories of Slayn took on an almost vision like state before her eyes ... While awake. It was so ... intimate. Slayn was also going through the motions as well, learning about Navaria. Strangely enough, she didn't mind. The exchange of such personal history like this felt so natural.

She turned around, her contemplative manner gone. Lines of worry creased her forehead upon hearing her name. But quickly she relaxed, smiling. She took notice that their telepathic speech was incredibly clearer.

"You are in my quarters."

Navaria filled a glass with water and made her way over to the Dark Jedi. She was well aware that her guest knew where he was but wanted to cover everything that had happened.

She offered the glass and sat down next to him on the bed.

You were quite exhausted and needed rest, Slayn.

[Slayn Cloak]

" I'm not sure exhausted is the right word... I was overwhelmed... I could feel power seeping through every one of my pores."

Slayn took the water using the force, it floated to his lips and tilted as he sipped at it.

[Navaria Tarkin]

She frowned.

I am sorry then to have been the cause of this.

Navaria would have continued on as to why but was rather fascinated that Slayn opted to use the Force to drink instead of his own hand and asked curiously.

You use the Force for everything?

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn was shocked that she would ask this question, but at that was bothered by her thoughts on what had happened in the bar.

" It's more comfortable, I don't feel so oddly misplaced. I've amerced myself so deep with this power that its become my natural surrounding."

Slayn began to search Navaria's thoughts, though it came with great ease, it was as if thousands of thoughts flooded him all at once; this made them hard to sort out.

[Navaria Tarkin]

But, just because one can be so immersed deeply into the Force, one should not forget that tactile senses can reveal much.

Navaria herself had extremely heightened senses and could use touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing to wondrous extent that most would think would be a blessing. It was but also a curse. When you can hear everything; when you can feel every minuet detail that your fingers come across ... It can become a curse quickly.

She blinked. Noticing that Slayn was reading her. Not offended in the slightest for Navaria could easily grab onto every thought and memory that he possessed, she merely tilted her head and looked at him with interest.

What are you looking for exactly?

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn's eyebrows tensed as he answered her. He had never know someone so well, but why did he feels as if he honestly still didn't. He could have anyone of any memory she ever had and yet...

" Nothing exactly, I just realized that I've never know someone this well. I want to learn more about you."

He said that as he placed his palm to her cheek, and continued to search through her mind. He gazed into her eyes as he stumbled upon a particularly interesting memory...

[Navaria Tarkin]

It was like she was there ... that very day in the Council Room of the Sith Empire. For Slayn, he watched it just as Navaria did, from the confines of mental chains, tucked away to never be returned in the back of Dalethria's mind.

A young Dalethria walked inside an apparently deserted chamber. The sounds of the heavy double doors resounding closed behind her.

"Hello?" She called out with furrowed brows. Angered that no one was here. "I was sent by Sith Kat? She resides here."

She was still dressed in her usual clothing. Brown dusty pants that the threads were beginning to unravel at the knees. Her arms had traces of grease and sweat, like her face, from a long journey of fixing the ship that brought her here. It was a free ride after all.

Eventually, from the shadows, a deathly pale man dressed in battered leather introduced himself as Rama, one of the leaders of the Empire ...

The image broke off there as Navaria pulled away. She didn't realize her breathing was so rapid.

She hated what was brought forth. The memory of being helpless. Alone with only your thoughts to comfort you in the dark wasteland of your very own mind that you couldn't control!

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn reached out to Navaria, he could feel her fear and angst. He put his arms around her, and held her close forcing the memory she held of the SSD Executor, and the way her father held her on his shoulders as he showed her around.

[Navaria Tarkin]

Warm arms were around her. No. Arms were around her legs, keeping her from falling off her father's shoulders. She was clasping Andran's shoulder as he pointed out what all the computer consoles could do as the walked the lengthy hall of the Executor...

Her senses came back. The familiar surrounding of the room was focused on. Slayn's body firmly holding her steady ...

That caused her to look up sharply. No one ever held her this way except for Sanis.

Why?

Why indeed... Why was Slayn, a Dark Jedi, the enemy to be blunt, being nice to her. Navaria felt no malice in his heart or mind. It was completely confusing.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn felt her discomfort, but then knew exactly what it was. This connection aloud them to be one, it was strange yet...

" I'm sorry, I... need you."

[Navaria Tarkin]

She blinked. Twice. Then pulled away slowly, her hands sliding down the shirt that Slayn wore until they let go.

Why do you need me. You have someone. Taja. I saw her in your mind. And I have Sanis.

[Slayn Cloak]

" This..."

Slayn paused he wasn't sure of the situation. As Navaria's hands slid down his shirt, he let his head fall upon her shoulder. It rested there for a minuet as he took a deep breath and then kissed the crotch of her neck and shoulder.

" It's different."

[Navaria Tarkin]

A chill washed over her. It wasn't only because of the kiss but what Slayn was feeling. She could sense his emotions like they were her very own. They were very strong and intoxicating to a certain degree.

She had to pull away. And did. Retreating to the kitchen counter.

Slayn. Our link, as intimate as it was ... should not have made you need me like this.. so ... so fast.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn grew distant for a second, it was cold, he had severed the link. He drew himself away from her for a moment, sitting back upon the bed as she exited. The next few moments were intolerable. He had been exposed to such a broad expression, and gone so deep into her mind... ... ...


" I can't... "

He spoke this aloud, it was the first time he had spoken in his voice, and true tone, to Navaria...

[Navaria Tarkin]

Navaria turned around, stunned, to what she had heard. The echo of a voice in the room after the countless hours of silence that proceeded it, was such an awakening.

Cautiously, almost in a childlike manner, Navaria walked forward back into the bedroom to where she heard the words. Her heart almost gave out in seeing Slayn. Slumped forward as if talking to the ground instead of her.

Swallowing to get the moisture back in her mouth, Navaria spoke up, but made no movement closer. Keeping within the confines of the doorway that gave her a chance to escape, or to enter.

"Can't?"

It was odd saying that word. A word of contraction. Slayn noticed that the sound of her voice saying it was quite foreign to those lips.

"Can't what?"

It was whispered. Almost in a sense that she didn't want to hear to answer to the question.

[Slayn Cloak]

Slayn looked up at Navaria, he spoke again, hi voice seemed to be horse; It had gone unused for sometime.

" Why are you affrayed? "

Slayn locked eyes with the jedi as his eyes seemingly began to tear. It was black and seemed to leave a blue trail on his face as it rolled down, but this was no tear. It was the life matter that he controlled the living force leaving his body in a moment of weakness...

[Navaria Tarkin]

"I am not afraid. Only worried."

She took a step forward and felt her heart flutter against her chest, watching Slayn cry and hearing the words be magnified in pain as the hoarse words came.

"I do not like the past repeating itself. But ... I do not like watching you suffer, Slayn."

Navaria knelt down before him, resting her hands over the Dark Jedi's knees.

"What can I do to help you without compromising myself?"

It was genuine concern and love that he felt emanating from the Jedi. It wasn't love in the sense of romantic involvement or the love of a family member. The love that he could hear in her words, and in her actions, was the love of someone that did care for his overall well being. A more pure and simple aspect of love that, was ironically, hard to understand that such love can exist.