He who fights and runs away, Lives to fight another day (Dea, Leliarre, open)

[Gouyen Chee]

Continued from here (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=426974#post426974)

Gouyen had managed to rouse herself when the warning klaxons for their arrival in Corellian realspace sounded. She dressed in a simple robe, black trimmed with blue, that covered the bandages on her left thigh and hobbled forward.

"Hey, nice to see you back in the realm of the living," came a faintly metallic voice. It was Manny, the cyborg intelligence that made the Mantis a veritable living being. "I've been worried about you -- you've been out for the whole trip back."

That she had -- she had been in a sort of Force-induce coma, utterly exhausted from the final stages of the mission. But not so exhausted that she was unaware of the condition of the others aboard the ship. Dea was doing okay, mainly suffering from fatigue, but Leliarre, poisoned by the blood of ancient dragons, was slipping ever closer to death. It was only by the power of a Sith amulet of healing, an artifact of considerable power which the Elders had given her for her mission, that Leliarre was alive at all.

Final approach, and the Mantis gently set down in the hanger. "Make a general announcement to the Order that we have returned," Gouyen instructed Manny, "and that we have one hovering close to death with us." She rose stiffly and went to summon Dea. Together they managed to move Leliarre's inert body to a repulsor equipped stretcher, which they guided down the ramp and towards the castle.


http://home.earthlink.net/~robidougge/_uimages/mantissig.jpg

[Rast]

"Jeez, what happened to you guys? You look like you've been through hell."

Rast is out in the hangar working on his speeder bike, but it can wait. Best to fix these women up first.

"Any way I can help?"

[Gouyen Chee]

"Yeah, a special kind of Hell called a training mission." she responded acidly as she finally set foot on Corellian soil. "And yeah, we could use a hand." She signaled him over to help with the stretcher and took a good look at him. She didn't recognize him and assumed that he was a new addition to the Order -- the Order that had just taken a substantial hit with the loss of a master, two knights and a handful of apprentices.

"Take the stretcher and guide it over to the med bay."

She looked over at him. "You're new here, aren't you?" she asked and noted his positive response. "Well, I'm Gouyen Chee and this," and she gestured towards the young blonde haired woman, "is Dea Potentia and this," and her hand went to caress the Cybernian's head, "is Robi, my Cybernian wolf-dog companion and finally," she gestured to the young woman lying comatose on the stretcher, "this is Leliarre Nightshade. We were in a training mission that went horribly wrong -- I can't tell you the details now, before I speak to Lady Vader -- but I can tell you that Leliarre was poisoned and lies near death."

When they reached the med bay, they turned Leliarre over to the care of the medical droids, confident that they would be able to maintain the level of supportive care that had kept her alive so far. Gouyen checked the bandage that was bound to the wound on her arm, the one that held a Sith amulet of healing directly on the wound. This artifact had been given to Gouyen in anticipation of just such circumstances -- severe injury far away from proper medical attention. It needed concentration in the Force to work properly, but her last outburst against the traitors had severely drained her, and it was only reflex that caused her to go into her own Force healing trance.

After making sure that Leliarre was getting the very best of care, Gouyen went to the com and paged Lady Vader. She wanted to tell her the bad news and to see if she might be able to help Leliarre at all. Her message sent, she collapsed into a chair as pain and fatigue finally got the better of her.

[Rast]

Rast leaned to the side, his work done.

"Training mission? And only three came back? Of how many? And what the hell happened to the others? Or will we find that out when Vader gets here?"

[Gouyen Chee]

Gouyen looked up with a vacant expression on her face. "I can sum it up in one word -- treason," she stated emotionlessly. She slumped in her chair, completely spent. "The full story will be told when Lady Vader gets here."

[Dea Potentia]

*feels slightly more energized after sleeping the entire trip back, but realizes that it may be a few weeks before getting back to normal,as if anything can go back to normal now... follows gouyen around as she takes care of everything...in a fuzzy state of exhaustedness... she can't do much more then follow... but wakes up as they walk and is fully aware of her surroundings by the time gouyen collapses in the chair. is ashamed that she had done nothing to help when she was in better condition then gouyen... places a hand on gouyen's shoulder and squeezes slightly. reaches out with a tiny tindrel of the force soothing some of the warriors pain and giving her a little energy boost... leans against the wall beside the chair and closes eyes in an attempt to make the world stop spinning... removes her hand from gouyen's shoulder and slides into a sitting position on the floor.* is there anything I can do gouyen? *open's eyes* how does the amulet work?

[Gouyen Chee]

A faint smile crossed Gouyen's face as she felt Dea's gentle squeeze upon her shoulder and felt the tiny tendril of Force energy she sent her way. "Thanks, Dea," she murmured softly as the apprentice slid down the wall to a sitting position by her chair.

"Is there anything I can do, Gouyen?" she asked. "How does the amulet work?"

The smile flickered. "The amulet takes Force energy and concentrates it and turns it into healing energy. The problem is that neither of us has enough Force at our command to do much with it."

She slumped back in her seat, the smile fading into a blank look of pain and fatigue.

[Rast]

Rast turns his gaze to the amulet.

"My speeder bike was wrecked and my CD player melted."

At the sheer thought of it Rast's anger grows and he presses a hand to the amulet. Gouyen's words prove true; it syphons his power and begins to heal the warrior's injuries.

"You got one?" he snaps at Dea.

[Robi]

Robi had gone over to the refrigerator and pulled out a couple of cans of stim-bev for the exhausted women, then watched as Rast tried his luck with the amulet. She noticed that the monitor indicated that her vital signs had strengthened and stabilized, but her sensitive nose told her that the poison still circulated in her system.

Her condition improves, but the poison still lingers in her blood.

She cocked her head and looked at Rast. You need to concentrate on the poison, rip it apart with the Force. Let me join you and help you, and the canine drifted into a light trance, allowing her mind to join with Rast's. Using her sensitive nose, she tracked down the poison and focused the copious energy from the amulet on it, breaking down the molecules into non-toxic forms that would be clensed by the liver and kidneys.

The moment seemed to linger into forever before the two were done. Robi took a final sniff before announcing, The poison is purged from her system. The only cure she needs now is rest.

[Leliarre Nightshade]

Leliarre dreamed, deep in the realms of sleep.

She was playing with her little brother in the cabin in their ship when the floor lurched beneath them.
"What was that, Leli?" The little boy asked, eyes round.
Suddenly the room shook violently. Grabbing the boy's hand, she ran to the comlink that had fallen onto the floor.
"Mom, dad, what's happening?"
"Looks like pirates. They're right behind us," her father's voice crackeled back.
The room shuddered again.

-Flicker of images that made no sense. Dark fire, lightning. Blood.-

She walked quickly through the lurching hallways of the ship, holding her terrified brother by the hand. "Mom! Dad! We gotta get out of here!" she yelled.
Suddenly a shout and the unmistakable sound of blasterfire came from the comlink. A smash, and then static.
Leliarre froze, then ran toward the escape pod. "Stay here, Jolrin. Okay?"
"Okay," The little boy whispered, shaking.
She squeezed his hand once comfortingly. "I'll be back," she promised, before letting go, jogging toward the cockpit.

-Death... blood.. blank, empty eyes, devoid of life...-

"No!!!"

Blaster fire. Dodging, running. Hugging her brother tightly as the escape pod blasted away.

The girl's brow furrowed and her fist clenched as she slept on.

[Lady Vader]

*LV took her time getting to the chamber where Gouyen and the rest waited. It wasn't that she was being rude in arriving later, it was just that she was being herself: intending to be at a certainly place when she precisely meant to.*

*She walked in and noticed Gouyen looking rather exhausted. This told her that the training mission was good for them physically, but what of it's outcome?*

Gouyen... I believe you have something to report to me?

[Gouyen Chee]

She took the proffered stim-bev greatfully, and drained half the can in one gulp. Then she watched as Robi offered her guidance and smiled to herself. It only took the slightest of mental touches for the Cybernian to link up with another's mind, guiding the other's strength to where it was needed. Robi tracked down the poison and Rast, through the power of the amulet, destroyed it. Bit by bit the pair tracked down and destroyed every last molecule of the poison, until the Cybernian announced that they were finished.

A moment later, Lady Vader arrived, and Gouyen struggled to her feet and greeted the Sith Mistress with a bow.

"Yes, m'lady, I do have something to report. The training mission to the Ottethan system has been completed, and the three you see here," she said, indication Dea and Leliarre, "are all that remain of those faithful to the Order. The others have betrayed us and left the Order."

She then went on to recount from the beginning their mission: the group's inability to choose a leader; the sandstorm; the rancor attack and Cherice's attempts to kill them all; the timely intervention of Jeseth Cloak and his stunning anouncement of betrayal, with the option of remainig loyal and stranded; Gouyen's summoning of the Mantis with the transponder she had brought with her; Salem's threat and her reaction, and the final battle they engaged in before the Mantis arrived. Although the report was delivered with an air of cool detachment, Gouyen was shaking at the end, partly from fatigue, but mostly from anger. She collapsed back into her chair.

"Two masters, two knights and four apprentices," she said flatly. "And only three apprentices to return. 'Twas a sad day for the Sith Order."

She looked up at Lady Vader with a more hopeful expression. "But the Order still has its heart, and it beats strongly. We will survive -- I know it."

[Lady Vader]

*LV's expression remained stoney.*

Of course we will survive, as the Order will only retain the strongest and the most loyal.

*She made her way to a seat and leaned against it's arm rest.*

In a sense, your mission was a complete success as it weeded out the weak and unloyal, those not worthy of carrying the name that the Sith Order would provide for them.

Hence forth, they are shunned from this place, and any encounters with them here after will be deadly. If you ever see them again, do not hesitate to inflick horrible pains and even death upon them, for they deserve nothing better.

*To the three remaining, she smiled, almost motherly like.*

You have made the Order proud by standing by it. You are loyal and deserving of the titles here within the Order.

Go now and tends to your wounds. This day has marked your coming closer to being ranked among the Knights. Soon, your time will come to stand by the strong and loyal members of the Sith Order.

[Dea Potentia]

*frowns at the fact that there is nothing she can do for Leliarre, closes eyes and rests, feels Robi's cold nose on her arm and opens one eye... takes offered beverage... smiles* Thank you *drinks the drink and leans back against the wall eyes again closed, smiling as she feels energy slowly returning to her body, hears Robi say that Leliarre is going to be alright. someone enters the room. looks up and see's that it's LV... follows Gouyen's example and stands up, her state of near exhaustion making things a little more difficult... stands with one hand on the wall for support and listens to Gouyens explanation of what happened and LV's response is too tired to express her anger at those who left or the pride felt at LV complimenting their loyalty. walks slowly, trying hard not to stumble, out of the room to tend to her wounds, a mass of small bug bites that appear to have become slightly infected....*

[Gouyen Chee]

A smile spread slowly across her face as she nodded in agreement with Lady Vader's words. And it broadened with her praise of their actions and promise of impending knighthood. She rose again, feeling slighly invigorated by the stim-bev and Lady Vader's words.

She notices that Dea was about to leave the room, and reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "This might be useful," she said, handing her a med-kit and a pack of bacta. The young Sith took took the proffered goods with a wan smile, and continued on her way to her room.

With the others taken care of, Gouyen could finally tend to herself. The healing trance she had been in for the journey back had done much to heal the massive gash on her thigh, but her muscles still ached and her head still spun from fatigue.

"Right now, the best medicine for me is rest. So if I may take my leave...."

She turned to Robi, and silently asked, Are you coming with me or are you going to stay here and tend to Leliarre?

[Robi]

I'll stay here with Leliarre -- I think she needs me more than you do.

She found a chair that she could make herself comfortable on, and settled in for her vigil.

[SashaKovalev]

He had heard that Gouyen was back, and so he was coming to find her. They had spoken just before the trip, and Sasha was eager to hear the tales of adventure.

Oddly, as he rounded the corner, on the way to the hangar, a strange feeling seemed to hang in the air. Worry creased his forehead as his eyes narrowed slightly in concern. He was close to the med bay, and he cold feel the familiar presence of Gouyen and Robi, and of…..Lady Vader.

He stopped in his tracks, turning instead for the med bay. He opened the door to find Gouyen standing there, seeming as if she were on her way out.

It took only a quick look at her expression to know that all had not gone well. He color in his face drained slightly, to see his friend looking as she did.

“You’re back…” He stated quietly, leaving open the chance for Gouyen to tell him of things – or to perhaps tell him they would talk later, for she truly did look exhausted.

[Gouyen Chee]

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Sasha...," she said flatly.

"You're back," he stated quietly.

"Yes, I'm back -- minus two masters, two knights and four apprentices. We were betrayed." She started down the hall towards her room, then paused. "Could you walk with me?" she asked in an act of singularly uncharacteristic vunerability. Her complexion paled and she braced herself against the wall to keep from falling. "The mission took a lot out of me -- I need rest."

[SashaKovalev]

"Of course." He replied without question, and without pushing her for more. He could tell by the request from her, and the way she braced herself against the wall that she was not well.

He reached out, to her, helping to steady her on her feet, and gave her his arm to guide her.

He knew, instantly, part of what had happened. Feliciana had told him some time ago that she would be leaving - he had not realized it would happen on this mission, or apparently in the fashion it had.

He had a lot of questions, but knew it was not the time to ask. It was a time, instead, to worry about his friend who was here with him.

As they left the med bay, he looked to her, his violet eyes carrying his concern.

"You're sure you dont need to be back in the med bay...?" He asked.

[Gouyen Chee]

She took his arm greatfully, glad that she was with someone with whom she felt completely comfortable.

"You're sure you don't need to be back in the med bay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

She shook her head. "I'm sure -- all I need is rest right now." She managed a wan smile as the two made their way down the hall. "I'm so tired right now that I can't even use the Force." She chuckled wryly to herself -- an Assazi who was made Force-blind by fatigue was a tired individual indeed. And it was no surprise -- that last blast she had directed at Jeseth and the other traitors was extremely powerful, powerful beyond anything she had ever done. And the expression of that power had utterly drained her. But in draining her it had deepened her capacity for the Force and made it stronger. Lady Vader and the other elders could only confirm what she knew deep inside -- she was now a knight.

When they reached her room she went to her bed and collapsed on to it. Ahh, this was exactly what she needed -- rest in her own bed, safe in her own room.

"Sasha," she murmured grogily, "keep an eye on Robi and the others for me...." Her quiet, even breathing told him that she was already asleep.

[SashaKovalev]

He nodded at her request, knowing that she was already asleep and would not hear his response.

He pulled a blanket up over her, so that she would at least not wake shivering in the middle of the night.

"You just worry about taking care of yourself." He whispered. He reached to brush the hairs that had excaped her braid from her face, turned on a small light so she would not wake to complete darkness, then turned and left, closing the door softly behind him.