Sometimes sith happens.....

[imported_Ezra]

It had been two days since the "situation" had occured and only now was he able to leave his quarters. He was still weak from the ordeal and needed to get moving about or become stir crazy in his room. The effects of force attacks seem to leave its mark really well on the receiver. In the hanger, working on the Empress Marva, Ezra was still somewhat sore from the ordeal he was put through all for the sake of knowing a piece of news he never thought he'd hear. He was in a brooding mood from knowing it had cost a friendship and possibly something with him too. Slowly moving about the outside of the ship, his coveralls was tied around his waist leaving his bare torso smeared with grease and oil and grime. His hair was in a ponytail instead of its usual unruly style of keeping.

A hydro spanner in hand he worked a section of the engine. He needed to get it running perfectly for him to depart Shadow Faene, Daiquiri was asked to leave and being it only right that he was involved, he thought it best if he left too. That and the way Hera had taken it out on him, the innocent one this time.... told him to get moving. He was at war with himself at the moment. One hand he wasn't a quiter, he never ran from trouble......on the other hand, he had to think of his children coming into the world....the future of his people, and also his wife....whom he loved with all his heart. In frustration he turned and threw the spanner against the wall with a loud clatter as it also knocked over other tools and objects.

He leaned against one of the crates nearby and slid down to a sitting position, hands to his head as he breathed himself to calming down. But it didnt seem to help.

"Gods.....why must she be so kriffing difficult?"

[DarthHERA]

"Difficult am I?"

Ezra didn't know how long she'd been standing there, but long enough to latch onto his very thoughts, it seems. Their little "encounter" had indeed left some residual effects on him. Or atleast, an easy access to his very mind.

Hera had in fact been there some moments. She had been admiring his form...his pale body was lean and strong and beneath the smeared grease, his muscles rippled as he worked.

"Im not so difficult as you suppose" she said supplicating him.

"Why dont you take a break....we need to talk."

[imported_Ezra]

With a start, he looked up at the Shadow Faene mistress. How long had she been there? And if she was there for a while, why didn't he sense her? He wonderd if that was one of the effects from the force lightning...hmmm could be. Turning his head he nodded and slowly stood up, his muscles a bit tight from what she did. Wiping his hands on a rag he had in his back pocket of the flightsuit, he tossed it onto a nearby barrel and turned to face her.

"Alright..... what is it that we need to talk about Hera?"

[DarthHERA]

"Not here" she responded.

"Come with me" and she turned and led the way to her personal rooms.

[imported_Ezra]

Footfalls echoed in the cooridor as heavy boots sounded off the black shiney tile. His eyes glued to the back of her head, he wondered if she could ever learn what he was trying to show her. She knew......she knew he was trying but still held firm in her defiance to it. But such were the ways of the darksiders. His own father, a Sith sorcerer had a hard time with it. Thats why the two of them took all those years before finally the proverbial hatchet was buried. He hoped that her value of her friendship would win over pride, for what was pride against it? Absolutey fruitless and empty. But that statement she made of her being not so difficult left some kind of hope.

His mind snapped back as the door to her private quarters opened. He stepped in and took his spot somewhat in the middle of the room. Brown eyes watched the Sith master, patiently waiting for what she had to say.

[DarthHERA]

Ezra sat in a comfortable chair while Hera offered him something to drink.

He shook his head, and this brought a smile to her lips..She has not yet been forgiven it seems..

Pouring herself a rum, she turned and bridged the distance between where he was and where she stood, with her eyes.
He, in turn, turned deep brown soulful pools to her.

"Your true love never came to aid you, Ezra" a slight tilt of her head signifying her confusion. "Why do you think that is?"

[imported_Ezra]

A smirk played on his grime covered face. His eyes never leaving hers. Silence was so think you could cut it with a saber. He knew why, same reason why he would have done the same. Keep the children safe. He was expendable, although it would kill Kariss to lose him. the preservation of their children overriden all else.

"I know she never came to my aid.......I asked her not too."

Was his answer to her question, his face expressionless, his voice emotionless. his own head cantered to the side and he asked his own.

"Why so interested?"

[DarthHERA]

Her eyes hardened as she snapped back quickly.

"Im interested because for your "lifemate" Daiquiri betrayed her good sense, and our friendship. And though you could have been destroyed, and trust me (she assured him) I am quite capable of such an act, Kariss did not return."

Her eyes darted shrewdly and she slowly stalked forward.

"What was more important to her than you, Ezra?"

[imported_Ezra]

Fury hit him and he stood up in her face, his towering form looming over her and his eyes changed color. And from their soft expressionless form, they were now hard and fierce. Only thing that hadnt shown was his fangs, he kept those back. His voice was equally hard as his eyes.

" It wasn't good sense and friendship she threw away Hera! It was YOU who did that! You know frelling well Daiquiri would never have left and would have stayed here to fix what hurt you! What she did she did for ME! It wasnt to undermind you or your kriffing pride! Kariss came here to hand deliver a message for me, an important message for me alone!"
He took a deep breath and a few steps backwards. He didnt want to do this, to go to Hera's level, but it seemed the only way she knew how to deal with things. his voice took on a more calmed tone as he continued.
" I know you could destroy me Hera, any one of these mortals here can. And that message she delivered to me? You're not going to get it."

[DarthHERA]

Ezra's response was heated...she'd pushed some buttons obviously.

Hera stood quiet while the Vampyre went off, watching him keenly. If he'd expected her to fly into her own fit, he would be disappointed. Hera's rage was in a far more dangerous stage than during the aftermath of Kariss's visit. Unbridled fury was one thing, cold calculating anger was another, and it was this that Hera opereated at her finest. Or worst, depending on ones perspective.

She did not feel the need to defend herself against Ezra's place of blame. How could she expect him to appreciate the broken trust, not to mention the blatant disobedience for having Kariss come to ShadowFaene. He was too close to it emotionally. Daiq could have arranged a rendevous anywhere on Enton but at the Base. Anywhere. But she prefered to fly in the face of Hera's wishes, and then actively aid and abet her escape and then thwart Hera's efforts of retribution.

No, Ezra did not appreciate the big picture at all.

Hera opened her hand and brought it up between herself and Ez. The vamps gaze was drawn to the item in her palm, thinking it at first to be the shot glass of rum.

It was not.

Sitting nestled in her hand was the "Hypnos Crystal" (http://216.73.105.30/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20806&perpage=20&highlight=Apocolypse&pagenumber=2) Hera had obtained during a venture into ancient Sith ruins with the dark jedi and master trickster, Hob Goblin.

Ezra blinked once, and felt a warning to look away, but he could not. Hera smiled sardonically, watching as the deep soulful pools of brown became fixated on the crystal which was forged and created in Sith Magiks.

The crystal, set in an intricately carved amulet, had at its center a deep violet cloud. The cloud began to swirl and then glow, its light soon being reflected in Ezra's staring eyes.

Hera's voice, cajoling, inviting, conspiratory, tickled the Vampyre's mind,

"I think you want to tell me that message, Ezra...Dont you..."

[imported_Ezra]

He tried to look away as the crystal grabbed his attention, he could feel the strength slowly ebbing away as the purple mist, held within the crystal swirled. He was cursing Hera inwardly for doing this, for making him give up what he was keeping from her. He slowly nodded his head, the whispered answer escaping his lips.

"Yes"

[DarthHERA]

"Good"

Her voice kept its low tones and Ezra fell deeper into the entrancement of the Hypnos Crystal.

"What are you hiding from me Ezra - what is it that kept Kariss from returning to you?"

[imported_Ezra]

His eyes slightly narrowed, he was trying to fight...but couldnt. He took a breath and let it out along with his answer.

"My .... offspring."

[DarthHERA]

She kept the surprise from her voice. Of course No wonder Daiq was so hell bent on them having some "quality time" together. It didnt excuse her, but it explained some atleast.

"You are expecting a child?"

[imported_Ezra]

"No"

Her eyes furrowed as he just answered no to her inquiry after he had said "offspring".

"Twins"

[DarthHERA]

Oh, this was precious

Two of the little brats.

"When?"

[imported_Ezra]

"I dont know"

His eyes stayed locked onto the crystal.

[DarthHERA]

Well, that she could find out later.

For now she had enough to go on. This was big news, and just what she would do with it, she would have to give some further consideration to.

But this development only reinforced her theory that such ties of affection were many a darksiders downfall.

Ezra could be dead. His lifemate a widow and his spawn fatherless. Where was the sense in that?

She looked for long moments at the man before her. His head bent forward, deep brown eyes mesmerised, all worry and concerns freed from his face as he was locked in the blankness of the crystals hold.

Hera touched his hair gently, stroking it back from his face.

Yes..this would need some further consideration, yet.

Finally, she spoke to him.

"Its ok Ezra, lift your eyes to me, your thoughts will soon become your own once more."

Ezra obediently lifted his head, and gradually the hold of Hypnos receded. Hera closed her fist once again over the amulet.

Then speaking, as if they had not had their conversation, her words broke through into the Vampyre's clearing mind.

"You speak from your heart Ezra, and I can see you are set in your mind.

I just wanted to tell you that Im sorry you were hurt."

[imported_Ezra]

Brown eyes narrowed in confusion when she spoke to him.

"You speak from your heart Ezra, and I can see you are set in your mind."

He couldnt remember what or if he had said anything to her. This bothered him a bit.

"I just wanted to tell you that Im sorry you were hurt."

He looked up at her his eyes searching hers, for the truth in them.

"Are you really sorry Hera?"

[DarthHERA]

"You think I enjoyed what happened?"

Blue eyes peirced brown.

"With all things, there is cause and effect. When one pulls shenannigans on a Sith stronghold, there are bound to be reprisals.

Or didn't they teach you that in basic training?"

[imported_Ezra]

"They tried to teach me that yes, but I only took what I needed. Apparently that little aspect wasnt on my "need" list Hera. Plus, I already have a dark streak in me .... or didnt I already teach you that?"

He stood up and walked closer to her, tilting her head up by the chin his voice came out softer than before.

" I hope that teaching doesnt cloud your judgement with Daiquiri. It wasnt that bad of a crime which was commited. Mend what was broken.....After all, it was for me that it was done."

Pulling her closer he kissed her forehead and turned to leave, then stopped and looked over his shoulder to her.

"Unless, I have been mistaken all this time and was never considered part of your operations Hera."

[DarthHERA]

It was strange to have Ezra kiss her as he had. Somehow it switched the roles of authority for a moment. She knew there was a deeper connection between herself and Ezra. Just what it was, was hard to identify, and even harder to admit. Perhaps it was simply that he genuinely cared about her, and she for all her bristling prickling attributes, cared about him.

Looking back at him now, she realised iIt was because he was a part of SFF that contributed to her anger at the duplicity of Kariss' visit.

True enough, he had not been privy to what Daiquiri was doing, but he was the reason behind her actions.

"It is from those who are a part of this outfit that I demand loyalty and trust from, Ezra. Daiq knew that. You now know it.

If you cant give that to me, then you should follow Daiquiri and go your own way. I trust you. Is there any reason I should revise this?"

Her gaze was level and frank as she waited his reply. For all her failings, Hera was never one not to confront an issue head on. And if Ezra felt he wanted to withdraw his loyalty, then she would rather hear it now, from him, as difficult as that would be.

[imported_Ezra]

"Trust me.....thats all I really wanted form you....but to deny me my family speaks otherwise. As fo rmy loyalty, did you really ever have to question it? I just want the same treatment as everyone else around here......sometimes I wonder about that."

He turned and left through her door, feeling suddenly more alienated than ever....this new home was like a body refusing a transplant......him being that intruding organ. Time would tell where he really stood in this place.....leave? not yet.

[DarthHERA]

She watched him as he left.

It was true she did not treat him as other of her crew. He was not like other of her crew. The blood throbbed beneath the two small scars on her throat as if to bear witness to that fact.

He could not comprehend the impact of Saurron's blood call upon her, and how it tainted every interaction with those of like kind as he. Perhaps he never would.

She looked down at the Hypnos Crystal in her palm and lifted her eyes once again to the now empty doorway. Or perhaps, he would..

Its not easy to keep one from your mind, whom you have first opened the door to - wittingly or not, dear Ezra..

Ezra had stubbornly given Hera his service in the past, and intended to continue. He refused to retaliate to her constant antagonism, and even after what Hera had done to him, he still remained loyal. She could not deny his strong and determined character. She respected him for it.

She folded her fingers around the amulet.

We are bound by more than just trust, now.

Again a shadow passed across the Sith's eyes. Kariss would yet know that holding ones heart sometimes is not enough. There are greater things than love.

There was the darkside.

And there was Hera, biding her time on the far side of it.