No Red Carpet?

[Gav Mortis]

Having recieved clearance to land from Airspace Control, a chrome sphere broke the thick grey clouds and plummeted, a wild descent indeed and in the wrong direction too. Defenses were naturally alerted as the unique vessel hurtled itself towards the fortified and hallowed grounds of the resident Sith Order. After two warnings, ion canons fired and each blast seemed to pass through the ships shields and come out the other side, the starship unaffected. A last warning unanswered and the turbolaser fire began with equally unimpressive effect.

Just when the asteroid-like sphere was moments away from a devastating collision with the surface it pulled up high, looped once, then twice and on a third loop it slowed and now bearing a resemblance to a feather rather an asteroid, floated gently to the ground. Exhausts hissed in protest, gears whined with relief and engines finally relaxed as the ship landed before the great entrance to the palace and grounds of the Sith Order.

There was a moments silence, then from the rear of the ship lowered a smooth disembarkment ramp and down it plodded a scruffy looking man with a loose spring in his step and a wild gleam in his eye, both of them actually. Arms flailing at his side as he trounced the walkway up to the large blast doors and stopped. He looked up, gauging the height of the fortified obstruction then with a defeated sigh thumped a clenched fist heftily against the thick metal door.

"Open up!" He cried out forcefully, now both fists battering the blast doors with little result.

"Come on! Come on now, one hasn't got all day! Hello!"

A frustrated growl then he turned away from the door for a breather, hands on hips and he stood for a second, staring at his ship. Then turning suddenly on his heel he planted a kick against the blast door and the sound of his great, heavy boot against the metal made a resounding clang.

"Open this door right now before I blast it from one side of your palace to the other! I'll do it! So help me, I will!"

[Live Wire]

Live Wire had watched the erratic descent of the ship from her balcony. The warning klaxons that went off had roused her from her meditations and her heart beat wildly as she watched the ship dock and a single figure depart. At first she had been unsure of the apprehension she had been feeling and when the alarms went off in the back of her mind she thought attack but as she watched the crazed man banging on the doors she knew the source of her uneasiness. Only one man could cause her this much distress.

Throwing on her cloak and strapping her lightsaber to her belt she headed for the door with a quick warning yelled at Ariel to stay in their rooms. Ariel was not ready to face this, not yet. She was careful not to attract to much attention as she practically ran through the halls.

As she arrived in the main foyer she took a moment to both compose herself and place the hood of her cloak around her face. There had been no time to perpare for this meeting; this was not the way she had planned it, but now that he was here there was nothing to be done.

As the doors slowly opened inward to reveal the inner sanctum of the sith palace she was not prepared for the sight that greeted her eyes. She scarely knew the man before her either by sight or by sense and yet there beneath the surface were the clues that told her she was indeed looking at the figure of Gav Mortis.

"There is no need to react irrationally." Her voice was steady and calm and betrayed none of the emotions she was feeling.

He looked up at her and LW paused not sure if he knew to whom he was speaking.

"It seems this place has drawn both of us to it my old friend." Slowly she pulled the hood away from her face and her long wavy hair fell about her shoulders. Her black eyes stared at him, searching, needing to find some sense of the man he once was, the man she once loved.

"You have changed much. Do you not recognize me?" She asked her voice straining almost imperceptibly.

[Lady Vader]

LV leaned against a pillar inside the great hall, watching LW greet their loud visitor at the grand entrance. Looking past them, she saw the ship that had just landed, sitting peacefully just outside the econdary gates that led into the courtyard.

She narrowed her eyes, watching the scruffy man as LW spoke to him. She muttered under her breath.

"I should have kept the Palace's shields up and watched him fry on their electrical currents."

Next to her, Iesis stood, legs straight and paws firmly planted on the ground, with ears flat against her skull. She looked every bit the way LV felt.

[Gav Mortis]

"I know your face, Cathy. How could I forget?" At first sinister, his tone of voice quickly morphed into something much more casual and resuming his slackened walk, he waltzed past and headed through the large, open blast doors to the sound of blasters humming a troopers aiming. He slowed to a stop and raised his hands and turned to face his old friend.

"I mean no harm. I've not time for trouble." He smiled sheepishly.

"A little help, perhaps?"

[Live Wire]

She watched him saunter in and then stop short as the security guards pointed their blasters at him. There was something very disturbing about the whole situation, and he never called her Cathy.

Some what reluctantly she waved her hand the blasters were lowered, however, the guards remained at attention. She walked forward blocking his path; she wanted answers.

"Don't take this the wrong way. Why are you here?" She crossed her arms and looked at him in a way that said you don't talk to me you're not going to get far.

It wasn't so much that she was upset to see him. After all she had been trying to find him. But to have him dumped in her lap and in such a condition, now she was concerned. What could have happened to him since he had left that would put him in this state.

She could sense that his thoughts were jumbled, a far cry from the methodical organized Gav she was used to.

"I think you owe me some kind of explanation, don't you?"

[Gav Mortis]

"Oh, but my dear, let me past and all shall be revealed!"

Live Wire stood her ground and didn't say a word. Gav visibly slouched where he stood and huffed an agitated sigh of frustration. Then irritably.

"Alright, alright, fine. You win but do you think for a second, my dear Cathy, that I'm going to say a word in front of your cronies?"

His head tilted at an impossible angle and his wide eyes rolled in the direction of the soldiers, then fixing his gaze back on the woman who once held his heart, he gave her a grim smile. "Eh?"

He straightened up and a hint of pride returned to his crazed face.

"Get rid of em before I do."

[Lady Vader]

As LV watched the whole scene unfold, she had an after thought. Looking down, LV looked at Iesis and whispered something. The large cat immediately left, bounding down the corridor back to the room where Ariel was.

She returned her attention back to the scene.


(OOC: Are we going to have any sort of posting order?)

[Live Wire]

There was something in his voice and mannerisms that told her he was serious. Gav had always been if nothing unpredictable and wild and she really wasn't willing to risk anyones safety other than her own.

LW didn't like ultimatims so she hesitated before waving the guards off. She felt some measure of responsibility towards him, probably because he was the father of her child and she would have like to have hold out hope that Ariel could one day know her father.

"Fine." The guards returned to their stations and from the corner of her eye she could see LV frowning at her. Some things she knew no one else would understand.

"You know me well enough to know that it's not the guards you need to worry about."

She matched his glare but she wasn't in the mood for games, especially not with him.

"So, I'll ask again why are you here?"

(ooc - ummm...dunno hadn't planned on a lot of people so....dunno lol)

[Gav Mortis]

"That's my girl." He gave her a grin and after a brief moment of uncharacteristic serenity, the madness resumed.

"I'm hear to pick something up, Cathy." He leaned in close and whispered with a hint of vulnerability in his voice and written in his face, his eyes glanced from side to side, watching the guards.

"Something I stupidly left behind and now it is of some importance to me. You understand."

All the while he was shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he looked anxious and impatient.

"Now are there anymore questions? If not can we please get a move on?"

He growled and stamped his foot. "This is impossible!"

[Live Wire]

To say Catherine was anything but fightened out of her mind would have been a serious understatement. Whatever was driving this madness had him convinced that there was something here of vital importance to him. The best thing to do was to play along for the moment and pray he didn't get out of hand. If he did make trouble...well, she was hoping it didn't come to that.

She stepped aside. "Well then, lead the way." She looked back at LV with a worried look and an appology, TSO wasn't supposed to be brought into this but now it was unavoidable.

As they walked she had one hand on her lightsaber, she was taking no chances.

[Gav Mortis]

Off he trudged, his arms were like deadweights until they began their pendulum motion once again as he headed onward through the courtyard. His bright eyes were constantly on the lookout, taking in every inch of his surroundings, particularly the guards who had taken an interest in his presence. At the waterfountain, they stopped and Gav turned on his heel to meet Live Wire once more.

"Tell me this place still has gardens and if so where are they?" He turned full circle and then some, arms wide open in a gesture which suggested he wanted to embrace the entire palace. He laughed and cried out. "Ha! The old memory isn't what it used to be."

His back to Live Wire now, he stood in silence and said nothing, staring at the floor. Nothing was said until he bellowed with anger.

"The gardens! Where are they!?"

[Live Wire]

LW visibly shuddered as his voice broke the still air. She was becoming more and more unnerved as this progressed. While they had been in the foyer she had seen Iesis bound away and hoped that she had gone to stay with Ariel. The last thing she needed was for that poor little girl to stumble in on this.

With a sigh she gestured around to her right. "Through the archway to your right. We built a wall there which is why you can't see them."

She started to walk in that direction. "I'll show you."

Nervously she keep looking up in the direction of her balcony window. She really hoped ariel was safe.

[Gav Mortis]

But Gav had not followed Live Wire, instead he had sauntered straight ahead for something had caught his attention and there was a manic shimmer in his eyes. There was a splashing as he carelessly stomped through the waterfountain, quite literally, the water was up to his knees and his arms flailed more than ever to grant him the momentum to get from one side to the next. Out he stepped and his long, tattered and now bedraggled clothes dripped a trail of water.

"Ah, Mistress Vader! What fortune smiles upon us this afternoon that we are granted the pleasure of meeting once more!" As gracefully as one could in soaked clothes, he approached the woman stood in the palace doorway and gave her a majestic bow, stooping low and on one knee. He gave her a broad smile.

"And I just love what you have done with the place!" He shouted again, arms outstreched and he took another turn, slowing to stop, facing the woman once more. He still wore that big, pleased smile.

"Shame you had to redecorate."

[Lady Vader]

LV's patience was beginning to run thin, and she gave LW a side-long glance that said as much. It was at this time Gav had decided to take a walk through the fountain before coming to her with as much grace and gallantry as a slobbering fish... which wasn't too far off from his visage.

Her glare had gone to full-on scowl. If looks could kill...

"You're getting the floor wet."

[Live Wire]

LW sighed in exasperation. This was already getting out of hand. She could see LV looking at her like do something or I will. You didn't wear on LVs patience if you knew what was good for you. It had become crystal clear that Gav was not in his right mind at all and she had to find a way to help him.

Going over she put a hand on his shoulder. "Gav, come on lets find whatever you're looking for. Please."

Her eyes were pleading with him even though she doubted it would do much good.

[Gav Mortis]

Focrefully, irritably, Gav shoved Live Wire's hand from his shoulder and gave her a stern look.

"That name. Cathy, that name I no longer go by or answer to." His face twisted into a look of utter discomfort, he cringed then pointed his finger at her to enforce his point. "And don't you forget it!"

He gave her a nod and then his features softened a little as he turned back to Lady Vader. He bowed again.

"Terribly sorry about the floor, malady. Terrible thing to have happened, but then--"

He laughed hysterically and added: "But then I'm sure your beloved Iesis has left worse things on the floor for you to clean up before."

He had another fit of the giggles then regaining some composure, he straightened himself up and made an attempt at a solomn face.

"Beg your pardon, ma'am. That was not my place to say besides I'm sure all of your pets are house-- I mean palace trained, of course."

Another bow and he backed off, standing at Live Wire's side.

"My good lady friend and I are off for a spot of treasure hunting, care to join us, old girl?"

[Lady Vader]

There was a slight twitch that etched at the corner of her left eye. She had to use all her will power to keep from snapping the man's neck. She clenched her teeth, looking at LW.

"Help him find whatever he's looking for."

She looked back at the bedraggled man.

"I'll follow from behind."

[Iesis]

Meanwhile.....


Iesis had come bounding to the room where Ariel was, but couldn't get in due to the door being closed. With a low deep-throated sound that resembled a whine, she began to scratch at the door. She had to get in. She had to follow through with the request her Mistress had given her.

She continued to scratch at the door, slipping her paw's large toes under the door to let Ariel know it was her.

[Live Wire]

As he removed her hand she gave him a look that said 'don't call me Cathy', but decided to keep her mouth shut. Her exasperation mounted as LV's patience wore thin. This needed to be taken care of.

"Come on!" Her voice was stern. "You asked for my help and you've got it. "

She waited for him this time and then followed him into the mazelike gardens. Of all the places to hide things Gav would pick the most complicated.

"So," she said turning to him with her hands on her hips. "Where do we start?"

[Shenraun]

"How about through the front door from wence you came."

The voice was intrusive and loud, telepathecally entering all of their minds at once. For someone of his size, Shenraun had a knack for appearing where one least expected him. It almost made one wonder if he had the ability to cloak.

He was standing at his full height, muscles bulging at the irritation of having Gav walk through his garden. Shenraun remembered the man, he even remembered seeing him at LV's wedding. He'd been told the stories by LV, and thusly did not trust the man.

His eyes had turned into yellow slits, scaled jowels peeled slightly back from his long sharp teeth. It was very apparent by his body language that he did not want Gav there.

[Gav Mortis]

"Oh yes."

Gav stopped in his tracks, slouched and looked upon the great, red dragon like it were little more than a mouse. Unimpressed, he walked on by and approached a tree.

"I have tamed beasts far more wild and dangerous than your little lizard, Mistress Vader. Pets should be seen and not heard."

He looked back to the woman and gave her a mischievious grin.

"If you'd let me, I'd have it house trained in no time."

Then giving her a wink, the tree behind him literally uprooted itself with a mighty heave and flew across to the other side of the gardens. No-one was hurt in the process. Gav turned back to see his handy work and smiled.

"Ah! Here we go."


OOC: Sorry this took so long. I took a bit of a break from roleplaying.

[Lady Vader]

Shenraun looked ready to block all access to the Force and gobble the man whole. And he would have done just that if LV had not held up a hand in his direction; a silent gesture to not interfere.

A low grumble emitted from the large reptiles chest as he resigned himself to his mistress' wish.

In the meantime, Gav had uncerimoniously uprooted one of the trees in the garden, making LV frown. Shenraun had gone stiff with rage.

Never the less, she let it pass. The tree could be replanted. For now she was curious to know what the crazy old man could have possibly hidden under the tree.

[Live Wire]

LW winced as the great tree was uprooted and using the force she took hold of it making sure it had a gentle landing. She wasn't going to let him come in and completely rip things apart after all.

She moved closer to the hole in the ground where the tree once stood. Although she would have hated to admit it, she was now curious to see what in the world could have been so important that Gav was willing to return to Corellia to get it.

"Is it there?"