These Shattered Stars -- Logs

Freyja has plenty of time, while waiting for Digger Dale to contact them, to consider how to handle prisoner transportation after they assault Kalatis' lair. It occurs to her a potential Sith should really be taken to Coruscant, not Balmorra. This means they need another ship, hopefully manned by another Force user.

Freyja reviews the friendlies she knows, and finally decides to try calling on Jedi Knight Colburth. Last they'd heard from Valsha he was on Dantooine, so he'd be remarkably close, and he and Watcher Manishsha would be perfect for transporting a dangerous Sith to Coruscant.

Freyja considers a bit more, then decides to try farseeing. She lets her friends know what she's trying, settles herself comfortably, and lets her mind drift gently into the Force, seeking that spark she recognizes as Colburth.

Freyja finds the spark, across the great void between planets. Her view of it is slightly dimmer than she would expect, and she can't tell if it's because of distance, or because the Sith are blockading that world somehow, or something else.

Freyja nods in quiet thoughtfulness to herself, and gently pulls Fhazil into the link, to hide and camouflage her brightness. Then she continues searching.

Fhazil rarely objects to being grabbed by beautiful women, particularly this one, even only mentally. He settles in to helping hide her Jedi appearance, and the two of them reach out to find Colburth. Freyja grins quietly and blows him a kiss... then continues carefully looking.

Freyja finally latches on to the distant Jedi, and begins to get a hint of an idea about where he is. A dark place with hard, unadorned grey walls, and only a hint of light that trickles fitfully in from a distant vent. A hard, cold place.

Freyja uh-ohs quietly to herself, and crosses her fingers mentally that this isn't some sort of prison. Very gently, not wanting to alarm him, she whispers, Jedi Colburth? May we talk? 'Tis Padawan Freyja, and a friend.

Colburth's reply, like the vision, is hazy, his mind drifting and unfocused. He thinks only slowly, Freyja? Here? Not you too...

Freyja smiles, Neh, Jedi Colburth, I am on Garqi. Can you come here? We need your help.

The Jedi replies, Stay away, Padawan Freyja! They'll get you too. After a moment, he adds, They've got me, and I haven't been able to get away. I can't help you. Don't let them get you too.

Freyja frowns in worry, Who has you? If it's the Sith, we can help.

Colburth seems confused, drifting, drugged or hurt, or maybe both. He replies, The Sith could use some help. The Temple... Not with a gasp of pain, but a whimper of submission, the contact is broken. All that remains is a blast of powerful, white energy that flows back unexpectedly, swamping and breaking the connection, leaving Freyja somewhat stunned, and Fhazil actually slightly hurt. It contained a voice, STAY AWAY, BLACKGUARD! and strongly broke the connection.

Freyja recovers and automatically heals Fhazil, apologizing to him for not having been more careful. She's deeply shocked at how organized the rogue Templars must be to accomplish this, and horrified they could do this to a fellow Jedi. Later, after updating her friends on what happened, she firmly adds, "If there's a Sith, it's just going to have to go to Dantooine with us and Kalatis. We simply cannot allow this sort of horrific bastardization of the Order to continue!"

Fhazil shakes his head, clearing it, and says, "It's all right, love. I was afraid it would be Sith and would have done worse to you."

Vakkal says, "Just the baggage we'd need. A captured, angry rogue Oather. I'm sure that will be well received on Dantooine. If we do have one, we must not tell Lords Ghang or Methel-ssa. Methel-ssa will want to eat it."

Freyja says calmly, "She can eat it right after she eats the rogue Jedi Oathers." She hugs Fhazil tightly, and he can feel her guilt at having allowed him to get hurt.

Fhazil adds, "And we'll tell him that if he doesn't behave, we'll turn him over to her. I don't suggest we be kidding about that, either." He returns the hug, warmly, saying, "It's all right, Freyja. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it." With a wry grin, he adds, "I thought it would be more dangerous for you, though." Freyja smiles ruefully and gives him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Digger Dale contacts the travelers when he is feeling healthy, and they arrange for him to cause a Distraction. They synchronize a point in time, and schedule with W'rroth to get them there at the right time. He tells them when to be at the spaceport. They arrive at the spaceport to find the old Wookiee's ship standing outside, connected to fuel and feed lines. He stands by the open hatch, wearing a flight suit as old and battered as the ship.

Freyja is in her ubiquitous leather jumpsuit and overcloak -- more important to be effective than to be cool, in this case! Vakkal follows Freyja. He wears the lightsaber she made for him, and wears his well-used heavy blaster at his side. He is wearing little in the way of clothes -- his fur is dark enough -- but heavy boots to protect his feet.

Freyja seems to glow in the light, her fiery gold mane dancing freely about her golden face. She's a willowy, long legged, golden skinned woman with silver-blue eyes bright with serene happiness. She wears a snugly fitting, armless, black leather jumpsuit zipped up the front to the mandarin collar, covered by a loosely flowing, dun overcloak, which also covers her bare golden arms and shoulders. The poncho-style all-weather cloak obscures her laden utility belt, while her feet are shod in well-cared-for black leather boots. She moves lithely as a dancer, strong and sure.

Zero nods politely, still wearing his dark sapphire robes. The overcoat is thrown back; in his belt is the scabbard of the shard-blade and the twin hilts of his lightsaber. He tosses his braid over his shoulder as he approaches, nodding politely. "W'rroth. We're all pleased to see you."

Fhazil saunters up, grinning an eager grin. He too carries saber and blaster, although his blaster is of normal size. His saber is, as usual, anything but normal. Manishsha follows, boarding the ship. He carries a lightsaber built to Kushiban scale, and little else. He nods to the Wookiee as he boards the big sapient's ship.

Seeing the armed group board, ready and at ease, the Wookiee says, "A dangerous group today." He follows them aboard, gesturing to flight couches which have been brought in and bolted down, "Make yourselves secure. The landing might be exciting."

Zero settles down and straps himself in silently, settling the blade across his knees. He's been very quiet today; somewhat distant. Freyja nods, settling in easily, then letting her silver-blue eyes go unfocused as she centers herself within the Force. She'll need to bring up several effects relatively quickly once they land, and she wants to be ready. She whispers to her friends, Everyone ready?

Zero steeples his fingers under his chin, closing his eyes. Never moreso. Vakkal's reply is soft but confident, I am ready. Freyja smiles quietly as her Family of the Heart mentally touch her... then organizes her thoughts for quick initiation of the more protective elements of the Force for her friends.

Shortly thereafter the ship is disconnected from power feeds, and takes off. For such an abused vessel, it takes off smoothly and with obvious power. The trees race along below as the Wookiee hugs the ground, trying to avoid the ex-Senator's emplacement's scanners. The approach is much quicker than expected, and the Wookiee sets the fast-moving ship to a wide circling of the suspicious clearing. He works some controls, and an unusual hissing, almost a tearing noise, starts to emit from the fore of the ship. He's keeping... something... aimed at that clearing.

Fhazil looks a little confused and calls up, "Sir Wookiee? What is this odd sound? I don't recognize it... are we under attack?"

The Wookiee calls something back, and his voder, nearly lost in the noise of the ship, spits out, "Very useful weapon. Can hurt them before they can hurt us. Hopefully even before they can see us. Long-range ion cannons. Hard to keep ion streams coherent at this distance, so takes much extra power. Want to disable or at least damage those guns before we get too close. We've got the time."

Zero mms. Heavy armament. Resourceful Wookiee. Must be a racial trait. Freyja grins. Fhazil adds, Not getting shot at -- a good plan. I approve. Aloud, Fhazil says, "That's wonderful! Thank you!"

Shortly, a feep comes from the control panel and their pilot calls out, "Here we go!" The ship's attitude shifts as he changes course to center on the suspicious clearing. Moments later the ship slews around hard, its main engines now facing the other way and braking as it drops hard to the ground. One of the big gun emplacements gets off a shot that connects, and the ship rocks, shields dissipating most of the attack. Finally, with a terrible scrape, the ship grounds and the hatch hisses open, the pilot shouting, "Go! Still on schedule!"

Freyja bounds lithely out with her friends, already aimed at the gun emplacement they intend to take out. She's calling on the Force as she goes, since others are better at making big messes out of big guns. She calls her friends together into the triat, as Zero calls on Battlemind. As Zero's touch on the Force brings the swirling awareness of Battlemind to the threesome, Freyja reaches to Enhance Senses.

The Force swirls around her, highlighting her glowing silver-blue eyes, and she smiles as the world lights up to her senses. She Enhances Ability for the triat next, her step growing commensurately lighter, then tries for Battle Influence. Unfortunately she can feel no response at all in the Force to that -- but a fraction of a second later Inspiration floods all her allies.

Guarding the clearing were six small battle-droids, two flanking each gun emplacement. Two of these, at the farthest east emplacement, didn't manage to even start, apparently having been completely destroyed by the ion guns from the Wookiee's ship. One more manages to stand up and tries to aim its guns, but falls over smoking and shooting fitfully at the ground. Three more seem to be working properly -- one at the northwest emplacement and one on each side of the southwest one. The southwest is the closest, and those droids are standing and preparing to fire.

Only Vakkal misses this fact, though, as the others are all on their guard and looking for just such activity. The closest robots is 10 meters away; the next ten meters further on.

Fhazil grins and wordlessly glides over the rough ground, his lightsaber lighting up behind him. Before the droid can react to this new threat, Fhazil has reached it. The saber flashes in a deadly arc, cutting into the droid, which falls to the ground decapitated. Freyja drifts silently after Fhazil, her attention still focused on the Force.

The droid on the other side of this embankment watches Fhazil cut its partner in half, and turns its guns on him. It shoots, hitting home but doing the still-fresh Fhazil no real harm -- mostly succeeding only in irritating him.

From across the clearing, the remaining droid begins walking slowly closer, shooting at Zero but missing completely at this range. Zero says, "Hmph. You'll get your turn." He waits with both halves of Kawatuara ignited, one blade held high and back and the other forward and low, defensive. He watches the further droid slowly approach.

Manishsha moves in closer to the near droid, and settles to defend. Vakkal, who had not noticed the droids as they had been camouflaged as rocks, does notice blaster shots. He moves closer to the near droid and shoots it with his blaster -- sparks fly, and the droid staggers. The Khar Velosi's second shot also sinks home, and the droid not only staggers but falls over and stays there.

Fhazil goes onto defense, letting the far droid get closer and watching it carefully.

Freyja murmurs quietly to the others, "Let's open the gun emplacement, hai?" Secure in the knowledge Zero's covering their backs, Freyja looks at the rocks thoughtfully -- then points, "There, that one." It's easy to tell which is the camouflaged one, with the help of the Force. She slices the top off neatly with Kourakani.

Rock slides from Freyja's straight cut, and a little cascade of smaller rocks fall around the hole she's opened. This new opening reveals an armored wall. Freyja's second swing widens the opening neatly. Freyja looks pleased, stepping back a bit so Fhazil can slice as well.

Fhazil drops his defensive pose and moves to the wall, taking a great swipe with his lightsaber and ripping a big chunk of reinforced steel out of the wall. His second swipe makes the hole big enough to see into and reveals a disassembled control panel, and a fleeing technician and guard -- along with calls of, "They're coming this way!" and the sounds of feet on metal stairs.

Freyja grins, "There we go!" She looks around to see how Zero's doing. Fhazil nods, and says, "Give me another whack, and we can get in easily."

Zero carefully circles to one side as the others move on the gun emplacement, keeping himself in between the remaining droid and the others. Then he takes off at a run toward it; he's sure this will keep it satisfactorily distracted. "Yard trash -- you're in my way!"

Vakkal backs up to cover the others as they chop a hole in the base's defenses. Fhazil apparently gleefully cuts another couple of huge swaths out of the reinforced wall, his sword of Destruction tearing into the building with great effectiveness.

Freyja peeks in cautiously, then steps carefully over the still-glowing, molten metal edges of the hole, to enter the former gun embankment inside. She's got Kourakani up and ready as she steps to the side so others can follow.

Freyja can see what's left of a small control room mounted to turn with the gun. The gun is retracted behind a camouflaged cover, apparently stuck there. A technician was partway through replacing the control panel, which lolls uselessly from the wall. Sunlight streams in from outside, lighting a metal stairway which leads down into the base.

Freyja smiles quietly, then calls softly, verbalizing so Manishsha can hear also, "We have an opening... ready to go once we're all here."

Zero doesn't break pace as the droid raises its weapon to fire; he brings his lower blade up in a quick chopping arc as the blaster bolt glides in. The bolt strikes his lightsaber's blade and ricochets back into the droid's carapace, knocking it over with a shower of sparks. Zero skids to a halt, watching for new threats as he starts to carefully backpedal toward the others and their makeshift entrance. He glances around once more to be sure, then flourishes his blades, giving them both a spin, crossing over his body once and back. "Hmph. Next."

Freyja waits for Vakkal to take point, looking around carefully as she does so. Vakkal draws his blaster in his right hand, and has his lightsaber in his left. He creeps into the gun emplacement. Discovering it's pretty much an empty box, he leads the way down the stairwell. The stairwell turns once, twice, three times. The bottom of the stairs opens out onto a hangar, with great blast doors as its ceiling.

Freyja grins, glad they didn't cut an entry hole in what is, in effect, the roof! She whispers, Zeriza, can you Sense through the Force to see if anyone alive is on the ship, please? You're best at that. Vakkal and Fhazil, can you take out the battledroids?

Freyja glances down to tilt her head towards the ship while looking at Manishsha, inviting him to accompany her into the ship. With Zero there she knows their backs are covered, and she wants to definitely and firmly disable this possible escape ship!

Manishsha whispers, "Sst! Wait! Stop!" He tries to whisper quietly through a voder, which is hard. He fiddles with a control, and continues, "There's men out there. One on each side of the door, half a dozen hiding behind the ship, and at least four more. I can't tell." He closes his eyes and continues trying to sense the faint presence of normal men nearby.

Freyja blinks a bit startledly, then hastily passes that information on through the link. Then she crouches next to the Kushiban and whispers, "Use your ears or hands for signaling." She shows him some simple ones -- stop, come, go to cover. "Got that?"

The Kushiban nods and gestures assent. He points at the door and looks questioningly at the others. Vakkal holds up a hand and sends over the link, Let me clear the door. Freyja nods, gesturing to Fhazil to give Vakkal backup if necessary. Zero reflects silently on the wisdom of bringing concussion grenades the next time he raids an underground bunker. Oh well, live and learn. Hopefully.

Fhazil nods and moves to follow his oldest brother. Vakkal sends, Stay out of the way though, Fhazil. You know this drill. He sets his teeth and steps sideways out of the door, blaster set on stun and at the ready. Facing the back wall, he shoots his blaster at point blank range. The others hear a stunned cry. Even before the body has hit the ground Vakkal has spun and is shooting in the other direction.

That body doesn't fall though, and the others see the flash of a vibroblade as the lurking man closes with Vakkal, missing his swing. Fhazil, waiting for just this occurrence, moves quickly. Rather than cutting the man in half with a lit saber, he steps in and punches the guard twice as hard as he can. The guard's armor takes most of the blow, but he looks somewhat stunned by this.

The second shot causes the guard to fall down, and Vakkal and Fhazil leap back into the darkness of the corridor. Vakkal sends, Two men stunned. The others are hiding, and robots are approaching.

Freyja nods, thinking, then murmurs to Manishsha, still crouched next to him, "Zero and I will take the topside of the ship. Give us a second to draw attention, then you can run under it and cause havoc. Our goal is first: stop or stun the men, and second: disable the ship, so we can get to our primary goal -- Kalatis." She whispers that information mentally also, so everyone's up to date. She glances at Fhazil and Vakkal, adding, When you can, follow, hai?

Manishsha signals understanding, and prepares to move. Fhazil suggests, mentally, I'll head down and take out the robots along this wall. Vakkal nods to Freyja. Freyja grins at Zero, her eyes alight with anticipation, Ready?

Zero nods softly. This won't be difficult. He races down the intervening steps and across the open floor, pushing off with the Force as he nears the ship, taking the last few steps vertically as he clears the roof. He gives his lightsabers another flourish, spinning once, again, reversed across his body and back, the blades humming menacingly. If that doesn't get their attention...

Freyja is right behind him, her red-gold hair flaring like a banner and her soft steps almost noiseless. She swirls in bright counterpoint to Zero, landing lightly on the ship and laughing softly to draw attention. If the men shoot at the two people they can't see, all the better. She shifts hands, pulling her blaster pistol and scanning within the Force for life sparks.

Freyja and Zero can see the floor of the hangar from their vantage point. There are three men clustered at the other two stairwells, taking what cover they can there. There are five men crouched along the far side of the ship, looking for an opening to shoot at someone. There are also four men hidden amongst the crates by the forklift. The men are wearing light armor and carrying blasters and vibroblades. Some of them appear to be in charge of others.

Zero and Freyja can also see the fourteen robots approaching in two groups of seven, coming from the base stations along either wall. Within the triat Zero can feel quiet affection from Freyja, secure in the knowledge she's got a distance weapon, and he's an expert with deflecting with his lightsaber. She aims at one of the Humans which appears to be in charge.

Zero raises an eyebrow, having a sudden thought. My love, before you perforate that man, I just had a thought on how we might even the odds slightly. May I?

Freyja smiles, Of course.

Zero moves to the edge of the ship and kneels down, looking down at one of the apparent officers. Even in this light it's easy to make eye contact with him-- his eyes are brilliant violet. He clears his throat with a smile, and says, slowly and clearly, "You don't want to fight us."

Freyja sets to deflect for Zero if necessary. The guard looks at Zero and says, "We don't want to fight you." He blinks, and says, "Guys! This would be bad." He throws his gun aside and says, "We surrender." The three soldiers with that officer, who were hidden by the ship, throw their guns down and say, "Okay, boss." They wait to see what happens.

Zero grins and gives a thumbs-up. "Good decision." He stands and looks around at the other groups. "Anyone else want to reconsider?"

Freyja smiles, hopping lightly down from the ship to the ground as she adds, "It's dangerous outside. Why don't you all wait in the ship for us to come back, so we can get you out safely later?"

The response to Zero's demands is perfectly clear; the rest of the soldiers open up on him with their blasters, trying to shoot him down from where he stands on top of the ship. Luckily for Zero, at those ranges none of them can hit him. Zero's sabers buzz and flare protectively around him. "Fine," he says, "be that way!"

Freyja places her lightsaber handle near the ship's side... then lights up. Kourakani will make the ship un-flightworthy with little effort. Manishsha sets himself and makes a startlingly fast dash, dodging under the spacecraft and hiding there near the front, behind some of the landing gear.

The droids march towards the doors where the invaders entered. The group on the "north" half of the room advances twenty meters, closing on the door rapidly. The group on the south half of the room stops after ten meters and fires at Freyja. The blaster shots from the droids sizzle around Freyja, and cause the surrendered soldiers to cower in fear, but don't actually get that close to hitting her; she can easily ignore them. Freyja glances up thoughtfully, checking to see if the ship's at all damaged by that attack. Hm... guess not. She'll just have to keep doing it herself.

Vakkal takes two steps across the gap between the stairs and the ship, then crouches behind the ship's wing, shooting at the advancing droids, aiming for the ones in the rear. His two shots sizzle out, and two droids fall senseless. He also watches carefully, and when the droids get close he calls, "Fhazil! Now!"

Fhazil leaps out of concealment into the midst of the advancing droids, and attacks them all, swinging his lightsaber with wild abandon. In this case there is also incredible skill and terrible damage, as all five of the remaining droids fall to the ground, parts clattering off of them. Vakkal and Fhazil grin at one another, then turn to look for something else to break.

Freyja smiles -- looks like things are under control here. Also, she suspects this ship engine won't be going anywhere for a long time. She bounces lightly to her feet and darts over to the freight elevator. Anyone coming up? She slices a nice big hole in one door, then peeks in cautiously. She raises an eyebrow -- a dark, empty lift shaft. She can see the car two floors below. No useful cables to cut, alas.

Freyja sees something moving, then hears a great crash as the Excavator comes burrowing through the side of the lift shaft, tearing up the tracks and pouring a large load of dirt down onto the car below. It appears good and stuck. It takes a couple of minutes for the great machine to make its way out of view.

None of the guards can really see anyone anymore. A couple take potshots at Zero on the shuttle, but aren't even close. Zero leaps down from the shuttle to alight near by the southernmost knot of droids. He lands with hands open and slightly outspread, as if in an apologetic bow. A beat's pause, and then he straightens, a sudden ripple of electricity jumping across his out-thrust hands.

Zero grins, raising his hands up as a wave of crackling, many-forked lightning explodes from his palms, leaping from droid to droid, leaving a considerable pile of scrap metal in its wake, and not a single functional droid. He smiles, bows politely to the remains, and calls out to the room again, his hair standing up slightly, small arcs still dancing across his clothes, "Now would anyone like to reconsider one more time?"

Manishsha concentrates on something, then frowns, unable to affect the soldier he was trying to knock out. Fhazil and Vakkal look at each other, then sprint down the length of the ship, winding up crouched back to back and hiding in the scant cover of a large hover-cart.

Freyja hmms thoughtfully. They'll really need the anti-grav sled to go up and down the lift shaft now... and there are nine mercenaries in the way. On the other hand, they're facing four Force users currently -- they're seriously outclassed. She steps forward so she can be seen, lightsaber humming quietly in one hand. She calls out firmly, "You may surrender now. Those who do not will be treated like the droids."

That is finally enough to get all the remaining soldiers to throw down their weapons. Some of them even fall to their knees and beg for mercy, hoping not to be blasted with the great lightning. Zero glances around quietly, in case of any planned treachery. His hair, however, is still extremely menacing.

Freyja takes a moment, with Zero standing overwatch, to get all the soldiers herded into the ship, so they're relatively protected should this level be undermined by the Excavator also. While she's doing that, she mentally asks Fhazil and Vakkal to take the anti-grav sled over to the elevator, so they can leave quickly. They may be able to jump down easily enough, but carrying unconscious or wounded up again will definitely be easier with the grav-sled.

In the brief aftermath of the battle everyone takes a moment to heal themselves. Zero also takes a few moments, breathing deeply, channeling the Force through himself to restore the energy lost in exertion of battle. Succeeding rather more than he expected, he takes a few minutes to quickly lay hands on Fhazil, Freyja, and Manishsha, sharing his surplus of power in restoring the group.

The remaining soldiers have surrendered, and the group spends a few moments recovering from the recent excitement. Manishsha says, "I don't think it wise to leave this many soldiers here unattended. Since I'm not as effective in a fight as I could be, and Zero has already cowed them once, why don't we stay here and make sure the exit stays clear? We can call you on the comm if anything we can't handle turns up."

Freyja looks around thoughtfully -- soldiers are all disarmed, droids disabled, and nothing's trying to claw its way in from outside -- then nods and smiles to Manishsha, "If that's all right with everyone, then sure! It's not like the droids will be any use, after all." She adds a bit disdainfully, "Probably more substandard Urnis Galactic work!" She waves and grins, then heads with Fhazil and Vakkal towards the elevator shaft, towing the grav-sled behind them.

Fhazil sends, We'll not be out of contact anyway. Look after the fuzzy bunny, brother. Vakkal manages not to snicker, and doesn't have to complain -- as no one has suggested he leave Freyja's side. Zero says, "Hold on a minute, let me see if I can get the computer to give us a picture of what this place looks like, so we know what we're walking into." He trots over to one of the control panels and spends a moment asking it questions.

The computer obligingly gives Zero a map of the complex, and even lets him know where it thinks people are. Its sensors are not all functioning, due to damage in the walls, but the second level seems mostly empty and the third is where most of the people have gone. Freyja studies the map thoughtfully, then looks inquiringly at Manishsha, "Does that match with what you See, Watcher, or should we go check for injured on level 2?"

Manishsha closes his eyes and looks through the Force. His fur ripples in concentration and he says softly, "Yes. One or two on level two, and at least three people on level three... two of them seem to be Force users."

Freyja nods gravely to the Kushiban, "All right, we'll try to get Kalatis first, then clear out all the injured and bring them here." She adds amusedly to Zero as she looks at the map, "Oh, look, an escape route on level three. How much do you want to bet Dale's smashed it flat?" She grins, then adds, "Can you tell on the computer if it's still working, or if it can be closed off?"

Zero says, "Hmm. I don't like the look of that 'escape route' on the map either. Let me see." He works the console, and after a few minutes a wicked grin slowly spreads across his face. "Okay, I think it's locked."

Freyja mutters amusedly under her breath, "Who clearly marks escape routes on their main computers?!"

Zero grins lopsidedly, "Well, this wasn't the public floor plan, was it?" Freyja's flashing-eyed glance at Zero is amused.

Fhazil also gets the wicked grin, "Let's hope his Force users don't have lightsabers, and can't just cut through the doors. Let's go find out."

Freyja nods cheerfully to Zero and Fhazil, then adds to Zero, "Can you do the Battlemind for us, and I'll lay in the other triat Force effects for us?"

Freyja focuses on Enhancing Senses for her triat partners. Her icy blue eyes glow silvery as the Force flows obligingly through her, and the other triat members can feel that, as well as an Enhancement of their dexterity, flooding through them as well. Freyja throws her head back, eyes half closed with the joy of feeling the Force rushing through her, and Battle Influence responds powerfully. A moment later she laughs aloud, and the others can feel Inspire fill them with conviction!

Zero sends Let me make sure you're both at full strength before you go, and then you should get moving. Go find them! Vitality surges through the triat to Freyja and Fhazil.

Freyja gasps, throwing her arms out to center herself. The Force surges intoxicatingly through her, like silver fire rolling across her skin, and she feels as if her hair should crackle with energy. She laughs, then adds, Thank you, lover! Let's get 'em!

The three heroes climb on to the antigrav cart, and Fhazil drives it with the same flair he does everything else -- which is to say more excitingly than necessary. Levels two and three are far below ground, leaving a big gap before any elevator doors appear. The lift has stopped on the third level, and is buried there under a large collection of dirt, rocks, and concrete, but level two's doors are clear.

Freyja slashes a huge hole through the lift doors, with a hissing purr from her lightsaber. Vakkal bounds lightly through, followed immediately thereafter by her, and Fhazil tumbles neatly through last. The three of them pelt full tilt for the stairs, not wishing to waste an instant.

The lights are flickering, and some are on backup power but still on. Dormitory doors are open and voices can be heard, but no one attacks the three Force users as they sprint by. As they burst into the conference room at the end of the hall they see a Wookiee lying bleeding on the stairs. He looks at the people entering, then says in Shyriiwook, "Please don't hurt me. I surrender."

Freyja reaches to swipe Fhazil's medpac, then smiles as she pauses next to the Wookiee, putting the medpac on him while Vakkal checks the turn in the stairs before they all head downwards, "It's all right -- just stay where you are; rest and heal. We'll come back for you."

A moment later the three of them slide silently out onto the third level. Freyja whispers, Pause, please. Kalatis isn't a fighter, so it's the Force users we have to find and take care of first. Let's locate them -- we must be glowing like a beacon to them, after all. She adds silently, Vakkal, you're point. I'll track them, and Fhazil cover our backs, hai? She reports a moment later -- there appear to be two Dark Force users, one almost twice as powerful than the other, just standing in the center of this level, in the middle of the main hallway.

The stairs end at one end of a hallway. A few doors open on it, and a hallway extends off out of the middle of the hall at a 90 degree angle. The lights are all dim and on emergency power, and the rooms seem a little warmer than might ordinarily be the case. Dust hangs thickly in the air, suggesting the Excavator has been this way.

Freyja wonders with sudden puzzlement why the Force users didn't stop Digger. Perhaps they're sick of Kalatis too -- or maybe they now know the Sith Empire wants him? She puts a hand lightly on Vakkal's arm so he doesn't step out yet, and calls out clearly and carryingly, "We are after Kalatis, for the Sith Empire! We only want him -- we're not interested in other Force users."

A hoarse shout comes back, "Die, Jedi pig!"

Freyja laughs! -then grins at her friends and adds in carrying conversational tones, "Thank goodness all Sith aren't such lousy conversationalists. On your head be it, then!"

Vakkal cautiously steps out into the hallway, then creeps down to the intersecting hall and looks down. He sends, There are two humanoid figures here, both wielding swords and apparently fighting. One particularly reeks of Sithstain. Having set the blaster to "stun," he darts down the hallway to hide in the second nearest doorway, aims, and fires at that Sith.

Freyja blinks at the news -- they're doing what?! -then her mouth forms a small 'oh!' as she realizes her Battle Influence must be working extraordinarily well! Vakkal's blaster bolt shoots down the hallway and impacts the darker-stained of the Sith, who cries, "Agh!" and drops his blade.

Fhazil darts down the hallway and ducks into the door across from Vakkal. He turns and looks into the room. Seeing nothing of interest, he turns back to watch the nearby conflict between the two strange Sith, lightsaber drawn and ready to come to Vakkal's aid.

Freyja darts lightly around the corner after Fhazil, stopping in the first doorway, just behind Vakkal's. She scans the area carefully, wondering where Kalatis is -- then acts decisively, reaching out to 'grab' the weapon of her fallen enemy. The sword shivers once, then whisks swiftly toward her, the hilt smacking firmly into place in her palm. She smiles, pleased at the ease of her action.

Freyja can feel the Dark mass of blight in the blade, tensed and nervous at being in the hands of any but its Master. Another Sith might handle it; another Jedi might be attacked. Freyja, though, feels it seethe warily and uncomfortably around the blade. The merest moment flicks by, and the Dark stain of the sword seems to tingle in the Light-Grey-Dark flow from the triat, through Freyja's Light Mantle. She can feel it settle, tensely waiting for something which it has never thought it might get, but which it knows not how to ask for.

Freyja is puzzledly fascinated, lightly touching the fingers of her free hand along the dark, wavy shimmers of metal she can see in the flat of the blade. Her thought turns gently, reassuringly to it -- what does it want? Some Light? She lets a little trickle through her fingertips to the sword, seeing if that satisfies its apparent need.

The sword's blight flickers and thrashes harmlessly at the Light. That is close to what it needs, and she gets a ghost of a feeling, not even whole words, just the barest of an idea... the sword emotes, Hungry... cold... then quiets in her grasp. Freyja looks thoughtful... then tries feeding it... warmth? She's not sure what that is to a sword, but she'll try helping it out. She places her palm against the flat of the blade, and tries again.

The sword reacts oddly, the Dark stain of the blight seeming to try and collect around the hilt, and get as close to the warmth as it can. Freyja's hand on the blade makes it spread out thinner... the hint of a feeling comes again, ...hungry... cold... lonely... and then stops as the blight absorbs the Light, trembling quietly and getting larger, suffused in the Force with pinpricks of golden Light. Soon the Light surrounds the Dark, and it sits wrapped around the blade in a golden cocoon, unmoving and quiescent.

Freyja blinks, her eyes widening as she feels the sword take a significant amount of energy. A soft, startled, "Hey!" comes from her... then she falls silent, studying the now-quiescent sword in puzzlement. What happened there?! To her triat companions she whispers startledly, Did you feel that?

The now-swordless Sith glares at the other and shouts something inchoate, making a frustrated gesture. The sword-wielding Sith staggers and shakes his head as if he were being battered by unseen hands.

A shot rings out from inside the room Fhazil is hiding in. Luckily for Fhazil, the blaster shot was terrible and goes shooting off above his head, harmlessly scarring the ceiling in the hallway. Fhazil looks back into the room in time to see the muzzle of a blaster rifle vanish behind the cover of a large rack of equipment of some sort.

The Sith with the sword takes a swing at the other, and scores a glancing blow off his armor. A second swing barely misses the glaring target. The now-swordless Sith is wearing light armor made of overlapping scales of a dark, almost malevolently slimy and mottled looking metal. It covers his chest, shoulders, back, and thighs, and has a faint aura of blight around it, making the Force around the wearer seem twisted and poisoned.

Freyja blinks, wondering a little bemusedly if she's seeing things, or if the blighted sword is glowing gold, while the blighted armor is... writhing...? She rubs her eyes with her free hand and looks again just as Vakkal moves. Then she ahs softly to herself. The gold is there, but visible only through the Force, while the armor is motionless but still rather slimy looking. She wrinkles her nose, wondering how the Sith lord can wear such nasty stuff!

Vakkal fires his blaster, aimed carefully. One shot barely misses the mark, and the other forces the Sith to twist to avoid being hit, the armor glowing briefly as the shot is dispersed across it. Freyja considers a moment, then decides Vakkal's right -- take out the biggest threat first! She switches the sword to her left hand, then draws her blaster and braces against the doorframe to fire at the Sith lord.

The unarmed Sith staggers again under Freyja's blaster's stun bolt. He growls and glares more ferociously at the other person in the hall with him. Leaning in and grasping, the Sith wrenches the sword free from the other man's grasp, stepping back a half a step and holding the blade protectively in front of him. He looks angrily at the collection of foes around him.

Freyja can't help asking in quiet wonder, "Are you an Oather?"

Fhazil steps into the room he's been using the door of for cover, and around the equipment there. He finds an armored person, wearing a full helmet and with a heavy rifle, crouched behind it. He steps up, his light saber glowing, and swings. The man on the floor twitches in fear, but the blade merely cuts the barrel off of the rifle, melting the emitter. Fhazil says simply, "Surrender, or it gets more painful from here."

The cornered man throws down his ruined weapon, "Please! I surrender! Don't let them kill me!" and scrabbles to remove the mask. The Rodian face revealed stares up at Fhazil in terror. The Sith triat member grins toothily and moves the blade threateningly close, sending, WOO HOO! I've got him! Freyja laughs in spite of herself at Fhazil's elation!

The startled man swings wildly at the one who just stole his weapon, using only his fist -- and misses completely. Vakkal tries to stun the now-re-armed Sith again, missing twice. He mutters unfriendly things in Khar Velosi, darkly under his breath. Freyja whispers over the link, Guys, should we all gather here to try taking this Sith down?

Fhazil moves slowly so he can see out the door again, and steps into it so he and his lit saber are plainly visible to the two unknown fighters in the hallway. Brandishing his saber, he snarls in Sith, "We've got the Senator. Give up now." The two fighters ignore him.

Freyja wonders thoughtfully how to stop this furious Sith lord... Friendship probably wouldn't be a good idea. She gives a small, rueful smile, and shoots again. The blaster shot rings out and hits the Sith squarely -- who staggers back a little and drops the second sword. Shaking his head, he curses pointedly in Sith.

Freyja grins, 'reaching' in the Force -- and a moment later she has two Sith swords! She looks a bit bemusedly amused -- starting a collection, it looks like...? Freyja can tell the apprentice's sword isn't anywhere as powerful as the lord's. She attaches it to her utility belt, so she still has a hand free.

The armored Sith screams in frustration and weaves down the hallway past the other. The unarmored Sith takes a swing at the other as he goes by, connecting with a healthy smack! but not seeming to do anything because of the armor. The frustrated fleeing man darts down the hall and disappears to the north.

Freyja says to her friends, Fhazil and Vakkal, can you follow him? I'll stun Kalatis, and either Zero or Manishsha can get him. I suspect the apprentice will continue trying to attack the lord -- we can pick him off last, hai? The apprentice turns and chases down the hallway after the other Sith. Freyja adds a little puzzledly to her Sith friends, Do either of you recognize this lord?

Vakkal blinks in startlement as the other two flee, replying to Freyja, No, I don't know him. I don't know all of them, though. He moves down the hall, ducking in to a doorway on the opposite side and then carefully looking to see if he'll be shot. Nothing does so.

Fhazil glides carefully to the end of the hall, watching for activity and staying crouched against the wall. He settles low to the ground and alert before he replies, I don't recognize him either. That doesn't mean much. Lord Ghang will, and will be happy to see him or his corpse.

Freyja darts over to find Kalatis in the other room. Formally she says, "Kalatis, formerly senator of Balmorra Sector, you are under arrest for treason to the Republic." Then... she shoots him at pointblank range, with her blaster set to stun.

The Senator looks horrified, then moreso at the blaster. He says, "But!" -then slumps unconscious to the floor. Freyja smiles ruefully to herself -- talkative to the end, he was! -then alerts Zero as to where the former senator can be found, as she follows her Sith friends down the hallway.

Vakkal and Fhazil see the flare of light of a blaster, and hear a body fall to the ground. A second and third shot follow, neither of which they can see. Vakkal sends unhappily, Well, there goes the apprentice.

Freyja calls over the link, Coming! I'll see if I can help him, moment! She thinks a bit, then says, Guys... wait. Don't follow the Oather until we're all together. Once Zero has Kalatis, then we can gang up on the Oather. We've got time -- he doesn't. Vakkal, who was about to move, ducks back in to his doorway and covers the end of the hall, waiting.

Zero sends, On the way! During that brief pause there comes a terrible crashing from the far corner of the hallway, and a cloud of dust billows out of the open freight elevator doors. Fhazil squeezes off a shot at the Sith as he darts across the hall and into the still-clouded lift. Fhazil shouts in Sith, "Stop! You don't have to do this!" The only reply is, "Traitor!"

Freyja sighs, All right, moment while I warn Manishsha... On the comm she murmurs quietly to the Kushiban that the Oather Sith may be on his way upwards.

Zero comes to Freyja, knowing from both her and Fhazil exactly where everything dangerous is. He looks at the fallen Rodian and grins slowly, commenting, "Oh, it will be fun to have you wake up with just me watching you."

Fhazil sends, Stang! He's gone into the lift, which is now full of dirt... I don't know how he did it yet, but he's either stuck there, or he can get up the shaft.

Freyja grins at Zero, leaving him Kalatis and the apprentice's sword, and blowing him a kiss as she dashes out the door, still holding the glowing Oather lord's sword. She adds to the others, Vakkal, Fhazil, let's move. I'm assuming he's trying burrowing somehow, although I don't know how. Again she pauses thoughtfully, then says aloud, "Wait. Is there any way to make sure he cannot exit the lift here?"

Vakkal mutters, "Well, I would have thought a couple of tons of dirt and rock would have done it, myself. And we cut holes in the other doors, so we can't even close those."

Freyja shakes her head once, adding, "Neh, we're doing this wrong. Let's gather the apprentice and head back up topside. The Oather's not going anywhere, unless he can somehow grab Digger Dale. If he can do that, we have other, more serious issues to worry about anyway. Kalatis is our primary goal -- he can stop the war. The Oather can't."

Freyja says, "Fhazil, is the apprentice in the clear for me to grab?" Fhazil can see the apprentice is lying mostly in the hallway but partly in the lift, so Freyja can see it as well. He comments, I hope so.

Freyja nods, "Excellent. Fhazil, you go cover Zero and Kalatis -- make sure that Oather doesn't somehow get him back. Vakkal and I will catch up to you with the apprentice." He follows that direction and drops back, covering Zero and the ex-Senator. Freyja darts out to grab up the apprentice and bring him back into cover.

Freyja sees a dim form hidden above the lift, and has a moment to react as he carefully drops something down through the ruined lift ceiling -- a gentle underhand toss right at her. Vakkal doesn't see it, and is moving up close to Freyja, covering her with his blaster but not yet seeing the threat.

Freyja reacts reflexively, both passing the visual/emotive shock! to the others, and using the Force to Move the object and put it right back into the area above the lift. Her mind flicks out, and she bats the falling object back up the shaft. The stun grenade goes off right next to the Sith fighter.

Freyja is stunned for a moment, blinded by the shockwave. When she blinks and pulls herself together again, she realizes she's dropped the strange Oather sword. Vakkal is also somewhat stunned by the grenade, and drops his blaster. He shakes his head, and growls about having to pick it up. In the meantime, his claws will have to do. Freyja looks swiftly for the Oather lord -- where is he?

The Sith is also stunned by his own grenade. He grits his teeth, hangs on to a battered upright pillar inside the shaft, and does not fall, although he sways somewhat. He also lets go of the other grenade he was holding, which rolls down the incline and stops about halfway. A heartbeat's pause -- and then it explodes.

Freyja shakes her head, then winces -- that was a mistake! She feels achy and battered. A moment later she groggily looks around. Where's the damn Oather, and is Vakkal all right?

The Oather is still above her, his armor smoking gently as he scrabbles up the side of the shaft. Vakkal is cursing darkly in Sith, damning the man's ancestry and comparing him to the excrement of a flock of diseased waterfowl. The Khar Velosi's fur is matted and darkened, and he is scrambling up the incline after the Sith.

Freyja murmurs quietly, Fhazil, shoot this annoying Oather from where you are on the second level, would you please?

Fhazil sends back, Gotcha! and darts ahead to the lift shaft, trying to get a clear shot at the Sith. Vakkal, having not grabbed his gun in his anger, lights his saber and stands on the top of the wrecked lift, the oddly colored light bringing the moving Sith in to much better view.

Freyja is faintly surprised to see a Massassi Force user -- isn't that unusual or something? -but first hastily checks the Arkanian apprentice. If he's not dead, she'll lay a medpac on him, then go help Vakkal. A moment later she sighs unhappily -- the poor apprentice is indeed past help. She scoops up Vakkal's blaster and the glowing Sith sword and moves to cautiously look up the shaft.

Fhazil's shot bursts into the shaft and hits the Sith, who is climbing rapidly to the second level. The blaster's stun bolt hits him pointblank, and he says, "Aargh!" Knocked out by the stunner, he loses his grip on the service ladder he was climbing and falls down the shaft. He had only climbed about six meters, though, so the fall is merely ignominious rather than certainly fatal.

Vakkal, looking down at his footing, looks up to be hit in the head with a falling Sith. He manages to get his lightsaber shut off before he or the Sith fall on it, but that's about all he does right. He says, "Oof!" and then, "Ow," as he falls down under the Sith.

Fhazil says, "Whoops!" and sends, Vakkal, are you okay? Vakkal's reply is, This armor is sharp.

Freyja stifles a giggle, darting into the shaft to crouch next to Vakkal and the unconscious Oather. She drops both items in her hands, then lays her medkit on the Oather, anesthetizing the Massassi for about 4 hours. Silently she thanks the Massassi on the Malice who allowed her to take a medical species-type from him.

Freyja whews after that, sending a cheerful, All right, we have about four hours of peace and quiet from this guy! Then she unceremoniously shoves the man off Vakkal, asking concernedly, "You all right, sweetheart?" She runs her hands over Vakkal's fur as she asks -- why is it matted and dark looking? She's worried she'll find blood on her hands.

Vakkal says, "Mostly," but has a messy looking cut on one shoulder, and he winces when she finds that spot. That spot is bloody, while the rest is merely somewhat burned from the grenade. He glares up at Fhazil and sends, Next time you get to be on the bottom, okay?

Freyja giggles quietly, gently cleaning up the wound. Vakkal asks concernedly, "Are you all right?"

Freyja smiles with quiet warmth at Vakkal, "Hai, sweetheart... it's you who got hurt, not I." Once she's taken care of Vakkal's wound, she pragmatically starts stripping armor off the Oather. Fhazil, everything all right on your end? I'm going to put this armor on Vakkal, if he'll let me. Then we'll be up in just a bit to the second level, and we can give the Oather to Zero, then clear it next.

Freyja pauses a moment, considering the armor in her hands... then sends, Eurgh. Then again, maybe we don't want to use this nasty stuff. She drops it on the ground next to her, then eyes it thoughtfully. Is this stuff like the sword? Does she get any 'feel' from it? She murmurs to Vakkal, "Does this feel slimy to you, or is it just me, sweetheart?"

The armor feels dirty to her hands, like it is somehow covered in something unpleasant and slimy, or gory and rotting, although the metal is clean and dry. It has only a mild sense of blight, and much more a tactile feeling of dirtiness or wrongness. Vakkal says, "Yes. Lots of Sith armor feels this way. I'm told you get used to it."

Freyja nods decisively, then smiles at Vakkal, "Well, then, we shan't slap you into it unless you want to."

Vakkal says, "Let's not take the time now, but we'll think about it." The big Khar Velosi adds, "I'm not sure it'll fit me, either." He grins mischievously and adds, "Maybe Fhazil would like it."

Freyja says, "But we are taking him out of it, definitely... and removing anything else he might be able to use. We'll make a bundle and carry it out too."

Vakkal nods, and says, "Okay. Do you want to see if we can fetch down the lift cart... wherever it's got to... or should I just carry him out?"

Freyja laughs! -then nods to Vakkal, "Fhazil can send the grav-sled down. It'll be easier to carry both bodies out that way."

Fhazil gets this message, and says, "Wonder where it went." He goes off to look for it, leaving Zero at the lift on the second floor to make sure nothing happens to Kalatis.

Freyja blinks at Fhazil's response and calls, Wait! Don't leave Zero and Kalatis alone, if we've got hostiles moving around up there! We'll join you, and search together!

Fhazil replies, What?! What happened? Are you okay? then replies, Okay, and goes back to the elevator lobby.

Freyja sighs, muttering, "Great. We've got folks moving around... well, we warned the Watcher, so let's get our act together." She ties the Oather to Vakkal's back with a sling, then has him start climbing up to Fhazil. She'll follow with the armor bundle tied to her belt. That way Fhazil can cover everyone.

The climb to the second level is uneventful, and Vakkal manages it pretty well, only muttering dark things to the Sith occasionally. The clearest of them is, "If you fall, I'm not catching you. You can land on your head."

Freyja giggles under her breath at Vakkal's imprecations. Once on the second level she nods, taking a deep breath before saying, "All right! Made it." She looks around, thinking aloud, "So, get our important goals upside immediately, or find the grav-sled and help the wounded with it?"

Vakkal suggests, "Find the grav-sled and make one trip. We should go fetch that Wookiee. He so sensibly surrendered."

Fhazil says, "Call Manishsha and ask if he's seen it. It can only have gone up."

Freyja nods slowly, "All right. Let's head for the Wookiee, and call Manishsha to ask on the way." She heads that way, asking over the comm, "Watcher, have you seen the grav-sled yet?" She adds to the others, Hope the Wookiee's all right, and neh one tried to bother him. Remember, there may still be combatants here. Fhazil, you take point, and I'll take tail guard -- we're the least encumbered.

The Watcher replies, "Yes, it's here. Some men came up and tried to make a break for it. They've surrendered now; as soon as they saw their ship disabled and were confronted by a Jedi with a lightsaber, they gave up. Do you need it?"

Freyja laughs quietly, "Hai, please -- we've a dead body, an unconscious Oather, an unconscious Rodian, a wounded Wookiee, and goddess knows who else to move! Can you send it down the lift shaft to the second level?"

The second floor is abandoned. Two wounded men are found, both badly medically attended to, and one bleeding some. The Wookiee is where he was when they found him, and still cooperative as he can be with a broken leg. By the time they're done searching one of the captured men has arrived with the lift and a medpack, and offers to help if it's needed.

Freyja puts him to work in first retrieving the body of the poor apprentice. By the time he returns, they should have everyone stabilized and ready to move. She curiously asks the Wookiee as she sets his leg, "Who hurt you all?" She adds reassuringly, "Don't worry, I will understand you."

The Wookiee replies in his native tongue, "Very strange. Felt like everyone went insane. Guards began attacking each other. Turned into a battle down here. Senator Kalatis and his foreign guards fought their way downstairs. One of them shot me, apparently thinking I was attacking them."

Freyja grins quietly as she works with the leg as carefully as she can, nodding, "Hai, I understand. Happens around Sith sometimes." She looks up at the Wookiee, adding thoughtfully, "Did you know the foreign guards were rogue Sith?"

The Wookiee grunts, then says in Shyriiwook, "Can't say I knew, but can't say I'm surprised. Knew they were bad news."

Freyja nods, pleased with the medpac's report on how the Wookiee's leg is healing -- she really likes bacta! She pats his knee very gently, smiling, "There you go -- all better soon! Just don't go jogging for a few weeks." She grins, then adds, "Well, considering Kalatis is now wanted for treason, I'd agree -- they are indeed bad news!"

Freyja touches her comm, alerting their Wookiee pilot for the need for a lift-out of about two dozen, including prisoners. She also lets Digger Dale know of their success, and thanks both aliens for their help. Then she checks with the wounded Wookiee for how many folks there should be. It would be certain death to accidentally leave anyone behind here, after all.

The Wookiee knows, the computer confirms the head count, and everyone seems to have been found. Most of them wait quietly for pick-up. Zero watches over Kalatis protectively, a mischievous grin on his face. The captured Sith is also unconscious, with a wary Watcher hovering nearby. Freyja explains to the Kushiban about anesthetizing the Oather, then leaves the stinky armor there and heads out to wave down the friendly ship.

Dale's reply, when it finally comes is, "Acknowledged. Sounds like a day's work well done. I'll head back home. You know how to reach me if you need to." Freyja grins, thanks him again, and logs off.

The loading of the captured onto Wrroth's ship goes without incident, most of them merely wanting to get out of there alive at this point, and all aware of how easy it would be to leave them there to die. Landing in the city is uneventful, and Kal takes charge of the prisoners with his usual verve and gusto, saying, "Well, well, what will we do with y'all? Maybe you'll all be on a work gang to build us a little prison for yourselves..."

Freyja grins amusedly at Kal, saying within earshot of the prisoners, "Be nice, please? I suspect most of them would far rather be well-behaved and manage to leave here alive, than die here." She adds sincerely, "Also, could you please give Digger Dale our deepest thanks, and he should not worry about us taking care of our side of the bargain. It will get done."

Kal grins, "I've nothing worse in mind for any of these folks than a little hard work, I promise. No one will have to do anything they can't do." He nods, adding, "I'll let him know next time I see him."

Freyja grins -- then impetuously gives the older Human a quick hug, "Thank you so much! You really helped a lot."

Kal returns the hug, "My pleasure, golden lady. You're always welcome here on Garqi, any of you."

Freyja beams, touched. Before they all leave she says firmly to the prisoners, "I know you probably don't want to hear it from me, but you guys watch out for each other, please, all right? Garqi's not the place for loners, and I don't want to hear later you all got killed by wandering outside the city or something."

The call to Roakkana goes through, and he smiles, very pleased to hear from the travelers. He asks, "And how did the assault on Kalatis' stronghold go? Did he evade you again?"

Freyja smiles, "I believe we have him this time, Master Roakkana. He was with an Oather lord and his apprentice. Unfortunately we were not able to save the apprentice, but we have the Oather lord."

Roakkana says, "You captured a Sith Lord?" He seems quite impressed, "Is everyone all right?"

Freyja smiles, "Hai, they are. I think we capture the Sith lord mostly due to Battle Influence, and Fhazil and Vakkal's quick actions."

Roakkana says, "It's quite an achievement, Freyja. I think it's time you come back here and we spend some time together, talking about things. I think that's very important."

A bit unhappily Freyja relates the story of her attempt to reach Colburth, then says, "So we'll be heading immediately to Dantooine with them. Sith Lord Ghang promised the Republic could try Kalatis first, so we shouldn't have any trouble bringing him back later. But... well..." she looks unhappy again, "that was definitely a cry for help, however groggy, from Jedi Colburth. We must go do our best to set things aright as quickly as possible -- he may not have 2 or 3 months." She adds quietly, "And I could never forgive myself if he went to Dantooine due to my prodding him... then died there because I thought I had better things to do than to help him."

The Wookiee looks unhappy at this news, and unhappier at the idea that Freyja plans on going straight there. He says, "Unless I've done something wrong with the times, you'll get there before the Malice does... are you really prepared to sneak in, holding Kalatis and a Sith prisoner all the while?"

Freyja says, "Neh, Master. We intend to come in all flags flying. I know Sith Lord Ghang called ahead, and Fhazil is his former apprentice. It shouldn't take more than a day or two to get there. Hopefully we can restore some order fairly quickly, and once Sith Lord Ghang is there I doubt the rogue Templars will be much trouble. Once that's dealt with we can come back to Balmorra in a leisurely fashion. I suspect the Malice will be at Dantooine for a while, after all, and we'll get back in time."

The Wookiee sighs and looks tired. He says, "You are very correct in worrying for Jedi Colburth, and if you feel responsible for him being there then it would be thoughtless of me to demand you not go straightaway and try to help him if you can. I was hoping to see you again before you undertook any more difficult tasks, but it seems that is not to be."

Freyja says quietly, "Master Roakkana, believe me, I wish with all my heart to return to Balmorra to see you -- and to see justice done as well. But..." she sighs, looking down at her loosely clasped golden hands in her lap, then looks up unhappily, "well, you are correct. I do feel somewhat responsible for Jedi Knight Colburth's current predicament."

Freyja smiles crookedly, "It'll be at least a month, month and a week, before the Malice arrives. Hopefully Sith Lord Methel-ssa will allow us to try and help."

Roakkana says, "You shall see. As you have been announced, the worst you should expect is a gilded cage where the 'honored guests' wait for the ship to arrive. Considering who it is and what has gone on, I suspect you can hope for better."

Freyja nods gravely to her Master's words, then thinks a moment. Then she grins, "Let's ask Fhazil! Maybe he has more information." She calls Fhazil over to the holo and asks him, "Do you think Methel-ssa would let us try and help against the rogue Templars, Fhaziza? And do you think we could try contacting her from here somehow?" Roakkana also listens curiously for Fhazil's answer.

Fhazil comes over and bows to the Jedi Master. He listens to the question, then says, "That depends on how much she trusts us. She knows Vakkal and I, and knows you broke into her lair to check on her -- and then honorably didn't kill her. If she'll listen to and trust any Jedi, it's likely to be you. I don't know how much weight Vakkal or I will carry as former staff of Lord Ghang, but she will know of his reputation and know he's coming. A lot depends on how much control she has, and how closely she's being overseen."

Freyja nods thoughtfully, then smiles at Fhazil, "Well, you were her apprentice for a short while too, as I recall. That should help some, neh?"

Fhazil says, "As far as contacting her from here... I suspect we won't get through to her. They're not likely to put us on; they'll think it's a joke or something." He nods and grins, "Maybe. We'll see how she remembers me."

Freyja giggles, "A joke? Well, then we simply must try, don't you think?" Her eyes gleam with mischief.

On the holo Master Roakkana says, "Oh dear," and shakes his head in wonder. He adds, "If anyone can get in on the 'net it will be you, and probably simply for having had said, 'Please.' You can be there soon enough, though."

Freyja laughs, pleased at her Master's faith in her, then grins, "Well, even if it doesn't work, we'll have tried our best." She smiles warmly at the Wookiee, adding, "Master Roakkana, while we can't return immediately, do please know I count the days until we may share tea, a leisurely chat, and meditation again." She adds a little sadly, "I miss you. We all do."

Roakkana says, "I miss you too, child. You be as careful as you can, but do everything you feel you must. At this point you are following your own path in the Force, and I can only watch and advise. I don't worry that you will always do your best."

Freyja smiles shyly, both greatly honored and very much missing the warmth of her Wookiee master's hug. Her voice is soft with emotion, "Thank you, Master Roakkana."

Roakkana says, "I will leave you to your important work. May the Force be with you. All of you."

Freyja closes the connection a bit regretfully once the conversation is done... then sighs. A moment later she takes a deep breath, preparing herself for the next step. She smiles at Fhazil, "All right... shall we try reaching your former lord now?" She thinks a bit, then nods slowly, "Let's have you try getting through with your connections as far as you can. Once they start stalling or refusing you, I'll try. How's that sound?"

Fhazil says, "Okay. Let's see how far I can get." He sits down at the HoloNet and works at it. He tries a number of connections, all of which seem to be outdated. "Most of the things I have are still from Marnaas, and apparently no longer valid." He tries another and, much to his surprise, the system claims to be putting him through.

Freyja watches interestedly over his head, one golden hand resting lightly on his shoulder. She murmurs softly, "Well, that's to be expected, hai? It's been almost two full years since Marnaas."

The holo clears to blank whiteness and a voice says, "Speak." He says in Sith, "I am Fhazil Taas, and wish to speak to Lord Methel-ssa, as she told me that I could." He presses 'privacy' and says, "I've gotten in to a line she has for her staff to contact her directly. It's asked for me to identify myself... and now it will decide if I can speak to her." Freyja nods, understanding why he didn't give his rank.

The voice says, "Wait." Fhazil says, "It will let me speak to her if she's available... she must not have removed me from the system. I wonder why not." He releases 'privacy' and gets ready to speak to the Lord of Dantooine.

Freyja grins, "Silly. You were the only loyal one there. Why would she remove you?"

Fhazil says, "Because I left?" The voice says, "Wait," again.

Freyja grins, "Neh you didn't. You were returned to Sith lord Ghang. That's not your fault."

After another longish pause the whiteness fades away, revealing a subtly decorated room all in reds, browns, and gold. Methel-ssa sits in a comfortable-looking chair, looking serenely out of the holoview, "Greetings, Fhazil Taas."

Freyja brightens, pleased -- then politely salutes the Sith lord while she waits for Fhazil to respond. Fhazil bows and says, "Lord Methel-ssa. It is a pleasure to speak with you again. Please allow me to introduce my companions." He does so; the Lord is curious at the introduction of Padawan Freyja and downright surprised at that of the Watcher. To Vakkal she says only, "Oh, I thought you were dead."

Freyja beams, still inordinately pleased at Vakkal's having survived that time. She nods politely when introduced, "Sith lord Methel-ssa, it is good to see you well." She whispers over the link, Should I speak, or let you tell it?

At Freyja's voice the Hkkal looks, and cocks her head curiously, asking, "Fhazil, have I met this person?" Fhazil says, "Yes, Lord. I was at her mercy and she demanded I reveal your location to her so she could check your health with her medkit. You met her when she did so." The lizard-woman says, "Ahh, the crazy Jedi."

Freyja covers a giggle, then says politely, "Hai, that was myself and my brother Padawan Zero."

Over the connection Methel-ssa says, "You showed me there might be Jedi who could be trusted, and who truly believed the things the Order claims to believe in. I wish for all our sakes I had more examples like that to consider." She sighs, then says, "But that is not your problem. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Fhazil? Besides giving me an excuse to leave an interminably dull meeting, that is?"

Freyja smiles, realizing how surprisingly important Marnaas became to the war. It sounds like never before had Jedi and Sith met in trust, and departed hale from the meeting. She's glad she could help, in however small a way, to cause that. Mentally crossing her fingers, she hopes to only increase that small bridge of trust between Republic and Empire. All she says, though, is a simple, polite, "You honor me, Sith lord."

Fhazil sends over the link, Uh... what did we want? I didn't think we'd get through!

Freyja grins, Want me to tell you, or ask her?

Fhazil sends, Feel free to speak!

Freyja nods at Methel-ssa's query and says politely, "May I speak, honored Sith lord?"

Methel-ssa nods, "You have my attention and my curiosity."

Freyja says, "We know Sith lord Ghang will arrive on Dantooine in about a month and a bit, and we are due there then. However, I tried to contact a Jedi friend who is on Dantooine. He was imprisoned, and from his rambling words I deduced the rogue Templars are holding him." Her eyes flash with indignation as she adds, "This... is wrong. This abomination must stop." She takes a centering breath, then adds, "We wish to petition you, honored lord, for your permission to arrive early, and do our best to rectify this great wrong the rogue Templars are perpetrating against the world of Dantooine."

The Sith Lord leans forward and says, "Rogue? These don't belong here? They haven't been sent to harry us?"

Freyja says firmly, "Just as there was -- is -- the Oath of Fire within the Empire, so there is an embarrassing zealot faction within the Jedi Order -- the Calefactors. Please, let us try to remind them of their oaths and persuade them to return home to the Temple, at best... and at worst, to stop them however we must."

Methel-ssa demonstrates for Freyja and the others what an astonished Hkkal looks like. She finally says, "I had no idea this was not the decided plan of action for retaking Dantooine. You are willing to come here and fight Jedi? Am I understanding this correctly?"

There isn't a shred of uncertainty in Freyja's voice, "Hai, Lord. They have betrayed their oaths. They must be reminded of them." She adds firmly, "We are the Jedi Order... not the Jedi Suggestion." She pauses, realizing that sounds a bit humorous... then just grins and shakes her head. Let it be.

Methel-ssa snickers quietly at the comment, then says, "I am once again reassured to hear there are those among you who take it seriously. I will of course allow you to land -- you are expected as part of Lord Ghang's arrival. Other information will be made available as I can. Most of the things I can tell you about these rogue Jedi can be read on the local news, though. It is currently one of the more vexing and dangerous issues here. If we could stop that, everyone would sleep easier at night, and people could settle back down to doing the work they want to be doing."

Freyja beams, "Thank you so much!" She hesitates, then adds slowly, "There is one other favor we would ask of you, honorable Sith lord, and we will understand if you feel you must refuse." She takes a breath, then continues, "We have two prisoners currently which we must eventually return to Coruscant, although we feel the situation on Dantooine demands our immediate attention. We would ask you to have them held securely and without harm until we may take them from Dantooine to Coruscant." She smiles ruefully, forestalling the likely question, "One is a powerful Force user."

Methel-ssa sighs and asks, "Can't you just kill them?" Seeing the look, and expecting it anyway, she adds, "I am confident we can find the needed facilities to manage two prisoners."

Freyja grins, sheepishly aware of what the shocked-puppy-dog-eyes look does, and thanks the Sith lord again. She thinks a moment, then looks at her friends, "Is there anything else we need to ask or do?" She looks at the Hkkal Sith lord, adding, "Do you have any questions, honored lord?"

The Sith Lord smiles and asks, "Who are your next of kin? I'll be happy to notify them for you once the Jedi teams are done with you."

Freyja laughs! "Honored Sith lord, if we do not return you may notify Haus Rigg of Balmorra, and they will be sure to let the proper people know. But until our work for the Force is done, we will continue to do what is right." She grins, adding, "The Jedi teams, as you call them, have never met anything like us before. We shall see."

The Hkkal says, "I shall see you when you arrive, then." She seems amused and intrigued, as well as mildly hopeful. She might be more hopeful if this had not been so damaging.

Freyja beams, "Thank you very much, honorable Sith lord!" She steps back so Fhazil can give the proper goodbyes and honorifics. Fhazil does so, thanking the honorable Lord for her time and telling her he is pleased to have been her dedicated assistant and servant. He then signs off and collapses into a boneless-seeming heap next to Freyja.

Freyja throws her arms delightedly around Fhazil, "Wheeeeee! You did it, Fhaziza -- you're fantastic!" She bounces excitedly, "That was great -- she seemed almost pleased!"

Fhazil says, "I thought I was crazy!" and then laughs and hugs Freyja.

Freyja laughs delightedly, "But you are, sweetheart! Didn't you get your reward for that? Silly me!" She giggles, flicking her long fiery golden hair back enough to give him a long, happy kiss.

Some time later, once Fhazil is done being distracted, he says, "Hmmm. I guess this means we should leave for Dantooine, huh?"

Freyja laughs, pushing her heavy mane back again and sitting up, "Um... hai, I guess so!" She grins ruefully, "Only one unpleasant task left to do, I think -- ask the Oather if he wants to be our prisoner, or Methel-ssa's." She considers, then shakes her head amusedly, "Somehow I doubt he'll want to be a Jedi's prisoner. I'm guessing he'll take his chances with the Empire. Either way, I think wisest to dump him into a bacta tank and keep him unconscious during the trip."

Vakkal says, "I wouldn't be so sure. If they find out he's Oather, he might be killed no matter what we say. He might think Jedi wouldn't do that, especially once he sees how friendly this one is with these Sith." He grins lasciviously at Freyja.

Freyja laughs, reaching out to gently tug one of Vakkal's furry ears, "Ah, you can wait your turn, silly!"

The Khar Velosi only grins and replies, "Yes, ma'am." Freyja giggles!

Some time later Vakkal, Fhazil, and Zero stand menacingly around the unconscious Sith, and Freyja gives him a gentle dose of stimulant. His hands are bound to the bed, as are his feet. As he awakens, Fhazil says in Sith, "Do not move. Do not fight. Listen." He repeats this several times, until the bound Massassi is clearly awake and glaring at Fhazil.

Freyja has prepped the medkit so it is settled on the Massassi, and will inject an anesthetic upon a verbal command which anyone here can give. Once he's awake she says calmly and clearly, "You have a choice. You may give your word to be a model prisoner and remain under our command, to be eventually taken to Coruscant for trial with Kalatis. Or you may choose to be turned over to Sith lord Methel-ssa of Dantooine, to be her prisoner. Which would you prefer?"

The Massassi glares and remains quiet. Freyja is speaking Aurabesh, since she knows the men under the Oather's command wouldn't know Sith. She waits quietly a moment, then adds, "If you do not choose for yourself, we will probably take the easy way out and give you to Lord Methel-ssa. Is this your choice?"

The Massassi says, "Why should I believe anything you tell me? The Jedi have lied to us before and are lying to us now."

Vakkal says, "Open your eyes, you fool. Do I look like a Jedi?" He points at Fhazil, "Does he?"

Freyja smiles. Her tone is surprisingly gentle as she adds, "You should believe because you are making important choices which will affect your life... and because, as you can see, I have Sith friends who trust me, and whom I trust." She adds quietly, "And... you are not dead yet. If we did not care, you would be."

The prisoner says to Vakkal, "How has she enslaved you, then?" He turns to Freyja and says, "Then you are a fool, or are falling to Darkness, just as our Lords say you all must and should. Why do you not release me so I can continue to do my work, if you believe?"

Vakkal growls, "You should thank the nice Jedi lady. If she hadn't been there I'd have torn your throat out. She's asking you this because she really wants to know, and wants to help you as best she can."

Freyja listens to Vakkal's answer, then smiles, deeply touched. At the question addressed to her she grins and shakes her head, "Neh, I do not believe as you do, nor do I believe I am Falling." Her tone gets quietly stern as she adds, "You may think me a fool if you wish, but you must decide. Now, please."

The prisoner says, "The Sith will merely kill me. The Jedi will torture me and try to make me betray my few remaining fellows before they kill me. Give me to the Sith so I may die quickly."

Freyja nods a little sadly, "As you wish." She activates the anesthetic, waits until he's truly unconscious... then sighs, sagging a little. "How horrible we must seem to them." A little unhappily she adds, "I don't know if we can blame the Calefactors for all of this, either."

Vakkal looks surprised, "You are going to let him continue to believe that? He is wrong, isn't he, that the Jedi would torture and kill him? That is what they told us too -- that we'd be broken and maimed before they'd let us die. And worse."

Freyja says, "Hai, he is wrong. But another thing he said is true, Vakkal -- why should he believe anything I say? If I tell him truth but he refuses to believe, how can I change his mind?" She sits down tiredly, "I could force him to believe me... but then how am I any better than what he claims the Jedi are?" Shea rubs her face and murmurs wearily, "I wish I knew how to convince them all... I wish I knew, believe me..."

Fhazil shrugs and asks Vakkal, "Does it matter?" Vakkal nods, "Yes, I think it does. I was expecting much what he was when I woke up in the Jedi monastery. To be asked to promise to be good was the last thing I ever expected. I kept expecting treachery.

Freyja looks up, "Hai... but you promised. He didn't."

Vakkal adds, "I suspect nobody's ever told him that he's been lied to." Freyja frowns thoughtfully, considering that. Vakkal asks, "Did you ask him? You asked him to choose a horrible death, and not to fight on the way there. Those seem different."

Freyja looks up again, saying slowly, "Why did you believe me, Vakkal? Was it because Fhazil was there?"

Vakkal says slowly, "That helped. Fhazil was there, and being healed. I didn't entirely believe at first, but it got easier. I kept waiting for something horrible to happen. And you said it wouldn't. You offered me life instead of the terrible fate I knew was coming. You gave me a way out, not just a different way to die. And that took a while to believe."

Freyja drums her golden fingers lightly on one knee as she considers. Finally she nods silently, then looks up at the others, "All right, let's try it. After all, doing the right thing means giving it your best shot, right?" She takes a deep breath, then says firmly, "You two are Sith. What do you think would be most convincing -- letting you two tell him your story, or me doing the talking?"

Fhazil says, "You talk better than I do." Vakkal nods and says, "And you're much less scary. I can threaten him all day... but will that make him believe?" He adds, "Of course, I don't think he's as smitten as Fhazil here was..." and dodges his brother's swipe at him.

Freyja laughs, and the others can catch her mental amusement that one of the supposedly insane and murderous Jedi is less scary than other Sith. She grins, oddly relieved inside, "All right, let's do it again, then. Let me do some adjusting on the medkit first, and then we'll be ready to try."

Fhazil says, "I suggest we move a little way away, too. Looming threateningly may keep him sedated, but it's not likely reassuring. Maybe we can just back up and sit down once he's awake and still calm."

Freyja nods, fiddling with the medkit, then looks up, "All right! Just don't get too far away. Ready?"

The Massassi wakes up again, and frowns. He sees the others there and glares, "Decided to torture me after all?" Fhazil sighs, steps back half a step, and sits down. Vakkal sits as well, moving so he's still in sight but not quite such a dark, looming figure.

Freyja thinks a moment, sorting her thoughts to try to be as convincing as possible... then nods when she's ready. Curiously, the Massassi's anger makes it easier. She smiles, "Neh, of course not. Jedi don't do that. But I realized from your words you might not know that, and I wanted to make sure you were aware of all the ramifications of your choice."

The prisoner says, "Jedi don't do that, eh? Just like they don't lie and kill and steal from us."

Freyja says reasonably, "Well, those are two Sith over there, and they're not dead or tortured. In fact, they're alive because of Jedi." She adds with a touch of pride in Vakkal, "The Khar Velosi is my Soulguard."

The prisoner's eyes narrow and he looks at Freyja intently, "You expect me to believe this?"

Freyja says, "Hai, I do. It's true. Ask him yourself. Ask either of them."

The Massassi looks at Fhazil and says, "I see Sithstain. You can't be Jedi. How do you survive the punishments? What do they do to you?"

Fhazil says, "Nothing. I travel with these people and we do the things we find important. No one bothers me. No one will hurt you here." He adds, "Unless, of course, you attack them. Then they'll hurt you. But if you deal honestly with them, you'll be fine." Freyja stifles the urge to tease Fhazil about being hot and bothered, simply smiling at his reply.

The Massassi says, "The Jedi will kill me here, and the Oath will kill me in the Empire. It doesn't matter what I do. I was captured, and I will be punished for it."

Freyja says honestly, "I don't know what the outcome of your trial in the Republic will be, but I do know you will not be automatically killed."

Vakkal says, "You know, I was Oather too. I'm not dead, nor will I be. You don't have to go back. And you don't have to fear the Jedi. You can live. If you'll promise to be good, you can escape that. We've seen another Oather flee to the Jedi. I believe he's helping their scholars understand more about Sith alchemy and old texts. You can get away. There are places for you if you but choose them."

Freyja smiles and waits a little hopefully for the Oather's reply. The prisoner says, "You believe this?" He looks down at the calm, happy, healthy wolf-like-man and says, "You think I would not be outcast, damned, tortured? Where would I go? What would I do? Who would have me?"

Freyja says pragmatically, "Well, you probably would be outcast from the Oath, and the Empire would probably want to kill you if you return -- I won't lie to you about that. But I know there are thoughtful people in the Republic who'd like to talk with you, not kill or harm you."

The Massassi considers for a very long time, frowning. Finally he quietly says, "I swore I would not betray my own people. I will not. I do not wish that. But... living would not betray them. I would like to live." He looks at Vakkal, at Fhazil, at Freyja, and says, "Do you think I could live, in the Republic?"

Freyja says, "It is possible, hai. But it will require an immense change of beliefs, and a lot of trust. Can you do that? I will not take you back to the Republic just to have you harm those I am sworn to protect. But I am happy to take you back if what you truly want is a second chance." She draws gently on the Force to clearly Sense Motive, so she can feel truth.

The Massassi says, "They have done it; it must be possible. If I want to live, I must do it too." Fhazil says, "Many of the things you'll have a hard time believing are easy to believe once you've seen them a few hundred times. There's lots of regular people here who just want to do their own work, and be left alone. I know that's not what they told us, but it's how it is."

Freyja smiles, "In the end, people are people, and I believe most of them just want to live in peace."

Freyja's eyes glow silver-blue as the Force flares powerfully bright within her, but her voice is serene, "If you wish to do this, you must swear to me you will not attempt escape, nor harm any but in self defense or in defense of the defenseless. We will need you to be a model prisoner while on Dantooine as well, as we attend to some urgent business there. If you are not, we believe the Sith lord Methel-ssa will demand you in recompense for any harm you inflict, and we will not be able to rightfully gainsay her. Will you so swear?"

After a very long pause, thinking slowly, the Massassi says, "I swear. I will do as you ask and attack no one, not attempt to escape."

Freyja smiles, moving slowly so as to not alarm the former Oather as she starts untying his hands, "Then let us start this new relationship now." She lets her friends know over the link -- the Massassi is telling the truth! She happily adds, This means once we're done on Dantooine, we can return to Balmorra, not Coruscant -- isn't that wonderful news?

Fhazil sends, Yes. But you never cease to amaze me.

Freyja grins over her shoulder at Fhazil, Whyso, lover?

Fhazil replies, You're able to defuse the Oath by telling the truth and being nice. Their leaders would be horrified.

Freyja finishes with the one set of bonds, and moves to the other set about the Massassi's feet. She looks up, adding, "Move slowly, please? You may be a bit dizzy for a bit." Then she grins quietly to herself as she concentrates on the bindings, Well, I'm sure there are those who 'believe,' well beyond reason. There has to be... there are some like that in the Calefactors too, after all. We're just lucky the Force brings us the ones we can help!

The prisoner sits up slowly and looks around quietly, apparently considering the choices he's made for himself. He spends a long time looking at Fhazil and Vakkal.

Freyja finishes, collects her medpac, and sits down on the edge of the bed. She grins, "Heiyo! I hight Padawan Freyja Rigg of Balmorra. Those are Padawan Zero Satau of Sedrak, Journeyman Fhazil Taas of Ziost, and Soulguard Vakkal of Balmorra. So... what's your name?" She adds more gravely, "I am sorry about your apprentice. If he'd still been alive we'd have tried to save him also."

The Massassi says, "You should call me Alleine. As to the apprentice... I would have let him run away if he would have but stopped attacking me. I do not know what came over him. He made his own choices."

Freyja nods quietly, "Very well. Sith lord Alleine? Or just Alleine?"

The Massassi says, "Just Alleine. Thank you for the title, but it is no longer mine, nor the name that went with it. This will do."

Freyja nods again, "All right. In that case, Alleine, we will be departing for Dantooine, um..." she glances at her friends, "on the morrow?" She looks back, adding, "Also, would you prefer we kept you and Kalatis separated, or do you not care?"

The Massassi closes his eyes, "It would be easier if I did not have to see him. I failed in my duties... and I have promised not to complete them."

Freyja nods, "We quite understand." She thinks a moment, then says a bit shyly, "Um... may I ask you a question? Do you know what happened with your sword? I was quite shocked and confused, myself."

The Massassi looks confused, "My sword? You took it... that's the last I noticed of it." He smiles wryly and adds, "I was just a little busy."

Freyja grins, then bounces to her feet, "Well, let's go look at it -- it's very strange!" She'll explain what she felt as the former Oather rises to his feet. She's watching carefully, in case he's dizzy. He moves carefully and slowly, but he follows. He seems wary, but slowly seems to get used to the idea that he is really free to move about, and isn't going to be attacked. He follows Freyja to his sword.

Freyja finishes explaining as she turns towards him with it in her hands. She's wiped the sword down before this with a cloth, to keep it clean, and she's careful to continue to handle it with respect, "...and that's all it emoted at me, and it didn't feel hungry or alone any more. What do you think happened?" She is not so foolish as to ask her friends to leave her alone with the former Oather, though -- she wouldn't worry them so.

Alleine looks at the sword, then closes his eyes, concentrating. He opens his eyes and looks at her for a long moment before he says, "I have never seen anything like that. It is no longer the sword I knew."

As Freyja handles the sword, she can feel the energies in it have changed, or are changing. It sends her nothing, and remains wrapped in its mysterious shroud of energy. Freyja gives the sword a confused look, "Huh. I wonder what happened." She settles down cross-legged on a cushion with the sword across her lap. Then she looks up and smiles, "Would you like to examine it with me, and maybe we can figure it out?"

After another pause the Massassi says, "I don't know anything about them. You would have to ask the Smith who made them. I am not sure I wish to be handling a weapon right now, particularly one I no longer know. I am not sure I yet trust myself that much."

Freyja nods, unworried, "That's fine." She smiles, adding, "Is there anything in particular you'd like right now? A bath, food, a place to sit and meditate in peace, something else?"

The Massassi says, "Something to eat would be very good, and a bath would be wonderful. Meditation and sleep would both be welcome as well."

Freyja sets the sword aside and takes some time to make the Massassi comfortable. The group has emptied two of the ship's unused sleeping quarters, and Kalatis is locked in one, with Zero gleefully waiting for him to awaken. Freyja will make sure the Massassi knows where things in the tiny food preparation area are, and where his room and the fresher is, and how to use everything.

Once that's done she offers to walk into the small city with him so he can get dinner with them, and a bath. She adds cheerfully, "Don't worry about creds -- we're good for it! And after that you're welcome to make yourself comfortable on the ship again, all right?"

Alleine watches and pays attention. He says, "Yes, I would be pleased to join you in the city." Later, on the way back from a bath and a meal, he says, "Thank you... for making sure I understood I could choose, and for following through with what you offered."

Freyja smiles with slow, quiet happiness, "You are welcome... although I think we should both thank Vakkal as well." She runs one hand with gentle pleasure along Vakkal's arm, adding, "It was he who pointed out just how, um... inaccurate the Oath could be, and that you had most likely never heard the truth. And how can anyone make a good decision unless they have good data?"

Alleine says, "Thank you, Vakkal." He looks at them one by one and says, "Thank you all."

[Previous Log] [Index] [Next Log]

Last modified: 2002-Jul-16 16:14:54

All material on this site is
Copyright © 2002-2024 Reality Fault
unless specifically indicated on each document.
All Rights Reserved.
Administrated by Reality Fault Webmaster