These Shattered Stars -- Logs

The day turns into a fitful night, the fires still burning in the spaceport casting a ruddy orange hue to the night sky. Every so often a hard, dull sound rumbles gently over the arid landscape, as the defending Republic cruisers ride relatively low in Marnaas's atmosphere over the spaceport. They have been ordered to remain fairly well clear of the city, to deny the Sith Lord the chance to bring down a more military target.

Traffic to and from the spaceport has been suspended. Not that there was a lot of traffic to and from the world already, but a few arriving freighters have already been told to remain in orbit for the time being.

The morning dawns on a scene no different, though one or two blasts from the Republic cruisers have helped to suppress the raging fuel depot, and the city starts to repair itself. The devastation was miraculously, if only relatively, light; the fuel depot and the small freighter being dropped on the commercial district, and the resulting explosion, did the vast majority of damage, with other incidents being either pockets of resistance to Methel-ssa's advance on the Starbird's berth, or what was grimly called her "warming up" exercises as she got on a full head of rage.

At the monastery, it is fairly quiet, the sleep of the Jedi being somewhat restless, many imagining that Methel-ssa is there in their dreams, but most simply being disturbed at the previous days' events. The preparations for the morning meal are shattered, however, by a shout from down the corridors, the sounds of a scuffle, and a black surge in the Force.

Freyja wakes up suddenly and sits up abruptly in her bed, getting a bad feeling. A black surge in the Force? She doesn't hesitate at all -- she leaps out of bed, grabbing her weapons belt and shrugging into her outer cloak as she runs full speed through the monastery's hallways for where the dispute is occurring. There are few enough Humans in the monastery that she doesn't even consider whether anyone will be shocked by her state of undress.

Zero kicks to his feet, already running before he hits the ground. He snatches his lightsabre and sprints into the hallway wearing just his baggy black pants, snapping the blade to life. He heads immediately toward where he felt the sudden disturbance in the Force.

The two padawans are the first on the scene at the infirmiry, in time to see Fhazil Taas flying out of the room to dully strike the wall opposite the doorway. He stifles his cry of pain well enough, managing to say through gritted teeth, "Against a wall again, how blasted original, Jiosch." Somehow, his tone of defiance doesn't come through entirely. He glances down the corridor, first towards to Zero, then towards Freyja -- and he manages to get distracted enough from the pain for a moment to have a wonderfully blank expression on his face.

The heavy digitigrade, reptillian foot that lands on his own with an uncomfortable sound, brings him back from his mesmerism at the sight of Freyja, looking up at the seething, malevolent visage of Jiosch standing in the doorway of the infirmiry.

Zero snarls, "Jiosch! What do you think you're doing?"

Freyja flips the belt over her head and one shoulder like a bandoleer, pulling the heavy blaster and stops, immediately falling into proper shooting stance. The cloak billows around her for a moment, then stills, pooling mostly behind her. She braces against a wall as she aims at the angry Oather, and lets Zero do the distracting talking. She blinks, remembering, and flips the blaster to stun.

Zero hears the sound of Freyja changing the blaster's mode, and doesn't miss a beat; he starts to circle around to the side, and turns the ignited sabre over in his hands, giving it a spin as he changes his grip, putting up more light and sound for Jiosch to focus on.

Freyja has a sudden horrible thought, and calls towards the infirmary, "Dhaasul, are you all right?"

The fallen Jedi's head turns slowly over to Zero; it's clear that with some supernal effort Jiosch is ignoring any pain that he might be experiencing. "You saw the ambush scene. What do you think I'm doing?" He looks down again at Fhazil, glowering as his eyes narrow. His eyes flicker over to Zero; though he noticed Freyja, Zero's ploy works, and most of the fallen's attention is on the whirring, shimmering blade in Zero's hand.

Fhazil, for his part, is trying hard not to look over at Freyja, instead meeting Jiosch's gaze full. "He's still alive," he manages to say, through a twisted, empained expression that he refuses to reveal more of. "Just cold-cocked. Jiosch wants to take care of me, first, don't you? Try breathing vacuum, you'll get more out of it than you'll get out of me-- gnnrgh!" His invective is drowned out when Jiosch's foot applies pressure to Fhazil's splinted leg, though the Human does manage to spit out, with sweat appearing on his brow, "Is... is th-that the best you can do, s-slime?"

Freyja shoots. There's no way she'll stand by and watch while someone's torturing one of her patients. Her eyes are dark with anger, but her face is utterly calm... she aims for the center of mass, compensating for where she knows the hole in the alien's chest is, and squeezes off the stun blast with steady hands.

Her stun-blast none-too-gently throws Jiosch to the ground, almost at Zero's feet, twitching slightly. Fhazil relaxes, and the scene is only broken by Vakkal poking his head out the door with a bewildered look on his face. He looks left, right, then down at Fhazil. "Urrr fharl srrr? Brother!"

Fhazil smiles wanly up to Vakkal. "Hell-ow!-lo, Brother."

Vakkal is, with remarkable gentleness, kneeling in front of Fhazil, their heads even. They touch foreheads together briefly -- Fhazil with only a slight wince. "Brother, I am sorry. I was roused only when I felt him throw you out the door, and I could not gather my bearings enough to take him from behind."

"It's fine, Brother. It's good to see you -- ow! -- again."

Zero extinguishes his blade and exhales slowly. "I'm getting too old for this."

Freyja goes still, her blaster twitching slightly to cover the big dog Sith... then she relaxes slightly and straightens into normal posture, holstering the weapon. Interesting... that shot was somewhat easier to pull off than her previous really good ones. She's pleased -- maybe all the practice is finally paying off! She pads forward, her bare feet making no sound, and kneels neatly next to Fhazil. Once the two still-awake Sith have finished greeting each other, she smiles and says, "Introduce me to your friend, Fhazil Taas?"

Zero brushes his forehead with the back of his hand, and says, "I'll go tell the Master it's settled."

Freyja nods, looking up to Zero, "I'll patch everyone up. Thanks, Zero."

Zero nods, holding his unbelted pants up with one hand. "Back in a moment."

Fhazil looks up at Zero at that one's words. "Oh, Zero Satau... this is Vakkal of Khar Valos. And this... uh...." He blinks a bit as he looks over to Freyja. "Uh... er... this is... uh, Lady Freyja... I mean... Padawan Freyja"

Zero waves over his shoulder with the hand holding his lightsabre. "Nice to meet you," he calls back, "I'll be back in a minute."

Freyja grins at Zero... then realizes she's pretty much nude in front of two Human males. She blinks, her cheeks flushing for a moment... then looks relieved as she realizes neither of them- er, no, looks like Fhazil's got nudity taboos, whups! She pulls the cloak forward to cover at least her upper torso, then nods politely to the big dog-Sith, leaning forward a bit, "Hello. I don't know how you ordinarily greet people... is touching foreheads just for brothers, or a general greeting?" She adds with a relieved smile at the big alien, "I'm glad you're feeling better. I was really worried about you for a bit there."

The canid Sith looks up to Zero, blinks once, and his ears flatten, an abruptly and undeniably cautious air about him. The cautious air continues as Zero walks off, and Vakkal looks to Freyja. Slowly he stands, and placing his palms together before him and bowing slightly. "Padawan Freyja," he says, quietly and carefully. "Thank you for protecting my brother in War."

A short distance away, Zero almost literally runs into Roakkana as he turns a corner sharply. "Oh. Zero, good morning," the Wookie says. "Everything is well in hand, I take it?"

Freyja raises an eyebrow -- guess the forehead touching thing is just for brothers -- and nods in return, "I do what seems right, Vakkal of Khar Valos." Her tone is a touch wry, but she doesn't mention anything about anyone else. She sighs... well, at least he's not attacking anyone -- and turns her attention from the dog Sith to the Human, "All right, can you walk at all? Here, let me help you back to bed, so I can make sure everyone's all still in one piece..."

Fhazil answers. "It's a War thing. Brother apprentices and officers do it sometimes, after long separations or just before operations with uncertain outcomes. Vakkal's people began the tradition, fifteen thousand years ago."

Zero nods, and ducks into his quarters momentarily. He reemerges half a moment later with his jacket in one hand, and trots up to catch up to the Wookiee. "Jiosch had a relapse. Freyja dosed him with her blaster, he won't be waking up for a while. Good thing, too, I nearly cut him."

Roakkana arches an eyebrow, waiting for Zero. "Oh?" he asks, walking with Zero back to the infirmiry. "Well done, the both of you, then. Unfortunately, that brings us to the question we were pondering yesterday: what to do now with our guests...."

Vakkal seems to relax a little. "And I am well, now, thank you. I had not expected to survive." He looks a little curiously at Freyja. "You were... worried...? Then... wait... it was you...?" He looks confused, first one ear then the other cocking back and forth. "Er... may I assist...?" and then he takes in a slight intake of breath, leaning against the doorway, a hand lighty over the slightly dark-stained bandage and bacta pack acrross his chest. "Perhaps I shouldn't...," he says in a tiny voice.

Freyja is doing her best to help Fhazil rise without stressing his injuries any further. Still focused on the Human, she says firmly to the big dog-Sith, "Yes, you can -- go back to bed! You may not realize it, but about half of your upper chest cavity is packed with bacta and not much else! And when I've finished patching up the damage Jiosch has done, I have a favor to ask of you."

Zero rounds the corner with Roakkana, and holds a hand back to give the Wookiee a moment's pause, "Easy, Master. Vakkal's... edgy." He approaches, more slowly.

Freyja stands, carrying most of Fhazil's weight on her shoulders, and nods in towards the infirmary, "Shoo. Bed for all of you." She doesn't wait, but heads for Fhazil's bed, regardless of any protests either of them may have. After he's put into bed, she'll (if necessary) aid the big dog-Sith, then drag the unconscious Jiosch in. The others may hear occasional muttered imprecations under her breath about annoyingly unreasonable huge aliens that don't have the common courtesy to not weigh a ton... but aside from that she's determinedly focused on the job at hand.

Fhazil does absolutely nothing to resist Freyja. In fact, he is trying very hard not to stare, though the pain of reopened wounds from being lobbed into a wall a second day in a row clearly keeps him behaved and more than occupied. "Miserable dianoga-tender," the Human mutters softly. "Damned Oath of Fire. You'll have to tell me how you came to join that lot, Brother."

Vakkal, still looking more than a little confused and dazed, has already perched himself in his bed. "I'll be glad to, Brother...," he says, watching Freyja set the Human in bed, and not resisting at all as the girl repairs his wound.

Roakkana arches an eyebrow to Zero. "I shouldn't be surprised," he says, giving a soft chuckle. He follows at a discrete distance from Zero, arching his eyebrow highly and with great amusement at Freyja's comment about 'huge aliens' that 'weigh a ton.'

Zero waits for Freyja to finish getting the wounded into their beds; he doesn't want to approach too close at the moment and set Vakkal off. When she makes her way back to the door, he holds out his hand with his jacket. "Here, Freyja," he grins, "You look like a Sand Woman wrapped up in your cloak like that."

Freyja hmfs with tired amusement at Zero, wiping her forehead, "Oh, sure, turn up after I finish hauling around all the bodies!" She grins, obviously just teasing as she accepts the jacket, "Thanks. This darned cloak is hot!" She lays the weapons belt on the nearest bed, tosses the cloak on it, and slides Zero's jacket on, belting it casually into place. A few tugs on the back to make sure it follows most propriety... close enough -- and she'd done. As she does so, she says to the conscious in the infirmary, "Master Roakkana, that's Fhazil Taas and that's Vakkal. Everyone, this is my Master, and you've all met Zero Satau already."

Zero grins lopsidedly, "I expect they have, yes. Sorry to interrupt your rest, friends."

Freyja checks the unconscious Mandragolan first, since it's his bed she's so casually using, to be sure he's not been further harmed. It turns out Fhazil was correct, and Dhaasul was just knocked out. Fhazil takes a bit more work, and she uses the medpac to do some adjustments, with a murmured apology to the Human for any hurt she may give him in the process.

Fhazil and Vakkal share a brief look (though it takes a moment for Fhazil to tear his eyes away from Freyja, assisted when he realizes she just casually took off her cloak) then they both make the same, if slightly different due to position or anatomy, salute: a hand over the heart. "My Lo-- er, Master." Fhazil says, smiling wanly, finally not in quite so much pain as before. "A pleasure to meet you. Padawan Freyja has spoken well of you." He glances amusedly to Vakkal. "Careful around Zero, Brother. He plinked the both of us."

Vakkal nods, with only a little cautiousness now, and says, "Greetings, Master, Zero Satau." He replies dryly to the Human, "Let me guess: he tagged you in mid-air doing something that, for a Human, would be considered insane. It was that cut-the-bridge-in-half trick we saw Lord Ghang do on Gala, wasn't it?"

"No, it wasn't, it was a speeding landspeeder and it was with a one-shot beam-lance. At least give me credit for originality...."

Freyja grins quietly to herself, not commenting at all. She's more than happy to be Zero's unexpected backup. Once she's done readjusting Fhazil's unfortunately extensive splinting and bandaging, she turns and heads for the dog Sith. Gently she says, "You should lay back and rest while I check you over." She giggles quietly at Vakkal's amused diagnosis of Fhazil's intended actions that got him into trouble.

Vakkal's ears perk up straight as Freyja approaches, but he nods and lies back, taking a few breaths. He watches her carefully as she works, though not with caution; more like curiosity. "It was you, wasn't it?" he asks. "In my sleep?"

Freyja turns her blue-eyed gaze from the medpac to the curious gaze of the alien, and nods silently once. If Vakkal remains only curious, she quietly goes back to fixing him up. She's worried about the staining on his chest bandages, and is currently quite focused on making sure he's all right before she asks him to make his promise too.

Vakkal apparently openened the chest wound again in his aborted attempt to blindside Jisosch; it bleeds, but fortunately the bacta has already healed his lungs, and the wound does not "breathe." He nods at her confirmation, and leans up carefully to briefly touch forheads with her, before lying back and closing his eyes.

Roakkana nods pleasantly in greeting to the two Sith, intrigued by the situation. "And greetings to you both," he says, any trace of wryness out of his voice.

Freyja blinks... then smiles, quite touched at the gesture. She's relieved both that Vakkal is all right and reasonable... and that things seem to be going so smoothly so far -- even while there's a Jedi Master in the room. She finishes her check up, then sighs, sitting back. "All right. Vakkal, here's the favor I want to ask of you... it's the same one Fhazil has agreed to." She gives the run-down of the promise, then says, "Will you promise me that, please?"

Zero stretches a bit, arms folded behind his head, and yawns. Hell. I'll be eager to get back into space just to get a decent night's sleep.

Vakkal nods. "As my Brother in War has promised, so shall I. I will keep to the spirit of my word, as Vakkal of Khar Valos."

Freyja looks relieved, "Thank you... I really appreciate that. It's very hard on the system to recuperate while constantly knock-... er... knocked out..." Her voice trails off in puzzlement and she falls silent for a moment -- then looks up at the big dog-Sith confusedly, "They had you under sedation. How'd you wake up?"

Vakkal frowns in confusion a little. "I'm... not entirely sure. I remember feeling a surge in the Force, Fhazil's pain, then... I was about to leap on Jiosch."

Freyja looks up from the medical data pad at the end of Vakkal's bed, a dawning respect on her face. The sedation is listed there, just like it should be. Slowly she says, "You and Fhazil... you really are like brothers, then?" She searches the big alien's eyes for any sign of the madness she's used to seeing when the user is in mid-use of the Dark side of the Force, guessing it won't be there now...?

Vakkal's eyes are rather calm right now. He and Fhazil exchange a look. "Well," the Human says, "It's tradition for apprentices in service to War to call each other that...."

Freyja adds slowly, "You do know Verg is gone, yes...?"

Vakkal nods quietly. "Yes. I do not feel him anymore." He frowns a little. "How did he...?"

Zero says, "Good question, actually. He destroyed himself, as far as we can tell. It was something like an explosion."

Freyja looks puzzledly at Fhazil, "But... if it's just a title... how'd Vakkal know...?" She pauses, thinking hard for several moments, then says slowly, "It couldn't have been me... could it? Did I leave anything?" She checks carefully, 'feeling' the Force around her. Has she left a tendril out, forgotten, to either Fhazil or Vakkal? She is almost murmuring just to herself, so as to not interrupt the conversation going on around her.

Vakkal looks to Zero, but his ears twitch a little, flattening against his head, and he doesn't look at the Human for too long, instead looking upwards at the overhead. "I'm... not surprised. It was not a thought-bomb, then, like he'd originally talked about. I imagine that's a good thing."

Zero says, "Those aren't supposed to exist."

Vakkal's eyes turn to Zero's, and though his ears flatten and he twitches a little, the canid forces himself to meet the Human's gaze, and nod. "No. They aren't. But Qatto Verg claimed that he knew how to create it. The Force can, supposedly, be bound into a... a shape. A metaphysical shape. If used, it would have...." He thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "It would have been bad."

Fhazil blinks to Freyja. "Uh... you mean that... thing you were doing yesterday? I don't... know, really, I've never encountered that before...."

Vakkal blinks as well. "I don't know, either."

It's immediately obvious; Freyja hasn't left any unmonitored tendrils of thought/feeling around. It's also immediately obvious, though perhaps not to Freyja, that Fhazil, now that he's in less pain, is occasionally catching his gaze wandering over to Freyja, and down -- then just as quickly looking upwards at the overhead and concentrating on how much his leg hurts.

Freyja says curiously, "What's a thought bomb? And... how'd you come to work for Verg? You seem so... well, so..." her voice gets a little apologetic sounding, "-um... rational...?" She shakes her head a moment later, faintly relieved at the realization she's not been sloppy within the Force, "Neh, it's not me. Vakkal and Fhazil must just have a good, um... connection or something."

Vakkal looks again to Freyja. "I am as the situation needs me to be, Padawan. In my fight with...." His eyes flick over to Zero, and his ears twitch but this time do not flatten. "With Zero... I was who I needed to be. Before Qatto Verg, I was who I was needed to be. You have... healed me." At that, there is an odd flicker of emotion in his eyes, very hard to read and so very brief. "And saved my life, and put me at ease. And Qatto Verg is dead. I have no need or desire to fight you or hate you now."

Zero says, "That's the most sensible thing I've heard all morning. I wonder what Jiosch's problem is."

Freyja tilts her head thoughtfully, regarding the dog-Sith intently... then carefully slides onto the foot of his bed to sit cross-legged there, casually pushing the edge of the jacket down enough for most species' definitions of modesty. She's still intently studying the big alien, "Did I really help? If so, I'm very glad to hear it. May I ask who you feel you need to be now? And... do you have someone to go back to? You won't be getting into trouble due to Verg or his death, will you?"

Freyja wonders with a touch of worry what happens to apprentices whose maste- er, lords have died while they were out of the picture. How cruel are the Oather Sith?

Fhazil says wryly, "Or what most of the Oath's problem was. Why were you with them, Brother?"

Vakkal shakes his head. "Qatto Verg was my Lord. We were always taught to honor and obey our Lords, Brother. When I learned of the link between the Sith and the Jedi of yore, I felt... confused. I did not understand why the Oath existed. I still do not. But Qatto Verg was my Lord, and as a Sith my duty is to obey my Lord. I have not yet reached the point where I may stand against the will of a Lord, unlike my Brother here, who does it as suicidal routine. And so when I fought, I called upon my people's rage to guide my hand." He adds dryly, "Still didn't do much good.

"And as for now, Padawan Freyja, I do not know if you helped. Some parts of the Force are... mysteries to me, and ever shall be. But I choose to believe you helped, and for that I am grateful and thank you. And now I am an apprentice without a Lord, and Brother in War to Fhazil Taas. In time..." He pauses. "If I return to the Empire," he says, almost as if ammendment, "then I will be brought before Lord Ghang, my first Lord, and then questioned as to the death of Qatto Verg. If I am found free of any wrongdoing -- which is likely since I was not present at his death -- then I will be sent to another Lord. Hopefully a Lord of War...." His voice trails off, and he frowns. "But... Qatto Verg was of the Oath of Fire. None are supposed to know of the Oath. I... do not know what will happen to me."

Freyja's regard of the big dog Sith is almost pitying as she listens. When he's done she sits silent for a moment... then gives in to a sudden impulse -- she lights up at her unexpected thought, leaning forward to lightly lay a hand on one of his furred legs, "Why go back? Stay with us!"

Vakkal arches an eyebrow, then shakes his head. "Padawan Freyja, I am darksider. I will always be darksider, if not Sith. It is my way and my choice, the way I have chosen to invoke the Force within. I cannot and have no inclination to surrender the thousands of years which my people have been proud and emotional hunters, for emotion is what we have always used to guide us and fuel us. We feel pain; we remove the pain. We feel fear; we attack the fear. We feel anger; we destroy what angers us. I could no more be a Jedi than an orbalisk could resist feeding on anything that moves.

Freyja studies Vakkal for a long, thoughtful moment, then nods slowly, "I understand." She wonders... is Vakkal the one she should choose as a Dark mantle? She shifts so she can see both Sith, and sighs softly, "It's a shame the Jedi and the Sith don't ever seem to work together, though, don't you think? I mean... well, I'd love having someone fast and strong enough to help quickly move the bodies Zero makes, so I could work on healing them -- off the battlefield! And I know it's been within the Force that I've been most accepted as me -- as who I am -- not as the peculiar Lady Rigg, unfortunate inheritor to Baron Rigg instead of it being her sister, the glamorous Syf Rigg." She's surreptitiously watching very closely, all her senses (Force and otherwise) alert to how the two Sith react.

To Vakkal the names mean nothing; he only nods thoughtfully, saying, "But, Padawan Freyja, speaking for myself, I am darksider, and proudly so. I cast no asperations on Zero Satau's ability to fight and kill. But in a battle, do you not think that it would be a darksider who would be fighting? That is our nature, or the way of War: to never turn away from a battle that must be fought."

Fhazil also starts to nod thoughtfully... then he blinks, as the name finally registers. Then he murmurs, entirely to himself "Huh. Didn't see that one coming. No wonder she didn't want...." He regathers his thoughts, looking mildly amused, but then returns his full attention to Freyja as she speaks.

Freyja is watching Fhazil quietly when he looks back up, waiting to see his face. She's half dreading, half hoping at what his expression will be. Part of her is sternly reminding herself not to expect miracles from a Sith -- why should he not simply see her as a useful tool, after all? Quietly, not looking away from the Human Sith, she replies, "Everyone has their place and their duty, Vakkal, even if things change."

Zero doesn't react much, outwardly; he's never been much of a holovid fan. He's heard the name before, though... impressive that she'd want to give up all that for all this Jedi headache. He grins a little and supposes that's just his background talking... nothing's ever easy, not even luxury.

Fhazil arches his eyebrows a bit as Freyja locks her gaze on him, and he nods quietly. "Very true," he says quietly. "Even if things change. Or if we make our own place and our own duty."

To her surprise, Freyja can't really pick up anything from the Human Sith, aside from what she sees. She's reasonably sure he's not hiding anything; he's just slightly amused by her. She can feel her automatic reaction to folks finding out who she is starting up, and she doesn't bother stopping it -- a wary, carefully distant and courteous emotional wall seems a wise investment just now.

Freyja looks away from Fhazil to Vakkal and smiles politely, "Well... I imagine you both would like some rest. We should leave you all in peace, hai? There's a comlink over there, set low. Just call loudly if you want someone... I have another comlink on my belt."

A consular comes up in the doorway, then, handing Roakkana a comlink. "Master," she says urgently, "it's Captain Ekilten, of the Lindecrantz."

Curiously, Roakkana accepts the comlink. "Yes, Captain?"

The Etian's voice is oddly modulated, only partly due to the comlink itself. "Master Roakkana, greetings. We have detected movement outside your Monastery of Light, inbound from the city. They were not there in our last pass over the city, and are now approximately one half-hour from you. They appear to be on swoops, and are travelling off the road and through the woods."

Freyja slides off the bed smoothly, tugs the jacket down once behind her -- then looks up suddenly at the news, her expression going still.

Zero sighs. "I'm going to get dressed. I'll be on the battlements."

Still watching her Master, one hand passes lightly over her belt, checking... lightsaber, medpac, comlink, blaster... good. She looks around the room thoughtfully. Her guess is they're coming for Dhaasul and Fhazil. "Hm. If it's who we think it is, they won't attack the Human or the Mandragolan. Vakkal will need protecting, though... oh, and Jiosch, too." She looks up at Roakkana, "Want me here?"

Freyja adds silently to herself, And Inspector Shang...

Roakkana nods to Zero. "Thank you, Captain."

"My pleasure, Master Roakkana. I would provide orbital fire support but we are rapidly passing over their horizon. It will be another hour before we can achieve a stable firing orbit."

Roakkana looks to Freyja. "No, not for now. You and Zero will both be needed, I think. I have a feeling this is Methel-ssa sending the last of her hired help, and if so then I do not know what to expect from it."

Freyja wonders thoughtfully how the Sith will justify (or not) rescue attempts. Will Fhazil keep strictly to the spirit of his word, and try to stay? -or shrug, grin, and let himself be taken away? She nods, then double checks the comlink in the infirmary, so they can call for help if they need it. She adds firmly to the patients in the infirmary, "None of you hesitate to call if you need us, all right?" She nods at Roakkana's words, "Then I better get dressed and up to the battlements. Excuse me, please." She grabs up her cloak and darts out of the room with her usual long-legged stride, calling over her shoulder, "Zero, you need your jacket back?"

Zero grins, after they've exited the room, "Personally I think you look great. But I think it's distracting some of our guests. Keep it until you get to your quarters... I'm just going to grab my shirt."

Freyja's laughter can be heard trailing out of the hallway.

Fhazil and Vakkal both nod. "My Brother and I are not theirs to take," Fhazil says. "But... if things go wrong...." He glances to Vakkal, who nods again. "Freyja... if things go wrong, you might want one or the other of us to draw them away. You've shown us both a lot of kindness in healing us, and we wouldn't want to see you hurt protecting us. He thinks for a moment, then gets an amusedly self-rebuking look. "You wouldn't want to take the chance on us running away, though. Vakkal, then, since he was not Methel-ssa's? Just... something to consider...." he provides, as the Jedi scramble off.

Freyja gives Fhazil a somewhat confused look as she leaves, but doesn't answer, since she's not sure exactly what he means.

The early day is quiet, for the time being. The battlements of the monastery are manned, again, by Jedi, some with concussion rifles, others with lightsabres. In the woods surrounding the monastery -- it seems ridiculous to call the dry, sparesely-leafed mass of timber a "forest" -- all is for the moment, quiet.

Then, about a mile away, can be heard the roar and whine of swoops, and a gaggle of woodfowl explode from the forest in the general direction of the city. A moment more... and there is silence.

Freyja carefully studies the surrounding area, not skylining herself. Without looking away she murmurs, "Master Roakkana, do we have anyone good enough to farsee how many are attacking?" She doesn't confine herself to just studying the area towards the city. She's more alert, in fact, in studying the other side of the monastery.

Roakkana looks to Freyja. "A good thought, child. I believe I would be the best, actually, to try that.

Zero stretches again as he walks the battlements, the lightsabre now residing in his sash, having safely belted his pants on this time. He holds the beam-lance in his off hand and eyes the dry timbers beyond the walls. He wonders if they'd dare try to burn them out.

Freyja blinks at a sudden, horrible thought. What if it's not Methel-ssa's folks? What if it's just silly misguided city folk?

She looks up at her Master, "Um... Master Roakkana, how do we know they're really Methel-ssa's folks?"

"We don't, child. She is the only one on this planet who would send people against us. I would dislike to think that there was someone else who would approach us with intent to harm." He frowns slightly. "If it is people from the city... that is disturbing. Well. Perhaps we shall see shortly. We shall have to not be the first to shoot, in case they are from the city." He closes his eyes, calmly, and for a moment it almost sounds like he's humming a single tone under his breath, as he concentrates.

Freyja looks relieved at her Master's actions, and goes back to her careful regard of the surroundings. So far she's seen nothing but the birds leaping into the air, from about the same direction as the approaching swoops were moments ago.

Roakkana frowns slightly, then. "They... are not simple citizens. I am sensing fear, yes... but quiet professionalism. These are not mere citizens, nor are they simple thugs. They are doing something...

Freyja nods silently, her worry growing slightly. She quietly draws her blaster and flicks it over to bolt rather than stun, still studying the vicinity. She settles with the blaster braced for a wide field of fire.

Roakkana shakes his head. "They are setting something up.... I'm not sure what it is, I can't see clearly. Blast, I worry that this is Methel-ssa clouding the Force, but if so, it is very subtle--"

Freyja sees it; the faint, tiny speck of movement leaping upward from where the woodfowl. And a second later Zero hears a tiny, distant *crump* and, shortly after, far above, a faint, distant whistling sound. She says, "There!" She points, "Zero, Master, can one of you knock it aside?!"

Zero blinks. "What the--" Oh no. "EVERYONE DOWN!!

Freyja sights down the blaster, wondering if she can do it herself.

Zero throws himself backward off his feet, landing on his back and pointing the beam-lance at the sky. I hope this works... and it's not filled with anti-personnel munitions...

The young Human man finds himself having a flashback; all of a sudden he's seven years old again and the natives are shelling the colony. Only this time nobody seems to know what's coming. He tries to warn them. "Incoming explosive!!"

Freyja knows immediately she can't -- not with a hand blaster. It's some kind of projectile, too far away and moving too fast. She glances back at the Wookie; she knows he has the ability to move objects. A fraction of a second later she realizes no, wait, she's wasting time -- there has to be an attack following this up, and she should be ready for it. She does her best to flatten against the battlements as per Zero's instructions, and still keep an eye out for whatever will follow.

Zero hits the fire switch on the beam lance. This is never going to work.

He is only partly right. As he presses the trigger, it only chirps in his hands, and he remembers what Fhazil said earlier in the morning: "It was a speeding landspeeder and a one-shot beam-lance...."

Roakkana's eyes widen at Freyja's and Zero's cries, and with a faint exhale of breath, seems to push upward as the rest of the Jedi blink, then at Zero's second cry dive for cover, confused. The whistling projectile lands and explodes, a fairly large blast, but well clear of the monastery's walls. "Uhn!" Roakkana mutters, breathing heavilly. "That was unex... pected. Oh, no."

Another whistle becomes audible.

Roakkana grimaces. "Child, I shall need your help." He grimaces and reaches upward again. "I sense what they are trying to do. I shall need your farseeing to help me know where to push the projectiles out of the way. Zero, Freyja, they are trying to distract me --" The projectile goes off on the ground, rather uncomfortably close to the monastery. "They are trying to distract me while they conduct their attack, thinking to keep me occupied with their weapon's projectiles. I think they are trying to approach the monastery as well, I didn't have a chance to... see." Another whistling is heard, and Roakkana takes a deep breath, gently laying a hand on Freyja's shoulder. "Settle your thoughts, child. Help me if you can. It is an awful way to test your theory of Jedi combining their skills, I admit...."

Freyja looks up startledly, then gives a hurried smile to her Master. Steadily she says, "Seems fine to me, Master." Then she leans slightly against the Wookie, closing her eyes and concentrating on settling her thoughts; not letting the small *crump* and whistling noises distract her. She is serene, she is... how to see it... she is a current of energy flowing into her Master.

Zero blinks. "Oh for..." He throws the beam-lance away, disgusted, and rolls over, covering his head as the first shell hits. He drags himself up to his knees, and shouts to the other Jedi, "It's supressive fire! They're trying to pin us down! Stay low, and as soon as you see something in the timber, kill it!!"

Freyja holsters the blaster so she won't lose it, then takes a slow, deep breath, I am the Light, I am the Living Force, I have no boundaries... She considers, then gently brushes aside the small thought, Wish those two Sith could help... no. They need their energy to heal. She concentrates on being open to Master Roakkana.

One of the Jedi -- a former Republic Guard by the man's apparent age -- shouts in reply, "Yessir!" and the battlements are shortly festooned with concussion rifles.

Freyja looses herself in the Force; the outside world, the shouting, the explosion's report, the whistling, all fades into nothingness. There is only that curious plane of existence in which there is only the Force. There, she finds herself as if held aloft by Roakkana, a powerful, yet sublimely gentle touch, the awesome node of power that the Wookie is here asking her, quietly, to be his eyes, to protect this place of Light.

There is movement spotted in the timber, then, and a blaster bolt whines, sailing over the parapet from the treeline. And the battle is joined.

Zero draws his blaster, as he spies them taking up positions in the treeline. Mercenaries. What mercenary worth his rifle uses a mortar in this day and age? You couldn't afford a better indirect fire weapon? "They're taking position in the treeline, three o'clock low, take them now while they're still digging in! Fire, all blasters fire!"

Freyja finds it oddly elating, aloft in the Force -- something she can do to help her Master, the monastery, and those depending on them? Wonderful... she opens mental eyes wide, searching, and points a slender, shining finger of the Force at the next incoming missile to warn Roakkana.

The Wookie senses Freyja's direction, and through the tendril which Freyja points at the mortar round, there is an almost frightening surge of power, quick and agile and seemingly unstoppable to Freyja, almost catching her up in it's impulse. The surge reaches up, and swats at the projectile.

In the waking world, Zero sees one of the mercenaries, crouched behind a fallen log, take a shot at the Jedi standing next to him. With a yelp, the young consular ducks behind the parapit, the blaster shot singing through where the young Bothan's head was. At that moment, off to the side, another projectile fails to strike the monastery, blasting down a dead tree.

Freyja grins mentally -- this is almost like swatting blaster bolts with a lightsaber. With a touch of mischief she wonders to her Master if the projectiles could be batted back, into the area they're being fired from? She keeps alert mental eyes out for the next projectile, trying to narrow down where they're coming from, so she can give better directions.

Zero pops out around the parapet and squeezes off a shot at the soldier firing on the young Bothan nearby. He doesn't wait to see if he's hit, he ducks immediately back under the parapet. The sound of a blaster bolt scorching armor, however, gives it away to him. To the Bothan he says, "Just stay cool. It's like everything else you do here... just stay focused and don't think about anything else."

The mercenary is hit by Zero's shot, and doesn't stand a chance. His sergeant, however, snarls, and is much more careful, crouched behind a heavy log. His blaster carbine bears on Zero as he opens fire. The blaster shots narrowly misses Zero, however, splattering into the stone battlement and gouging a new, melted-stone hole in the ancient rock to go with the more sedately-paced marks of dust- and rain-erosion. The third merc in Zero's sector takes a shot at the ex-troubleshooter.

Zero drops down a bit, covering his head and coughing as the stone splinters and dust flies. To the Bothan he simply says, "Stay cool. Trust me!"

The Bothan nods, shakilly, gathering some courage from Zero's confidence.

From across the battlements, however, another Jedi is not so lucky, and with a cry one of the consulars falls into the cloister below.

Freyja isn't focused enough on the next projectile -- she misses it, causing Roakkana to have to slap it down on his own. He doesn't rebuke her, but she feels a touch of guilt regardless. She tries harder to focus on shutting out the surrounding noise and cries, and the scent of fired carbine rifles and blood... to isolate herself in the cool, clean serenity of the Force.

Zero sits up again, back to the parapet as he brushes the dust from his eyes. "Take your shot right after mine; if he's not expecting two in a row he might pop up to take his shot if I miss." Having instructed his new partner, who apparently is in need of some guidance, he turns and squeezes off another shot. His shot goes wide. He curses and drops back into cover, then hisses to the Bothan, "Now!"

The Bothan nods, quickly lifts his head up over the parapet and lets loose a blast from the concussion rifle.

The concussion shot misses, but it does slam into the tree the sergeant was concealed behind. The sergeant returns fire, and misses again, much to his frustration. The other soldier's shot plows into the battlement as well, but narrowly misses taking out Zero's hair as it cuts a slice out from the stone block.

Zero coughs as more of the parapet disintegrates. He grins to the Bothan, "See? Nothing to it."

Freyja is paying attention more closely now -- she sees the projectile immediately and highlights it for her Master. She grins to herself -- not only has she seen the projectile, but right there is where it came from! She highlights that spot too, with a halo of Force light.

With Freyja's keen farsight, and not a little humor from Roakkana, she feels that same surge of power through her, precisely aligned and very delicate -- right up until is smacks the projectile at the top of it's arc. It arcs back and down....

All that the Jedi on the battlements really see, is a large explosion about a mile away in the woods, toppling trees and apparently triggering another explosion.

The link between Freyja and Roakkana starts to fade, then, with Roakkana giving a warm if weary sense of congratulations to Freyja, before he slips from the trance.

Freyja beams within the Force, rather pleased she was so helpful. She sways slightly as her senses start working more normally again... that's disorienting! She murmurs happily, if a bit wearily, "Got 'em for you, Zero..."

Roakkana is sitting heavilly against a support timber, looking somewhat the worse for wear. "The projectile launcher is... taken care of, Zero. Thank you, child. I would not have been able to do that on my own."

Freyja grins widely, elation in her voice even through the disorientation and tiredness, "Thank you, Master! Did you notice? It works -- working together works!"

Roakkana smiles quietly. "Yes, child. It does -- erk -- it does indeed."

Freyja looks worried, crouching and sliding carefully over to Roakkana, "Are you all right, Master?"

"I'm... I'm fine, child. Methel-ssa is indeed clouding my mind. It was very subtle, and I hadn't noticed until too late."

Zero exhales deeply. "Whew." He nods to the Bothan, "Hear that? Got 'em on the run now..." He shouts down the line, "Press the advantage! Keep firing!" Leading by example, he turns and takes another shot at his previous target. He slumps back under cover, and nods to the Bothan, "Your turn, partner, take 'em down!"

Freyja nods, pulling out her medpac to check and be sure the Wookie is at least physically healthy. "Anything I can do to help? Could the two of us throw her off?"

Zero grins, "Don't worry about it. We got the advantage now."

The Bothan tries, but this time, in his excitement, the shot goes wide. When he ducks back down behind the parapet, he tries to take a few calming breaths, muttering a koan.

...a koan almost terminated abrubtly by a blaster bolt, which snipes past the Bothan's head, startling him to the point of his fur being puffed out twice his size.

Roakkana shakes his head, grimacing. "I would not want you to come to her attention in that manner, child. She would quickly move to crush you."

Freyja tilts her head to regard the Wookie, saying quietly, "Even working together, Master Roakkana? Besides... doesn't she already know me and Zero, from the port?" She's relieved to see there's no physical damage, and tucks away the medpac.

Roakkana smiles quietly. "Even then, child. No, this is just merely annoying for me. She would pounce on you like a spondle contemplating a morsel.

Zero sits up and says, "Hey! Get it together, partner, we're gonna take them together this time. Aim for the sergeant like always. Hey, Freyja!" He waves the consular over, seeing that she's back in the here and now.

Freyja gives the Wookie a rueful smile. She'd have liked to help him if she could... well, she has, really, and the others as well, by finding the projectile launcher for her Master to blow up. She cheers up a bit and grins at Zero as she sidles over, staying low, "Hai, Zero, how can I help?"

Zero says, "I got the sergeant here trading fire. We drop him I bet we can get at least his platoon to break, or at the very least swing the attack off this flank and take the pressure off this side of the line. You, me and the kid here, just follow my lead. Unload on my target. Okay?"

Freyja nods, then draws her blaster, crouching to aim, and waits for the command to fire.

The Bothan, wide-eyed, nods quickly, managing to at least look like he knows how to handle the large concussion rifle.

Zero nods. "Ready then? Okay. Three, two, one-- take 'em!" He pops from around the parapet and opens fire.

Freyja takes slow, deep breaths... and fires on command.

The fusilade of blaster and concussion fire is enough to make the two soldiers in their sector crouch deeper behind their cover startledly.

Zero grins, "Well, hey, we gave 'em something to think about!"

Freyja grins and cheerfully shouts back, "Damn straight she's not! Your covering fire's gone! Stay here and you're Helas-bound!" She prudently gets down immediately after doing so, of course... and whispers to Zero and the Bothan, with a grin, "One of 'em just shouted to the other that the Sith wench isn't paying enough for this!" She finds the battle weirdly... invigorating! Very strange... she'll have to try analyzing it more later.

Zero says, "We gathered. They know the battle's turning... their fire-support's gone and we're suppressing one of their flanks. They're gonna roll it up soon. Okay, one more time, let's keep these boys pinned. On three-- take 'em down!" Freyja will repeat the attack maneuver on Zero's command.

The sergeant shows just enough of himself in the ensuing fusilade to catch a shot -- it's not clear what in particular hits him. It strikes him in the side, and, screaming, he falls backwards, yowling in pain and various invocations of personal deities.

Zero grins and drops back under cover, clapping the Bothan on the shoulder, "There you go! Good shot!"

The Bothan swallows, almost visibly trying to coax his ears to shut close. "Y-yeah. Thanks...."

Zero says, "Three to one, now. Let's get this last one, and we'll start rolling up their flank. We got 'em now, hold tight!"

Freyja frowns, watching the sergeant fall back and hearing him screaming. A cool determination hits her... the sooner they get this over with, the sooner the injured can be helped. She's going to do her best to take these people out as rapidly as possible.

Down the battlements, the blaster fire increases, and with a shout, the soldier still remaining in this corner sits up and takes a shot at the trio on the parapet. The shot, for once, sings true, and seems to glide right into the midst of the three Jedi. With a hot, wet sound, it takes the Bothan and flings him backwards, the young consular giving a startled, empained shout.

Freyja's head snaps around at the Bothan's shout, and she follows him swiftly in a three-point crouch, already reaching for her medpac.

The Bothan lands in the cloister, screaming in pain, clutching the blaster wound in his chest, his own shouts not unlike those of the sergeant out beyond the walls.

Zero blinks, recoiling as a spray of masonry blinds him and he hears the blast. "Aghk-- damn!" He pops up, and fires, determined to press his momentary advantage on the exposed mercenary.

The merc is struck by the blaster bolt, thrown to the ground almost bodilly by it's impact, his own cries almost silent as he tries to crawl back under cover.

Zero makes a sweeping gesture with his free hand, shouting down the line, "Roll up the left flank, their line's breaking!"

Freyja curses softly under her breath as the Bothan disappears over the edge of the roof, but follows him without question, swinging down lightly from foothold to handhold to ground. I should check the other one that fell too... She spares a glance towards the infirmary, to be sure nothing bad is happening there, as she darts over to the Bothan. She is relieved to see the Bothan's wounds aren't too bad, after some good, determined work with the medpac. Urgently she says, "Can you walk? Go to the infirmary if you can, hai? I have to keep going." She's already running lightly to the other fallen Jedi, and crouches to check that one too.

Her hasty glance reveals that everything is fine in the infirmary; the walls aren't breached so nothing is going on there.

Zero sees the fallen merc is alone, and seems to have dropped his weapon. Pragmatism tells him to shoot and leave no doubt... but he decides to chance it for now. Better to finish folding them up now, and concentrate on the greater threat. He advances to his right, up the line, exhorting the attackers to start collapsing the flank, and looking for a new target.

The battle dwindles quickly after that. With the collapse of the flank, and the unreasssuring silence of their fire support, the surviving mercs begin to try to withdraw, carrying or dragging their wounded back through the trees, not firing unless fired upon. Most of the Jedi don't choose to shoot at the retreating mercs, which seems fine to the former attackers, who become a little more bold in the gathering up of their wounded and their dead. While still maintaining their weapons at the ready, they do not fire, and if unmolested will make their way back through the trees. To Zero's eye, there are perhaps a dozen of them, of whom six have been wounded in varying degrees and two outright killed.

Zero watches silently, and waits for the last mercs to withdraw. Once it seems clear, he seeks out the older Jedi, the former Guardsman, and addresses him with a salute. "Well done! What's our situation up here? Casualties?"

The guardsman almost instinctively returns it. "Not too great. Two of ours are shot. Yon Padawan Freyja is tending to Padawan Kah'lil, Jedi Peitas is... he's dead, I'm afraid. There are some blaster and shrapnel wounds, but the medic -- uh, apothecary is tending them." He shakes his head. "Every last one of the mercs had blasters. Back in the Guard, we were lucky if our marines' battalion sniper had a blaster."

Zero nods. "To my count we wounded six of a dozen, some worse than others, and two are out of action permanently. We cost them dearly for this one." He holsters his blaster and adds, "Carbines and light armor. I'd say we cost her quite a bit on this investment."

Zero smiles, after a moment, and says, "You did a hell of a job out there. I'm glad to see the monastery has professionals to help take care of it."

The Jedi shakes his head, grimacing as he scuffs his foot against the rock. "I became a Jedi to get away from this, sir. Was in the 17th Jumptroops -- Rocket Jumper -- for ten years and saw more than my fill of this. Thought I could be a consular." He shakes his head. "Then the damn Sith came...."

Zero nods, taking a breath. "I can understand that. War doesn't leave a lot of room for philosophy. We may not have a choice right now, but we're going to throw these Sith off. And then we can all get back to doing what we came to Marnaas for. That's a fact." He grins, "And, hey, I'm not 'sir' to anyone. Just call me Zero."

The Gungan nods soberly. "Garl Tolq. Formerly of -- well, as I just said, former jumptrooper." He looks out accross the battlements and shakes his head. "So much for being a consular. I should ask for a transfer to a company militant, I imagine. They could use my experience."

Zero says, "Gotta do what you think is best, Garl. That's your decision. In the meantime, let's head down to the perimeter... make sure they didn't leave us any other archaic explosive surprises. I don't wanna wake up tonight and find out we've been sapped."

Garl nods, and gathers up a concussion rifle, heading down to walk the perimiter of the monastery.

Zero heads down to the perimeter with the Gungan. "I think this was the last fling. I just hope our reinforcements make it soon."

Garl nods, hissing softly between his teeth as he looks around. "On the one hand I'm glad to hear that. On the other... we're all very concerned about what she's going to do now." He shakes his head. "Once upon a time I'd have paid a year's salary to have fire support on that level in some hell-holes."

Zero mms. "It looks like it's coming to war again. But... on the bright side, if there is such a thing in going to war, it'll be a battle, and not another desperate holding action against better-armed forces. With sufficient numbers of Jedi we can present an even fight... hey, maybe we'll even get lucky, and she'll withdraw when she sees our reinforcements.

Garl makes a quiet sound. "Hopefully, if her reinforcements do not also come." His eye-stalks angle to peer at Zero briefly. "You fought well, Zero, but not at all like a Jedi. That's not an insult, by the way, just an observation. Were you in the Guard before coming here?"

Zero grins ruefully. "No... but I've had some formal training. I grew up on Sedrak, before the armistice. I got my start defending the colony from native slugthrowers."

Garl makes a quiet sound, probably the Gungan equivalent of arching an eyebrow. "Sedrak? Swampfire. Harsh place, from what I heard. Glad you got through that, we got a briefing about it and thought that Republic forces should've been sent to you at the first sign of problems.

Zero hehs. "That's what we thought. Got my lips banged up there. Lost a lot of good folks. But I'm glad the Jedi could talk some sense into the natives... and into the colonial magistrates. To hear either side's leaders talk, you'd have thought it was a war of annihilation and not a bloody land dispute." He sighs and shakes his head. "Glad it turned out as well as it did though."

Garl nods, "I can understand that." He stops, studying a helmet that one of the mercs had dropped but not touching it yet. He crouches down and starts studying it for any booby traps. "There were more than a few battles with the humans who came to my homeworld, and it wasn't pleasant, but fortunately the Jedi mediated it well. There is still tension, though. Were things still tense when you left? Between the colonists and the natives, that is."

Zero mms, and glances around for overturned dirt, wires, any other sign of hastily-laid traps. "A bit. I left not long after the armistice... twenty years is a long time to spend hating each other. It got better, slowly... understanding always comes, eventually, once you're done killing each other." He grins. "Always the way."

The Gungan hrmphs, and nods, lifting up the helmet as he stands. "Corellian," he says, offering the helmet to Zero. "I'm surprised they didn't throw a Balmorran war droid at is, if they could afford all those blasters. Tch, yeah. It comes, but slowly, and only when you're done. I don't know if 'understanding' and 'done killing' is in the Sith vocabulary, though, not from what we've seen of this Lord."

Zero nods, looking over the helmet. "I'm given the impression this one is the exception and may well have lost her mind." He tucks the helmet under his arm. "Least it wasn't a powersuit. Her resources weren't limitless. C'mon, let's finish up and get back, we'll give the Master a report... and get some rest. I dunno about you, but I need something to drink."

Garl nods. "Sounds like a good idea, Zero. This planet... it used to be good for meditation, at least, but it's almost as dry as Tatooine to me!"

Zero grins. "I hear that. Reminds me a little too much of home."

Freyja has started to stabilize the Bothan who fell, and he's no longer in grave pain, the painkillers making him a little dazed but at least not screaming anymore.

Freyja quickly realizes the other Jedi is dead. She pauses, listening intently, and realizes the gunfire is sporadic, scattered... dying out, in fact. That being the case, she returns to continue aiding the Bothan, helping him slowly towards the infirmary.

Freyja glances around the infirmary, making sure all the Sith are fine, as she helps the Bothan lay down. "Easy there..." She'll tuck her cloak in around him, since they're so short on beds.

Fhazil is lying there, fidgeting, but he seems to visibly relax when he sees Freyja. He seems to dig for the right thing to say, and instead bites his lip, remaining quiet to let her tend the Bothan.

Freyja sighs, sitting back on her heels once the Bothan's settled, pushing her sweaty hair out of her eyes and leaving a dirty smudge across her face. Then she glances around again, murmuring absently, almost under her breath, "Everyone happy little Sith here...? Good, good..." and bounces to her feet again, dashing out lightly to see if anyone else needs medical help.

Fhazil and Vakkal both blink in mild amazement and bewilderment at Freyja's commentary, before exchanging a wierded-out look as she leaves.

Freyja checks along the battlements carefully, and is pleased to find no more wounded. She makes sure Master Roakkana is helped down to a place to rest in the garden, and she suggests to Zero that maybe some well-armed Jedi might want to walk the perimeter and make sure no nasty surprises were left behind? She is rather cheered, also, to find out the financial cost they exacted of the Sith lord for this attack.

She smiles and nods politely to the Jedi Zero's talking to, and realizes the battle's definitively over. She finally wanders tiredly back into the infirmary, where she's relieved to hear from the apothecary that no one else needs her help. "Oh... good... think I'll just sit down for a bit then over here..." She flops a little tiredly across the end of Dhaasul's bed, since he doesn't seem to mind. Her grin is tired, "Heya, big Mandragolan. Is it okay if a tired Humanling Padawan has a seat for a bit?"

Dhaasul blinks. "Uh... certainly, Padawan Freyja. Please, feel free. Who.. who had attacked?"

Freyja curls up comfortably on her side, facing the Sith, and murmurs, "Buncha guys hired by Methel-ssa. Cost her a pretty cred... lotta carbines 'n' a launcher." She grins tiredly, "Blew it up. All gone." She sighs gustily, rubbing her face, then smiles tiredly again, "Thanks."

Fhazil and Vakkal exchange another look -- it's almost like they hold entire conversations like that -- and Fhazil says quietly, "Her last trump. She knows it's over. Now it's just a matter of whether the Jedi or the Sith get here first."

Freyja raises a curious eyebrow at the two Sith, then asks, "Hey, how come you two were giving me funny looks before?" Since she's tired, the words just flow, "And... Fhazil, how come you weren't worried when I touched you last night? Jiosch nearly had an autumlas... sideways! -when he felt my touch... an' it felt like you sorta kinda had done it before -- what'd you mean? An' what'd you mean before the fight?" She raises her head, looking marginally more alert, and very puzzled, "Did you really suggest sacrificing one of you to keep the rest of us safe?!" Her tone is incredulous on that last one.

Vakkal mouths the word "Autumlas?" while Fhazil answers. "I've felt it before, once or twice. Sith don't do it very often. Methel-ssa did it a few times to keep tabs on me, and in one battle, my fighter was damaged...."

The canid Sith almost rolls his eyes amusedly, as if he's heard this story several times before. Fhazil catches the look, and smiles wryly. "The abridged version, then, though it's not as impressive. My fighter was damaged and drifting and I felt Lord Deian Vhult, one of our fleet commanders, touch me to see if I was still alive.

"Uh... as for before the fight...." He looks again to Vakkal. "You've been very, very good to us, Padawan Freyja. You've healed us where a guardian would have probably just shot us and be done with it. And you kept Jiosch off of me...

Vakkal adds, "Another few moments and I'd have had him... maybe. But it's not a certain thing at all."

Fhazil nods. "Yeah. And, if Methel-ssa was really going after any one of us, we'd maybe have been able to take the heat off of you for a bit." He looks wryly indignant. "Sacrifice? Hah!-Ow!" He winces a little, still grinning as he rubs his side a little. "Neither my Brother nor I go out to sacrifice ourselves. We had every intention of surviving such an event." He sobers. "Then I remembered that you were very intent on making us keep our promises, and I realized you might not want to risk letting us out of the monastery."

Vakkal frowns slightly. "I heard a bomb-mortar whistle explosion. I don't think Methel-ssa's goal was to take us, but to level the monastery. She probably was not even remotely hoping that her mercenaries would kill us all, just that the building itself would be razed."

Freyja gives the two Sith a rather shocked look, "Wait... she was trying to level the monastery -- when she knew at least her apprentice was in here?!" She adds absently to Vakkal, "Big herbivore, 'bout twice my height at the shoulder, gives milk, fur, leather, and meat..." as she waits for an answer.

Vakka and Fhazil both nod. "I think he's right," Fhazil says with strong sobriety. "I don't think she cares about that anymore, Freyja. Something about yesterday, and the pressure leading up to it, pushed her over the edge."

Freyja looks both repulsed, and disgusted, "That's... barbaric. You protect your own." She flops back on the bed, muttering grumpily, "Or rather, you should..." She looks back at the Sith again, "Is that why your eyes always go crazy when you use the Dark Force? It makes you mad?" She sighs internally. Oddly enough, this is making it harder for her to determine which Sith to pick -- or even if. Not only do they seem to work awfully well together... but neither of them is being a dirty Laufeyarson and making it easy not to pick them! Her small smile is wry, Wonder if they'd both go...? -ah, you're just being silly there, Freyja-girl. Hard enough to find one Sith that's not utterly mad, and here you're mooning around indecisively about two!

Vakka and Fhazil both nod again, vigorously. "Absolutely," Vakkal says.

"Vakkal's saved my butt more times than I can count," Fhazil says, "and I've done the same for him--"

"I can count that," Vakkal banters wryly.

"Sure you can. But... we were taught by Lord Ghang that the only things a soldier can rely on is his fellow soldiers. And for an army to be good the soldiers have to be able to rely on their commanders, as well. No matter what the battle."

Vakkal provides, "The rage, for my part, is from my people. And under Ghang's tuteledge I have learned how to wield it as a weapon. It is like a lightsabre. When it is not needed, it is quiescent. When it is needed, it burns bright and hot."

Fhazil nods. "It's like that with others in War. In a battle, it's all right to be afraid, it's all right to feel angry and mad, but they have to be controlled at least a little. Blowing up half the front lines with a Force-storm is all well and good, but if it takes out your troops as well, it's counterproductive. Plus you've wiped out troops who've trusted you to be pointing them in the right direction. You've failed them.

Freyja listens quietly, fascinated to hear aphorisms she had hammered into her as a child repeated... by Sith. She wonders thoughtfully, Where did we get so different, when there's so much that's the same between us? And... what will they think of my question about madness? Could that be it -- the Dark side makes you mad? She realizes suddenly her question was answered, actually... they use the rage. It's not the dark side that makes them mad, but rather that they get mad, bring up a rage, and use the Dark side that way. She blinks, struggling with the astonishingly weird new concept... "So... so how do you clean up after yourselves, then? Like the ambush site -- it's filthy with sickness! How do you fix the messes left behind?"

Fhazil grimaces slightly. "Err... We... don't. We can't. At least, the first time I asked about it, Lord Ghang said that we didn't know how to. I don't think the Jedi do, either. I returned to the battlefield where Lord Ravos and Master Vhol-tul-khaa fought, a year later, and it was still... sick. Which is why we have to choose our battlefields carefully. In war, he said, things are destroyed, and the land suffers for it. We must use the Force in the way it has been given to us, through our anger and rage, but we must not destroy indiscriminately."

Vakkal says, "If we do that... we loose whatever it is that we are fighting for, whatever the battle is fought over."

Freyja sits up, neatly avoiding Dhaasul's tail as she settles cross-legged. She looks frankly astonished, "You... just ignore it?! But... but you can feel the damage! Doesn't it hurt you too? Doesn't it hurt your farmlands, your estates, your... your everything? Don't you have any Sith Lords of Healing?" She blinks, looking at Vakkal, still astonished, "Didn't you want to be a healer?"

Fhazil sighs, "We don't ignore it. But we can't do anything about it! We can feel it. I was sick for a day when I returned from that battlefield, and I couldn't walk straight the entire time I was there. And it hurts everything which is the entire reason why Lord Ghang told us we had to choose our battlefields carefully. Even space itself isn't free from the blight." At her point-blank question to Vakkal, he blinks, surprised, and looks to the canid.

Vakkal shoots a surprised, confused, hurt, and frustrated look -- somehow it's all clearly readable this time -- to Freyja, then turns away, quiet. After a few moments, he says quietly, "It was Valsha who told you that, wasn't it?"

Freyja blinks, realizing what she just did. She's silent a moment, then slides off the bed and patters over to Vakkal, to stand next to his bed. She leans very lightly against his furred upper arm, "Vakkal, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to blurt that out. Forgive me, please?"

Vakkal nods slowly, his hands clenching a little. Finally he lets out his breath, opening his eyes. "I did not want to be a healer," he says quietly. "But when I found that I could not heal anything no matter what I tried, it... burned me. Incensed me. Infuriated me. It did not seem right. The more I tried, the more I failed, the more angry I became. Even after Lord Ghang took me in and taught me to control and direct my rage, that blemish has always been with me. I killed a man with a medpac, instead of healing him, once. More than once I have used that anger in battle, to my advantage, but in the end it gnaws at me to no end, like an orbalisk savoring the previous night's hunt."

Freyja is silent, listening, then reaches for one of the big alien's clawed hands, sliding her smaller, furless hand into his if he'll let her.

Vakkal makes no resistance, and at her hand in his he looks down at it for a moment, then up to Freyja, solemn and serious. "You see why, in a sense, I envy you, and the lightsiders who seem to be able to heal as if by magic. I am who I am. I do not know why I carry this failing, but I will not let it rule my entire life. It is enough that the anger from it that I feel is held until it is needed."

Freyja curls her fingers around Vakkal's, and says quietly, "I am-" She pauses, thinking, then says in quiet honesty, "I am a very, very good healer... but it gnaws at me that I cannot stop the fights before I have to patch people up. There's always something, I think, that people want, that they don't have yet... and even so, we all have our part to play. There are so many others that are far better fighters than I, than I can ever dream of being... but without me they won't heal so well, and without them I'd probably be dead." She touches his furred cheek lightly with her free hand and smiles quietly, "Besides, you already know the first lesson of healing, Vakkal. See?" She holds up their clasped hands, "You know how to temper your strength, so you don't hurt those who are more fragile than you. I would not be afraid to work with you to heal people. That's what teamwork is all about -- each doing what they do best." She sighs softly internally... from what she's hearing, there's no deliberately-placed knot in Vakkal's mind that prevents his healing people. She'll still check, for thoroughness' sake, and be very happy for Vakkal if there is and they can fix it for him... but she isn't expecting it any more.

Vakkal takes in a slow breath, and nods, his hand gently squeezing hers. "I think I understand. The first task in healing is to do no harm to those you wish to heal." He gently touches forheads with Freyja. "Thank you, Padawan Freyja. What you have said... helps, I think."

Freyja smiles as she dips her head to his, her eyes lighting up with happiness, "Thank you, Vakkal. It gives me great pleasure when I can help people." She looks around at Fhazil, still holding Vakkal's hand, and adds calmly and firmly, "And I'm sure this doesn't need to be repeated, hai, Fhazil?"

Fhazil smiles quietly, and shakes his head. "Hai, Freyja. It does not." He touches his forhead with both palms, inclining his head slightly. "Thank you for speaking with my Brother."

Freyja smiles, both relieved and a little touched that the two Sith are behaving so nicely... almost kindly, in a way. Then she sighs softly, "Well... I think I will withdraw and let you all rest and recover. I need to rest too. One last check before I go..." She pauses, her eyes going a bit unfocused as she 'looks' at the Force patterns in the room... the two Sith (one of whom she's seen before), the 'fallen' Jedi who is returning to the Light, the wounded Jedi... and herself. That should give a wide selection of patterns in the Force for her to report to her Master, and to use in considering Vakkal's mind.

Oh... and Jiosch too.

Roughly, from what Freyja can tell, Dhaasul's stain is much lighter, while Vakkal and Fhazil both have a 'muted' stain from what she can tell. She's initially confused -- then realizes they're both probably politely and deliberately muting the uncomfortable effect. She's faintly surprised to realize it seems to bother her less... or is that them? Hard to tell... Jiosch is unconscious so making no effort to mute his stain. That mutes it somewhat for him, however.

Ultimately, she realizes it's really hard to tell if there's been any deliberate 'psychic surgery' was done on Vakkal, at least without digging around in him, which she won't do. Maybe if she just looks a bit more closely...? With a bit more 'peering,' she thinks his pattern looks about similar to Fhazil's. Darksider, yes, capable of great rage... no, more accurately capable of great emotion.

Freyja's fascinated. These are clearly men who feel rather than think in battle... she wonders how they can make good generals if they do that? The first rule of strategy she was taught as the Baron's daughter was to be able to hold the entire issue or battle clearly in her mind, not let herself be overwhelmed by any one facet of it. She sighs softly, opening her eyes after a moment. Well... looks like she can't do anything psychically for Vakkal... because there's nothing broken to fix.

When Freyja opens her eyes, she sees the two Sith blinking curiously at her. "Are you all right, Freyja?" Fhazil asks.

Freyja smiles wearily at the group, "Just checking a suspicion that turned out to be false." She sighs softly, then adds quietly, "Rest well. Heal." She gently disentangles her hand, laying Vakkal's down on the sheet, and wanders slowly -- and a bit unsteadily, truth be told -- for the door. She's got things to report to Master Roakkana... and then she may just lay down for a few seconds; rest her eyes...

The three meet a little later, in Roakkana's quarters. The Jedi master looks somewhat the worse for wear, but improving slightly. In asnwer to any questions about his condition, he says simply, "Methel-ssa is not happy right now," and nothing else.

Freyja finishes her report on what she learned in the infirmary, curled up comfortably on the foot of Roakkana's large bed, ending with, "So... I don't know what it is, but I don't think his inability to heal was caused by someone else's intervention." She sighs, taking another sip of hot tea, then adds quietly, "We need to get Jiosch out of there -- his healing will be slowed by being under sedation otherwise."

Zero folds his arms, leaning in the doorway. "I'm not sure Jiosch wants to be healed."

"I agree," Roakkana says quietly. "Jiosch needs to be delt with, somehow, some way. There is... just far too much anger in him. And I'm still wondering how he broke out from under sedation."

Freyja looks a bit guiltily at Zero and adds, "Um... I'm sorry, Zero, I'm still not sure about who should be the Dark mantle, either. I just..." She sighs, considering, then says slowly, "I wish... I wish we could combine the two of them into one person, in a way! They seem to... to support each other well. I don't know how to pick just one when they're both being so reasonable and kind!"

Freyja says, "Oh, Jiosch wasn't sedated, Master. Vakkal was... and yes, that one still perplexes me."

Zero says, "Look, Master... if it comes to that, I can..."

Freyja looks up at Zero and shakes her head once, "He has information the Council needs. We need to ship him to them, I think?"

Zero mms. "Yeah. I like that idea better, myself."

Freyja smiles quietly at her fellow Human, pleased she can make things a bit easier for him.

Roakkana blinks. "Ah, I see. Well, I would think it safe to say that the condition is reversed now." He sighs. "Unfortunately, Freyja is correct. As a Jedi, fallen or dark or otherwise, he must be tried before a Tribunal. Yet as a Sith, he is incredibly dangerous, not only to us but to the others in the infirmiry. There is no certain way to imprison a Force-user of any tradition."

Freyja says simply, "Let the Council worry about that. We have enough problems on our hands now, surely, Master Roakkana? When will we know that Colburth, Talmon, and Valsha are safely arrived? And... do we have any new information on other Force users, or the Oath of Fire?"

Roakkana shake shis head. "I wish it were that easy, child. We will have to keep him sedated for quite some time, and eventually I imagine even taht will severely damage his body. I would almost like to pretend that does not matter, but it does.

"Colburth, Valsha, and Talmon are en route to Coruscant. They should be just emerging from hyperspace for the first leg of their trip, and will arrive at the Temple in two weeks. Communication with the Temple being what it is, however, the Council already knows what is happening with Methel-ssa." He is quiet for a moment. "They are sending a company of Jedi militant from the Bilbringi commandery, with support from the Republic Guard. They should be here within two weeks. Unhappilly, there is news that the Sith are also sending ships here."

Zero says, "Well... that's to be expected. Maybe we should forget about this whole Zhar thing for now."

Freyja nods, unsurprised. She considers for a moment, then says quietly, "So... I have at maximum two weeks to... to pick a Darksider to pin our hopes on..." Her voice trails off, and she wonders, Am I mad to think we can do this?!

Freyja sighs, wishing there were some clear sign or something that what she wants to try is even feasible. Then again, she thinks wryly, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. She sighs quietly again, then looks up at Zero, "Maybe we should start practicing immediately on how to work well together, Zero. We know it can be done from what happened today with Master Roakkana and I, after all."

Zero says, "It's likely that's all we can do for now. I just don't know if leaving Marnaas now, particularly with Sith forces on their way, is a good idea."

Freyja studies the mug she's holding, her thoughts drifting quietly... then she looks up suddenly, "Hey... I just had a thought. Do you think we could talk the two of them into escorting us towards Zhar? We don't have to tell them why... but if they're both there, that'd give us some time to see if one or both of them just wouldn't work...?"

Roakkana nods. "Expected, yes. I should not perhaps say 'unfortunate,' but that term comes to mind. The deployment of a company of Jedi Knights means that the march of the Army of Light is not as far off as it once was." He considers for a moment, looking into his bucket -- or, rather, very large cup -- of tea. "It would be hard to explain where you and Freyja and one or more of the Sith in the infirmiry have gone off to. I have been told that the Knight Grand Cross--" He shakes his head, sighing in frustration. "Millenia it's been since that rank was used! I have been told that the Knight Grand Cross of the Bilbringi company will be taking charge of the monastery from me, leaving us to go to Coruscant and report to the Council directly. I suspect that it will be there, you will have the greatest chance of beginning your journey."

Zero says, "I don't think I like that idea much, Freyja. If either of them wouldn't work, and worse yet went bad on us... we'd be right out of luck out in the middle of Hutt Space."

Freyja says pragmatically, "How do we take a Sith with us to Coruscant, Master Roakkana?" She adds to Zero, "Well, we'd have to ask for promises from them, I'd think, like we have on them right now, hai?"

Roakkana smiles wryly. "A good question, isn't it, Freyja? I don't think that'll be possible. It might be better, to ask them to meet you further on, say at Iktotch or Tynna. If you can trust them enough."

She looks puzzled, "Wait... what's a Knight Grand Cross?"

Zero says, "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with just promises... given what could be at stake. But... we'll talk about it more, we have fourteen days to think on it."

Freyja nods gravely to Zero, then looks inquiringly at the Wookie.

The Wookie shakes his head. "The commanders of the companies in the Army of Light were Knights, and to distinguish their position as commanders, they were bestowed with the rank of Knight Grand Cross. Without the Army of Light, the rank is little more than words.

Freyja looks worried, murmuring under her breath, "The... Army of Light... this is getting bad... I wonder how the Senate was talked into this..."

"Yes... fourteen days. Seeing that we have been on Marnaas for little more than three or four days, a very great deal can happen in that time. I hope, however, that without any resources, Methel-ssa will choose to quietly dissosciate herself and consign herself to oblivion for us.

Freyja says, "You know what really confuses me? What I'd really like to know?" She frowns, "Who is pushing Methel-ssa?"

Zero says, "Garl and I turned up some of the mercs' armor. Corellian. Nice stuff. She can't afford much more like that."

Roakkana chuffs. "Likely the Senate supported it. After the destruction wrought by Methel-ssa, they probably decided to let the Jedi handle this problem. And so the Bilbringi company is sent here, and soon another company is sent somewhere else, and then another, and another. Should the war go poorly, and more dramatic incidents take place like the one we were unfortunately witness to, the Senate may very well welcome the Army of Light.

"Yes.... What made the supposedly calm and rational Methel-ssa, who would send herself and her minions into battle and death against the Oath of Fire to protect the monastery, turn around and become a persona of devastation?

"Corellian, eh? No, she won't have much left at all. I would agree with our young Sith. She had no intention of simply rescuing her apprentice." He frowns. "The timing with Jiosch and Vakkal awakening is... interesting, as well. But nothing I can put a tired, old dewclaw upon.

Freyja winces slightly -- what a horrible thing to intend for someone who'd served loyally! -and... how Sith... then remembers something she's been meaning to ask her Wookie Master. Quietly she says, "Master Roakkana, may I ask you a question? Yesterday you said to me 'Sadly, in the Unified Force, they are already bound together closely enough...' Then you stopped. What was the end of the sentence? Why is it sad to be bound together?"

Roakkana considers for a moment, then smiles quietly to her. "Have you ever wondered, child, how it is that you can see accross space and time itself through the Force? Zero, someday you, as well, will see things through the force, vast distances and glimpses of forgotten times, or futures yet to be.

"The Force is in all things. It is around us, fills us, is us. In my long journey to what is called 'mastery,' I slowly came to realize, and see, not merely hear with my ears, but experienced, the truth that, in the Force, there is no 'distance,' there is no 'time.' All is within in, all is bound by it. It is not an easy thing to see, to convince ourselves of. Indeed, so strongly are we ingrained with the perceptions of the physical that it is extraordinarilly difficult to think that there may not be any limits to the Force -- no limits of time or space or mind.

"You are both just starting that journey. As time passes, as you meditate and see and feel with your very self, the vistas of the Force bit by bit opening up before you like a Trandoshan storm-flower, you will slowly come to realize that the limitations of the Force are merely our own. It is one thing for me to tell you 'There are no limits within the Force!' It is another to learn it and know it without any sort of doubt at all. For do we not live in a physical universe with limits? Does not light travel at a finite velocity? Do we not have to 'cheat' and bypass that relatively slow pace by means of hyperdrives and the HoloNet? Even then we are operating within limits which are imposed upon us by matter and energy. The Force does not know these limits. But it takes a long, long time to realize that and recognize it. And even then, I myself, ostensibly one who has achieved mastery, am still bound by limits that I myself impose without knowing or wanting to."

"It is sad, child, because the ones who see themselves as not having the time to, as they say, 'form bonds between each other within the Force,' as the Templars do, or certain student-healers, or even some guardians or archaeologists.... All are already bound together in the Force. But they do not realize it yet. Some see mastery as one-ness with the Force in this material universe, but others -- as myself, and a few -- realize that mastery is just recognition that there is more beyond, that the Force goes beyond terms like 'light-years' or 'kilograms' or 'seconds' or 'weeks.' Nothing can contain it, and ultimately, enlightenment, that most elusive of things, is not so much the recognition of this, as it is the acceptance of it, body and soul."

"You do it yourself, child. You are yourself alone. For now, at least. It is not enough to hear the words, you must train yourself thoroughly. Enlightenment may sometimes come in a flash of light, but that light is hardly ever uninvited. You will learn. There is time. And in the Force, there is always time."

Freyja blinks, straightening suddenly at a very odd thought. "You know... we've been saying all the time that Methel-ssa is being pushed... that she's not acting like herself. Well... what if she isn't? We already know at least one Sith lord thwarted death. Could Verg somehow have overwhelmed her, and be running her now? That'd explain the two revenge Sith waking at once, as well as the thoughtless insistence on both random destruction, and attempting to flatten the monastery no matter the cost once Jiosch was sedated...?"

Zero blinks. "That's a frightening thought... a genocidal madman with the resources of a military commander at his disposal."

She blinks, rolling that new thought around in her head. People choose to isolate themselves needlessly? She murmurs quietly, "How... lonely for them..."

Roakkana frowns deeply. "That is indeed frightening, yes. That Qatto Verg might be influencing her from beyond the... er, 'grave' is such an inappropriate term....

Freyja considers a moment more... then grins, "I know I don't have to be alone, though, Master Roakkana. Recognizing that is half the battle, I bet." She pauses, then adds, "I bet I know a way to check if Verg's there or not, too. Let's ask Vakkal if this is Verg-like behavior!"

Roakkana says dryly, "Judging by the way he acted in his last battle, I would doubt that even Qatto Verg would know what Qatto Verg-like behavior is. But it may be worthwhile to ask.

Freyja grins, sliding off the bed and upright. Her energy seems inexhaustible sometimes... well, perhaps merely quick to return to some degree. She says, "Just a moment then, please..." and darts out the door.

She leans her head quietly into the infirmary, checking to see if anyone's awake.

All of the persons in the infirmiry are either sleeping, unconscius, or in the case of Fhazil and Vakkal, talking quietly, about things they have done, places they've been to, battles they've fought since they parted company. They look up as Freyja comes in. "Hello, Freyja," Fhazil says cheerfully.

Freyja brightens, entering quietly, and says to the two of them, "Hello! May I have a seat with one of you? I have a question to ask."

Fhazil and Vakkal both seem to have begun expecting Freyja to be incessantly curious. "Of course, Padawan Freyjaa," Vakkal says, tilting his head to the side.

Freyja grins and settles cross-legged, careful not to jostle Vakkal's bed, and says, "All right. I had this idea, since Fhazil Taas mentioned the Sith lord that cheated death... here's the question. First," she looks at the Human, "-Methel-ssa's apprentice says she's acting uncharacteristically. So..." she looks at the dog Sith, "-is she acting... like Qatto Verg?" She remembers Zero standing in the doorway of Roakkana's quarters, and wonders suddenly -- can she reach him too? She sends a cool, gentle finger of thought out towards her sibling Padawan. She'd like to learn how to easily leave some sort of connection between them... is that even possible? Surely so, considering her Master said the Force is limitless...?

Zero's thoughts are mostly quiet, and far away, thinking about other battles, making plans. His reply, when he notices (which takes some time), isn't terribly articulate, even in conceptual terms. It comes across as a vague sort of ?

Freyja grins and gives back just calm feelings... then tries to shape in her mind the image of a slender silver cord of the Force joining the two of them. She offers him one end to 'tie down' in his mind?

What comes back is sort of a blunt affirmative. He holds onto it as best he can, but it takes some work.

Freyja thinks about it for a while... then tries sort of melding her end to herself. If that works she'll try helping Zero do the same on his end.

Vakkal and Fhazil share one of those voluminous conversations in a glace.

"Methel-ssa?" Fhazil asks.

"Possessed by Qatto Verg?" Vakkal asks.

They seem to think for a moment, then Vakkal says quietly, "It... is hard to say, Padawan Freyja. Qatto Verg was always unpredictable, and complex. He was of a subtle cunning when it came to hiding the existence of the Oath, but of blatent mien when hunting Jedi."

Fhazil provides, "It's not unheard-of, that a dying Lord might attempt to possess or influence a surviving Lord, but usually it's a Lord who is nearby at the time of death. That's why a lot of very powerful Lords die alone except for their Massassi servitors."

"And," Vakkal adds, "hardly ever do such Lords attempting that immolate themselves in the Dark side in the process. But that does not mean it is not possible.

Zero doesn't quite have enough control yet. He manages to mentally 'tie' it to himself... it'll take him a few days at least to figure out how to keep it from slipping away on the long term.

Freyja nods, listening to the two Sith -- and repressing a grin of amusement at their "glance communication. She considers, then says slowly, "Well... where was she then? One of her landspeeders followed his, I know that from the tracks. Was she in it?"

She considers the 'knot'... then tries gently drawing a whisp of Force from Zero. Maybe they can be woven together, just as the Dark blight drew in her Light touch at the ambush area? She will, of course, stop at once if Zero objects.

Freyja adds quietly, "Destroying the monastery her apprentice is in doesn't seem right for Methel-ssa... but it'd work for Verg, neh?"

Zero is mostly confused. He lets Freyja do... whatever it is she's doing. He assumes that in time he'll understand it better. For now, better to let her learn as much as she can... particularly in the face of this 'experiment'.

Freyja says, "And..." she adds another sudden thought, "-wouldn't he want to destroy her for knowing about the Oath?"

Meanwhile, she beams mentally, grateful that Zero trusts her enough to let her try... then focuses carefully on weaving the wispy bits of thought together, melding them gently.

Vakkal says dryly, "I was Verg's apprentice, as well. Or at least he was my liege." He shakes his head. "I think you have the beginnings of an idea, Padawan Freyja. But where was Methel-ssa when Verg died?"

Fhazil thinks, then shakes his head. "I don't know. I was actually in another part of the city at the time, in case Verg didn't go to the monastery or escaped. I didn't find him before he returned to the starport and then the Jedi came and he... well, blew up."

Vakkal nods. "Your reasoning is sound, I think, Padawn Freyja, though there are some concerns in it. Such as, how did Verg's spirit find Methel-ssa? Why, in the starport incident yesterday, did she want to rescue her apprentice from you?"

Freyja looks pleased, then considers, "Well, let's analyze. Was she at the ambush, Fhazil Taas?" She adds to Vakkal with a grin, "Maybe she wanted to whack him for not shooting first and asking questions later?"

[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