Public When the Cards All Fold (Kaeshana/Invite)

[HK-36]

[member="Phylis Alince"], [member="Coryth Elaris"], [member="Hevana Martin"], [member="Tarissa Cadalthor"],


HK walked out of the room for something, besides watching Cory be helpless towards drugs sedating her against her will, well not even droids wanted to see their friends in a state like that.

He would come back into the room once the redhead was asleep, holding a can of oil as it would be a can of soda,

"How long will she be asleep?"

The machine asked, looking to Phylis, Maeve, and Hevana. The answer didn't really mattered, it was more an attempt on small talk than anything, after all HK never really talked-talked to Phylis and Hevana, he might as well get to know them better before they'll face some Eldritch evil together. And for however long Cory would lay there sleeping, he was planning to stand there and keep vigil over here, it's not like droids had the same concept of time or got tired after all, and he did not had much to do outside of waiting for his copies from Abregado to arrive.

"Also, I found this can of oil in the garbage and I am not sure if it is expired or not, could you smell it for me?"

The droid asked, offering the can of lubricant he was holding to Hevana and Phylis.

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Coryth Elaris"], [member="HK-36"], [member="Phylis Alince"], [member="Hevana Martin"]


Apparently the droid was addressing her. Maeve was modernist enough to work in the hospital of a human corporation, but thinking machines still made her feel antsy and distrustul, even though this one seemed nice and friendly enough. She could not help suspecting that at some point they would go all Clockwork on the Galaxy again.



Nonetheless she answered his question politely. As a matter of fact, the sun was setting on Kaeshaa. "She should be asleep till the morning. Ashira knows the poor lass needs it. A nurse will come by later to check up on her," she said and then departed, leaving the Jedi Master, the soldier and the Iron Knight alone to stand vigil for Coryth. Perhaps this writer would use her later again if they saw the need to boost Tarissa's post count despite not actually using her, but for now she was out of the thread since she had other patients to attend to and presumably would go home then!

 

[Mirien Valdier]

"Even bloodplay is a bit beyond my level of kink." She said with a shrug as she pulled a soft clean cloth from her bag, quickly taking Sio's bleeding hand into hers, as she wrapped it with care before tying the bandage off. "There is at least a purpose to this, and a goal with both can agree is worth while."

"And no, Lotek'k won't be showing up here, though truth be told there is a ritual I was reading about that used the blood of one... so you know, if you happen to run into another, save me a vial." One couldn't tell if Mirien was kidding or not, but given her recent knowledge, most likely not.

Mirien nodded, "I figured it was something we'd have to find a new location for a eventually. Idly dabbling in the dark arts is one thing, but this is starting to go beyond that. My skills of masking it's presence only go so far, staying out of sight, out of mind with it here, will not last." A sigh came as she pulled the small vial of blood towards her. "And I've no interest in learning what Kaeshana's judicial system is like."

Mirien sighed, shook her head and brushed her hair back into a ponytail, partly to get it out of the way, partly to give herself another moment before she had to actually do the dark ritual. Of the miscellaneous items on the table, she pulled out a small thin and rather worn looking manuscript, written in the ancient Sith language. Something Miri found out by sheer accident that she could still read and understand it. As for how she had that knowledge well, somethings were better left in the past.

"Don't ask." She said as she flicked through it to a particular page that had already been marked up, with notes in Mirien's usual scrawl of codes and symbols for her own personal reading that kept others from ever deciphering what she was actually doing. Though, since Sio has Mirien's memories, it was safe to say that she'd know quite a few of the symbols written on the pages, and their meaning. But at least it would keep other prying eyes from that knowledge.

"The less you know the better. The last thing I want is for you to end up in deep poodoo on my behalf." The brunette very much cared, but she was still doing her best to delay, as she looked over the table feeling like she was missing something, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Deciding that she could no longer stall anymore, she pulled the crystals towards her and arranged them, side by side. While the ritual, for the most part remained the same, only changing who's blood would be used on each.

"Hope you know, how much I don't like doing this." Mostly she didn't like showing her truly dark nature off to the world. One was never sure who was watching these days. Paranoia creeping in? Since when have we not been paranoid? Right, fair point. Carry on. It wasn't a side she much cared for, if not for it's infinite uses she would have long ago gave it up. Happy to let the alchemy lie where it was, buried in a past she barely knew.

One more sigh, as she picked up a second vial, opening it and setting it on the counter. "I may like a little pain, but I don't like doing it to myself. Not even the slightest bit of fun this way." Then taking the knife into her own hand, quickly slit it open. Closing her fist, she let the blood drip slowly into the container. With practiced movements, Mirien quickly wrapped up her own hand, tying the bandage off.

There is no way I'm ever getting used to cutting into my own hand.

Mirien glanced back to the ancient manuscript, reading through it one last time. For mistakes, she did not want to make, when coincidentally it was only a few words off from what she was doing now, to actually summoning a Sith Lord that she held no interest in meeting from the realms of Chaos. Exar Kun was great and all, but he was rather dull for just having a cup of tea with.

Stalling... again. Does Sio know that you can speak ancient Sith? If not she is about to find out.

One more deep breath taken, as she pulled out a small metal tray, no bigger than her hand and placed the first crystal upon it. Drawing upon the tangled web of the force, the room noticeably gained a dark undercurrent through it as Mirien sorted through to the darker threads, gaining strength in the darkside as she pulled upon the delicate strands.

The former Bando Gora Acolyte exhaled slowly, before speaking in hushed tones, a most dark and foul language. Ancient words, a blessing of sorts, to ward off attacks, to form a barrier to protect the most fragile element of the body, the mind. Her words gained power as she spoke, her hand glowing a soft red, and the crystal on the tray below, responding in kind. It was then that she reached over, grabbing the vial of Siobhan's blood and pour it onto the tray surrounding the crystal. Slowly bit, by bit, the crystal drank in the blood, leaving behind not a trace that it was ever there at all.

Still she was not done, and found herself reaching out to Siobhan for support as her body grew tired, barely able to stand. Reaching out in the force, Sio would feel her touch upon her mind, drawing the force through her, to keep going. Mirien had hoped to have one crystal done completely before needing to draw upon her force-bonded sister.

Clearly for this, she would over time, have to develop more of an endurance. Until now, she'd very seldom done things entirely through the force. Alchemy took a lot from her, than she ever had imagined it would, when she had taken up the practice again after over a decade had passed since she last even remembered she could use it.

A few more dark, sinister words were spoken, and both the crystal and Mirien's hand ceased to glow. She found herself stumbling as she reached to grab her throbbing head. For there was a price to pay for such magicks. "I ... think .. I need ... a minute." She managed to whisper.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


"I'm not terribly eager to fight the bugger again, what with almost dying and stuff, but sure, I'll try to get blood all over me next time. Hopefully it's not acidic," Siobhan said sardonically. Little did she know that two weeks hence from now she'd be fighting another Cthulhu. Yeah, see, there was another one, somehow. Hopefully there wouldn't be a third!



She nodded at Mirien's next words. "Eldorai don't like darksiders, or Dashdae Sciians as they call them. They consider it a corruption of the Goddess' gift. They let Firemane do its thing, but yeah, it's best to find a safer location for your pursuits." Something to discuss after Coryth had been saved and was no longer plagued by the box of doom and Sith Poison. Siobhan had some ideas about a location, but first things first.


Oh, and Mirien looked so cute with a ponytail. She should wear her hair like that more often! At least that's what Siobhan thought, as she likewise bandaged the wound where she had cut through with the knife. The ritual made her feel...rather uncomfortable, though she tried to hide it. Given all her battles with Shadow, she had bad experiences with darkside sorcercy. In the back of her mind she could not quite silence the voice that she was crossing a bridge never meant to be crossed, indulging in corruption too far even for her.


She tried to blot it out. Her eyes could not help travelling over the ancient manuscript Mirien had brought forth, taking in the symbols written upon the pages. To her surprise Siobhan found that she could actually read what was written, but then it clicked to her that this was because of Mirien's memories. Words of darkness...and evil....


"Go ahead, do what you must," she said softly, though it sounded a bit like she was trying to reassure herself. Here you are now, playing with dark magicks. What would Adril think of you? Or your dear Tegs? Oh, right, dark is not evil. Then Mirien spoke the words of the ancient Sith in her hushed tones and Siobhan visibly tensed, her jaw tightening and her hair standing on edge. The language was most dark and foul, every word dripped with darkness so strong that it was almost palpable. Was it just Siobhan or had the room suddenly turned a good deal colder? And why was the small wound she had cut into the palm of her hand suddenly itching for no reason?


Dark is not Evil.


She involuntarily bit down on her lower lip as she tried to concentrate, watching the crystal drink in the blood. The inner voice of self-doubt finally decided to shut the feth up. Then, sensing her Force Bond sister's tiredness, doubts vanished from her mind as she gripped her body with a calmning, stabilising hand. She felt the touch upon her mind and opened herself, dropping all her barriers to let Mirien draw upon her power and let it feed her. Siobhan had no talent for alchemy and though one could not rule out her dabbling a bit in it, she would never become a good alchemist. As Luke Skywalker had once said, every force-user faces the choice between throwing stones and reading ripples, between shouting and hearing a whisper. Sense versus power, to distill the dichotomy in its most basic form. Siobhan chosen the latter so many years ago and it was a bridge you could not cross twice. However, what she did have in abundance was lots of energy and so Mirien got it. All the energy she needed to keep going for the ritual.


Siobhan had been part of force melds before, both on Atrisia and Druckenwell. But then things it had been different because the melds had empowered her, filling her with energy from several force masters so that she could do her part to try and avert disaster. Disaster coming from the CIS's mad leaders dropping Lucrehulks onto Atrisia and then a shipyard on Druckenwell out of spite. On Atrisia disaster had been averted, though she had only been one among many masters, on Druckenwell many lives had been saved, but the planet was still destroyed. Here the situation was a bit different because rather than receiving she was giving power to empower another, but then Siobhan liked giving!


It might be a bit amusing to think about the fact that Mirien had been on Atrisia at that day, and been one of the masters that tossed the Lucrehulk into the mountains. But Sio's mind turned abruptly to the present, away from the memories of the pure fury her bondsister had felt, as the ritual ceased with a few final, dark and sister words and glowing stopped. She saw Mirien stumble and reacted quickly, gently but firmly taking ahold of her hand and catching her before she helped her sit down upon a chair.


"It's ok. Take what time you need. That was...intense," Siobhan said, trying to catch her breath.

 

[Hevana Martin]

"Don't worry Coryth, I won't let you die," Hevana said. "Whatever it takes."

Including dying herself, though she would not say that aloud. Coryth was worried enough. When the nurse turned the sedative drip back on Hevana regretted not being able to talk more with Coryth, but it was better she rest. Once the other woman was asleep Hevana moved off the bed so as not to disturb her. Finding a seat in a hospital chair, she looked a bit annoyed at all the company in the room. It was like they did not trust her to look after the Jedi. Since she did not know them very well, and Siobhan seemed to like them, Hevana kept a lid on her temper.

Which did not stop her from raising an eyebrow at the droid when it held out the oil. "It's a liquid created by the carbon of dead living organisms over a span of millions of years. I think it is safe to assume that it has not expired within the past few years since this building was constructed and that trash can placed."

[member="Coryth Elaris"] [member="Phylis Alince"] [member="HK-36"]

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="HK-36"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Hevana Martin"] | [member="Coryth Elaris"]

Once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny….

Or so Phylis would assuredly have said had she known about the Dark-Sith-Blood-Spells going on some distance away.

As she didn’t, she was left with an irate supersoldier, an odd droid and a sleeping patient.
She took the oil and smelt it, more to get into the spirit of things. It smelt…oily.
“It seems fine, HK,” she said kindly, handing it back.

Looking to Hevana she didn’t really know where to start. However, if the woman was going to camp there, it didn’t require two of them.
“If you’re going to stay, I will take my leave and prepare for the mission, and also for helping treat Coryth’s injuries. See that you don’t step on the lines or move the crystals. They’re all that’s protecting Coryth from the box, right now.”

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Phylis Alince"] had a point, but so far neither Kerrigan nor [member="Mirien Valdier"] had murdered millions of innocents and devastated an entire city. Unlike a thoroughly unrepentant 'light side' Jedi Master. Whom the Jedi Council had only cast out of the Order and severed from the Force after she sold artefacts on auctions and acquired WMDs. Never mind Halcyon's brand of imperialism and 'kill them all, the Force will know its own' religious zealotry. So Light was not always good.


As for Yoda, whose line about dark paths is quoted a lot, he had been thoroughly incapable of noticing that the Dark Lord of the Sith had been sitting right in front of him. Or that Anakin was extremely emotionally unstable and it might not be a good idea to let him play bodyguard to an emotionally stunted, codependent queen he was evidently lusting after. Or have him spy on the obviously evil chancellor who was blatantly trying to ingratiate himself with him and seize power. Never mind the contradiction that Obi-Wan and Yoda were clearly training Luke to eventually fight and kill Vader and Palpatine, yet when the confrontation happened the viewer is told that if he kills them, he'll become them. Besides, apparently Yoda spent twenty years doing absolutely nothing on his swamp planet. Apparently his entire plan, if he even had one, was based on the chance of either Luke or Leia some day finding their way to Dagobah. Long story cut short, the Old Jedi Order was extremely dysfunctional and brought about its downfall. Naturally, this did not change the fact that Valdier and Kerrigan were walking a rather dangerous path.


In any case, some Eldorai soldiers and Angelii had been assigned to help guard the hospital. They would be unobtrusive and not throw their weight around, but do their part as silent but highly efficient sentinels, in case quantum tunnelling Sith, space orks or other villains suddenly popped up against all reason and plot integrity. After all, the Eldorai liked having [member="Coryth Elaris"] around, even though a great many might try to hide this because of traditional elf racialism. The little redhead was popular after all!



As for Kaida, who ironically enough did not like darksiders either, she had finally finished her paperwork and, much to her relief, no more fanmail had arrived. Otherwise she might feel the need to toss icicles at someone. Icicles accelerated to the speed and velocity of a railgun shot. So instead Kaida was...reading stuff. See, everyone needed a hobby and unlike that terribly oversexed - and in Kaida's opinion rather sleazy and off-putting - Kerrigan woman, she was not obsessed with 'literacy modules' or other euphemism for sexual intercourse. The book in question was called 'The Rise and Decline of the Omega Protectorate' by Eduardina Gibbon. The volume was long, ponderous and the author was terribly self-important, but delightfully scathing at times, though it seemed she had a problem with Elves and did not like Kerrigan much. Or Cater. Something Kaida approved of.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]

Yesss ... It hissed. No matter what darkness taints that redhead's life, nothing has ever taken that shiny little halo from her. Something that must change, for she would be a mighty force for evil, if she could be broken. If it cannot be changed then she must perish. Even evil boxes of Doom had their problems. I will have her, one way or another.

The stars only know what happened to such clear and clean alignments. The old days, truly were better. Sith were Sith. Jedi weren't pathetically weak and feeble minded. It seems youth has run away with the worlds, wanting to have their proverbial cake and eat it too.

If it had eyes to roll, it would have, the exasperation was quite evident in it's tone none the less.

Yes, and I do not wish for you to be caught up in such a mess, for it would be a shame to waste such a brilliant mind. Clearly it was starting to get attached to Naamah.

A chill washed through the room. Coryth Caulyn Elaris. Without a doubt, a sore spot for the Box.

It seemed to be getting more excited by the thought. Of course, child! I would most happily lead you to the source of Chaos itself. To my home. It paused, for there was always a price to pay. I see the ways of the galaxy have taught you well little one. The price is simple. Serve me, become my apprentice in the most dark of arts, and should things go wrong here, protect my spirit. For I could travel within you if needs be.

 

[Phylis Alince]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="HK-36"] | [member="Coryth Elaris"] | [member="Hevana Martin"]

Now no longer required as a sentinel, Phylis Alince returned to her ship and sat on her bunk.
ERP-69 rolled up and beeped an enquiry.
“No, I’m fine, Six-Nine, just a little tired.”
The droid beeped a reply.
“Well obviously I’m going to sleep,” Phylis said, exasperated. “Anything happened here? No eldritch monsters or people trying to get in?”
The droid gave a negatory beep.
“Well that’s good. Monitor the comm for me, I’m going to get some sleep.”
Six-Nine extended his manipulator arm to give a jaunty salute. Phylis was dreading the time the astromech encountered HK-36. The little droid was incorrigible already without more bad influences.
And so the Jedi Master went to sleep alone in her bunk, waiting for the new day to dawn.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Coryth Elaris"]


"Coryth Elaris? I've heard of her. Such a sickeningly righteous paragon...yet she consorts with deluded darksiders who think they can toy with the powers of Chaos without becoming it. It would be so delightful to see her broken, piece by piece," Naamah hissed.


Seriously, what was it with people these days? Jedi were feeble whimps or wannabe Sith and darksiders thought they could be darksiders without being, well, dark. "She'd be such a beautiful Angel of Chaos if she saw the light and stopped lying to herself." In their heart of hearts, all beings were murderous and cruel.



She brightened up when the box of evil and wickedness made its offer. "A very intriguing offer. I would like someone who understands the ways of Chaos to teach me the dark arts. But travel within me if this goes ill? Would I even still be me then and in control? I'm not so deluded to think my power matches yours."

 

[Coryth Elaris]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]

Indeed, young one. Hence my reasons for drawing her out of hiding, and weakening her greatly. You see, she's been poisoned by a rather vile substance. It drains her of her life slowly, and most painfully as it spreads across her body. Even she cannot heal such on her own, but must expend a great amount of her force powers into keeping it from spreading as well as healing the damage it wreaks upon her body. The beauty being that if it is ignored for even as much as a minute, she could lose the fight. If she wants the poison removed, Coryth has no choice but to come to me. It didn't mention the simple fact that it currently was cut off from her now with the barrier of light in place. But that was not a detail Naamah needed to know.

You speak the truth but alas, she is trapped in the delusion that her way is the right path, and we are wrong. She just cannot admit to what sits before her. I've tried to reach her, through her dreams, and whisperings, but she has ignored me. The woman even had the nerve to try and push me from her mind and body. It sighed softly, annoyed by the situation.

I understand your hesitation, dear child. Yes, ideally I could travel within you, and guide your way to the Rishi Maze and safety within it. You, indeed would be in control, for as much as I do not like to admit this, if this goes ill here, I will have but a fraction of my current powers. I will need time to consolidate my strength, rest as well as heal. It will take time, I would be little more than a whisper at the back of your mind, helping to guide you along the way to Chaos, to perfection. This is only if the plan fails. Otherwise, you could take me and the box that houses my spirit with you while I help you.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Coryth Elaris"]


Naamah had heard of Sith Poison during her time with the Atrisian Inquisition and looked positively gleeful at the thought of the disgustingly 'pure' Jedi Master, who herself consorted with darksiders yet thought of herself as a paragon, being infected with such a beautiful substance. If only her protectors could be slain or she separated from them, they could open her eyes to truth. This would be especially delicious because now that Naamah knew the name of the Jedi, she had an idea of who her companions might be.



Like that disgustingly hypocritical Kerrigan woman, who toyed with the powers of the Sith whilst under the delusion that she was better. Perhaps Mirien would even be among them. The mere thought just served the purpose of bringing Naamah's hatred to the forefront. More and more she wanted the Jedi to be broken and born again, to experience the agony the poison was causing her in full until the strain proved too much and she opened her eyes. It would be magnificient. Then came the offer from the box. Naamah was by no means stupid, though undoubtedly insane. Trusting a box of untold power was...not a good idea...but it was offering her knowledge and power beyond her imagination.


The chance to learn the true ways of Chaos and find those who thought like her, after leaving the so-called 'civilised world' behind her. There was also the simple fact that Naamah, as much as she might be a lone wolf now, did want to belong to something. For she had been on the run since that queen Madeline destroyed the Inquisition and Mirien rejected her. Oh, yes, this would be delicious. Did she trust the box? Not that much, but she did not need something as sappy as trust. So after a long moment of moderately awkward silence she nodded, her lips curved into an almost feral smile and her eyes glowing a sulfuric yellow. "Then you have yourself a deal. Teach the ways of Chaos and guide me to the realm of its true acolytes, and I will serve you. We can make worlds burn together and cast souls into the abyss."

 

[HK-36]

[member="Hevana Martin"], [member="Phylis Alince"],


To Hevana's words HK responded with,

"And I was hoping that over a span of million of years mammals would solve the issue of their milk going bad, I was wrong trusting in evolution, why should I not be wrong trusting in an oil can I found in trash?"

He would quip and give a nod of thanks to Phylis,

"I am glad that at least I can still trust in services provided by librarians."


Before setting the can aside, planning to use it later when he won't be somewhere that needed to stay relatively clean.

Folding his arms over his chest he would look to Hevana, asking her softly,

"So where did you first meet Cory, miss Martin?"

After all he wanted to get to know her better, and Cory was their common ground,

"I met her when I was first starting out with Protectorate, she came to me for training when I first took over command of the Second Company, she was surprised that a droid would be trusted with his own office on Fondor."

The machine contemplated before giving out what was approximately a chuckle,

"When she wakes up I should ask her what she first thought when news of me being given a planet under my watch reached her."

 

[Hevana Martin]

"Liutenant Martin," Hevana said almost absent mindedly. Civilians always forgot that an officer's rank was their title, so she was used to it. Politely she said nothing of his position within the Protectorate. She was not specifically prejudice against droids, but before she had been turned into a carbonite popcicile she had served in the original Galactic Empire. Droids were just tools, if one was broken you replaced it. They never gave commands to living beings.

So to her ancient way of thinking, a droid ruling a planet made about as much sense as Hevana ruling a planet. That such a thing had not only happened, but the droid in question was sitting directly in front of her, was something she had still not come to terms with. For now she did her best to see the droid as a person and not a machine.

"Oh our first meeting was incredibly romantic," Hevana said suggestively. "I awoke, a beautiful woman above me, trying to stop me from bleeding out from mortal wounds. Not many people can say 'she's a life saver' and have it be literal."

Hevana chuckled at that before continuing. "She was too late to save the rest of my unit, but she stayed with me until I was better. After she joined the Protectorate we were able to spend more time together and get to know each other. And, well, one cannot control matters of the heart so they say."

[member="Coryth Elaris"] [member="Phylis Alince"] [member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Hevana Martin"], [member="Coryth Elaris"],


The droid nodded at Hevana's story,

"She is rather special, is she not? With so much kindness in her heart?"

He would look at the sleeping Firestwack,

"You know back then people were afraid to get close to me, I was really lonely, I still am, most of the days I spend alone in my office just dealing with reports, but back then all beings I could call my friends were dead, even my own kind exiled me from Mechanus for being too willing to help organics."

The machine reminiscent,

"But not Cory, she was willing to learn more about me, to visit me in my apartment, she is the first friend I had in Protectorate, Siobhan may have liked me back then but we were not at a friend level yet."


He would look back to Hevana again,

"Have I heard somewhere that you are not from this time or am I getting things mixed up?"

The droid asked, the writer not remembering if her time as a popsicle would be something the droid was aware of from his rank in Protectorate and just talking with her friends or meeting her for the first time a bit back.

 

[Hevana Martin]

"Kindest person I know," Hevana agreed. "And probably the most stubborn. What can I say? I like strong women."

She shrugged looking at the sleeping woman with an affectionate smile. She turned back around when he asked his next question. "Nope you're right. I was a scout trooper of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps, specialized in hunting Jedi. Irony i know. But my grand mother was kind of a queen, decided I was a bit of a disappointment, and decided to freeze me for a bit to reach me a lesson. For whatever reason I didn't get woken up on time and then BAM 800 years in the future and everyone I ever knew and loved dead."

Another, less happy shrug followed as she idly rubbed the deep scar on her wrist with a thumb. "Well technically my sister got frozen too and everyone else I knew and loved was already dead or close enough. So in hidesite, probably not the worst thing that would have happened."

[member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Hevana Martin"],

The machine nodded,

"I was out and about back then, but on the Rebel side of things, usually running hit-and-run operations, intercepting military supply convoys. If you heard something about weapon or droid transports going missing near Unknown Regions that was probably my work."

He would tilt his head before looking to Hevana,

"Hey, you remember Grand Moff Tarkin? We had a joke running about on the other side of the trench, 'Hey, quit Tarkin all the Moff!'"

The droid let that sink in,

"Because Moff sounds like- you will get it I am sure. How about Colonel Yularen?"

It seems that the droid was well informed of who held what structure rank in the Empire back in the day, at least when it came to higher ranking officers,

"That man had just the most glorious mustache I have ever seen."

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Excellent, the box spoke with absolute girlish glee. A deal it is. The galaxy will burn before all is said and done. The so called Sith will be destroyed. Our acolytes of chaos, shall rise to claim their rightful place once more. And you shall rise above all the rest. I shall make certain of that much, child.

It couldn't have been happier with the deal that had been struck between the shapeshifter and itself. In time, he'd get what he wanted from the deal, and she'd get a Master in the ways of Chaos. Almost all was well in it's little galaxy. Now, it just left the matter of Coryth twisting her to their cause. Somehow the box of Doom was going to have to find a way to get through the barriers that Coryth and her little friends had managed to erect for her.

All in good time, my child. All in good time. For now, we wait.

[member="Naamah Aesham"]

 

[Mirien Valdier]

"Yes, I'd imagine that would not be fun, in the least." Personally she had no desire to come face to face with one any time soon. "But none the less, it would be greatly appreciated if by some small chance you do." Thoughts for the future! Mirien was only thinking ahead of such a need.

"I figured as much on that side of things. We'll figure something out. I'm sure there is a moon some place where I can stash my toys of darkness." Yup, still trying to keep the mood lighter.

By the end, Mirien found herself incredibly drained, more than she had expected to be. "Thanks," The brunette managed as Sio helped her to the chair, to sit for a while. At least one crystal was sitting there and completed. "Intense? Small tiny, understatement. I never expected that to quite have the drain that it does. Just a minute more, a couple more." Mirien said quietly, as she closed her eyes to gather what strength in the force she could manage to bring within herself to take on the next task. For just like Siobhan, Mirien needed the crystal to help protect her mind from an ancient evil. If it was as bad as she felt it might be, then this might be the only thing that could keep them both safe.

Some time later, Mirien opened her eyes slowly, the weariness hard to miss. The job, unfortunately was not finished, and the woman had no intentions of leaving it that way. "I guess, It's time to get this over with. Then we can both rest." A part of her wondered if maybe she was going to be pushing herself too hard this time. Maybe just this time she needed to wait. Coryth couldn't wait though, and that was the problem. "I hope you're ready, because I in no way think this next part is going to be fun for either of us, but it's the last crystal. We need it, for Coryth, to help us help her."

Once more, Mirien stepped forward. Her eyes shifted to the manuscript where she once more read through the words, just to make sure. Taking in a deep breath, she pulled in what power she could draw on her own from the tangled web of the Force. Once more starting the ritual again. The crystal quickly glowing in response to Mirien's dark words. This time, there was little doubt that she would need even more from Siobhan, if that was possible.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Mirien Valdier"]


Everyone had limits. Even the best athlete could not go running a Marathon forever. The best soldier could not power through entire armies on her lonesome. As the say, the Force is infinite, your ability to use it is not. The same applies to your ability to 'master' every 'power'. Siobhan could be considered a massive battery of Force energy, a fountain of power, but she still had limitations. For instance, contrary to popular belief, she could not chuck a Star Destroyer.


Yes, you heard that right, dear reader. This writer just said that Siobhan's ridiculously destructive telekinesis has limitations, though this one still feels no desire to write her using a lightsabre and engaging in sabre duels. Sure, it is often mentioned that she chucked Lucrehulks falling from the sky towards Atrisia, but it's often forgotten that when she did this, she was not alone, but functioned as part of a Force Meld that comprised probably two hundred Atrisian Inquisitors and almost a dozen Atrisian, Jedi and Fringe Force Masters, among them the two best mentalists in the Galaxy, the best tank and two other telekinesis masters. As for her asteroid chucking shenanigans at the Silken Asteroids, one imagines that none of the rocks had been 4km long. Besides, it had not been terribly effective beyond looking cool and flashy and destroying a few Horde ships here and there.


People like to bring up Starkiller pulling a Star Destroyer down, but it is often forgotten that the battleship was already falling and he 'merely' redirected it. A monumental display of power, but slightly less over the top. One imagined that logically he would have been exhausted and completely drained after the deed. Presumably if stormtroopers had been around, they should have been able to gun him down with little difficulty, but Force Plot decided otherwise. Not to mention lucky that it actually worked and the Star Destroyer did not fall on top of him and crush him to paste beneath it. Then again, supposedly an A-Wing starfighter ramming into its bridge was enough to make an Executor-class Star Dreadnought uncontrollable and crash into the second death star.


Now, what relevance does this long lecture have when it comes to this post, in other words the actual plot? Well, Miri's post mentioned a lot when it came to limitations, energy and so on, so it seemed fitting. Suffice to say Siobhan was feeling quite weary as well. It was the first time she had let another feed upon her energy in such a manner, and the strain showed. She was feeling terribly sweaty and her brow was furrowed.


As Mirien spoke she took a deep breath. "Here we go again. Take what you need." The dark ritual was on again. One might reflect upon the irony of using dark magicks to defend yourself against them. Presumably some Jedi would moralise if they were to see it, but then they had seemed terribly blind to the darkness within those among their brethren who had switched sides and joined the Sith at the earliest moment. Besides, their vaunted Order was hardly pure as white snow, given recent history. And so Siobhan let down all her barriers, opening herself completely to her Force bond sister so that she could strengthen herself and drink from the fountain of energy she was. After all, all life was energy. It was definitely not fun for Siobhan. As a matter of fact it was making her rather weary.


Headaches, which so often plagued her when she exerted herself too much in the Force, were beginning to make themselves known as a painful throbbing beat against her skull. For some bizarre reason it seemed she was suffering from nose bleed, which was a bit amusing because they had been performing blood magicks. But she would let Mirien take as much energy from her as she needed, even if the drain started to become painful and tiring for her.