Private A shoulder to cry upon

[The Amalgam]

The revelation had not gone over well and she had broken both their hearts by telling them the truth.

Amazingly, both the Amalgam (and the Darth Phyre hiding inside her) found that she herself had a heart to break.

Being rejected utterly like that had...hurt her...

The Amalgam had been mulling it over in the days since Kar Shian. Killing didn't give her it's usual ecstasy.

The Amalgam, instead of her training regimen, had been lazing about her own ship for days, staring at Photos of Laertia and Maple, wondering why they didn't understand that they didn't belong anywhere but at her side.

What could the rest of the Galaxy offer that she couldn't?

The Amalgam tried meditation, but every time she did, all she saw was the sorrow and disappointment on Maple and Laertia's face, especially Laertia's...

Her rage grew. Self pity was dangerous. It could lead to mercy. She couldn't have that.

But she must have them both. It was an insane urge to be near them, trying to corrupt them. But no one had come out of Kar Shian looking pretty.

Well, except her, but mainly because of her Scarjo looks.

Maple's rejection had caused knife pain to a black, shriveled heart, but Laertia rejecting her as well caused a paroxysm of emotional agony she was unfamiliar with.

She dare not reach out to them. Not yet. Not when she was... compromised like this...

She felt them though...both in pain. In shock. Laertia wasn't eating. Maple was trying to make sense of it...

The Amalgam let herself brush the edges of Maple's mind, drew back with a sharp breath because of the mental anguish...

Meanwhile...

"Siva has no tattoos..." Maple said, blushing..."but she does think biker chicks are hot--"

Maple jolted out of her seat as she felt The Amalgam brush the edges of her mind. Maple shriveled in fright at the rotting presence in the Force touching her mind half a Galaxy away, backing away from Matsu Ike .

Maple shook her head, then leaned against the hull.

"It was her. That thing just reached out to me..." Maple said, shivering in fright...

 

[Matsu Ike]

Maple Harte

THe jedi master was looking at her as she leaned against the ship and spoke. She came closer and placed a hand using the force to soothe but also to protect.. she knew how to shield the thoughts and minds of others and going against a darksider was something she had expeirrence with. A look of concern was there before she spoke. "You just need something to focus on and biker chicks are hot... it is something with the leather.... and usually binders are involved... Hanna is very specific when she wants to get inventive." The Jedi master nodded thinking about Hanna Ike and well the Hapan was very much there for everything important.

 

[Maple Harte]

"Heh...so is Siva..." Maple admitted. She hadn't called Siva in a while...

Maple felt the soothing aura of Matsu Ike dispell the Darkness of The Amalgam from her mind. It bought time soon enough...

So to try and reinforce her mind she thought of Siva. In lingerie. Keeping that thought, Maple staggered towards her provisions cabinet, pulling out a fruit can. It was stress eating.

"I think Laertia's heart was broken over Ursula harder than mine was...why didn't I see it? I should have seen it...how much Laertia loved Ursula."

There were a lot of things Maple would never forgive herself for. And not knowing how to help Laertia, even as she herself suffered, was one of them.

Daughter... Maple flinched at the word now. She hated it.

"There has to be a way to kill that freak...I just have to go hunting for it. Will you help me?" Maple asked of Matsu.

The Amalgam's heartbreak was a perverse thing to feel in the back of her skull. She didn't want to think of the thing that had once been Leejun Forrwirrmeni as having a soul...

 

[Matsu Ike]

Maple Harte

She looked at her and nodded as they walked. "Of course but don't rush into things... it might seem best to act swiftly but you need a moment, you need some time to prepare. Rushing into it while you are still in this state would be more detrimental." THe jedi master said it and she was walking with Maple staying near enough to continue to give an aura of calm and serenity while also bolstering mental shields of everything around them. SHe was looking at Maple but also looking outwards at what they would have to deal with and Laetra would have to be helped if she could be but one problem at a time.. it was like being in a crash secure yourself and then the others so that you can at least be around to help them. "We'll get you sorted, we'll get you strong and then figure out what to do understood."

 

[Maple Harte]

Siva had flown as soon as she had heard from Maple.

She had never trusted Ursula Sandraven. Now she knew why.

That...thing had been manipulating them, using them for years. A depraved monster. The Marksmen had been a lie. And everything Maple and Laertia thought they had known was in tatters.

The only question that remained was what to do about it.

In spite of Maple's outward attitude towards 'Ursula', Siva knew deep down Maple had truly loved Ursula.

Maple needed a friend, in spite of how screwed up things were.

Siva had not hesitated to go. The pair had saved each other's lives too many times, trusted each other too much not to go.

Her Defender Class Corvette had found Maple's beacon and set it down not far from the Silent Erika, striding out in her catsuit like matte black fiber armor toward The Silent Erika.

Maple heard her and was instantly out of her own ship, running towards a friendly face. Any friendly face she could hold on to. Skip. She and Laertia had been fully converted to Brain Demon Cultists. Skip. Back to reality. Back to Siva.

"I should have listened to you..." Maple said embracing her ex.

"We can debate who should have listened to whom later..." Siva said gently. "The important thing is how to deal with it going forward. Master Ike? Are you here?" Siva called out to Matsu Ike .

"She's here. Only one besides you I can trust..." Maple said, not wanting to leave Siva's arms, still feeling the Amalgam all around her like sickness...

 

[Matsu Ike]

Maple Harte

THe jedi master had spent the time preparing and focusing her mind.. allowing the energies to wrap around and encompass the area as she heard the voice of the twi'lek Siva and spoke. "I am." She said it and moved quickly bringing herself up and around to look at the two of them with a bow of her head. "It hasn't been easy but focusing the force here is a little bit better... it should be calmer for now... just rest and keep her from running off. Rash actions will only plan into the hands of others and puts you at a disadvantage." THe jedi master stood up tall and at the ready as she stretched out... "We'll still have to make sure you are healed though.