Private Firelight Advent

[Elohssa Sun]

Sith trained or not, the girl were just that...a child-woman.

Elohssa watched her leave, standing there holing on to Jehn's connection for a moment before she let it dissipate.
Tarssin had not said a word, but had himself connected to Jehn in a manner that the young woman had felt and understood. Time, distance and knowledge of each other had separated them a lifetime...Jehn's lifetime.
Elohssa felt the father's pain. He had found his self short, unable to touch his daughter...he so wanted to. But both were molded and honed warriors. Jehn having been trained as a sith apprentice...trained to fuel a master's war. Tarssin, a Castan Marine whom followed his own father's footsteps, using war to end wars.
It had been for the most part difficult enough for him to expose his vulnerability to love Karlie. It were tenfold that more difficult of a daughter he had not known to exist till now.
Both Jehn and her father seemed to find each other already in mid-stream of a river current. Which bank would they make it to and would they be on opposite sides or united?

"Jehn has a lot to process.
She is just discovering family....even the power of love that can break through the force." Elohssa turned to Tarssin.

"Jehn is growing...discovering a lot about herself as she is discovering about you and Karlie. She is not fragile. You cannot hurt her with wanting to let her know your feelings. She certainly can feel them as I do, Lord Tarssin.
Just understand from where she came. I too were taken back for some time as I had no experience with reaching out to one trained by the sith as such. But Jehn eventually met me half way....much like Karlie had done.
This trait is yours, Lord Tarssin...the ability to adapt and evolve.
You've seen and experienced it in both yourself and Karlie. Jehn in on the fast track to do the same." The je'daii master explained.

She then put her tumbler down on the table and excused herself, leaving Tarssin to process things on his own.
Elohssa could only counsel, not make the connection between father and daughter.

 

[Vera Mina]

Rom observed the feeling of the Horse as they rode, Karlie Lynn Destat clutching her by the waste tighter and making the Android's processors heat as they processed a sensation of bliss.

"I was actually just letting Thane go where he wanted..." Rom confessed, stroking his mane lightly as they rode.

"I confess...I don't human very well...but I am getting better...eating was just one thing. I never knew how important the sensation of eating could be until I had my first bite of actual food. Not those terrible hot dogs on The Morpheus..." Rom trailed. "My systems classified those as 'Foreign Material.' Not food. Which is...kinda troubling actually."

As the Horse moved through green fields, Rom lost herself in the idleness of the moment. Thane was such a far cry from what she usually interacted with. Usually it was snarling beasts, abominations, Dark Adepts, vicious Mandalorians. Not Thane. Thane was the most normal animal she had ever personally interacted with. It drove home to Rom in that instant how different her life was than Karlie's.

She realized just how violent her existence truly was. How what seemed to her an ordinary weekday would be a psychological and physical nightmare to nearly anyone who wasn't her.

"I can only process small amounts though. I'm thinking of trying pie next. A fruit pie. I'm not sure which type..."

Her processors savored Karlie clutching her waistline.

"I'm starting to suspect there was a reason Mother had me learn so much slowly rather than giving me the ability to do all of it at once...so I could appreciate more when I 'did' learn how. When I was created, I didn't feel much for anyone. Not even Nine. I had the most sophisticated Anti-Rebellion programming around. Else, I suspect I would very much have gone rogue. When I was first made, Mother didn't even consider herself my mother, nor I a daughter. I was created to be her lawyer. It was not until after the First Order invaded and occupied Atrisia a long time ago that she siezed upon the idea. The strange thing was...I went with it. It felt...natural."

Thane trotted slightly faster. There was the green, and Karlie's hands and the gentle, yet powerful Horse.

"Mother has discovered a lost relative herself. Her only living blood descendant. A powerful and deadly warrior like she is. We've taken her in...but Mother keeps it secret for now. There are...political issues to consider...and mother despises engaging in too much politics..."

Rom clasped Karlie's hands gently.

"This descandant of hers...cold fire with a blade. Makes even me a little bit nervous. I'm almost never afraid of anything. Nice...polite enough, certainly...but there is this violence to the warrior. She has killed since she was a child. She has killed in nearly every way a person can kill another. She fought at Atrisia to free it from invasion by Mythos, a Sith Lord. She was infamously brutal in that conflict. If it were not for the fact she is my only organic relative beyond Mother, I would have been very hesitant to welcome her into House Li-Ves at all...but her skill...even I wouldn't like my chances against her...that is not an easy thing to admit for me. I pride myself on my warrior skill. But we give her the benefit of the doubt...for now..."

 

[Jehn Sunspire]

She was quite a distance away from her father's mansion. The grass was tall, just over her knees and she were skimming her palm, feeling the tall grass with her hand.
Jehn had not ever been on such a green world, never had been in touch with the earth as she were at this moment. The meadow were alive with many insectile life forms which parted before her as she trekked through. And there was the ebb currents of the force by which she were attuned to...guiding her toward the distant orchards.

Jehn had not made for the orchards at all when she went outside for air. In fact, she had no knowledge that there were groves of fruit trees within the estate's boundaries. Jehn had simply started to walk away from the estates in no particular direction, other than what were immediately in front of her.
Then she closed her eyes, letting the eddy currents of the force take her where it willed. It were one of many force exercises she had picked up from one of her former sith masters.
It were like floating in open waters and letting what current existed take hold of you.

Like in all the worlds she had been transported to, the earth itself had connections to the force. In allowing herself to be taken by these force currents, she were able to home in on the stronger vortex which would draw her in, like a sink hole. Only it were not so, not like a black star but more so that of one which had gone nova.


And sure enough, she were taken...the small fractional ripples drew her in to what were a nearly vortex.

Her eyes slowly opened to light...the bright light of daylight. but alongside this star's light, there was another spectrum by which she could not see with her eyes, but felt it around her center.

Jehn were walking along side the currents of this life force she were surrounded by the tiny currents she were attuned to. She stayed within this stream, with outstretched hands, feeling the tips of the grasses, of the life force all around her, beneath and above her. It were the life force of every single entity, no matter their size. It were the existence of Castagne's ecosystem all about her.
And it were as brutal as it were peaceful.

She had learned of war from this at a very young age, for she had been trained for war...war by which she would wage for her master when she had come of age...when she would have been fully broken to their sith will.

Armies, she suddenly felt their call...below her. She slowed her pace slightly wavering from the currents that she were following.

A war. A war were waging close to her. Jehn could not see these armies as the grass were too tall, but she knew the rage, the rush of these cries below her.
She finally stopped a moment to part the grass before her and look down below. Rows of soldiers feverishly rushing to the battle fronts. She picked up on what were an army of Formicades invading a colony of Termitoidaes. It were beautiful...it were merciless.... and there would be no prisoners taken, but total eradication of one or the other.
Jehn smiled at the war raging beneath her feet, reveling at the very insects that had first taught her about war...war as the sith waged. Total annihilation.
She could feel the power of the force however tiny it were from this conflict below her.

Jehn chuckled, taking it in like a tiny morsel of flavor before moving on.... before feeling the warm summer light of the Castan sun again on her features. She looked about the meadow all around her. How peaceful, how beautiful it appeared to anyone not attuned to the wars and conflicts taking place below the blades of grass. War to these insects were as natural to them as life itself...so were the art of war that her former masters had taught her.

The currents...
Yes..the currents she had let herself be drawn to.
Jehn picked up on them again... the subtle force vortex that were leading her to the orchards.

 

[Ian Sade]

The speeder accelerated faster and faster beyond it's design and well over the operator's skill level...

The small explosion of machine meeting granite cliffs froze the counter at 73.987.45.
The eye in the sky had tracked everything.
The crash site zoomed in on the main main frame of the speeder's cabin, momentarily obscured by smoke and flames.
The smoldering smoke soon gave way to wind, revealing the gnarled durasteel sprawling below the cliff line with one appendage then two, including a severed charred cracked head of what had been a red head bobbing in the surf not too distant away.

Ian motioned with his hand, pulling back the aerial view to encompass more of the scene. Not a few kilometer's distance, two other speeders were heading toward the accident. They were local police.

"Cut transmission and delete the file." Ian said, before he turned from the HUD screen.
It were one of the many active monitors in the underground Ops room of the CIS. That feed had been set to tag and follow the target. The screen behind him changed to show something else the bureau was monitoring as he walked away.
Kalinda Lydrik, along with her daughter had been terminated. Kalinda being Dr Emil Lydrik's sister and niece. Unfortunately the limo operator Den Greir were just collateral damage.

Two hours later...
Ian stepped over one of the dead canines who had been guarding the small suburb manor of a robotics' engineer, a Dr Thonbo Vass. His wife of 32 years lay peacefully on her living room chaise, a whisp of smoke still coming from the blaster hole in her forehead.
Of course, all of the manor's servants, along with security guards and gardeners were all disposed of too.
All whom were left were Thonbo who was half sitting on the floor. All his life had gone from him, as his son (dead of course) lay before him.

"Why?..." Thonbo finally managed to look up at Ian...who at this point could not have been less than the devil himself.

"Interesting... " Ian spoke moving Thonbo's son's arm out of the way with his foot, before sitting down on the floor next to the scientist.
"...as I were to ask you the same question, Dr Vass."

The scientist let out what could have been his last breath...only it weren't. The scientist had not been physically harmed, but had witnessed all those around him, including his immediate family being assassinated.

"Hmm...I see.
Quite understandable." Ian brushed his trousers as he made his self comfortable, leaning his back against the very chair Thonbo's wife sat, blankly looking up at the chandelier...with the smoke still coming out of her head.

"Chuck here..." Ian then said, talking about his son, whom he tapped again with his foot. But Thonbo didn't even look over to Ian. he just sat there slumped, like a man who had lost everything worth living for.

"Aherm... pay attention please.
I SAID CHUCK HERE...dear handsome Chuck still has a daughter...your granddaughter."

Thonbo's eyes looked into the demon's.
"4.8 at the academy. Quite an impressive young lady. Kinda reminds me of someone I often am impressed with.
I can see a bright future for Denise." Yes, the devil now owned Thonbo's soul and he had it in his hand.

"Now Dr Vass...
Why?"

 

[Ian Sade]

Scene: Castan System University. Two weeks later, following the assassination of Dr Thonbo Vass.

"Excuse me...
Miss Vass?..." A well dressed charismatic gentleman humbly calls the young woman's attention as she is walking to her next class.
"Don't mean to interrupt you, as I can see you are heading to class at the moment..." Ian spoke, looking over at the building she were heading too. He momentarily gave it a nod, indicative that he fondly remembered the building. "...professor Vault. Great theorist.
If I may, I would like a moment of your time." he asked, giving her two escorts an small smile of acknowledgement.
They knew who he was.

" I was Dr Thenbo Vass' confidant....a former graduate student of your grandfather." his voice seemed to fade as if he were still stricken with the loss of his mentor.

"Yes...of course. I remember you at the funeral.
You are Mr Sade..." the young woman said, looking into his kind eyes.
" Your flower arrangements were beautiful.... My m... ahem...my mom would have loved it." She held herself from breaking, as it were not just the loss of her grandfather, but that of her parents too. Terrorists had hit both her mother's house and that of her grandfather's...her dad had been found murdered alongside both her grandparents. It were a tragedy that had hit her hard.

"Yes...
It's beyond comprehension as to what happened, Miss Vass..."

"Denise...you can call me Denise."

"Of course. I can't say again how sorry I am for your loss." Ian had attended the funeral services for all of Denise's family members that had been murdered. he had come over to her, even given her a kiss on her forehead...a tear running down his features. He had looked her in the eye and assured her that he would be there for her, as he held her hand, then placed a second kiss on it before moving along.
Denise remembered him.

"If you would be up for maybe a coffee at the student center...after class of course... I would very much like an opportunity to speak with you. It's nothing of any detrimental concern really. It's about an internship opportunity with the bureau. Your...your grandfather had spoken often of your interest in the IBI Bureau." He said. Of course Ian were actually with the ICI intelligence, as the IBI were an investigative branch. Still, internships were certainly viable in both executive branches and he would have pertinent info and influence to offer such.... in meeting his objectives.

Her eyes once more met that of the kind gentleman. his small smile were one of reassurance...of one who saw potential in the young woman.
She however, were loss for words...but managed to nod.

"Good... I know your grandfather would have been pleased.... he was very proud of you.
Here... this is my direct line. You can call me at any time of day or evening." he presented forth his card.
"At your convenient and discretion, mind you... " he had warmly cupped her hand a moment when she reached for his card.
"There is no rush..." of course he would say that as he had her on the hook and were just reeling her into his web. "....except maybe getting to your class . Professor Vault, you know..." he gently let her hand slide from his.

Denise let out a small chuckle. Yes, she knew her professor well, as did Mr Sade, she figured.

Ian nodded to the two security attachment that had been accompanying her. The local authorities had no clue yet as to whom had hit her family.
"Gentlemen...please do get her to class..." he advised the sentries. "...the professor is not keen on tardiness.
We will speak soon, Denise" he gave her a kind smile before she turned and continued on to her class.

Ian remained there till she turned to look back at him, by which he gave her a wave. He could see the sparkle in her walk as opposed to her former disconnection throughout the campus grounds before.
He had her.



An hour later...
Ian were in his speeder heading to SAS District, a research and development campus which had been run by Dr Thenbo Vass. It were currently under IBI control and investigation as they had jurisdiction over domestic threats. The ICI had offered to assist with discovering as to whom had assassinated Dr Thenbo Vass and family. Currently there were several similar murders that were associated with or could have been linked to same.
Ian were heading there as he had several times since the murders to check on their progress.

"Come again?" He replied over the speeder's comm

"Sir, we've received a message from allied correspondence LiVes."

"Go on...I'm on a secured frequency..."

"The West operative has requested your assistance in the infiltration of Dr Lidrik's compound...his estate residence."

Sceeeech!... his speeder suddenly screeched to a halt. That is, if it were running on compound tires, which were not the case but emphasized for effect.
In actuality his speeder suddenly came to a silent, but humming halt.

"What the hell is that unit doing over at the Lindrik's estates?!" He asked, quickly accessing the records he had on the scientist. Lindrik were still under his investigation as a potential link in all of this treason. But there was little of any connections as of yet. There were simply no dots that even connected him in the same conspiracy as Dr Thenbo Vass' and his associates.

"We weren't given privi of that information. Only a coded message from the West operative for us to relay her request for your presence and assistance."



Two hours later, just outside the Lindrik's estates...

Ian's glove box was open. He had been staring at the sealed box, the size a ring would come in, for well over a minute.
Ian finally reached for it and opened it.
They were rounds... unique rounds that his bureau had covertly weaponized from stolen research data of the IBI labs...namely, Karlie's research...from her research begotten from the tissue samples of Mina following the Heretic station attacks.
They were micro replicating nanobots... bio-degenerative rounds of an aggressive nature that rivaled that of a rage virus. Karlie had inadvertently come upon such a retrovirus in her studies and research on Nine's daughters. Karlie had thought those files , she had destroyed.
Not.
Not with the ICI monitoring her she hadn't.

Ian had opened the case, exposing 12 such rounds inside. They had been configured for House LiVe's androids. It were a killer round that aggressively broke down the bio-engineered matrix which comprised of bio-engineered flesh and metals.
It were a simple matter of replacing the rounds in his magazine.

Ian's speeder pulled up to Lindrik's estates moments later.
"No...no invite.
Is there a problem gentlemen?" he asked the sentries at the gates.

Ian's security pass were easily read as he had been transmitting it upon his approach.
There was certainly no problem for the ICI agent to continue on his drive up the estate road to the manor...

 

[Jehn Sunspire]

The Tree of Knowledge...

It is said by some that it bears the forbidden fruit.

It were all around her, the magnetic flux derived from the force itself. Her former masters had once laid mention to such force manipulations. It were not created but spurred by dark incantations long lost to those whom had taken it to their graves.

Jehn spit out the apple... it's sweetness were as sharp as the cat-o-nine tails that had marked her body. It's poison lingered like that of pain never forgotten. She spat out more saliva as her blade were drawn.
She recognized, tasted the poison of the witch who had taken her mother... same witch who had discarded her to die amongst the many other children born to die in the arenas.
Yes...so this were the craft used by her sister's queen...her mother. Jehn's mentor Elohssa sun had disclosed the haunting hallucinations of her sister's agony.
And now Jehn had found the source.

Jehn turned with her blade before her, turning around and around in a circle amidst the orchards.
These were the source of the vortex she had been drawn too. The fruit bearing trees were the poison by which her sister had been put to suffer through.
Jehn had not long ago not known the act of kindness... kindness and mercy, by which her mentor Elohssa had shown her. She had broken Jehn's former sith conditioning, opening her mind and heart to kindness.
But now..now understanding the suffering of her sister Karlie by Darth Rigor, the sith queen who had spawned her sister for one purpose and one purpose only...to suffer death in becoming a vessel for her own immortality. Jehn had known other battle siblings whom had suffered like her under their sith masters. Now she understood how her blood sister Karlie had suffered a similar fate, but under her own mother.

Like a tempest storm, Jehn spun around and around merging into the stream of the vortex. Her blade started hacking, shredding, felling, cutting, chopping blossoms, fruits branches, tree limbs and trunks. She were a tornado of unleashed fury obliterating everything into what one could conceive as mulch and pulp.
If one may have chanced looking out in the distant, they may have mistaken what were rising out from behind a hill, a rising twisting cloud...too small really to call a tornado as the distant skies were blue.
A dust devil perhaps?...a locust cloud?

No.
No, this were no natural phenomenon taking place yonder behind the hill where the orchards had been set in place, no.
It were Jehn shredding and mincing all and every last one of those orchards.

What had once been a near unfelt force force vortex that had been crafted by sith sorcery, were now looking like confetti in every sense of the word. Darth Rigor whom had reigned through the Millenniums on Castagne had come to know her earth and harness the life force within to conjure up a force will of her own in the form of sweet fruit...a fruit by which she had planted, nurtured and cantonized it with her force will. The apples by which her spawned vessel were to favor, desire, crave...had been laden with that very will of Darth Rigor for Karlie to suffer.

Jehn suddenly dropped to her knees...she were done...exhausted beyond anything she had ever done. If she had been in the arena at this very moment on her knees, and totally drained, she would have had her last breath cut short.

Sweat.... profuse sweat were what bind the debris ...looking almost like saw dust on her exposed features.
Jehn took two breaths then many more, before she were even able to raise her head and look at the devastation she had finalized.
She closed her eyes...feeling...feeling for the vortex.
it had scattered to the wind...swallowed up by the life force of the earth again. It were no more. The curse had been vanquished.

"Haha..." She managed to laugh.
"Haha.. cough...cough..." Jehn were exhausted. but not finished. Parched for sure...but not finished.

"Haha....haha....hahahahaha..." She laughed like she never laughed before. Her blade fell out of her hand.
She had killed something by her own will and hand. She had killed the spell.

Slowly she got on knee up, picked up her blade and set it down as a staff...it sank in the earth somewhat, but it protruded enough for her to use it as a crutch to get herself up on her two feet.
It took two feeble efforts to pull her blade up, but had enough strength left in her to whip it somewhat. What debris still clung to it's honed edge readily came off.
She stumbled off the pulp and mulch sheading her blade.
It took a few meters for her to to finally have the grass underfoot again.

Turning to the pile of debris...debris which was still settling down from clippings and splinters making their way back to earth, Jehn reached for her striker from inside her belt. It were nothing more than a simple steel rod and flint type of striker...water proof, durable and always certain to light.

The flames started small at first...then soon ragged on to burn all that had been felled. Jehn by that time had staggered back a good distance so as not to get herself caught up in the inferno.
The smoke billowed up and over the hill. There was little wind today as the skies had been blue.
But now Jehn could feel the air rushing past her as it fed the inferno...it's smoke rising higher and higher.

Jehn's features seemed to glow brighter in the light of the flames.

"Ha!" She then spat her last, before turning to walk back to the estate.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

"Rom?..." Karlie stopped the moment her friend came to an abrupt stop seemingly sensing something.
"...what's wrong?" She asked, as the android's attention were drawn to their left.

Karlie turned also in that direction but could see little of anything over the rolling hills of the meadows. Birds flying insects were the only tell tale sign to the blonde that something beyond her current horizon were influencing these creatures.

"You hear what?" Karlie almost chuckled at Rom's suggestion that there was a fire over the ridge that was rapidly spreading.
"Haha...seriously? How could you hear-" Karlie's face dropped as the first sign of smoke started to climb over the hill.

"Gasp...oh no!... I think the orchards are in that di-" She stopped a second to look about, getting her bearings.
"Oh my God!..." the smoke rose higher and fuller, like a black cloud staining a perfect blue summer sky.
"...the orchards!"

Soon enough flames rose up from the ever growing smoke billowing over the hill in the distance.
Karlie were frozen in both fear and disbelief. How could a grass fire start after it just freakin rained for 3 days?!

No sooner did she get a whiff of smoke in the air that she turned to where Rom now were looking right.
out in the distance she made out crafts heading in their direction. Again she had followed Rom's attention as the crafts were coming from many kilometers away...most likely from a base....speeding at supersonic. Karlie cuffed her ears just in time as the crafts zoomed over them. They were firefighter vessels...and they were equipped with fire suppressant foam and propellants.

"HOME!.." Karlie shouted to Thane, who at this point seemed restless as he too smelled the smoke.
Karlie slapped her stallion in the rare and he took off a few paces before stopping to turn. he were starting back to fetch her, when she stooped him.
"NO..." She shouted pointing in the direction of the estate.
"..HOME...GO! Thane GO!" She were adamant, stamping her foot on the ground.
Thane whined and nodded his head before he trotted off.

By the time Karlie and Rom crested the last hill, they could see the crafts still spraying the fire suppressing foam over the entire area as where the apple groves once existed.
Not one single tree were standing... NOT ONE!

Karlie were mortified, unbelieving at what she were seeing..or rather, not seeing from that hill top.
Below her lay a good portion of the meadows scorched, smoldering and no where in sight a single orchard. Her apples..her delicious apples she had helped her mother as a little girl... GONE...incinerated...down to barely stumps. It were all gone.. no apple tarts, no apple pies, no delicious cider.... not even anything left to smoke porcine bacon with....all gone.
The firefighting crafts were still dousing the smoldering piles of what seemed to have been fresh mulch.
mulch?

Before she mulled over as to what all that mulch was, she caught her sister Jehn making her way up to her. Jehn were covered in soot, sweat and ash...small abrasions on her features.

"Oh my God, Jehn...you alright? " Karlie's first thoughts were that her sister may have gotten caught in the blaze. Oh poor Jehn...she looked she had fought for her life.
Karlie rushed down the hill to her, tightly embracing her. in the background the smoke was dying out as the crafts were spraying the biodegradable fire suppressant foam on the area.

"Oh Jehn... Oh Jehn...thank Berkana you are alright" Karlie said finally pulling away to look over her little sister.

 

[Vera Mina]

Rom had been peacefully enjoying riding Thane when her olfactory sensors detected it, along with her ears.

"There is a fire, Karlie..." Rom said to Karlie Lynn Destat as she began to ride towards it. Karlie didn't seem to quite believe it until she visually identified the smoke and ordered Thane to rocket toward it.

The horse took off, surprising Rom with it's strength and power as it rode to the scene of the crime.

The fast animal carried them both effortlessly, and Rom found herself admiring it more and more. She wanted what Karlie had in the loyalty of a simple creature. The smell got stronger as they neared Jehn Sunspire and Rom got a good look at Karlie's sister for the first time, noting the face of someone used to combat...and possibly sabotage.

Rom looked at the orchards, scans from her partly electronic brain picking up signs of obvious arson. Rom approached but kept her distance as Karlie embraced her sister.

"Lady Sunspire...a pleasure..." the blue skinned, red headed Android spoke, observing Karlie radiate affection toward her sibling in a way Rom never really had with her own sisters.

She felt envious Karlie could express it so easily and without reserve, the emotion of Love.

Rom wondered if she could ever truly be like that with her own sisters someday.

She looked back at the Orchards.

"Lady Sunspire, did you see what happened? How did the fire start? Are you injured?" Rom asked, wanting to make a good first impression with Karlie's sister...

 

[Jehn Sunspire]

Rom were nearly as dead as her sister Karlie...

There was little of force currents ebbing from the android in female form. Rom were something different up so close than Jehn had been able to observe before. The unit definitely had enough natural midicloreans present...like that of background static, but nothing which could enable the human form android to manipulate. She barely connected at all...but still connected greater than her sister as Karlie only had residual midis, unlike the natural existing ones within this mechanical creation.

Jehn took to acknowledge her sister's embrace, by returning a small hug. It were unlike Jehn to ever have done that to any living being...even that of her mentor Elohssa. But Karlie's embrace were one she could feel deep within her core. It had little to do with midi connections..it were something more.

Did she know what happened and how the fire started?
Jehn let her sister slip away a moment and connected with the android's orbs. They were dark...dark beyond the scope of what she could see beyond the iris's. Of course the android knew the answers to her very questions. This mechanical marvel had processors...

"I'm not hurt...no" She replied to Rom.
Of course her sister's relief and concerns played like a lullaby in the background, as both android and je'daii seemed locked optically together. each most likely sizing up the other for some primal reason or another.

Their eyes stayed locked on one another a moment.... only broken by the whirl of the smothering smoke which churned about by the speeder landing close to them on the hilltop.
It were her mentor...then father, whom stepped out of the craft.

Jehn took to look behind her at the smoldering acreages where the orchards once stood funneling Castagne's living force to genetically enhanced fruit. The entire orchards...the trees themselves had been bio-engineered to funnel what was a force induced suggestions...a witches' spell cast if one were to define it by no other means. The fruits themselves were rich, not only in sugars but high midi counts. Darth Rigor had infused her will upon these orchards...had even Karlie help her plant new seedlings. She had done this so that her future would be secure no matter what could possibly change in the future. Darth Rigor had survived for Millenniums by instilling plans within plans.

The grounds were pretty much all put out as the fire crafts were nearly done spraying their suppressive foam on all that remained smoldering.
Jehn had an idea as to what she had destroyed. She had been honed on such sith craft. But again, she weren't 100% certain. With that, she knew her sister, her father and most all outside herself would not comprehend what she had destroyed. Jehn had been raised as sith, with no remorse as to the actions a sith takes to destroy what they deem conflictual.
She had no intentions of explaining her actions to this machine...nor to her sister at this time.
And time would be the only means of knowing for certain whether she were right about the orchards and of their purpose.

Her eyes then met that of her mentor who along with her father finally crested their hilltop.
Elohssa's eyes were not as vacant of that of the android, but her mentor knew. Jehn relayed then to Elohssa that what the je'daii master's eyes questioned, she were the one.
Jehn slightly bowed her head to Elohssa, upon the master reaching her. Yes, Jehn would reveal to her the reason she destroyed the orchards.

"Yes father...i am alright.
I am not hurt...just a bit worse for wear." She replied to the man who's hand had reached out to touch her cheek. It were like fire, her father's touch. Fire that evoked a power she had not known to exist.
Yet she felt him holding back despite his heart wanting otherwise. Tarssin then turned and embraced her sister, who were quite shaken up by the loss. His eyes looked over to Jehn a moment. The young je'daii knew, felt, that he wanted to embrace her like he were her sister.

Jehn knew at that moment, that whatever would become of what she had done, if it meant she were wrong and cast out; that she would go without debate. Go, but always remember the burning fire of love she felt this very moment from her father.
Jehn were je'daii, but she had been brought up all her life to be sith. Consequences were absolutes. She would accept whatever would come of this, for it had been her decisions to do what she did at whatever cost.

 

[Westenra Mina]

Meanwhile...

Wearing: Pheremone Mastery Gown (Lorna)


Armed with: Tranquilizer Ring (Lorna)


Current Configuration: Lorna, Ensan (Westenra-Prime) (See Bio)

21 Hours ago, Correllia

Lorna, a copy of The first Westenra that Ian Sade had met on Azterri, was stirred from her low output mode (The closest any copy of West got to true sleep), under the covers of her bed next to Cern, a familiar to Clan Li-Ves (And Personal Familiar of Westenra Prime) by a soft beep from her message terminal.

At first she expected it to be messages from the government regarding programs for treating the psychological wounds of refugees fleeing the Bryn'adul. Instead, it was a priority transmission from the Original Westenra.

"Cern..." Lorna whispered. "I gotta take this call. It's your boss."

Cern mumbled an ok, and Lorna slipped out of his grasp, slipping on a night robe and taking the call in the private conference room of her condo.

Lorna beheld the youthful, curvy features of Westenra-Prime in her stealth form.

"You know what time it is on Corellia, Sister?" Lorna asked.

"I'm aware. But it's urgent. I need you to go somewhere. You're an established community figure. And an invitation was secured for you to a formal party at great expense. A Droid Maker's estates must be infiltrated."

"Why not just make another copy?" Lorna asked.

"You know full well even new copies have a learning curve that requires weeks to get over. I need a copy that's been around a while. That means you." Westenra-Prime replied.

"I had just gotten a few weeks off...but as long as this is quick..."

"I'm sorry for springing this on you. But someone is very interested in acquiring a copy of us. You know they made an attempt weeks and weeks ago."

Lorna nodded. If one was in danger, they all were.

"When do I leave?" Lorna asked, resigned.

"Tomorrow, hopefully." Westenra-Prime answered in an apologetic tone. "Here, I'm sending you updated programming. Get your data spike."

Lorna got out a small data spike, put it in the terminal, and there was a tone after about thirty seconds, indicating a successful download.

Lorna pulled it out. "What's on this?"

"Mother has been busy, making new programs for your psychology configuration to be more useful. All the copies are getting updates."

"She test them?"

"Of course!"

Lorna shrugged, and slid the data spike into the back of her head.

Her flesh bubbled and wriggled hideously for a few seconds as the new programming downloaded...

(Plasmid Acquisition Theme Plays)

(Lorna has received new abilities!)

Ability: PSYCHIC FIELD DRAIN

Spoiler

Non-Lethally mass drain enemies of their psychic energy. Large cool down time. Completely restores wounds and supercharged other Psychic abilities.

Ability: PSYCHIC PHASING

Spoiler

Use up large amounts of psychic energy to phase through solid matter of reasonable thickness. Using it too many times may necessitate feeding

Ability: PSYCHIC ILLUSION

Spoiler

Conjure illusory doppelganger anywhere in one hundred meters. Great for misdirection. Consumes large amounts of psychic energy

Ability: HARD BOOT

Spoiler

When in Psychologist Configuration, instantly transform to any other stored Configuration. Warning! West is locked in whatever form she takes for 007-ty (70) minutes.

Update: STRENGTH INCREASE

Spoiler

Massively increases physical strength to that of three Wookiees in Psychologist Configuration.

Update: EMPATHY 1.007

Spoiler

The Psychologist Configuration is even more Adept at catching lies and acting human

"Good luck, Sister. And thanks." Westenra-Prime said.

"Don't mention it." Lorna grumbled, shutting the terminal off, heading back to her bedroom.

"What did Boss-You want?" Cern asked sleepily as Lorna entered the room.

"She wants me to act as bait...it's an emergency..." Lorna answered with a sigh, removing her robe and climbing under the covers.

"We leave tomorrow."

"I'll get the Lambda Ready first thing..." Cern mumbled, the ex-racer only wanting to go back to sleep."

"Shhhh. We'll worry about that tomorrow." Lorna whispered, fingers stroking his dark brown hair as he snuggled closer. She went back to low output mode and her eyes shut.

Present...

She seemed to be the focus of attention wherever she went in Lydrik's Mansion. The curvy, beautiful middle aged woman with slightly bronzed skin and long, voluminous dark brown hair slinked past the guests in a long, silvery gown that was tastefully transparent in certain places as she slinked past crowds, drawing the lust filled gaze of whoever was present as she moved through crowds of the rich. Lorna wanted more than anything to be elsewhere, back living quietly with Cern while treating refugees. Westenra-Prime (who thirsted for Ian) didn't even know Lorna, a copy of Westenra-Prime, was dating her assistant. Thank the heavens all Magnus wanted was practice-dating...Lorna had made her move on him after the date with Magnus went well, but not enough to be regular. She had had her eye on him way before Magnus had. She liked him. Each copy of West, the longer they stayed in a certain configuration, the more their mental patterns conformed to their skill sets. Westenra-Prime, so often preferring her stealth guise, for it was what Ian recognized, ended up being more attracted to him for being the quick and lethal danger she was.

Lorna however, preferred safer men. Each copy of West had an innate regard for Ian, being the first person to ever drive home the idea they were ultimately mortal, but the many, many copies of West all recognized they could not all have him, and they wanted someone to love themselves.

So Azterri-West was the sole one left pursuing Ian, courting him in a sense.

As Lorna drew lust filled stares waiting for Lydrik, Westenra Prime, still in her stealth form, smelled Ian approaching and sent an encoded series of beeps from her comlink (a code language telling him to meet her in the grand reception chamber.

She had then shifted her flesh to make it look like she wore a tight fitting, revealing black cocktail dress and heels, slipping back into the Mansion with none the wiser after becoming amorphous and flowing into an air vent, reforming on the other side. She had managed to secure a cover here as an Investor in Lydrik's experiments.

When Ian finally arrived, Westenra Prime would be among the crowds, slinking through them to reach him.

She had that seductive smile on her face. This was partly work, but it was also partly a way to enjoy Ian's company just a tiny bit.

Meanwhile...

While

Karlie Lynn Destat and Vera frolicked in mystery and Ian and Westernra Prime went dynamic duo, Nine had a very particular bit of business to attend to.

It was in a small planetoid she had purchased via proxy, an airless thing of rock with a prison containing a single prisoner.

A detail of Psy-Pires guarded her, all armed with automatic shotguns as Nine Lives flew down to the planetoid prison in a shuttle.

It was a spartan, yet obsessively secure facility. It was wired to blow.

The Hooded Mother of all Psy-Pires entered the high security prison cell, staring at its captive with glow-dot eyes of purple.

Darth Rigor, her power restrained by multiple magical runes in the floor, stared back.

"Here to read me a bed-time story?" Rigor asked, clad in a white jumpsuit.

"Just here to drop off a few photos of Karlie, as per our continued agreement..." Nine said, going over to her Force Field cell and sliding a few photos of Karlie through a small partition near the Force Field. Rigor had been telling Nine everything she knew about The Amalgam and the Cult, and Nine had gone to great lengths to make certain The Amalgam believed Rigor dead.

The blond, beautiful woman, who resembled a much older Karlie, immediately gathered the photos and began staring at them.

"This..."daughter" of yours...is she happy with her?" Rigor asked.

"They make each other happy, and Karlie provides Vera a learning experience I can't replicate on my own..." Nine answered.

"What do you wish to know today?" Rigor asked, wincing at the pain in her body, heavily suppressed by magic, allowing her to think clearly.

"Let's talk about The God The Amalgam worships. The one called The Brain Demon..." Nine trailed as her Morpheus Knight's brought a chair for her to sit in...

Rigor glowered.

"Oh..." Rigor trailed. "I can definitely tell you about her..."

 

[Elohssa Sun]

Jehn were not hiding the truth from her. The facts the young woman relayed to her as that she had destroyed the grove... the apple orchards...and set them on fire.
Elohssa saw that there was justification in Jehn's eyes, but not yet reveal the reason.

The sweet smoke fragrance of apple wood permeated the air...the grounds were still smoldering. There was not one tree stub even standing.
"Appears to be a complete loss." The je'daii master said, eyes still affixed on her ward.
She could see no sorrow, nor regret from Jehn, although that which she could pick up had been one of necessity.
For the moment, the je'daii master decided to not confront Jehn. There certainly had to have been a reason she had destroyed the orchards, just that at the moment it weren't the time to reveal it.

"I think best we get you back to the house...a good wash is in order." She then said.
Jehn looked a mess...sweat, dirt grime and ash seemed to cover the girl from head to feet.

Naturally Jehn's father agreed, as did her sister. Turning around to head back, she came upon Vera, who had remained close to Karlie.
"Miss Mina..." Elohssa nodded, acknowledging the android, before taking up the rear as the troop made their way back to the manor.

Many of the fire fighting vessels started dispersing, with only two remaining to complete the foaming. Tarssin of course would receive the report after it were all said and done. This of course meant that Elohssa had a few hours to get to the bottom of what had instilled Jehn to do what she did.
Elohssa certainly weren't one to jump to conclusions...not when it appeared that Jehn weren't trying to hide anything about it.



A bit later that day after things settled down somewhat back at the manor...

Knock Knock... the je'daii master rapped on Jehn's door.
The young woman bade her enter.

"Jehn..." ...the exchange between the two ensued.
The timing were just right, as the young woman had just redressed and were about to gear up again. Elohssa walked over to the bed, picking up Jehn's blade which was sheathed and slowly half drew it out of the scabbard.
It had not been polished clean and although there were barely any markings of sap or anything visibly stuck to the blade, there was remnant of what it had slashed through when Elohssa's hot breath drew upon the exposed blade.
"The blade doesn't pick up any stain..." She commented, before sheathing it fully and handing it to Jehn.

No, the blade wouldn't as it had such a hone that nothing could stick or mark it. But the essence of what it just passed through remained...at least until it were polished again. And Jehn had not done that. Not yet anyway.
It were another tell-tale sign that Tarssin's younger daughter, Karlie's sister, were not covering up her actions.

"I would like to know the reason why..." Elohssa spoke blatantly.
It were as to the reason why she had come up to Jehn's room. Elohssa had not encroached upon Jehn for some time. Not since they had developed trust between one another. But there had been a time when she had first rescued the young woman, that she needed to be watched. Jehn had seemed like a wild sith spawn... she had once projected much anger, fury and fear. But all that were behind them. Elohssa, unknowingly to Jehn, cared for her as the daughter she could never have.

"Your father's going to receive a report by the fire marshals soon. They'll report that it were purposely started by someone. The entire grove has been decimated and then torched.
They have a term for it. They call it arson." The je'daii master continued as Jehn slid her katana in place.

"I would wish to stand by your side, Jehn.
But I need to know why."

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

So much for their planned barbecue.

The manor were swarming with Castan security detail no sooner they got back. Thane had galloped over to Karlie as she neared the grounds. Taking hold of his reigns, she patted the stallion grateful that he had listened.
All in all, she remained silent, dismissing the few executive security officers whom approached her. Karlie had nothing to say and certainly didn't desire the need to escalate what she feared.

"Dad..." rarely did she ever address her father in that manner. It certainly raised his left brow as he turned from his officers.
"...can you ask them to leave?" Of course her father didn't have to ask, he were the Viceroy.

"No disrespect to you gentlemen. Your concerns on the matter are justified, but we have this."

It took one look from Tarssin as he turned from his daughter for them to nod respectfully to their Viceroy and comply.
By the time her father turned to Karlie, she were seated looking exhausted in one of the study's chair. She seemed besides herself, her head leaned back and looking up at the ornate ceiling...only her eyes were closed.

"Lets not talk about it...please." She replied, following Tarssin's inquiry as to what was on her mind.

"It's no big deal..." She then said opening her eyes. Her sister and Rom had also just entered, upon the group of officers exiting the studies.
"Apple trees....pft.
Trees...
Freakin grounds were fertile before...better now being cleared for new growth.
Hell, I'll have the stable keeps sift through Thane's manure... got what- a bushel or two in the kitchen stores?
Heh!.. why, I'll accelerate the seedling's growth!..." She weren't so much explaining but rather bolstering out loud. "... we'll all be eating APPLE pies by first snow fall." Of course this were directed at the culprit.

She recomposed herself, took a deep breath and turned to Rom, Elohssa and- ...and-
Karlie had seen her sister had stepped in with them, but had just now caught the end tail of Ayda, her sister exiting the studies.

The blonde's upper lip twitched before turning to her father's concern.

"Upset? me?..pft..." She replied to her father's inquiry.
"I break a nail...I get upset.
You pull my rank, I get mad.
Mother snips my hair, I'm pissing in my pants." Her eyes met Rom's on the latter. Yes, she had pissed herself on Heretic Station, she were so mortified of her mother that moment. But nail, rank and the deal with her mother passed. This too were going to pass. It weren't going to define her.
"What?...the stupid orchards? pft... lets just drop talking about it. What's done is done....please?"

Her father agreed.
Still, Karlie knew that there would be an investigation. A report would be forwarded to her father.
"Uhm...father." her eyes met his. "...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken out of line like that....not in front of the men."

It were a legitimate request, he assured her, being it were her home also. Ranks had nothing to do with it. He gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder and excused his self.

Karlie took another moment to collect herself before turning to Rom. Elohssa had somehow left, maybe with her father she thought.
Karlie got up out of the chair going over to where her father had left his glass of Whyrens. She looked out the same window. he had apparently been watching her on Thane...then with Rom. He had immediately rushed over to the ridge when the fire's smoke had crested over the hill.

"She hasn't hurt anyone, you know..." Karlie confessed to Rom what she had concluded.
"She is my sister you know. I love her despite not understanding her." Karlie continued as she faced the window. She could see Rom in the reflection. It were just her and Rom in her father's studies.

"Until I discover why... please don't think any ill of her. "

 

[Ian Sade]

He hadn't spotted her when he entered, but apparently she did him.

'Can I be of any assistance, sir?..' the usher asked him.
Ian had up to this point strolled in Lydrik's estate seemingly looking like he knew his destination, as if he belonged.
It were of course a ploy, which more often than not had many curious bystanders including security personnel believe he did belong. It was the ol cliché' of looking like you know where you are going.
Only he stopped dead in his track with the pulsating message that Westenra had spotted him...biding him to meet her.

Now he had keen vision and quick reflexes...could even pick up a dangling ear ring slipping from the woman 12 meters to his right; but of West? Nada.
He had stopped a moment to look about the large veranda, where most of the scientist's guests were loitering about, conversing about this or that... it were all of little interest to him. There were no trigger words which perked his ear.

"No. " he smiled at the man.
"I see it making it's way to me." Ian nodded and stepped forward, taking a martini from the tray a server presented him.

"Cheers.." he toasted the usher before continuing on, trying to pick up that evasive android, West.

It were a perfect dry martini. Ian had taken two sips to come to that conclusion.
"Well hello there..." an elder woman took to get his attention, seeing he weren't heading in any particular direction, but seemingly looking around.
"...now what unfortunate doll has come to loose you?...I'm Lotania Bancroft...senator Quip Narr's wife. I believe we've met ...before?" She then asked, making contact with his forearm.

"I won't rebuff the possibility..." He replied, flashing his patented smile.
Ian knew of the senator and of his wife whom he now vividly recalled. He had a photographic memory.
But no, they had never met in person before. Lotania had a reputation of being a man-eater.
No doubt she were fishing for an evening catch. Her husband was 25 years her senior. he had for the most part retired.
"How is the old general doing these days?..." He asked. Quip had served in the Castan Marines before he went into politics.

"Oh he's doing just fine...
Get's a little confused at times. " She motioned to her temple. " But he's quite himself after a good rest. Decided to stay home, he did.
But how about you? Where is that lady friend you seem to be looking for?"

"I seem to have found her." he chuckled, leaning in... leading on.

"Oh you are a sly one....a fox on the prowl.." She laughed.

Ian were about to continue to play along, as he had a good vantage point to the connecting ball room.
The pulse code modulation he had received from West said she were intercepting him in the main reception area...here in the cocktail area. Only she were nowhere in sight.
True she could be in an entirely different configuration which he had not been privi to see before-

It suddenly hit him... the distinctive primal reaction to androstenol. His wrist crono...the very same which had pulsated west's message countered the effects of the pheromone. Only he knew it weren't that of West which had found it's way over to him.
Naturally quite a few virile males along with some females, including Lotania's attention were drawn over to his left.
Ian's right brow lifted, seeing how Lotania's sexual drive had been drawn to whomever it was that were permeating the reception area.
He himself turned to look. Not for the same reason, but to follow along as if he had been drawn...which his counter agent from his crono neutralized.

It certainly proved him right that it couldn't have been Westerna..but it were some other model closely resembling one of West's configurations. Yes, Ian were attuned to spotting a replica. it weren't as fluidic..as real as -

His features suddenly dropped.
Ian had been playing the playboy that the senator's wife had targeted him for. It had become an improv cover which was working...up until now.
To his right was the replica and just coming across the threshold from the ball room floor to the reception area was West.

Oh, but what a West.
Ian's features were one besetting a man who seemed to be struck by a lightening bolt.

He didn't blink, barely breathed, taking her in entirely as she made her way to the distracted mass. he apparently were the only one looking at her, whilst the majority's fix were over to the decoy.

 

[Tarssin Destat]

"Nexus?...here now on Castagne?" Tarssin wasn't disbelieving his jedi ally, just that there had been quite a few exploratory researches done on seeing if the planet had indeed an abnormal concentration of force influences.

"I wasn't aware such phenomenon could just materialize on their own like that. " Of course he were skeptical, for such phenomenon were rare, especially since throughout Castagne's history none had come to bear fruit in past inquiries.
Then again...

Tarssin got up from his chair...a sudden revelation hit him.

"Darth Rigor...." he uttered tiredly...like a man whom had stood fighting on the battlefield for far too long. It suddenly made sense. What if someone had knowledge of this Nexus for some time...like for Millenniums?
Darth Rigor had been as much a part of Castagne's unfaithful history as that abomination had existed. The Nexus, if it truly existed, had then been what potentially had kept Rigor coming back.
And Rigor herself had found the means of keeping it hidden. What if in all of Castagne's past, had the findings been manipulated...

Inadvertently, he had thought those words out loud.
Master Elohssa whom had seeked to speak with him in private, concerning the orchard fire which inevitably would soon be revealed by Tarssin's own investigators as to whom started it, couldn't confirm whether or not it were what kept the sith returning to Castagne. What Elohssa Sun only knew, were that her padawan, Tarssin's daughter, had revealed to her that a Nexus did exist where Jehn had set into blaze.

"But you haven't confirmed this yourself?" Tarssin then asked, for the je'daii master were indicating that she were only taking the word of his daughter Jehn.
The answer of course was 'no.'
The je'daii master was clear. She didn't need to confirm what her trusted companion and padawan (Jehn) had disclosed to her. There had been truth in Tarssin's daughter's words the master explained. It were in Jehn's eyes, her very center. There was no deceit in Jehn.
Elohssa stated she knew, felt it to be true, through the connection she shared with his daughter.

Tarssin stood there a moment, digesting all this before he walked on over the windows... the very same window he had stood the day before, when the plume of smoke rising out in the distance got his attention.

"This nexus... it stems right amid where the orchards were planted?"

It was.
The orchards had apparently been planted by Darth Rigor to serve a purpose... to taint the apples.

"Poison them?... in what manner are we speaking?" Tarssin asked, aware that most of all staff members including Karlie he, had eaten them...for years.

But relaying Jehn's suspicion on the purpose of the orchards, Elohssa too believed that its purpose were to only affect his daughter Karlie. Highly concentrated thoughts...willpower from mother to daughter. In essence, Darth Rigor knew Karlie as she knew herself. Subluminal force will that worked like forgotten memories... memories that reflected in Karlie's mind like they were there all along. Only that they weren't...that they had to be consummed....often and regularly. In short, Rigor knew her taste when she herself were whole and untainted. As thus, she knew Karlie's, for she were the perfect vessel of her once true self.

There had been a mystery for many years which the je'daii master could not solve as to how Karlie's mother had been able to haunt her daughter s she did. The orchards which produced the sweet apples were laced with Darth Rigor's enchanted spells. After all the woman was by many standards a sith, a witch... a demon.
No doubt now in Elohssa's deduction that the orchards had been meant for his daughter alone...Karlie.

"It explains a lot of remnant effects that witch had on my daughter." Tarssin came to conclude.

Perhaps that was the whole of the truth entirety. Maybe not. But a lot of his influence were apparent on his daughter. Tarssin could be said to have as much if not a more influential effect on his daughter..or daughters.

"Jehn... " he sighed, now rethinking , recanting what had been pressed upon his mind the last 24 hours.
"...she..."

Yes, his daughter knew her father suspected her from the beginning, Elohssa confirmed.

"I best get about and speak to her then."

Elohssa agreed...only that she informed him that both his daughters were no longer on the estate.

 

[Vera Mina]

In the Aftermath of the burning Orchard, Karlie Lynn Destat and Jehn Sunspire had been separated while the Arson investigation was carried out. Suspecting it was Jehn, but refusing to name her outright as Vera understood the unnecessary strife it would create, had let Karlie vent and speak with her father over it, observing the family dynamics. She loved her father. Respected him immensely. Vera wished she could Love her own Mother the way Karlie loved her father. But alas, her emotions were always at their most intense with Karlie.

She let Karlie vent in her father's study, before asking her to not assume the worst of Jehn.

"I would never dream of it." Rom assured her, even though her databases were practically screaming Jehn was the culprit. Was this what Organics meant by Cognitive Dissonance?

In any case, it would not do to press it.

Rom instead tried to cheer her up.

"I'm certain of this much. She cares for you. I don't think she would act in Malice where you are concerned." Rom assured. "It's times like this that trusting your family is important, even if you don't fully comprehend them."

Rom then decided to try and make Karlie happy.

"Remember when I came here and said I had a new form for singing? I was hoping to still use it in front of you, if you're of the mood for it." Rom offered. "I don't want to see you unhappy, Karlie. If I can lift your mood for even a moment, it's worth it to me. Besides...I have a new dress I've just been dying to try. Or we could get off the estate grounds for a while to clear your head on the whole thing. But where would we go in that event? The Arson Investigators might want to get in contact with you and Tarssin soon.

The Android wondered if Karlie could see the burning love behind red Chiss eyes. Had she felt how Rom's heart pounded as Karlie rode behind her?

"By the way...do you think Thane likes me? He's...an incredible creature."

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

It had been a lot to process... the revelation of discovering she had a sister.
Now?
Now it were near impossible to keep an open mind as to why her lost sister had torched the groves.

Karlie were mad...furious even, for it made no sense to her other than that her sister had done so out of spite...jealousy? It was revealed that Karlie's wicked mother had killed Jehn's and had literally sold her off to child slavers. The later brought tears to Karlie, thinking of her poor little sister, a child at the time being sold off to siths.
"Shiet!..." Karlie seemed to bust out of the blue. But it weren't for no reason. "Shiet, shiet SHIET!!" There was much conflict going on in her head, juggling between anger and empathy...between rage and love.

"Sigh... I'm sorry Rom..." Karlie turned to her friend. A friend whom were trying to ease her frustration.
"...what were you saying?" It were a first for the blonde to have tuned out Rom.
Rom...
Rom who she had bonded to heart and soul. Rom whom were actually her heart desire Vera. Karlie had in a manner been able to split...divide her emotions and dependability of one unique assassin into two distinct personalities. It were a necessity for the blonde, lest she break. The android's ability to morph into distinct battle configurations also affected their functionality and personas. As thus, and for Karlie to not loose her own shiet, she were able to balance out her friendship and love with the two distinct configurations of Rom and Vera.
As of late...actually almost from the start, Karlie needed, depended on Rom more for friendship than for her primal needs to wrap herself around Vera.
Then of course that so called 'block' her wicked evil sadistic mother had somehow managed to instill into her subconsciousness her when aroused. Gah!

It had been planted there by Darth Rigor, her cursed mother with horrid consequences...scarring effects, as it impeded Karlie from giving herself to the one love of her life, Vera. It was a cruel thing which her own mother had bestowed on her.
"You were saying something about Thane..." her voice sweetened, calmed, for she realized she had not been paying attention, but to her own thoughts.

Rom certainly reiterated...patiently.

"Ha.." Karlie mused. First real chuckle since the shiet hit the fan.
Yes, of course...of course....Rom had learned to sing. Karlie knew she could be so self absorbed...so centered. Here her friend had taken the time to visit her. Had brought some Azteri dogs and had learned to sing. Sing for her.

"Oh Berkana..." She embraced her bestie. "I'm so sorry Rom..." It were so comforting hugging her friend.
"I don't know what gets into me sometimes. Its so that I feel broken. But not so when you are around." Yes, seemed everything was alright when Rom was right there besides her.

"Yes of course, I would love to hear you sing. " She said, releasing her friend from the hug.

"Wow...you smell nice. You know that?" For a moment, it were just her and her bestie that existed in that bubble.

Then- reality returned.
Jehn crept back into the fold of her serenity.

"Berkana... I should not have made that outburst. Jehn must hate me...more now than when she did what she did." Oh oh..Karlie's mind started to churn again. Bits of the day, the event the aftermath of the incident started to swirl around again in her head.
"But I don't get it. Master Elohssa whom has never abandoned me seems to be on Jehn's side. Like, what's up with that? Elohssa was there. She seen the fire...she seen Jehn.
So why is she supporting Jehn?
This irregularity is what's eating me. It makes no sense at all. " Karlie couldn't help but draw deeper into this phantom mystery.

"And dad..my father too can't be blind. he has to suspect. he's not stupid.
But everyone seems to encircle Jehn and disregards what she did....you know?" Karlie was certainly struggling with all of the facts and derivatives bouncing around in her head.

"Ok...well maybe the orchards are no big deal to them. Fine, I can maybe put that part of the equation aside for now and ...and it still leaves me with 'why the frak does it seem that Elohssa and my father are covering something up?!" She shouted, standing up and going over again what she derived at. Her one fist were clenched and the look of determination and focus put her at directing and reformulating that equation over in her head.
"Arrg!" It was obvious she had come to the same conclusion as before... a dead end.

"The orchards..." Karlie finally said, eyes distant. "Nothing absolutely makes sense until I introduce the orchards back in the equation. Hmm..."

"Rom?..." Karlie eyed her friend who had not for one moment taken her eyes off her, as wrapped herself around the mystery.
"How would you like to float among the clouds?
...I need you to come on a trip with me."

 

[Vera Mina]

Rom let Karlie Lynn Destat voice her suspicions and fears. Venting seemed to do her good, The Android noticed. She didn't view it as selfish. More than once, even Vera could not help but think Ian and Tarssin kept Karlie in the dark more than was wise. Telling her some of the really big secrets might have prepared Karlie better than waiting for them to hit all at once. Like they had at Castagne.

Rom scolded herself. Who was she to comment? She'd hid being an Android from her!

But then Karlie finally noticed Rom again, and hugged her. Surely Karlie felt The Android's heart pounding in their brief bodily contact. Rom returned the hug, the smell of her beloved floating into her nostrils, making her mouth water slightly. She loved Karlie. Needed her no matter what face she wore.

"You always smell nice to me, Karlie." Rom replied.

Rom grinned as she confirmed wanting to hear her sing.

"I'll get ready then." Rom said, going behind a changing screen in the room and obtaining a spare bag she had brought, slipping off her white battle garb and into a golden dress that was semi transparent in certain parts before triggering the instant-transform function, her installed heat sinks from Azterri absorbing the massive heat build up and beginning to slowly dissipate it.

What stepped out from the screen wasn't Rom anymore, but a gorgeous, curvy woman with Dark skin and long, raven hair with chocolate eyes.

She felt her emotional capacity jump ten-fold, gaining an understanding of Karlie that internally shocked her and made her feel intense guilt over the games she had played previously.

"It occurs to me..." The Android began in a velvet voice much different from that of Rom's, now in an Entertainer Guise whose cover name was "Rikka."

"What if they know something about the Orchard you do not? Or learned about it after it burned. Jehn is a Force User, no? What if she sensed something within that made her Destroy it...if it was her, I mean. For what else would prompt the Orchard's Destruction?" The Android wondered. "Nothing to gain economically in it's sabotage...it wouldn't slow your family down. And the goal wasn't to kill anyone."

At Karlie's question if she would like to float amongst the clouds, The Android nodded.

"Where shall we go?"

OOC: Almost finished with a West post, Karlie

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

"Lol... seriously...." she were taken back, by Rom slipping away to change.

"...you suddenly developed modesty?..." It made the blonde chuckle in having Rom go change in privacy. Like hell, it weren't like she hadn't seen her naked before.
Oh wait...actually, Karlie hadn't ever seen Rom change in front of her. Weird that, as her friend wore some outrageous battle weaved armor for the most part. It were Rom whom had helped Karlie with soaking in the bath tub, so to speak. That is after many hard lessons and exercises on Castle Morpheus, Karlie were stressed by her sensi (Nine Li'Ves) to soak in a cold water bath to keep her bruises from swelling and...and bruising.
Still, what were there for Rom to suddenly hide from her with all of her friend's revealing outfits anyway?

"Oh!..." Karlie were just about to peep over the corner when to her surprise and she had not expected it at all whatsoever, for the android had never, ever changed configuration anywhere near her presence. Well, that Karlie knew of, anyway.

So to her shock at suddenly coming up face to face...and being caught peeping, she jumped back a step...maybe two before her senses reconnected.
"Oh Berkana!... Rom?" She asked blinking trice.
"Rom, is that you?"
Yes it were Rom, but not Rom. Karlie had to peek over the sultry woman's shoulder to make certain there was no one else behind the so called curtain.

"Oh my..." She were certainly out of breath a moment. her mind taking in an entirely different Rom. But Rom were Vera...remember, Karlie? her mind reasoned.
Yes.
Yes... they were all one in the same, Karlie's mind rebooted.

"Ha...
Hhaha.... hahahaha...." The blonde broke out in a feel good laughter. Oh yes, Karlie were so amused and relieved at the same time it were Rom...and above all, curious as to her new configuration.

"Oh my God...
You... you just blew me out of the stratosphere." Her eyes were looking at every fraction of her friend's new configuration.
"You just...reconfigured like that?" It were in the time frame that she were meaning.
In the lab work, it took days for multi cell creations to morph for her...hours for simple cells. But that weren't as important as to where had Rom hid that outfit, that her new alt emerged with? Rom hadn't taken anything with her before she went and changed-...well, changed everything!

"Have to say It's a WoW for sure." Karlie exclaimed, hands on hips as she were still checking out this new version of Rom/Vera.

"You know... pulling stunts like that...." She pointed her index at Rom. "....you're going to be the one that'll send me to the sanitarium, as I've enough trouble separating you two as it is.
Now there's three? Hehe..." Oh that glee of when a child is given free romp in a candy store.
"Although I'd take three of you any day." That was for sure. Who wouldn't take three of a sure thing?

"Ok...
Ok, so knowing your matrix as I do...actually your mom filled me in somewhat. You are in an entirely different configuration and...and function?...Am I getting that part right?" Karlie drew closer.

"Who are you now?... and what am I to call you?" She then asked, reaching out to touch her friend's feature.

Surprised she was, and at the same time excited and curious, as to Rom's new configuration. Yes, Nine had taught Karlie much about her bio-mechanical engineering and sciences. But it had been on a basic fundamentals with lab assignment to produce living mechanical based tissues...never once referring specifically to the creation of her daughters and knights.
This was something new for Karlie as she had never been present when one of Nine's daughters changed configurations, not when conscious anyway.

"I mean, your voice... it's different too." just realizing the difference in pitch between Rom and Vera too. It were something she had not thought about it till this new version again was quite different from the two.
"You're...you're just as soft as-
...as my Vera." Karlie softly spoke withdrawing her hand from her features.
Yes...as soft as her Vera...but much younger looking.

Realizing she hadn't given Rom the chance to speak, as Karlie could sometimes talk a parsec or two...

"Will you sing to me?"

 

[Jehn Sunspire]

A few hours before Master Elohssa Sun spoke with Viceroy Tarssin Destat


"Yes, I heard her anger..." Strange she had not felt it though when she had exited her father's studies.
But then again, her sister were said to be midi-free. Jehn had taken to ponder what it could be like to be as free as her sister. It were unimaginable to say the least in not being connected to the force. How were it possible that her sister Karlie could exist? There had been many attempts ... there were many archives in the libraries of her former sith masters, of experiments that involved separating the midicloreans from living things.. like beings, and with no success. All died shortly following the severing, as it was called.

"She's almost unspoiled...clean.... fresh as the morning dew permeating up from the meadow that I were aroused to awaken by." Jehn had turned to her confidant, her Je'daii savior and master. But Elohssa were more than that to Jehn. Elohssa Sun were the first true friend she had ever come to experience and know. Through her, Jehn rediscovered her own center...her soul. And of her new found sister Karlie; unconditional bond.

"I could no more cause her hurt than fall into the dark abyss again, Master Sun.
I were not one made to explain, but to act and do to completion. Once I began, I could not stop. Not till I severed the flow." Jehn were speaking of her sith upbringing. Hard upbringing that had been branded into her psyche. It were something which were difficult to break...although many aspects of it were under the patience of Elohssa.

"Still... you are my friend, my confidant. Without you, I would still be submerged in the pitch of darkness. I should have informed you of that which I felt through the force." Jehn took to admit her failing. It were something unheard of as a sith. But she were no longer stained as such.
"Only... only that I were compelled to follow the current.
I found myself in the midst of the spring...it were, it felt like so. The force flowed directly up from the earth and through the trees... to the force bearing fruit. Only this fruit bore no natural force, but manipulated... enchanted force.
The trees held that influence, drawing from the force to induce this enchantment upon the fruit.
I had not experience this when I partook in eating of it... the harvested fruit downstairs. It were enriched, but it did not reveal .But the orchards did. The groves were made to manipulate the force springing from the earth...twist it, bend it, squeeze it, wring it into what would grow to be fruit.
It were then that I knew, when I felt with open eyes the difference between the earth, tree and fruit. The force would not be hindered like that unless it had been manipulated. The trees were not sewn from seeds of their kind for they had no like kind. They were unnaturally created...made by a powerful sith. And I know sith lore, Master Sun.
I knew the orchards then had no purpose but to do the will of this sith. And this sith could be no other than the one named Dart Rigor." Jehn continued

Elohssa nodded, understanding Jehn's logic and reason. It were clear. It had been the only logical thing to do, and that were to destroy it...burn it to the ground for the orchards only function were to produce these fruits with the encoded force suggestions.

"You ate of the fruit also. " She then pointed out.
"We shared in one together not the evening prior. It did not reveal itself to us. But my sister... she savored them. I observed her with a satchel full earlier this morning, before she headed out on a run with the stallion.
What had festered in the fruit, were solely targeting my sister. I am certain of this." Jehn concluded.

Of course, there was no way to prove it, other than the presence of the force nexus under the scorched earth.
But that alone, if it had not been discovered before or had been covered up by falsified documentations were proof enough...or so the je'daii master believed.

Jehn of course weren't phased whether or not anyone but Elohssa or her new family believed her. She had acted on her feelings..an impulse upon the revelation. if there were consequences, then so be it. She could not change what she did. It had to be done.

"Perhaps if it is afforded in the future, I will seek your council before taking such action, Master Sun."

 

[Westenra Mina]

Westenra-Prime slinked through the crowd, the black cocktail dress she wore hugging a curvy, athletic figure as she made her way to him. She drew little in the way of stares, as the Lorna Copy was in full pheremone production, and though West herself was quite gorgeous in this Bronze Skinned guise, Lorna still drew most of the attention.

Gliding over to Ian Sade , she indulged a moment, raking him over with carnation pink eyes.

"Just how is it you wear that suit so well?" She subtly flirted, though she didn't go beyond subtle as they were still here to work, though it didn't stop a shamelessly seductive smile from crossing her face. She stood a moment, letting him take everything in about her, so he would not miss an inch.

An idle brush of her wrist, secretly a code to be ready for the main infiltration procedure was executed discretely. She made idle conversation with him, in the meantime.

"Oh the Castagne countryside is just lovely this time of year...I really oughta get out here more often...the flowers that grow out here are magnificent. You can smell them for kilometers."

Just then, there were hushed voices that drew her attention to the top of the grand staircase.

Emil Lydrik had finally shown his face.. he was tall and pale, with finely combed, slicked back hair and in fine clothes with a smoking jacket. A thin black mustache curled at the sides of his face.

"Welcome, all of you, welcome!" Emil said with gusto and a rather infectious jovial attitude, clutching a smoking pipe as he descended the steps.

"I am honored to have so many esteemed guests at my estate!" He said with a grin. "Your continued support pays for a future in which Castagne is secured, and has a fully dependable Synthetic Army. The subject of my many labors these long years. Dinner begins very soon and will be served in my grand dining hall. After that, we shall have a demonstration of my latest efforts in fully dependable, loyal bio-synth soldiers. When you see the success I have achieved, surely you will all want dependable, disposable soldiers that require little care to be among your own personal armies...at a quarter the price of a dedicated, standard battle Droid."

"The man has ambition...I'll give him that..." West muttered. "But does his skill match his vision? There's the real question."

West turned back to him, her idly rubbing a knuckle actually a secret code meant to ask if he wanted her to execute the distraction now, or wait. Gathering intel passively could be quite valuable. Of course, the longer they were here, the greater the risk that someone would realize they didn't belong here.

"So, decided to live posh tonight?" She asked Ian playfully, staring with naked hunger at him that would have torn his clothes off if it could manifest arms. "It's okay, I did too. And what a place to do it. I wonder what's for dinner..."