Brothers

[Illyiss]

The intertwining of tales and fates, a poignant reminder that while the galaxy is vast, it is only so big.  Old acquaintances become sources of potential help, as this new threat mounts, and is truly a threat to all, not just the Templars.  As well, learning more of those central to several tales within this setting, is welcome and endearing, and now we know how D'Aylanna made her way to where she is now.

[TheDrunkenConsular]

Absolutely fantastic, Dutch!  It’s a pleasure to see what you’re doing with the characters.

[Lord_S_Gray]

Indeed interesting to see D'Alyanna's background a bit...and good characterisation of Rakham with the consorts and Hapes in general, one almost doesn't need to ask why there was an assassination attempt - its basically part of life there. Will be interesting to see if she interacts with Edda at all too.

Chapter 17 was curious as well, is moving the back up to Oros playing into the Revenants hands - that is by changing their behaviour are they giving into the Revenants coercion in a way...and if there is a leak is bringing in more people really the answer...all this and more to be revealed later no doubt. 

[Illyiss]

Chapter 17 was curious as well, is moving the back up to Oros playing into the Revenants hands - that is by changing their behaviour are they giving into the Revenants coercion in a way...and if there is a leak is bringing in more people really the answer...all this and more to be revealed later no doubt. 

That is the truly insidious thing about fear/terror tactics; if you don't change in some way in response, you leave yourself open to more and more, and if you do change to deal with it in any way, there is some degree of success in the tactic.  The trick is, change in ways they didn't expect and grow from it.

[Karmack]

That is the truly insidious thing about fear/terror tactics; if you don't change in some way in response, you leave yourself open to more and more, and if you do change to deal with it in any way, there is some degree of success in the tactic.  The trick is, change in ways they didn't expect and grow from it.

True.  I also believe that the key is to change for the better.  Like you said, no change leaves you vulnerable to repeated attacks. Just make sure the change is consistent with your overall principles and beliefs. :-)

[TheDutchman]

Indeed interesting to see D'Alyanna's background a bit...and good characterisation of Rakham with the consorts and Hapes in general, one almost doesn't need to ask why there was an assassination attempt - its basically part of life there. Will be interesting to see if she interacts with Edda at all too.

Chapter 17 was curious as well, is moving the back up to Oros playing into the Revenants hands - that is by changing their behaviour are they giving into the Revenants coercion in a way...and if there is a leak is bringing in more people really the answer...all this and more to be revealed later no doubt. 

Thanks LSG!  I am thankful that TDC trusted me enough with his characters as well as his story  . And it allowed me to write D'Aylanna's backstory as well as a chance to write Rakham 

[TheDutchman]

Chapter 19: Siege Perilous, Part I

“D’Aylanna, look out!”  Tasrii’s voice echoed through the hall as D’Aylanna instinctively ducked, barely avoiding the two red sabers slashing through the air where her head had been seconds sooner.  Having expected an easy kill from their ambush, the four Revenant Phantoms didn’t have time to fully recover.  Grabbing her lightsaber from her belt, D’Aylanna ignited the weapon, the blade reversed from her Shien grip, impaling one of the Phantoms before he could retreat.  When she rose to her feet, the Hapan Master ripped her blade upward, almost bisecting the Revenant.

By that time, Tasrii had joined D’Aylanna in the hall, engaging one of the surviving Revenants.  Simultaneously, D’Aylanna called the fallen Phantom’s lightsaber to her hand, igniting it, the red blade joining her own purple.  Before they could flank Tasrii, D’Aylanna had joined the much taller Zabrak, fighting back-to-back.  As the three remaining Revenant surrounded the women, they finally got a clear look at their opponents: all had their faces hidden by a mask that only covered the left side, the right side of their faces covered with intricate lined tattoos.  On their cheeks was an identical glyph in a different-colored ink, interwoven with the lines.

“Thanks Tasrii.”  D’Aylanna said under her breath, bringing her blades in a defensive posture as two of the Phantoms approached.

“Don’t mention it.”  The Zabrak’s grin turned feral as she engaged the Phantom, both working their lightsabers in an attempt to find an opening.

Her burgundy and silver skirts flowing around her armor, D’Aylanna’s defense was impenetrable, the Phantoms clearly outmatched despite their combined efforts.  But D’Aylanna knew that more were surely coming.  Bearing that in mind, she switched to the offensive, her attacks brutal, concise, unstoppable.  As her blades scythed through the two Phantoms’ defenses, purple and red blades inexorable, her opponents’ limbs soon littered the hallway.  Turning her head, D’Aylanna checked upon her companion, seeing Tasrii first separate the Phantom’s hand past the wrist and then decapitating her on the next orbit.  Headless, the body fell heavily as the Zabrak woman quickly surveyed the situation.

“Beautiful saberwork.”  D’Aylanna approached Tasrii, complementing the much taller woman.  Bowing as she inspected the bodies, she looked for anything indicating the Phantoms’ origin.  Finding several generic items—cryptonodes with a few credits worth on them, a retractable vibro-stiletto, several non-remarkable keycards—D’Aylanna instead focused on a small, silver-red book that every single one of the Phantoms carried.  Giving it a cursory glance, she knew that she could not read the pictoglyphs within.  “I need to find Jorya; hopefully, she’ll be able to read this…”  D’Aylanna’s voice trailed off as she noticed the introspective look that the Zabrak woman gave the book.

“I…I’m not sure, but I think that I maybe recognize some of those symbols…” Tasrii’s face looked thoughtful as she squinted her eyes in concentration.  Suddenly, she began to shake her head.  “…I thought that I could read a few of the glyphs but… No, I…I’m not certain…” Tasrii looked down at D’Aylanna.  “Sorry.”

D’Aylanna smiled.  “Don’t be; I can’t even make out that much.”  But what was really bothering her was the intrusion she felt assaulting her senses by Dark Side energies; as such, she had to concentrate.  “We needs must find my daughter and Berra.  I can’t raise either of them on comms…”

Tasrii nodded.  “We’ll find them.  Last I saw, they were fighting in the Courtyard.”  Closing down her lightsaber, the Zabrak woman indicated the far doorway that she’d just come from.  “This way D’Aylanna…”

            <<<<< >>>>>

After Rakham had woke them early the morning after their arrival, he had shown D’Aylanna and Jorya the Archive Vault where the Templars had stored the collected Force artifacts.  As Rakham led them through the Vault proper, the two Gray Jedi were amazed.  “…I knew that your Templars had been busy these past years collecting relics but I had no idea that your searches had been this…prolific.”

Rakham smiled a lopsided grin.  “Well it’s not like we were fighting the Inquisitorious or blowing up Byss… Maybe you heard something about that?”  He asked drolly.  D’Aylanna laughed appreciatively and Rakham continued.  “You’re right; the Templars have been busy.  We’ve spent the better part of the decade researching, collecting, and storing some of the most dangerous items in the galaxy.  Most people don’t even know about this room, much less its contents.”  Rakham’s face grew deadly serious.  “D’Aylanna, Jorya, I know that I can trust you both but I must insist that everything that you have seen here remain secret.  Even from Zearic.”  He emphasized the last.

Jorya looked suddenly uncomfortable.  “…I understand Master Rakham…but I don’t like lying to Fathe…”  She stopped, noticing the sardonic look on D’Aylanna’s face.  “Mother?”  Despite the fact that Jorya was much taller than the Hapan woman, she felt smaller.

D’Aylanna inhaled, her gaze raptor-like as she stared into her daughter’s eyes.  “Jorya, sometimes there are things that you need to keep from your Father in order to protect him.  This is one of those times, Dear One.”  Her dark eyes were unwavering, her last a statement and not a suggestion.  Jorya nodded in understanding.  She then deliberately changed the subject.

“Master Rakham…have you recently been to Shili?” Jorya asked, suddenly serious. 

Looking at her daughter, D’Aylanna’s brow furrowed.  “Jorya…what is it?”  Concerned, the Hapan Master gently put a hand upon Jorya’s shoulder.

Turning to her adoptive mother, the Togruta gestured to a stack of small metallic disks resting unremarkably on one of the shelves.  “I…I think that these are some of the Shilian Force Talismans lost in the Fourth Epoch…”  She stopped short, Rakham’s full-bellied laughter echoing within the Vault.

“No kidding?”  Rakham’s grin was infectious.  “A couple of us had been working on those a couple months back… Well D’Aylanna, leave it to your daughter to give us the answer we we’re looking for just by seeing them.”  As he spoke, he rubbed his dark beard, his arms crossed.  Turning his head to the Togruta, the Templar bowed his head.  “Thanks Jorya.  My brother owes me twenty…”

D’Aylanna’s proud smile reinforced Rakham’s praise, causing the normally unflustered Jorya to blush coyly.  “Thank you Master Rakham.  It…I was just…it was just luck.”  Her blue eyes kept stealing back to the disks, her fingers twitching as if they were tracing the glyphs imprinted in the metal.

“Like hell.” Rakham pronounced, raising his eyebrows.  “That was a fine observation.”  He turned his head to D’Aylanna, whispering in a voice that could be heard halfway to Coruscant.  “I think the Templars should hire Jorya to examine and identify all of our new acquisitions.”  Casually he winked, opening his mouth to continue before an incessant pinging from his comm appropriated his attention.  “Excuse me ladies.  Rakham.”

The voice coming from his comm device was slightly tinny but clear enough.  “It’s Sam; Rakham you’ve…got big trouble…coming your way.  I don’t…know how but…the Revenant have…the Archive’s location.  And…while they’re jamming…most frequencies I’ve…got a few tricks…up my sleeve to…fix that…” Rakham could almost see Sam’s smile in the silence.  “Still: my…connection is sketchy…at best.  Most reliable intel…I’ve got is that…there is a small…group of ships, maybe…about three or…four, which made…the jump to…hyperspace as soon as…they achieved orbital…altitude.  This was a couple…hours ago; it’s…taken me all that…time just to establish…enough signal bounces…to circumvent the…jamming.”  There was a string of curses before Sam continued.  “I’m sorry, I…don’t know how…much time you’ve…got for—”

Rakham knew that he had his answer as soon as Sam’s transmission abruptly ended in static.  …Soon… He thought.

“They’re coming.  Let’s finish what preparations we can…”  Rakham ushered the two women out of the Vault as he engaged the Archive’s lockdown protocols. 

Meanwhile, D’Aylanna turned to her daughter.  “Jorya, we needs must retrieve our armor.”  She knew that their position was tenable but they would need every single advantage that they could get.  Heading to the room that Rakham had provided them, both Gray Jedi donned their Charuba steel armor while preparing for the inevitable…

            <<<<< >>>>>

The attack had come just past local midnight, not that anyone could tell the difference given that the moon was covered by perpetual clouds, only some of them natural.  There were four different craft, the likes of which none of them had ever seen, Templar nor Gray Jedi.  They were alike enough that it was obvious they were the same manufacture but the similarities were superficial at best.  Still, they must have known that their objective lay deep within the fortress because they lobbed a couple of concussion missiles towards the entrance, causing some considerable damage but only to the fortress frontage.

Helping one another from the rubble-strewn floor, Tasrii and Berran, D’Aylanna and Jorya, they all gathered in the Great Hall joining Rakham.  Seemingly no worse for wear despite a small amount of blood running from a minor cut on his head, the tall Templar made certain that everyone gathered had fared better than him.  “…They knew exactly when to hit us: almost all of the Templars are off-planet at the moment.  My brother Heditt is overdue to return but…”  He let the comment linger.  Still, at least the Revenant had not yet penetrated the Fortress itself.  Yet.

One thing immediately evident: the Revenant were blanketing the area with the Dark Side, temporarily creating a Force Nexus around the Templars Archive.  Feeling the oppressive nature of the Force, Rakham spoke first, “I need to secure the Vault, and one item in particular…”  Looking around the Hall, Rakham suddenly turned to D’Aylanna.  “I need you four to stay here, or at least try to hold them off from penetrating further into the Archive…”  He trailed off as the loud reports of breaching charges reverberated through the walls.  Calmly assessing his options, Rakham was silent for a moment.  “Well…we’ve collected, secured, or transferred off-planet most of the artifacts within our Treasury so you don’t need to worry about the Revenant absconding with anything.”  He smiled wryly.

But almost immediately, Rakham turned serious.  “There are only two routes to the Vault and both can be reached from the Great Hall.  I’d suggest that we make our stand there, retreating if need be to pre-designated rendezvous points.  D’Aylanna and Tasrii should take position at the entrance corridor; Berra and Jorya in the adjoining thoroughfare.”  Another explosion—this one closer—resonated through the Great Hall.  Despite that, Rakham remained calm and collected.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”  He looked at each woman in turn.  “Be careful.”  At a run, he disappeared down the adjoining corridor leading to the Vault.

Almost as soon as he’d gone, an explosion echoed from the nearest corridor.  D’Aylanna turned to Berra and Jorya.  “Dear One, mind Mistress Berra and watch her back.  Mistress Tasrii, let us greet these Revenants in a manner that even they shall understand.”

By the deadly look and smile that spread on Tasrii’s face, she understood completely what D’Aylanna meant.

            <<<<< >>>>>

As Jorya’s Soresu deflected her opponent’s blade, she spared a look over at the Miraluka Templar.  While she was surrounded by three Revenants, she was more than holding her own against them.  Her skill with the lightsaber was yet another similarity that Berra shared with Mother.

Possessed of dark hair and olive skin, Berra was also incredibly beautiful.  But beneath that beauty (and despite her youth) she had a backbone of durasteel; Berra had been fearless as soon as the five Revenant warriors had attacked them, quickly engaging three of them while Jorya took the other two.  And while the parallels between Berra and her mother didn’t end there, Jorya was nevertheless amazed by the Miraluka’s saber mastery.  Within two minutes, Berra had killed as many of her opponents while pressing the third hard.

Jorya turned her opponent’s blade from her face, forcefully reminding her that she still had yet to deal with her own enemy.  And he was very good.  Even as she tried to find any openings, the Revenant’s attacks were constant, his heavily tattooed face sneering as he battered away with his red blade against her purple and blue lightsabers.  Just as she was sure that she had him, he directed a powerful Force Push at her, almost knocking her off of her feet.  Quickly back-flipping away, Jorya was able to regain her defenses, once again bringing both of her lightsabers to bear.

And none too soon; her opponent was upon her, his savage attacks pushing her back.  Glad that she’d paid attention to both her Father and Mother’s instructions, she was able to hold her own but just barely.  Clearly this Revenant was a master.  Even as the realization struck her like a physical blow she was forced to retreat.  And in doing so, she faltered over one of the dead Revenant’s arms, body lying prostrate on the ground.  It was a miniscule stumble but critical nonetheless.  Taking advantage of it, the Revenant quickly jabbed out, punching Jorya square on her jaw.  Falling hard, the Togruta fought to remain conscious, knowing that there was nothing that she could do if… When she looked up from the vantage of her back, she saw the feral grin on the heavily tattoed face, his saber raised to deliver a killing stroke.

“Nrrolt jebxat gridds…” His voice was gravelly while his eyes looked triumphant.  And just as his arm was about to fall, his chest exploded outward, Berra’s blade impaling the Revenant from behind.  Quickly withdrawing her lightsaber, she then cut off his head with a swift cut.

“Thanks…” Jorya exhaled, working her jaw, checking to see if it was broken.  Thankfully, aside from the painful bruise that she knew would follow, she seemed to be OK all things considering.

Holding her hand out to the Togruta, Berra gave a small smile.  “Just glad that I could get there in time.  Sorry, that last one was as strong as a Wookie and twice as stubborn.  To say nothing of the weight of the Dark Side…”  The Miraluka helped Jorya to her feet, head swiveling as if listening to…something.  Or perhaps “seeing?”  Jorya’s experience with Miraluka was incredibly limited as was her knowledge of them.  Suddenly, Berra stared straight ahead…at a solid wall.  “…We’ve got to go, Jorya.  Rakham needs us.  These Revenant are like…children, sent to pester, keep us busy.  The real danger is heading towards Rakham.  And they know exactly where he is.”  Berra turned her sightless gaze towards Jorya.

The Togruta nodded, gingerly touching her jaw.  “Lead the way; I’ll keep trying to ping Tasrii and Mother with comms.”  Reigniting her sabers, she tried several times—unsuccessfully—to contact either woman while Berra led them towards the inner sanctum and the Vault within…

[TheDutchman]

Chapter 19: Siege Perilous, Part II

As Tasrii’s saber intercepted two of the red blades of Revenant Spectres, she quickly struck out, the heel of her foot connecting with one of the four opponents she faced, the hip of the Specter shattering under the power of her Force-strengthened kick.  Simultaneously, she projected a powerful Force Push at the opposite Spectre, completely surprising him as he flew back, colliding with the far stonewall with a backbreaking thud.  Flowing forward, she caught the remaining two red blades on her crossguard, the ice-blue plasma blades both protecting her hands and trapping her opponents’ sabers.  Finally, as she riposted upwards, she knocked the two red blades high, exposing the Spectres as Tasrii made two swift cuts, cleaving the bodies of the Spectres apart.  As their bodies fell heavily to the floor, the Zabrak exhaled a sigh of relief.

Turning towards D’Aylanna, she saw the diminutive Gray Master likewise holding her own.  Fighting Jar-Kai, D’Aylanna’s saberwork had already made short work of three opponents, the final Spectre trying futilely to avoid her lightsabers but he was losing ground against her.  Then almost instantaneously, her blades scythed through the neck of the Spectre, the body and head toppling in opposite directions.  Echoing Tasrii, D’Aylanna breathed a sigh as she closed down both weapons, attaching her procured saber to her belt.

Tasrii joined the shorter woman, eyes vigilant as she surveyed her surroundings, the oppressiveness of the Dark Side Nexus continuing to adversely affect all of the defenders within the Archives.  “Are you OK D’Aylanna?”

Shaking her head briefly, the Hapan Master added, “Yes but the severity of the Dark Side is stifling, making it difficult to think, to act…”  What she didn’t add is that it also played havoc with her Force Precognition; namely, that she was inundated with visions, some mundane, others extraordinary, none obvious.  And it was beginning to take its toll upon her.  

Suddenly, D’Aylanna felt as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders, her head clear and vigilant.  Looking up, she saw Tasrii directing Healing flows from the Force into her.

“I know how you feel, D’Aylanna; it’s affecting me too…I guess I’m just used to it from my time in the Pi—”  The Zabrak woman stopped short, shocked that she’d let that much slip.

This time, it was Tasrii who was surprised.  Feeling a small, soft hand upon hers, she looked from it into D’Aylanna’s dark eyes.  The Hapan woman spoke.  “Tasrii, you need not ever explain anything to me concerning your past.  But…your secret is safe with me.”  She gave the Zabrak a reassuring smile.  With a smile of her own, Tasrii nodded, grateful.  Suddenly, D’Aylanna stiffened, her eyes going momentarily blank.  As D’Aylanna stood unmoving, Tasrii was worried that something bad had happened to the Gray Master.  Grabbing the smaller woman by her shoulders, Tasrii was about to shake her when D’Aylanna suddenly became alert, her dark eyes focusing on the Zabrak.

“…We…we must needs rejoin with Rakham.  The…the Nexus was almost successful in its obfuscation.  Thank you Tasrii; I am obliged to you.  Without your Healing, my Vision would still be clouded.”  She moved, heading towards the Vault, followed closely by Tasrii…

            <<<<< >>>>>

Rakham felt as if he’d been fighting for hours.  The three Revenant that were left were good, very good.  Even as they attempted to flank the Templar Master, they were also trying to access the Vault.  Up to this point they’d been unsuccessful, largely due to Rakham’s saberwork.  But even if he’d already killed five of them, it had cost him: his left arm hung limp, the muscle burned from a lancing saber strike and his right leg was flagging, the half-cauterized cut he’d received starting to take its toll.  But he’d be damned if he let them through…

And then, to Rakham’s complete surprise, the three of them closed down their weapons, withdrawing a step.  As much as he would have liked to think that they’d given up, Rakham knew better than to entertain false hopes.  He knew that this must stem from some tactical decision…

He didn’t have to wait long: descending the stone stairs from the thoroughfare, Rakham saw a figure different from every single Revenant that he’d encountered.  In flowing black robes covered in archaic glyphs, lines crosshatching the material of the robes as well as her face, the Revenant woman momentarily stopped in front of the Templar Master.  As with the others, she had half of her face hidden by a mask; however, unlike them, hers covered the opposite side, the right.  Additionally, her face was almost completely covered with tattoos, several glyphs interspersed among the intricate interconnecting lines.  It was the first Revenant Wraith that Rakham had ever seen.

Silently smiling, she ignited both ends of her saberstaff, the red blades casting demonic shadows around the entrance to the Vault.  The three Phantoms followed suit, their own blades adding to the hellish red atmosphere.  Injured and exhausted as he was, Rakham still managed to smile.  “So…who’s next?” And, gritting his teeth, Rakham stood resolute, knowing—knowing—that he would at least have the satisfaction of taking them with him: unconsciously, the hand on his hanging arm grasped his belt, his thumb resting on the “dead-man’s switch” he’d activated and prepared for in an event such as this. Without a word, the four Revenant advanced.  

Knowing that—in this instance—a strong offense was a good defence, Rakham waded into the four Revenant, momentarily taking them off guard.  With his saber working furiously, he was able to keep the red blades at bay.  Against the Phantoms, Rakham’s savagery might have proven victorious…but he knew that the Wraith was not fooled.  Smiling, she allowed the Phantoms to divert his energies and attention when she suddenly sent a torrent of Force Lightning towards him.  Having engaged the three Phantom’s red blades with his own, Rakham could not deflect the Lightning with his blade.  As he fought to put some distance between the red sabers and himself, the Force Lightning hit his head square on, burning around his brow and eyes.  Blinded at least temporarily, Rakham knew that he presented an easy target, one without sight as well as under the oppression of the Dark Side Nexus.  He readied the “dead-man’s switch,” defiant to the last.

Without warning one of the Phantoms flew across the room, hitting the stone with a neck-breaking crack.  Simultaneously, the two other Phantoms were engaged in a desperate battle, one by Tasrii and the other by Berra.  While Rakham could not see, he was able to partially sense the events in front of them although it required all of his concentration.

And he sensed that the Wraith had completely stopped in her advance.  When Rakham crooked his head as if to see, he could further sense that her lone obstacle was a small woman.  Wordlessly, they circled one another, stopping momentarily as they stared at each other.  Then as one, they attacked.  Rakham wanted to join in but had finally succumbed to the multiple injuries he’d taken, slumping against the wall.  Even now he fought, pushing himself up against the stone at his back, determined not to pass out.

He suddenly felt gentle hands upon his arm, a warm energy that repaired muscle, tendons, ligaments.  And although he couldn’t see, he sensed Jorya directing Healing flows of the Force into him.  Quietly barking a laugh, he closed his eyes as the weight of his injuries finally caught up to him.  But he hoped that—with a bit of time—he’d be whole again…

            <<<<< >>>>>

Saberstaff met purple- and red-bladed lightsabers as the two women exchanged strike after strike.  D’Aylanna had fought her share of saber practitioners and this Wraith tralk was among the best.  And despite Tasrii’s Healing, the Dark Side influence of the Nexus was still in effect.  Already D’Aylanna had had to retreat instead of following up an advantageous attack because of the oppressiveness.  She deflected another overhead cut quickly followed by a slice intended to blind or maim.  If she’d have been any slower…

Smiling as if reading D’Aylanna’s mind, the Wraith’s offensive became savage in its intensity.  It was all the Hapan Master could do to keep her defenses intact.  Then, the Wraith did something that D’Aylanna did not expect.

Bringing her saberstaff into a high parry, the Wraith’s free hand shot out, Force Lightning erupting from her fingers.  Seemingly exposed, D’Aylanna took the brunt of the Lightning on her red-bladed saber, some of it cascading from the blade striking her Charuba armor.  Seeing this, the Wraith smiled a rictus grin and—with Force-enhanced strength—she reversed her momentum, bisecting D’Aylanna’s red-bladed saber.  As the useless weapon fell from D’Aylanna’s hands, she focused with her purple saber against the Wraith’s saberstaff.

Cackling a shrieking laugh, the Wraith redoubled her efforts with her Force-Lightning, using both of her hands after hooking her saberstaff onto her belt, the electricity enveloping the small Hapan woman.  And when D’Aylanna went to her knees, the Wraith saw her eminent victory.  As she closed the distance between her and the Gray Master, the Wraith poured everything that she had into her Lightning attack.  She was almost on top of D’Aylanna as she directed the lethal energies into the kneeling woman.  “Cshilla ost llibbr!”  The Wraith’s voice sounded exultant, the tattoos of her face glowing in the reflected light of her attack

The Wraith’s eyes widened comically as D’Aylanna grabbed both of her wrists in a Force-strengthened grip, shattering the Wraith’s bones in her arms, crushing her forearms.  D’Aylanna had fought her share of Force-sensitives able to use Lightning.  As such, she’d developed an incredibly effective form of tutaminis.  Instead of the Lightning coursing through her body, D’Aylanna’s tutaminis had absorbed most of the Wraith’s attack and what the Gray Master didn’t absorb was soaked up by her Charuba armor.  With a knee to the Wraith’s solar plexus, two things occurred: first, the Revenant’s saberstaff fragmented into pieces and, second, the force of D’Aylanna’s kick knocked the Wraith out cold, her ribs crushed.

Breathing heavily, D’Aylanna slowly straightened, clearly exhausted by her efforts.  Looking around, she saw that she was not the only one so affected: both Tasrii and Berra were staggering from their exertions as well as the Dark Side Nexus.  However, with the Wraith unconscious, the oppression seemed diminished.  “She was the source of the Force Suppression.”  Rakham’s exhausted voice came from behind D’Aylanna.  Turning, she saw that he looked somewhat improved as Jorya continued to heal him but he was still far from recovered.  D’Aylanna could empathize; she felt as if she’d fought a gorog.

“…Yes, that makes sense.  Even now, I can feel the difference…”  A thought suddenly skirted across her mind.  Kneeling by the unconscious woman, D’Aylanna searched the Wraith’s robes.  After a moment, she withdrew her hands, a small silver-red book cupped within them.  “…Rakham…I found this book on every single Revenant that I searched.”  She turned to the tall Templar, noticing the burns along his face and around his eyes.  “There are multiple glyphs and pictograms representative of some language that I do not understand.  I asked my daughter and she thought that it might be an off-shoot of Massassi or even Balc but beyond that she cannot decipher it.  Are you familiar with such?”

Rakham ran his fingers along the book when D’Aylanna handed it to him.  “…If I could see then…I could at least be sure… Still…I think I might know someone who can help us…”  Feeling the Gray Master’s intense stare, Rakham gave a small grin.  “Sorry, just thinking aloud to myself.  I believe that one of our Dark Sider Templars might be able to help decipher this: goes by the name of ‘Faradi.’  I just need to get ahold of him…”

D’Aylanna didn’t so much as blink.  “And you trust him?”  Her blue lips were drawn in a tight line across her face.

Rakham stared straight back.  “I do.”  As simple his pronouncement was, it carried all of the weight of his position.

D’Aylanna smiled grimly.  “Then that’s good enough for me.  But let’s first get you up into a bacta-couch; I have one on Fenris’ Dirge.”

Rakham smiled back.  “No need; Kadmaur was nothing if not prepared.  Give me a couple days and I’ll be good as new… Same with the Archives.  Regardless, we’ve got a lot to work through…

[TheDrunkenConsular]

Fantastic, as expected!  I really can’t wait to see what’s next in your arc!

[Karmack]

Amazing!  these Revenant characters are nasty!  good thing D'Aylanna and Jorya were there!  wnderful storytelling and a great beginning to your arc! 

[Illyiss]

It is a good thing for the protagonists that the Specters aren't as well trained as they perhaps could be.  If they were even fractionally stronger each, I think this whole encounter might not have gone as well for the heroes.  Or had the Revenants brought more, especially if there had been a second Wraith. The action was well paced, and drew me through the reading, with the surprise well hidden and explained.  Bravo!  Though one has to wonder, that seemed a small force, and any intelligent foe would have expected the Templars to have spirited the contents of the vault away...

[Lord_S_Gray]

It is a good thing for the protagonists that the Specters aren't as well trained as they perhaps could be.  If they were even fractionally stronger each, I think this whole encounter might not have gone as well for the heroes.  Or had the Revenants brought more, especially if there had been a second Wraith. The action was well paced, and drew me through the reading, with the surprise well hidden and explained.  Bravo!  Though one has to wonder, that seemed a small force, and any intelligent foe would have expected the Templars to have spirited the contents of the vault away...

Good point, these guys are taking a hammering...the Wraith lady was capable but the others are almost like cannon fodder, perhaps marginal force strength and training at best.  Perhaps they dramatically underestimated the Templars...if so they will not do so again.  Anyway D'Alyanna clearly has the moves, but there in that Vault is something Rackham isn't telling them about.

[Karmack]

Good point, these guys are taking a hammering...the Wraith lady was capable but the others are almost like cannon fodder, perhaps marginal force strength and training at best.  Perhaps they dramatically underestimated the Templars...if so they will not do so again.  Anyway D'Alyanna clearly has the moves, but there in that Vault is something Rackham isn't telling them about.

that thought occurred to me as well.  Whatever was in the Vault was more important than EVERYTHING else.  Must be something amazing... 

[Illyiss]

that thought occurred to me as well.  Whatever was in the Vault was more important than EVERYTHING else.  Must be something amazing... 

It's where Han hid the Crystal Skull, or the Ark.

[Karmack]

The Crystal Skull!  NOOOOOOOO!!!!!