A Will United(The Will of the Force)

Lilli's body shivered against the cold floor of the ship. Weeks before a period of depression fell upon the young girl. The more she tried to fight the tighter its grip became on her soul, and it soon lead her to a point in which her eyes burned at the sight of her home, the sight of the polluted pig sty of Nar Shadda. Her only choice was to leave. Gathering up every credit she had earned she bought a ticket on the next ship of the city.

And that brought her to the present. Sitting in a small closet like room, only the fur on her back to keep her warm, Lilli began to perform one of the most important abilities her previous master had taught her: meditation. The ability to become at peace with yourself and the world around you and for once in a very long time Lilli felt calm and had the will to go on. Although she had no idea where she was going and no idea what she would do when seh got there, she did have the will to live and fight whatever came her way.

Suddenly a disturbance in Lilli's meditation. Her eyes shot open as she gripped the lightsaber her master previously held. The ship suddenly jerked and its speed began to increase. Lilli jumped up just to be brought back down to the floor. Her head clunked against the metal floor as she fell, and darkness fell upon her body.

She awoke minutes later a few feet away from the ship. As her vision began to reutrn her eyes fell upon a horrible sight. The ship, in hundreds of pieces, each burning, lay on the grassy ground. How did Lilli survive? Did someone save her? Or was it something else...

Lilli gripped her head to attempt and ease the pain. She had no idea where she was, but knew her best chance of survival was to find someone that could help her. And so she began to walk.

( I think this is pretty up there on my list of best IC posts ever... )

This had to be one of the most comfortable chairs he'd ever sat in. For a moment, Raugh considered having it pulled out of the ship and placed in his office within his manor. Good lord this thing was comfortable. It melted to the exact shape of his furry but neatly combed and evenly cut body. The cushions were like feathers descended from heaven itself. The arms were long and wide, and had an arch to them that allowed you to center your arm and melded to the roundness of the limb. There was no slipping or falling off either. It was slightly rounded to keep you on and designed so that no matter how tired you are, if you dozed off you wouldn't fall out. And the cozy warmth of it!

This had to be THE best damn chair Raugh Haulthe had ever sat in.

"Having fun?" A man asked. Raugh immediately came to, snapping his eyes open and leaping out of the seat. Raugh turned to see the man from The Will who was captaining this ship. He wasn't the owner, The Will had borrowed from someone else; he was merely entrusted with piloting and commanding it. It was a human, and he had a bit of a smug, yet lighthearted smile. "Ah, don't worry about it. Ain't my chair. I don't have to tell the owner about this. Just..." he took a quick look at the chair, "You didn't shed did you?"

Raugh sheepishly turned his eyes down to the seat, and saw a few hairs here there. Oops. Its just, he had seen it, and it had looked so attractive...And while Raugh was on a serious business type trip here, he was also a bit of a kid inside. He had experience with all of the rougher sides of life; with all of the peaceful and humble sides of life. It was only lately that he'd been noticing material things to provide physical comfort.

And it was nice. He didn't let it distract him from his true goals or ideals. He didn't let it get in the way. But inside he was a curious creature, and he just...well, he just wanted to KNOW what THAT chair felt like. Something told him when the 'captain' had left, 'go ahead, snag it!' He didn't see any harm. As he eyed each of the various shed spots, he gave a half-hearted shrug and a silly grin, his movements sheepish, he didn't really know how to talk to true authority figures, having no real parentage and only ever having any status above him kind-hearted teachers or equals. "Sorry?" he offered.

The man laughed, "Name's Sarga Pentafill." He replied cheerfully, offering a hand, "And no need to offer apologies, I'll just have it cleaned up and the owner will never even known. Your not the first curious passenger I've ever allowed on." He shook hands with Raugh and gave him a quick wink, giving into Raugh's subtle charms, half a personality thing, and some parts force influence. Sometimes it was hard to hate the Defel. He was naive, yet wise. He was innocent, yet spoiled. He was cruel, yet merciful. An interesting combination. Somehow everything and nothing.

Raugh exchanged a quick, friendly dialogue, which eventually lead, after a few minutes of strengthening his resolve, to Raugh asking, "So...How do you think you get one of those...Erm...Chairs."

The man laughed, "This? Ah, specially designed and ordered by the owner. Me and him are close friends, but even I can't get him to tell me where he got it. Did tell me how much it cost though. Trust me, you don't want to know."

Raugh trusted him, yet knew that he did not believe him at the same time. He liked this man. However, he got the distinct feeling that somewhere inside himself, he knew that whatever price it would be, this chair was worth every penny. But he did not want to show any 'lack of trust', and Raugh was not absolutely familiar with Basic terms. He didn't realize that the man was using humor, that it wouldn't be a breaking of any trusting barriers to further inquiry. Therefore, he did not ask any more questions, he merely gave a quick smile, a polite bow, and moved on further into the ship, out of the bridge.

His force senses kicked in, a subtle shift in the back of his mind to grab something. His hand shot out, and he grabbed the wall. The ship jerked slightly, it was barely enough to throw off ones balance, but Raugh had felt the precursor to a shake, and he had learned enough about how ships can be unreliable or unpredictable to know that it could be unnoticable, or could topple him nose first into the ground.

He smiled, it was not enough to do much of anything in the end. But it told him that they were getting pretty close to Ruusan's atmosphere. He looked himself over quickly.

Raugh wore no clothes. No need. He had only his armor, his belt, and the cross holster strap around his body, for his shotgun, which he didn't have on him. The belt he wore had his lightsaber clipped firmly, and a holstered, standard blaster. He hoped he wouldn't need any of these, as always. However, he also knew that to expect not to use any of them was stupid. They were tracking a potentially dangerous fellow, one who could fall to the dark ways or snap at any moment. He needed to be dealt with gentle hands. He also needed to be considered dangerous. Or, who knows what the man could have gotten himself into. Many of the young ones could be quite brazen.

For some, dreams are a sweet respite.

Aiken let the smallest hint of a smile warm his countenance, as he cradled Aren's face in rough, strong hands, brushing away strand of deep chestnut brown, and tucking it behind her ear. Her terrible scar was gone, and the left was just as soft as the right, silky down beneath his tender touch.

They give some a glimpse of what could never become reality.

He felt a warm body press against his chest; Ennabella, sleeping soundly, fondly held in her mother's arms. Aiken dropped his left arm to cradle her also, wrapped protectively around daughter and wife.

But for some, these are a worse sort of torture.

A gentle smile stretched Aren's blossom-soft lips, and a light twinkled in her eye. Soon those lips were against his own, and Aiken was in Bliss...

For some would brave the darkest shadows, face the most terrifying nightmares...

Her hair was soft and silky under his gentle touch. Ennabella's steady breathing whispered below, three hearts, beating in unison...

Just to make those dreams reality...

Suddenly, there was silence. Aiken watched in horror as Aren's form began to shimmer, began to fade. There was a sweet, sad smile on her face. A smile of farewell as tears began to pool beneath her lashes. And then she dissolved, as if a gentle wind was whisking her away, and Ennabella disappeared with her... Aiken fell as if part of him was ripping away, as if a massive claw had wretched him down the middle, and was yanking him apart, devouring him, piece by wretched piece... he was filled with nothingness, emptiness... he was alone. And he screamed for death.

Because for some, waking up is Hell.

Rembrant Awoke.


~


The Icy wind along his scalp. The rough ground below. The whisper of the Mountain birds. The bite of vine against Flesh. These things were physical. These things were real. And these things occupied Rembrant's attention. There was more to life than memories. There was more to life than dreams. The very basic cornerstone of it all was survival. And so survival dominated Rembrant's mind, but not out of conventional necessity. No, it was because the memories and the dreams were far too painful.

It was not the nature of them that tortured him, made him writhe. Memories of terror, visions of horror, he had seen and he had dealt with. No, it was not the nature of them. It was the longing they created. The deep and consuming longing.

Yet this was nothing new to Rembrant. If he had not been able to survive through such things, then he would have been dead twelve years. And yet, he was not. This bore testament to his ability to completely bury things, to create a shell around them, to isolate them so greatly that they were but a whisper. All that remained was the hollowness, but that could be easily dealt with. He filled the echoes with thoughts of the Force, musings on the galaxy, the analyzing of triumphs and falls. Incidentally, being alone in the depths of the Ruusan mountains gave Rembrant a lot of time to think.

But today he was not alone.

The gentlest of tremors in the force had turned his eyes upward, and he had watched the craft move overhead, taking a route not customary. That, in and of itself, would have been of only mild interest. But Rembrant, being an Arkanian and gifted with sight in the infrared ranges, could see that the surface of the craft was far too hot. It was coming through the atmosphere too quickly, it seemed, and it's shields could not compensate...

Crafts crashed often enough, and either they were far enough away to relieve Rembrant from having to care, or there were no survivors. Rembrant listened to the Force as the craft began to smoke, and twirled toward the ground...

A dozen candles extinguished at once, leaving only smokey curls of latent fear and terror in their wake. Good riddance.

Rembrant was about to disregard the happening alltogether, when he noticed something... one flame had flickered, but it had not died... which meant there was a survivor. In his foothills. And it was not going to stay that way.

~

Upon drawing sufficiently close, Rembrant had been mildly surprised to discover something. The survivor was a young female, and a Devaronian, at that. And not only thus, but she was Force sensitive. And had been trained. Curious...

Rembrant leapt from a high bluff, his thick cloak billowing behind him. He forced the air to come together beneath his feet, to thicken, and thus his fall was cushioned. His knees bent as he touched the ground, dropping into a crouch. And thus he paused for a moment. And then he disappeared. The light still reflected from him in various shades, still met the onlooker's eye. It was the Force he had disappeared to. To those on the outside, he was nothing, simple nothing.

When one learns about the Force, about Sense, about feeling the way it moves around you... one begins to understand the mechanics of such things. And so, when one understands how something is put together, one can unravel it. Can warp it. And so this Rembrant did. He made his way quickly through the mountains, navigating treacherous terrain and dizzying drops without a moment's hesitation. And then, invisible to the Force, he arrived at the Crash site.

Clouds of smoke roared like dragons in the air, voracious fires licking along the wreckage, metal twisted and maimed, looking distinctly like a Rancor's discarded play-thing. A tendril of calm rushed like a snow-melt spring into Rembrant's mind as he meditated, feeling through the ship's mangled corpse... Of all the details he discovered, only one struck him as truly relevant; there was no danger of a further explosion.

And so Rembrant made his way to the white-hot metal, for perhaps there was something he could scavenge... the Force was his hand as he lifted heavy beams, opened passageways, extracted this and that, all while remaining perfectly still.

And yet, this did not occupy his full mind. For part of his mind was tracking a wake, that eddying trail that occurs when a being moves through the Force, exciting it with his or her presence. The force vibrates to the precise and identifying tone of that presence, and this trail can be precisely tracked. It is a quiet thing, one few but the experts of the skill can sense. And it was this wake, the soft, confused aura of the young Devaronian that Rembrant followed, even as he looted the ship.

He would kill her, if she did not find her way out of his mountains soon enough. Or, perhaps, he would not. For she was innocent, lost... and somewhere, beneath that hardened shell, she reminded him of Ennabella. And he could not kill Ennabella again. So he would spare the Devaronian, for now. But he would watch her. And if trouble surfaced, he would be there. Innocent or no, Rembrant did not take kindly to visitors.

And so he watched.

And so he waited.

Step after step, mountain after mountain. With eac hturn Lilli hoped, no prayed, it woul be her last, however she just found more of the twisting rocky path. Her throat burned for a drop of water, but her mind told her to keep going. She stopped and remembered yet another lesson from her master.

It is hard enough to have to fight others when your body itself is fighting. You must find a pure state in which your body can agree with itself.

It was not healthy to keep going on in her state of mind, and so Lilli sat down, placed her head on a nice padding of dirt, closed her eyes and began to rest, and during that rest she had a dream.

She was looking down at a girl. She was on a mountain, much similar to the one Lilli was sleeping on at that very moment. However something was very strange about the situation the girl was in. She was obviously wide awake, yet didn't move at all. Lilli ran up to her and began to push her, yet she still didn't budge. Then suddenly a figure appearead, a shadow. And the shadow approached the gril and began to push her. And suddenly the girl began to move, however the shadow did not stop pushing, and soon the girl was no more than an inch away from the edge of the cliff. Lilli reached out to try to save her, but...

Lilli awoke breathing heavily. Her dream was so odd, but she knew it had to mean something. Was this shadow figure good or evil? He had hinted toward a bit of both. Lilli knew she had to meditate on this, and so she sat on the very ground where she had laid her head a few minutes ago and allowed her mind to ponder on these dreams.

Her eyes shot open a few moments later. Her vision during meditation had revealed something, a shadow, in the very mountains Lilli was journeying through, and it was close. Lilli was being watched. She stood up and squinted a bit, looking around the mountains, her right hand grasped around the hilt of her lightsaber. Was this person, or thing, good or evil? Only would tell, and that time was nearing closer with every second. Lilli was sometimes a stubborn girl, she could spend days, weeks even, waiting to get what she wanted, and what she wanted now was to see who, or what, was stalking her.

As Darigaaz stepped from the ship he was met by a chilling breeze. The Togorian's gaze was dragged skywards just in time to watch a ship rocket towards the surface. It was coming down way too fast, a crash was inevitable at that speed. He cringed as the vessel crashed into the surface of Ruusan. Though Darigaaz doubted there were going to be any survivors he had a moral duty to check.

"Come Raugh"

Investigating the crash site may prove fruitful to them. There was a chance that the man they were after would also head to the crash site. He was still on the verge of turning to the dark side, Darigaaz knew there was still good in him. So there was a small chance that they may encounter the one they searched for.

The duo soon found themselves in the midsts of one of the forests of Ruusan. After roughly fifteen minutes of traveling, they seemed to clear the forest. Now the mountain which he had spotted earlier was in clear view. They were also close to the crash site, smoke rising from its origin. The Togorian pushed forward to the site, praying that at least someone survived.

Just as the thought entered his mind, he sensed a presence in the Force. It was no normal presence either, it held the texture of a Force user. Darigaaz was sure that it wasn't the one they were after but remained cautious. There were ways to manipulate the Force into altering or even nullifying your presence in the Force. What a dangerous method that was, especially if used against other Force users. In truth, Force users were highly dependent on the Force, and without it are lost.

He approached the crash site with caution, unsure of what to expect. The Togorian didn't sense any danger but there was something else. Something he couldn't quite put his claw on. It was not a reassuring presence, quite the opposite, it disconcerted him greatly. His hand may have not moved to his lightsaber but his thoughts did. There was definitely something or someone out there, and they did not welcome his presence.

"Be on your guard, I sense we are not alone here"

ooc// I don't know how much time I'll get tomorrow, so I'll go ahead and post now, seeing as I don't think there's really much specific Raugh could do at this point in time that would affect what Rembrant is about to do... But if you think of something, deceit, let me know, and I'll see if I can't accommodate. :P //


He could sense them when they were still miles off; their footsteps in the Force sent ripples echoing outward, lapping at Rembrant's feet. The Force was as a loyal dog, reporting what it had seen. Two Force-Users, one greatly skilled and one less-so. As the presences grew closer, the first began to whisper of turmoil, secrets twirling into the Force and hissing away. Rembrant's own connection to the Dark Side afforded him greater vision of such things. The latter possessed more of a subtle inquisition. They were a curious sight, the one being nearly five feet taller than the other. A strange set of circumstances must have brought them together.

But that wasn't the only presence he felt. There was another, farther off, more indistinct... the Dark Side was quick to prattle about the light side; but it more greatly enjoyed hiding those of its own. Turning them against each other. This played both ways, however; for Rembrant would be less easily found by this indistinct presence.

Rembrant's brow twisted into a scowl. Four in one day. He had hidden himself away in the mountains of Ruusan for a reason; he did not want to be found. And now they were waltzing into his territory on the left and on the right. It was more than enough to irritate him. Was a decade of undisturbed solace too much to ask for? Rembrant retreated from the wreck as the pair of force-users drew closer. The ship had settled in the subtle valley between two crests of a foothill, and Rembrant made quick time, pulling back from the depression, and up into the scraggly landscape. Low, scraggly plants staked claim to this side of the range; a rainshadow afforded the place little moisture, other than what the snow-melt streams brought. And so Rembrant stood, concealed by this rough, dry screen.

Light was fast fading; the Sky had already begun to mottle shades of brilliant orange and grey, bright and wild as the fires which still dove through the wreckage below. Rembrant had already extracted that which was of interest; Rations, some medical supplies, a few undamaged weapons, and scrap metal which could be easily plied into one purpose or other.

Rembrant saw them approach as they followed the natural path of the foot-hill valley. Two, just as he had sensed. The first was a hulking mass of a beast; over nine-feet in height, if Rembrant judged the surrounding landmarks properly. And Rembrant always did. This particular one Rembrant identified as a Togorian. The other was far smaller, and Rembrant did not recognize the species at all; which was quite a feat, since Rembrant had once spent many days digging through the Jedi archives. Back in the days in which he had not been known as Rembrant. But Rembrant closed himself to these thoughts, these memories. This particular Jedi appeared more brightly in the smoky shades of infrared, as opposed to the smaller, more colorful wavelengths. Curious.

It did not take Rembrant long to deduce that the Jedi-- as he had elected to call them-- were headed toward the crash site. Rembrant's eyes narrowed. He spread out his presence in the Force, pressing it outward... this would distribute his signature, make it indistinct... not impossible to see-- far from it. However, there would be no way to precisely identify it, and as thus, it achieved its purpose.

And as the two Jedi approached the crash site, Rembrant elected it time to show to them exactly whose turf this was. The young girl had been one thing; but these to Jedi together might actually pose a threat. Rembrant could tell with certainty that they were not of the order; they did not have the proper aura around them. And because they were not entrenched in the Dark Side, that meant they were Grey. And all the more dangerous.

Hidden by both shadow and angle, Rembrant slipped down the scraggly hillside, mountains at his back, and found a position near the wreckage. Here, fire had begun to bite at the dry grass, curling into the air and creating a low screen. Rembrant stood behind it, both protected and obscured. And yet, the silhouette of his figure could be seen; the broad set of his shoulders, the warning stance he took. The light of the fire danced, reflected in his white, krayt-pearl eyes, until it seemed as if the fire was inside them. Still his presence in the Force was scattered, indistinct, and the Jedi would not see him unless they knew where to look. And soon they would know, for he would beckon to them. He let a wave travel through the force. It was rudimentary telepathy, the art of suggestion. It was a warning, a chill, as icy cold as the Arkanian winds.

And then Rembrant stepped forward, subtly nudging the Force to swirl around him. Already the evening winds were blowing chill and strong, and it did not take much effort to bend these to his will. Dust, debris they kicked up around him. But not only that, Fire. Even as Rembrant drew closer to the Jedi, the fire still licked at his feet, safe and submissive in the still air he had drawn around it. Rembrant stirred the fire, stoked it, until it curled about his feet like a faithful Kath hound, casting shadows and flares that reflected in the hilt of the saber on his belt. The rising heat bent and warped the light, making Rembrant's form shimmer and waver. It was a cloak and an intimidation, a warning and a taunt. Ten yards from the Jedi, Rembrant stopped, and while the flames grew lower, lacing along the ground, they still twirled and danced in rhythm to his whim.

"Leave this place," Rembrant said, malice in his frigid tone. "You are not welcome. Here is not where you belong. Run back to your city, retrace your steps. The trespasser's only reward is death." The flames flared in emphasis of that final word, as Rembrant fixed his glacial glare upon the Togorian.

( Hope you don't mind, Jace, but since I understand that members of The Will act independently, democratically and without any true leadership, I had my character speak up first. )

The second Raugh saw the ship go down his mind raced to the aweful moment that he and his crew had crashed. He remembered the charred bodies and the face of his fellow pirate hunters. A pained look of memories good and bad blew across his features like the morning wind, and his heart began to choke up like a child on the verge of crying. It was an incredibly rare moment of raw emotion for the Defel. He had never quite been one to hide his emotions, nor did he see the point in broadcasting or dwelling too much upon them. So at that one flash of memory he had a quick flash of tragedy flash across him. The moment passed quickly.

"Come Raugh." The Defel looked up at his friend, figuring out easily enough what he was thinking and the possibly self benefits of going to the crash site. It also did his heart well to see that he had compassion within him, and he gave a meek smile, following Darigaaz.

His short steps were much quicker, trying to keep pace with the larger mans stride. It was not long before they had made it into the forest. And yes, he could definitely feel the force all around him. He remembered his masters teachings...He remembered the subtleties of the force. A strange allure, attracting him toward it. It was no beacon, and seemed to come from many directions. There were a hundred different undertones. Sad whispers of remnant force left from previous faces. Current faces dotted all around, he could definitely sense one person. A light force presence, as well as another, smaller source...It was almost like looking at a map with a bright white map with a single, slightly darker white dot somewhere in it and trying to locate it, a tiny, nagging feeling in the back of your mind, telling you its there, but not being able to find it.

The Defel did not like it.

In the more shadowed forest, others would find that his presence was more obviously visible. Normally, under hot sunlight, he would be cloaked in a way, his ultraviolet sensitive body becoming transluscent to the point of near invisibility. A mere outline walking amongst the others. But here, he felt vulnerable, easily visible. Especially given the force that was all about him, and the fact that he did not, nor could he very well, hide it.

The forest was beautiful in the Ultraviolet vision. Shades of bright purple and blue, and a few other, mixed colors. He glanced around many times. Ruusan did offer quite a better landscape than most others...

Suddenly, as the crash site came before him, any thoughts of sight seeing were gone, killed within his mind in an instant. His first thoughts compelled him to tear the ship apart for survivors.

His next thoughts froze him in place as he felt the force multiply darkly all around him. Powerful emotions filled the air as Rembrants filtered his force all about. Raugh could feel the pain in it, and he backed away a step, not quite sure where...After a few moments it all focused at one point, and Raugh turned instantly, staring at Rembrant as he walked in a display of flames. It was the paragon of a creepy and totally awesome entrance.

"Leave this place, you are not welcome. Here is not where you belong. Run back to your city, retrace your steps. The trespasser's only reward is death."

Raugh narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits, though this action was invisible thanks to his visor. He stared at Rembrant, seeing his features quite vaguely, and yet clearly wherever the fire offered any sort of parting, in the Ultraviolet spectrum. It was the very flames that stoked around his body that kept Raugh from being able to tell just what he was looking at, the colors interupting his Ultraviolet greatly. He managed, however, to get glimpses.

Raugh was unimpressed by the man. Showy. Gaudy. Angry. Typical. He bared his fangs slightly, the notion that this unmarked mountain, or anything so beautiful could belong to one man ticking him. He didn't react much either, until he realized who Rembrant was talking to. He spoke to Darigaaz, and stared him dead in the eye, practically ignoring Raugh. He looked up and down Darigaaz, and figured why Rembrent focused more on him.

It could possibly be because they gave off a similar, pained vibe. Rembrent felt similar, and in the eyes of a Dark Jedi, which this man seemed to radiate Dark Side out from within, one they could compare to themselves was not usually good. And then there was the fact that the Togorian was five feet taller than Raugh and much more fierce in appearance. A strange feeling of jealousy, not because the man was taller, but because Darigaaz was instantly hailed as more important, struck him. He pushed it aside.

Raugh shifted uneasily, going to all fours and getting battle ready. The words this man spoke seemed to promise a fight, but he'd try to negotiate. Still, if the man attacked in any way, Raugh was more than ready, his weapons, including a fine lightsaber, within easy reach. It was not his way to pull his weapons out first when it came to strangers, though he was quick to retribution once the occaison arrived.

Raugh was the first to speak though, using common, "Is it your place to decide where one belongs and does not? You have posted no warnings or any sign of this being your land. Surely you would not kill a pair of concerned citizens for trying to help survivors of a wrecked ship, and surely a day of a mans many years and the promise of the force after those years are up, is not too long to spare or be interupted without jumping to bloodshed?"

The strange, small creature dropped to all fours, a flick of movement in Rembrant's peripheral vision. And then the creature spoke. This did not surprise Rembrant -- he had learned to expect the unexpected, for things are not always as they seem... Once more, he examined their presences in the Force, hoping to refute a hypothesis. It was possible, however remotely, that the creature was making his connection to the Force seem rougher, less experienced, in an attempt to mislead any potential attackers. It was a facet of telepathy and sense seldom employed, but certainly useful. However, it did not take much delving on Rembrant's part to reaffirm his initial suspicion that the Togorian was indeed the more experienced, and the smaller simply more vocal. Or, perhaps, more rash, which Rembrant could certainly use to his advantage.

"Is it your place to decide where one belongs and does not? You have posted no warnings or any sign of this being your land. Surely you would not kill a pair of concerned citizens for trying to help survivors of a wrecked ship, and surely a day of a mans many years and the promise of the Force after those years are up, is not too long to spare or be interrupted without jumping to bloodshed?"

Words hastily formed and ill thought-out; they carried little weight. Rembrant moved his head ever so slightly, his eyes milky white, so that it was impossible to tell just what he was looking at, be it the Togorian, the creature, or some aspect of the landscape. His glare was as eerily defuse as his presence in the Force.

"I never said this was my land," Rembrant replied, matching hasty arrogance with enigma. "A Zakkeg posts no signs, marks no trails. But his presence can be felt. Those who respect it, and avoid it, survive. Those who do not, become prey. Which are you, cannok? Open your ears and quiet your mouth, for you have already ignored a mercy. My saber speaks as easily as my tongue, and yet, I chose the latter."

For a moment, all was deathly quiet, save for the hissing of the fire.

"Would you prefer I change my mind? Or, perhaps you will stay my blade with your true reason for being here. The half-truth you've presented hardly has me convinced."

The more information Rembrant could extract, the more easily the Jedi would be coerced into leaving. He would avoid open combat if possible, simply because injuries were slower to heal in the coming winter. Even so, he was quickly loosing patience for that odd little creature. Luckily for it, by the time it had become annoying enough to warrant murderous intentions, Rembrant would have deemed it not worth the effort. The Togorian, however, was a different story, and so Rembrant endured the minor annoyance, if only to gain another insight into the towering Jedi whose silence made him even more enigmatic than Rembrant's self.

A slight breeze ruffled the fur on Lilli's back. A shiver rattled down her spine, releasing itself in the form of an odd twitch. She could not take her mind off of the creature that was watching her. But soon enough their came another presence, and then another. How conusing this world was! Lilli wanted to go back to her little room on Nar Shadda and sleep, but the grief would be unsurvivable. Her only option was to hunt for a new home.

Another breeze brushed across Lilli's back. It was getting dark and she needed a place to rest. She began to think that her best bet was to return to what was her ship. The debris would be able to form some sort of structure. Pushing the senses of others baring the Force aside, Lilli turned around and headed back.

With each step the Force knawed at Lilli's brain. The presences grew closer and closer, but her will to rest in a safe area forced the thoughts back. She eventually reached a hill that overlooked the shipwreck. Lilli looked down at three figures. A tear rolled down her face, and soon found itself caught on a single strand of Lilli's fur. It's presence taunted her, as it contained so many emotions.

Sadness. The closet person to Lilli had died recently and the depression forced her out of her home. She had nothing: no home, no family, no life.

Stressed. Lilli was tired and just wanted to rest, but now she had more to deal with, and she was sure another problem would present itself after this one was solved.

And perhaps the strongest of these emotions, anger. These people had trespassed on the one thing Lilli did have, even if it was a simple pile of broken metal. It was a sign of disrespect, and Lilli developed a bruning desire to teach these intruders a lesson.

Grasping the hilt of her lightsaber, Lilli brought it up to her chest. The cold metal angered her more and she ignited the green blade, iluminating the top of the hill with a grassy glow. Inside she burned, yet her facial expression revealed no emotion. She knew the three intruders had a strong Force presence within them, she knew they were powerful, but she had something they didn't. She had extreme anger and the want to kill...

Raugh was getting angry now, and he knew that wasn't a good thing. He pointedly shoved the anger aside, remembering to keep it close though. He knew how to use dark force powers, slightly, and the anger and passion would help him retrieve such things if he needed to. For the time being, though, he remained pragmatic. He started to say something, but everything he oculd come up with seemed more bluster than to help his situation. He did not like this cocky person already, and thought that it wouldn't be such a bad thing for this to end in combat, but then remembered that he was apart of The Will now. He had more than himself to think of. A mission, to protect that Dark Jedi fellow. He scowled in thought.

He simply sat down and cocked his head to stare at his tall, Togorian friend. Anything he said would need to be based off of pragmatism and not emotion. Therefore, he'd leave it up to Darigaaz to say something, seeming perfectly content with any course that Darigaaz chose to steer this conversation. If it helped them without having to strain themselves in combat, it was for the better. If they wound up fighting and either killing or being killed, so be it, but it wasn't really his place to decide for Darigaaz to fight.

Of course, Raugh also had more than a little trepidation. He didn't want to go around killing everyone who showed a little( Or even a lot ) of antagonization, nor did he want to leave this strange man here to duke it out with every stranger passing by.

And what an odd thing this man was! If he was of some obscure humanoid race than Raugh had certainly never heard of it. The eyes and general air around him was unlike anything he'd ever seen. The enigmatic appearance of this man was odd, especially given the creative ways he delved in the force to give his arrival a certain twang of mystery about it. It was almost as if this man was purposefully trying to be creepy, which in fact Raugh was inclined to believe he was. A fear tactic. Given that, he believed Rembrant's words more of a bluff than a truth. While he didn't think the man would mind striking, he also didn't think the man would take any joy.

He would most likely stress a number of alternatives before attacking, if he wasn't goaded. But once again, the man's intentions were less toward Raugh and more toward the Togorian, and Raugh understood this. Raugh probably seemed more like the faithful sidekick, and indeed he would fit that category if one were forced to make up such categorizations. The thought distressed Raugh, but he did not linger on it. Life was not a popularity contest, and so Ruagh wouldn't waste his time believing that. He sat patiently and waited.

If one were to truly pay attention, they'd know he wasn't just sitting though. He was ready to spring up, and use all fours like that of a wild creature. He was faster and more agile like that than walking like a bipedal creature. His eyes focused directly onto Rembrant's, the visor offering nothing but a peculiar, unblinking stare that occaisionally flickered as the electronic device translated everything into the ultraviolet spectrum.

"Leave this place. You are not welcome. Here is not where you belong. Run back to your city, retrace your steps. The trespasser's only reward is death."

Well atleast they had found what they had truly sought. The large creature only shifted slightly as he studied the sudden appearance of this new being. He still felt that same malice that he had felt before but now it was more focused. This man was undoubtedly the source, the question was why. This man wasn't likely to reveal his intentions as a someone with a weaker mind would. He would learn such things in good times, or maybe he wouldn't. Either way he wasn't too bothered.

The man's words seemed to spark a response from Raugh, who was a little more lively than Darigaaz. Indeed his friend's response is what any normal person would have said. They weren't dealing with a normal person though, thus he wasn't content with such a response to his 'threat'. Well whats said was said, there wasn't much that could be done about it. Thus Darigaaz wasn't surprised with the man's reaction to Raugh's words.

"I never said this was my land. A Zakkeg posts no signs, marks no trails. But his presence can be felt. Those who respect it, and avoid it, survive. Those who do not, become prey. Which are you, cannok? Open your ears and quiet your mouth, for you have already ignored a mercy. My saber speaks as easily as my tongue, and yet, I chose the latter."

The man paused for a brief moment before continuing. Darigaaz couldn't deny the logic in the man's words but that didn't necessarily make them right. Then again wasn't that what the Will was about?Discussing these very such things, indeed it gave the Togorian hope, that they had come to the right place.

"Would you prefer I change my mind? Or, perhaps you will stay my blade with your true reason for being here. The half-truth you've presented hardly has me convinced.

Raugh instead of replying, merely sat down, which Darigaaz assumed meant that it was his turn to speak. Indeed things had gotten just a little bit tense. Well there was nothing like the truth to smooth these situations out.

"I don't believe there is any need for violence. The name is Darigaaz. Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. It is true that our purpose here is not for this ship, but rather, you. We carry lightsabers, use the Force, but we have naught to do with the Jedi. We only wish to talk with you. Is there not a better place we could speak?" asked the Togorian

He spoke plainly. Darigaaz was not a person who wasted words trying to impress others. Either this man would attack him or see reason. He seemed a logical man, and thus was unlikely to do anything hasty. Darigaaz's words held no ill intent or deceit, if this man was as sharp as he seemed, he would easily be able to sense that. The Togorian merely waited, calmly for this stranger's response.

"I don't believe there is any need for violence. The name is Darigaaz. Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. It is true that our purpose here is not for this ship, but rather, you. We carry lightsabers, use the Force, but we have naught to do with the Jedi. We only wish to talk with you. Is there not a better place we could speak?" At long last, the Togorian spoke.

The silence made it clear that the trespassers were being judged. Rembrant focused his presence somewhat, allowing himself to become one with the Force, especially where the plaintiffs touched it. Despite the fact that the Jedi had always preached telepathy as the pathway to peering into another’s character, all the skill brought were the broad emotions and impressions the subject was feeling presently. Rembrant had found that the Force was an even better judge of character than the subject themself, and he could glean vital knowledge from the way the Force warped and changed at the presence of every being.

It was in this way that Rembrant confirmed the words of Darigaaz. They did not serve the Jedi, that was true, but they did serve something. The impression of such lingered just beneath the surface of their intent. It was as much in the interactive dymaic between the towering one and the small one, as it was in the way Darigaaz spoke the words ‘our’ and ‘we’. That collective applied to far more than the two, of that Rembrant was certain. Beyond that, however, he could glean little. The Darigaaz was sincere when he said there was no need for violence, and Rembrant’s curiosity was piqued. The Dark Jedi was confident in his ability to satisfactorily predict any change in heart or intent, and so he determined that he would allow these two strange creatures audience, if only for a small while.

“There are none whose only motivation is to speak. However… I will tolerate your presence.” Alert and aware, Rembrant began to walk slowly down the embankment toward the Togorian, his feet crunching on the broken rock of the ground. “There is indeed a better place to speak, though I am not yet inclined to show you there.” He stopped three yards from the Togorian, upon higher ground due to the slope of the hill, but his advantage was marginal. “Be straightforward and upfront with me about your intent in seeking me, and then—“ he tilted back his head in a subtle gesture, belying an arrogance founded on true ability, (as suggested by the inklings of power that made the dark Force writhe in glee) “—Then we might go to speak.”

The Togorian breathed a mental sigh of relief. This mysterious man had essentially given the best response he could have hope for. He was still wary, that was only natural. Especially for someone so...gifted, no doubt he had not survived this long by being careless. Once again, Darigaaz was getting the feeling that he had no made a mistake in coming here.

The next surprise came as the man approached him, something he had not anticipated. Obviously this man was showing some degree of trust or he was supremely confident in his abilities, or maybe both. Either way it was a progression in their rather limited relations at this point. The Togorian didn't make any movements as the man approached and stopped approximately a couple yards from his position. His tactical advantage was still present but greatly diminished from before.

“Be straightforward and upfront with me about your intent in seeking me, and then we might go to speak.”

Well there was no doubt that the man was...confident. Darigaaz hadn't come here to lie or deceive. In fact, being asked made his intentions much easier to convey.

"My companion and I are part of a...group, for lack of a better term. We only serve the will of the Force, and no one else. Every member has their own belief, and their beliefs are respected. Some keep to themselves, others contemplate alongside peers." Darigaaz paused for a moment before continuing. "Then there is you. The Force has guided us to you for a reason. Your presence in the Force is not something to take lightly but the power of your thought is even greater. The Will is an amalgam of thought. We attempt to achieve greater understanding. Through a path that is neither evil nor restricted by hypocritical rules."

This time the Togorian paused for almost a full minute before making his final point.

"You will find some of the brightest minds and some of the most challenging contemplations within the Will. I will say this though, while we are liberal, we do not tolerate absolute evil. It is obvious that you are not the kindest soul in the galaxy but neither do I sense true evil in you..."

Darigaaz left it there. There were three things that could happen now. Either the man would accept this explanation, reject it, or attack them both where they stood. As to which would happen, he would find out soon enough.

Raugh cocked his head, looking up at Rembrent Vorte. He was quite a bit imposing, to tell the truth, and Raugh's thoughts told him to grip his lightsaber in preparation. However, he trusted Darigaaz's negotiation skills, so he merely remained seated, unmoving, but quietly ready. Afterall, when it came to normal people they could have the oddest triggers. When it came to an Enigma like this one, you could crunch a leaf and trigger something.

Then again, perhaps this was all just some sort of test. Who could no, with Dark Jedi. While Raugh did not have any hate of Dark Jedi, being raised by one himself, he -did- know that they had a particularly nasty reputation. Especially the secluded, territorial ones. Which, this one happened to be.

Raugh listened to what Darigaaz said, and then turned to him, thinking it strange that Darigaaz hadn't explained that they were here searching for a runaway member of their group who may have gotten into some trouble. He shrugged, accepting Darigaaz's explanation for what it was. He then turned to Rembrent, everything about this strange man making him curious. Indeed, he hoped that he could have conversations with this man under brighter circumstances. In the meantime, he simply stood where he was and waited patiently for a reply or conclusion from him.