Menouthis (Dutch) [Molavar]

[Squee]

((Some time after Bring Down The Sky))

To awake aboard a ship without the slight drum of the engines in the ears can be unnerving at first. Whenever her ship was docked, Tesa could rarely be found on it, sleeping. She preferred the high luxuries the planet could offer, usually renting a hotel room the necessary period of time. However, Molavar was well-known for its shady people and seedy cities, their high life not worth a pound of sand. Tesa hadn’t cared to land in Malcraan, however, grateful this little Outer Rim planet was without much notice and allowed her to land closer to her targeted destination.

Yet in the first few seconds she was awake, Tesa had forgotten she’d landed the ship during the planet’s nighttime. That was the reason the engines were silent. As the memory returned, confusion and the momentary panic diminished quickly, and without her first opening her eyes. She was simply used to habitual arrival during the planet’s daytime, to be prepared for the day’s work without delay. However, this time around, they had arrived ahead of schedule, allotting a small portion of time to be wasted.

Tesa was, however, still unused to sharing her bed. She didn’t know when or even if she would become acquainted with the feeling. It was not alarming… rather it made her slightly self-conscious.

An arm slid out from beneath her pillow in the dark. Long fingers found purchase on a small control of buttons, and Tesa counted the bumps beneath her fingers until she reached the fourth one. The light was a gentle and dull, like a bronze mist illuminating a small corner on her side of the bed. Just enough. Amber eyes peered over her nose, buried in her pillow, and through dark strands of hair. The light brightened up the shadow sleeping beside her. His pale skin glowed a barely tinted orange color. When his chest sank on exhale, she was able to see more of his scars there. Black hair lay fanned over his pillow. Her other arm rested over his. Fingers twitched so the tips stroked the ends of his feathery hair, while eyes watched the tremor of his eyelids.

Well… I still live yet. Tesa was gentle when she lifted her arm away. Carefully, she slithered from beneath the covers. Once standing, she pulled her nightshirt back in place. Tesa swept up her hairbrush as she snuck into the hallway of the ship. The soft bristles snagged on knots of hair. Each time, her lip would curl into a silent snarl. She sat in the pilot’s seat, still brushing her hair as she read over their location and the ship’s overall status.

“Is it truly wise for you to embark on your task alone with Master Zarander, Mistress?”

Tesa dropped her gaze onto her little bird-like droid. “Considering there is no one else, Sane-“

“There is me.”

“And what could you do? Squawk about? Maybe you would cause the cavern to collapse on his head. Most likely not, however. Jessoin would fry you first before me.”

“How incredibly morbid of you.”

“Morbidity does not counter truth, Sane.”

The little droid’s visor blinked a brighter red momentarily. “Master Zarander is quite… sinister. How much longer do you plan on being in his company? Certainly you had not entertained him as a permanent companion.”

“I have and I already do. I think. Tch, tch, tch,” she waggled a finger at the droid. “Do not question my decisions. One thing you have not learned with these kinds of people, Sane, is you keep the most dangerous ones close to you.”

“You are as mad as him then, Mistress, to perpetually place yourself in danger. Clearly you need-”

Tesa snorted. “You’re not going with us. It would take me weeks to clear the dust from your parts. Stay in the cockpit. Keep an eye on things. That is your task. And if I request to know about the nature of my sanity, I will be sure to locate someone with the proper education.”

She stood then and briskly took leave back to the bedroom. With a push of a button, she ignited the room in the bronze glow. Standing at the end of the bed, Tesa reached down and placed a hand on the top of Jessoin’s foot. “The longer the sun rises, the hotter it grows. We have to actually find the entrance to this place amid this dust.” Tesa gave a short, huffy sigh as she opened her wardrobe. “Can we go some place nice next time before Korriban? Some place without desert and dust? What about a pretty little forest? Certainly we could have found clues about crystals somewhere more green…”

[Dutch]

Her hand was soft, and warm on his foot. Jessoin had been awake since Tesa slunk away, though instead of rising he had laid there in the dark. For time unknown to him, the Zelosian had stared out into the darkness. The entire time he had wrestled with the innate ancestral fear of his people. Darkness was where unspoken terrors crawled on Zelos II. The irony of his own situation was not lost on him. The Sith were always coupled with the dark, for so long they worked in the shadows, in the night. And now Jessoin was one of them, one of the creatures feared in the night. A smug smile slid over his lips, eyes still closed.

“The longer the sun rises, the hotter it grows. We have to actually find the entrance to this place amid this dust.”

"Mmm... Can't get any hotter than we got it in here last night, precious..." Jessoin pursed his lips to kiss in Tesa's direction.

“Can we go some place nice next time before Korriban? Some place without desert and dust? What about a pretty little forest? Certainly we could have found clues about crystals somewhere more green…”

"I could listen to your indignation all day..."

He slid his eyes open to see Tesa standing before her wardrobe, back turned towards him. An eyebrow lifted at how her nightshirt barely covered her butt. Jess' smile would widen as he slid from the sheets. The Zelosian rather liked the feeling of the expensive fabric over his bare skin. If their quest wasn't so worthy of attention, the man would be tempted to push Tesa back into those wonderful sheets and spend the day between them. Instead quiet footsteps lead him towards her. His hands slid from her lower back to her hips, gasping them to pull the woman back against his nude form. Lips nuzzled through her mane of hair to play at her ear.

"Dac is supposedly beautiful this time of year... no storms... just sunshine and endless seas..."

Jess' fingers began to slowly hike up Tesa's night shirt until his fingers touched the soft skin underneath, sliding his hands to again rest on her hips with the shirt bunched over his wrists. A soft laugh sounded as he nipped her earlobe. His hand then clapped against her left butt cheek a couple times before he stepped away from her warmth. Forgoing his robes that lay scattered on the floor still, another set still hung from the edge of said wardrobe.

As he dressed himself, he watched Tesa do the same. His garb was simple enough, yet elegant in its own way. Sleek, silky black robes tied together by a bright green sash that hugged at his hips. The short sleeves were rolled up to mid-bicep, and the hood to the robes hung over his back. Boots accented with gold buckles completed the ensemble, though only the toes of them would be visible with his robes billowing around them. Jessoin shot a wink towards Tesa before he moved to the small sink against the wall, and used the water to help sleek his hair back. He turned around to lean back against it with a coy smile.

"So tell me then T, where are we off to then?"

[Squee]

For a dangerous zelosian man, Jessoin was rather predictable. As Tesa sifted through her clothing, she could hear the silken whispers of the bedsheets as he moved from the bed. You’re going to walk over to me. He could have a quiet step when he wanted. And grab me. His hands gripped at her hips. Because you cannot resist the temptation…

Her foot shifted half a step back as he pulled her back against him. And this is why you were so easily controlled by your past lover. Jess’ face leaned closer, over her shoulder. For some reason, Jessoin Zarander, you have an almost innate desire to please women. His words breathed hot on her ear and neck. Tesa’s bottom lip disappeared under her teeth. I won’t deny that you do well at it…

"Dac is supposedly beautiful this time of year... no storms... just sunshine and endless seas..."

“It isn’t the lack of storms I hope for. Something with more thunder, more lightning rather than dust would suffice just fine.” Tesa pressed a button on the side of her closet, making the next row of clothes rotate downward. “As for seas…” The woman rolled her eyes as she felt Jessoin’s hands splay over her skin. Despite your teasing, Zarander, I still have an upper hand. I have control. “Seas mean sand. Sand is Korriban. Sand is here. All the potential to be dust. And my tastes for dust have been fulfilled, ten-fold, perhaps for the rest of my life, by the red grains on Korriban alone.”

She pulled the first article of clothing down. “Now dress. And dress well for a desert.” He laughed and patted her rear. A sort of silent snarl lifted Tesa’s lip, falling away almost as quickly as it had risen. There was no used being annoyed by his methods.

Her choice of garb lacked a finer formality. A breathable, hugging fabric clung to her skin first, light in color, light in weight, and would protect her from the dreaded dust. The secondary piece was lightweight as well, a pleasing brighter color as well, though more swaddling. It hung from shoulders and hip, falling to her elbows and ankles. A large loop in the fabric drooped around her shoulders, waiting to be drawn up into a hood and mouth/nose guard. Tesa moved to her vanity table, legs extending from between long slits in her garb that began at her hip, and selected a hair-tie. When she bound the more obedient strands of the wild, wavy hair, she tucked it back beneath the folds of her hood.

“This is Molavar, as I might have mentioned.” As Tesa seated herself on the bed to pull on boots, her hand gestured at her bedside table. With a flick of her hand, she sent her datapad toward Jessoin. “If texts can be believed, there is a crystal cavern in the mountains around here. A tunnel leads directly to it. It is supposed to be huge, with some old statue in it, the site of archeologists. However, dust storms have proven to be rather dangerous, messes with generators, meddles with the equipment, and so during the storm season, most researchers abandon the place.

“I suppose, however, if there is a brave soul who decided he wanted to tough out the seasonal storms, you could just kill him.” Tesa’s foot struck the ground with a dull thud as she pulled on the last boot and strapped it firmly into place. “We just have to be wary of the storms. Seems like there is one brewing, but it will be almost sunset before it reaches us. We should take enough supplies in case we’re pinned for the night. No telling how long it will take us to find the entrance. My readings did not bring half as much insight on where as I had hoped.”

Tesa called her lightsaber to her hand. To be completely honest, she was grateful for the chance to fix the device. Rather, she was considering on merely constructing a new one entirely, using pieces from her current one. She almost dreaded her lightsaber; to touch it, to feel it, to use it. It felt wrong in her hands. The crystal fluctuated out of sync with her energy. Sawnders had created it for her, or had it created, and it merely did not feel part of her, as Tesa had read it should. And a synthesized crystal was not as stable as a natural one. That was dangerous, and put her life in too much a risk.

Amber eyes lifted to her Jedi-trained companion and a half smile tinted her lips. With him, she would create a better, more suitable lightsaber. “Ready to depart?”

[Dutch]

His own projection of the Force would encircle and pull the given datapad to his awaiting hand. With raised eyebrows and an almost bored expression he flicked through a few pages of stats on the datapad. Maps, persons of note, and when he reached the crystal cavern page it was timed with Tesa mentioning it. His eyes would narrow and for a moment his pulse quickened. A whisper of memory dragged through his mind. On his knees before a cluster, hands carefully following fault lines and crevices. That had been nearly twenty years ago now? The thought of it made him reflect on exactly how far he had come since then. What a different creature he was now.

“I suppose, however, if there is a brave soul who decided he wanted to tough out the seasonal storms, you could just kill him.”

"Indeed..." Jessoin barely whispered, bright green eyes darting to Tesa for a moment. The irony of her reminder of what he had become not lost on him. When she began to speak of her main concern, a low, light laughter bubbled from the Zelosian. He straightened from leaning and tossed her datapad onto the bed, sheets still tangled. Slow steps lead to him standing in front of Tesa, where long fingers took her chin between them. Still gently laughing, he stooped low to kiss the woman before tilting his head.

"Don't worry, precious. I'll protect us from whatever furies the planet contains. Too often people forget my specialty in barriers..."

His pointer finger tapped the woman's jawline twice before the man winked and let go. He too called his lightsaber to hand. For a moment he regarded the ugly, pieced together abomination. Still the same he had cobbled from pieces of dead men's blades back on Nar Shaddaa. Jessoin would never admit it, but some part of him hoped that he too could find a fit replacement to start forging a new blade. His weapon having been lost on Coruscant during the escape. It was slid into the folds of the sash at his waist.

“Ready to depart?”

"Born ready, T." Jessoin cooed, looking back to match her grin playfully. A wave of his hand opened the door of her chamber and he spun to gesture for her to go before him. "Ladies first..."

[Squee]

Her hand had reached over to pick the datapad up when he tossed it away. Her lightsaber resting on her lap, she had swept fingers across the device, looking for the most recently updated map of the area. Tesa had tilted the datapad as he came closer, her thumb striking the button to bring up an illuminated map, thinking he might be interested in it. Instead, though, she had felt the coolness of his fingers beneath her chin. Amber eyes had rolled upward before her head tilted to look up at him. A small smile had touched her lips before his did. Tesa returned his kiss, and the smile had creased back across her face when he pulled away.

I need to find out where you belong. And the smile had widened just a bit more when he winked. What do I do with you? What are you doing with me? Because I certainly will not allow myself to be duped. I must learn what you are thinking. What you plan. Your aspirations.

She had asked his readiness then. Hearing his reply, Tesa stood, powering down the map. Sweeping up her belt, she buckled it beneath her draping clothing and placed the datapad safely in a pocket. Lightsaber hooked to the belt too.

I have to… Tesa gazed upon him pleasantly as she passed, leading the way to the ship’s exit. And you will let me know willingly. Either you will tell me, or I will see with your permission. One way or another, Jessoin… I shall know.

… And then what would she do with him?

Tesa placed the security code and the doors of the ship opened with a clank. The interior light of the ship was drowned by sunlight the moment the doors cracked open. While the ramp’s gears whirred with a tolerable whine, Tesa stooped to shoulder a compact bag she had prepared the night before. She gestured the second one to Jessoin as she noticed her little bird-droid hovering from the hallway.

“Do be careful, Mistress. Did you remember the sun lotion? The sun is high enough to burn your skin. And watch out for Master Zarander, though I am unsure if Zelosians sunburn.”

Tesa’s voice was slightly with a warning as she said, “Sane…”

“And Master Zarander.” The droid landed on Tesa’s bag. His red eye winked as he held his wings outward. “Please ensure my mistress is returned without harm. That is all. Safe journey. I will await for your return, Mistress.” The droid hovered off, a serious scowl from Tesa drilling the back of the droid’s head.

She turned finally, and sighed heavily when she noted the dust at the bottom of the ramp. “Force… You could probably benefit from a little sun, though, Jess.” The woman started down the ramp, a glance given to him. “If you are a pureblood zelosian, that is. Been cooped up in this ship for a couple of days. Does some part of you feel starved if you do not receive sunlight?”

Her boot crunched gravel against rock. Shifting slightly, Tesa regarded the mountains to her left as her hand pulled her hood up far enough to shield her face. The burgundy colored rocks jutting from the surface were smattered with dust and unfriendly to look upon. She had landed them in a sort of small clearing, since the mountains sloped down to their right. Tesa moved to her outer ship’s controls to close up the ramp.

“When I looked at the map last night, it looked like we may have to travel forward a little and then navigate down the mountain.” Returning to Jess’s side, she directed her hand through the air as she spoke. “The tunnel leading into the cavern is somewhere in the mountainside, supposedly, in this general direction.” There were more unfriendly rock formations in that direction as well. “If we peer around enough, hopefully we will find it. If you want the map, just alert me.”

Tesa took the first step forward as she heard the ship thud one last time, mechanism’s locking it tight. After a few steps, she asked, “Do the crystals actually feel alive, as some claim?”

[Dutch]

He followed right behind her. Close enough so he could reach out and touch her easily, but his hand never lifted. Instead his eyes roamed, following the pipeline overhead in the hall, to drift down to Tesa's rear, to the lower half of the wall. Nothing of consequence was there to look at. He followed her to the packs she had prepared, deft fingers plucking his off the ground. Jessoin would not be loathe to admit that he had completed ignored Tesa's droid. The man never cared for droids to begin with, and the little fluttering one didn't help his love for them grow. Instead he scratched idly at his jawline until Tesa's words caught his attention.

“Force… You could probably benefit from a little sun, though, Jess. If you are a pureblood zelosian, that is. Been cooped up in this ship for a couple of days. Does some part of you feel starved if you do not receive sunlight?”

Jessoin's smile grew as he descended the ramp behind her. He laughed softly. She remained the only other Sith to make notes about his race, and each one guaranteed to amuse the zelosian. When the sun of Molavar did begin to shine on his skin though, he sighed happily and held his bare arms wide to draw in more of it.

"My blood is pure in fact. Born of Zelos II herself." A gust of wind picked up, and just before any dust could blast them, his free hand waved a barrier around them. A perfect sphere of clear air surrounded the pair, and Jess grinned down at Tesa. "My people have long grown away from total dependency of the sun. Though both are ultimately needed, we can go long times off one or the other. However, we are at our best in full sunlight."

His stride was longer than Tesa's by a half step, the man far too entertained by the staccato of their steps. Jess listened to his young lover talk, discussing the cave's location. Something about it made his stomach churn. Locations that spawned Force crystals were often wells of pure essence. The Force did have a mind of its own, and the stronger the well the more intelligent it seemed to be. Places like that often turned on their kind...

“Do the crystals actually feel alive, as some claim?”

Again he smiled. Long, pale fingers plucked his weapon from the sash at his waist. It had a naturally formed crystal. Natural but not his. The casing was mismatched and patchwork looking. Awkward, ugly. A true representative to Jessoin as a mere Acolyte to the darkside. No longer did it suite him... His eyes found Tesa again. Beautiful, clean, precise. Much closer to what he was now. Past and future. One at hand, the other within his grasp. Jess stepped closer, his free hand took Tesa's into it. His lightsaber hilt was pressed into her palm.

"It's feint... and you will not feel it easy because the crystal is not attuned to you. Jedi go to search for their crystals for a reason, each one calls to us differently. Some can barely whisper to you, while others you cannot ignore their screams. You will know if a crystal for you is in there. You will know before we even set foot into the cave. Chances are, you already feel part of yourself being tugged away from the ship. Something that stirs at your core and makes your legs itch to move forward... listen to your body, it will lead you."

[Squee]

Tesa hadn’t expected her zelosian companion to take her hand. This whole “lover” thing was new to her – observing and understanding Jessoin’s habits and tendencies the more they interacted was… bizarre. Tesa was contented with her space, rarely touching others unless the situation dictated it as a necessity. Jessoin crept uncomfortably close to people, her included (and his invasion of space seemed to be continuously growing more constant), and the point of the concept evaded her. It was little things – a hand on her back, higher or lower, an arm around her shoulders, his chin resting on her as he peered over her shoulder, pushing her hair back… Sometimes she wanted to scream at him to stop it.

His skin was still slightly cool as he held her hand up and open. She stopped, wondering what he was doing. The warming metal of his lightsaber was placed into her waiting palm. As Jessoin began to speak about the crystal encased in the weapon, she realized this was his way to answer her question.

Tesa felt nothing in Jessoin’s lightsaber. It was just a metal cylinder in her hand, formed from pieces. It was discomfort. Her weapon had been, at least, measured for her hand so the hilt felt comfortable in her grasp.

Or perhaps I will not feel it easily because I do not sense hardly at all, she thought as he spoke of the crystal’s attunement to him. Tesa had never had to hunt for her crystal. It had been crafted for her, not by her. Tesa uncertain if her lightsaber felt wrong because… it just did or if she was so blind to sense that her lightsaber merely felt dead to her.

The young woman frowned harshly as Jessoin said the crystals, more importantly her crystal, could be calling to her. She did not feel anything. No core stirring. No itching sensation. No whispers or screaming. It was frustrating and to some degree it worried her. Maybe we just need to be closer to the cave. This journey and the amount of research she had done would be fruitless if there was no crystal for her here. She regretted asking her question.

Silently, Tesa removed her hand and kept walking. In all her experience with sense, usually she could not tell an individual was Force sensitive until she already touched him. However, she could notice a Force practitioner if a great enough flux was impacted. She was hoping, because the crystals were supposed to be Force sensitive and emanate in the great well that was the Force, there would be enough for her to sense the crystals. And if Jessoin was right, she would be able to pick hers out.

“Do you sense yours?” she asked as she began to angle. The mountainside’s cliff evened to a gentle slope here, and perhaps it would be the easiest way to the cave.

[Dutch]

Jessoin's green orbs followed Tesa as she stalked away. Seems chances are not... thought the man with a sneer. His lightsaber twirled in his palm before he slid it back into the front of his sash, with the hilt visibly sticking out. With a long stride Jess followed her. He enjoyed the bounce of Tesa's butt as she climbed.

“Do you sense yours?”

His sneer turned into a more thoughtful countenance. He had been too drawn into the Force that warped between himself and Tesa to feel for anything else. How curious. Even though his eyes slowly slid closed, his pace remained the same. Soon he was again at her side, his mind however was far away. The Force was strong on Molavar, it webbed across the planet it felt, veins of pure energy lacing outwards. Some very large, miles wide and yet some became so small, Jess would lose track of it. His eyes would open, but narrow instantly. Jessoin stopped suddenly, and began to scan around with both eye and the Force. One of the veins was... louder than the others. It's din slightly more than the rest.

"It's the crystals..." He murmured under his breath, a predatory grin spread over his lips. Eyes moved to follow where the vein he sensed the most flowed. Jessoin turned his gaze to Tesa and winked. "I can't say for certain T, but there is something beckoning us here. It tugs at the bond bet-" His jaw clacked shut as a finger of the Force probed into his mind. Jess felt his pulse quicken as an image ghosted in his mind. Tesa and himself back to back, some sort of battleground by the smell. Burned electronics. Blood. Fire. Fear.

And dominance.

Just as fast as it hit, Jess shuddered as the image melted into nothing. He blinked twice, the smirk returning to his lips after momentarily dropping. His steps lead him closer to Tesa, only stopping once directly in front of her. Long fingers moved up to pluck at a lock of her hair. It played gently over his fingers, and he tilted his head as he watched it twirl between them. "I'd say we're on the right track, precious..." Jessoin slid his gaze to meet Tesa's, his smile growing wider. "Why don't you try using me to feel for your crystal..." He let his mind open further to Tesa through their bond, only holding back the nightmares that lurked beneath the surface of his thoughts.

[Squee]

You can sense the crystals. Good then. The information is not too sorely outdated. Tesa had stopped to watch as Jessoin stretched out into the Force. Deep inside her, a flame of jealousy burned hot. She was bitter about her novice abilities to sense, angry it was not a gift imparted to her. Yet, her worry about the crystals not being here melted.

Then he said he was not certain. Well, which is it? Yes or no? Tesa crossed her arms and practiced restraining her annoyance, letting instead an open neutral expression reside on her features. “If something is beckoning you, that is better than sensing nothing. Means the source can be found. …It tugs at what?”

The bond between. Jessoin may have been silenced by whatever he was sensing, but Tesa believed she knew what he had been saying. Tesa was well aware of the bond establishing between her and Jessoin. It had lingered ever since she’d sustained Jessoin when they gutted the Republic factory. It had grown stronger on missions following, their continual pairing resulting in successes and a strengthening bond. It continued to bind more securely still since they had taken to sharing a bed and… each other. There was no doubt in Tesa’s mind that she was beginning to more easily pick up on Jessoin’s reactions and emotions; not just external but internal as well.

But a door opened one way can easily be stepped through. He can feel me just as I feel him. Another violation of her otherwise reserved personal space.

She was frowning as his eyesight returned to the real world. He blinked at her and smirked, causing her to lift an eyebrow in him and watch as he approached. His hand lifted to play with one of her stray locks of hair, once again invading her private space. You’ve seen something. It was in the way his eyes glazed momentarily as he studied her hair between his fingers. Tesa crushed the natural urge to delve into his mind and satisfy her curiosity. As much as she desired to know, she’d long ago made a promise not to look into his mind unless he consented.

”Why don’t you try using me to feel for your crystal?”

Genuine surprise flowered across Tesa’s face. “Would… that work?” Tesa hesitantly raised her hands, pausing them halfway to his face to be certain he was prepared for her presence. She wasn’t sure how this could work, exactly, having never truly used another as a vessel to bolster her senses.

She touched her hands on either side of his pale face, extending her presence through her fingertips and into his temple as her eyes closed in concentration. Having made this sort of connection so many times, Tesa was comfortable gliding across Jessoin’s presence. “I am uncertain… how I would…” Because I only see what you see… And how does that help me? “Try… reaching toward me, maybe?” The telepathic movements glided around her invisible ties like slippery serpents. “Reach through me.” And Tesa gently tugged Jessoin’s presence to her until he felt as if he was just flittering around the recesses of her mind.

Jessoin’s uncertainty about his doings and dull telepathic talents were apparent to Tesa, who easily kept him beyond anything she wanted him to see. No where, though, could she find a way to allow herself to tap into his abilities. Or to allow him to filter into her. Carefully, Tesa surrounded Jessoin’s presence in telepathic bounds and softly pried him away so as not to harm him mentally. Lifting her hands from his face, Tesa blinked slowly as she took a deep breath. Shaking her head, she turned away from Jessoin with a deepened frown and disappointment stirring her heart. “Perhaps at the cave.”

She continued to lead down the mountain’s side at an angle, checking her path on her map every so often. A little bit less than half an later, she paused by a large cleft in the mountain’s surface to be sure Jessoin saw her before she entered it. Sunlight disappeared several feet in, and Tesa removed a small light from her bag. The rough formations on either side smoothed down to something more man-made as the tunnel stretched onward. It soon began to feel like the weight of the mountain was suspended above their heads. And it grew colder.

The first luminescent blue crystals began to appear, no bigger than Tesa’s small finger. Soon enough, the end of the tunnel glowed with a hazy azure color. The tunnel ended with another cleft, and Tesa stopped just beyond it as she quietly examined the source of the blue light. Crystal formations loomed large and great to existing in small delicacy, illuminating the enormous cavern she had just stepped in. The light glittered and beamed off the still pool of water, and then winked and shimmered as, from somewhere above, another droplet of water joined its collective brothers.

“Oh. My god,” Tesa breathed, her words billowing out like smokey clouds. Awestruck, she extinguished her own light as she walked across the broken tile, squinting at the statue raised on a pedestal at the center of the cavern. It was cracked, listing, of a robed, bearded man with a datapad in one hand and brandished a lightsaber-like weapon in the other. “How… have archeologists not found this? Of all places to overlook in the galaxy… We are fortunate.”

[Dutch]

“Would… that work?”

"What's the worst that can happen T? Afraid you might enjoy it too much?"

Jessoin sneered and winked down at his partner. His eyes followed her hands as they moved closer. He knew her telepathy worked strongest via touch, so he did not question the motion. Green orbs slid closed as her touch graced his skin. Jess did his best to brace himself for the sudden rush of the Force, just as Renata had been instructing. Tesa had little problems accessing him, but his side of the bond was weakened due to his inept abilities with telepathy. His teeth gritted together at the discomfort caused as he felt his presence shifting in the Force. Time was hard to tell when another's presence was so intermingled with one's own, and before Jessoin knew it reality had set in again. The look on Tesa's elegant features already answered his question before it was asked. She had not sensed anything worthy.

“Perhaps at the cave.”

"Don't lose heart. No one senses their first crystal easy. Upon landing on Ilum, it still took me seven hours of meditation to sense my first."

His hand slid around to pat Tesa's butt twice as he spoke, Jessoin laughing softly as he gestured for her to lead on. He followed just behind the woman, eyes regularly looking Tesa up and down as he idly hummed. If one watched the type of holodramas he tended to fancy, they'd recognize Fernando's theme from General Medbay. Dramatic, yet dreamy. Perfect for the mood. When Tesa veered from her intended path, Jess tilted his head and his eyes followed her. He could sense her hesitant excitement in the Force. It caused a small smirk to form as he followed behind several paces. She intended to enter and even if Tesa didn't realize it, Jessoin knew her walk when she made her decision.

Tesa disappeared into the dark ahead of him, and Jess paused. A brief cold sweat broke out over his skin. Ancestral fears were difficult to overcome to begin with, even more so when the Force was involved. The dark ahead felt abnormally cold, and sharply clear. Jessoin swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, and steeled his gaze before a long stride propelled him forward. Darkness be damned.

With a flick of both his wrists charged Force energy crackled up and down his arms from shoulders to fingertips. A ghostly purple light surrounded the man as he strode closer and closer to the glimmer ahead that was Tesa. Occasionally an arc of lightning would blast off his arm, the energy being absorbed by the minerals in the walls. The Force was very strong in the cave, and only grew deeper as he did. When he reached Tesa, he could just barely register her reaction to the cave. It was very similar to the one he had found on Ilum. Relatively untouched, signs of crystals having been collected. Hidden to those without the Force, invisible due to the energy readings given off by all the crystals. Tesa's words made him smile widely.

"For that, you can thank whoever that is." Jessoin replied, a long finger lifted to point at the statue. His steps lead him to stand next to Tesa, hands at his hips as he peered up at the bearded man. "Thank you, nameless brother. Let us see what treats you hide in your den..." Jess chuckled and nudged Tesa with his elbow before he casually began to wander about the cave.

[Squee]

“Usually statues are erected in honor of someone.” Tesa moved forward until her toe tips lined with edge of the water pool. “He was probably considered some sort of guardian, placed here to in the idea to reign over this cavern and protect it from invaders.” Crouching down, she dipped her fingers into the dark-chilled water, watching as she caused the crystal’s luminescence to ripple on the surface. Tesa lifted her eyes, sparkling a turquoise color in the blue lighting, to stare into the statue’s pupil-less eyes. “We are the invaders…”

Tesa slid the pack off her shoulders. “Not that I know you care about typical sentient behavior,” she said after Jessoin’s shadowy figure as he sauntered further away. As she pulled the extra battery pack from the bag’s side pocket, she suddenly remembered zelosians had poor eyesight in the dark and dim. “Jessoin!” She could see the glow of his eyes. Tesa paused on her words as she approached him. “… Mind where you step,” she said in the end. After a couple of more steps, she then added, “If you need, I will be your eyes.”

Rock and broken tile shifted beneath the heel of Tesa’s boot as she walked beside Jessoin. The cave was chilled and damp. Constant goosebumps had asserted themselves on her skin. Tesa tugged her folded down hood around her neck, burying nose and mouth into the fabric to warm her cheeks and nose. The crystals, for all their light, produced no heat. Good, cold light. And the Jedi claim we the Sith are the cold ones.

When the dark side’s embrace is heat and passion. Is that it? A woman’s deep voice snarled against her ear, making Tesa turn her head to find its source. Philosophical strife has no meaning or place. Light and dark can be cold. They can be hot. The dark side is merely your niche. It owns you as much as you own it. Alarmed, Tesa reached sideways and grasped Jessoin’s arm. “You said… sometimes… Sometimes things can be heard, sensed, or seen in these kinds of caves, right?” You’re not going to become frightened of the dark now, are you? No. Good.

[Dutch]

““We are the invaders… Not that I know you care about typical sentient behavior.”

"Invaders? I saw no one posted, I see no claims staked. This galaxy is ours-"

Jessoin scoffed, but was interrupted by Tesa's calling of his name. He kicked one of his boots into the ground. Broken tile clinked around him and he crossed his arms.

"I am not entirely helpless in the dark, precious..."

Jess opted to leave out the gnawing, primal anxiety that sat deep in his gut from being underground. Long ago he had mastered his fear over what may be hiding in the dark. Once he had merely ignored it, now he pulled that fear into himself. Balled and coiled, ready to be unleashed at a moments notice. He felt Tesa move closer to him, his presence instinctively moved out to greet hers. That was curious to him still, and the Zelosian barely had control over the reaction. It just happened more and more as time went on.

His brow lifted as a shift in the Force bubbled within the cave. Jessoin felt nothing more, but by the sound of Tesa's boot scraping with her shift she did. He didn't say anything, but his eyes did narrow in curiosity. What are you seeing...

“You said… sometimes… Sometimes things can be heard, sensed, or seen in these kinds of caves, right?”

Jessoin smile would turn almost wicked for a moment as she gripped his arm and spoke. Something had made her uneasy. Something she had felt in a physical sense. Saw something, heard something, smelled something even. His hand from the very arm she grabbed reached out to rest on the side of Tesa's neck. Gently his thumb petted as he stepped closer.

"These caves... they form around these pockets of the Force. So potent, that it seeps into the minerals themselves... when that happens the crystals form. The purest physical form of the Force we can physically touch... why do you think they are so rare? So perfect for our sabers? These crystals are no different than us, T. Mere expressions of the Force..." Jess snorted. "Or so the Jedi will tell you. Crystals are a tool to tune into the Force, precious. Nothing more. They serve us. Just as the Force does."

He trailed a finger down Tesa's jawline, moving close to whisper fervently.

"We... are the purest form of the Force."

[Squee]

“Bold claim.” Tesa kept her hand rested on his forearm as his cold fingers rested against her neck. “Even if we are, Jess, that does not mean the crystals cannot be expressions also.” You don’t know the Jedi. You’re just an observer from afar. What could you know? The woman's voice was gone, replaced by the deep-throat rumblings of a man. As she turned her mind to the whispering voices, Jessoin's physical presence faded from her attentions. I know enough. Where did the woman go?

Are you going to argue with him?

No, I let him believe what he wants.

Why? You have the ability to sway legions. Yet you won't reconcile to change the mind of one man.

Foolish girl.

YOU BE QUIET!

Tesa realized she'd tightened her grip on Jessoin's arm. Her pulse throbbed in her neck. She inhaled deeply and looked up into his eyes. "They are like ghosts in my head," she whispered. "Malevolent. I think. What do I do about them?"

She asks her pet.

He is not.

Can't figure out what to do about us?

Perhaps there is something better I can do with you ghosts.

You're losing your greatest touch. I'm certain Sawnders would be displeased to see how your sharpness has dulled.

You are not worthy to mention his name...

"Jess!" she hissed. Anger and fear were twining together within her, matched in magnitude. How dare they bring up Sawnders. How dare they taunt her with what he may think. It would all be foolish, stupid speculation because Sawnders wasn't here, now, to say anything at all. And the thought of the man brought on the faintest of aches in the pit of her heart. "How do I get them out?"

[Dutch]

His eyes dipped down as Tesa's grip on him tightened. They slid back to look into hers. She still looked in his direction, but Jess knew when someone was looking but not seeing. Something was distracting the young woman. What it was Jessoin could not say, but it clearly had her utmost attention.

"They are like ghosts in my head...

Malevolent. I think. What do I do about them?"

"Fascinating... what are they saying? Do you know who they are? Can you see-"

Jessoin was cut off as Tesa suddenly hissed his name. He could feel her presence begin to roil around them. Whatever these ghosts were, they were getting to her. They were winning. The Zelosian narrowed his eyes slightly, and reached out with the Force around him. There were indeed many whispers that floated within the Force, but no clear words or voices to him. Whatever they were, they were targeting Tesa for some reason. Was it because she seemed like easier prey? Or was it because she had some stronger tie in the Force to the cave than him? The pit in his stomach burned for answers, and as she asked how to stop them he grinned.

"Get them out, precious?" Jessoin said as his hand slid down from Tesa's neck. He began to pace slightly before her, piercing green eyes never leaving hers. With an almost bemused expression Jess tilted his head slightly.

"The Jedi always preach you listen and learn anytime something reaches out to you in the Force. Sometimes we see things in these places. Past. Future. Present. Other times the Force manifests itself for you to witness.

Often we can hear more than see. Whispers, secrets uttered in hushed tones... or even full voices that seem to swell through your mind. I would say that is what ails you..." Jess lifted his right arm, finger pointed towards Tesa. "We are to be complacent, to trust the Force over fight against it. So the Jedi say..."

Suddenly Jessoin stepped directly in front of Tesa. His left hand brushed over Tesa's cheek as it held the side of her face. Jess' eyes would glint with a freshly stoked inner fire, and his grin spread wider.

"The Jedi are wrong though. These voices? These manifestations? They are just the Force. We bend the Force to our will. Do you ask the Force when you channel it into pure power in the form of lightning? No, precious. You devour it to empower you... and that is what you must do T.

Fear. Nothing."

[Squee]

“I don’t care what Jedi have to say…” Tesa’s murmur barely manifested itself into audible words. Though she stood there listening to his lecture, she couldn’t help but continuously think, We are not Jedi. However, with all this comparison and contrast, Tesa wondered if Jessoin himself needed to talk through it. He needed to identify the behaviors of the Jedi in order to combat them. Was he doing it for the sake of his spirit or doing it to remember and to combat them?

Now you’re thinking.

Shut up.

”Fear. Nothing.”

HAHAHAHA~ The sudden, booming laughter caused Tesa to start. What’s so funny?

He thinks your pet is funny, and you funny to be listening to him instead of to us.

Why should I listen to apparitions? Tesa’s eyes swept about, looking past Jessoin, trying to pinpoint where the voices came from.

We could make you suffer.

We’re tangible, touchable, just as you.

Now you want to riddle? You’re nothing but the Force that’s swelled up to haunt me. “Of all the times I can never sense, I sense you now. Why is that?” Her attention secluded on the ghosts, some of her words unintentionally carried over into a spoken whisper.

You’re so stupid. Such a disappointment. Use your brain. Chimed in the first female voice, tart and snobbish.

Watch her ask for her pet’s help.

Indignation arose within Tesa once again. These stupid voices. He’s…

Your mistake.

He’s disposable.

You don’t control him. What does that mean for you?

Tesa… They were all beginning to talk at once, their voices joining together in a garbled cacophony of words where she could hear a few words of many.

Tesa…

Can’t… control him? You put… risk.

Better not chance...

They’re antagonizing you…

Tesa…

“SHUT UP.” Tesa thrust her hands outward instinctively. “Enough!” The ragged word tore viciously from between tight teeth. And they were quiet. “Force dammit all, you’re like little children, yapping in my fracking ear, all begging for attention.” Her heartbeat was loud in her ears. Drawing in a deep breath, Tesa straightened herself up. Her nails scraped lightly at her scalp as she pushed her hair back. “There’s…” One, two, three… “Three… four of you. Four adult sounding voices. You can all take turns. Or you can all leave. I prefer the latter of the two because I cannot bear the sound of chattering, foolish, ignorant voices full of supreme idiocy.”

Sweeping herself about, she looked for and found Jessoin. “Have you no ghosts? What the hell is this nonsense? What is the point? The pur-“

Tesa.

Tesa choked on her words, a soft squelch in her throat. Her angry expression melted, some color leaving her face, as swiftly as she was subdued. “No. That’s not fair.”

Tesa.

Stepping sideways and turning, she looked into her surroundings both with her eyes and in the Force. “That’s not fair. Do you hear? Not fair…”Sadness swarmed the inner column of her body, filling her, and quieting her voice with a squeeze to her throat. “Don’t use Sawnders.” Moments passed and she did not hear the voice again, so Tesa turned back round to find her companion. “Jess?”

You replaced me.

“Stop!” Tesa cried, pain in her tone, as placed her hands firmly over her ears. “I don’t want to hear your voice… Please…”