"Kind of weird," Theron agreed. "I don't see any kind of surveillance. Which is also weird. Either they're counting on being so remote they assume it doesn't matter, or they have some system we're not seeing. Which... would be a problem. I'm sure it's fine. But let's keep our blasters handy, just in case."
***
"Good idea," Visper told Dallyn. "But there's one more thing. We're going to need the medical records for Vanity and Apathy before everything gets erased. That isn't going to be pleasant to look at, but we need that information to help the girls."
There was plenty of visible injury to the twins. Damaged tissue, scars, implants. But just looking at them wasn't enough to facilitate their healing most effectively. With luck, what they found here would be.
"If anyone they captured is still alive, let's keep them that way," Felix said, and no one seemed to argue.
"We'll make that priority," Lana agreed. "Is everyone ready?"
The descent down the elevator shaft seemed to take forever, and was painfully silent. Both to avoid drawing premature attention, and because everyone seemed to be quietly immersed in their own thoughts. The door hissed open...
"Hey! What are you doing here? Intruders!" The guard hit a button, and an alarm started blaring.
"Guess we didn't have the element of surprise for long," Lana said to Visper under her breath, before the Jedi and Sith leapt as one into the fray, with Felix covering their backs with blaster fire.
Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars) - Cont'd
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Siralai Mahr
Well, Siralai thought. That could have gone worse. At least no one was seriously injured - though Reyth would have some minor cuts and scrapes from the crystals. At least it hadn't escalated into a full blown crisis.
It could have gone better too, though. Siralai chided herself for not handling the situation very effectively. Reyth and Arksynn were both clearly upset and frustrated. Maybe frightened, too. And Siralai had done little or nothing to set them at ease.
Perhaps she could cut herself some slack, though. She didn't know either of them very well yet. She was still learning their triggers and what calmed them. She would learn from this and be more effective next time.
Siralai thought it might be best to give Reyth some space to cool off. She would check on the young Sith later. Arksynn, meanwhile, had returned to the terrace with Pyrran. For the moment, there seemed little Siralai could do.
Once again, she hoped she was really helping. That she wasn't just making it worse. She felt the weight of the responsibility she had taken on, taking them away from Anewe. Changing their lives, without their permission. She just hoped they would find it worth it someday.
Pyrran offered no opinion about what had just happened, as Arksynn returned to the table. "Does this happen often?" he asked mildly.
Well, Siralai thought. That could have gone worse. At least no one was seriously injured - though Reyth would have some minor cuts and scrapes from the crystals. At least it hadn't escalated into a full blown crisis.
It could have gone better too, though. Siralai chided herself for not handling the situation very effectively. Reyth and Arksynn were both clearly upset and frustrated. Maybe frightened, too. And Siralai had done little or nothing to set them at ease.
Perhaps she could cut herself some slack, though. She didn't know either of them very well yet. She was still learning their triggers and what calmed them. She would learn from this and be more effective next time.
Siralai thought it might be best to give Reyth some space to cool off. She would check on the young Sith later. Arksynn, meanwhile, had returned to the terrace with Pyrran. For the moment, there seemed little Siralai could do.
Once again, she hoped she was really helping. That she wasn't just making it worse. She felt the weight of the responsibility she had taken on, taking them away from Anewe. Changing their lives, without their permission. She just hoped they would find it worth it someday.
Pyrran offered no opinion about what had just happened, as Arksynn returned to the table. "Does this happen often?" he asked mildly.
Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Neva Xolte
"Forget blasters - you wouldn't happen to have a cannon handy, would you?" Neva shouted from her position behind a stack of crates, blaster fire ricocheting off the edges. She had tried to get into a position where she could better cover Theron, but had been pinned down in a matter of seconds. Guess the third apprentice was here with some backup. A lot of backup. From the sounds of things, they were starting to spread out over the hangar floor which was not good. Neva poked her blaster out from her hiding spot and instantly drew fire. She should have brought some thermal detonators...
Screams. The blaster fire wasn't pinging off her crates anymore. She thew a confused look at Theron before hazarding a look. It took her a second to realize that she should probably help the Mandalorian that was saving their butts. She fired a few shots at the stragglers, but really didn't need to. The Mando had cleaned up the whole crew with nothing but a vibrostaff and a few well-placed missiles. There was something familiar about the fighting style...
When the last bad guy went down, Neva took the opportunity to stretch her legs. Leaning against her former prison, she let out a low whistle. The Mandalorian's hand went to her belt, but paused before moving toward her helmet instead. The face shield pulled away to reveal a familiar face - to Neva, anyway. Of course, she couldn't really tell if that familiar face was actually happy to see her or not. Typical.
"What are you doing here? You had better not get in the way of my hunt." The Iridonian's voice was menacing simply by the flatness of her tone. She raised her vibrostaff to accentuate her meaning.
"Hey, relax Akaavi. We got people down there taking out some creepy scientist dudes. If that's your mark, it might be too late."
"None of your business. You will open the lift doors. Now." Her vibrostaff swung toward Theron, but Neva stepped in front of him, her palms lifted upward.
"Listen - that lift is at the bottom of the shaft. There's a personnel lift at the top just below this landing pad. We'll feed it power and you can take it down - save you some time." The Mandolorian looked at the smaller zabrak with some incredulity, so Neva added, "We brought it up to cut off the guys' escape - sending you down will do the same thing. Right?"
There was a tense moment where the woman stared down the small pilot, then the man at the computer console, then finally returned her gaze to the former. "Your people had better stay out of my way." The face shield lowered into place once more, she boosted herself into the air and flew off in search of the other lift.
Neva let out a breath, hands falling as she did so. Returning to Theron's side, she peaked over his shoulder at the screen to see what was going on with the team below. Her fingers went to her temple, activating her communicator. Hopefully they'd still pick up her message with all that rock in the way.
"Hey gang, just fyi, you're going to have some company. Might be of the friendly sort, but I'd still stay out of her way if you run into her. You'll know her by the suit of armour and generally badassery."
"Forget blasters - you wouldn't happen to have a cannon handy, would you?" Neva shouted from her position behind a stack of crates, blaster fire ricocheting off the edges. She had tried to get into a position where she could better cover Theron, but had been pinned down in a matter of seconds. Guess the third apprentice was here with some backup. A lot of backup. From the sounds of things, they were starting to spread out over the hangar floor which was not good. Neva poked her blaster out from her hiding spot and instantly drew fire. She should have brought some thermal detonators...
Screams. The blaster fire wasn't pinging off her crates anymore. She thew a confused look at Theron before hazarding a look. It took her a second to realize that she should probably help the Mandalorian that was saving their butts. She fired a few shots at the stragglers, but really didn't need to. The Mando had cleaned up the whole crew with nothing but a vibrostaff and a few well-placed missiles. There was something familiar about the fighting style...
When the last bad guy went down, Neva took the opportunity to stretch her legs. Leaning against her former prison, she let out a low whistle. The Mandalorian's hand went to her belt, but paused before moving toward her helmet instead. The face shield pulled away to reveal a familiar face - to Neva, anyway. Of course, she couldn't really tell if that familiar face was actually happy to see her or not. Typical.
"What are you doing here? You had better not get in the way of my hunt." The Iridonian's voice was menacing simply by the flatness of her tone. She raised her vibrostaff to accentuate her meaning.
"Hey, relax Akaavi. We got people down there taking out some creepy scientist dudes. If that's your mark, it might be too late."
"None of your business. You will open the lift doors. Now." Her vibrostaff swung toward Theron, but Neva stepped in front of him, her palms lifted upward.
"Listen - that lift is at the bottom of the shaft. There's a personnel lift at the top just below this landing pad. We'll feed it power and you can take it down - save you some time." The Mandolorian looked at the smaller zabrak with some incredulity, so Neva added, "We brought it up to cut off the guys' escape - sending you down will do the same thing. Right?"
There was a tense moment where the woman stared down the small pilot, then the man at the computer console, then finally returned her gaze to the former. "Your people had better stay out of my way." The face shield lowered into place once more, she boosted herself into the air and flew off in search of the other lift.
Neva let out a breath, hands falling as she did so. Returning to Theron's side, she peaked over his shoulder at the screen to see what was going on with the team below. Her fingers went to her temple, activating her communicator. Hopefully they'd still pick up her message with all that rock in the way.
"Hey gang, just fyi, you're going to have some company. Might be of the friendly sort, but I'd still stay out of her way if you run into her. You'll know her by the suit of armour and generally badassery."
Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Arksynn
He was trying to focus on the game. He really was. But from the moment he sat down, he couldn't remember what the pieces did or what his strategy had been. Though he was staring at the board, Pyrran's question was definitely on the topic he was currently obsessing over.
"Yeah. I guess." He wanted to say it happened a lot. But what was a lot, anyway? Any one of these episodes of hers was too many - but it wasn't like it happened every day, so 'a lot' or even 'often' seemed like exaggerating. His toes started tapping of their own accord, even as the rest of his body remained motionless, his face strangely without emotion. Guarded.
Arksynn moved one of his pieces directly into the path of one of Pyrran's. He made no response as the opposing beast killed off his Kor'slug with a roar. Clearly he wasn't paying much attention to the game itself - but he also didn't seem like he wanted to give up his seat. His subsequent moves were equally uninspired. It wasn't until Reyth moved herself further along the beach to stare at the ocean that he spoke again. He kept his eyes on the board always, his voice low but nonetheless choked with emotion.
"I just wish I knew why. Why this happens. She always comes after me - tries to kill me - and then she's all sorry and miserable so I can't even be mad at her. Stupid machine."
He was trying to focus on the game. He really was. But from the moment he sat down, he couldn't remember what the pieces did or what his strategy had been. Though he was staring at the board, Pyrran's question was definitely on the topic he was currently obsessing over.
"Yeah. I guess." He wanted to say it happened a lot. But what was a lot, anyway? Any one of these episodes of hers was too many - but it wasn't like it happened every day, so 'a lot' or even 'often' seemed like exaggerating. His toes started tapping of their own accord, even as the rest of his body remained motionless, his face strangely without emotion. Guarded.
Arksynn moved one of his pieces directly into the path of one of Pyrran's. He made no response as the opposing beast killed off his Kor'slug with a roar. Clearly he wasn't paying much attention to the game itself - but he also didn't seem like he wanted to give up his seat. His subsequent moves were equally uninspired. It wasn't until Reyth moved herself further along the beach to stare at the ocean that he spoke again. He kept his eyes on the board always, his voice low but nonetheless choked with emotion.
"I just wish I knew why. Why this happens. She always comes after me - tries to kill me - and then she's all sorry and miserable so I can't even be mad at her. Stupid machine."
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Lana Beniko
Down in the lab, the battle was pitched. Lana's red lightsaber cut in arcs as they were attacked in waves. Felix was holding his own, doing his best to keep too many of them from moving in Dallyn's direction - apparently they were all taking seriously their commitment to bring back Teizi's padawan in one piece. Visper... was completely out of control, showing the full power of the Force that was, frankly, not quite Light. Not that Lana cared. If Visper wanted to put the fear in their enemies and singlehandedly thin the forward ranks, who was she to argue?
Lana's comm chirped to life, but it was hard to hear over the static this deep underground. ...*crackle crackle*..."badass"... *crackle*...
The Sith raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for the compliment," she replied. "But this isn't really the time..."
Further response was cut short by a blaster bolt whizzing past her ear, as she dodged expertly and brought her blade back around to strike with the force of her momentum.
Time has seemed to slow, but in reality, the battle was over in moments - and their group was victorious.
Visper tossed aside the remains of a guard she had hoisted with a Force choke. Her eyes darted around, looking for her next target. There weren't any left. That... could pose a problem, Lana realized.
"Visper, it's over," she called out. The Jedi didn't have any response. So Lana tried another tactic. "It's time to search for any surviving victims."
That seemed to snap Visper out of her trance. She nodded, and returned to the others.
Cautiously, she glanced at Felix. "Did I... I didn't scare you, did I?"
Felix shook his head. "Never, sweetheart. Let's go search these holding cells."
Visper twined her fingers through Felix's, clinging hard enough that his knuckles turned a little pale. He was like a lifeline. It was, after all, her love for him and anger at his tormenters that had sent her into the rampage.
"I hope all's well up above," Lana said, giving her comm a little shake to try to get it to function better.
Down in the lab, the battle was pitched. Lana's red lightsaber cut in arcs as they were attacked in waves. Felix was holding his own, doing his best to keep too many of them from moving in Dallyn's direction - apparently they were all taking seriously their commitment to bring back Teizi's padawan in one piece. Visper... was completely out of control, showing the full power of the Force that was, frankly, not quite Light. Not that Lana cared. If Visper wanted to put the fear in their enemies and singlehandedly thin the forward ranks, who was she to argue?
Lana's comm chirped to life, but it was hard to hear over the static this deep underground. ...*crackle crackle*..."badass"... *crackle*...
The Sith raised an eyebrow. "Thank you for the compliment," she replied. "But this isn't really the time..."
Further response was cut short by a blaster bolt whizzing past her ear, as she dodged expertly and brought her blade back around to strike with the force of her momentum.
Time has seemed to slow, but in reality, the battle was over in moments - and their group was victorious.
Visper tossed aside the remains of a guard she had hoisted with a Force choke. Her eyes darted around, looking for her next target. There weren't any left. That... could pose a problem, Lana realized.
"Visper, it's over," she called out. The Jedi didn't have any response. So Lana tried another tactic. "It's time to search for any surviving victims."
That seemed to snap Visper out of her trance. She nodded, and returned to the others.
Cautiously, she glanced at Felix. "Did I... I didn't scare you, did I?"
Felix shook his head. "Never, sweetheart. Let's go search these holding cells."
Visper twined her fingers through Felix's, clinging hard enough that his knuckles turned a little pale. He was like a lifeline. It was, after all, her love for him and anger at his tormenters that had sent her into the rampage.
"I hope all's well up above," Lana said, giving her comm a little shake to try to get it to function better.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Pyrran Onyk Mahr
Pyrran of course noticed the lad's distraction, but said nothing. Arksynn would speak when he was ready.
And he did. Pyrran listened sympathetically, and nodded solemnly. "That must be very difficult for you."
And for Reyth, he thought, but sympathy for the one who had just attacked him was probably not what Arksynn needed to hear right now.
"You say the machine did this to her? The machine your master used to torture Neva?"
He wished he could be surprised that a master had turned a torture device on their own apprentice, but he wasn't. So many Sith suffered abuse at the hands of their masters and teachers - some of it horrific. Even so, this seemed extreme.
"Perhaps - if that was the cause - there may be a remedy. A way to heal what was damaged in her. I'm sure Siralai and Trystan would be happy to help. Assuming Reyth is willing to be helped, of course."
Pyrran of course noticed the lad's distraction, but said nothing. Arksynn would speak when he was ready.
And he did. Pyrran listened sympathetically, and nodded solemnly. "That must be very difficult for you."
And for Reyth, he thought, but sympathy for the one who had just attacked him was probably not what Arksynn needed to hear right now.
"You say the machine did this to her? The machine your master used to torture Neva?"
He wished he could be surprised that a master had turned a torture device on their own apprentice, but he wasn't. So many Sith suffered abuse at the hands of their masters and teachers - some of it horrific. Even so, this seemed extreme.
"Perhaps - if that was the cause - there may be a remedy. A way to heal what was damaged in her. I'm sure Siralai and Trystan would be happy to help. Assuming Reyth is willing to be helped, of course."
Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Neva Xolte and Padawan Dallyn
"....yeah, I don't think they heard me. That's...well, it could be okay...or bad." The look she gave Theron was equally as unconvincing as the one he gave her, so she tapped her comm and tried again.
"Listen - there's a Mando coming down but she's friendly as long as you stay out of her way. Do you copy? Stay out of her way." She muttered something impolite but fortunately incoherent before her eyes brightened with the arrival of an idea.
"Hey, you think you could send that message to the computer instead? Dallyn might pick it up that way, at least."
Down in the lab, Dallyn was not quite as close to a computer as he'd hoped to be. The battle had gone so quickly and the hail of bolts along with the different lightsaber blades had made for a somewhat overwhelming experience. He'd managed well enough, he thought. He had blocked some oncoming bolts and taken down one slaver himself. Master Visper seemed to have taken on the majority of the forces...perhaps his own master wasn't so odd after all. He'd never expected to see a Sith take second chair in a battle, anyway.
Finding and helping survivors was something he was a bit more accustomed to. He sheathed his lightsaber and headed towards an opening, hoping to find a computer console along with some people to help. What he found instead was an armoured warrior pulling a victim out of a kolto tank by the throat. His blade returned to his hands and he shouted in an attempt to sound more assured than he felt.
"HEY! uh...Release him at once!"
The warrior made a slow turn in his direction, but didn't release her hand. Instead, she fired up her vibrostaff and held it diagonally away from her body - equally prepared to defend herself against the lightsaber-wielding kid or plunge it into her target.
"....yeah, I don't think they heard me. That's...well, it could be okay...or bad." The look she gave Theron was equally as unconvincing as the one he gave her, so she tapped her comm and tried again.
"Listen - there's a Mando coming down but she's friendly as long as you stay out of her way. Do you copy? Stay out of her way." She muttered something impolite but fortunately incoherent before her eyes brightened with the arrival of an idea.
"Hey, you think you could send that message to the computer instead? Dallyn might pick it up that way, at least."
Down in the lab, Dallyn was not quite as close to a computer as he'd hoped to be. The battle had gone so quickly and the hail of bolts along with the different lightsaber blades had made for a somewhat overwhelming experience. He'd managed well enough, he thought. He had blocked some oncoming bolts and taken down one slaver himself. Master Visper seemed to have taken on the majority of the forces...perhaps his own master wasn't so odd after all. He'd never expected to see a Sith take second chair in a battle, anyway.
Finding and helping survivors was something he was a bit more accustomed to. He sheathed his lightsaber and headed towards an opening, hoping to find a computer console along with some people to help. What he found instead was an armoured warrior pulling a victim out of a kolto tank by the throat. His blade returned to his hands and he shouted in an attempt to sound more assured than he felt.
"HEY! uh...Release him at once!"
The warrior made a slow turn in his direction, but didn't release her hand. Instead, she fired up her vibrostaff and held it diagonally away from her body - equally prepared to defend herself against the lightsaber-wielding kid or plunge it into her target.
Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Arksynn
The boy shook his head, realizing that Pyrran couldn't possibly have known the depths of his former master's depravity.
"Naw, not the torture machine - the other one in the ceiling that she was going to use on Neva but didn't get to. Which is probably good. I guess." Or maybe the other zabrak would be dead right now. He couldn't say for sure. Besides, he wasn't even certain that the machine really worked. Arksynn leaned closer to Pyrran, voice hushed. "It was supposed to enhance your connection with Force. Lord Anewe tested it on a ton of acolytes before she finally thought she got it right and used it on Reyth. And I guess Reyth got stronger, but she was also...I dunno...different. This," his head nodded toward the glass shards sticking out of the beach, "only started happening after Anewe put her through it. She said it was just that Reyth couldn't control the amount of Force energy in her...but I don't think that's right."
The boy looked embarrassed a moment before he continued with a greater degree of certainty and more than a little sorrow. "I'm not expert in the Force, but I am kinda an expert on Reyth. I don't think it's the Force she can't control. I think it's something else. I just don't know what. So I don't know how to help her. I don't know how to tell someone else how to help her. But I know she hates it - how she loses control - I just...don't know...if she can fix it."
The boy shook his head, realizing that Pyrran couldn't possibly have known the depths of his former master's depravity.
"Naw, not the torture machine - the other one in the ceiling that she was going to use on Neva but didn't get to. Which is probably good. I guess." Or maybe the other zabrak would be dead right now. He couldn't say for sure. Besides, he wasn't even certain that the machine really worked. Arksynn leaned closer to Pyrran, voice hushed. "It was supposed to enhance your connection with Force. Lord Anewe tested it on a ton of acolytes before she finally thought she got it right and used it on Reyth. And I guess Reyth got stronger, but she was also...I dunno...different. This," his head nodded toward the glass shards sticking out of the beach, "only started happening after Anewe put her through it. She said it was just that Reyth couldn't control the amount of Force energy in her...but I don't think that's right."
The boy looked embarrassed a moment before he continued with a greater degree of certainty and more than a little sorrow. "I'm not expert in the Force, but I am kinda an expert on Reyth. I don't think it's the Force she can't control. I think it's something else. I just don't know what. So I don't know how to help her. I don't know how to tell someone else how to help her. But I know she hates it - how she loses control - I just...don't know...if she can fix it."
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Lana Beniko
The Jedi lad was clearly in over his head, and Visper was practically starting to crackle with pent-up Force energy again. Lana sighed.
Mandalorians could be tough enemies, but between two Jedi and a Sith - well, more like a Jedi-and-a-half and a Sith, Lana thought uncharitably - plus a Republic soldier, the odds were strongly in their favor. Still, Lana saw no need for it to come to bloodshed. Yet, at least.
"Excuse me," Lana said. "Before we all start killing each other. Can you explain why you're after one of the prisoners? This was supposed to be a rescue mission. Well, of sorts."
Their initial goal might have been to track down the people using Sithlings as Force batteries and stop them from doing further harm, but saving the people they were currently experimenting on seemed to be part and parcel of the overall plan.
The Jedi lad was clearly in over his head, and Visper was practically starting to crackle with pent-up Force energy again. Lana sighed.
Mandalorians could be tough enemies, but between two Jedi and a Sith - well, more like a Jedi-and-a-half and a Sith, Lana thought uncharitably - plus a Republic soldier, the odds were strongly in their favor. Still, Lana saw no need for it to come to bloodshed. Yet, at least.
"Excuse me," Lana said. "Before we all start killing each other. Can you explain why you're after one of the prisoners? This was supposed to be a rescue mission. Well, of sorts."
Their initial goal might have been to track down the people using Sithlings as Force batteries and stop them from doing further harm, but saving the people they were currently experimenting on seemed to be part and parcel of the overall plan.
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Monkey Kitty
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Re: Mek-Sha Nightlife (Star Wars)
Pyrran Onyk Mahr
Pyrran listened solemnly, and nodded periodically to indicate he was following the explanation.
"That's difficult," he said when Arksynn had finished. "For you, and for Reyth. But I think you've both ended up in the right place. Siralai and Trystan will do everything possible to help her. I'm not sure you realize yet quite how determined they are to protect those in their circle. I don't know if it will be possible to 'fix' Reyth, in the sense of making it like it never happened. I think she can - and will - learn to live with it, though, if not. The Mahrs will help her. I can assure you of that. But they need to know what's happening, first. Otherwise they won't know what she needs."
Pyrran hadn't known the Mahrs for long, perhaps, but already he had seen what they were willing to do to save and heal his sisters. How willing they were to accept him, too. How many ex-Jedi would adopt an adult Sith lord without question, Light side or not? He would venture to guess not many. Reyth and Arksynn had started out as their enemies... but here they all were. He had no doubt that Reyth had the best possible shot in exactly the place she had found herself.
Pyrran listened solemnly, and nodded periodically to indicate he was following the explanation.
"That's difficult," he said when Arksynn had finished. "For you, and for Reyth. But I think you've both ended up in the right place. Siralai and Trystan will do everything possible to help her. I'm not sure you realize yet quite how determined they are to protect those in their circle. I don't know if it will be possible to 'fix' Reyth, in the sense of making it like it never happened. I think she can - and will - learn to live with it, though, if not. The Mahrs will help her. I can assure you of that. But they need to know what's happening, first. Otherwise they won't know what she needs."
Pyrran hadn't known the Mahrs for long, perhaps, but already he had seen what they were willing to do to save and heal his sisters. How willing they were to accept him, too. How many ex-Jedi would adopt an adult Sith lord without question, Light side or not? He would venture to guess not many. Reyth and Arksynn had started out as their enemies... but here they all were. He had no doubt that Reyth had the best possible shot in exactly the place she had found herself.