Salis D'aar

Luck, the Force, and no small amount of innate Zeltron charm. Nik grinned, happy that Terra was pleased. He still didn't know exactly what she'd faced on Coruscant, or during her Trial of Spirit, but she had changed on an elemental level. However, some surface things were obviously still the same. He held up his hands. "Whoa, don't run off without your boots! I never said I'd join you." And he hadn't. He guessed she needed her space right about now anyway. Despite her willingness to kiss him, she seemed conflicted. He wasn't sure why, but he wasn't blind either.

"Take your time," he smiled warmly at her, "some things need to be enjoyed in a leisurely fashion, and that kind of relaxation is one of those things. You know where I'll be if you need me."

He gave her a hand up off the bed and looked at her for a second, green eyes reflecting a gentle sense of concern for her well-being as a person. The worried, embarrassed look in her eyes twitched at the corners of his lips, but lest she think he was making fun of her, he brushed a very light kiss against her lips before pointing around the corner and backing away, heading for the balcony just outside the room.

Nik had been lost in thought, thoughts that became vague half-dreams on the edge of consciousness. He knew Terra was close by, but he wasn't aware just how close until she spoke. Her voice brought him back from a deeper sleep, but he was almost reluctant to open his eyes and look at her. She'd seemed uncomfortable earlier, and in spite of the fact they knew each other pretty well by this point, he had decided he'd gone far enough. She could take the initiative if she wanted it, the Zeltron had made his stance plain enough if she wanted to understand.

Eventually he opened his eyes and blinked, readjusting to the brighter light that spilled out onto the balcony from indoors. Nik smiled faintly as light gleamed off her hair, though her expression was veiled in shadow.

"Hey yourself..." he replied with a faint smile, turning to look at her from his perch on the balcony railing.

What to say to that? Nik shrugged. "I guess not. What's on your mind, Terra Kiros?" He looked up at her with a half-grin, though the light from the room didn't do anything about the shadows he was sitting in.

Nik looked at her sideways, sensing the sense of emptiness that threatened to overwhelm her presence in the Force. She had never really spoken of the Master she'd had before Councillor Jade, but he could tell every so often that she was thinking of her. A slight crease formed in the middle of his eyebrows as he thought back. He'd never personally met Serrin Roma, though he was aware of her via reputation and archives within the Jedi library on Coruscant.

"At peace, I hope." He wasn't sure what to say. Though officially listed as "missing" there had been no word and common consensus, though largely unspoken, tended to believe that she was one with the Force.

He turned, and slid so that his feet were on the ground and the balcony railing was pressing into his lower back as he took Terra's hands in his and looked closely into her eyes. He loved their color and the way the starlight was reflecting into their depths. "Do you...feel...anything, Terra Kiros?" he inquired, unsure how to ask what she what her opinion of Serrin's status was.

Nik wondered what was going through Terra's mind, other than the obvious things like Serrin Roma. From what he knew of the Corellian Twi'Lek Master she had been quite a woman, but that didn't mean he hid the tinge of annoyed jealousy that he felt knowing that Terra was thinking of her old Master instead of the Zeltron who was her companion right now. He took a deep breath, held it for a count of five, and released it in a slow hiss. It helped order his thoughts. He cared about Terra, but sometimes, she seemed either clueless or playfully naive to a degree that would have done a courtesan proud on Coruscant. With an effort, he asked, "How long has it been since she---ah, vanished?"

The dropships descended down through the sky. All of them filled with Sky Troopers ready to deploy and invade Bakura. Valance picked up his helmet, donning the protective piece of armour as he felt the lead dropship begin to slow its descent. As he gripped his shield, Sabrina handed him his lightsaber pike. Readying him for the fight that was to come "You will survive this fight. Bakura will swear allegiance to the Eternal Empire..." "As all worlds should... Let's make this quick..." The Knights in the dropship gave a nod of agreement to his comments. And then he felt it. The dropship at last coming to a stop as it landed. As the doors pulled open, he rushed forward first. His shield raised against the incoming blaster fire of the palace guards. The other Knights quickly emptied out of the dropship, forming a line to either side of Valance. Creating an impenetrable wall behind which Sabrina and a pair of Scions strode. While Valance set the pace, Sabrina helped the Knights adjust to incoming threats. Foreseeing the traps the enemy had laid before they had a chance to spring them. It took only a matter of minutes, before the first line of guards were beaten back into retreat. Something which Valance was greatly pleased by "Follow them, and divert more Sky Troopers to this location. The sooner we take the palace, the better..." Sabrina seemed to stop dead in her tracks then. Her hand shooting out to wrap around his wrist. Holding him in place as she seemed to see something. He watched and waited, until she took a deep breath and lowered her gaze to meet his "Find storage room one zero alpha... You must find it alone! Trust me cousin..." He stared at her a moment. She was one of the most skilled Scion's that they had ever seen in modern times. She had foreseen things that many doubted would ever come true. He knew it wise not to ignore her "Very well. Take the lead. I will find this storage room..." With that, he made his way deep into the palace. His way unimpeded as the security forces were busy dealing with the main force. Within moments, he came to a stop in front of a door labelled "Storage 10-A". He raised his shield and lightsaber pike, as he quickly pressed the door activator button...

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, as the door slid open. The lights activating moments later to reveal the GEMINI droid that resided within. Of all the things in all the galaxy that he had expected to find here. A GEMINI droid was at the very bottom of that list. No one had seen a functioning GEMINI droid in centuries. The last of them disappearing into the pages of history not long after the Eternal Alliance had at last fallen. His mind was already awash with questions. All of them only answerable by examining the droids databanks. In hopes they had some file as to how it ended up here.

He couldn't help but wonder if this droids existence here also meant that a ship of the Eternal Fleet existed nearby. Perhaps on the planet itself or hidden somewhere nearby in the system. Valance took a couple steps forward, entering into the storage room. His shield still raised, while his spear was in a more relaxed position. He came to a stop as the droids head shifted, its eyes staring at him as he seemed to trip some kind of sensor.

He stared down the mechanical ship captain from behind his helmet. Waiting to see whether it would attack him right away or if it would recognise him as its master. He couldn't help but wonder if this units activation had sent an alert to the Eternal Throne or even the Eternal Fleet. He moved closer to the droid as it made no further moves. If this was some kind of trap, he suspected he would survive it. After all, Sabrina had made no mention of his imminent death "I am High Justice Valance Vellanan of the Eternal Empire. State your identification number GEMINI."

Valance had heard many stories of the fabled GEMINI droids that captained the ships of the Eternal Fleet. They had been made loyal to whomever sat upon the Throne. At least that was how it was meant to be. However, SCORPIO had given the GEMINI droids free will for a time. The droid having sat the Eternal throne for a brief moment between the reigns of Arcann and Vaylin. Allowing the GEMINI to do as they wished. At least until Vaylin had dragged the heap of a droid back from Iokath and restore their default programming.

Perhaps this GEMINI had not been reprogrammed to subservience. Maybe as its final act of self preservation, it had severed its link to the fleet and wiped its memory. In either case, this droid was not likely to obey his orders. Which meant that the next few moments would all come down to a simple question. Would the GEMINI droid view him as a threat to its existence or not. Valance was pretty sure it would be the former "two-two-three, you are a loyal captain within the Eternal Fleet. A fleet which owes allegiance to the Eternal Throne, which I am a representative of... Do you not remember? Come, I will help you remember..."