Re-Opening Old Wounds

[Carden Mannux]

CONTINUED FROM THE OLD SITE. LAST POST WAS MADE BY RAJANI:

RAJANI: "I guess so."

*She searched his eyes for a moment as her breast still heaved with anger before she pulled her hands back from him. Moving past him, she back towards the cockpit leaving him standing there. The moment was an awkward one and she needed distance from him. Finding her way back to the pilot's seat, she double checked the air frequencies and found it clear. Slowing the engines, she then altered their course heading for the base at Ruusan. The trip would still take about 3 days from where they were, but going off the beaten trail had made sure if anyone had even been trying to follow them, they would become lost. She propped her left elbow on the armrest and rubbed her forehead. She needed him around, but she didn't want him to know it. The trip the rest of the way home would prove very interesting indeed.*

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"See, I was right. Now, if you need me I will be lying down for awhile."

*He walked away slowly, hoping that she would stop him and get down on her knees...begging for his help. At first, when he told her that he had changed he thought that he was lying. But, the more he was around her the more he realized that he wanted to be with her and that he did indeed still have feelings for her. As much as he hated her...he loved her.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*Each moment that passed was like a knife further wedged within her mind. He still was so cocky about everything she ever said. He was consumed with always being the best...especially with always being better than she was. The nerve of him and his blasted attitude were enough to push her over the edge. Once more her eyes checked the control panel, but systems were all working at optimal levels. There was nothing for her to really do here. Sitting back in her seat and resting her head against the pilot's headrest, she closed her eyes for just a moment. She shouldn't still have these feelings for the man who ruined her life. It was because of him that she lost it all. He had taken the position with their master from her...yet, despite their history, there was a deeper connection she couldn't hide nor hold back. Her eyelids flash open as she grips her fingernails in the armrests' padding and stood up. The longer she sat her asking what had happened to him during all this time, the more it would burn her. Turning to leave the cockpit in the safe hands of the hyperdrive, she made her way back through the ship towards the quarters area. As she approached Carden's makeshift room, the light was on under her own room. Of course he had decided to take her very own quarters. Her temper flared again as she hit the controls to the door only to find it locked. Her fist beat on the door.*

"Carden...this isn't your room. Open this damn door."

 

[Carden Mannux]

"Don't you have a ship to fly?"

*He smiled, yet prayed to the Force that she did not find a way to break down the door. If she did....let's just say that he would come off more injured than a mynock in a fight against a Rancor. He sat down on the bed and felt it's comfort, something he had not felt in quite some time.*

"You know, this bed can fit two people. The faulty air system doesn't have to be the only thing that heats things up in this ship."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

"Open this door, Carden before I rip it off it's track!"

*She was seething with anger as her face was flushed red. His comment did not go unnoticed, but she pushed it aside with all her will as he mocked her once again.*

"You'll wish you had died at the hands of this Jedi if you don't open this door!"

 

[Carden Mannux]

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

*He opens the door and grabs her by the cheeks. Catching her by suprise, he kisses her. She restrains, but he doesn't let go for a few moments. This is what he had been waiting for, but he knew that he would probably die for that.*

"How's that for a punch line?"

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*When he pulled back, he could see her desire for him in her face as she refused to look into his eyes so soon after that kiss. Her mind protested against her as she felt the alarms going off. Once before, she had let him in so close and afterwards, she was shattered. Her eyes regained their fire inside as she looked at him with disgust, slapped him, and pushed herself into the room. Taking his items off of her bed and throwing them to the floor, she sits down upon it.*

"We need to talk if you can keep your filthy hands off me for that long."

*She raised her head defiantly giving him a look of warning. Her hand was already at the hilt of her saber fingering it fondly.*

 

[Carden Mannux]

*He smiled.*

"It may be difficult, but I think I can restrain myself...."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*The death look that she gave him in return was more of a warning than a response to his comment. Her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at him.*

"This isn't some kind of pleasure run where you have control and free run over my ship. Unless you want to be hoisted out with the trash the next time we stop, you'd be wise to respect me within my own domain."

 

[Carden Mannux]

*He hated being bossed around. If this was any other person, he would have walked all over them. But, this girl is liable to rip his manhood off of him and use them as ping-pong balls.*

"Fine, m'am."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*She heard the sarcasm in his voice, but ignored it. Her eyes moved from him to the floor as she thought of how best to ask this question. Her will was faltering here as the memories flooded her mind again. The glimpse of pain across her face was quickly replaced with the face of anger as she narrowed her eyes at him and stood up walking towards him.*

"Just where have you been for the past three years? I know you better than to think you just got bored and decided to see the galaxy. Something must have lured you away. I want to know what. Tell me, Carden."

 

[Carden Mannux]

*The question took him by suprise. He was too ashamed to tell her what really happened and knew that she would think less of him if he told her.*

"I...I can't tell you..."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*Her anger grew at his answer. He was hiding something and she hated it. His whole demeanor seemed to have changed, but she was chalking it up to his attempting to fool her.*

"You can't or you won't? I open up my ship to you, tend to your wounds, and treat you with more respect than you deserve and you feed me that line? How typical of you."

 

[Carden Mannux]

*The memories of what had happened began to swarm back: being captured, tortured at the hands of some freak Sith cult, escaping, the....masacre. All of it flooded back and it was almost unbearable for him to tolerate them. He closed his eyes and forced them away, trying to regain his composure. He felt cold, even admist the 100 degree temperature of the ship. He slipped down and put his head against the wall.*

"Please, Rajani. Don't....don't do this to me...."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*Part of her hated seeing him like this as the urge to comfort him was there, yet also was the disgust in his behavior for appearing so weak and frightened. He wasn't acting himself now...or was it that he always was the coward but had it hidden well? She watched him for a long while as these emotions fought within her. Something about how he was acting seemed to be sincere. He had been through some horrible ordeal to be acting as such, yet their master taught them to never reveal their weak nature. It could very well be their downfall.*

"Don't do what? Don't remind you of how you took off and left everything behind? How you gave no word or anything but just disappeared for 3 years? You lied to me." She swallowed hard as the words caught in her throat. Her rage was reaching the point where it was becoming hard to control. It was bringing up the hurt she had felt back again as a festering wound. "I guess I should have known when you betrayed me that lies were sure to follow. At least now, after all these years, I finally know what kind of man you truly are."

*She turned her back on him.*

 

[Carden Mannux]

*He jumped up and turned her around.*

"You want to hear it? Fine, you'll hear it!"

*He collected himself before finally mustering up the courage to tell the story.*

"I finished my training with Master Sharin a year after we last saw each other. For my final mission, I was to go to Dxun and claim an ancient Sith artifact from tomb of Freedan Nadd. But, not everything went as planned. There was a sick, sadistic cult hellbent on recapturing the glory days of the Sith Empire. Their leader was a Sith Lord, the only one left living. They stripped me of my powers using some sadistic Sith trick. I couldn't defend myself against them. They captured me and brought me to their base."

*He slammed his fist against the wall, denting it. The memories were painful, to say the least.*

"They tortured me like a Prisoner of War during the Sith War, using every power they could think of against me. It almost killed me...on multiple occasions. There were even times when I tried to kill myself. But, something inside me was triggered. I was able to regain some of my powers and then discovered something that I never knew I had before.....sheer, mercilous anger."

*He turned back to her and grinned and evil grin, one that even made her uncomfortable. A tear ran down his eye.*

"I...I killed them. Every single one of them. But not just the men...but the woman...and the children too. The Sith are like animals...and I slaughtered them all like animals. I am the reason that the Sith are finally extinct. I killed the final Sith Lord, so the Jedi so be giving me a medal for doing what they couldn't do."

*He sat down on the bed, controlling his anger.*

"After I killed them, I went to a secret part of Ruusan called the Valley of the Jedi. The place is jealously guarded, and most on Ruusan...even your Dark Jedi...do not even know about it. It's a place of strong Force concentration...enough to give the Force to those who do not have it. I used it's power. I have become more powerful than any Jedi, Sith or Dark Jedi has ever dreamed of. And, I did it for you...so I could see your face once again. You were all I could think about when I was being held by the Sith. The anger that came to me was fueled by my lust to see you once more."

*He looked over to her, keeping his face expressionless for the moment.*

"As soon as I left the Valley of the Jedi, I heard a HoloNet report of what was happening on Coruscant. I knew that only you could be stupid enough to try a stunt like that, so my lust for seeing you...for being with you...is what drove me to Coruscant. That is why I came to rescue you. I am not hear to seek glory or steal any credit. Doing that was the dumbest thing I have ever done, and two years of being held by the Sith helped me to realize that."

*He got up and wiped the tears from his eyes. He stands in front of her, his arms crossed at his chest.*

"Does that answer your question?"

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

*She didn't know what to say as he told his story. His being captured by the Sith and exposed to their powers? It was something she had always dreamed of...to learn of their secrets and make them her own. Yet, after the Jedi destroyed the Sith, there was nothing left to find. Everything had disappeared or been destroyed. Yet, he, the very man she loathed yet loved had been in their presence...had suffered at their hands. Jealously and awe filled her but was replaced as she was snapped out of her daydream by his anger. Never before had she seen such rage and coldheartedness from him as he expressed now. She backed a few steps away from him. However, just as quickly as the anger surfaced, he supressed it back again. It was done as if a lightswitch within his brain had been flicked. His new self scared her and intrigued her. She took a tentative step towards him as he had his head bowed and spoke of Ruusan. She knew there were so many secrets the planet held. It was one reason she had set up around one area where the darkside was strongest. She looked to the ground as her eyebrows furrowed with uncertainty. How could what he was saying be true? He still cared for her and sought her out because of that very reason. Her eyes quickly turned from the floor to face him as he stood and walked towards her. Rajani took a step backwards again as she was uncertain of his mood. Her eyes searched his own as he asked his question. She was wary of him, yet he could sense something else in her as well. Tears filled her own eyes as she shook her head in disbelief.*

Softly she spoke to him. "You...no..." She furrowed her eyebrows again as she swallowed and looked down to the ground before speaking to him again and raising her eyes to meet his own. "I had no idea..."