Retreat to Fight Another Day

[Rebecca Talon]

The cave was narrow. The darkness pierced by the single light of an electric torch. The sound of water dripping from the ceiling, and foot falls the only sound.

Rebecca emerged into a chamber lit by the soft glows of blue, green, yellow, red, and purple from crystals embedded into the cave's wall.

It was these crystals that she sought, but not within this chamber. This was a sacred chamber. Only a handful of these crystals would be harvested, an honor given to special members of the order.

Rebecca slowly circled the enormous chamber, as big as the Sistine Chapel. The floor of the chamber was paved in polished white marble, inlaid with black. An alter at the far end rested the sacred holocrons that had been brought to this galaxy from the ancient masters fleeing their own Ajem'dasis persecution.

Rebecca approached the dias and dropped to the floor, and closed her eyes, and began to meditate. As consciousness and unconsciousness began to intermingle the haze parted and a vision started to come into focus. Bellatrix was talking to a similarly dressed woman, but the words could not be heard.

[Rebecca Talon]

Foot steps broke Rebecca's concentration and she came out of her meditation. Without facing the new comer she reached out with the ijulna. "Arisu..." shevsaid sensing her friend approach. "I see you have found the crystal cave."

[Arisu Lei]

"You were practically glowing within the Iljuna. Was easy to find you, that and your hair." Arisu said with a smile as she sat down cross legged next to her. "I think I have found my new kilden crystal... " she levitated a striking magenta crystal. "It's more on the purple side, which is my favorite color. It was calling to me as I walked here. I kept ignoring it and it kept drawing me to it."

[Rebecca Talon]

"Good, that's why I suggested you find this place," Rebecca replied her hands folded into her lap. "Master Kal was none too pleased when I told him that I needed to construct a new kliden... again. He said I must meditate before selecting another crystal, and that I needed to understand the bond between crystal and Jase is not to be taken lightly. Where did you get your original crystal," Rebecca asked changing the subject.

[Arisu Lei]

"That one Jase with the really cute dimples and those big blue eyes gave it to me." Arisu said with a half smile. "When I was on Earth trying to undermine Julie's reign and we were running ops just before J'Larlin started to really train me. He gave it to me to hang onto, but he was killed in a raid. Kept it ever since, I did some modifications to the handle to fit me better and my sword fighting style, but I always thought I should have my own, something that was original." she held out her kilden. "This one fits my hand better and feels more like the katanas I spent most of life using."

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca took the kliden and examined it, "You have done well. Perhaps you should select a second crystal. It wouldn't do to have a katana without the wakizashi." Rebecca handed the kliden back and stood. She started walking deeper into the cave expecting Arisu to follow. "Bellatrix has made contact with the Ajem'dasis of our reality," she said suddenly.

[Arisu Lei]

"I am not entirely shocked." Arisu replied. "It was only a matter of time." she followed a few steps behind Becca. "Question is, who is holding the Ajem's leash? Sieg'Ajem or Bellatrix?"

[Rebecca Talon]

Rebecca shrugged, "It seems unlikely Seig'ajem would be the one holding anyone's leash being as Dominus seems firmly in control of Bellatrix. And if I were Bellatrix I wouldn't allow it."

The entered another cavern, but unlike the previous one this one wasn't natural. Centuries of mining for the crystals had left the walls scarred. Rebecca made a slow circuit before selecting a rather large green one. Extracting it from the surrounding stone she stared down at the glowing crystal. "This... I shall have to change my hilt style to accommodate this one. It's almost scary to hold. It is far more powerful than my previous one."

[Arisu Lei]

"Given how the Ajem fight, you'll need something that'll give you an edge. No pun intended." Arisu said as she looked around and smiled slightly. "J'Larin always wanted me to come here. I miss her. More than I thought I would. I've lost sensei's before. But there was something special about her." she sighed and crossed her arms. "While I don't think this is the 'final battle' I sense there are going to be some massive changes that we will never truly recover from when the dust settles. My sister Rumiko still thinks Earth will be hit. Of course, she's still dealing with Kaikoa and Lucy being force sterilized in seconds. That's a scary weapon. Easy way to ensure a planet never recovers, sterilize them, demoralizes them before they go extinct."

[Rebecca Talon]

"I miss her too," Rebecca replied. "She wasn't just your master she was mine as well. Took a young woman with these 'abilities' that scared her, and gave her the focus and training needed. Angered a lot of people here on Monastery too. I was too old. I was human. Cardassians are nothing if not a touch xenophobic."