The In Character Thread: One More Time

"Hmm...that would be the after-effects of the teleporter, most likely. Yes, they should wear off soon, with any luck," Falenor concluded, moving the computer to one side but still keeping a focus on it. "Ah, so you're reading about the language? Sounds like a worthwhile use of time. Good luck with it!" he finished cheerfully, at a loss for what else to say as he often was.

"..t..thank you," she replied as her eyes wandered once again. The nearby window from the hallway let it be seen that the people staring out were in the wonders of space.

As she watched, there was a planet that was oddly close to the stations structures, but far enough away to not be worried of collision and merely enjoy the view. As she watched, the planet's clouds started to hiss with light. Jori stared intently at the clouds, wondering what was happening on the giant rock.

Suddenly, the clouds in one spot to the atmosphere of the planet seperated to let a slash of devestatingly bright lightning to flash from the planet and out into the stars, making a loud, roaring explosion to shake her ears. Gasping and shrieking slightly, she arms came up to guard her face as if being jumped by an unknown stranger as she curled into the chair deeper, her arms coming to rest on her lap.

"...lightning....," she managed to whisper as a small tear formed in her eye.

Falenor sensed the electrical discharge moments before the sound reached the station, and so wasn't particularly surprised by the sound. He was, however, rather shocked by the amount of energy involved in the discharge. "Hmm, that's rather-" he cut off his ramblings upon seeing Jori's reaction.

"Jori...are you alright?" he said with genuine concern. "I wouldn't worry...this station would be built to deal with more than that sort of discharge."

Her hair came out of its ponytail from the sudden jerk by Jori. She could hear Falenor's voice, but it wasn't reaching her. It seemed distant, like someone talking normal volume from across the room. Another voice was drowning it out.

"Sorry...maybe another time." the voice hissed in her shocked mind.

Curling further into the chair, her eyes watered with tears as she submitted into a protective position as more thunder and lightning haunted her vision of the window.

Sensing something amiss, Falenor had resumed telepathic activity just in time to pick up on something odd in Jori's mind. Whatever it was had been drowned out by strong feelings of sadness, so he wasn't able to actually work out what it was, if anything. Something's not right here...

"What is going on? I might be able to do something if you just tell me what the matter is..," he said almost urgently, growing more worried by the second.

Her mind fell deeper into the back of her thoughts as the man that could have killed her filled her mind; the lightning outside the window becoming slightly fierce.

"...L-...lightning...," her voice was as jagged as a worn dagger as tears dripped to the floor. Each time she saw lightning now, this would happen. Her thoughts and memories would overwhelm her. On the other hand, how could she forget.

That evil man.

Her fear became unbearable as she held her head in her arms, trying to think of something else, but all to fail. Falenor's voice still distant.

Finally reaching a point of panic, Falenor tried communicating directly with Jori's mind. "What is going on? Is there anything I can do to-" he stopped immediately when he stumbled upon the source of the trouble in her mind. A sudden surge of anger swept through him as he was reminded of the whole incident...something he'd been trying to forget ever since it happened.

"I...I'm so sorry...I should have tried harder to prevent that...but it's alright, you're safe here now, he won't come after you..." he thought at her in his best approximation of a comforting tone.

Her unwanted thoughts and memories continues to overwhelm her mind as she continues to cry where she sat. His voice haunting her.

Suddenly, another voice seemed to shatter everything. The lightning calmed, and the man's voice shuttered to a nothingness. I...I'm so sorry...I should have tried harder to prevent that...but it's alright, you're safe here now, he won't come after you...

How would she know that he wouldn't? Zixlon was a madman.

She then realized her thoughts were back in place, her vision fogged from tears she continue to cry, but in control of her mind as she looked at the scars still left on her knees from the incident.

"He doesn't know where you are. And frankly, there are enough people here to mount a reasonable defense should he be stupid enough to return," a touch of anger entered his thoughts at the last part. "Besides which if he comes anywhere near this station, I will have advance warning. That amount of energy is bound to attract my attention, even if I'm not actively looking out for it," he concluded.

"Now...you don't have to worry about Zixlon for the moment. I will see to it personally that the whole station is alerted if he gets anywhere near it, okay?" he said kindly, offering Jori a corner of his cloak to dry her eyes with.

The fierce voice that once haunted her was replaced by her new friend's calm one. It was a switch that was a blessing. Anything to get rid of that horrid man in her thoughts.

Trying the control herself, she started to wipe her eyes with her hand. "..n-no...I wouldn't...want to dirty your cloak..."

Falenor chuckled very slightly and dried Jori's hand off with a small amount of heat. "I would have just done that for my cloak, you know," he said kindly. "It will all turn out alright, there's no need to worry..." he thought soothingly.

"I wish there was more I could have done...or even more that I could do now...I guess all we can do is our best," he thought to himself.

Hearing the kind voice of a friends was the best thing she could hear at that moment. It was hard to gain herself again as she sat, but she managed as she sat up straight from her arms, her hair in her face once again.

"...I...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."