8

A stiff wind blew down the peak of Mount Dh'karis. Snow filled the air around them, making the air thick and grey as the four figures of the Inquisitors stopped at the first summit of the mountain, looking up at the unending stone wall that waited above them.

The snow beneath their feet was crisp and white. Untouched. It came to Saedii's midcalf as they stood and she felt as it compacted beneath her boot.

Dull pain lit along the seam of her prosthetic. The cold was so intense it had begun to make the metal of her arm bitingly cold, even beneath the leather. Absentmindedly, she rubbed at the shoulder joint.

"The mountain is big," Krell called over the howling of the wind. "We'll need to split up."

The mountain was vast. Even if they split up, it could take weeks for all four of them to cover every inch. Weeks that they didn't have.

The cold had made Saedii's fingers and toes numb, despite the thick leathers. It was obvious just how woefully unprepared Krell had been for the climate of Celiph, and Saedii had a feeling that he was determined not to admit that he had erred. Without winter gear, there was a chance they'd all die on the mountain if they weren't careful.

A twisted sense of pride filled her as she thought of Hunter and Tech. They never would have been caught unprepared out here. Tech would have done his research and had them all in cold weather gear before the ship landed. For all of Krell's prowess with a lightsaber, he had no skill in leading.

Her pride withered as Saedii wondered what would happen to Omega if Saedii died out here on the mountain. Would Krell kill her in punishment for his own failure?

The thought worried her enough that she began to move her fingers and toes. Trying to force her body to warm. To force blood flow.

She would not let Omega be punished for Krell's stupidity.

The First Brother seemed to be in line with Saedii's thoughts. "We are ill-prepared for this weather, Grand Inquisitor."

"A little cold will not be enough to deter us from our mission," Krell snapped.

The wild winds whipping around them were far more than just a little snow. Judging by the darkening clouds above them, a full-blown blizzard was likely.

The First Brother seemed to think so, too. His eyes narrowed and he said tactfully, "If we were to reconvene on the ship –"

"No," Krell said at once. "I will not risk the Jedi escaping."

"He's not a Jedi," Saedii pointed out. "He's a youngling. Most younglings wouldn't know how to survive out here in these conditions."

"He has for two and a half years."

"This weather may force him to make mistakes," the Second Sister was quick to point out. Always coming to Krell's support, even in the face of sheer futility. "We have a greater chance to catch him now."

"We have a greater chance to die," the First Brother said.

The Second Sister gave him a little smirk. "Scared, brother?"

His face did not change expression. "There is no honor in a pointless death. I prefer to go with meaning."

"This is not up for debate," Krell ordered. "We'll split up."

A little thrill went through Saedii. He was letting her go off on her own?

As if he could hear Saedii's thoughts, he yanked her close by the arm and snarled into her ear, "Except for you. You come with me."

Snow crunched beneath Saedii's boots as she followed behind Krell. Through the white hazy air behind her, she sensed as the other two Inquisitors quickly disappeared into the gathering blizzard.

The Force was frenzied around her. Saedii could feel the energy of the rising storm. It was powerful and only promised to grow stronger throughout the night. Ice and snow plummeted down towards the side of the mountain, and the heavy clouds threatened to dump even more.

If Krell sensed this danger, he gave no indication. Just marched in stony determination forward.

This high up on the mountain, nothing grew. The sparse vegetation they'd passed couldn't seem to survive in this high altitude. The numbers in Saedii's helmet revealed that they were very high up – high enough that without the oxygen converter, the air would have felt thin and hard to breathe.

Craggy outcroppings littered their path. The mountain appeared to be restless, like it coughed up chunks of rocks and let them spill along its peaks. Under the thick blanket of snow, it made the terrain look like had been drawn by a child. All uneven lines and sharp, jagged points.

Dark pockets of caves pocked the sides. Saedii could see a few in the short bubble of visibility before her, but she could sense dozens more hidden among the thick white winds and heavy snows.

Krell went straight towards the nearest cave. Once he'd passed the threshold, his lightsaber was lit in his hand, painting the walls in a violent red light that seemed obtrusive among the swirling white. Saedii followed suit.

Inside, it was cold but gentler than it had been out in the storm. The howling wind couldn't reach them here and the blustering snow never crept past the entrance, but the air itself was still cold. Glassy puddles of ice collected in the corners of the cave, dangling from the rocky ceiling like chandeliers.

Striding forward, Krell began to peer along the stone floor for clues. Saedii wasn't sure what he was looking for. Apart from a few rocks, the cave was empty. Even the echoes of the Force revealed that only animals had visited in the past few weeks.

Saedii wanted to point out that there was nothing there, but she wasn't eager to return to the storm. Plus, another part of her recognized, the longer they remained here – where no Jedi had obviously visited – the better chance the youngling had of going undiscovered.

"Come, Sister," Krell commanded, stalking deeper inside.

Reluctantly, Saedii followed.

Her visor lit up the cave with red light, letting her see the long empty tunnel stretching ahead of them. She frowned at the sight of it – at the vast empty expanse ahead of them. There was nothing that should be of interest to Krell. Nothing that suggested anyone was hiding in here at all.

A step ahead of her, Krell asked lightly, "You doubt me, Sister?"

"No, Master."

"You lie."

Saedii held her tongue. Sure he was baiting her.

"Or perhaps your reluctance comes from the youngling. That you hope we don't find him," Krell added. His tone was deceptively dangerous.

"The Jedi are traitors," Saedii said mechanically. An instinctual response by now. "It is our duty to eradicate them –"

Krell spun, looking annoyed. "Aren't you tired of your pretty lies? Why don't you tell me what you truly think?"

Definitely baiting her. Without any real clues, Krell was growing restless. Looking for an outlet for his nervous energy. Saedii was proving the closest target.

"That is what I truly think, Master," she said, voice even.

A wry tilt pulled at Krell's lips. "Is it? Or are you just telling me what I want to hear?"

Usually, Krell was content to hear her automatic answers. Content to hear his words from her mouth. He must really be frustrated with this hunt if he was trying to goad her for them now.

"You have enlightened me. I see the Jedi for what they are."

"And you will do your duty and kill the Jedi when we find him?"

No, that horrified voice in her mind shouted.

Saedii silenced it. "Of course, Master."

Frustrated, Krell turned and continued stalking forward. Already bored of their conversation. Saedii was glad to see he'd regained interest in the tunnel ahead.

The further they walked, the more barren the tunnel grew. No snow reached this far inside the mountain. No icy wind, though the air stayed frigid and still. Faded footprints of animals long-gone littered the ground – some small and rounded, others large with thick pads and sharp claws. Old white bones of a small creature snapped under Krell's boots.

The numbers in Saedii's helmet told her they were nearly a mile inside the mountain. At a very dangerous altitude. There was no way that anyone could survive up here without oxygen. What did Krell think he was going to find?

Krell suddenly stopped, peering at a small crevice in the wall beside them. More footprints were clustered around it. Evidence that smaller animals had used this space to hide from the harsh and bitter cold.

Hovering his lightsaber by the entrance, Krell examined the size of the hole. Eyes flicking over its rough edges.

"What do you think, Sister?"

The sound of his voice in the silence sounded like a cruiser lifting off. Saedii was glad that her helmet hid her frown. "It looks like a hole."

"It's the perfect size for a child. Deep enough within the mountain that most others likely wouldn't venture this far."

Saedii said nothing to this. It really just looked like a hole to her.

"Go in and check it out," Krell ordered.

"Why me?" Saedii demanded before she could help herself.

The look Krell turned on her was dangerously displeased. "You're the only one of us that can fit."

At quick glance, it appeared deep. Not just a crevice but a much smaller tunnel that branched away from the main. When Saedii reached out with the Force, she felt several miles stretch away from it, deeper into the heart of the mountain.

"How far do you want me to go?" she asked uneasily. She didn't like the narrow feel of the tunnel. Even for her small frame, it would be a tight squeeze. Not that she was claustrophobic, but it would certainly be uncomfortable.

"I want to know what's waiting at the other end."

Frustration swept through her before she could help it. That could take hours.

Sensing her anger, Krell's eyes flashed with warning. "If you refuse..."

He didn't need to finish that threat. Saedii was already climbing inside.

Stone scraped at her shoulders as she shimmied inside. There was a sharp tink as her helmet bounced off the wall, scraping on both sides. Saedii ducked her head, crouching lower.

"Sister," Krell's voice called after her in the gloom. "If you find the Jedi, kill him."

It was perhaps the first time that Saedii hoped she would fail one of his tasks. Hoped that, if there truly was a youngling here in the mountain, that she wouldn't find him. That she wouldn't have to be the one to take his life.

The tunnel sloped gently down. Slowly, as Saedii followed its path, the numbers on the inside of her helmet began to drop as she began to lose altitude. Through her visor, she was able to pick out more of those tracks from earlier and she briefly wondered if there would be anything dangerous waiting for her in this tunnel.

Pebbles skittered beneath her boot. They echoed as they bounced, rolling down the sloping floor, which was growing steadily sharper. Soon, Saedii was forced to reach both hands out to guide her descent, going slow. Careful of every step.

Suddenly, her foot slipped along a thin layer of ice – out of place this deep within the mountain. As it slipped, the sickening sensation of empty air greeted her searching foot and her body tipped forward.

The breath left her as she hit the ground, sliding down the nearly vertical drop of the ground as the tunnel descended straight down. Rock barked against her shoulders and knees as she slid down, too fast.

Saedii pushed out with the Force, slowing her body. Beneath her back, she was surprised to find the stone was coated in ice, providing a perfect slide down the sharp incline. A much faster way to travel the tunnel than walking, though it would be a bitch to climb back up.

Idly, Saedii watched the numbers in her visor. Watched as she dropped dramatically deep within the mountain. As first one mile, then another slipped away.

Finally, after what felt like a very long time, the tunnel leveled out. The ice beneath her disappeared, replaced with rough rock that scraped against her leathers. Saedii used the Force to slow her body before it rocketed forward, coming to a graceful stop in a crouch along the floor.

Carefully, Saedii stood, looking back up at the tunnel. At the drop she'd just fallen down. From this angle, it appeared far sharper than she'd realized. If she hadn't used the Force to slow her, she likely would have broken a bone upon landing, or worse. Only a Force user could have survived it.

As the thought crossed her mind, Saedii's body suddenly went rigid. The Force had grown light and golden around her. Thriving with life. Her stomach dropped as she recognized that feeling.

She wasn't alone.

Warm air brushed along her arms. Unnaturally warm. Further down the tunnel, something hung from the ceiling, wreathed in an orange flickering glow.

Saedii's steps were near silent as she approached. Her lightsaber hung like a promise at her belt – a vicious reminder of her mission. But she kept it where it was.

A striped tawny hide appeared in the gloom before her. It was crudely cut, like whoever had made it had never done so before. The way it hung was eerily like a door, blocking the tunnel from the larger cavern that Saedii sensed waited ahead.

A Force user was in there. She could sense him, sleeping. Completely oblivious to her presence. Something about his signature was familiar, and Saedii's heart felt like it leapt into her throat as she reached out a hand and slid the fur to the side.

A cozy, warm space waited. It wasn't much larger than the gunner's mount in the Marauder. A large fire burned at the center, smoke trailing up to disappear through cracks in the ceiling, making the space comfortably warm.

It was crudely furnished. A few rusty boxes sat in one corner, packed with supplies like ration bars, water jugs, and soap. Spindly grey wood had been tied together to create a weapons arsenal – though that "arsenal" consisted only of two vibro knives and a single, very old looking plasmabow. Mismatched and misshapen pelts covered every square inch of the floor, piled high into a makeshift bed in the corner.

And in that bed, sleeping soundly, was a familiar figure.

Skinny and gangly. Green body. Large eyes – closed at the moment, though Saedii knew they would be a mottled brown when open. Dark freckles peppered across the bridge of his nose.

Cid had been right. It was a youngling – one that Saedii knew.

Zatt Zubari.