Mission 4: "A Chilling Discovery"

Epilogue Supplemental 4.2


"Freezer Burn" By Korey Robinson

Part 2


Satchal Paige sat in the cold snow just outside the cave entrance, and his heart and mind were filled with despair and hopelessness. He was all alone in the darkness of the Hoth night, and the biting wind cut through his suit with little effort. Without friend and without any sort of idea where he should go or what he should do he simply sat there freezing to death.

The rumbling had finally ended, and though he stretched out with the Force he could sense nothing as to what the rumbling was or what had become of his friends. At last, after some time and nothing happening, Satchal decided to get up and see if he could find another way into the cave. Maybe if he looked around the rocky countryside he might find some sort of additional entrance.

But the cold wind was too much for him. After only traveling for about thirty minutes in no direction in particular the harsh winds began to pick up and soon he could stand it no longer. At least near the entrance to the cave he could feel the heat emanating from inside. It might still provide him with some warmth. Returning to the cave entrance he found that the door was wide open once more, but this time the heat that wafted out was far more intense. Everywhere he looked the walls were red as if superheated, and there were puddles of lava everywhere. The cracks that had once housed plant-life were now filled with the molten rock, and Satchal’s despair grew even more.





What had happened to his friends? They had been trapped inside. There was no way they could have escaped lava! Chances were their dead carcasses wouldn’t even be able to be found. They’d have melted in an instant.

Satchal dared to walk inside. So cold was he that he could not withstand the bitter night any longer. Although the stone burned beneath his feet the environmental suit did well to protect him. Satchal stumbled his way along wishing he’d died with his friends and cursing himself for fleeing. He would never get the image of Brin’tac out of his mind as he flung himself through the doorway. The confusion on his face as he watched his friend abandon him was too much. Satchal fell to his knees in agony. He wished the doors would now shut behind him and the lava would claim him as well.

And then, a voice suddenly came to him out of the darkness. To Satchal’s utter amazement he lifted his head, and there, standing before him, glowing in a bright blue light, illuminating the entire cave, was his former master. Master Lo had died some time ago when the Dark Jedi he now knew to be Wraith had killed him, and unlike many Jedi who have perished Master Lo had never come and spoken to Satchal even when he needed his master most. Now, however, his master stood before him, and Satchal was overcome for joy and grief.

“Master!” he cried in anguish, and that was all he could utter. No other words could pass his choked throat.

“My son,” Master Lo spoke in calming tones. He was a tall Cerean dressed in the same tan and brown combat garb he had worn in life. He was muscular and broad shouldered; the same impressive warrior Satchal had always known and respected. “Long have you grieved for me, but the time for that is ended. The Dark Side clouds much, and your vision has been impaired by it.” Then he raised his hand to stay him from making any defense. “Many Jedi, even the masters, have lost sight in this cloud. Long you have walked in this cloud, but it has lifted. The Enemy has forsaken you, believing you to be dead and no longer concerning himself with you. That is why I am now able to come to you.”

“But what can you possibly do to help me now, Master?” he wondered through clenched teeth. “All my friends are dead, and I’m stranded on this worthless planet to die. What good is it now to come to me? Why not wait until we meet again in the Force?”

“Trust the Force, Satchal,” said Master Lo. “Never give up hope.”

“But…”

Master Lo interrupted him. “Satchal,” he said, his voice once more having a calming effect. “You are strong in the Force, and though many fear you because they think you are weak to the Dark Side I know differently. You know the Dark Side, and though you are rash and many times act without thought you are aware of the dangers of evil far more than most. You fear the Dark Side and hate it because of what it has done to you, and this gives you great strength against it. I am no longer concerned for your future, Satchal. I believe that you have great potential against the Dark Side, and soon your strength will be greatly tested. In this you may find that you have more strength than even you may expect, and while others fail you may prove strong against evil.”



“Why are you telling me all this?” Satchal wanted to know. “How will I be greatly tested here? Is it really possible that the others are still alive?”

“Mysterious are the ways of the Force,” said Master Lo, “and many things you do not see. Be strong, My Son. Always defend yourself against the temptations of the Dark Side. Seek the Force, and it will give you the answers you need. Always and forever you will be my dear son, and remember that there are many ways to defeat the Dark Side of the Force. Look for every avenue before resorting to violence. Seek the Light. Reject the Dark, and be confident in the Force. You have the makings of a great Jedi, and already you have grown far more than I ever imagined. You are at the doorway of becoming a Jedi. Now take that step through the door and shun the darkness forever.”

Satchal stood to his feet before his master in amazement. “How can you say that I’m at the doorway? I’m not even close. I feel so completely not ready. I abandoned my friends to die! How am I ready?”

“The Force has guided you to this point,” said Master Lo. “You left your friends for a purpose. Look for it. Never underestimate the Force. It guides you, and everything happens for a reason, Satchal. Look now for that reason. Let the Force guide you now. I must leave you for now, and though darkness may cloud your vision once more know that I am always with you. May the Force be with you, My Son.”

And with that Master Lo vanished as if he’d never been leaving Satchal standing there feeling both encouraged by his master’s words and a sense of loss that he was gone once more. However, it wasn’t long before Master Lo’s words sunk in, and Satchal began to feel a new sense of confidence and determination. Igniting his lightsaber he decided to investigate the cavern once more to determine what had happened to his friends. Making his way along he now attuned himself to the Force as best he could and searched for signs of them anywhere.





The lava surged down the passage right towards Geldar, Tarrsk, Lialla and Brin’tac as Brin’tac and Lialla stared in a trance-like horror at the oncoming death. Geldar was at the door with his lightsaber about to slice through it, but just as his blade was about to strike the door it opened. Without hesitation, Geldar grabbed Brin’tac and together with Tarrsk carrying Lialla they dove into the door. It closed moments after they were inside, and then the lava smashed into the doorway.

Brin’tac and Lialla both snapped out of their reverie as if they’d just awakened from a wonderful dream. “What’s going on?” Lialla asked in bewilderment. “How are we alive?”

“The door just opened,” answered Geldar, who was gasping desperately for air.

Lialla and Brin’tac both looked around them as Tarrsk and Geldar fought to catch their breaths. The light of the glow rods fell on a small, dark chamber made completely of plastisteel. A hallway led just to the left of the door as you enter the room, and it was large enough for them to walk two abreast. The hallway led on into darkness beyond what they could see, and there was no furniture or decorations of any kind in the area.

Because of everything that had just occurred, though, not one of them was ready yet to wander down that passage. All were quite shaken up by the rushing lava trap, and none wanted it to be repeated.

At last, as Tarrsk finally recovered from the incident, he stood to his feet and confronted Lialla with a terrible scowl on his face. “If you ever do something that stupid again I’ll tear you apart, limb from limb and toss your pieces into the lava as I run!”

“Easy,” said Geldar, trying desperately to calm his friend before pieces did start flying. “She was just as excited as we were. Any of us could have done the same thing, and she’s lucky to have escaped without losing her head from that blade.”

Tarrsk backed down, but his anger was still red-hot. It was, however, at that moment, that Lialla noticed Satchal’s disappearance. “Where’s Satchal?” she asked with newfound concern and fear.

“Relax,” replied Brin’tac, though he was quite confused still, and hurt, that his friend had left him there. “He escaped through the main entrance.” Then giving him the benefit of the doubt he added, “He’s probably gone to find help. He rushed out the entrance just before it closed.”

“Fled like a coward is more like it,” hissed Tarrsk. “I can’t wait to get my hands on him, too.”

“Relax,” echoed Geldar. “I’m sure he had good reasons. Now let’s not worry about him. He’ll likely have his own problems out in the freezing cold of night. We have to figure out where we are and whether or not there’s anyone or anything here.”

Deciding that he was right Tarrsk fell silent on that issue. However, he wasn’t about to let Lialla lead anymore, and he immediately took to the front. “I’ll guide us this time. You never know what we might come across in here.” Then moving down the corridor Tarrsk led them into the darkness as Geldar’s lightsaber and the glow rods lit the way.





The passages inside the cave were hot and smoky, and it was difficult for Satchal to make his way through them. He had decided first to check the entire entranceway for signs of Brin’tac, but when he found nothing he decided to head on down the right passage to see if they had gone that way. Lava was everywhere, and Satchal had to carefully make his way along to avoid stepping in pools of the molten rock. Finally, he reached the cavern that Lialla and the others had been in when they’d sprung the trap, and Satchal saw that the lava had dropped back to its place some hundred feet below. Any signs of the crate that they’d found were gone.

Satchal moved about the cavern searching for signs of his friends, and his hopes began to drop once more. It was because of this that Satchal spotted the trap that Lialla had sprung. A single strand of metal wiring, as thin as a razor blade’s edge, was spread from one boulder to another across the path to the other entrance to the cavern. In fact, as Satchal examined the area closer he spotted several more wires strewn about the area.

Now things were beginning to make more sense. Someone must have set off a trap that caused the lava to rise and fill the entire place. “But if that’s the case then they must have fled up the passage or through this other one. Either way Brin’tac wouldn’t have fled this way. He most likely would have gone down the left passage.”

Since he was there, however, he decided to see where the other entrance led. Carefully making his way past the trip wires Satchal reached the entrance and peered inside. What he saw was completely unexpected.

The entire chamber beyond was enormous. From ceiling to floor it was about two hundred feet. The width of the cavern was at least twice that size, but the thing that was most impressive was the massive machine that filled almost the entire cavern. Intricate cables and hoses of enormous size were strewn about the cavern like a massive web all about the machine, and it seemed that, in spite of the obvious age of the contraption that it was still in good repair. Something must have been maintaining it.

But what did the machine do? It obviously wasn’t working at that moment for no sound came from it. All around there were lanterns that were not lit, and as Satchal made his way past the cables and hoses he saw that there were many power tools and, to his great delight, a few droids.

Satchal hurried to the first droid he saw and attempted to power it up. It was an astromech droid that looked to be of an older model than that which was used today. However, when he flicked the switch the droid powered up as if it had never ceased to function. The droid emitted a series of beeps and whistles out of a voice box that was obviously malfunctioning. The sound was seriously distorted and muffled as if the droid were speaking from far away.

Satchal was unsure about what to do. The droid obviously couldn’t speak, but it might know something useful to him. “Do you have a master? If so where is he?” The droid’s dome swiveled, and it emitted another series of beeps. Then, all at once, it extended its third leg and attempted to wheel away. After wobbling for several seconds the droid suddenly tipped over and fell on its face. Its wheels were obviously in disrepair, and it wasn’t about to go anywhere.

At this point Satchal decided to try to find another droid that might be useful, and sure enough, at the back of the machine he found a C-42 Maintenance Droid. It was still functioning, but it looked old and well worn. However, it spoke Basic, and when he approached it greeted him, “Who are you, and why are you here?”

“I am a Jedi Padawan,” said Satchal. “My friends and I were stranded here. What is this place?”

“You have arrived at Republic Excavation Sight G1942801,” said the droid. “This sight is currently run by Doctor Adlar Birmotheous. I am a maintenance droid in charge of maintaining and repairing this machine.”

“What is this machine?” wondered Satchal as he stared back at the monstrous device.

“It is a CX-142A Thermo-Seismic Generator Unit,” said the droid.

“What does it do?” asked Satchal, still trying to figure things out.

The droid seemed at a loss. “I’m not entirely sure. I’m not programmed to understand the use of this equipment. I am simply programmed to maintain it.”

“But you know it’s a CX-140 Something Generator Unit thingy?” he asked.

“A CX-142A Thermo-Seismic Generator Unit,” repeated the droid. “And yes. I know what it is, but I do not know what it does.”

“Why are their traps all over this place?” asked Satchal, deciding to move on.

“I’m not sure what you mean?” asked the droid, much to Satchal’s frustration.

“Forget it,” said Satchal hoping to find something else that was more useful. “Do you know any of the layout of this facility?”

“Negative,” said the droid. “I am only programmed to remain here and maintain the machine. The astromech droid, however, may have some useful information regarding schematics of the area.”

“Can you understand the astromech droid?” asked Satchal.

“Affirmative,” answered the droid, much to Satchal’s relief. “Good. Then come with me.”

“I am not programmed to obey your commands or assist you in any capacity,” answered the droid. Satchal sneered, but then he calmed himself as he remembered what his master had said. Relax, he told himself. It is not here to serve you but the machine. I’ll just have to figure out a way to work around its programming.

“Do you work with the astromech droid?” asked Satchal.

“I am programmed to work with that droid,” replied the maintenance droid. “However he has fallen into disrepair, and I am unable to work with him anymore. He began working to destroy the machine so I was forced to shut him down.”

“You have knowledge as to how to do that?” asked Satchal.

“Affirmative,” said the droid. “It is a mere flick of the switch.” And Satchal was taken aback by the tone of the droid. It was almost as if it had used sarcasm.

“What if I brought the droid over here to speak with you? Would you communicate with it?” he asked.

“Affirmative,” replied the droid. “However, if it will only speak of destroying the machine again I will be forced to deactivate it again.”

Satchal paused to think about this. “Are there any other droids around here?” “I am not aware of any,” answered the droid.

“Fine,” said Satchal, and he turned to get the astromech droid and drag it over to the maintenance droid. After several minutes of struggling he finally succeeded, and he sat the droid upright so it could communicate more effectively.

“Now,” said Satchal to the astromech. “Will you tell the maintenance droid to tell me where your master is?”

The astromech responded with a series of whistles and hoots. When the maintenance droid heard this he spun around and stared at the astromech droid for a moment before speaking. “He states that he is programmed to destroy and disassemble this machine.”

“Why?” asked Satchal. “Who is responsible for this programming?”

The droid emitted another series of whistles and beeps. “He says that his master’s name is unknown to him. However, he could project an image of his master if you would like.”

“Fine,” said Satchal, and instantly the image appeared from a holographic projector. The image was of a tan cloaked individual with red hair and a stunning appearance. It was difficult to make out exactly what she looked like, but it was obvious to Satchal that she was some sort of Jedi. She wore a lightsaber at her hip as she crouched before something Satchal couldn’t see.

“You are now programmed to destroy this machine at all costs,” the voice replied in the image. “Nothing else is as important as this mission. The machine must be destroyed.”

Then the image faded either due to a malfunction or the droid simply deeming it necessary only to show that much of the scene. Satchal turned back to the droid. “Where is your master now?” he asked.

The droid twittered a response. “He says he is unsure where his master is now. He has not seen her since she programmed him.”

“And this droid once worked with you?” asked Satchal.

“Affirmative,” said the maintenance droid. “He once worked with me to keep the machine functioning. He often brought supplies from the storehouse to here for me to use. Now, unfortunately, I am unable to receive some of the more vital parts that I need. Therefore the machine is no longer functioning to its proper capacity.”

“What capacity is it running on?” asked Satchal.

“It is now mostly not functioning,” the droid replied. “It has been turned off unless activated from elsewhere.”

“How often has it activated?” asked Satchal.

“Only twice since I have shut it down,” replied the droid. “The most current time was approximately thirty minutes ago.”

Satchal then fell silent in thought. The device must have something to do with the lava trap. But what else does it do? “What else is in this place?” asked Satchal of the astromech droid.

“This tunnel ends here,” replied the maintenance droid as he translated for the astromech. “The other passage, as you head out, leads to the excavation site, supply room, bunks, control center, hanger bay, security office, and droid repair bay.”

“Hanger bay?” asked Satchal, his eyes lighting up at the thought of another ship being on the planet that might get them off world. “Where is that?”

“He says that he will show you if you repair him,” said the maintenance droid. “However, repairing him may only lead to further destruction of the machine.”

“Fine,” said Satchal. “I’ll see about repairing you in a minute. What does this machine do?”

“The machine is built using an ancient artifact found within this excavation site,” stated the droid. “It was built for military purposes devised by a weapons specialist of some sort.”

“How long ago was this?” asked Satchal.

“He is unable to determine this,” stated the droid. “He is unsure as to how long he has been offline.”

Satchal sighed. “Do you remember what military this specialist was working for?”

The droid paused and then gave his answer. “Negative,” replied the maintenance droid. “He does not know.”

Satchal nodded. “Okay. What sort of military purpose was it designed for?” He immensely hated talking to stupid droids, and his patience was wearing thin.

“The machine creates a pressurized lava surge that builds up to the point where the pressure bursts out of the barrel of the weapon like a massive volcano. However, the power of the burst is magnified by the machine to three hundred thousand times the normal pressure of a volcano eruption. Therefore, the firing capacity of the weapon is ranged at approximately one million two hundred and fifty two thousand feet.”

Satchal’s eyes went wide. That was a pretty sizable range. This weapon could essentially be tapped into any lava flow on any planet and used as a devastating weapon of defense against any army. It wouldn’t do much to ships in space, but it would decimate whole armies of ground troops as well as whole populaces at great distances. No wonder the Jedi in the holo wanted it destroyed.

“Thank you for the info,” said Satchal, and he turned to walk away.

The astromech whistled and hooted loudly as he strode away. “Don’t worry,” said Satchal. “I’ll be back to help you succeed in your mission.

But even as he walked away the maintenance droid shut down the astromech droid once more and returned to its task.





Tarrsk’s heart was beating rapidly in his chest, but outwardly he showed no sign of fear or anxiety. To all present he was a pillar of strength. Even Geldar, with his Jedi calming practices, was having difficulty keeping down his fear. The place was filled with shadows, and there was always a sense that something was lurking around the next corner. Little sounds often pricked their ears causing them to jump with weapons at the ready in the direction of the sound.

Still, nothing came. The corridor they had started in wound down into the underground deeper shooting off in several directions here and there. Each time they veered off the main path, which was sometimes hard to determine, they found that the path led to a dead end. At last, however, after about thirty minutes or so of travelling they came to a large room filled with signs of battle. Security droids and skeletal remains littered the floor; their parts scattered everywhere. Blaster burns scoured the walls, floor, and ceiling. Computer terminals that had once been operational were now dark and blasted.

“I don’t like the looks of this,” Lialla remarked softly. “What caused this battle?”

Tarrsk’s foot stepped upon something that crunched under his feet. Moving the lamp down to the floor to get a closer look he saw that the object he’d stepped on was a skeletal arm clutching an old blaster.

“I’m not sure,” said Geldar as he moved about to examine one of the terminals. “One thing is for sure there is a heavy silence on this place, and I feel a sense of dread here. Something evil lurked here.”

“I feel it too,” remarked Brin’tac. “From the moment we came into this room.”

“This armor is old,” Tarrsk put in. “Do you recognize this symbol, Brin’tac?” he asked as he held up the armor plating that had once been the shoulder guard that the arm he’d stepped on had been protected by.

Brin’tac moved over to examine the armor and the symbol painted on it. Brin’tac’s brow furrowed as he held it up to the glow rod. “I think it’s Sith armor, dating back to about 3,000 to 4,000 years ago.” He then stooped down to examine the rest of the outdated armor. “Silver and black. I don’t recognize the era.”

“There’s nothing of value here,” said Lialla as she walked across the room. “This room looks like a security station. Without power to the terminals we won’t get any information from…”

But Geldar cut her off with the flick of a power switch. The terminal powered up and information began to scroll across the screen. The symbol of the Sith appeared on the screen as the machine booted up. “Why would this terminal be active after three or four thousand years?”

“And why did the door open automatically for us?” Brin’tac pointed out as he came over to see what Geldar could find.

“Someone’s still here, that’s why,” Tarrsk answered, and he continued to eye the other three doors to the room.

“The terminal’s up,” said Geldar. “Let’s find out what’s in this place.”

“It requires a security password,” Brin’tac replied. “If only Nyarchagga was here.”

Geldar nodded. “Well, let’s see what we can do.”

“There’s no need,” came a voice from the shadows. Instantly they all whirled around to see what it was, but though Tarrsk had been staring at the entrances the whole time he could see no sign of anyone. “I can tell you all you need to know.” The voice was female in origin, but still no one could see who was speaking.

“Who are you and where are you?” asked Geldar with his lightsaber at the ready. He was ready at any second for some dark creature to come lashing out at them.

“I am Ivanna,” the voice replied. “Why have you come here?”

“We were stranded here,” Brin’tac replied. “We have come here hopefully to find parts and equipment we could use to repair our ship and give it enough power to get off planet.”

“Then you have no hope. There is nothing here that can help you,” she replied. “Everything here is falling apart.”

“Where are you?” asked Tarrsk, a little edgy. He was constantly shifting his attention from one entrance to the other.

“I am here,” she replied, and instantly a dark hooded figure appeared from the shadows of the entrance along the left wall. The door had been blasted or sliced open, and the figure simply stepped lightly through it. “I sense that you are not hostile towards me.”

Geldar stepped forward, still holding his lightsaber defensively in front of him. “This place holds evil. You say you are a Jedi Knight, but why do you dwell in such a place?”

“I have had little choice,” replied Ivanna. Still they could not see what she looked like in the dim light that cast shadows on her face. She looked human enough in form, and finely shaped. Her dark cloak covered everything but her black boots so none of them could see what she was really equipped with. “There is little life on this planet, and here is the safest place to be. One could live here for some time without either starving or freezing to death, and so I have for almost ten years now.”

“Ten years!” Geldar said, a bit more disarmed. “What has happened here?”

“The story is long, and there is no point in you aiming your blasters at me,” she replied coolly. “Please lower your weapons and follow me to a more…pleasant and less odiferous place.”

“Forgive me if I don’t lower my blaster just yet,” Tarrsk replied heatedly. “I don’t exactly trust strange Jedi in dark places especially since a Dark Jedi is the cause for our being stranded on this planet in the first place.”

“Suit yourself,” said Ivanna. “Just don’t get too trigger happy.” Then she turned and strode out the way she’d come in.

Lialla exchanged looks with the others, and slowly they followed. Ivanna led them into the darkened hallway, and it was obvious from the stench and numerous bodies that this had been a last stand for those who had fled from the security chamber. More of the armored soldiers were everywhere along with other soldiers with the Republic symbol on their helmets or shoulder-plates. Also among the bodies they spotted a few robed figures whose bodies have long ago decayed. Clutched in many of their hands were lightsabers. Some were smashed or destroyed, but some looked to be still functional. Geldar stooped to touch one, but Ivanna suddenly stopped and spun around with a warning look in her eye. “Touch nothing!” she snapped, and Geldar withdrew his hand quickly.

“Why?” he asked, a bit shaken.

“Darkness has imbued itself in everything in this place, especially the dead of former Dark Jedi,” she replied.

Geldar glanced back down at the body, and for a moment he saw – or perhaps it was a figment of his imagination – a smile flit across the face of the skeletal figure. Geldar winced and withdrew further towards Ivanna and Tarrsk, who were leading them, and they continued once more down the passage.

Several doors opened off the main corridor they were travelling down, but they continued on without investigation. The passage wasn’t very long, and at the end she stopped before a door that appeared to still be functional. Opening the door she led them into a large supply room. There several chairs, a table, a bunk, and storage crates were set all about the room in an orderly fashion. The room was of a moderate temperate and the atmosphere seemed lighter here. A bright light shone brightly from the ceiling lights making the room a comfortable place and even pleasant; the first real pleasant place they’d encountered since coming to Hoth.

“This is where I live,” replied Ivanna throwing back her hood to reveal a red-haired young woman who was the vision of beauty. Her face looked to be sculpted by a master artist with dark green eyes and perfect proportions. Her hair fell in wisps across her face but was pulled back in a low ponytail that cascaded down in a wavy river to just between her shoulder blades. “I seldom travel from this place except to gather some food or to cultivate its growth.”



“Must have been rather lonely and dismal,” remarked Brin’tac with sympathy. “And you say you’ve been here for ten years?”

“Please,” said Ivanna, gesturing to the chairs. They looked hard and uncomfortable, but they were all they had to work with.

“What do you need with all these chairs?” asked Tarrsk, skeptically. “Are you expecting company?”

Ivanna sat in a chair near the bunk and a small table with some books on it as she looked up at him. Crossing her legs and placing her hands on the arms of the chair she appeared to relax. “I was expecting you,” she answered.

“Expecting us?” said Tarrsk. “It didn’t feel like you were warmly welcoming us. We nearly got fried by the lava flow.”

“Relax,” Ivanna replied, and it seemed that a calming wave passed over them from the mere mention of the word. Tarrsk even lowered his blaster a bit. “I didn’t know you were here until you set off the trap.”

“Yeah,” said Geldar, now that she’d mentioned the trap. “What’s with the trap?” “I don’t know how to disable it. The trap was set up by others, not me,” she answered.

“This seems too much like another trap from that Dark Jedi who stranded here.”

“Wraith,” muttered Brin’tac as the word stirred dark emotions within him.

“How did you know we were coming?” asked Tarrsk, a bit less hostile.

“I saw it in a vision,” said Ivanna. “I saw a ship crashing to the snows. A dark shadow passed over them and a mountain crashed down on them. Then rising from the darkness they ascended to the heights of the mountain only to be buried in a storm. But one light ventured forth and found its way here where I would meet it. This light and I have some common bond, though I know not what that might be. The light was surrounded by several others. I have seen all of your faces in my vision…only…where are the others? We are to escape this dark place only to face a darker future. I knew not when this vision would come to pass.”

“First let me thank you, then,” said Geldar, “for saving us. We are in your debt. The other you speak of must be Satchal, our other companion who ventured forth with us. We were separated.” He shot Brin’tac a glance, but the Bothan did not return it.

“So what exactly happened here?” asked Brin’tac. “What is this place, and why is there evil here?”

Ivanna drew in a deep breath and sighed. “Sit, please,” she said again gesturing to the chairs. At this point all but Tarrsk took a seat. The Trandoshan took a stance near Geldar, who sat closest to Ivanna near the bunk.

“About thirty-five hundred years ago, an exploration team came to this planet to learn more about it,” Ivanna began, her voice calming and as beautiful as she was. “They uncovered a metal deep in this excavation sight that could actually withstand the heat of lava. However, before they could do much with it a Dark Jedi named Morkali, Sith apprentice to Darth Rivan, arrived here with a large force of Sith soldiers who took control of the sight. They had learned of the site’s existence because the scientists here got their supplies from a nearby system that Rivan controlled. With the metal Morkali created a massive machine that could pressurize the lava flow through a large cannon and send it bursting out in a huge lava blast that would incinerate anything it fired at. I believe, according to the logs here, that it was built more for defensive purposes than anything. Darth Morkali fortified this location with several Sith assault droids and creatures of many horrors besides his Sith troops.”

“But the weapon’s potential never reached Rivan or left Hoth,” continued Ivanna. “As soon as it was completed and Morkali was about to test it out word came from several escaped soldiers of Rivan’s army that the Republic had located his fortress, and he was defeated. Morkali was the new Dark Lord of the Sith. Morkali fortified his position and prepared for the Republic attack that he knew would come.”

“It didn’t take long,” Ivanna said, her voice growing more somber. “The Republic had learned of Morkali’s location from several Sith officials they had captured, and they came with a small fleet to destroy him. Morkali was strong against the Republic force that came to stop him, and there were many battles fought on Hoth. For six months the Republic managed to quarantine the entire planet keeping Morkali locked in a siege. Then, at last, the Republic brought more troops and made a final assault on Morkali. The Dark Jedi was saving his final attack for last. Unleashing the power of the volcanic eruption he decimated the Republic troops leaving only a third of the army that had dropped to infiltrate the headquarters.”

“It was a slaughter,” said Ivanna, a look of sadness in her eyes. “The Republic was unable to defeat Morkali, and as a last ditch effort to keep him from ever spreading his evil to the universe Commander Ivric Kdar ordered his troops to blast any interstellar vessels so he could never leave the planet. The troops succeeded but died before they could escape. The Republic set up a ship to patrol the system for a hundred years until they were certain Morkali and his followers were dead. No one had ever come to Hoth while Morkali lived or for the next six hundred years. Most considered Hoth a ghost planet, and a terrible place.”

“I can understand why,” remarked Tarrsk under his breath.

“But the Dark Lord’s reign on Hoth was terrible,” said Ivanna. “He created many terrible monstrosities with his alchemical formulas, and he even tortured his own troops beyond your wildest nightmares. He turned many into twisted mutations as well, and the poor scientist that had first discovered this facility, who was still alive and held captive by Morkali, suffered the greatest. This terrible time lasted for many years, even past the hundred years that the Republic kept patrol ships around the planet, for Morkali was of a long-lived race. At last, at the end of nearly three hundred years, Morkali’s followers died off, and Morkali also died as well leaving only the droids to run the place.”

“However,” Ivanna went on, “Morkali’s spirit would not rest. It haunted the facility even until ten years ago when the Sprillious Corporation came to Hoth to investigate the planet to see if it held any potential for its business. They were an independent organization that dealt in metals and alloys from the Outer Rim, and they did not search any old Republic records for information on the planet. The explorers found this facility and searched it to find out what the machine did and why it was here. They got the facility up and running to the capacity that it is now with only a few terminals, the lights and life support, and several other functions available.”

“But Morkali’s spirit found them swiftly and tormented them,” she went on, and her voice became darker and more ominous. “Morkali turned them against one another and gave them terrible illusions and nightmares. Soon they were slaughtering one another and seeking to use the machine for their own purposes. Only one of the members of the group kept his sanity, and he sent out a distress signal in hopes that someone would save them. Shortly after he was killed.”

“A passing freighter picked up on the signal and delivered the message to the Jedi. My former master and I were in the area and responded in hopes of investigating the matter; for the Jedi feared that something evil from Morkali might still remain. Since I had just become a Jedi Knight the council felt that I needed my master to join me on this mission.”

“They were right,” and at this point she paused for a long while as if too pained to continue. Then, all at once and without warning, she said, “Master Trias was a great warrior and friend. I loved him dearly. We came to this place and sought to find the answers to what had happened here. We found no survivors, but the place was crawling with the security droids that had once been operating the defenses. The droids were strong, and we fought them off to the very last. They were, however, only the diversion and the tools for the weakening of our strength.” And as she continued to tell her tale her words conjured up images so vivid it was as if each person sitting there were reliving the moment with her. “When the last droid fell the spirit of Morkali appeared and taunted us...”





Ivanna and Trias stood in the dark chamber. The lights were no longer working here, and the darkness was only broken by the light from their lightsabers. This was the excavation site, the place where Doctor Adlar Birmotheous had first discovered the rare metal that could withstand the heat of the lava flow. Now, however, there was something else lurking here. As they entered the chamber a dark presence could be distinctly felt.

And then, all at once, a ghastly image appeared before them in the dark recesses of the cavern. Here it was cold, but the presence and image of the dark figure made it more so. The ghostly apparition was a twisted monstrosity with a skull-like face, bony, wraith-like hands, a dark cloak and hood concealing almost all of the gnarled and decaying face, and metallic armor gleaming out from under the cloak.

The apparition smiled at them with lips that were thin and tight; a maniacal grin splitting his face in half to reveal his sharp-toothed maw. “Welcome, Jedi,” his voice hissed, and the words were poisoned with sarcasm. “Welcome to the tomb of Darth Morkali. I am so glad you’ve come. It has been ages since I was able to kill a Jedi.”

But Trias, a tall and powerful Barabel, would not be daunted. He roared several times, “You are but a twisted image of your former power. You have no strength against us, and all of your minions have been destroyed. There is nothing left for you.”

Morkali’s smile stretched even further across his face. “You are fools, Jedi. Mere striplings of the Jedi I faced in my day. There has been one survivor from the exploration expedition that came here, and I have hidden him from you. He is bent to my will, and he now has slipped aboard your ship. As per my instructions he has sent a message via your ship’s Interstellar Transmitter to your Jedi Council indicating that you have found nothing on Hoth and are continuing your former mission. However, mid-transmission I arranged it so that he would fly the ship right into the side of a mountain. A warning alarm went off, and as the transmission ended he cried out that pirates were attacking him. I’m sure the explosion will be quite convincing, and since I aided him in this task I’m sure the council will find it convincing as well. I even made the fool look just like you, my dear.”

At this he looked straight at Ivanna, and it was a look she’d never forget. Never before had she seen so much malice and hate. Never before had she been pulled into the Dark Side of the Force with such intensity. For that split second she felt impulses course through her that she never thought she’d ever have. Anger, vengeance, death, carnage, and every sort of desire of evil flooded her mind so hard that she withdrew herself from the ghost and stumbled back into the wall behind her to support herself.

The gaze turned back to Trias who still stood undaunted. “Your presence here has ended,” Trias announced, but Morkali only laughed.

“You underestimate the Dark Side,” Morkali answered, and at that moment, as if from nowhere, dark creatures suddenly leaped at them. They were creatures of all sorts; small and agile and massive and lumbering. Both Jedi dodged aside as the beasts came at them with full force, and in the dark chamber a cloud seemed to fall blanketing everything, even the light of the sabers.

Ivanna fought hard to control her fear, but the room was overwhelming. The presence of the dark spirit made the terror that much more impressive. Morkali swooped over towards her, and all of his malice and hate was bent on destroying her will. She could feel the Dark Side pressing in on her. She could feel, again, the power of that temptation to release herself to anger, fear, and aggression.

She dove under some massive creature’s swing and sliced off its hulking arm. Then another creature, of smaller size jumped up in her face only to find itself cut in half. “Give in!” the dark voice of Morkali whispered as if in her ear. “Strike him down! He has denied you the true power of the Force!”

Again Ivanna struggled to keep herself in check. She couldn’t let the Dark Side cloud her sight. She had to stay focused on the Light. She was a Jedi Knight now, not a Padawan. She had to prove herself true.

But suddenly, the dark apparition wavered and cried out. The darkness fell like a curtain torn in half. The creatures all wailed and seemed to flee. In that moment Ivanna turned to see Trias standing tall with hand outstretched at the apparition. He was standing upon a rocky pillar that jutted out of the floor, and all the creatures had been unable to reach him on his precarious perch. From the concentration on his face it was obvious that he was now using the Force to destroy the dark spirit.

Morkali’s apparition continued to waver as he turned his own attention on Trias. A power struggle occurred, both straining to defeat the other. Ivanna watched in amazement, and her spirits rose once more. Trias was such a powerful Jedi. Not only was he able to resist the Dark Side, but he was also able to contend with the specter.

And then, all at once, Morkali gave out a shrill cry that shook the cave, and suddenly his spirit vanished in a fierce explosion. The cave shook and boulders fell from the ceiling. Trias was shaken from his perch, and as he withdrew from his battle with the specter he realized the danger he was in. Falling towards the ground he stretched out with the Force and cushioned his fall.

But Morkali would not be denied at least some sort of victory. As Trias got to his feet with Ivanna’s help a massive boulder smashed down on the only entranceway blocking them inside. There was no route of escape unless they cut themselves out, and the excavation site they were in was now crumbling down around them. They ran to the boulder with lightsabers ready, and they began to carve their way through the rock as desperately as they could, but it was clear that Trias had been far more spent from the battle with Morkali than Ivanna had originally noticed. As they carved a large enough piece of the stone away to make a hole large enough to squeeze through another stone fell from the ceiling, and Trias was caught under it.

Ivanna wailed in horror and fear as she dropped to her master’s side to help him. Trias, however, only looked up at her with urgency on his face. “Get out!” he cried through clenched teeth. “Morkali’s final desire will be to kill us both. Go! There is no saving me!”

And Ivanna found herself suddenly scrambling out of the chamber as fast as she could in spite of how much she willed herself to go back. Up the passage she went and out into the rest of the more secured facility as the chamber behind continued to bury her master. Alone and filled with despair and hopelessness, Ivanna collapsed onto the ground and wept.





“Over time I have cleansed this place as best I could, but it yet remains a place permeated with evil,” Ivanna finished. “My master I buried near the entrance to the cavern where there was fresh dirt. I believe that Morkali and his followers used the entrance as sort of a garden to planet food where sunlight would reach it and the heat from the volcano would keep it from the harsh conditions of Hoth. Since his burial there anything that grows there is pure and good and in great number. Many animals come to graze upon it throughout the years, and it brings me some comfort knowing that in his death my master has provided life for others, including myself.”

“Kind of morbid if you ask me,” Tarrsk commented, but it was under his breath and only Geldar heard him.

“What about the traps and such?” asked Brin’tac.

“The trap is linked with the machine that generates the lava flow,” Ivanna replied. “I have knowledge in robotics but not in traps. I had programmed an astromech droid to disable the machine, but a maintenance droid has disabled him. I would have tried to fix him again, but I learned that the machine actually powers this station. If I were to disable it I would not have any energy to live on. I’ve always figured that I would destroy it before leaving.”

“Par’kiss might be able to utilize this machine to power up the ship so we can get off this planet,” suggested Lialla. “And we might be able to use the parts from this place to help patch the ship.”

Geldar, however, was not so certain. “I’m not sure I want anyone to figure out how this machine works. If Par’kiss gets a chance to look at it he might be able to figure it out. If that happens he might spread the word about it to others for a substantial price. I don’t trust those mercenaries.”

“He is right,” Ivanna replied. “No one must know about this machine even if it means that we do not leave this planet. The repercussions could be disastrous. Imagine a corporation of some kind getting their hands on that technology. They could devastate whole armies just as Morkali did.”

“Not a pleasant thought,” grumbled Tarrsk. “So what do we do?”

“The parts here may speed up the process of fixing the ship,” said Geldar. “I say we take what parts we can from this place and then destroy it as Ivanna originally intended.”

“I’m not sure I trust this ‘Jedi,’” Tarrsk hissed. “How do we know she’s not the Dark Jedi?”

“Because if I was a Dark Jedi I would have slain you already and taken your ship by force,” said Ivanna, her tone even and without emotion. “I wouldn’t have bothered to save you from the lava flow.”

“She does have a point,” said Brin’tac. “She didn’t have to save us, and she wouldn’t need us to acquire the ship.”

The others considered this for a moment, and all were silent until, suddenly, Ivanna jumped to her feet. Immediately following Geldar felt something troubling him in his spirit as well. It was as if someone was in danger. “We must talk about this later,” she replied, and she rushed out the door without another word.





Satchal found the door that Geldar and the others had gone through some time ago, and the door opened without difficulty. Satchal made his way inside with lightsaber in hand as he crept along down the passages. It took him some time to find his way through the dark halls of the facility.

Suddenly, as he went down a side passage that led to a dead end, Satchal suddenly tripped on a loose stone and fell into the wall. To his surprise the wall fell open, and beyond a dark and dreary silence opened up to him. Immediately Satchal knew the presence of the Dark Side. This was a den of evil, and the Dark Side was strong here!

Satchal paused for a moment by the entrance and considered going in. Something was calling him. He could hear its voice. He wanted to go in, but another part warned him of great danger.

And then, Satchal’s thoughts turned to his master and memories of the Sith Temple on his home planet flooded his mind. This wasn’t just a chamber of darkness. This was the former home of some Sith lord. This was his secret inner sanctum.

Satchal fell back a pace and began to turn around to leave. There was no way he wanted to confront evil of that kind again. But as he turned around something appeared in front of him. Satchal fell back a pace again only this time in the direction of the entrance as his eyes beheld a terrible apparition.

The specter was none other than that of Morkali. During his battle with Trias Morkali had feigned his own destruction and had gone into hiding back into his inner sanctum with the rest of his foul mutations. Through the years he had kept his dark presence in the facility to keep Ivanna from totally cleansing it, and now he was reappearing to exert his dark will on those that had now found their way to him. With the presence of the weak-willed Padawan Morkali hoped to gain control of their minds and pervert them to the Dark Side. Then his will would finally be complete and the Dark Lords of the Sith from the line of Rivan and Morkali would once again rise and bring destruction on the universe.

But Morkali’s spirit had been greatly weakened by his battle with Trias, and his power was greatly diminished. This, however, would have been enough power to persuade a normal Padawan to the Dark Side, but because Satchal had grown more immune to the Dark Side through his constant resistance to it, Morkali’s power over him was utterly defeated.

For several moments Satchal held Morkali’s gaze as the Dark Jedi attempted to overthrow his mind with darkness. Then, all at once, Morkali gave out a shriek of anger and hatred that pierced Satchal to the core and alerted both Geldar and Ivanna to Satchal’s imminent doom. Then the dark spirit surged forward and like a gust of hurricane winds Satchal was blown back into the entrance; the door slamming shut behind him.

The complete darkness that Ivanna had experienced was now enveloping Satchal as dark creatures of all kinds came at him in the dark. It was all Satchal could do just to avoid being hit by the evil monsters, and he ran as fast as he could, stumbling in the darkness. All around the beasts attempted to corner him, but Satchal was now moving with all the speed of a panicked rabbit being chased by a fox. Satchal scrambled onto a massive statue of a Sith warrior, probably an image of Morkali himself in life, and he waved his lightsaber all around him to keep the creatures at bay.

Morkali’s voice echoed through the chamber maniacally. “Foolish boy! This is the pain that will be caused you for your rebellion against my will. Submit now and instead of dying lying a fool you will gain all the power of these beasts and the Dark Side of the Force.”

Then Satchal, with all his courage and the power of the Light Side coursing through him, shouted in reply, “The Dark Side has no power! It only withers and destroys all that it touches. That is not power. True power is the power to create and give life to others. True power is the power to take that which is dying or dead and give it life. That is what a Jedi’s purpose is. The Jedi gives life and purpose to others. They fight to defeat death and give others life in all its fullness. The Dark Side destroys life, but the Light Side brings it back and gives it meaning. True power, Dark Lord,” and this he spat out in defiance, “is only found in the Light!”

The Dark Lord laughed. “Then prove your power, emissary of the Light! Not even a master of the Light could defeat me.”

Then a creature leaped up to snag him on the foot. Satchal was caught fast and dragged to the ground where they all attempted to maul him to pieces. But now Satchal was one with the Force, and with swift, fluid strokes the creatures fell away from him in pain and anguish. Satchal spun around and cut another down, and then another. The beasts were attempting to recover their initial attack, but they were interrupted by another presence.

At that moment the door to the dark chamber opened and Ivanna and the others rushed inside. They had only found the entrance now because they heard the fighting from within. Morkali’s specter roared in hatred and commanded his creatures to attack Ivanna. Thus the beasts fled from Satchal and charged Ivanna with all their might.

This gave Satchal the opportunity he needed. Glancing around the room, now that the darkness was directed toward Ivanna and the others, Satchal saw the immense statue near him and heard the words of his master as if calling to him from a great distance. “The sarcophagus, Satchal, beneath the statue. Destroy it!”

Without further thought Satchal charged at the sarcophagus and with one swing of his lightsaber cut it at the knees. The massive structure fell to the ground with a great boom bringing the attention of Morkali’s spirit back to the Padawan. Morkali cried out in terror at seeing his sarcophagus exposed, and in that moment it threw everything it had at Satchal.

Satchal fell to the ground reeling from the death grip of the Dark Side of the Force as the specter used its powers to strangle him. Desperate, Satchal tried to drive his lightsaber through the sarcophagus, but Morkali threw him back against the wall.

But the exposed sarcophagus was all Tarrsk needed. He saw what Satchal was doing, and he figured there must be some sort of connection between the spirit and the body that lay beneath the stone. Dropping back out of the battle he pulled a thermal detonator, given to him by the supplies the mercenaries had on board the ship, and threw it right at the place the statue had stood.

The explosion rocked the tomb, and Satchal was caught in the blast. He threw himself to the ground to avoid the damage as much as possible, but a piece of debris smashed into the side of his head and knocked him unconscious.





At that moment the spirit of Darth Morkali shrieked in anguish and vanished as if he’d never existed. Immediately they could feel that the place was relieved of a great presence of evil, and the creatures of his will seemed confused and broken.

But then, all the doors of the facility flew open and a great rumbling could be heard throughout the cavern. The entire ground began to shake as a blast of heat flooded the room.

Immediately Ivanna knew what was happening. “Run!” she cried. “The volcano is erupting.”

“Satchal!” cried Geldar as he ran to get his friend, but Ivanna shoved him toward the entrance.

“I’ll get him. The Force will enhance my speed. You get out of here before the entrance closes.”

And with that said they did not argue. Geldar and the others raced out of the tomb and down the corridors as fast as they could back towards the entrance. Behind, Ivanna raced over to Satchal in a blur of motion. Picking him up she used the Force to speed her movement yet again and was out the door and down the passage just behind the others.

The main door was indeed closing and was about three-quarters closed when they arrived in the entranceway. It was going to be a close fit, but it looked as if they would all make it. Rushing through the door they threw themselves upon the snow banks of the volcano and paused to catch their breaths. The door closed and sealed shut behind them.

But the roaring of the volcano increased, and the violence of the shaking caused even Ivanna to jump to her feet in fear and take off running across the frozen wasteland. About a mile from the volcano they stopped to catch their breaths once more, but it was at that moment that the volcano exploded in a magnificent shower of lava, rock, and metal. The volcano’s eruption was so great that the metal could not contain the pressure of it, and the entire facility was blown to smithereens in a single moment.

The group fled in terror as the eruption of ash, rock, and fiery lava poured down the volcano and dropped on them from the sky. Across the slopes they ran as fast as their tired bodies could carry them. The night was over and the storm had already blown past while they were wandering through the halls of the facility and speaking with Ivanna, but the morning’s light was clouded out by ash and debris.

And then, all at once, they found themselves at the foot of the mountain where the ship had been. They had run four miles, and it seemed as if they’d run ten. Their hearts stopped. It was gone! They were stranded. The ship was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey!” someone called out catching their attention. Everyone glanced to the northeast and spotted someone running across the slopes. It was Jarith, the human scout of the mercenary unit. He was flailing and attempting to gesture to the mountain’s side. They followed his gaze and spotted, in the dim light, a piece of the ship sticking out of the snow. Without another word they raced towards it as fast as they could.

The earth continued to shake as the lava poured over the countryside and rained down on everything in the area. This way and that the group dodged to avoid the fiery coals that threatened to consume them. The climb up the mountain was excruciatingly long and painful, but in the end they reached the ship and pulled themselves inside. They had made it safely to the ship, but now the question was would they survive the eruption of the great volcano.

Everywhere the snow melted as if it had never been, and the entire area was warmed from the blast of the volcano. Lava flowed through the mountainous area until at last it had tired itself out. All about the lava bed spread around the mountain that the group was taking refuge on, and it seemed that they were on an island amidst the volcano itself. But then, as the cold winds blew through the area the lava cooled quickly, and by nightfall on the third day from their escape it finally cooled to normal.

The volcano in the distance then stood cold and dark, but it was crumbled and destroyed. Only half of its height remained, and it seemed that it had spent all the fury it had ever built up.

Three weeks after the volcano’s eruption the crew of the ship, now labeled the Last Hope, finished repairing the outer hull and the damages done by the storm and the volcano’s eruption. With Ivanna’s help the ship was more easily repaired, for the crew found that Ivanna’s Force abilities could lift heavy objects much better than others could, and she could use the Force to hold things in place that normal hands could not touch. And so it was that only a month later the ship was ready for flight, and all aboard hoped that not only would it have enough power to fly but also that Tso would not fail them on their journey.

Of the journey they had made and the meeting of Ivanna Geldar and the others reported everything except that they had decided to keep everything hidden from the mercenaries. At first the crew was distraught by the news that they could have had equipment to help them, but after they saw how much Ivanna aided the in the repairs they spoke no more word of complaint.

For the entire time after the eruption and blizzard no more snows came to the area leaving the entire place rather rocky and ash covered. In fact it was this ash that was the worst hindrance to them. It got into everything, and any time they needed to clean anything off the water would be covered in dirt almost instantly. Often they would have to travel far away to refill their water supplies in places where snow still covered the surface, but this was nothing compared to the harsh conditions they had face previous to the Great Thaw, which was the name Nyarchagga had given to the disaster.

At last, on the day they were preparing to leave, Ivanna and Satchal stood upon the rocky ledge that Tso had landed the ship on and stared across the rocky countryside at the now dormant volcano. “You wanted to speak with me?” Satchal asked the Jedi Knight as he approached.

Ivanna turned to look at him, and once again he was caught off guard by the intensity in her eyes and the beauty that was wrapped around her. “I understand that you are without a Jedi Master, and that, like me, your master was slain by a Dark Jedi.”

Satchal nodded but said nothing. “We have much in common; you and I. I believe that the Force has brought us together for a common cause. Although it seems that little training is required I see that there are some things that you yet need assistance in. As a Jedi Knight I am authorized to take you on as a Padawan to complete your training. Will you accept my offer?”

Satchal felt a strange sense of closure in that moment. It was as if his former hatred and anger over the loss of Master Lo was washing away as a new light shone brightly down upon him. The clouds of the Dark Side had indeed parted from his vision, and he could see the sun beyond. “I would be more than happy to be your Padawan,” Satchal replied, but even as he said it he paused in thought. “But what of Brin’tac? The council has forbidden him training, and yet the Force is with him. Will you not train him?”

“Perhaps,” she replied with some thought. “But I would not go against the Council’s decision until I am sure it is wise to do so. I do not know Brin’tac well, and although I do not know you either I feel a connection with you and a sense that this is the right course to take. Brin’tac’s future is uncertain. I see darkness clouding it yet, and although darkness clouds all of our futures his seems darkest of all. I know that you care for him deeply, but I cannot train him yet. That time may or may not ever come, but in the meantime we will be there to help him and guide him as best we can.”

Satchal nodded and turned his gaze back off toward the volcano. He sighed deeply in relief. It was is he had made his way back home after a long journey. He had a master again; and a really good looking one at that. Things were looking better, and his hopes were rising.

Near the ship Brin’tac and Geldar smiled as they watched the scene. “Jealous?” asked Geldar as he glanced at the Bothan.

“Not really,” said Brin’tac. “I’m glad he has a master again, and I think it will be good for him.”

“I think he likes her a little too much,” said Geldar, his grin turning smug.

Brin’tac laughed. “Probably, but I don’t think you are exactly above such longings for her either. She is rather beautiful even to me.”

Geldar smirked. “She is beautiful, but there is something about her that I don’t like. There’s more to beauty than the outward appearance.”

Brin’tac nodded. “Beauty is only skin deep. I’ve sensed it too. She seems a bit…well…”

“Bland,” put in another voice, and both turned to see Tarrsk standing behind them with a grin on his face as well. “She’s as colorful and warm as Hoth.”

Brin’tac laughed again. “Those weren’t exactly the words I was looking for, but they’ll do.”

“Gariss says the ship is ready and we’d better get inside,” Tarrsk reported, changing the subject.

“Good,” said Geldar. “I’ll go tell them. Why don’t you all get inside?” And without another word they parted ways for the moment while Geldar informed Ivanna and Satchal about the departure.

Only thirty minutes later Tso sat in the cockpit his eyes staring at the controls with a bit of fear and trepidation. In came Geldar, Ivanna, and Satchal to help ease his tension. Of them all Geldar had always been Tso’s closest companion, and he felt more comfort that he was there than anyone else.

“Don’t worry,” said Geldar. “The Force is with you. You will do fine.”

Tso nodded. “I hope so.”

“Just look at what you’ve done so far,” Ivanna commented. “If it hadn’t been for your quick thinking we’d have all died out here searching for the ship. Also, if it hadn’t been for you we probably wouldn’t have the energy to get off planet. Be a bit more confident in your skills, Tso Guihu. You are a great pilot, and it is you who will lead us to safety this day. You are our champion and savior in our hour of need.”

Then Geldar leaned over him and whispered, “In other words, ‘Let’s get off this frozen plane of hell and go find that worthless six-fingered freak who calls himself a Dark Side Jedi!’”

Then inspired by Geldar’s words Tso flicked the communications panel on and announced they were departing. Then flipping more switches he fired up the engines and kicked on the thrusters. Within a few moments the ship lifted off the rock ledge it had been resting on and shot off towards space.




Mission 5

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