Geez, you'd think the Sith might have warned me of this so I could've put on some hiking gear, he thought sarcastically. The ship's jumpsuit he wore was inadequate for this environment, and it seemed as if he could feel every stone in the planet's lithosphere through his thin-soled boots.

Then, the Jedi apprentice crested a hill and saw something he'd only heard of in tales and boasts. A set of dark buildings, low to the ground...towers which he recognized as atmosphere plants...and a vibration beneath his feet. The vibration confirmed his suspicion. Spice mines, just like the oldsters always used to talk about.He had been Kesseled.

However, Logan was not entirely helpless. He did still have Cella's lightsaber with him, and wore it close. The shining hilt reminded him of his Jedi friend--polished and pure, yet lethal. He sighed. Now which of these buildings do I get to break into to find water?

[ 12-30-2001 05:33 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rogue Angel ]

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Well, perhaps not the droid....

She smiled gently, radiating warmth. Even as this One, my Adept, seeks after my well-being, there is another whose needs I must further attend to myself. That thought had no sooner struck her then she surprised the two humans in front of her by settling back on her heels, folding her injured hand into the palm of its mate, and closing her eyes. The startled raspberries blown by the anxious little droid faded in strength and importance in her ears, as she smoothly tuned out the reality about her and entered into another one completely.

Abruptly her eyes flew open, the Glyph on her forehead ravening into glorious splendor. It's ultraviolet radiance reflected off the shining ice walls surrounding her, sequeing into the depths of the corridor in which she stood, there to brighten a bit the darker shadows which danced murkily beyond the reach of the light fixtures interspersed here and there upon those walls. She ignored the chill in the air, totally disregarded the shadows in the distance, utterly dismissed the faintly glowing and somehow beckoning light which lay far, far down the corridor like the veritable one at the end of some tunnel.

All she had eyes for was the little girl who was hunkered into a little ball at her feet, shivering.

For a moment Graysith merely stood there silent, looking down at the trembling little body. Thea's eyes widened in shock and fear to see her there, but she didn't move. Then she closed her eyes, almost as though resigned to a fate over which she had no control. They flew open again in surprise, however, as the Chosen Daughter of the Sith knelt down to her, reaching out with both her hands to rub Thea's shoulders as though to warm her.

"Come, child," Graysith murmured in a soft voice. "Don't be afraid. There is no need to despair. There are those coming after you; your discomfort here shall be a short one."

She paused momentarily, gripping Thea a little bit more tightly as the child gave a great shudder and tried to pull away from her. Her pale hands like iron, Graysith merely waited until Thea once more went limp with resignation. Then she smiled, placing her good hand beneath Thea's chin and lifting her face so that their eyes would meet.

"Mind your instincts, little one, and be resourceful," she said in a silken murmur. "Look; there is food and clothing here for your use." Now lifting her other hand, she indicated the softly glowing light in the distance. "Go there, child, and take care of yourself. Be strong, and remember, do not fear.

"You are not alone."

In one smooth motion, Graysith rose back up on her feet, the movement immediately mimicked by the little girl who then stood silently, if somewhat nervously, in front of her. Graysith smiled, and patted her on the head. Then, closing her eyes, she let herself fall back...

...into the reality from whence she had come....

[ 12-31-2001 08:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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As he slowly sipped his water and munched on a ration bar, Logan pondered on his fate. He knew that Cella and Jeroc knew where he was and were undoubtedly mounting a rescue mission. So why had he been...sent here in the first place?

For the life of him, he could not fathom the Sith Lady's purpose. If she had wanted to kill him, she could have easily done so on Khar Delba, when he had been vulnerable and alone. And he had been sent to Kessel--out of the way, but not a place that was completely unknown. He had been able to find food and drink fairly easily. He had to think, then, that the Sith Lady meant no harm to him.

Who, then, was this move directed against? Logan's stomach tightened as he realized that placing him here and Thea on Hoth was meant to distract Cella and Jeroc. Splitting them apart would weaken their powers and remove their focus from...what?

Graysith wanted the Jedi out of her way. But why? They had been ready to go home to the Praxeum when they left Khar Delba. The Sith must then be up to something larger...and what it was, Logan did not now know.

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"Yeah, I just can't help worrying that something has happened between when she sent the message and now - call it a father's insecurity." He tried to laugh but really was to worried to do so. "Try signaling the Jedi - I have no idea what frequency they are on but it couldn't hurt trying some of the old Rebellion ones."

Silas gracefully brought the ship down to the surface of the planet, landing right in front of the door.

"What did I tell you dear, still one of the best pilots out there."

"Celes, you only say that cause you're my wife. I just have a good memory love. at least I hope I do. I'll be back with Thea shortly." Getting up he left the ship prepped to leave quickly and strode out to grab his coat before facing Hoth's harsh weather. He stopped only breifly to kiss his wife. "Thea will be here in just a minute - I will remember the inside of that building, that I'm certain of - I always can find a mess hall."

He opened the hatch letting in a blast of frigid air, walking out quickly he closed it again behind him leaving Celestine watching in the tiny window. Striding purposefully or trying to in all the snow to the door he tapped in a familar pattern on the keypad beside the door and held his breath waiting to see if it was the right one. He heaved a sigh of relief as the doors slowly creaked open. Turning to wave to his wife he strode in and turned his attentions to his memory of food. "The mess hall must be this way," he thought, walking towards one of the hallways that twisted away from the hanger he entered through.

After about a half hour of stumbling about - his memory was quite as good as he thought he heard a muffled noise, like singing. "Thea sings when she's frightened!" Running down the hall he heard the sound coming from he yelled out, "Don't worry baby, Daddy's coming!"

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Thea sat singing to herself trying to be brave - she had no idea how long she had been here but she was scared. All of a sudden she heard her father's voice as if in a dream. Curling up in the bed she made herself she started to cry, "Daddy if that could really be you," she muttered to herself only to hear someone else answer.
"Well it is me sweetie."
Thea was elated she jumped up and ran over to him throwing herself into his arms. "Daddy you came so quickly! I'm so glad you're here, I need to get back to the Jedis Daddy, lets go right now, I don't want to stay here any longer."

Silas just picked up his tiny daughter and tried to wipe her tears away, he hadn't expected to see her again so soon after she had left for the Praxeum but he was glad that her ordeal didn't make her want to give up on her biggest dream - becoming a Jedi. Seeing how she was dressed he carried her over to the bed she had made and set her down on it pulling away from her just for a moment. "Thea, princess, I need to wrap you in all these blankets to get you out of here ok? So just let go for a minute and when you are all nice and cosy and protected I'll pick you back up and carry you out like I used to when we'd play ok?" Thea just nodded in return and was quickly wrapped up and in her father's arms leaving the base for his simple little ship.

She thought out to the Jedi as he carried her through the rest of the base, "Cella, Jeroc, Daddy's got me - We're coming to find you, don't split up please, that's what the evil Lady wants I know it is. I'll be there soon. Logan, where are you? Are you ok? I'll tell daddy to meet the Jedi where you are cause that will be easier, jsut let me know, I love you Logan, be safe my new big brother."

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