Major Erithon Zale clenched his teeth against the chill and hunched up his shoulders under his armor. A grumble of discomfort sounded from the shuttle pilot, setting Erithon chuckling. "Problem?"

A barked laugh came as reply. "Not a thing, Major, if you don't mind the ends of your fingers freezing off."

"That's not the only thing you'll freeze off on this planet, pal." Hearty laughter erupted from the pilot, and even the major had to smile.

"Good to have a laugh, sir, thanks. It's been bitter out here, and I don't just mean the cold." Erithon nodded; border skirmishes, back and forth claims of treaty violations all over the galaxy, and Sith and Jedi at odds around every corner. The galaxy was not a kind place right now. Laughter was in short supply, so even an unsophisticated jest was welcome.

"We should be landing soon," the piloted noted, gesturing at the sensor panel – Erithon glanced over them, then attempted to peer out the front viewport. There was nothing out there but blind, swirling whiteness.

"If you say so. There's no telling from here." Erithon chuckled, nodding as the shuttle pilot cautiously moved the craft through the icy flurry. Their course was turbulent but steady until suddenly the ship plunged and veered, alarms shrieking. Both Erithon and the pilot strained against their safety webbing.

"I thought you said you'd flown on Hoth before!" Erithon called, fumbling for another joke while grasping at the straps and trying to stabilize his own movement.

"Sir, we're being fired upon!" the pilot hollered back, attempting to control their suddenly disturbed descent.

Erithon jerked to his left as the transport swerved and dropped violently. "What? By whom?" Even in the midst of the fierce motion, Erithon took a moment to wonder who out there was that good of a shot in a storm like this, and he almost chuckled. The ship bucked again, this time clearly a direct hit.

"Unknown, sir! Hang on, we've lost propulsion – we're going down!"


Isme dropped her arm and found herself trembling. It wasn't with chill – no, she had plenty of technology-infused layers as well as her own Force skills to keep the cold from her skin – but with the effort. It was simple enough to seek out the two life forms coming into the atmosphere in the Republic shuttle. She knew the shuttle was going to be headed this way, and Republic boys all had the same pallid, soggy presence in the Force. But giving the focus to the pirate she'd borrowed, showing him the appropriate aim, taking the shot - that took effort.

She didn't like forcing others to do her dirty work. She didn't like forcing others at all. A throwback to being a slave, she supposed, but now that she was Sith it was simply duty. She would learn to do it, or she would be destroyed, one way or another.

Yet another reason she was on this frigid iceball called a planet: in service to her master. She was still a slave at the end of the day, and it stung. It burned and prickled and made her furious. But the faster she did this task, the closer she came to her own freedom – true freedom. She would be granted her title, her rightful place among the Sith, and then she would be beholden to no one.

Just as this pirate thought he was. He was fighting her Force-control again, grimacing and grunting in his own effort to raise the powerful sniper rifle toward her head. She'd been able to use his natural skill with the weapon to take down the shuttle carrying one of the agents sent to stop her from finding the artifact. She sensed the other approaching, a Jedi by her strong, clear presence in the Force. Isme would have to move quickly.

The apprentice sighed, Hoth's icy wind stealing the breath away instantly. She didn't bother to use her lightsaber – that would leave telling marks – and instead pulled her fingers into a fist, shattering a small but vital part of the man's brain, an injury that would be invisible to all but the most thorough of medical droids. The body flopped unceremoniously to the frozen ground where it would be buried quickly by the whirling snow. If it weren't scavenged by the wampas that were hunting nearby, that is.

"Poor fool. At least you are free now."


Despite all the warnings, Aitahea gasped as the first draft of stinging Hoth air hit her face. For a split second she thought something was wrong – the air seemed to scorch her skin. Then she realized that it was simply so blisteringly cold as to invoke a burning sensation.

She swept the sensation of numbing chill to the back of her mind and ignored it enough to concentrate, taking caution to leave adequate consciousness in place in order to avoid any irreparable damage. Even inside Aurek Base ice and frost coated the walls, climbing like a living thing through cracks in the durasteel plates. Aitahea decided to keep a brisk pace as she moved through the base.

Like most Republic military bases, Aurek was bustling with activity, although the ever-present chill and creeping ice slowed conventional labor. Everything had to be modified to work in the sub-zero temperatures, from speeders to computers to weapons. There was no lack of work to be done, and the Jedi could feel the urgency that permeated the atmosphere.

"Master Jedi, thank the stars you're here! We had an unexpected complication." The Aurek Base commanding officer was dashing toward Aitahea as she turned the corner into central command. She raised her eyebrows and rushed forward to meet the harried officer.

"I was under the impression I was here to help indeed, Commander, just not so soon. What's happened?" Aitahea asked calmly, her presence bringing a sense of serenity into the frantic room.

"The shuttle with your partner has been shot down, north of our location. They were on their way in when they crashed." The commander led Aitahea to a console where a holoprojection of the area displayed the base and presumed crash site in reference to each other. "We believe they're here, Master Jedi, at the base of these ice cliffs."

"But you don't know for certain, Commander?"

"I'm afraid not. We lost contact just as they were entering the atmosphere because of the storm, but our projections indicate they should be in that area. We'll send a rescue team out, but it'll take a while to go around those cliffs." The man shook his head, reaching up to rub his face with gloved hands.

"I can reach them faster, Commander." Aitahea stood back from the projection, folding her arms. "And it would be best to be sure there are survivors before we put another team at risk trying to reach them. I'll leave immediately."

"Thank you, Master Jedi. I was hoping you'd say just that." He looked relieved. "We suspect they were shot down by pirates or another unidentified enemy. You could be heading into dangerous territory."

Aitahea nodded, dropping her hand to the lightsaber on her belt. "What part of Hoth isn't dangerous, I wonder."

"As you say, Master Jedi. I've taken the liberty of requesting a snow speeder and as much emergency equipment as it can carry – if there are survivors, they may need shelter and medical assistance." The commander shut down the projection before turning back to the Jedi. "They're waiting for you at the speeder pad. Did they supply you with sufficient cold-weather gear at the station?"

"Yes," Aitahea replied, pulling back a sleeve to reveal the close-fitting bodysuit under her Jedi robes. She tugged her hood a little closer around her face and nodded. "I'll be fine – and I'd best be moving quickly."

"I'll take you to the entrance now, Master Jedi. You have my apologies - we didn't plan to have your expedition begin like this."

"Not at all, Commander. We do what we must." Aitahea paused, reaching out in the Force for a moment, a brief suspicion whispering through her mind. "Was there any additional intel on the Sith apprentice we're searching for? Is it possible she's the one who shot down the shuttle?"

The commander shook his head as they walked down the corridor. "I'm afraid I can't say either way. The storm was interfering with much of our sensor equipment. You may be able to discern from the wreck." The commander swallowed uncomfortably, shaking his head. They approached the hangar bay, busy aides adding the few last items to a speeder that was ready and waiting.

"The Force is with us, Commander. I'll contact you as soon as I can." Aitahea swung astride the speeder, checking the navigation briefly before pulling on the included helmet, and soared out of Aurek Base toward what she hoped would be survivors.

Aitahea flew in as straight as route as the terrain allowed, moving swiftly toward the cliffs on the map. She would be able to climb directly down in a fraction of the time a rescue squad would take to navigate around the frozen cliff face. Besides, she felt movement in the Force; it seemed unlikely that the shuttle would have been shot down by pirates. Haste would be necessary.

The Jedi's brief study of the situation on Hoth during her trip there had indicated the strong presence of several pirate groups, scavengers, as well as Imperial military, but there were few major conflicts near any of the areas each group had claimed for their own. Skirmishes happened more frequently over unclaimed territories and even single ships in the interstellar graveyard that the ice-bound planet had become.

A pirate or even Imperial military attack this close to the Republic base was extraordinarily unlikely, even without the whispers of Force presence. Aitahea was left suspecting it was their Sith quarry, attempting to sabotage her pursuit before it had even begun.

A few hours of bitter travel on the snowspeeder brought Aitahea to the edge of the icy cliffs. The storm had cleared, but she understood how the base wouldn't have had a clear assessment of where the shuttle had crashed. The base stood on a frozen plain ending in sheer cliffs that dropped hundreds of feet to a surface of crumbled ice and snow below. The drop ran to the horizon in either direction, meaning a speeder would have to spend a significant amount of time diverging from the straight path the Jedi could take.

Aitahea crept close to the edge, cautious of any loose ice or snow, and peered over the precipitous edge. The height was dizzying, but the wreckage of the shuttle could be seen easily through the lazy flurries. Wisps of smoke still rose from the craft and, with a rush of relief, Aitahea found she sensed human life near the wreckage. She sent a brief message back to the base via her comlink, confirming survivors and notifying Aurek Base that she would be descending the ice cliffs to attend to any needs they had.

She didn't wait for a reply before preparing to rappel down the sheer drop. The speeder had been packed efficiently; Aitahea had only to don the pack that had been strapped down and she was ready to set up a secure, warm camp for the survivors. Getting down the cliff face was another matter. Aitahea found climbing gear in the included equipment and quickly set an anchor. Removing her helmet for a clearer view, she took one last look over the brink, noting some movement around the crashed shuttle. Someone was still mobile down there.

Aiding her movement with the Force, Aitahea gently eased herself over the edge and began her descent. Within moments she found herself dangling in the freezing void, spinning slowly in a recess in the ice. She shuddered once before she could clamp down on the fear and right herself, continuing to drop slowly but steadily toward the crumbled ice and snow below.

The Jedi quickly discovered that the length of cable provided for her wouldn't be long enough to reach the frozen ground below. There were still over a hundred feet between herself and the floor of the ice plain. Aitahea frowned; this would cause a problem not only for the remainder of her journey down but also any chance for climbing back to the speeder and safety with survivors. Unfortunately, that plan would have to come later. Right now, her priority was reaching the transport.

Steeling herself for the drop, Aitahea dangled carefully at the end of the cable, measuring the distance with her eyes. It would take an extraordinary use of the Force to control and cushion her fall, but it would be necessary. With a shuddering breath of chill air, Aitahea released the cable and opened herself to the Force.

The feel of it was like… there was nothing to compare to. She was flooded with power and fought to keep it in check, overwhelmed with a sudden insight into the universe around her. She felt at once insignificant, yet entirely precious and unique. She sharpened her focus, imagining the shape of her own form in reference to the planet, and the safety of the ground still far beneath her.

It felt like an eternity. Aitahea left her eyes closed; the Force gave her a sense of the ground rushing toward her and allowed her to stay upright. Her robes fluttered around her, frigid air cutting through the cold weather gear and chilling her to the bone. She waited until she was several dozen feet away from the ground before slowing and gingerly touching one foot to the ice below. Finally, she was safe on the ground, trembling in the wake of her charged journey.

A figure climbed out of the damaged shuttle, raising an arm in greeting. Aitahea raised her hand in return and moved quickly to close the final distance. The being's presence in the Force - a human male - was relieved and grateful, with an undertone of frustration and brittle helplessness.

Compared to the fall from the rope, the dash across the snowy plain to the shuttle was short and easy. The man walked to meet Aitahea as she approached, pulling off a trooper's helmet as they met.

"Master Jedi? Didn't expect to see you so soon," he tried to joke. "Major Erithon Zale." He gave a lopsided smile, but his blue eyes were rueful.

Aitahea sketched a bow. "Aitahea Daviin. I wish we'd met under better circumstances, Major, but it seems our investigation has already begun. Is the shuttle still intact? I brought a shelter with, but the shuttle would be preferable."

"It's still all right, mostly. But the pilot..." Erithon glanced back over his shoulder. The Jedi nodded in sympathy. Erithon had been the only presence she sensed.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Major." Aitahea radiated comfort and gentle regret into the Force, echoing the sound of the sentiment in her voice. Erithon hesitated a moment, as if he wanted to speak, before he shrugged and turned to face the shuttle. He waved for the Jedi to follow.

"Thanks. Comes with the job, as I'm sure you know, Master Jedi. The backup power is still working in the shuttle, so we have heat. We'll plan better if we're warm."


Erithon had been more than a little astonished to see the tiny figure floating down the cliff face, and after a brief moment of panic, opted for the binoculars rather than a blaster. It was a Jedi, not pirates, Imperials, or worse. He was on edge, and it wouldn't be wise to jump to conclusions now.

He initially felt hard-pressed to be grateful or gracious to the woman who'd approached - he almost wanted to call her a girl. Even with the layers of traditional Jedi robes over the same cold weather gear he wore, she was a head shorter than him, all huge green eyes and pale face inside the hood.

She followed him quickly to the shuttle, noting with a moment of silent reverence the human-sized bundle wrapped in plastifiber slightly behind the grounded craft. Erithon turned to wait for her, leaning on the portal frame, silent and appreciative.

He didn't know much about Jedi. He'd served with a few Knights during other missions and had always been grateful for their help. They were skilled warriors, to be sure, but more often than not held themselves away from the rest of the enlisted troops. He didn't get the impression at the time that these Jedi thought they were better. They simply did... Jedi things. Meditated. Whatever.

But this woman seemed different right away. He knew from her file she was a consular, a talented diplomat and empath, but even in the scant few moments they'd spoken, she had struck him as very different than the other Jedi he'd met.

When she approached, he'd felt warmer all of a sudden. That dangerous edge he was feeling dulled. A well of hope had sprung up in his mind, easing the bitter regret and frustration of losing yet another fellow soldier. There'd been many, each one still weighing heavily on his heart, but when Aitahea paused meaningfully by the body of the pilot, Erithon felt better. Easier.

Erithon Zale waited anxiously as the Jedi remained motionless in the bitter Hoth air. He wanted to reach down and clasp the woman's shoulder, draw her away and offer some comfort. What a ridiculous idea, he admonished himself, shaking his head. She's seen just as much of this kind of destruction as you have. Probably more. Not like she needs your help.

"Major?"

To his surprise, the Jedi had her gloved hand on his arm, gazing into his face with evident concern. "Are you all right?" Aitahea asked. Erithon blinked rapidly and shook his head.

"I… I was going to ask you that," he muttered, belatedly adding, "Master Jedi. But of course you–"

"-understand the burden of death the same as everyone, Major Zale. It is never easy. He is a part of the Force now." She smiled tightly, whether from emotion or chill he couldn't say. "But we are alive and well, if somewhat cold. Let's warm up and plan our next move."