This is a short chapter, but I might post the next one soon . . . please review! (P.S., check out the link at the bottom for my sketches of Seikh...)


Douron, in perspective, was a fairly small, greenery deprived, sparsely populated desert moon. It rarely rained, never snowed, and scarcely could draw enough heat cause warmth. It was cool in the daylight of its triplet suns and inactive, stale; after dark, though, the surface came alive, harboring freezing temperatures and fierce winds, night creatures emerging for food and the sky glittering with stars.

Nearly the entire surface area was flat, no hills or valleys in the stubborn yellow dirt, and was covered by short, dry turf called tomer grass and clusters of stick-like, leafless ghashi trees. Few towns had been established randomly across its wide, dusty plains over the years, groups of clay houses built by settlers centuries past. Most towns were abandoned, and had been long ago.

The minute population of Douronian's that remained were never guaranteed a life of leisure. Due to the extremely dry climate, Douronians had no choice but to collect moisture from underground and grow their produce in few, taking sustenance elsewhere. They took up employment in the underground mining and cave tunnels, a slow but not unprofitable business that usually came up with useful minerals; in most part, though, its main market was spice mining.

It seemed that nothing comes easy for this tiny moon, Obi-Wan mused to himself, looking up from the information file he had uploaded on his datapad back at the Temple to read on their long journey, and into the darkness of a Douronian twilight. The first word Obi-Wan had thought as he had stepped out of the tiny space port, stared out across the flat, bleached plains, shadowed by nothing in the moonlight, that extended for miles without end, and breathed in the stale, dry air, was barren.

Thus, their arrival did not exactly excite him, but summoned in him a wariness. He sensed their mission would be trying. And trying, he did not usually mind, but under the circumstances it was just something else to worry about.

Obi-Wan sighed and closed his datapad softly, glancing back at the forms of the others behind of him in the dimness. Adriyn, who paced along with him, glanced about the surface nervously. He frowned as he met Obi-Wan's eyes and covered his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, his words muffled as he spoke. "It smells like a wet Hutt out here."

"Thank you for that visual." Obi-Wan followed Adriyn's lead, masking the scent with his sleeve. The air around was thin and smelled of sulfur, which was a result of the subderranium, but the amount was not enough to harm them. That did not give Obi-Wan any comfort.

Master Cla'i strolled up beside Adriyn, giving his shoulder a comforting pat as he handed out their necessary air purifiers, which covered their mouths and noses in a clear mask. His face was nothing but distressed, mouth upturned in an expression any Jedi recognized as unease, movements unsteady as he fumbled to give Master Gallia her mask.

"Master Cla'i, do you sense something?" Adi asked, nonchalance in her tone that was usually firm. She adjusted her mask as she looked to him, "You look a bit harrowed."

The team was all aware of Gatham Cla'i's abilities in the Living Force, his unique hypersensitivity to minute fluctuations the rest of them could barely, if at all, sense. An apt skill, one he did not squander but instead kept to himself, one often needed to be coaxed from the humble Jedi.

The Master hesitated, reluctant at the question, but replied the answer they knew he had been withholding. "When I travel around the galaxy, different planets have different noises, like sound waves, in the Force. City planets are loud, rural planets subdued, planets at war dissonant and screeching. This planet is far too quiet, on the inside and out, for being in peril. Internally it should be buzzing, with the people or the distress, anything." Gatham's dark eyes grew distant, "All I sense is silence."

"Let's just hope that is a good thing." Qui-Gon said, his leonine features brightening as he smiled encouragingly, "Our presence here is not exactly . . . welcome."

"You did speak with the authorities, I hope?" Adi spoke with a warning tone, knowing full well of Qui-Gon's frequent skirting of rules.

"Never fear, Adi. We are granted access, but only for three days time. Any longer and the Douronian authorities will have us under arrest. So, I suggest we stay on the good side of the government. At least for now."

A wink followed his last words, and Obi-Wan shook his head, exasperated.

They continued to stroll along the desiccated land, dusty torrents of wind whipping throughout their robes, freezing and harsh. Soon, Obi-Wan spotted the Seikh Facility, sitting off-center along the horizon, stranded, it seemed. It had to have been at least 300 feet by length and width, and seemed like a long rectangle from his current point of view; Obi-Wan, though, looking upon his datapad then, knew from the transcript he was seeing that the building was really circular from above.

Jogging to catch his Master, Obi-Wan stated softly to him, "My datapad says this facility houses all one-point-five-hundred Seikh citizens, but by the looks of it . . . my data must be incorrect. It is far too small, don't you think Master?"

Qui-Gon acknowledged the observation with a nod, "It is, but your information is accurate. There is not much flaunt and fluff, is there? Why do you think this is, young one?"

Obi-Wan pursed his lips in thought, "Possibly a modest people, not wanting to attract too much attention."

"Though that they have done, haven't they? I suspect that they will be uncomfortable with and most likely unwelcoming of visitors."

"But if they are so secretive, then why do they refuse to leave?" Obi-Wan inquired with a touch of confusion to his words, whispering like the wind in their robes, "Would it not be wise of the Governor to avoid our uneasy visit and simply take our advice?"

"Yes." Qui-Gon's face was smooth in ponder, and Obi-Wan recognized it quickly. "There are two options, then: the Governor is very unwise, or he is hiding something. And often, those two go hand in hand; unwise choices are often the result of unwise secrets."

Qui-Gon looked to him with an all-knowing gaze, and Obi-Wan averted his own, squinting out at the bright moonlight reflecting from the Facility's shiny durasteel surface, a parched breeze stinging at his skin. He pulled his oversized hood over his short brown hair, feigning a chill but truly avoiding his Master.

I cannot tell him, not after my promise - Siri trusts me . . . but am I being unwise?

Obi-Wan winced to himself, sensing then how tense he was inside, like everything in him was being stitched in, tightening strands knitting his stomach. Siri's dangerous secret, the untruths told to his Master and to her, to Adriyn - all threads that bound him. One more stitch was pulled at the avoidance of Qui-Gon, and a gasp escaped him, one of frustration and unease. The Padawan closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the hindering emotions away, knowing they did nothing but distract him. The tightness, though, lingered.

Glancing upward, Obi-Wan realized that he'd fallen behind and jogged to catch up with the Jedi group approaching the building, hasty to escape the bitter winds, the freezing night air.


"I'm surprised they keep this place unlocked," Master Cla'i said as the group waited inside into a small, low ceilinged foyer. It was nothing fancy, and not even chairs were set out. A hallway stretched beyond them forward, and at its end was a thick durasteel blast door. Gatham's face wrinkled a bit at the pristine white walls, the stark white floors, the pale white ceiling. The interior of the Facility was less sleek than it had appeared from the outside. In fact, it was nearly boring.

"Nice colour scheme," Adriyn chuckled from his place leaning against the wall, fiddling with his purifier, but his Master grimaced.

"It is far too . . . clean."

"And for being home to thousands of beings, too quiet." Adi commented. The silence was evident, no footsteps or people noises. They had been waiting for some time, and Obi-Wan felt anxious. But that, though, was mostly due to Siri's apprehension, through their subtle bond. He glanced to her standing in the shadow of her Master, speaking gently through the Force.

Are you alright? Obi-Wan watched Siri, her elegant features unmoving, unrevealing, though her clear blue eyes did tell him much.

I feel very uneasy here. She was blunt, direct, like Obi-Wan expected. It's him.

Obi-Wan drew his brow together, Whom?

But he needed not ask. The doors at the halls end whined opened revealing a two humanoids, both dressed in an olive coloured uniforms. As they approached the group, they slowly revealed themselves to be Seikh. The creatures was bipedal, sporting many features alike to a regular humanoid. They each had a tapered nose and thin lips that were aligned perfectly with twin-pupiled eyes, one smaller and one larger eye in each socket. Shaved of virtually any hair, their faces seemed unsettling without the presence of eyebrows. The beings skin were as pale as the walls, almost white enough to be clear, and almost hinting a shade of pale blue, and two-fold ears framed their seemingly flawless faces.

"Welcome," The taller of the men started when they reached them, his subtly stressed face turning into a smile, "to the Seikh Facility. I regret to inform you that the Governor was not contacted before your arrival, and is therefore busy at the moment."

His voice was crisp and proper, his Douronian accent causing his "r"'s to roll and his words to be perfectly enunciated. A wave of silence overcame the foyer, as if each group were waiting on something from the other. Qui-Gon cleared his throat, arms folding impatiently. His eyes shot the Seikh a look all the Jedi were thinking; hadn't they had known the Jedi were coming?

The shorter and younger man spoke up then, but not after looking nervously at his comrade, "Who, may I ask, are you?"

Master Cla'i stepped forward, tone confused, "We're the Jedi investigation team . . . "

The men only stared, showing no recognition.

"From Coruscant?" Qui-Gon continued, eyebrows laced with suspicion, "Did you not receive our transmission? Have you not heard anything about the threat to the Jedi Temple?"

"Or your Governor's responsibility in it?" Adi said, with warning.

They shrugged, looking clueless as ever. Obi-Wan looked quizzically to Siri, You're anxious about . . . them?

No. Siri bit her lip, eyes closing. Him -

A young humanoid man, around Obi-Wan's age he seemed, exited the door at the room's stern then, outfitted in a blue uniform. Although he only came up to the Seikh's shoulder, he was a fair amount taller than Obi-Wan; a cap was fitted tightly around his dark brown hair, and his thin lips were set in a glower below his slender nose and muddy brown eyes.

He was quick to send the Seikh away, though not without a sharp glare of reprimand, and took a deep bow before his visitors. "Masters Jedi, excuse our Watchmen, they were some of the few not informed of your visitation. I am General Haddon, head administrator of the Facility."

At his rising, he glanced them over, his eyes catching Siri's. The look was maybe just a bit lengthy. Obi-Wan did a subtle double-take, watching the General's eyes on hers, and something did not feel right. No, not right at all.

Is he attracted to her? The thought was inevitable, and after all, he did look smitten worse than being flirted with by a Twi'lek. Obi-Wan frowned. A sensation in him lt on fire, one he recognized but could not pinpoint.

"Pleasure to see you again Master Gallia, Padawan Siri." Haddon smiled at the mention of her name, tipping his cap, and Siri smiled back. Obi-Wan could barely stop himself from lunging at him.

"And the rest of your team, welcome."

Qui-Gon gave a nod, the impatience on his face a bit more relaxed, "General. I assume the Governor is still caught up with something else?"

"I regret to report, but he is a busy man. We have been expecting you, Master Jedi, though we have been investigated not long ago, six months if my memory is correct." Haddon inclined his head slightly, "I was sent off with an approval, I am sure?"

"That is what we are here to discuss." Adi said smoothly, "With your Governor."

Haddon's eyes went anxious, and he muttered, "I . . . I understand. I presume this is concerning the problem on Coruscant with the Senate and your Jedi Sanctuary; we have already taken into consideration additional security while you are here –"

"That isn't necessary, General." Qui-Gon interrupted gently, from Obi-Wan's side, "Our stay here will not be long if we can have word with Governor Amos."

The hesitation was unmistakable, and Haddon smiled nervously. "He won't be able to speak with you until tomorrow, at the earliest But we have prepared your accommodations. If it is no too much of a burden to wait until the coming day."

The question was more so a request than anything else, and the Masters gave each other a look before Qui-Gon spoke for them, "A burden easily shouldered."

General Haddon nodded thanks, proceeding away down the hall with a gesture for them to follow. As they did, Obi-Wan tried to meet Siri's eyes, the ones she had been avoiding ever since Haddon had appeared. A wince found him, and he felt another stitch in him bind, one laced with suspicions and uneasiness. So soon, and she was hiding from him again. He didn't know who Haddon was, or why Siri and him seemed so . . . friendly. He wasn't sure if what he supposed was true or not. Obi-Wan knew one thing, though.

He had something very important to ask Siri.


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