Breev couldn't believe it. "You... you intend to travel beyond the Forbidden Pass?" Sanguis nodded, a bit puzzled by the guide's reluctance. "I am chilled to the bone. The desert beyond the Forbidden Pass is an area that no one can survive. No one. Even the Sand People dare not go. You mustn't go."
Sanguis shook her head. "The opposite is true - I must."
"This is not some silly superstition," Breev insisted. "Those who go beyond the Forbidden Pass are never seen again."
Quinn leveled a look at their guide which clearly meant he thought she'd gone insane. "There is an entire Imperial outpost beyond that pass," he said. "Expeditions are launched from it regularly."
She ignored him. "I will not... I cannot follow you there."
"Then I needn't waste any more time with a coward." Breev flinched, but Sanguis had already turned on her heel and was starting for the speeder.
"The Dune Sea," it was called, along with other colorful names like "The Infinite Dessication," "The Ten Thousand Grains" and "The Unslacked Thirst." It was a lot of sand with not very much else. Outpost Zaroshe stood under some cliffs at the near edge; they set out from there and continued in a more or less straight line for two hours. There was just... sand. Vette fell asleep within fifteen minutes. Quinn kept track of their location by satellite and sent regular updates back to base in case of emergency. Sanguis concentrated on navigation, steering by the suns. Eventually she brought the speeder to a halt on a spot that looked just like any other within a thirty mile radius . They all got out and she walked off to the right a few feet, then stopped, raising both arms straight out in front of her with her palms together. After a moment, she slowly spread them wide. The sand at her feet parted in a golden wave. As it rolled away on either side they saw an opening appear, about five feet square and three feet below the surface. It was covered by an energy field, but as the last of the sand moved off, the field suddenly disappeared. There were stone steps leading downward. Vette and Quinn went first; Sanguis followed, letting the sand collapse in behind her, and when the sand reached the opening, the field instantly reappeared.
The stairs were lighted by glowing stones set into the steps. At first the tunnel itself was made of stone slabs, but as they descended further, it turned into natural, uncut rock, from which the stairs were carved, and near the bottom they could soon see brighter light coming from a rough archway. At last they stepped out into a cavern - Tatooine was full of caverns, it seemed. This one also had a spring-fed pool at its center. Around the pool were a few tables, chairs, bookshelves and other simple furnishings. More tunnels led off from the room and they were silently discussing, via hand gesture, which way to go when the Jedi decided to come to them. Two Jedi. They were both human males, one young and sturdy, the other small, thin and elderly, though he gave no impression of weakness.
"Master Yonlach," the younger one was insisting, "retreat to safety. I will take the intruder on!" He drew his saber purposefully but the Master put out a hand to stop him.
"No, Yul-li, control your feelings. Stand at my side. I will face this trespasser." He turned his attention to the masked woman. "Come no farther, Sith. I have been aware of your pilgrimage here. You are a fascinating and contradictory example of your order." He placed his hands behind his back as if he were lecturing a group of students. "I know why you've come. Master Nomen Karr's Padawan threatens you somehow. You seek to flush her into the open and silence her."
"Do I?" Sanguis was remarkably calm.
"I will not allow it." Yonlach began to pace slowly, his eyes still on the Sith. "I won't be the cause of her exposure. She came to me for guidance, and the bond we struck was the most profound of my life. We are psychically linked, she and I, and I have already warned her about you. She will not fall for your manipulations."
"I can be very convincing." Still calm. Vette gave her a sideways, wondering glance.
"Your will may be great, but hers is greater. And mine is unrelenting." No response. The Jedi Master paused a moment, then continued. "The disparity in our capabilities is equal to the disparity in our age. You cannot win. Turn away now." No response. Yonlach seemed puzzled. He tried again. "In me you face a full Jedi Master. And Yul-li has greater command of lightsaber combat than any Jedi Knight I've trained."
Quinn was starting to feel uneasy. He glanced at Sanguis, who didn't appear intimidated in the least. "I am not alone either, Jedi."
"No. But your compatriots will not be joining you." A wave of his hand and, for Vette and Quinn, everything suddenly went black; their legs buckled and they fell helplessly to the floor. Bizarrely, they were still aware of their surroundings - they could feel the stone at their backs and follow the conversation as it continued - but they couldn't open their eyes or force their bodies to move. They heard Sanguis speak up sharply.
"Did you hurt them?"
"Of course not. This is simply not their fight."
"Well done, Master Yonlach," put in the young Jedi's voice. "Now please, retreat and let me face the Sith."
"Your concern is appreciated, Yul-li. But I did not seize the advantage here to immediately relinquish it."
Quinn cursed Jedi and their mind manipulations. Vette hoped they wouldn't get stepped on accidentally.
Sanguis' voice came again, low and cool. "You don't fight fair, Jedi."
"When the stakes are this high, I am bound to do whatever it takes to preserve the order. Now, for the last time, will you stand down?"
"I will not."
"Enough of this! It's useless to reason with a Sith!" There was a sudden clash of blades. Above the sounds of fighting came Yonlach's voice calling for his friend to stop, but there was no response.
The two on the ground began fighting with all their might against the older Jedi's hold. Vette gave up eventually and concentrated on listening - as long as she could pick out Sanguis' voice amid the chaos, there was hope. Quinn just kept struggling, hating his own weakness. At last he managed to open his eyes a little; it was barely enough to see their boots passing to and fro across the floor before him, four brown, two black. He knew the black ones well. He tried to move his own feet - no. His head - no. Nothing obeyed him.
There was a sudden crash off in one corner of the room. One pair of brown boots now. The master's, he thought. He kept trying to see more. If they defeated her, would they kill her? Would he be forced to lie there and watch helplessly as she died? He made a mighty effort and one hand, just barely, started inching toward his blaster. A little more... a little more... but then he felt the Jedi's grip tighten on him again. Next instant, there was another crash. The last pair of brown boots was gone. Black boots remained. The sweep of a lightsaber and-
"Stop! Hold your weapon, Sith, I beg you!"
"Yul-li, stay your tongue." The older Jedi's voice was weak, but sharp.
"No, she is just a Padawan, you are a great Master! I must bargain for your life." There was a sound of movement from the corner. "Sith, I'll tell you everything I know, if you spare Master Yonlach."
Sanguis sounded out of breath. And a little surprised. "Your devotion is remarkable."
"I'm sorry, Master Yonlach, but I must do this. Her name is Jaesa Willsaam, and Nomen Karr has taken her to-"
"Yul-li, you have no recollection of the Padawan this Sith seeks."
"I have no recollection of the Padawan this Sith seeks."
"Now, sleep." There was a thump. "I do not relish wiping Yul-li's mind like that. But his feelings for me got the better of him."
"Most impressive." There was something... odd... in Sanguis' tone. She didn't sound impressed, she sounded - surprised? Intrigued?
"It's a terrible thing, a last resort. I had to act for the greater good." The Jedi's voice was troubled.
"Indeed." That odd tone again.
Yonlach almost sounded defensive now. "Jaesa is special, her power unprecedented. If untouched by the likes of you, she has the potential to lead the Jedi to greatness. You know her name, but that is all you'll get here. So, you may as well kill me. I must find tranquility, so Jaesa will sense only peace when you strike me down."
Silence. Quinn expected to hear the lightsaber sing again at any moment, but the moments dragged on. What was she waiting for?
"No. No, I will not." Her voice was quiet at first, but it got stronger. "I have seen what death is to a Jedi and I refuse to deal the killing blow. My message has already been delivered. My purpose in coming here has been fulfilled."
Yonlach was nearly speechless. "You only wish to send a message? I am at a loss to understand you, Sith."
"I leave you at a loss, then - and to wrestle with what you did to your fellow." Sanguis sounded almost gleeful.
"Yes... I do feel the shame of my actions. It will be difficult to live with. Goodbye, Sith. I will release your friends to you. You've left me with much to ponder."
Movement returned slowly. When her companions sat up, they found Sanguis sitting between them, lost in thought. Besides themselves, the room was empty.
"You didn't kill them," Vette said wonderingly.
"I didn't kill them," Sanguis repeated softly, like an echo. "I didn't kill them." She looked up. "Are you both all right?"
"Fine. That was a nice trick of his." Vette felt cheery all of a sudden; she stood and brushed herself off with a flourish. Quinn, on the other hand, looked severely disappointed in himself.
"My lord, I'm sorry I was of no use to you. I did not anticipate the Jedi's incapacitating tactic."
"Next time we will be more prepared. But I wouldn't say you were of no use, Captain; it took some effort on Yonlach's part to keep you down - enough to negate his supposed advantage. You are more potent than you know." There was an ever-so-slightly-flirty tone to the last bit that made Vette raise both eyebrows.
Quinn found himself very grateful for the dim lighting. "Sharack Breev thought we were doomed. We should inform her of our success," he redirected quickly.
"She should never have doubted." Sanguis rose and led the way back up the stairs.
When they returned to the spaceport, Breev was there, completely astounded to see them alive. She asked a thousand questions about the journey, then sat slowly shaking her head. "This is a great lesson. The only barriers that exist are the ones we create in our minds."
"I'm, uh, pretty sure that isn't true," Vette put in, but the guide ignored her.
"I will never again assume that I know all there is to know. And I will explore the entirety of the Tatooine desert without reservation."
"Boring," Vette muttered.
"I hope Lord Baras knows how fortunate he is to have such a fine champion sheparding his cause. I shall never forget you."
"Kiss-up." That one got Vette an elbow in the ribs from her employer.
"I will inform Lord Baras that you were both knowledgeable and capable," Sanguis covered smoothly. "Fare well, Breev."
"Safe travels, my lord. If you're ever on Tatooine again, come and see me." The scout bowed low and departed.
Vette let out a long breath. "Why would we ever come back here?" she wondered.
"It will certainly be a pleasure to put this overheated sandbox behind us," Quinn chimed in, still brushing sand out of his hair. Sanguis glanced at him.
"It has its points," she said thoughtfully. "For instance, you look good with a tan, Captain."
"I hope it hides my blushes, my lord." It didn't. Vette looked between them and groaned.
"It's official, then. As far as types go, my lord, you could really do better than 'boring Imperial who's married to his job.'" She sighed. "Guess there's no accounting for taste. Alderaan's next, right? I've heard about that place. Better get my lekku buffed."
