Chapter 23
The speeder ride to the area of the Rebel group was long and cold. After only a few minutes of the cold air blasting into her face, Meri had chills running up and down her spine.
After casting a disbelieving look at Folly, who sat up straight and looked as though he were enjoying the ride, she ducked her head down behind him, and tried to avoid the cold, rushing air.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she pulled her small frame further behind Folly. //He makes a great wind-breaker,// she thought humorously. In truth, she knew she was going to have to get used to the frigid air and quickly. After being locked up in a small, warm, enclosed area, her body was not used to the coldness. And before that she had lived on Coruscant, which had a controlled climate. //I'm just going to have to get used to it,// she thought determinedly almost imagining she could hear her teeth chattering over the wind.
Finally and much to her relief, Folly slowed the speeder and then stopped it behind a covering of thick evergreens.
Hopping off, Folly turned towards her and helped her step off. Stiffly Meri stepped down, finding her whole body somewhat unresponsive. Strangely, her hands and feet felt almost numb.
A flash of concern swept over Folly's features and he stepped up to her and began running his hands briskly over her arms. "Here," he said softly. "This will help generate heat. You'll get more used to it soon," he added.
Meri nodded and took over rubbing her arms. Within a few minutes she noticed some feeling returning to her hands as the friction built warmth. "I'm fine, let's go," she finally said, hoping that with movement she would become warmer.
With another concerned glance and a lopsided smile, Folly nodded. "Come on. It's not far."
Turning Folly began to lead her further into what appeared to be a forest of evergreen. The trees thickened the further they went and Meri found she was having difficulty walking through the deep drifts of snow. Her upper body had definitely warmed up, but her feet felt like blocks of ice.
After half an hour of silence and hard walking, Meri felt desperate need of rest. //You're a Jedi apprentice. You're supposed to be able to handle things like this,// she lectured herself. "How much farther?" she managed to huff, her breath showing in the air around her as she trudged through the thick snow.
Folly glanced back and grinned at the sight of the flushed apprentice. "Not far," he assured. "In fact you might want to keep quiet from now on out," he cautioned.
Meri gulped in a breath of cold air and nodded. Much to her relief, the snow began to thin out and a covering of ice took its place. She glanced around and noticed that to her left rose a slight hill and to her right was a steep drop off. The young woman glanced curiously at it, wondering where all the ice came from.
The farther they went, the narrower the trail they followed became. Now there was a steep hill rising to their left, and the sharp drop remained on their right.
"Watch your footing," Folly warned as he edged carefully along the trail.
But the warning came two seconds too late. Meri's feet, which were by now so numb from the cold she couldn't feel them, slipped on the treacherous ice.
She stumbled and grasped desperately for a hold, but her feet slid right out from underneath her. Before her mind had time to register what was going on, she found herself sliding over the sharp embankment and down the hill.
Faintly she heard Folly yelling her name, but she hadn't the time to think on it as she began tumbling faster and faster down the ice slicked hill. Almost before it began it was over and Meri found herself lying flat on her face in the snow, her chest heaving as she gulped in air, her head spinning.
The crunch of boots on ice brought her head up and her eyes focused on the pair of boots directly in front of her face.
Glancing up hurriedly, she saw a man standing before her staring down at her wordlessly, his eyes hard and cold as her surroundings.
She inhaled sharply and tried to draw her feet under her to stand. The moment she moved her right leg, a fiery pain shot through her ankle, causing her to gasp in pain. Somewhere in the tumble down the hill, her ankle had been injured.
She collapsed back into the snow and looked up at her captor, for surely the man standing before her was one of the Rebel and he didn't look happy with finding someone around their hideout.
Her mind raced for solutions, but came up empty. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. Folly was supposed to have informed her of their meeting spot, but now it would be up to him to find her. She was weaponless and helpless, unable to even stand.
Glancing up again at the stern face, Meri shivered as the cold snow beneath her melted and dampened her clothing. The test was on. "Think like a boy, act like a boy," Folly had told her.
Alex had told her she could never pass for a male. //Here is where I have to prove you wrong, Master,// she thought grimly.
Her life depended on it.
**
Without a word, the rebel reached down, grabbed Meri by her arm, and jerked her to her feet.
The young apprentice had to force back a cry of pain as her full weight was thrown onto her injured ankle. Wavering on her feet, she would have fallen if it had not been for the strong grip on her forearm. As it was, she was practically hanging from his grip, her ankle throbbing in intense pain as she fought to keep her balance on her one good leg.
"Where did you come from?" the scraggly kept rebel growled.
Meri pulled the Force around her to change her voice and tried to act scared. It wasn't hard to do. "I-I go-t lo-ost," she stammered.
The man made a throaty sound and then tugged roughly on her arm as though he wanted her to follow. The result was that she fell to her knees, the man's fingers biting into her arm.
"Get up," he ordered briskly.
By now, tears were burning in the back of her eyes at the pain in her foot. "I can't," she said hoarsely. Forget faking a limp. She couldn't even walk.
Before she had time to realize what the rebel was doing, she was thrown over his shoulder in a half-hazard manner. Frantically she gripped at the Rebel's tunic, but she needn't have worried. The rebel had a firm grip on her legs, just below her knees.
//If only Master could see me now,// she thought mildly amused.
It was still somewhat uncomfortable to be slung so carelessly over his shoulder, even if she knew he wasn't going to drop her. His long strides did nothing to help her now pounding head, as with every step she was jarred. She was figuring this man was a sentry and kept watch of the perimeter if the long walk was any indication.
Closing her eyes, she centered herself in the Force and tried to gather it and direct it at her ankle in a healing manner. Being crippled and unable to run was dangerous. //This whole thing is dangerous,// a part of her protested. If Meri were honest with herself, she would admit that she was getting worried.
Her thoughts were broken when she was unceremoniously dumped to the ground. The instilled fighter instinct in her caused her to look around quickly. She found she was in an enclosed area of some sort, for the ground beneath her was dry dirt, but it was still very cold.
Glancing up, she knew immediately that this was the person she had to fool.
He was younger than she expected the leader of the Rebel group to be. His eyes were a pale blue, looking cold and lifeless. His hair was a light straw colored blond and pulled back into a ponytail.
"Well, well," he murmured as he circled her unmoving form. "What do we have here?" He stopped suddenly and studied her with narrowed, calculating eyes.
"Stand up," he commanded in a tone that brooked no argument.
Meri knew automatically not to disobey that tone and vainly she tried to struggle to her feet. But without anything to pull herself up with she only floundered, before sinking back to the ground breathless.
The pale blue eyes immediately pinned the sentry in a hard gaze. "What's wrong with him? Did you do this?" he demanded.
The sentry took a step back in submission. "No, Sir."
Meri was too relieved that on first appearance the leader had thought her a boy to pay much attention to the conversation going on over her head.
"Boy."
The surprisingly cultured voice was addressing her next and she immediately looked up.
The rebel leader eyed her for long seconds, before relaxing into a more languid stance. "My good man here says he found you in our territory," the leader paused, his pale eyes glittering dangerously as he stared down at her.
Meri gulped and tried to look scared out of her wits. "I got lost," she offered hesitantly. She had no trouble getting the two to think they heard a boy, but was concerned that if she were ever in front of any more, she would have trouble.
"So I've heard," he murmured smoothly. Leaning down, his gaze hardened as he met her eyes. "Just what exactly were you doing so far out, that you got lost doing?"
With the cool, blue eyes watching her every expression, she faltered. "I…I…" she trailed off. In that instant, Meri's mind blanked.
The speeder ride to the area of the Rebel group was long and cold. After only a few minutes of the cold air blasting into her face, Meri had chills running up and down her spine.
After casting a disbelieving look at Folly, who sat up straight and looked as though he were enjoying the ride, she ducked her head down behind him, and tried to avoid the cold, rushing air.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she pulled her small frame further behind Folly. //He makes a great wind-breaker,// she thought humorously. In truth, she knew she was going to have to get used to the frigid air and quickly. After being locked up in a small, warm, enclosed area, her body was not used to the coldness. And before that she had lived on Coruscant, which had a controlled climate. //I'm just going to have to get used to it,// she thought determinedly almost imagining she could hear her teeth chattering over the wind.
Finally and much to her relief, Folly slowed the speeder and then stopped it behind a covering of thick evergreens.
Hopping off, Folly turned towards her and helped her step off. Stiffly Meri stepped down, finding her whole body somewhat unresponsive. Strangely, her hands and feet felt almost numb.
A flash of concern swept over Folly's features and he stepped up to her and began running his hands briskly over her arms. "Here," he said softly. "This will help generate heat. You'll get more used to it soon," he added.
Meri nodded and took over rubbing her arms. Within a few minutes she noticed some feeling returning to her hands as the friction built warmth. "I'm fine, let's go," she finally said, hoping that with movement she would become warmer.
With another concerned glance and a lopsided smile, Folly nodded. "Come on. It's not far."
Turning Folly began to lead her further into what appeared to be a forest of evergreen. The trees thickened the further they went and Meri found she was having difficulty walking through the deep drifts of snow. Her upper body had definitely warmed up, but her feet felt like blocks of ice.
After half an hour of silence and hard walking, Meri felt desperate need of rest. //You're a Jedi apprentice. You're supposed to be able to handle things like this,// she lectured herself. "How much farther?" she managed to huff, her breath showing in the air around her as she trudged through the thick snow.
Folly glanced back and grinned at the sight of the flushed apprentice. "Not far," he assured. "In fact you might want to keep quiet from now on out," he cautioned.
Meri gulped in a breath of cold air and nodded. Much to her relief, the snow began to thin out and a covering of ice took its place. She glanced around and noticed that to her left rose a slight hill and to her right was a steep drop off. The young woman glanced curiously at it, wondering where all the ice came from.
The farther they went, the narrower the trail they followed became. Now there was a steep hill rising to their left, and the sharp drop remained on their right.
"Watch your footing," Folly warned as he edged carefully along the trail.
But the warning came two seconds too late. Meri's feet, which were by now so numb from the cold she couldn't feel them, slipped on the treacherous ice.
She stumbled and grasped desperately for a hold, but her feet slid right out from underneath her. Before her mind had time to register what was going on, she found herself sliding over the sharp embankment and down the hill.
Faintly she heard Folly yelling her name, but she hadn't the time to think on it as she began tumbling faster and faster down the ice slicked hill. Almost before it began it was over and Meri found herself lying flat on her face in the snow, her chest heaving as she gulped in air, her head spinning.
The crunch of boots on ice brought her head up and her eyes focused on the pair of boots directly in front of her face.
Glancing up hurriedly, she saw a man standing before her staring down at her wordlessly, his eyes hard and cold as her surroundings.
She inhaled sharply and tried to draw her feet under her to stand. The moment she moved her right leg, a fiery pain shot through her ankle, causing her to gasp in pain. Somewhere in the tumble down the hill, her ankle had been injured.
She collapsed back into the snow and looked up at her captor, for surely the man standing before her was one of the Rebel and he didn't look happy with finding someone around their hideout.
Her mind raced for solutions, but came up empty. This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. Folly was supposed to have informed her of their meeting spot, but now it would be up to him to find her. She was weaponless and helpless, unable to even stand.
Glancing up again at the stern face, Meri shivered as the cold snow beneath her melted and dampened her clothing. The test was on. "Think like a boy, act like a boy," Folly had told her.
Alex had told her she could never pass for a male. //Here is where I have to prove you wrong, Master,// she thought grimly.
Her life depended on it.
**
Without a word, the rebel reached down, grabbed Meri by her arm, and jerked her to her feet.
The young apprentice had to force back a cry of pain as her full weight was thrown onto her injured ankle. Wavering on her feet, she would have fallen if it had not been for the strong grip on her forearm. As it was, she was practically hanging from his grip, her ankle throbbing in intense pain as she fought to keep her balance on her one good leg.
"Where did you come from?" the scraggly kept rebel growled.
Meri pulled the Force around her to change her voice and tried to act scared. It wasn't hard to do. "I-I go-t lo-ost," she stammered.
The man made a throaty sound and then tugged roughly on her arm as though he wanted her to follow. The result was that she fell to her knees, the man's fingers biting into her arm.
"Get up," he ordered briskly.
By now, tears were burning in the back of her eyes at the pain in her foot. "I can't," she said hoarsely. Forget faking a limp. She couldn't even walk.
Before she had time to realize what the rebel was doing, she was thrown over his shoulder in a half-hazard manner. Frantically she gripped at the Rebel's tunic, but she needn't have worried. The rebel had a firm grip on her legs, just below her knees.
//If only Master could see me now,// she thought mildly amused.
It was still somewhat uncomfortable to be slung so carelessly over his shoulder, even if she knew he wasn't going to drop her. His long strides did nothing to help her now pounding head, as with every step she was jarred. She was figuring this man was a sentry and kept watch of the perimeter if the long walk was any indication.
Closing her eyes, she centered herself in the Force and tried to gather it and direct it at her ankle in a healing manner. Being crippled and unable to run was dangerous. //This whole thing is dangerous,// a part of her protested. If Meri were honest with herself, she would admit that she was getting worried.
Her thoughts were broken when she was unceremoniously dumped to the ground. The instilled fighter instinct in her caused her to look around quickly. She found she was in an enclosed area of some sort, for the ground beneath her was dry dirt, but it was still very cold.
Glancing up, she knew immediately that this was the person she had to fool.
He was younger than she expected the leader of the Rebel group to be. His eyes were a pale blue, looking cold and lifeless. His hair was a light straw colored blond and pulled back into a ponytail.
"Well, well," he murmured as he circled her unmoving form. "What do we have here?" He stopped suddenly and studied her with narrowed, calculating eyes.
"Stand up," he commanded in a tone that brooked no argument.
Meri knew automatically not to disobey that tone and vainly she tried to struggle to her feet. But without anything to pull herself up with she only floundered, before sinking back to the ground breathless.
The pale blue eyes immediately pinned the sentry in a hard gaze. "What's wrong with him? Did you do this?" he demanded.
The sentry took a step back in submission. "No, Sir."
Meri was too relieved that on first appearance the leader had thought her a boy to pay much attention to the conversation going on over her head.
"Boy."
The surprisingly cultured voice was addressing her next and she immediately looked up.
The rebel leader eyed her for long seconds, before relaxing into a more languid stance. "My good man here says he found you in our territory," the leader paused, his pale eyes glittering dangerously as he stared down at her.
Meri gulped and tried to look scared out of her wits. "I got lost," she offered hesitantly. She had no trouble getting the two to think they heard a boy, but was concerned that if she were ever in front of any more, she would have trouble.
"So I've heard," he murmured smoothly. Leaning down, his gaze hardened as he met her eyes. "Just what exactly were you doing so far out, that you got lost doing?"
With the cool, blue eyes watching her every expression, she faltered. "I…I…" she trailed off. In that instant, Meri's mind blanked.
