They rode through the afternoon and into the night, and it was already dark when they settled down to camp on the thick plains. Just as she was falling asleep, something tickled her through the Force and she sat up. She reached out and felt a slight stirring, but it was there. On a planet so full of life, it was difficult to distinguish where it was coming from, but Kyp was also alert, so she was sure it wasn't her imagination.

"You feel it too?" she asked.

He frowned. "There's something there, but it's not anything Vong or after us in particular."

Phaelon nodded, that's what she had felt as well. "Shouldn't we get out of sight just in case." She felt that whatever it was was getting closer.

Then she heard it, above the whispering of the wind, a faint yet steady droning. Nearby the sadains began fidgeting and pawing the ground.

Kyp nodded and pointed off to the side. "Yeah. There was a stand of trees over there."

Moving quickly, they gathered up their things and mounted the sadains. The creatures moved faster than expected, eager to outrun whatever was coming. Something they had learned while at the Academy was that if the natives were running away, it was probably a good idea to move. When they reached the trees a few minutes later, the droning had rose to an overwhelming screech.

Inside the safety of the trees, the sadains continued to fidget, but the Jedi finally got them down just as the first creatures began soaring past. The moon and stars were soon blotted out as thousands began speeding around them.

Something made a sharp crack! on the other side of the tree Phaelon was standing behind, then another, and another in quick succession. The tree shook violently and she hoped it would at least stay upright. Soon what seemed like hundreds were hitting the tree. Though it was too dark to tell what they were, she was thankful she wasn't caught in the middle of it.

The swarm was so think, everything surrounding them was blotted out. She reached out with the Force to assure herself Kyp was still there and met slight amusement at her concern. Immediately, she sent him a glower and retreated.

Suddenly panicked, one of the sadains lurched to its feet and bolted into the storm of creatures. Its fellow considered running as well, but soon laid its head back in the grass and looked thoroughly miserable. Each Jedi considered for a moment about going after the animal, but even a lightsaber couldn't hold back the swarm. The animal's bellows were soon drowned out.

After what seemed like hours – in actuality it had been about three-quarters of an hour – the swarm began to diminish and the sounds of them hitting the tree slowed. Finally, the moon and stars appeared again as the stragglers attempted to keep up with the rest of them.

Peering around the tree, Phaelon saw hundreds of dead creatures that had run into the tree instead of swerving around it. Picking one up, she studied it. It was a nearly black bug that fit in the palm of her hand. With four wings and a pair of furry runners instead of legs, the bugs were clearly meant to remain airborne most of their lives.

Meanwhile, Kyp went in search of the missing sadain. He nearly tripped over it a short distance away. A hole had been gnawed neatly through its skull and other holes had similarly been chewed through other parts of it as well. Clearly the bugs didn't move for anything and were content to chew their way through instead.

OO

After a few hours of restless sleep, they started moving again – taking turns riding the surviving sadain. According to the Alwari, they had been a two day ride from Cuipernam, but having only one mount would slow them down.

As they traveled, Phaelon reached out with the Force, trying to get some idea of what was waiting for them in the city. Thankfully there was nothing out of place as far as she could tell, but that wasn't much of a comfort since they couldn't feel the Vong in the Force anyway.

The whole planet was a little cove of calm. No one seemed to care that there was a galactic war going on and that they might be wiped out; they didn't even seem to know about the bigger galaxy. For Phaelon it was a welcome change of routine. The war seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction, but this was one place that it wasn't evident.

When they camped that night, they could see the lights of Cuipernam just beyond the horizon. They probably could have made it, but the poor sadain was exhausted.

"Do we have a plan for getting out of here, Master?" Phaelon asked, sipping a self-warming tumbler of spicy tea.

"Why do I have to do all the planning?" Kyp countered.

She smirked. "Well, the Goddess did tell you to watch over me."

Heaving a sigh, he ran a hand through his messy hair. "I'm safer with the Vong."