The planet of Echothalia shimmered azure in the viewscreen, reflecting a similar light across the faces of the two Padawans as they bent across the ship's controls, focused on piloting the small vessel.

"This is the Republic ship, J-1138, requesting permission to begin landing procedure," Kalinda said into the comm unit.

There was silence.

Kalinda furrowed her brow, and tried again, to no avail. She glanced at the display, then looked at Obi-wan. "I'm not picking up traces of any power source on the scanners. It's as if they don't even have power...that's not a good sign"

"No, it isn't," he agreed, and flicked the comm unit that would reach the galley of the vessel, where Qui-gon and Jonas were located. "Masters," he said. "We're about to land, but...there might be a problem."

Moments later, both Jedi were in the cockpit, their eyes on the planet before them. "That doesn't bode well," Jonas said wryly after Kalinda explained what had happened.

Qui-gon looked troubled. "I sense that the situation is more serious than the Council realizes."

"Shall I wait to land until we've contacted the Temple, Master?" Obi-wan asked.

Jonas shook his head. "No. I think we should continue on with our original plan, though we must use extreme caution, especially since communications are probably down on the surface." He looked at Qui-gon. "I feel that we must keep up the appearance that the Council sent only myself and Kali; you and Obi-wan should stay hidden, for now, though I have little doubt that you will be needed before too long."

"In that case," Qui-gon said. "We'll keep nearby."

"Not too close," Jonas replied. "Non can be remarkably perceptive...I don't want him to have any idea that there are two teams of Jedi on Echothalia."

"But how will we know if they need help, if our comms won't work?" Obi-wan asked, glancing at Kali.

Qui-gon put a hand on his Padawan's shoulder, and nodded at Jonas. "We'll use the Force, my young apprentice. Jonas and I can communicate rather effectively, under certain circumstances. Bring us down in the main city, Obi-wan. I don't want to push our luck with the spaceport."

Nodding, Obi-wan began to pilot the craft through the atmosphere and to an open area that seemed to be centrally located in the city of Jerlach, which was itself a relatively small island on the vast ocean that covered most of the planet.

As they descended, Kalinda took a moment to observe the layout and appearance of the city. It must have been lovely, once, she thought, gazing at the battered structures. They were beautifully wrought, intricate buildings, or at least they had been at one time. Now, tiles were shattered, tall windows were covered with a patchwork of tarps, and stone was cracked and missing large chunks. There was little vegetation, and most of it was sparse and frail-looking, though remnants of massive parks and gardens could be seen from the organization of the trees and shrubs that did remain.

Once the ship had landed, Jonas and Kali gathered their packs and proceeded to disembark, the taste of the salty sea in the air around them. As she slipped off of the ship, Kali cast a glance back at Obi-wan, whose eyes were on her. She gave him a small wave, and he returned the gesture as the ship's loading ramp closed.

Suddenly, the sounds of footfalls and shouts met their ears, and Kali reached for her lightsaber automatically, though she was stopped by Jonas, who stretched out his hand to hers. "Wait, Kali," she heard him whisper.

A group of Echothalians was approaching them, brandishing blasters, vibro-blades, and hostile expressions. Most of them stood at least a head taller than Jonas, and their skin was dark blue, with pale white or gray hair braided atop their heads. They formed a loose circle around the Jedi, weapons raised, and one of them, a woman about five years Kali's senior, clutching an older model blaster in one hand, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed sharply.

"Who are you? Why have you come to our planet?"

Jonas spread his hands in a gesture of peace. "I am Jonas Ki, a Jedi Knight, and this is my Padawan Learner, Kalinda Halcyon. Our presence has been requested by Prime Minister Nereus, to settle a conflict with a terrorist named Non."

The woman scowled. "That sniveling dung heap summoned you? I find that hard to believe." She shifted, and Kali noticed that her free arm was hanging limply at her side.

"I have our orders, if you'd like to validate them," Jonas replied, his voice even. "After that, perhaps we can all meet with Nereus to discuss the matter?"

"Discuss what? There is no time for talk, only action," a boy in the crowd, who looked to be a few years younger than Kali, shouted. "We're all being played like fools. Non has destroyed our city, and our lives. We have no power, no communications...no hope."

"There is always hope," Jonas said as he looked at him, and Kali could detect a hint of sorrow in his words as he took in the boy's condition; like the others, he was skinny and wan, with sunken, fear-filled eyes and threadbare clothes. His hair, which should have been neatly coiled and braided around his head, was limp and dirty, hanging about his face. "Kali and I are here to help you."

The crowd was silent for a moment, before the woman who'd spoken to them initially burst out into a bitter laugh. "You speak of hope, and say that you come to our aid, Jedi, but I think that it is you who will need help. You have no idea what you've gotten yourselves into."

"Is there a problem, Rella?" A new, masculine voice spoke up, and everyone turned in surprise to see the newcomer. Like the others, he was a tall, muscular humanoid male, though he appeared to be better provisioned than his people, though not by much. Flanking him was a contingent of security staff and several assistants, though their appearance echoed that of the city; their uniforms were frayed and torn, the weapons looked dull and in disrepair, and their eyes shifted around the surroundings warily.

Rella glared at him. "Have you come out of your hidey-hole at last, Nereus?"

"These Jedi are here to help us," he replied, though Kali could sense a strong feeling of apprehension emanating from him. "If you'd stand down, we can get to business..."

"No! Enough talk!" Rella spat the words, her voice harsh. "We want action, not words! We want Non-dead!" A cheer rose from the crowd, who were slowly pressing in on the Jedi and Nereus.

Kali looked at Jonas, uneasiness trickling in her belly. What are we going to do? She thought. Jonas waited for the crowd to quiet, and cleared his throat.

"I understand your concern, all of you," he said, his voice carrying across the plaza. "Non is a cunning and dangerous criminal, who must not be underestimated. And I say again: the Jedi are here to find him, and bring him to justice...but we must first speak with the man who summoned us here." He gestured to Nereus, who looked nervous. "All I ask from you," he continued. "Is your patience and understanding. We are here to help." As he spoke, Kali began to feel some of the tension easing; she could see that some people's grips on their weapons loosened, and she felt the exhalation of those standing nearby.

Rella still looked skeptical, but she lowered her blaster. "Come on," she said at last. "Let's get off the street." She began to walk towards one of the buildings, and most of the others followed, though some went off in other directions.

Nereus gave a huge sigh of relief, and bowed solemnly to the Jedi, who returned the motion smoothly. "Welcome to Jerlach. I would like to say that I speak for all of the people of Echothalia when I say that the presence of Jedi Knights means a great deal to us all. But, as you saw, that is not the case." He extended a thick hand, which was covered in brilliant blue and white circular tattoos, in an Echothalian greeting. "Come, I have arranged a meeting place. It isn't safe here." He motioned for the Jedi to follow him, and the party began walking towards one of the less-ruined structures beyond the open space.

"How long has it been like this?" Jonas said as they walked.

Nereus hesitated. "It began about six weeks ago, though, in the last fortnight, things have gotten quite out of hand. I'm at a loss...You will soon understand."

At these words, Kali felt a flicker of apprehension run through her, and she glanced at Jonas, whose eyes met hers. The group made their way inside the building, to an inner room that consisted only of a few, rickety chairs placed at intervals throughout the space, as well as several more attendants and armed guards that stood along the perimeter. The unease in the room was palpable. Kalinda felt over two dozen pairs of eyes on the Jedi as they made for the seats in the center of the room.

As soon as everyone had taken a seat, the Prime Minister nodded to one of the attendants, who came forward with a tray of dry cakes and tea, offering it to the Jedi first. Kali remembered reading that the rules of hospitality were quite stringent, and noted how Nereus made sure that each of his guests was offered food and drink before any formal business was conducted, despite the fact that the necessities were in short supply. I think I admire him, she thought, sipping the tea, which was sweet, though mild. It is a heavy burden that he bears.

Nereus cleared his throat and glanced at Jonas, whose expression was carefully neutral. "I have to tell you," he said quietly, looking at the floor. "I've not been entirely forthright with you."

Jonas nodded, much to Kali's surprise. "I suspected as much. There is much fear in you, Minister, and I sense that it extends beyond fear for your people or your world."

The Minister swallowed heavily, and ran his hand across his face. "I received word shortly before you arrived," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "He has them. Non has kidnapped my wife and son."

Kali's eyes widened, but Jonas merely nodded again. "What are his demands?"

"You are willing to negotiate with a terrorist?"

"I simply want the facts, Minister," the Jedi replied. "I can take no action until you tell me everything that you know."

"But he has them...he's doing unspeakable things to my darling Hestra as we speak! And little Corrus must be terrified...you must act!" Nereus' voice had risen sharply, and Kali could see that he was trembling.

"We will help you," she said. "But you will help your family most by remaining calm, and telling us what you know." Jonas glanced at her, and she could see the glow of approval in his eyes.

Nereus nodded. "You are right. You are both right. I apologize; my nerves are frayed. It feels like we have had nothing but chaos here for too long." He took several deep breaths before he continued. "Before we lost power, he sent me a message that said...well, it would be best if you just saw it." He motioned to one of the assistants, who came forward with a holocom disk, and activated it, holding it before the Jedi.

An image appeared: two Echothalians, a woman and a small boy-the Minister's family, Kali assumed-were bound and gagged, their eyes looking fearfully upwards. Behind them, a figure appeared, though he was only visible from the chest down. "Greeeeetings, Minister," the figure spoke, placing a gauntleted hand on the head of the woman. His voice has a strange lilt, as though he was singing, or reciting a nursery rhyme. "Your lovely wife and I were having a chat-not that I really take much stock in the ramblings of your kind-and she told me that you have some special guests coming to visit."

He paused, and gave a little giggle, as though delighted. "Jedi, she says. I love Jedi...they're so much fun!" His hand tightened, and the woman's eyes rolled back in her head. Kali felt sick; the woman's fear was palpable, even through the hologram. "I have some...matters I'd like to discuss with this Jedi," Non continued conversationally. "I've arranged a little party for us in the Caverns: just me and the Jedi-and his little student-no one else. None of your 'security guards,' okay? That would make me angry...and you don't want to see me angry. You tell them that I'll see them there, soon." He gave a low chuckle, and the transmission cut off, leaving the room in silence.

Nereus put his face in his hands, and Kalinda felt a fresh wave of sympathy for him, which was immediately followed by a flash of fear as she recalled the transmission. She looked at Jonas; he had not moved the entire time, and he was still, even now. Finally he looked at Nereus.

"To what caverns is he referring?"

"The only ones that are accessible from Jerlach are the Dureno Caverns," Nereus replied, a grim look on his face. "But you can only reach them by traveling underwater, which is rather dangerous for offworlders...do you have some kind of breathing apparatus?"

Jonas nodded. "We're equipped. If you could give us the location of the caverns, we will take care of the rest."

The Minister sighed. "Very well. But I warn you-use extreme caution."

"Of course, Minister," Jonas replied, getting to his feet. "I'm not about to underestimate Non again."

Obi-wan's legs were starting to cramp, and he tried to stretch them out, a task made difficult given the nature of his and Qui-gon's hiding place. They had managed to sneak off of the ship while Jonas diverted the attention of the civilians, and had soon found a place to hide: a rickety, old transport wagon that looked like it had seen better days. Qui-gon had been pleased to discover that its repulsors were still functioning, which meant that it could be moved, though Obi-wan had examined the mold on the tarp that covered the top and rust on the machine dubiously.

Already they had been here for what felt like too long. Obi-wan glanced at his master, who was hunched over, deep in meditation. He was supposed to be doing the same, but concern for Kali combined with his own discomfort kept his mind from focusing. He sighed.

One of Qui-gon's eyes opened slightly, and Obi-wan made another attempt to clear his mind and meditate, hoping to avoid a lecture. He took deep, calming breaths-ignoring the smell of mildew and rusted metal-and imagined his worries as thousands upon thousands of grains of sand, draining from his mind as if from an hourglass. Soon he no longer felt the discomfort in his legs, and his mind relaxed. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Suddenly, he heard Kalinda's voice, as though she were whispering in his ear: Dureno Caverns. His eyes opened, and he glanced around the cramped space, disoriented. He looked at Qui-gon, whose eyes were also open, though he did not appear to be concerned.

"You felt it too?" he asked Obi-wan.

"That was incredible," the Padawan replied. "It was as if she was speaking directly in my ear. But I don't know where the Dureno Caverns are."

Qui-gon frowned. "I was referring to Jonas-I received a similar thought from him that you received from Kalinda."

"Are we going to go after them?"

"Patience, my young apprentice," Qui-gon answered. "They are leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs to follow, but we cannot interfere until the time is right."

Obi-wan opened his mouth to reply, when, all of a sudden, the canvas door to the transport was ripped open, letting in the gray afternoon light. An unfriendly set of eyes peered inside. "More Jedi? Rella will love this! Come out and show yourselves, you scum!"

"Master, I think we're lost."

"Patience, Kali. A Jedi is never lost, they simply find their own way."

"We are lost; you only say things like that when you aren't sure about something." Kalinda muttered. She held back a groan as she stepped into a pile of something that squished unpleasantly beneath her boot, and tried to wring out her sopping hair again as they made their way through the darkness of the cavern. Though it wasn't pitch black, it was still difficult to see the way and the footing was uncertain and slippery; Kali had almost twisted her ankle on a particularly large hole that she failed to notice. A strange, stippled moss covered the walls of the tunnel, casting a greenish, phosphorescent glow on the rugged pathway, which provided a meager light. "I wish that we didn't have to swim; I'd feel better if my lightsaber was working." Most lightsabers were rendered ineffective by water, an effect that lasted almost half an hour.

"Kalinda," Jonas said, pausing to turn to her. "How much research did you do on Non when we were on Coruscant?"

"I read through all the reports that I could find," she replied. "But they weren't very descriptive; most were borderline cryptic. Even yours. Why?"

He was quiet for a moment, and she sensed that he was debating something within himself. "I shouldn't have brought you," he said after a moment. "It's too dangerous."

She frowned. "Master, I'm sure that-"

"He is ruthless, Kali," Jonas interrupted, his hand on her arm. "On Dantooine, I sensed much turmoil within him, but no anger. And, most dangerous...no fear. He is capable of anything, and everything, though it may not seem like it at first. Do just as I say, and don't try to be a hero. Our mission is to rescue the Minister's family, and bring Non to justice. I want you to focus on the family, and I will handle Non. Can you do that?"

Confused, she nodded. "Of course. And we have Obi-"

He shushed her. "These walls have ears, no doubt," he said softly. Her eyes widened, and she nodded. He put a hand on her cheek. "I know that you will do well, Kali. You have never disappointed me."

Despite the circumstances, she smiled at him, and he at her. After a moment, they continued on. "I don't understand, Jonas; what is it about Non that makes him so dangerous?"

Jonas sighed. "Mostly it is the fact that almost nothing is known about him: no one has been able to figure out his true identity, his home-world, or even his appearance."

"I noticed the cortosis armor."

"Indeed. However, it seems to serve no purpose other than to conceal his figure. I have never heard of him to engage in battle; instead, he creates havoc by use of simple explosive devices, or cruel tricks that end up costing innocents their lives."

Kalinda was thoughtful for a moment. "So, no one knows who he is? I'd think that would be difficult to manage..."

"As I said," Jonas replied. "He is cunning, and capable of anything. I myself saw him destroy an entire mining operation on Dantooine with only a few barrels of standard firepower and a deck of sabacc cards."

"Sabacc cards?"

Suddenly, Jonas held up his hand, and Kali froze in place. She could barely make him out in the dim light; his gaze was fixed on the path ahead of them, where a single, red light had started blinking. Kali sensed what he was going to say before he had to say it, and they both leaped backwards as the blast shuddered through the cavern, and sent out a burst of flame where they had stood.