Chapter 38

'Talking In Your Sleep'

'Drink With Me'

'A Decent Into Hell'

A hiking trip sounds enjoyable and therapeutic but Mrs. Antilles has misgivings and questions her son's the urgency to make the journey. Even with her doubts, she helps her son pack.

"Argus, does it have to be now? You just got home. You've been away at school all semester…Don't' you think your father and I have plans to spend time with you this summer? "

Boone rolls his eyes and grabs a Tranna nougat cream stick from his dresser. It is a 2-stick commemorative pack. The Theed University emblem is stamped on cellophane wrapper. The confections were offered during the pre-graduation senior class cocktail reception. Boone stuffed about a dozen in his pocket that evening. He pops one into his mouth like a cigar and leaves the last pack on the dresser.

"Mom, it's only for a few days. It's the last trip I'll take before I start my job."

"…Six days if you count for travel time. You'll need your warm socks."

"Thanks, Mom. What would I do without you?"

"You'd freeze to death."

"I'll think of you every moment I hike across Hoth Lintel Glacier."

"So who else is going besides you, Roman and Magnus?"

"Well, we're meeting up with Sigi and Magnus; Son'ya is boycotting the trip because she feels that the team is breaking up and she and Sigi will be the only ones managing the demonstrations on campus. We signed up a bunch of new recruits before finals. She should be happy….anyway…it's just the five of us. Dantius might come but Fern said she's too exhausted to make the trip. I have to call her to find out what's going on."

"That friend of yours…Dantius…what is he really like? I'm asking because I got the impression his mother didn't think we were good enough to talk to them."

"Yeah, well…I don't think Dani is really close to his parents. I get the feeling there's a lot of tension between them. Maybe this trip will help him."

"So he's that much of a friend to you?"

"Well, yeah…sure he is."

"I don't know, Argus…I mean...after that incident during the last trip you took with him…He tried to hurt you."

"He was sleepwalking. He didn't mean to hurt me. He was devastated about it and apologized. We're good now. "

"Well, it doesn't make me feel any better about it. You be careful."

"I promise. I'll carry a blaster under my pillow this time."

His mother stops for a moment. She places her index finger to her bottom lip as if she is trying to remember something.

"I think your father has one stored in his art studio. I'll get it for you." She turns to leave the room.

"Mom! I was joking!"

"I'm not."

"No more blaster talk…okay?"

"Fine."

"Good."

Mrs. Antilles folds a woolen pullover and adds it to the sack of clothing in his duffle.

"I'll slip it in your duffle before you leave….just in case."

"Mom!" Boone laughs nervously. His mother smiles back and winks. She is still concerned. The duffle is almost full. Mrs. Antilles slides her hand inside to see how much more space is available…just in case.

Dantius leaves the balmy late spring weather of Theed and travels alone on an express shuttle to Hoth. He arrives at the Spaceport. This is a relief. He can escape Copely's incessant chatter. Copley, the family chauffeur, chats during the entire ride to the Theed Spaceport. Copley is normally talkative but on this occasion, he is almost nervous as he speaks to Dantius. He rambles on about things that could quickly anger the young Palpatine.

"It's a beautiful day, Master Dantius. Your mother's prized Zephyr lilies are in bloom. She was hoping you would join her at the garden party she is hosting for the Count and Countess of Theed. But the youth of today are always on the move I told her. Your presence will be missed…your sister will be there and Miss Vernu…not that you have anything to discuss…I mean…perhaps this would be a good time to mend fences…not that it's any of my of my business of course…Everyone had great hopes for the two of you…"

Dantius is not responding. He glances at his data card for the time. Copley looks in the rearview mirror at Dantius and stops speaking.

They arrive at the Theed Spaceport. Dantius is in a hurry. He quickly exits the vehicle and removes his luggage before Copley has a chance to open the driver door. Dantius waves and sprints into the Spaceport terminal to the departure gate. He boards almost immediately since his luggage consists of one small overnight bag which he carries with him. A male security clerk stands at the boarding gate. He is tall, blond man with a friendly face but mindful of his duties as a security official. The officer examines the ticket. He gives Dantius a long look.

"Traveling light for Hoth aren't we?"

Dantius has a mind to tell the clerk what he carries onboard is none of his business. The fact is that no one travels to Hoth without checked baggage. It raises suspicion. Hoth System is a peaceful place, rich in culture, majestic mountains, fjords, and glaciers. The people of Hoth are aware of the galactic events but prefer to be removed from the dirty politics of the Core Worlds.

Dantius smiles at the security clerk as he makes up an excuse.

"Oh, I can purchase what I need once I arrive. I have urgent business to attend."

The clerk eyes Dantius suspiciously then scans his boarding pass.

"'Trevlig resa'. Enjoy your flight."

"Thank you."

Dantius proceeds through the ramp. The clerk turns slightly as he watches Dantius walk away.

Dantius settles in the first class window seat. The sun shines brightly in the cabin. The first class cabin begins to fill up as passengers go to their assigned seats.

Another passenger arrives. He has the aisle seat beside Dantius. He is an amiable-looking man who smiles and nods a cheerful 'Good morning.' Dantius watches as the passenger sits and opens his newspaper. Dantius abruptly pulls down the window shade then closes his eyes and pretends to be asleep. The passenger look above his seat and switches on the reading light.

There is no time for idle chitchat when your focus is on the important mission you have to complete.

Boone, Magnus, and Roman have already arrived on Hoth. They enjoy a lively dinner at the Horn residence in Lnteel. It is a sunny day with mist drifting over the fjord. The Hoth solstice arrives a week early. The three friends join Sigrid on the deck of the house overlooking the fjord. They relax in a row of deck chairs drinking beer and aquavit offered by Doctor Horn.

Boone lays back in his chaise in thick woolen socks and down vest sipping a beer and gazing up at the sky through his sunglasses.

"This is awesome! No more classes, no work…just pure Hoth bliss!"

Doctor Horn stands behind the row of chairs and places a tray of appetizers on a small table.

"This is courtesy of Mrs. Horn to enjoy with your drink."

Roman reaches over and helps himself to gravlax and toast wedges.

"Wow! What service! This is the best post-dinner meal I have ever had. Thanks."

Doctor Horn smiles as he looks out onto the fjord.

"It's a beautiful night to enjoy it. Magnus, how is the job coming along?"

"It's good, sir. I have to be back in a week but this break came just in time."

Mrs. Horn steps out onto the deck with a tray full of glasses filled with aquavit. Doctor Horn thanks her then passes the glasses around.

"Ah so, it is time to have some of the best aquavit in all of Hoth."

Boone sets his beer on the side table and eagerly accepts the slim, tube-shaped shot glass.

"Doctor Horn, are you trying to get us drunk? We're just a bunch of innocent college graduates."

"Oh, I've heard about your winter break escapades. You don't fool me."

"Touché!"

Sigrid laughs and takes a glass.

"Skol!"

Doctor Horn takes a glass for himself then breaks into song. The others join in. Boone does not know the words but sings along anyway using his own improvised lyrics.

Helan går,

sjung hopp falleri faderallan lej,

helan går,

sjung hopp faderallan lej

Och den som inte helan tar

han inte heller halvan får

Helan gåååååååår

sjung hopp faderallan lej.

Halvan går

sjung hopp falleri faderallan lej

halvan går

sjung hopp faderallan lej

Och den som inte halvan tar,

han heller inte tersen får,

Halvan gååååår,

sjung hopp faderallan lej.

Here's the first

Sing "hup fol-de-rol la la la la"

Here's the first

Sing "hup fol-de-rol la la"

He who doesn't drink the first

Shall never, ever quench his thirst

Here's the first

Sing "hup fol-de-rol la la"

Here is the first drink

He who does not drink the first

Shall never, ever quench his thirst

Let the Trade Federation go to Hell!

la la lal la laaa!

Her er første drikken Han som ikke drikker det første Skal aldri, noensinne slukk hans tørste Lot den Handel

Føderasjonen drar til Helvete !

la la lal la laaa!

They laugh after singing several verses. Everyone settles down and take in the beauty of the evening sun. Roman watches the pink and orange streaks in the sky. He notices a boat on the fjord filled with fishermen. The crew assesses their late night catch before returning to shore. Roman is truly at peace.

"This is, hands down, the best summer ever! Doc Horn, you are the most awesome parental figure ever. You need to hang out with us more often. How about it? We could go into town and make some noise."

"Hah! Roman, I'm afraid all my partying will be done here."

Sigrid agrees

"You do not want my dad pub hopping with us, trust me!"

She swaddles herself in the wampa wool throw then turns to Boone who is suddenly deep in thought.

"We should not get too drunk tonight. We're hiking tomorrow."

"Aren't we waiting for the others?"

"Son'ya cancelled and we still don't know about Dani and Fern."

Magnus sits up in his deck chair.

"I think we should go on without them. It'll be a lot more fun."

They are all unaware that Son'ya has a last minute change of plans. Her initial refusal to join the team is altered due to some news she receives.

A few days before Magnus, Boone, and Roman arrive on Hoth, she runs into a former classmate from her art class. It is Kiri. Kiri returns to campus to pick up her last pay cheque from her manager, Norman Wuher the pharmacist.

Norman is a better pharmacist than he is a manager. Instead of submitting her last pay with her student book refund, he conveniently 'forgets'. Now she must pick up her money. It just happens to work out in her favor because one of her art professors sees her and offers her a job at the prestigious Aldera Museum of Modern Expression gallery on Alderaan. After a two-year internship, she could have her choice of galleries across the galaxy to show her own work. The pay would be substantially more than working at the Theed University Book Store. She knew there had to be something better in her future than working for that miserable pharmacist.

Son'ya walks into the bookstore to purchase paint for what will be her senior thesis. The women strike up a conversation. Son'ya learns that Dantius strayed while dating Fern. Apparently, Fern made demands on Dantius and he sought solace in the arms of another. Kiri recounts how he appeared in the bookstore late one evening and took her back to his dormitory at the end of her shift.

Dantius urges her to share a bottle of wine with him. She asks him to open the drapes so they could view the beautiful new moons in the night sky. As he obliges, Kiri slips a sedative into his glass. She refuses to be used again and has no intention of sleeping with him. He rambles on about how his life is being stifled by Fern. The sedative is taking longer than expected to take effect and she lies beside him on his bed. He eventually falls asleep. Kiri is about to slip out of bed when Dantius becomes agitated. She is afraid that he will wake up. Instead, he begins to talking his sleep. She stays with him as he keeps repeating something.

"It's mine….it's mine. It was promised to me."

"What's yours?"

"The Holocron crystals. They were promised to me…after I get rid of him…"

"Who?"

"The boy…Sheld…he had to die. I had to kill him."

"Why?"

"To prove that I could. Now the Holocrons are mine."

"Who promised you this?"

"My master?"

"Your master?"

"My teacher, my mentor."

"Who is your mentor?"

"The Muun of course."

Kiri is shocked by the amount of information she is able to draw from him. She is not aware that he had taken Telezan Anafil II. After dinner, Dantius had taken the highly potent prescription medication because he had trouble sleeping. The anxiety over Fern and finals was taking its toll on him. The medication also made him uncharacteristically affectionate. He was under the influence when he walked into the bookstore. Kiri knew something was strange about his behavior when he offered to wait for her to finish her shift. She was not interested in seeing him again. The pharmacist noticed him loitering about and furrowed his eyebrows as he glances, disapprovingly, at Kiri.

Wuher was famous for making up arbitrary rules. He abused his position as night manager, barking order to the student employees, mostly targeting Kiri. He only got the title because no one else wanted the job. Wuher was offered a small salary increase if he would take on nightshift manager duties.

Kiri whispers to Dantius and asks him to wait for her outside. Any other time, Dantius would have become indignant and make a fuss. Dantius is vulnerable and open to suggestion with the wine and the sedative and prescription combination. He is oddly compliant that evening.

Kiri speaks to him with her sweet comforting voice as she gently caresses him, drawing out more information than she expected. She was careful not to push too hard because the sedative could wear off and he could awaken at any moment.

She slips out of his embrace and rinses the wine glass then refills it with a small amount of wine. She leaves his room and manages to slip past Brutus the guard as he arrives to relieve Officer Frank Jarman. Frank leaves his desk and disappears into the break room. Brutus drops his newspaper as he opens the door. Kiri spirits past him and makes her way across campus careful to stay in the shadows and off the path en-route to her dorm. The guard barely notices her as she hurries across campus.

A few days pass before she sees Dantius again. She is fortunate that he remembers nothing of that evening.

Kiri confides in Son'ya.

"I didn't tell you these things to hurt anyone. You and your friends are nice people and I am afraid for them…afraid of what he plans to do! If I am wrong, and I hope I am, I apologize; but if my instincts are correct, your friends must be warned."

"I hope you are wrong too but I also fear for their safety. Kiri, you are a good person. Thank you.

Son'ya purchases a ticket on the Anoat shuttle to Hoth. She could call them but what if she sets everyone in a panic for nothing? She still senses an urgency to reach Magnus and the others with a warning that something bad is about to happen but she has no idea what to tell them.