Hi, I am not sure if I will post on Christmas day as, of course we shall all be spending time with our loved ones and opening presents, and giving and sharing etc, so I am posting this as an early christmas present for you all! :D

Chapter 16. Desperate escape.

It was vehemently cold in the gloomy and lurid underground tunnels in which the escaped Jedi team and Duchess crawled tightly together, single file through. The walls were craggy against their prone hands and knees, jagged rocks scratching at the soft skin, and narrow, as if closing slowly in on them.

Satine felt as if her chest cavity was closing in on her, crushing her heart and lungs, as she struggled to adjust to the darkness. Her breathing was becoming laboured as she tried her best to suck in some air and calm her nerves. She was a strong woman, but she just had the feeling that something catastrophic was going to happen.

"Hey?" She heard the familiar accent of Obi-Wan call out to her. That voice was always so calming whenever she heard it, no matter how much she tried to hide it, the owner of that voice always helped her discover her calm and centre. She felt complete when with him. As if the part of her soul that had been ripped out of her when she had allowed him to leave Mandalore all those long years ago was restored to her; her knight in shining armour kneeling in front of her and presenting it to her, arms out stretched and the gift gently sitting in his calloused hands, awaiting her to take it back from him and let it be hers once more.

She'd turned her head to stare at Obi-Wan's azure eyes. They sparkled with the unsaid: warmth, desire, protectiveness. They were warm and inviting; warm that they attracted those who stared into them like a moth to a moon, its silver luminosity dazzling and hypnotic. His eyes could simply make the sturdy wall she constructed around herself, to shield herself from hurt or despair, crumble around her.

The side that she had slew by her own hand so long ago when he had left. The dagger to the heart that had killed the girl in her and left her as a woman who was sworn to her people. Married to her duty. To Mandalore.

Now, what could be said? For she had just possibly betrayed that. She had allowed her feelings for Obi-Wan to get in the way. She had committed herself to him.

"Are you alright?" He asked, voice carried by the thin whistling of the air that travelled through the tunnel as if a ghost's silent call, wafted to her ears that sounded like a symphony of an angels voice from within the heavens. She would have loved to have heard that wonderful voice everyday. The worry she weighed heavily for her people would be much less a burden to carry, had she been able to listen to that heavenly tone everyday.

It made her feel as if she was weightless, floating in the air. She felt as if she was within the Force its self, suspended precariously on its calm melody that radiated off the serene Jedi. It would be the closest to the Force she would ever feel.

Before she had the chance to respond, a firmer and masculine tone cut in;

"We'll arrive soon," Garen grunted, as his knee scraped against a jagged rock, forcing it from its place and jabbing at his exposed skin. He could feel the skin heat up, and he felt blood trickle out of the small incision. "You hear the whistling of the air? That means we are close to our ticket out of here," A sly smile curved the edges of his dark lips as he continued to lead the group out, the others crawling after him.

Satine, before she could advance further, felt a hand gently rest upon her shoulder. She felt the static charge of electricity jolt through her body at the familiar touch. She turned her head again to gaze into those azure orbs and drown under his intense stare.

"Relax," Obi-Wan whispered. "Take deep breaths."

Satine took his advice without delay or denial, and breathed in deeply through her nose, letting the cool and crisp air tunnel though her nostrils and her body; felt it fill up her lungs to the point where it was just impossible to fill them anymore. The relief she felt in her body as it in took its food seemed to recoil the pressure she felt in her chest cavity.

Obi-Wan smiled, feeling her tension ease through the Force. He waited until she proceeded to crawl onwards again before following suit.

*Thrum.*

The distant and hollow sound reached out to their ears without warning, causing them to seize their tracks and wait, observing the unknown disturbance without their eyes.

Eyes flickered and trailed to gaze at one another, each of them holding a mixture of emotions and physical limits: fear, apprehension, caution, exhaustion. The same noise repeated its self, and the group inched forwards slightly, ready for anything intense to spring out.

Without warning, the canvas just behind Obi-Wan crumbled and hammered down into the tunnels, crashing through the ground and tunnelling further through towards the core. Everyone's reaction was to retreat, and so of course they each scrambled forwards, oblivious towards the scraping and incisions the jagged rock edges inflicted upon their exposed skin.

Again, the same as before happened, and a massive drill intruded the craggy walls. The sound was deafening to everyone's ears, and it momentarily stunned them as they struggled to hear past anything but the screeching of the drills mechanisms and rattling of their vibrating ear drums.

"MOVE!" Anakin yelled over the noise, his tone filled with desperation. "GO!"

Everyone complied and jammed themselves together as they scurried to get out. Bodies pressed tightly together, the heat overbearing as they desperately attempted to break free.

Obi-Wan risked a glance back, and the change of fear and colour that reflected off his irises made him wish that he had never looked back: The drills were slowly advancing downwards with the pace of a snail, though that only made the sounds of the machinery grinding and the rumbling of the tunnels canvas all the more excruciating.

The Force that was always such a calm pool of slow convulsing, crystal clear water, was now rippling with danger and possible death. His senses bellowed at him to retreat. He didn't hesitate to heed the Force's warning, and turned to crawl his way out the tunnel.

"Over here!" He heard a voice call out from the distance of a side tunnel a few feet ahead of him. "They are this way!"

He crawled his way as fast as he could. He could barely see the silhouettes of Satine, Anakin, Ahsoka and Garen awaiting him at the end. More debris from the tunnels wall crumbled and feel from the walls, some hitting Obi-Wan. Few rocks crumbled into dust that scattered through the air and settled on his skin and clothes, leaving them a chalk grey. He could see light through his half closed eye lids.

Bright, wonderful and warm white light that represented so much of the Force. He crawled towards it, arms stretching out, fingers a touching distance away. The light touched the tips and soon washed over his fingers, bathing them in light. Obi-Wan felt the warmth it offered him. Invited him; and he accepted it with gratitude. Let it fill him up. He drank hungrily from its resources, feeling it cool his flaming body, relieving it of its battered injuries.

"Get over here!" He felt a hand clutch at his ankle, and he was suddenly yanked from the light and suspended precariously on the edge of darkness. The tug he felt at his leg was strenuous to his muscles, and he grit his teeth in an attempt not to yelp out a cry of surprise.

His near hollow eyes - sunken from the time in captivity - settled themselves upon what had grabbed him like an avian, a bird of preys oculus targeting its victim. The familiar Mando'a armour caught his eye. The metallic, angular and bleak helmet glistened in the dark, and Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he tried to see through the dark glass that allowed the Jedi hunter to see through, as he saw the eyes gleam with a madness through his penetrating stare.

He felt the fingers claw their way further into his ankle, and he hissed in pain as the claws burrowed into his tendons. Instinctively, the Jedi Master sent a swift kick to the Mando's face, denting his helmet. The hunter's head was dragged down to the ground from the daze and connected solidly with the ground. He let out a yelp of surprise from the sharp pain he felt and the contact to the rocky ground.

Obi-Wan scrambled away towards the light and the others, not looking back as he heard the horrendous fall of debris rapidly approach him, and the blood curdling cries of pain from the hunters who were crushed under the intense weight of the debris. He knew that he could do nothing to aid them. It was too late.

The Jedi climbed his way out of the alcove and into the light, resting on his hands and knees, panting heavily. He felt the heat from the sun blister down upon him, and it felt good to feel its rays touch him, settle on his skin and fill it with nutrients. The cool air bristled through his hair and beard like a kiss, allowing him to breath its sweet scent of blossom in.

He was grateful to inhale the scent of blossoms rather than the revolting stench of old mutilated corpses, blood and vomit.

"We need to get out of here," He vaguely comprehended Anakin's voice as he was hoisted up onto his feet. They let him sway a bit, allowing him to find his footing himself, before he staggered forwards, an arm curled around his stomach, as Anakin lifted an arm over his shoulder and hobbled forwards with him. Towards refuge. Towards safety.

As they made their way back to the compound in which Anakin and Ahsoka gathered with the few of the new born resistance, none of them noticed Vizsla gazing at them from the throne room window, his face contorted into an animalistic snarl.

Well there we go! I hope you enjoyed! And until after Christmas, or into the new year, I shall say: Merry christmas and a happy new year! Best wishes to you all, and may the new year bring you all good fortune, happiness and wisdom. :D