Not a bad ass, Mau'te thought as he caught up to her. Too skinny, but she had potential. No, what was he thinking? Baras expected him to kill her. The Imperial officers expected it. Why did he promise to keep her alive? That was stupid.

Mau'te sensed someone approach. He shoved the girl into the shadows with him. Another acolyte passed on his way out of the tomb. Not failed, so not a threat. He turned to the girl. Vette was it? Not a Twi'lek name, but this girl had layers of history. She glared at him, then at his arm across her chest, then at him again. He rolled his eyes and pulled his arm away.

They moved slowly while their eyes adjusted to the luminescent crystals embedded in the walls. He turned toward her to tell her to keep moving, because he couldn't hear her footsteps. But, she was moving, in complete silence, in a stone tomb that seemed to amplify every echo. Not bad. Not a bad profile either. You know what they say about girls with mottled lekku. No. Stop it. She had to die.

Vette stopped suddenly and put her hand on Mau'te's chest. She looked around, getting her bearings, and pointed down a passageway. He looked at her hand on his chest then at her. She yanked her hand away as if he'd burned her. He held in the laugh but couldn't hide his smile. She scowled at him and pointed down the passage again.

They continued like that, pausing at an intersection while Vette oriented herself or backing into the shadows to let a failed acolyte pass. On some of the more persistent acolytes, Mau'te used a mind trick to confuse them or push them along. At last, Vette stopped at one of the many statues scattered through the tomb. She knelt down, took a few breaths, pushed her hand behind the statue and pulled it back immediately. She took another breath, swallowed hard, and moved her hand toward the statue again.

This would never do, Mau'te thought.

He touched Vette's shoulder, and she looked up at him. Her anxiety filled her eyes and flowed to him through his touch. He didn't say anything, but looked within himself instead. He found a moment when his training and practice, thought and action coalesced. He found the sensation where adrenaline elevated and focused but before it surrendered to recklessness. He passed the sensation to Vette, helping her find a similar moment in her own memory. Her anxiety faded, and her eyes focused. She nodded to Mau'te, and he took his hand away. Vette pushed her hand behind the statue, seemed to feel around for her target, and began.

Mau'te's own anxiety rose at the first click and each click after. They soon came so fast, it sounded like typing. Vette's eyes stared at nothing while she worked, her focus completely inward. Mau'te counted thirty clicks before she stopped. A moment later, he heard a single loud click, and he held his breath. Vette smiled and pulled her hand out, holding it up like a prize. Mau'te nodded and offered her his hand. She considered it then allowed him to help her up.

Leaning close, he whispered, "Well done."

Vette dropped her jaw in mock surprise, and Mau'te gave her a sour look in return.

He motioned her down the corridor, but she held up her hand then ran a fingertip along the edge of her sleeve. In a moment, she nodded and started down the corridor. He was about to ask, when he remembered the locks were timed. She must have a tactile chronometer sewn into her sleeve. She managed to impress him again.

He wouldn't be the one to kill her. Baras could do it and would probably forget about ten minutes later. Or an Imperial firing squad. But not him. He wouldn't do it. And, she'd have her last meal. Something really-

Mau'te grabbed Vette and pulled her into the shadows just before a group of failed acolytes reached an intersection in front of them. He pressed against the wall, one arm shielding Vette and the other near his vibrosword. Three of the acolytes continued through the intersection, but one held back. The others motioned to him, but he searched the darkness as if listening for something. Mau'te waved his hand within the shadows, and confusion fell over the acolyte's face. He shook his head clear and followed the others.

Mau'te waited, giving the acolyte's some distance, before stepped from the shadows. He expected a scowl from Vette, but she checked her chronometer instead.

"How long?" he whispered.

"Twenty-six minutes," she replied.

They reached the second statue without finding another group. Vette slipped her hand behind the statue without Mau'te's help. He scanned the corridor and tried to keep his mind off the rapid clicking. Thirty-four clicks that time, a pause, a loud click, and she pulled her hand out. She checked her chronometer then held up ten fingers twice and two.

Another group passed them on the way to the next statue, but Mau'te had the method now. He pulled Vette into the shadows, without resistance that time, and waved on the more perceptive acolytes.

They reached the third statue without further incident. Vette watched Mau'te for approval, but he shook his head. An acolyte entered the intersection near the statue. Mau'te raised his hand, but noticed the confused expression on the acolyte's face. The acolyte looked around as he'd forgotten why he was there. He searched each corridor, struggling with the answer, then gave up and left the way he entered.

Mau'te looked at Vette, and the two of them nearly burst into laughter. They turned away to hold it in. When they looked back, they started shaking with silent laughs. Vette tapped her chronometer frantically, and Mau'te nodded, clenching his jaw tight.

Vette knelt next to the statue, took three long breaths to calm herself, and began.

Once the clicking started, the laughter fled Mau'te. He searched the lock mechanism with the Force but found overlapping, unused, or redundant gears designed to confuse his senses. A lock that well designed might detect his search, so he pulled back.

The rapid clicking stopped, a pause, then a loud click, and Vette pulled her hand out.

"Well done," Mau'te said. Vette tried to hide a smile, and Mau'te pretended not to notice. "How long?"

She checked her chronometer and said, "Seventeen minutes."

They were making good time. One combination to go. He didn't need her after that. Baras had told him, once the combinations were done, the door to the tomb opened by turning a simple switch. Mau'te could kill Vette after the fourth lock.

He glanced at her. Pretty, intense, old eyes in a young face. A face that could laugh in the middle of this and work knowing what would happen when she finished.

Baras was wrong. Mau'te would need her if the locks reset.

The last lock was behind an exposed pedestal, not a recessed statue, and stood beneath a luminous crystal.

Mau'te pointed to a shadowed corner with a clear view of the area and whispered, "I'll watch from there."

Vette nodded and moved to the pedestal.

Just as Vette began to work, an acolyte entered the area, searching with the Force. Mau'te tried to confuse his mind, but the acolyte shook it off. Acolytes failed for any number of reasons, including bad luck. Some didn't deserve to fail. Mau'te tried again with a stronger push. The acolyte blinked hard and continued forward. He was soon close enough to hear the clicking. Mau'te tried to make the acolyte think the sound was vermin, but that wouldn't last. The final click would be too loud for Mau'te to cover.

He could let her die. That last click meant she was done. Mau'te could hide himself from the acolyte easily. Any other Sith Lord would leave her to her fate.

The acolyte drew his sword and pushed against Mau'te's influence. Mau'te drew his own sword and thought, stupid little slave girl. Stupid, annoying, pathetic little slave girl! And he charged.