"I can find out sir."

Vonta turned on her comlink. Giving her a direct feed to her fighter and droid R5 siting in it.

"Cypher," The droid beeps at her.

Heee deee bee de Beep.

"Yes I know that there is a storm approaching." She looked a bit surprised. How did he know that?

"We need some shelter yesterday. Get me some thing."

De bee. ..................... the droid took a moment.

Wee doo beee deee waaa Bo dee da WHeeee.

"Thanks little buddy." She switches the link off.

"There is a small moisture farm a mile from here sir. That or a small cave system a quarter mile to the east. take your pick."

As the howling winds gained intensity, Kahn made a decision.

"Head east."

He started off, going at a pace that was slow enough to accomodate Vonta and Hanna, but brisk enough that it would not take long for them to reach the cave. The Jedi was unsure what they would find in the cave, but he would deal with it when the time came.

Hanna did not particularly like the idea of going into a cave, but she did not voice such opinions to Kahn, nor Vonta.

Instead she walked along in utter silence, keeping her concentration on the tracks that were before her.

Where there were caves there were jawas or sand creatures...

Kahn noticed the tracks as well, and recognized them for bantha markings. Banthas were not normally violent creautures unless they were threatened. It was the Tusken Raiders that had largely domesticated the gentle beasts that made the sighting of one's tracks cause the Knight to place one hand on his saber. He slowed a bit until Hanna and he were walking side-by-side.

"I know it's not the most safe of places to go, Hanna. But it's the closest, and that's what is important. We can deal with whatever we find, if need be."

Vonta was a bit purturbed that master Khan seemed to consider her on parr with her fellow padawan Hanna. Well she was still a padawan her self but she was now trained in far more arts then even some of the knights. Her Aiki training gave her a glimpse of the life forms ahead. She glowed with a faint blue aura.

The Aiki field increases natural force abilitys. She felt ahead for life forms in the force. She felt several smaller Life forms none sentient really. SOme thing that could be sentient. And..... She staggered back a moment.

THere was a breif shock to her system. Some thing ahead had just wiped out many of the smaller life signs. To wipe that many creatures out at once require a good deal of strength and raw power. OF any natural veriety.

She drew her kendo stick and empowered it with a blue aura as the trio reached the mouth of the laberynth system. One to offer her self some light and two to prepare for the worse.

She looked at The knight in their midest. Saying with out words that she chose this road and she would take it first. Even knowing that there is a danger that lies ahead.

Kahn had sensed some of Vonta's annoyance, and realized that he had made a mistake in paying special attention to Hanna; Vonta may not have known their history, and could have taken it as an insult. Even if she had not, he knew that he had been unfair. The Knight knew that he would have to learn to better separate his personal life from his occupation.

Although he did not sense it as quickly as Vonta, the death of many beings at once still caused a ripple in the Force. Kahn unclipped his saber, though he did not yet ignite it. If there was trouble ahead as it seemed, he would be ready to encounter it. But if it were merely some type of natural predator who meant humans no harm, then he did not wish to frighten it. Kahn also kept an extra saber with him, in the event that his was lost or broken. It was a Temple-issue, a training saber turned to full power. He handed it to Hanna, trusting her to use her instincts if it came to having to use it. The Jedi spoke to both Hanna and Vonta via the Light Side, caution keeping him from speaking aloud.

If what lies ahead is hostile, it would be best for us to work as a team to defend ourselves.

Edit: TTT. I'm waiting for Hanna before we move any farther.

They steped into a short tunnel. More then narrow enough to prevent the full force of a desert storm from entering completely into the caverns that lied ahead. The light of vonta's Empowered wooden sword gave off a eerie illumination as the sunlight faltered the farther in they ventured.

She smelled the death before she could see it. The coppery smell of freshly spilled blood. The mosture that it would release would attract even more creatures.

There was something strange about the tunnels they seemed to vonta as she walked and the head of the trio as if they were mined. Not just naturally formed but. Dug out in some fashion.

She hopes that this is not a trap that she had lead them too. From their rear came the scrapping of dozens upon dozens of feet. Meter long wamp rats came running past them. Fear was evident from what she saw in their eyes. There was assudden feeling of heat in the cavern as if there was a wind coming.

The Wookiee began to rumble...

The Caprician carrying him put him down on the ground, with the intent of not being whacked by dazed, waving Wookiee paws.

Azakhaban sat up and rubbed his throbbing head. The first person he saw was Tyscio, standing a few feet away looking at him expectantly. Many actions ran through Azak's head, from thwacking this annoying man over the head to showing him his gratitude for his help.

In the end, Azak decided on a simple question, hoping that the man would either figure out what he was asking, or would already know what he wanted to know. Azak stood up and reasserted himself.

[Where are we?]

Hanna did not care for much for the darkness that now seemed to follow her within the caves, nor did she care for the echoing of all their footsteps as they walked along.

Any type of sound any of them made seemed to carry on far into the distance ahead of them. For just these reasons, she stuck close to Kahn, too close.

Unlike the other two Jedi, she could not control the one emotion known as fear, she use to, before Ahnk came along at least.

Hanna took the saber from Kahn, willingly and without hesitation. She did not speak, but her eyes gave all the thanks that she needed to say.

Her thumb instinctively fell over the on/off switch of the saber, and she clutched onto the tool heavily.

She walked on, her thoughts clouded with uncertainty, all the feelings that a Jedi should not have...

As the trio moved forward, the smell of blood in the air became strong enough that one could almost taste the metallic substance. Kahn knew that, as a Knight, he had a responsability to make sure the two Padawans were in as little danger as possible. It wasn't that he doubted their abilities; no, he knew both were capable of taking care of themselves. But he knew that all Padawans were important; they were, after all, the future of the Jedi. And so the Knight remained alert, holding his saber in a two-handed grip in front of him, knowing that in a second's time he could ignite it and be ready to do battle.

A feeling aside from death grew in the cavern. Fear. It was something Kahn had once been very familiar with. And it wasn't only coming from the wompa rats that had fled past them. He reached out slightly, and realized that it was coming from Hanna. He knew that, under normal circumstances, this would have been a quite natural and harmless reaction. But for a Force sensative being it could be devastating. With Hanna following him so close, it was easy for him to reach out and gently touch her arm, squeezing momentarily to reassure her. Vonta seemed to have progressed far enough into her training to control her emotions, and the Knight was glad for that. Speaking to Hanna via the Force, Kahn nevertheless kept his gaze forward, lest anything leap out from some unseen crevice.

Let your fear go, Hanna. Reach out for the Force and find stability in the Light Side. Relax. We can handle whatever may be coming.



[b]