TPF Chapter 12

“They’re here,” Blu says, leaning over Silvi’s shoulder. The Togruta is at the controls, piloting the ship through the swirling, orange sand. “There! Blast them.” A small shuttle is near the temple, which is both larger and more impressive than Blu anticipated. Does Laki really want to destroy all this? It’s shaped a bit like a pyramid, and at least fifty meters tall. It must be ancient.

“Blast them?” Silvi replies disdainfully. “That would be a waste.”

Baffled, Blu holds on as Silvi brings the shuttle down. It settles softly to rest in the sand.

Ahead is the other shuttle, and the ramp is lowering.

“Shit,” Blu mutters as two figures in Jedi robes emerge. They’re obscured by the swirling sand and difficult to see, but Blu considers one Jedi a serious problem. And Silvi wants to tangle with two of them?

“Hmph,” Silvi says, the corner of her mouth turning up as she unstraps and gets to her feet, throwing off her black robes to reveal the tunic underneath. She takes the string of detonators from the hook by the hatch and tosses it to Blu. “Handle the temple. I’ll handle the Jedi.”

“You’ll get yourself killed,” Blu tells her flatly, and Silvi’s laugh in reply is startlingly loud.

“I think not,” she says, leaving the cockpit.

Blu scowls and straps the detonators, then draws her blasters and checks to make sure that a slug is chambered in each. Will these Jedi be able to do what Laki could? It’s difficult to say. They aren’t all equally powerful. Or equally cocky. Has it occurred to Silvi that if she gets herself killed, Blu will be stuck here with two Jedi?

The smart play here is to blow the temple and get out. If Silvi isn’t aboard the shuttle when it’s time, Blu doesn’t have to worry about her. The Togruta witch is not her responsibility.

She rams her blasters back into their holsters and stalks after Silvi, who is just reaching the bottom of the ramp.

Blu dons her goggles to protect her eyes from the sand as she follows Silvi to the bottom.

Silvi halts a few paces away from their ship, her hand on one hip and a smirk on her face as the Jedi materialize out of the sand. One is an athletic-looking Theelin, and the other is… that tiny Dathomirian.

Blu remembers her from Jayo’s place, and from before that. It’s hard to believe that bashful little minx is a real Jedi. Well, it’s her bad luck that she’s here. Blu isn’t sure about that Theelin, but there’s no doubt in her mind that the Dathomirian is no match for Silvi. Or for anyone. Like… Blu barely touched her that night and the girl was cumming her brains out and making faces and noises like a lovesick puppy.

Blu steps up beside Silvi.

“What brings you here, friends?” the Theelin calls out, giving them a friendly wave.

“Save your breath,” Silvi calls back cheerfully. “You’ll need it for screaming when I destroy you.”

The two Jedi exchange a look.

“I don’t know why you’re looking at me that way,” the Theelin says to the Dathomirian. “Obi-Wan’s no better at negotiating than I am.”

“I said nothing, Master,” the Dathomirian replies, trying and failing to look unconcerned. She recognizes Blu, and she is not happy to see her here.

“Get ready to go,” Silvi mutters to Blu.

“Go?”

“To the temple,” the Togruta clarifies.

In unison, the two Jedi draw their lightsabers, which light up with that telltale buzzing noise. Silvi lifts her arms, and a curtain of sand rises from the ground. Blu understands and takes off at a sprint as Silvi’s red lightsaber springs to life, and the Togruta throws herself at the Jedi with a shriek of delight.

Blu’s boots pound the sand as she rushes toward the stone structure. The howling wind drowns out most of the noise, but she can hear the crashing of the lightsabers behind her. She reaches the stone steps and takes them two at a time, tearing up toward the open doorway and the darkness beyond. With a blaster in one hand and a light in the other, Blu reaches the top.

This place has a feel to it, one of uneasiness. She hesitates, raising the blaster and resting it on the hand holding the light. There isn’t supposed to be anyone here, but Blu isn’t convinced. These hunches have never steered her wrong before.

She glances back and sees colored lights flashing in the sandstorm.

Silvi’s on her own.