The Knight, Death, and the Devil

Chapter 36: A Woman Of Wealth And Taste

"What are we doing here?" Nomi stared out the shuttle window at the snowy tundra they had just set down on. A stone tower lay off in the distance, the sole landmark in a field of endless white. "We should be going to Republic Intelligence!"

The Jedi Master and Padawan she had been travelling with walked past her from the cockpit and waited in front of the ramp as it lowered.

"It couldn't be helped," said the Master. "We've tracked someone here—someone who needs to be taken into custody."

"Here?" Nomi exclaimed as the human and Twi'lek walked out into the waiting snowstorm. It wasn't long before even the woman's dark, bald head disappeared from view, blocked out by the flurry racing across every inch of the snowy wastes.

The Twi'lek Padawan gave one last look back at the shuttle and its welcoming warmth before turning to his Master.

"You are sure she's here?"

The woman nodded, then squinted up at the tower looming ahead of them.

"It is becoming difficult for her to hide her presence."

They came upon a bottomless moat surrounding the tower, and both Jedi leapt across the pathway of stones, finding the hovering pathway as solid as the ground they had just left.

The two Jedi reached the other side, and walked towards the tower entryway before the Master held out a hand, stopping her Padawan in his tracks. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light at the base of the tower he saw, standing inside, a human woman with hands held behind her back.

"Master Ziare!" shouted his own Master. "You will come with us."

"Why would I do that?"

The Padawan stepped forward. "You need help!"

Ziare pointed a single finger at them. "You are the ones who need help."

A whistle sounded out above the roar of wind, and the Master shoved her Apprentice to the side, throwing him away from the doorway. A thunderous crash followed, shaking the ground and sending freshly-fallen snow back up into the air. Acting on instinct, the Padawan drew his lightsaber and waved it in front of him, unsure of what exactly he was trying to block in the flurry of snow. A black blade cut through the mist, slamming into his own as the snow parted and revealing an armored figure that towered over him. The helmet was recognizable as Mandalorian, but that was all his mind could process before the blade bore down on him again, slamming into his saber and forcing it downward. It cut through the side of his arm, snapping his armband and searing his flesh. His grip on the saber loosened, and he could barely manage to keep his fingers wrapped around the hilt.

The Mandalorian raised her sword to deliver the killing blow, but stopped and spun about as another lightsaber cut through the air to her rear. The Twi'lek's Master engaged the Mandalorian, trading blow after blow as her Padawan struggled to his feet. He took a weak swing at his enemy's turned back, but the Mandalorian battered his blade away before moving in a clean, continuous arc that brought her blade back around to meet his Master's. With Ziare still watching placidly from the tower doorway, the Jedi had the advantage of numbers, but the Mandalorian was faster, more brutal—and a better fighter.

In desperation the Jedi Master reached out and lifted her enemy into the air by his neck, doing her best to constrict the soft windpipe that lay under the hard shell.

"Now!" she shouted at her Padawan.

As the Twi'lek charged with lightsaber raised, the Mandalorian pressed a gloved finger to her wrist and vented the heat on her suit, spraying the snow and ice around them with superheated air. Hot steam billowed upwards, scalding the two Jedi and forcing them to shield their eyes. Blinking madly to try and clear his vision, the Padawan ground to a sudden halt as he nearly ran his Master through—the Mandalorian was gone.