Theodosia

Chapter 10

"So, we're really doing this, huh?"

Poe threw a glance around the ship. They had already packed for their one day trip, and he already had the ship ready to go.

"It could be fun," Astrid replied, starting to doubt her idea. "Yeah?"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm all in for it. If it works, it works. If not, so what? We could do with a short vacation," he replied, easing her worries as he got into the pilot seat.

"BB-8, you good?" he called out. They could hear the small droid beep back a reply from its place attached to the exterior of the ship.

"Buckle up, Jones," Poe said, turning his attention towards the control panel, flicking on the switches. Astrid sat in the co-pilot seat beside him and put on the seatbelt.

"Ready?" Poe asked.

Astrid let out a breath and smiled. "Ready."

***
"This is it?" Astrid asked quietly. They had reached Coruscant or what remained of it anyway. The ship glided over the capital city where there was little to no action around.

Poe had flown the ship over the city. There were still some natives on the planet, most of whom lived in the city. Poe's ship blended in with the many other ships flying around. Flying past the city, Poe had peered around, spotting the old building that used to be the Jedi temple. The distinct five spires of the temple remained although they were damaged. The temple was dark compared to the brightness from the city, giving it an eerie feel.

"After the massacre, nobody returned to the temple. It was left in ruins," he explained. As they drew nearer to the old temple, he grimaced. "Can't say I blame them."

The temple had clearly seen the last of its days. Some parts had caved in, plants had started to grow on the side of the building or sticking out from broken windows. The building looked very old indeed. And about to fall apart, Poe thought, but he didn't think it necessary to mention it.

Poe landed his ship right outside the entrance of the temple. He turned the engine off and then turned to look at Astrid who was looking straight ahead, dumbfounded.

"I hope you weren't expecting a five-star hotel," Poe said.

This got her to look at him, and she shook her head with a nervous smile. "It's just not quite what I was expecting."

Poe got up from his seat and reached into his satchel. He pulled out a blaster and tucked it into his belt and threw the other one at Astrid who fumbled to catch it.

"If anyone shoots, just run. If by some miracle there is still a Jedi in there, a blaster won't do much," he said. They both grabbed their bags and exited the ship, BB-8 rolling ahead.

They reached the front doors that went all the way up to the ceiling. They pushed on the heavy doors and one of the doors creaked open with a loud, rusty sound that echoed throughout the main hall. They slipped into the building. The main hall was covered in dust, everything was still and silent.

"Anybody home?" Poe asked loudly. His voice bounced off the walls, echoing back at them. They waited for any other sound like footsteps or movement but found none. They exchanged looks before bursting out in snickers.

"Come on, Jones, let's explore," Poe grinned, and the two of them walked through the entrance hall and found themselves passing long corridors. They crossed an indoor bridge that allowed them a view of the interior of the temple. The golden columns of the temple were still intact but faded in colour. The blue and gold tiling was dirty and every step they took shifted the thick layer of dust.