Anakin Skywalker AU Romance

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I don't like the look of this General." Wingman said and Kyah came up to the front of the ship to sit in the co pilots chair. "It seems deserted."

Kyah looked out across the barren wasteland, flowing with molten lava, through burned and blackened valleys. As they flew over an abandoned settlement, she watch closely, hoping to spy any sign of Dooku or his apprentice.

"I don't understand why the Count would choose this place, when there are three other planets between here and mandalore where he could have gone and had a fully operational, and well defended base." Spinner said, still unsure of Kyah's vision.

"I know he's here." She said again, her certainty unwavering.

"But why? What's so special about this place?" Wingman asked as he flew down closer to the buildings bellow.

"I read a bit about it during my research this week." Kyah said, "Legend has it, this was once a lush, garden planet, nourished by a crystal artifact discovered here, called the Bright Star. It was a beautiful and bountiful world, until a grieving widow, stole the artifact for herself and tried to use it to bring her husband back to life. Clearly she failed," Kyah said looking out at the burning planet, "succeeding only in corrupting the crystal's power with her device and poisoning the planet to the point of near destruction."

"Did she at least get her husband back in the process?" Wingman asked.

"No. It's said that he haunts this world, stuck in between our realm and that of the dead." she said hauntingly.

Dozer shivered as her words sunk in, "It's hard to believe people used to live here." He said in wonder as he came to stand behind Kyah.

"They still do." She corrected, "The Mustafarians never left, they simply adapted to their new home."

Dozer made a sour face, "Why?" He asked and shook his head in disbelief.

"It's not easy for refugees to make their way in the galaxy. Especially not an entire world's worth." Spinner reminded him.

"Plus, the planet is still very lucrative. There are minerals which can be mined here in quantities unheard of across the rest of the galaxy. If you're willing to brave the elements that is." She said as they flew over a collapsed bridge that seemed to be leading to no where. "Structures rarely last here, no matter how well they are built."

Kyah watched the hellish landscape scroll by bellow them, until her eyes landed on a tall streak of black, reaching high into the sky. "There." She said, "That was the place in my vision." She shifted her weight between her feet as anticipation built in her stomach. "Find somewhere to land." Kyah instructed Wingman as she jogged to the back of the ship, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail and tying it tightly in place.

She watched her boys hustle around the ship, pulling on their helmets and packing their respective belts and packsacks, making sure they had everything they might need.

"You know that if the Count is here, then this is definitely a trap." Spinner said to Kyah, who nodded.

"Almost certainly." She agreed, "The closer we get to that place, the stronger I feel." she looked up through the front window at the fortress they were landing in front of. "It's not unlike the feeling I got when standing in the Crystal Caves on Ilum when finding my lightsaber crystal." She explained.

"That's unsettling to know." Viper admitted as he passed by on his way to his bunk.

Kyah shrugged, "It's unsettling to feel." She assured him.

"You're sure you want to go through with this." Spinner checked.

"I have to, but none of you do." She reminded them, "There's no shame in staying back to guard the ship."