'Peiter, I have a bad feeling about this.'

The clouds racing above them were grey, darkening to black. The tell-tale smell of ionised air had reached them already, although the storm front was perhaps twenty kilometres away across the endless silver-gold grasses of the swamp. The reeds themselves were being blown down by ever harder and longer gusts of wind, sweeping the marsh plain with kilometre-long swathes of grey.

On the horizon the low bulk of the rock outcrop they were studying was almost invisible against the darkening sky. Here the wind was raising swells strong enough to rock their tightly anchored research platform. The watcher shivered involuntarily. Water was breaking over his feet, and that was not a good sign.

High in the sky to the north, barely visible, the satellite belt hung like a matrix of tiny, glittering beads. Human eyes would not have been able to detect them; Jedi Geo-Corps engineer Ca'narn's eyes were many times more sensitive. Now he raised his blunt head and watched the clouds sweep up from the south and ponderously block the satellites from his view. He flicked the com-link on his handheld console, but only static answered him.

It was almost evening and the sky had been starting to darken anyway. Now the sensors on the research platform lights registered the sudden drop in illumination and clicked on. The rain came a few seconds later. It was a sudden deluge which ran slickly off his scales. Ca'narn did not mind the water - his people were semi-aquatic, after all - but the icy wind was bitingly cold and his people were also cold-blooded. He swished his long, muscular tail in discomfort as he monitored his hand-console. The rain had that peculiar quality of being able to penetrate any clothes, even his Jedi uniform. And of course no uniform had yet been designed that would accommodate the tail.

His human partner was kneeling over the low instrument panel to one side of the platform, swearing softly over some hastily waterproofed piece of equipment. Peiter was short for a human, just as Ca'narn was tall for a Scaran; the difference in height between them was perhaps two feet. That they had been partnered together Ca'narn had always regarded as a benign joke on the part of the Scaran Gods. When all was said and done he liked Peiter and found him both amusing and fascinating. It amused him also that most people expected the lizard to be the volatile one.

A wing of dark hair, darker even than Ca'narn's own scales, hung across Peiter's face as he worked. He was encumbered by a heavy, hooded coat that almost reached his ankles. The round lensed glasses he wore were an affectation, a primitive anachronism even on the backwards world of Selos, although they had some use in that they darkened when the glare of the sun was too great. Now the rain collected on the lenses. It was surprising, Ca'narn mused, that his companion could see anything, but then the stinging salt rain driving into his own sensitive eyes blinded him equally as he tried to read his instruments.

A sheet of light filled the sky, briefly illuminating the swampland around them. That and the sound of distant thunder brought Ca'narn back to the realities of the situation. Methodically he checked the readings again. Higher, by a disturbing level. He shivered involuntarily, and not only with the cold. 'Peiter. There's an ion storm coming in. We will have to abandon the download.'

The only response was a irritated grunt from his human partner. It was not entirely unexpected. More information was needed, Ca'narn decided, if he was to convince the other. He dutifully rechecked the reading. 'Ion levels at 259, rising by charge 10. By charge 13. By charge 25. Ion levels at 310...'

'We're within the belt here, Ca'narn,' Peiter said through gritted teeth, not bothering to look round. 'The storm isn't going to come anywhere near us. Oh stay still, you lousy... useless...'

'We are on the edge of the belt and there have been too many satellite malfunctions,' Ca'narn disagreed firmly. 'I'm going to power down the generator.'

That got his partner's attention. The dark head snapped up. 'What? No, wait! I haven't finished...'

'If we get hit by an ion storm there is a good chance that we will lose the generator,' Ca'narn interrupted. 'And if the generator core is overloaded we will both be killed. I am sorry, Peiter.'

'I need five more minutes, Ca'narn,' Peiter said, through gritted teeth.

'The readings are in excess of 400 now.'

'Ca'narn, if you touch that generator I swear I'll break your dumb lizard head.'

To most Scarans such a response would be considered an aggressive and hostile challenge. Ca'narn's long experience of humans, and of Peiter in particular, told him that the threat was empty, born of simple frustration and not intended to be taken seriously.

So he replied mildly - a response also born of long experience. 'You're welcome to try, Peiter. However your time will probably be better spent resecuring the unit you're working on and saving the results we have managed to obtain. I'm powering down when the charge levels reach 700.'

'Dammit, Ca'narn!'

'Four hundred and thirty seven.' He turned his back to the scientist and entered the shelter of their shared skimmer. The main generator hummed in the main cargo bay. For now he ignored it, and leant through into the cramped cabin. The rain lashed at the triangular windows of the two man cockpit as he powered down all but the internal emergency systems and switched to chemical battery power.

The readings were past six hundred and climbing before he had finished that short task. He turned his attention to the main generator next, in the back of their craft. Most of the sensor readouts there were already showing red, or at least the shade of grey that approximated it to Ca'narn's night-hunter eyes.

'Peiter, there is no more time,' he called out of the skimmer's door into the driving rain. 'I'm sorry.' He pulled the switch and the generator shuddered and whined to a halt as the platform was plunged into darkness. Without the lighting it was almost completely dark outside now, although the sky lit up spectacularly every few moments as sheet after sheet of lightning centred on the outcrop. 'Peiter, come in when you are ready. I need to close the doors to preserve heat.' He did not wait for a response but slammed the wide cargo bay door closed, deadening the sound of the storm, blessedly cutting off the freezing wind.

He eased awkwardly back into the cramped cockpit. The rain increased in intensity as he waited for his partner to finish, reducing his view of the world outside to a blurred illuminated only by the dim, intermittent glow of Peiter's hand lamp and by the increasingly frequent lightening. Outside the wind had picked up even more. One of the pale, saucer sized marsh crawlers blew past, its legs folded protectively into its body. It only narrowly missed the skimmer and Ca'narn watched it disappear into the darkness with some regret. Crustaceans were a particular weakness of his, but so far in his two months on this world he had had no opportunity to go fishing or even to set traps.

He pulled off his soaked outer robe and turned the skimmer's unreliable temperature controls to maximum, releasing a barely adequate stream of warm air into the cockpit. The antiquated comms system was next, but it only produced static. He briefly regretted not staying outside to assist his friend, although both he and Peiter understood that for one of his species hypothermia was a dangerous risk in these conditions. But regret was unproductive in these circumstances. He surrendered the feeling to the Force and busied himself instead heating water. He needed to get warm again, and Peiter would surely welcome a hot drink when he had finished.

By the time the door hatch to the cargo bay hissed open again he had filled the tiny water heater from one of their bulky canteens of fresh water and set it to heat using one of the power sockets on the console. The noise of the storm swelled briefly and was just as abruptly cut off again as the door slammed shut. Peiter sat down heavily beside him, pale, soaked and clearly furious.

Ca'narn gave him a concerned look. 'Peiter..,' he began cautiously.

'That's another month's data lost!' Peiter snapped. 'What the hell are you Geo-Corps jokers doing up there?! This sector should have priority, dammit! Do you have any idea how important this research is?'

'We have to shield the cities, Peiter,' Ca'narn said placatingly. 'The most populated areas always have priority, then the transport routes. Twenty-six people died the last time the belt went down, despite the warnings. It is always possible to collect more data but lost lives cannot be replaced.'

'Your people should get their damn act together,' Peiter said angrily.

Ca'narn nodded regretfully. 'We have not yet been able to determine why the belt is malfunctioning. The Jedi Council is sending a master engineer to this quadrant to oversee the repairs.'

'Well maybe when he gets here you could remind him and your precious council just how important this research is,' Peiter muttered. He used both hands to smooth back his wet hair. A little trickle of water ran through his fingers onto the floor.

Ca'narn frowned, but made no comment. 'The council already knows of the importance of the research. Jalie has asked for more funding, for properly shielded equipment. That will make an important difference, if she can obtain the money.'

'Yeah, if she can get the money,' Peiter said, sounding more tired than angry now. 'I can't believe our lousy luck. Why the hell does this kind of thing always happen on our damn rotation? We've lost more than forty percent of our data. Forty percent, Ca'narn. I am so angry about this...'

Ca'narn tilted his dark-scaled head to one side. 'Peiter, you know that your anger will make no difference to the storm, or to me. Only to you. If you wish I could try to teach you some meditation techniques to help you to stay calm.'

Peiter gave him a weary sideways glance. 'Yeah, I know. Anger is the path to the dark side. Do me a big favour and spare me the religion, Ca'narn. Just tell me how long we're going to be out here this time.'

'I don't know, Peiter. You know as well as I do that the storm may last anything from a few hours to many days.'

'So I could be out here for days with a big dumb lizard for company,' Peiter muttered. 'Great. Just wonderful.'

Ca'narn tilted his head again; it was as much irritation as he ever showed. 'Peiter, I know it is unlikely, but if you ever come across any others of my people you should consider your words more carefully. I am used to your way of interacting with others, but my race is naturally aggressive. It is why we do not leave our own world much. In most cases an insult will be taken as a challenge, and acted upon instantly.'

There was a pause.

'I'm sorry. I'm acting like a jerk,' Peiter said. He buried his face in his hands and slowly let his head fall forward onto the shuttle's control pad.

Ca'narn nodded. 'I am not offended, Peiter. You may address me in any way you wish if it helps you to manage your anger.'

'Why do people even want to live in this damn system?' came the muffled response.

'Because it is their home,' Ca'narn said, briskly ending that topic of conversation. 'I am making us both a hot drink. Peiter, I suggest that you change your clothes. We can only spare minimal energy for heating the cockpit. If you don't change you will quickly become chilled.'

Peiter raised his head and looked blearily out at the storm. 'There must be some way we can get back to the camp. I hate being stranded like this.'

'If you wish to attempt to swim the estuary and then wade the fifteen kilometres back to the main site, I will not try to stop you. I'm afraid I will not be able to accompany you, however. The water will be cold enough to kill me after only a very short distance.'

Outside the wind rose, rocking the platform. Outside one of the lamps blew off its supporting scaffold with a crash.

Peiter looked up, clearly welcoming the distraction. 'Damn wind. That's another 500 dactaris we're going to have to find from the grant. Can we even contact base?'

The little heater boiled and Ca'narn busied himself with cups and soup concentrate. 'The communications system is down,' he said. 'There is too much static.'

'What about the other Jedi back at the camp? Can't you just...' Peiter waved his hand vaguely.

'I am an engineer, not a knight, Peiter,' Ca'narn said, not looking up. 'In any case telepathy is a very rare skill. My race has never possessed it. Peiter, are you hungry? I am still too cold. I think I will need food soon.'

Peiter let out an exasperated breath. 'Dammit, Ca'narn, you should have said something earlier. Are you okay? You need me to rub your tail or anything?'

Ca'narn shook his head. 'No. My circulation is fine now, but I do need to eat soon.'

Peiter looked at him uncertainly, then nodded. 'Okay. I guess some food would be good. I'm pretty hungry too. Just not nutrient stew.'

'You do not have to eat the stew. If you can find another source of food you are more than welcome to that.'

Peiter glared at him. 'I hate it when you do that, Ca'narn.'

Ca'narn looked up innocently. 'When I do what, Peiter?'

'You come up with some totally reasoned, logical, sensible argument and then tell me I'm perfectly welcome to ignore it when you know damn well there's no alternative.'

The corner of Ca'narn's mouth twitched slightly. 'I am only offering you advice. You do not have to listen to me.'

'Dammit, Ca'narn!'

Ca'narn sighed inwardly. It was difficult to understand humans at the best of times, and human humour, he had long ago realised, was essentially beyond him. Perhaps his timing had been unfortunate in this instance. 'Peiter, there is almost certainly some more food in the skimmer,' he said. 'Jalie is usually good when it comes to packing the stores. I will eat the nutrient stew, it tastes no better or worse to me than most of our other supplies.'

'Yeah. Well, I'm sorry we can't get you some raw meat or whatever,' Peiter muttered.

It was as close to an apology as Ca'narn was likely to get and he accepted it as such. 'If the storm improves a little, I will set some fishing lines.'

Peiter looked out into the rain, and frowned. 'You think your friend out there had any luck? He is around today, isn't he?'

'I have scented him today, but I have not seen him.'

Peiter rolled his eyes. 'I've never seen him. If he didn't keep taking my stuff I'd think you'd imagined him.'

'I have not imagined him. I have scented him and I have also seen his footprints on the edge of the perimeter. He has been nearby all day today.'

Peiter took a mouthful of his soup and slumped down further into the battered seat. 'Well he'd better not steal anything else. This project has enough problems as it is.'

'You have no proof that he has stolen anything at all.'

'It's all going missing somewhere.'

Ca'narn leant back and sipped his soup also. The scent of wet wool from Peiter's coat filled the cabin. The material of the cup he'd made the soup in was thin enough for the scalding liquid to hurt his sensitive claw-pads, but at least it relieved the chill. This world was far, far too cold, he told himself, not for the first time. For his next mission he would request somewhere more climactically appropriate.

Peiter squinted at his datapad in the low light of the cockpit before putting it back into its charging slot on the console.

'Power's too low to read. You said something about Jalie packing supplies?'

'She usually puts food in the overhead cabinets.'

Peiter frowned. 'How does she reach?' A shrug from Ca'narn was his only answer. He stood to rummage, bending his body backwards a little in the cramped compartment. 'Has anyone on the project actually seen those guys? The Hulf, I mean?'

'Jalie, perhaps. She was the only one who was present at the negotiations with the local tribes. I have glimpsed them from time to time. They are well camouflaged and very good at hiding...'

'Hey, I found sweetbars,' Peiter interrupted. 'You want one?'

'Thank you for asking but I don't think I can even metabolise them.'

'Oh yeah. I forgot. Sorry.'

'Did she pack any meat products?'

'I hate to say it, but it doesn't look like it. I'll have a look and see what else we've got in here. Hey, talking about Jalie, does she seem stressed out to you?'

'Yes. I am not good at sensing auras or judging human emotional states, but even to me she has seemed very troubled.'

'She was looking pretty bad last rotation. Really stressed. I saw her looking worse that time on Kabror maybe, but she looked bad.'

'A lot of things have gone wrong recently. This project has had many problems.' A brightly coloured packet dropped onto the seat beside him.

'Yeah, maybe she just needs a break. I don't know what that stuff is,' Peiter said, continuing to rummage though the compartment. 'But from the packet it looks like some kind of children's food. Can you read Selosian Standard?'

Ca'narn picked up the box and turned it carefully around in his claws. 'This is not Selosian. I think it is Dabar standard. From the picture the food is something orange... maybe a cheese product of some sort?'

'I thought maybe fruit. I guess it can't be poisonous if Jalie packed it. Got some red waxy things here too, could be dried fruit of some sort too...'

'Perries. They are a fruit. They are quite sweet. Not unpleasant, though.'

'... and some kind of biscuits. Well, we're not going to be short of snack food.'

'But no meat?'

'Sorry, nothing in here. You could try the cargo storage maybe... Hey, wait a minute. So that's where it went.'

'What, Peiter?'

In answer Peiter turned and tossed him something small and bright. Ca'narn raised a claw and plucked it out of the air with a hunter's reflexes.

'One of Jalie's rock samples' he commented, turning the smooth stone over in palm. 'She will probably want it back.'

'Nah, it's the one she gave me as a souvenir. I thought those things were really pretty when I saw them the first time. Now I'm sick of the sight of them.'

Ca'narn nodded as he surveyed the translucent blue pebble in his palm. It seemed to fluoresce slightly under the dim cabin lights. 'It seems to have luminescent properties,' he commented. 'I had not noticed it before.'

'Maybe it's something to do with the storm or the lighting in here,' Peiter suggested, falling back into his chair. 'Have you still got yours?'

'No.' He handed the pebble back to Peiter, who pushed it absently into the depths of his pocket. 'I sent it to a friend who I think will appreciate it more than I do. He was my creche-mate. Now he is training to be a knight. His Master always gives him rocks for his birthday. I thought that perhaps the stone would amuse him.'

Peiter frowned. 'His Master gives him rocks? Are they both Malastrian?'

'No, they are both human.'

'Then you mean jewellery?' Peiter said, clearly puzzled.

'No, rocks. Stones he has found on his missions.'

'Valuable stones?'

'I don't believe so. Just ordinary rocks.'

'Does your friend collect rocks?'

'No.'

'Oh.'

It was finally growing drowsily warm in the tiny cockpit. For a while they sat in silence. Peiter drank his soup and finished his meal with a couple of sweetbars; Ca'narn chewed on one of the nutrient bars from his pack without much enthusiasm, not judging it worth the effort of making a stew. Peiter opened the orange packet and tasted the contents experimentally.

'What is it like?'

'Not bad. Sweet and kind of chewy and crunchy. A bit like soogat but stickier. You want to try some?'

Ca'narn inclined his head. 'No. No thank you.' He began yet another check of the few sensors the skimmer had to offer.

They sat in silence for a while and ate. Ca'narn rechecked the monitor readings periodically, and what he saw reassured him. The storm had reached a plateau and the ion disruption levels were growing stable now. Beside him Peiter yawned, then more widely. A sudden, sharp tap on the outside of the cargo bay door jarred them both into full wakefulness.

'What the hell is that?' Peiter asked, shaken.

Ca'narn gave him a patient look. 'In the absence of any alternatives I suggest that it is the Hulf, Peiter.'

'I hope you're right,' Peiter commented, a little nervously. He sat back in the worn, taped navigator's chair. 'Sounds like he wants in. Must be getting bad out there.'

Ca'narn rose. 'If he requests it we should allow him shelter. It is more than likely he reports directly back to the local tribal council.'

'Yeah, but I dunno. Do you have any idea how bad wet fur smells?'

Ca'narn forbore to make any comment about wet human hair. 'The Hulf are said by the Selosian Humans to be vicious fighters despite their size. We need their co-operation if we are to succeed here. During the ion storms we are very vulnerable.'

'Tell me about it,' Peiter said. He stretched awkwardly. Ca'narn rose with a single, sinuous movement. The noise of the storm roared through the little skimmer for a moment, then was abruptly cut off again. There was silence for a minute or two.

'Ca'narn?'

The door opened again, bringing a blast of cold, damp air.

'Ca'narn?'

The big lizard moved back into the cockpit. 'He is not anywhere on the platform,' Ca'narn reported.

Peiter leant back in his chair. 'What, he's playing "hit the doorpad and run away" with us now? Maybe something just blew into us.'

'No. He was there,' Ca'narn said, frowning a little. He held up a leaf wrapped bundle. 'He has left us fish.'

Peiter smiled slightly at the bemusement in his voice. 'I think he likes you.'

'I think he is curious,' Ca'narn stated. 'His tribe has contact with the dragons every day but I must be the only sentient reptile he has ever seen.'

'I guess it would explain why he follows us around. And why he only ever steals my stuff.'

'Because a roll of insulating tape went missing it does not mean that the Hulf stole it,'Ca'narn said firmly, with the air of one returning to an old argument.

'A work knife too,' Peiter continued, ignoring him. 'Last week he took a pair of my damn socks. He's aquatic, he's got flippers. What does he need socks for?'

'If he did take them then perhaps it was as a trade for the fish,' Ca'narn suggested. 'Speaking of which, Peiter, would you mind..?'

'Hey, go ahead. Knock yourself out.'

'I will eat it in the back; the smell is unlikely to be pleasant to you,' Ca'narn said. He paused for a moment. 'If you wish me to save you some perhaps there is a way we can cook it,' he offered, with noticeable reluctance.

Peiter made a face. 'Thanks, but I'll stick to the sweetbars. I'm not going to die of malnutrition from one night. You enjoy your fish. I'd better get the log up to date.'

He turned the dial on the comms set backward and forwards as Ca'narn retreated into the cargo bay, more for something to do than in the genuine expectation of finding an intelligible signal. He switched it off again hurriedly when the static rose to a sudden, painful screech.

'Peiter, please do not do that,' came the pained voice from behind him.

'Yeah, sorry,' Peiter said, rather sheepishly. 'Forgot about your ears.' He rechecked the readings, made a desultory attempt at tidying the console, then took up the portable recording unit from its slot. Behind him, as he began to speak, he could hear Ca'narn quickly and furtively devouring his unexpected prize in the cargo bay.

'This is Peiter, team two log 54. Okay, it's about 19:00 on day 77 Selos Prime research project. Looks like the belt went down again, so we're trapped at the North One research platform in the middle of another storm. Had to abandon the download, so we're going to have to do the whole set again. Technical data attached as soon as the weather clears up enough for me to get back out and redo the diagnostics. Incidentally, this storm has to be one of the heaviest I've been out in. We're getting readings here topping...' (here he leaned over to read Ca'narn's console) 'About sixteen hundred fifty. That's about six hundred above anything I've personally experienced. Looks like this one is focused directly over the outcrop now, given the distance I'd estimate that the readings out there are around twelve or thirteen thousand. That's about ten times stronger than any recorded inter-planetary ion storms. I'm starting to feel a buzz in my ears already. Anything over two thousand the ion disruption start getting harmful and my big lizard friend will start insisting that we both get out and start wading. That's it for tonight...'

'I would insist that you get out and start wading,' Ca'narn said, from behind him. 'I would prefer to risk the fifty percent chance of experiencing ion sickness than the hundred percent certainty that I would freeze to death.'

Peiter shivered. 'Damn, we really need shielding in these things.' He flicked the off button on the recorder and set it back in its holder.

'Which would make them easily the most expensive skimmers on this side of Dabar,' Ca'narn said, as he re-entered the cockpit.

Peiter gazed out of the window at the driving rain. 'And yet in those outcrops there's an entire eco-system which somehow manages to shield itself without any difficulty. Nothing should be able to survive the ambient levels of ion disruption out there and yet somehow you've got plants, insects, mammals, even the damn dragons spending their whole lives out there. If we could duplicate that...'

Ca'narn sat heavily. 'I'm aware of the purpose of Jalie's study. It concerns me that she may not have considered the wider implications if she is successful.'

Peiter shook his head. 'Ca'narn, every piece of tech on this world more complex than a water boiler depends on a failing, monumentally expensive satellite system to stop it from shorting out or just plain self-destructing every time there's a surface ion storm. If we can create a cheap technology to supersede CPI shields then every house and skimmer on this planet, every ship that comes here to trade, could have its own ion shield. The satellites won't be necessary any more. It will save the Republic millions of credits a year. Hundreds of lives too, maybe.'

'Peiter, the economy of this entire quadrant is based on CPI asteroid mining,' Ca'narn pointed out. 'The mining corporations will not be happy to learn that their CPI is no longer needed.'

'Yeah, well considering the amount of money we have to spend on fuel, docking fees and bribes every time we go through Horsh I think I can face that prospect with enormous fortitude.'

Ca'narn shifted in his seat; it creaked beneath his weight. 'But if the corporations go, who will the Selosians trade with? All this world has to offer is water and agricultural produce. There is no-one else close enough to make trade in such commodities economical.'

'Ca'narn, the corporations will leave eventually anyway. In twenty years all the systems in this quadrant will be mined out just like all the others.'

'Twenty years is a long time. There's still a great deal of profit to be made here.'

Peiter shrugged. 'Okay, so the corporations won't like it. What can they do about it?'

'That is what worries me, Peiter,' Ca'narn said gravely. 'They are unlikely to simply give in to such a threat to their operations.'

Peiter let his head roll back. 'Now you're being overdramatic. All we have is a theory of Jalie's. You're assuming that we're going to be able to find out how these organisms shield themselves and that we're going to be able to duplicate it. It's probably going to be some weird organic sub-cellular thing and this whole project of Jalie's is going to end up as a thesis on some server in the institute library that only her professor and about three other people are ever going to read. The chance that the corporations are ever going to find out about it is pretty remote.'

'I believe that they already know, Peiter,' Ca'narn corrected him. 'Jalie told me last week that she believed that someone has leaked details of the shielding project to the corporations. There has been the offer of a large investment in the Institute in return for commercial control of the project.'

Peiter gave him an amused glance. 'You're too suspicious, Ca'narn. That doesn't prove anything. They could just be doing it to impress the Selosians into thinking they're making some real investments in this dump. Personally I hope they do come in on it. If I don't get tenure I'm going to need a job after I graduate. Some of the big corporations pay pretty well.'

'I would not know,' Ca'narn said gravely. 'They do not tend to welcome Jedi into their employment. No, perhaps the interest of the corporations does not prove anything, on its own. But there have already been very many difficulties and delays on this project, far more than I would have expected.'

Peiter laughed dryly. 'Really? No kidding. Tell me about it.'

Sarcasm was another aspect of human humour that Ca'narn did not always fully understand, although he had known humans long enough to appreciate that Peiter did not seriously expect him to respond to the request.

'It does not matter. Peiter, it's getting late. You should try to get some sleep.'

'With the noise outside? You've got to be kidding.' But despite himself he stifled another yawn.

'No, Peiter. Rest when you can. You will need your strength if we are stranded here for any length of time.'

'Yeah. Guess I am kind of tired.'

'Sleep, Peiter. I am warm now. I can stay awake and watch.'

The rain and wind battered the tiny skimmer but it was warm and dry inside and the fury of the storm only made it seem more so. So Peiter settled into the worn navigator's chair, under the barely felt weight and the surprising warmth of a musty-smelling Jedi issue blanket. The last thing he saw before his eyes fell closed was his friend sitting motionless in his chair, watching for the slightest movement in the storm outside with unblinking yellow eyes.