In the planet of dangerous myths, shocking fables and unspoken legends, there is also beauty in this world. Dispersed around the untamed planet are flaws; cracks formed through thousands of years. Water rushing and destroying cliffs, racing and scooping away the soil beneath your feet and digging crevices untouched by all but a handful of explorers from ages long past. Isolated at the southern tip of Ilum, this particular ravine close to the planet’s core darkens deeper down until the bottom remains a mystery. The benefit of this is that no-one heads directly down instead using technology to bore a tunnel from the nearby glacier. Uncharted and unexplored, this region is a place of nightmares for those who venture to its depths. The half-eaten carcasses of the explorers who met an untimely end litter the ravine’s descent, remaining as a warning to those who might venture too far. Whether these men and women fell to their deaths, or were murdered remains a question in the long-lost histories of the ravine.

In front of you is the base floor of the ravine. Opening only at random times because of the glacier sheet, you used the bore tunnel to find your way here. This level is pitch black and a headlamp was given before you left for the planet. The sides of the ravine stretch vertically, as if they scrape the whistling and snowy clouds above. On each side of the walls, various ports and alcoves distinguish in the light. Some are known to be rivers of purified water, and you can tell this by the icicles forming on the lip of the tunnel. Others were temporary shelter for climbers. But with some luck, you may find the permafrost chamber tucked into its haunted depths. A vast room of permafrost crystals rarely found, and thought only to be on Hoth.

Glinting like candlelight against the unforgiving darkness of the deep and untrodden cave, multi-coloured clusters of lightsaber crystals reflect the light into the deepest crevices from the surface. Untouched for a millennia, the value in this chamber once sparked an entire battle between the Old Republic and the Empire. Be warned - caution must be exercised, or you might find yourself joining those who came before.

Near the center of the chamber, Xantros knelt with head bowed. The deep coolness of the stop floor seeped through the fabric of his robes and he felt its bit against the flesh of his legs.

A fine, nearly completely translucent, mist filled the air. It licked at the clusters of crystalline structures, at what remained of an ancient staircase and catwalk, at the walls and ceiling. The mists nearest the Duros seemed to be drawn in and then began twist upon itself as it formed a subtle vortex as if it responded to the ebb and flow of the Force.

"You'll find no peace here."

Xantros flinched at the sudden interruption by an artificial voice. "Solari," he sighed with a hint of annoyance. "I'm simply centering myself. It's not like I'm planning on settling down here."

"How? Can you not feel the death?"

Can you? the Jedi thought to himself as he eyed the once-Dark Councillor hiding away inside a droid. "Why are you even here? You know I won't fight you."

"Maybe. Maybe not," the Shard mused. "I can force you to defend yourself, at a minimum."

"Again." Xantros started, frustration seeping into the tone of his voice. "Why?"

"It amuses me. And I find your convictions fascinating." Soalri's metal left hand dropped to just above his blaster, blue lines along the barrel flaring to life with the proximity. And I want to know how true to those convictions you really are.

The droid's fingers rapidly wrapped around the pistol's grip with practiced precision and the weapon was drawn and leveled towards the Ranger's head in a flash. Not having to worry about the timing of his breathing, Solari squeezed the trigger.

Xantros made a sudden dodge, which allowed him to avoid deadly blaster bolt, which pased him merely by few centimeters. One might argue that it was merely the effect of an instinct or luck, but the Duro was aware that there was something more in the fact that he avoided the blaster bolt. He had experienced it so many times before that he started to believe that the Force was in his favour. Still, he was also aware that he just run out of the Force's favour. He had never avoided more than one potentially deadly attack in a single battle. He could not count that it would happen again. Thus, he had to do something else, in order to convince Solari to stop fighting.

"As you can see, it is not so easy to kill me," spoke Xantros. "So, you may stop trying to force me to fight you right now. I will not attack you, no matter of how far you will go to make me do otherwise."

"We shall see," replied Solari. "I want to determine, if you have really abandoned the ways of the dark side and I will not stop until I am satisfied with the answers, which I may get from you."

"As you wish," said the Duro and focused. He used the Force to cloak himself from the sight of the Shard. He moved slowly away from his opponent going deeper and deeper into the cave. Still, he was followed by Solari, who used his Force powers to sense Xantros despite his cloak.

"I can follow you as long as you run away," spoke the Augur with metallic voice. "You cannot escape. I will follow you wherever you go and find you, when you get tired with maintaining the Force cloak. Face me now and show your true nature, Xantros."

The Duro was aware that it was true. He could not escape forever, nor he could maintain the cloak for a really long time. Solari could even try to shot him, despite the fact that he rendered himself invisble from the sight. Suddenly, he noticed a half-eaten carcass of an explorer, who used to be a human. At least, the remains of his dead body suggested it. Xantros smiled, as he got a new plan, which might turn out to be effective against his opponent. Certainly, he did not want to see Solari dead, but he wished to distract the Shard for long enough to allow him to escape the planet without having to fight his fellow member of Clan Odan-Urr.

The sound of servos whirred down the walls of the cave. Xantros eyed the corpse again and sighed.

Distasteful

He lay down beside the frozen Human, pulling it over his legs with an equal measure of respect and haste. He focused inwards, slowing his breathing. He shed his physical concealment for one of a more mystical nature.

Solari's host stopped mid step. He's gone? The droid broke into a run, a rather curious sight considering his perfectly rigid posture. He rounded a bend and noted a pair of corpses against one of the walls.

Such a shame, the Shard thought as he passed by.

Xantros, waited until he could barely hear the rapid motion of metal legs. He let out a sigh and wriggled out from under the once-living human.

"Very clever," bellowed a digitized voice. "I wager you won't be able to pull that one off again."

The familiar sound of servos rang out again, growing louder.

"Sithspawn!" cursed Xantros, as he heard that Solari was coming back. He had to do something quickly, if he wanted to avoid fighting Solari. He had to keep the Shard away long enough to reach his freighter, which he had utilized to come to Ilum.

"I will do come up with something later," thought the Ranger. "Now, I need to move quickly to cover as much ground as I can, before Solari will catch up with me, which will happen sooner or later anyway."

He run towards the entrance of the cave, but despite his efforts, the sound of Shard's host moving towards him was getting louder and louder, as the distance between the two Jedi shortened. Suddenly, Xantros notice a large ice tiger. It was a species of dangerous predators, native to Toola. How had it got to Ilum, the Duro did not know, but it was not important at that point. More important thing was that the ice tiger was blocking the only passage to his ship. He was not able to bypass it and he heard that Solari was very close.

Xantros smiled, when an idea came to his mind. Despite being tired with running and the use of the Force. Still, he focused again and use the Force to create a bond between him and the ice tiger. Thanks to it, he was able to communicate with the animal.

"I am your friend and I do not want to hurt you," spoke the Duro. "I need to leave this planet and I need to pass you. I will never return here and disturb you anymore."

The predator nodded. The newly created bond between it and the Jedi allowed it to understand the words spoken by his new friend.

"There is another being chasing me. He wants to fight me, but I do not want to fight him. He is dangerous, so I do not want you to attack him, as he will easily kill you. Still, I would like to ask you to stop him for a while. If you buy me enough time, I will be able to retreat to safety without having to fight."

The ice tiger growled and moved aside to let the Duro pass. Xantros run next to his new animal friend towards the entrance to the cave. He reached it, when he heard a load roar of pain. He felt sad, because of the animal being hurt in his service, but he could not stop to heal it. He had to run further, in order to reach his freighter, before Solari would catch up with him. Soon later, he entered the ship and initiated starting procedure. Through the window, he could see the host of the Shard leaving the cave and getting closer to the freighter.

Xantros smiled. He was exhausted, but he proved the Augur that he was indeed loyal to his values and did not want to abandon them, even when facing direct threat to his own life.