On the fringes of the Outer Rim territories and famous for being the one-time location of the Rebel Alliance, Hoth is a frigid world marred with fissures created from the tidal pull of Hoth’s three moons. Blanketed in a frozen ocean, massive oceanic currents beneath the southern hemisphere are the cause of constant seismic activities that result in a constantly shifting landscape of tunnels and caves.

Buried into the side of a fissure reaching hundreds of meters into the core of the planet is a network of tunnels leading into a cave. Its sole entrance is suspended within the wall of the fissure, requiring one to rappel down the dangerous crevasse and into the tunnels; one small miscalculation could send explorers descending the rest of the unmeasured height deep within the planet’s core.

Insulated under several hundred meters of ice in all directions, the cave is protected against the gale force winds and the intense snowstorms that sweep along the planet’s surface. As a result, the cave is warmer than most of Hoth’s unforgiving cold with melting icicles dangling precariously overhead. In turn, this allows for more life to grow in addition to being a promising habitat for the hulking wampas that have been trapped this far below the surface. Beginning to thaw, it is obvious that this cave will eventually fall victim to seismic activity and disappear into the sheets of ice that surround it. Illuminating the cave’s interior with a dull blue glow, the luminous forms of lichen have taken up residence among the bones of the creatures unfortunate enough to be trapped here.

Caution must be exercised if one is to navigate the slippery slopes of the cave as melted icicles drip onto the cavern’s floor surface. In one corner of the cave, the ocean water has accumulated to form a large pool, providing sustenance to the rare lumni-spice growing within the crystalline complex, never to see the blue-white sun.

The potential for head-on conflict with the Inquisitorius is too great. The Sith looked around the cave warily. If things get bad- if we are forced into outright battle, could we stay here? He bit his tongue as he surveyed the space. With the proper supplies, how long could we hold out here?

This damn ice ball is no better than the last time I was here. Bentre pulled the cloth of his clothes closer to his shivering body. It did little to alleviate the numb skin of his torso of forearms. As he had many winters at home, he tried to rub his hands together to generate some little bit of heat. He knew well enough if he didn’t keep himself warmer, his body temperature could drop. Being stranded on Hoth had nearly claimed his life the last time and he had no desire to repeat that brush with death.

He had heard of the Rebellion’s battle against the Empire here. He could only imagine they must have invested well in heating units to survive in the planet’s unforgiving terrain. He wasn’t equipped much better than the last time, but as he looked around the ice glimmering faintly in the light of the local lichen he was glad he found some minor relief. The sound of dripping water somewhere reached his ears but somehow it offered him no comfort. The descent down into the cave had been more treacherous than he had expected and any wildlife was bound to be as fierce as the climate.

Our folks would need weapons. We would have to construct some kind of shelter. We would need to ensure we have enough food. Perhaps Darkblade or Aul would know if we could gather some lichen or something to augment any dried or canned good we could carry down here. Surely the Grand Master wouldn’t feel the need to look somewhere this uninhabitable for some Undes-

A ripple in the Force reached the Corellian first. As he strained his ears attentively, he heard the sounds of movement behind him a moment before he turned to face the disturbance. He could see the form of someone at the mouth of the cave, illuminated from behind by the blueish-white of the cold sunlight.

“Identify yourself,” Bentre barked as he looked up at the intruder. “State your business before I put a blaster bolt through your forehead. I don’t take too kindly to being followed.” The man lifted the worn blaster from within his clothing and pointed it upward. The person at the top seemed to stop for a moment before tentatively putting a foot down on a lower point of the slope. Stahoes leveled his weapon at the silent trespasser cautiously. As another foot came down at a lower point, the silent intruder seemed to lose their footing. Letting out a surprised yelp they began to slide down the slopes icy surface.

Watching the person fall, Bentre let out a scoff. It seemed an oddly miscalculated step for someone on so unforgiving a planet. With ice everywhere he would have expected his pursuer to be more careful. He heard low, almost growling voice let loose a long stream of words he didn’t recognize. As his vision began to readjust to the light of the cavern compared to the halo of light above, the Shadow could guess from the hairstyle that his potential assassin was a woman. Nobody he recognized off hand and it wasn’t as though gender had anything to do with one’s potential for lethality.

“You better start speaking basic or Ryl real quickly,” Bentre cautioned as he pointed his weapon menacingly, “as you don’t want us to have an unfortunate misunderstanding just now.

The glint of metal caught Stahoes’ eye as the woman looked up at him. Her face was like nothing he had seen since his days on Nar Shadda. And those guys were some ugly kriffing dudes.

“Frack. You.” The Sephi drew herself up, glaring into the Corellian’s eyes. “Glad to see you have such trust for your Clan.”

“I have no bloody idea who you are,” the Shadow spoke slowly, “and I will ask you real nicely now. Who are you?”

“Tasha’vel didn’t tell you anything about me?.” The woman spoke slowly. “That figures. I would have hoped you would have heard something given how closely we work together.”

“Work gets in the way of things.” Bentre growled. “I won’t ask again.”

“Ophelia of Marka Ragnos. Your little Twi’lek spouse asked me to keep an eye on you.”

“That’s a load of ‘doo. She knew what I was up to. Last person I knew to work with her was Tarrhyyn and given how he died on Agua’tah I doubt she replaced him so quickly. Besides why the frack would Tash’ send somebody to poke after me?”

“Maybe,” Delacroix spoke slowly, “she worries.”

“You better hop back into your ship and forget everything you saw here little girl. This is the business of men and warriors.” Bentre snapped back. The Marauder stared back without flinching. With a grunt, Stahoes threw aside his blaster and unclipped his lightsaber from his side. Igniting the sapphire-blue blade, he extended the weapon in front of him as he clenched the hilt in both hands. “You get one warning.”

Silently, Ophelia lifted her own lightsaber up, activating the long-handle with a crackle. Fiery red blades, the color of a Tukatan’s eyes ignited on either side of the long cylinder. She held the weapon evenly horizontal with the floor. “Watch what you say.”

“I don’t have to. I am twice the Sith most of you wish you could be.” With a yell, Bentre charged forward to close the distance between them and brought his weapon down diagonally in a slash. The hooded woman brought her own weapon up, easily parrying the attack. Stahoes stretched out his hand, unleashing a bright tendril of blue-white energy, his eyes gleaming as he did so.

His opponent was more than ready, sidestepping the attack as though he had telegraphed it moments before. The action seemed to freeze as the two stared each other down for a moment. The Corellian then shifted his weight to his forward foot preparing to charge forward again. He was going to put this one in her place.