Chapter 5-Frozen in time

The sun rose again and its beautiful rays shone on D'Qar. Rebeth was whispering Cryl's name in her sleep and he was sitting by hair side, caressing her hair. Soon enough he heard a knock on the door and he got up to open the door. He saw Starina and Sura and he let them in.

“Good morning.” said Starina softly. Sura took a light bow before Cryl, who just smiled. He was reserving is regal grin for Rebeth and Vria. He followed them as the entered and sat on his bed.

“What's the matter ?” asked Cryl. Starina and Sura had opened their mouths to speak, but Cryl interrupted them. “Shouldn't you be destroying the mines ? Vite ! Vite ! Vite !”

“Okay, okay. Oh dear stars ! You're impossible.” said Sura. He was an ambassador and he didn't like to be bossed around. Cryl put his one arm around him and got him by a corner.

“Listen up. If you want Rebeth's protege, you better get used to being bossed around and I'm far more strict than Rebeth.” he said with a threatening grin. Sura was about to protest, but he eventually he decided against it. Cryl left pleased and went back to Rebeth. On Sura's face was a frown. He headed towards the door, which opened and he left. Starina didn't realize what was happening, so she just waved goodbye to Cryl and followed Sura.

The two of them headed to the hangar and got their shuttle to head to Csilla. Sura was navigating and Starina was assisting him. Soon enough the stars melted into white lines and they entered hyperspace. After than a noise was heard. Starina patted her stomach. Sura looked at her and laughed.

“In the lounge you will find protein bars...” he was saying and Starina grined widely.

“Do you have the ones that taste like mushroom ?” she asked. They were Rebeth's favorite and Starina had to admit that they tasted good. They were available only in Naboo. It was known that most Naboo people loved mushrooms same for the Alderaanians, especially Cryl's favorite mushroom product; the truffle oil. However, Starina was thinking that truffle oil was overrated.

“No, I have strawberry flavored ones, chocolate, honey and vanilla ones.” he said and Starina messed his wavy hair. “I got a sweet tooth.” he said.

“I wonder how you manage to stay fit.” she said and laughed lightly.

“I work out. An ambassador must always look his best. The same applies to female ambassadors.” he said and looked into Starina's eyes. When they made eye contact, she roared with laughter. Sura could have sworn this woman wouldn't laugh that loudly.

ON CSILLA...

They landed the Beast and got out. The snow was knee high and Starina rushed back in to wear trousers instead of her usual tulle skirt. Eventually she was ready and Sura was waiting for her on the ramp. She soon appeared with a beautiful, red pair of trousers, which was contrasting against her black coat that she had buttoned even on her chest. Sura smiled.

“I think this will be too easy.” said Starina positively. Sura kept smiling and replied.

“I hope so. Besides no one is guarding the area.” said Sura and soon Starina held her head in pain. “What's wrong.” he asked worried.

“My head...someone is in danger. I...I hear her voice. She calls to us.” said Starina. Sura stood motionless and speechless.

“What should we do ?” he asked.

“We will free her.” said Starina with her pretty grin. She quickly rushed in the crystal cave and started calling loudly. “Is anybody here ?” Sura nudged her.

“Shush. There might be another exit, which will be guarded by chiss...they frighten me.” he said and recalled a violent protest against the Tatooine embassy on Csilla. They had broken his arm and bruised his one eye, luckily his aide had helped him escape, but the memory felt fresh.

“Well, I'm sure I can beat them. Rebeth was a great master.” said Starina and she heard more calls from the same voice. “Follow me.” said Starina and followed a narrow path behind a large crystal formation. Sura followed her.

The area they were in was all made of ice and it was mirroring one another on every surface, except for a female with pointy ears and very long, wavy, dirty blond hair that seemed to be long enough to reach her feet. Starina was mesmerised. Sura looked at Starina's mouth.

“You know...you look far better than her.” said Sura with a smirk and looked at her direction. Starina closed her mouth and smiled at him.

“You think, lover boy ?” she asked and winked at him playfully. Sura looked at one of his reflections. Starina giggled. She loved teasing him and a part of her liked him. He was tall, lithe, with beautiful, mesmerizing sapphire eyes and wavy, blond hair. However, Starina's type was tanned men with brown eyes and black her, like her boyfriend two years ago, who had only played with her. Gladly Rebeth had told her not to worry and to be careful to who she was giving her heart. He should treat her with care, just like how sweet and fragile women, even Rebeth needed to be treated. Starina recalled Rebeth and Cryl kissing. It was making her so happy and she always seeked to be loved like that.

“We need to free her. She looks like a Jedi...unlike Rebeth.” Sura pointed out. Starina got offended. So what if she wasn't wearing traditional robes like that woman trapped in ice ? She had her own beauty and a beautiful, classy and unique outfit.

“Ok, I got it.” said Starina and placed both of her hands on the huge ice crystal with the poor Jedi trapped inside. Sura watched carefully as if there was some sort of ritual, but he noticed that nothing was coming out of the ice block. Starina got her lightsaber and tried to carefully cut it avoiding the lush hair of the jedi master before her. After some time she made it, but there was still ice around her. Sura looked at Starina.

“Carry her to the shuttle with your Force abilities. I'll place the explostives.” he told her and instantly Starina protested.

“You think I can plant bombs all over this vast cave ? I NEED your help.” she emphasized need. Sura pressed his lips in a poker face.

“Fine, let's get her both out of here and into your shuttle. Then we will return.” said Sura. Starina agreed and the two of them headed out again.

Outside there was no one, luckily. They approached the shuttle and opened it. They let the jedi in the refresher and walked out of it. If something bad was happening, Starina would realize through the Force. As they headed back out of the shuttle they noticed two chiss officers with a blaster rifle each. She lit her blue lightsaber and she stood in the ataru fighting stance. The chiss started shooting at her and she closed her eyes and reflected most of their shots. Sura was hidden behind her and shooting using her as a shield. Not a human shield, but a lightsaber shield. He knew she wouldn't get hurt with her excellent fighting skills. After some time the chiss ran out of powercells and got their stun batons and attacked them. Starina charged at them, but as she was doing that the other chiss hit her leg with his stun button, instantly numbing her left leg. The other one was ready to pierce her chest with his baton, but Sura shot him in the chest. The other chiss was about to bring his baton on Sura's head, but Sura kicked his chest. As the chiss fell he shot him too and then he sat by Starina's side.

“Are you ok ?” he asked. Starina was feeling beyond weak and she was barely keeping her eyes open.

“Get the first aid kit, it has stimulants inside and do the shot in my leg. I'll be great in no...time.” she said sleepily. Sura did as she said and rushed in as fast as he could. Soon enough he got outside again.

“Is it this one ?” asked Sura and showed Starina the stimulant.

“Ye...” was her reply and Sura rushed to her side. After giving her the shot, she started feeling more alive and eventually sat up on the snow. She shook her head and took some snow on her palms and then she spread it all over her face. “Good Force, that feels refreshing. Let's get the explosives in !” she exclaimed full of life after the adrenal coursed through her body.

The two of them rushed in and placed explosives all over the cave and quickly got out of the cave only to see another chiss. He unlike the previous chiss, which were shorter than even Starina, towered even over Sura. He had a square chin and seemed ready for anything. He was holding a vibro mace. Starina held her lightsaber tightly in her hands Sura had few powercells in his blaster and he quickly fired at him, but he wasn't harmed. Sura was sure his armour was made out of durasteel, so shooting at him was pointless. Sura kicked the chiss in the knee and he fell down as his legs weren't covered by armour.

“Starina quickly, Force-push him towards the cave !” yelled Sura and Starina did so. Then he detonated the explosives and the two of them rushed in Starina's shuttle. Quickly navigating it away from the fire and into the sky and then they penetrated the void. Soon enough Sura jumped to lightspeed and Starina went to the refresher to take care of the jedi. She turned on the warm water and tried to melt the ice away. Travelling to D'Qar would be a very long journey, so they had all the time in the world to talk and brief the jedi. Sura eventually left the cockpit and walked to the refresher only to see Starina holding the woman's hand to find a pulse.

“How is she ?” he asked in a low voice. Starina looked at him.

“She's got a pulse. She's good for now. I will meditate to trigger her senses.” said Starina and sat by her side as Sura was enjoying a glass of blossom wine waiting for them.

Soon enough the woman opened her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes.

“Hello young one.” she greeted Starina.

“Just call me Starina.” she said in a soft voice.

“It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Raina Iceguard.” she said and Starina roared with laughter. Raina covered her ears, which were sensitive after all these years in silence.

“I'm sorry...” said Starina. “It's just the pun.” she said and tried to keep a straight face. “What species are you ? I never saw anyone with pointy ears.” she said. Raina grinned.

“I'm a sephi. What year is it ? It felt like decades.” asked Raina and Starina called Sura and the two of the expained her what was going on. Raina told them that she was born in the time where there were no sith for 1000 years and that she remembered Anakin Skywalker in the temple. She explained them that during the Clone Wars a chiss general had taken shards from that cave to put them to some clones, known as Crystalwalkers, and she was trapped there by a carbonite war droid. Sura seemed very sad and so did Starina. They held hands and after he started rubbing her soft hand with his thumb she noticed that. She felt very sad seeing Sura sad. Inwardly she wondered if she had formed a crush on him. Raina kept talking and Starina focused back at her.

“So, are you telling me that there's a second empire ? And all these in less than 1 century ?” asked Raina shocked and disappointed. Starina could feel her sorrow.

“Don't worry. I'm being trained as a Jedi and I'm sure Rebeth will like you instantly and tell you for herself. Do you remember a youngling named Cryl ?” asked Starina.

“Of course. He had a lot of potential. Did he become an Imperial ?” she asked with a voice that had lost all hope and emotion, besides grief.

“No, he calls himself a retired jedi. He's more like a seer. He was always with the resistance...eh I mean the rebellion...but he also supports the resistance.” Starina elaborated.

“Even that matters and I'm happy for him. I'm also looking forward to meet Rebeth. She sounds like an interesting person.” said Raina cheerfully and got carefully on her legs. Sura and Starina helped her walk and they let her sit on the couch.

“Well, for a 99 year old sephi you look quite alive and young.” said Sura.

“Well, us, Sephis, live for...more than 200 years. I'm still young.” she said with a grin. Sura offered her some wine to warm her up and the three of them set course for D'Qar where their mission would be completed and the resistance facing less enemies.