Development takes many forms

[Elmont Block]

The once-ripe fields of the planet lay barren, pockmarked by heavy artillery. There were hills were once it was open fields and villages, such was the destruction of the bombardment. The desecrated landscape was the handiwork of not only the Sith – or some other dark sided antagonist – but the local resistance. Elmont had hoped each side might be more careful with the thing they were fighting over. He was reminded of an old mantra, ‘The desperate do not possess gentle hands.’ It was fair to say that these were truly desperate times.

Elmont stared across the open land from the relative safety of his makeshift encampment. His eyes were keen, catching even the faintest movement of charred grass in the afternoon breeze. The air was dry and warm. A sheen of sweat covered Elmont’s brow and occasionally a bead would slip down and zig-zag its way through his stubble until it dripped from his chin and onto his grubby robes.

His Master had taught him to use these times to meditate. Elmont found that a challenge. Time was precious. He lived in the moment and trading that for the future was alien to his way of thinking. He was eager to move but had to wait for his guide to return.

He should have been back by now. He should have returned over an hour ago. His Master would no doubt tell him time was transient or that all things happened at the right time - the time the Force decreed. But Elmont was impatient. Deep down, he knew he ascribed slightly negative connotations to his Master’s teachings. It wasn’t that he appreciated them, but they were different people. Different Jedi. He wanted to be trained. He wanted to be a Jedi. But he wanted to be his own Jedi. Much like his Master seemed to be. It was just they were so different.

Not that Elmont considered it a bad difference. Even in his most pig-headed moments, he saw the value in being schooled by someone who saw things from a different perspective. But Elmont was impatient. He wanted results and he wanted them now.

And the guide had never been late. And in Elmont’s mind, he’d already waited too long. Six months too long!

 

[Elmont Block]

Those in a position to save the planet had tiptoed around the problem. At least in Elmont’s opinion. They’d refused to act for risk of a full-scale war and the planet he currently stood on paid the price for politicians and generals arguing about public opinion.

His mission brief happened. Eventually. Too late to make a real difference, Elmont thought. But he was here, and he could do some good. Which is what he held on to by way of rationalising his belated presence here. His task was to identify if a secret weapons facility had been destroyed or was still intact. And if the latter, had it been compromised.

Elmont sighed heavily. ‘There is no contemplation, only duty.’ It was yet another mantra that he had been spoon-fed since he’d joined the Order. For once he had to agree with one of the many sickly Jedi sayings he’d been brought up on. If the Jedi spent as much time doing as they did coming up with witty and often pointless mantras, the galaxy would be a much safer place now.

But he brought his mind back to the here and now. His mission.

He dusted off his gear and turned his back on the way back to safety. The route he’d been told to follow should his guide disappear. Instead he headed towards the location he’d been told was most likely the secret base. In truth it was so secret nobody alive was entirely sure where it was.

The sky was stained pink. Night would be upon him soon, affording him some protection from watching eyes. Exhaling deeply, he steeled himself for what was to come.

 

[Elmont Block]

There were various factions setting up and breaking down camps in this area. Logic says they were after the same thing Elmont was. And logic said they hadn’t found anything – or else they would have left by now.

They had men, equipment and no doubt satellites to aid their searches. Elmont had none of those things – but he had his own advantages. He was one man – and therefore fleet of foot. Setting up camps took time and moving equipment in this now hostile terrain was a challenge. And travelling light meant he had the element of surprise. But most importantly, he had a purpose. They were all here for material gain. Either the weapons or the value of the information. But Elmont was here for neither of those reasons. He was here to ensure the weapons and their technology did not fall into the wrong hands. His goal was emotional. His goal was about what he believed in - and this gave him the edge.

Cloaking himself in the darkness of the night, Elmont scouted four encampments before spotting his guide. He watched from a nearby ledge as the poor man, bruised and bloody, was dragged to the centre of a makeshift camp. Elmont wondered what he’d told them, and if his presence, so close to the beacon of the camp fire was a trap.

But as a wiser Jedi than him once said, when presented with a trap, the only thing to do was to spring it.

 

[Elmont Block]

Elmont relaxed and breathed in deeply. He was downwind of the encampment and with his acute sense of smell, he was able to follow a hunch.

Camps tended to be for only a few things. Sleeping, warmth and food primarily. He could see the fire for warmth and tents for sleeping, but no food smells reached his nose. Not even caf.

It was most definitely a trap. Which presented a problem for the young Padawan. If he saved his guide, he would alert others that he was present. That would bring a greater force down and hamper his chances of finding the hidden base. But to let the man die - for that was the likely outcome once his usefulness was spent - was equally wrong. Elmont shook his head. ‘Follow the Code’ he’d been told since he was young. As if the Code covered this type of eventuality.

The definite death of one versus the possible death of many thousands, perhaps millions. The key word for Elmont was ‘possible.’ The base may have been destroyed, or already looted. So he would be condeming his guide to death for no gain. Elmont pushed all thought of the Code aside right now. Saving the man in front of him was the priority. It was the ‘here and now’ solution. Dealing with an ever changing possible future was not his concern right now.

He wiped his forehead, dripping despite the fact it was the dead of the night. The heat was constant here. There was a geological reason but Elmont didn’t care. It was hot. Damned hot.

As if reading his mind, the soldier escorting the guide threw him down on the ground and kicked him in the stomach and then pulled a pistol.

“It’s now or never,” said Elmont to himself and leaped towards the encampment from his vantage point.

 

[Elmont Block]

A small crowd of soldiers gathered, crowding close to the kneeling hostage.

His Force Leap was prodigious - given it was one of the first abilities he learned as a Youngling and it was one of the few he was able to practice during his self-imposed exile from the Jedi ranks.

He landed on a small plateau, the oppressive heat and lack of light masking his journey until the last minute. Then, as the four guards whirled to face him, he drew his borrowed saber and had cut the first one down before his feet had even touched the ground.

Blasters were raised and hands chopped off. The guards initially tried to rush him and then attempted to flee. But he took them down one by one - with the minimum of effort. His blows were precise. Deliberate. No guard was cut more than twice before they fell to the ground and breathed their last.

Elmont cut the guide’s bonds and hauled him to his feet. Helping him was a necessity but he begrudged the fact he was forced to choose. This man’s inability to avoid capture may have jeopardised the mission. “Go back,” Elmont said in a surly tone. “I’ll make my own way from here.”

The guide started to protest but a glance from Elmont’s piercing blue eyes cut him short. “You have been seen, I have not. With any luck, someone will see you leave the area and assume you escaped. It might buy me more time. Now go,” he said and looked around the encampment. It was a small flat area of rock, overlooked by a small outcropping.

Elmont closed his eyes and focused on the rocks adjacent. He didn’t rush and although nothing happened instantly, he kept his focus and deepened his connection with the Force. Finally, a large boulder wobbled and finally moved. It initially fell and then, as if an invisible hand guided it, it floated gently down to where Elmont was. He placed it over part of the encampment, hiding bodies and tents alike. This he repeated until dawn broke and the area he stood on was covered in an assorted size of rocks and boulders. From the air, it looked like any other part of the landscape. Unless someone brought excavation gear in, what lay under the rocks would remain hidden indefinitely.

His body now drenched in sweat, Elmont scanned the area and spotted a small cave. Wearily he made his way to it and fell into a light and fitful sleep.

 

[Elmont Block]

Time passed. Elmont could not tell if hours had past or days. The cloud cover meant it was impossible to judge the time by the position of the sun - and it had the added disadvantage of turning the heat oppressively humid. And given his face was already covered in stubble, there was no clue from there either.

But he did know one thing. The disadvantage of a keen sense of smell - especially in a confined space- was that he was aware what no washing, constant hiking and climbing and excessive heat did to the human condition, and to his clothes too.

But given there was no shower cubicle nearby - or even a stream to wash in - he was forced to progress in his current pungent state. He followed the terrain, regularly pulling out his macrobinoculars for a closer look at whatever his Force senses told him to be wary of. Mostly it was animals but once or twice he came across a small patrol – the lack of uniforms making it difficult to see which group they represented.

After two hours more hours of walking, a small encampment came into view. And it was empty.

 

[Elmont Block]

Elmont was no fool. He sensed a trap. Yet as he reached out with the Force, he could sense no living beings in the vicinity. He was a Padawan, he reckoned with himself, he was therefore wrong in his assessment of the situation. There had to be people there, he simply could not locate them.

And finally impatience had got the better of him and he headed down to the camp, alert but sure his original assessment was wrong and that the place was deserted.

In truth he was half-right. There were no men here. Not any more. No sooner had he reached the centre of the camp than he was aware of a presence. No, many presences. He spun around and then he saw them. Malia. They were usually found in forests, so their appearance here was a surprise, but then the planet had been ravaged by war, so who knew where various creatures had been displaced to - and what effect it would have on the eco-system.

He remembered Malia from a trip to Ragoon-6. They were fast, agile, deadly creatures, fierce predators with triple rows of teeth. It explained how the camp was deserted.

Elmont stood frozen in the middle of the camp. He looked at the Malia spread out on the rocks. At first their blue-grey fur had melted into the shadows created by the setting sun.

From memory they were nocturnal, which was a bonus. But even as he took two steps backward, he saw one creature stir. A long, tapered snout lifted. Two fierce green fluorescent eyes opened. A low rumble deep in the Malia's throat told him he was in trouble.

 

[Elmont Block]

The creature sprang at the same time as Elmont. The Malia was just a blue streak in the air. Elmont’s borrowed saber slashed at it and it fell to the ground with a wounded howl.

The rest of the pack rose. Elmont conducted a quick head-count. Eight. Or at least eight. They were just the visible ones. There may be caves nearby with others resting. One of the creatures stepped forward and lifted its snout. Its eyes flashed as it bared its triple row of yellow teeth.

Elmont continued to back up slowly and remembered not to look them in the eye. Apparently that just got them mad at you.

The pack surged forward, collectively snarling. Elmont almost stumbled, surprised by the speed the creature generated as it pounced. He barely got his lightsaber lifted in time to slash at the creature’s neck.

Elmont waved his saber in the way fire was once flourished to ward off creatures. The Malia retreated. They snarled, but they retreated none the less.

Light was fading fast now and the shadows were lengthening and the creatures fur was a natural camouflage in the fading light.

Elmont whirled to fend off two Malia that were attempting to get behind him. At the same time, another Malia leaped at him.

The air seemed to be full of flying fur and pointed yellow teeth as the Malia attacked in a fury. Elmont kicked, punched and used his saber and at times used the Force to push them back.

They returned to backing away, over the edge of the plateau. But Elmont knew they were just regrouping.

 

[Elmont Block]

They came again and Elmont leaped, kicked, and whirled as he fought them off and Elmont could see that their attack had become less focused. They had not expected such resistance. It was the nature of predators. They rarely possessed a Plan B, their Plan A served them so well.

Elmont continued to back away, remembering to avert his gaze from them. The Malia continued to follow him, but kept a few metres away as he retreated. Elmont did not blame the creatures for the attack. He had encroached on their territory. He would not wipe them out if he did not have to.

Elmont speeded up now and was pleased they did not follow. Instead they huddled roared and as the light fell further, they were lost completely in the shadows.

 

[Elmont Block]

Elmont crossed to the opposite side of the trail. Here, the level ground dropped sharply to a steep rocky hillside.

He made his way down the steep slope, his footing sure and swift. He followed a narrow ravine until he reached the face of a small mountain. It was a sheer face on three sides. There was no way to go except back the way he'd come. Yet the Force was guiding him forwards. He was reminded of the teachings he'd received as a Youngling in these situations.

He remembered his temple exercises - to explore the present moment. Relaxing, he breathed in deeply then exhaled slowly. Finally he closed his eyes.

He sensed dirt under his feet. A sheer wall was ten metres ahead with insufficient handholds for climbing. Small plants were growing in a crevice thirty meters up. Snow was dusting at top of the cliff. A bird was circling twenty degrees to his right. At the base of the rock wall, there was what appears to be a small opening - a den of a small animal, or...

His eyes nearly popped open. It was the opening to a cave.

 

[Elmont Block]

He examined the small opening. It could easily be the nest or den of an animal. Without a glow rod, Elmont would have to feel his way. He eased inside the hole carefully, one hand on his lightsaber hilt.

He was able the straighten after crawling just a few meters. Ahead of him, was a cavern.

It truly was beautiful. The walls shimmered with phosphorescence, lighting the space. The cliff face outside had been a dull brown, but this stone was pink with veins of bright gold and silver. Cone-shaped deposits of the stone hung from the ceiling and rose from the floor.

The smooth floor sloped steeply downward. He took a deep breath, testing the air. It smelled fresh. There was most likely another opening in the direction he was headed. The air smelled damp as well. That was normal in a cavern. Pools of water sat in the depressions of the stone floor.

Some of them were quite deep.

 

[Elmont Block]

As he progressed, he picked up pace. He rounded a corner and entered an even larger cavern. Above him he could see a patch of star-filled sky. Against the shimmering pink of the walls it was a breath-taking sight.

Just then he heard a noise and his Force Sense warned him that something was wrong. A slight whoosh sound reached his ears. He picked up his pace.

The whoosh grew louder. Now it was a roar.

Suddenly a wall of water blocked out the sky and headed straight towards him.

 

[Elmont Block]

Elmont desperately clung to a ledge as the water rushed into the cavern The force of it battered him against the cavern wall. Another wave entered, and the water went over his head. The shock of its coldness almost made him lose his grip.

He fumbled for his breather with one hand while he hung on with the other. He began to feel light-headed as he struggled to attach his breather with his free hand. Spots swam before his eyes.

Finally, he managed to insert his breather and inhaled deeply. He felt strength flow back into his muscles. Still, his body was being pummelled by the furiously rushing water and battered against the wall of the cave. He had to get out or he would drown.

Elmont grabbed the ledge a short distance away. He pulled himself forward, every muscle straining with his effort. He reached for the next handhold. Then the next. He fought for every forward movement.

After what felt an eternity, he felt the smooth curve of the cavern entrance. He paused there, holding on against the violent water. After a few moments, he decided he had to let go and make for the surface.

He rolled his body into a ball and rested his feet against the cavern wall. He closed his eyes, gathering his strength and the Force. When he felt it enter him, he pushed himself off the cavern wall.

The power of the water almost battered him back against the wall and swept him inside the cavern, but he fought it with all his strength, swimming up, trusting that air and sunlight were above.

After a few metres, the pull of the water lessened. He was able to make headway against it. He saw no light above but trusted his instincts to tell him which way was up.

He burst above the surface of the water. Ahead he saw a booming waterfall, spilling down from a inside a massive cavern - at its very top was a small opening that light spilled in through.

 

[Elmont Block]

He pulled himself up onto dry land. He ripped the breather from his mouth and gasped for breath. Water streamed off his clothes and the ends of his hair as he bent over; gathering strength.

He shook his head, sending water droplets flying.

He climbed up the steep incline, heading for the opening at the top of the cavern. It was a hazardous climb but eventually he reached the top of the cave and clambered out.

From here he had a commanding view of the waterfall below and, in the distance, the valley he’d travelled from. Still more mountains rose behind him and he realised this was the only way to access the point he was standing on. At least on foot.

Elmont continued to follow his instincts – to where the Force was guiding him. A trail led into the mountains, and he began to climb it.

But something was bothering him and he was unsure what it was. But he was confident all would be revealed in time and so he relied on the Force to advise him.