Everyone else managed it, too, with varying degrees of grace. Then they all edged together toward the nearby airlock. Reath was the one who grabbed the manual handle from the outside and spun it to open. As the doors slid wide, they all maneuvered their way into the airlock.

Now, Orla thought, for the tricky part.

On cue, the Vessel released its cargo bay doors. Out drifted its contents: the idols, tethered together with basic cargo cords. For one moment they floated free in zero G, and Orla could imagine them flying: the insect, the bird, the queen, the amphibian.

But they could not be allowed to go far. She lifted her hand at the same moment Cohmac and Reath did; as one, they reached out with the Force, bringing the idols closer. The four golden shapes floated nearer and nearer, until the Jedi were able to maneuver them within the airlock, as well. She pushed them to one side—she didn’t want those things overhead when the gravity came back on—managing it just before the doors shut again.

For an instant they floated in total darkness. Then lights came on, gravity tugged at them again, and the telltale hiss of air grew louder and louder. The idols landed with an enormous thud. As atmosphere continued filling the space, Cohmac said, “Well done, everyone. We made it.”

Orla grinned, but couldn’t help adding, “And now, for our reward—mortal danger.”

The station doors slid open, revealing the jungle.

Cohmac removed his helmet as soon as he could. The warm, almost steamy air of the station surrounded him, along with the familiar smells of soil and flowers. An 8-T rolled by, paused, apparently concluded he represented no threat to weeding, and continued on its way.

He began stripping off his exosuit, relieved to be rid of its shapeless, unwieldy bulk. Their eventual escape might be quicker if they kept the suits on—but that would make all their tasks more difficult to perform, forcing them to stay on the Amaxine station longer. Every moment they remained was another moment the Nihil could become aware of their presence.

“I’m heading to the storage facilities in the upper rings,” announced Affie, who’d already shaken off the exosuit and stood there in her Guild coverall. “You guys do whatever you need to do. I won’t let them see me. Should be ready to go within ten minutes or so.”

“We may well take longer,” Cohmac warned. “Be careful.”

Affie nodded, then hurried off through the greenery to whatever task she’d set herself.

The Jedi were alone. As they set to work moving the idols back into a central location near the stone seat, Orla said, “Do you feel it?”

“Oh, yes.” Cohmac could sense the darkness pressing in on him from every direction, as if trying to compress his body down to bone. “It’s as if the darkness knows the idols have returned.”