Cohmac shook his head. “I do not mean that my literal location in space changed. But my consciousness was not here. I was someplace dark and terrifying. Staring down into a terrible abyss. My soul ached with a kind of anguish that could have torn it in two. Why, I cannot say. But the pain was very real.”

Dez considered this. “You were investigating the ancient artifacts at the time, weren’t you?”

Cohmac nodded. “Throughout the galaxy, there have been legends of objects imbued with the dark side. Of amulets and crystals and even glaciers that contained as much malevolence as any living creature. Some said that the most powerful Sith of old were able to do that—to infuse their own darkness into the objects around them.”

“Do you think the artifacts could be marked by the dark side in the same way?” Dez asked.

“Such things are generally no more than legend,” Cohmac said cautiously, “but all legend is rooted somewhere in truth. At least one dark side artifact is known to have existed. So we cannot discount the possibility.”

“If it’s not the idols,” Dez reasoned, “then the darkness has to be emanating from the plants aboard the station.”

Cohmac made a scoffing sound. “No. I’ve encountered trees deep in the dark side before; I know what it feels like. The sensations can be powerful, but this was…focused. Targeted, even. There was intelligence behind it.”

Dez frowned. “Intelligence? Without a sentient being behind it?”

“It sounds odd,” Cohmac admitted, but he was deep in thought. “But it is possible, especially if—”

“If what?”

Slowly Cohmac said, “If the idols serve as a kind of…warning beacon. If they communicate an intelligent message, namely, that we must stay away from the darkness enclosed within them.”

“At the moment, we’re very much not staying away from them,” Dez pointed out. “What do we do?”

“Nothing. We need someplace for everyone to shelter while the hyperspace lanes are closed. This is the only possibility within the system.” Cohmac breathed out heavily, rubbing his temples.

Dez took this in. “So you’re saying the dark side is present—”

“And we are trapped here with it,” Cohmac finished.

What can I do? That was the question Master Jora had trained Dez to think of first. In this case, however, warnings or no warnings, there wasn’t much at all he could do about a vague threat of the dark side’s presence. If that darkness made itself manifest, then he’d act. Until then, he’d focus on the tangible aspects of their mission.

The memory of Master Jora made Dez realize what should come next. “Take it easy for a few minutes,” he said to Cohmac, who inclined his head in concession. “I’ve got to find Reath.”