“Okay,” Orla said, panting, as she clambered to her feet and they all switched off their lightsabers. “Rule one. Don’t ignore the local myths if those myths are trying to warn you.” She pointed toward the carving of the serpent.

Cohmac nodded. He felt foolish, and angry with himself for having let his master down. “Master Simmix assigned me the legends reading for a reason. I thought they were merely stories. Background that might inform us a little. So I didn’t pay enough attention.” The stories had indeed spoken of serpents a long-ago goddess had banished to the planets’ moons. Why hadn’t he reflected on the fact that most legends were rooted in some truth?

It didn’t matter that much, really. The serpent was dead and no longer a threat. His mistake had not cost them. Yet Cohmac remained haunted. Probably that was because he couldn’t help seeing the faint resemblance between this creature and the Filithar. Most specifically, to Master Simmix.

Some masters were stern and severe. Some were remote. Some continually challenged their Padawans to defend every opinion, every action, every thought. All approaches could be successful in molding excellent Jedi Knights. Yet Cohmac had always been grateful for a master who was kind.

Now Simmix was gone, and they’d left his body behind as though it were nothing.

It is nothing, Cohmac reminded himself. Crude matter. Master Simmix is one with the Force.

Those thoughts helped. But only so much. He was left with the hard knowledge that he’d ignored Master Simmix about the legends. That he’d carelessly neglected his duty to keep his master safe.

That he’d gotten his master killed.

All the while, Master Laret’s head had been bowed and her eyes shut. She was renowned for her ability to find paths with the Force, and it appeared she’d done so again when she said, “The caves form a network beneath the planetoid’s surface. It is logical to assume that the Directorate has hidden the hostages somewhere within this network, and the Force tells me they are not far away.”

“Then let’s go,” said Orla.

Already Master Laret had closed her eyes and was reaching out through the Force to see if any other giant serpents, or other similarly unfriendly wildlife, might be lurking within the tunnels. Cohmac did the same.

Nothing close, he thought. But that’s not the same as “nothing.”