With all possible respect for your apprentice, he'll never be able to get it up and running. Are you certain nothing can be salvaged from your transport? Maybe we should chance a walk there. We don't know for sure that Vanqor has set an ambush. There might be parts we could use. I'll go, if you can give me the coordinates."

"Shalini, no," Mezdec protested. "It's too dangerous."

"No, it's not," Shalini said. "It's necessary."

"You'd never make it at night," Mezdec argued. "Survival gear can't protect you from that kind of cold. Besides, you know the rule. We only go in pairs." He touched her hand. "As you and I do," he said in a gentle tone.

She smiled, but shook her head. "We should try every avenue. I am responsible for this disk." She touched her belt, where she had tucked the disk into a hidden slit. "I have another idea. We could return to the Jedi ship, expecting an ambush. A few of us could pretend to surrender. Then the others could attack the Vanqor ship. We could get off-planet in their transport."

"That's a highly unlikely scenario," Obi-Wan said. "And a last resort.

Let's give Anakin a chance before we make that decision."

Everyone ignored Obi-Wan. "Maybe we should split the team," Olanz said. "A few of us could go with Shalini at first light. We could take the missile tube and some flechette launchers."

"Our strength is in our numbers," Rajana argued. "We should remain together."

"Thik can't travel," Mezdec pointed out.

"I can travel," Thik said. "Just not very fast."

"And what of the ones who remain behind?" Rajana asked. "We're almost out of heating fuel. Whoever stayed would be facing death."

"We have faced death all along," Thik said.

"That doesn't mean we should invite it in," Mezdec said.