"Entering the Jedha system now," Serra said. "Any sign we've been followed?"
"Doesn't appear so, but I'm gonna keep the cloaking systems up to be on the safe side," Malik replied.
"There's NaJedha. Its largest moon is our destination."
"Did the holocron give any indication of the specific location of the kyber mines?" Malik asked.
"No, it was pretty cryptic," Serra shrugged. "All it said was 'we are one with the Force, and the Force is with us'. Nothing specific."
"Sounds like something known only to the Jedi Council. These kyber crystals are one of the most heavily guarded secrets of the Order. I suppose we ought to start looking in the Holy City?" Malik offered.
"It's as good a place as any to start our search."
"Morning," said Rex, entering the cockpit.
"Morning, Rex... whoa!" Malik gasped.
"Huh? What's... holy crap!" Serra agreed.
"Whatcha think? Ya like it?" Rex asked with a grin.
Rex's hair had grown longer in his time with Malik and Serra, and he had also decided to stop shaving. A full beard was beginning to come in, giving him a bit of breathing room in being instantly recognized as a clone, and he had further disguised himself by dying his hair blonde. Even though his beard had a ways to go before it was fully-grown and his hair was basically just a buzz cut, the changes were quite striking. One would have to look very close to determine that he was a clone.
"It's kind of shocking, but I have to admit... blonde looks good on you," Serra said.
"To be fair, you're kinda partial to blondes," Malik teased her, pointing to his own blonde hair.
"True enough," Rex agreed. "Did the dye job in the shower this morning. I figured I ought to try and blend in a bit more so I'm not noticed so easily. A stray clone wandering around out of uniform is bound to attract unwanted attention."
"Good thinking, Rex," said Malik.
Jax and Laranth soon arrived as well, having been roused by the ship's alert of their arrival in the Jedha system. Laranth appeared quite chipper, but Jax seemed quieter than usual to Malik's eye, maybe even a little grumpy. Both were appropriately surprised by Rex's new look, but Jax gave a nod of approval, having dyed his own brown hair pitch black a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Serra continued to guide them towards the Jedha moon.
"Scope isn't picking up any Imperial presence in the system. We're probably safe to deactivate the cloaking device," Malik offered.
"Agreed. I think we'll actually be able to dock in a hangar for once!" Serra laughed. "The Empire has no interest in a secluded desert moon inhabited by monks and pilgrims, after all."
"Hopefully, we can keep it that way," Malik mused.
"Remind me again why we're here?" Jax asked.
Malik replied, "Last night, Serra and I were reviewing the holocrons we managed to swipe from the vault. One of them detailed the locations of the Jedi Order's kyber crystals. We all know of the ice caves on Ilum, but there is apparently a vast mine of raw kyber crystals somewhere on this moon. Its exact location isn't detailed, so I can only assume the Jedi Council has kept it a secret for safety purposes. In any case, it's safe to think that the Ilum caves are relatively well protected from intruders, and may even have some Jedi hiding out in them, but we don't know what protections the mines on Jedha might have. If we can find them, we may be able to strengthen their defenses and ensure the crystals remain hidden from the Empire."
"Wow... if the Emperor were to find out where kyber crystals grew, he would be one step closer to preventing the Jedi from ever returning," Laranth gasped.
"Exactly. If there is anything we can do to prevent that from happening, we have a responsibility to do so," Malik nodded.
"But where do we look? It's a vast moon; the mines could literally be anywhere," said Jax.
"We're thinking we ought to start with the Holy City. It's about the only heavily populated area of the moon," Serra mentioned. "I know we don't have much to go on, but I feel like we need to at least look for them."
"I agree," Rex said, ending his long silence. "I don't know much about these kyber crystals, but if they have any sort of significance to the Jedi, it's only a matter of time before the Emperor tries to wipe them out for good. He doesn't just want to make sure the Jedi never return; he also wants to create a mindset amongst the citizens of the galaxy that will keep them from questioning him. Eradicating all traces of the Jedi Order makes it clear who's really in charge."
"Good point," Jax nodded.
As Serra broke through the atmosphere, the group could see Jedha City ahead of them, situated atop a grand mesa. Far from the expansive metropolis that was Coruscant, it gave the feel of a small town community. Vendors and merchants lined the streets, and the entire city felt like a large marketplace. In the center of it all was a large rock formation with doors built into the sides.
"What is that?" Laranth asked in wonder.
"I believe that is the Church of the Force," Malik replied. "Many pilgrims who believe in the Force travel to this moon from across the galaxy. I wonder if the monks in the church know anything about the kyber mines?"
"Could be. We'll start our search there." Picking up the comlink, Serra said, "Come in, tower. This is the
Middle Way
, requesting permission to land. Over."
"Copy that. Permission granted to land in hangar 1138. Over."
"Understood. Thank you, tower. Over and out."
As the ship landed, Malik turned to the rest of the crew. "Gonna be cold, so better bundle up. This may be a desert moon, but it's also an eternal winter out there."
Checking the supply closet, Jax said, "Not much available. We've got some simple cloaks that'll do for now, but we're gonna need more durable cold weather gear than this."
"We should be able to find something more suitable in the market," Laranth remarked.
"Good call. You three head to the market to gear up while Serra and I check out the Church of the Force," Malik replied.
"Will do. We'll meet you there when we're finished," Rex said.
"But how are we to pay? We have almost no money to our names," Laranth said.
"I'll get you some petty cash from our safe. A... friend of the Jedi Order helped us out shortly after Order 66," Serra answered, thinking of Bail Organa. "He outfitted us with supplies and even gave us a sizable amount of emergency funds. We have plenty, just don't spend too much," she said with a wink.
"We'll pay you back," Jax said.
"We're in this together, Jax," Malik replied. "We were in your debt, now you're in our debt... if we keep score like that, this'll go on forever. Let's just say that we're friends and crewmates and leave it at that. No debts to be repaid."
Jax sighed at seeing the stubbornness in Malik's eyes. "Fine. You win."
*****
"Wow... this is amazing," Serra gasped, gazing up at the structure they were about to enter.
"Yep, the Church of the Force. Let's check it out."
Pushing open the large doors, Serra and Malik soon found themselves inside a large sanctuary. Torches lined the walls to provide dim lighting, allowing them to see a large number of benches around the room. At the front stood a simple altar bearing the emblem of the Jedi Order. On the wall behind the altar was a banner displaying the Jedi Creed.
"Welcome, travelers," came a deep voice.
