There was an elderly human Path member lying on a pallet. The rain was dripping through a crack in the roof, and the floor was glis tening from water.

"What are you doing here?" the man said. His voice was hoarse.

"You should have gone with the others."

"I came for you," Yaddle said, improvising.

"I am to stay here," he said. "All of us are."

"I think I missed that message, tending after this little one," Yaddle said. "What do you mean by all of you?"

"The eldest of us all. We are a shield. Our one last gift, given freely' he said, smiling. Many of his teeth were missing.

Yaddle and Cippa looked at each other. "But surely you need help being looked after," Yaddle said.

"I require very little," he said, pointing to a small basket near the bed, with some crusts of bread. As for water, the sky takes care of that." Rain was pattering on the edge of his blankets, darkening them with moisture.

Yaddle leaned gently on the elderly man's thoughts. "I have been trying to teach this young one the value of listening to the wisdom of those who came before. It would be helpful for this child to hear, from you, why we must go with the others," she said.

"A gathering. A great work to be done by the Path. Our beliefs brought to reality. A weapon that will make even the mighty Jedi cower in fear. The Force is free, and must not be used like a tool, he reiterated, eyes closed.

Cippa found another blanket on a table nearby to cover him, and together Yaddle and Cippa stopped up the leaking roof with spare slats of wood.

"Gifts given freely. Thank you," he said. "May you receive them in turn."

Yaddle nodded and put a hand on Cippa's shoulder to leave. As they exited the small home, the man croaked one last time.

"Death to Force-users!"

They closed the door behind them and stood in the rain. Yaddle could not speak for a moment. Leaving the elderly behind meant one of two things: either abandoning their weakest members, or incapacitating the ability of any morally sound fighting force to attack the place, knowing the infirm and elderly would be killed first. Both were unconscionable.



Star Wars The High Republic Cataclysm Chapter 12 Page 166