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Neomi felt her impatience rise as Murlynd seemed to spend minutes staring at the refueling station ahead through the macrobinoculars. She had already told him that it was abandoned, like the four others that they had stopped at...
"There! Guards are patrolling the walkway." Murlynd said at last.
Neomi didn't believe it. Almost as if he could read her mind, Murlynd passed her the binoculars, and she looked through. Sure enough, there were two bandits prowling the overhead walkway within the station.
"So what will we do?" Neomi asked.
"We don't have much time. I am presuming that this is an advance guard station. If they are working for this new Lord of the land, then perhaps we can cut some time from our journey."
"So... what? Are you just going to walk in there, and ask them where he is?" Neomi asked as she focussed the macrobinoculars on the blasters at their belts.
"Actually, yes. And you are going to stay here."
Neomi looked up, and Murlynd was already walking toward the station. Astounded, Neomi felt almost compelled to obey. As Murlynd entered the compound, she nervously turned the binoculars on the bandits. They had apparently seen her master, and were laughing. Their hands went to their blasters, and Neomi let out a cry of warning. She looked up and realised that Murlynd was too far away to hear her. As her anxiety rose, she realised that the bandits had disappeared! Looking through the macrobinoculars, she could no longer see them! She got up and ran toward the station, not even thinking about how she could join in a fight. When she was inside the entrance, she saw that Murlynd was safe, and was talking to the bandits. But how was that possible? He should be dead!
"Hello Neomi, these kind gentlemen were just helping us find our path. Isn't that right?"
"That's right." One bandit replied.
"Where can we find Emirikol?" Murlynd asked with a casual wave of his hand.
"He has set up operations in Pumping Station 3. He plans to leave tommorow for the Core Worlds."
Emirikol!? What sort of name was that, Neomi wondered. What sort of past did he and Murlynd share? She was distracted by a question from Murlynd.
"Do you know where Pumping Station 3 is?"
"Yes, my father used to obtain supplies there."
"Well then," Murlynd said, "I guess we won't be needing to look over your maps after all, though I thank you for the offer." The bandits smiled for him. "We must be going now. Why don't you hand over those blasters and head back to Pilot's Rest, you won't be needing them on the way."
The bandits obliged, and Neomi found Murlynd gently prodding her to head back to the swoop bike. "We will have the chance to refuel here as we are running low. How much further to the Pumping Station Neomi?"
"Maybe about five hours..."
"Then we must be quick."
Amazed that he could survive such an encounter, Neomi found herself staring at his lightsaber. She could sense that he had not even had to use it.
To be continued.