in·er·tia n. 1. The tendency of a body to resist acceleration; the tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest or of a body in straight line motion to stay in motion in a straight line unless acted on by an outside force.

Upon a closer inspection, she discovered that the Pavilion was in fact empty, save for two of the Fellowship across the way: the short one with the bantha beard, and the tall, grim one with blond hair. She wondered if they would mind if she helped herself to another modest helping from the platter of food that was replenished for them some time earlier.

She snatched another fruit from the bowl, soft and green, but before she was able to take a single bite, she saw the blonde man look up from his silent conversation with the stout, bearded man, studying her with mildly interested and pitying eyes.

“Lle anta amin tu, eller?” he said in a bright, calming voice.

Adai didn’t respond for a moment, and so the man stood up from his diminutive friend, and was about to speak again, but she held up her hand.

I can read minds, you know, she sent to him. Just don’t think in tongue. Think in… pulses.

“Adai Seth,” she then said, pointing to herself.

“Legolas,” he replied. You must have Elvish blood running through your veins if you have such skill to do this.

Adai held up her hand again in humble opposition. None does, I’m sorry. I don’t wish to have to explain more about it… though you may ask your friend Boromir when he returns. What was that you said, though?

I asked if you needed help, little one.

Adai looked at the piece of fruit in her hand, and tossed it up a few inches into the air before catching it again. It doesn’t seem so… unless, of course, you mind me taking this?

Legolas shook his head. I should like to inquire about your sword of light that I heard about from the guard yesterday, but I think you do not wish to speak of it either?

Adai inhaled and nodded.

Perhaps another time then. I have something I need to do.

Surely.

Legolas bowed then and turned back to his friend, who had watched the whole thing in amazement. She heard him grunt loudly and scoff through the long bristles of his beard before continuing the conversation he was originally having with Legolas.

The Padawan ate as she dashed off into the trees, in what she assumed to be a westerly direction. When she wasn’t near anyone once again, she tossed the fruit core off into the bushes and turned to her belt. She searched the pockets and pouches until she came along the comlink again.

She impulsively glanced around before speaking into the thing.

She needed to get off this damned planet, and soon. Masters at the temple were probably looking for her by now. Adai was partially glad that she didn’t have a chrono on her; she was scared to see how long she had been gone by galactic standards, although she did suspect, that the difference between here and Coruscant was very little. Her sleeping patterns weren’t interrupted at all by the length of night and day here…

But, the young Jedi apprentice had to admit to herself, the situation concerning her current standing within the Order wasn’t the only thing that was compelling her to try and leave. There was something happening on this world; something big, and she knew she didn’t like it at all. She mused for a moment an age-old battle between the forces of light and darkness, vast armies fighting over a single thing, a single idea, and all of these millennia-old tensions were just now coming to a head. She felt as though this world were just a microcosm mirroring the struggles that were gripping the entire populated galaxy far beyond the upper layers of the atmosphere here. Adai giggled inwardly and dismissed the musing as nothing more than just that: a musing.

But seriously? What was all this business about a Ring of Power and a Dark Lord, and Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship? She was suddenly gripped by a slight series of chills at the recollection of Boromir’s thoughts earlier. She suddenly found herself wondering what part he had to play in all of it. However, there was one thing she felt for sure, and that was that he would not find peace with himself until he joined and became one with the Force.

Luckily for him, she found herself thinking, he does not have to wait much longer.

Adai paused at her own thoughts, and nervously brushed them to the back of her mind. She focused on the task at hand.

“R4,” she said into the thing. “R4, can you read me.”

The Padawan was greeted by static. She cursed under her breath and continued striding through the trees. Adai knew she would come upon the watch sooner or later, and so she busied herself by devising a way to sneak past their vigil.

Adai had been walking for about fifteen minutes or so before she felt any sentient presences in the vicinity. Upon closer inspection, she found that it was Anessen. She felt him trying to be stealthy, trying to sneak up on her.

Unfortunately for him, followers of the Force were extremely difficult to sneak up on.

The Padawan continued walking at a now leisurely pace, convinced that she’d divert his attention elsewhere in the forest somehow so that he could leave her be to her plan. There was no way in the deepest bowels of a Federation vessel that she was going to lead him anywhere near the crash site.

He was sneaking closer, now, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to see him with her eyes had she looked. Adai was waiting for him to attack. The hairs on the back of her neck rose in anticipation.

And suddenly, he leapt out, armed with a quarterstaff. In a fraction of a second she whipped out her saber, ignited it, and cut the sturdy stick in half, careful to avoid getting too near any of his limbs or appendages. Anessen let out a noise when he realized that his weapon had been disposed of.

The young man stood next to Adai, looking with amazement at the spot where the two halves of staff should’ve been one. Each half was blackened and hot. He said something under his breath that Adai couldn’t hear, but she understood the meaning of it from his thoughts.

You shouldn’t have followed me.

You’re a stranger to this land. I wanted to make sure follow not hurt watch guard you weren’t wandering off…

Adai cocked her head when his thoughts became jumbled. She knew he was lying, though she also knew he meant no harm to her.

Did your father tell you do this?

She received an incomprehensible thought in reply.

I know he did. Don’t worry. I understand.

He doesn’t trust you at all.

I know.

He knows you’re dangerous, and he thinks you’re after the Ring. The Lady Galadriel told him to stay away from you, but he refuses to let you leave the wood until after the Fellowship has left.

Adai saw the nervousness in his eyes.

I can’t let you leave, Adai Seth. I know you wish to get back to your Temple and your Jedi, but if you try to leave… I don’t want my father to hurt you. He cast his eyes downward. The Eldar are normally much kinder to their guests, but it cannot be so in such dark times. You must understand.

I do, Anessen. I do. But now you must trust me. You have to let me leave. I’m afraid that time may be running out for me to get back home, and there’s only one way that I can make it a reality, and that’s by going back to…

Back to where?

I cannot tell you.

Adai noticed that her lightsaber was still ignited, so she powered it down and hung it at her side once again. The Padawan jumped when the young man took her hand in his and led her away from the edge of the forest, back to the city in the trees.

She looked back over her shoulders at the white, towering mountains miles behind them, and suddenly had an insatiable longing for the feel of cold, battle-worn metal under her fingertips.