Shade was not a person naturally given to fear. She had faced many things since the beginning of her Jedi training that an average human being would find terrifying; and not only had she faced them, she had thrived in the thrill of them.

Kohlma, however, truly scared her.

She had never stepped foot onto the soil of a place that felt so utterly wrong. From the time they had arrived two days before, the black cloud cover had not lifted, the freezing rain had not stopped falling, and the chilling wind had not stopped shrieking. The surface of the moon was a wasteland of black craggy rock, stretching on as far as the eye could see. Scattered across the forbidding landscape were trees, long dead and rising like scarecrows out of the bleak earth beneath them.

But more alarming than anything were the tombs.

They had come across the first under the overhang of a cliff, as they first scouted their surroundings. The cold stone had been crudely etched with the name of the unfortunate soul buried beneath. As they had journeyed on into the cold, wet wilderness, they had found several others. None were placed close to the others, but seemed equally spaced, spread across the moon's surface.

As they had moved among the dark trees and the tombstones, Shade had felt a spike of fear worm its way into her heart. All around them, she could feel the Force in chaos. A strangling power seemed to seep from the rocky ground like mist, twining around their feet and grasping at their cloaks. Dark thoughts started to invade her mind, thoughts that were not her own. Struggling against the choking sensations, she took several deep, ragged breaths and clutched at Anakin's hand as he walked beside her. He turned to look at her, and she saw concern darken his eyes as he took in her pale skin and dilated pupils.

"Master," he said quietly.

Ahead of them, Obi Wan stopped and turned.

"Yes, Anakin?"

"Don't you think we should go back to the ship? It's getting colder, and Shade seems unwell."

Obi Wan's brow creased as he glanced at Shade. He was at her side within two strides, his gentle, experienced hands running over the chilled skin of her brow. Curling his fingers around her neck, he rested his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, and began to murmur under his breath. As he called upon the Force, Shade felt the suffocating sensation fade and then leave her, the discomfort vanishing beneath the warmth of her Master's hands. At last, he released her, and with a final, concerned glance at her, began to lead the way back toward the ship.

Around them, the silent trees watched as they retreated, staring down from the bleak sky to the small figures of the Jedi as they fled beneath their branches. A biting wind was at their backs, driving them on, a wind that carried the muttering voices and ghostly laughs of a thousand empty souls.

At last, the familiar figure of their ship loomed up out of the gathering mist. Obi Wan stepped aside to make sure that they were both safely within before entering himself, and closing the door behind them. For a long moment, they stood in a silence only broken by the heaviness of their breathing.

"What was that?" Anakin said at last.

They didn't ask him what he meant. The power that had risen from that dead earth and tried to extinguish their light was not something to be taken lightly.

"That, Anakin," Obi Wan replied heavily, "was the Dark Side. Something is not right here. Some darkness is being unleashed."

Shade clenched her teeth together to keep them from chattering and leaned against the wall so that her trembling legs would not betray her. Obi Wan's concerned glance turned to her.

"How do you feel now?" he asked.

"Better," she replied weakly.

His gaze was nearly curious as he tilted his head to regard her. "I have never seen a Jedi reject the Dark Side as strongly as you did," he said.

"What does that mean, Master?" Anakin asked.

Obi Wan was silent for a time, then replied with attempted lightness, "Well, Anakin, I suppose it means she's not going to be joining the Sith anytime soon."

Shade attempted a grin. "How disappointing."

Obi Wan laughed, then began to remove his cloak. "You two should get some rest," he said. "Unfortunately, our business here is not concluded, and we shall all need our strength before we venture back outside."

"Yes, Master," the two replied in sync.

They moved out of the hallway and into the room that they shared aboard the ship. It was simple, containing a closet, two double beds, and an adjoining bathroom. Still feeling slightly weak, Shade went into the bathroom and started running hot water for a bath. Stripping off her clothes, she lowered herself into the steaming water, a soft moan escaping her lips as warmth enveloped her, washing away the tension of the day. She wasn't sure how long she soaked in the tub, but the water was lukewarm by the time she got out, dried off and pulled a long, simple tunic over her head to sleep in. Back in the bedroom, Anakin was spread out on his bed, shirtless, limbs strewn in every direction as usual. With a grin, Shade pulled back her covers, crawled in and slowly surrendered to sleep, her blurry eyes watching Anakin's chest rise and fall until at last they slid shut.

The nightmares started soon afterwards.

They stood once more beneath the trees on the surface of Kohlma, as rain fell from above and mist rose from below. As Shade watched the milky tendrils curl around her legs, they began to take form, shaping themselves into the figures of men, rising up to tower over the three Jedi. A scream froze in her throat as they moved toward her, closing in around her, cutting her off from all directions. 'Anakin?' she asked, her voice hoarse. When he didn't respond, she turned only to find that he and Obi Wan were nowhere in sight. Panic rose up to choke her. Struggling to find her voice through the paralysis that claimed her, she screamed his name. 'Anakin!'

Her eyes flew open, and she tried to sit up in bed, only to feel panic wash over her afresh when she found herself held down. She struggled until Anakin's voice broke through her hysteria.

"Shade! It's me! It's Anakin."

Her eyes focused on his face. Calming, she flopped back on the bed, but his grip on her arms didn't lessen, and he leaned over her, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern darkening his blue eyes.

Slowly, she nodded, forcing herself to smile. "I'll be fine," she replied softly.

Releasing her arms, Anakin lowered himself onto the bed beside her, staying without needing to be asked. Grateful for his presence, she turned to curl herself into his body as he held her. His fingers were gentle as they ran through her hair, and his skin was cool and smooth under her hands, and before she realized her eyes were closing, she had drifted back to sleep. He held her in his arms, chasing away the nightmares through the small hours of the night, until dawn crept over the horizon.