The Knave's Crusade

Fulcrum: 21

Tels ushered Kulan and Pascal before herself as they slipped through one of the many doors to a dark hallway. With the dim light of the moon peering in through the tall windows, the three hurried away. Their steps couldn't be heard anywhere from the volume of the music.

As they walked quickly, Tels asked Pascal, "Do you remember where the archives are?"

"Yes, why do you ask?" returned Pascal.

"The Tempest caught wind that the chip was in there. Kulan and I don't have access to the layout of this place nor have we ever been here," described Tels.

"I see. Follow me," barked Pascal as she took a sharp left.

Kulan said to himself, "How does Pascal remember where she's going? This all happened before I was born."

"I see this place in my dreams. A piece of me has never left the Temple," Pascal reminisced as she looked forward.

Kulan and Tels kept to Pascal's heels as she weaved through the never ending supply of hallways, balconies, and doors. Some doors were metal, other woods and Pascal didn't seem to forget what was behind them. Eventually, Pascal halted at a dusty, cobweb infested intersection of the corridors and waited for Tels and Kulan. The two ran up as quietly as possible and glanced at Pascal, waiting for something to happen.

Pascal pointed before them to huge doors. "The Archives are there."

"Who should go in?" questioned Kulan, he wiped his palms down his pants.

"Tels should." simply determined Pascal, "She's the one who created it. Do you know how to access it?"

"Don't worry the Tempest spared no details." reassured Tels, "You two stay out here to keep guard."

Pascal argued as Tels took long strides to the doorway, "I already implied that."

"How so?" Kulan cocked his head.

Pascal determined, "It's a given."

"Whatever you say, ma'am."

"It is whatever I say."

Before Tels left for the doors, Kulan caught her hand. "Is this what you think is best, Tels?"

"Without a doubt, Kulan," answered Tels and she turned to the control panel.

Tels kneeled next to the metal rectangle, buttons and dials were arranged across the board. She pulled her mini mechanic tool kit from her inside pocket and removed the metal covering. Pascal and Kulan stood watch while Tels clipped through the colored wires underneath till the alarms were deactivated. Then, Tels fiddled with the droid port and the door slid open as a wave of musty odor spilled into the hall. Tels gave them one final nod, then she snuck in and heard the door close behind her.

Tels' mouth fell agape in reverence at the sheer vastness of the library, hundreds of metal racks were filled to the brim with holobooks. Faint blue light illuminated the darkened shelves from the holobooks, a thick layer of dust covered it. Quietly, Tels crept through the silent room with no sign of life towards the back right. Her mind raced hoping that Kulan and Pascal were safe out there, but they were too far in to be sure.

Through the stiff air Tels pushed further into the room while she checked for the lights of the security alarms. The trick earlier seemed to have worked, no redness gleamed along the ceiling. Sweat stuck to Tels' forehead, she wrapped her coat around her waist. Once Tels inched through the shelves to a wall, her fingers grazed the wooden carvings of loops and swirls to the fourth panel. She stopped for a moment and felt a lump in her throat, her chest felt heavy and she couldn't forgive herself for what she was about to do.