Disclaimer: Seeith Thou this work which I hath so painfully wrought? Seeith its words, black as ink on electronic parchment pale as the freshly fallen snow? Seeith the characters which lie herein, who so vailently strive for honor and justice in a world gone mad?

Taint nuno it b'longs t'me.

AUTHORS NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND IN A DOUBLE UPDATE. YOU MUST READ CHAPTER 39 BEFORE THIS ONE. GO DO IT NOW, WE SHALL WAIT FOR YOU. SERIOUSLY. GO READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER. I'LL WAIT. *WAITS* ... *WAITS SOME MORE* ... *CHECKS WATCH* M'KAY, YOU BACK? YES? GOOD. NOW WE CAN BEGIN.

Chapter 40

It Starts With One

Snnkt!

Ssshhhhhhhhnnnnt.

"I know you're bored, Taivas. I know you hate being here, you hate working with the others, you hate having to follow orders, and you really hate me."

Snnkt!

Ssshhhhhhhhnnnnt

"Do me this one small favor, and I will consider the debt you owe me paid in full."

Snnkt! Claws out.

Ssshhhhhhhhnnnnt Claws in.

"Take whatever ship you want,

Snnkt!

Ssshhhhhhhhnnnnt

"Whatever gear you want,

Claws out.

Claws in.

"Contact me if you want to, when you want to,

Snnkt!

Ssshhhhhhhhnnnnt

"But tell me when it's over."

Snnkt!

"Tell him when it's over?" Taivas whispered in the dark of her quarters. "Why the hell should I tell him anything?"

DXVJKE

"You summoned, My Lord?" The underling was nervous, Carron could tell.

"Does the command bridge have the new coordinates?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Good." Carron closed his eyes. He reached out through the Force to the near future, sensing that the end of this silly little escapade was at hand. "Tell the bridge to move us there immediately."

"Yes, My Lord." The underling turned to leave when the Sith's sharp voice rang out.

"And tell Aerik to ready his team."

DXVJKE

"I got the documents you wanted, Indiana," Marcus said, handing the archeologist a thick sheaf of papers and books. The group had returned to Marshall College, much to Han's delight, to find the older scholar still in Indy's office.

"Thanks Marcus," Indy grinned, sticking some books back on the shelf and leafing through what his friend had given him. "This'll really help."

"Help with what?" Marcus asked, moving closer to the archeologist.

Indy looked up: "I wish I could tell you…"

"Then tell me! Indiana, you have been gone for almost a year without a word only to pop up, scare me half to death and tell me that you're leaving again? You can't do this to an old man like me."

"You sound like my father."

"And if he were here he'd say the same thing! Don't you know that there's a war on?"

"There'll be a bigger war if I don't go!"

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Indy sighed. He was aware that Han, Luke and Leia were watching him intently; gauging how well this other human reacted. He slowly sank onto the corner of his desk. "Marcus, I have been places and seen things that could only be described as…something right out of legend. You heard about what the Ark did to Belloq, about the stones in India; hell you saw how the Grail healed Dad, but you've got to believe me when I say that all of that, everything I've done, pales in comparison to what I have to do in Siberia. There are powers at play you can't even imagine."

"Then show me."

"What?"

"I want to come with you," the older man said.

"Marcus, I'm trying to tell you that you can't. It's too dangerous."

"Which is precisely why I want to come. I can't bear the thought of you off for another year without any word or hint or even hope that you're still alive. You can't do that to me, Indiana, not again. I'm coming with you…or else."

"Or else what?" Indy almost growled, rising from the desk. Marcus took a half step back from the growing rage of the younger man, then set his jaw and stood his ground.

"Or else, I'm telling your father."

Indy barked out a laugh. "You'll—You'll tell my dad? Really, Marcus? Dad's half way around the world happily lecturing about Grail Lore…" he turned towards the window, sighing, before he looked back. "I can't have you come with us, Marcus. And I'm not going to belittle you by saying this is for your own good. But, for all the times I've helped the Museum, the College; for all the times you've helped Dad, for everything, please Marcus, you've gotta trust me and just let me walk outta here."

The museum director's eyes softened. "Oh, Indiana…you're going to be the death of me, but, yes, I do trust you and…you're probably right." He straightened up. "Yes, of course, I'm being silly. Old man like me in Siberia? Ha! I nearly died in Egypt and that was with Sallah and everyone else helping out. I have no idea what put that thought in my head. Me, traipsing around Russia like some foolish archeology student with something to prove. Oh, I am too old for this. You go." He clapped Indy on the shoulder, and then pulled him close in a steel grasp. "But if you don't come back in three weeks, I am going to find Marion and THEN! Then, there will be hell to pay, Indiana Jones."

Indy grinned: "Funny you should mention her…"

DXVJKE

Han should install a Zogger on his ship, Taivas mused as she paced inside her quarters. If I don't get something to do soon, I think I'll go and arm wrestle that Wookie. She snarled ice-white teeth in a laugh, the image of trying to pin Chewbacca like he was Sk'th or Aerik…her smile faded. Oh, Aerik… Taivas shook her head to drive away those traitorous thoughts and slid out the door. The drive to DO something was almost overwhelming. Wrestling Chewie didn't seem like such an outlandish idea.

She wandered through the corridors of the Falcon, looking for her other inmates. This is the fundamental reason why Silent Planets are no fun. Can't go there. Can't make a scene. Can't cause a problem. Oh, no. Can't mess up their natural evolution. My eye. All it boils down to is that the Republic doesn't want to share its technology. HAH! As if it were that great to begin with. And where the HELL is Indy and the others? They've been gone forever! And as if the galactic powers heard her silent plea, the bay doors opened and in strolled Indy, Luke, Han and Leia, all talking at once.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FORCE-DAMNED—"

"You KNOW we can't take the risk of—"

"Indy, you should have talked to us about—"

"The only person on this planet—"

"—No krethin' WAY I'm gonna show MY baby—"

"—To an uninitiated world! There will—"

"—Be another way to get the infor—"

"—There IS no other way—"

"—ON THIS FORCE FORSAKEN BACKWAH—"

SCREECH! Taivas slowly drew her claws down a support beam. Four pairs of eyes snapped on her, their conversations momentarily halted and Taivas used the moment to insert: "What ARE you people yammering about?"

"Indy wants to take us—"

"—Expose my Falcon for some bimb—"

"—Won't listen to a peaceful solu—"

"—She's the only expert out there—"

"—and—NO! NO DON'T DO THAT!" As the Macskian's claws moved towards the support beam again.

"One at a time, please," she clipped out.

Han forced his way through the group to flop on the couch. "Indy wants to take us to see one of his old girlfriends, hoping that she'll show us how to get to the Valley."

"Marion's lived in that area for years," Indy cut in. "She knows every tribe and trader for a thousand miles around where we want to go. She's the only shot we've got."

"Right, and in the meantime you've got to explain what you're looking for and why you want it," Han retorted. "Which means exposing MY ship to this backwater little planet."

Indy's eyes hardened: "This isn't my fault! I never even wanted you people to come here!"

"Indy, calm down," Leia started.

"CALM DOWN? Are you out of your damn mind? Don't you think I know the dangers of exposing you to anyone? If the Nazi's get a hold of this kind of technology with a war on…"

"What?" Han asked.

"Well it'd make the problems of your Republic look tiny."

"I find that hard to believe," Leia grumbled.

"You've never faced a mad man."

"You never met my father."

"Is all this bickering really necessary?" Taivas huffed. "We've got to find the Valley, yes? So we go and find it. And if this Marion person is the best option to get there, then let's go and talk to her."

"It's not that simple Taivas," Luke said, quietly. "Marion apparently lives in a fairly populated area. Talking to her in private will be…difficult, especially with a war on."

"Yes, about that, what war?"

"They're calling it World War II," Indy said.

"So it's only confined to this planet? Great. We arc high up into the outer atmosphere, drop down somewhere unpopulated, talk to her, and then leave. What's wrong with that?"

The humans exchanged glances. "Nothing," Han finally answered. "Nothing at all. I don't know why I was acting like that."

"I know," Leia agreed. "I was just…I don't know…irritable."

"I wonder if it's this planet," Luke mused.

"What do you mean?" Indy asked.

"I haven't been able to focus in the Force since we broke through the atmosphere. It's like it's not even there."

"How is that even possible? I thought you could feel the Force everywhere?"

"I don't know, Indy. Maybe Corban and the others put some kind of block up so no one could find the Valley through the Force alone. But it's really disconcerting."

"On the other hand, it means that Carron will be just as hobbled," Leia said.

"Shouldn't we be moving?" Taivas snipped, feeling nervous at Nyeri's name, and trying desperately to cover it.

"Yeah," Han answered, galvanized into action. He hit the comm button "Chewie, get up here to the bridge, we're moving out. Indy, I'll need you to navigate." The two men exited, leaving the Jedi, the princess, and the thief. Leia was looking curiously at Taivas until the Macskian was unnerved.

"Something on my face?"

"Oh, sorry. No, I'm just…woolgathering, I guess."

"Right…So what exactly did you find out?"

Luke sat at the table, pulling out the journal that Indy had brought from his house. "Well, listen to this…"

DXVJKE

The sky above the village was roiling with thick black storm clouds. Rumors of wars in neighboring China and the Soviet Union had most of the villagers anxious and turning to drink for solace. Pheonix was hopping as a result. Crowds of people had gathered inside for food, alcohol, entertainment, gossip, trade, and just a chance to socialize before the war crept up here in the mountains of Nepal.

Marion was weaving through the tables balancing one tray of empty shot glasses with another tray of full ones, swearing at customers passed out on the floor (and in her way) and scanning the bar to make sure none of her patrons were trying to rip her off. The cold burst of air caused her to whip around toward the door to cuss out whatever fool was leaving the door open. And then she saw him.

"Gods damn it, Indiana, get the hell out of my bar!" She slammed both trays on the bar to emphasize her point. The less sober patrons focused on this new spectacle, the more sober ones began taking bets.

"Oh come on Marion, what kind of a greeting is that?"

"One you deserve, you slime ball. We go on this great, life changing adventure and then you up and leave me for some blond bimbo in India? Oh, yes I did hear about that. And the Nazi chick in Italy. And now you come waltzing back to me without so much of a postcard in the meantime? You lecherous son of a—"

"Marion, it's not like that, really," Indy cut in, moving through, and glancing around at, the crowd. "Can we go somewhere more private?"

She snorted: "Why? So you can leave me to some messed up Nazi creepo, again?"

"Hey, you told me to go."

"And now I'm telling you to go to hell." She turned to the break in the bar, yanking out bottles to refill orders.

"Marion," Indy sighed. "Look I know I left you and I'm sorry, but—"

Marion slammed the bottle on the table. "But nothing. You've burned me too many times, Indiana Jones, literally and figuratively. I've got nothing left that you can take, so why don't you just leave."

"Because I need your help."

Marion blinked. "The great archeologist adventurer needs MY help? I shall have to make a note in my diary."

"Cut it out, Marion. Are you going to be serious or not?"

"I am. I always have been." She moved closer to him and lowered her voice. "What do you need?"

Indy smiled: "What do you know about the old Yukagir ledgends?"

DXVJKE

"So all four of the original finders of the Valley were…god-i-fied?" Taivas asked.

"I think deified is the right word," Leia commented, "And, yes. Indy says that there's evidence of them in these old legends and he wants to use the legends to find the exact location to the Valley."

"Why do you want to find it, anyways? I mean, do you want the power?"

"No," Luke said. "We need to find it so we can hide it, and hide it better. There's this Sith lord who's been following us at every turn. If we don't cover up the Valley, remove every clue to its existence, he'll find it and use its power to recreate the Empire."

"But if he's been following you, you're going to lead him right to it! And right to us!"

"We lost him a while back, Taivas," Leia soothed. "We haven't seen him or any sign of him at all for months. He's nowhere near here. There's nothing to worry about."

"And because we've been taking the clues with us as we go, no one can follow us to the Valley," Luke continued. "Once we get there, we can cover the Valley's entrance permanently. No one will ever find it, or use it, again."

"Why didn't they just do that in the first place?" Taivas wondered.

"I don't know," Luke answered. "I guess they had their reasons."

"Okay, so how does this Marion person fit into all of this?"

"Indy thinks she can—"

Han came storming out of the cockpit, pulling his blaster from its holster.

"Han? Han, what's wrong?" Leia demanded.

"Proximity alert. Someone's coming this way," He called over his shoulder as he moved towards the bay area.

"It's probably just Indy," Luke hollered.

"More than one person!" Came the echo. Leia stood, yanked a blaster from the armament and raced after him. Luke and Taivas exchanged glances before following.

DXVJKE

Who's Indy bringing? HMMMMM? (I think its obvious, but, then I think everything in my stories is obvious so what do I know?) Okay, a note of clarification for all of you Indy nerds who will go running to post a review that Marion stayed in New York after Raiders. YES I AM FULLY AWARE IF THAT! But, in this story, I am omnipotent. Therefore, I put Marion back in Nepal after Indy dumped her for the blonde bimbo. (I mean, really? He gives up Marion, a girl who has some spunk in her, who can kick butt with the rest of them for whatsherface the screamer who did nothing but scream and grab Shortround and scream and grab Indy and scream some more? Marion should have punched Indy when he walked back into her bar. Maybe I'll rewrite it so she does...sorry... End of rant.)

Another note of clarification: The problem with double posts is that it uses up ALL of my current material, so I may not post for a while. But, again, rest assured that I WILL END THIS! With and ENDING! Not a mass murder or a "To Be Continued" or a "Currently Suspended" but an actual ending. In fact I've already wrote the last chapter three times and I think it'll need another revision because my characters keep changing their schemes (Han starts all the madness...pirates, what can you do with them?) So, no idea when the next chapter will come. Stay tuned, though, we're in the home stretch.

Later
~DarkX

PS: Thanks to everyone for the warm congratulations. Marriage rocks. Everyone should find their soul-mate and get married. It's wonderful. Okay, thats enough gush. I'm outta here.