Cassian laughed. It was a brief, guttural sound that seemed drowned in the rain. Bodhi did look back now, surprised and a touch alarmed. “What?” he asked.

           “Nothing,” Cassian said. Then he added, blunt and almost humbled: “Must have been a hell of a few days.”.

           Bodhi smiled–just a twitch of his lips–for the first time since Cassian had known him.

           They climbed higher. Cassian could make out a platform across a narrow valley now–a raised landing pad separate from the shuttle depot. But the path up the ridge was turning increasingly treacherous. Soon it almost disappeared altogether, and Bodhi drew up against the rock face as scree poured from beneath his feet.

           “I’ll be right behind you,” Cassian said, with as much reassurance as he could muster. Bodhi looked sickly, but he nodded. “Come on.”