Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Jan Melmoar]

A warm tropical sun beats down, the heat only made bearable by azure waves that lap gently against the beach. It’s a paradise, pristine waters and white sands, but also nearly deserted except for the woman reclining on a beach chair and a smaller figure by the water’s edge working on some kind of sand sculpture.

With her torso mostly bare the thick silver scars that cross Jan’s stomach gleam in the sunlight, as does the gold tipped cane driven into the sand by her side. A broad sun hat covers most of her face in shade, although it’s clear that every few minutes she turns to check on the would-be sand architect. At one point there’s a loud huff from the water’s edge, the figure clearly unhappy with her work as a plastic spade, seemingly floating of its own accord, starts redoing a long section of the sculpture.

Jan can’t help but laugh. “Oh dear she’s so much like -”. She glances down to see her hand extended next to her, to where another beach chair should be. “- Like you.” Her pale hand remains outstretched for a few seconds before it balls into a fist and moves back to Jan’s side. For a moment there’s just the sound of the waves and then, faintly, a choked sob. The hat’s shade comes in useful, anything could be happening under there.

“You should be here, it’s not fair.” Almost hissing. “It’s not fair! It was us. It was always us. We should be planning our next step, gossiping about our enemies, crushing them!” Another pause. “And if it wasn’t us, it should have been me. You were always the smarter one, the more talented and elegant one, the only woman I ever wanted to share my life with, the only person I wanted to share anything with. And right when we had everything we lost you.”

Tears run down her cheeks, dripping into the thirsty sand below. “I don’t know what happens when - when people go. If you can hear me or if you’re somewhere else. But wherever you are I hope it has a beach just like this, and I hope you’re royalty there. And if not then I promise there’s a part of you with me here and now.” She wipes at her face angrily before looking up to see the small figure, clearly a young blond girl with big blue eyes has stopped working on the sculpture to look at her intently.

“Is something wrong mother? Should we go?” Jan shakes her head in reply, forcing a smile.
“No darling, no everything is just fine.” Sniffing and gesturing at the sculpture. “What do you have there?” The girl turns, cocking her head.
“It’s the Hutt who saved us, the one who protected the orphanage when the Zakuul came.”
And indeed the sand has been shaped into a statue depicting the most noble of Hutts, an armoured figure bearing a great sword, although his expression is not one of anger, but of love.
“Oh yes, I remember. He died there, didn’t he?”
“Yes.” She frowns. “I don’t understand, he didn’t know any of us, and we weren’t important to the war. Why would he give his life like that? It doesn’t make sense.”
Jan chuckles a little painfully. “Well, sometimes people can do stupid, reckless…wonderful things, if they’re strong enough. Maybe he decided you were all more important?”
The girl nods slowly. “Maybe. Do you think I could ever be strong enough to do something like that? To save people? I should like to.”
Jan’s mouth falls open for half a second and she blinks. “Maybe Lucy, if you work hard for it.”
Her daughter’s expression changes to a smirk as she throws raises a hand to her mouth “Oooohohoho!”

[Katarzyna Panteer]

[Cynella Alde]

It's a terrible day for rain.