Chapter 65

"Welcome, your Highness. We're greatly honored that you wil join our underwater forces and help us to trap those intruders," The Dalmarian leader Ma'duf'ey said with a deep bow.

"Thank you, governor. The honor is all mine. The fame of your underwater fleet is renowed and I'm obliged to you that your men allow me to join them."

"I would like invite you for an official dinner, but I understand that immediate action is required. The protégée of the Supreme Chancellor seems to be in great danger. However I hope you have some moments to bring out a small toast to our alliance." The governor said.

Leia bowed and accepted the outstretched arm of governor Ma'duf'ey who led her to a temporary set-up camp where he introduced her to his full staff. Leia cordially acquainted the members of the Dalmarian government and took some time to exchange some words with each of them. Some of Ma'duf'ey staff looked surprised at her Jedi outfit. The governor noticed the undisguised looks at his guest and apologized.

"Many of my staff remember your father, vice-roy Bail Organa, your Highness. They are surprised to meet you as a Jedi Knight not wearing the distinctives of the Royal House of Alderaan. "

"I'm not visiting you as a representative of my late father, governor. My skills as a Jedi Knight will be more useful on this mission," Leia answered politely.

Ma'duf'ey offered Leia a drink and Leia brought out a toast to the warm friendship and alliance the Dalmarians always had bestowed on the Alliance during the Civil War and their cooperation after the empire had been defeated."

The members of the Dalmarian government nodded in agreement and applauded after Leia's kind words. The short meeting ended and the governor introduced the captain of the Dalmarian underwater army.

"Captain To'lo'imon, may I introduce to you Leia Organa Skywalker Solo, Jedi Knight and princess of the Royal House of Alderaan."

The captain made a deep bow, but Leia stretched out her hand

"I'm looking forward to cooperate in your mission, captain. Please call me Leia and let us dispences with the official titles. There's hardly of any use for them on our mission."

For a moment Ma'duf'ey and To'lo'imon were taken aback, but then their both faces enlightened.

"The Supreme Chancellor already told me, you're not really caring about your official status." Ma'duf'ey said, "The Dalmarian aren't yet used to your free form of attitude. We highly value official approach and protocol."

But captain To'lo'imon shook hands with Leia.

"I welcome you on board my ship, master Jedi. Your special skills are more than welcome as an extra help. This way, please. Our submarines are waiting and we're ready to start our mission. "

Leia turned to the governor and thanked him for his welcome.

"I would love to have a longer meeting with you, after my men and you have settled this problem, your Highness," Ma'duf'ey said, still maintaining the formal approach.

Leia promissed to come back to Vor'izon with the submarine army of the Dalmarians. Then she followed the captain and commander of the mission to the quai were twenty fully armed submarines were waiting to dive and set course to Na'ctaMagh'Ba. To'lo'imon offered Leia his hand and helped her on board the main submarine carrying the official signs of the Dalmarian government. He led her to the section of the ship where the officers were housed and opened the door to one of the main quarters.

"I made room for you in my own quarter, ... Leia, as the governor wanted me to take care of our special visitor during this mission."

Leia paid full attention to the fine furnished cabin, then she turned to her companion.

"And from where are you commanding our mission, captain?" She asked kindly.

"Please call me, Fern'all," captain To'lo'imon said.

"My pleasure, Fern'all, but you didn't answer my question?"

"Most of the time I will be on the bridge of the ship, but I'm using our only guestroom at the aft of the ship as a temporary command post. I brought all the necessary communciation equipment there, and my technicians have thoroughly tested the system. You mustn't forget, Leia, that not you, but the Supreme Chancellor, the lady Mon Mothma, should be my guest."

"I understand, and I won't embarass you not accepting your offer to stay in this luxurious cabin?"

"You are the representative of the New Republic, Leia, and we're honored to have one of the Jedi Knights of the New Republic on board. But if you will excuse me, I want to get on with the preparations for our departure. Make yourself comfortable, and if you want anything, one of my men will take your order. I'll see you later, then I will introduce you to the crew."

"Fine with me, Fern'all," Leia said.

Captain To'lo'imon left the cabin. Leia closed the door, took off her Jedi coat. She prepared herself to do a Force meditation session first and afterwards tell her brother about the new developments.

The Astræga rushed through hyperspace on her course to Tatooine. Liane, Ian and Yarmod and the two droids were passing the time in the control room of the ship, playing some holographic games. Occasionally one of them looked at the synchro to check the course of the ship.

Liane felt restless, mainly because she had taken the decision to leave Na'ctaMagh'Ba against Luke's advice. She tried to reassure her feelings with the idea that Ian and Yarmod were still with her, but she wondered if they really would be able to protect her against the spies and minions of Darth Golluth. She'd better rely on her new skills of the Good Side Luke had taught her and the skills of survival and the art of fighting Anakin had taught her on Morantan, for she had become more and more convinced that not all the knowledge she had gained on Morantan was useless, or forbidden for a Jedi Knight, or found its origin at the Dark Side of the Force. She rose and started pacing up and down the control room.

"Are you nervous, Liane?" Ian asked looking up from the holographic board.

Liane shook her head.

"No, not nervous. I feel restless, as if something isn't right."

"What do you mean?" Yarmod asked while he glanced at the synchro, "Do you think we took the wrong decision leaving Na'ctaMagh'Ba? "

Liane laughed.

"We, Yarmod? I made the decision to leave. You and Ian just followed me."

"You're wrong, Liane. Do you really believe we wouldn't have stopped you if we had disagreed with your plan. You're underestimating our Jedi skills. Ian and I considered the consequences of your plan and we came to the conclusion, that you were right about the use of our lightsabers. We both believe it's time for us to get a real lightsaber and as you know the place where we can assemble one, we follow you, but we have to reconsider the next step, for you want to go Palomintar Four, don't you?" Yarmod said.

Bewildered Liane looked at the young padawan.

"You went with me, because you want to benefit from my plan?" She asked suspiciously.

"Hey don't get angry with us, Liane, we don't want to benefit. It's unfair to accuse us of disloyalty." Ian said calmly, "We just follow the order we've been given: protect you and prevent that some one will bring you to Palomintar Four against your will."

"Yarmod just said, he isn't sure he will go to Palomintar Four after he has assembled his own lightsaber," Liane commented still annoyed.

"Yarmod meant that we need to do some serious talking about the Palomintar part of your plan."

"What ever you both will decide, I'm go to Palomintar Four one way or the other. I want to assist Luke. Listen, Ian, ever since Wedge and Leia came to Mon Mothma's residence I had a bad feeling about Luke being left on his own on Palomintar Four. I saw him in a Force vision laying on a strange piece of furniture. He didn't seem to breath and his face had an ashen color, and it wasn't the first time I had that vision. Ian, I fear something terrible might happen to him, if I don't go to Palomintar Four and help him."

"I heard you talking to that guy Trevor. You scolded him, for he was lying to you. You said that master Luke wasn't dead, so there must be a different explanation of your Force vision, Liane, but I understand that those images must have scared you." Ian said with some authority in his voice. He felt that Liane slowly accepted his point of view.

"Liane," he continued, "Months ago I too had a Force vision. I saw you running through the streets of a abandoned city. There were dangerous looking droids armed with laser guns running after you."

Liane sat down on a taboret opposite the two padawans. She looked at Yarmod who nodded in agreement.

"You never told me about that vision, Ian?" She said looking seriously, "did you tell Yarmod about it."

"I told Yarmod about my vision when you proposed to leave Na'ctaMagh'Ba, because you wanted to go to Palomintar Four. Liane, not only did I see those deserted streets in that vision; the Force also revealed me the name of your opponent: Darth Golluth, months before we knew of his existance. That's where all the investigations around that guy started. Those deserted streets, Liane, exist. They are on Palomintar Four in Ribana. I have been there with Toallin and Mugin, the guys who looked after me when I was injured. Master Luke, master Leia and Han Solo and Chewbacca were with me. We have also seen Darth Golluth as he was strolling through the city at leisure. I saw the same guy when master Leia and I were on Endor."

For a moment they all were silent, after Ian's story.

You know the guy's real name, don't you?" Liane asked, "But do you also know, I met him on Morantan when he'd gotten an assignment in the staff of domains."

Ian nodded

"Master Leia and I did some further investigation on Coruscant. His real name is Trevor Matrik," Ian said.

"You said, you met him on Morantan? Did he live there?" Yarmod asked, "How can you be sure Trevor Matrik and Darth Golluth are one and the same person?"

Liane told them about more investigations Han and Leia had done on Morantan. during their honeymoon. After she had finished her part of the story, they looked at each other.

"It seems," Yarmod concluded, "that the Force is showing us the path we must follow. We'd better rely on her guidance to make our choices. I understand, that you not only want to assist master Luke, but you also want to deal with Trevor Matrik."

"Luke says, that as long as Trevor Matrik has plans to revive the empire I can't live my life in freedom. Trevor is obsessed with the idea that I can tell and teach him how to become a Sith Lord, because Anakin once taught me the knowledge of the Dark Side. Trevor is not only a threat to me, but also to the New Republic, the imperial government on Coruscant. One way or the other, I have to deal with Trevor Matrik, who is threatening the hard won Civil War, guys."

"I follow you to Palomintar Four, Liane," Ian said.

"Me too. We will deal with that guy together, after what you told us, Liane," Yarmod said, "but we first need to get our own lightsabers."

Liane jumped to her feet and hugged her two companions.

"I'm sorry, guys, that my reaction about your words was a bit curt. Let's stick together and help each other."

"We will, Liane. We're your protectors, as long as you take the lead." Ian said with a laugh.

Chati looked at the datapad Ben had given her during their work on the plateau.

"Read those instructions thoughtfully, before you surrender yourself to feel the Living Force around you," He had said, looking at her in a peculiar way.

The last three evenings Luke had instructed her to heighten her connection with the Force, seeking the the presence of her fellow Quelans through the Force. He had explained that sensing a person presence was an important way the Force would let a Jedi know if what he felt was dangerous or friendly. He had let her practise and asked her after each short session what she had experienced. In those first session he wanted her to feel the presence of the other Quelans and especially if she could sense the presence of Cornell and Wollin, the two leaders. The answers she had given had satisfied Luke and he had extended the session to tell him if she could feel the presence of other Quelans, like Cemall and his cousin Romell. Last night he wanted her to concentrate on him and find out where outside the clearing he was hiding. They had laughed together about what she had referred to as her once favorite game of hide-and-seek. She had told him that when she had been a schoolgirl in Ribana she often had played the game and she always had known where her fellow playmates had found places to hide.

Chati read the instruction on the datapad once again.

Chati, tonight you have to go alone to the clearing in the woods. Don't forget to feed your feathered friend, before you will do another session feeling the Living Force. I enjoyed last evening the hide-and-seek game we played, but I want to extend the game. Again I want you to let the Living Force show you where I'm hiding myself. Concentrate on what the Force wants to tell you, for this time it won't be easy to feel my presence immediately. Once you have located where I am, come over to the place. Once you found me, become aware of my heartbeat and my breathing while you're still part of the Living Force, don't lose your concentration. Chati, remember, the Force will always be with you.

Chati pondered on Ben's message. It was strange, and yet, there was an odd feeling of recognition. A recognition she couldn't put into words yet.

After she had finished her evening meal and assisted the other cleaning the community building, she want over to her own tree house. Carefully she hid the datapad in her bag and descended the rope ladder. She heard the other Quelans laugh and some of them were singing, while the others listened. She walked over to Ben's tree house and for a moment she was tempted to look inside. Would he be hiding in his tree house? That was quite a distance from the clearing where he had taught her how to become one with the Force and feel all the living creatures and growing plants around her.

She left the camp site, taking care that none of the other were following her, for Cemall already seemed be a bit suspicious. He had asked why she went into the woods every evening after they had finished their meal. She had answered him that she only made a walk among the trees. When he had offered to accompany her, so they could talk together, she had refuse, telling him she just wanted to be alone after a day's work and enjoy the quietness of the forest. To her surprised he hadn't insisted to come with her.

Chati entered the forest and found her way to the small clearing. The moment she appeared her feathered friends came down from the canopy and waited for her to put the food on her hands. While the birds were feeding, Chati felt how she already began to feel several other creatures around her as well. After the birds had flown back among the trees, Chati fully concentrated herself on the Living Force, just as Luke had taught her the first time. Again she experience the joy of feeling so many forms of life all around her. Her union with the Force became more and more as a matter of course and Chati concentrated on sensing the presence of Ben, her supportive teacher who believed that one day she could become a Jedi Knight. For a moment her thoughts wandered to the image of him which she had left on Tyr, together with the new image of him, he had given her as a present. But those thoughts were disturbing her union with the Force and she became aware that her connection with the ally of the Jedi began to fade.

"You must concentrate, Chati," She reprimanded herself, "Ben has told you, that you shouldn't think of other things. Control the thoughts that are disturbing your connection with the Living Force.

She closed her eyes and started to breath out and breath in and let her controlled breathing connect her with the Living Force again. In a Force trance she began to stretch out with her skills to sense the presence of Ben and suddenly she became aware of a slight wave in the Force of his presence, but the vibrations the Force passed on to her were hardly noticeable.

Had he hidden himself further away from the clearing?

Almost imperceptible Chati noticed the direction in which she sensed his presence.

Strange that his presence felt weak and hardly sensible?

Chati slowly started walking to where she sensed the tremors in Force. She kept her full concentration on the Living Force and wondered why Ben's presence doesn't seem to become stronger. For a moment she stopped, letting her mind fill only with his presence, then she walked on to a specific corner of the clearing where the scrubs grew higher and more dense. Before she started to push the scrubs and ferns aside and to continue following the path the Force was indicating, a sudden flash of thought passed through her mind.

Could it be true, that she couldn't get a clear sense of his presence like always because he had brought himself into that Jedi Force hibernation?

Could that be the cause that the Force vibrations of his presence became hardly detectable?

Chati felt how her question again influenced her connection with the Force. She controlled her thoughts and began to push the scrubs and the ferns aside. Carefully she went on and looked everywhere around her. Then all of a sudden she saw him. He was laying his left side, his face was quiet, but immediately Chati noticed the ashen color of his skin.

Her first experience with him in Jedi Force hibernation began to whirl up in her mind. She had felt scared, that's true, but afterwards she also had promised him that she would help him again to wake up from hibernation.

Chati kneeled down and looked at him. He wasn't breathing, at least she didn't notice it. Yet she clearly felt that the Force let her know that he was alive.

She closed her eyes and stretched out her hand, as if she wanted to touch him, but in her deep connection with the Living Force she began to notice the shallow rise of his chest every now and then, but still unnoticeable. He still breathed, but his breathing was slower than normal. Chati began to count how often he breathed. Again she stretched out her hand and became aware of another reassuring feeling, she felt the pulsation of his heart, slow and calm, but also hard noticeable. This was good to know, because when Ben would need her help again to wake up from Jedi Force hibernation the ashen color of his face wouldn't scare her anymore. The Force would let her know he was alive, because she could sense his slowed heartbeat and breathing as part of the Living Force.

Chati opened her eyes and to her surprise Luke was watching her with a smile.

"Excellent, Chati. You remain in control all the time. How do you feel?"

Chati let out a deep sigh.

"It isn't easy to sense your presence while you're in that hibernation, Ben. I sensed your presence but I couldn't understand why the Force vibrations were almost unnoticeable."

"You held on to what I told you about the Living Force, Chati, and that makes you a very reliable assistant for me in the future, for only a padawan, a Jedi Knight, or a Force-sensitive person like you would clearly sense my presence, although weak, through the Force. You followed the instruction I left you as I thought you would do. It took you less time before you found me than I anticipated. You can be very proud of yourself."

Chati's green facial color darkened as she blushed through all his compliments.

"I didn't see you in community building during the evening meal."

"I went here before the evening meal. I took some food and drink with me, before I brought myself into hibernation."

Chati looked at him very seriously.

"Ben, when in hibernation a Jedi can't eat or drink. Probably he doesn't need much, but how long can he survive if there isn't anyone to release him."

"Good thinking, Chati. That is something very serious. I already gave that a good thought, but I haven't find a satisfying answer. Getting food and especially enough water is essential to survive also for a Jedi. Once in hibernation a Jedi needs a nutri-liquid to survive, a kind of sugar-solution, otherwise he will die of starvation. In a dry environment a Jedi can survive in hibernation without nutri-liquid not more than a week, in a more moisture environment probably a month. I still have to figure out how to survive if I have to stay in hibernation for longer periods. "

"And how will a Jedi take sufficient measures to make sure he will survive. You told me that using Jedi Force hibernation might be a solution when a Jedi has gotten severely wounded, but how can he provide himself with that form of liquid nutrition if he needs medical treatment fast?" Chati remarked.

"I can't show the sugar-solution at the moment, Chati, but in the belt of my Jedi outfit there is a tiny needle and a dropper bottle with a very concentrated liquid based on sugar or honey. If a Jedi is so severely wounded as you just said, he will attach the needle through his skin somewhere and activated dropper bottle, before he brings himself into hibernation."

"And how long will he survive using the liquid from the dripper bottle?"

"That depends on the situation. There are records of Jedi who survived hibernation for several years."

"So there is a way to survive in hibernation. Do you intend to use Force hibernation to free Ribana, Ben?"

"I have been thinking about that, Chati, but I haven't figured out yet in which way Force hibernation would be useful. However, that's is a concern for later."

"Because you can't imagine yet, how long you need to stay in hibernation and how you would wake up again."

"You're not only a wonderful Force-sensitive friend, Chati. You're also a very good listener, asking me the right questions and drawing good conclusions. I can imagine that master Kamalin has valued your opinions and ideas."

Again Chati blushed.

"I've asked you all this, Ben, because I was thinking at a possible option for your concern about the nutri-liquid. I sensed you're worried about how you will survive in Jedi hibernation, especially when there isn't some one around to wake up with some words. In your possession you have a needle and a dropper bottle, but still I sense you're not sure about that option."

"I like to hear what you've been thinking." Luke said encouraging.

"Well, Ben, I think there's another possible way. I'm not sure if it will work. You have to ask Cornell more about it. Let me tell you, what I know. Cornell and the other harvesters are using those fiber transpari foil filled with liquid to freeze and crumble the rocks in the canal, but they are also using the same foil to stay alive, when they are harvesting the nuts in in the nut forests on Tyr. Since all the Quelans are living in Cantamaga I have watched Cornell and the others when they left for the harvest. During the many weeks, sometimes even longer than a month while they are harvesting the nuts, they are staying in the forests, because traveling back to Cantamaga every evening is a loss of time. Staying in those forests is dangerous. The Urams live in the canopies and are defending the nuts. Another danger is the gas the leaves of the nut trees produce. That gas is poisonous and is polluting the water pools in the forest. The harvesters never take rations with them to survive, for they also have to take much heavy equipment with them. They have develloped a kind of special jacket they wear under their normal outfit, made of those fiber foils. They wear the jacket on the naked skin of their breasts and backs and some are even wearing jackets with sleeves. I asked Cemall why he took on such a jacket and he explained that the fibers of the jacket are filled with a nutritious liquid. The contact of the foil with the skin is so intense that the liquid sips through the skin and nurtures their bodies. Maybe you can also use such a jacket under your clothes. You should ask Cornell about this special piece of harvester equipment. He can show you its precise working and perhaps it's a easier way for a Jedi to survive when in hibernation. "

Luke had listened to Chati's explanation with interest. What she was telling him would solve the need for food and liquid while in hibernation. Chati looked up at him.

"Do you think it can be of any use, Ben?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Thank you, for telling me this and for your concern about the consequences of the Jedi hibernation. I certainly will ask Cornell about those fiber foil jackets they use. The more we talk the more I appreciate you came to Myr, even it wasn't part of our plan. I remember you answered that you might be useful in some way. Well, you are." Luke said with a laugh.

"So you still think I can become a Jedi, Ben?" Chati asked. Her voice sounded relieved.

"Did I ever tell you otherwise?"

"I thought, you wouldn't want me to become someone's Jedi apprentice, because I didn't take the consequences of my plan into account."

"You hid yourself in Falcon with a good purpose in mind. Next time, you should indeed be a bit more careful about those you left behind and are now worrying about your well-being."

"You mean my family. My brothers will understand and they will assure my father and my mother." Chati said with a laugh.

"Are your brothers aware of your Force-skills?"

"No, Ben. They know I'm always doing things differently, more than they. Were you looking for adventures when you were young, Ben? What were your brothers thinking of you."

For a moment Luke looked back through the Force at his youth on Tatooine.

"I have no brothers, only a sister, Leia, Ian's Jedi master, Chati, and she is as adventurous as I am. Yet, as long as I remember I wanted to see other places, other planets, away from the planet I grew up on, where life bored me. I wanted to become a space pilot. My uncle gave me a low-altitude space ship, a T-16 skyhopper for my birthday. My friend Biggs and I love to race with our skyhoppers in the canyons. It was dangerous, but I loved the excitement it gave."

"Where you never afraid you might crash with your space ship. Didn't your sister warn you for those dangerous rides."

Luke roared with laughter.

"My sister and I grew up separately, Chati. Once I crash the fin of my skyhopper and my uncle grounded me for the rest of the season. I grew up on a moisture farm and I had to help my uncle with the harvest."

"So you're a harvester, like Cornell and his men!"

"In a certain way, yes, but being a moisture farmer on Tatooine is less dangerous, than being a harvester in the nut forests on Tyr, I think."

"We had a vineyard near Ribana, together with uncle Mugin and his family. I loved to help them, bringing the grapes to wine presses and looking at the juice in the fermentation kettles. Probably nothing is left of what my family, my father and his brother, and before them their ancestors, have build up. They have to start all over."

"I can assure you a bit. I have been at the estate of your parents. The house is undamaged. A lot of work has to be done to the vineyard itself, but within a few seasons it will produce its delicious wine again."

"Have you tasted it, Ben?"

"Your uncle Mugin had managed to bring a few bottles with him to Palomintar Six. When my friends and I decided we should help your father and his brother, your uncle opened those bottles and we had a toast on our friendship."

Chati looked at Ben with thoughtful smile

"I feel you respect my people's dignity, Ben. You don't think we, Quelans, are weird, do you? "

"Absolutely not. The Quelans are one of the millions of species that live in our galaxy."

"My father and the other elders always told us that we had to careful in our relation with humans or other species because we can change our skin color and because the Quelans look very different with their bold pointed heads. Probably you're the only one in this galaxy who respects us for what we are."

"Let me tell you this, Chati, and this is very important. Whenever you will become someone's padawan learner, and later when you are a Jedi Knight yourself, you will meet with many individuals which look a lot more different than the Quelans. Think for instance at Chewbacca, the Wookiee. Every life form has adapted to its most useful development and as a Jedi you will learn to respect all of those life forms," Luke said while he put his hand on the girl's shoulder and looked at her with a friendly smile.