Chapter 68

The Wookiee grunted a sentence.

"You suggest we'd better keep the Falcon cloaked, in case the Basilisæa or probe droids of that weird guy would detect us. That's a good idea, pal. You're right, but one of us had to stay in the Falcon to activate the cloaking."

Chewbacca grunted a comment.

"Fine with me, Chewie. I'll get out and you stay here and cloak the Falcon again. We must indeed be aware of spying eyes. Get the ramp down. We'll use our special infocoms to keep in touch."

Han walked down the ramp and left the Falcon. Immediately after he had set foot on Palomintar Four his vessel vanished. Han grinned approvingly. Then he turned around and started looking for the cave entrance where he had dropped off his brother-in-law and the Quelan harvesters with their equipment. It took him a few minutes to check his surroundings, but when he recognized some large boulders and huge bushes he set course in their direction. Behind those bushes he saw the winding path to the cave entrance. For a moment he turned around and looked down to the spot where he knew the Falcon must be. The ship was invisible as if it had disappeared completely. Han followed the path among the bushes and entered the cave. It was dark inside and he had to ignite his flashlight. To his amazement the cave stacked from the floor to the ceiling with crates and containers. Han started to wonder if he had found the right cave. He left and walked down the path again.

"Where are those harvesters and where is Luke," He said to himself and called out, "Is anybody here?"

Then he heard the voice of Cornell.

"General Solo, over here!"

Han turned around in the direction of the sound and saw Cornell and Wollin in the company of the Quelan woman dressed as a harvester descending down a narrow path. Han went over to them.

"General Solo, good to have you back with us. My men and I aren't here any longer. We will bring to our other camp up on the mountain. Where is your friend the Wookiee?"

He shook hands with Han.

"Any good news, general. Will we get more help?"

"Help is on it's way, Cornell, not as much as we want, but at least one of our star cruisers is coming this way."

"Great. Are you on your own? Where is your wife?"

"Chewbacca is attending the Falcon and my wife will join us soon. Where is master Skywalker?"

"He doing investigations in the underground riverbed. Several days he started those investigation and he said he would be away for at least a week, because he didn't want to loose time traveling back and forth. He must already have investigated a long stretch of the underground riverbed. He is still looking for a possibility to enter the cave system where our enemy resides."

"Can you show me?" Han asked hiding his disappointment.

"It's up on the mountain at our second camp site."

"You just said they are doing investigations; what do you mean?"

"Oh, yes, you don't know yet, general Solo, but Toallin's eldest daughter Mayan or Chati Fonaldris has hidden herself in one of the storerooms of your space ship. Master Skywalker and me are keeping an eye on the young woman but this morning Mayan said she wanted to come down here to welcome you back and apologize. Although I reprimanded her for her action, she is is doing her chores as a harvester and she gets along very well with master Skywalker."

Cornell pushed Chati forward.

Han looked at the young woman dressed as one of the harvesters.

"I remember you, young lady. Your mother called you Mayan, but your father called you Chati, isn't it.?

"Yes, general Solo, Mayan is the name my parents gave when I was born, but I like the name Chati more."

"So you managed to hide in the Millennium Falcon without me or Chewbacca noticing you. That's quite an achievement."

"I apologize, general Solo," Chati said.

"What for, Chati?" Han asked, "I like individuals who take matters into their own hands, instead of waiting for someone to give them orders."

"You do, sir," Chati said relieved, "So, you aren't going to bring me back to Tyr?"

"Maybe I should do that, for your parents surely don't approve your action, I guess."

"Please, sir, I want to stay here with the harvesters. I'm learning a lot of them."

"Not only from them, I heard, but your also good friends now with my brother," Han grinned, "I know Luke, he is always looking to teach a new Jedi. So you're his new padawan."

Chati's face got a greenish-red blush.

"I'm not his padawan, general Solo, he has the woman Liane as his padawan. If Ben thinks I'm worth to become a padawan, he will decide who will be my master."

"General Solo, has Cornell told you that Mayan and Ben have been often away together exploring the former riverbed under the mountain," Wollin said

Han frowned.

"Ben, who is he? Did Luke and Chati team up with some else?"

"We call the Jedi Ben, general. It's his disguise. He didn't want to be known as master Skywalker," Chati explained.

"I see. Chati, what have you and Luke been doing there?"

"We've been looking if the former riverbed is a safe path to reach Ribana, general Solo. I only accompanied Ben two times. Most of the time he goes only. I have other work to do on the plateau."

Han looked puzzled.

"I hear a lot of puzzling words."

"We will accompany you to our official camp site, general Solo. Please, follow me and the others. Chati, will you get those extra transpari foils we need from the cave. Wollin and I are already going back. You'll manage, don't you."

"I do, master Cornell," Chati said and vanished along the path inside the cave.

Once inside she hurried to the deep niche and cast a glance at Luke. He was still stretch out on the fleeces. She rushed over to the stack of fleeces in the cave, grabbed one of them, got back inside the niche and put the fleece over Luke's stiffened body. She was aware that her action wouldn't help him against the cold, but it was a gesture of kindness and friendship for the Jedi who believed in her dream.

The Tychorion drifted in static position in orbit around Dalmaran. General Crix Madine walked over to the transport bay as a small transport ship from Irithim arrived. After the ship's landing the small figure of Leia Organa Solo immediately came down the ramp of the ship.

"Welcome on board, Leia," The general said with a slight bow.

"Thank you, Crix. I want to introduce to you Fern'all To'lo'imon, captain-general of the Dalmarian navy fleet. He want permission to come on board and accompany us on our trip to the Palomintar System."

"Welcome on board of the Tychorion, captain To'lo'imon," Madine said and brought a formal salute.

Fern'all To'lo'imon answered the salute.

"You must be the commander of the Dalmaranian submarine fleet. What made you leave the waters around Vor'izon." Madine said politely, while he offered Leia his arm.

"The Dalmaranian leader wants to strenghten the alliance with the New Republic, sir. A couple of months ago I put in a request to be stationed as a volunteer on the space fleet of the New Republic. The unexpected visit of her Royal Highness the princess of Alderaan created an opportunity to address the Supreme Chancellor personally."

"Any experience in space flight, captain?"

"None, sir."

"Well, captain. The captain of the Tychorion will to show you around. I have already informed him of your arrival. He is expecting you. Oh, there he is. Captain Linfold, this is our expected guest, captain To'lo'imon of the Dalmaranian navy fleet. Captain To'lo'imon, captain Themill Linfold, the commander of the Tychorion.

Both men shook hands and Themill Linfold made an inviting gesture.

"Follow me, sir. I'm very honored to show you around. General, I want to leave."

General Madine salute and the two captains walked away, talking together like they were old friends.

Madine turned to Leia.

"We'll go to my quarters, Leia. I hope you can give me full update on what has happened on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. Mon Mothma only told me I had to wait, until you were on board."

They walked to the main control room of the Tychorion were the general had his private quarters. He ordered his liaison officer he didn't want to be disturbed until further notice.

"Well, Crix," Leia said, as she sat down on one of the couches, "it seems that Liane has succeeded to runaway once again and this time she took our Jedi padawans with her. They left Mas'onom space port with the Astræga with unknown destination, but I think she has planned to go to Palomintar Four. I have contacted Wedge Antilles. He has promised me to warn me, if the Astræga would turn up near the Palomintar System. If necessary Wedge will ask assistance from admiral Vestor to take the Astrægaa on board the Basilisæaa, but so far I haven't heard anything of him."

"Let's hope that last option won't be necessary. We will leave any minute now and we will reach the Palomintar System within twenty-four hours. If you want, Leia, you can contact Wedge Antilles directly using the com system of the Tychorion."

Leia nodded.

"Thank you, general. That will ease our task."

"I understand, that the Tychorion won't interfere with your plans on Palomintar Four. We will only survey the Palomintar System to make sure that admiral Vestor won't transport his troops and land on the planet."

"That's right, Crix. It's a pity that the Tychorion will be the only space ship in the system. I fear that admiral Vestor won't be impressed."

"What are your plans, Leia?"

"I want to make contact with the Millennium Falcon as soon as possible, general. Han must have reached the Palomintar System during my stay on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. The Falcon would remain in orbit around Palomintar Four. If possible I want to get on board our ship and see if we can find a way to get to my brother."

"Is there anything known about your brother's plans?"

"Luke is still reluctant about a direct confrontation with the former imperial admiral, Crix. We have gathered a lot of contradictory information about Trevor Matrik. Luke and I have experienced some influences of the Force during our first flights near Palomintar Four Luke which turned out to come from a different source and not from Trevor. My padawan and I watched him as he landed on Endor, althoug we see him we both didn't sense his presence. I remember that Ian said that he only saw a black cloud around Trevor. When the three of us visited Ribana it was my brother who sensed the presence of a group of droid guards, but as we saw Trevor strolling along the street neither Luke, not Ian or myself sensed his presence. Luke and I still don't know how to interpret what the Force is telling us, for it also seemed the neither on Endor, nor on Palomitar Four in Ribana, Trevor didn't sense that some Jedi Knights were watching him. We asked Liane about him, for she has met him more than once on Morantan, but her stories doesn't give full proof that Trevor Matrik make use of the Force and has gained real knowledge of the Dark Side. It's all very strange, general, very strange, and yet it's still alarming."

"So we can conclude that we still have to rely on your brother's causations when it comes to Trevor Matrik's Force skills. And yours, of course, Leia."

"My brother, Crix, has more experience with the Dark Side. He's more attuned to the Dark Side than I am." Leia said, "Although I am a fully-fledged Jedi I am aware that Luke's knowledge of Force goes deeper and more thorough. We should rely on him."

A liaison officer announced that the Tychorion was about to go to hyperspace soon.

"If we have reached the Palomintar System, Leia, you already said you wanted to contact Han Solo. Ask him to board the Tychorion, so you will be able to jump ship."

"I have been thinking about that possibility too, general. I would be a relief to me, if I could get on Myr again to help my brother. I haven't heard of him since Liane has told him that the residence on Na'ctaMagh'Ba was under attack."

The PA-system of the Tychorion warned that the ship was going make the jump into hyperspace within thirty seconds. Madine and Leia fastened their safety webbing to absorb the reaction. In silence that waited, listening to the mechanical voice with the countdown.

Liane put the box with the inscription 'My life in exile' next to her on the couch and opened the lid. Inside lay a small datapad. She took it out and looked at it from all sides.

Artoo hooted a soft advice. Liane laughed.

"I should activate it, is that what you're suggesting, Artoo. That's a good advice. Ben wants me to read this with the story of his life on Tatooine. I hope he will tell me it again, using that orange holocron."

She pushed the switch and waited for the device to activate. The display showed only a few files sorted in numerical order.

"Look, Artoo, there only three files. This last file is the largest and hasn't the highest number. The third file is the smallest I will start with that one. Ben couldn't probably finish his story after he left Tatooine with Luke. I'm glad Ben told me he wrote in Standard Basic."

She positioned herself cross-legged on the couch and picked up the first sheet.

"Listen, Artoo, I will read it aloud to you, so you also hear this story. You surely don't know this. Luke told me that you and Threepio met Ben after Luke's uncle bought the two of you from the Jawas."

Artoo beeped a affirmation and continued with a long binary sentence. Liane looked at the blue domed sturdy droid.

"You saw how Ben vanished on that first Death Star. How awful, Artoo. You liked him, is that what you're telling me. I like him too. He's very kind and so understanding. Yes, he was the same to Luke on their travel to Alderaan. Shall I start reading?"

'My story is drawing to it's close. The Force has shown me that my fate is sealed. Finally I will be able to give Luke is first training, but it will also be the last thing I will do. The only thing I can hope, is that my children won't misjudge the decisions I made. I'm aware that the plan I had in mind will never come to fruition. I leave it the hands of the Force to bring them together...'

Liane stopped and raised her eyebrows. She looked at the writing and shook her head.

"This doesn't make sense, Artoo. Ben speaks of 'my children'. I know he has a son, but he never told me he had another child. I also never asked him, who was Tama-Hinn's mother? Was he married to her? Where has he lived with his family? The Jedi weren't allowed to marry according to the book Luke gave me. The members of the order only wanted to focus on their tasks as Jedi Knights and stay in full connection with Force. In fact, Artoo, I think that's an odd way of thinking. Why shouldn't a couple of Jedi Knights who feel attracted to each other not marry? Hmm, I'd better read on.

'...to bring them together. I hope it will be possible for my son to find his sister. I will ask Luke to go to Corellia and team up with him. My daughter is alive, I still feel her presence through the Force, but I can't tell where she is. My son has to find out. I say goodbye now. May the Force be with you.'

Astounded Liane read the last paragraph again.

"Ben had a daughter! She was his other child. What has happened to her? He brought his son to Corellia. To the Tydon family. Probably he wasn't able to bring his daughter to safety too. Oh, Artoo, it's such a sad end. I feel so sorry for him. His intentions were so good, but nothing went the way he hoped. The message he recorded never reached Luke, Ian still doesn't know Ben is his real father and now a mysterious daughter turns up. How will I be able to tell Ian all this? I think Ben is overestimating my skills."

She closed the file and looked downhearted at Artoo.

"Any suggestion, Artoo?" She said with a deep sigh.

"KDIKWII3-U7EKKODM-QSUKDN09-MMHDSIE8", The droid answered.

"Yes, I know Ben asked me to read this."

"KHSMKDKI-NNWA873K-BVZJJSKO," Artoo whistled.

"What! Read his story from the beginning. Starting with the first file." Liane said and looked at the display of the datapad. She sighed again.

"YJNCKJDK-MXM52KDI-KKLLSIEN0-XMZWEKDJD-NNNIIEK8," Artoo bleeped and pushed her leg.

"Maybe, you're right. Maybe I should read Ben's story from the beginning, but I will read it in silence. I will tell you, if there is something in it I want to tell with you."

Artoo's blue dome whirled around. Liane sat cross-legged on the couch again. Hesitatingly she opened the first file. There were only a few lines on it.

"I will read this one to you, Artoo. Listen."

"On this datapad I will write down the story of my life after what has happened on Mustafar and the death of Padmé Skywalker. I dedicate this story to her, to her children Luke and Leia and to my children Tama-Hinn Kenobi and Shaayla-Car Kenobi, but most of all I dedicate this to my beloved wife...

Liane's voice stopped.

"I don't believe this," She whispered, "Is this true. Was Ben married to my mother?"

Once again she read the lines and slowly she became aware of the truth behind them.

... and to my children Tama-Hinn Kenobi and Shaayla-Car Kenobi, but most of all I dedicate this to my beloved wife Severini Solichor Kenobi

Aghast she read the lines over and over again. Her thoughts began to tumble over each other. This was unbelievable. Severini, her mother, had been Ben's wife. She took a deep breath and looked around the main living without really noticing her surrounding. Finally she found her composure again.

"I'm Shaayla-Car Kenobi," She whispered, "I'm Ben's daughter. Ben is my father, my real father."

Then she recalled what Luke and master Yoda had told her. She was the daughter of two Jedi Knights. What had master Yoda said about her father? He had become one with the Force during the Civil War. Luke had told her he had witnessed how Ben seemed surrender himself to Darth Vader, but vanished before could Darth Vader strike him down. That first experience with the power of the Force had left Luke devastated. Never had she brought these two statements together.

Once again she looked around and then she started to smile. She was sitting in her father's house. Here he had lived, taking care of Luke as he had told her. She remembered her strange feelings when she had first visited this place with Luke. She had felt familiar with it, it had felt like coming home. Now she understood her feelings.

"I'm going to read his whole story. I want to know what happened to him and Severini." She murmured, closed the first file and opened the largest.

"Anakin is death," She read, "and Padmé also has died. I don't understand her death. After she had given birth to the twins and calling their names, she simply passed away. Yoda has urged me to keep the birth of Anakin's children secret. We had to bring Padmé's remains to Naboo, but make sure she still seemed pregnant. Bail Organa has taken the girl Leia with him and I have to bring the boy to his step-family on Tatooine. Yoda thinks he will be safe there, but I have to disagree. I want to raise the boy myself, together with Severini Solichor. I want to train him from the beginning on the Good Side of the Force. I have found a great spot were we can live in exile and safety: Morantan, a planet in the Outer Rim. There's a large archipelago with thousands of islets which will provide a thorough protection against discovery. I have brought the boy to an old friend, Eremian, a priest of the Baroontarian clan. His girls and Severini will take care of the boy as long as I'm building an accommodation on one of the islets....

Completely absorbed by what she was reading, Liane forgot everything around her. The hours passed and still she scrolled through the pages with the story of her father's life in exile. He had taken Severini, the Jedi healer of the Jedi temple with him when he had gone to Morantan. Ben wrote how he always had admired Severini from a distance, always keeping in mind the strict rules of the Jedi Order. He had been able to build a good home on a small islet of Ferlusa and he had brought Severini and Luke to it. It had been Severini who had propose to him to get married. At first Ben had refused, feeling bound by the rules of the Jedi Order, but Severini had told him that the Jedi Order didn't exist anymore. For their own safety it would be better if they would marry. She had persuaded him and they had asked Eremian to marry them. Their first months as a married couple had passed without troubles, but then Yoda had turned up and he had reprimanded Ben for neglecting their agreement about bringing Luke to his family on Tatooine. Yoda had insisted that Ben would bring the boy to Tatooine. Reluctantly Ben had agreed and had left Severini on Morantan. He had carried out the heavy task, but had immediately returned to Morantan, because Severini had told him she was pregnant.

"We've a son. A beautiful boy. Severini says he has my eyes. Tama-Hinn, we've called him." Liane read and unwittingly she smiled; for a moments her thoughts dwelled on Ian. Those simple words expressed so clearly Ben's happiness. Liane flipped the page and read on.

The happiness of her parents lasted for three years, then Ben discovered that imperial forces were building a huge complex on the mainland of Morantan. The empire had occupied the planet. This meant a severe threat to Severini, their son and Ben. Severini had urged him to bring the boy to a safe place, like Ben had done with Luke. Ben had managed to reach the space port on the Morantan mainland and had brought Tama-Hinn to his friend Lucian Tydon, an former officer during the Clone Wars, who had gone back to Corellia after the war. Amazed Liane read how Ben and Severini had kept in touch using Jedi telepathy. The situation on Morantan worsened as the imperials had started exploration on the mainland continent, but it became too dangerous for Ben to return to Morantan, when Severini told him she had felt Darth Vader's presence. Ben had decided he would abide his time and went to Tatooine. There he had build another accommodation in the Jundland Waste, behind the Dune Sea. He wanted to go back to Morantan one last time to pick up Severini who had told him she was pregnant again.

"He never made it," Liane said and put the datapad she had been reading, "He never made it. Probably it was too dangerous. He had to leave her there on her own. No, Liane, no guessing. Read Ben's story."

She turned to datapad and flipped to the next page.

Severini had kept Ben informed about the situation on Morantan. Ben had urged her to seek refuge with Eremian and the Baroontarian priestess as a disguise. Reluctantly Severini had agreed. Their second child, a daughter, had been born on the island of the Baroontarians. Severini had suggested to call the girl, Shaayla-Car, after an old friend of her who had died during the elimination of the Jedi Order. Ben had heartily agreed, but had insisted that Severini with their child should stay with Eremian.

"Why, why, didn't you listen, my love. Why did you have to go back to Ferlusa. You should have stayed with Eremian. I know you weren't happy among them, but it was a safe place. Yes, I understand you feared that they would raise our girl with their rules which you despise, but now you're gone from this galaxy, taken up in the Force, lost for me. Severini, my love, I haven't been a good husband. I should have taken you with me when I fled with Tama-Hinn. You would have been safe on Corellia for a while. You're gone, you're gone!"

Liane looked up from the datapad with tears in her eyes. She had just read how Ben had felt how Severini had become one with the Force and how he blamed himself. She could almost hear the tears in his voice while he had been writing down these words. For a moment she wondered if she should read the rest of the story. She knew what had happened to her. How Anakin had found her and taken her with him. How he had raised her at the Dark Side of the Force. Had Anakin known she was the daughter of his former master, his enemy?

"No, I don't think Anakin has never known I was Obi-Wan's daughter. Oh, father, what happened to you, after you had lost Severini. Did you know that Anakin took me with him?"

Determined she turned her attention to the datapad again.

"I want to read it all. He knew I was alive. At the last page he says he has always felt my presence through the Force."

She started to read the story of his life after Severini had gone. He had made himself a living on Tatooine, observing Anakin's son Luke from a distance. The style slightly changed, for Ben was now telling about his life in exile as if he was telling it to Severini. The years had gone by slowly and uneventful. Luke's uncle, Owen Lars, hadn't become friends with her father. He had opposed and quarrelled with him, telling Ben, he should stay away from the moisture farm and don't meddle in Luke's affairs. It had been a difficult time as well, because Liane understood that Ben, some how, wanted to be reunited with his son on Corellia one way or the other, but the burden master Yoda had laid on his shoulders, had prevented he could realized any of his ideas and plans. Finally she turned up the last page and read again Ben's last words, a kind of farewell, but also a sincere wish to seek the reunion of his children. With a sigh Liane closed the file. Deep in thoughts she switch off the device. She looked at Artoo who had kept her company during her long reading. Occasionally she had read parts aloud, especially about Luke. Artoo had told her, he and Threepio had been on the moisture farm of Owen Lars with Anakin and Padmé. Surprised she had asked if the little droid remembered that first visit after Owen Lars had bought him and Threepio from the Jawas, but Artoo had denied. He didn't remember.

"Well, Artoo, I always wanted to know who my real parents are. Now I know and I also know what I have to do. I can't let them down, I can't let Ben down. I don't know yet, how I will tell Ian he is my brother, but I will find a way. That's the first thing I will do and secondly I will asked Luke to become my Jedi master. I hope he still will accept me as his padawan learner."

Yawning she stretched her arms above her head.

"I feel tired, Artoo, but I also feel more alive than ever. It's such a great feeling that I have a father and a mother. Maybe I should asked Mon Mothma to change the name of Liane Solichor into Shaayla-Car Kenobi. Shaayla-Car, hmm, this name seems to fit like fine clothing, like the white dress Leia gave me, Luke's favorite dress. I will also ask Mon Mothma if it's possible to have Ben's name, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on my ID-card too. That will give me the feeling he and my mother are always with me. "

'We are, Shaayla-Car' A soft voice responded.

Surprised, but with a welcoming smile, Liane looked up. In the middle of the living stood two bluish Force apparitions.

"Ben! Mother?" Liane exclaimed with a face brightly shining.

'It's time you meet your mother, Shaayla-Car,' Ben said, stepping aside and gently pushing the woman next him, 'This is Severini Solichor Kenobi, your mother and my dearest wife.'

Liane looked at the woman who stretched out her hands.

'We've met, my daughter, when you rescued your brother. I'm still grateful for your tremendous effort.'

"You were the one who really cured him, mother," Liane said, "Ian has told me how you brought him to that Force garden of Healing. He knows it was you, but it will be a real surprise to him when he realizes that it was his mother who helped him to find the right way for this Jedi meditation. I'm really happy we meet at last."

Ben looked at the young woman who was his grown up daughter and he smiled relieved and happy. Liane remembered the sad face on the brink of tears when he had asked, almost begged her, to tell Ian who he was.

'You will tell your brother, won't you, Shaayla-Car?'

Liane nodded with sparkling eyes.

"I will, father, and I know he will be as happy as I am. I will show him, what you wrote, so he can read the story for himself if he wants. Father, if I have told him, will you and mother come to meet him. I'm sure he wants to see you both. Don't tell me, that has to wait, until he has become a Jedi, for I can meet you, and I am not a Jedi," She said, "....Yet!"

The two apparition laughed.

'There is one big difference between you and Tama-Hinn, Shaayla-Car,' Severini said, 'You have been trained to use the Force from a young age. Your brother has only recently started to discover his Force abilities, but we will see, if the Force is strong enough in him.'

'Now, you must rest, Shaayla-Car. It's been a long eventful day and night. Get some sleep and take your time to think about all you've read. We're going back now, but we'll meet again soon.'Ben said.

"I could talk to you the whole night," Liane said, but all of a sudden she felt really tired, "... Almost. I take your advice, father. Mezorahim dejan Forca tusale, mother. Mezorahim dejan Forca tusale, father.". She yawned.

"Mezorahim dejan Forca tusale, Shaayla-Car." The two apparitions disappeared. Liane looked with a smile at Artoo who was again making his humming soothing sound. She laid down on the couch and stretched arms behind her head.

"Go on for a while, Artoo, this sound makes me feel drowsy. Good night, my little friend," She mused while her eyes closed. The little droid waiting until he noticed Liane's regular breathing, then he switched off and positioned himself in the corner of the living.