Chapter 72
an Solo jumped out of the speeder.
"Put it behind those bushes near the cave entrance, Chewie. We might need it again. I'm already going to the other camp site. Join me after you've secured the speeder," He said before he hurried up the path to the camp site up on the mountain. Nobody was near the treehouse. Han listened and heard the voices of some Quelans and Leia. He walked in the direction of the plateau and descended one of the rope ladders. Near the outcropping to the right he saw Luke and Leia working with the Quelans to clear away some last rubble.
"Leia," he called, "I'll give you a hand."
Leia Organa looked up and waved.
"That's great, Han. These are the last baskets we need to get to foundation of the wall"
Han grunted an inaudible answer and took over a basket which drifted in his direction. Meanwhile Chewbacca also had descended to the plateau and hoisted two baskets at the time on his shoulders. The Quelans watched the big humanoid with glee and admiration as he easily brought the baskets to the plateau where Chati and Cemall were working op the wall.
Han took the shovel from Leia and filled the last baskets with the broken rocks, when suddenly his eye got a glimmer on one of the rocks. He took it in his hand and turned it over and over again.
"Are you aware you're throwing away a fortune," He exclaimed, pointing at the rock he held in his hand, "Chewie, come over here! I can't believe this!"
The Wookiee looked a the rocks and started to grunt enthusiastically. Leia and Luke also walked over to them.
"What do you mean, Han?" Luke asked.
"These rocks contain aludium crystals. They are used to produce the best quality of transparisteel. During the reign of the emperor there were only two planets where these rare crystals were found: Koron and Mardon, two planets in the Rafarmian system. The imperial forces used the local population as slaves to mine the crystals until the mines were exhausted. Guys, you're sitting on a fortune," Han said turning to the Quelans, who were watching the rogue pilot of the Millennium Falcon in bewilderment.
"If you trade these rocks with the New Republic, you will earn enough credits to rebuild Ribana and decorate the streets and houses with marble slabs," Han continued, still searching the rock he held in his hand.
"We're not interested in wealth, general Solo. We only want to get our quiet life again, as we had before we had to lead our people into exile," Wollin said as he joined Han and Chewbacca.
"You also could buy yourself better equipment to redirect that river much easier," Han said turning to Cornell.
"We could, general, but we have to discuss this with our governors. If they agree, we will make credits with these crystals. Until then we'll stick to our way of life," Cornell said sternly.
Han looked at the Quelan harvester in disbelieve. Luke looked at his brother-in-law and intervened.
"We will come back to this later, Han. Cornell is right, Toallin and Mugin have to agree with any trading options, but it might be an option to separate the rocks with aludium crystals and keep them apart. Han, can you tell Cornell and the others how you recognized the crystals in these rocks."
Han gave the rock to Cornell and pointed at the long silver shimmering crystals. He took several other rocks from one of the baskets and showed Cornell and Wollin the same characteristics. Cornell took one of the larger rocks, took a hammer from his belt and split the rock with an accurate blow. He searched the parts and looked up at Han Solo.
"Who can we trust, general, if we want to sell these crystals?" He asked.
Han looked at Cornell and then saw how Leia shook her head.
"I wanted to make you an offer myself, Cornell, but my wife disagrees, but I can help you to find honest traders in the future," He said.
Cornell turned to his fellow Quelans who looked at their leader reluctantly.
"Maybe we should take the general's words into account. We might indeed need a lot of credits after we have defeated the intruder who has taken Ribana from us, but I don't think it's wise to make a decision without the advice of our governors and the council of the Elder. For the time being we will collect and keep the rocks with these crystals apart, as Ben suggested. Do you agree?"
His fellow Quelans relaxed and nodded in unison.
"Alright then, general Solo, two of my men will help you to sort out these precious rocks. We will store them in baskets and bring them to the camp site. The other rubble will be deposited at the wall foundation.
"Shouldn't we look at the rubble we've already brought to the plateau, father?" Cemall asked.
"If there's enough time left, we should, but our main task is to dig a new bedding for the river," Cornell said, while he turned to Luke
"Ben, can I have a word with you?,"
Luke nodded and the two went over to the other side of the plateau, leaving the others with the last bit of work.
"I want to ask you if you could help us with your knowledge," Cornell said and looked at the young Jedi.
"What can I do for you, Cornell?" Luke asked, feeling the embarrassment of the man.
"Chati said, that you want to help us, but that you don't want to tell us, what we can do better. I mean, how we can get some things done easier."
"You want my help as a Jedi Knight, Cornell?"
Cornell nodded.
"I have seen, how you save my son and move heavy stones out of the way easily, but I wonder if you also could help us for instance preparing the overflow pool near the high wall that I have in mind. Those big boulders at the foot of the wall are too difficult to break, using our method of freezing, and I still don't want to use explosives."
Cornell silenced. Luke still felt how difficult it was for the leader of this sturdy group of men to ask a favor.
"I'm glad you still don't want to use explosives. Any idea how my knowledge as a Jedi can be of any use to you?" Luke said quietly, using his soft Jedi voice.
"Chati told me, that Wollin already has suggested the use of your weapon, I mean can you use your Jedi's weapon or some other way of help of what you call the Force to clear away these big rocks at the foot of the high wall, so we can start creating the pool as a first overflow basin of the lake before the water runs through the new bedding at the plateau.
"Show me, what you expect me to do?" Luke said friendly.
They had reached the wall where Luke was aware of the noise of the waterfalls. Cornell put his hand on one of the huge boulders which was taller than Cornell himself.
"My father has traced the original bedding on the plateau, but through the centuries the bedding had been eroded and has lost its connection with the waterfall and the inlet to the underground riverbed.
"The plateau as it is now isn't fit to slead the water in a controlled way from the lake to the inlet. We want to carve a new bedding at the plateau. The wall we are constructing along the edge of the plateau is part of the new bedding, but I want to dig out a kind of canal on the plateau, because, for once we have create the overflow from the lake, the water has to stay in the new bedding. We've continued the work my father started, but our method isn't sufficient to get the job done in an easier way."
Luke looked around and nodded. The distance between the rocky wall and the inlet was less than a hundred meters.
"From the high wall the plateau slopes downward very regularly to the other side where the inlet is. The new canal on the plateau is a good choice, Cornell, but indeed you have to take sufficient measures to keep the water flow inside the bedding. The wall along the edge of the plateau has to be of enough height to prevent the water to choose another path."
"We intend to build the wall with rocks and strengthen it durasteel cement. We would welcome any idea to get the job done faster, but no explosives."
Luke laughed.
"You did well, Cornell to ask me to help you. Although a lightsaber isn't commonly used to break through rocks, it can help you and the others to get a bit faster results. Let me give you an example "
Luke hooked his lightsaber from his belt and held the weapon near one big rocks near the wall. He ignited his weapon and pressed the laser beam through the rock. Slowly he made some deep incisions with his lightsaber. The rock around the beam started to meld and crumble and Luke released his weapon. He raised his hand and the crumbled rocks hovered above their original place. A deep hole became visible where the rock had been. Luke pushed the loose rocks aside. Cornell looked amazed at the hole in the rocky underground of the plateau at his feet.
"It still will take much work, Cornell, and it has to be done very carefully otherwise these boulders could create an avalanche on the plateau. I will ask my sister to assist me with this work."
"It won't damage your weapon, Ben?"
"No, but we have to use it with care this way. The power cell inside needs to recharge the beam after some time. But together with your freezing method we can create a part of the river's new bedding probably faster. Han and Chewbacca can also help Leia and me and probably will come up with some other ideas too. We will discuss your plan with them."
"Won't this work interfere with your own plan, Ben?"
"Not at all. If we lead the water flow to the inlet and the underground riverbed our opponent will have to find himself another sanctuary."
"You think the water will drive him out of the cave above Ribana?"
"If he doesn't want to get drowned, he has to leave and find himself a better place to stay. By that time my friends and I will take him into custody and hand him over the government on Coruscant. Next we can help you to bring the Quelans back to Ribana."
Chewbacca cautiously ascended the rope ladder to Chati's tree house. For a two-meter creature he managed to make no noise as he stealthily entered the tree house where Chati was fast asleep. He bowed over the sleeping girl and tapped her on her arm. Startled she woke up. Immediately Chewbacca put his huge hairy hand on her mouth and hushed her. He lifted her from her sleeping place, and jumped down from the tree house. The Wookiee followed the descending path to the base cave where he had hidden the speeder among the bushes. He put the young female Quelan on the passenger's seat and wrapped her in one of the nagawa fleeces, than he pushed the speeder further down to the foot of the mountain ridge. All the time Chati had looked a bit dazed at the hairy creature without saying a word; amazed, but feeling greatly excited.
Finally Chewbacca maneuvered himself behind the wheel and started the engine. He drove down to the plains in the direction of Ribana. Chati looked aside at her companion and finally opened her mouth.
"Are we going to Ribana, Chewbacca?"
A grunt and a nod were the answer. Excited Chati looked through the windscreen, but all she could see were the bushes and lower vegetation near the speeder. They moved along in total darkness. The only lights were the tiny blinking dots of the stars in the sky above them. Chewbacca accelerate the speeder's velocity. He seemed to know exactly in which direction Ribana was, but Chati noticed that the Wookiee made a detour to the hills south of Ribana to get near her hometown from a safe side. After some four hours Chewbacca slowed down. It was still dark, but Chati knew they had reached the southern hills. Finally Chewbacca stopped in the dense forest that covered the hills. He jumped out and lifted her to her feet.
"Why are you doing this, Chewbacca?" She whispered as Chewbacca had joined her again, after he had secured the speeder and covered the vehicle among some dense undergrowth.
The Wookiee grunted a long series of soft growls. Chati put her hand on his hairy arm.
"Thank you, Chewbacca, for your understanding. You also long for your home planet sometimes, but you stay loyal to general Solo, your life-long friend," She said, pressing her face against his arm to express her gratitude.
"Can we go and see Ribana a bit more closer?" She asked.
The Wookiee grunted an affirmative and they slowly started to descent among the hills. After a while Chewbacca held her back with a soft grunt.
"We can't get any closer, because surveillance droids might discover us? I understand. Can we stay here till daylight is coming? I want to see the houses myself," Chati asked.
Chewbacca looked around and beckoned her to follow him to a huge tree surrounded with dense bushes. The Wookiee pointed upward and quickly Chati climbed at the lower thick branches which made a comfortable place to wait for daylight to come. Chewbacca sat himself against the huge stem at the backside of the tree. He grunted a few soft words. Chati nodded.
"Fine with me, Chewbacca. I will take a nap, for it will take at least two hours before we can see Ribana more clearly. Will you wake me up?"
She sat down in the fork of several entwined branches, which formed a kind of plateau. She pulled up her knees and leaned against the stem. Her eyes wandered to the town in the valley below. She tried to penetrate the darkness, but finally her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
Chewbacca woke her up, as the sky started to color, announcing the coming of the new day. Chati stretched and cast a quick glance at her former hometown. The desolated streets devastated her. Chewbacca handed her a set of macro binoculars, so she could see the town in more detail. After some moments she turned to her companion and looked sad, feeling desperate.
"It's deteriorating, and so fast. It's only five years ago, when we had to leave. Look, there's weeds in the gardens and broken windows everywhere. If I tell my parents and the others what's left of Ribana they will start crying."
She jumped down and looked up at her hairy friend with tears in her eyes. Chewbacca put a hairy arm around her to comfort her. He grunted some soft sentences. Chati nodded.
"Yes, master Skywalker, I mean Ben, told me that my father en my uncle have been here and seen what's left of Ribana, but I'm sure they still feel sad about what happened. The gardens in front en behind the houses were always so well maintained. There was an abundance of flowers and greens in every season."
She stopped and looked again at the town below her. Then she turned to Chewbacca.
"Master Skywalker also said that the house in the vineyard is still in a good shape. Can we have a look at it, or is it too dangerous to get there."
Chewbacca looked around, and lifted her. Chati put her arms around his hairy neck. With long strides Chewbacca crossed the forested hill, constantly staying undercover of the dense undergrowth and the trees.
An hour later he started to descent the hill and vanished among the wilderness of wild growing and entangled vines. The vegetations was so dense and sometimes impregnable that the Wookiee had to seek his path very careful. Finally they reached the building. Chewbacca put the girl down, but firmly held her arm. Chati resisted her first impulse to run to the house and enter it.
"Ben is right," She whispered, "It still looks in good shape, less deteriorated than the town itself. Do you think it's safe to enter and have a look inside. Have you been inside on your first visit?"
Chewbacca nodded and took her hand. Cautiously they neared the backdoor still staying undercover of the wild vines which had overgrown the patio and the walls. Chewbacca pushed the door and it opened effortlessly. They slipped inside and she closed the door behind them. Remaining very watchful they started to walk around the several rooms. Although some windows were broken and vines grew through the gaps, the rooms were in a safe condition. Chati noticed that much of the furniture had gone. She missed several cupboards, chairs, tables, and the side tables in the corridors, even the carpets had gone. She started to wonder if the intruder had taken the furniture to decorate those caves under the mountain. Finally they reached the entrance to the wine cellar where the huge containers stood to make the famous wine. The door stood open, but Chati hesitated to descent the stairs. She looked at Chewbacca, but he nodded. Aware of any possible dangers they descended the stairs. Chati took a deep breath and started to smile.
"I still smell the scent of wine," She whispered and started to walk around. Whispering she told her hairy companion the use of the different caskets and the wine presses. At the end of the cellar she pushed a door. As it opened with some squeaks she peered inside.
"There's not a bottle left. Probably he has taken our complete stock and drank it."
Suddenly Chewbacca hushed her and pointed up. Startled Chati listened.
Above them, footsteps were heard. Stealthily, but clearly. Some one had entered the building and was walking on the floor above them. Chati grabbed the Wookiee arm and pushed him through the gap of the half open door. Quickly she slipped inside too and cautiously closed the door without making as less noise as possible. She beckoned the Wookiee to take one of the huge caskets, and put it behind the door so it would be blocked. Chewbacca immediately understood her intention and blocked the door with two caskets, then he wanted to pull the girl with him to the rear of the large cellar, but Chati pointed to a slit in the wall next to the door.
Underneath the slit were two stairs which allowed her to peer through it and oversee the main cellar.
They still heard the stealthy footsteps which were now descending the stairs. Chati shivered and looked at the door of their hiding place. It wasn't completely closed. If this intruder had been here before he might notice the difference. She hoped the caskets would prevent the unexpected visitor to enter the storage room.
Chati bit her lip and shivered again. Who was he? Was it the intruder who had occupied Ribana? Hesitatingly she peered through the slit and to her surprise she saw a young man entering the cellar. He was wearing a dark grey uniform, but his jacket was unbuttoned. Chati watched the unexpected visitor. He took off his uniform jacket and took an infocom from his pocket, then he went over to wall, took away several stones and took a small object from the hole. The man sat down on an upturned casket and slit the small object in a slot of the infocom. As the holographic display popped up, he started to read and listen to the message intensively. As the message ended the man tapped at the display to retrieve another message and started reading and listening again.
Chati's eyes started to water and the image of the reading man became blurred. For a short moment she turned her head, blinked and peered again through the gap in the wall.
What was this guy doing here? Who was he? Why had he entered her father's house so stealthily? She wanted to pull the caskets away and rush in. Again she had to blink to adjust her eyesight, but then she remembered what she once had done when she had observed the intruder who had been talking to a statue in one of the caves under the mountain.
She reached out to the Force and suddenly it look like she was finding herself standing behind the man, looking over his shoulders. She clearly could see the content of the files he was reading. The content was puzzling her. The guy was listening to a story about an high ranking officer who had betrayed an emperor. Emperor? The empire had been overthrown years ago. Rumors had reached the Palomintar System that the emperor had died in a last battle.
Chati released herself from the Force and leaned against the wall of the storage room. In her mind a plan emerged. As soon as the visitor had left, and she had seen that he had hidden the tiny object or even his infocom behind the stone in the wall, she would to take them away, get back to the camp site of the harvesters and hand it to Ben. Probably Ben would know what the meaning of it was and what to do with it.
She had to wait patiently till this guy would leave again.
Once again she peered through the slit in the wall. The man was still listening and reading, and he also seemed to make notes on the display of the infocom. What was he doing? Was he a spy, or was he collaborating with the intruder under the mountain? What would she and Chewbacca have to do if he didn't leave?
The others at the camp site would know by now that she and the Wookiee were gone. She estimated that it was near midday, for her stomach was making soft rumbling noise.
A grinding noise in the other room alerted her. She start watching the guy again. He had switched off the infocom and was putting the small object in the hole in the wall. He grabbed his uniform jacket, put it on, before he replaced the stones very carefully. Then he put the infocom in the pocket of his uniform jacket again.
Chati felt that the man was doing something very secretive. She continued to watch him as he started to ascent the stairs. He seemed to leave, but he came back and inspected the loose stones once again, adjusting one of them. Then he left again, and this time he didn't return.
Chati heard the stealthy footsteps above her head again and looked back at Chewbacca who had been standing close to her all the time. Before she told him what she had seen, she reached out with her Force skills Ben had taught and was assured that the presence of strange visitor slowly vanished.
Chewbacca listened, as she told what she had seen and agreed to her plan to take the small object to their friends, but before he wanted to take the caskets away a loud metal clanging was heard.
Frightened Chati look at the Wookiee. Once again she took her place near the slit again and saw with abhorrence that two armed droids were clambering down the cellar stairs noisily. She withdrew and grabbed Chewbacca's arm. Reassuringly the Wookiee pointed to the caskets behind the door. Chati exhaled and relaxed.
Behind the door in the wine cellar the droids were stomping around.
When Chewbacca peered through the slit she saw how the droids seemed to investigate the cellar, as if they were looking for something. After some half hour the droids left the cellar and Chati and Chewbacca heard how they walked through the corridor above them. Finally the whole building became quiet again.
Chati wanted to get the object as soon as possible, but Chewbacca prevented her to act immediately. He made clear that they had to wait till darkness, before they could leave the place safely. Reluctantly Chati accepted his proposal and the two companions sat down in the darkness of the storage room. Still on a whispering tone they discussed their encounter with the man and afterwards with those droids.
"Those droids were definitely spying on the man, I think," Chati said.
The Wookiee grunted, but she saw the questioning expressing in his gesture.
"Yes, you're right. The question is, is the man also a spy. Perhaps he is spying on the intruder under the mountain. Then he isn't serving him. The message he was listening to, said something about the emperor and an admiral, but I didn't understand its content."
Her stomach rumbled again and she rose, looking for something to eat, but the cellar was completely empty.
Through the split in the wall they could see the small window behind the stairs to the upper floor. It was still bright daylight. It would take many hours before they could leave the place unseen.
Chati leaned against a casket and listened to the noises around her. Ben had said that she always should be aware of all the living things around her if she would focus on the Force. She closed her eyes and listening more intensively. Strange, but she always seemed to have heard the little noises of numerous small life forms that were living around the house. She heard some birds outside in the entangled vines, chattering and singing, she became aware of wind that rustled through the leaves, she even heard the gnawing of some caterpillars which were feeding on the vine leaves. The outside world seemed peaceful. Slowly her eyes closed and still listening to the many noises she fell asleep.
Chewbacca watched the Quelan girl. He felt strangely attached to the young female refugee who was so determined to help her people to get their former life back. She reminded him of another headstrong young lady who had saved the life of his friend. He wondered where she had gone, after she had fled Na'ctaMagh'Ba with Leia's padawan Ian Tydon, and Yarmod Martan, the padawan of Luke's friend Wedge Antilles. He grunted, as he suddenly remembered that the cloaked man he had seen on his first visit, and the one who called himself Darth Golluth, were one an the same. To Chati's people he had done much harm, and he also was a threat to Liane. Chewbacca would never allow Darth Golluth to do any harm to one of these girls, nor to his other friends.
Chati stirred and opened her eyes.
"Can we leave, Chewbacca?" She asked.
She rose and stretched. The long wait on the cellar floor had made her feel stiff and a bit cold.
"Have you heard anything?"
Chewbacca grunted and shook his head. Chati sat down on lowest stair near the split.
"It's been a strange day. I never expected we would run into these encounters, but now I wish I would be back in our camp and get something to eat. I'm starving. Aren't you hungry too, Chewbacca?"
The Wookiee grunted and Chati started to chuckle.
"I will ask Cornell to give you some extra dried nagawa meat, when we're back. What do you normally eat on board the Millennium Falcon? You love meat, but I guess that master Solo isn't going for a hunt and a kill every day."
Now Chewbacca grunted a chuckle and told her that Han's meals on board weren't always satisfying his appetite, but he managed to control his eagerness for a good piece of meat, until they were staying on a planet longer that a day.
"You've seen the whole galaxy with general Solo, haven't you, Chewbacca? You're really a lucky creature."
Again a grunted chuckle. Chati chuckled too, but then she said very seriously.
"I've never been any further than Ribana and Cantamaga. It's so boring, being a female Quelan, Chewbacca. Male Quelans can do anything without being reprimanded, but with everything I do, there's always my mother, or my aunt, or any other elderly female Quelans to scold me. I'd wish I had been born as a male. My mother wants me to marry, get a family and watch after my offspring. I can't imagine anything worse. I want to see other planets, meet other species and life forms, and find new friends on different places. Master Kamalin always said that I'm too curious for a female and he is right. I want to learn about other places, other people, other species. I don't want to stay on Palomintar Four my whole life. There's so much more to experience."
Chewbacca grunted a long sentence.
"Oh, certainly, there's danger too, but once I'm a Jedi I can defend others against injustice and dangers and help other species get a happy life."
She rose and looked through the split in the wall.
"It's getting dark, Chewbacca. Can you take those caskets aside. I want to retrieve and secure that object. I think it's safe to leave this place soon."
The Wookiee cast a glance through the split and wheeled the caskets back to their original position. Chati pulled the door open and slipped through the gap. Chewbacca followed her with some difficulty, and closed the door of the storage room with some squeaking noises. For a moment they both listened if their presence attracted the attention of spying eyes. Nothing stirred. They went over to the wall of wine cellar, and Chewbacca took the stones from the wall and took out five tiny datacrons. He put the stones in place and handed all the datacrons to Chati who put them in the leather pouch at her belt. Cautiously they ascended the stairs, left the door to the cellar open, passed the corridor and left the building through the back door. It was almost dark. Chewbacca took the girl in his arms again and hurried with her through the entangled vines to the forested hill. Within an hour they were driving along the plains west of Ribana back to their other friends.
Madine looked at the another decoded message in front of him. Again the same encryption code and the decryption key had been sent together. Slowly he shook his head. These strange messages, after each other in a short time, didn't make sense. Again the message was addressed at the unknown coordinates on Coruscant. Even more intriguing was the heading of the message. The one who had send it seemed to be in close relation to the receiver who was addressed as "my teacher and friend." What could that mean? Who was this friend, who seemed to be the sender's teacher, but was also his friend.
Madine knew the names of the triarchy of the Provisional Coruscant Council, and was familiar with some of the names of the other members of the Council. He activated his infocom and asked for a complete list of members of the Coruscant Council. Some twenty names turned up and Madine followed the links to the next pages which gave some detailed information about the person behind the names. He knew several of them. Two or three had been followers of emperor Palpatine during the Empire. Bootlickers who had fought their way up in the imperial echelons during the emperor's reign. After the collapse of the empire these men had denied their involvement, taking care to get a new function during the cease fire and the signing of the truce with the Alliance. Madine knew that Mon Mothma had met all the members and had later expressed her disgust in private about some of them. However she had shown great respect for the three high-ranking officers in the imperial space fleet who had become the main negotiators on the peace treaty. Pensively, Madine read the strange address again. Then he activated his own secure information system and send the message in an encrypted form to his friend Sorjon Tyloban. There was a good chance that Sorjon knew who went by these titles. Madine switched off and stared at the empty display. He rose and went over to another infocom system to contact the commander of Gold Squadron.
"Commander Antilles, do you copy?" He asked.
Wedge Antilles' image popped up on the holodisplay.
"Yes, general. "
"You told me about a request from admiral Vestor of the Basilisæa to help him finding one of his men on Palomintar Four "
"Indeed, general, I denied him landing any shuttle or transport ship according my order."
"Do you have any idea what kind of person that man could be or why he is there."
"The admiral didn't tell me why his man is on Palomintar Four. "
"Hmm, thank you, commander. Have you and your men gotten any further news about the Basilisæa"
"Nothing, general. She is still in orbit around Palomintar Six. My men have taken position between Palomintar Six and Five. If she would leave her orbit we immediately can intercept her and ask for her destination."
"Thank you, commander Antilles. I will brief our friends on Palomintar Four as soon as the Tychorion is in range of their landing spot. Maybe I'll contact to you later. "
Madine broke off the connection with Gold Squadron and left his room. He went over to the control room and checked the Tychorion's position relative to Palomintar Four.
"Warn me immediately when we're in range of our friends down on Palomintar Four, officer," He ordered.
"Aye, sir. The continent of Myr will come up in two hours. General Solo's infocom will be in range ten minutes after we have reached that position. Do you want the Tychorion to go in a stationary orbit above the continent, while you're addressing general Solo."
Madine confirmed the question and walked over to the display of the Palomintar System. For a moment he watched the position of the planets around the system's center where Palom the system's bright star held her children in a tight grip. Then he walked over to the observers' desk.
"Observed anything out of the ordinary, officer?"
"No, sir. We're checking all coordinates along the trajectory from Dalmaran to this system around the clock, but no vibrations of exhaust engines are reported."
Madine sighed. He wondered where the two runaway Jedi padawans and Liane Solichor had gone.
"We'll keep you informed, sir. As soon as we discover the exhaust gasses of a cloaked ship we will activate the tracker beam and pulled her in."
"Be careful. Hail first, ask to uncloak. If you've got no answer, contact Gold Squadron to close in on the intruding vessel and escort it to the Tychorion."
"We will, sir."
Madine walked back to the control room and waited for his next rendez-vous with Palomintar Four, while he read the decode message again. When his officer warned him the Tychorion was in range Madine activated the call to Han Solo. Han's image popped up on the holo display.
"General, any news from the Astræga?"
"No, general Solo, but I have received a similar message as the first one. This time it was aimed at Coruscant directly. Again its content puzzling. The sender mentioned that it seems that a complete garrison of storm troopers and their commander have been deliberately killed by the intruder, that former imperial admiral on Palomintar Four. Their star destroyer exploded right after a transport ship boarded. The few storm troopers who stayed behind on Palomintar Four were killed by droids."
"Did he send it this time without encryption."
"No, he still makes use of that ancient imperial code, but again he included the decryption key."
"Luke thinks, that Coruscant has send an undercover agent to Palomintar Four. If that's true the guy might have a good reason be very prudent. It seems he doesn't have confidence in the admiral of the Basilisæa. Possibly after Admiral Vestor took Darth Golluth on board his ship to take him to Endor. You should ask Leia about that visit." Han said.
"She told me about it. It could mean that he suspects admiral Vestor of loyalty to Darth Golluth."
"Could be a good reason why he isn't reporting to the admiral. I will inform the others. Thanks, general for the update."
The Astræga was circling above Tatooine in a stationary orbit at about twenty planet diameters. She was invisible for prying eyes as Yarmod had activated the cloaking device. From the cockpit the planet still filled a large part of the window screen. Liane stood looking at the yellow glowing sphere, that looked almost like a soft glowing sun.
Somewhere down there in the Jundland Waste her father had been living for nearly two decades, watching over Luke Skywalker, the hope of the Rebel Alliance and the future of the galaxy. While Luke grew up on the moisture farm of his uncle, unaware of the his Force potential and his ancestry, his father had adopted and taken care of the daughter of a Jedi Knight. He had trained and instructed her at the Dark Side of the Force, filling her mind with ideas of power, ultimate control and passion.
Liane sighed. She looked at her own reflection that could be vaguely seen in the transparisteel screen in front of her.
Almost twenty years she had been an apprentice of the Dark Side, then Luke Skywalker had crossed her path. He had had a tremendous influence on her life and had turned everything upside down, changing all her old believes.
Liane smiled and shook her head.
No, Luke hadn't changed all her old wrong believes, part of them she already had discarded a long time before she met him. But Luke had helped her to become aware of the Good Side of the Force, her skills as a healer, like her mother had been.
Now she wanted take her next step on this new path; she must assemble her own lightsaber which would the ultimate proof of her union with the Unifying Force on the Good Side of the Force. After she had taken that hurdle, only one thing remained. She had to ask Luke to be her master and teach her everything a Jedi Knight had to know.
She sighed again. The twin suns of Tatooine were illuminating part of the planet, reflecting the intense glare of the desert lands.
Liane watched the colors of the different landscapes on the planet's surface. She had asked Yarmod and Ian ... oh, no, her brother Tama-Hinn, to keep the Astræga near Tatooine, for she had had a strange feeling that she needed to stay near the planet where her father, her advisor Ben, had lived in exile, for she wanted to do the Illum-meditation during their stay in Tatooine's orbit. Yet she hadn't a clue if the Astræga really was the right place where she would find the necessary inner peace and concentration to perform the one of the most difficult Jedi meditations. She had looked at different spaces: Leia's room, now hers, the control room, the different cargo holds, even the spaces where the hyperdrive and the ion-engine were installed, but not one of those places had evoked a real satisfactory feeling.
"Still I must find a spot where I can perform the Illum-meditation and create my own lightsaber," she mused, while she sat down in one of the pilot chairs.
"Is there anything we can do for you, mistress Liane? You know Artoo and I want to do anything to make you feel comfortable."
Startled Liane turned in her chair and started to laugh.
"Threepio, Artoo, I'm so sorry. You're such a pair of loyal servants and I hardly pay attention to you both."
She looked at her two droid friends, and shook her head.
"No, I don't think you two can help me. To be honest, Threepio, I need Luke's knowledge and presence for what I want to achieve."
"Maybe you should contact him the way you always do, mistress Liane," the golden droid suggested.
"That would make matters worse, Threepio. If I contact Luke now, he will probably send Wedge Antilles to pick us up and bring us back to Na'ctaMagh'Ba, or some place else. No, I have to do this all by myself."
"Did you talk to master Ian and master Yarmod about your problem?" Threepio asked inquisitively.
"I did, Threepio, and they also don't have a solution. They could performed the Illum-meditation to assemble their own lightsaber, while we were in Ben's home. They are both ready to become Jedi Knights."
"And you also want to assemble your own lightsaber, mistress Liane?"
"I have to, Threepio, if I want to go the Palomintar Four and tell Trevor Matrik to stop chasing me."
Artoo hooted a long stream of binary language. Liane grinned and stretched out her hand to the barrelshaped droid.
"Thank you, for you concern, Artoo. I know, that Luke has assembled his own lightsaber years ago in a cave near Ben's house. I've been there, but I didn't feel comfortable about the place. No, guys, I have to find my own place somewhere, or I have to drop this idea for the time being. I'm still no one's padawan, you know."
Artoo hooted again a comment.
"Artoo says, master Luke would be greatly surprised, if he finds out what you can do, using the Force. Artoo thinks, you're doing very well with all the practise you've been doing in the underground residence."
Liane smiled again.
"You're right, but performing the Illum-meditation takes a lot more knowledge of the Force than I posses yet, Threepio."
She rose and patted Artoo on his domed head and lay her hand with a friendly gesture on Threepio's arm.
"Thank you, for listening to me. I'm going to my cabin and do some Jedi meditation practise. It will certainly help me to get some relaxation. You both switch off yourself for a while, and recharge. We might need you two when we've arrived on Palomintar Four. I don't think you will get some moments to recharge once we're there. It's going to be tough, guys, I fear."
She left the cockpit and walked to the deserted control room. The ship was on auto-pilot and its computer carried out all necessary controls and corrections. Her friends were in their cabins fast asleep. Liane wandered to her own cabin and entered. She looked around. This had been Leia's cabin, when Luke and his sister had been traveling together. It was unlikely that Leia would ever use the Astræga again with Luke. Leia was now part of the crew of the Millennium Falcon and Han's wife. Only Luke would use the Astræga after his sister's marriage. Only Luke! Liane smiled happily. No, Luke wouldn't travel alone. She would travel with him. She would be the new user of Leia's cabin. She and Luke, they would travel through the galaxy, at first she would be his padawan-learner, but after her final trials she would be his partner Jedi Knight.
'Keep your mind on this moment, Shaayla-Car,' She ordered herself, 'stop daydreaming about the future. A lot of obstacles had to be solved before that vision might come true, if it ever will.'
"I'm sure I have to perform the Illum-meditation on board this ship, but I haven't a clue where," She said aloud, more to hear her own voice.
'You want to do the Illum-meditation, Liane,'a soft voice said.
In front of her the apparition of Anakin Skywalker appeared.
"Yes, father, for I need to assemble my own lightsaber, before I'm going to Palomintar Four to assist Luke." Liane said determinedly.
'Palomintar Four can be a dangerous place for you to go,'
"I realize it is, but I have to stop Trevor from messing up the galaxy with his lack of Force knowledge."
The apparition of Anakin Skywalker laughed and nodded approvingly.
'You're right, my daughter. He has to be stopped, but you must team up others to stop him. Don't think you can defeat him on your own.'
"Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca will be there, father, and Yarmod and Ian are coming with me too. Luke also told me that a group of original inhabitants have come with him. Maybe they will help us too."
'Good, my daughter. I had to warn you not to do anything rash, or carry out one of your reckless plans. Now I will show you a spot that might help you to perform the Illum-meditation. Come with me.' the apparition of Anankin vanished. Liane slid the door aside and stepped in the dimmed lighted corridor. There the Force apparition of Anakin was waiting for her. He pointed ahead of him and beckoned her to follow him. Liane followed, wondering what her father wanted to show her. The corridor made a slight bend and Anakin stopped for a durasteel door in a shallow niche.
'You've been here before, remember,'He said.
Liane nodded.
"This is the entrance to your former meditation room. The door is locked with a code."
'You could ask my son to give you the code, couldn't you?'
Liane shook her head.
"No, I can't, father, for then I would reveal to him where Yarmod, Ian and I are and I don't want Luke to know that I want to join him on Palomintar Four. Not yet."
'Do you really think, my daughter, that my son isn't aware of your intentions. Don't you remember the three Force visions you have had about Palomintar Four and our former friend Trevor Matrik, or Darth Golluth as he is calling himself now.'
"Luke doesn't know that we went to Tatooine to make our own real lightsabers, father," Liane said stubbornly.
'That's indeed something he doesn't expect, but I'm sure he'll approve your decision. Those training lightsabers wouldn't have helped you and your friends. If you don't want to ask my son for the code of the meditation room I can not further help you,' Anakin said and his apparition disappeared, but Liane heard him laugh softly.
"He left me deliberately, so I would find the solution myself," She said. She walked over to the console and typed a series of six numbers. Nothing happened. She tried another sequence, but the door didn't give way. On her third try she extended the series to all nine numbers. To no avail. Pensively she stepped back and looked at the console and the locked door, then suddenly she started laughing too.
"Thank you, father, you're still instructing me the way you always did. I have to use the Force to show me the code."
She walked over to the console and put her fingers on the buttons. Then she tuned in on the Force and slowly started to press several buttons with the guidance of the Force. After ten numbers the door slid aside and the small stair of four steps that lead to the lower room, became visible.
Hesitatingly Liane walked down the stairs and looked around in the domed space. She remembered how she had stood here when she and Luke had entered Tatooine's orbit after their flight from Endor. The view of the stars in the void of the galaxy had been overwhelming.
Now the panels that protected the transparasteel dome were closed, but Liane saw a small console at the wall and started reading the captions on the buttons. She pressed one and a soft glowing light started to illuminate the walls around the lower part of the floor.
The top of the dome rose some three meters above her head. She turned to the console again and wanted to activate another button, but her hand stopped, instead she switched off the light tubes and left the room. She put her hand on the console near the door and let the Force guide her to close the door. Feeling some excitement she went back to her cabin, gathered the parts she needed to assemble her lightsaber and walked through the corridor back to the meditation room.
After she had entered again and lit the light tubes again, she pressed a button on the console to close the door. Thoughtfully she placed the stone with the Illum-crystals, the power cell, the several switches, the beam amplifier, the disk and the handgrip in the middle of the floor, before she sat down cross-legged in front of them. Her eyes wandered over the different parts. Yes, all the elements she needed were here, now she had to find her inner peace, close herself off from any disturbing thoughts and deepen her connection with the Force.
For a short moment she looked up at the dome high above her head, then she started to smile, rose again and walked over to the console. Carefully she read the captions, then she firmly pressed a double set of buttons. The lights dimmed, the floor started to rise and the protecting panels vanished, leaving her in a bulb of the transparisteel dome, that left her a unobstructed view on the deep velvet black of the galaxy where the different stars sparkled. Tatooine drifted in front of her in this fast void of space. An overwhelming feeling of joy engulfed her as she saw the gold yellow glowing planet Tatooine.
'I'm only one of the billions of life forms in this galaxy. Nobody notices me, here in this space ship, and yet I'm bound to everything and everyone out there.' She thought and sat down near the parts of her lightsaber again.
The raised floor still gave her a full view of the galaxy and she became a part of it only separated by the transparisteel dome.
Unwittingly she reached out to the Force and let the unseen power show her the secret bonds between the tiny sparkling stars and their planets. Billions of living things were bound by the Force and Liane felt how she was part of it. The power of the Force began to surround her and it seemed to her that she became weightless and radiant, a luminous being, one with the Force.
She looked down and saw the glittering Force flow between herself and the parts that had to become her lightsaber.
The stone with the precious crystals inside radiated a bright glow.
Slowly she raised her hand and the stone started to hover and floated to her. It came to rest in her outstretched hands. Carefully she covered the stone with her fingers to guard and to protect the treasure inside of it. The stone felt warm and cold at the same moment.
Deep in her Force trance Liane looked at the stone. Her Force meditation intensified further. She could even see the crystals inside the stone. There were five large ones and quite a number of smaller crystals near the rim. Softly she put some pressure on both sides and all at once the stone split in two halves. Four of the five large crystals remained attached to stone halve in her right hand, but the fifth crystal started to hover in front of her.
Amazed Liane put the stone halves aside and reached out to the crystal that had detached itself from the stone. She let it turn to all sides while it hovered. It was an elongated transparent crystal which slowly began to radiate an intense green glow with six regular sides in the middle and two pointed ends.
Liane left the crystal in midair and turned to the other parts to start assembling her lightsaber.
Almost immediately the other parts rose from the floor and lined up with the crystal. With her thoughts focussed on the crystal and the Force she started to fix the parts in the same way Luke had taught her when she had assembled the training saber. One by one the parts fell in the right place inside the handgrip. With her Force thoughts Liane fixed the disk at the top of the handgrip and the amplifier of the beam underneath. In the lower part she fixed the power cell and the switches to activate the beam. Finally she touched the crystal with her thoughts and let slit underneath the amplifier. With a soft clicking sound the crystal fixed itself near the amplifier. She attached the threads of the amplifier with the power cell and attached the upper part and lower part of the lightsaber together.
In front of her in midair now hovered a completed lightsaber, her lightsaber. Liane surrounded the weapon with her thoughts and became one with the power the weapon implied. It lifted her and like the weapon she started to hover above the floor of the meditation room. She felt an inner peace with all that surrounded her.
Through the Force she saw the images of her former lives and her long union with her unseen ally. Time didn't seem to exist any longer and Liane let herself drift in her deep Force trance. The Force showed her the many life forms which existed in the galaxy, the big and dangerous one, but also tiny life forms and friendly species which are living their lives on far off worlds. It made her aware of her deep bond with all those different lives, the very tiny ones, but also the huge, sometime monstrous and frightening ones.
Her journey through and connection with the Unifying Force lasted a long time. Much time seemed to pass slowly and unnoticed. Finally she returned to the meditation room and looked at her lightsaber that still hovered in front of her.
Completely relaxed she reached out to the lightsaber and it came to rest in her hand. Keeping her Force trance she admired her new weapon and the strong bond she felt with it. This lightsaber was hers, forever. It belonged to her, like she also belonged to Luke Skywalker, her eternal friend and partner in the Force. The Force had bound her magically to this new piece of equipment. Carefully she touched the weapon, took it in the firm grip of both hands and pressed the switch. A glowing, sparkling green beam extended from the disk.
Slowly she lowered herself to the floor and stood up with the ignited lightsaber high above her head. She still clenched the weapon in both hands in the same way she had once seen on the picture in the Jedi Path and which Luke had carved in the Jedi-pendant.
"I hope I will learn to wield this Jedi weapon for peace and justice," She said aloud, before she held the lightsaber in front of her face in the formal Jedi greeting and deactivated it, then she released herself from her Force trance. She hooked her new weapon at her belt, next to the training saber Luke had made.
"I did it," She whispered.
'I knew you could do it here,'a soft voice said.
"Thank you, father," Liane said with a smile.
She kneeled and picked up the two halves of the stone. With great care and respect she put the two halves together, taking care not to break the existing four crystals.
'When I visit Ben's house again I will put these back next to the stones Yarmod and my brother used.' She thought
After having closed the panel walls and lowered the floor, she left the meditation room. Before she went to the control room she brought the two halves of rock to her cabin. As she neared the control room she heard Yarmod and Ian were talking. She entered and her two friends were looking at her with a concerned expression.
"Liane! Where have you been? We've been looking for you everywhere?" Ian said relieved.
With a unsure laugh Liane hooked her lightsaber from her belt and held it out to her friends.
"You did it!" Yarmod exclaimed.
Liane nodded, but all of a sudden she could no longer suppress her emotions. Her vision became blurred as tears of great relief and excitement welled up in her eyes. Ian went over to her and put his arm around her.
"Now you're really belong to us Jedi, Shaayla-Car!" He softly said and held her tight for a moment to console and comfort her.
"I thought I never could do it," Liane whispered, but a feeling of great joy flowed through her.
Yarmod joined them and put his arm around her.
"I'm proud of you," He whispered in her ear, "And so will be your parents, and master Luke. Shaayla-Car, you've taken a huge step this time. Ian, what do you think, shouldn't your sister dress herself as a padawan learner."
Ian Tydon nodded in agreement, but Liane objected.
"Luke hasn't taken me as his padawan yet, Yarmod."
"You told us, that you have been talking about it with master Luke," Ian said, "Let's find out, if somewhere in the Astræga are some suitable padawan clothes. Master Luke once told me, that his sister was dressed as a padawan learner, before he went with her to Dagobah."
"I'm already wearing many of Leia's clothes," Liane protested.
"I know, but those were from master Leia's wardrobe, before she became a Jedi Knight. Come on, Shaayla-Car, show us master Leia's cabin. I'm sure we will find her padawan clothes there."
Reluctantly Liane followed her two friends to Leia's former cabin. Thoroughly Yarmod and Ian inspected the remaining clothes in the wardrobe, while Liane warned them to keep everything tidy. To Liane's relief the boys didn't find Leia's padawan outfit, but neither Ian, nor Yarmod wanted to give up their plan easily.
"Let's have a look in master Luke's quarters," Ian said.
"No, Tama-Hinn, Luke's cabin is private. You can't rummaged through his belongings and properties. I even wonder, if Luke hasn't locked this private quarters," Liane protested again
"We don't know, if we don't have a look," Yarmod said.
To Liane's reluctance her companions pulled her to the other side of the Astræga, where Luke's quarters were. Ian pressed the button to open the door. Immediately it slid aside. Yarmod and Ian entered the room, but Liane stayed outside, feeling very uncomfortable. Slowly she retreated from the entrance and started to walk back to the control room, when she heard a triumphant yell from Yarmod.
"Liane, come over here. Your brother was right. There's a box with Jedi clothes in here."
With a frown Liane went back and entered Luke's cabin. She had been here only once, when Luke had shown her the Astræga on Endor. She remembered that his room was sober, a couch, a chair, a small desk and a closet. Compared with Leia's cabin Luke's quarters weren't luxurious. As she entered, she saw Yarmod, holding up a Jedi tunic and pants. Liane shook her head and started laughing.
"These certainly aren't my size, Yarmod," She said and walked over to the two boys, who looked at her with glee.
"Why not try them on, Liane?" Yarmod said, "There are several other sets in this case. Please, Liane, do us a favor? We want you to look like Luke's padawan."
He put the Jedi outfit in her arms and looked at her with a irresistible smile.
Liane took the clothes and looked at them. How would she look in these clothes? She remembered how she had dressed herself as a padawan, while Luke and she had been in the apartment in Mos Eisley.
"Alright, you both win. I'll take these to my cabin. I'll be right back."
She went back to her cabin and put on the clothes. To her surprise they fitted. In wonder she stared at her image in the large mirror in Leia's wardrobe. How could it be, that these clothes where her size? For a moment her thoughts trailed off. Could it be that Luke had been expected earlier, that she would be come his padawan learner? She remembered that he had always alluded at her Jedi training. She turned round and looked at the holographic image of her friend.
"Finally you have won, master Luke," She whispered with a laugh, "From now on, I will follow you and call you master Luke. Take me as your padawan, Jedi master Luke, I want to follow your footsteps and become a Jedi Knight, like you, like Anakin, and my parents, Obi-Wan and Severini."
She braided a strand of her hair at the right side of her head and fixed the rest of her hair in some tight knots at the back of her head. She fastened the belt with her lightsaber over her tunic and put on the Jedi coat Ian and Yarmod had given her on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. Before she left Leia's cabin she cast a last look at herself. With satisfied smile she closed the wardrobe and walked over to the door. In the passageway Ian and Yarmod were waiting for her.
"You look great in these clothes, Shaayla-Car. You're born to wear this outfit. Now you're a real padawan learner, master Luke's padawan learner," her brother said as he took her hand.
Liane chuckled and firmly pressed his hand.
"The only thing I lack is a pair of boots, like the ones you're wearing," She said, pointing to her own pair of shoes.
"Let's get back to Tatooine and land on Mos Eisley's space port," Yarmod suggested, "I'm sure we will find a shop where they can make you a pair of nice boots."
"Don't worry, Liane, no one knows we're on Tatooine. You don't have to be afraid that some one finds out about our escape," he continued, as he saw the thoughtful frown on her face.
"I guess you're right about that, Yarmod, but before we land at Mos Eisley space port I want to get back to Ben's house. I want to secure the rock with the crystals, I've been using. There are several more crystals inside which can be used in a lightsaber."
"The rock is broken, Liane. You told us, that to create a lightsaber a future Jedi has to choose on of rocks that radiated with his core and the crystals inside. I think, the rocks we've used are useless now. We'd better go straight to Mos Eisley to find you a pair of boots. You can put the rock you've used in the vault in the flight control room. If we meet master Luke you can tell him."
Liane considered Yarmod's arguments, and nodded.
"I will tell Luke about it, and I will accompany him to Ben's house and show him the file Ben has left for him. Set course for Mos Eisley space port."
They were nearing Tatooine again at sublight speed. Yarmod piloted the Astræga with ease. Liane admired his skills. Ian constantly checked their position. As they came in range of the space port Ian asked clearance to land. Without any problems Yarmod landed the space craft in one of the docking bays.
Liane ordered Threepio and Artoo to stay and watch after the Astræga. After the standard landing procedure they left the space port and looked for a shop where Liane would get herself a pair of boots. They asked several passersby and finally they were directed to a little shop where all kinds of leather products were hanging outside. As they were carefully looking at the different products, the shop owner came outside and asked them what they were looking for. Liane pointed at the boots her companions were wearing and asked if he had something similar for her. The shop owner looked at the padawans' footwear and shook his head.
"I haven't a pair of these ones available, ma'am, but I can have a pair ready in three days, if that suits you?"
"Three days," Liane said and looked at Yarmod and Ian, who both nodded.
"I accept," She said, "What your price?"
"Three hundred credits, ma'am, in cash, if you please."
"That's fine. Three hundred credits in cash and you have my boots ready in three days." Liane stretched out her hand in agreement. Amazed the shop owner took it, then he beckoned the three friends to enter.
"I'll take your measure, ma'am. You will find that your new boots will fit perfectly," The man said and brought Liane to a chair at the back, "Sit down here, ma'am. I'll be back in a few minutes."
He left, but returned almost immediately with a very sophisticated looking droid.
"Take the precise measure of her feet, the form of her legs and show the results in a holographic image," The shop owner order the droid, "Ma'am, would you please, take off the shoes you're wearing?"
Liane took off her low boots and the droid started to touch her feet and legs.
"How high do you want your new boots, madam. Up to the knee, as your companions."
Liane nodded and the shop owner instructed the droid. Within a few minutes the droid was ready and a holographic image of a strong pair of knee high boots popped on the display next to the chair.
"What kind of leather, do you prefer, ma'am?" The shop owner asked, "I would suggest you take this very fine womprat leather. It's absolutely the best, resistant to all weather conditions, and indestructible, but it's also very soft and comfortable, due to a special process which I have developed myself. The fur will keep your feet warm and dry under all circumstances. The soles will be of Bantha leather which has been strengthened with filaments of durasteel, thinner than a hair. What color did you have in mind, madam? I would say take dark brown."
Liane and her friends started to laugh.
"You're really an expert in your profession," Yarmod said, "Liane, if you take this man's advice, you will have a pair of very sturdy boots which will last for years."
"They certainly will, sir. What do you think, ma'am?"
"I rely on your expertise, sir," Liane said kindly while putting on her old boots.
The shop owner beamed.
"You won't be sorry, ma'am. Your boots will be ready at the agreed time. Three days from now."
They left the shop and were walking back to Mos Eisleys's center, when a unexpected yell, calling Liane's old name: Eilidh, caught their attention. Three young men came running in their direction. Liane immediately recognized them.
"Kieran, Ronan, Bran! So good to meet you here, are your other brothers here too. They must be, you're always traveling together," Liane exclaimed and hugged her old friends.
The three Grann brother enthusiastically greeted Yarmod and Ian.
"What are you doing here, Eilidh? Come let us look at you. You're a Jedi padawan now I guess," Kieran said, looking at Liane.
"Almost, Kieran," Liane said.
"I guess, that commodore Skywalker is your master," Ronan commented.
"He will be shortly."
"Come with us, or are you in a hurry. You have to tell us all what has happened to you and commodore Skywalker. Hey, Yarmod and Ian, are you both already Jedi Knights. No, you aren't, you're still two padawans. Where are your masters?" Bran asked.
The three brother pulled Liane and her friends with them in the direction of the space port.
"Yarnick, Brion and Conor are discussing necessary checks and repairs to our ship. We're docking here for some time. It's nothing serious, but Yarnick wants a thorough check of our ion-engine and the hyperdrive motivator. They will be delighted to see you again."