Chapter 77

"Next time, I'm going with you, Luke. I want to see the guy for myself."

Luke shook his head.

"No you don't, Han. I have to keep your presence and that of Leia and the harvesters secret. Although I trust Doran, I don't want him to know I'm here with a bunch of people. I'm as cautious as he is, Han."

"I'm still not convinced. What if he warns those imperial friends of his on the Basilisæa, or on Coruscant? Leia, didn't you tell us, that the admiral of the Basilisæa has teamed up with Trevor?"

Leia nodded.

"On Endor I've got the impression that admiral Vestor and Trevor have come to a kind of agreement. It's have discussed this with Mon Mothma and neither of us were absolutely certain that admiral Vestor teamed up voluntarily. It's reasonable to assume that Trevor knows that the Basilisæa is the only star destroyer that has never been involved in the last battles between the Empire and the Alliance."

"That doesn't tell us anything about that Doran Whain. How can you be sure that he isn't colluding with his admiral, and thus with our guy Trevor. He has served on Basilisæa, hasn't he?"

"He will send a report to the triarchy on Coruscant about what I've told him about Liane, Han. For her wellbeing is the main reason why you're mistrusting him. Evidently, Mon Mothma conducted emergency consultations with the Provisional Council on Coruscant. Doran has promised me that he will contact me immediately if Liane shows up in Ribana," Luke said convincingly, but Han still looked very skeptical.

"At least that's something, but I think, we'd better stay away from this chap, and continue with the harvesters' plan. I must say, that with your recent Jedi help, their plan shows a reasonable progression. If we could make an overflow of the lake into the pool and from there into the new canal and back into the underground tunnel we might succeed to drive Trevor out of his underground caves. I understand that you've almost reached the point where the underground tunnel meets the caves Toallin, Mugin and the other Quelans have been digging out for him."

"We certainly will continue to support the harvesters with our Force skills. If we could indeed redirect the water into its former bedding Trevor's caves could be flooded. That would leave him only one option leave his underground maze of caves, but that wouldn't imply that he would give up his plans and surrender," Luke commented.

Han grinned.

"Chewie and I can stop him as soon as he runs for his life."

Luke and Leia started to laugh too, and also Chewbacca grunted a laugh.

"Let's hope we'll soon hear from Wedge, or general Madine, that the Astræga has landed on board the Tychorion," Leia said, "Luke, I suggest, that you talk to the general to send Ian, Yarmod, and Wedge down to Myr with the Astræga, while Liane stays on board the Tychorion."

Luke got a fit of laughter.

"And you think, Leia, that Liane will accept such a agreement. You know, as I do, that Liane surpasses our Quelan girlfriend Chati, when it come to finding a way to jeopardize any plans. They could be sisters in improvisation."

After her convincing help to Toallin's wife Liane and her brother Ian were warmly welcomed as honored members of the Quelan community. The six Grann brothers also shared in the welcoming party which Udine, her sister Camona, Toallin and Mugin had ordered, after Liane's chat with Udine.

In the blink of an eye several tables were set up along the edge of the central plaze, on which dozens of bowls of food, fruit and cakes seemed to appear out of no where. Some younger Quelans, including Chati's brothers, Talann and Roninn, came with arms full of wood and branches to build a bonfire in the middle of the plaza. Liane was a bit embarrassed as almost every Quelan woman wanted to meet her, and shake hands with her.

A elderly man and a young boy had arrived on the plaza and Toallin and Mugin went over to them.

"What's going on here, governors?" The old man asked with a deep voice.

"Some guests have come to visit us, Manall. It's good that you have come down to join this celebration with us, for our female guest has told us that my daughter Chati is on Myr with Cornell and his men. Come, Manall, I introduce you to our friends," Toallin said in an elated mood.

He took the arm of the harvester and beckoned the boy to follow them. Toallin looked around and spotted Liane and Ian in the middle of a large group of young Quelans. The youngsters seemed intrigued by the outfit of the brother and sister. Ian showed his training lightsaber and offered a few daring young Quelans to ignite it. He laughed at Liane.

' During my former visit master Leia challenged me to a training duel. These kids enjoyed watching it. Shall we show them again, Shaayla-Car?' He asked suddenly, but before Liane could answer Toallin called her and walked over with the old man and his companion. The youngsters stepped aside to let the elderly man pass.

"Shaayla-Car, Ian, I want to introduce to you to Manall. His son Cornell and the other harvesters are on Myr with Luke Skywalker."

Ian and Liane turned to the newcomers. Liane noticed that the harvest man had made an almost imperceptible gesture hearing Luke's name, but the old man looked at Ian in an even greater wonder.

"Manall, this is Shaayla-Car. She has told Udine and me that Chati also is on Myr," Toallin said.

Liane looked at him with a grateful smile, because he didn't reveal how she had been able to help Udine to overcome her despair and shame.

"And this, Manall, is her brother Ian. He was already on Cantamaga, when he and his friends brought us back. He convinced his friends to help us to free our hometown, so we can get back to Myr."

Manall still looked at Ian Tydon very attentively.

Toallin and Mugin excused themselves and left. Manall watched them go, then he turned his eyes back to Ian. The youngsters had formed a group around the old man and the two padawans.

"What was your name again, young man?" Manall asked.

"Toallin and Mugin know me as Ian Tydon, sir," Ian said politely.

"They know you as Ian Tydon, but that's not your real name, isn't it?" Manall said inquisitively and looked at Ian's outfit.

After a few moments he continued.

"And you and your sister are Jedi Knights?"

"We are padawan learners, sir. We want to become Jedi Knights one day. We're on our way to join our masters."

Manall took a flashlight from his belt and ignited it. The bright beam illuminated Ian's face. Manall shook his head, then he switched off the flashlight, seemingly disappointed.

"My apologies, Ian Tydon. You must forgive an old man, but for a moment I thought I saw an old friend of mine. He also was a Jedi Knight, but it couldn't be you, of course, for my Jedi friend was of my age, so he should have been as old as I am. Maybe you have heard of him. He was quite famous, for he was a great general. Yes, a great general and so was his younger friend, also a Jedi Knight. They both visited Palomintar Four several times in the past. A long time ago. Yes, a long time. I was a young man, a young harvester. My Jedi friends sometimes sought refuge for some days in the caves near the harvesters community building behind Ribana. They told me that there was a war going on. They always arrived very secretly, as if they were afraid to be discovered. They never stayed long, only a few days, sometimes only a few hours. Yes very short, a few hours." Manall was talking more to himself than to Ian and Liane.

Liane was looking intensively at the old man and suddenly several images flashed through her mind. Images from a past, from a time long ago, when the galaxy had been in turmoil. She wanted say something, when Manall focussed his attention on Ian again. He beckoned the young boy who stood silently waiting next to him.

"I'm getting a bit tired, Lorann. My wounds are aching, those damned Urams have hurt me badly."

Again his gaze returned to Ian, and he looked at him sharply and nodded.

"Yes, I still remember my friend's name. The more I look at you, son, the more I remember of my old friend, but you're too young to have ever met him. What's your age?"

"I'm twenty-eight, sir," Ian said, and continue, "You'd better sit down indeed? You said you're wounded."

Ian turned to Talann.

"Talann, can you get a comfortable chair."

Immediately the group of youngster ran away. Within the blink of an eye they returned, carrying a large chair, two pouffes, and a lot cushions. Manall sat himself in the chair. The young boy sat down at Manall's feet. The group youngsters formed a circle on the cushions to listen. It was clear to Liane and Ian that Manall was a respected harvest man who also loved to talk about his experiences.

"Yes, sit down, all of you, and listen to some old stories. Yes, you too, Lorann. I've never talked much about my Jedi friends. I've always been cautious to reveal my friendship with them. Even your father, Lorann, doesn't know much about that friendship. Maybe because by that time this galaxy had been dragged into a horrible war. A war which afterwards wiped out one of the most brilliant groups of all kind of species: the Jedi Order and all its members. Yes, yes, don't look surprised. You've probably heard many rumors about some Jedi Knights who once have visited Palomintar Four in the past. I tell you, those rumors are true. Old Manall's friends have told him what was happening in our galaxy, and after the war I have always tried to find news about my two friends, for when the war was over, and the news was brought to Palomintar Four that an emperor was ruling this galaxy, Manall's old friends never visited this planet again."

Again he looked at Ian and Liane who had taken a seat on the two poufs opposite the old man.

"What does my story tell you, my young friends?" He asked.

Liane heard the sadness in his voice and reached out to comfort him. She felt compassion for the old and wounded, but still very proud man.

"Well, what does my story tell you?" Manall asked again.

"Sir, the only conclusion can be, that your two Jedi friends have been killed in that war, like the other members of the Jedi Order." Liane said softly.

"Very good, my dear girl, very good, but that's not true, for I always felt that my friends would return. I felt they hadn't been killed, but weren't able to visit Palomintar Four again. But they weren't dead, at least one of my old friends wasn't, for sometimes during my sleeping hours I dreamt about him, and I saw him as clearly as I see you. Whatever has happened to his companion I don't know, but I knew, that one of my friends was alive, so I've always hoped that one day he and I would meet again. However a dozen or so years ago the feeling that he was still alive suddenly disappeared. Suddenly, from one day to the other. So, now I'm sure that he won't come back to Palomintar Four to visit me again. Strange, isn't it? Years I've felt that maybe he would come and see me again, and suddenly I became convinced that it was all over," Manall sighed deeply, and again Liane felt the sadness deep inside the old men.

"You said, sir, that you remember your friends' names?" Liane said.

"Oh, yes, I remember, of course, I do. I have never forgotten their names. For they were famous generals with many great battles at their names. You, young man, you resemble the oldest one of my Jedi friends. Have you ever heard of general Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his friend Anakin Skywalker?"

Ian restrained an astonished gesture.

"Yes, I have," He answered and looked at Liane.

"So the great deeds of those Jedi generals have been told to the next generations. Did they tell you about them during your education and training in the Jedi temple on Coruscant?" Manall asked.

"I've neither been on Coruscant, nor in the Jedi temple, sir," Ian said calmly, "My master has told me, that the Jedi temple has been destroyed many years ago, when the emperor took control, and started his reign."

"What a shame, such a beautiful building," the old harvester said slightly angry.

"Have you seen it, sir? Have you been to Coruscant?" Liane asked surprised.

"No,no, I've never left Palomintar Four, but my Jedi friends have shown me many holographic images of Coruscant and the Jedi temple," Manall answered, but he looked at Ian again, and shook his head.

"Young man, it's incredible, how much you resemble my old Jedi friend Obi-Wan; same hair color, your short beard, blue eyes, and almost the same calm facial features."

Ian looked at Liane.

'Tell him the truth, Tama-Hinn,' He heard her say, 'He has recognized you. It will bring back joy in his life. Manall must have some Force skills, that's why Ben and Anakin befriended him.'

"Sir," Ian said slowly, "When I was a young boy I have often been in the company of Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"So he gave you your first lessons to become a Jedi, when you would be older?"

"No, he didn't. He brought me to Corellia where I grew up in the family of an old friend of him. They became my foster-family and gave me the name Ian Tydon, but I've always remembered my real name: Tama-Hinn Kenobi. Your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi is my father."

The look in Manall's eyes brightened and he began to laugh softly.

"So my eyes didn't deceive me. You are a Kenobi, you are my friend's son. Welcome to Cantamaga, Tama-Hinn Kenobi, welcome."

Then he turned to Liane.

"Our governor said, that you're Tama-Hinn's sister. So you're a Kenobi too? What's your name again, young lady?"

Liane nodded with a compassionate smile.

"I'm Shaayla-Car Kenobi, sir, and I'm very proud to meet an old friend of my father Ben Kenobi."

"Ben Kenobi?" Manall asked inquisitively.

"It's long story, sir. Obi-Wan Kenobi, our father, has lived many years in exile, using an alias to avoid, that the emperor would find out the place where he had found a refuge," Liane said in a soothing Jedi voice, showing her compassion with Manall, and bringing some comfort in the old man's mind.

Manall rose.

"There seems to be a lot more to talk about, but I need some rest. Come to the harvesters' community house one of these days. I want to hear your story. I want to know what happened to my old friends."

"We will, sir. It's our pleasure to tell everything we know about our father and his friend."

"Good. Oh, one last question, before I leave; have I been right, and has my friend died many years ago?"

"Our father died during the Civil War, sir," Liane answered, "Shall Ian and I accompany you to your home?"

Manall shook his head and smiled.

"You're very kind people, both of you, and I feel that you will become great Jedi Knight, like my old friends."

He beckoned the younger boy who has accompanied him.

"This is my youngest grandson, Lorann. My son, Cornell, took care of me, after I've got wounded, but he has gone to Myr. My son Cornell is the leader of harvesters now. Lorann will help me to get back to the harvest community building."

Doran Whain attached a small device underneath Darth Golluth's communication system. The protocol droid on duty looked suspiciously at the officer's activity.

"What are you doing there? What are you changing to my master's system.?" The droid asked.

"Listen, you know-it-all mechanical, your master has ordered me to keep this system in a prime condition. Many parts are outdated, so every now and then I have to replace some circuitry which needed repairs." Doran said, sounding annoyed.

"Apologies, colonel, for being inquisitive. I know my master has great confidence in your skills, but I have to explain to him all the changes you're making to his communication system." The droid said.

"You'd better leave those explanations to me," Doran snapped and walked over to the protocol droid, "You'd better keep your mouth shut for a while. Just let me do my job, will you."

Now he stood in front of the protocol droid and looked into its photoreceptors. Provocative Doran put his hands in the pockets of his colonel's uniform. His left hand enclosed a small remote and unseen he pressed a sequence of buttons. The light in the protocol droid's photoreceptors suddenly went out, its head dropped to its chest, and its arms were hanging limp along its body.

"Pleasant dreams, mechanical fool," Doran Whain grinned and turned the droid around.

He attached a small display at the droid's back and activated it. At a rapid pace his fingers touched the holographic keyboard that had become visible. Within minutes he switched to display off, turned the droid to the front, and looked at it with a grin.

"From now on you won't report any of my activities to your master. You only are able to tell your master I'm continuously improving his system." He said, still grinning at the dead eyes of the droid.

He pressed the code on the remote in his pocket and the droid's eyes sprang to life again. The protocol droid looked at him and began nodding approvingly.

"My master will be very pleased with your continuous effort to improve his way to communicate with the worlds outside this system. I will tell my master, you're a very loyal partner of him, colonel."

The droid left the cave with the communication system. Doran Whain, walked over to the main system and activated it. Several holographic screens popped up. Doran selected one of them and typed an access code. The screen changed and became a message input display. He typed only a few words, confirmed he wanted to exit the display. The screen went blank and switched off automatically.

"Let's hope it'll work," He murmured inaudible, while he activated one of the other screens. He began to scroll to the activated screen, when a buzzing sound at the tip of his collar send an alarm. Quickly Doran deactivated all the screens except one. He increased it to full size and looked at it attentively. From the passage outside the cave the footsteps of Darth Golluth were heard.

"My droid just told me, that your way of working shows great dedication to my goal. That's a pleasure to hear, colonel. Have you been able to set up a new attack on that underground hiding place of Liane Vader?" He asked eagerly.

"I have issued several attempts, my lord," Doran answered, "but none of your Dalmaranian spies is very willing to give it a try again. They probably have heard about the failure and arrest of the former group."

"Those were incompetent fools," Darth Golluth snarled, "I want you to find some other more reliable guys. Would one of those bounty hunters be willing to set up a successful attack."

"I have contacted a couple of them, but they also have rejected your offer, my lord,"

"Rejected my offer of a million credits?"

"They said that the risks are too high, but if you want to raise the amount to five million or higher they would consider your offer again, my lord."

"Forget it. Tell them I withdraw even my first offer. They don't have to search for the girl any longer. In fact hiring them has turned out to be useless. None of them could ever provide me with useful information about her. Any news about those Skywalker twins, or Ian Tydon?"

"No, my lord. As far as I could infiltrate any of the rebel systems he or his sister haven't made contact with the girl on Na'ctaMagh'Ba."

"So she still is on Na'ctaMagh'Ba, colonel?" Darth Golluth snapped.

"I haven't gotten any information that she isn't, my lord," Doran Whain said humbly.

"Colonel, could you make contact with those scientists on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. I remember you once suggested that I should bribe one of them."

"No more than a suggestion, my lord, but I always can get to work on a serious attempt."

"Do it now. Probably those scientists has unlimited access to those underground caves, so it will be easy for them to find the cave were the rebels are hiding the girl. Let me know if this new plan might be successful."

Darth Golluth walked back to the door.

"I want some answers tonight, colonel. Let's say during our common dinner?" He said.

Doran's visitor left, hurrying back to his main audience cave. Doran turned to the screen again and activated the other ones. To his surprise the first screen he had used popped up with an urgent message. He activated it and the holographic image of Luke Skywalker appeared.

"Got your test message, Doran. The connection is solid and clear. "

"Excellent. We can't have further talks now, Luke," Doran said, "I'll contact you later, possibly at night hours."

"That's alright with me. It's you who has to be cautious. I'll answer your messages any time," Luke said.

"Fine. I'll contact you again, if there is some news, or if I want to discuss the situation with you."

"Good. Be careful, Doran,"

"I will."

Doran Whain disconnected Luke's secured contact screen, and deactivated the whole system. He removed the small device under the console, and and slipped it into a pouch on the inside of his waistband. Carefully he buttoned the jacket of his uniform, before he left the cave.

Wedge landed the Astræga next to the Corellian freighter and his own transport ship. Yarmod pointed at the freighter.

"That's the Grannd Traveler, ma ... Wedge," He said.

Wedge nodded.

"At least the Grann brothers are still here. That means that Liane and Ian haven't changed their plans."

He switched off the engines and lowered the ramp. Together with Artoo and Threepio, they walked to Cantamaga, where the inhabitants once again looked surprised at the two newcomers. The Council of the Elders with Toallin and Mugin in the lead met Wedge and Yarmod near the village entrance. The two governors greeted them, and bit them welcome. They brought them to the community building in the center of the village.

"Our guests didn't mention you. Weren't they expecting you, master Antilles?" Mugin asked.

"We agreed earlier with them, that we would meet here, governor Fonaldris," Wedge answered dignified.

Toallin nodded.

"So they won't be surprised to see you, master Antilles?"

"I guess not. Can you tell me, where I can I find Liane Solichor, governor?"

"I'll send my son to the harvest community building, master Antilles. Shaayla-Car and her brother have spent yesterday's evening with Manall, one of our oldest and most respected harvest man. They had a long talk with him already on the evening of their arrival. The outcome of their conversation was highly remarkable, my eldest son Talann told me. Manall recognize Ian Tydon as the son of a certain general Obi-Wan Kenobi, an old Jedi friend of him. Our galaxy may seem large, master Jedi, and the Outer Rim Territories are far away, and hardly known to many, but sometimes distances and time don't seem to matter."

Wedge nodded in agreement.

"Has one of our friends told you anything about going to Myr, governor?"

"No, They haven't. Shaayla-Car has told me and my wife that our daughter Chati has gone to Myr when Luke Skywalker and general Solo brought Cornell and his men to the other continent. Even they didn't know that our daughter had hidden herself in general Solo's space ship before they took off for Myr. Neither did Chati tell us her plan. "

"You and your wife must have been very worried, governor," Yarmod said compassionately.

"Yes, we were, especially my wife Udine. Shaayla-Car had a long talk with her; she seems to have a great influence on people to overcome worries and anxieties. Afterwards my wife was very relieved, and so was I, because we thought that the Urams in the nut forests had killed our daughter," Toallin said with a relieved smile, but he looked at Wedge and Yarmod.

"Master Antilles, Ian Tydon told us that he has gone to Dalmaran with the Millennium Falcon. What about his other friends and our harvest men?

Governor, is there a possibility to inform your community about what has happened recently?" Wedge asked.

"Of course there is, master Antilles. My brother and I are worried about the wellbeing of our people, although I understand that they are on Myr, as is master Skywalker, but what about the others. After I've taken care for your guest rooms and served some refreshments, I will gather the Council of the Elders."

Toallin quickly arranged the guest rooms and asked some young female Quelans to take care for refreshments. Wedge and Yarmod Wedge and Yarmod retreated to their guest quarters for a while before heading to the meeting with the Quelan governors and the Council of the Elders. Threepio and Artoo had followed them, but Wedge ordered the droids to make themselves useful while he and Yarmod would talk with the Council. Toallin send Talann to the harvesters' community and told him to hurry, before he too joined the others.

The two governors presided the meeting, and Toallin took the floor.

"On behalf of our community I bit you both welcome and I hope that you will inform us about the situation on Myr."

"Governors and honorable members of this Council," Wedge said, "I will tell you about the recent developments around Palomintar Four and the concern of the government of the New Republic. After the Millennium Falcon left Tyr with your people and the crew an imperial star destroyer the Basilisæa became aware of their flight and chased them. The captain of the Falcon is a very experienced pilot managed to shake the Basilisæa off and made a safe landing on Myr. The harvest men could unload all their equipment safely, but my friends who flew with them to Myr, decided to inform my government on Dalmaran. Only master Skywalker have stayed with your people. On Irithim the New Republic's capital they had a meeting with the Supreme Chancellor, telling her about their encounter with the Basilisæa. In consultation with the members of the High Council and the Senate, the Supreme Chancellor has decided to send the frigate Tychorion to the Palomintar System as well, along with my own group of pilots from the Gold Squadron. It has come to the attention of the Supreme Chancellor that the one who exiled you out of Ribana had been on board the Basilisæa on a trip to another planet."

All the members of the meeting looked at each other.

"Are you telling us, that the intruder had left the caves behind Ribana? If we had known that we could have gone back," some members murmured.

Wedge shook his head.

"His absence was only temporarily. Furthermore, it is now known that he defends his abode with so-called killer droids, so an attempt to recapture your former town would surely have ended in a disaster.

By sending the Tychorion and my group of pilots the Supreme Chancellor wants to keep an eye on what the Basilisæa is doing in this system." Wedge continued

"Does your government suspect that this imperial ship is cooperating with the intruder?" Toallin asked.

"More or less, governor. By sending the Tychorion my government wants to prevent that there will not be any form of physical contact, like the landing of transport ships or the settlement of troops to support the one who occupied Palomintar Four illegally. Unfortunately, these preventative measures also have some consequences for the assistance my friends and I wish to provide you. To prevent the possible landing of foreign transport ships, the Supreme Chancellor has invoked the peace treaty with the Coruscant government. It stipulates that spaceships originating outside the Palomintar system may only land on Palomintar Six—in other words, the landing of the Millennium Falcon, which has since returned to Myr, and the landings of our space ships on Tyr are in fact prohibited."

"Does that mean that the liberation of Ribana isn't possible," Woldin asked.

"Absolutely not, what's more our landings have increased the number of people who want to help you to get your way of life back."

Wedge felt the relieve his words brought to the members of the council.

"But we need your help again to bring us to Myr, for we can't use our space ships to get there. I have seen from above that there is a wide ocean between Myr and Tyr. Is there a way to cross the water?"

Several member shook their heads. Woldin and Kamalan looked worried.

"We would gladly offer you to cross the ocean with help of the hover boats the harvesters use, but almost all of them have gone to Myr already. First the group that went with master Skywalker and he friends. They were followed by a second group that took one of the hover boats to land at the western harbor. There is a second hover boat but those who normally take care of the crossing aren't here anymore but on Myr. The only one who could steer a hover boat is Manall, but he is wounded and unable to take on a crossing. Are you sure, master Antilles, that you can't use one of the space ship that landed recently?"

"That is a big risk. The Grannd Traveler can't cloak itself, and the Astræga, the space ship I use has been requested to land on board the Tychorion as it had been stolen in the past."

"May I ask you, master Antilles, why haven't you landed on board the Tychorion as you neared the Palomintar System?" Kamalin asked and looked at Wedge with a penetrating glance.

"I'm not fooling you, master Kamalin. You're right. I could have brought the Astræga immediately to the Tychorion, but on the Grannd Traveller two of my friends decided some time ago to travel to Palomintar Four with only one reason to help Luke Skywalker in his future confrontation with Darth Golluth, the intruder. Master Martan, myself and the two padawans Ian Tydon and Liane Solichor want to go to Myr to assist our friend master Skywalker. He promises you, governors, to do everything possible to free Ribana, but I have to tell you honestly that my friend has a second reason to challenge and confront Darth Golluth. The second reason is more complicated, although the outcome will be the same. That's why I have come to Tyr too. We, the Jedi Knights, want Darth Golluth to surrender himself to us, and leave Palomintar Four and Ribana; voluntarily or under pressure. So our aims are two-way. If we will succeed to dismantle Darth Golluth's occupation of the area around Ribana, we will also be able to free your home town, so you can go back to it.

Governors, did my friend Luke Skywalker tell you anything, about Liane Solichor's involvement in this matter?"

"No, master Jedi. Ian Tydon introduced his sister Shaayla-Car to us and told us that she's also going by the name of Liane Solichor. Master Skywalker has never mentioned her name. However, Ian Tydon has told us about her problems with Darth Golluth, after his identity as a Jedi padawan had been revealed while we were living on Palomintar Six," Toallin said, "It seems that Darth Golluth is looking for Liane Solichor, because her foster-father Darth Vader has taught her the Sith lore."

The members of the Council of Elders looked worried after Toallin's words and several of them shook their heads or starting to talk among each other. Toallin silenced them and looked at Wedge to give some further explanation.

"That right, governor, Darth Vader has raised Liane Solichor as his daughter and and taught her knowledge of the Dark Side, but if the conclusion of this council now is, that Liane Solichor is a user of the Dark Side of the Force, a Sith lady, I must strongly object such a hasty conclusion. My friend who is a Jedi Knight raised by two Jedi masters of old, has taken Liane Solichor as his padawan apprentice. I can assure you that he would never have made that decision if he would have the slightest doubt about her Force abilities. In other words, if he would have felt she was a user of the Dark Side of the Force, he would have accepted her as an apprentice.

Several attempts to kidnap her and bring her to Palomintar Four have failed and research on Dalmaran and Irithim have revealed that Darth Golluth and Liane Solichor have met on her home planet Morantan where Darth Golluth once had been assignment to the staff of Darth Vader's domains. Liane Solichor has confirmed she has met him, but she also told Luke Skywalker and his sister that her foster-father has forbidden her to share the knowledge about the Dark Side with his staff member. This has angered the man who now has chosen the name Darth Golluth and who still seeks the Sith knowledge, because he wants to become another Emperor, like former emperor Palpatine," Wedge said.

"That's what he told us, master Antilles, just before his army drove us away from Ribana. Darth Golluth wants, what you Jedi call, to become a real Sith lord, and he thinks that Shaayla-Car or Liane Solichor will share the knowledge her foster-father taught her with him," Mugin responded and continued, "Which is quite unbelievable in my eye, considering the great way she has helped my brother's wife and reassured us all. What you told us, master Antilles, is probably the reason why Luke Skywalker and his friends have brought her to a safe place in the hope that the Ribana intruder wouldn't find her, right? But now she has turned up here, and I can only concluded that she wants to fight Darth Golluth or assist master Skywalker in his confrontation with the intruder."

The members of the council looked at Wedge Antilles, but before he could answer, Kamalin intervened.

"Governor," He said, "We have welcomed Liane Solichor, or Shaayla-Car as our guest at the moment, but I have an urgent question at this Jedi master."

"Go on, Kamalin," Mugin said.

"Master Antilles, if this young woman seems to be familiar with Sith knowledge, can she be a threat to the Quelan community here? Meanwhile we all know she seemed to have a great influence on Udine's ideas about Chati's assumed death. She has convinced the governor and his wife and that your daughter is alive, although if she has never met your daughter, or given you proof of the truth of her words.

I have told you many times before, that Chati had gone to Myr with our harvest men and Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. You didn't listen to me, nor did you believe my words, but now you easily seem to believe some one with Sith knowledge who you never met before."

Yarmod made an indignant gesture, but Wedge looked at his companion and shook his head imperceptibly.

"I can assure you all, that Shaayla-Car will never ever make use of the knowledge Darth Vader has taught her. She is fully aware of the evilness of the Sith lore. Luke Skywalker has sensed her true intentions to use her Force skills. He has convinced her, that she should use her Force abillities to follow the ways of the Jedi. It's has been a difficult time for her, but Shaayla-Car isn't a threat to any one of your community, nor to this galaxy; on the contrary."

Toallin took the floor, seeing that the several members of the council look very worried about Kamalin's remarks.

"Kamalin, I haven't told you what Ian Tydon said to me, when his sister took care of Udine. Shaayla-Car seems to have a special Force talent to help and reassure people who are suffering, wounded, or in despair. He told me, that she has some special Jedi healing powers which seemed to be very rare."

Yarmod couldn't be silent any longer. He looked at Kamalin and the other members of the Council.

"Shaayla-Car Kenobi is a Jedi healer!" he said indignantly, "I wonder, why are you accusing this young woman who is one of my best friends, and who isn't present in this meeting, so she can't defend herself against your allegations. Why don't you all believe, what we Jedi and your governors, are telling you about her. We know her, and we can assure you, that she is not an evil Sith lady as some of you assume. Especially you, master Kamalin, seem to be in doubt about her intentions. She is a great compassionate Jedi healer. I personally have seen her doing several miraculous recoveries on Endor where she has lived among a local tribe - the Ewoks. Armed mercenaries of Darth Golluth attempted to kidnap her. Several Ewoks were shot, some were severely wounded. Shaayla-Car took care of those wounded Ewoks, and she cured them all. Ian, her brother, and I have seen how she did it, and we have helped her all the time, and we've felt how she was using the Good Side of the Force as a Jedi healer. She could ease the pain of the wounded Ewoks, even feel and admit their pain and anxiety in her mind, so that those wounded tree bears would suffer less. She even could show them the images of their recovery... and ... and... It isn't fair to accuse her of being a Sith lady. I know for sure,... I feel she is good. She's a Jedi Knight, like Wedge, Luke, Leia and I are."

To be continued...