Chapter 130

"Hatred? Where could that come from, Luke?"

"I don't know. It's just a feeling, like something elusive." He said pensively. "I wonder, if it could have to do with what the Harvest Council decided. It's not clear, but Han said that not all the harvest men once shared Cornell new strategy of gathering nuts. He might be right."

"There also was a group around master Cornell who agreed, remember? They saw the image the Force passed on about what would happened to the nut wood if they continued that way."

"Yes, but this is different." Luke said pensively, shaking his head, "It's worrying me, Shaayla-Car. I need to figure out where those feelings of hatred come from."

"Do you want my support, Luke?"

"No, I'll bring you to the vineyard building and see if Han has brought Cemall there too. I want you to continue with the pruning of the grapevines, but I will stay for a while to watch Cornell's son, for with his help the sons of the governors could start making their famous wine again."

"Might still take some time. What are you going to do after you leave the vineyard?"

"Have a look around in Ribana. Maybe I'll find the source of those inquietude feelings."

Liane went to her quarter to get her coat, while Luke lowered the ramp and brought the speeder outside. Several minutes later they left the deep valley and went back to Ribana. Luke drove the speeder to the vineyard building where Udine and Carmona welcomed the two Jedi Knights. They pointed to another speeder and frowned.

"Master Solo, just arrived before you, Luke. He has gone inside with that Cornell boy, Cemall, who seems very unwilling, if you ask us. Could you stay with us to keep him at bay?" Udine whispered.

"Shaayla-Car, will take over Cemall from Han, Udine. I'm sure she can turn him into a promising assistant." Luke said and grinned. "Shall we get inside to meet my brother-in-law and and relieve him of his burden."

They walked to one of the rooms of the vineyard building which hadn't yet been cleaned. Han Solo sat on a crate opposite of Cemall Radilan whose hands were still tied. Han was holding his blaster on his lap. He looked up as Luke and Liane entered.

"Hey kid, hello sweetheart. Are you sure you want to work with the young brat?" He asked.

"I'm not a brat," Cemall answered obstinate, "I'm an adult harvest men and I'm not going to obey any of you."

Liane looked at him.

'As an adult Quelan harvest man, you certainly are able to make a right decision yourself, Cemall Radilan. I'm Shaayla-Car Kenobi, Ben's fiancée. According to the decision of the Harvest Council and with agreement of your grandfather Manall and the governors of Ribana you have to do some work to benefit the Quelan community,' She said using her Jedi voice.

"I will do what the Harvest Council has decided," Cemall answered.

'That's a wise decision, Cemall, for you're set to work in the governor's vineyard to prune the grapevines. You'll be doing a good job, for once the grapevines are pruned correctly the governors and their sons will be able harvest the grapes again and distil the Palomintar wine again. A famous, and what I heard, a very expensive wine.'

"I don't know anything about pruning grapevines," Cemall said short-tempered.

'You're a harvest man, Cemall, so I'm sure that you are familiar how to lob, cut or chop plants. It's not much different than chopping nut trees, for grapevines are part of nature too.'

"I was never involved in chopping nut trees," Cemall retorted, "I've never been in the nut woods after all the Quelans lived in Cantamaga, for it was forbidden. My father also never took me and my older brother to Tyr before."

'Why was that, Cemall?' Liane asked inquisitive.

"We were too young. You have to be seventeen before you're allowed to join the other harvest men. Filann was sixteen and I was fourteen when all the Quelan were send in exile to Tyr. I've never learned to chop the nut trees." Cemall said on a bit normal tone.

'So you also never have seen an Uram?' Liane asked, still using her Jedi voice.

"No, I only know about those birds from what the other harvest men told Filann and me, after they had returned to Myrj. They told us that those birds always attacked them when they were harvesting the nuts from the chopped trees." Cemall told Liane.

'Those narratives must have scared you, Cemall, haven't they.'

"No, they made me angry at those birds. They have attacked my grandfather and he was severely injured at his back. My father was sure our grandfather would die, because he had lost a lot of blood and the injuries were deep." Cemall said.

"Cemall, did you fear that your grandfather would die?" Luke suddenly asked.

Somewhat surprise by Luke's interruptive question Cemall looked at him.

"Of course I was, Ben. My grandfather is a very wise man, despite his believe in that same unseen power the Jedi's can wield. You have save my life with your skills, when I fell of the wall, and I'm still grateful you prevented that I could have been dead, but I'm more grateful that my grandfather's injuries had vanished when he arrived at the campsite. I assume that the Jedi Knight who traveled with him has taken care of him."

Cemall was now clearly in a better mood. He looked at Liane and smiled at her.

"My grandfather told me that you can teach me how those grapevines needed to be pruned, right. Well, maybe I can learn something more useful here on Myr than hanging around on Tyr doing nothing. Where did you learn to prune grapevines?"

"From the governor himself, master Toallin. He showed me what I needed to do," Liane said. "If you are ready, we can go to vineyard and I show you what we have to do."

"You're also are going to prune the grapevines?" Cemall asked.

"Of course, I like to do it. I haven't done much yet, but together we can surely make a difference." Liane said. "Han, will you take off Cemall's binders."

Han took of the handcuffs, but looked concerned at Liane.

"I will stay with you and see if this guy really behaves himself, Shaayla-Car." He said.

Liane shook her head.

"No you don't. Han, and this young Quelan is called Cemall, and neither you, nor Luke will come with Cemall and me." She said determinedly. She beckoned Cemall to follow her. Udine walked over to Luke and Han. Liane saw that the governor's wife wanted to talk to them.

"Udine," She said, "Cemall and I are now going to the vineyard. We'll be back to eat somethingj in about three hours. I only will take two water containers with me."

Liane left and Cemall walked up with her. From aside he looked at and suddenly he started grinning.

"You talk with authority, miss, as a leader I should say. Someone who is in charge and you don't want others to doubt your words. Maybe that's because you're a Jedi Knight, although you don't look like one. I thought that all Jedi Knight wear a lightsaber at their belt, but you don't seem to have one with you."

Liane started laughing and grabbed at her back under her tunic.

"A Jedi never parts from his lightsaber, Cemall, but I don't need it here, I presume." She looked at him intensively. "Cemall, your brother has been thinking about stealing a Jedi's lightsaber, so you could easily kill the Urams, hasn't he?"

Cemall olive green face got a olive reddish color.

"Did Wollin tell you, that Filann said that when the harvest men would have those Jedi weapons we could easily destroy the Urams."

"I didn't talk to master Wollin, Cemall. I just read your thoughts when I told you that I still have my lightsaber with me."

"You know what I'm thinking. Everything? Always?" He asked.

"Not everything, and not always, but your interest in why you didn't seeing me wearing my lightsaber put me on guard. A lightsaber in unexperienced hands is a very dangerous weapon, Cemall." Liane said, looking at Cemall with more alertness.

'Luke, ask Wollin if Filann has done suggestions to Cemall about our lightsabers. Warn all our friends to be alerted. I sense that the eldest son of Cornell has a strange interest in our weapon.' Liane warned Luke through the Force, while she walked on the reach the vineyard itself.

'I will ask Wollin. Be careful, naughty pixie. Do you want me to assist.' Luke answered.

'No, find out why Filann has spoken about our lightsabers, and of their use to wipe out the Urams.'

'I understand, stay alert and be careful.'

Liane had reached the spot where she had been pruning the vines the last time. For a moment she looked at the weeds that were also growing here in abundance, like she had found out on Palomintar Six. She thought again about what Eremian had told her: the solution works for months and is immediately reliable. Once used you only need to make a new solution with fresh leaves from time to time which will keep its potential as long as you keep it at a cool place. She would now have a good opportunity to make a new solution and store it tonight in her quarter on the Astræga.

'I also have to find a good moment to explain to Luke why I'm using it,' She thought and smiled as she recalled his words after their first night together on Palomintar Four.

"Cemall, in that container over there I have stored the equipment I used before. I'll show you the different shears and pruners."

Cemall opened the lid and took out several shears. Liane grab a large garden shear.

"With this one we lop the long offshoot of the vines, next we use a smaller pruner to lead the remaining vine along the branches of the grapevines. They will produces the grapes which will be used to make the wine. Here are the two shears. I suggest that you first will lop off some of those offshoots."

They started to work side by side and Liane had to admit that the young harvest men immediately picked up the right way to lop of the long overgrowing vines. She sensed that more and more he began to enjoy what he was doing. After he had lopped off quite a bunch of long offshoots he gathered them and tied them together with other long vines to make a thick bundle. Next Liane showed him how to do the more delicate pruning. Cemall proofed to be a skillful worker who did the pruning accurately. Liane complimented him, while she was doing her own work opposite him.

After having heard Liane's warnings that Cornell's eldest son seemed to be interested in the Jedi's lightsabers, Luke had become alerted even more. He drove back to Ribana and went over to the harvest men's tent to have a word with Wollin. After he enter Manall greeted him.

"Master Skywalker, what brings you here so early today?" He asked.

"Master Manall, I hoped to find Wollin here," Luke said.

"You seem to worry about something, right?" Manall asked.

"I just want to have a word with Wollin about what he has heard when he took Filann and Cemall to the harvest community building."

"What have those two grandsons of mine even more on their conscience," Manall said and Luke heard a concerned undertone in Manall's voice. "Don't hide what you know, master Skywalker, just let me know."

"Shaayla-Car just let me know that, after she had been talking to Cemall about her lightsaber, she told me that those two brothers, but mainly Filann, had hinted that the Jedi's weapon might be a way to wipe out all the Urams."

Manall pointed to some improvised couches in a far corner of the harvest tent.

"I'd better tell you what has happened yesterday when Cornell and I asked Filann some penetrating questions." The old harvest man said.

They sat down and Luke listened to what had happened in the Millennium Falcon between Filann, his father and his grandfather. After Manall silenced again, Luke watched the older man.

"Despite you prevented Cornell to hit Filann again, the words of your grandson have shocked you too, master Manall," He said.

Manall nodded.

"It's hard to understand that one of my offspring would have been happy to see me dead," He answered. "I have never sensed so much loathing for me in him. And not only for me, but also for his father and for Lorann."

"Where is Filann now. Is he still in the cargo hold of the Falcon.?"

"No, Cornell has taken him to the campsite to do maintenance on the water flow. He sought it would better if Filann will get a permanent job far away from Ribana, far away from Cemall and the harvest men, far away from me."

"Thank you, master Manall, for telling me this." Luke said with compassion. "You sensed your grandson's loathing for you, but I have felt a much strong feeling for hatred. I'd better go to the campsite myself and have a word with Filann."

"He will not talk to you, master Skywalker, for he also loathes or maybe even hatesj what the Jedi can do. Probably that's the reason why he don't want Lorann to become a Jedi Knight. Shall I come with you?"

"No, your work is here, master Manall. Cornell is up there with Filann. Your son will trust me, when I asked him to have word with Filann."

Manall nodded.

"Is Shaayla-Car safe working on her own with my other grandson, master Skywalker?" He asked.

"She will do fine. You shouldn't worry neither about her, nor about Cemall. He told me that he feared that you could have died, after the Urams attacked you. He showed his great relief that you had recovered when you arrived at the campsite, and he also is grateful to Shaayla-Car's brother, because he is sure that Tama-Hin has taken care of you."

Manall looked relieved.

"At least Cemall has shown sense and concern about his family." The harvest man said. "Master Skywalker, may the Force be with you if you meet my other grandson. I fear I have lost him."

Luke laid his hand on the arm of Manall.

"Trust me, master Manall. Filann's discomfort has a deeper cause. I'm sure he still respects you. I'll go now."

Luke left the harvest men's tent and went over to the Millennium Falcon. His sister was busy in the control room, recording a report for the members of the High Council and Mon Mothma on Itihim. Luke waited until she has finished. She looked up at him.

"What's wrong, Luke?" She asked.

Luke smiled elusive.

"You're the second woman who asked me what's wrong?" He said. "Where is Han, Leia?"

"In the administration building with Nori Thai.

Nori received a message early this morning from Yarnick. The Senate has agreed to buy the first container with aludium crystals and they have facilitated a lot of goods the Quelans need. The Granns are now looking to buy extra materials for the yield of the crystals, to assemble new necessary furniture. They decided not to buy complete new sets, but leave it to the Quelans to make their own new furniture."

"That's good news. When can we expect the brothers back on Palomintar Four?"

"They need some extra days to buy the materials, but they will be back before the second group will go back to Tyr. What do you need Han for, Luke? Is anything wrong in the vineyard?"

"No. Leia, if Han comes back, tell him, he don't have to wait for me to pick up Cemall. I need to go to the campsite to have a word with the eldest son of Cornell. I just have had a talk with Manall, and what he told me, convinced me that the Force want me to be aware of Filann's dissatisfaction and disappointment with his way of life. He has expressed his frustration in some very hateful thoughts to Cornell and Manall. I need to talk to him to avoid that that young man gets himself into deeper trouble."

"If you go to the campsite, Luke, you won't be back to pick up Shaayla-Car tonight." Leia said.

"I'll let her know, Leia. Han also can tell her. I'm sure Udine and Carmona will love it to prepare a guest room for her."

Luke rose.

"I'll goo now, Leia. Oh, before I forget, Filann has shown interest at the Jedi's weapon. Take good care of yours and warn Yarmod. I'll tell you later about it."

"May the Force be with you, Luke. Take care of yourself." Leia said. She rose and hugged him.

'Shaayla-Car, I can't pick you up tonight, my love. You should ask your kind hostesses to stay with them.' Luke said reaching out to Liane with Jedi telepathy.

'It's those feelings you had this morning, right?.' Liane answered.

'Yes, I'm going to the campsite on the mountain. Cornell has gone there with Filann. I certainly will stay there overnight.'

'Those feelings are concentrated around Filann?'

'I'm certain of that, after what Manall told me this morning.'

'Watch your lightsaber, darling. May the Force be with you.' She answered.

'May the Force be with you too, my love.' Luke said.

Their Force connection vanished. Pensively Liane looked at a bunch of long vines Cemall had put aside. She raised her hand and the bunch started to rise. Cemall looked up as he heard the noise the leaves made.

"Pretty handy, miss. Tell me can I make those bunches somewhat larger?" He asked.

Liane chuckled.

"Size doesn't matter, Cemall. It's believe in what the Force can do to help me."

"You Jedi posses some great power, miss."

"Our own power is limited, we're just humans, like anybody else, but the Force allows us to use her power to go beyond our own physical limits."

"How did you learn to wield the Force? How old were you?"

"I'm born as a Force user, Cemall, but I learned more about the Force after I reached the age of seven."

"Who taught you?"

"A famous Jedi Knight who was destined to bring balance in the Force."

"He, or was it a woman, must have been a very powerful Jedi Knight." Cemall remarked.

"He was, Cemall. He taught me almost all he knew. I'm still grateful for what he has taught me." Liane said.

"Was he the only one who taught you, how you could use the Force."

"No, after he passed away and became one with the Force, I have met many other Jedi masters."

"Ben, for instance? I heard that he has been your Jedi master, before you became a Jedi Knight yourself."

"I have learned a lot from Luke Skywalker, but he never has been a real Jedi master for me, Cemall, and I still regret that. I was already a Jedi Knight, before Luke could take me as his padawan."

"But you two are still talking about a lot of things that can be done with the Force, don't you?"

"We do, all Jedi Knights do, for all the Jedi Knights can learn from each other's talents. Luke's believe in the Force is so great, that we all consider him to be a master for all of us. Leia, Luke's sister, uses her skills as a Jedi Knight as the advisor of the Supreme Chancellor, the leader of the New Republic. Wedge Antilles, Chati's Jedi master, is a very talented fighter pilot, as is Yarmod Martan his former padawan."

"And you and your brother Ian. He has become a friend of our governors, because he asked Ben to help our governors to free Ribana of that strange man who has lived for years in those caves in the mountain. You're brother has also taken care of my grandfather while he still was recovering of the Uram's attack. Can you tell me how he did that? Will you tell him and thank him, please, for thanks to your brother my grandfather is still alive."

"My brother has inherited his Force healing skills from our mother, Cemall. She was once a famous Jedi healer at the Jedi temple on Coruscant, before the Temple was partially destroyed. She had to go into exile, just like the Quelans had to, and married my father."

"Did you also inherit many Force skills from your mother or your father, miss?"

"Just like my brother I'm a Force healer too, but I have also inherited Force skills from a Jedi Knight who is my ancestral mother."

"Your grandmother?" Cemall asked.

"No, not my real grandmother, but I'm connected for many generations with my ancestral mother over thousands of years. " Liane said with a grateful smile.

"That's really amazing. Who told you that, for you can't have met her?" Cemall said in admiration.

"Because I'm a Jedi Knight I can meet with Jedi Knights who once lived and went before me. Some Jedi Knights have recorded their knowledge in very rare and delicate crystals. A Jedi can access those recordings and meet with the Force ghost of those ancient Jedi Knight. It's a great privilege, for those Jedi of Old often tells Jedi Knights like me a lot about the Force and how they learned to use it. That's a great way how ancient knowledge will be passed on for next generations. But tell, Cemall, why are you asking me all this?"

"I want to understand, miss, what the Force can do. Ben, saved my life, using the Force, and your brother saved my grandfather, and all the Jedi Knight came to Palomintar Four to free us from that strange man, so that we now can go back to Ribana. I haven't heard what you have done to make him leave Myr, but it certainly must have been something incredible."

"I only talked to him, Cemall. I didn't use any special Force use. I only convinced him that he should surrender himself and await his trial. It was the harvest men's project that made him leave the cave system in time, Cemall. The water flow from the mountain flooded the caves in which he lived, so he had to flee to save his life."

"Where did he go?"

"He has been brought back to Coruscant. He once was a imperial officer."

"Will he ever come back to Myr?"

"You sound frightened, Cemall, but it's unlikely that he will ever come back to Palomintar Force to seek revenge as you thought."

Cemall exhaled relieved. Liane looked at the young Quelan harvest man. The young Quelan harvest man wasn't a real obstinate hothead. Probably it was the influence of his older brother that Cemall had agreed to frighten Lorann. He probably had already learned a tough lesson when Luke saved his life using Force telekinesis.

"It was nice chatting with you, Cemall. We have also done a lot of work. It's time for a break now. Could you make another bunch of the long vines we've lopped."

"Sure, and you will bring those three bunches away using your Jedi skills?"

"I will, for I want to put them out of the way. We will put them at the end of the path that leads up to the southern hills." Liane said.

Cemall tied the bunches and Liane easily lifted them and brought them to the foot of southern hills. Cemall looked at her in admiration.

"Miss, you don't require a husband to do the heavy stuff in a house hold." He said.

Liane got a fit of laughter.

"I don't really need any one to help me, but I love to be in the company of some equal, Cemall" She said chuckling, "Come, we go back to the vineyard building and see if Udine and Carmona have something to eat for us."

"Will they also have some food for me." Cemall asked.

"Why do you think, they wouldn't? You have done work for the community, so you deserve a meal too. Come on, Cemall, I'm starving." Liane said and pushed the young harvest man in the direction of the vineyard building, where Udine and Carmona indeed had prepared a lot of good food.

Liane told them that Luke wouldn't pick her up and if she could stay overnight in her guest room. Carmona immediately wanted prepare the room, but Liane held her back and said that there was time enough to get the room ready.

Cornell and Filann had reached the clearing near the campsite. During the ride none of them had spoken a word. Cornell left the speeder and beckoned his son to follow him up the path to the site with the tree houses. After Cornell had unlocked the door of the community tree house, Filann looked at his father.

"Why have we gone here?" He asked shirty.

"You have reached your permanent accommodation to do maintenance here. You're going to keep a permanent eye on the water flow from the lake. You should take all necessary measures to prevent that the flow will stop. Master Yarnick and his brothers have left their pumps and hoses for the time being. I will instruct you how to handle them. Once you will know what's needed here, I'll go back to Ribana, but I will come back every fortnight to bring you supplies." Cornell said stiffly.

Filann looked at his father with wide eyes.

"You're going to leave me here alone, all by myself?" He asked in disbelieve.

"You don't deserve anything better, after what you said about your grandfather." Cornell grumbled, while he opened several bags and stored the content in the side boxes of the community tree house. "These are your supplies for the next two weeks. It rationed, if you will swallow it all too soon, You will go hungry until I return with new supplies."

"I'm your eldest son, father. You can't do this to me?" Filann said in an angry voice.

"I can do even more. I can cast you out of the harvest men's clan."

"You can't, you're no longer the harvest men's leader. Grandfather is."

"Yes, he is, the grandfather you wished dead. My father is the overall leader again, and he has decided that I am still one of the harvest men's leaders, together with Wollin and Roshann. Your grandfather wants me to share the leadership among the three of us. So, if you refuse my order, I can cast you out of the harvest men's clan and I wouldn't recognize you as my son any longer."

Filann lunged at his father, but Cornell made a side step. Filann couldn't keep his balance and stumbled against the wall of the tree house, hitting his head. Some what dizzy he managed to scramble to his feet after some minutes and wanted to attack his father again, but Cornell was nowhere to be seen. Filann ran over to the exit and jumped down on the ground. He landed awkwardly and sprained his ankle. Limping in pain, he began looking for his father. He called his name, but no answer was heard, then suddenly he heard the sound of a departing speeder. He limped to the steep downward path, fell on his knees and yelled, screaming out all the frustration he felt.

With difficulty, he got back to his feet and limped back to the group of tree houses. He grab the rope ladder and and climbed up step by step, gnashing his teeth.

Once inside the community tree house again he fell sprawled on the ground and lay there for some time. Finally he sat upright and screamed out his anger and his frustration again .

"You've always humiliating me. You never took me to nut woods. Always telling I had to wait, until I would be seventeen. And when I came on Tyr with all the Quelans you asked the Council of the Elders to forbid the harvest men and the Quelans to ever enter the nut woods, no nuts would be harvested again as long as those Quelans of Ribana would be living at Cantamaga. All those years on Tyr I have been hanging around being idle, but you force me into a humiliating marriage with a girl of sixteen who refuses to become my real wife and make love with me. What am I living for as you decide everything for me?"

Filann kept screaming and yelling, repeating over and over again all hatred against his father, the other harvest men, his younger brother Loran, his grandfather and the situation he was in now. Finally he stopped, exhausted, but the anger, frustration and hatred he felt hadn't diminished.

His feelings had only intensified, but he lacked the energy to start screaming again.

He took off his boot and limped over to the medicine box. He took out a bandage and wrapped it tightly around the sprained ankle. The pain subdued and he laid himself on one of the couches, attempting to sort out the new situation he found himself in.

Left on his own, no one to consult and his father expected that he would maintain the project they all had worked on.

Filann sighed, and again his frustration threatened to regain the upper hand in his train of thought. Feeling still exhausted and humiliated he closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened them again the tree house had been plunged into total darkness.

Han looked at Liane.

"Did Luke tells you, he won't pick you up tonight, sweetheart? Do you want to come with me? There's are spare quarters on the Falcon." He asked.

Liane shook her head.

"No, thank you, Han. Luke said I had to ask Udine and Carmona if I can use my former guest room here again. Those two kind Quelan women were all to glad that I wanted to stay in the vineyard building."

"Those two kind Quelan women have seen through the distraction you and Luke had set up. My gosh, Liane, what a confusion you and Luke created."

Liane chuckled.

"In hindsight it has been stupid. We weren't convincing enough, but Luke and I had a tremendous time seeking secret rendez-vous spots around the vineyard to meet."

She looked with a big smile at Han.

"Han, have you ever taken Leia behind the eastern mountains of Myr. It's wonderful there. Luke and I stayed together there during the night, watching all the different systems in the galaxy as numerous stars. It was so amazing, so overwhelming, so great"

Han started laughing.

"I can guess how wonderful that night must have been, sweetheart," He said laughing louder.

"What you're thinking, Han Solo, didn't happen. I'm decent woman and a Jedi Knight." Liane laughed and gave him a friendly push.

"Sure you are, Liane, but is my brother-in-law also a decent man. There's been a lot of gossip about him, being unfriendly and unkind to you, pushing you to surrender yourself to him and more of those nonsense." Han said in a fit of laughter as he saw how Liane raised her eyebrows.

"That was indeed all nonsense, due to our mistake to keep our wedding plan secret," She said, looking seriously.

"You and Luke are a fantastic couple. From the beginning that kid always ran into problems. I have saved his life more than once. And you, Shaayla-Car Kenobi, aren't any better, from what I'v heard about the many times you escaped or ran off without telling where you went."

"I have indeed done several stupid things, Han, but it has also given me a lot of experience about how I should do better."

"And you did. Like Luke you're a Jedi Knight and within weeks I think you'll marry that Jedi Knight of yours and I will be your lovely brother." Han said teasingly.

"Brother, yes, but lovely? I have to think about that qualification, Han Solo." Liane teased him back. "But you have come to pick up Cemall, don't you?"

"Yes, did he behave himself?" Han asked now sounding more seriously.

"He has, Han. He picked up the work very rapidly and is a secure worker. The only thing that worries me a bit is his undisguised interest in my lightsaber. He and have been Filann talking about the Jedi's lightsabers as a good weapon to fight the Urams."

"Luke has warned Leia about what you've told him. We have told Yarmod. So the Jedi Knights on Myr will certainly keep their lightsabers safe."

"What I understand, Han, was it mainly Filann's idea." Liane said thoughtfully.

"Filann has been brought to the campsite near the waterfall. Cornell has brought him there. What I've heard from master Manall Cornell was about to stay with Filann for some days, but late this afternoon Cornell was back in the harvest man's tent.

Did Luke tell you where he has gone?"

"Probably to the campsite to talk to Filann. Luke was worried this morning and told me he had felt tremors of hatred. He wasn't really sure about its origin, but when Cemall told me about their talk about using lightsabers against the Urams, I'm sure that Filann must have been the cause of those tremors Luke felt. I wonder, Han, why Cemall and Filann are behaving so obstinate. Cemall has worked hard today, but I sense that he too is feeling very unhappy, disillusioned and dissatisfied. I also can't understand why they set up that trap for Lorann. It's puzzling me, but there is absolutely more behind all this."

At that moment Cemall left the vineyard building, followed by Udine and Carmona. He walked over to Han. Han grabbed the binders from his belt and tied Cemall's hands together. Liane frowned, but didn't comment. Han helped the Quelan harvest man in the speeder, greeted Liane and the two Quelan women and left.

Liane followed Udine and Carmona inside the vineyard building.

"He behaved well, Shaayla-Car. He helped us to put some heavy boxes on the first floor. It's almost unbelievable that he and his brother have such vicious characters. Well, tonight, we're again together with you. Do you miss Luke?" Udine asked.

"There have been so many times that I have missed Luke, Udine, but yes, I miss him." Liane said.

"Oh, dear, you shouldn't feel sad. Within a few weeks he will be your lawful husband,"

Liane laughed.

""That doesn't mean, Udine, that sometimes Luke won't go somewhere alone without me," She said.

"A good husband always comes back to his wife, and he tells her where he went," Udine said determinedly.

Now Liane got a fit of laugher.

"I will remind him of your words, Udine. Anyway I will sleep tonight here and that means that I can start working in the vineyard early, before Han bring Cemall to assist me."

They had gone to the kitchen in the vineyard building that had been almost restored to its former use.

Before the governors and their family had fled to Tyr, the kitchen had been the room where they had had their shared meals. The large dinner table had already five chairs and in the cupboards all necessary kitchenware had been stored. Liane smelled the delicious aroma of a hearty soup mixed with that of freshly baked bread. There also was a large side dish with crispy baked vegetables.

"Where did you get all these ingredients?" Liane asked surprised.

"Mugin brought us a box with these ingredients. We're lucky that the harvest men always have large supplies of dried food. It's their speciality to preserve the harvest from farmers, so it can last for months, even longer than a year. Fresh is better, but that's for later when farming around Ribana will be restored too. It's good to have you with us again, Shaayla-Car." Carmona said.

"It's nice of you two to let me stay here tonight." Liane said with a warm smile.

They sat down around the table and Udine served the soup in a bowl, surrounded with the vegetables and the bread on a plate. Suddenly Udine let a cry. Liane looked at her, as Udine pointed at her right hand.

"Where is your alliance ring, Shaayla-Car. Have you lost it?"

"No, it's here," Liane said and pulled the chain with the Jedi pendant from under her tunic. Udine let out a relieved sigh. Carmona looked at the Jedi-pendant.

"That's a beautiful piece of jewelry, Shaayla-Car." She said.

Liane looked at the pendant in her hand. When had she last used it? On Tyr, just after Wedge had initiated her as a Jedi Knight and Luke had asked to contact her. Udine and Carmona noticed her pensive look.

"Are there sad memories going with it, Shaayla-Car?" Udine asked carefully.

"Not really. It has been my connection with Luke before I became a Jedi Knight. It still hold some mysteries. Luke gave it to me when I had been in detention on a remote planet. He wanted to keep in touch with me, even if he wasn't able to visit me. I have used it several times. Sometimes just to talk to him, to hear his voice, sometimes tell him what I was doing, and also when I thought I had done something stupid and needed his advice.

Oh, here is the ring he gave me. I put on the chain to be sure I wouldn't lose it while pruning the grapevines." Liane said and took the ring in her hand.

"It's beautiful, Shaayla-Car. Surely Luke must love you dearly," Udine said and Liane saw how Carmona raised her eyebrows for a moment. "Where did he go, why he couldn't he come, and go back with you to his ship?"

"Luke wanted to have a word with Filann, master Cornell's eldest son, but Cornell had brought his son to the site where the harvest men have worked on that waterfall project."

"Why did he want to see that big trouble-maker? Has it something to do with what those two brothers wanted to do to their youngest brother Lorann.

Shaayla-Car, Filann has always been a good-for-nothing brat, already as a young boy. We weren't happy when he befriended our boys. Dolan, my sister's eldest son has about the same age as Filann. Here on Myr he always was seeking trouble, but once we all had to live on Tyr he often was angry, always yelling and screaming at Cornell.

All those years on Tyr he didn't do anything useful, until about a year ago or so, for then Cornell announced in public that Filann and Sumall, the sixteen year old daughter of Pohinn, a nice, but very timid girl, had become husband and wife.

That announcement forced Filann to build his own house, make the furniture, so he and Sumall could have their own household.

For a while there weren't any problems with that troublemaker, until now, because he keeps telling that also Lorann will be forced into a marriage with Kalinn, Wollin youngest daughter and become unhappy.

I even heard him say something like that on the Harvest Council hearing. It's up to Cornell to speak out on Lorann's future, not his brother. Luke has to be careful when he meets Filann."

"Did Filann join master Cornell and the group of harvest men, when Luke and the others went to Myr to help the harvest men with their long-lasting project in the mountains?" Liane asked.

"Sure, both Filann and Cemall joined that group," Udine said.

"Then Luke has worked with him on their project. That's an advantage when he wants to talk with Filann in private."

"Might be, Shaayla-Car, but that boy is always so contrary, angry, grumpy. Well I don't know how to describe his character. He simple is not a nice man and since he's got married he hasn't changed. I even would say that his behavior worsened. He seems to hate everything, the work he has to do, the place where he is, even his father, his younger brother, and his grandfather. I don't understand him, but I'm glad he isn't my son," Udine said and Carmona nodded in agreement.

Liane had listened to Udine and Carmona's description of Filann's character and behavior and she was almost certain that Filann had been the cause of the tremors Luke had felt that morning. Should she tell Luke what Udine and Carmona had told her, or would it be better to leave it Luke to draw his own conclusion how to help this young Quelan male, for it was clear to her that Filann needed help, from Luke and possibly also from her or from one of the other Jedi Knights. Liane decided not to venture her thoughts to her two hostesses and nodded to them to show she understood their point of view.