Chapter 155

'It might be better if we land last,' She said. 'Master Maaall surely will keep Cornell and his family in check.'

'My idea, darling. After I met Cornell's wife and those three girls I wondered if it really a good idea of Cornell to bring his family to Myr already. It's a pity that we can't reach Manall this way.'

Liane looked aside to Luke.

'You could ask Lorann to tell is grandfather to wait for his son's family.' Liane suggested.

Luke smile

'I'll do that. You take over the Astræga, while I contact Lorann.'

Luke pressed several button on the console in front of him and the display at the co-pilot seat became fully activated. Immediately Luke concentrated through the Force on the young Quelan boy.

'Lorann, listen to me.' He said.

'Yes, master Skywalker, what do you want me to do.' came Lorann's response.

'Ask your grandfather to wait near the Grannd Traveler until the Astræga has landed. Your parents and your sisters are traveling with my ship. As your mother doesn't know what to expect on Myr, it's better if your grandfather awaits them.' Luke explained.

'I'll tell him, master Skywalker. Our ship has just landed.' Lorann answered.

Luke released himself from his Force connection with Lorann. He looked aside to Liane and nodded.

"Land the Astræga next to the Grannd Traveler, Shaayla-Car. I will accompany Cornell and his family and bring them to Manall." He said and turned to Filann. "Anddra and you stay in the cockpit with Shaayla-Car, Filann. As soon as I will be back we lift off again and head for the farm on the eastern hills."

Filann nodded, but looked at Anddra. She smiled reassuringly at him.

Liane activated the landing studs, decrease the speed and put the Astræga right next to the Grannd Traveler from which cargo ramp the Quelans of the third group were leaving the freighter. When Luke saw Manall, Cemall, Lorann and Kamalin leave, he released the cargo ramp of his ship and went to control room where Cornell and his family were releasing their straps. The three girls wanted to rush over to the exit, but Luke blocked their actions.

"Ladies, you should wait and leave the ship with your parents. We have landed in the former agricultural area around Ribana and it will take a walk to reach the town itself." He said using his Jedi voice.

"Tronama, keep our daughters with you. I'll have to check the unloading of our furniture. Ben, thanks for the flight." The harvest man said.

"I'll give you a hand with the cargo, Cornell. Your father is waiting for your wife and your daughters." Luke said as he walked down to cargo ramp first. As he was walking down he saw Manall waiting for him with his two grandsons and Kamalin. He nodded. As soon as Tronanm left the Astræga with the three girls Cemall and Lorann ran over to their mother and sisters.

"Grandfather is waiting for you mother." Cemall said, "There is a transport speeder available to get the furniture to the tents."

"We're going to live in tents. I thought we would get to a proper house to live in," Tronama answered raising her eyebrows.

"Father needs to make a choice of one of the five houses grandfather thinks are suitable for us, mother," Cemall said, while he produced a smile. "After we have unloaded the furniture in the tents we will have a look at all the five possible houses, so you and father can make a choice."

"Tronama, welcome back on Myr, my dear girl," Manall greeted his daughter-in-law with a smile, and he also looked at the three girls. "Well, now our whole family is united on Myr again. Cemall, give your father and Luke a hand loading the furniture, then we can go to the tents to have some refreshments. "

"Girinn!" A elated voice suddenly sounded and a young boy ran over to the group of girls. "So, good that you also have come to Myr already. Kolann is also here and my father and my mother. We're getting a new house and master Manall has already talked to my father, for he wants my father to become a member of the Council of the Elders. We're going to have a look at our new house now, but if my father, or my mother, doesn't like it, they may chose another house. We're going to help to clean up the house, for master Kamalin has told us that we don't have to attend school here."

"Hey, Wirton," Girinn answered less enthusiastically than the boy.

Wirton Allrann noticed that Manall was standing near.

"Apologies, master Manall. I didn't notice you."

Manall looked friendly at the young boy.

"I understand that my granddaughter is one of your classmates, Wirton?" He asked.

"She is, master Manall, and master Kamalin say, that she is a very clever girl." Wirton answered. "She always gets the highest marks."

"Wirton, where are you?" A female voice sounded.

"I'm here, mother. Giriann Radilan and her sisters have also come to Myr," Wirton yelled.

Hajonn and Kuriann came over together with Kalonn. Tronama looked at Hajonn Allrann and walked over to her and Kuriann.

"It's good that I see you here, Hajonn. I had such a busy time these last days, that I couldn't tell that I was leaving, for Cornell and I are promised a new house here in Ribana, as a replacement of our house near the foothills. What brings you here, Hajonn. Can Cornell help you?"

Hajonn Allrann laughed happily and grabbed Tronama's hand.

"Kuriann and I have also been promised a house in Ribana, Tronama. Master Manall told us that he has a great option for us in mind. I'm going do any necessary cleanup inside our new house, while Kuriann will be doing repairs on the outside. Our boys have promised they will do their share."

Meanwhile Bolann Cornell's eldest daughter looked at the eldest Allrann boy and blushed. Manall noticed it and smiled.

"Well, at least your girls have already found some playmates, so you certainly will enjoy your stay on Myr." He said while he also greeted Hajonn and Kuriann, the boy's parents.

"Kuriann, I have a large transport speeder to show my son's family their possible new home, if you like you can join me to the tents to unload the furniture they already have been taken with them. After we will have some refreshment we can have a look of the available houses." Manall said and made an inviting gesture to the large speeder which had been loaded with the furniture Cornell and Luke had unloaded.

Kuriann looked at Hajonn who took his arm and smile happily.

"That's wonderful, master Manall," She said, "for I understand that from here it's quite a walk to the town itself.

"Then get in one of the back seats," Manall said, looking at Tronama. "You dear, should take the seat behind your husband, the girls can sit next to you. Cemall, take the passenger's seat. Where is Lorann? Oh, there you are. You go with master Kamalin to the administration building where he will show you the room where you can work on your drawings. Kuriann, do you managed with the four of you. Cemall, I'll will get next to you. Are we all inside, then let's go."

The large transport speeder drove off and Luke walked over to Lorann and master Kamalin. He looked at the young Quelan boy.

"Well done, Lorann." He said and put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Great help."

Lorann grinned and looked at Luke, but Luke shook his head.

'Shaayla-Car and I will see at your grandfather's house, when he's back.' As he walk to the ramp of the Astræga.

"I'm leaving now, master Kamalin," He said, and the chair man of the Council of Elders nodded understandingly.

Luke entered the cockpit and looked at Filann and Anddra.

"Now, I'll bring you to the farm house and help you to get the crate with those seedlings at a safe place."

"I haven't had a look at the conservatory yet, Luke. I can't tell if the crate will be safe there." Anddra said looking concerned.

"Don't worry, Anddra," Filann answered. "I can fix it temporarily so those nut trees will be safe to grow."

"Nut trees?" Anddra laughed relaxed, "There are only some five small leaves to be seen, yet."

"They will become nut trees, and we will put them on Tyr near your sister's grave," He said.

Luke started the sublight engine and the Astræga hovered above the ground. He increased the speed and flew over to Ribana to reach the eastern hills.

Anddra looked through the wind screen in amazement.

"I have seen much of the town, yet, but those two groups have done good work. I see a lot of houses which looked like they once has been. Oh, look there's the main plaza where the market always was." She said elated. "Luke, I'm sure that our town will be as beautiful as before."

"And the market will also again take place on the main plaza, Anddra, so you can sell the berries of your farm." Filann said.

Anddra smiled at him.

"I'm really looking forward to prune the berry bushes together, Filann." She said, while she put her hand on his arm.

As soon as he was back on Myr Nori Thai went over to the new communications' room. He quickly entered, locked the door and went over to the console. He activated it and typed a code. The holo console requested his identification. After he had identified himself he sat back in his chair and waited. It took some time before the holo display activated and the image of Haym Nefloren appeared.

"Nori Thai, what a surprise. How are you, pal." The Quioth systems expert said cheerful and grinning.

"Haym, can you make a safe connection with Jerno Thai's office via the procon system." Nori asked.

"Problems again on that backwater planet, master Thai?" Haym asked looking more serious now.

"Not here, but I foresee problems with a mission of the Supreme Chancelor."

"You mean, her oncoming mission to Lumeara? It's secret, pal, how do you know about it?"

"Three of the Jedi Knights will take part in that mission. One of the Jedi Knights has already been on Lumeara for a long time."

"Who is going? Luke Skywalker?"

"No, his sister, for she's the Supreme Chancellor special advisor and two other Jedi Knights."

"I will pass you on, but the connection will take time to establish. Your system isn't yet part of the procon system, but I will bypass any authorization." Haym said.

"Thank for cooperating. I'll wait and see, Haym." Nori said and put the system on standby. The holo display started flashing numerous lines which Nori watched closely. To his relief he saw that the procon system connected to his system. While he was watching the info on the display Nori thought about what he knew about the Lumearanian leaders and about the planet itself.

Lumeara was small jungle planet with only one large city Lumea, capital and the only inhabited place of the Lumeara system. The system itself existed of a cluster of three planets circling in close orbit around a tiny nameless star.

The display changed color and the image of Jerno Thai popped up.

"Nori, A procon connection from Palomintar Four?" His uncle asked. "Must be serious, isn't it?"

"Yes, I need all available information about Lumeara, their leaders and the reason why Coruscant rejected their request for help." Nori said.

"That last info I can tell you immediately. Three years ago the leaders ask for help and referred to their loyalty during the reign of Palpatine. They requested a huge amount of credits, food supply for the inhabitants of Lumea for at least three years or longer, and a complete weapon system to defend Lumea against unwanted visitors from other systems. The Council refuse their request, not to say demands, as they also threatened the Council that they still held former imperial troops responsible for the massacre of some thousand of Lumearanian who seemed to have supported the Separatist movement during the Clone Wars. They were cheating, Nori, for you probably know that it there was evidence that the massacre never took place."

"Thanks, uncle, That’s what flashed through my mind, when someone here mentioned Lumeara."

"You were one of our intels who investigated what had happened," Jerno said. "We send you and two other to Lumeara."

"I recall, Jerno, for months we couldn't let you know what was going on, but after finally we managed to return and provide the Council with the evidence about that so-called massacre. There had been some assassinations, but those were done by the Lumearanian leaders themselves." Nori said.

"They always have been liars and cheaters, but why are you asking?"

"The Lumearanian leaders have now turned to Irithim, the New Republic government' with the same request. Two Jedi friends of mine were sent on a diplomatic mission to bring the credentials of the New Republic to the Lumearanian leaders. Somehow Irithim intels got info that the Lumearanians accused the Jedi Knights of having massacred those Separatist Lumearanian."

"What!" Jerno said, "There never have been Jedi Knights on Lumeara neither during the Civil War, nor during the Clone Wars, for the Lumearanian leaders refused the help of the Republican Senate and the Jedi Council. What has happened to those Jedi Knights."

"They finished their mission after nine months operating very carefully with the Lumearanian leaders."

Jerno Thai exhaled audible.

"That’s a relief, Nori, for whatever those Lumearanian deceivers try to pin on other groups, whether imperial troops, or Jedi Knights, I can assure you that neither groups have ever taken part in killing on Lumeara, but why are you interested again now in Lumeara."

"The Supreme Chancellor has received an invitation to have further diplomatic consultation about help from the New Republic. As far as I know she's leaving in four weeks, and three of our Jedi are accompanying her."

"She should cancel that mission immediately, Nori." Jerno said.

"I can't intervene at the moment, Jerno. Leia Organa has already committed herself and the two other Jedi Knights to the mission. They are leaving shortly for Irithim. What I have heard about that first mission, has been told to me by the Jedi Knight who has serious doubts about the mission. I can't reveal what he has told me confidentially. I'm also sure that whatever I tell Leia now, she will have her doubts, she will not give the advice to cancel the mission, for that would raise a diplomatic row. The mission will go on, but I want to inform my spokesman, so he'll be prepared for what he can expect this time, for he is one of the Jedi who was on that first mission. Jerno, I need as much information from Coruscant as possible and on short notice, for I also need to find a good moment here on Palomintar Four to inform my friend."

"I will inform Kalip and Valann, for we have to delve in old archives to find out what has been known about those cheating leaders of Lumeara. I'll come back to you as soon as possible."

"Use the procon connection via Quoith, uncle. Ask for Haym Nefloren to pass you on to Palomintar Four. He will secure the connection to this planet."

"I will, Nori. I'm going to work on this." Jerno said.

The procon connection disconnected. Nori stared at the holo display and sighed.

'Should I also inform the other Jedi," He wondered. 'Yarmod and Tama-Hin are inexperienced. It's their first mission. Yes, Leia goes with them, but will she be able to protect the mission with the Force. Let's hope that my uncle will contact me, before they leave this planet.'

After having unloaded Cornell's furniture and enjoyed some refreshments Cornell and his wife and daughters, and the Allrann family drove to the southern outskirts of Ribana. Manall had instructed Cemall and was sitting next to his grandson. On his other side was Cornell. Tronama sat with the girls on the next back seat and Allrann and his family were on the second back seat.

Wirton had tried to chat with Girinn, but the girl wasn't as elated as he was. Every now and then Bolann turned her head slightly to glimpse at Kolann who was talking to his mother and father. He didn't seem to notice her.

Finally Manall told Cemall to stop and all families left the speeder. Manall pointed at a two storey house with high domed roof surrounded with a large garden on all sides.

"Kuriann, this is what I thought could be a good choice for you and your family. It needs some tending of the garden, but the house itself is hardly damaged. Some broken windows have to be repaired. Have a good look at it. Take your time. I'll take my son and his family to look at their possible choices, but I'll come back here, and you can tell me if you like this one or want to have to make another choice."

"Can we get inside the house, master Manall?" Kuriann asked.

"The doors are unlocked, but don't expect any furniture, for everything has been stolen, only the house itself is still standing."

"We'll have a look at it, and wait until you return." Kuriann said.

Cornell's daughters had already clambered over the back rest of their seat to the seat after Kuriann and his family had left.

"Bye, Girinn," Wirton yelled, "I hope to see in Ribana."

Girinn looked at him and for a moment she raised her hand, but then she saw her mother watching her and she sat straight.

Allrann watched the speeder drive off again and turned to Hajonn and the boys.

"I'm really curious of what master Manall thought would be a good house for us. Shall we have a look."

They walked to the garden gate and Allrann pushed it aside. The gate was hanging loose from the hinges. Allrann cast a glance at it and nodded.

"Easy fix, boys. Kalonn, I think you can fix that if I tell what you have to do."

For the first time Kalonn smiled.

"What's wrong with you, Kalonn," Hajonn asked.

"It's that other family, mother. The girl Balonn is my classmate and when I playing with Jokunn or the other boys she always starts looking at me. I wonder why she's does."

"She seems a nice girl to me," Kuriann said.

"They are all nice girls, father, but their mother is always talking so loud and unfriendly to them. I don't like that woman, for when you're not at home, father, mother sometimes went over to her. We were neighbors on Tyr, and sometimes Girinn walked home with us after school," Kalonn said.

"You are in the same group at school? I never knew," Kuriann said.

"Girinn told us that they weren't allowed to talk to us, father. I once tried to talk to Bolann, but she said that she may not talk to boys. I don't understand why she always is looking at me then. Girinn is a classmate of Wirton. He is often talking and even playing with her, and their youngest sister sits in the same group as Jokunn's youngest brother."

Hajonn looked at Kuriann meaningful. Kalonn looked at his parents.

"Father, is it because Wirton and I don't know who we are going to marry?" He asked.

"Your mother and I will explain later what is going on, Kalonn. For now we'd better have a look at the house, boys, for you have also to tell your mother and me if you like it." Kuriann said and grabbed Hajonn's hand, while Kalonn and Wirton already ran up to the front door.

Calmly they walked along a overgrown path that ran all around the house. At the back they saw the the house had large outbuilding divided into two large spaces. Right of the annexe was a door. Kuriann pressed the knob and the door swung open. They entered and stood in a huge square space that must have been the kitchen, for there was a counter, a sink and a facet. In the middle was a square ion-cooking facility. Hajonn looked pleased and pressed Kuriann's hand. She pointed at another appliance with transparisteel door in one of the corners.

"If we could get that up and running again. I could make our own bread, Kuriann, and many more things. The cooking facility also looks great." She whispered.

The two boys had found the entrance to the farthest space of the outbuilding.

"Mother, can this be our rooms?" Wirton asked.

Hajonn smiled.

"We will decided that laater, Wirton, we we have seen the whole house."

They left the kitchen space through a door in the wall and entered a large room which had a sliding transparisteel door to the outbuilding. As they looked around in the annexe Kuriann began to laugh.

"This has been used as a greenhouse, boys. Look there broken pots everywhere, but it's a very useful space, for we can grow some vegetables and fruits here. What do you think, honey?" He asked Hajonn who blushed at the tender word he has spoken out aloud.

Kalonn looked at his father, but Wirton started laughing happily.

"You never called mother, honey, father, but she likes it, don't you think." He said.

Kalonn gave his younger brother a push.

"Keep your voice low, Wirton," He hissed, but now Kuriann put his arm around Hajonn.

"You're right, Wirton, I have said that far to little and not enough to your mother in the past and I regret I haven't said it much more, for your mother is a wonderful and very beautiful woman."

Hajonn blushed again, when Kuriann tightened his grip around her shoulders. She looked up at him. The two boys looked at their parents and they pushed each other.

They left what probably had been the dining room or the living, and two transparisteel sliding door, opposite the door to the outbuilding, were leading to a space of the same size that looked out on the front garden. Both rooms had doors in a corner that led to a corridor which had a hall near the front door, a door that lead to the kitchen and several doors that turned out to be two more smaller rooms and a bathroom. Next to the hall a spiral stair was leading to the upper floor.

Wirton and Kalonn rushed upstairs. Kuriann looked at his wife who beamed as she looked up at him.

"What do you think, Hajonn?" He asked.

"What a lot of space, Kuriann. Have you seen that the outbuilding looks out of the southern hills. We could use one of those rooms as a place to relax. This house is the last one at the far end of the town, for I noticed that the garden had a gate in the front, but also one to leave the garden and enter the forest of the foothills. The boys will really like that, as they want to roam in those forests" She said.

"I like it too, Hajonn." He said.

Let's follow our boys upstairs, Kuriann."

They followed their two sons and looked amazed as they entered a huge hall with doors that lead to the four large rooms and two bathrooms. The room, looking out on the back garden, had a transparisteel sliding door that led to a broad terrace above the kitchen. The other three rooms were to the left, the right and in front of the house and between the room at the back and the left one was a bathroom as there was between the room to the right and the front room. Kalonn and Wirton were quarreling about which room would be theirs.

A second spiral stair led to the attic, but instead of a dark space the attic had a broad transparisteel wall with terrace doors to a balcony that looked out to the far horizon. To the front was a huge space to serve at storage space.

Kuriann had looked at house and made a list in his mind what needed to be done, but Hajonn looked elated around her.

"This is really generous, Kuriann, if master Manall would leave this house to us."

"I really like it, darling, but there a lot to do. The garden is overgrown, the fences aren't in a good shape and we thoroughly have to check all the devices in the kitchen and the bathrooms,

"There are so many rooms on the first floor, Kuriann. I would love to furnish the room with a view on the hills as our private room. We can receive friends in the room with the annexe. The boys can have each their own room, left and right. There still is one room spare in the middle which they can use to play and do their home work." She said looking at him.

Kuriann pulled her close.

"I'm very proud of our sons, Hajonn, but I'm more proud of you, because you have never complained that I was away on Tyr to harvest the nuts, while our sons were born. Both times I knew that they would be born, while I would be away. My decision to go to Tyr instead of being with you, must have hurt you deeply, my love. I have failed to care for you twice, both times, while I knew that they would be born while I was away. I could have decided otherwise, Hajonn, as many other men were doing who stayed with their wives to support her and enjoy the new born child. I didn't. I choose to go to Tyr and leave you alone. I'm so sorry, Hajonn, for what I've done to you and the boys in our marriage. It surely must often have felt as I wasn't interested." He whispered.

Hajonn put her arms around Kuriann and shook her head.

"You have always been a harvest man, Kuriann. I never held it against you that you were away, for I understood how much you wanted to be with the other men on Tyr. You must also understand that men cannot do much when a baby is on the way; it is the other women who offer support and help. I received a great deal of support and help during the births of our boys, especially from Tronama Radilan with whom I often have had nice chats. I'm of the same age as her eldest son Filann. Kuriann, you must not view yourself as the cause of our marriage’s difficult beginning. Both times, you were overjoyed at the arrival of a sons. Neither of us was ready to enter into a marriage. I was too young, and the thought of getting married hadn't even crossed your mind. Our parents forced us into it, and that has caused problems for both of us. But it all worked out in the end. What we went through early in our marriage did not drive us apart; instead, it taught us that, despite the hardships, I knew you loved me, that you took care of our family." She said.

"Hajonn, is it an odd wish, if I say that I would like to have a daughter, a beautiful girl who will grow up and be as beautiful as her mother?" He asked.

Hajonn looked into her husband's eyes.

"That is a wonderful wish, for our third child could use the spare room. It would be great to tell Kalonn and Wirton that they will have a little sister, or a little brother."

"They will loved our third child, Hajonn, for I will love it as much as I love you and my sons."

"Also if the child will be a boy, Kuriann?" Hajonn asked.

Kuriann nodded and kissed her passionately. Hajonn put her arms around her husband's neck.

"I love you, Hajonn," Kuriann whispered and kissed her again. "Perhaps I must have already felt love for you when you became my wife, because after the announcement of our marriage, you devoted yourself entirely to your role as a married woman. for within a year, you became the mother of my son, my darling."

Kuriann Allrann kissed Hajonn again, holding her body tight to his.

In the attic door two boys looked at their parents. Silently they retreated and went down the spiral stair case.

Luke landed the Astræga on a small flat spot on the eastern hills. He carefully secured the landing studs, after which Liane, Filann and Anddra also jumped in the vegetation and joined him. Anddra pointed at the farm house at the distance.

"Over there, Luke. There's the farm that belonged to my family," She said. "I can see the berry bushes around the house."

Liane looked at her.

"Is it the only farm on the eastern hills, Anddra?"

Anddra shook her head.

"No, there were three other farmers on these hills, but their farms were small and closer to the southern hills. Sometimes my parents visited them, or they came to our farm. I can't recall what happened to those farmers. Maybe those armed forces also have killed them. I haven't seen anyone up here when I came here."

"Sounds like the way I grew up on Tatooine, Anddra," Luke said. "Those homestead were spread over wide area. My uncle and aunt visited their closest neighbors. Not often, and it mostly were courtesy calls to please my aunt."

"What was produced on that farm, Luke?"

"Mostly vegetables, I guess. I wasn't really interested, Anddra, and my main task was keeping moisture vaporators up and running. Those device had to filter moist from the air and transport the condensed water to irrigate the excavated underground growing area."

"Those growing areas were underground?" Anddra asked surprised.

"It's incomparable to your berry farm, Anddra. Tatooine is a desert planet. It's impossible to cultivate any products on the surface for it's too hot. I will ask Lorann to make a sketch of a farm on Tatooine, for I sense that my explanation didn't satisfy your curiosity." He said grinning.

"My brother told me that he will join you, Luke," Filann said. "It's a good plan, for he will miss Shaayla-Car's brother. I hope you won't regret your decision to take him with you."

"We won't, Filann. Lorann couldn't stay on Tyr, as your grandfather is now a member of the Council of the Elders and has to cooperate with master Kamalin and master Woldrin.

Shall we bring the crate to the farm house now?"

"Are we using the speeder," Filann asked.

"If you want you can take Anddra to the farm with the speeder. Shaayla-Car and I will take care of the crate, reaching the farm on foot."

Anddra looked at Filann.

"You can go with the speeder and take my bags and yours inside, Filann, but I want to walk and see how Luke keeps the crate hovering with the Force."

"I can carry those three bags, Anddra, while we're walking to the farm."

Luke walked up the cargo ramp and returned with the crate. He put the crate among the vegetation for some moments and closed the ramp. Then he activated the cloaking of the ship and laughed as he saw Anddra's astounding face.

"I remember that look, Anddra, in another girl's eyes when I took her to Tatooine the first time."

"Must have been, Shaayla-Car, right?" Anddra concluded.

"Indeed, Anddra, and that was long before I decided I had to become a Jedi Knight, like Luke." Liane said with a broad smile, as she stretched out her hand and raised the crate.

With the hovering crate between Luke and Liane, they all walked over to the farm house. As they were near Anddra led them along the fence which had been overgrown with the berry bushes and found the gate of the agricultural area around the farm.

When Filann wanted to chop some of the overgrown bushes Liane held him back.

"Better keep those bushes as they have grown, Filann. The Force with help us to create path to pass through." She said and raised her hands.

The bushes entangled and between them it was possible to reach the farm house. Anddra pointed to the overgrown greenhouse and Luke brought the crate down in front of it. Filann looked at the door, took a knife from his belt and chopped off the long twigs to get the door free. It took some effort to open the door. Anddra hurried inside and began to clear away some dirt and leaves from a counter, while she looked up at the transparisteel windows above and around the counter. Filann gave her a hand and within minutes Luke put the crate with the nut seedlings on the counter.

"I have to do some more and better cleaning as soon as possible," Anddra said

"I will see to it that all those window panes will be restored, Anddra. I will asked master Roshann to lend me one of the harvest men's speeders for some time. "

Anddra looked at Luke and Liane.

"I would like to invite you, but the house is still a mess. Filann and I have only done some cleaning at ground floor level. I have been upstairs, but most of the windows on the upper floor are broken."

"I would love to see more of it. Don't feel embarrassed. It's a large house. Of course there is a lot of work still to be done. I took some refreshments from our food store with me, so we can have a drink together, before Luke and I will head back to Ribana. Are you sure you both will manage.?" Liane asked and handed Anddra a bag and a box. Anddra laughed.

"That's what you were hiding under your coat. Thank you, Shaayla-Car."

"There enough for you for at least three days. I expect that will be enough until Filann will be able to reach Ribana to get some new rations."

They walked around the farm house and Anddra unlocked the entrance. Apologizing for the mess she showed her friends the living, the kitchen and her bedroom. Reluctantly she went upstairs with them and showed them around. Luke pointed to the stairs that seemed to lead to the attic.

"I haven't been there, Luke. That will be the last part of the house I will clean. At the ground floor there's still enough to do, for I have looked at the four other rooms there."

Luke looked at Filann.

"Let's have a look at the attic, Filann, for you're already registering what work needs to be done, don't you?"

They went up the stairs and Luke looked around. Filann looked surprised at a stack of crate near the broad window which had a view on the far off mountain ridge.

"Ben, someone has sat here? When?" Filann asked concerned.

"The one who ruined your former way of life, Filann. Trevor Matrik has sought refuse here, after he had left his cave dwelling. He must have gone here to have a view on the cave entrance to see when it would be safe to return." Luke said.

"That must have been before we released the water flow at the campsite, Ben," Filann commented. "It's still a pity that he hasn't drowned inside his abode."

"That's what Shaayla-Car and I prevented, Filann. Justice had to be done the right way. It's never up to any of us to punish him. He will be held accountable for what he has done. His superiors, the Provisional Coruscant Council, will compensate for the damage he has been done."

"They already have, Ben, but I still find it difficult that has left Palomintar Four unharmed, while we, the residents of Ribana have to clean up his mess."

"I understand your point of view, Filann, but the Jedi will always prevent that a suspect will lose his life unnecessarily, for those who are in charge have the mandate to do justice and trial wrongdoers." Luke remarked. "Be sure, Filann, that while he sat here, looking at, what he thought was his ultimate dream, he suffered, for by then he knew that his plan to become the next emperor was over.

For the Quelans it will remain difficult to accept that he has been brought back to Coruscant after the turbulent years his occupation of Ribana has brought upon this community. Still I believe that the Quelans will have a better future ahead of them.

Shall we get back to our women, pal. They are waiting in the restored living room and I sense that Anddra has made use of what Shaayla-Car has taken with her from our stock." Luke said and saw how Filann's face had gotten a slight red blush.

He smiled and patted his younger Quelan friend on his shoulder.

"You're almost free to make your own choice, Filann." He said. "And what you want to choose is awaiting you, remember that."

Filann looked at Luke Skywalker, but didn't comment on his words.

Later that day Luke and Liane were sitting together in the control room of the Astræga. After they had left Anddra and Filann they had lifted off to high altitude. With the ship on autopilot and flying in circles they had once again encourage the Quelans of the third group to take up the work that needed to be done, using Force Battle Meditation.

After Liane had seen that in Ribana all the Quelans had gone over to their former house and started cleaning and repairing, Luke had set course to the hidden valley to get a quiet time with her.

Liane leaned against Luke's shoulder and recalled what Anddra had told her.

"They will make a great couple, Luke." She mused half aloud.

"Absolutely, darling, but both have to be pushed a bit and dare to give in to their feelings."

"And we both have given them a slight push for that, Luke, or do you want to deny that you're not involved?" Liane grinned softly.

"Filann, deserves it to see a better future ahead of him. I'm sure that he is seeing it too. I only hope that he won't keep himself responsible of the death of Anddra's sister Iljon."

"Anddra will take care of that, Luke. That's why she took the initiative to germinate five of the fallen nuts Filann has brought to Iljon's grave. She has seen him crying, asking Iljon forgiveness for his lack of courage. She will use her influence to let him admit that he loves her and not Iljon, for Filann has become very dear to her."

"You had a long chat with her while I was loading Cornell's furniture."

"I sensed she was worrying about something that had happened recently between Filann and her. I made her look at it from both points of view. It had confused her that her feelings for him developed faster than anticipated. She wasn't sure about her position in her friendship with him. I could let her see that Filann still needs time to overcome all that has happened to him after he arrived at Tyr as sixteen year old boy. His life on Tyr has been turbulent and it's up to Anddra Jecolin to make him aware that what he is doing isn't worthless."

"Has she accepted your explanation?"

"All I did, Luke, was putting all the facts in the right order. It was Anddra who drew her conclusions and she knew she had been right about her feelings for Filann Radilan."

Liane looked up at him.

"Have you heard if Cornell and his wife have made a choice of one of the house Manall had in mind for them?"

"No, when we landed near Ribana again after you performed Force Battle Meditation Kamalin told me that Lorann would stay with him as long as Manall would have returned with the rest of his family."

"Tronama isn't happy woman, Luke. She's is worrying too much about the future prospect of her three daughters, now that the agreements she and Cornell once have made for those three girls have been declared void."

"That's what Cornell also said, remember," Luke answered, "but I'm sure that those problems will be softened once all the Quelans will love among each other in Ribana. Lorann and I have seen how one young boy from a harvest family greeted Cornell's daughter enthusiastically, as she is a classmate of him. It's my idea that any existing worries in harvest families about canceled marriage agreements will be resolved if Manall's plan to allot the abandoned houses to the harvest families and make them part of the Quelan community, works out better then the harvest families expected. "

"I expect that in the future there will be harvest boys who will not become harvest men like their father. Just like Filann." Liane said thoughtful.

"That certainly is possible, but at least they will be free to choose their own partner to marry and that's a great improvement for this community." Luke remarked.

"When I first heard about the way marriages among harvest families were arranged I felt devastated, because it felt so wrong. What Lorann told me back then sounded so strange."

"They chose a strange solution to solve marriages among their families this way, darling. In the future any Quelan boy or girl can chose freely without being forced into a marriage that would make one or both partner unhappy."

"What will be our task on Myr, Luke, except for giving some Force use to solve some physical difficult, like heavy loads?" Liane wondered. "I could continue pruning those vines in the vineyard, but I don't want to be in the way of Cemall's young friends and the governors' children. I promised Cemall I would visit the vineyard every now and then, but I don't want to see it as my primary task any longer."

"We'd better concentrate on guiding Lorann. At least I want to continue with that Force training I have given him on Tyr. He is doing fine, but I want to intensify that training. Your brother can help with it."

"Maybe I could concentrate on providing some help in Cornell's house hold. I would love to see his wife and daughter a bit more content here on Myr, but I'm aware that it won't be easy, for Tronama doesn't seem to trust me."

"I leave that up to you, my love. I'm sure that you will find a way to gain some confidence. It took me quite a while to gain Cornell's trust. Don't forget that our alliance with the Force isn't easily accepted among the Quelans, whether harvest family members, or Quelans from Ribana. Maybe you should have a word with Manall about his daughter-in-law, for I sense that he also pities her."

"I have sensed a lot of misunderstanding between her and Cornell, and I wonder what's the cause of it." Liane mused.

"Next to these possible task, we also have to work out those time schedule for our journey. There are three weeks left before Yarnick and his brother will bring your brother, Leia and Yarmod to Irithim," Luke looked a bit more worried.

"You also have your doubts about that mission, haven't you, Luke?"

"I have some doubts, Shaayla-Car, but Leia is a full-fledged Jedi Knight as are the other two. What worries me most is that Wedge has found any evidence about that assumed massacre on Lumeara during the Clone Wars. When we're on Na'ctaMagh'Ba I want to ask master Yoda about it. It's pity that Wedge hasn't used Yoda's holocron while he was on Na'ctaMagh'Ba." Luke said as he stood up and reach out to pull Liane to her feet. "I'm going to do a short meditation. Are you joining me?"

Liane shook her head.

"You'd better perform a deep meditation, master Skywalker. I'm going to my quarter to find my own connection with the Force." She said as she clear the working table.

Luke left for his private quarter, while Liane went over to Leia's former quarter. As she entered she recalled Anddra's slight blush after she had told her that it wasn't her sleeping quarter any longer. She pushed the button to slide back the wall and looked in the mirror. Smiling she undressed to take a massage shower to relax. She rummaged to Leia's former wardrobe and took out a loose blue caftan with very wide long sleeves. With a nod she held it in front of her and put it on the bed bunk. She sat herself on the floor and tuned in on the Force. As she became one with her ally her thoughts reached out to all the residents of the Quelan community. To Toallin and Mugin, who had become such good friends. To Manall and Kamalinn who she saw as her peers in the Force. To Udine and Carmona, the two kind sister who had been so concerned about her while she had pretended to be Luke's padawan. To Anddra and Filann who she wanted to become a happy pair one day. To Chati and Lorann who one day would join them as Jedi Knights. And last but not least to Cornell who clearly struggled with his feelings for the Quelan woman he once took as his wife. It would feel so good if the harvest man and his wife would find a way to express their feelings for each other again.

'There must be a way to make them see that their marriage is still providing happiness, despite all the troubles in the past.' She thought as she let herself drift along the ways the Force was showing her.

Finally she released herself from her Force connection and put on the blue caftan with a smile. She sensed Luke's presence nearby.

'And now, my love, it's time for us to step back from all the promises we made and spent some time together.' She mused as she walked over to the door. As she slit the door aside Luke was leaning against the opposite wall of the passageway. His eyes lit up when he let them wander over the blue dress with the wide sleeves. Liane chuckled as she put her arms around his neck.

"I found dress in Leia's wardrobe. Probably it's one her more casual gowns, and I assumed that you would like it, won't you."

"Like it?" Luke said laughing as he let his hands slip in the wide sleeves and touched the bare skin of her back underneath. "You look wonderful, my beautiful princess. You're seducing me, if you wearing a dress like this, for I love to find out ... "

The rest of his words he gently whispered in her ear. Liane nodded meaningfully.

"My beloved innocent and ignorant farm boy, I really want to fulfill what you just whispered in my ear," She teased while she pressed herself closer to him.

Luke released her and pulled her further along the corridor until he reached the niche which lead to the panoramic meditation room. He entered the code to open the door, climbed the four steps, turned to Liane, and stretched out his hand with a courteous gesture to let her walk up the four steps to the movable floor with the nagawa fleeces, after which he closed the door.