Chapter 160

Then she noticed that the window wasn't properly closed. She went over and opened it. In the gutter she saw the imprints of shoe soles. She followed the imprints with her eyes and saw they went to the balcony. In a hurry she turned and rush down the stairs to the room with the balcony on the first floor. She threw the doors open and saw the imprints of shoes near the balcony guide rail. As she walked over she saw that the imprints continued on the annex roof of the kitchen. Now she became worried and hurried down to the farm house entrance on the ground floor. Outside she saw that the imprints where more difficult to follow, but suddenly she became aware that the speeder was gone.

For a moment she stood frozen, looking in wonder at the empty spot where the speeder had been.

'He left,' She thought, 'Why? He left me, he left the farm secretly. Why? What made him leave through the window, sneaking through the gutter, jumping down, and taking the speeder. I didn't hear him leave.'

Slowly and feeling confused she entered the farm house again. She entered the kitchen, but nothing reminded her that he had been here recently. Again she walked up to the attic and searched the nagawa fleeces. Then she looked at the crates he had stacked around his sleeping place.

"His equipment belt is gone. He has taken all his belongings with him. Where did he go and why? Why did he leave?"

Deep in thoughts she went down to the living and looked around. Her eyes caught the newly assembled couches, the armchairs and the coffee table. The curtains had been pushed aside and she remembered that they had been sitting side by side on the three framed couch watching Ribana, seeing how the lights had illuminated the town below. But she also remembered that she had felt a strange tension between them, as if a breach had opened up. During their joined meal Filann had been withdrawn.

Anddra sat down, looking puzzled, and she wondered why he had acted so distant the night before. He hadn't put his arm around her while they had sat on the couch, and he had gone to the attic much earlier, saying that he felt tired. She had wished him pleased dreams, but when she had wanted to share a kiss with him he had grabbed her arms, shook his head, and pulled himself free. She remembered that she had let him go and watch him as he disappeared upstairs. She had felt disappointed, but hadn't paid real attention to it.

Now that she recalled what had happened between them in the evening, she began to worried. She wondered why he had been so withdrawn. Had he really felt tired, or did something else have happened?

She recalled what they had done the day before and what they had been talking about and suddenly she remembered that Filann had remarked that they have created a lot of place to sit and how she had answered that one day she wanted to get married, that she wanted to raise a family, and that when she had finished her chores at the farm she would look for a nice and kind Quelan man from Ribana to become her husband.

Anddra's eyes widened in horror.

"No, no, no," she whispered, "I meant that completely different, but you must have heard something else. You heard that I would seek a Quelan man who had been an inhabitant of Ribana as it has been before, but I meant you, for you're the Quelan man from Ribana I want as my husband. Why didn't you ask me what I meant with what I said. Filann, I'm sorry. I teased you with those words, but you have misinterpreted them. You've left me in the middle of the night, because you thought that I didn't want to have you as a companion any longer, that I would chose another man. Filann, no!"

She put her hands before her face and panicked. In a rush she got up, ran to her room, grabbed her coat and quickly left the farm house, running down the path to the eastern outskirts. She nearly stumbled while she ran and crossed the streets of the outskirts where several Quelans looked up as she ran by. She reached the Main Plaza and looked bewildered around, wiping tears from her eyes.

Then she heard a reassuring voice and a hand grabbed her arm.

"Anddra Jecolin, what's wrong with you, girl. Come with me and tell me."

She looked up and through her tears she saw the friendly face of Manall, Filann's grandfather.

"He is gone, he has fled the farm house last night, because I have said something very stupid, master Manall." She whispered and again she started to cry.

Manall took her to his house at the edge of the Main Plaza. Reassuringly he made her sit down and sat in front of her.

"What has my grandson done, Anddra?" He asked.

Anddra shook her head and buried her face in her hands again.

"Nothing, master Manall, he did nothing. I did. I'm a stupid woman, and now I have lost him, because I said that ... Oh, Filann, why didn't asked me what I meant. I love you." She cried.

The tears streamed down her face as Manall grabbed her hands.

"Sounds that my grandson misinterpreted what you said. Relax, Anddra, I will find that hothead of a grandson. He is so much like his father, sometimes. Get calm, my dear, so you can tell me what went wrong. Am I right, that Filann is no longer at the farm house with you?"

"He has ... left secretly, master ... Manall," Anddra started to stammer. "He crept ... through ... the attic window and ... jumped down ... the balcony ... to the first floor ... and then via the kitchen ... to the ground. He took ... his equipment belt with ... him and the speeder. I ... haven't heard ... him leave. "

Wringing her hands she looked up and again the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"How could I have been ... so stupid. It's not ... his fault, master Manall. He didn't ... anything wrong. I did."

"You haven't been quarrelling with him, have you?"

Anddra shook her head.

"No, we haven't, but I have said something that must have upset him, master Manall?"

"What did you say, girl? It must have been something terrible, or perhaps something my grandson didn't understand, and I think it is probably the latter."

Anddra looked up.

"Tell me, Anddra, for I what to help you and Filann. I know my grandson, and I have the impression that I also begin to know you."

"We had assembled a new couch which we choose from the gifts' tent. Originally it must have been a huge couch, for it consist of many separate frames, so we combined three frames to make a couch in front of the window and I said I wanted the other frames assembled into two smaller couches. The armchairs Filann had brought me, could easily be aside the two smaller couches." Anddra said with a deep sigh.

"What happened next?" Manall asked.

"Filann commented that there were a lot of seating in the living room and then, master Manall, I said something, just to tease him a bit. I said that when the farm would be up and running again, I wanted to get married and have a large family, for I wanted to chose a nice and kind Quelan man from Ribana as a husband. Filann didn't respond. Instead he assembled the smaller couches and put them where I wanted. Then he suggested that he would show me how to finish the harvest mens' broth and I said that next time I wanted to make it myself. After we had our meal we sat on the new couch, but it didn't feel as I once had sat with Filann on the couch in my house on Tyr. Now that I think it over, he didn't put his arm around my shoulder as I hoped he would do again, for it makes me feel safe. Instead his behavior was withdrawn, but he didn't tell me what was bothering him. After we had finished some drinks he said he was tired and went to the attic, where he had made himself a place to sleep."

Feeling desperate Anddra looked up at Manall, as knock on the door made them both look up as Cemall stepped inside. Surprised he looked at Anddra and his grandfather.

"Anddra, why are you here? Where is my brother?" He asked.

Manall looked at his grandson.

"Your brother, Cemall, has left the farm house in the middle of the night and fled with the speeder he has recently bought."

"In the middle of the night?" Cemall asked with raised eyebrows and looked at Anddra.

"The two of you have been arguing, like Sumall always argued about everything my brother said, right?"

"No, son, your brother and Anddra hadn't a dispute. Your brother misinterpreted what Anddra remarked innocently, and instead of asking her what she meant, he kept his mouth shut and draw his own conclusion." Manall answered.

"What conclusion, grandfather?"

"That he no longer was wanted at the farm, because Anddra wanted to marry a nice and kind Quelan man from Ribana." Manall said.

Cemall looked at Anddra and started to laugh.

"And that nice and kind Quelan man from Ribana would be my brother, because there are only Quelans from Ribana as soon as we all have returned to Myr. What a fool, and where is he now?"

"That's something we have to figure out, Cemall, but first I'm going to bring Anddra back to the farm house." Manall said.

Anddra shook her head vehemently.

"No, master Manall, I want to start looking for Filann, for I want to explain to him what I meant." She said.

"My lovely girl, where do you think your runaway friend has gone? Where would you want to start looking for him. He took the speeder. He is hours ahead of us. No, Anddra. You go back to the farm house, continue with what's needed to be done there. I know you will keep worrying about what happened, but it isn't something you can solve immediately. Cemall and I will figure out where Filann might have gone and we will convince him that, he should look upon on what you said, from a different point of view." Manall said and turned to his grandson, "We will tell your brother how much his disappearance has saddened Anddra. He should have asked her what she really has meant, but he stubbornly silenced and concluded that she didn't want him as a friend any longer.

Now come, Anddra Jecolin. We'll bring you back to the farm house. There I want you to wait for Filann to return, so he can make it up with you. You're not to blame, my dearest, my grandson is a great guy, but the old harvest mens' imagined tradition has done a lot of harm to him. You know, what I mean, don't you?" Manall asked.

Anddra nodded with a slight smile.

"Yes, master Manall, I do. I hope that the Council of the Elders will soon decide about his failed marriage with Sumall." She said, looking at the old harvest man with confidence.

Manall smiled at her.

"Come, Anddra Jecolin. Time to go back to where you belong. Cemall get our speeder ready, for we will have a long journey ahead."

Cemall nodded with an understanding look and left the room. Manall took Anddra's hand and pulled her to her feet. She smiled.

"You know, where Filann is, don't you, master Manall?"

Manall didn't respond to her question. He looked at her.

"One day, Anddra Jecolin, you will call me 'grandfather' like Filann does, and I will have a wonderful granddaughter."

Anddra blushed, but the look in her eyes told Manall that he was right.

Jarosho entered the Grannd Traveler and looked around in the control room.

"You have refurnished the couches, haven't you, Yarnick?" He asked.

"We have. The cushions were worn out. We did some major overhaul about a year ago on Tatooine, after we had have a good profit from our trading." Yarnick said and pondered for a moment on what had happened on Tatooine and afterwards. "You'd better strap in, Jarosho. I'm going to get our clearing for lift off. As soon as we have gone into hyperspace we will tell you of our adventure on Palomintar Four, how we got there, and why we are still staying there."

The huge Kayvok grinned and took a seat on the main couch. Four of the brothers joined him, while Brion and Yarmick went over to the cockpit. The engines started and the Grannd Traveler rose above Ktafunda space port. As soon as the ship was outside the gravitation of the planet the ion-drive started. Brion fed the navi-computer with the coordinates of the Ribana plains and within minutes the ship vanished into hyperspace. Brion stayed in the cockpit but Yarnick went over to his guest in the control room and joined his brothers.

"We will reach our landing place in about one hour, Jarosho." He announced.

"Great, I'm really curious to meet my old friend Toallin and Mugin again. They left Ktafunda after a guy who turned out to be a Jedi Knight got severely wounded. My cousins bought their bar and what was left of the lodging part. What has happened to them afterwards was a mystery, for they never turned up in Ktafunda again, although I have heard rumors that some Jedi Knights came to Palomintar Six to look for the other Jedi guy. Have all of them gone to Palomintar Four with Toallin and Mugin."

"Not all of them, for as we told you, three Jedi Knights have gone on a mission with the Supreme Chancellor of the New Republic, but Luke Skywalker, and his brother-in-law Han Solo and his Wookiee friend Chewbacca are still in Ribana, together with Luke's friend, also a Jedi Knight, Wedge Antilles."

"Fellahs, it really has amazed me that Han Solo has finally married some one. Years ago he visited me and bought a pair of wedding rings. I wondered why his bride wasn't with him, but I never asked indecent questions, you know." Jarosho answered.

Bran grinned.

"But you're always curious, right, Jarosho?" He asked.

"I love to know what's going on in the galaxy, pal."

"You surely have missed what has happened to our adopted sister and what went wrong more than eight years ago on Palomintar Four, a planet in this system." Ronan said.

The five brothers told Jarosho how they had met the young woman who had lost her memories. Getting angry Jarosho heard that the young woman, a prisoner from the Wegoyy prison, had been mind drugged, but he complimented the Grann brothers for taken her on board the Grann Traveler, and giving her an adopted name. He became amazed that the young woman had run away and ended on Endor, the forest moon. There the brothers had met her again, but to their relief she had got back her memories and knew that she was called Liane Solichor. On Endor she was in the company of Luke Skywalker and together with him she has had some dazzling adventure and ended up as the protégé of the Supreme Chancellor who had become her protector. The Supreme Chancellor had brought her to a safe place, as some one had been looking for her. Together with two Jedi Knights who had been nominated as her guards she fled to Tatooine where the Granns had met her again. The six brothers decided to give her support for what she has in mind and they ended up on Palomintar Four on the continent of Tyr.

"Did she tell you, how she discovered she was Obi-Wan's daughter, Jarosho?" Yarnick asked.

The Kayvok shook his head.

"As I said I don't ask indecent question to my customers, but when I heard her surname I asked her if Obi-Wan had been a relative of her, and she told me he was her father. The woman has gone through a lot of ordeals, folks. She has a tough character. I admire strong women, and it's really great to know that she will get married to the son of Obi-Wan's friend Anakin Skywalker. That's also a tough guy, for he has saved the lives of my cousin when thugs raided their bar and threatened their lives. It's a beautiful pair. I'm really looking forward to meet them again on Palomintar Four, but what has happened on that nearby planet and why hasn't any rumor reach Ktafunda, except that some seven or so years ago a group of Quelans made a crash landing just outside Ktafunda. I remember there were about six or seven Quelans on board. All of them survived, but most of them disappeared shortly after. Several years later I met Toallin and Mugin, the owners of the bar and lodging in the center. The guys were excellent cooks and my cousins and I have often enjoyed a meal in their bar. They got especially become good acquainted with my two cousins who later bought their bar, after their lodging part had been blown up. As I already said those two Quelans vanished and I have never heard of them until now. It feels so good, guys, to meet them again and to know that they are the governors of a Quelan community. I'm really curious to hear what has happened on Palomintar Four, for I have always had the feeling that those Quelans didn't come to Palomintar Six by accident. They've never told any one about that they came from Palomintar Four"

Brion entered the control room.

"We're nearing our rendez-vous with Myr, Yarnick," He said.

Yarnick stood up, looked at Jarosho, and grinned.

"You're in for meeting a lot of familiar people, Jaroshoo." He said.

"Looking forward to it, Yarnick Grann. We, Kayvoks, are a decent species; we won't asked indecent question, but we want to know what's going on and get inspiration from what we hear. I'm an artist, and my two cousins are famous caterers in Ktafunda. They always listen to what kind of food species on other planets prefer."

Yarnick and Brion went back to the cockpit and the count down of leaving hyperspace became heard over the PA-system. The Grannd Traveler dropped out of hyperspace above Palomintar Four and the ship descended to the surface. Already before the ship has landed her presence has be notified and groups of Quelans began to wave and cheer.

Han Solo and Chewbacca came down the cargo ramp of the Millennium Falcon to watch the landing of the twin freighter.

After having landed near the Falcon the six brothers left their ship with Jarosho who looked surprised at the still visible damage of the community town of Ribana. He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing, only looking around and taking in all the impressions of the surrounding area.

After Manall and Cemall had brought Anddra back to the farm house, they noticed the excited crowd near the two freighter space ships outside Ribana. Among the crowd they saw Toallin and Kamalin, but also Han Solo and Chewbacca, together with the six Grannd brothers and an unknown visitor.

"Go over to Han Solo, Cemall. I have an idea," Manall said.

Cemall brought the speeder to a halt near the Millennium Falcon and want to jump out, but Manall held him back.

"Stay in the speeder, Cemall. I will have a short talk with master Solo. I expect that he can help us." He said.

Manall went over to Han Solo and tapped him on the shoulder. Han turned surprised.

"Master Manall, good to see, that you also have come to meet an old friend of mine, and Toallin. Let me introduce to him."

"Later, master Solo. Could you do me a favor?" Manall asked. "Could you call Luke for me and asked him to come to Ribana?"

Jarosho had heard Manall's question and turned to the old harvest man.

"I heard what you asking my friend Han Solo. Don't you have an infocom to call Luke Skywalker yourself?" He asked.

Manall looked at the huge Kayvok and shook his head.

"We never had need for that kind of communication, my good man, but now I would welcome it, if I had one."

Jarosho turned to Toallin.

"Old friend, your community should be able to have a way to communicate with each other. I will take care of it, and will make sure that all inhabitants of your community will have their own infocom so they can always reach each other."

Han came walking down the cargo ramp of the Falcon.

"Master Manall, I have made contact with Luke, but he isn't nearby and can't come back to Ribana immediately. Do you want to talk to him yourself."

"Sure, master Solo," Manall said and together with Han he went to communication quarter of the Falcon, where on the holo display the image of Luke Skywalker was waiting.

"Master Manall, you want me to come back to Ribana, but I've gone to the clearing on the mountain ridge."

Manall looked pleased.

"Then you also know the reason why I asked master Solo to contact you, don't you, Luke.?" He said. "You're there to intercept my grandson when he arrives there and goes to the campsite."

"The Force has shown Shaayla-Car image of your grandson rushing in a speeder along the trail to the western harbor. I expect him to use the trail that leads up to the mountain ridge to get to the campsite. I sense that you also want to have a word with Filann, right?"

"Absolutely, Luke. My grandson once again has done something rash and drawn a wrong conclusion about his friendship with Anddra Jecolin. He has left the farm house in the middle of the night without telling her."

Luke nodded understandingly.

"That also has been our conclusion. Shaayla-Car and I expect that Filann will reach the campsite in the course of tomorrow. We will watch his arrival, but we won't immediately ask him a reason for his arrival, for it's not up to us Jedi to tell him he is wrong. We can help him if he tells and asks us that he needs help, but not before that."

"It's good I know that you both are near him, Luke. Cemall and I will now head for the western harbor and that follow the trail up to the mountain." Manall said and sighed.

"You'll need about the same time to reach the campsite, master Manall, and that means that you will arrive at least two days after Filann has come here. Of course we will keep an eye on him." Luke said and turned to Shaayla-Car who was listening in the back ground. His holo image turned to Manall again, with a reassuring look.

"Master Manall, can you set course to the border of the wild lands and the western plains?" He asked.

"What's your plan, Luke?" the harvest man asked.

"Shaayla-Car just reminded me that I just told that Filann won't arrive at campsite in the course of tomorrow. I can reached the western plains in less then an hour. If you wait there for the Astræga we can bring you to the clearing and you can reach the campsite this afternoon."

Manall nodded carefully.

"What about the speeder, Luke?"

"Can be stored in the Astræga, master Manall. Its cargo hold is empty and large enough to hold more than one speeder."

"We're on our way, Luke. Cemall and I meet at the border of the western plains." Manall said and turned to Han Solo.

"Thank you, master Solo. Well, this is a relief and will surely solve another problem."

"You need an infocom, master Manall, while you're on your way to the wild lands, so you can contact Luke to give you the coordinates where he will land. Here you'll take mine. Access to Luke's infocom is preprogrammed. Just press seven and he will answer."

Gratefully Manall accepted the device.

"I will hand it back when we've come back to Ribana, master Solo."

They left the Falcon and Manall went over to Cemall who was waiting in the speeder. He got on the passenger's seat. Cemall looked at his grandfather who showed his relief.

"You have found out where my stupid brother is, haven't you? The fool!" He asked.

"I have, and we will be there before Filann arrives. Set course to the border of the wild lands, Cemall. There we will wait for Luke's space ship Astræga which will bring us to the campsite. We will already be at the campsite this afternoon. Luke expects Filann to arrive tomorrow earliest. I know he's right. This will give us time to tell Luke and Shaayla-Car what has happened, but we will have a first serious talk with your brother."

"Why did master Skywalker go there?" Cemall asked surprised.

"Shaayla-Car had a Force vision which showed her that Filann was rushing along the trial to the western harbor. Shaayla-Car knows the path and she also knows that another trial leads up from the western harbor to the mountain ridge. She and Luke have gone to the clearing near the campsite to keep an eye on your brother, for they probably sensed he is in trouble."

"Will they tell him that he should return to Anddra and make it up with her."

"No, they won't. They will only support Filann if he asked for help himself. The Jedi are prudent people, Cemall. They will never tell other what they have to do."

"What will we do at the campsite, grandfather?" Cemall asked.

"Listen to the lamentation of your brother, Cemall, but, like the Jedi, we won't tell him what he has to do. It's up to your brother to realize that Anddra's words meant something different, but we are his fellow Quelans and I assume that it will be easier for Filann to speak out and tell us why he left the woman he sincerely loves."

"And who he thinks has betrayed him. Grandfather, if he had asked Anddra what she meant, this all wouldn't have happened."

"Sure, Cemall, but your brother no longer really knows how to deal with his feelings for Anddra Jecolin and her feelings for him, and that is partly Sumall Pohinn's fault. If she had been more honest with him about her promise of marriage to Thero Usavon, it could have been prevented that your brother was forced into a marriage with her." Manall said and pointed left.

"Go left and follow the new river. Halfway a shallow has been formed in the middle of the river which we can use to safely cross it and reached the western riverbank."

Cemall followed his grandfather's directions and easily crossed the new river. They followed their course to the border of the wild lands. When they were half way Manall pressed seven on the device Han had handed him. Immediately the holo image of Luke Skywalker popped up above the device.

"Cemall and I have crossed the river and are on our way on the western plains. Can you give me the coordinates of the landing site, Luke."

"Sure, master Manall, it's zero-zero-seven-zero-two-nine." The holo image answered. "We're on our way to meet you there."

"Thanks, Luke. I will instruct the navi-computer of the speeder with these coordinates. We'll see you shortly, I hope. I guess our drive to cross the western plains will take two hours, before we reach the wild lands."

"If you follow the course to the coordinates you surely will see the Astræga from afar, master Manall."

Manall smiled.

"I know her looks, Luke."

Manall deactivated the device and saw that Cemall had already instructed the computer of the speeder. It took a few moments, but then the speeder made a course correction and a clear route appeared on the display.

Meanwhile Filann had reached the second cabin along the trail to the mountain ridge. He felt forworn, not only because he had left the cabin near the western harbor early, but also because Anddra's words still kept reverberated in his mind over and over again. He sighed deeply when he stopped the speeder and looked with weary eyes at the cabin. It took him a lot of effort to leave the speeder and to walk over to the entrance. Once inside he slumped in one of the armchairs and closed his eyes. Within minutes he fell asleep.

As he woke up the room lay in darkness. Slowly he got up and walked outside to get a box with preserved food. He sat himself at the table and opened a can with cold stew. He looked at the kitchen corner, but couldn't get himself to warm the stew, so he ate it cold from the can.

Walking over to a sideboard he took a mug, walked over to the facet in the kitchen and poured it full of water.

After he had finished his meal he cleared the table, wash the mug and threw the empty can in a waste bag which he put back in the speeder. He did it all automatically, for at a young age he had learned to take care for himself and keep his stay clean, that has been his heritage as a future harvest man.

Still feeling tired he went to a back chamber and slumped down on the bunk that served as a sleeping place. The nagawa fleeces that served as a mattress felt a bit clammy, but he couldn't set himself to look for a stack of other fleeces. He pull one of the fleeces to cover him, turned on his side and closed his eyes. He felt cold and longed for something warm. In his mind the memory of Anddra warm body appeared while he had been holding her in his arms and she had huddled close to him. He felt how the sadness about her words began to engulf him again.

Several hours passed before he finally fell into a slight slumber. More than once he woke up, turned on his other side to find sleep again.

After more than one attempt to fall asleep again he got up and went to the kitchen corner. He managed to activate the ion-stove, opened another can with stew and put in a pot to warm it. As it felt hot enough he took a plate and a fork and went back to the table. Eagerly he ate the warm food and felt how his body began to feel warmer. He looked at the fireplace and wondered if he should lit a fire, but he shook his head.

As he cleared the table he cynically smiled.

'Well, Filann, this is how it will be for the rest of your life. Preparing your own meals, eating alone, doing the necessary chores to keep your stay clean and not expecting anything else.' He thought. 'I'm feeling a bit warm now, when I'm at the campsite I can lit the stove in the community building and make that my place to stay during the days. I can inspect the water flow, the water fall and the lake and make sure that the water keeps flowing. That will be my contribution as a Quelan man to the community in Ribana. I'd better get some sleep now, for tomorrow I have to do a lot of chores at the campsite to install it for a very long stay. I'll put this plate in the sink, before I leave this cabin will do the final clearing.'

He went back to the back chamber, laid down on the nagawa fleeces, pulled some three fleeces as a cover and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Many hours later he opened his eyes again and felt a lot better, not that the sadness he felt had disappeared, but he made himself a breakfast, clearing and cleaning what he had been using and spread the clammy nagawa fleeces on a rack to fresh up and dry. As he had finished his chores he left the cabin and looked at the time scheduler of the speeder. Amazed he check the read out and looked around.

'I'm late. I'd better get going. I will skip as many rests as possible, for I want to reach the campsite at daylight. He jumped behind the wheel and drove off, following the trail up to the mountain ridge. The path began to rise as he was nearing the first foothills. Keeping his eyes on the trail and passed the third cabin in two hours.

At the fourth cabin he made a short stop to eat something outside, but after having finished he drove along. The surrounding area became familiar as he recognized the cave which had serve as a storage for the many equipment the group had used while working on the water project of his grandfather. He began to feel more at peace with himself as he entered the clearing and saw the steep path that led up to the campsite. He took his equipment belt, fastened it around his waist, took one of the food boxes and began to ascend the path.

He wasn't aware that at the far side of the clearing Luke and Shaayla-Car had seen him coming. Luke activated his infocom and the holo image of Manall popped up.

"Your grandson is on his way to the campsite, master Manall," Luke said.

"Cemall and I will bit him welcome, Luke. Thank you, Luke."

Meanwhile Filann had reached the grassy level around the campsite and for a moment he stood still and listened to the gurgling noise of the water flow.

'It's still working the way my father and grandfather had in mind,' He thought and went over the the central community tree house. Amazed he looked at the rope ladder that was leading to the entrance terrace, and he wondered if he hadn't secured the rope ladder when he left the campsite with Luke to go to Tyr. He shrugged his shoulder.

'Probably forgotten, for I remember how elated I felt when Luke told me he would bring me to Tyr, so I could see the nut forest myself. It was amazing, but little did I expect that I would meet with Oltomyran and made a covenant with that Uram leader, so that the Quelans could safely gather the fallen nuts in the nut woods.'

He climbed the rope ladder and entered the building, where Manall and Cemall were sitting around the heating ion-stove in the middle of the room.

"Welcome, son. Want some broth to get warm. You have a tough trip behind you," Manall said.

"What are the two of you doing here?" Filann asked, "And how did you get here before me?"

"We want to talk to you, after we heard from an very upset young woman, that you have left her in the middle of the night," Manall said.

Filann put down the food box.

"There's nothing to talk about, grandfather. I have decided that I want to live here on my own, for I'm not fit to find myself a wife who will love me."

"Do you really believe in what you're saying, son?" Manall asked.

"I do, grandfather. I'm done with finding myself a wife. What's more I'm still married to one, for I still haven't heard what the Council of the Elders will decide for Sumall and me. We've arrived on with the third group almost a fortnight ago. I expect that the group will get back to Tyr one of these days. At least as soon as those six traders have returned."

"They have. Cemall and I met them this morning when we left Ribana in search for you."

"That's impossible, grandfather. You can't have reach this place so fast," Filann objected.

"We did, brother. There are more ways to reach this campsite. I have already had a look at the water flow near the lake. It's running smoothly." Cemall said, but Filann neglected his brother

"Sit down, son, and tell us why you have come here." Manall said and handed Filann a bowl with the harvest broth.

Filann took it in his hands and took a sip of the hot broth. He looked up at his grandfather began to laugh.

"Seeing you and Cemall here really feels odd, grandfather. I still haven't figured out how you have come here before me, prepared our broth and welcoming me, as if you expected me to arrive here, while I didn't tell where I went as I left the farm house."

"We did, and it's very inconsiderate to leave the farm house without telling Anddra Jecolin where you went and why you have left her so unexpectedly."

"I didn't want her to know, grandfather, and I'm sure she doesn't care." Filann answered.

"Are you sure, she doesn't care where you have gone, son?"

"No, grandfather, for she told me that ... " Filann stopped as Anddra's word seemed to stick in his throat.

"What did she say, Filann, that you made a rash, but very unwise decision to leave the farm house and a lovely young woman who cares about you." Manall said.

"She doesn't care about me, grandfather. She wants to marry a Quelan man from Ribana when all the restoration of the farm house has finished, for she wants a family, a large family with more than two kids. I'm not part of that future dream." Filann retorted.

"What makes you think you're not part of Anddra's future dream about have her own family with a nice and kind Quelan man from Ribana as a husband." Manall asked.

"Grandfather, you've just said it. She seeks a nice and kind ... "

Again Filann stopped and looked at his grandfather.

"Did she tell you, what she told me, grandfather?" He asked.

"She did, son, in tears, and highly upset, because you were gone." Manall said.

Filann was silent, not knowing how to respond, but after some moments he looked up again.

"She came to your house in Ribana?"

"No, I found an upset, crying young woman, looking desperately around her at the Main Plaza. I took her to my house and have her tell me what was wrong with her and she told what had happened that day, before you sneaked away from the farm house. She told me about the new couch elements from the gifts tent and how you commented on the many seats in the living room."

Filann nodded.

"That's right, and then she answered that she wanted to have a large family one day and she wanted to marry a nice and kind Quelan from Ribana. Grandfather, her words were most displeasing me; for they hurt me, and I didn't know what to answer. I assembled the other couch elements and I showed her how to finish the harvest broth, but all the while her words were reverberating in my mind. I couldn't sleep and finally I decided that it would better that I would leave the farm house, so she would be free to find herself a husband."

Cemall looked at his brother.

"Filann, you did the same after you discovered how wrong your marriage with Sumall was, right." He said.

"At least Anddra has been honest, Cemall, Sumall kept her pledge to Thero a secret." Filann commented.

"Brother, can you see that there is another meaning behind Anddra's words," Cemall said.

"What do you mean, Cemall. She said that she wanted a large family and a nice and kind Queland man from Ribana as her husband. I don't see any other meaning." Filann said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Can you explain, why grandfather found her crying and looking for you in Ribana, not knowing where to look for you." Cemall said with some emphasis.

"Why are you thinking that she was looking for me?" Filann asked showing he became annoyed.

"Because, son, when I told her that I would bring her back to the farm and that Cemall and I would start looking for you, and she would leave it up to us to find you, she said that she wanted to start looking for you herself. I could convince her she'd be better go back to farm and wait there for you to return, for I'm sure you will want to go back to her, when you have looked at her words from a different point of view, Filann," Manall said. "Let's see if I can convince you to a better belief of what Anddra has meant with those words. Tell me, son, what has been decided on Tyr during the joined hearing of the Harvest Council and the Council of the Elders. "

Filann raised his eyebrows.

"What has that to do with what Anddra's words?"

"A lot, son. So what decision has been taken on Tyr?" Manall said.

"That the Council of the Elders will have the only authority about any rules for our community. That's what I always have said. I'm glad that the Harvest Council has be canceled permanently."

"Because?" Manall asked.

"Because what, grandfather? What do you want that I tell you?"

"What does that decision tell you about the position of the harvest families and the Quelans who lived in Ribana before Myr was occupied. "

Filann silenced and didn't know what to answer. Cemall answered for him instead.

"That there is no difference between the harvest families and the Quelans of Ribana. All of them are Quelans and that's why the Council of the Elders has decided that the Harvest Council has no longer authority. The only authority lays with the Council of the Elders and the governors."

Manall smiled gently at Cemall

"Go on, Cemall, and tell your brother how you interpret Anddra's words, for Filann still doesn't see it." He said encouragingly.

Cemall took a deep breath and looked at Filann.

"Filann, you have over and over told me that you don't acknowledge the authority of the Harvest Council, that you see yourself as a Quelan of Ribana, like all our other fellow Quelans. No distinction between harvest families and let's say Ribana Quelans We're one community governed by Toallin and Mugin Fonaldris."

Again Filann shrugged his shoulders.

"You're right, brother, that what I've always said, that's what I believe in. We are all Quelans and only the Council of the Elders has the authority together with the governors to set the rules which count for all Quelans." He answered.

"Grandfather's plan to give the harvest families the abandoned house in Ribana will surely make them realize that they are part of one united community, right?"

"Yes, it's splendid idea, for then all the Quelans will form the Quelan community of Ribana." Filann said and smiled, "That's what I always thought should happen. On Tyr, we all lived together in Cantamaga. Each of us was a Quelan of Cantamaga, and in Ribana each of us will be a Quelan of Ribana."

"So, you see yourself as a Quelan man from Ribana, Filann, right?" Manall asked.

Suddenly feeling confused Filann looked at Manall and at his brother. They both laughed at him and Cemall patted his brother on his shoulder.

"You mean, that Anddra meant that I'm the Quelan man from Riban she wants as her husband, right?" He said hesitatingly. "That was what she meant, right?"

Filann bowed his head.

"I didn't see it. I thought she would start looking for another Quelan man to marry." He said slowly not knowing what to add more.

"You misinterpreted her words, son. Anddra loves you and it is her dream that one day you will become her husband and raise that large family that would occupy all the seats in the living room at the farm."

There was a long silence in which none of the three family members said another word. Then Filann jumped to his feet.

"I'm going back. I have to apologize for what I did. I want to tell her that I love her too, that I want to become her husband one day. I want to help her and get the farm up and running like in the old days."

He looked at his grandfather and Manall sensed his grandson's growing impatience to get back to Anddra Jecolin, but that he saw a days long trip to get back again. He rose and put his around his grandson's shoulder.

"You shouldn't worry about how to get back, Filann. Come, let's close off this place. Cemall, put the rest of the broth in one of the containers. We'll take them back with us. Follow Filann and me to the clearing. We will wait for you there. Filann, you left your speeder at clearing, didn't you."

Filann nodded impatiently.

"I still don't get it, how you have come here. I haven't noticed your speeder, grandfather." He said, leaving the community tree house and descending the rope ladder. He walked to the steep path and descended along it with quick long stride. His grandfather followed him at a calmer pace. At the clearing Filann looked at his speeder.

"I can take all of us with me if I clear out the back seat. Those boxes contains preserved can of stew. We can leave them in the community tree house for the next group, for they will last at least two years. In the meantime there surely will be a group of harvest men up here to do maintenance." He said and turned to his speeder.

"You also can put your speeder in the cargo hold of the Astræga," A voice said.

Astounded Filann looked at the space ship that became visible at the end of the clearing, while Luke and Liane walked down the cargo ramp.

"Ben, Shaayla-Car, what are the two of you doing here?" He asked.

"You should thank Shaayla-Car, Filann. She saw you disappearing along the trail to the western harbor and she sensed your troubles."

Filann turned to his grandfather and his brother.

"That's how you came here before me. You asked Ben to bring you here, after you have heard what the Force was showing Shaayla-Car." He said thoughtful and looked at Manall, "But then you already knew what I did, before Anddra told you I had been wrong."

"No, Filann," Luke said, "Shaayla-Car and I immediately followed you after her Force vision. Your grandfather contacted me after he had heard from Anddra what has happened, and we went back to the western plains to meet him. We estimated that you would need several days before you would arrive here. When your grandfather contacted me, Shaayla-Car and I decided it would be better that your brother and he would confront you with your rash and wrong decision.

Now put your speeder in the cargo hold of the Astræga, so we can lift off and we'll be back in Ribana in about an hour. That will probably leave you enough time reach the farm house before sunset. Shall we go."

Filann jumped at the wheel of his speeder and drove to the cargo ramp where he waiting to let Luke show him where to put the speeder. Liane, Manall and Cemall went to the control room, where Luke and Filann joined them after having secured the speeder. The two Jedi Knights went over to the cockpit and prepared the ship for lift off. Luke started the engine and the Astræga rose with upturned wings above the trees. When the ship became free from the dense forest Luke lowered the wings and set course to Ribana.