Chapter 14

As Mon Mothma's special advisor Leia had listened with growing disgust to what the young man had told the Supreme Chancellor and the members of the High Council. She immediately invited him in her office and had a long talk with the young sergeant. Ian told her the many extra details he also had shared with her brother during their secret meeting in the Wegoyy desert. She expressed her gratitude for what Ian had risked, showing Liane his friendship and compassion, but she also was concerned about what had happened to Liane, after Ian had been ordered to leave her in the Wegoyy desert.

Ian's testimony and Luke's evidence and reports of his conversation with the Draga had reassured her, but like her brother, Leia was focused on finding out if it would be possible to intercept the Grannd Traveler and bring Liane back to Irithim for medical treatment with an antidote to reverse the effects of the mind drug.

In the meantime the Jedi twins had started to send messages to all known space ports in the Outer Rim to send an acknowledgement to their procon messaging service, if a Corellian freighter with the identification markings HAD731VN would request permission to land. Soon afterwards the first reports came in from anywhere in the Outer Rim. It seemed that the six brothers had a very occupied trading schema and didn't stay on a planet any longer than necessary.

Each time their procon system received a message Luke primed his space ship for take off, taking Ian Tydon with him as his co-pilot. Together the two new friends paid many visits to all those different destinations, asking at every space port if some one knew the Grannd Traveler's next destination and if someone had seen a young woman in the company of the six brothers. To Luke's relief they always got a positive answer to that last question. Many traders had met Liane and Luke heard that the six men always introduce her as their younger sister. They called her Eilidh Grann.

Yet it seemed impossible to get the information about the Grannd Traveler's arrival fast enough to rendezvous with the six brothers. Many times Luke and Ian stayed in the Outer Rim several months, while traveling from one planet to the other, hoping that they would be in time to intercept the brothers and their female crew member. Eight months passed and Luke and Ian had traveled the Outer Rim from end to end looking for the brothers and Liane, but their attempts to meet the Grann brothers were unsuccessful.

You shouldn't have come to Irithim, brother," Daino Phylotar said nervously.

"I need your help, Daino. Olon became hopping mad at me, after I told him I signed the furlough for one of the guards. I expected him to report back to me after his return, but he has disappeared."

Daino Phylotar looked a his brother with a cynical smile, "Disappeared, Rand, are you sure?"

"Vanished, there's no trace of him in Tropass. The guy is the only one who knows the exact location where he brought one of our prisoners, a young woman who has been spying for the government. Dendicott has sent out quite a number of our men to look for tracks of her, but ...

"Stop, telling me what happened, Rand, for I already know. You and your commander have tortured the Dark Princess of Morantan, Liane Solichor. According the procedures her guard, a guy called Ian Tydon, brought her to the Wegoyy desert to perished. After he came back, he asked for a furlough, but he never came back."

Rand Phylotar looked at his brother, "Who told you those details, Daino?"

Daino smiled cynically.

"I have many informants, Rand", He answered.

"Do you know where he is, Daino? Olon wants to arrest him, for he's knows what has happened to the girl. I've done investigations in Tropass, but nobody has seen him. It looks like he has left Wegoyy the moment he had arrived in Tropass.

So far I couldn't report anything to Olon, but recently I received an extremely nasty message from him. He wants an update on my pursuit as soon as possible, but I haven't anything to report, although I have been traveling to all systems near Wegoyy for months, hoping I would find information about the guy, or the girl. I even went to Corellia to see if he has gone back home to his parents. I did some secret inquiring about Lucian and Amaalya Tydon, his parents, but nobody knew anything of the return of their son Ian. The Tydon family has a outstanding reputation of integrity. There is nothing to fault them. Lucian and Amaalya led a reclusive life since their other two sons took over their trading business. Their third son, Ian, is the youngest. He has left Corellia after he passed his exams at the Academy. It took me months to get this information at Corellia, because the Tydon family couldn't possibly suspect that I was investigating their son. I need help, Daino, for I'm stuck. If you know where he is, tell me, and help me to arrest him."

Daino started to laugh maliciously.

"Sergeant Ian Tydon is a danger to Olon Dendicott and his staff, Rand, and that includes you. I don't want to become involved in your dirty businesses. Sergeant Tydon has deserted, and has made contact with Jedi Knight Skywalker. During his furlough on Wegoyy, which you authorized, he has informed Skywalker about what happened to the woman. Skywalker has taken him with him to Irithim, for he needed the guy's story as a testimony to inform the Supreme Chancellor and the members of the High Council. Skywalker already has returned to Irithim eight months ago, Rand. Meanwhile Tydon has officially testified under oath. The High Council now knows everything about you, Olon Dendicott and the others, and about the torture practises in the Wegoyy prison. You and your commander are in deep trouble, brother, and I don't want to have anything to do with it."

"Daino, I don't need to remind you that you owe me some favors," Rand Phylotar said with an unpleasant grin, "I paid a bribe for your promotion, remember. I want you to help me and find out where I can find that deserter Tydon. Is he still in Irithim?"

"You want to after him? I have never heard a more foolish plan, Rand," Daino Phylotar said sarcastically, "I warn you, stay away from Tydon. He has become a very close friend of that brother and sister Skywalker. Jedi Skywalker seems personally interested in him. He has given the guy a promotion and also oversees his training as a pilot. Skywalker and Tydon are leaving often together in Skywalker's shuttle. There's even rumors that Skywalker has taken Tydon as his next Jedi apprentice. Once again, Rand, stay away from him."

"Are you absolutely sure, that Tydon has already informed the High Council and the Supreme Chancellor about what's going on Wegoyy. Where did you get your information?"

"As I said earlier, I have my connections everywhere, Rand, and I have warned you before for Olon Dendicott's malicious behavior. As soon as I was notified that Skywalker had returned to Irithim in the company of a Wegoyy prison officer I knew that something had gone amiss on Wegoyy. I have tried to warn you, but you never answered to any of the messages I sent you. You and Dendicott have made a big mistake, when you sticked to those rigid procedures and ordered her personal guard to bring the victim of those torture practises to those desert mountains. Didn't you know that Tydon had become friends with her. Against the prison rules he chatted with her almost every evening. It also seems that you and your commanding officer never knew that Sergeant Ian Tydon was well acquainted with the desert terrain beyond the ridges on Wegoyy. He has lived in that mesa desert during his final military training for more than a year. Longer than anyone else, and he survived that harsh environment, because he befriended an indigenous tribe: the Draga. In all probability Tydon has brought the woman to the Draga territory, for he knew they would give her shelter, which those creatures have done indeed. So far she seems to have survived Dendicott's torture treatment, partially, but now she is an even greater danger to you and Dendicott, for if she recovers from that mind drug; she can give the High Council more evidence about what has happened to her and that will mean the end of your career and Dendicott's. "

"Are you telling me, that the woman is alive? Is she still on Wegoyy?"

Daino Phylotar shook his head.

"Yes, she is alive, but no longer on Wegoyy. Jedi Skywalker and Tydon are looking for the crew of a Corellian freighter. They have picked her up in the Wegoyy desert, a month after Tydon had left her in that Draga territory."

Rand Phylotar looked ill at ease.

"Find out that freighter's id-marks, Daino," He snapped, "I have to find her before I go after that deserter. I must get rid of her."

Daino Phylotar looked at his brother with a sardonic smile.

"Good luck, Rand! You're an even bigger fool than I thought. Skywalker seems very much interested in her whereabouts. He certainly is no match for us! He and his Jedi sister have too many friends in the higher echelons of the New Republic, and they both possess the ability to use the ultimate Jedi power, which they call the Force. Stay out off it. Let Dendicott bleed for it, don't get deeper involved, otherwise you will accelerate your downfall. If I were you, I also would desert and defect like Tydon has done and tell the High Council that you resisted all Dendicott's plans with the woman."

Rand Phylotar looked at his brother with disgust, but suddenly he started to laugh and slapped Daino on his shoulder.

"Thank you, brother. You've just come up with a brilliant idea to secure my future, and to boost my career. First of all I need to find that Dark Princess of Morantan before Skywalker finds her. Find the information about that Corellian freighter for me. I'll kidnap her, before that Jedi gets her and I will bring her personally to Irithim. I will make sure that she will testify before the High Council and will tell them that I saved her life."

Now Daino Phylotar grinned too.

"I'll see what I can find out. Let's say ... we meet in three, maybe four months, probably longer."

"Three till four months, maybe longer! Why do you need such a long time to get that information? Where do I have to stay all that time? I can't get back to Wegoyy. Olon holds me responsible for what Tydon has done. He surely will arrest me if I returned empty-handed," Rand protested.

"That's not really my problem, Rand. I'm not interested in the way, how you will keep Dendicott of your back, but I know a nice place where you can stay. It's hidden in the back streets of Mas'onom, the old space port of the Dalmaranians. I will inform some friends, that they can expect you. They will meet you at Mas'onom space port. One last warning, Rand. Travel unobtrusively and never reveal what you are planning. See you in the De'olon forest in four months, I hope. I'll let you know if I need more time, or if I have found the information you need. I have to be cautious, you know, very cautious. I'm a high ranking officer serving the New Republic. I have to avoid that my superior, especially general Madine, one of Mon Mothma's advisors, will get suspicious about me."

Yarnick Grann grabbed one of the six metal containers which where piled at the platform near the ramp of the ship. He turned to Liane who was laughing with his younger brother Brion.

"Eilidh, Brion, give me a hand with these boxes, will you?" He asked.

"Sure, where do you want them?" Liane answered.

"In the left cargo hold. Put them in front. We might already need them at our next stop. What did you say, Brion?"

Yarnick, the eldest of the six brothers, turned to Brion, one of the younger ones.

"No, Ronan has settled the amount on four thousands credits. Eilidh, are you coming? We'll stow the cargo before we take off."

Liane walked down the ramp and smiled at Yarnick.

"You don't have to. Everything is stowed and firmly fixed. We can leave as soon as we've got our clearance."

"Good. You're a great help and an asset to our crew, don't you think so, Brion?"

"Absolutely ," Brion said and grinned at Liane, "Come on, Eilidh, let's find the others and taste some good food."

They waited until Yarnick had closed the ramp. Together they walked over to the other ones, who had done the negotiations. Yarnick, the eldest of the six brothers was the pilot, Brion his co-pilot, Ronan was their financial expert and Kieran, Bran and Conor were the traders. They knew everything about prices and qualities. The six brothers roamed the galaxy from one end to the other and traded their goods wherever they could get a reasonable price. They worked fair and their names were known on any spaceport or marketplace they visited. They had given Liane a new name: Eilidh Grann, and always introduced her as their younger sister. Liane loved the name. She helped the six men who had become good friends, as best as she could, keeping the cargo hold in good order. The six brothers appreciated her company and were her protectors if they visited the rough bars on the Outer Rim planets.

"Let's find out if Wuher is still running that old bar as a bartender. Be careful, Eilidh, stay close to us. This place is really a tough one, but Wuher's food is excellent. "

Yarnick grabbed Liane's arm and together they entered Mos Eisley's famous cantina. Liane looked around.

"Seeing something familiar?" Yarnick softly asked, but Liane shook her head.

Yarnick sighed. Already for more than a year the girl was traveling with them. She was helpful and she seemed to enjoy their trips, but Yarnick realized that there had to be found a better solution to find out what had happened in her past and who she really was. Their next stop would be their home planet Rasth. He wanted to asked his father for advice. The old man was the governor of the only inhabited continent of the planet, and also the mayor of Bestine the capital and the most important town of Rasth.

They took a large booth at the back of bar and four of the boys went over to the bar to order drinks and food. Liane looked around and got her eyes on a slender man. He was accompanied by a big hairy humanoid. Liane got a strange feeling while she was looking at them. She turned to Yarnick.

"Who's that guy over there with that hairy humanoid."

"That's Han Solo with his Wookiee mate Chewbacca. He's a former general of the New Republic; rumors say that he left the New Republic space force after he had broken off his engagement with the Princess of Alderaan."

"He was engaged to the Princess of Alderaan? Alderaan...?" Liane said. "I have heard the name before. Is that the name of her home planet."

"It was her home planet. Alderaan was destroyed by the Empire. Does Alderaan recall memories, Eilidh? Can it be that Alderaan was your home planet too, before it was destroyed?"

Liane shook her head.

"No" She whispered, "I don't think it was."

She looked again at Han Solo and all of a sudden the image of a young woman appeared in her mind.

"Leia," She muttered, "Leia is the Princess of Alderaan. Leia Organa, the daughter of the viceroy of Alderaan."

Stunned her six companions looked at her.

"You remember the princess of Alderaan! You've met her?"

Liane frowned.

"I guess, I have heard her name before."

"But you also know who her father was. Who told you, she was the daughter of Bail Organa?"

"I don't know."

"Think, Eilidh. This might be important. This knowledge can be the key that will bring back your past," Ronan insisted.

Liane shrugged her shoulders.

"It's of no use, Ronan. There's nothing more I can recall."

Once again she looked at Han. He intercepted her look and walked over to their booth.

"Nice company, guys. Who is she?"

"Eilidh, our youngest crew member, master Solo. She's traveling with her six brothers," Bran said.

Han held out his hand.

"I didn't know you guys had a younger sister? Nice to meet you, Eilidh Grann. How's the business going on, fellows?"

He drew a chair near their table and Yarnick ordered an extra drink. Han looked at Liane every now and then. Liane felt his gaze, but averted her look. She desperately tried to remember how she could have recalled Leia Organa's name.

Suddenly she grabbed Han's sleeve.

"Master Solo, can you tell me, where can I find Leia Organa."

Han's face got a frozen look.

"No I can't!" He snapped. "Why are you asking me? I have nothing to do with her anymore."

Liane silenced.

"I didn't want to offend you, sir," She whispered and turned to her meal.

Han Solo looked at the girl.

"She's suffering from amnesia, master Solo. She is trying to recall what has happened to her in her past." Yarnick explained. "When she saw you, I told her about your former engagement with the Princess of Alderaan and all of a sudden she seemed to remember something. Do you recognize her? Could it be that she's a former friend of the princess?"

"So she isn't your sister?" Han asked, looking at Liane with some compassion in his eyes.

"No, we took her on board to see if she might recognize one of the planets we visit," Kieran said.

Liane hadn't listened to their conversation, but was staring to the opposite wall. Alderaan! The name sounded so familiar, but why couldn't she recall more?

"Our next stop will be Rasth."

"You're going home?" Han informed.

"Well yes, every now and then. We want to introduce Eilidh to our parents."

Han rose and wished them good luck. For a moment he stopped and looked at Liane.

"I will make contact with you, if I hear something about a missing person." He said.

"Thank, master Solo, and good trading."

"You too, guys. See you."

Han left the bar with his hairy companion. Liane watched them go. Han Solo, Leia Organa, Alderaan, where had she heard those names before?

On Irithim Leia Organa looked at her brother who was sitting at the opposite site of their diner table. He looked tired and exhausted. The strain of his travels through the Outer Rim and the lack of sleep marked his face.

"Luke, stop! Please, it's no use."

Luke brushed away her words with an irritated gesture.

"I must find them! I must find her! She still is traveling with them. She has been seen on many planets. Ian can confirm that."

"Luke, when I wanted to look for Han, you told me it was useless, but what are you doing?"

"I know what I'm looking for, and where; you don't know where Han is. I know she's still with them. Leia, I need to find that ship!"

Immediately he felt his sister's hurt feelings.

"I'm sorry, Leia, I didn't mean it that way. I feel so weary. They're seemed to be nowhere, and yet they have been seen everywhere. It seems impossible to intercept them."

Listless, he pushed his plate with a half eaten diner aside, rose and walked over to the terrace. Leia followed him and put her hand on his arm. She pitied him. Luke turned his face to her. The deep worried look in his eyes made her feel devastated.

"Leia, what has to become of her, if she can't remember her past, if she doesn't know who she is. She even don't remember how to contact me, although she's wearing the Jedi-pendant I gave her. My present has no meaning to her anymore."

He shook his head, and took his sister's hand in his.

"We both have used the Force so many times to find traces of her and contact her, but our knowledge of the Force doesn't seem to be enough. It feels like the Force is blinding our efforts, like it's refusing to help us, refusing to tell us where Liane is. Recently the Grannd Traveler has been seen on Quoith and Rasth. Rasth is the Granns' home planet. That's where their ship is registered."

He sighed, put his arm around Leia's shoulder, and pulled her to him. Leia looked up at her brother.

"Luke, have you thought about the possibility that one day Liane will remember who she is," she said softly, "In that case I am absolutely sure, that she will recognize the Jedi-pendant, and use it again. Please, Luke, stop this aimless search across the galaxy. Put an urgent request at all space ports in the Outer Rim, asking the Grann brothers to contact one of us. Remember your other obligations, Luke. There's still a lot to be done for you as Jedi commander."

Luke looked at the lit apartments on the opposite side of the broad boulevard. He gazed at the stars above him.

"Tomorrow I will leave for a last time. It will be my last attempt to find the Grann brothers on Quoith or on Rasth. If I fail again to catch up with them, I have to stop looking for Liane for a while. Then I can only hope that she will contacts me through the Jedi-pendant one day, although that might take years."

"Did you tell Ian about your next travels?" Leia asked.

Luke shook his head.

"I'm going alone this time, for I want you to take Ian as your padawan learner, Leia. I've taught him the first basic principles about the Jedi. He has practised the use of the Force during our travels. His understanding of the Force is extraordinary. He has learned a lot, and he's ready to become someone's padawan learner. He surely will become a great Jedi Knight one day, and I want you to be his Jedi master. On our last voyage I have told him, that he will become your padawan learner. He will profit from your knowledge and your way to use the Force."

Leia smiled serenely and pressed her head against her brother's shoulder.

"I'm glad, you're giving me this chance, Luke. Ian is such a kind and friendly person. I fully understand why he and Liane became friends on Wegoyy for the short time she was there."

"I'm so glad, Leia, you're my Jedi sister. It feel so good to know, that there is some one else in this galaxy who shares the same powerful knowledge as I do. "

"Rasth looks really beautiful! There's so much green color. I love to see those meadows and hillsides," Liane exclaimed, looking at Rasth from some two planet diameters. The brothers laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Glad you like it, Eilidh," Kieran said. "Strap yourself in. Yarnick is bringing our ship in."

They neared the planet at an average sublight velocity. Liane regretted, that she wasn't able to see more details of Rasth from the back seat.

Yarnick and Brion brought the spaceship in their ordinary professional style. They were both excellent pilots, who could land on any spaceport even the smallest.

After they officially had registered their arrival, the boys hired a transport speeder and drove off to Bestine the capital of Rasth and about an hour and a half away from the space port. Liane enjoyed the ride. Rasth was a lush green planet with lot of forests on undulating hillsides, meadows and streams. The streets of Bestine were colored with hanging flowerpots. They gave the town the look of an ever ongoing flower festival.

Yarnick drove the speeder to one of the suburbs, parked before a medium sized two storey building and jumped out. At the sound of the speeder a man and a woman appeared on the veranda.

"Welcome home, guys," The man exclaimed and stepped forward. He clapped the boys at their backs. The woman kissed them. After that she turned to Liane.

"And you must be Eilidh, love, in their last message our boys have mentioned how you have joined them," The woman said and took Liane's hands in hers, "Welcome to Rasth, I hope you will feel at home with us."

"It's very kind of you to have me as your guest," Liane said.

"Not at all, honey. What a beautiful pendant you're wearing."

Liane smiled and her fingers touched the pendant. For a very short moment the image of the young man flash up in her mind. The woman saw her hesitation.

"What's wrong, love? You're very welcome here."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Call me Aaliyah, honey, and this is my husband and the boys father, Marek."

They all entered the house and sat down for a fantastic meal. The boys told about their adventures of the last sixteen months.

"Why do you always have to be away for such a long times, my dears," Aaliyah reproached.

Yarnick laughed.

"Mother, we love to travel, all of us. There's nothing better than to sleep on board our ship while she's rushing to our next destination. And look who we've met. Isn't Eilidh a nice girl."

He pointed at Liane, who clearly enjoyed her meal, listening to the boys conversation with their parents. Yarnick told his parents about how Liane had become a member of the crew. Aaliyah and Marek looked concerned.

"And you absolutely don't remember anything about what has happened to you before you met our sons, honey?" Aaliyah asked Liane.

"I only remember, what happened on Wegoyy after the Draga had found me," Liane said. "I'm sorry, I can't tell you who I really am."

"You don't have apologize, my dear girl. It's not your fault. I fear something terrible has happened to you on Wegoyy," Marek said thoughtfully.

"I don't know. I'd wish I knew. Your sons say, that I must have been an inmate of Wegoyy's prison, because I was wearing a green colored overall, when I met them, but I can't remember I've done something to be sentenced to jail. "

"Eilidh, you promised us that you should never tell anyone about those odd clothes," Kieran said.

Liane shrugged her shoulders.

"Those clothes must mean something, Kieran, I'd wished I could recall where I've gotten that outfit."

"Wegoyy's prison is only used to exile the Empire's collaborators and other enemies of the New Republic. Only when someone has committed a crime against the government of the New Republic you can be sentenced to Wegoyy," Marek said cautiously and watched Liane.

Yarnick looked annoyed.

"Father, are you suggesting, that Eilidh has collaborated with the former empire?"

"My conclusion is simple, son. If I would contact the government at Irithim, they can tell us almost immediately if one of their Wegoyy prisoners is missing, then we know who Eilidh is."

"That wouldn't help her, for it wouldn't bring her memories back," Yarnick snapped.

"Take it easy, dear," Aaliyah said. "Your father is only trying to find a way to help Eilidh, don't you see. "

"And what if she has been a Wegoyy prisoner, father?"

"Then it is likely that she has escaped and fled, finding refuge in the canyons."

"Sure she has," Yarnick said on sour tone, "Let's make Eilidh an escaped prisoner. Father, your conclusion doesn't make sense. Do prisoners loose their memories when they escape. No! She might have been a Wegoyy prisoner, I have thought about that myself, but she surely didn't escape. Look at these marks in her neck," He put Liane's long hair aside and point at the punctures at the side of her neck.

Liane looked very frightened at him and brushed his hand away.

"I'm sorry, Eilidh, but my father's idea is ridiculous. You haven't escaped. You have been given a drug more than once; a drug that has wiped out your memories."

The other brothers looked stunned.

Yarnick continued, specifically addressing Liane as he place his hand reassuringly on hers.

"I noticed those needle marks, when you were helping Brion and me to stow goods in the cargo hold on one of our first stops. You had tied your hair in a knot, so you it wouldn't bother you."

Once again Yarnick looked his father.

"You've been in the war, haven't you, father? You've told us more than once that the Empire used torture and a mind drug to extract information from prisoners. Couldn't it be that they thought Eilidh knew something of importance. Couldn't it be that she was dangerous to some one, that she simply had to disappear."

Marek Grann looked at his eldest son.

"You're quite fond of her, aren't you, Yarnick?"

"Yes, we all are, father."

His brothers nodded.

"It's nice to have her on board," Conor said, "She's always good-humored and friendly. I'd wish I could help her and give her memories back. Are you quite sure, Yarnick, that they might have wiped out her memories with a drug her?"

"Definitely."

"Yarnick," Marek said, "the Wegoyy prison is not an Imperial prison, it's under control of the New Republic."

"So what! Do you think, father, that all the officers of our New Republic have a perfect conduct status. I don't think I'm wrong, if I say, that among our New Republic's ground troopers, space pilots and high ranking officers there are several persons who doesn't shun torture, drugging and severe punishment. Didn't you tell us once, that at the end of the Civil War a lot of imperial officers defected and were pardoned by the our new government."

"Please, please," Liane suddenly exclaimed, "Please, stop. Stop screaming, stop this noise. I can't stand it any longer.

She laid her arms around her head and protected her ears with her hand.

Marek and his sons abruptly silenced and Yarnick wanted to put his arm around Liane, but Aaliyah had jumped to her feet and took her in her arms.

"It's alright, dear. Don't look so frightened. Our boys are always discussing with their father. We don't want to scare you. You're safe here. Come with me. I bring you a quiet room at the back of this house, so you can rest."

"There was always noise, shrieking noise. It never stopped. It was always there. I was so tired. And the lights flashed. Very short flashes, very fast in all kind of colors. I couldn't get some sleep. I .....", Liane whispered.

"Enough, honey. Now come with me."

Tears ran down Liane's cheeks. Aaliyah took the girl with her to the back of the house. She stayed with Liane until the frightened girl had fallen asleep. Then she returned to the living room, where the boys and their father were still discussing Liane's situation.

"I understand your point of view, father, but at least on board she has six friends. If she stays here with you and mom, she will be alone with only the two of you."

Aaliyah entered the room.

"My dears, wouldn't it be better to stop this discussion now. Yarnick, your loud words have upset Eilidh. She has fallen asleep now. We'd better let her recover for several days, before we talk again about how we can help her. I think that you are right, Yarnick. She has been tortured! They have locked her up in a cell, where the lights were flashing and shrieking noises were sounding constantly."

Aaliyah looked at her husband who inaudible whispered, "SL-chamber." The gentle woman nodded concerned.

"Father wants ..."

"Not now, Yarnick. Our discussion is closed for tonight."

"I'm sorry, mom. I only ..."

"I know, son, but let it rest for tonight. Maybe this fearful memory will bring back more of her past."

"Luke, do come back soon. Don't go traveling through the Outer Rim Territories again, looking for Liane."

"I won't, Leia. These will be my last trips. I'll be back in a few days," Luke said, and turned to his former co-pilot.

"Ian, it feels good, to see you as my sister's padawan learner. Commit yourself closely to her teachings and training about the use of the Force and heed her explanations. It's very important knowledge she will teach you. She sees a lot of other explanations through the Force. Her interpretations are different from what I have shown you, but her points of view will widen your vision of the Force."

"I certainly will, master Luke. It's an honor to become your sister's padawan so soon," The young man said.

Luke said goodbye to his friend and kissed his sister, before he walked up the ramp of the Astræga. Through the windscreen he sent a last goodbye and blew Leia another kiss.

For a moment Leia saw a faint smile on his face again. She sighed relieved. He would stop crisscrossing the galaxy in search for the missing girl. She thought about what Luke had told her about the first Force-visions he had on Morantan. The meaning of those visions were almost incomprehensible. His confession had astounded her, but now she also understood his concern for the young woman. She also fully understood why he had given Liane the Jedi-pendant, but as long as Liane couldn't remember how to use his gift, it wouldn't be possible for her brother to get in touch with her again. The Jedi-pendant was their only hope, besides the fact that Liane still was on board the Grannd Traveler. The only thing they could do, was wait and be patient! For how long? Leia sighed again.

Commander Dendicott of Wegoyy prison still stuck to the story that Liane had escaped. He firmly denied all charges of torture and drug use and demanded an apology from Mon Mothma and her advisers for questioning his reputation. He did not accept Ian's testimony and accused the young officer of spreading lies and misinformation. His staff members categorically also denied that Ian had been ordered to take the girl to the desert, although Luke and Ian had shown the evidences they had collected at the place where Ian had left Liane: the binding rope and the blindfold.

The Astræga's engines started and the space ship hovered above the surface of the docking bay. Leia walked back to the control room and heard her brother asking for his clearance. A few moments later the former Imperial space ship rose, accelerated its speed and vanished into space. What would her brother find? Would he be lucky this time and would he bring Liane back with him to Irithim.

'Liane, where are you, dear? Please, find your way to Dalmaran and Irithim, so we can help you and you can tell us what really happened to you.' Leia thought.

She had used all her influence to block any new prisoner transports to Wegoyy, for she was convinced that the prison commander and his staff were covering up much more malicious practices. With a sigh she looked up at Ian Tydon, dressed in his new outfit as a Jedi apprentice.

"I hope master Luke will succeed this time, master," He said.

Leia smiled serenely as she notice that the young officer was addressing her and her brother as his Jedi masters.

"So do I, young padawan," She answered, "but I'm not sure it will. It probably could be a long time before Liane will be in touch with Luke again, unless he will be able to intercept the Grannd Traveler at a certain moment."

"I have tried to do some Jedi meditation, master, to find out where she is," Ian confessed.

Leia smiled, "You tried, my padawan? A Jedi never tries, he knows how to use the Force to get knowledge and information. Also in this case. Don't think, that Luke and I haven't used the Force to find out Liane's whereabouts, but it's good sign that you're beginning to use your skills this way, maybe one day one of us will succeed."

"Do you understand what I mean, Yarnick? She is a very nice and beautiful young woman. It is not inconceivable that if she stays on board with all of you, the relationship between your brothers and you will be strained."

"And what if one of us marries her?" countered Yarnick, "Then she is the wife of one of us and has become a real sister to the others."

Marek Grann sighed.

"None of you can marry her, as long as we don't know who she really is, my son. She has been a Wegoyy prisoner, that's for sure, and she has been sent to Wegoyy by our government. That means, that she has committed a crime against the New Republic. How serious is her crime? Like I said at your arrival I can inform the government at Irithim to find out who she is, but it's likely that the government sends one of her officers to arrest her and bring her back to Wegoyy no matter what I would tell that official about the circumstances you and the boys found her. No, Yarnick. The best solution is what I proposed to you; let her stay here on Rasth with your mother and me. I like her, and so does your mother, it will be good to have a nice young person, like her, around. Your mother even has suggested that we could adopt her as our daughter. We will do our best to find a cure for her amnesia, for you're absolutely right, if you say she has been tortured and drugged. There is enough evidence to that. If she has her memories back it will be easier for us and for her to tell the government what they have done to her."

"Let's ask her if she wants to stay with you and mom or if she wants to come with us. She loves space traveling, and she's a nice companion. It's fair to let her decide for herself."

Marek Grann rose.

"Alright. She's with the others on the terrace, but it's better if your mother and me talk to her alone, son."

"Give her a fair chance, father. She's very happy with her live on board."

They walked to the terrace where Liane, Aaliyah and the other brothers were laughing and chatting. Yarnick walked over to Liane and sat next to her. Liane looked up and smiled.

"Brion says we're leaving very soon, is that true?" She asked.

"Our competitors are not sleeping, Eilidh. If we stay on Rasth too long, and lounge around here for a long time, they will take over our markets."

"Where are we going next?" Liane informed.

Yarnick looked at his brothers and rose.

"Let's go to the space port, guys, to check the ship. Eilidh, you can stay with Marek and Aaliyah. We'll be back tonight, mom."

The six brothers left the terrace. Marek, Aaliyah and Liane stayed behind. Marek watched the young woman wave goodbye to his sons. She even blew them a kiss. He turned to her with a smile.

"Eilidh, would you like it to stay with Aaliyah and me on Rasth for some time, while our boys are roaming the galaxy again?" he asked.

Liane looked confused.

"I like traveling with them, Marek," she said hesitatingly, "Why do you want me to stay with you and Aaliyah?"

"I want you to listen carefully to the following," Marek said. In a few words he explained her his opinion. Liane listened carefully. When Marek finished, Liane looked at him and Aaliyah.

"It's very nice of you both to offer me help and I understand your concern about your sons. You don't want them to quarrel over me, I don't want that either," Liane said with a serious look.

"They love you, Eilidh, all of them, and honestly, Aaliyah and I would love to have you as our daughter-in-law. But don't you think it will be very difficult to marry one of our sons as long as you don't know who you really are. If you stay with Aaliyah and me, we will do everything we can to help you get your memories back. "

Liane nodded. Aaliyah saw that Marek's explanation confused her.

"You don't have to make a decision now, honey. Think about it. The boys aren't leaving yet. You can let us know at another time. It has to be your choice," Aaliyah said.

Liane sighed relieved at Aaliyah's words.

"It would be so much easier if I would know who I really am," She whispered.

"You'll remember, honey," Aaliyah said, "don't worry too much about your lost memories. Will you help me with the preparations for dinner. The boys will be hungry after work."

Liane nodded absentmindedly and followed Aaliyah to the kitchen.

"Those earlier rumors about the death of the daughter of Darth Vader don't seem to be true. It's likely she's alive, although our intelligence on Irithim hasn't heard anything of her whereabouts yet. Jedi Skywalker brought a young sergeant from Wegoyy Prison, a certain Ian Tydon, with him, when he got back from Wegoyy. The young man seems to have spoken with the Supreme Leader and her advisors, but nothing of that meeting has been made public. I also have received some other reports from our agent in Irithim stating that Jedi Skywalker and sergeant Tydon have made numerous trips together to a number of planets in the Outer Rim. Our agent has not been able to determine whether those trips were some kind of extended search for the woman or if Jedi Skywalker had some other purpose for them, because in a more recent report our agent mentions that he has seen sergeant Tydon together with the Princess of Alderaan. Both were wearing the attire of the Jedi Knights. It looks that during their travels Jedi Skywalker has begun to train that former guard as Jedi Knight. So it also might be that Jedi Skywalker haven't been searching for the woman at all."

Jerno looked at his co-leaders.

"So the New Republic's government also hasn't a clue about her whereabouts?" Valann commented.

"Not at all. If she really did escape, as mentioned earlier, after her disappearance, it seems she doesn't want to reestablish contact between Jedi Skywalker and herself, though we know he visited her in Wegoyy Prison. It's definitely a big question where she is right now and what she's up to. I've been thinking about those intercepted messages about her and I wonder if in the meantime and without anyone knowing, she has been secretly taken to the realm of the recipient of those strange messages. Has monitoring those strange connections yielded anything, Kalip??"

"Nothing. If what you just said would be the case, Jerno, I'm certain that there would have been a lot of secret communication between those two sources, but after that last message about her possible death, now more than a year ago, our intelligence force haven't intercepted not a single message. Nothing, but I have urged them to remain alert."

Jerno nodded and sighed.

"So we can discard my earlier assumption."

"Can we ask the New Republic's agent to send us some update on the situation?" Valann suggested.

"I have been thinking about contacting him, for they promised us to keep us informed about the daughter of Darth Vader, but I fear my request would be in vain at the moment, as there is nothing to report to us, as long as Jedi Skywalker or someone else hasn't come back to Irithim with new information about the woman or with the woman herself. We only can closely monitor those weird connections to the Outer Rim."

"Did you mention the recordings we've intercepted?" Kalip asked.

"I did, and their agent thanked me for the information we have shared. Their intelligence force also will keep an eye on that unknown location in the Outer Rim too. He has asked me to keep them informed about the content of any intercepted message we receive. He admitted that their men might be able to decrypt those messages, but it would be a tedious job for them. I offered that our men would do the decryption and send the decrypted messages via the procon system to Irithim. That's why I want our intelligence force to continue monitoring those connections," Jerno said.

Liane lay wide awake in the guest room at the Grann's residence. She had been thinking about what Marek had told her. Aaliyah and Marek were afraid that she would be the cause of troubles between their sons, that's why they didn't want her to leave again with the six men who had become her friends. Besides Marek also seemed to be very worried about what has happened to her on Wegoyy. He seemed to be sure, she had been a prisoner, but she couldn't recall why she had been sent to Wegoyy.

'Who am I? What has happened to me on Wegoyy? What has happened in my past? This is all so confusing. What must I do.'

Liane slipped out of bed and walked to the terrace doors of her room. It was dark but the garden was lit by the big moon of Rasth. She could see all the different plants and flowers in the garden in detail. She slid the door and stepped on the terrace. Now she also noticed the scents of the several blooming plants. For a moment she closed her eyes and let those lovely scents surround her. Slowly she started to pace up and down the broad terrace.

All of a sudden she walked back into the room, grabbed her datapad and started to write. When she had finished; she locked her message and put the datapad on the pillow. Next she quickly dressed herself, took her backpack from the cupboard and packed her few belongings. Carefully she placed the bag on the terrace and closed the door. She minded any noise while she tiptoed the lawn to the gate, opened it and stood on the road. For a moment she looked back; resolutely she hoisted the bag on her shoulder and started to walk down the road. At the crossing she looked back once again. Had she made the right decision? Would they understand, that she didn't want to be the cause of trouble between the six brothers who had protected her and taken care for her on their travels? In her note she had tried to explain why she was leaving. She had thanked them for their kindness, their friendship and their hospitality.

"I will come back, when I know who I am, when I know what has happened to me. I love you all," She had written at the end of the note.

She turned right to the main road. At this hour there wasn't any traffic in this part of Bestine. She reached one of the main boulevards in half an hour. There she took a fast public transport to the space port. She hopped off the fast magnetic railway and walked over to the exit.

Luckily Yarnick had given her an ID-card with her wages on it. He had insisted that she would get the same wages for her part in the work as he and his brothers. So far she hadn't used the card for any payment, for the boys had paid everything for her. Caring Liane thought about the Grann family. They had been really nice to her.

Marek was a bit stiff and formal, but she understood his attitude. He was the governor of Rasth mainland and had to make a lot of decisions about the welfare of its citizens. He was charming however and although his opponents were numerous he managed to get re-elected every time. Aaliyah was the kindest lady Liane had ever met and their six sons have been like brothers to her. She hoped they wouldn't be too disappointed about her sudden disappearance.

Outside it was still dark, but the sky was already slightly coloring, announcing a new day. Liane hurried along the boulevards which surrounded the space port.

Bestine's space port was not covering a large area. It mainly was a port for transporting goods and not really in use as passenger transport.

While she was looking for a place to hide, she neared the area where containers were stored waiting for transportation. The perimeter fences were low and not monitored. Liane jumped across the fence and sneaked between the containers looking for shelter. She found a spot between three stacks of four containers. The place was so narrow and hidden that she was completely invisible. She placed her jacket on the ground, put her bag under her head and tried to sleep.

Some laughing voices and footsteps woke her up. The sun had almost set. She had slept the whole day. Without any noise she retreated further between the containers.

"It's the one over there; the orange colored. Its destination is Endor," One of the voices said. "That's your first stop, isn't it? You only have to unload it. You can pick up a loaded one during your trip back. Are you traveling through the main hyperspace lanes?"

"You bet, I will." Another voice answered. "Can't leave Ermira alone for that long. I will load up this orange colored container as the last one."

Liane heard suppressed laughing.

"That's alright with me. Come on, let's have a diner and some drinks before you leave."

A fist knocked on a container.

Liane heard the footsteps and the laughing voices disappear. Then the area was as quiet as before. Her heart thumbed in her chest. Sneaking around the corner of her hiding place she saw the small orange colored container standing alone near the opposite corner. Quickly she ran to it and tried to open the container door. The lock gave way easily and she entered the container. It was clean, but very low, she hardly could stand in an upright position. She locked the door from the inside and sat down waiting for things to come.

After a few hours the container was lifted, carried off and placed in a cargo hold of a space ship. Liane listened and heard how the ship's engines were started. The slight swaying movement of the ship was an indication of its departure.

"Good bye, Yarnick, goodbye Aaliyah. One day I'll be back to explain why I ran away." She whispered, suppressing her regret about what she had done.

"Yes, it's that small orange colored one to your left, " A familiar voice said. Liane woke up and recognize the voice of the man who had said that he would fly through the main hyperspace lanes.

"All right. You said that all payments are settled for this one?"

"Yes, just put it near the fence. "

The container with Liane was lifted again. It hovered a few minutes, before it was put down again with a thud.

"That is the Z-3-8-4-1. It's empty, isn't it! Shall we load the Z-3-8-4-6 now?"

"No, I'll be back within three weeks."

Two pairs of footsteps walked away, and a door slammed shut. Liane was left behind in the darkness of her hiding place.

After two hours she carefully opened the container door ajar. It was night on Endor. The container had been put some three meters from the space port fence in the shadow at the rear side of a low building. Quickly she gathered her bag and jacket and hid herself next to the container in the shadow, before she ran to a huge pile of logs which had been stacked against the fence. Rapidly she climbed on top of the logs. She swung her bag at her shoulders and made a high somersault over the fence. Behind the fence the dense jungle of the Endor began.

"Who did you say you're looking for," Marek Grann said, looking at Luke Skywalker who was wearing his official uniform of commodore of the Gold Squadron.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, commodore of the New Republic space fleet. I'm looking for Liane Solichor. She probably has joined your sons on Wegoyy, after she had been living with an indigenous tribe, the Draga, for some weeks. The ship of your sons, the Grannd Traveler, has registration mark HAD731VN, hasn't it? The officials at Bestine space port have informed me, that their ship has landed here four weeks ago," Luke said and showed Marek Grann his ID-card.

Marek Grann watched the young man in front of him. With an understanding nod he stepped aside.

"Come in, commodore. We didn't expect that she would be traced so soon after my boys had arrived on Rasth. Follow me, please, in here."

He opened the door to the terrace where his sons and his wife were sitting. They all looked dejected and exhausted.

"Aaliyah, boys, this is commodore Luke Skywalker. He is looking for Eilidh. Commodore, you better sit down and listen to what we have to tell you. "

Luke took a seat and listened while the Grann family told their astounding story.

"She left us quite unexpectedly, commodore. If you'd come ten days ago, you would have find her with us," Marek said.

Aaliyah stood up, walked out of the room and came back with a datapad. She handed it to Luke.

"She has left us this note on her datapad, sir."

Quickly Luke scanned the content.

"We have searched the surroundings of Bestine and checked the space port to find out if she has been there, but no one has seen her. No ticket has been sold with her name on it."

"She has an ID-card?" Luke asked surprised.

Yarnick nodded.

"She needed one so she could come with us. We had one made for her, after we left Wegoyy. Not an official one, but we have our relations, commodore."

"So she can travel, for there's also a certain amount of credits on her card?"

"She has earned her wages like we have. I thought is was reasonable to give her share. "

Luke realized that these guys had done all this to help Liane find a new way of life.

"What's the name on her ID-card? "

Eilidh Grann."

Luke grinned.

"Nice name. So she has accompanied you as your sister."

"Please, I hope that you and the government at Irithim won't blame our boys for what they did, commodore. They pitied her because she was so vulnerable, so lost without her past," Marek said, "I have noticed how she struggled with her lost memories."

Luke waved his hand reassuringly.

"Out of the question, I understand why your sons have given their help, governor. It's a pity I've arrived too late."

"Commodore, pardon me for asking," Marek said, "but what's going to happen to her when you or another official will find her. Will you bring her back to the Wegoyy prison? In that case, I seriously have to object, because it's clear to me, that Eilidh has been tortured. They probably have used the forbidden imperial mind drug to block her memories. Moreover she has been locked up in a so-called SL-chamber where sound and lights are used to break a prisoner's resistance."

"I can assure you, governor, that she certainly won't go back to Wegoyy. I have the order to bring her back to Irithim. There we have the proper medical treatment to cure her amnesia. We hope, after she will recover, she can tell the members of the High Council and our Supreme Chancellor what has happened to her on Wegoyy."

"The government wants her to tell what that commander of that Wegoyy prison has done to her?" Kieran asked, "That will certainly end his career."

"I'm not in a position to tell you what the consequences for the prison commander will be. I'm very sorry that I've missed her. I would be very pleased, if, in case she contacts you or your sons, you would inform me. Contact me via my procon messaging system. Here is my card, " Luke said, while he handed Marek his business card.

"We surely will, commodore."

Luke wanted to say goodbye, but Aaliyah asked him to stay for a drink. Luke used the welcome delay to tell the Grann family Liane's real name. He also gave the Granns some minor information about her past. After he had finished his drink, he returned to the space port and primed the Astræga ready for take off. He remembered the promise he had made to Leia: he would stop looking for Liane, but his feelings told him that it would be very difficult to give up his search. His main hope was laying in the Jedi-pendant. If Liane would remember how to use it, he hoped she would restore her contact with him.

While Luke visited the Granns and learned of Liane's unexpected disappearance, Liane was now making her way through the dense forest of Endor.

The first days she had stayed near the space port, watching the space traffic from a safe hiding place among the lower branches of a dense leaved tree. She often thought about the Grann brothers. Would they ever find out where she had gone? Not likely? And if she would get homesick, would she be able find her way back to Rasth? Carefully she had stuffed her ID-card in a secure part of her bag next to the little box with the tiny Draga figurine. She was never allowed to lose these items. Her ID-card was her only possibility to get to another planet, but for now she wanted to stay on Endor. The planet seemed to be completely covered with a forest, with the exception of for the small space port.

After ten days she had left her hiding place and started making her way through the dense undergrowth.

Everyday she was walking for some six hours before preparing a place for the night among the foliage of a tree. There were lots of berries and other edible fruits and there were fresh water pools almost everywhere. She penetrated deeper and deeper into the dense forest with its huge trees. Often she had to find her way through the dense vegetation with ferns, but to her surprise sometimes several narrow paths appeared that made it easier for her to walk. She felt no fear, in fact, she thoroughly enjoyed her adventure. She couldn't remember where and when she learned about wilderness survival, but she recognized many plants and roots she could eat and which mushrooms were safe foods. Every morning she would start her day early, wondering if she would find a settlement or village where she could call for help, but nothing unusual happened for more than three weeks.

After a month of exploring the Endor forest she came across a large clearing. She stretched and enjoyed a soft breeze and the warm glow of a near star. She looked around.

On the opposite side she saw a strange colored stake. Staying in the undergrowth she found her way to the other side and examined the stake from a safe distance. It was not a stake, but a colorful tree trunk with bands and stripes.

Cautiously, Liane approached the tree trunk and walked around it. The bands were colored very precisely one above the other and probably done very recently, for the colors were still fresh and bright. She reached out to touch one of the colored bands when suddenly a mass of sharp pointed branches fell from the tree above. The long pointed branches were fencing her in a narrow circle.

"Hela widit hongko cikag" A sharp voice spoke.

['Do not move, you're surrounded.']

Liane whirled around and saw a group of some twenty little furry creatures all armed with spears. They looked hostile and unfriendly.

"Hela widit hongko cikag" The creature in front of her repeated, pointing his spear at her.

['Do not move, you're surrounded.']

Liane laughed and took a step forward pushing the pointed branches aside.

"I'm sorry, little friend, but I don't know what you mean. Does any of you speak Intergalactic Basic."

"Hela widit hongko cikag" And the creature pushed the spear against her shoulder.

['Do not move. you're surrounded.']

"Hey, stop! That hurts!" Liane said annoyed and pushed the spear away.

Immediately the furry creatures closed in on her. They grabbed her and although Liane tried to resist her attackers, she was pushed firmly to ground. The creatures thoroughly bound her hands and feet together and placed a leather cap over her head.

Liane felt ill at ease and tried to free herself, but the creatures pushed their spears against her body and legs until she was laying quiet.

"Haga wagit dono maco hing platsi."

['Tie her to a pole and take her away']

She heard one of the creatures say something more and a long pole was shoved between her bound hands and feet.

"Hey, don't do this," She screamed from under the leather cap, but she was lifted and swaying to and fro she was carried off.