Chapter 41

What is this! In this file are some verdicts of the New Republic's High Court, and this file isn't encrypted. Perhaps I can find something about those Phylotar brothers and their stupid commander Olon Dendicott.

Those spies at Irithim have found an excellent informant. He gaves them the codes to get access to the computers on Quoith.

Look, here! This is really interesting! The verdict of a lawsuit against the Skywalker twins. Skywalker twins? That's remarkable. Has Skywalker a twin sibling. Very interesting. I can't believe it! Skywalker has a twin sister. He and his sister were accused of treason and perjury, but they are acquitted. Skywalker's twin sister! That can't be Liane Vader! No, unbelievable! That little senator Leia Organa is Skywalker's twin sister and Skywalker has trained her as a Jedi Knight. Well, well, that makes three, maybe even four Force users to capture, if Skywalker has trained that Tydon guy as a Jedi too. That opens up even more great opportunities for my plans. Four future Sith apprentices, who will share their Force knowledge with me, Lord Vader. They will give me unlimited power."

'Still overestimating your future chances and plans, aren't you, Trevor? I assure you, that none of my children, nor their friends will ever surrender to the Dark Side. No Jedi Knight will ever teach you about the Sith or become your apprentice,' A voice sounded.

"Is that you again, Lord Vader? Well, you should know that the Dark Side can seduce everyone. Everyone has a lust for power, even a Jedi can not resist the power to dominate and control others. In the past, the Jedi always felt superior as Force users over those they claimed to defend. Didn't emperor Palpatine sense your lust for power? "

Darth Golluth started to laugh, then turned again to the information on the display. He pressed some keys and burst out in a roar of laughter.

"I have secured all this valuable information for further study. Now, let's see, I have to make some plans to get all Darth Vader's offspring and that Tydon guy to Palomintar Four, but first I will add some extra information to these files. Information that will devastate those rebels."

Leia Organa Solo was working in her office, as Han rushed in.

"Hi, darling," He said. He walked around the large desk to kiss his wife.

"Perhaps the underground residence is shielding the influence of the Force?" Han asked.

Leia shook her head.

"No, it's my lack of concentration. I'm too worried about Ian. I have a bad feeling about his whereabouts on Palomintar Six. I'm getting very strange, but unclear images through the Force, I can't tell if he is doing well. It's as if something has happened to him which makes it impossible for him to reach Luke or me."

Leia had walked over to the window and looked out. Han put his arm around her.

"Where's Chewie? Still working on the Falcon?" She asked.

He's almost finished with those last modifications on the Falcon. Why?"

"I want to go to Palomintar Six and see for myself, that everything is well with my padawan. I want to know if I'm imagining things." She said.

"Have you asked Mon ... " Han said.

"We can leave without her explicit permission. I want to leave as soon as possible. Secretly. If I go to Mon Mothma now, she will ask me if I have told my brother about my worries. Han, it's time for us to take over Luke's investigation. Can we go?"

"Sure, no problem. I'm glad you're overruling Luke's wait and see attitude. I fully agree with you: it's time for action. Leia, that padawan of yours, you think something has happened to him. How bad is it; is he still alive or ..."

Leia reached out to the Force.

"He is alive, but I feel he needs help, Han, and he isn't able to contact Luke or me."

"Alright. I'm going to the space port and tell Chewie to have to Falcon ready. Leaving secretly might be a bit difficult, but I will tell the officials some of my fantastic stories. They won't have a clue what I'm talking about and will agree with our departure. Leave that to me. This is going to be as in the old days, darling. Let's get out of here. Forget about protocol and regulations."

"I'm going with you," Leia said and grabbed her Jedi coat. As always she was dressed in her Jedi outfit. She put on her utility belt and hooked on her lightsaber. Han watched her. Sometimes it was still difficult for him to see his wife as one of the illustrious members of the new Jedi Order. Leia looked at him.

"If necessary I can use my abilities to get us off Dalmaran without anyone noticing," she said.

"You mean, using some Jedi tricks," Han said mockingly.

"Yes, darling," She said laughing, "Your idea of telling the officials some of your fantastic stories is a great idea, and I can help you to make them believe your stories."

For a moment Han was silent, then he started laughing too.

"We are a great couple, Your Highness, don't you think. Come on, let's go. I'm ready to leave. Can we get out off this building unseen?"

"Through the backdoor, let's go." Leia said.

Luke had taken Liane again to the waterfall cave. The bubbling water had a relaxing effect which he wanted to use to practise a more intense form of Jedi meditation.

"Remember, Liane, you must open your mind to Force. Clear your mind of questions. Don't ask, let the Force guide your meditation. Now relax and concentrate on the Force."

As always Liane easily tuned in on the Force. Her half closed eyes got a staring glance and intuitively she took on a meditation position. Cross-legged and with her hands on her knees she sat upright, letting the Force flow through her body. Suddenly her facial expression changed and she stared restlessly at the opposite wall of the cave.

"I see ruins, old broken buildings," she murmured hardly audible, "These buildings... Where are ...? Oh no, I recogniz.... No this can't be. These are the ruins on Morantan behind the stronghold. What's this all about?"

Her eyes were wide open now, but she didn't seem to be aware of where she was. She moved her hands now aimlessly in front of her as if she wanted to ward off the images.

'Keep your eyes closed, Liane, and surrender to the Force,' Luke said, 'She wants to show you something of importance. Open your mind. Don't be scared. You're still in the waterfall cave.'

He knelt in front of her and laid his left hand at the side of her head.

'Share what you see, with me. Just look at the images the Force is showing.'

Liane shivered, but then she accepted the strong power of the Force that emanated from his touch and seemed to protect her. The images became clearer and more vivid. Suddenly she saw herself running away from the ruins and immediately she understood what the Force was showing her: the terrible moment when Tijan had scoffed and betrayed her friendship. Again she shivered, but the pressure of Luke's fingers reassured her.

"Tijan?" She murmured, "Why did he ridicule me?"

Then she saw the young officer. He stood in front of the platform in the command room of the domains, looking up at her, her father and several staff members. A dozen storm troopers were heavily guarding him.

"You have abused my confidence. You intended to seduce my daughter. You die for what you have done to her," The voice of Darth Vader rumbled.

"Please, have mercy, Lord Vader." Tijan pleaded. "I meant her no harm."

"Mercy. You meant her no harm. Do I have to believe that?" rumbled the mechanical voice menacingly. Once again Liane experienced the rising anger and aggression in her foster father.

"Father, please, I have already punished him, for what he did to me. He's no longer an officer. Expel him from Morantan," She heard herself begging.

She remembered those words, but she also remembered her father's answer.

"His answer. It was so terrible, so frightening, when I heard what he expected of me," she murmured aloud.

'Stay passive and calm, Liane. Let the Force show you all that has happened,' The soft Jedi voice of Luke insisted.

Liane managed with great difficulty to turn her attention back to the images that the Force divulged before her eyes.

"My daughter, now you can prove yourself my loyal apprentice. I want you to use your Force skills, the way I taught you on this guy. You know how you can use your Force powers to punish him for what he wanted of you. He is your enemy, a traitor and traitors no longer deserve to live. Use your power, my girl, show me the progress of your skills."

"No, no, I don't want to see what I did," Liane said shivering in a low voice.

'Go on, Liane, trust the Force. She is showing you, what you want to know.'

"I know," Liane murmured, "I know what happened. I know what I did. I don't want to see it again. It was so horrible what I did."

She tried to push away Luke's hand, but the young Jedi grabbed her hands in his gloved hand.

'Go on, Liane, the Force wants to show you the truth of what happened. Stay passive and concentrate on the Force. Trust her power.'

It took several moments before Liane was able to control the overwhelming panic that seemed to engulf her. The Force had brought her back again to the most horrible moment of her past, when she had been forced to kill a human being using her Force powers for an evil purpose for the first time. She saw how she slowly was raising her hand and started looking intensely at the young man in front of her.

"Why did you ridicule my feelings for you, Tijan? My love for you was genuine, you must have felt it. Now you're going to die for your dishonesty," She heard herself say, but she also heard the reluctance in her trembling voice, and a rising feeling of compassion from inside, as she began to lay her invisible fingers around his throat. Again she felt the fear and the agony in Tijan's body as his limbs began to stiffen and his breath stifled.

"Excellent,go on, my daughter, go on," her father's voice rumbled. Immediately her fingers lost their grip. She saw how Tijan managed to get his breath again. Her hand fell limp alongside her body. Determinedly she shook her head and looked at the dark black armor towering above her. She turned her back on the frightened young soldier, looked at the eyesight receptors in the menacing mask, shook her head, terrified, but defiantly.

"I won't do this, father, this is wrong. I feel it. I can't make use of my Force powers this way, father, I can't, for they are evil. I don't want to use the Force to kill him. Send him away, far away, so I don't have to meet him here. Send him into the war, so he might die like a soldier. Make him one of the storm troopers. Please, father, don't make me kill him. "

"Let him live! This guy has forfeited his life. Your feelings for him have made you weak, my daughter. You still feels compassion for him, even now. See how it is done!"

The power of the Dark Side turned her around and forced her to watch. Her eyes filled with tears and her vision became blurred as she saw how her father raised his hand and clutched the throat of her former friend. Tijan was lifted and drifted to platform. He began to choke and struggle for his breath. Within a few moments it was over. On the floor in front the dais lay the remains of the young officer. She cast one frightening glance at the corpse, then she tore herself lose of the scene, turned around and ran away crying.

Tears had started to run down her cheeks now.

'You renounced the Dark Side already on Morantan. You opposed Anakin's will, my dearest friend,' Luke's soft Jedi voice penetrated her mind.'You refused to follow his command. You didn't kill Tijan. It was Anakin, who killed him. You're not to blame for Tijan's death. Don't let the memory of this frightening moment haunt you any longer.'

"Anakin killed Tijan. It was Anakin, not me. I couldn't do it. I cared for Tijan. He shouldn't have died. It wasn't me, " she whispered relieved, while she loosened herself from his grasp and covered her face with her hands.

Luke surrounded her with a strong Force flow of compassion and affection, but he let her take some time to handle the emotions of grieve and relief all by herself.

'Liane,' Luke's gentle voice vibrated through her mind,'Release yourself now from your Force trance. Release slowly and come back to the cave with the waterfall.'

It took some moments before Liane woke up from her deep Force meditation trance. She lowered her hands and blinked. Dazed she looked around, before she realized where she was. Then she noticed Luke who was sitting in front of her. He was still holding his left hand at the side of her head. He lowered his hand, grabbed her hands in his and squeezed them affectionately, then he sat himself next to her and laid his arm around her shoulders.

"Liane, this was awesome. You have allowed the Force to show you your most frightening moment. This Jedi meditation has revealed what really happened to Tijan. You didn't embrace the power of the Dark Side when Anakin forced you to use Force; you didn't give in to the Dark Side. You felt too much compassion for Tijan, even now you still care, I felt it. Don't fear Anakin's teachings, my dearest. His dark teachings never will be a part of you."

Liane looked into Luke's eyes and saw a strange glance of relief in his eyes.

"Did you ever doubt me, Luke? Have you ever believed, that I killed Tijan? Have you been afraid, that there was a chance that Anakin had seduced me to embrace the Dark Side of Force?" She whispered hardly audible.

"My lovely eternal comrade, although your confession on Endor gave me a shock, I couldn't believe it really had happened as you told me. On our first visit to this beautiful spot, the Force showed me Tijan's trial and his death, but I didn't get a clear vision of the one who really killed him. If I would have seen that Anakin killed him, I would have told you, but that wouldn't have reassured you. You would have doubted my words. You still would have believed your own truth. You had to face this frightening moment yourself, but I couldn't believe you had killed Tijan. On Endor your use Force Stasis and Force Choke and your confession about this evil Force use Anakin taught you, concerned me, but to me it was incomprehensible, that you could have used Anakin's teachings to kill a human being. I always feel your compassion and care for living beings in everything you do. You're not a follower of the Dark Side, you never can be, I assure you, for you repudiated the Dark Side the moment you withdrew your hand and let Tijan live."

In the dense forest Toallin had reached the cubicle domed cabin he and his brother possessed. This minor possession was a bitter reflection of the wealth they had known on Palomintar.

In the beginning of the usurpation and occuptation of Ribana he, his brother Mugin, the Quelan Council and some other Quelan landowners had opposed the intruder. However, after a garrison of ground troopers had occupied Ribana, had taken a large number of young Quelan males prisoner, and had driven out the remaining inhabitants into the wilderness east of the town, they had fled to the eastern harbor. He and Mugin had taken care of that their fellow citizens had been brought to Cantamaga on the continent of Tyr. Afterwards they had returned to Ribana to negotiate about the prisoners. Their return had been a mistake, for the troopers of the invasion force had taken them prisoner too, and they had been put to work as force laborers to dig out a series of passageway between different caves under the mountain ridge, together with their fellow Quelans. They had worked as slave laborers for more than a year, before they managed to escape off Palomintar Four. They had gone into exile on one of the other planets of the Palomintar System. All they had been able to take with them on their flight, were a bag with stone slivers containing valuable aludium crystals which they had secretly collected, while enlarging the passageways and caverns of the intruder's underground abode, and a crate of Palomintar wine.

Once on Palomintar Six they could sell the aludium crystals to space traders. The proceeds from the sale had been more than enough to build a cabin deep in the forests of Palomintar Six. They had earned a living with hunting, fishing and preparing the pelts of their larger catches. Once every two months they had gone to Ktafunda to sell the surplus of their hunting on the market together with the harvest from their garden. It had been a hard time for the two brothers, who had once lived a life of relatively wealthy owners of a blooming vineyard.

After living this way for almost four years, they had saved enough credits to buy the small lodging house with a tavern in Ktafunda. When they had refurbished the four rooms and the cantina they had moved in and had left their forest house. Their new business had brought them a more satisfying way of life, but every now and then the brothers returned to the forest and stayed in the cabin for a while. They were reasonably pleased with their new life, but they hoped that one day they would be able to return to their home town on Palomintar Four and be reunited with their families and friends.

Toallin brought the speeder to a stop and jumped out. He unlocked the door, returned to the speeder and carried the unconscious body of Ian inside. Carefully he laid the boy on one of the large sofa's along the walls.

"Take it easy, son. I'm going to lit a fire, so you will stay warm. Then I will prepare a meal. You must be hungry."

Talking to himself Toallin carried out the chores and soon the cabin was filled with the warmth of a good fire and the smell of boiling meat. Every now and then Toallin cast a glance on the body of Ian. Finally the boy moved and opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" He stammered and tried to get to his feet.

"Rest easy, son. If you move too much your new skin will rip. Stay calm. Those bacta sheets will prevent infections, but they aren't strong enough to regrow your skin rapidly. Lay down and let me do the work, until your skin has completely cured and is strong enough. Do you want some broth? You need good food, that helps to heal. I'll find you some cushions so you can sit a bit more upright."

Toallin went to one of the back rooms and returned with a large number of soft cushions. He stuffed the cushions around Ian so he could sit in upright position.

"That's better, I think," Toallin said. He gave Ian a mug with a warm broth.

"Drink this, son. I'm sure you feel better when you have something in your stomach again. Mugin and I used to make this broth when the season was cold and wet. It also keeps you warm on the inside," Toallin laughed.

Ian had taken the mug with both hands. He revived and took some sips of the hot spicy broth.

"Very tasty, Toallin. Tell me, does Mugin know you took me to this place?"

"I had no time for that. I'll go to Ktafunda as soon as I can leave you alone here, for I have to find more Bacta patches to cover your burns."

"Can't you reach Mugin in other way quicker? Don't you have infom equipment? Mugin surely will be worried, Toallin," Ian said.

"Kid, you should stop worrying about Mugin and me. Better take care of yourself. You survived a kifusa attack, which is highly remarkable and then you ran back into a blazing fire. I think that very stupid. Hasn't that master of you never told you, that you might get burned. You Jedi possess a lot of strange skills, but even a Jedi can't enter a burning house and leave without getting wounded. You're a bit reckless, son." Toallin took the mug from Ian's hands and filled it again.

"For the time being you're safe here. The only thing you have to do is, sleep as much as you want and get well again. So you need to take your rest and let me do the work. You said you know a way to contact your master. I think, this is a good time for it, as you have nothing else to do."

"I will do so, Toallin, and I promise that I will pay you back, you have my word on that," Ian said sounding still weak.

"First things first, son. You have to get your health back, and you have to contact that master of you. Now get some rest and try to sleep. Don't worry, when I'm not around as you wake up. I'm going chop some trees and prepare this house for a longer stay. It's also a long time ago I aimed a good shot at a nagawa."

Toallin took away some of the cushions and helped Ian to lay down again. Ian closed his eyes, suddenly feeling desperate. He was badly wounded, he was stuck in the middle of nowhere on an remote planet in the Outer Rim. He had failed his master and he had to depend on the help of his former boss.

'Master Luke,' he thought, 'can you hear me?' He tried to concentrate on the Force, but his aching body disturb his full surrender to the Force. Again he didn't succeed in reaching his master, but the warmth of the broth he had drunk, made him feel dizzy, slowly his eyes closed. When Toallin returned with a pile of logs Ian Tydon had fallen asleep again.

"What a beautiful objects, Luke," Liane said looking at the Jedi holocrons in the cabinet.

"They are indeed very beautiful. Beautiful and of immeasurable value, Liane. I'm happy beyond words, that Leia and I could save these items. There's so much important knowledge stored in these objects. I have been accessing some of them, but I lack the time to listen to the old master more seriously," Luke said, "It would help the future of the new Jedi Order enormously if I could come here more regularly to gather the knowledge that is stored here. When I see this enormous amount of Jedi knowledge, I always have to control my impatience, for I feel how important it is to learn as much as I can about the Force and the Jedi Order."

Luke made a sweeping gesture to the racks with boxes. It was the third time he and Liane were visiting the cave with the Jedi library. To his surprise Liane had been able to use the Force necessary to access the cave already on their second visit. He felt that this secret hidden treasure of knowledge intrigued her. Knowledge is the main achievement of the Jedi Knight. Knowledge brings insight; the more a Jedi Knight knows, the more knowledge he wants to acquire.

"Can I hold one, Luke?" Liane asked.

"Yes, sure, go ahead, but don't be disappointed, if nothing happens."

"What do you mean?"

"Jedi holocrons respond through the Force. A Jedi can easily access the hidden knowledge stored in a holocron using his Force skills."

"You mean, I might not be able to make use of them, because I'm not a Jedi Knight."

"It might, my eternal comrade."

Liane looked at the holocrons on the shelves of the cabinet. Her eyes caught an emerald green one in front of her. Hesitantly she stretched out her hand and took the little cube in both hands. Carefully she turned it around.

"Do I have to activate a switch or something, Luke?" She asked.

"Put it on a flat hand, Liane."

Liane put the holocron flat on the palm of her right hand. Slowly she stretched her fingers.

"It's beautiful. I love its green color." She said, when suddenly the holocron softly began to vibrate. A emerald colored smoke extended from the cube and began to whirl around her hand. Startled Liane looked at Luke. He nodded with a smile.

"Hold on,"He said.

'Yes, yes, hold on, she must,'A cackling voice said with a laughing undertone, 'Welcome Severini daughter, I say. At last we meet.'""

In the green cloud a little greenish Force apparition began to take shape. The apparition had long pointed ears. Wonder-struck Liane looked at the little creature.

"Master Yoda?" She asked startled.

'I am, I am !' The green apparition said chuckling,'Time to learn for you, it is, Severini daughter.' ""

"Master Yoda, what do you mean?" Liane whispered.

'Questions, you have, have you not. Many questions? Questions, answers need they,'Yoda said.

Liane nodded numbly. Luke placed his hands on her shoulders. He felt the strain in her body.

'Relax, Liane,' He said through the Force

'Oh, yes, relax, she should,' Yoda said and chuckled again, 'Important questions you have, Severini daughter, have you not?'

"Yes, master Yoda. A lot of questions," Liane said, barely audible.

Yoda frowned and waited, then he said sternly, 'Well, if answers you want, what questions you have?'

"Master Yoda," Liane said hesitantly, "Luke thinks that I'm the daughter of Je ... I mean, I know already that my mother was a Jedi healer, but Luke thinks both my parents were highly Force-sensitive."

'Your friend, great insight in the Force, he has. Great Jedi, he is. Yes, right he is, about you. More there is to tell; a great Jedi Knight mother was, and a great Jedi healer.'

"My mother was a Jedi Knight!" Liane exclaimed, "Master Yoda, I thought she was a Jedi healer. You mean she was a Jedi warrior, a Jedi fighter."

'Healing skills very strong, they were, but Severini trained as Jedi Knight, I did. My padawan, she was, very powerful Jedi Knight she became. Chose to use her powers as a Jedi healer in the Jedi temple.'

"So I have I my healing skills from her?"

'You have, Severini daughter, you have. Used them well you already have, but much to learn, you still have to do,' The green apparition of the powerful Jedi master said, nodding approvingly.

Again Liane hesitated.

'More, there is on your mind,' Yoda said chuckling again.

"Master Yoda, and... my father... was he... a Jedi Knight too, or was he only a Force-sensitive man?" She whispered.

'Great Jedi your father, great Jedi master.'

"Where is he, master Yoda? Please, tell me!" Liane urged.

Yoda's face took on a grim and sad expression.

'United with the Force, he is, Severini daughter,'The old Jedi Master said.

"You mean he is dead," She stammered disappointed, "Then I will never meet him, nor will I meet my real mother."

She looked over her shoulder at Luke, who was still standing behind her.

'Keep your concentration, and listen to my old master,' He said.

Liane looked at the apparition of Yoda again.

'Severini daughter, understand the Jedi creed, you do not. There is no death, there is the Force, it says. Jedi are united with the Force, they are. Luke, hasn't he told you, masters who trained him and his father, he still meets them when needed.'

Liane nodded.

'Also remember, what happened on Endor, you should.'

Not comprehending Liane looked at the old Jedi Master.

"On Endor. I could cure wounded Ewoks and after I.. found out who I was I called Luke again, because I .... Master Yoda, you mean when I met the Force ghosts of Anakin and Ben Kenobi, Luke's first master on Endor. Ben Kenobi told me I had to use the Jedi-pendant again! Later his apparition appeared to me again in Logray's house when ..." Liane's cheeks colored ... when I had a silly argument with Luke."

'Yes, yes. Meet them you can already, strong with the Force, you are, Severini daughter, very strong.'

"Master Yoda, does that mean that I can also meet both my parents as Force apparitions, like I have met Ben Kenobi?"

'Patience, you must have! Your parents you will meet, in time.'

"Why not now or soon, master Yoda. I want to know who they were."

'Patience! Haven't you heard, what I said. Time not right, yet. First learn about the Force. Much to learn and unlearn, you have. '

Liane bowed her head. Yoda looked intensively her, as Liane looked up.

"Thank you, master Yoda. I'm glad you have confirmed what Luke has told me. I will try to be patient."

'Patience, you must have, not try. Do, or do not, there is no try. Other question you have, Severini daughter, have you not?'

Liane blushed.

"Master Yoda, the Force has shown me many visions about Luke and me. We have always been partners or good friends. We have always been together, I mean ... " She stammered, "I even have seen us both as Jedi Knights. Have I been a Jedi Knight once?"

'Many times, a Jedi Knight or Jedi master, you have been, Severini daughter. Luminous beings are we, you, Luke, his sister, myself, your mother, all the Jedi of old. We serve the Force eternally, our powerful ally, she is. Jedi Knight and Jedi Master you have been, Severini daughter. Path of your future you need to find, decide for yourself you must. Help you will get, from me, from Luke Skywalker, but also from Luke's father Anaking and from Obi-Wan 'Ben' Kenobi and from the Jedi masters of Old in the holocrons. Knowledge of old, stored in many holocrons, there is. Severini daughter, your destiny to become a Jedi Knight this time again, maybe it is.'

"Master Yoda, I still have a great fear of the knowledge of the Dark Side which Luke's father has taught me. Luke says I don't have to fear the Dark Side any longer, but how can I be sure I won't be seduced by Dark Side? Is the Dark Side stronger than the Good Side of the Force?"

'Not stronger, more tempting, seductive and easier. At peace your mind must be, serene and passive. Will help to unlearn what you have learned.'""

"Thank you, master Yoda. I need to think about what you have told me."

'Often return to this place, you should. Then the ways of the Force and the ways of the Jedi, Severini daughter, you will find.'

'Mezorahim dejan Forca tusale, Yoda-lemsa. Liane said and looked over her shoulder again at to Luke, who firmly pressed his hands at her shoulders.

'Mezorahim dejan Forca tusale, Severini dankanin.' Yoda said with an approving smile as he heard her words in Jedieese. His apparition became thinner and disappeared into the green cloud.

"Close your fingers around the holocron, Liane," Luke said.

Liane put her fingers around the cube and the cloud vanished. With staring eyes she looked at the emerald green cube in her hand. Carefully she replaced the holocron in the cabinet and slowly closed the door, then she turned to Luke.

"You said, that only a Jedi Knight can access the knowledge that lays hidden in a Jedi holocron. I'm not a Jedi, yet I can do anything, as if I have already completed my Jedi training. I don't understand why, Luke?"

Luke brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Accept the great skills you possess, my eternal friend. Maybe you haven't completed the full Jedi training, but you're so strong with the Force, that she obeys all your commands, whatever you ask her to do for you."

For a moment he pulled her close and thought about what his old Jedi Master had revealed.

"Remember what I said, after I had checked your midi-chlorian count, Liane. There haven't been many Jedi Knights with offspring of their own. Emotional attachment, let alone a marriage, between Jedi Knights was forbidden by the Jedi Code. Yet both your parents were Jedi Knights, and that makes you so special and so powerful."

"I'd wish, I could meet them. I'd wish, they were still alive," Liane whispered, feeling sullen and downhearted.

"Be patient, Liane. I'm sure that one day you will meet them, and they will be very proud to know you're their daughter."

"Do you think, they will really be proud of me, Luke? After all the knowledge I've learned from your father, and after all the things I have done wrong on Morantan."

"You have learned many other things after you left Morantan, my dearest friend. You have unlearned a lot of what Anakin taught you. You've taken many steps on the Jedi Path to become a servant of the Good Side of the Force."

Liane looked around the cave and let her eyes rest on the cabinet with the holocrons.

"I'd wish we won't have to go back to Mon Mothma's residence now. I would love to talk to all the other Jedi Masters in the holocrons. Do you think they will be as nice as master Yoda and will help me too, Luke."

"You can come back here, as often as you want, Liane, and as for the other Jedi masters of old, I'm sure they will help anyone of the new generation of Jedi and that includes you."

"We're nearing the Palomintar System, darling. Tell me what you want?" Han said.

"Can we do a flyby around Palomintar Four. I want to know if Luke was right." Leia said.

"Sure no problem. Chewie, we're going out of hyperspace within twenty seconds from now." Han said to his co-pilot.

"Ten, cut in the sublight engines. Five, four, three, two, one. Here we are: the Palomintar System. Let's find Palomintar Four for a flyby."

Han tapped on the chart, while Leia watched over his shoulder.

"There it is: Palomintar Four. Chewie, set course 307B615. We'll arrive at Palomintar Four in forty minutes. Here we go."

Han pulled hyperdrive lever to him and the Falcon shot away.

Forty minutes later the Millennium Falcon came out of hyperspace on some ten planet diameters from Palomintar Four. Through the windshield Han and Leia observed the planet's surface. It was a planet with widespread patches of green, There were two continents separated by wide oceans on either side. Above the surface clouds were visible.

"Want to go closer, darling?"

Leia nodded.

"But slowly, Han. I don't know, if some one is monitoring any traffic around the planet."

"Got the same feature build in in the Falcon as your brother has done with his ship. Chewie activate our cloaking device."

The Wookiee grunted an affirmative.

"Ok, now we can approach the surface stealthily, we don't have to worry about spying eyes. What do you want to see?"

"Can you fly over those continents via the poles slowly. I going to concentrate on the Force now. If I sense something unusual, can you log the coordinates, Han?" Leia asked.

"Nothing is easier. Chewie, let's fly close to the surface."

The Falcon took a dive and started her investigation flight. Leia sat back in one of the passengers seats and concentrate on the Force. Han and Chewie carefully kept the Falcon on course. Han was looking through the windshield.

"That must be one of the towns of Palomintar Four. Why don't we see any people? That's odd, the whole place seems deserted. Those are odd buildings too. Look, each building is topped with a kind of dome. Very odd, indeed."

He look at Leia, who sat with close eyes behind him.

"Chewie," He said softly, "Activate the holographic monitoring. I want to show this to Leia."

The Wookiee grunted.

"We do another flyby of this spot, Chewie. So take your time."

The Wookiee left his seat and walked to the control room. He flipped some switches and pressed the button of a display. The screen showed the surface of the planet that passed underneath. When the domed buildings of the city came into view again he pressed the button next to the screen. A green light lit up, together with a flashing red light.

Watching the display for some moments Chewbacca went back to the cockpit. He grunted a sentence in Han's direction.

"Thanks, pal. This is really an odd place. Not only the town is deserted, there are no human lifeforms what so ever. Let's see what's on the other continent."

They passed the northern pole and scanned the other landmass. The whole continent was covered with a seemingly impenetrable layer of clouds. Han activated a audio frequency, but he heard only static noises. Carefully and even more slowly the Falcon flew above the clouds. Then the space craft started it next run over the other continent. This time Han saw a mountain ridge appear on his scope. Some summits were slightly capped with snow and along the slopes meltwater flowed in small streams. There were meadows on the lower slopes, but Han saw no human activity what so ever.

"A deserted planet? And here we should find that weirdo who is after Liane," he mused.

"Han, I want the coordinates of this place, and can you make another flyby." Leia said suddenly.

"Sure, dear. Here we go. It's beautiful down there, but I see no sign of occupation... Hey, look, there's a flock of nagawas. They certainly are domesticated, look at the markings on their horns, but where is the shepherd. Maybe we should land and have a closer look."

"No, we'd better get out of here. This must be the spot Luke mentioned. I feel some strange tremors in the Force. Is the Falcon still cloaked?"

With a big loop the Millennium Falcon left the surface of the planet. Han cast a worried glance at Leia.

"Don't worry, we're still invisible. You're OK, sweetheart?"

Leia nodded.

"The influence I felt through the Force didn't feel as an influence of the Dark Side. It was too weak and gone before I could trace its source, but whatever lives down there, is causing some stirring in the Force."

"Can it be dangerous, Leia?"

"Difficult to tell. The moment I felt those tremors I asked you to leave the system. Han, let's set course to Palomintar Six. That's where Luke has left Ian."

"This is really an odd planet, Leia. I have activated the holographic monitoring. There's no sign of any human life what so ever. On the lowered side of that mountain ridge I saw a flock of domesticated nagawas, but no shepherd. Want to have a look?"

"You're marvelous, Han," Leia said and kissed her husband.

"Chewie set course to Palomintar Six, keep our cloaking device on." He said and rose.

Together with his wife Han walked over to the control room. He switched on the monitoring system and activated the recording. Chewbacca joined them, after he had set course to Palomintar Six and brought the Falcon into hyperspace.