Chapter 43

'Liane, listen to me! Help me!'

Unexpectedly he got an answer.

'Ian! Ian, is that you? Where are you? What happened?'

'Liane! Help me! Explosion ... fire ... I'm burned ... They want to kill me ... Help me, Liane, help me!'

Again the pain in his body became unbearable. He moaned and tried to move, but his body ached too much. A darkness deeper than the night came over him and Ian Tydon lost his consciousness.

'Leia, I'm nearing the Palomintar System.' Luke said using Jedi telepathy.

'You made it fast, Luke. Any suggestion.' Leia answered smiling.

'We land on Ktafunda space port on Palomintar Six, that's where I left Ian.'

'Do we dress as Jedi Knights?'

'We do. I think, that Ian's status as padawan is known by now, so it's better if we make clear from the start we have come to Palomintar Six to support him.'

'I hope we find Ian soon. Did you hear anything from Liane?'

'I did, but she hadn't had another vision. She was blaming herself for being not much of a help. I left her so unexpectedly, Leia.'

Leia heard the concern in the voice of her brother.

'We also didn't expect that something would happen to Ian, did we? I'll meet you at the space port, Luke.'

For a moment Leia Organa Solo sat quietly on the passenger seat in the cockpit.

"Luke has arrived." She said to her husband, who was watching the readouts on the console of the Falcon."He suggests we go to Palomintar Six and land at Ktafunda space port."

"Fine with me. Chewie, set course for hundred planet diameters, then switch off our cloaking and announce our approach."

The Wookiee grunted and pressed himself in the co-pilots chair. He flipped several switches. The Millennium Falcon turned her front to the void of space and left her position. After some minutes he gave Han a sign to confirm that the Falcon was visible now. Han immediately called the tower.

"Ktafunda space port, this is the Millennium Falcon. Request permission to land."

"Ktafunda tower to Millennium Falcon. Welcome to Palomintar Six. You have permission to land. State the goal of your visit after your landing. Docking bay 527 is free."

"Ktafunda space port, docking bay 527. Thank you."

The Falcon dived to the surface of the planet. After another orbit around the planet the space port of Ktafunda came into view.

Leia pointed to another vessel diving to the surface.

"There goes the Astræa," She said.

"Luke seems to be in a hurry," her husband said looking at the speed with which the former Imperial space craft neared the planet. "Here we go."

After some ten minutes the Falcon landed at the defined docking bay. As soon as the ramp was down they heard a familiar voice.

"I've already stated the reason for landing here," Luke Skywalker entered the Falcon dressed in his Jedi outfit.

Leia hugged him.

"You made it fast, Luke. I'm really worried about Ian," She said.

"So am I, Leia. Hey Han, hey Chewie. Somehow I have a bad feeling about what has happened here. You're armed, Han."

"Kid, my blaster and I never part." The Corellian boasted.

Leia started to laugh and winked to her brother, who started to laugh too.

"Nice to hear, dear brother," Luke said.

Han grinned.

"Are we ready? I have to brief the officials why we're visiting this planet. Any idea."

"Same as mine. Finding a missing friend."

"You want the officials to know the real goal immediately?" Han said. "No undercover?"

"No, I hope I will attract attention and if possibly get some help from the authorities, Han." Luke said. "It's likely, that our opponent and his spies have found out Ian's real identity. If that's the case, our adversary also knows Ian's status as padawan. I want to act quickly and bring Ian to safety. That's why Leia and I are immediately revealing ourselves as Jedi Knights. I want to make a first move this time."

"That's my style, kid. Let's go." Han said with a big grin. "Chewie, take your crossbow with you."

The four of them left the Millennium Falcon. Han secured the ramp and informed the officials the reason for his visit. The commander of the space port received them as the highest official in Ktafunda.

"Welcome, masters Jedi," he said, looking a bit worried at the huge Wookiee. "You're here for an official visit, I hear?"

"Yes," Leia said. "We're looking for a friend of ours."

"In what way can the authorities of Ktafunda be of any help?"

"Do you know where Ian Tydon stays, or in the worst case, has been imprisoned."Leia answered.

The commander checked his infosystem.

"Master Jedi, we have no one by that name in our detention blocks. Did he contact any of you?"

"We had a call for assistance, commander, however our friend wasn't able to inform us about his exact whereabouts. Have there been troubles in Ktafunda recently," Leia said.

The commander laughed cynically.

"These are the Outer Rim Territories, Master Jedi. There's always trouble in this area. Palomintar Six is no exception to that rule. I will help you if I can, but if you want an overview of all the troubles of the last weeks we'll sit here the next five days. Please, be a bit more specific. You named: Ian Tydon. What kind of guy is he? Has he been in trouble before? What kind of business did he had on Palomintar Six?

At that moment the door of the office flung open and an officer rushed in.

"Commander, there is big trouble ahead in the center again. Some rogues have again made havoc and demolished most of the medic droids for the fourth time. Another group of aliens have opened fire and killed several of them."

"Send a squad of droids to investigate. Did they capture any of the troublemakers?"

"No, sir. They vanished in all directions. A witness says he thought he recognized one of of the rogues from their first raid. Possibly it has been the same group that was involved in that blast at Toallin's bar in the center about a month ago."

Luke rose and beckoned his sister unnoticed.

"Commander, under these circumstance we won't use more of your time. We understand that the situation in Ktafunda is a bit precarious at the moment. We will try to find our friend ourselves. Thank you for your time."

The commander rose too.

"Thank you for your apprehension, master Jedi. I wish you good luck."

Luke and his companions left the building. Leia looked at her brother.

"You know something." She asked.

"I do. The officer mentioned a blast at Toallin's tavern. We're going to visit that tavern, for that's were I left Ian. He was going to work for two Quelan brothers called Toallin and Mugin. He thought it would a good disguise, and a possibility to get news about Palomintar Four.

Han grinned.

"For a padawan he is real smart. No better place than a bar to get your information. Do you know the way? Let's go then."

The four friends left the space port and headed for the center of Ktafunda.

Liane had switched on her flashlight when she entered the tunnel and stumbled all the way through the shallow stream to plateau with the secret main entrance. When she was nearing the durasteel door she slowed down and turned inward. Almost immediately she felt the influence of the Force. She raised her hand and in her mind she saw the heavy door slowly rising. When the gap was large enough to let her through, she jumped on the plateau and rushed on. Still running she turned inward again and let the door slid back to the floor without turning her head. She hurried to the carved stairs, and used the Force from a distance to open the door to the storage room. She crawled on top of the containers to the other side, unlocked the door of the storeroom and followed her way back to the residential area through the long passageway.

"Threepio!" She yelled as she entered the lawn near the lake.

Immediately the golden droid turned up. "Yes, mistress Liane, Artoo is. ...

"Shut up, Threepio. Come with me. I need to contact the Supreme Chancelor immediately. I get Artoo to establish a connection."

"Mistress Liane, may I remind you that you can't establish the connection. You must wait until the Supreme Chancellor calls you."

"Artoo is going to overrule that."

While talking Liane had ran to her quarters. She unlocked the door and activated Artoo, who was waiting numb in the corner. She grabbed the small welder and took away the restraining bold. Immediately Artoo's functions sprang to live, and a endless stream of angry binary beeps were send in Liane's direction.

"No time for that, Artoo. Connect me to the Supreme Chancellor, now. I have a very urgent message for her."

The dome of the barrelshaped droid turned left and right, as if the droid denied her his support.

"I know what I did to you wasn't really nice. Yes, Artoo, I admit, it was wrong. Now, please help me to tell the Supreme Chancellor where Luke, Leia and Han have to go to save Ian."

She left her quarters and went to the living. Artoo followed her, still whistling angry beeps, Threepio seemed upset by what the little droid was saying.

"Mistress Liane, Artoo is furious, because you put a restraining bolt on him. He will tell princess Leia about your behavior."

"I don't care, if he is going to tell Leia. I want him to carry out what I ordered him. Tell him, Threepio, that if he isn't immediately doing what I want, I will see to it that his memory banks are erased. I might even do that myself. I'm not in a mood for a discussion with a stubborn astromech droid."

She sat down on one of the couches and watched her stubborn, angry companion. She knew she couldn't do anything without his help. Annoyed she rose and left the living, going back to her quarters. Angry and frustrated she slammed the door shut.

"Stupid scrap heap," she said, while looking in the mirror on the wall. Her angry face looked back at her.

"Getting angry, never helps, Liane."

It was as if she heard Luke's soft spoken words, she had heard so many times on Endor.

"Luke! What had Ben said, "Don't forget your special bond with Luke, Liane. The way you can contact him is much faster."

She slapped her hand on her forehead.

"Who is stupid?" She said aloud and started laughing. She sat down on her bed and pulled the Jedi-pendant from under her tunic. With a smile she turned the pendant between her fingers, caressing the old Jedi message at the back of it.

"Luke, please listen. This is urgent." She whispered.

'Why do I sense some frustration in you, my dearest friend?' The bluish apparition of her friend asked.

Liane neglected his question.

"Never mind. I have to tell you something urgent," She said in a hurry.

'Your voice sounds real tense. What's the matter with you?'

"I've talked to Ian, Luke. I saw a forest and a strangely wooden domed cabin. Then I heard Ian calling me. He spoke some words and sounded as if he was in great pain. I heard him say: Explosion and fire, then he moaned: I'm burned and someone wants to kill him and finally again he called out for help."

'This is good news, my dearest comrade. This will help Leia and me to find Ian and rescue him.'

"Are you sure, Luke."

'I am. But, tell me, what made you feel angry?' Luke said and Liane heard the concern in his voice.

"It's nothing, Luke. It's just that Artoo refuses to carry out my order to call the Supreme Chancellor for me. He is furious because he objects against the treatment I gave him. I switched him off and welded a temporary restraining bold at him, before I went to see master Yoda." Liane said and shrugged her shoulders.

Luke chuckled.

'Tell him, why you did it. I'm sure he'll be reasonable. He is only a stubborn little droid, but invaluable, my dearest friend. Now, release yourself from the Force and don't worry about Artoo."

Liane heard him repeat his last words a couple of times. Slowly she opened her eyes, got up and walked back to the living.

'Well done, Liane,'" A soft voice said. 'Good work. Luke and Leia now know where they have to start if they want to find Ian.'

"Ben, you're still with me?" Liane said sounding relieved. Her frustration about Artoo ebbed away.

Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca had found their way to Ktafunda's center. The sun of the Palomintar System had set and darkness crept along the narrow streets. Han and Chewbacca looked suspiciously in every dark corner, while Luke and Leia used their Jedi skills to sense possible trouble. Suddenly Luke grabbed Leia's arm.

'Wait, Leia. I sense Liane's presence,' He whispered. He stepped into dark alleyway and vanished in the shadows. Leia watched him go and beckoned her husband and his companion.

"Where's your brother going?" Han asked on a whispering tone. He has seen that his brother-in-law had vanished into the shadows of the portico.

"Liane made contact with him through the Jedi-pendant?" Leia said.

"The Jedi-pendant? What's that?" Han asked inquisitively.

"It's a pendant made of a special metal and in a special way. Luke made it for Liane when she was imprisoned on Wegoyy. Nobody knows how it's precise working. Liane can use the pendant to make contact with Luke and talk to him using the Force."

Han shook his head.

"Another funny Jedi-trick," He said scornfully.

"No, darling, not a trick, but a special way of communication between a Jedi and a Force-sensitive person who is not yet a trained Jedi Knight." Leia said. "There's Luke again!"

Luke emerged from the darkness.

"Liane had another Force vision. Ian called her. He's in a very bad shape. He seems to be in a cabin in a forest. He talked about an explosion and a fire which has badly burned him. He also said there are assassins looking for him."

"Could it be that's the explosion the officer at the space port was referring to."

"Likely. Let's go and see what's left of that tavern. Follow me." Luke said and hurried along the dark alleys. Through a maze of alleyways and narrow streets he crossed the center of Ktafunda. The others followed him closely. Finally Luke stopped at the end of a small alley and pointed to a opposite building. Leia and Han gasped.

"Someone blasted it," Han said, "This must be Toallin's bar?"

"It is the lodging house, where Ian and I stayed. Ian was going to work here. The two Quelan owners of the cantina were looking for some reliable guy to help them."

He pointed to small lighted windows across the street.

"The tavern itself still seems operational. Let's get inside and see if the owners can tell us, what happened to Ian and where we can find him. Do not attract attention, Chewie, give Leia your cross bow. She can hide it under her Jedi cassock." Luke whispered.

They crossed the street and entered the bar. Luke and Leia cast a quick look around, but everything seemed normal.

"I'll order some drinks. Seek a booth near the back door," Han whispered. Luke nodded. Han walked casually over to the bar where two huge Kayvoks were serving drinks. He pointed to some local draught and ordered four glasses. Completely calm he flipped some coins at the bartenders and grab the tray. Nonchalantly he looked around and saw Luke and Leia in a booth at the far end of the bar. Quietly he walked over and took his place next to them. Chewie sat near the exit and watched the other customers. Luke ran a quick glance over all the guests. The Force told him that none of them showed violent behavior. Everything seemed the same as before he left, except that the bartenders weren't the guys he had met during his first stay. He concentrated on the different conversations that were going on in the booth next to them.

"Shall we invited one of the bartender for a chat?" Han asked, but Luke raised his hand to quiet him. He made a gesture with his eyes to the next booth.

"It's still a funny case, don't you think so." A voice said. "I'd never expected those two to disappear, leaving their business to these humanoids."

"I can understand it. The blast has ruined their back quarters their visitors could rent. That lodging house was the main part of their business."

"I still think their disappearance has something to do with the guy that worked here for a short time. I heard rumors that when he was attacked by probes he wielded a lightsaber. He probably was a Jedi under cover."

Luke looked at Han and Leia. Han rose and walked over to the next booth. Luke made a gesture and looked at his sister.

"Don't attract attention. We're strangers here." Luke murmured.

'You know Han, Luke,' Leia answered through the Force.

Suddenly the situation changed. In the entrance a long limped Y'vanna appeared who started yelling on top of his voice.

"Grab those two behind the bar."

A group of twelve alien creatures spread through the bar, dangerously brandishing their blasters. The guests hid under their tables, or rushed to the back of the cantina, trying to reach the emergency ackdoor to safety. The two bartenders had produced their blasters and started firing at the intruders.

"I want them alive," The Y'vanna yelled above the blasters bolts.

Leia threw the cross bow at Chewbacca, before she ignited her lightsaber and followed her brother who had already jumped in front of the bar, repelling the blaster bolts that were aimed at the Kayvoks. Han, who just wanted to have a conversation with the guests in the neighboring booth, stood flabbergasted when he saw his wife jumped over several guests and landed near the bar with a perfect somersault. Immediately he drew his blaster and started firing at the intruders.

"Come on, Chewie. Get these rogues."

"Han! Chewie!" Luke yelled while he ducked behind the pillar of a booth, "The leader is the Y'vanna, over there, to the left. Don't let him escape."

Han and his companion rushed forward firing continuously and joining the Kayvoks behind the bar. The two brothers grunted some positive comment, when they saw they were getting help. They both fired again and three attackers got wounded.

One of Kayvoks pointed at the door. His partner nodded, he dived and with a loud bang the entrance doors closed before any of the attackers could escape. The Y'vanna fired at the Kayvoks and Luke from a corner near the entrance. Luke looked at his brother-in-law and jumped on the bar.

"Cover me." He yelled to Han. Han immediately increased his firing. He saw Luke rush over to end of the bar. He leaped in the air and somersaulted behind the Y'vanna.

"Nice!" Han said to Chewie. For a moment he looked back at his wife. Leia was repelling the heavy firing of four other attackers.

"Chewie, get those two villains to the right. I'll take the ones on the left." He said.

The Wookiee and Han spread and succeeded in eliminate five other attackers. Then the Y'vanna let out a howl, and suddenly the fight was over. The last two attackers managed to disappear through the open back door. Luke turned up, pushing the wounded Y'vanna in front of him. The creature held his right arm at the elbow, the hand and the underarm were gone.

Han grinned.

"Good work, kid."

The two Kayvoks walked over to Luke and his victim, aiming their blasters at the Y'vanna. Luke raised his hand and shook his head.

"No unnecessary killing, guys. He's wounded. After he has told us, what's this all about, he can get himself a medical treatment. You'd better take care of your guests."

"We hate their kind." The other Kayvok said and pointed at the Y'vanna with his blaster. "They are friends of that Twilek' Trimas."

Leia, who had joined her brother, turned around.

"Trimas, you said. How do you know?"

"Trimas, friend of yours?" The Kayvok asked suspiciously.

Leia shook her head.

"No, he's spy. The authorities of the New Republic have been following his whereabouts. We lost his trace here in the Palomintar System."

"He's dead. Screamed too much."

"You said the attackers were friends of Trimas. How can you be sure?" Han asked.

"Saw that guy talking to him, before that Twilek' threatened Mugin. Mugin is a good friend and so is Toallin, his brother. Very nice Quelans." The other Kayvok said also threatening the Y'vanna with his blaster.

"I thought they owned this bar," Luke said, looking up from the wounded Y'vanna.

The creature grunted and moaned. Suddenly he snarled: "You can save yourself the effort of interrogating me, I won't say nothing."

One of Kayvoks grabbed him by the throat.

"I'll make you speak up." He grunted aggressively.

Luke jumped to his feet and pulled the Kayvok's arm away.

"There are other ways to make him speak," He said quietly.

He turned to the Y'vanna.

"You will tell me the reason for this attack," He said taking over the mind of the creature with Jedi mind control.

"I will tell you the reason for this attack," the Y'vanna repeated subdued.

"Tell us, quick," Han said very unfriendly. Luke raised his hand and shook his head.

"You will tell me, why you came?" Luke said again.

"I will tell you, why we came," the Y'vanna said and blinked, "My master Darth Golluth on Palomintar Four wants Ian Tydon, a Jedi."

"You tell me, why Darth Golluth wants Ian Tydon," Luke continued.

"I tell you, why Darth Golluth wants Ian Tydon," The Y'vanna answered to Luke's Jedi voice. "Ian Tydon has been wounded. Darth Golluth wants him as a bait to capture a certain Lady Vader. My master knows that Lady Vader wants to rescue Ian Tydon."

"Thank you," Luke said, " You may go. You will tell Darth Golluth that Luke Skywalker is protecting Lady Vader as your master calls her."

"I may go. I will tell Darth Golluth that Luke Skywalker is protecting Lady Vader as my master calls her."

Luke nodded to the Kayvoks to open the entrance door. The Kayvok pressed a button behind the bar and the doors swayed open.

"Get yourself proper treatment," Luke said.

The Y'vanna blinked, saw the open door and ran off. Han looked at his brother-in-law.

"You let him escape? He will tell..."

"... Darth Golluth my last message. That's the only thing he will remember, Han."

"I hope so, kid. I think, he could have told us much more about that weirdo, who is after Liane."

"We've got the information we need for the moment. He has confirmed Trevor lives on Palomintar Four. He is probably one of the local spies Trevor uses. He only could tell us Trevor is after Ian. It's trap to capture Liane, because she will rescue him as she knows he's wounded."

"He could have told us, where Ian is now?" Han said disappointed.

"He doesn't know, Han. That's why he attacked these two."

Luke turned to the Kayvoks and introduced himself and his companions.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, my sister Leia Solo, we're Jedi Knights and friends of Ian Tydon. General Han Solo, my sister's husband, and his companion Chewbacca"

"I'm Nimon and that my brother Hidon." Nimon said and pointed to the other Kayvok who was busy behind the bar again.

The bar was quiet as before. Most of the guests had taken their seats again. Hidon was pouring new drinks, replacing the ones which had been spilled and broken during the battle. Nimon beckoned Luke and his friends to a booth at the far end of the bar.

"Thank you for your help," He said. "I think you visited this place deliberately, didn't you? You're looking for the other Jedi, the friend of Mugin and Toallin, I understand?"

"They were the owners, weren't they?" Luke asked.

"We bought this place from Mugin last month."

"Do you know where we can find them. We need to talk to them."

Nimon shook his head.

"Left Ktafunda. Both of them."

"What happened to the inn behind the backyard of this place?" Han asked.

"Blasted by some alien rogues. They were after the Jedi. He was wounded and was brought to medical care."

"You mean our friend is at the medic center in Ktafunda?" Leia said looking relieved.

"Was in the medic center, madam. He has disappeared. Nobody knows where he went."

Leia watched Chewbacca, her husband and her brother.

Luke looked at Nimon.

"Do you know if there's a forest in the neighborhood of Ktafunda?" He asked.

"No forests around here. Only bushes and swamps. Forest far to the north and the east. More than a day from here."

"Behind the swamps to the north and east there are forests?" Han asked once more.

"Nothing but forest. Large areas of forest. Impenetrable forests, no one lives there." Hidon, who joined his brother and had heard Han's question, commented.

"Can I get you a free drink." He asked.

"No thank you. It's very kind of you, but we need to find our friend. You're sure you don't have any more information." Luke said.

Both Kayvoks shook their head.

Luke rose and the others followed him.

Nimon and Hidon rose too.

"Thank you for your help. Whenever you drop by we will serve you free drinks and food? Good luck."

"Glad that we could help." Luke said.

They shook hands. Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca left the bar.

"Bad luck, guys," Han said.

"What we do next," Leia asked.

"We'll go back to the space port and lift off early tomorrow morning. We're going to fly at low altitude to the north of Ktafunda. Liane was talking about a forest and a domed cubicle cabin. I expect that around this cabin there is a kind of open space. At least I hope so," Luke said.

"Let's go then and hope for the best. Can't you both use the Force to contact Ian?" Han said, while they were heading back through the narrow street to the space port.

"We've already tried that, darling, but Ian didn't answer to those calls." Leia said. "I hope we can sense his presence when we do a flyby over those forests."

Han looked skeptical, but didn't comment on his wife last sentence.

In the forest cabin Toallin stooped over the motionless body of Ian Tydon.

"This is no good, brother. Ian, come on, son, wake up!" Carefully Toallin shook the couch, but to no avail. Ian Tydon didn't stir and remained unconscious. Toallin looked up at Mugin.

"Any suggestion, brother," He asked.

Mugin shook his head.

"No, the only option left is, that one of us tries to reach his home planet of Dalmaran, and see if he can find some one who knows the guy and pick him up. The best thing I can think of, is that you stay here with him, and that I go back to Ktafunda. I will try to find passage at some freighter, whose captain has business on one of the Inner ring systems. Once there it is easier to find a passage to Dalmaran."

Toallin and Mugin sat down opposite of each other at the table in the middle of the cabin.

"I hoped he would recover a bit, so he would be able to reach that master of his in a Jedi's way," Toallin said with a deep sigh.

After some time, he rose. Again he stooped over the unconscious body of Ian.

"He is still breathing, but his breathing is so shallow. I think you should indeed find a way to warn Dalmaran. Take the speeder to Ktafunda. Let's use our infocoms to keep in touch, but don't talk about him in your messages. Never. I fear, that they still might be looking for him. I stay with him and hope for the best. I will do as much as possible to keep him alive."

Mugin nodded.

"We owe him our help," He said, "Alright, this is the only thing that is left. It's now too late leave. I'll go to Ktafunda tomorrow at dawn. I hope I can reach the town early afternoon. Let's hope I'll find a freighter soon. It might be too late for him if there's more delay. Take care him, Toallin. It sounds odd, but I have had the strange feeling that if this young Jedi recovers, we might have an opportunity to get back to Ribana one day."

"He already promised me, he will help us, but it seems, that it's up to us, to help him first," Toallin commented, "You'd better get some sleep. I'll stay awake in case he wakes up."

Early next morning Toallin told his brother, that there hadn't been a change in Ian's condition during the night. The young padawan was still unconscious.

Mugin took his bag, and jumped at the driver's seat of their speeder.

"I'll contact you after I've been to Ktafunda's space port," he said.

Mugin went on his way to Ktafunda, driving through the dense forest and the swamps at high speed. However, it was already near sunset before he finally reached the town. Immediately he went to space port and asked if there would be a reasonable chance to get to the inner ring systems soon. To his dismay the duty officer told him that two space ships with the markings of the New Republic had left early that morning, after they had done some business in the center of Ktafunda the day before. The description of the crew made clear to Mugin that he had missed a great opportunity to warn the friends of Ian, for it seemed that two crew members had been the Jedi Knights he was looking for. However the duty officer couldn't tell him the new destination of the space ships. At a small lodging house near the space port he found a room to stay for the night. Before he left his room to have a meal at café, he called Toallin over the infocom.

"Yes, Mugin?" Toallin said.

"I have been at the space port. There is little chance that I can go to Dalmaran soon. There aren't any freighters going to the inner ring planets of the New Republic, but I have some positive news too. An officer told me that two space crafts with the markings of the New Republic have landed yesterday, but they lifted off again with unknown destination this morning. The same officer gave me a description of the crew, and I almost certain that two of them were Jedi Knights."

"That could be Skywalker and the former master of Ian, what was her name?" Toallin said relieved.

"I can't remember, but the Jedi Knights were accompanied by two others, one was a Wookiee," Mugin said. "They were looking for a missing friend, the officer said. Yesterday they have visited Ktafunda's center."

"Find them, Mugin, and bring them here. This is no coincidence. Two Jedi Knights and a Wookiee: that must be Skywalker, Han Solo and his friend."

"I hope you're right, brother?" Mugin asked.

"Almost certain, Mugin. Contact our friends, the Kayvoks. Maybe Skywalker has visited the tavern. He and his padawan stay with us, before our friend started to work for us," Toallin said.

"I'll contact you again as soon as I've spoken to Nimon and Hidon. By the way, how is our friend doing? Has he regained consciousness?"

"No, still the same, but he's still breathing. I need to replace the Bacta patches, but I don't want to disturb him. If you visit the tavern, stay alert, I'm sure his enemies are still looking for him." Toallin said.

"I will."

The following morning Mugin went back to the space port, and after having asked if perhaps the New Republic space vessels had returned, he drove to the center of the town and found his way to the tavern, to ask his friends, the Kayvoks brothers Nimon and Hidon, if the Jedi friends of Ian had visited them.

Once having arrived near the tavern Mugin noticed that a squad of investigation and security droids had sealed off the place completely to investigate a fight, that had been taken place in the tavern. When he asked if he could have a word with his friends, the droid leader denied him access.

From bystanders and acquaintances he heard, that a group of strangers who had visited the tavern the day before yesterday, had defended his Kayvok friends in a peculiar way against a raid of a group of scoundrels and robbers . They had defeated the attackers using strange weapons. Being now absolutely sure that Ian's friends had been looking for the young padawan, and that he had missed them, Mugin could no longer restrain himself and shouted loudly that he wanted to talk to the Kayvoks, for he wanted to ask Nimon and Hidon where those strange visitors were at the moment.

Once again the droid in charge summoned him to leave immediately, otherwise he would arrest him for obstructing an ongoing investigation, but Mugin pushed the droid aside and tried to force his way to the entrance of the tavern. At that the droid raise his weapon and stunned the frustrated Quelan. The investigation squad called for assistance of the security droids, and had the loud protesting Quelan transported to the detention block at the space port.