Chapter 54

A small transport space ship landed on the flat plateau near the huge cave entrance of Myr. The ramp came down and two imperial officers, different in rank, left the ship. They walked over to the entrance which was flanked with wide open heavy durasteel doors. Four armed droids were standing guard.

"Inform lord Golluth, that admiral Vestor of the Basilisæa has arrived. He had ordered me to meet him," The highest ranking officer said on a demanding tone, while he looked at the officer who was accompanying him. The latter nodded in agreement.

The droid activated his infocom. A few moments later a protocol droid showed up.

"My master bids you welcome, admiral Vestor. Please, be so kind, to leave any weapon with our guards."

The guarding droids inspected the two officers and nodded to the protocol droid.

"You're clear. Step inside, please, follow me." A protocol droid said.

The two officers were led through a maze of corridors lit with electric torches, until they reached a double door. Two guarding droids opened them and the small group walked on.

"Welcome, admiral, have you found that Jedi Skywalker, or Ian Tydon? Did you bring with you those spare parts I requested to repair my communication system. And this companion of you is the sophisticated technician I need to fix it?" Darth Golluth said on a grumpy tone, turning his chair to face his visitors.

"This is Major Doran Whain, my lord. He is the best technician I have on board the Basilisæa; he has a excellent record on complex computer systems and communication," Admiral Vestor said and bowed.

"Well, that sounds good. He might prove is expertise on my communication system which needs some repairs," Darth Golluth grumbled.

"My lord, what's your problem?" Doran Whain asked, "What kind of service can I provide?"

Darth Golluth rose and walked down the three steps of his dais. Slowly he crossed the floor until he stood rigidly upright before the two men.

"You sure you can repair any comsystem, also older ones which desperately needed some amendments?"

"My lord, if you show me your system, I can explain what is needed to get your system up and running again. What did you do, that your system needs repairs?"

"You're showing no lack of self-confidence, major Whain. Let me tell you in short what happened, when I tried to get some information via the computer system of the Rebel Alliance on Quoith. I was provided with some access codes and could retrieve some important information. I made a download of that information, because I needed to thoroughly study its content. However, when I activate my communication system again the other day, the information I wanted to read was gone, and what's more I couldn't get access to that rebel computer system anymore. The access code didn't work any more. After having tried the code several time, my whole system when blank and everything I had stored has been erased."

"My lord, did you get those access code from Quoith technicians themselves."

Darth Golluth started to laugh in a nasty way.

"Major Whain, you don't seems to understand, that the Rebel Alliance and I aren't on very friendly terms. That means that those access code had been given to me via my spies on Dalmaran. I needed to infiltrate in that rebel computer system, because I need to know the hiding place of the daughter of Darth Vader."

"Has the information about the daughter of Darth Vader been registered on the Quoith computer system, my lord, for every one with the right access to retrieve. That's a very odd procedure. May I ask if you have found the place where the government on Dalmaran is hiding her?" Doran asked, showing some slight apparent subservience.

"I found some interesting information about the trial against her, but I wasn't able to read the verdict itself. My spies have told me that she had been sent to the rebel prison on Wegoyy, but she escaped and turned up on Endor. On Endor a certain Jedi Knight called Luke Skywalker team up with her and helped her to escape from that moon planet when I had send some of my special forces to bring her here. Where that Jedi brought her my spies couldn't tell me, but she turned up on Dalmaran again. I was told that she had been brought to the detention building, but she never arrived there. All further investigations on Dalmaran were in vain. She hasn't turned up on any other planet so far. Major, I desperately need to make contact with her."

"I understand, my lord, for I've seen in the log that the Basilisæa has done some investigations near Endor for you."

Darth Golluth looked suspicious at Doran Whain.

"My lord, all changes in the position of the Basilisæa are automatically log in the ship's communication system. As the main technician of the communication group on board the ship I have been reading the log files which register the position of the ship. After a short stay in orbit around Endor we have returned to the Palomintar System."

"You are a keen observer, major."

"That is an important part of my assignment, my lord. I am responsible for the communication system on board. I have to inform my superior, if I notice changes in our standard procedure. The voyage to Endor was legalized by admiral Vestor."

"Good, good. Let me carry on with the story about my desperate search for the daughter of Darth Vader. Just before I was able to retrieve the information from that rebel communication system on Quoith, some spies on Dalmaran informed me that the rebel leader Mon Mothma made contact with a certain communication system on the forbidden continent of Na'ctaMagh'Ba every other day. It took a lot of effort, but they found the access code to that system, after some of my spies tried in vain to set foot on the forbidden continent. That mission failed when they were intercepted by fourteen Dalmaranian control squads in submarines. Next my spies made a connection with that communication system on Na'ctaMagh'Ba, but again it was a failed attempt, because the connection turned out to be at Mas'onom space port. Major, if you are the sophisticated expert admiral Vestor is boasting, than I order you to restore my access to the rebel communication system on Quoith again."

"I need to have a look at your system, my lord," Doran Whain said determined, but politely.

Darth Golluth made an irritated gesture.

"Looking at my ruined system won't get it up and running again, lieutenant. I need your expertise to fully repair my system. My tech droids have been working on it, but they told me, that we haven't enough spare parts to get the system up and running again. "

"I can provided you with anything you need, my lord. Let me inform my men on the Basilisæa. They can send down a pod immediately." the admiral commented.

"Follow me. I'll show you."

Darth Golluth strode through the passageways. The two imperial officers followed him with a cautious look. After a short walk they entered a secured cavern which was designed as a computer center. Darth Golluth noticed Doran Whain's dismay when he was looking around and started to laugh.

"Yes, It's a mess, I know, and the main problem is, I am the cause of it. Those droids promised they will fix it. Major, maybe you'd better start immediately and fix this mess for me?"

"I'll give your droids a hand, sir," Doran said.

"Let me see, if you indeed have the talent and expertise to fix this. Proof to me that you are an sophisticated expert on communication systems," Darth Golluth snarled at Doran Whain who walked over to the main desk and sat down in front of the ruined screen and destroyed keyboard. He disconnected the ruined parts and turned to some tech droids which stood waiting in corner, looking subdued and in despair.

"Do you have a spare screen and a working keyboard, guys?" Doran asked.

One of the tech droids beeped and made a gesture to the others. They turned around and vanished to a dark niche. After a couple of minutes they returned with some very ancient looking equipment.

"Excellent, that will do for the moment," Doran said.

He put the disconnected parts aside and put the parts the droids handed him on the main desk. Next he turned to admiral Vestor.

"Sir, when the spare parts are retrieved from the storage on the Basilisæa could you ensure that several different types of holo screens and holographic keyboard devices are included.

"Lord Golluth will provide me with a list what's needed, but I will include the extra parts you need, major Whain."

"Get to work, major," Darth Golluth grumbled as he walked to the exit, "and see to it, that I can use this communication system again."

"As you wish, my lord," Doran Whain bowed, but neither Darth Golluth nor the Admiral of the Basilisæa saw the slight glimmer of triumph in his eyes.

Darth Golluth beckoned the admiral to follow him. Once back in the main audience cave he turned to admiral Vestor with a menacing grin.

"Send the spare parts my droids need quickly, admiral. Consider it a gift. A gift from a loyal servant of the empire to the new supreme leader," he snapped, "and your so-called highly sophisticated technical communication expert will stay with me for an indefinite time. It will be much easier for me to communicate with a human, than with a protocol droid and tech droids. Don't worry, admiral, I will take good care of this young man, for I need his expertise. And now you must go back to Basilisæa and continue your search for those Skywalkers and their padawan Tydon."

"What about Lady Vader, my lord?" admiral Vestor asked.

"As soon as your sophisticated major Doran Whain has reassembled my communication system and have it up and running again I will have my spies on Dalmaran searching for her real whereabouts. They will capture her and bring her to Palomintar Four. Lady Vader is no longer your concern. I will deal with her myself. I'm convinced my spies can bring her to me. You bring me those other Jedi."

Darth Golluth made an dismissive gesture.

"As you wish, my lord," The admiral said and left the cave.

The protocol droid brought him outside the underground network. He boarded the shuttle and docked in less than an hour on board the Basilisæa.

"Send down a pod to these coordinates and load it these parts," he ordered and handed a deck officer a datapad, then turned to the captain, "Don't forget the different screens and holographic keyboards devices. As soon as you get confirmation of the pod's departure, you start the engines, and move the ship out of this planet's orbit. Our new position will be just outside the Palomintar System straight opposite this planet."

The orders were carried out immediately and the imperial star destroyer Basilisæa positioned herself at high orbit of the system.

Leia, Han, Ian and Chewbacca looked at the huge holographic map hovering above Luke's infocom. They have gathered in Luke's guest room.

"I've got this map from Cornell. I have been first research and there are might be several possible ways to get inside the cave network, Trevor is using as his shelter," Luke pointed at a certain point on the map,

"Toallin and Mugin could tell me some extra details about the layout of the different caverns and the connecting corridors they have been working on during their force labor. Pieced together there could be a more than reliable chance that there might exist one maybe even more connections between the old underground riverbed, and the cave network. I'm quite sure it's possible to use one of these connections to get inside, if I want to find a way to face or confront him," Luke said.

"You want to find a way to face and confront Trevor Matrik alone, Luke? What about we face or confront the guy together," Leia said with some irritation in her voice, "and you are forgetting my padawan? There are three of us, Luke, to confront this Sith lord if necessary."

"No I haven't forgotten, Leia, but I want Han, Ian and Chewbacca to support and help Cornell and his harvest men.

Look, this area is the old dry riverbed west of Ribana The underground river once resurfaced through what is now the entrance of the underground cave system. From there the river filled a deep valley west of the exit and had formed a lake. This lake overflowed between these hills and filled the dried riverbed where we landed the first time. Some of the underground caverns probably have been part of the underground river. Chati told me that she and her elder cousins used to play hide and seek in the caves near the entrance, and she also has observed Trevor in a huge cavern which, according to what her father had told her, once had been a kind of cistern in times of heavy rainfall. Cornell told me that they have started to change the recent course of the river. They want to re-direct the water flow to its original underground bedding. While Han, Ian and Chewbacca are giving the harvest men a hand with their plan, I want to investigate part of that the underground river bedding with you, Leia, but I will proceed on my own if we nearing the cave system Trevor is using.

"And what if parts of that underground riverbed have caved in?" Han asked.

"Your plan holds many uncertainties and unseen dangers, kid. What if Darth Golluth makes use of probe droids, surveillance probes or what ever?" Han retorted.

"Han is right, Luke. What can you expect once you're inside that underground network?" Leia remarked.

"At least I won't encounter any imperial storm troopers. Toallin and Mugin are absolutely convinced that Trevor is only using droids to serve him. I'm sure I can handle them."

Leia sighed. She knew her brother well enough not to object, but still she didn't find his plans convincing.

"Don't go alone, Luke, let's do this together, you, me and Ian. We still don't know enough about Trevor's Dark Side knowledge. What if he is more dangerous than we suppose he is?"

"Leia, there is no if. You know that we have to fight the Dark Side in our galaxy and although Palomintar isn't a member of the New Republic we're obliged to use our power as Jedi Knights to avoid the spreading of Sith lore again."

"How will we proceed, kid?" Han asked.

"We'll use the Millennium Falcon to land on Myr. We will take a first group of harvest men with us. Another group will follow using one of the hover vessel to cross the ocean between Tyr and Myr. They will find their way through the wild lands behind the western harbor and join the first group at the western mountain at this point." Luke point at a spot halfway up the mountain ridge.

"Halfway the mountain ridge is a forested hollow were the Falcon can easily make a safe touch down. It's a grassy plain with dense forest on the surrounding hills. It is at quite distance from Ribana, but I want to stay away from the town as much as possible. From the rendez-vous point we have to climb the mountain to reach the spot where Cornell and his men want to continue with their work which has become part of our plan. Cornell will show us the waterfalls which have formed a deep basin at the foot. The waterfalls and the basin lays behind another high rising rock formation. We need to investigate of we can make an overflow over that wall to redirect the stream to this side of the mountain. If that doesn't work out the way Cornell and his men have in mind, we'll have discuss some other options. Do we agree?"

"I still think your plan has too many uncertainties, but I see no other option, kid. I told you from the beginning that we need reinforcements from Dalmaran. When are we leaving?"

"Wedge and Yarmod are on their way to Dalmaran to protect Liane. I want to stay in Cantamage until I've heard that he and Yarmod have arrived in Mon Mothma's residence. Moreover Cornell and his men will be away from Cantamaga the oncoming eight days as they will be harvesting the nuts in the woods at the other side of the mountains. It will probably take other ten till fourteen days before we will proceed which leave us plenty of time to considering probable other options. So keep your eyes and ears open, for the inhabitants of Cantamaga might provided us with a lot of other useful information.

"One question, kid. How will we be able to keep in touch with you, if you're inside that those cave system?" Han asked.

"Leia and Ian can communicate with in the Jedi way, Han, through the Force."

"Great, what's wrong with an infocom?"

"Might be risky, darling," Leia said with a sigh.

Han shrugged his shoulder and looked meaningful at his partner. Chewbacca grumbled a long sentence.

"Chewie says you could pin some kind of homing beacon on your clothes so we can track you. He also suggests, he should accompany you inside the underground riverbed in stead of Leia. "

Luke's face brightened.

"Haven't thought about using a tracker. I will do so, if I can find a device with a sufficient scope. I let you know. Thank you, Chewie, but I'm afraid the underground riverbed isn't fit for Wookiees, but I appreciate your offer."

After admiral Vestor had left, Darth Golluth rushed back to his communication center cavern and was delighted to see that already a major part of his communication system had been nearly reassembled.

"Good work, my dear lieutenant, good work. Indeed you seem to have some expertise in this matter. Carry on, carry on, I want my system up and running tonight."

"I do what I can, sir," Doran Whain said and continued to fix some parts in place without looking up to Darth Golluth.

"How long will it take, before I can use it again?"

"I need time to test it, before you will have access to it again."

"Be more precise, lieutenant. Can I use it tonight?"

Doran Whain looked up and shook his head.

"No, as I said I need time to test the system and make sure I can establish an outside connection. I have to connect with the communication system on board the Basilisæa to set up the outside connection. If you want to have access to the communication system on Quoith again I have to be cautio..."

Darth Golluth pointed the long pike in his hand at the young man and hit him with some heavy electric bolds. The young man cringed.

"You should address me with 'my lord' in every sentence you speak, major, and I order you to have my communication system fixed tonight. I don't want any further excuses. Understood."

"As you wish, my lord," Doran Whain murmured with some obedience in his voice, but he gritted his teeth.

"Good, I will be back after dinner. If you fail me again, you will pay the price for your lack of loyalty and commitment, major."

Darth Golluth left the cavern. Doran watched him go.

'This is going to be tough, Nori,' he thought, 'I need to stay alert, but keep a low profile for the time being. This former admiral shouldn't become suspicious. I'm now exactly where I intended to be, although I never told Jerno about my real intentions. I have to win this guy's confidence, so he will see me as a trusted and loyal ally, before Coruscant can take the necessary measures and have him arrested.'

"In the end he will pay the highest price," he murmured half aloud.

"Did you say something, sir," one of the tech droids asked.

"Pay it no mind, carry on fixing these parts underneath this circuitry. You're a great help. You all are quite skilled bunch."

"Thank you, we're all very glad to help you to get this fixed. We hope that our master won't do any damage to it again. Every time, after he looses his temper, the damage gets worse. We hope you will be staying here for a while, sir. Maybe you are able to tell our master to control his outrage."

'That's a good point. If I will be able that this man has fewer tantrums, I might gain his trust and more control over the situation. But for now, I must pretend that I want to return to my old assignment aboard the Basilisæa.

"After I have fixed this mess, I go back to my assignment on the Basilisæa, " he answered the droids.

A protocol droid had entered the communication cavern and heard Doran Whain's last words.

"I'm sorry, sir, but Darth Golluth has told admiral Vestor that you will stay with us for an indefinite time. Your assignment on the Basilisæa has been made obsolete. My master has ordered to put two droids as your guards."

Doran Whain got to his feet and cast an angry look at two armed droids.

'Pretend you're angry. Don't accept the condition, but don't push it,' he thought.

"Are you telling me, that that...I am kept here as a hostage? I'm an imperial officer and I take only orders from the admiral on the Basilisæa."

"The admiral has agreed with your stay, sir. There is no way for you to complain."

Doran made an attempt to reach the cavern's exit, but the two droids blocked his path.

"You'd better get the job done, sir, before our master gets really annoyed when he hears about your insubordinate behavior," the protocol droid commented, "I was ordered to tell you, that you're not leaving this communication cavern until our master finds this system is working flawlessly again. When you're ready, you can tell your guards."

The protocol droid left and the two droids stationed themselves in front of the passage to underground the tunnel system. Doran Whain cast another look at them, still objecting to his situation in a load voice.

"This is outrageous. I want to send a report immediately to admiral Vestor. Where is my infocom? "

He fumbled in the breast pocket of his uniform, but his infocom was gone, as were some other personal belongings.

"Where is my infocom? I want it back immediately! Do you hear!"

Doran rushed to cavern exit, but the two droids pointed their weapons at him.

"Get back to work, lieutenant," one of them buzzed angrily.

"Where is my infocom, you mechanical idiots!"

"Confiscated at the entrance, major. Infocoms and weapons are prohibited. All communication outside this planet is the prerogative of Lord Golluth."

Puzzled, but also still pretending some outrage Doran Whain slowly returned to work on the communication system.

The speeder came to an abrupt stop, the engine whined and died out. Wedge Antilles and Yarmod Martan both clad as Jedi Knights jumped out and looked around.

"This must be the spot where we have to find our entrance to the cave where Luke has hidden the Jedi library of Coruscant." Wedge said to Yarmod. "We have to look for a deep cave where we can hide this speeder."

Yarmod Martan started scrambling through the thick undergrowth, pushing aside several thorny bushes with sleeve of his cassock. Thick branches hindered his efforts. Disappointed he had to give up and he returned to the speeder.

In the meantime Wedge Antilles had observed the bushy area quietly.

"Recall the instructions Luke has given us, Yarmod. He said we had to look for a cave at the left side of this dead end gorge. You're looking at the wrong spot, young padawan."

Yarmod's face got red.

"Yes, master," He murmured.

"You're still to eager to look for results, my young friend. You must learn to use any knowledge you've gained and observe your surroundings. I think the cave entrance is behind that high wall with thick green leaves. Let's have a look."

Wedge walked over to some enormous eight meter high bushes that spread their branches in all directions. Carefully he checked the ground underneath. Finally he pushed aside several branches at the right end of the bushes.

"There's a kind of walkway over here, Yarmod. This is probably the entrance to the cave. Stay with the speeder I'll be right back."

Wedge vanished behind the branches, but returned almost immediately.

"Push the speeder slowly forward along the path, Yarmod. The cave entrance is indeed behind these bushes. I will keep the branches aside."

He raised his hand using a Force push and the branches bowed upwards, leaving enough space for the speeder to pass underneath. Behind it was a more than man-sized cave entrance, which the bushes covered completely. It was dark inside. After he had driven the speeder through the cave's entrance, Yarmod ignited the speeder's lights. The headlights cast four narrow beams of light on the walls. To the right the cave wall had formed a bend, a well hidden area near the back of the cave.

"Now we have to find the chasm to get inside," Wedge said and activated his infocom a retrieved the map.

"Over there, master, I think," Yarmod said pointing to the small dotted line that seemed to vanish through the rear wall."

"Let's have a look."

They walked to the cave wall and saw a dark chasm that seemed to lead further inside and under the mountain ridge.

Wedge nodded.

"This must be the entrance, Yarmod. I'll contact Luke and tell him we've reached the entrance to the cavern, where we will meet Liane, but before we proceed, we will take a short break and have something to eat. We might not be able to get some rest before we have reached Mon Mothma's underground residence."

"What's hidden in that cavern, master?" Yarmod asked.

"Luke and Leia have rescued a numerous amount of boxes with datacrons from a hidden vault in the former Jedi library under the ruins of the Jedi temple on Coruscant. Luke has plans to build a new Jedi library in Irithim, but he lacks time to start that project, so for the time being those boxes are stored under this mountain ridge. I know that Luke has visited this place a few times to study the Jedi lore and its history. During my final trials, he promised me, that he would show me this spot, but after he had found Liane on Endor, and our mission to Lumeara crossed his intentions."

"Master Luke has spent a lot of his time with Liane Solichor. Do you know why he did, master?"

"I'll first contact Luke. During our break I'll tell you what Luke has told me about Liane." Wedge answered.

Wedge took off his cloak, folded it neatly and sat down, using his folded cloak as a cushion, then he took the common cross-legged meditation stance and concentrated on the Force.

'Luke, Yarmod and I have found the entrance to the Jedi cavern.' He said telepathically.

'Good work, Wedge. As soon as Liane will contact me, I'll will tell her that you're on your way to meet her.'

'We'll take a break at the entrance, before we start our underground walk, Luke. I want Yarmod to rely more his Force awareness. He has to learn to control uncertain feelings on a mission like this. He needs to develop steadfastness to face difficulties. Sometimes he isn't fully one with the Force yet. Besides, do you mind if I tell Yarmod a bit more about your relationship with Liane? He asked me about it.'

'Not at all, Wedge. Take your time, that will also give Liane some respite to reach the cave in case she is currently in the Mon Mothma residence. It's quite a distance to get there, you know.'

'I'll contact you again as we have reached our final destination, Luke.'

'Very well. I'll be waiting for our next contact.'

Wedge released himself from his Jedi trance and looked at Yarmod. He took out some rations from one of the pocket on his utility belt.

"We have a meal and then I will tell you about Liane and the relationship between her and Luke as far as I know the facts."

His young padawan sat himself on the opposite side.

"She is a strange woman, master. On the one hand she is helpful and compassionate, on the other hand she is using her dark power if she becomes outraged, or angered. Her compassionate side I felt, when Ian and I helped her on Endor when she was healing those wounded little tree bears. She used the Force to cure and heal them, but she told us that she feared the influence of the Force on her. She even could use a form of Jedi Battle Meditation, showing the wounded Ewoks their recovery. You've told me that Jedi Battle Meditation can only be mastered through a long training."

"That's true, Yarmod. Liane possesses a great Force potential. Luke has told me that when he met Liane on Morantan the first time the enormous Force flow between them completely overwhelmed him. The way she attacked him using the Force almost flawlessly nearly put him of balance."

"After she had been sentenced and sent to Wegoyy, master Luke went to visit her, didn't he?"

"He did. He visited her for a special reason, my young padawan. You probably have heard who raised her."

"Yes, master, Darth Vader. He fostered her and taught her to use the Dark Side of the Force. That's what she told us on Endor. Master, I felt her Force use of hatred and anger, when she attacked commander Dendicott with Force Stasis. That's the other side of her character."

"That kind of Force use scares her too, my young padawan. She fears the influence of the Dark Side on her actions. That's the reason why Luke still hasn't been able to convince her to follow the Jedi path and become his padawan learner."

"Do you really believe, master, that she can be a Jedi Knight?"

"Yes I do, my young padawan. Liane has a very compassionate character. She wants to help and take care of people who need her help. You just said, that you have experience her compassion yourself, when she was treating the wounded bears ."

"Why is master Luke so concerned about her, master? Sometime his behavior feels as he is in love with her. Does he hope that she will answer those feelings?"

For a moment Wedge was silent.

"Luke's not in love with her, Yarmod, but he and Liane are twin souls, or soul mates. They are eternal partners, probably ever since the Jedi exist. That sounds incredible, isn't it? You know what the Jedi creed says: There is no death, there is the Force. Luke and Liane are a couple of luminous beings in the Force, who will meet each other over and over again. They are some very special servants of the Force who return to the Force after their existence and physical death in the galaxy. They meet and become partners again in a next Force life. This cycle is repeated over and over again."

After Wedge's words both master and apprentice were silent for a long time. At last Yarmod looked up.

"Does Liane know about this relationship with master Luke, master. Does she accept her bond with him?"

"She does, my young padawan, which is a great relieve to Luke. He already knew it since their first encounter on Morantan. That's the reason why he put so much effort in becoming her friend. In the beginning her negative behavior caused a lot of sorrow on my old master. When Liane had lost her memories due to the treatment they gave her on Wegoyy I've often felt his frustration, because he didn't know where to look for her. During my final trials on Tatooine and on Dagobah he saw her a couple of times, but she didn't recognize him, because she couldn't recall her memories. As he saw her image in a flash I sensed his despair and sadness."

Again they silenced. Each of them was completely preoccupied with their own thoughts.

"I wonder ..." Yarmod started, but he didn't finish his words.

Wedge nodded and a variety of expressions flowed over his face.

"We will meet her again soon, my young padawan. Now I want you to focus yourself on the Force and carry out the Jedi meditation I taught you recently. Let the Force show you the answers to all your questions. Feel how she surrounds you, me, the speeder and those bushes outside. Reach out behind this cave wall and you even will feel Liane's presence through the Force, for our ally binds us to everything in this galaxy."

Liane paced excitedly back and forth between the pond and the terrace. She felt so elated that it became very difficult to fully concentrate on the Force so she could use the Jedi-pendant. More than once she took the Jedi-pendant in her hand and turned it over to look at the words in Jediese on the back. As she had done in the Jedi cavern she sought her union with the Force.

"Mezorahimed dejan Forka imajors dejan bacarlam tarminan", She read half aloud and lookedat the engravings once again. For a moment the characters became a bit blurred, but all of a sudden the meaning of those words formed itself in her mind.

"May the Force always be with them, she has united forever. Oh, I'd wished I should have understood the meaning of these words earlier, because those words mean that Force unites me with Luke forever as she always has done. He knew their meaning when he engraved them, because he hoped I would understand their meaning too. Luke wants me to be his partner again, to be together forever and ever, like we've always been. Oh, Luke, my eternal comrade, this is all so incredible. You won't believe me if I tell what has happened to me."

'Give it a whirl, my dearest friend.' She heard and looked up.

The apparition of Luke Skwywalker stood near the terrace. In a rush she ran over to him.

"Luke, listen, this is so important for you and me. I know how to read the datacrons which are written in Jediese. Nomi Sunrider taught me how to do it. I am a relative of Nomi Sunrider, Luke. She is my ancestral mother. I belong to the bloodline of Nomi Sunrider. Isn't this wonderful; I never expected this. Did you?" She stumbled over her words.

Luke Skywalker looked at the sparkling eyes of his dearest friend, and laughed.

'So you've met your ancestress, Nomi Sunrider. Ben, Anakin and master Yoda already more or less told me, although they never mentioned her name. But it's good to know, you have found out this yourself, Liane. '

"It was so odd, Luke. I saw her appear and I had a feeling I was looking at my reflection in a mirror. Her eyes and the color of her hair are the same as mine. She has told me all about her and Ulic Qel-Droma. Their daughter Shaayla has passed on their combined Force power to all the next generations and finally to Severini, my mother, and she has passed it on to me. Oh, Luke, do you know what this means."

'This new knowledge can serve a lot of purposes, my lovely pixie.'Luke commented calmly.

Liane hardly listened to his calm comment as she continued excitedly:

"Luke, it means that I have a real past, that I've inherited my Force skills from someone. I am so glad she told me. I still can comprehend it. And then she said I had to use the Force to read her story. I took the box with the datacrons of her story with me to Mon Mothma's residence. You already transcribe a few datacrons into Basic. I will translate and transcribe everything, so you can read her story too."

Luke started to laugh

'My dearest over excited comrade, calm down for a moment. Have you forgotten that I am a fully trained Jedi Knight. I appreciate your effort, but if you can read those datacrons in Jediese, wouldn't I be able to do the same?'

For a moment Liane look stupefied, then her face got an elated expression.

"Of course and you will do so much better, than I do. I'll show you how to do it. It's really easy. Nomi is such a wonderful woman, Luke, she told me how she learned to control Jedi Battle Meditation. She said it was very difficult. I want to learn that too, Luke. I want to be a Jedi like Nomi."

'Liane, I understand you want to share all this new knowledge with me, I'm really glad you do, but calm down a bit. I have to tell you something.'

"What's so important, Luke?" Liane asked, but Luke felt that she wasn't paying real attention to his words.

'Liane, I taught you to be mindful of the moment. I want you to concentrate.'

Liane heard the Jedi tone of his voice. She blinked and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry, Luke. What you want to tell me?"

'Wedge and Yarmod are on their way to the Jedi cavern. You don't have to hurry, for they take a break, before they go on.'

Liane nodded.

"I hope they will like it here and won't get bored. This isn't a real exciting place, if you're used to an active life. How are you doing on Palomintar Four? Are Han and Leia with you? Did you make a plan to give the Quelans their hometown back? I hope you will find a way to help them, Luke, so you can come back."

For a moment Luke pondered on her words and realized that she did not mentioned her adversary. He felt no fear or anxieties around her as in her mind she still seemed occupied with her new relationship with Nomi Sunrider. The threat emanating from Darth Golluth did not seem to scare her at the moment. Her concern focused on the well-being of his new friends, the Quelans.

'You know I want to be together again with you, Liane,' He said with a smile, 'but we have to be patient. At least it is be a great relieve to know that a Jedi Knight is protecting you.'

"Stop worrying about my safety, Luke. It appears that additional security measures have been taken to prevent intruders from entering here unexpectedly. The entrance can be sealed off with heavy durasteel blast doors both in and outside. The tech droids have showed me how activate a set of blast door, so the transparisteel entrance will be sealed off. Unfortunately I can't show it to you without losing my connection with the Force."

'Did you activate those doors, my dearest comrade.'

"Should I, Luke. I don't want to look this place as a kind of prison." Liane said reluctantly.

'Activate them, Liane, before you go to the Jedi cavern. Show Wedge how to operate those doors. He can decide whether you should use them as additional protection. I think you should, but I leave it up to him.' Luke said. He immediately noticed that his words evoked Liane's resistance. The look in her eyes had become dark and gloomy. He started laughing. 'Don't get angry with me, my lovely pixie. I know you can decide things yourself. Show it to Wedge, discuss it with him, and please, Liane, rely on his judgement.'

"If he says it's safe to keep the entrance doors unguarded I will certainly keep those blast doors deactivated," Liane said determinedly.

Luke laughed once again.

'In that case you may do as you please.' He said and he softly continued, 'Liane, my dearest friend, I'm only saying this, because I don't want any harm will be done to you. I want you to be safe and protect you as I promised Anakin.'

The expression on Liane's face relaxed. She started laughing too.

"I'd better be going, Luke, otherwise your friend and Yarmod will have found the Jedi cavern before I'll be there. Mezorahimed dejan Forka tusale, my eternal friend, and be careful. I love you."

'Mezorahimed dejan Forka tusale, my stubborn pixie. I love you too.'

Luke's Force appearance vanished. Liane quickly walked over to the living. She activated the control panel, dimmed the lights and pressed the red button. Immediately the blast doors were activated and sealed off the entrance to the hidden residence. After having informed Threepio and Artoo about the arrival of Wedge Antilles and Yarmod Martan she set off to meet her new companions.