Chapter 57
he Millennium Falcon had made a prudent landing on the grassy plain in the forested valley halfway up the mountain ridge. Han had kept his cloaking device activated while landing. Now the ion-engine died out and he heaved a sigh of relief, before he turned around in the pilot chair and looked at his family with a large grin.
"How did I do it?" He asked.
"Excellent, darling," Leia said and gave him a quick kiss, "You enjoyed the chase, didn't you?"
"As in the old days, sweetheart. Well, folks, we're on Palomintar Four near the spot where the harvesters want to work out their part of our plan. We'd better start unloading their equipment."
He rose from the pilot's chair, but Luke held him back. Through the passageway to the control room the mumbling voices of the thirty harvest men were heard. Luke raised his hand and the door of the cockpit locked.
"We need to have a quick counsel. The presence of the Basilisæa changes our plans. It's unfortunate that we had to attract the Basilisæa's attention to the Falcon to safe the Quelans on Tyr. If admiral Vestor has teamed up with Darth Golluth; the admiral might land one or more squads on the planet to make sure the Falcon hasn't landed on Myr. We have to make sure, that the harvesters aren't discovered. I want you, Han to go back with Leia and Ian in the Falcon to Dalmaran immediately, and give a full report to our Supreme Chancellor. Tell her we need support from our fleet to keep the Basilisæa at bay. Leia, I want you and Ian, to go to the underground residence and pick up Wedge. He's the commander of the Gold Squad, the Supreme Chancellor might need him and his men to give us back up. Don't stay in the residence, go back to Irithim immediately. Ian, you will stay with Yarmod and Liane. As soon as your master and master Antilles have gone back to Irithim you two are responsible for Liane's safety. "
"Yes, master," Ian said.
"What about you, kid?" Han asked.
"I'm joining the harvesters and if necessary I will defend them against a possible attack of stormtroopers."
"If they send more than one or more squads you outnumbered, kid."
"You underestimate the harvesters, Han. Did you see those weapons they're carrying. If necessary I'm sure, they can defend themselves."
"You want Ian and Yarmod to stay with Liane?" Leia said concerned.
"I know, what you're thinking, Leia, but this time I won't inform Liane of these changes. If she objects I will tell her she has to accept our new plan."
"Why didn't you find yourself a more obedient girl friend, Luke," Han said grinning. Chewie grunted a kind of laughing comment.
"Because she reminds me of some one I know very well, Han. I see his face every morning when I do my hair." Luke laughed, "Liane is the other me, maybe, the better or the worse side of me or vice versa. She and I have the same character, just like you and Leia."
Han looked at his brother-in-law. The expression of care and compassion in Luke's voice struck him.
"So, in the end, we want help from our government." He commented, "Just as I proposed from the beginning."
Luke laughed even louder.
"Maybe I should listen more often to you, Han, and rely a little less on the Force. Shall we proceed. I want you to leave with the Falcon as soon as possible. Keep that cloaking device activated until you're away in hyperspace."
Han grinned.
"This isn't the first time I need to out run any imperials, kid."
Luke rose and unlocked the door. He walked over to the harvesters and quietly explained the changes in the plan. Cornell and his men calmly and stoically agreed. They became active immediately.
"We'll get our stuff stacked in our base cave, master Skywalker. Let's do it quick, boys."
The thirty men jumped to their feet and followed Chewbacca and Han to the cargo hold. Luke went outside. He looked around and tuned in on the Force, but he found nothing alarming, except for the slight Force tremors he had felt before. Thick bushes grew around the landing spot and dense trees rose up on all side of the ravine walls.
"You have to know this spot, master Skywalker," Cornell said who walked over to Luke, "Otherwise you won't notice the entrance. We have to wait here for another five days. The second group of my men left last night. They need half a day to cross the ocean and about four days to join us here. In the meantime I will show you the spot higher up the mountain where we actually are working on the redirection of the river. While we have to wait for the others we will carry all our equipment higher up which will save us a lot of time. I must say it was a tough flight with the general's space ship, certainly for guys like me and my men who aren't really used to fly with a space ship."
Cornell pointed to a forest of dense trees on the mountain ridge.
"The climb to our second camp site lays behind those trees. When we'll have reached the spot where we want to continue our work I'll show you the high rock formation that blocks the water from the lake to from a water flow in the original bedding where it once vanished into the underground riverbed. I have discovered the inlet of the underground riverbed. It's accessible through shaft we've made in a cave at the other side of the ridge. If we could establish an overflow of the lake the water will gain speed once it enters the underground bedding, although I can't tell if the river bedding's decline will be enough to flood the cave system behind Ribana. We have been working on a plan to create the overflow into the old river bedding which is still visible at the surface. The bedding has been eroded over the many centuries, so it needs to be make a lot deeper to get enough water to flow into the underground gap. You will understand more of what I'm telling you once we're there, master Skywalker. It's difficult to image the work that needs to be done, but we'll manage."
"I'm looking forward seeing the progress of your work, Cornell, but tell me, can you show the waterfalls and the lake at its base."
"I will take you there, master Skywalker, but I warn you the climb is even steeper that the climb to our second camp."
"Have you always been working on your plan when you and your men were on Myr?" Luke asked.
"My father has been doing some first investigation and made a first plan some twenty years ago. He also started the work. I was a young fellow when he took me with him and explained what he wanted to achieve. While I grew up I've worked here with all the harvester during the seasons we weren't on Tyr for nut harvest. I will pass on the work, if necessary, to my sons.
When the intruder took control of Ribana the work became too dangerous, because his storm troopers swarmed Ribana and part of the mountain ridge too, although they never came to this part of Myr. Moreover our governors asked us to bring our fellow citizens to Tyr. Master Skywalker, if you're staying with us, I welcome among my men. We're a close gang, but if you're willing to roll up your sleeves, you're welcome to join us."
"Thank you, Cornell. I had in mind to continue with the plan that my friends and I made. I intended to investigate the river outlet near Ribana. Toallin told me that entrance of Darth Golluth' lair is the old exit of the underground river, but now that my sister and her man are on their way to Dalmaran to see if the Supreme Chancellor will send some extra support to keep that imperial star destroyer at bay I will pay more attention to what you and your men are doing. We might join forces, as you're looking to create the overflow and a new inlet to the underground riverbed. We'll discuss that, shall we?"
Cornell walked back to the Falcon and Luke wanted to go over to his four friends when he felt a familiar Force influence. Quickly he walked out of sight among a group of large boulders, closed his eyes and became one with the Force.
Inside her private quarter Liane had taken the Jedi-pendant in her hand. She had decided not to give in, but neglect Wedge's advice, but her disappointment about what had happened prevailed.
"This isn't fair. He is ruining everything I've done. I'd wish Luke was here. Luke wouldn't have ordered me to dismantle the waterfall cave. He loved the place as much as I do." She murmured, stubbornly holding on to her own idea.
'What's the matter with you, my dearest comrade? You seemed to be quite angry with Wedge,' A concerned voice sounded on the other side of her room.
Liane looked up and saw the apparition of her friend standing in front of her. She looked at him; a stubborn frown on her face, but Luke also felt her disappointment.
'Liane, tell me, what's the matter?' Luke said gently and stretched out his hand in an attempt to comfort the girl who was clearly struggling with her disappointed feelings and her rising anger.
"Master Antilles is not the friend you said he was, Luke."
'Control your feelings, Liane, and tell me what went wrong between Wedge and you?'
"He wants me to dismantle the waterfall cave and give up all my other explorations. I have to take away the lamps and the rope. I don't want to do that, Luke. I need to go there, whenever I want to meditate," Liane said surly, expressing her frustration.
'Did Wedge tell you, why he wants you to give up the waterfall cave? Does he want you to give up that particular cave or has he said more about your explorations.'
Liane looked at him and all at once she understood he knew what was going on.
"He told to you, didn't he?" She asked suspicious.
Luke shook his head.
'No, my dearest pixie, he didn't. Maybe he will, but first you have to tell me your point of view. Why has he disappointed you? What did he advice you?'
Liane sat upright. She took a deep breath to control her mixed feelings and looked at Luke who had taken a seat opposite her.
"Master Antilles told me that I shouldn't do anymore explorations, after I had shown him all the caves and caverns I found. He did not agree with what I have done to illuminate the waterfall cave. After he had looked around, I thought he approved my work and liked the cave, as you do."
A little calmer Liane told Luke everything that had happened, after she had shown Wedge Antilles the map of her explorations. She had visited the waterfall cave together with Wedge..
"He seemed very interested and I took him to several other caverns and caves and finally I returned with him to the waterfall cave. As I said, I thought he liked it, but he said I had to give up all the caves and caverns I had explored, especially the waterfall cave. He said I had to take away the lamps and everything that make that cave so wonderful."
'So Wedge approved your efforts, but he told you dismantle everything afterwards. I want you to think about his words. You've done all these explorations when we all thought you were safe in Mon Mothma's residence. None of us had the idea that it would be possible for an intruder to find you in the underground residence of Mon Mothma. I have seen the map of your explorations and there was one thing that struck me.'
Liane listened intently to Luke's calm explanation.
'I want you to recall the map of your explorations in your mind, Liane. Can you do that?'
Liane nodded.
"Of course, I can. That's easy, Luke. I know the map by heart."
'Can you tell me on which side of the residence all those caves and caverns of your exploration branch out?' He asked using his Jedi voice.
"They all branch out be... Oh, is that what master Antilles meant?" Liane said astounded, suddenly feeling ashamed.
'I'm sure he does, Liane.'
"Did you also got the same idea, after we had visited the waterfall cave?" Liane opposed weakly.
Luke shook his head.
'No, I didn't, because I thought your explorations didn't seem dangerous. You've told me that the extra double blast doors are completely sealing off the entrance of Mon Mothma's residence, but what about those other caves you've found.'
"Any one can enter them, because there's a broad chasm next to the entrance of Mon Mothma's residence."
'See, that's why my friend has advised you to dismantle the waterfall cave. Can you imagine, what could happen if an intruder would found the rope and the lamps in the waterfall cave.'
Liane sighed visibly disappointed.
"Luke, I get the feeling that it is no longer safe for me here."
'You still are safe, my dearest pixie. Stop worrying about your safety. My friend and his padawan will take care of you. Please, trust Wedge, Liane, and rely on his judgment. He doesn't want to upset you, he wants to protect you as I've asked him to do.'
"I understand, Luke. I will do as you and master Antilles advice me, for if you would have been here, you would have told me the same, wouldn't you?" She said with a deep sigh.
'I certainly would have asked you to do the same, my lovely eternal partner. Promise me, you will reconsider Wedge's advice. Give up that beautiful cave for a while. If Leia and I have dealt with your adversary, you can put those lamps back.'
Now Liane started to laugh.
"If you have dealt with Trevor Matrik, I no longer have to stay here. I can leave this place and you're coming to pick me up, aren't you, Luke?"
'You bet I do,' Luke said laughing too.'Feeling better, Liane.'
"I do, Luke; thank you, my good friend, for being so patient always. Thank you for listening. Mezorahimed dejan Forka tusale, Luke."
'Mezorahimed dejan Forka tusale, Liane.'
Luke's apparition vanished as Liane released herself from her Force connection with him. Her disappointment about Wedge's advice had vanished. She adjusted her clothes and went to the living. Wedge and Yarmod looked up when she entered.
"Master Antilles, when do you want me to dismantle the waterfall cave," she asked. Her voice trembled, for suddenly she really felt ashamed about her unreasonable behavior towards him.
Wedge stood up and walked over to her. Liane tried to smile, when she felt his compassion. Like Luke he truly was a Jedi Knight and he wanted to be a friend.
"I will do it for you, Liane, if you have any difficulty with it." He said.
"Maybe that's a good idea, for it feel strange to me to give up all my explorations. Should I delete my explorations on the map too, master Antilles."
"Secure the map on a datacron, Liane, before you delete your explorations, for they might be valuable in the future. Haven't you told me that the Supreme Chancellor wants to have the waterfall cave as an expansion of this residence?"
In the hidden cargo hold Chati rubbed her head. The bumpy ride of the Millennium Falcon had left her with the feeling to be black and blue all over her body. Carefully she stretched her arms and legs. She sighed relieved as she discovered that she was only a bit bruised. She had just finished, when the cover plate was lifted. Bright light entered the dark place and Chati blinked to adjust her eyes. To her dismay a man jumped in the cargo hold and started to pull at the crate which she had used as his hiding spot. She couldn't do anything to prevent her discovery.
"What are you doing in here?" A stern and irritated voice asked.
Chati recognized the voice of Cornell, the leader of the harvesters.
A strong hand pulled her out of his hiding place.
"I asked you something, Mayan Fonaldris?" Cornell said sternly.
"Master Cornell, please, don't get angry with me. I only want to participate in the liberation of our city."
"You're always interfering with other people's business. You're a nuisance, Mayan, a annoying nuisance. Come on, I'll take you to master Skywalker. Before we left Tyr, he was wondering if we had seen you."
"Please, master Cornell, don't do that?" Chati begged.
"Why not, afraid he'll punish you using his Jedi powers. Maybe he knows a Jedi way to send you back to your parents."
"Please, master Cornell. I want to help to retake Ribana, so we all can move back to Myr again. Master Kamalin said I always have been a great help, when we had to set up our new way of life in Cantamaga."
"Kamalin has always been defending you. You're a spoiled, reckless girl, never behaving as a female Quelan should do. Well, I have to think about what I have to do with you. I can't let you stay on board this ship. I fear that general Solo isn't a very forgiving person, when he finds out that you've been hiding in his ship. I don't think he would like it to find you on board his ship as he is on his way to Dalmaran."
"General Solo is going back to Dalmaran? Isn't he going to help you and master Skywalker."
"The general and his wife, his co-pilot and her Jedi apprentice are going to Dalmaran to get help from the New Republic's government."
"That's great, master Cornell. Now we can go back to Ribana very soon."
Suddenly Cornell hushed. Quickly he lifted the cover of the crate, took out several pieces of equipment and motioned Chati to get inside. Quickly he threw her bag inside the crate, before he put the cover on top, when Chewbacca put his head through the opening of the hidden cargo hold."
"Oh, Chewbacca, can you give me a hand with this crate," Chati heard him say, "I can't lift it on my own."
Chewbacca grunted and Chati heard how Cornell climbed out the cargo hold. Almost immediately the crate was dragged out the cramped space.
"Chewbacca, be careful, please, it's content can be easily damaged. Can you put it inside the cave entrance?"
The big Wookiee hoisted the crate effortlessly on his shoulders, walked down the ramp of the Falcon and brought the crate to the indicated place. Very carefully he lowered the crate and put it down.
"Thanks for your help, Chewbacca," Chati heard Cornell say, "No, this was the last crate with equipment. I can handle it further alone. I guess, you and general Solo want to leave as soon as possible, don't you? Have a good flight to Dalmaran and we hope to see you back with the fleet of the New Republic."
Chewbacca grunted a kind of goodbye and Chati heard how the Wookiee walked away. She tried to move, for in the cramped space her arms and legs began to feel numb. Suddenly the cover of the crate was taken away and Cornell dragged her out again and brought her inside a shallow alcove. The harvester's leader whispered sternly, "Stay here and don't move. I'll have to get you a proper outfit, so that nobody recognizes you as Toallin's daughter. I'll be right back."
Cornell left. Chati huddled in a corner of the shallow niche, trying to become invisible for spying eyes. Within a couple of minutes Cornell returned with a pack of heavy clothes. Chati recognizes them as the normal outfit of a deputy harvester. Cornell ordered her roughly to change clothes. When Chati had changed Cornell grabbed a pot of dark greenish-brown liquid and began to smudge the olive skin of the girl's face, arms and legs. Finally he took a pair of scissors and cut off the four long pony tails that grew at the top of her head.
"I haven't a mirror to show you the result, but now you're looking a bit more like one of us harvesters. While you're here, I'm going to treat you as one of my men and I want strict obedience, do you understand. Do exactly as I order you. Here is a belt with a set of our standard equipment, a blaster, two poniards. Be careful with them and only use them if you're in danger. I've told the others about you. Stay among them, they will protect you. Oh, and stay away from Jedi master Skywalker. He also has joined our group. You should avoid his company, for I'm sure he won't be pleased with what you have done. Now come with me. Act as the others do. No, you don't have to thank me or the others. We're doing our duty. You're the governor's daughter and I want to get you back home in one piece if this is all over. Oh, by the way, your name is Fanoll, don't forget."
Chati followed. The clothes and the belt felt heavy and in the beginning she found it difficult to walk in a casual way, like she had seen of the other harvesters. Cornell brought her to the rest of the group. Some of the men grunted a kind of greeting, others silenced only cast her a quick stern look, but one of the younger guys stepped forward and petted her on the shoulder.
"Hi, Fanoll, or should I say Mayan Fonaldris," Cemall whispered, "but I will use your new name and call you Fanoll, for we need to keep you away from master Skywalker. I'm sorry for your hair. You're looking a bit odd now. Cornell has asked me to make you familiar with our weapons and equipment. Follow me, I found a spot where we can practise without being seen. "
Chati looked at Cemall with a disgusting look, but Cornell's eldest son took her arm and pulled her with him.
"Dad, I'm leaving," He said, waving his hand
Cornell waved and Chati saw his lips move, as if he wanted to say, she had to stay close his eldest son.
Luke came out of his Force trance, blinked with his eyes and walked over to Han and Leia.
"Where have you been?" Han snapped impatiently.
"Talking to a very rebellious and frustrated girlfriend, Han," Luke answered and winked at his sister, "She had an argument with Wedge about the explorations she has done."
"Can't she solve that kind of problems herself. Does she need your advice in everything?" His brother-in-law commented.
"Sometimes she still does, Han. I assume that Wedge's direct advice to dismantle the waterfall cave threw her off balance and irritated her. Liane is actually very fond of that place, and I agree with her. It's wonderful. I had to make her understand why Wedge wanted to abandon that spot."
Han shrugged his shoulders.
"Why didn't she accept his suggestion immediately?" Leia asked concerned.
"Because, Leia, she finds it difficult to see Wedge the way she sees me. To her he is a stranger, although he is a Jedi Knight, like me. She still addresses him with master Antilles, she never calls him Wedge. It's a matter of trust, I presumed. I will have a word with Wedge after you have gone."
"Did you tell her about the changes in our plans?" Leia asked.
Luke shook his head.
"I didn't. I leave that up to you, Leia. You first have to convince our Supreme Chancellor to send some help. If she refuses there is no need to go to the residence to pick up Wedge."
Chewbacca interrupted the conversation with several impatient grunts. Luke started to laugh.
"You have to go, now."
He walked up with them to the spot where the Falcon stood. Chewbacca, Ian and Han boarded. Leia kissed her brother.
"Take care of yourself, Luke," She said.
"I will, my dear sister. If you visit Liane, tell her I always think of her," He answered.
Leia smiled.
"I won't forget that, Luke."
"Oh, and remind your husband to keep the cloaking device activated, until you've entered hyperspace. I don't want any unexpected visitors on Myr."
"I'll remind him, but I'm sure he already knows, otherwise Chewbacca will remind him."
She walked up the ramp and some moments later it closed. The Falcon started to hover about the grassy plain. Luke saw Han wave his hand and then the ship suddenly vanished.
"That was a very fast departure, master Skywalker," A voice said, "I wonder, how he did that?"
"He activated the ship's cloaking device, Cornell, so it's invisible for spying eyes."
"Nice feature, should be a real help if every species could get invisible too in that way," Cornell grinned.
Luke laughed too.
"It sure would be, Cornell, but as far as I know there's no way yet for humans to become invisible, like you Quelans. How are you doing?"
"We're setting up a camp inside this cave to organize our equipment. After we have bundled our necessary equipment we are going to our second camp site higher up the mountain. Once there I will organize a separate place for you, master Skywalker, so you have some privacy."
"That's very generous of you, Cornell. There are indeed moments I want to be alone," Luke said.
"I saw you hiding behind those boulders a while ago," Cornell said and pointed to the group of boulders Luke had used, "I know a Jedi sometimes needs a place where he can be alone."
"Where did you get that knowledge, Cornell?" Luke asked a bit surprised.
"My father had two Jedi friends who sometimes they visited him here on Palomintar Four, but after the Empire was founded under the leadership of Emperor Palpatine they never cam again. My father was very proud that he had some Jedi as his friends. That's how I know about your need for some privacy. Shall we get inside. The men are preparing a meal. It's not very luxurious, but it's healthy and nutritious."
They got at the cave entrance. Huge thick bushes which seemed impenetrable, concealed the cave entrance. Through a short winding path they entered the cave.
"It looks primitive, master Skywalker, but our needs are always sober."
"So are the Jedi, Cornell."
One of the men warned Cornell that their meal was ready. Cornell took Luke to a central part of the cave where the men were gathering on a wide circle of flat boulders. In the middle a small ion furnace heated the place. On top of it a large steaming metal bowl contained a broth with a delicious smell. The men sat down, each of them collected a smaller bowl from a stack next to the furnace and dished a portion of the broth. Luke calmly waited for his turn, when he suddenly became aware of a strong Force flow when a young deputy harvester walked to the middle to get some food. He observed the young man with an unfathomable look. The young man turned his head and their eyes met. It looked as if he was startled, for he quickly took a scoop or two from the broth and got back to his seat. Luke followed him with his eyes. The young man covered his face with the cowl of his tunic and started to eat in silence.
Doran Whain looked at Darth Golluth who stood on the dais in the audience cave.
"You did a good job, major," he said in a low voice.
The young officer didn't respond. Silently, but highly alerted, he looked at the man who was keeping him as a hostage in this underground network of caves, because he desperately seems in need of a communication expert, for he lack the knowledge himself.
Doran Whain was aware that although he had, more or less voluntarily, accepted this extension of his secret mission, it would remain his task to keep an eye on Darth Golluth's intentions with the galaxy. He had to act with a lot of subservience due to his rank as a major.
"It pleases me, that I can indeed communicate with my spies on Dalmaran again. Tell me, major Whain, have you ever been a spy? "
'He wants to question me. Stay aloof.'
"No, my lord, I have always served as a technician in the imperial fleet," Doran answered with aloofness.
"You are a very sophisticated technician and you certainly would make a very excellent spy, don't you think, major?"
"I can't answer that question, my lord. What are you thinking about?"
"You could do me another huge favor, major. I told you about those coordinates of a comsystem on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. The one the rebel leader Mon Mothma has used regularly. I didn't tell you that her access to that system was suddenly blocked, because the rebel's communication center on Quoith shut down the access to all outgoing systems on Dalmaran." Darth Golluth said.
"Did they shut the access to that comsystem after you had been looking for information on the Quoith communication system. You've told admiral Vestor and me, that you've got an access code to the Quoith communication system. You downloaded information from their system. Afterwards technicians on Quoith found out that it was your system that has got an illegal access to information which belonged to the administration of the New Republic," Doran said prudently.
"The Rebel Alliance you mean, major. There is no New Republic, there only is the Empire to rule this galaxy," Darth Golluth answered suddenly in a furious voice, "and I will be the next Emperor of the Galactic Empire, and I need you to do me a favor, not as one of my spies, but as the expert who can infiltrate in the Quoith system again and find all the communication sources between that rebel leader and especially with that system on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. You're better equipped for the task, than my spies on Dalmaran and you can work from my underground communication system here, where I can control what you are doing. If you do as I order you I will treat you according to your rank."
"You're asking me for a favor, while you're keeping me hostage against my will," Doran Whain said defiantly.
"Of course, I do, you're an excellent technician, what do I say, a more than excellent technician. I want make use of your talent to achieve my goal. Major Whain, I'm not asking you for a favor. I demand that you will find the exact location to where those frequent connections of the rebel leader Mon Mothma were aimed at. My spy accessed the coordinates they retrieved, but he spoke to a tech droid who worked on Mas'onom space port. Do you have any idea what went wrong? "
"Probably your spy has been fooled. Quoith probably has warned the one who always answered the calls from the Supr... the rebel leader Mon Mothma to be very cautious. After the Quoith technical department had found out their system has been illegally infiltrated, they shut down all incoming and outgoing communication with their system, as is standard procedure after an intruder, you, has gott illegal access to classified information. Quoith probably has cleaned their system and went looking for the source of the illegal access. The system you were using was highly unprotected. It was very easy for them to infiltrate your system and check what you have been doing."
"You know a lot about what has happened. Major, have you been involved in the shut down of my system?"
"My lord, what you told me is the standard procedure after a system has been infiltrated. After an illegal access, a hack, the system will be shutdown, technical staff starts looking for the cause of the infiltration. If they manage to find the source, they block that system after having checked if any illegal action has been performed. But to answer your question; as an imperial officer assigned on an imperial star destroyer it seemed very unlikely that I could have been involved. The Basilisæa doesn't communicate with Quoith, she reports to the Provisional Coruscant Council on Coruscant."
"Can I get access to the Quoith system again?" Darth Golluth snapped, interrupting Doran's explication, "Can you sneak inside their system, using your in dept knowledge about communication systems. You're an expert you said."
"It's unlikely that Quoith will allowed a new access to their system from this planet. I've run a test to get into their system, but they have set up an extremely strong protection layer. The access code your spies have provided will be on a black list. The moment you will use that code again Quoith will probably attack your communication system again. "
"So they can enter my system, but I cannot access theirs. Major Whain, I downloaded very valuable information from their system. I need that information again, for it contains very interesting facts about a Jedi Knight and some friends of him."
Doran looked at the hooded person and nearly could prevent he started laughing mockingly.
"Don't try to be secretive with me, my lord. I know whom you're looking for. The Jedi Knights are Luke Skywalker and his sister Leia Organa Skywalker Solo, the wife of general Solo. They are twins and the offspring of the dark lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. They probably might know where the other daughter of Darth Vader is, for she is their other sibling."
"For a subordinate, you speak too frankly and doesn't show no respect towards the great admiral who will be the next Emperor, major?" Darth Golluth snapped furiously.
"What I told you about the Skywalker-twins is common knowledge, my lord. They are the heroes of the Civil War and the victory of the Alliance at the Battle of Jakku has been shown on the holonet," Doran answered and shrugged his shoulders.
Darth Golluth walked down the dais and stood before the young major with an angry face.
"First I demand that you will find a way to access that rebel communication system. You will serve me as long as I see fit.
Secondly you will download the files I need. I want to lay my hands on those Jedi.
Thirdly you will provided me with the real coordinates of that comsystem on Na'ctaMagh'Ba. As long as you obstruct the demands, you won't get a proper meal anymore. Is that understood, major Whain? You also won't get time to rest or sleep. My droids will keep you awake.
And now my dear major, my droids will escort you the communication cavern again where you will stay as long as needed to carry out my demands, all of them. Droids! Take this guy to his post and make sure he can't run away."
Luke stood between the branches of the bushes that camouflaged the cave entrance. He looked at the line of forest trees near a mountain top where at the other side of a high rocky wall there waterfalls were releasing their water. For a moment he closed his eyes and tuned in on the Force to feel the gurgling of the falling water. The sound worked soothingly on his mind. The last glimpses of daylight had nearly died out and the sky overhead had become a velvet black with tiny sparkling lights. This part of Myr was peaceful and Luke wished he could keep it that way, but he knew that his wishes would remain unfulfilled desires as long as he hadn't been able to eliminate the malice Darth Golluth impersonated. He, or his sister, were the only ones who could confront this Dark lord, but he was the only one who could fathom the magnitude of the knowledge of the Dark Side, because he had experienced the power of the Dark Side on that Second Death Star, when Darth Sidious had nearly killed him.
'Luke, can I have a word with you,' the calm voice of his friend Wedge Antilles, reached him through the Force.
Luke smiled and let the Force take over his thought pattern.
'I know why you want to speak me, Wedge.' He said.
'You spoke to Liane, didn't you?'His friend asked.
'Liane reached out through the Jedi-pendant. The two of you had some argument, hadn't you?'
'Yes, we had.'
Luke noticed some slight frustration in his friend's voice.
'Have you solved your argument with Liane?'He asked.
'I hope I did. After you had talked to her she agreed to take away all the objects that could betray her presence. I offered her to carry out that task. She agreed and seemed relieved.'
'I still feel some frustration in your voice, Wedge. Are there any other problems between Liane and you?'
'I thought she would see me as a friend after I had done her that favor, but she stays aloof, unapproachable and withdrawn. She is friendly and good-natured, but I feel tension between her and me. She still addresses me as master Antilles, as if I'm a stranger.'
'That's part of her upbringing. On Morantan my father put her in charge of the imperial domains if he wasn't there. She carried out that task very well, but she is used to make her own decisions, which makes it very hard for her to rely on others, who have a different point of view. Don't blame yourself, Wedge. I absolutely sure she appreciates your company, for she knows how much knowledge you posses and she is eager to learn. You also must keep in mind that you represent the New Republic. She knows you as the commander of the Gold Squadron, the New Republic's elite forces. In her eyes you, as Jedi Knight and a space commander, represent an even greater authority than I do, for she doesn't know me as the Gold Squadron commander. I'm sure that you two will become the best friends.'
Luke noticed that his friend relaxed.
'Don't bother too much about her behavior. See it as a kind of disguised admiration for you,'Luke added.
'Thanks Luke. I was really wondering if I estimated the situation completely wrong.'
'You didn't and Liane knows, that it was she was wrong. After my talk with her, she came to the conclusion herself that there was a real danger if those objects would be left unguarded. By the way it might be that your stay will be a bit shorter than I had in mind.'
Luke quickly informed his friend about the presence of the Basilisæa in the Palomintar System.
'If Mon Mothma agrees to send us support, you might be involved. If that's the case Leia will come to the residence with her padawan, Ian Tydon. You and Leia will go back to Irithim and Ian and Yarmod will stay to protect Liane. Keep this information to yourself, Wedge, for we're not sure if Mon Mothma is willing to interfere.'
'I'll wait and see, Luke. May the Force be with you.' Wedge said.
'Same to you, my friend.' Luke said.
The influence of the Force vanished and once again Luke paid attention to the now completely in darkness shrouded environment. He remained outside the cave for a long time, thinking about what Wedge had told him about Liane. He was sure that he was right about the interpretation he had given, but he also knew Liane's headstrong will and outspoken opinion.