Chapter 60

"I want you to have a look at a strange message which Quoith forwarded to us. I try to read the content but it requires a decryption code which I didn't recognize immediately."

"A decryption which isn't stored in our system?" Jerno asked, frowning too.

Jerno got up and follow Kalip to his office. Kalip retrieved the message and opened it. Again a message on the screen appeared requiring a code to decrypt the content.

"Separate it, Kalip, and secure it. We have to be cautious. We'll have to contact our contact with the New Republic for any further information."

Both leaders went back to Jerno's office, where Jerno requested a procon connection with Irithm. While waiting they discussed any measures they had to take to ensure that safety of their system. When the holographic image of Sorjon Tyloban appeared they turned to the display.

"Master Tyloban, I'm glad we could reach you immediately." Jerno said.

"My pleasure, admiral Thai, for I know, why you are seeking contact. It's about the message we forwarded to you, isn't it?"

"Indeed. Have your intels seen or read the content?"

"No, they haven't. When our techs got the incoming message and saw that procon aimed it at Coruscant they immediately forwarded it. You've gotten it, haven't you?"

"Yes, and we tried to open it, but the content is encrypted with a code we don't recognize in our system. Do you know who has send this message to Quoith via procon?"

Sorjon Tyloban shook his head.

"No, I have ordered our technicians to attempt to find the origin of the message, but they haven't succeeded. I can imagine that you are as worried about it, as we were, admiral."

"We will secure the message on a separate system," Jerno answered, "Thank you for the information, master Tyloban."

"If we, on Quoith, will find anything, we will inform you immediately, admiral."

The holographic connection was disabled. Jerno and Kalip looked at each other.

"Don't do anything to decrypt it. Let intel search for the decryption code, but we won't take any action, until we know where this message is coming from," Jerno said thoughtfully.

Kalip pondered for a moment on Jerno's advice.

"Could it be, Jerno, that ..." He didn't finish his sentence.

"Might be, Kalip. Probably the code was used during the reign of the emperor. After the war ended, we cleaned up all those ancient codes and forbid their use. It is not impossible that admiral Matrik has been making use of this code again."

"You expect a trap, a set up, Jerno?"

"I don't know if it's deliberately encrypted with the code, but we need to be on our guard."

"I agree with you," Kalip said, "It very unfortunate that we can retrieve its content, for that mean that we also can't inform the one who ... send it.

Kalip hesitated and put his hand to his forehead.

"Jerno, could it be, that our agent on the Basilisæa is the sender?"

"Doran? Good question. Lieutenant Whain is familiar with the procon connection via Quoith. In his last message he told me that he would accompany admiral Vestor to bring spare parts for the com system to Palomintar Four. He said that it was likely that he wouldn't able to contact me again. Kalip, we do as I said. Secure the message on a shielded system and have your men looking for the code. They must warn us if they find something. Only you or me will enter the code to decrypt the message. Still I wonder, why Doran would make use of an ancient encryption code. "

Luke looked down along the steep high rocky wall to broad plateau some twenty meter below. At his shoulder he carried one of the newly assembled rope ladders.

"After you, Ben," Wollin grinned, "We assume you don't have a fear of height, but if you do, just close your eyes while you're descending the rope ladder."

The other harvesters laughed. For a moment Luke was tempted to use the Force to jump down, knowing that he would leave the harvesters aghast, but he refrained and descended the rope ladder. The others followed him along the other five rope ladders they had assembled with the long ropes Chati had produced. Finally Chati appeared on top of the wall and Cemall pointed to one of the rope ladders.

"You can use that one, Mayan," He said with a grin.

Luke watched the eldest son of Cornell closely. Through the Force he sensed what the boy was up to. He looked how Chati carefully put her feet on the first rung. As she was sure she had a tight grip she started to descend along the wall. Luke saw how Cemall walked to the rope ladder Chati was descending and grabbed one of the ropes of the ladder with the intention to give it a swing. Luke tuned in on Force and used Force push to keep the rope ladder tight to the wall. Whatever Cemall tried the ladder remained firmly straight along the wall until Chati set foot on the plateau. She looked at Cemall with disgust.

"You were trying to make me fall, weren't you?" She snapped.

"No, I wanted to help you," Cemall said with a grin

Luke concentrated on the young man's mind.

"You indeed wanted her to fall "He said using Affect Mind.

Cemall looked at Chati.

"I indeed wanted you to fall," He said slowly.

Chati turned around, heaved her hand and slammed his face. Cemall backed off and Cornell walked over Chati and his son.

"Did I hear that right, Cemall? Did you want to let her make a fall." He said outraged.

"No, dad, I wanted to help her." Cemall said, but his green skin color had gotten a shameful color.

"You're lying to me, son. I saw you intended to grab the lower part of the ladder."

"The rope ladder seemed not tight to the wall, dad. I wanted to move it a bit, so it would remain straight."

"You wanted to move it, but I also heard that you told Mayan that you wanted her to fall. All the others have heard your words, son."

"I didn't say that, dad." Cemall defended himself.

The other harvesters showed their displeasure with Cemall's answers and Wollin stepped forward.

"Cemall, we all know that you're always enjoying it to bully Mayan Fonaldris, because she still refuses your marriage proposal."

Cornell looked infuriated at his son.

"And you recently asked me for my blessing to allow you to marry the governor's daughter, while you seemed to make fun of her and to take great pleasure to humiliate her. Mayan Fonaldris is the governor's daughter, Cemall. maybe it hasn't dawned on you yet that it is very likely that Toallin, her father, won't agree with a marriage when he hears about your behavior. You'd better get to your work and stay away from Mayan. You have showed yourself a very unworthy harvest man, I'm ashamed to call you my son."

Cornell stormed off in anger. The other harvesters turned their back on Cemall and beckoned Chati to follow them. Luke stood watching the young harvester who looked devastated as the others seemed to neglect him. In stead of the normal cheers and support for his behavior the others seemed to make him an outcast. With slumped shoulders and still not understanding what had happened, Cemall picked up some of the gear and went to the end of the wide plateau, which was closed off by a high rocky wall.

Luke walked over to the young harvester.

"Cemall, your father told me that the waterfalls have been blocked during the upheaval, preventing the water flow to stay in it's original bedding. Is this the wall that prevents the water from getting to the underground riverbed again?"

Cemall looked up and Luke sensed how much Cornell's words had hurt the young man. He nodded silently.

"Behind that wall is a huge lake the waterfalls have created more than a millennium agao, maybe even longer Nobody knows exactly how long ago."

"There seems to be a steep path to get there. Have you been there?" Luke continued.

"More than once. Do you want to go there. I know how to get there. It's not easy, we need so ropes to avoid we will make a nasty fall."

"I'll get the ropes, Cemall, and I will tell your father you're accompanying me to the waterfalls."

Luke went over to Cornell and talk to him. Cornell nodded and handed Luke some coils of rope. Cemall had walked back to the rope ladders.

"We need to climb back up. The path to the waterfalls starts at some distance of the campsite. Give me those rope, I'm use to climbing the rope ladder carrying these things."

Luke handed Cemall the coils of rope. The young man put his feet on lowest rung of the rope ladder and started to climb up. Luke used one of the other rope ladder and effortlessly followed Cemall. Once at the camp site Cemall pointed to a path that disappeared among the trees.

"We need to follow that path. It looks easy, but after we've reached the path that goes up steep to the waterfalls it gets narrow. We should tie one rope around us to stay together. The other rope I'll use to fasten a the clamps we have fixed in the rocky underground. It's be a kind of safety line. I'll take the lead?"

Luke nodded and they started their walk. Cemall showed his skills has they started to climb along the steep path. He took care that Luke would secure the rope while he fixed the other rope at the clamps during their climb. It took them quite some time before they reach the end of path and set foot on a broad ledge that ran along the lake. At the opposite side of the lake the waterfalls came down with a lot of noise. Cemall pointed to some higher flat rocks.

"From there you have a great view to the northern lands behind the mountain ridge. It's a barren landscape scorched by many lave flows which surface every now and then. Up here you won't be bothered with the hot smell of the fumes, but at the foot of the northern side of the mountain ridge the air sometimes is difficult to breath."

"Will there be a danger these lave flows might damage the original underground riverbed?" Luke asked.

"None, what so ever. My father says that the earthquakes have caused the upheaval and blocked the water flow, but the volcanic eruptions only took place in these northern lands. Some of those flows reach the ocean north of Myr. Depending on the lava activity we sometimes see smoke curling up in the air above Tyr."

"You're quite familiar with all the work that needed to be done, aren't you, Cemall?" Luke asked.

"I am. I love to work here. I glad that after such a long period we're back here, so we can continue with the work my grandfather Manall has started. There's still a lot of work to be done, but we'll managed and will get the job done. I can show you the shaft which will one day become the inlet to the new water flow tomorrow or so. My father found it. He also has been inside, but he wouldn't allow me to enter it. He fears there could be some danger. Over there is the steep rocky wall that marks the end of the plateau and blocks the water flow."

Cemall pointed to the eastern side of the lake.

"I'll take a look at it, Cemall, You'd better wait here for me." Luke said and walked over to the narrow ledge. He carefully search the rocky underground and looked down at the high rocky wall. Down below he saw the tiny figures of the other harvesters who were busy at the other end of the plateau. Luke walked back to Ronan.

"There are a lot of cracks and fissures in the wall," He said.

"My dad knows. He hopes to use those fissures to create the overflow of the lake one day, but first we need to deepen the original bedding on the plateau, so the water will find its way to the shaft and drop into the underground riverbed."

"There's a lot of work to be done, Cemall. Shall we go back to the others. You said you can show me the shaft. Maybe your father and I can have a look inside."

Luke looked at the young harvester and sensed the boy's reluctance. Cemall looked up as Luke walked over to the steep path that descended along the mountain.

"Ben, did Mayan tell you about our marriage?" He suddenly asked, "You have been talking to her a lot yesterday."

"She feels hurt, Cemall, because you often seem ridicule her in front to the other Quelans. Why are you doing that?"

"She doesn't want to listen to me. She is such a great woman. I love her, but Father is against our marriage. Over and over he postpones his decision to talk to master Kamalin or her mother Udine and now that our governors are back he hasn't talked to Mayan's father either."

"Do I understand that you have already proposed to her?" Luke asked.

"More than once. I feel disappointed, because she seems uninterested, whenever I start talking about our marriage. I often told her that she would be a perfect wife to me, but when I tell her I love her, she only laughs and won't answer me. Sometimes I believe she doesn't like me, that she won't ever love me."

"Is that the reason why you are ridiculing her and making a laughing stock of her? Are you using your disappointed feelings to punish her for her behavior."

Cemall's cheeks got a reddish color.

"Yes, I do. I wanted to hurt her. Mayan has told you all what I have done, hasn't she?"

"Yes, Cemall, and I saw what you wanted to do to her when she was descending that rope ladder. You wanted to the rope ladder to swing, so Chati would loose her balance and probably made a nasty fall. You said you wanted to stabilize the ladder, but that was a lie, for you wanted to do something else."

"I don't know what happened, but I couldn't move the rope ladder. It was stuck against the wall, but I'm glad that Mayan didn't fall, despite she accused me of what I wanted to do and has slapped my face."

"Stop calling her Mayan, Cemall. Use the name which she feels that really belongs to her."

"You mean, that I should call her Chati?"

Luke nodded.

"She surely will appreciate that, Cemall."

Cemall rose walked over to Luke who was still standing near the descending path.

"We go back to the camp site, and wait for the others there. I expect they will come back early, because my father only wanted to investigate the site. Later we will decide how we will carrying on."

Luke and Cornell stood at the far end of the plateau.

"We have to break these outcroppings at this end, Ben, if we want the water flow to enter the underground bedding. Shall we go to the shaft now and have a look at the underground riverbed itself?"

Cornell grab a coiled rope ladder and began to climb over the rocks. Luke followed him closely. When they had crossed the rocks Cornell pointed at a dark round hole in the rock. Cornell fixed the rope ladder at some clamps and uncoiled the ladder in the hole.

"I will descend first and lit a torch. Wait here until I let you know you can follow me, Ben."

Cornell disappeared along the rope ladder. Several moments later a light shone in the shaft and Luke started to descend the ladder. When he stepped down on the bottom of the shaft he ignited an ion-torch and let the broad beam hover along the wall. Cornell pointed at a broad chasm.

"That's the begin of the underground bedding. Want to have a further look. Be careful, Ben, the first part runs down rather steep."

They walked over to the chasm and descended the steep decline. Luke cast an investigative look around and began to descend further.

"Be careful, master Skywalker, I can't tell what to expect. I've only had a look at the entrance of it. I assumed I've found the beginning of the underground riverbed, but it is not yet for sure this really is the original underground riverbed which used to bring water from the mountains to Ribana."

"If we want to know, Cornell, we must do some further investigation. I understand that's a lot of extra work for your men, so I suggest I take over the investigation of the underground riverbed."

"Are you sure, master Skywalker. If you would be willing to see this as your share in the work, my men could concentrate on clearing away the rock that's obstructing the shaft and we could concentrate on deepening the former bedding at the plateau."

"I've seen the vague contours of the bedding yesterday, Cornell, looking at the plateau from above. There's a lot of work to be done. I hope that my friends will return soon and give us a hand."

"The day after tomorrow the other harvesters will arrive at our base camp. Wollin and I will descend tonight to welcome them and bring them here. With about fifty of my men the work will certainly get a boost."

"Your son said that you are more or less sure that those underground lave flows won't form a danger."

"As you can feel for yourself, master Skywalker, the temperature in the underground shaft isn't hot. So I guess those lava flows mainly are disrupting those northern landscape behind these mountain ridge."

"I have watched the northern landscape, there doesn't seem to be much volcanic activity." Luke remarked, "How long ago did the earthquakes disrupt the water flow to Ribana? Cemall said he though it was more than a millennium ago."

"Probably longer. The archives have revealed the Quelans founded a first community seven millenniums ago. The inhabitants of those first communities probably have witnessed the earthquakes, but there's aren't any precise indications. "

They had walked back to the rope ladder and climbed to the surface.

"I will leave this rope ladder at your disposal, Ben, so you will be able to continue with your investigation whenever you want." Cornell said, "Normally we collect all our rope ladders and take them with us to our camp site. Especially since that intruder has come to Palomintar Four my men and I are cautious. Our camp site is well hidden but those rope ladders hanging down that steep wall might raise suspicious."

"I agree with that point of view. As long as we don't know if he is doing surveillance with probe droids we should be on our guard. How do you dig out the old riverbed on the plateau?" Luke remarked.

"We want to concentrate on these rocks that block the entrance to the underground river inlet, this shaft. We have developed a special form of freezing rock. We cover the rock with two layers of transparasteel foil. Between these layers we have inserted a many thin hollow fibers filled with a liquid which freezes by sending a laser beam through the fibers. The frozen liquid freezes the rock and cracks it, leaving rock splinters and shards. It took many years of experimenting before this method was successful, but our last attempts, five years ago, were hopeful. On Tyr we have perfected the technic, but on Tyr the circumstances are different. We couldn't simulate the exact circumstances we have here. I can show you if you want to see how it's done."

Together Cornell and Luke walked the outcrops where Cornel's men were busy attaching the transparasteel foil at the rocky wall. They worked highly concentrated and with great precision. Luke watched closely as one of the men attached the end of a string of fiber to a laser beam generator.

"We're ready, Cornell," A man, who listened to the name of Marboll, said.

"Switch it on then, and see if it's still working." Cornell said.

The laser beam was activated and to Luke's surprise a enormous cold wave spread through the air.

"Keep it running,"Cornell said and turned to Luke.

"The freezing process takes some time. As soon as we see slivers of rocks are beginning to fall from underneath we can stop the process and take away the fiber foil. The pulverized rock can easily be shoveled aside near the edge of the plateau. We want to build a wall at the edge of the plateau to prevent the water from dropping to the other side of the mountain ridge."

Luke looked amazed at the freezing layer of transparifoil.

"This reminds me of the way our technicians created our hide-out on the ice-planet of Hoth, except that they didn't use freezing, but inserted the fibers with boiling hot water. Within no time they create a whole network of caves in the ice layers." He said.

"Did you fight in the Civil War as a Jedi Knight?" Cornell asked.

"I've got my Jedi training during the war, Cornell. After we had defeated the empire I thought we would get a time of peace, but our leaders still are facing unexpected uproar."

"I thought, there was a truce, a ceased fire and even a signed peace treaty." Cornell remarked.

"Oh, yes, but those who signed the truce and agreed with the ceased fire aren't the ones who are still opposing the New Republic. Take for instance Darth Golluth who has occupied Ribana and exiled your people. He is one of our imperial opponents who still hopes to revive the old days of the empire."

Some soft cracks were heard and Cornell walked over to the spot were his men were working.

"It's working, Cornell, exactly the way we expected."

"Stop the freezing, we're going to remove the rubble. Ben, can you gives us hand."

For several hours all the harvesters, and Luke, were busy to shovel the pulverized rock in small baskets which were emptied at the edge of the plateau. It was a strenuous job and the heat of Palomintar's bright sun made that the men's clothes were soaked with sweat. None of them however complained about the work, in stead they were in a cheerful mood about the success they had achieved.

Major Doran Whain felt exhausted. The message he had send to Dalmaran via the Quoith system hadn't been answered. Sending a another message wasn't an option, for his two droid guards had positioned themselves at his left and right side. They monitored every move he made. He had to wait until one of them would leave or got distracted by something else. He grabbed the water bottle and took a small sip. The water tasted horrible and didn't quenched his thirst. There was no food left and his stomach rumbled. With a tired look in his eyes he watched the screen. Nothing interesting had happened these last four standard days. He only had been allowed to take a nap, sitting behind these screens. After he had manage to send the procon message the access to the New Republic's computer system on Quoith had blocked all his efforts to access the files Darth Golluth had ordered him to retrieve again.

Doran turned his head left and right and stretched his arms above his head. For a moment he closed his eyes, but immediately one of the droid poked him with its weapon.

"It's not your time yet to take a nap again. Get on with your work. Our master doesn't feed you for sitting idle," The droid said.

The mechanical voice irritated him.

"Can't you and your brother stay back from my console," He asked tired.

"We have the order to keep you busy," The other droid answered.

"I am busy. Look, how busy I am." Doran snapped and frantically rammed the keys.

The figures on the holographic screen started to flash, to pop up, to disappear and to reappear at random. All of a sudden a series of binary blocks started to flash in red. Flabbergasted Doran looked at the binary stream. Without turning to his droid guards he gave a loud scream.

"Warn your master. I've found an access code to that computer on Nacta'Magh'Ba. It's being used again. I'm going to find the exact coordinates of that system. Maybe I even can find who used it. If they send a message it might be possible to intercept it."

One of the droids left. Doran Whain isolated the still flashing block and started to work with the code. He didn't notice that Darth Golluth entered and started looking over his shoulder.

"You found the file I want?" He asked.

"No, but I've found something of more interest for you. That computer system your spy hacked in Na'ctaMagh'Ba has been sending a message to Irithim. It has never sent any messages before, for the system only has numerated incoming calls. Someone has been using it to send a first message. I'm working on an eavesdropping hack now to see if I can intercept their communication."

"Good, good. So the girl is communicating with those rebels in Irithim again," Darth Golluth chuckled.

"I don't know who is using the system. I said, someone is using it. If you let me work on it, I might be able to pinpoint the exact coordinates. Maybe you can send your spies to do further investigation. Now, let's see if I can find the coordinates or the content of the message. They have probably used the procon encryption method which is extremely difficult to crack, but I know a way to decode at least some parts of the message," Whain said, more to himself than to Darth Golluth.

"Give me the coordinates as soon as you know them. I'm sending my spies to the spot, so the girl will finally be mine," Darth Golluth said.

He turned to the droids.

"Make sure that this man gets a good meal and as soon as he has given me the coordinates he may rest for an indefinite time in his guest cave."

With a demonic laughter Darth Golluth left the communication cavern.

Chati was staring through the opening of her tree house. Cornell had cleared out a second storage tree house for her. She thought about her work with the harvesters at the outcropping. While shoveling the rock splinters into the baskets she had listened to them. They had been talking light-hearted about the possibility to change the course of the river to its original bedding under the mountain. That old bedding was accessible through the deep shaft behind the outcropping. She also had overheard the words of master Skywalker and Cornell. The harvester had told the Jedi about the old days when the river had flown behind Ribana, forming a lake which overflowed, creating a river. He also had left a rope ladder hanging down the shaft to be at master Skywalker's disposal.

Chati wondered if the old bedding under the mountain was leading straight to the place where once the river had emerged to the surface again. She estimated that the length of the old underground riverbed had to be a long stretch. It must be possible, if the bedding would still be intact, to reach the spot near the entrance of that strange network of underground chambers and galleries where that strange looking cloaked man who had destroyed the Quelans old way of life, was hiding himself.

She sat upright and wrapped her arms around her knees. She thought about the small town of Ribana and the happy time she had had there with her friends and family years ago. All that and more had vanished with the coming of that strange looking cloaked man and those imperial soldiers. What would the city look like now, after it had been deserted for more than five years? Probably a lot of work had to be done to restore the houses after master Skywalker and his friends would have dealt with that fellow. She would love to see Ribana beforehand and see if she could already make a plan to help her fellow citizens to rebuild the town.

A crazy idea flashed through her mind. If she would go down to the riverbed tunnel and see if she could follow it to the point where it had reappeared in the past, she could probably sneak to Ribana and have a look around.

Chati reached for her bag and rummage carefully to find her flashlight. She fastened it at her belt, and checked the weapons Cornell had given her. Without making a sound she lowered herself to the forest floor. Among the trees it was pitched dark, but she estimated that once she would have reached the edge of the last trees she could see the ridge against the night sky. The only thing she needed now was one of the rope ladders. On hands and knees she crawled to the community tree house where the rope ladders were stored. To her surprise the ladders lay neatly folded in a row under the community building. Without a noise she hoisted one of the ladders on her shoulders and crawled back to the edge of the camp site. There she rose and started walked to the steep wall. Carefully she found her way to the edge and lowered the rope ladder. She fastened the ladder on one of the last trees and started to descend, but before she had reached the plateau a firm hand grabbed her arm.

"What are you doing here, Chati?" a voice whispered in her ear.

"Who are you?" She stammered.

"Chati, don't you know who I am?" Luke's soft voice sounded in her ear.

"Master Sky..." She almost said too loud.

A hand covered her mouth.

"Ben, Chati, and don't raise your voice. A shrill voice could wake up our fellow workers "

Relieved Chati sighed.

"Mas... Ben, I wanted to have a look at the old riverbed. It might lead me to the other end, to river's former outlet. I wanted to see Ribana."

"Don't you think that might be dangerous?" Luke asked whispering.

"Maybe," Chati answered while shrugging her shoulders, "but I'll be careful."

Luke gave a smothered laugh as he heard the young woman's answer. Years ago his reaction at Obi-Wan's warning about the valiant alien criminals in Mos Eisley's cantina had been more or less the same.

"Well, Chati, do you mind if I keep you company, for I wanted to do the same. Shall we move on."

For a moment Chati silenced completely confused.

"You wanted to do the same?" She stammered.

"Well, I don't want to go all the way to Ribana. I have seen the town with your father and your uncle. I want to know if I can use this old bedding to enter Darth Golluth' dwelling unnoticed."

Luke took the girl's arm and helped her over the outcroppings to the shaft.

"I lower myself first, I will help you to get down," He said.

Once in the shaft he ignited his lightsaber.

"You can descend now, Chati. Focus on the lightsaber beam."

Carefully Chati descended the rope ladder into the shaft. Once on the bottom she looked around.

The sparkling blade of Luke's lightsaber cast soft light sparks on the ceiling and the wall. There seemed to be a dark tunnel at the far end of the shaft. The bottom of the shaft sloped downward, but it still was high enough to walk more or less upright, nevertheless Luke carefully checked the bedding before he walked on. They followed the steep sloop that ended in a more gradual decline. Luke turned to Chati.

"From here we can use our flashlights. The beams have a wider range and there isn't any danger some one might discover our nightly walk, but stay alert. Watch every step you take."

"Yes, Ben, I will. In fact I'm glad you're with me." Chati confessed, "I didn't imagine it could be this dark in here."

Luke grinned.

"Once again you haven't considered the consequences of your plan, have you?"

"Eh, no... I didn't," Chati said, remembering Luke's and Cornell's reprimands after they had discovered her.

"You're indeed a daredevil young lady, Chati. You must have given your mother much trouble," Luke concluded and gently laughed.

Chati was silent. Master Skywalker was right. She hadn't thought about the trip through the old riverbed itself. She only had imagined the outcome; looked into the future again as she wanted to see Ribana again.

"What do we do if we can't get to Ribana this way, Ben?" She suddenly asked.

"That's a question we will answer if any problem occurs. A Jedi is mindful of the moment, Chati, he shouldn't bother too much about what could happen in the future."

"I mean, Ben, what would we do if the riverbed is blocked."

"That's our future, Chati. All that's ahead of us in time is the future, it's what we can't predict, what has to come. We don't know what the future here will look like. It's uncertain for us, so I don't bother myself thinking about it, although I remain mindful of it. We will cope with any future obstacles when they occur, not earlier. Always be mindful of the moment, that's one of the lessons my masters taught me."

"So you never make any plans? Plans that has to be carried out and might encounter any problems."

"I make plans. It's my plan to free this planet of the occupation of Darth Golluth, but how that can be done, depends on a lot of things I still don't know. Step by step I will go on and with every step I will get new information which will enable me to find the right answer. Difficult, isn't it, Chati.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday I talked with Cemall and Cornell about possible danger of the lave flows which some the harvesters and Toallin mentioned when we were discussing how Cornell and his men could help us. Cemall took me to the waterfalls and the lake. He told me that the lava flows follow a course to the other ocean between the two continents of Palomintar Four. The lava scorches the northern lands of Myr. Cornell told me the same. So there is no danger that lava flows will have disrupted the underground riverbed. Using my Force skills I didn't sense any danger when I join Cornell this afternoon here. For now I am sure that the underground riverbed could be a way to get to Darth Golluth's cave system, but I expect I will meet other obstacles. A Jedi acts on knowledge, Chati, and knowledge comes through the Force and the facts others tell him."

They walked along together in silence for a while. Chati thought about what Luke had told her about making plans and considering the facts that were needed to make a solid plan. It didn't sound easy to get your work done that way, but there certainly were advantages, using these methods. You didn't have to worry about all kinds of minor details before hand. You just could focus on what you were doing at the moment. No worries about what could or would happen. She suddenly became more aware of her surroundings. This dark tunnel once had been a water flow for generations and the water had left many markings on the walls of the tunnel. It certainly was amazing, that she walked in a tunnel where once the river had flown; the water had probably eroded this tunnel a very long time ago. Chati let the beam of her flashlight wander along the ceiling and the walls. She saw darker stripes along the walls. Carefully she observed the wall and touched those darker stripes. They felt dry. The rock near the ceiling was lighter, while the dark stripes probably marked the water level.

"Well observed, Chati," Luke said, "You have listened very well to what I said. Those dark stripes indeed mark indeed old water level. Look ahead now. This time point your flashlight at the ceiling."

Luke pointed to a gap in front of them near the ceiling of the tunnel. The dark stripes at the walls covered a larger part of the rock, until they also covered the ceiling of the tunnel. The bottom of the tunnel became level and a rocky wall blocked up the riverbed, leaving only the gap near the ceiling. Behind the gap the tunnel seemed to go further, but the gap wasn't wide enough for them to pass.

Luke sensed how Chati looked disillusioned at the wall and the gap.

"Disappointed, young lady?" Luke asked, also feeling Chati's rising frustration.

"We have to go back, Ben. This is the end of our exploration. We can't go any further. It's impossible to reach Ribana through the underground riverbed."

"Once the water has found its way through that gap, right?"

"Of course, it's liquid."

Think of another way we might proceed?"

For a moment Chati looked at the gap.

"We could widen the gap, so we could pass the gap, but we need those freezing fibers to get the job done and it's a very slow process, Ben. You have seen it." Chati said.

"Widening the gap would be a good solution, but how could we do that. You say the freezing fibers Cornell and his men are using aren't a good alternative, because the process is too slow, and I agree. But there is another solution, Chati, I am going to use my lightsaber to widen this gap."

Luke took his weapon from a sheath at his back and pressed the hilt of the weapon against the rock before he ignited it. A soft hum was heard and an astounded Chati saw how the rock around the hilt began to glow and meld through the heat of the blade. Waves of heat started to ripple through the rock and the melting increased. After some moments Luke switched off his lightsaber, and pushed the wall that blocked their path. The rock fell apart and widened the gap so they could go on. Chati wanted to pass through the gap, but Luke held her back.

"And now, Chati, we're going back to the shaft and the camp site. We need a rest. We'll come back here at another moment and see what's behind this gap. Come on, young lady, it's time for you to get some sleep. Cornell expects that you will be working with his men just after sunrise."

Completely dazed by what she had seen, Chati let herself lead back to the shaft. She didn't speak. Luke jumped out of the shaft and gave Chati a hand as she ascended the rope ladder. Together they crossed the plateau where the rope ladder dangled. Chati climbed to the top, Luke follow and coiled the rope ladder. He took it to the community building, before he brought his nightly companion to her tree house. With a gentle press at her shoulder he urged her to get inside, then he climb to his own tree house to get some rest.

Liane sat upright on her bed and pondered on the all the new developments.

Luke had send Wedge to support her, but the situation near the Palomintar System seemed to have worsened, because an imperial star destroyer had gone into orbit around the system. Now Wedge had to return to Irithim with Leia to assist the Supreme Chancellor. Yarmod and Ian would stay behind to protect her.

Liane smiled. Yarmod and Ian were good friends, she liked them and she was glad they wanted to stay with her. They could help each other to improve their Force guidance. She certainly would profit of the presence and the knowledge of the two padawans.

However, the Force image of Luke, laying on a kind of stretcher with an ashen face, had made her suspicious and anxious. She even had heard herself talking to Trevor. Did this all mean that she had to go to Palomintar Four herself? What about Luke? What has happened to him? Why did he look like he was dead while she had clearly felt his heartbeat and his breathing?

With a sigh she rose, undressed and put on her sleepwear She needed some rest now, a deep sleep, but she never had felt so wide awake. Maybe she should do some Force meditation to get calm and find her inner peace again, or should she call Luke and tell him about that third disturbing vision.

She sat down cross-legged on her bed with her hand touching the Jedi-pendant, when a soft knock on the door disturbed her Force concentration.

"Liane, are you awake?" Leia asked in a whisper.

Liane jumped off her bed and slid the door aside.

"Come in, Leia," she said.

Leia entered and put her arms around Liane.

"Are you alright, Liane? I'm sorry I couldn't talk to you earlier. You have seen something very frightening, haven't you?. You've seen something that might happen in the future to Luke, right," She asked concerned, "I heard you say: 'Luke is alive.' You seemed to be talking to Trevor Matrik, for you mentioned his name. What have you seen? Please, tell me."

Liane gently released herself from Leia's embrace.

"I had this Force vision twice before, Leia. I've already seen it, when I was asleep on the Millennium Falcon. Luke said I had a nightmare, but I'm sure the Force was telling me something else. I saw it a second time when Luke had come here unexpectedly. I've asked him what that vision could mean, but he also didn't have a clue."

"Not everything the Force is showing us, will happen, you know that, don't you? The future is always in motion. It's not sure that your Force vision will come true."

"Leia, maybe it will be my destiny to meet Trevor again and deal with his ludicrous ideas. How this will happen, I don't know, but I will meet him again that's for sure," Liane said slowly as if she was drifting away in a light Force trance.

"Liane, don't do anything foolish. Stay here, where you're safe, please. Don't go to Palomintar Four yourself. Leave it to Luke, to Wedge, to me and to the others," Leia urged, taking Liane's hands in hers, "Luke will never forgive me, if Wedge or me put you in danger."

"Danger will come at an unexpected moment, not from you. I can feel it. I have a bad feeling about this place already for weeks," Liane said half in a Force trance.

Then she released herself from the Force and looked up, smiling reassuringly.

"Stop worrying about me, Leia. I will stay here under the protection of Yarmod and Ian as long as I think it's safe here, and I will contact Luke if any real danger turns up. I will rely on Luke as a Jedi Knight, as my eternal comrade and as my future master," She chuckled.

"That's good, Liane. Promise me, that you will tell Luke if you have another vision of Trevor. Use the Jedi-pendant immediately, if it's necessary. It's your most important contact with him."

"I will, Leia. I will do what Luke expects of me. I will stay here and enjoyed the company of two good friends," Liane said and embraced Leia, "Thank you for your concern, my dear foster-sister, I couldn't have a better advisor than you. You'd better get some sleep now, if you want to leave early tomorrow. It's lucky there isn't any real damage to the submersible."

Leia rose and pulled Liane with her.

"Take care, Liane, and promise me you will stay with Yarmod and Ian," She said, hugging her, "May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Leia. Sleep well. We'll see each other in the morning," Liane laughed, giving Leia a warm kiss, "I love you, Leia. Take care of yourself. "

The two young women parted. Leia went back to her own guest room, but she wasn't convinced that she had been able to ensure Liane not to do something unimaginable.

Furthermore Liane's words about her brother being not dead but alive, had raised her own inquietude, although she knew that it was very difficult to see what would happen in the future. Was Luke in trouble? Was he wounded? She had not dared to ask Liane to tell her what she had exactly seen. All that she knew, was that she had to get back to Palomintar Four as soon as possible.