Chapter 113

"Careful, all of you," Cornell snapped, "yes, master Leia, you too. Those birds are very dangerous. Let us do our job and don't interfere with it."

Leia didn't committed herself to Cornell's words, instead she reached out to the Force to get in touch with one of the Jedi Knights.

'Tama-Hin, Wedge, where are you?' Leia asked.

'We're in the nut woods, looking at those birds. Why are you asking,' Ian answered. 'Chati and Lorann are feeding the birds with the fallen nuts.'

'At our arrival Mugin told us that Wedge and Chati had been in the nut woods regularly and that you and Lorann have joined them today.'

'That's right, Leia. It's amazing to look at those birds. By the way, these nut forests form a great unity with the Living Force.'

'Tama-Hin, Cornell, and his men are on their way to the nut grove. They plan to take Chati and Lorann with them. I am with them and want to prevent Cornell and his men from using violence.'

'Cornell wants to use violence against two of his own people?' Ian asked.

'No, against the birds. Tama-Hin, have you ever practised Force Blocking with a Light Wall?'

'Do you mean the Wall of Light which the emperor....' Ian asked inquisitively.

'No, not that one. You and Wedge have to take a position before Chati and Lorann. I will join you. The moment you and Wedge see Cornell and his men coming, the three of us all merge in the Force. That will create an impenetrable Blocking Light Wall. It will create a shield of Force power and prevent that any noise or violence the harvest men will use, will penetrate and harm those birds, or Chati or Lorann. We have shield them with Blocking Wall of Light to let those harvest men experience that those birds and Lorann and Chati get along well and are part of the Living Force'

'I understand, Leia, but what should Chati and Lorann do.'

'They won't notice our shared action and will go on with what they are doing: feeding the Urams with the fallen nuts. The Force Blocking with a Light Wall will protect them and the birds. We can do this, Tama-Hin. This Blocking Wall of Light is the visualization of the Living Force.'

'I'll tell Wedge, Leia. He probably can show me.' Ian said.

Meanwhile Cornell and his men were going on very carefully as they were entering the nut wood. Leia was slightly deviating from the harvest men and walked several paces sideways ahead of the group.

Step by step the group got deeper into the nut woods, until one of Cornell's men pointed ahead of them. Cornell nodded, but before his group could take action, Leia ran over to the two Jedi Knights and joined their Force mind merge. Between the group of harvest men and the Jedi a whirling blue curtain of Force Light appeared. Behind the wall of light Cornell and his men saw Lorann and Chati playing with some seven Urams, feeding them lots of fallen nuts.

For a moment Leia released herself again from the her mind merge with Wedge and Ian and stepped in front of the Wall of Light two Jedi kept whirling in front of the nearing group.

"Cornell, and those with you, don't come any closer," Leia said calmly, "There is no danger for Chati and Lorann. The Urams feel that your two fellow Quelans are their friends and meant them no harm. The Urams accept their presences in these woods. They are willing to share these woods with Chati and Lorann who are helping them to use the fallen nuts as their food, for the Urams are depended on the nuts. They can't pick up those fallen nuts, and have to feed on the nuts in the trees."

But Cornell didn't seem to listen to her words. Leia stepped back at her place in the Force Wall of Light again and as one of Cornell's men rushed forward his movements were stalled and he was pushed backward.

"Lorann, come here," Cornell screamed on top of his voice, but Lorann didn't respond, enjoying the look of two young Urams which were sitting on his arm. With his other hand he picked up nuts from a heap of nuts next to his leg.

"Lorann, come here immediately," Cornell and two other harvest men screamed and looked desperately at the two young Quelans behind the blue whirling Wall of Light.

Wedge stepped in front of the blue wall and walked over to Cornell, while he still kept maintaining his Force connection with his fellow Jedi.

"Master Cornell, stop screaming. Chati and Lorann and also the Urams aren't aware of your presence and the Jedi will keep this Force Blocking Wall of Light between you and your men and those two Force-users, until you and your men are leaving the nut woods and go back to Cantamaga."

"My son has to obey me, master Jedi. Obey to me his father, any of you wizards."

At that moment, Kamalin and Manall came running up through nut woods, and Manall grabbed Cornell at the arm.

"Leave with your men, son. You don't understand, better you don't want to understand what the Force is teaching Lorann and Chati Fonaldris. What master Antilles and master Kenobi are showing them is, far more useful than what you and the harvest men tend to believe." Manall said.

"Lorann is my son, father. I want him to obey me, now, immediately and no Force nonsense any more." Cornell snarled.

"Lorann is my grandson, son. For years he obeys me better than you and you certainly know why. Lorann is a Force-user, like Chati Fonaldris and one day I want my grandson to become a Jedi Knight, like the Jedi Knights who are now protecting them. You never believed what I told you, you never listened to what I'm telling you, you're stubborn in your believe that the Urams are dangerous."

"They attacked you, father. Parts of flesh on your back were ripped away," Cornell snarled.

"Yes, they attacked me because I was stupid enough to put on the wrong coat, your old one, when I only wanted to gather some fallen nuts. The Urams recognized your coat and mistakenly thought that you had entered the nut grove again. They know you and your men. They know what you and your men have done to the nut trees. That is why the Urams always attack you and your men. When I led the harvesters, not a single harvester was ever attacked, because the Urams knew that I shared the nut grove with them. Since you have been the leader, those birds have started defending their share of the nuts. The nuts that are still hanging on the trees. Go home now, Cornell. Stay away from these nut groves, as the Council of Elders has determined at your request, since we have been living here in exile. Perhaps the harvesters will one day be able to harvest nuts again without having to bring their weapons, if they have learned to share the nut grove and not take the nuts solely for the profit of the Quelans."

Meanwhile Kamalin had lead the group of harvest men back along the path in the direction of Cantamaga. He didn't speak a word, only made use of hand gestures to push the group backwards. His authority as chairman of the Council of the Elders did the rest. The group of harvest men obeyed him. Manall and Cornell were left behind. Cornell was still defiant and watched his father with a furious look in his eyes. Manall stand his ground and pushed his son several paces backwards.

"The Jedi will keep this Force Wall of Light until you admit that what you're seeing isn't endangering my grandson and the governor's daughter. Lorann and Chati are part of the Living Force and the Urams know it. Admit, son, that your view of those birds has always been wrong." Manall said very calmly.

All of a sudden Cornell turned around and strode away. As he has done some steps he turned.

"We'll talk later, father, but my son will never become a Jedi Knight," He yelled.

"That's not for you to decide, son. The Force has already laid out Lorann's future, and neither you, nor Tronama, my daughter-in-law will change that. I will see to it that Lorann's future will be protected against any of our traditional views. I'm sure that you don't want your son to become as unhappy as my other grandsons."

Cornell strode back along the path and join his men. Manall watched them go as they vanished in the direction of Cantamaga, before he slowly turned around to the Jedi Knights who had released the Force Blocking Wall of Light. Leia walked over to the old harvester. Manall looked at her with a smile.

"Master Leia, finally I have said what has been on my mind for years." He said.

"Thank you, master Manall."

"No, I should thank you, master Leia and master Antilles and master Kenobi, for showing me this great Force phenomenon. Lorann is here with my permission and have had a great experience. It's a pity, that my son Cornell is so stubborn to keep clinging to his own believes, but that's going to change. I don't want my grandson to scarifies his dream for a life he isn't destined for." Manall said and turned around as Lorann was drawing his attention.

"Grandpa, have you seen it. There were several Urams, younger ones but also some adult birds, and Chati and I have given them the nuts which had fallen on the ground. I felt that Urams were grateful, for they can't pick up the fallen nuts themselves. I'm going to figure out how we can collect those fallen nuts and get them back somewhere in the trees. Chati says to we should make strings on which we attach the nuts. She said that I can help her to find a good way to help the Urams getting back the nuts which they need as food. Those nuts aren't ours, grandpa. They are the food of the Urams, and they become angry and attack the harvest men, because they are stealing their food. That's what master Kenobi has been telling me, grandpa. We have to find a way to live with the Urams in harmony, so they will be willing to share a part of the nut harvest with us."

Manall petted his grandson on his head.

"You're a clever boy, Lorann, and you are listening well to what master Kenobi is telling you."

Manall walked over to the spot where Chati and Lorann had been feeding the Urams. For a moment he looked back at the three Jedi Knight and the two young Quelans. Then he bent down and gathered two handfuls of nuts. He stretched out his hands and immediately two adult Urams flew down and sat themselves on his arm, while they started to quickly eat the nuts. As they had finished they allowed Manall to streak their wings a few times, before they flew away. Lorann looked with gleaming eyes at his grandfather.

"They're your friends, grandpa." Loran cheered.

"They're already my friends for years, Lorann. They know who I am and they don't fear me. I have come here for years on end, also while it's been actually forbidden to enter the nut forest. Well, and now we all go back to Cantamaga and leave the nut woods to the Urams."

Toallin was looking at his eldest daughter who came rushing over to him.

"Father, it's so good to see you on Tyr again. Master Antilles has taught me a lot about the Force already. He wants me to stay on Tyr, when the second group will leave to do the clean up and the repairs in Ribana. He thinks is better if I will go back to Ribana with the third group, but I would love to see what's already been done on Myr." Chati said elated.

"You have been in the nut woods several times with your master, I heard. As my daughter you also have to obey the ruling the Council of the Elders did, when we came to Tyr," Toallin said and Chati heard some concern in his voice.

"You don't have to worry, father. Indeed I have been in the nut forest while it's forbidden, also before master Antilles said to me he wanted me as his padawan. Now he always accompanies me, and he has become good friends with the Urams too. They already recognize us when we enter the woods."

"Haven't Cornell and his men scare off the Urams this time?" Toallin asked, showing his concern.

Chati looked bewildered.

"What did they came for. They don't have to scare off the Urams. They won't do me any harm, as they know I'm part of the Living Force. That's what master Antilles is telling me. Oh, there he is."

Wedge Antilles had come over to Toallin and Chati.

"Governor, I sense your concern for your daughter. I understand, and if you don't want me to take her there, while you are in Cantamaga I will respect your wish." Wedge said, while he made a bow.

"No!" Chati exclaimed, "I have promises them I will be back tomorrow. Master, you should tell and convince my father there is no danger at all."

"My young padawan, you shouldn't discuss matters between your father and me." Wedge said and looked at Chati.

Chati bowed her head.

"No master, I shouldn't, but ..." She began.

"What did I tell you, young padawan. There are no arguments on your side, if your father doesn't want me to take into the nut woods then I will respect his wish."

"Yes master," Chati said with averted eyes.

"Go and see, your mother, Chati. You might help her to select furniture we don't need here at the moment," Toallin said and pretended to look sternly.

Chati looked at him.

"I understand, father. You want to talk my master in private, without me objecting against what you say."

"Chatinaro!" Toallin said with emphasis.

Chati immediately ran off. Toallin watched his eldest daughter go, before he turned to Wedge Antilles.

"Obeying to simple command, isn't her strongest virtue, master Antilles. You probably already have experienced that." Toallin said, "She has always been very independent, always ready with a counter-argument. And the problem is that in most cases she is right. I guess also on this matter."

"Certainly not, governor. As a padawan she has to obey what I'm telling her. If she doesn't I will reprimand her. That has happened a few times, but she accepts my demands. She is a very honest woman."

"It seems that you have a good hold on her, master Antilles." Toallin said while he took the Jedi master to the main plaza of Cantamaga.

"It is not just about keeping her under tight control, sir. She needs to learn and understand why I say things that limit her ability to do things." Wedge said calmly.

"I feel in your words that you have had a serious argument with her," Toallin remarked.

"Indeed. She used her special Quelan ability to remain undetected using her skin coloring skill and eavesdrop on a private conversation. I had a very serious conversation with her to make it clear to her that she shouldn't use that special gift in that way. It will certainly be useful as she learns more about how to use the Power, but this time she went too far."

"Probably her curiosity," Toallin commented, "That doesn't sound unusual. I guess that's why she managed to vanished the first time master Skywalker and his friends arrived here. She has the habit to do things without telling any one why. Well, I understand that Cornell and master Skywalker have seriously reprimanded her when she had been discovered. Let's hope that she has learned from it. May I invited you to have a meal with us."

Wedge made a bow in acceptance.

"I will gladly join you and your family, governor." He answered.

Meanwhile Chati had run over to the entrance of the administration wing that her parents and brothers used as their private quarters.

"Mother, where are you?" Chati yelled.

Her brother poked his head around the parlor door.

"Another encounter with Cemall, Mayan," He said teasing his sister.

Chati cast him a disparaging look, but didn't comment. She entered the kitchen where Udine was busy collecting and selecting items that had to be brought back to Ribana. She looked up as Chati petted her on her shoulder.

"How's the cleaning of vineyard building going on, mother?"

"A bit slow. There was a lot of damage on the first floor where our families had our private quarters around the center hallway. We've managed to clean the kitchen and two rooms on the ground floor so we have a place to sleep. I gave Shaayla-Car the room of your brother Talann as a guest room. Chati, I'm really worrying about the young woman. She's only a few years older than you, but she is behaving dangerously."

"She's a Jedi Knight, mother. I don't think that Jedi Knights will do anything dangerous, for they know in advance what they want to achieve."

"Oh, it seems that you haven't heard the news. Shaayla-Car isn't a Jedi Knight any longer. She seemed to have asked master Skywalker if she could be his padawan, like you are master Antilles apprentice, but I fear that he isn't as nice as master Antilles is to you, my dear." Udine said shaking her head

"You seem to have heard some gossip, mother." Chati said suddenly feeling alerted.

"No, it wasn't gossip, Chati, for master Skywalker has personally asked your aunt and me if Shaayla-Car could help us to clean up the vineyard building. We accepted his kind request, but she isn't really good in cleaning a house. So I have asked your father to instruct her how she had to lop those overgrowing vines and begin pruning the grapevines. She understands his instructions very well and she has done good work so far, but, my dear, I'm still a bit upset about what I have seen just before we went back Tyr."

"Has she ruined the grapevines, mother?" Chati asked, sensing that her mother desperately wanted to tell her what she has seen.

"No, no, Chati. It maybe worse." Udine said in a whisper.

"Why, mother?" Chati asked.

"Listen, Chati, but you mustn't tell any one what I'm telling you. I have seen them kissing each other, very passionately. Shaayla-Car isn't his padawan and master Skywalker isn't her master. They are in love with each other, but I think that their parents doesn't agree with their marriage. I have heard that she is the daughter of a famous Jedi Knight, while master Skywalker is only a farmer from some planet who has learned to become a Jedi Knight. After what I've seen I fear that they won't only share a kiss every now and then, for sometimes she leaves the vineyard building in the evening and then she comes back late. I think that they are meeting each other somewhere secret behind the southern hills, and oh, Chati, I hardly can tell what I fear but they are probably, no, I can't say it aloud, I fear ... let me whisper it in your ear. You're an adult woman, and I have told you what might happen went a female and a male meet somewhere alone," Udine pulled her daughter close and whispered something in her ear.

"Mother, are you really thinking, that Shaayla-Car and Ben are making love somewhere."

"Hush, my dear, not so loud. Oh, I have to talk about this to her brother. You have seen him, haven't you?"

"He was with Lorann and master Antilles and me in the nut woods. We have been feeding young Urams."

"You have been feeding those terrible beast. Well, at least your master was with you. He was protecting you, wasn't he?"

"No he wasn't, for he was also feeding some other Urams, as were Ian and Lorann, but you said you want to talk to Ian."

"Oh, yes, for I'm very worried about what's going on Myr now. Shaayla-Car and master Skywalker have stayed behind on Myr. Can you imagine what they might be doing right now? We all will be here for at least four days. Chati a lot can happen in four days, right? And your aunt isn't very helpful. She sees no harm in it. She's always been very naive, that's why your cousin Dolan is two years older than you, while we both were married to Toallin and Mugin at the same time. Where do you thing I can find Ian? I have to tell him what is going on between his sister and master Skywalker. I thought that master Skywalker was a very righteous man."

"Ian probably has gone home with Lorann and master Manall. He often has his dinner with them." Chati said.

"Is he also sleeping there?"

"No, my uncle has given him the lofty suite which he will share again with Yarmod, his friend. So, he will come to Cantamaga after dinner, for I'm sure he wants to greet his friend." Chati said who was eager to inform her master or Ian himself in advance.

"Then I will ask Toallin to ask Ian to see me. He has to ask his parents and tell them what is going on. Maybe I also need to tell master Leia, but she has a different character than Ian. I never really get to see through her. I'm glad she isn't your Jedi master, Chati. She is more distant and elusive, but she also has to know and warn her parents. Well, help me to get our meal ready. Your father certainly has invited your master to join us. That's good thing, for when he comes, your brothers also behave better."

Chati realizing that it would be impossible for her to inform Wedge Antilles or Ian before her mother could do it, paid attention to what Udine wanted to prepare for their meal. She managed to stay calm, but inward she wanted to have a talk with her master, asking him what she should do. She managed to slip away to lay the table in the parlor. All the time she was thinking about what she had seen on the plateau. While she looked out of the broad window which looked at the hillside behind Cantamaga, the images of Liane and Ben kissing each other passionately appeared in her mind. In the vineyard her mother had seen the same and probably the whole Quelan community would know soon that Liane and Ben were in love with each other.

The door open and Toallin entered, inviting Wedge Antilles to join him.

"Chati, where is your mother?" He asked.

"Isn't she in the kitchen, father. Maybe she's looking for Talann and Ronan. Our meal is almost ready." Chati answered.

"I was just there, but I didn't see her."

For a moment Chati looked aghast to her father and Wedge Antilles.

'She has already gone to seek Ian' She thought and immediately became one with the Force.

'Master, can you tell Ian, just to listen to my mother as she meets him. She has seen Shaayla-Car and Ben kissing each other in the vineyard. She wants him to warn his parents.'

'Thank you, padawan. I will. Tell me later what happened.' Wedge answered.

He excused himself for a moment walking outside on the terrace

'Tama-Hin, Udine is on her way to you to tell you that she has seen Shaayla-Car and Luke kissing each other in the vineyard. Wedge communicated with his fellow Jedi.

'That's good news, Wedge. It certainly will add another kind of relief to me.' Ian answered.

Wedge entered the parlor and looked at Toallin.

"Lovely view, governor. I always need to step outside to absorb all of it."

"I agree, master Antilles, but the view from my brother's parlor in the first floor is even better. His terrace is smaller than ours, but runs along the complete outside, from one corner to the other, and Toallin pointed left and right. Meanwhile Chati had gone back to the kitchen and began to put the steaming dishes on the table. She looked for her brothers and soon every one took a seat. Chati looked at her father.

"Do you want to wait for mother, father?" She asked.

"No, Chati, probably your mother has heard something 'very important' and needs to tell all of her gossiping neighbors of the news." Toallin said. "Master Antilles, I have to excuse my wife for being absent at the moment. I'm used to it, and so are my daughter and my sons. I'm sure that she will turn up before we've ended this meal."

Chati looked at her master who kindly nodded at her.

In the control room of the Astræga Liane woke up and rubbed her eyes. She didn't feel well and looked around. Her eyes caught the worktable, where Luke had arranged the purchases and immediately she remembered what had happened after she and Luke had gone to Ktafunda. For a moment she sat motionless, looking at the opened box with the wedding rings they had chosen using the Force. Then the empty open box next to it caught her attention.

'The alliance ring, Luke has bought for me!' she thought, but immediately she felt something unusual on the ring finger of her right hand. She looked at her right hand and carefully turned the ring around her finger. Had Luke put the ring on her finger?

It took her some moments to realize, what could have happened, while she had been crying, feeling upset about what had happened in Ktafunda. Luke must have brought her back on board the Astræga, where she had fallen asleep exhausted and while she had been sleeping, he had put the ring on her finger to remind her of his wish to marry her.

Where was Luke? She reached out to the Force and sensed his presence in the Astræga. She sighed relieved. He was near.

What had she said, while she had been crying, what had she revealed about all the thoughts that had been bothering. Had she hurt him with what she had revealed? She surely must have? It had been unkind of her to tell him that she didn't really feel at home anywhere. Hadn't he told her that he had an apartment in Irithim, where she would live with him as soon as they were married? Had he not said that she could make it a cozy home? Instead she had said that she wanted to go to Felusa and live in the house where Severini and Ben had been happy. That certainly would have hurt him.

Then she recalled the price Jarosho had asked for the wedding rings and the alliance ring; fifty thousand New Republic's credit. Luke has spent probably over a hundred thousand credits with all these purchases, but he didn't mind, for he had said that she was worth infinitely more for him

Liane played with the ring on her right ring finger and examined it intently.

'Beautiful, and those gemstones are all carefully cut Illum-stones. Jarosho is a genius, a great artist that he can make something this beautiful' She thought. 'These gemstones have the same color of the Jedi-pendant and the beam of my lightsaber, and of course like the green stones in the brooch Luke gave me.'

Her eyes wandered over her clothes and startled she began to smooth out the folds and creases in the ceremonial robe.

'I have to change and put away Leia's clothes. I have to put on my own outfit and redo my hair. Before we go back to Myr, I have to look like Luke's padawan again.' She thought and sighed. 'Back on Myr I also have to take off Luke's beautiful ring. If I do so, that would hurt him again.'

She rose and went to her quarter which still which still radiated Leia's presence. She shouldn't refer to those quarters as being Leia's. Luke had emphasize more than once that she should see everything in the Astræga as belonging to her too. He wanted to share all he possessed with her: his ship, his apartment, everything, his love, his life.

What could she share with him; not much only her love for him and her life, for she wanted to stay with him. She wanted him to be happy; the happiest Jedi Knight in the galaxy, as he had said, after she has told him that she wanted to become his wife.

Slowly she undressed and wanted to put on her padawan's outfit as she saw a familiar box on the bed bunk. Suddenly she began to smile; her white dress. Luke's favorite dress. She lifted the lid and took the dress out of the box. He loves to see her wearing this dress.

Well this was also something she could share with him. She could wear this dress to please him, to see him smile at her, to sense the admiration he felt as he looked at her, for he thought she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy.

Liane pushed the hidden button to find the shower to refresh herself. She felt how the tiny artificial droplets massaged her skin and cleaned it. A gentle stream with alternating warm and cold air refreshed her completely. She looked in one of the closets and found her favorite scent. The few tiny drops improved her self-image and boosted her self-confidence.

She walked back to the bed bunk and closed the wall to the shower. The white dress was draped on the bed. Carefully she lifted it and put it aside.

'I need to do a Force meditation before I will face my next step' She thought and sat herself on the floor in a Jedi meditation stance. She closed her eyes and almost immediately felt surrounded by the power of her trusted ally. Her intense connection with the Force let her relive what had happened after they purchased all those beautiful items: the bales of fabric for her own ceremonial outfit, the wedding rings, the alliance ring, and the large drawing datapad with everything that belonged to it for Lorann, the young Quelan who had such a tremendous keen eye.

She saw their purchases hovering before her eyes, but suddenly she heard the words she had stammered.

She listen and realized that what she had said was true, especially after she had recalled that every one would go back to their homes, but that she didn't know where she would find a place she would see as her home, a place where she would be happy, as happy as she had felt after Luke had asked to marry him. During her crying fit, she had poured it all out, and her words must certainly have hurt him. Maybe he even was thinking now that she would leave him and would go living in the house of her parents on Felusa.

She deepened her bond with the Force significantly to discover where her sorrows and downheartedness could come from, and eventually she realized that what had happened, and why she felt so alone, still stemmed from the way Anakin had raised her She had always felt the need to resist him, to continue believing in her own convictions and ideals, despite what he always forced her to accept: his vision of the Force. Anakin had never succeeded in convincing her that the Dark Side of the Force would give her everything she desired. Instead, she had always stood her ground and determined for herself what was right and wrong about his teachings, but could that really be the reason she felt so different from her friends, from Leia, from Han, from her brother, from Luke?

Images appeared in her mind of her musings on her often forced, terrifying use of the Dark Side of the Force, musings she had shared with Luke after Leia had asked her what Trevor Matrik might have discovered about the Sith doctrine. Luke had come to her specifically, had protected her, knowing that Leia's questions would hurt her. Luke had also taught her to face her greatest fear: the death of her secret lover Tijan, who had abused her feelings.

New images from her past reached her through her connection with Force. It was something that had taken place after Tijan's death. Anakin had brought her to Eremian's Island. She had stayed with him and his Baroontarian priestesses for more than six months: Eremian's women who had helped her to learn from the events surrounding Tijan.

In her Force trance, Liane began to smile when she remembered one of the somewhat older women. Her name was Djalina, and she had taught her things that had been completely new to her. Djalina had often emphasize that she shouldn't forget her lessons, because those lessons might well come in handy when another man would make advance and how in the beginning she should react safely, and please him at a later stage. Djalina had revealed many secrets about the way the Baroontarian priestesses performed their duties. She had promised the old teacher that she would never talk about it to anyone, for the Baroontarian priestesses' methods were secret.

Suddenly, Liane remembered Luke's experience with a Baroonetarian priestess. Would Nori Thai find the name of that planet in the Unknown Region?

She felt the Force freed her from their connection, as she became aware of where she was and what she was doing. She was aware of the moment, as befits a Jedi Knight.

When she opened her eyes and looked around, she she felt refreshed and filled with new energy.

She stood up and took the white dress. As she pulled it over her head, She felt that something new and unknown was happening to her. Something that filled her with joy.

She looked in the mirror and this time she recognized herself in the reflection. She combed her hair, put on the belt, and put on the shoes that matched the dress. She checked her appearance one last time and smiled when she saw the Jedi pendant hanging around her neck, reaching just between her breasts. She nodded and left her quarters.

As she entered the control room Luke looked up and his eyes lit up with an excited glance. He came over to her and grabbed her hands.

"You're so beautiful in this dress, my love," He whispered.

He looked down on her hands, and held her right hand in both his hands.

"You're wearing it. You didn't take it off as I feared."

"Why have you thought that I would do that, Luke?" She asked in a whisper too.

"Because ... " He began.

Liane shook her head.

"Wrong reason, my dear, eternal friend. This is not your fault, it is mine, and I need your help to overcome the doubts I have about my life, when I will be your wife, but most of all about my new role as a member of a society I'm absolutely unfamiliar with. I should not look too far ahead, but returning to the planet where I have been nothing more but a prisoner, a fugitive, and a woman who must be protected from the absurd ideas of a convicted admiral of the Imperial fleet is a terrifying prospect."

"So, you won't want to break up with me and leave me. You're not going to Felusa alone?" He whispered pulling her close.

"I haven't thought of that for a moment, because I love you too much, for also on Felusa I want you to be with me," said Liane, wrapping her arms around his neck while gently running one hand through his hair.

"I will give you all my love forever and help you find a happy home, naughty pixie, because without you I feel just as desperately alone as you do," whispered Luke as he pulled her closer to him and held her in his arms as if he never wanted to let her go again.

Udine was walking up the path to Manall's house and knocked on the door. The old harvest man opened it and looked surprised.

"Udine Fonaldris, are you in a hurry. It looked like you have been running."

"Is Ian Tydon with you, Manall?" She asked.

"Yes, he is. Come in, he is with Lorann in the main room."

"I want to talk to him in private, Manall. What I want to talk about isn't for a young boy's ears." Udine said.

"I'll get master Kenobi for you. Are you sure you won't come in?"

Udine shook her head.

"No, Manall. I'll wait for him outside." She said determinedly.

Manall went back inside and several moment later Ian appeared.

"Udine, what's the matter? Master Manall says you have an urgent private message for me." He said.

"I need to talk to you, Ian. It is indeed urgent. Can you walk back with me to Cantamaga? I can tell you what you have to do during our walk?"

Ian sensed the Quelan woman had experienced something that had upset her.

"I'll have to say goodbye to Lorann and his grandfather, Udine. I'll be right back."

Ian went inside again, but reappeared within several moments. He had put on his Jedi cloak and closed the door behind him. Calm he joined Udine Fonaldris down the path to the outskirts of Cantamaga.

Udine couldn't wait to tell him what has upset her.

"Ian, it's about your sister" She said.

"About Shaayla-Car, what's the matter with her?" He asked.

"She doing something very stupid, Ian. You have to warn your parents so they can come to Myr and take her home with them."

Ian looked composed to his female companion.

"What kind of stupid thing, does she do, Udine?" He asked, suddenly aware through the Force what the Quelan woman wanted to tell him.

"I fear, Ian, that your sister has fallen in love with her Jedi master, master Skywalker, and that he will take advantage of her position as his padawan. You have to warn your parents, Ian. They have to talk to her. Do you know that she and master Skywalker have stayed together on Myr, while all of us have returned to Tyr. Ian, he is alone with her and she is a naive young woman."

"Why do you think that my sister has done anything stupid, Udine?" He asked very calm.

"Ian, I saw how they kissed each other and how master Skywalker held her in his arms very close to his body. You have to warn your parents, Ian, otherwise I fear there will be consequences for your sister. You both are the heirs of a famous general of the Civil War, general Kenobi, but master Skywalker is grown up on a back water planet on a farm. He is no match for her, although he is a Jedi Knight, at least that's what they say about him."

"So, you have seen them kissing each other," Ian said, having trouble not to smile. "Udine, doesn't that mean that they have fallen in love?"

"Absolutely, Ian, and that's why I want you to warn your parents. I also want to talk to master Leia, who is said to be master Skywalker's sister, which is highly likeable, for she is a princess and grew up on Alderaan, I have heard. She also has to talk to their parents, or his parents."

Ian put his hand gently on Udine's arm.

"Shaayla-Car, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and I are orphans. Our parents are long dead. My mother died when my sister was only one year old, my father died in the Civil war. Luke and Leia are twins, their mother died in child birth, and their father died during one of the last battles between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. There is no way that I, or Leia could tell our parents what's going on between Shaayla-Car and Luke Skywalker. Will you do me a favor, Udine. Will you keep what you have seen to yourself. I will talk with Leia. She is a Jedi master like her brother. She probably knows how to tell him to be careful about what you have seen."

"That's a wise idea, Ian. Master Leia probably had more authority to do that. Will you talk to your sister?"

"I will, Udine, but not immediately for I have to fulfill another more important task at the moment. I will ask Leia if she will also talk to Shaayla-Car. Thank you for telling me this." Ian said and bowed.

"I'm going home now, Ian. I'm late for our meal. I have apologize to master Antilles for being late, but they probably have already finished their meal." Udine said and hurried in the direction of the main plaza of Cantamaga. Ian watched her go and nodded. He turned in the opposite direction to reach the plains behind Cantamaga where the Millennium Falcon had landed, earlier that day.

Without haste, he reached the plain before the mountain ridge. He walked to the Corellian freighter and climbed onto the ramp. In the control room, Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and Nori Thai were having dinner. Ian greeted them politely, and Leia invited him to join them.

"What brings you here, Ian?" Han asked. "I've heard you took the little Quelan boy to the nut wood. I guess that you now have a problem with Cornell, right?"

"That will be a family matter, Han, for master Manall had stepped up to prevent that his grandson's future will be ruined."

"Leia told me what has happened when Cornell and a part of his men wanted to kill those attacking Urams."

Leia shook her head.

"Han, darling, those Urams weren't attacking. Chati and Lorann were feeding them the fallen nut. It seems that the Urams are unable to pick up any nuts that have fallen from the trees." Leia said. "Tama-Hin, thank you for joining me and Wedge to protect the Urams and Chati and Lorann. You did very well."

"Thank you Leia, if there is time I would like hear more about the Force Wall of Light. This one is totally different for the Wall of Light that broke Trevor Matrik's connection with the Force. You probably can tell me the difference between the Force use of them."

"Main difference is that what happened to Trevor Matrik can't be undone, while what we did in the nut wood is activating a protective shield. As soon as the dangerous situation subsides the shield is no longer necessary," Leia said. "But I sense that that's not the reason why you came here."

"No, Udin Fonaldris sought me out, because she has witnessed something in the vineyard which had upset her. She told me what she has seen. I have asked her to keep it quiet, but I fear that within no time the whole Quelan community will know. I already heard from Chati that her mother loves gossiping and unverified rumors. What she has seen isn't unverified, but something that appeared before her eyes, but I think that the gossiping will spread among the Quelans like a kind of wildfire," Ian said and laughed.

"What is so funny, Ian?" asked Han. "Is it about that Master Padawan story that Jedi Master Skywalker is trying to make us believe?"

Ian looked at Leia who nodded imperceptible.

"Udine Fonaldris told me that she has seen that Luke and Shaayla-Car have been kissing each other in the vineyard. It has highly upset her. She tried to make sure that she feared severe consequences, because my sister and Luke are alone now on Myr."

Nori Thai started to laugh too.

"Luke once told me that I should not fool a Jedi Knight. Well I can add that a Jedi Knight never should fool an intelligence agent with a long track record."

Han looked puzzled.

"What do you mean, master Thai. Do you want me to believe that that master-padawan story is a decoy."

Nori grinned.

"I told you, Han. What I saw when I met Shaayla-Car in the Astræga, while she was pretending she was carrying out Luke's demands, didn't match, for halfway our chat she took the initiative to ask me to do her a favor. I won't tell what that was, but that's how I know her. At that moment she completely forgot that she was Luke's padawan."

Han looked at Leia and Ian.

"So, that Jedi master is kissing his padawan and Udine Fonaldris is warning you, Ian, that he is taken advantages of this position as a Jedi master." He said.

Leia shook her head.

"You still don't see the broader picture, darling. As the situation is now changing rapidly, let me clear it out to you. It's all quite simple. Let's go back to when we left Myr to join the celebration of Ribana on Tyr. Luke and Liane didn't join us, but left Myr in the Astræga and vanished into hyperspace. Where they went I'm not yet sure, but I probably not far from the truth if I guess that they have gone Na'ctaMagh'Ba."

"The white dress, after all," Han said.

"Yes, the white dress. The dress I gave to Liane, because my brother loved to see her wearing it. By that time I was already aware that Luke was in love with her."

"He has been in love with many other girls, I heard," Han said.

Leia laughed.

"Indeed he has, but non of those relationships lasted long. However the moment he met Liane on Morantan the Force showed him his long connection with her."

"That quite a while ago, Leia."

"Sure, for Luke encountered many obstacles before he managed to become a trusted friend. One of those obstacles was caused on Wegoyy, where she fell victim to the forbidden use of mind drug."

Chewbacca began to grumble angrily, but Han silenced his pal.

"To his relief my brother found Liane on Endor, went with her to Tatooine, found you, my love, and returned with Liane to Irithim. In the meantime Mon Mothma and I had become aware of the dangers Trevor Matrik was to Liane. We brought her to Na'ctaMagh'Ba, where Liane finally admitted her strong Force connection with Luke. From that moment on they, no only accepted their Force connection, but also fell in love with each other. After the problems with Trevor Matrik had been solved, Luke has taken Liane with him in the Astræga and probably has gone back with her to the place where they had found their mutual Force truth. I'm probably not far from the truth that once they were in the residential area under Na'ctaMagh'Ba my brother has proposed to Liane and Liane has accepted to become his wife, for, now that she is free, she finally could admit that she loved him."

Han frowned but didn't comment.

"Han, you're thinking what this all has to do with Luke's story that he has become Shaayla-Car Jedi master. Well, the reason for that is lain in the Jedi rule that no personal interest or agreement should ever outweighs the obligations a Jedi Knight has to those in need. Shaayla-Car and Luke are bound to Luke's promise to help Toallin and Mugin to free Ribana of the illegal occupation by Trevor Matrik. He told her what had happened and being his eternal Force comrade she made it her obligation as well. After they had made the agreement to marry, they didn't want to tell all of us immediately, for they probably want to marry in Ribana. However, Ribana had be deteriorated during the years Trevor had had his lair in the cave system. Luke has suggested to Liane to set up a decoy, tell a lie, create a diversion, what ever you called it, to make sure that once they would be back here, they could have some moments together without being disturb by any of us. That's why Luke made himself Liane's Jedi master who took her as his padawan."

Leia looked at her husband, who stared ahead in defeat and looked completely bewildered.

"Han, I told you would be ashamed, once you would hear the truth. Unfortunately, their secret plan to have rendez-vous as Jedi master and padawan has surfaced earlier than I expected, because Udine Fonaldris has seen two Jedi Knights who were passionately kissing each other at a moment when they thought that they were unobserved. Tama-Hin, thank you for telling us this unexpected news." Leia said with a smile.

"Shouldn't we tell them that their distraction plan failed?" Han suggested carefully. "I could lift off now and go back to Myr to tell them."

"We definitely need to inform them, but going back to Myr now is useless, for Luke had gone to Ktafunda with Liane. He didn't tell me why he was going there, but he has lent my ceremonial wardrobe for Liane. He probably want her to look as the Jedi Knight she is."

""Leia," said Nori Thai cautiously, "I think we should all stick to their story that they are master and pupil. I don't know if you can warn them in advance, but they probably still feel that their obligations to the Quelans take precedence before they want to announce their marriage plans. Udine Fonaldris may have seen them kissing, but there must be a way to put an end to those rumors. And those governors, couldn't they stop Udine Fonaldris from spreading this story, so that their fellow Quelans stick to the original story? She is the wife of one of those governors, after all?"

"May be they'd better stay on Ktafunda. They can be themselves, just two Jedi Knights who are planning their wedding." Han suggested.

Ian shook his head.

"They certainly will not that, Han, for that would break the rule that a Jedi Knight sees as his main task: bring peace, justice and prosperity to those who are in need of help. No, they will keep up the story of their master-apprentice relationship until Ribana has been restored and inhabited again by all the Quelans." He said.

Leia looked at Ian.

"Are you going back to Cantamaga now, Tama-Hin?"

Ian nodded.

"Then I want, you to tell what you have heard to Wedge and Yarmod."

"I have to tell it to Chati as well, Leia, for she was the first who knew about the distraction Luke and my sister have been setting up. She has done something Wedge has reproached her about, for she had followed them, she also has seen them kissing each other and she had been eavesdropping on their conversation. Wedge wasn't pleased with her action, but Chati has kept her promise not to tell anyone what she has heard. Wedge asked her to inform me, the evening after I had arrived here in advance."

Leia began to laugh.

"Not in advance, Tama-Hin, but as a disciplinary measure which I now will nullify. You may return to Myr with the second group, so you can visit Shaayla-Car while she will be working in the vineyard."

To the surprise of Leia, Han, and Nori Ian shook his head.

"I want stay on Tyr, Leia. Thank you for nullifying my banishment, but I can do better work here as a Jedi Knight. If I want, I can use Force telepathy to tell my sister and Luke I wish them a happy wedding."

"I understand, Tama-Hin, but be vigilant and careful what you see as your task. A lot of hurdles have to be conquered as you have heard this afternoon. Lorann will certainly benefit from your presence. As Tama-Hin will inform the other Jedi. Nori, Han and I will tell the Granns and I will seek contact with those two lovers to prepare them for what they might expect on their return to Myr." Leia said. "I also will speak to Toallin and Mugin in private about what Udine has seen."