Chapter 120

"This isn't what we should have done, Luke. We've have put our personal interests before our duties as Jedi Knights." She murmured.

"Why do you think we did that, Shaayla-Car?" He asked.

"We shouldn't have done some shopping in Ktafunda and we certainly shouldn't have accepted that invitation of Jarosho's cousins." Liane answered.

"You insisted that we needed to replenish the pantry, my love, remember. I understand that you want to get back to Palomintar Four now, after you sensed that the second group feels disillusioned, when they saw Ribana. We're on our way, so after we will go into orbit you can help them." He said.

Liane looked at him.

"I feel guilty, Luke. I can't help it. If we hadn't ..." She started to say.

"But we didn't, Shaayla-Car. There's nothing we can do about it. I'm sure that once you will manage to encourage the second group with Force Battle Meditation, they will feel the same hope, like the first group felt. You should look at this situation again from a different point of view. We didn't expect that the second group would arrive so early on Myr."

"We could have contacted Leia, before we went to Ktafunda again, Luke." Liane opposed him. "I shouldn't have insisted that we should to replenish the pantry."

"You made that suggestion, because you were right about it, my love, but I couldn't convince you that we also could share our meals with the Quelans. You objected and I understand why you didn't want to take their stock. Therefore I let you decide that we should buy some food in Ktafunda. At least we now have filled the pantry for a long time, that will save a lot of time once we're on our honeymoon."

Liane jumped to her feet and look angry at him.

"Again you're thinking of our own personal interest, Luke Skywalker. You doesn't seem to care what the Quelans felt when they saw their still messed up town."

Luke stood up too and put his hand on her shoulder. Liane wanted to shrug him off, but he held her in a tight grip.

"Now listen carefully, Shaayla-Car. You are right when you say that we have spent too much time in Ktafunda, but we cannot speed up our return journey to Palomintar Four. The Astræga is on its way. We are going to help the Quelans, just as we helped the first group. Just like the first group, they will undoubtedly experience the influence of Force Battle Meditation.

Yes, they feel desperate right now, but they also need to take a look at the houses that the first group has already cleaned, repaired, or restored. Ribana looked much different when the first group arrived, compared to this second group.

As soon as we are in orbit around Palomintar Four, you can use your skills and bring hope and joy with Force Battle Meditation. We will do exactly the same as we did, when we encouraged the first group.

Shaayla-Car, you're unfair to us, when you say that we have put our personal interest above our obligations and promises we made, for we had to replenish our supplies. It was you who decided in a hurry to buy everything Galin had laid out, for after you sensed that something was going wrong in Ribana, you didn't want to spend more time to make a choice. We would have had enough with just a third of what was for sale. In your haste you didn't take into account what impression you made on Galin and Jarosho. We left them in a hurry without properly saying goodbye and thanked Jarosho for his efforts.

I am not saying that your decision to buy everything was wrong, but I don't want you to blame me when I say that we will have enough food during our honeymoon. That is not putting personal interest over the obligations I have; that is a fact, that is what I see.

So, stop arguing now about what we should have done, about the size of our stock, about the desperation of the Quelans, about the time we need to reach Palomintar Four.

Stop blaming me, stop blaming yourself. As always you're angry with with yourself, because you know that your decision to buy everything has done too hasty.

Tell me honestly, when you sensed that something was wrong at Palomintar Four, could you have changed the situation? No, you couldn't ... we couldn't, because the second group has arrived earlier than we had expected.

Shaayla-Car, you are a Jedi Knight, but you lost control of the situation and you didn't listen to the Force to find the right solution. You acted as your former self, Liane Solichor, who decided immediately and complained afterwards that what she had achieved wasn't what she had in mind."

Liane looked at him with irritation for a moment, but her expression quickly softened. Luke smiled at her and gently brushed her hair back.

"See, you know what when wrong, but mistakes are a path to learn, for you, for me, for any Jedi Knight."

Luke looked at the synchro.

"Within ten minutes we're coming out of hyperspace. Once we're in orbit I'll cloak the Astræga, and remain at high altitude. I'll come to the control room as soon as the autopilot keeps flying in circles above Ribana and its surrounding area. I'll join you in a combined Force trance to strengthen Force Battle Meditation like we did before."

"When we're in orbit even if we're not above Ribana yet, Luke, can I already use my Force skills. I want to help the Quelans as soon as possible."

Luke nodded and went over to the cockpit, leaving Liane in the control room.

She looked at the synchro display counting down the minutes, before the Astræga could leave hyperspace. She close her eyes and sought her union with the Unifying Force which would give her the possibility to use Force Battle Meditation. She felt the recoil when Luke activates the ion-drive. The Astræga was back in orbit around Palomintar Four.

She began to sense the desperate feelings of the Quelans down on the surface of the planet. She strengthen her use of the Force and in her mind a message of hope and encouragement began to take shape.

'Don't feel despair because your houses still look a mess. Look at them in a different way. You can repair, restore and clean them. Imagine what those houses will look like once you have done the work that is needed. See your houses as they will looked in the future, when Ribana will be as beautiful as before.'

She repeated the message over and over again, when suddenly she felt the fingers of Luke's hand touching her left temple .

'Go on, naughty pixie, I'll join your Force connection. With our combined union with the Force we will bring hope, joy and encouragement to the Quelans below, so they will forget their despair.'

Liane didn't open her eyes but instinctively put her fingers against his temple. Their minds touched and they were united in one common Force strength. With closed eyes they sensed how the message passed through the Force Battle Meditation again and began to influence their Quelan friends down below. They stayed in their close Force union for over an hour, as Liane sensed that her help needed a more intense conviction this time, because many Quelans could not tear themselves away from the first images they had seen of Ribana.

Finally she let go of her Force connection. Luke took her to the cockpit where he amplified the monitoring of the surface below. With a smile she looked up at him. He nodded and caressed her cheek.

"Once again you did it, my love, once again you brought hope and encouragement to those who felt despair. You're so powerful, darling, that I can also learn a lot from you." He said.

Liane looked guilty-ridden, but Luke bowed over and kissed her.

"My lovely Shaayla-Car, beautiful daughter of Ben, you're as stubborn in your believe as he has been." He said before he kissed her again.

"Thanks for the lesson, Luke Skywalker. Perhaps I still need a Jedi Master who points out what I am still doing wrong."

At the main plaza of Ribana several Quelans looked at the tools that where laying in their neighborhood. They looked at each other and Wogomnil, the elder Quelan got to his feet. He had a rake in his hand.

"I'm going to tend my garden," He said, "I want it to look pretty again with flowers and vegetables, so I can show my woman I haven't been idle here."

He left the main plaza stared by a few others. Some nodded and also scrambled to their feet.

"Wogomnil, is right. We have to show the others on Tyr, that we have done our share to restore our city. We can't stay here doing nothing. If we don't do it, who will. The Jedi Knight, their friends, the Wookiee. Ribana is our city we know what it looked like when we had to go. We're going to make it look like it was and better."

Almost half of the second group now grabbed the tools they might need. Also Udine and Carmona began to look happy at each other.

"I tell Mugin, I want to go to the vineyard building to continue with the clean up there. We have to be there when the harvest men or the Jedi will bring us the boxes we took with us from Tyr. " Carmona said and pulled her sister to the administration building.

Mugin and Woldrin were looking at the main plaza, where it was now bustling with activity. When Carmona and Udine entered Mugin turned around.

"What did you do to get them?" he asked. "Woldrin and I saw how some of them walked away with the tools the harvest men had handed them. Have you seen where they went, Carmona."

"That old Quelan Wogomnil set an example. He said he was going to tend his garden and took a rake. You'll probably will find him at work at his former house." Carmona answered. "Mugin, Udine and I want to go the vineyard building before someone will bring our boxes. Maybe we can get a ride with the same speeder, if not we will start walking to reach the building in time."

"Start your walk, I will tell the one who will bring you our items to pick you up halfway."

"Fine with me. Come on, Udine, we'll show them that we're not old governor ladies," Carmona said and pulled her sister with her.

Yarmod Martan who had been busy all the while cleaning the path to one of the house suddenly looked up as a Quelan put his hand on his shoulder.

"Let me do the rest of it, master Jedi," the Quelan said, while he took the hoe out of Yarmod's hand. Yarmod looked at him and nodded.

"You need a scaffold near the wall, sir, for the roof has been damaged. Don't use a ladder. I will set up a scaffold so it will be safe when working there."

"Good job, master Jedi, but we'll need at least four other to help us."

"I'll get what we need. I'll back shortly to give you a hand." Yarmod said with a laugh.

He went over to a shed where he had stacked the necessary poles, tows and planks to build a stable scaffold. Using his Force skills he managed to bring them all to the garden where the Quelan was still busy clean the path to the front door. He looked up and laughed.

"Pretty handy, master Jedi, those special skills." He said and he looked how Yarmod started building the scaffold near the left wall of the house. For a moment he forgot his work as he looked how the young Jedi Knight use his skills to help him. When Yarmod was ready he thanked him, but Yarmod asked him he needed any more help.

"No, no, I'm going to finish the path to my house and then I going have a look inside. I'm glad that the first group told me to take a bed with me. Sleeping on the ground isn't a real pleasure at me age, young man."

"I'll go to the harvesters' tent where all the furniture we have transport is stored. Was your bed labeled?" Yarmod asked.

"Yes, I'm Wogomnil, that's how I labeled the bed."

"I'll get your bed and a stack of nagawa fleeces for there aren't any mattresses, yet. You also have to be patient to get sheets and blankets. My friends are going to get those on other planet."

Yarmod left and walked to the tent of the harvester. There he met Han and Chewbacca.

"Isn't it odd, Yarmod, that one moments these Quelans looked apathetic, doing nothing, and now all seemed to have found some work to do." Han said. "I can't explain what happened. But everywhere everyone seems to be busy at the moment. It looked like they all were seeing an image of hope of their future."

Yarmod looked perplexed at Han Solo.

"They all were seeing an image of hope of their future," He slowly repeated Han's words.

"Yes, that's how it seemed, kid. What do you want?"

"Oh, I'm helping a elderly Quelan Wogomnil. He took his bed with him. It's labeled, but I also need a stack of nagawa fleeces."

"We put the bigger pieces of furniture over there, and Cornell is distributing nagawa fleeces."

Yarmod went looking for the bed which stood at a spot to lift it easily. He used the Force to put the bed on a free part of the tent and asked Cornell for a stack of fleeces. Putting the fleeces on the bed he lifted it and keeping it afloat he walked back to the house of Wogomnil. Meanwhile three words kept whirling in his mind: image, hope, future. He wondered where he had heard those words before. Wogomnil couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his Jedi assistant walking over quietly with the bed hovering in front of him. Yarmod put the bed with the fleeces in the garden.

"Shall I put it inside, master Wogomnil?" He asked.

Bewildered the Quelan nodded and pushed open the door.

"I have had a look inside, but I must say that I'm lucky that I have four wall which still look solid. The house is dry, but completely empty. There's a lot to be done before it's a home again, young Jedi. What is your name?"

Yarmod Martan, master Wogomnil?"

"You seem very familiar with moving furniture, but I think you have a different profession, right?"

"I'm a pilot, master Wogomnil"

"Did you fly one of those freighter that took us here?"

"I flew the Grannd Traveler the freighter of those six brothers to Myr, for those cloud layers above the other continent are disturbing all the ship's instruments."

"You did well, for we've arrived here safely. Well, thank you for bringing me my bed. At least I have a place to sleep tonight."

"If you're not needing me any longer, master Wogomnil, I'm going to see if I can help some others. If you need help at another moment just look for me at the harvester's tent."

"Thank you, Yarmod Martan. I will keep that in mind."

Yarmod left Wogomnil and walked back along the main street to the harvester's tent. He saw that more Quelans had come to check for their furniture and he offered them his help to bring what they want to their house.

All the while the three words kept popping up in his mind: image, hope, future. After having been busy for hours he took a moment of rest in a far, quieter corner of the harvester's tent, while he still thought about those three words. He tuned in on the Force

'Tama-Hin, does image, hope, future tell you anything.' He asked his friend

'Image, hope, future? What happened on Myr' Ian answered.

Yarmod told his friend what has happened after they had landed with the second group and what Han had said.

'I have a feeling, Tama-Hin, that I have heard these words before.' He said

'We have, Yarmod, on Endor, when Shaayla ... I mean Liane was using her healing skills to tend the Ewok's injuries. We were helping her and it was you who sensed that she was showing images of future hope in the minds of those severely injured Ewoks. You asked her how she could use Force Battle Meditation.' Ian said.

'Thanks, Tama-Hin. Yes, I remember, but Shaayla-Car and Luke aren't here on Myr. They don't have arrived yet.'

For a moment Ian was silent.

'That's odd, Yarmod, because what you told me, there must have been someone who has used Force Battle Meditation, and this kind of Force use is not very common, Leia told me. I only know that Shaayla-Car can use it, for she once showed me an image of my future where I saw myself assembling my own lightsaber. It was an image of hope, for I was convinced that I would never become a Jedi Knight.'

'Could it be that Shaayla-Car has used Force Battle Meditation from Palomintar Six to encourage the Quelans of the second group?'

'I can't tell, Yarmod. Who knows. I suggest that you should ask her if she and Luke have arrived on Myr.'

'Maybe I will, Tama-Hin. At least I know where I have heard these words before.' Yarmod said and released himself from his Force connection.

Han and Chewbacca entered the Millennium Falcon, where Leia was talking to Yarnick and two other Grann brothers. They greeted Han and looked at him. Leia looked at her husband.

"What's wrong, darling?" She asked.

Han sat down on the couch next to Yarnick.

"Something odd happened to those Quelans, one moment they are unresponsive to what Cornell and his men were telling them what needed to be and then suddenly they all stood up, took the tools and equipment which were laying in front of them and walk to their former houses. And now they all are cleaning and repairing the damage, " He said pensively.

Chewbacca grumbled a long sentence.

"Yes, Chewie saw it also, Leia. It's puzzling me. I was thinking about going back with the group to Tyr, because they didn't seem to feel the need to begin to do some clean up, or repair. The group just sat on the pavement at the main plaza, doing nothing, completely idle. Chewie and I were looking at them, while behind us also the harvest men seem to lack much of their normal bustling around. In other words all the Quelans looked apathetic, dejected, and in disbelieve around them. It doesn't look very hopeful, that we would be able to inspire them, so they would roll up their sleeves and start doing what the governors expect them to do.

Chewie and I continued with arranging the furniture and other stuff we had brought inside the harvester's tent, when Chewie pointed at an elder Quelan. He had grabbed a rake and left the main plaza, disappearing along the main street. I followed him and he went over to a house in the outskirts of Ribana and started to rake the overgrowing weeds in the garden with glee, while I heard him murmuring some music, a song perhaps. When I walked back to the tent my attention was drawn to the other Quelans. Quite a number of them had left the main plaza in the meantime. They were talking to each other, about doing their chores and they all went over to the houses. In no time the main plaza was empty and everywhere Chewie and I heard cries, shouts and laugher of Quelans who showed each other what they were going to do. Then Yarmod came over looking for some furniture of a Quelan he was helping. I told him what I had seen, for it was as if all of them had been inspired by hope, as if they were visualizing how Ribana would look again in the future. "

Han turned to Yarnick, Conor and Brion.

"I don't think, your help is needed to encourage the second group. I should say that you should go on and leave for Irithim to consult Mon Mothma." Han said.

"We will have a look ourselves, Han, and if we see the Quelans at work, then we will leave tomorrow morning. What you're just telling is odd, but it might be a kind of flare-up which inspired the others. If tomorrow morning they are still going on with repairs and other work that has to be done, we will leave," Yarnick said. "I don't that you have to transport them all back to Tyr."

Yarnick and his brothers rose and left the Falcon. Han still seemed deep in thoughts, but after a while he looked up at his wife.

"Do you have and explanation for what happened. Where they inspire by the Force?" He asked her.

"You said it, my love. Yes, the Quelans of the second group also got inspired by the Force, as was the first group." Leia answered and sat next to him on the couch.

"Are you saying that all the Quelans are Force-sensitive, or even Force-users. If that's the case that you, Luke and Wedge can set up a new Jedi temple here and start educating the Quelans to become Jedi Knight."

"Yes, and no, Han. Yes, some Quelans are Force-sensitive, like Chati, Lorann, master Manall and master Kamalin, but the vast majority aren't." Leia said.

"Then you also have no idea what happened to the Quelans? And how it is possible that one moments they are just sitting and staring and the next moment they have begun to do repairs or clean up."

"There is one very special Force use and you once have benefit of it, Han." Leia said with a smile. "It brought you back to me, after you also some an image of hope for your future."

"Liane?" Han asked surprised.

Leia nodded.

"We should call her Shaayla-Car, and these powerful Jedi Knight possesses a Force skill which is seldom heard off."

"Are you saying that she has used her healing skills to encourage the Quelans?" Han asked surprised.

Leia shook her head.

"Next to her Force healing skills which she has inherited from her mother Severini, Shaayla-Car possesses the Force skill of Force Battle Meditation."

"Force Battle Meditation? What's that for funny Force use. There isn't a battle going here at the moment," Han retorted.

"Indeed it can be used in a real battle, and in the past it has been used like that, but its use is far extended to any form of battle: sickness, injury, fear of death. All those battles bring despair. A Force Battle Mediation user can help those who suffer to get hope again and see a bringer future, when they are feeling better, where injuries are healed and where the chance to die doesn't scare anymore.

The first and the second group of Quelans who arrived were devastated when they saw what Ribana looked like. I have sensed their despair and disbelieve. Shaayla-Car must have sensed it too, but much stronger, so strong that she was able to use Force Battle Meditation and encourage the Quelans through Force use to look into the future and see what Ribana would look like, if they would start with the cleanup, the restoration and the repairs. That, Han, is what you have seen."

"Where is that girl. Mugin and Woldrin should thank her for this intervention. Hey, wait has she done that also with the first group?"

Leia nodded.

"But ... she was Luke's padawan at that time."

"I've already told you that their master-apprentice relationship has been a distraction. Shaayla-Car is a Jedi Knight, and a very powerful one. A Jedi Healer like her mother and a user of Force Battle Mediation. My brother has found himself a very powerful partner, darling. One day those two will be leading the New Jedi Order."

"So they have arrived here? Where are they now? I haven't seen them, yet?"

"They are back on Palomintar Four. I sense their presence and they will join us before this day has come to an end." Leia said and smile serenely.

Lorann and Chati were walking ahead of Wedge Antilles and Ian Tydon.

"I'm glad that my father trust my master's judgment about going with him to the nut woods." She said to Lorann.

"That's great, Chati, for now we can together feed the Urams," Lorann answered. "Grandpa hasn't any objection and we saw how those adult Urams sat on his arm while he offered them the nuts he had pick up from the ground. Let's run to get there faster."

Lorann started running and Chati followed him, looking back for a moment to Wedge Antilles who nodded.

"We're joining you and Lorann, padawan," Wedge said, while he was talking to Ian who was telling him about what Yarmod had told him.

"Your sister is powerful, Tama-Hin. We might be Jedi Knights, but one day she will bear the name of Grand-master together with Luke. I foresee that she and Luke will lead the New Jedi Order one day."

"Do you really believe that she has used her power to influence those Quelans in Ribana with Force Battle Meditation?" Ian asked.

"After what you told about what you and Yarmod experienced on Endor long ago, I'm sure." Wedge said.

At that moment they heard a terrible scream, followed by Chati's yelling.

"Get off, don't you recognize him, that's Lorann" She yelled.

Wedge and Ian rushed forward drawing their lightsaber to protect their two apprentices. With a high jump they put themselves between Lorann and Chati and a violent attacking Uram who had already severely injured Lorann's right leg and arm. Chati was waving her hand trying to push the bird away.

"Get behind me, Chati. Take your lightsaber and join Tama-Hin and me," Wedge said. "Use the defensive stance I taught."

"Lorann is wounded, master. Look he is bleeding, and the Uram keeps attacking him. It's the bird he has been feeding before. I don't understand. I've never seen one so violent."

Meanwhile Lorann tried to scramble to his feet, but when he saw the bleeding he screamed.

"Tama-Hin, take Lorann to safety. Chati and I will cover you and the boy." Wedge said, still holding his lightsaber in a defensive position. Next to him Chati had ignited her training lightsaber too and looked at her master how to hold the weapon in front of her.

Ian went over to Lorann who looked scared and lifted the boy in his arms.

"The Uram attacked me, master Kenobi when I held out the nuts I picked up. It's the one who know me well. It never has done that." The boy moaned. "It hurts, master Kenobi, it hurts much."

"I'll have a look at your leg and arm, Lorann, as soon as I have brought you behind those fallen tree stems. There you will be safe. Master Antilles and Chati will defend you." Ian said.

He made a high jump over the stack of falling tree stems with the boy in his arms. There he put him on the forest floor and carefully took off the jacket Lorann was wearing. The sleeve had been thorn open as the talons of the Uram had ripped through the fabric and the flesh on Lorann's arms and legs. Two huge deep scratches were seen on Lorann's right arm and leg.

Meanwhile Wedge and Chati still stood with ignited lightsaber in front of the Uram.

"Master, it's one of the younger Urams," Chati said.

"I'll have to teach it a lesson, Chati." Wedge said and use Force Push to slam the bird against a tree.

"Don't hurt it, master, I sense that it doesn't understand what's going on. If we punish it the Urams won't be friendly to us anymore."

"Also young birds need to learn what they can do and what not, padawan." Wedge answered. "Let's get near that stack of fallen tree stems. Tama-Hin has brought Lorann there to safety."

Wedge jumped behind the stack, while Chati carefully climbed it before jumping down. She knelt next to Ian who also had exposed the injury at Lorann's leg. Chati looked at Ian with a hopeful look.

"You can help him, Ian, just like you helped Doran Whain." She whispered.

"I will do that as soon as we have brought him home, Chati," Ian answered.

Chati took up the jacket Lorann had been wearing and looked Lorann who was sitting against some the fallen trees.

"Never seen you were wearing this jacket, Lorann," She said.

"Filann and Cemall gave it to me just before they went with the other harvesters to Myr. It is similar to their jackets they got from my father when they became seventeen and were old enough to become a harvest man. That one is a old harvest man's jacket which they bought me on the market. " Lorann moaned.

"This is a jacket of a harvest man who once wore it while harvesting nuts, before the Quelans came to Tyr to live here in exile.? Lorann, all that time the nut woods were forbidden to enter, because the Urams attacked any Quelan who entered the forest."

"Except for us, Chati," Lorann looking painful, biting his lips against the pain he felt.

Chati became furious and looked at Ian and Wedge.

"His brothers gave him the jacket of an former harvest man. That's a rotten trick, master. The Urams have a good memory. They also attacked master Manall because he wore master Cornell's jacket by accident."

They heard a soft but distinct rustling of wings. Ian and Wedge wanted to grab their lightsabers as an adult Uram had landed behind the stack of fallen trees at the edge of the forest, looking at them with his fierce eyes. Step by step the bird neared them, especially looking at Lorann. Quickly Chati pushed the jacket under one the tree stems, but she kept looking at the adult Uram, as she suddenly became aware of her connection with the Force.

'One of you attacked him. Why?' She asked.

Completely bewildered she heard a dark voice in her mind.

'He is our enemy, he stealing our food.' the Uram seemed to say.

'That's not him. You're mistaken. He has been feeding your kind with fallen nut, like I did.' She continued.

The adult Uram looked at Lorann.

'He had clothes on of the enemy. We always attack those.'

Now more angry Chati grabbed the jacket.

'You mean he was attacked, because you saw this?' She asked unfriendly.

The adult Uram made a step backward and looked again at Lorann.

'His brothers tricked him. You have attacked by mistake. We're part of the Living Force, like you are. We come here often to give you the fallen nuts. He isn't your enemy. I am not your enemy, but now he's scared of you, for he is wounded. He will never come back to feed you, for he won't trust you any more.' Chati said looking furious at the adult Uram.

'May we help?' The bird said sounding humbly.

'How?' Chati asked, still keeping eye contact with the bird

'Can you tell him he shouldn't be scared if we touch him.'

'What will you do?'

'We can cure the wounds our great-great-great-grandson has inflicted. We both has to help too and become friends again with him.' The Uram said and let out a shrill cry.

Immediately the young Uram who had recovered from Force Push appeared and the two birds began to parley on different tones. The adult Uram turned to Chati who still stood in front of Lorann with her hand on her training lightsaber.

'We will heal the wounds. We need to come closer with our great-great-great-grandson.'

Chati looked at Lorann.

"Lorann, will you allow the Urams to heal your wound, or do you want Ian to help you? He also can heal your wounds with the Force." Chati said.

"How will the Urams heal my wound? I saw you looking at them. Did he talk to you?" Lorann said.

"I understood him, but will you trust him. I think he means it. It all happens because of the jacket you were wearing."

"I want to be a friend of the Urams, like grandpa, Chati. So he may come closer. I won't be afraid of him." Lorann said courageous, and he beckoned the two Urams to come near.

All the time Ian and Wedge had been looking at what happened without intervening, as they also seem to understand that the adult Uram was apologizing for what the younger one had done.

The younger Uram has neared Lorann, so he could look into the eyes.

"Chati," Lorann whispered, "Look, it's crying I feel it's very upset what it has done."

Lorann looked at Ian.

"Master Kenobi, shall I stroke it's feather to reassure it. It looks so sad."

"Do what the Force tells you, Lorann. There is no harm any more. Wedge and I will be watching."

Lorann stretched out his other arm and reached out to the young Uram which pressed himself in a humbly position to the forest floor. Lorann put his hand on the bird's head and began to stroke it's neck and head.

"It's not your fault. It's my brothers'. They wanted me to be scared of you, so I never dared to come back to feed you." He said.

The young bird now lay flat on the forest floor with spread wings with its head hidden among fallen leaves.

Wedge looked at Ian.

"It's prostrating itself to show his shame," Wedge said.

"Never seen this before," Ian answered.

Meanwhile the adult Uram had neared Lorann at his right side. It began to streak with its beak among the feathers of its broad wings until the beak was filled with a greasy substance. Carefully it spread the substance on the wounds of Lorann's arms and legs. It repeated its actions several times, carefully spreading the greasy substance over the wounds. Finally it looked up at Chati with its fierce eyes.

'Give the boy some of those leaves which grow over there and let him clear away what we spread over his wounds.'

Chati went over to the plant the Uram had indicated and recognize the plant she had used to help Doran Whain. She gathered some ten leaves and held them high. The Uram lowered it head in a nod. Chati went over to Lorann.

"You should use these leaves to wipe off the substance of your leg and arm." She said and hand him the leaves.

Carefully Lorann began to stroke the leaves over his arm first. The substance fell off and amazed Lorann looked at his arm.

"It's gone. There is no wound. Now I will wipe off my leg."

He did and also the skin of his leg looked completely normal. Chati was looking at the Uram and Lorann's arm and leg.

'We don't understand, but we're grateful for what you have done.' She said.

'We're healers. We heal our wounded young, but also the wounds of trees, when enemies are chopping of branches. The trees have pain after the chopping. We use the substance from our feathers to heal.' The adult bird explained to her.

'We will remember what you said. We're friends again.' Chati said.

'Watch out for wrong clothes. We remember who once harmed us.' The bird answered. It spread its wings and flew away. The young Uram looked up at Lorann who friendly stroke its head and neck.

"Follow your grandfather, little one," He said. "I will come back. I'm not scared of you."

The young bird ruffled the feathers of its wings and followed the adult bird among the canopy. Lorann jumped to his feet. He looked at the tear in his pants and his shirt.

"Grandpa won't be pleased, but I will tell him that I have fallen to explain those tears. Maybe one day I will tell him what really happened to me."

He looked at his arm and leg and grinned.

"No one will know, only we four." He said "and the Urams of course."

Wedge looked at Chati

"You are developing a extraordinary connection with the Living Force, young padawan. I've heard you talking to Urams. This is a very exceptional Force use. Keep what you did in mind, for not many are able to communicate through the Force with species that use a different way to communicate with us. We'd better go back to Cantamaga now. Lorann is right, no talking about what has happened what so ever."

Luke had landed with the Astræga in the hidden valley. After he had secured the vessel he and Liane went over to the cargo hold to select several food can, dried fruits and vegetables and bottles of water to fill the pantry. Amazed Luke watch how organized the cargo holds were filled.

"When did you brought our purchases inside, my love?" He asked as he looked around, approvingly.

"When you were talking with Ktafunda's officials to get our clearing," Liane answered.

"You haven't forgotten your many travels with the Granns I see. You have organized the hold so we can easily take what we need."

"I wasn't really thinking about those travels, Luke." She said looking away in thoughts, "But yes, I probably did it, because Brion and I were responsible for the cargo hold in the Grannd Traveler, so the others could easily take out the wares they wanted to sell. It's so long ago. At least five years I guess.

Luke laughed

"You've developed a good habit while you traveled with them, naughty pixie," He said "We can leave most of our stock here and only take with us to fill the pantry what we will use daily. So, I suggest to take two or three cans, some dried fruits and a can with concentrated fruit and three bottles of water. That's more than enough for tonight and tomorrow. Hey, what's this?"

Luke pointed to three cardboard boxes.

"Did we also bought these?"

Liane opened one of them and laughed as she held up a small sheet of foil paper.

"It's a present from Jarosho," She said. "He must have slipped it among our purchases while we're loading them in our speeder.

She read the note and began to blush. Luke saw and grabbed the note.

"He is flattering you, Shaayla-Car. You made a deep impression on him. Listen." To the beautiful daughter of Jedi general Obi-Wan Kenobi
Your radiant appearance today in Ktafunda has been an inspiration to me
Consider this gift of dried sugared fruits as a tribute to your beauty.
Remember me, but above all, forever remember who gave you hia alliance ring
Jarosho

Liane's face became red hot.

"We should go back to Ktafunda one day, Luke. To thank Jarosho, but also to apologize for the way we left."

"We will get that opportunity when the second group goes back to Tyr, lovely pixie. Probably they will stay another four or five days on Tyr, before the third group will come to Ribana."

Liane began to chuckle

"If we hear all will stay again on Tyr for some days, Luke, it would be a brilliant opportunity to visit Ktafunda again. We not only should seek out Jarosho, Gilan, Nimon and Hidon, but I also want to stay with you in the middle of that forest near Toallin's cabin."

Luke pulled her close and kissed her.

"Nice of you that want to stay with me there, darling." He grinned.

"Of course I want to stay there with you, what else?" Liane asked not aware of Luke's teasing tone.

"Well you could ask me to drop you off there, after which I would go back to Ktafunda space port and seek lodging with Hidon and Nimon."

Now Liane became aware of how Luke teasingly interpreted her words.

"Fool!" She retorted, "of course I want to stay there with you and enjoy some peaceful nights together."

"Wrong choice of words, my love. Those nights we spend there weren't peaceful. I might be an ignorant, innocent farm boy, but I really enjoyed how you shared your love with me."

"Another good habit, I premuse" Liane answered determinedly and took up a tray with what she want to put in the pantry.

Luke got a fit of laughter as he watch her go. He followed her to the control room, still grinning about her answer. As she stood before the pantry he grabbed her around her waist. Liane tried to shrug him off.

"Leave me," She said, "I have to put our stock away."

"Do you have to, my lovely pixie. I sense that your thoughts tell me something different." Luke teased. "Shall we spend some time in panoramic meditation room, where you can willingly surrender to my special Jedi treatment?"

"Absolutely not, I definitely don't want to put my personal desires, before any help we can give to the Quelans." She said, "So forget your personal interest in me for the moment."

"Bad luck, poor farm boy," Luke murmured to himself, kissing Liane's cheek.

Liane gave him a push.

"You'd better to get the speeder ready, farm boy, for you said we would go to Ribana after we had landed, right" She said, looking at him with a radiant face, "I'll get my cloak."

She left the control room in a fit of laughter.

Luke heard her laugh and went to the cargo hold to bring the speeder out. Liane came rushing down the ramp and jump on the seat next to him. Luke saw her still radiant look, and her good mood made him happy too.

'When I see her laughing and teasing me, she make me feel part of her,' He thought as looked at her. 'Let's hope all the other will accept what I'm going to tell them.'

Liane looked aside.

"The truth, Luke, that's what we have to tell them. Many of our friends know about our wedding plans by now. They know that the distraction hasn't worked." She said, shrugging her shoulders.

"What about our Quelan friends?"

"We don't have to explicit tell them too, Luke, but they also know. That 'special statement' Leia talked about will prevent further gossip, but at least we can tell Mugin, and I want to be honest to Udine and Carmona."

"They all are certainly curious to know, when we want to get married."

"The answer is simple, Luke: we won't be wed before Ribana has been restored, so all Quelans will feel it as coming home again. All Quelans who lived for years in Cantamaga should have come back to Ribana."

Luke was leaving the hidden valley through the narrow winding path through the dense forest that marked the entrance. He crossed the southern hills and followed now the eastern edge of the new river to the pass where he could turn right to reach Ribana from the south.

As they reached the outskirts of the town some Quelans who were busy with repairs or cleaning, greeted and waved at them as they were passing by. Through the main street they reach the plaza.

Liane looked in wonder at the colorful pavement that had resurfaced after all the overgrown weeds had been cleared away. She looked at the wall to the right side of the administration building.

"Someone has done repairs on the wall. I wonder if the shed behind it has also been renewed. A lot has been done here."

Luke stopped the speeder, walked around it and courteously offered Liane his hand to get out. Together they walked over to the entrance of the administration building, where Mugin was already running down the stairs.

"Luke, so good to have you in our midst again." He said. "It's been a very tough arrival for the second group, but luckily some found a motivation to begin cleaning up and doing repairs and now all are working to get their houses restored. Oh, there is Woldrin, too. He is assisting me, for we have heard so great news. Oh, with all what I want to tell I forget to greet your apprentice..."

"No, Mugin, Shaayla-Car is no longer my padawan. She is a Jedi Knight like all the others."

"Splendid, some more pleasing news, but you better come in and listen to Woldrin. You know him, don't you?"

"We've met on Tyr, several times, Mugin. You're in a best mood." Luke said laughing.

They followed Mugin and Woldrin to their office and Woldrin explained what Yarnick and his brothers wanted to do for the Quelan community. Luke and Liane listened and understood what impact the support from the New Republic would have. They wished the two Quelan leaders good progress, saying they wanted to seek out the others.

"Their two space ship have landed as before just outside Ribana, Luke. Your friends will absolutely be glad that Shaayla-Car isn't your apprentice any longer, but a Jedi Knight. I also think that my wife and her sister will be very happy too. Are you going to help in the vineyard again, Shaayla-Car." Mugin asked.

"I certainly will, governor, for I loved pruning the grapevines and make the vineyard look better." Liane kindly answered. "But if my skills as a Jedi will be needed elsewhere in Ribana I will gladly help others."

"Where will you be staying?"

"I have landed our ship outside Ribana, Mugin. During the day Shaayla-Car and I will be helping the Quelans as best as we can. After sunset we go back to our ship for the night."

For a moment Mugin and Woldrin looked at the two Jedi Knights in front of them. Then Mugin started to laugh.

"I understand, Luke. We shall not talk about what we know, for we must not speak about it public, but you made a wise decision. No, go and see your friends."