Chapter 134

"I wanted you to join Filann and me here to make a very important announcement." Manall said.

His three deputy-leaders looked at him.

"My grandson Filann has gone to Tyr to be the envoy of the Quelans and the harvest men. He has met with Oltomyran, the leader of the Urams and they have concluded and agreement that there will be no hostilities again between the Quelans and the Urams when the Quelans will enter the nut forest to gather the fallen nuts." Manall said and watched his companions.

"Filann has no authority to speak on behalf of the harvest men, father," Cornell answered grumpy. "He doesn't know the nut wood as I do. Moreover, by entering the nut woods, Filann has violated the announcement of the Council of the Elders that no Quelan, or harvest men is allowed to enter the nut woods, after we went to Tyr in exile. It's already annoying that two Jedi Knights take my youngest son and the governors's daughter daily to the nut woods to feed the Urams, despite master Kamalin seems to have made an exception, because those two friends of Ben are accompanying and protecting them.

And now you want me to believe that my eldest son who never has been in the nut woods and has never seen a Uram, has spoken to a leader of those birds and have agreed with those murderous beasts that the harvest men can safely go into the nut woods to gather fallen nuts, as if he can communicate with them on equal level. "

"Did you gave him that mandate, Manall?" Roshann asked. "Filann has never met the Urams before, Cornell has never taken him into the nut woods, as far as I remember."

Wollin and Roshann looked at Manall.

"Manall," Wollin began, "Roshann, is right. You have made us your deputy-leaders. You have assigned to each of us a special task and now you want us to believe that you accept that Filann has concluded an agreement with the leader of the Urams on behalf of the harvest men."

"What Filann has done, has my full approval, for unlike the three of you and myself, he has never been in the nut woods, and has never met a Uram. He was, what I should say, an unspoiled, innocent Quelan. That made him perfect to plead our case, which the three of you couldn't have done, for Oltomyram would have recognized you as the Urams' enemy.

Filann has made the agreement on behalf of all the Quelans, Wollin. I want to make clear to all of you that we all are Quelans and that there is no distinction any more between the harvest men and the Quelans who are living in Ribana. I want that the harvest men's families are going to live among the Quelans in Ribana after the town has been restored and all the Quelans and harvest families have returned to Myr" Manall said.

"That's impossible, father. The rules of the harvest men differ from the rules that apply to the Quelan who are living in Ribana. That's how it always have been." Cornell objected.

"And who have made those rules, son?" Manall asked.

"The harvest men, father, in the Harvest Council" Cornell answered.

"And what species are the harvest men, son?"

For a moment Cornell looked at his father.

"The harvest men are Quelans, father."

"Excellent, Cornell. And who are making the rules which all the Quelans have to apply to?"

"Our governors and the Council of the Elders." Roshann said.

"So, the harvest men are Quelans, so they also have to apply to the rules our governors and Council of the Elders have announced, right?" Manall said.

"Yes, Manall, the rules announced by the governors and, more specific, by the Council of the Elders apply to all the Quelans, whether harvest men, or Quelans who are living in Ribana." Wollin said.

"Then why do the harvest men have been making their own rules, if they, being Quelans, have to apply to the rules of the Council of the Elders?" Manall asked.

"That's a tradition, father," Cornell said in a loud voice.

"Keep your voice down, son. We're having a discussion among adult Quelans, there no reason to raise your voice." Manall commented, looking sternly at Cornell, "Cornell, you said that the rules the harvest men have made are a tradition."

"Yes, father. All the harvest men apply to those traditional rules." Cornell answered more calmly, but Manall sensed the tension in his son.

"But that would mean that the harvest men don't apply to the rules of the Council of the Elders?" Manall said.

"Of course, the harvest men do, Manall, " Roshann said, "The Council of the Elders have the overall authority."

"Overall authority over all the Quelans?" Manall asked.

Cornell, Wollin and Roshann nodded.

"You agree with my conclusion, that the Council of the Elders, including the views of our governors, have authority over all the Quelans?"

"Yes," it sounded from three mouths.

"So the harvest men have trust in what the Council of the Elders and our governors decide?"

"Absolutely, Manall," it sounded in unison again.

"Sounds reassuring, for it means that the harvest men will never violate what the Council of the Elders and the governors decide, right."

Again three heads nodded.

"One last question, before I return to what Filann has done. Could it be that the Council of Elders and the governors decide that the traditional rules the harvest men have imposed on themselves need to be revised?" Manall asked

"That's possible, Manall, for I think that the Council of the Elders will respect the rules of the harvest men."

"But we have concluded that the harvest men have to apply themselves to the rules of the Councils of the Elders, for those rules apply to all Quelans. That could mean that the Council of the Elders could overrule the traditional rules of the harvest men, because those rules doesn't apply to all Quelans?"

A deep silence descended upon the five present. Manall smiled.

"I want you to think about what we have just discussed. Enough of it, for I began with the announcement Filann has made an agreement with Oltomyran, the leader of the Urams. I'm going to put the agreement my grandson has made before the Council of the Elders, for it's up to them to decide if the agreement my grandson made will apply for all of us, for all the Quelans."

"You're not going to let the Harvest Council decide about the agreement. Do you mean that the agreement should be for the Quelans who are living in Ribana and for the harvest men?" Wollin asked.

"Master Wollin, we have just concluded that the harvest men are Quelans, so if the Council of the Elders decide that the agreement between my grandson Filann and Oltomyran the Urams leaders is in the interest of the Quelans, that agreement applies for all of us."

"Do I have to conclude, Manall, that you don't want to make a difference between the harvest men and the Quelans, and that we shouldn't call ourselves harvest man any more." Roshann asked.

"Exactly, Roshann. There shouldn't be a distinction between the harvest men and the Quelans, for the harvest men are Quelans who put their specialized knowledge and task execution at the service of the entire Quelan community, just as Cornell has done when he became our leader. He saw it as his duty to improve the standard of living of our community and as a leader he has strictly kept to that duty, for he has always handed over the proceeds of the surplus nut harvest to the Council of the Elders, never to the Harvest Council."

Somewhat astounded Cornell looked at his father who friendly nodded at him.

"You deserve my respect for your good intentions, son, for under your leadership our way of living has improved. I want to follow up on that, not by chopping our nut trees, for our Jedi friends have shown us, what disaster could happen, if we continue that way.

We need to acknowledge that the nuts are a food supply for the Quelans and for the Urams. The Urams can't eat the fallen nuts, the Quelans can only gather the unripe nuts which the Urams can eat, by chopping down that nut trees, so there is a much easier way to give each of the two species exactly their own share of what the nut trees provide: the Quelans have enough when they gather the fallen nuts, they don't need the nuts the Urams need as their food supply. In fact there always have been a strict division between the interest of the two species and that's what my grandson Filann has agreed upon with Oltomyran the Urams leader.

Filann has been the ambassador of the Quelans and Oltomyran has accepted him as our envoy. I know that the three of you want to know how my grandson could communicate with Oltomyran. The answer is straight forward: he couldn't. He had to rely on the skills of two of our most respected Jedi Knights: Luke Skywalker and Shaayla-Car Kenobi.

Thanks to Shaayla-Car's exceptional use of her Jedi skills that contact could be established between the Quelans and the Urams. Shaayla-Car has defended my grandson's plea to Oltomyran to end the hostilities between the Quelans and the Urams and Oltomyran has accepted the request. When the Quelans will go into the nut woods again to gather the fallen nuts, they will be safe, for the Urams won't attack them anymore."

Cornell looked at his son inquisitively.

"Where did you meet Ben, Filann?" He asked.

"At the campsite, father. After you left I have fallen asleep, when I woke up Ben was sitting opposite me in the community tree house." Filann answered.

Cornell looked astounded, but Manall nodded and smiled.

"Son, Luke Skywalker must have sensed what happened between the three of us in our earlier chat. I told him what Filann has said and he promised me that he would he would change my grandson's mind, and, to my delight, that has happened."

Roshann and Wollin looked at Manall.

"What's on your mind, my friends," He asked.

Wollin looked at Roshann and nodded.

"Manall, if you want the harvest families to live in Ribana, why should we maintain a separate building as a harvest men's community center?" Roshann asked.

"Your ideas are still brilliant, Roshaan, and you're right. If the harvest families are going to live in Ribana together with the Quelans who always have been living there, we don't need a separated community building. So, roll up your sleeves and dismantle this building. In the future all the Quelans will meet in the community center at the main plaza in Ribana." Manall answered.

Cornell looked disapprovingly, but saw that the other two agreed with his father's view. Filann looked delighted.

"Grandfather, I want to do the dismantling of this building," He said.

"Granted, son. Roahann will help you. I will inform Han Solo to bring you here from now on. Maybe I even can convince him that his Wookiee friend Chewbacca might give the two of you a hand." Manall said. "Filann, I will now bring you to the Millennium Falcon. You should take a good rest, for you have had a very busy night and morning."

You're later than I expected, miss Kenobi, but I know why you couldn't come earlier? You and master Skywalker have gone to Tyr with my brother," Cemall whispered conspiratorial, while Liane took the pruning shear from the equipment container.

Liane started to laugh.

"You don't have to whisper, Cemall. You seem to know that Luke and I have gone to Tyr with your brother, for he had given Luke a very good reason to visit the nut forest. He has been the envoy of the Quelans and the harvest man when he met the leader of the Urams. Did he tell you?"

"I heard that Filann had come back from the campsite. I had a great talk with my grandfather and before master Solo brought me here Filann and my grandfather were walking up the ramp. We were allowed to talk to each other and he told me that you and master Skywalker have gone with him to Tyr to the nut woods. Has my brother really met with the leader of the Urams, the one you have talked too?"

"He has, Cemall. Your brother and Oltomyran, the leader of the Uram have concluded an agreement. We probably will hear about it when the second group and all of us are back on Tyr, for your grandfather wants to convene the Harvest Council again. Luke and I will confirm what Filann and Oltomyran have agreed upon."

"Miss Kenobi, why are you helping us. We've done something wrong. At least that's what the Harvest Council decided." Cemall said.

"That's right, Cemall, but Luke and I have sensed that there were other deeper causes that brought you and Filann to make a wrong decision. You have told me a lot about the harvest men's way of life. It's so different from what I know. I will certainly not judge the way marriages among the harvest men are arranged, although I understand that your brother's marriage makes him unhappy." Liane said, while she started pruning some grapevines.

"Unhappy, miss!" Cemall exclaimed, "That women Sumall isn't worth to be my brother's wife. She's a spoiled immature girl."

"You told me that she's neglecting her chores as a married woman, for she doesn't do her household chores, doesn't prepare a proper meal for Filann, doesn't want to eat after he has done the cooking, right?"

"And she is leaving the house to see her girl friends day in day out, miss," Cemall said sadly.

Liane looked with compassion at the Quelan harvest man who was slightly younger than she was.

"You and your brother are very close, aren't you, Cemall?" She asked.

"Sure, miss. We've shared many of our experiences while we grew up here on Myr. We belonged to a group of peers who've always done a lot together. Filann and I are brothers, but also close friends. We confide all our secrets and wishes to each other." Cemall said, and Liane sensed the young man's deep concern about his brother's marriage.

Cemall looked at her and shook his head.

"Miss, I can't talk about what I know. Not to you, for that not decent." He said. "Because your a Jedi Knight you probably know what I mean."

"What you know is upsetting you, Cemall, isn't it?" Liane said gently and took him to the next row of overgrowing vines.

"Yes, miss. Filann has told me things I can't tell you." He said reluctantly. "And I also have heard that woman Sumall screaming at my brother that ...

Cemall's face got a red olive blush.

"That she doesn't love him, miss," He stammered. "That she loves me, but I will never love her, for she is hurting my brother. Miss, I don't know how to change this."

Cemall sounded really unhappy now.

"Is there a chance, Cemall, that your father and Sumall's father agree if she would become your wife?" Liane asked.

Cemall nodded, but suddenly Liane so a furious obstinate look in his eyes.

"I will not agree with what those two father arrange. I will not become Sumall's husband. Never!" He exclaimed now furious. "I will refuse to sleep with her, like she is refusing to sleep with Filann and bear him children. I don't want to become the father of her children."

Liane grabbed the arm of the now clearly upset young Quelan harvest boy.

"You finally have spoken out what's bothering you, Cemall."

"I apologize, miss. What I just I shouldn't have said to you," He murmured.

"Why are you thinking, Cemall, that I don't know what is expected of both partners in a marriage, because I'm not yet married myself." She asked and continue with a careful smile, "I'm not that innocent, Cemall."

Cemall looked at her.

"Miss Kenobi, you're so honest to us Quelans. I can hardly believe what we'retalking about, but you just admit to understand. Filann and I have talked about this among ourselves, for it's so worrisome."

"It certainly is, Cemall, for Filann and for you. Filann has expressed and blurted out his frustration to Luke and we both share the predicament of you and your brother, but it must be the two of you to find a solution. That won't be easy, for the way marriages are arranged between harvest families are a tradition."

"I hate it, miss. I have talked about it with my grandfather and told him that I won't marry a sixteen year old harvest girl who isn't mature enough to love me. I want to find a girl friend myself among the Quelan young girls of my own age. I thought I had found a wonderful girl, but Chati Fonaldris is right, miss. She won't be a good wife to me, not because she doesn't love me, but because she is too independent. For years I hoped to convince her that my love for her was sincere, but she made me understand that she would make me unhappy and that's what I don't want, for I see how unhappy my brother is in his marriage."

"You've done very well, Cemall to tell you're grandfather what's on your mind. That's a good thing for a start. I'm sure he fully understands you, and also Filann."

"I didn't tell him what I know about Filann's marriage, miss, for my grandfather said that he wants to discuss that with my brother, but he had promised me that I will not be forced into a marriage I don't want." Cemall said and sounded relieved.

"Your grandfather is a very wise man, Cemall, who sees the necessity of changes in the Quelan community. You have found yourself an excellent supporter of your point of view and I'm sure that he will come up with a solution for Filann as well, for he loves you both dearly." Liane said.

"He has charged me with a group of young harvest men, who I may chose among my friends. I have to show that I will be a responsible leader and he also wants my brother to form his own group." Cemall said, and he no longer looked depressed.

"That's a good prospect for both of you, Cemall. By showing yourself a responsible leader everyone will forget what went wrong in the past."

"My grandfather said that I had to form a good team. The members of my group have to count on and help each other. I have to stay at the campsite near the water project with them for two standard weeks, while we're doing necessary maintenance to keep the water flowing. That sounds a bit scary, but my grandfather has promised me that he will help me. He said, that I could use this mandatory community work in the vineyard to form my team and teach that I expect they have to work together to get the work done."

"When will they come, Cemall?" Liane asked.

"Don't worry, miss. I have to do what the Harvest Council has ordered, but after I will come back with the third group of Quelans who have to help with Ribana's restoration I want to bring my team here and teach them how to prune the grapevines. Together with my men I will help the governors to get the vineyard produce the grapes again which are necessary to make the wine. My grandfather wants me to form my group while we're on Tyr again."

"See, Cemall, how wise your grandfather is in his decisions. I will talk to the governors to get more pruning shears and other necessary equipment."

"I hope, miss, that you will also keep pruning the grapevines while my group work here." Cemall said hesitantly.

"I will, Cemall, every now and then, but no longer every day, for it's you who has to delegate the work among your group. If I would be here regularly you might become dependent on my opinion and that's not what your grandfather wanted. You have to show that you're the leader, not me. So went I come here to help you, I will be part of your group and listen to what you're telling me to do."

Bewildered Cemall looked at Liane.

"You mean, miss, that you want me to give you orders?" He asked.

"Yes, and you also have to reprimand me, if I do anything you don't want me to do," She said laughing.

"You won't do that, won't you, miss, or would you deliberately do thing wrong so I have to reprimand you." Cemall said.

Liane laughed even louder.

"Maybe I would, Cemall. Luke doesn't call me 'his naughty pixie' for nothing."

"Master Skywalker is really calling you that?" Cemall asked. "I'm sure he doesn't mean it, does he, miss?"

"I'm his 'naughty pixie', Cemall, because I don't want to become too dependent on him and his enormous Jedi knowledge. I want to keep my independency as a Jedi Knight and defend my points of view."

"So the two of you often quarrel," Cemall said. "That's not what I thought you would do, neither you, nor master Skywalker."

"I don't quarrel with Luke, Cemall. I once did that a few times and I still know I was wrong. I love Luke, and he loves me. Moreover, because we're both Jedi Knight we know what we're thinking. That makes it very easy to exchange difference in points of view."

Cemall nodded approvingly.

"That is what I hope for, when I will find a Quelan woman who loves me. A Quelan woman of my own age, more of an equal with her own ideas. A Quelan woman who deserves my love and respect, not a screaming, yelling girl of sixteen." Cemall said with a hopeful look in his eyes.

Nori and Yarmod were walking through Ribana looking at the Quelans who were making different progress on the restoration of their houses. Every now and then they gave a helping hand if one of the Quelan males was struggling with the restoration. Still, it surprised them that a considerable number of houses were still in a desolate state.

After they had helped another one of the Quelans, Yarmod pointed to the nearby house.

"That neighboring house belongs to one of your fellows who will arrive with the last group?" He ask.

"No, master Jedi, that house will never be inhabited again. The man in white armor killed my neighbor and his wife, after they had taken their two young adult sons to work for the intruder. They had to do slave labor and our governors have told me that those two boys also died inside those cave. They were fine people, good Quelans, who always did a lot to help others. It is difficult to believe that they will return here. On the other hand they also won't have to see what has happened to their house. Master Jedi, if you walk around the town you will see many of these abandoned house where no one will ever live again. What happened to my neighbor and his family has also happened to others, and while we were struggling to reach the western harbors many more, most elderly Quelans have died. The governors have been lucky. They could flee, together with other. Where the last one have gone, we don't know, nor will we know if they will return to Ribana. They probably have found a better way of life elsewhere and don't feel the need to return to a town in ruins. It's my believe that we have lost quite a number of our former neighbors, friends and acquaintances." The Quelan male told Nori and Yarmod.

"What will happen to the houses which probably will remain vacant and deteriorated." Nori asked.

"That's for the governors to decide, master, but as long as nobody will start the restoration those house will remain they are now."

"Thank you, sir. Is there anything we can do for you?" Yarmod asked.

"Not at the moment. I grateful the help you have give to help with those broken window frames. It looks much better now. Master Wollin has promised me that his men will fix new panes in the frames. I'm really happy with all the help my fellow Quelans get, because not many Quelans are really handy when it comes to these kinds of jobs. In the past we always relied on the harvest men to help with more difficult jobs. They are good men who always are helpful. In exchange we provided them with the surplus of our garden harvest, because they are less accustomed to growing vegetables, fruits, and other things that grow on farmland. The way their families live differ slight with ours. I mean the Quelans of Ribana. You mustn't thinking, masters, that the harvest women are lazy, but they have large families as they have many kids. The harvest women has their hands full with all kinds of household chores, while the Quelans of Ribana like to spend more leisure time. Our families have less kids. We often arrange nice evenings with our neighbors or other joint meetings. It is understandable that more children are born in the harvest families, because it is important that there are enough harvest men to harvest the nuts in the nut forests. That is hard work, I have heard. Many hands are needed there to gather the nuts."

Yarmod and Nori left the Quelan male who continued with the restoration of his house. While they looked around they indeed saw here and there the remains of dilapidated houses between the already partially renovated houses. Nori used his infocom to take pictures of what he saw.

"We have to make someone aware that these still ruined houses will remember the devastation that took place here." He said to his companion.

"You're right, Nori, but what's a good solution to solve this. We promised the Quelans that Ribana would be a nice town again, but with those still deteriorated house between what the surviving Quelans have restored, the town still feels incomplete. It's really visible everywhere you look. Over there, and there and on the other side of the street are three houses in a dilapidated state." Yarmod said.

"Still the third group has to do their chores, Yarmod, but I agree that there are too much houses still in ruins. If those ruins remain the way they are Ribana will still carry the the traces of Trevor's occupation."

They had reached the main plaza where some harvest men were busy with restoration on the administration building.

"Maybe we should mention it to governor Mugin, Nori. He can discuss this with master Woldrin the vice-chair of the Council of Elders. It might be that governor hasn't yet observed that in Ribana there are still ruined houses. Maybe the governor can order the harvest men to tear those ruins down and allocate the ground to the neighboring houses, or use it as a kind of common ground to grow vegetables, plant fruit trees, or make a playground for young Quelan kids. Let's see him and mention what we saw."

They entered the building and walked up the stairs to the first floor, where Mugin and Woldrin had their offices. The two official leaders of the Quelan community looked up and greeted them, but Yarmod and Nori saw that Manall was also present.

"Apologies, governor, we're coming at an inconvenient time, we see," Yarmod said.

He pulled Nori's arm and wanted to leave, but Mugin made an inviting gesture.

"Stay, Yarmod, you too, master Thai. You've haven't come just to see if we're doing our job," Mugin grinned, "What can we do for you."

"We can come back at another time, governor. We only wanted to inform you about something Nori and I have noticed while we were helping some Quelans with repairs. It's not that urgent. Probably you also have noticed it." Yarmod said politely.

Manall looked at the young Jedi Knight and the imperial officer.

"What has caught your attention? I sense that it might be something important," He asked.

Nori looked surprised, but Yarmod immediately began to talk to Mugin, Woldrin and Manall .

"You're right, master Manall. Governor, Nori Thai and I have been walking around in Ribana daily to give a hand to the Quelans who are busy with the restoration of their houses."

"They certainly are appreciating what you're doing for them, Yarmod." Mugin said and Woldrin nodded .

"Oh, yes, they are all show their gratitude, but we noticed something that feels not good. There are dilapidated houses of which the former inhabitants will not return to Ribana, because they have died when Trevor Matrik occupied Ribana, or while they were fleeing through the wild lands, and haven't managed to reach the harbors due to exhaustion." Yarmod said.

"We talked with a Quelan who told us that his neighbors, a family of four, will never return. Trevor's storm troopers have murdered the father and mother when they wanted to prevent that their two son were brought inside the cave system to do slave labor. Those two boys also died while forced to do that work. The house still stands, but nobody will start the restoration of it. And there are more of those abandoned houses of which the inhabitants will never return." Yarmod said.

"It's good you are mentioning this to us, Yarmod. Governor, I indeed have seen some of those houses, where no one has begun to do some clean up or repairs, yet." Manall said, "Of course, some of those houses still can belong to the Quelans of the third group, but the number of still damage house is considerable."

Mugin and Woldrin looked at the old harvest man.

"Weren't we just talking about your future plan, master Manall to house the harvest men's families in Ribana instead of living separately again. " Woldrin said, "It's might a good opportunity to mingle the harvest men's families among the other Quelans of our community."

Manall smiled and nodded.

"You're right, master Woldrin. It's quite a coincidence that our friends Yarmod and master Thai are bringing this up." Manall said and winked at Yarmod.

"Governor, I have taken some pictures from what struck me." Nori said and activated his infocom.

He showed Mugin and Woldrin several different pictures of still ruined houses, before he handed his device to Manall. Manall looked at Mugin and Woldrin, before he rose.

"Thank you, governor and master Woldrin for your time to exchange the plans I have in mind. I'm sure that our community will benefit from what I told you."

"You always can consult us, master Manall," Woldrin said, "You know you have our ear, but a new matter has been brought up by our friends here. You'd better talk to them and see if their observation can be included in one of your plans."

Woldrin turned to Yarmod and Nori.

"Your unexpected entry might open a new prospect. You should join master Manall now, guys, and listen to what he has in mind. We're sure that he will appreciate your help."

"Thank you, master Woldrin. Very well. Yarmod Martan, master Thai, come with me. We have to talk in private about what you have seen and what has attract your attention,." the harvest men's leader said.

Luke entered the Millennium Falcon and saw his brother-in-law busy making repairs at the ship.

"Big problems, Han?" He asked.

"No, kid. I just have replaced some parts that needed repairs. I had to do it myself, because Chewie has been asked to take down the harvest community building near the foothills. With the renewed leadership of Cornell's father I think there will be many changes at hand. He wants the harvest men to join the other Quelans in the community building on the other side of the main plaza opposite the administration building. He told me that he wants the harvest men to live among the other Quelans in the town and no longer forme a separate group with houses at a considerable distance of Ribana.

"Do you want me to join you to get to the vineyard and pick up that rebel Cemall," Han asked.

"Yes, for Shaayla-Car and I will have our evening meal with Udine and Carmona. Mugin and master Woldrin will also join us." Luke said.

"There was a scuffle this morning. Filann, Cemall's brother, suddenly appeared in the harvest men's tent, and Cornell started lashing out at his son again. Fortunately, Master Manall intervened. He took Filann to his sleeping tent, but Cornell remained in a bad mood for a long time. It seems that Filann has managed to go to Tyr and went into the nut forest which somehow seems to be forbidden. Those two brothers are troublemakers, although Cemall's behavior is more cooperating after Manall had taken him have a meal with the other three leaders. Later Manall has had a long talk with his grandson here in the Falcon, before Leia brought the young adult to his cargo hold, but I'm coming with you, kid. How is your lovely bride doing?"

"She will always remains 'a naughty pixie', as she once called herself." Luke said grinning.

She, a naughty pixie, another obstinate stubborn female you mean," Han said grinning too. "Well, kid, you will get used to it, as I do. I'm still figuring out what Leia and Liane have in common."

"I can name one of those characteristics, Han. They are both Jedi Knights."

Meanwhile Han had grabbed his jacket and together with Luke he left the Falcon. As he closed the ramp he looked at Luke.

"Can you activate the cloaking, Luke?" He asked.

"Sure, but where is Leia and isn't Filann in the cargo hold?"

"Leia is in the administration building using Nori's new comsystem to have a long chat with her friend the Supreme Chancellor. After his talk with his grandfather, Filann has gone with Chewie to help him with demolition of the harvest men's community building. He seemed very content with the idea to take it down. How he managed to get to Tyr is incomprehensible, but master Manall seems very interested in what has happened to his grandson." Han said as he took his speeder from the cargo hold. He joined Luke and together they drove to the path which lead over the eastern hills to the vineyard building. As they had reach their destination Liane and Cemall were waiting for them, while they were talking to Udine and Carmona. Immediately Cemall walked over to Han's speeder. Han made a nod with his head and Cemall jomped at the passenger's seat.

"See you tomorrow, miss Kenobi," He said aloud while Han turned the speeder and drove off.

Luke saw that Cemall looked back and waved at Liane who returned the greeting. Udine and Carmona shook their heads, and looked at Luke.

"She is too kind for him, Luke," Udine said. "He has to do community work for what he has done, but Shaayla-Car is talking with him most of the time. She is too friendly and too forgiven to that brat, who nearly has killed his youngest brother. And his grandfather is no different. He has invited him to have a meal with him and the other leaders: his father Cornell, master Wollin and master Roshann. What has to become of the boy I don't know."

Liane has heard Udine's tirade. She walked over to Luke and kissed him. Luke didn't let it unanswered as he took her in his arms.

Carmona smiled.

"It feels so great, Shaayla-Car, to see how much you love each other. You are a perfect couple." She said radiant.

Together they walked inside the vineyard building and went over to the large kitchen on the ground floor, where the governor's wife have already prepared a meal for six.

"We wait for my husband and master Woldrin," Carmona said. "Mugin promised he won't be late, but he always tells me so."

Udine looked at Liane and then to Luke.

Inquisitively she turned to Liane.

"Yesterday afternoon you left with telling us anything." Udine with some reproach.

"Udine, I already apologized for not telling that I left. Luke asked me to join him on the southern hills that's all I will tell you, and don't look at me with with that accusing look, for it isn't what you're thinking about. I know that you are eager to hear all kind of news, but I'm not satisfying your curiosity."

"Shaayla-Car, you shouldn't have to tell me what you and Luke are doing. I only want to know when you won't stay with us for our evening meal," Udine said.

At that moment Mugin entered followed by Woldrin. He had heard Udine's words.

"Still inquisitive, Udine, about what your guest is doing without informing you. I told you before, that it's not our concern with the Jedi Knight decided to do, but to satisfy your curiosity; your Jedi guest and her future husband are still taking their task as Jedi very seriously. That means that when something turns up that requires their assistance they are immediately willing to offer help. That's why Shaayla-Car left the vineyard much earlier yesterday." Mugin said.

Carmona chuckled and looked at her sister.

"I still don't know why Shaayla-Car left, Mugin, and don't tell me again that it's not my concern. I'm your brother's wife and I have to keep him informed."

"You certainly should, my lovely sister-in-law, but I have already told him what master Manall had told Woldrin and me." Mugin said teasingly. "It is all concerning the harvest men. Master Manall shared his worries with us about the discontent among many young harvest men. We took his worries seriously and I have used our new comsystem to inform Toallin." Mugin said, but Luke and Liane saw the twinkle in his eyes.

"Young harvest men are already discontent for years," Udine said determinedly, "that's why they are always causing much trouble. It became worse when we arrived on Tyr, after we had been forced into exile, but already before that moment those young brats seem to be out of their minds, and I know the reason, for it's their parent's fault. When we lived in Ribana before we were forced to leave it wasn't quite clear to a lot of Quelans in Ribana, because the harvest families lived at quite a distance from our town. I have only heard some rumors then, but when we all had to lived together in Cantamaga the problem surfaced and all of us must have noticed it. It became clear to me when Cemall, yes he, began to woo Chati. Wherever she went he turned up. He haunted her day in and day out, and she told me that every time he proposed to her, but that his father was against a marriage with a women who wasn't born in a harvest family. I feared that after her return with Jedi master Antilles Cemall would start again to proposed to her. Therefore I am glad that master Antilles decided to stay with Chati on Tyr, while Cemall had to follow the harvest men to Myr to do all the necessary repairs in Ribana.

I started paying close attention to the recent marriages between young harvest men and their supposed wives. Mugin, I don't know if you have noticed it too, but it is the parents, and particularly the fathers, who make the arrangements for these kinds of marriages. A young harvest boy is paired with a girl at her birth. He just has to wait until she is fifteen before she actually becomes his wife. Before that, there is hardly any contact between the two. I don't need to tell any of you what the consequences of these kinds of marriages can be, because I have seen it all myself. It is horrible, and no one seems to understand that they are making Quelans utterly miserable in this way. I told Toallin about it, but he said that these kinds of marriage arrangements have been a long-standing tradition in families of harvest men. I will give an example, because I witnessed it firsthand. It concerns a young adult harvest man who was told about a year ago that from that moment on, he had to set up his own household with a sixteen-year-old girl. Even though he was a nuisance in my eyes, he very seriously built a house, made the furniture, and gave her everything to successfully start her new life with him. Well, he certainly paid the price." Udine said and turned to Liane and Luke.

"Shaayla-Car, my sister and I have often talk with you about your relationship with Luke. You always brushed aside all our objections, and I understand why by now, because you have already been Luke's wife for a long time."

Liane looked at Luke, but couldn't prevent that she blushed. Luke chuckled.

"The two of you sleep together and that is good, for that's securing your relationship with each other." Udine continue. "Toallin and I did the same, before we were married officially, and my sister has admitted that she and my brother-in-law often have sought the most deserted spot in the vineyard to be together."

Mugin made an seemingly inappropriate gesture, but again Liane saw the twinkle in his eyes. Udine neglected him, as she also neglected her sister's look.

"So we're among adults here who know what is expected of both partners who intent to get married. Unfortunately, and now I return to the marriages between young harvest men and those very young harvest girls. Many of those marriages—though not all, fortunately—are doomed to make both partners unhappy. Why? Because there was never any contact between the future partners before the marriage was publicly announced. Often, the young harvest men do not know at all who they have been paired with by either of their fathers. I return to my example of the marriage between the adult young harvest man and his sixteen-year-old young partner. I suspect that only shortly before the marriage was announced, the parents of that sixteen-year-old told her what is expected of her once she is paired with her new life partner. However, the age difference can be very large. In this case, it was about eight years; that is not too bad, but from what I have heard, she has refused to sleep with him so far, and she has yelled at him—and I happened to hear this—that she does not want children with him because she is in love with his younger brother. This marriage is doomed to make the young harvest man very unhappy, for he has expected that his efforts would make her aware of his affection for her."

Luke looked at Udine and shook his head.

"Udine, Shaayla-Car and I know who you are talking about. I have heard this whole sad story from the young harvest man himself. Yes, you're absolutely right, he is unhappy, very unhappy, and we both pity him, but at the moment we can't change the situation or bring a good solution. Traditions have very strong bonds. So strong that in some case it suffocates the good relationship that once existed."

Udine looked at him and Luke saw how she had tears in her eyes.

"Udine you can't change this, although you know how different a relationship between a man and a woman can be. This young adult harvest man has to take his life in his own hands and make clear that his marriage is a failure and that he no longer sees himself as her husband. Outsider, like you and me, can change the situation for him." Luke said.

"I pity him, Luke. He surely isn't my favorite fellow Quelan, for he has been a troublemaker in my eyes, but when I heard and experienced what has been done to him I think different of him. It's my believe that his behavior is also due to what was done to him." Udine said and she sighed.

Mugin and Woldrin looked at each other.

"Udine, what you just told we have heard today from the new leader of the harvest men, master Manall. He has expressed his serious concern about it. He is going to put this before the Harvest Council and Woldrin and I will discuss this in the Council of the Elders." Mugin said and Woldrin nodded.

Udine looked at him and suddenly she said very combative.

"That's the solution, Mugin. Let the Council of the Elders make a special announcement that these kind of marriage agreements among Quelans or harvest families is forbidden. We all know that a special announcement is a ruling every Quelan has to accept and commit himself to. In a second special announcement of the Council the Elders have to say that all marriages which have been arranged will be nullified with immediately effect."

Woldrin shook his head, as did Mugin, Luke and Shaayla-Car.

"Udine, the Council of the Elders can act the way you said, even if we want. There will be too much resistance among the harvest families to nullify unhappy marriage, for they surely will stick to the agreement that once has been made. Master Manall surely thinks the same as you do, be he knows that these kind of changes will require careful consultation. Therefore he wants to put this before the Harvest Council and the members of the Council of the Elders, although our decisions can overrule what the Harvest Council decides. Jedi master Skywalker is right. It's up to that young adult harvest man to step up for himself and tell his fellow harvest men and perhaps the member of the Harvest Council that he no longer considers himself to be the husband of the sixteen year old girl who refused to become his real wife. As vice-chair of the Council of Elders, I appreciate your vision, but the way you want to implement those changes is not feasible, but I certainly will bring it up between the governors and the other members of the Council, including Kamalin. We also will monitor this matter very closely for it certainly is a unwanted situation. We'd better let it rest for now and do no further talking about it. The matter has surfaced and will certainly set future changes in motion."