Chapter 151

They all had admired the special guest room and were surprised when Liane had told them that the four poster bed all the furniture that belonged to it was an early wedding present from the Council of the Elders.

Luke had given a short summary of the origin of the furniture and they all had laughed as they imagined how Cornell and his men most have looked when the trader show them the furniture plus a huge amount of credits for the whole yield of unripe nuts of that season.

Han commented that he would accept an invitation to pass the night with Leia in the four poster bed, after which Chewbacca grunted that he would sit on the box to be their guard. Immediately Leia had discarded Han's idea.

Kieran, Bran, and Conor wanted to check if the bed was big enough for three people, but Liane objected and told her old friends that she didn't want the blankets to get dirty. She added that she and Luke had to sleep there later, whereupon Ian whispered to Yarmod that he wondered how much his sister and Luke would actually sleep, which caused Yarmod to burst into laughter.

"We should watch their eyes closely tomorrow, Tama-Hin," Yarmod whispered back and now Ian got a fit of laughter and whispered

"If we see their sleepy faces or hear their yawning we know how they spend the night."

Leia who had heard Ian's last comment, looked at her former padawan with a frowned face and pressed lips.

"We're hear to discuss the outcome of the hearing we attended, not what's going on between my brother and your sister, Ian Tydon," She snapped.

"Sure, Leia, but Han just suggested that he also was tempted to spend the night here and with you." Yarmod grinned.

Leia sighed, but Liane who has followed the whispered conversation and Leia's reaction, produced a brought smile.

Luke silenced the group and asked what impression the hearing had made on them.

"I'm still in doubt which of the two testimonies of those young harvest Quelans made the most impression on me. That son of Domar, Relonn, was very honest about his relationship with a Quelan woman from Ribana, but Tiorinn Wulann deserve a compliment for telling her father every time he talked to her about the agreed marriage with Relonn Domarr, that she wasn't ready and he'd better postpone the announcement, while she was completely familiar with Relonn's choice and she didn't object against it. What's more they have discussed it more than once." Yarnick said.

"Their testimony clearly showed what consequences those forced marriages could have on both partners. I guess, that Relonn and Tiorinn had been very open to each other about how to avoid that they would have to form a couple." Ian said, "To me that sounds much better than what I've heard before about the force marriage of master Cornell's eldest son Filann with Honyan Pohinn's daughter Sumall.

Her father was really mad at her, when she pushed herself through the crowd to tell the Harvest Council what she thought about them and about her marriage. She even didn't avoid to name intimate details."

"Which ones," Conor grinned, "Nothing has happened between those two."

"Yet, she deserves my respect for keeping her promise to her Quelan friend who supported her immediately when she showed up." Liane said. "It's such a same, that two people who doesn't know each other had been force to be husband and wife. Sounds so ridiculous to me."

"Ridiculous or not. It has been tradition among the harvest families to arrange marriages that way. I'm sure it has worked in the past," Leia said.

"It's just what you said, Leia. It worked in the past, but ever since those two groups had to live more closely together her on Tyr, the old structure has begun to unravel, and the older generation of harvest families finds it hard to cope with any new vision. Therefore it's good the Manall is the harvest mens' leader again. With his abilities as a skilled Force-user he has noticed the damage those forced marriages have done, and are still doing to this community. I only hope that his intervention will avoid a serious friction and controversies between the two different points of view. " Luke said.

"I don't know if it's true, Luke, but there are rumors that Manall has deliberately nominated some harvest men who are know for their unalterable opinion. I wonder why he has done that. Wouldn't it have more convincing if a majority was supposed to support his point of view. " Yarmod wondered.

"What do you expect the Council of the Elders will do, Luke," Han asked.

"For the time being 'nothing', as they await the outcome of the Harvest Council. What Manall wants to change strongly relates to the harvest men and their families, and he is right. The dissatisfaction, the frustration and the call for change originate in that group, for a young generation of young boys and girl, and young adults among the harvest families," Luke answered, "Filann poured his heart out to me, Cemall has done the same to Shaayla-Car, and we have heard the remarks and comments of several harvest men in the former Harvest Council. You, already mentioned it: there's dissatisfaction in the whole group of harvest men. I'm sure that among more families there are different points of view about those forced marriages, for not all families stick to the old traditional way of arranging marriages between their offspring in advance. Tiorinn Wulan mentioned that her father was willing to postpone the announcement of her marriage with Relonn Domarr over and over again and two days ago I have heard master Pohinn, Sumall's father, promise Filann that he will support Filann's request to have his marriage with Sumall annuled, and so will master Roshann who also seems to have serious doubts about the old marriage tradition.

If the Harvest Council decides that their way of life must be maintained, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of the youth—both young harvest men and women, as well as youth from Ribana—are opposed to these forced marriages, then the Council of Elders must intervene and demonstrate their authority. Toallin has already mentioned this in the previous Harvest Council. If the Council of Elders concludes that the rules regarding forced marriages conflict with the way the youth of Ribana Quelan enter into marriages, I expect the governors and the Council of Elders to use their powers to overrule the Harvest Council, which is also Manall’s intention." Luke said.

"What is the role of the Jedi Knights and friends of the Quelans, Luke. Aren't some young Quelans expect we should speak up for them?" Brion asked.

"Toallin, Mugin and master Kamalin have asked me we should attend the hearing. As Jedi Knight, we hear and see more of what's going on. You, Brion and the others, should listen to comments and remarks made by any Quelan, for those opinions can be of influence of the final decisions for this community. Toallin and Mugin will certainly ask us what we have noticed as attendants."

"Do you expect a solution to be found quickly for the discontent among the young people of the harvest families? I mean, will the adult son of Domarr who already waits for years to marry the women of his choice, finally decide it's been long enough and announce his marriage as Wulann's daughter said he should do, and will the son of Cornell is delivered from the hopeless situation of his forced marriage." Wedge wondered. "I have to admit that I haven't paid much attention to these matters as I had to pay my attention to my padawan."

Luke shook his head.

"We all know that the Jedi can't predict the future, as the future is always in motion. What we have heard this morning is a good start for necessary changes, but that doesn't mean that known rules will be abandoned immediately. I only can asked our group that we stay alert, for if nothing will change I fear that discontented youth will insurrect and that would do a lot of harm in this community." He said concerned.

Yarnick and his brothers rose, as did Nori Thai.

"We're going to our own guest rooms, Luke. Thanks for the discussion. It's a pity that our role is so limited, but that also might be an advantage." He said.

"It certainly is, Yarnick, for we need to avoid that the Quelans will get the impression that we, the outsiders, are posing new rules upon them. We should kept neutral. Thanks for joining, sleep well, and may the Force be with you."

The Granns and Nori left, some moments later also Wedge stood up, followed by Yarmod and Ian who began to put the extra chairs aside.

"We will bring those chairs back tomorrow, Luke," Ian said and followed his roommate to the guest room in the domed ceiling of the administration building.

Han, Leia, Liane, Luke and Chewbacca remained behind.

"I still don't get it, Luke," Han remarked. "Both groups are descended from Quelans, but they have split into two groups that, each in their own way, see themselves differently. When we arrived here, we were immediately struck by the pride of the harvestmen. Toallin and Mugin had mentioned them on Palomintar Six as the group that could help us, as if the harvestmen were the warrior group of the Quelans. Based on what we have experienced, I do not see much difference between the harvestmen and their families and the Quelans living in Ribana. In my opinion, the governors' families represent more leadership than Cornell and his men."

"The Quelans of Ribana viewed the harvesters as a group of men performing dangerous work, such as crossing the ocean between Myr and Tyr in those hovercrafts; entering the nut groves; and living in harsh conditions on Tyr while harvesting the Quelans' primary food source in the form of nuts. The harvesters could traverse the wild regions on their return journey to Ribana and traded the surplus harvest for credits and more. Over time, the Quelans of Ribana began to see themselves as dependent on the harvesters, and the latter developed a kind of arrogance and a sense of superiority." Leia said. "And now, with Manall as their new leader, the harvest men have to realize that they are equals of the Quelans of Ribana who have their own specialists and experts in many different areas of which the harvest families have become dependent. It's a hard time to admit that as a group you can't hold on to your former self-conceit. I never expected that the restoration of Ribana would lead to these difficulties."

"The restoration of Ribana has surfaced the difficulties, the discontent, the frustration and dissatisfaction that lived among the whole community, but I have confidence in Manall for he certainly is the man who can manage the required changes effectively." Luke said and they all agreed.

"What do you expect will happened tomorrow, Luke?" Han asked.

"Manall will probably call for some other necessary changes, for he also wants in Ribana a similar community as here in Cantamaga originated during the years of exile. That means, as I see it, that the harvest families need to become part and live among the Quelans in Ribana, and that will solve the chagrin of the harvest youngster, for once their families will live in Ribana itself they will be able to form friendships their peers from Ribana." Luke suggested carefully.

"Yet, the harvest families might keep to their old tradition, I fear," Liane remarked.

"No, once the young harvest boys and girls are forming friendships with the peers the influence of the old tradition will wither and in the end die out. If that happens there will only remain a community of Quelans without any distinct groups."

"We're also leaving, Luke," Leia said. "We will see any further development tomorrow. Pleasant dreams and may the Force be with you."

Leia, Han and Chewbacca left the tower guest room. Liane walked on to the terrace and looked at the clouded sky above Tyr, where the light Palomintar's two moon caused an eerie glance. She leaned on the balustrade and stare in the distance.

"It's not up to us to give more help for those who suffer from wrong decision taken in the past." Luke said as he put his arm around her shoulders. "We're already involved in some case too much, Shaayla-Car. I know what you want would happened, so do I, but as I said we have to stay neutral."

Liane kept staring in the distance.

"Haven't you noticed how much affection there is between Anddra and Filann, Luke. Those two deserve to become happy together, after all the misery they have been through. They have suffered enough."

"You are a sweet woman, Shaayla-Car, but you know that you cannot use your Jedi skills as a healer this time. You have already done what a Jedi can. The Force led us here, the Force helped us end the occupation of the city, and the Force will also give Manall the insight he needs to convince the Harvest Council that its existence has become redundant, that only the Council of Elders and the governors may decide over and lead this community."

"Will he succeed, Luke?"

"That's a wrong question, darling. Manall knows this community better than we do, so we too should rely on his skills, and what he remembers Anakin once taught him." Luke said and pulled her with him back inside. "You should stop worrying about situation you can change, my love."

Liane nodded and put her arms around Luke's neck.

"I have only one sincere wish, Luke, and that's that Filann, Anddra, Sumall, Thero, Relonn and Tiorinn and all the other young Quelans who are their peers will be as happy as I'm with you." She said before she kissed him.

The next morning the crowd gathered again on the central plaza where the members of the Harvest Council and the Council of the Elders along with Toallin and Mugin were taking their seats. In crowd many Quelans discussed what they had heard the day before. Some of them looked around to see if any of those harvest youngster were standing among them. As they saw Relonn Domarr now in the company of an adult Quelan woman, Lerioni, the daughter of a famous wealthy farmer they they nudged each other, Some friends of the couple cheered as Relonn and his girlfriend walked further forward.

Udine had been looking around and saw Cemall. She pushed her way through the crowd and grabbed his arm.

"Cemall, what a great testimony your brother gave yesterday, as did that girl Sumall what I didn't expect of her. I have heard that after the hearing her father has said that he would lock her up until she had come to her senses, but master Manall and master Kamalin have reasoned with him and it seems that master Kamalin has brought Sumall to the Usavons and asked them to give her shelter. I think that that will rouse master Pohinn rage even more. Have you seen your brother this morning?"

"My brother has taken Lorann's room at my grandfather's."

"What about you, Cemall. Don't tell me that you have slept home, for I know that you don't get along well any more with your father and your mother."

Cemall grinned.

"You've listening to gossip again, ma'am Udine. My parents and I are getting along well, but I'm an adult Quelan and I don't want to return to my parental home when I'm on Tyr. I have slept at the house of a friend, a peer from Ribana, your nephew Dolan."

"My sister's son. I didn't know you knew him that well."

"I didn't, ma'am Udine, but after he had heard what's going on among the young harvest boys and girl, he has looked me up and said that he agreed with my peers among the harvest families. It's a pity that his house here has been almost finished, for he worries that he has to start over again on Myr. I have promised him that I will help him, after I have done my work at the vineyard."

"Yes, have you found some peers to help you, Cemall."

"I have, five of my old friends are joining me when we go back to Myr. They are not real harvest men yet, but they are looking forward to help and get the vineyard back in it's old glory. Your sons Talann and Renan and their cousin Dolan will join is and teach them how to prune those grapevines."

"That's good to here, Cemall. I will tell Carmona, my sister and we will take care that you, your friends, my sons and my nephews will get proper meals and if necessary a place to stay for the night. Leave that up to me, Cemall. Oh, hey, look there is your grandfather again. I'm going to listen to what he said. What he said yesterday was very clear and what those couples told, made me feel very sad. How is it possible that you never have protested, Cemall." Udine pushed back to the front of the crowd, leaving Cemall a bit surprised about her words.

Manall asked the crowd to silence again and began to refer to what had been discussed the day before. He looked at the members of the Harvest Council.

"As the matter what we have been talking and discussing about yesterday and what you've heard what is at play within some arranged and forced marriages I want to know if this council can already decide about our traditional way of arranging marriage among the harvest children."

Bernall and Fenall stood up.

"We would like to know, Manall, if the decision we will take will be of any value. In some of words uttered in the two testimonies we heard yesterday we sense that our opinion will not be respected, for we are accused of being old-fashioned and ugly old men." Bernall said sounding insulted.

"Do all the members of the Harvest Council share what you're telling us?" Manall asked and noticed four shaking heads behind the table. "Bernall, I see that some members are denying your words. Fenall, I want to heard what you're thinking."

Fenall cleared his throat.

"Manall, yesterday's hearing, the testimonies and the heated discussion includes only a small part of the harvest men who agree with what lives in some of our families. The majority of the harvest families do want to keep the opportunity to arrange a marriage among a harvest boy and girl. Even if that means that there will be a huge gap in years between the future partners." He said.

Manall looked at the harvest man and shook his head.

"The other four members of the Harvest Council do not share your opinion. In other words, you are distorting the truth, as I suspect, for you do not consider it necessary to admit that changes are needed to prevent our young harvest boys and girls from thwarting every attempt from now on to announce a marriage between some of them."

"Manall, you are the head of the harvest men again and as such you have the prerogative to call for the Harvest Coucil, but if the council decides that our way of living has to be continue the way it has been you have to respect the member's opinion," Fenall answered irritated.

"That's enough, Fenall, Thank you, and that Bernall. I now want to hear what the other members will answer to the following question I have: Forced marriages destroy the possibility of a happy life for young harvest boys and girls? I want you to answer with 'yes' or 'no'.

Bernall and Fenall I know your opinion already so I have registered a 'no' for both of you. Do you agree?"

Both Harvest Council members nodded. Manall turned to the other members of the council.

"Tellcon, what's your answer the proposed question?"

"Forced marriages are destroying your children's happiness, Manall. I say 'yes' they are. I will explain my opinion if you want."

"Thank you, Tellcon. I certainly would like to hear your explanation, but later on. Lionan, what's your answer?"

"A 'yes', Manall, for I have seen it in too many families, not only in two we've heard about yesterday."

"Thank, Lionan. Garinn, your next to answer the question."

"Like Lioan I answer 'yes', for it's a parents' duty to keep the happiness of their children always in mind and these arranged marriages do not contribute to that."

"Allran, you're last, but you're answer is of the same importance as the others" Manall said.

"I also have to answer 'yes', for my own marriage is a proof of failed marriage. My wife and I manage, but I haven't sensed any happy feelings since my marriage has been announced in public now more than twelve years ago, and the woman who is my wife, is of the same opinion. We live together, but we're not happy together."

"Thank Allran, I'm really sorry to hear that your marriage hasn't brought you what you've expected."

The conclusion of this public vote is two 'no's' and four times 'yes' which means that forced marriages as they have been done for years won't bring the partners a happy life, and we've just heard that it's not something that has turned up recently, but that it also has occurred while we still lived on Myr, long before we had to flee the continent and live in exile on the other continent. I'm sure that there are more marriage among the harvest families which only exist because the two partners have an arranged marriage. Sure there are marriages were both partners managed to live together, but I seriously ask, at what cost.

"As the Harvest Council makes clear that forced marriage aren't in the interest of the children of the harvest families I want the Council of the Elders and our governors to answer my question for themselves. I don't want to hear your answer, but I want you to consider if it's in the interest of our community that the ancient and outdated tradition of arranging marriages without the consent of the partners involved. In other words, should there remain an exception for the children of the harvest men to give up to make their own choice about their marriage.

By the end of this joined hearing you will have heard enough to give us your opinion, your decision and how we should proceed in our community."

Manall made a slight respectful nod to the table of the Council of Elders and the governors of the Quelan community. They all answered the nod.

Now Manall looked at one of his men.

"Master Wulann I want you to tell the Harvest Council what you have been doing on Myr and why you have decided to take your wife and three daughter to live in Ribana instead of your old house at the foothills."

"Members of the Harvest Council, I have been working in Ribana as a harvest man and helped many Quelans to solve the problems they ran into when restoring their houses. Their problems were very different, from repairing a door to a nearly collapsed roof. The last problem I was always working in a group of harvest men, and the Quelans in Ribana were always grateful for what we could do for them.

As there were many more problems than we could handle, there wasn't a possibility to have a look at what has remained of the harvest men's houses near the foothills of the mountain ridge. Several of my fellow harvest men and I have walked through the ruins that once have been our quarter of houses, for nothing was left. The man who has occupied our town has completely demolished the harvest men's houses, all of them. We only have found the foundations of what once have been our houses. It will take months, possibly even longer than a year, before we can rebuilt our house the way they once were."

All the members of the Harvest Council nodded in agreement, and Wulann continued.

"Honestly, I felt devastated and desperate, for if I should have to work on my old house for a year or more that would mean that my wife and my daughters had to stay on Tyr, or come over to the Myr and get an accommodation in a tent, like they once had got when we arrived on Tyr eight years ago.

"Feeling unhappy, but still sticking to the demand that the harvest men should give support to the Quelans in Ribana who were busy restoring, cleaning and repairing their house I saw several houses to which no one seemed to work while the neighboring houses began to look better and better for the fences had been repairs, the gardens were tended again, there were houses that had been give new paintwork. They all began to look pretty again and I felt some envy because me and my fellow harvest men have to build our houses all over. As I looked around I got the strange feeling that the houses which still needed repairs possibly would never be restored. We all know that we have lost many fellow Quelans while walking through the wild lands, and there also have been shot several Quelan families who refused to leave Ribana. All in all the houses that once belonged to our perished fellow Quelans would always remain a ruin. With all those permanently abandoned house Ribana would remain a town carrying the scars of that dreadful occupation.

While thinking about that Ribana would never be as beautiful as before I came upon that looked better than what I had seen elsewhere. I like it, and after speaking to some of the neighboring Quelans who were busy I learned that the former occupants would never come back to Ribana. The house looked good. It only needed some repairs and it was larger than the house I once lived in at the foothills. Yet, I found it wise to asked master Manall about it and what we should do with the house that wouldn't become occupied again. Master Manall listened well to what I told him and he gave me permission to repair it and become the new owner. Meanwhile I have done some repairs. I still need to clean the garden, but I intend to take my wife and three daughters with me to Myr, so they can start cleaning the house inside, while I still have to do my duty doing repairs for the Quelans they can't do themselves. I have made a rough drawing of the house and my wife is very content with my decision as are my daughters, for the garden is also much larger. I have already made my acquaintance with one of my neighbors and he told me the sad story about what has happened to the Quelan family who once has lived there. I will not repeat here what he told for. Afterwards I have talked to some other harvest men and I told them that master Manall had given me permission to use and existing, but abandoned house. Several of the men I talked to thought it was a good idea, for rebuilding our former harvest men's quarter wasn't met with enthusiasm. I'm glad that master Manall has given me the opportunity to tell you this, for there are more among the harvest families who sees, repairing an existing house in Ribana a better option than living in tents again for at least a year again."

Manall stepped forward again.

"You have heard what master Wulann has told you about his new house in Ribana. He is very content with his decision and I just have learned that his wife and daughters share his view."

Allrann stood up.

"How many of those permanently abandoned houses are there, Manall, for the third group still need to restore their former homes." He asked.

"Some of our human friends came to the same conclusion as master Wulann, so I asked them to register and draw a map of Ribana on which they could mark any house that still needs repairs or restoration. Their work became easy because my grandson Lorann once made a drawing after he saw Ribana from the air during a flight on the Grannd Traveler. Lorann send our friends a copy of his drawing and together with the list we have we can mark the location of any of the abandoned house. When the third group will have arrived we can undo their house, after which there will be a good overview of houses which will never be occupied."

Allrann looked cheerful.

"Will there be enough empty houses for all the harvest families, Manall?"

Manall nodded.

"We have lost almost a third of all the Quelans who once lived in Ribana. also among the harvest families we have to mourn some who will never come back. Before the occupation the number of harvest families was also roughly a third of the population of Ribana probably less. That means that there will be enough empty house in Ribana which could house a harvest family."

Garin stood up.

"Manall, if the harvest families would decided that it will be easier to restore one of those house instead of rebuilding the old harvvest quarter, it would also mean that in the future harvest families and Quelans who have always lived in Ribana would live in one place, like we are doing here in Cantamaga."

"That's right, Garin," Manall answered, "I sense some concern in your voice. You'd better speak out what's on your mind, Garin."

"Manall, if the Harvest Council will agree with your idea which sounds good, for it will save the harvest families of living in tents again, it could also mean that our young harvest boys and girls would grow up in the future together with the boys and girls of Ribana families. You have asked the members about the lack of a happy life if the harvest families will retain the tradition to arrange the forced marriages. Is there more troubles to be expected once the harvest families live in Ribana, for the children of harvest men would make friends among their peers from Ribana, as already has happened while we are living here as we have heard yesterday."

"Well deducted, Garin, and you're absolutely right, but it would also mean that if the harvest families could accept those peer friendship of their children with those of Ribana will give our youngsters the opportunity on a happy marriage with a partner who respects, understands and love them. I'm not saying that every harvest boy needs to find a Quelan girl from Ribana, for a happy marriage is also possible between a boy and a girl, or better a man and a woman who are both born in a harvest family, but with one great difference. The harvest boy and girl will have made their own choice and aren't forced to marry because the parents have arranged their marriages. " Manall answered.

Fenall stood up.

"You give a difficult choice, Manall, for if the Harvest Council will decide that we will rebuilt our former houses at the foothill, our families will be obliged to life in tents again for some time, but if we accept to repair one of the abandoned house and live in Ribana among the other Quelans, our children will no longer accept arranged marriages ..." He said, but he was interrupt by a his own wife.

"Paljon Fenall, if you think that I will be willing to live in a tent again I can tell I won't. It took the harvest men five years before all the Quelans who had fled Ribana and its surrounding area to get a proper house again. If I listened well to master Wulann then the abandoned house are larger than the our former house near the foothill, or the house we're now living. I also remind you that it has been the harvest families who had to wait for a proper house in Cantamaga until all the other Quelans had got an accommodation. It would be a sign of wisdom if the members of the Harvest Council choose to accept Master Manall's proposal to reoccupy existing but abandoned houses."

Several women in the crowd began to cheer.

"Well said, Myrall. We are already used to live together with the Quelans from Ribana, so there will be no difference once we will live in Ribana the same way." Another women said.

"I'm not really concerned that my second son will make another choice of what we have decided for him, but if he does, we should listen to him. Why should we attach a boy when he is eight or ten to a girl of our choice. We'd better wait until he has reached adulthood and can make his own choice.

I have an unhappy daughter-in-law, a nice girl, but the match with my eldest son is a disaster. She tries to do her best, but my son humiliates her and tells her she isn't as good a house wife as I am, but that's ridiculous. My husband and I have spend lots of time to talk with our son, but he bluntly has told us, that he doesn't like his wife, for he find her ugly, and the girl is really nice and kind. Everyday I have to console her as she comes running over, because my son scoffs her and sneers at her.

Honestly I regret that I once have agreed that he would become her husband, and I even would be happy if his marriage would be annulled, for both are unhappy and my son blames me and my husband for defending his wife. Since his announcement marriage we haven't had a daily without a brawl and that now going on for three years." The woman said and she had to keep away from bursting out into tears.

"I'm sorry I wasn't aware of the trouble in your house hold, Jaroninn," Manall said.

"You're the harvest leader again since the former Harvest Council and I'm very happy about that. I will support all what you have put before us, master Manall, for this is not what a marriage should be. I never expected it could be that bad. I should have complained earlier, or I should have opposed the public announcement of his marriage, for I never will forget how angry he was when he heard he was forced into this marriage."

Manall now cast a very stern look at Bernall.

"I can't believe what I just heard, Erymion Bernall, for the daughter-in-law if this woman is your daughter. How can you insist that the harvest men has to stick to the tradition to arrange and force marriages between two Quelans who hardly know each other, aren't really friends." Manall said calmly but everyone in the crowd could sense his anger. "How old is your daughter now, Bernall?"

"Eighteen I guess. I haven't seen her for years. In the beginning she came back to my wife and me, but we have send her back to her husband every time. After some visits on which she only cried, she stopped coming and I assume she was getting used to her marriage."

"Erymion, you're a hardless scoundrel, but you always behave as if you knew what would be the best for us harvest man, and your son is no different, for he is married to my daughter. In the beginning he made several attempts to beat if she objected against what he said, but my girl has learned to defend herself against his humiliating behavior and now she pays him back in kind every time he starts screaming and yelling. Lately she told me that one day she will run away and hide in the nut wood and hopes that the Urams will kill him if he starts looking for her."

Toallin, Mugin and Kamalin stood up and walked in front of the tables.

"What we have heard today, is beyond our comprehension, and all this takes place in Harvest families: crying young wives who try to make a good house wives, a father who doesn't show any compassion with his unhappy daughter, a son who beats his wife and refuses to listen what she is saying, a son who seems to enjoy it to humiliate his young wife and scoffs her." Kamalin said showing his disgust. "Is all this really being done by Quelans, the same kind of Quelans that make up our community in Ribana?

It is high time that an end is put to these kinds of practices. I wish to remind the Harvest Council that the Council of the Elders represents a higher authority in our community. Our community includes not only the Quelans living in Ribana, but also the group calling themselves the harvest men. There is no distinction between the two, and both groups are subject to the rules established by the Council of the Elders, to which all Quelans—and emphatically all Quelans—must adhere.

Therefore, the governors and the Council of the Elders are provisionally deciding that the arranged marriage of young harvest boys and girls is prohibited with immediate effect. This also entails the dissolution of existing agreements, for what appeared to apply within the harvest families is not in line with the freedom enjoyed by the Quelans of Ribana.

Requests for announcements of marriages without the consent of the partners involved will no longer be processed by the governors and the Council.

Existing marriages in which it is now known that one or both partners cannot accept the union will shortly be investigated further. If it appears that one or both partners are misbehaving towards the other or are not meeting the expectations of a partner, that marriage will be dissolved with immediate effect.

The governors and the Council of the Elders now adjourn this joined hearing for further consultation behind closed doors with the members of the Harvest Council and their chair."

The three representatives of the highest authority in the Quelan community left the platform followed by the other members of the Council of the Elders.

Slowly also the members of the Harvest Council rose, looking at their chair man who already had joined the governors and master Kamalin. Among the crowd the comments were plentiful, but many young harvest boys and girls cheered elated.

The six Jedi Knights and their friends watch the crowd and listened to what was discussed.

At the edge of the central plaza stood a young woman who had a red shine on her exciting face as she looked at the young man who stood next to her.

"They will decide in your favor, Filann," She whispered.

Filann Radilan nodded.

"Let's hope you're right, Anddra, but now you have to excuse me. I'm going to wait for my grandfather in the main hall of the administration building."

"Shall I come with you?" Anddra Jecolin asked hesitantly, but sensing Filann's concern for his grandfather .

He nodded, grabbed her hand and together they pushed themselves to the crowd to the entrance of the administrations building.

Chati looked completely flabbergasted at her mother and her aunt, but then she searched in the crowd for Wedge Antilles.

"I have to see my master, mother. I need to talk to him, about what has happened." She said.

"You can also talk to us, Chati. This a matter that concerns the Quelans, not the Jedi," Udine said.

"I have to ask him, mother, for I don't understand it at all." Chati responded and ran away to the spot where she had seen some of the Jedi Knights in the crowd. To her relief Wedge was among them, talking to Ian and Luke. He greeted her with a nod as she approached him.

"Hello, Chati, you're looking puzzled," He said.

"Master, I want to hear from you, what's going on. Why became my father, my uncle and master Kamalin so angry?" She asked.

"We'd better leave here, my padawan," Wedge said and looked at Ian and Luke "We'll talk later, shall we?"

Wedge led Chati out of the crowd and left the central plaza, walking with her to the outskirts of Cantamaga and following the path through the agricultural area to the winding steep path which lead to the plateau. All the while Wedge just talked to her about what he noticed in the surrounding area on a calm and reassuring tone, for he sensed who confused his padawan was about what she has witnessed.

Finally they reached the plateau and Wedge pointed the flat stones. Chati sat down looking up at him.

"Before I will talk to you about what has happened during this second hearing I want you to take a meditation stance and become one with the Force. Clear your mind of the questions, just focus only on what you have seen." He said using his Jedi voice to bring Chati into the required Force trance. His voice has the right effect, for Chati closed her eyes, forgot the agitation she had felt and became quiet. Wedge watched his padawan closely and nodded approvingly. She was doing well as he felt her surrender to the Force. For some minutes he remain absolutely silent, but then he sought his connection with her through the Force.

'I want you to recall step by step what you have seen and what you have been thinking at that particular moment. Recall the moment when master Bernall and master Fenall told master Manall their opinion about the traditional way of arranging marriage among the harvest families.' Wedge said.

'Master Bernall sounded offended about what had had been said yesterday and master Fernall said that all the harvest families want to keep to the old tradition to arrange marriages. Chati answered.

'Now concentrate on master Bernall. Recall his words about the influence of the Harvest Council, but also what he later said about his daughter and the accusation about his character and behavior.' Wedge spoke calmly.

'He asked master Manall if the decisions of the Harvest Council would be respected. When master Manall asked him if he knew that his daughter was unhappy, he didn't know her age and spoke about her as if she wasn't daughter at all. He send her to her husband without wondering what was going on and if she didn't come to her parents anymore, he assumed she felt better about her marriage. Then a woman accused master Bernall for the way he vented his points of view as the only right onces.'

'Now tell me what you have are feeling after I asked you recall what you heard.'

Chati led herself be guided with the Force and Wedge sensed how she began to see through the words she has heard.

'Master' She said aghast 'Master Bernall is scared that the rules will be no longer valid, for he don't know how to cope with the changes that are emerging. He also doesn't know how to cope with the unhappiness of his daughter. He simply cast her away, so he isn't no longer confronted with her problems. Master, he always has been scared and that why he vents his opinions as the only right ones which the harvest men have to stick to. That's what he also wants of the decisions of Harvest Council. Existing rules can't be changed and must always be obeyed.'

'Well done, young padawan. When we start talking about what you had seen of master Bernall, I sensed that you disliked him, right.'

'Yes, I did, master, for his opinion how the influence and decisions of the Harvest Council had to be respected made feel anger.'

'Now that you have used to Force to look at what happened, how are you thinking now about master Bernall and perhaps you also can tell me why master Manall has asked him to become a Harvest Council member.'

'What the Force has revealed, master, is different from what I felt before. Master Bernall isn't an important harvest man. His efforts to be dominant are pitiful, for the harvest men doesn't take his opinion seriously. Master Manall has nominated him as a member of the Harvest Council to set an example of the old-fashioned ideas that live among some of the harvest families, but master Bernall wanted to use his membership to imposed the traditional way of arranged marriages as a definite rule of the Harvest Council.' Chati said thoughtfully 'Master, I was furious, very furious when I heard him speak, but now I understand that he is in fact a pathetic, powerless old harvestman who evokes pity, isn't that right?'

Wedge laughed.

'You have fully understood him, Chati, but he certainly would be offended, because you see him as a pathetic, powerlesd old harvest man. You'd better not tell him. No release yourself from your Force connection.'

Chati blinked a few times and looked at Wedge with a grin.

"You know, master, master Bernall had never been on Myr to work on the harvest men's water project. I can't remember I have ever seen him at the campsite." She said.

"Then he probably has stayed on Tyr, for Luke told me that Cornell wanted to keep a group of his men on Tyr. If you recall now what happened after many stories about unhappy and even violent marriages among the harvest families, I'm sure that you know why the governors and master Kamalin stepped up and intervened." Wedge said.

Chati frowned, but after some minutes she looked up and nodded.

"Master Kamalin is the chair-man of the Council of Elders. What he and the other member decide in consultation with the governors are rules all the Quelans, and 'all' means every Quelans whether they come from Ribana or are from harvest families. One of the more important rules dicatat that the Council of the Elders has the highest authority to intervene when any Quelan threatens or is threatened, or takes or want to take the life of a fellow Quelan. These common rules counts for all Quelans also the harvest men.

After my father, uncle Mugin and master Kamalin had already heard yesterday's testimonies about the impact of arranged marriages, they were confronted with even more serious matters, like a partner who seeks revenge on his partner of his forced marriage, a father who sticks to tradition and does show any compassion with his unhappy daughter, another daughter who is looking forward that her forced husband the Urams will kill him after she seeks a final refuse in the nut woods. These are life threatening matters and together with what master Cornell wanted to do to Lorann, my father, uncle Mugin and master Kamalin knew they had to intervene and make use of the most important rule all the Quelan have to obey. They probably will now use their high authority and annul what the members of the Harvest Council wanted to decide, although there were for 'yes' votes after master Manall had ask them if they agreed with his question about forced marriages and the happiness of the partners.

Master, will this mean that the Harvest Council can make rules for the harvest families any more, because those rules are contradicting the rule the Council of the Elders have decreed?" Chati said, looking very seriously at Wedge who patted her on her shoulder.

"I think, but I am not entirely sure, that what has happened over the past few days will mean the end of the independence of the harvest families under the rules of the Harvest Council, and that, Chati, will make the harvest families part of the Quelan community. They will no longer lived at some distance and separate from Ribana, but have to find one of the abandoned houses and become part of the community of all the Quelans."

"Will master Manall accept that, master?"

Wedge laughed.

"He will, Chati, for what has happened during the hearing has been part of his plan to make the harvest families part of the Quelan community. I'm sure that tomorrow we will hear what the Council of the Elders and the governors have decided." Wedge said, and thought that what was going on had ever been started by a stubborn young Quelan woman who for years had been showning her obstinate behavior to make the leaders of the community aware that the old way of living had come to an end. "Let's go back to Cantamaga now, I'm proud at you, because you're Force use has shown you what really lays behind what our eyes see. An reality that only the Jedi can see and interpret, as we are part of a larger world."