A Drop of Force

Chapter 1 : Surface Tension

I own not those situations I borrow from Disney Properties, Lucas, Mechalich or Thomas Benjamin DeMayo. This is a dramatization from my mind on a character created from the meld of table gaming and so on. Special thanks to ideas Drew Karpyshyn and Tim Lebbon fermented. Special thanks to Morihei Ushiba who formed Petre with his wisdom. Like any mind construct this is an exercise and my own work building on other ideas from the past.

This is a Zeison Sha story, set in what is known as the Star Wars EU.

Yanibar

Original Colony, South Polar Continent

Tahanan Clan

4 BBA

Jannma Bernal and her now constant partner Ni'ko Shan looked over the duty roster and the weather forecast on the datapad the community had up.

"Great" Ni'ko replied looking at it "looks like the DBA's calls for supplies came with quite a narrow window."

"Weather" answered Jannma "is always touchy this deep in winter, I'm sure their timing could not be helped."

"It will be good to see Rais and Dar'n." He sighed "I'll get the cart and Tikbalang ready, you gather the food." stated Niko to her arching eyebrow as Petre Allyan came up.

"Initiate Ni'ko, your leader is Jannma," he said soothingly "I suggest on this we let Elder Vasca's wisdom prevail. You shall gather and load the cart, let the one most adept with animals ready the team."

"Yes mentor, sorry I was just.."

"Showing initiative and concern for your swayamvara? Remember ownership is not a Sha Kalan tenet, belonging is, we do not know what the future holds."

Ni'ko bowed to the ancient mentor emeritus of Sha Kalan who was indeed born and raised here, The insular culture here was considered myth to most of the Yanab. If it had not been for his family's allegiance with the Disk Blade Alliance, largely started by his grandfather and this man he would not be here with such a luminous, frighteningly capable adept.

Or would his sister, presently working in the Well be "arranged" to partner with Petre's son. They were part of the "new blood" to keep the clan viable and not wither from isolation. Indeed two whole families besides them had been brought in after a need arose. They accepted this but knew the Yanab, by necessity had no ownership of the ladies like Vasca who truly ran the clans.

"We serve as needed." Jannma answered for him. "I notice Jahn is already hard at work." She said with the sense she held so dear, feeling her best friend, water mentor and Petre's son's presence already klicks away near the glacier face.

"They asked for a larger quantity of water this time." Was Petre's reply "Tee'nah has duty working with their two apprentices." He said walking away.

Jannma and Ni'ko shrugged and began their assigned duties, his was gathering the assorted fungi, plants and molds from the huge garden while she went to the beast pens to tame two tikbalang, the dangerous furry omnivores they husbanded for beasts of burden, food and transport for those who did not practice the unique Yanab art of "Wind Riding", literally sailing with caped suits into the fierce gales of the land. It was the Sha's main means of transport, allowing them to flit where needed.

When Niko arrived at the farming complex, where sheets of ice heated by the rocks formed a natural window through the glacier allowing the weak light to concentrate and provide the plants they raised enough energy to grow in the fertile soil deposited over the last 4000 years. He stood taking in the breathtaking sight. This wonder was repeated across most of the freeholds on Yanibar, not knowing that the design, concept and seeds came from here, "the lost transport" clan.

On his native Kratovas, which had a much less eccentric orbit, the land was just cold compared to most human habitable worlds. It did not go from an icy wonderland to scorching desert annually or have the huge winds which never did more than abate as parts of the globe heated or cooled. Indeed it was said of Yanibar there were only 4 places can someone not in league with the Force land a ship, and even then only a really stellar adept pilot could do so. Ni'ko looked at his list and where he would gather the assorted medicinal and foodstuff plants before looking up and seeing a cart, half packed. He cracked a smile as those that could were still picking and harvesting for him to begin moving the cart with his muscles and the Force to gather the fruits of their labors. He approached the lead elder Dessa as she worked near the cart packing and repacking.

"Thank you elder for your help and the start you provided." He said with a formal palms upbow "I shall begin my duties from here."

"Thank Jahn when you see him, he woke us all and got on this hours ago, picked and packed the medicinal load himself." She chuckled to his astonishment "he will be a fine albulyaro one day."

"Once he learns to speak to people." Ni'ko added pointing out the silent well mentor's greatest drawback.

"That day has arrived, and trust me it is now a chore to get him to shut up with his endless details." Dessa shook her head "I thought I knew how to cut or squeeze every plant's essence, I learned quite a few tricks watching and listening today. He tripled the production with half the base material." She pointed to a pile of tailings to be seeded and mulched. "I am surprised an adept like yourself did not hear the activity as things flew hither and yon in the Force."

"Jannma and I were with Sonjay and her asawa Donpa learning defense." He said remembering the complex katas they were working on when Vasca interrupted them with news of an emergency delivery.

"If I remember the delivery schedule you will still need to hurry adept." Dessa smiled as Ni'ko applied himself to swiftly gathering the harvest for those who helped keep Yanibar free and hidden in the massive asteroid field surrounding and inundating the system. When he was finished he reached the place Jannma stood, working with the tikbalang who were notorious for being "Force suggestion resistant".

"Any trouble?" asked Ni'ko voicing the usual complaint.

"No, surprisingly Jahn left me a pile of fodder saturated with medicines able to induce compliance. I just hope this pair does not have tainted meat from it."

"Seems he was busy in the farms as well." Ni'ko commented.

"The herders say he SAID "this is for the two Jannma choose." I can confess I am now jealous."

"How?" Ni'ko asked.

"He promised to speak to me as soon as he could figure it out." She shrugged.

"Seems like his family has said much" Ni'ko added, helping Jannma fasten the harnesses properly "all pointing to the message being "hurry up". Must be some larger storm they sense." As he stretched out his senses to see what the hurry was.

Jannma in her easy way just nodded "The storm is dangerous and moving quite fast." She said as they finished with her refocusing on the task at hand.

I am never alone, for the Force is with me

I am never defenseless for the Force is my shield

I am never ignorant for the Force guides me to knowledge

I am never helpless for the Force is my tool