Chapter 2
Panjwa let his ear fall back over his shoulder and looked expectantly at Luke, who sat back in his chair in silence for a while to think everything over.
Luke considered the message again. He could not be certain that it was entirely true, but neither could he ignore it. Besides, what evidence was there to prove it was a lie or trick? Even his Jedi instincts told him it was the authentic, and that was enough to convince Luke.
And what about Kula? Luke believed her story, but was also concerned. She had been trained as a Sith Warrior, and though she claimed to have resisted Luke could not put complete confidence in her. As Yoda had once told him, 'Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.' Still, she had acted kindly to Panjwa and seemed for the most part in control. Even if the Dark Side had influenced her, Luke was sure there was hope to retrain her.
"The Dark Lords used violence and mysticism to strike fear into the Fromm." Only now did he truly grasp the meaning of Kula's words. He wondered how many Fromm there were, like Panjwa, who had been made to live in constant fear. How many had been killed by Tudaan Porsair and the Dark Lords because of their selfishness and hate? The fact that the Force had been used in such a way sickened Luke, and he had to help the Fromm in any way he could.
There was no doubt in Luke's mind - Porsair had to be stopped, along with the Dark Lords and their Sith revival. If Kula was their only apprentice and she had turned against them then this should not be too difficult a task, but Luke had learned not to underestimate the Dark Side. He would have to be cautious and alert, he concluded, ready for any situation. But first he would have to take care of something.
"I'll have to contact my friends," Luke said at last, "it wouldn't be right to disappear without letting anyone know." A smile crept onto Panjwa's face as he stared at Luke.
"d-Do you mean that you will help us?" Luke gave a small nod in reply. At this Panjwa became an entirely different creature, jumping up and down around the room filled with excitement. Panjwa even lost some of his fear of Luke, coming closer to thank him enthusiastically.
"Thank you Jedi Master Skywalker! Thank you so much! The Fromm will be free again! Oh thank you Jedi Master! Thank you!"
"Well I haven't done anything yet," said Luke with a sober smile, "but I will do what I can to help."
Luke picked up the message cube, stood up and moved towards the holoprojector, and Panjwa hopped well out of his way. It seemed the Fromm was not yet ready to trust Luke entirely, but Luke hoped Panjwa would learn to trust him in time. Luke paused and took a deep breath, then typed the familiar code. This sudden change of plans would be difficult to explain.
"Hello?"
"Hello Leia. I'm sorry to contact you again so soon but something important has just come up." As if to illustrate this point, Panjwa jumped a bit closer to Luke and into the view of the holoprojector.
"H-hello," said Panjwa with a weak smile.
"Oh," said Leia with a mixture of surprise and confusion, "well hello." Just then Han stepped into view.
"Hey Luke, long time no see," he said jovially. Then Han noticed Panjwa standing next to Luke and Leia's surprised expression. He turned to look at Luke inquisitively. "What is it?"
"Well, I've just received a message from Panjwa here. It's a cry for help from the planet Shiopa, which I intend to answer, but I didn't want to leave without telling you. If you'll watch for a moment, I believe the message contains all the details."
Luke performed the steps taken before to open the message and stood silently as it replayed itself for his sister and brother-in-law. Finally the message came to an end, and there was quiet for a moment. Han was the one to break the silence.
"So this kid is asking you to fly to an unknown planet with this strange creature, no offense," he added to Panjwa, who shrugged slightly, "to stop some evil Sith Lord's plan to revive the dark arts?"
"Basically, yes," Luke admitted.
"Oh, okay," said Han nonchalantly, "for a second I thought it was something totally insane and dangerous that could easily be a trap."
"Luke, I know you have a good heart but isn't this going a bit far?" Asked Leia. "There's no way to know if she's telling the truth or if it's some elaborate trap."
"I've thought about that," said Luke, "and from what I can tell it isn't a trap."
"But what if it is?" asked Leia.
"But what if it isn't?" countered Luke. "Panjwa's told me his people are suffering because of these Dark Lords and I can't ignore that. And if this Sith revival is also true…" Luke trailed off. Han and Leia considered this for a moment, until Leia sighed and spoke.
"You're right," she said, "something must be done."
"Now wait a minute," said Han, "you're not going on this crazy mission by yourself. If you have to go I'm coming…" Leia gave Han a slight nudge, "…we're coming, with you."
"No," said Luke firmly, "there are dark powers involved in this - I'll have my Jedi training to protect me, but I don't want to get anyone else involved." Han and Leia seemed about to protest, but Luke shook his head.
"Besides, you two should stay with your family." After a pause Han let out a sigh.
"All right," he said, "I guess that's your decision. This whole thing sounds suspicious to me, but you can take care of yourself." Just then Luke had an idea.
"There is something you two could do for me while you're on Coruscant," said Luke.
"You name it pal," said Han.
"Look up anything there is on Shiopa and this Tudaan Porsair."
"Sure thing," said Han.
"Be careful, Luke," said Leia.
"Yeah," agreed Han, "don't go get yourself killed."
"I'll try not to," said Luke with a small smile.
"Come back soon," said Leia.
"I will," said Luke. "Goodbye." A second later he shut down the holoprojector and turned to a quivering Panjwa. "Well, that's that. Now, do you have a ship?"
"Well, yes, but, you see j-Jedi Master Skywalker…it was made by Fromm engineers from the spare parts found in the garbage heaps back on Shiopa, and though we are very proud of our vessels they're, well, n-not quite large enough for both of us."
"Ah, I see," said Luke, "then I suppose we can use one of the Academy transport ships."
"Th-thank you Jedi Master Skywalker," said Panjwa with a deep bow, his ears hanging to the floor.
"Panjwa, it's all right if you call me Luke," said Luke, a little impatiently.
"m-Master Luke is most gracious," said Panjwa, looking up with awe in his deep black eyes.
After opening the door, Luke led the way down the corridor to the landing platform with Panjwa hopping along a few feet behind. For a moment, Luke wondered just what he was getting himself into.
* * *
Kularia walked down the hall in the lavishly but not beautifully decorated palace. Perhaps some would call it beautiful, but all she saw in the glittering floors and walls was the labor of the Fromm. They were one of the only innocent peoples she had known in her short lifetime, and it stung her heart that they were enslaved and treated as vermin. The only thing that hurt her more was the fact that she couldn't help them openly without endangering her father, mother, and two small brothers. Drami and Yatar - the yearning to see them and her parents again was almost unbearable. It was like an ever-present weight she carried, but perhaps she wouldn't need to carry it much longer.
Her hope rested with Panjwa, the one Fromm who had been brave enough to take her message to Luke Skywalker. Yet there was no way of knowing if Panjwa had been able to reach the Jedi Master by now, or if Skywalker would bother to come to Shiopa. If it turned out that no one returned, what then?
Kularia had turned over the thought in her mind of taking on the Dark Lords herself. Though she suppressed her strength as well as her thoughts and emotions while around Porsair and his Dark Lords, she noticed that she had been growing powerful and the training was making her a skilled fighter. Porsair had been increasingly provocative lately, and the urge was growing to the point that it was a burning coal in her stomach and an almost an audible whisper in her mind. End this…kill him…revenge for the lives he's taken.
But no, she had to make sure her family was out of harm's way before she did anything. Besides, it was not wise to try to rid Shiopa of its affliction without help. As long as hope remained that Panjwa would return with help, she would wait.
Just then a servant Fromm Kularia knew well scurried down the corridor, and a thought came to Kularia. She glanced quickly up and down the hall, and then spoke to the young female Fromm.
"Likwi," she said in a half-whisper, "I wonder if you could do something for me."
"Anything, Kula," replied the Fromm with a blink of her dark black eyes.
"Could you spy on Porsair for me?" The Fromm shuttered at the mention of his name, but nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Of course, of course," she answered.
"It will be dangerous," said Kularia, "but he seems to want something of me. I mean, why else bring me here and train me? He must have some plan, and I've got to know what that plan…" Just then she was cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall - one of the Dark Lords. Immediately she changed her demeanor, as the Dark Lord turned a corner and entered her part of the hall.
"Filthy wreck of a being," she shouted, grabbing Likwi by the arm, "get out of my sight!"
With that she grabbed Likwi by the back of her neck and lifted her (as gently yet as realistically violent as possible).
"Be careful," she whispered quickly, before tossing her down the hall. The Dark Lord chuckled as Likwi scrambled past him, then gave Kularia a half smile half glare as he passed. Kularia hoped Panjwa would return with help soon.
* * *
After a few minutes they reached the landing area and Luke followed Panjwa to a far corner of the platform. Here Panjwa stopped and, smiling from ear to ear, presented his ship to Luke. It looked similar to a jumbled scrap heap about four feet tall, but the vaguely spherical shape along with the small viewing port and almost symmetrical wings confirmed that it was indeed a ship.
"This is the ship you flew from Shiopa to Yavin 4?"
"Yes," said Panjwa, undaunted by Luke's doubtful tone, "it flies beautifully." Luke didn't quite believe that a ship that looked so broken-down flew 'beautifully', but he knew that outward appearances were not always to be trusted. Indeed, though Panjwa seemed a fearful creature he was brave enough to fly alone across space in a ship Luke didn't trust to be airtight.
"I will get the coordinates for Shiopa from my ship," said Panjwa, and quickly he opened a small hatch and climbed inside.
A few moments passed, and Luke went to prepare one of the Academy transport ships. The models were fairly small compared to other transports - only about 8' X 20' - and were easy enough to fly. He pressed a control causing the side door to open upward and a short ramp to slide out. Just then Panjwa came scurrying out of his small ship clutching a shining disc in his two hands/claws. He held it out to Luke.
"There are food supplies on board," said Luke, taking the disc, "is there anything else you want to bring?" Panjwa's constant shaking lessened for a moment as he thought, then he blinked and shook his head.
"No," he said, "I brought nothing with me from Shiopa. M-May we leave now?" His small form began to shake more visibly again, and for a moment Luke caught a glance of Panjwa's anxiety to return to his homeworld. He could sense the Fromm was filled with emotions, but most prominent was devotion to his people and fear and dread at what he might find if they did not arrive soon.
"Of course," said Luke, and trying to find a way to comfort Panjwa's anxiety, he added, "and on the way you can tell me more about your home."
A joyful smile broke out on Panjwa's face, and he hopped up the small ramp into the transport. Luke followed, and after running through the take-off checklist he flipped the switch that made the engine whir to life. Soon the forests of Yavin 4 turned into a dark blur below as the transport carrying the two new acquaintances sped off into the night sky.
Panjwa let his ear fall back over his shoulder and looked expectantly at Luke, who sat back in his chair in silence for a while to think everything over.
Luke considered the message again. He could not be certain that it was entirely true, but neither could he ignore it. Besides, what evidence was there to prove it was a lie or trick? Even his Jedi instincts told him it was the authentic, and that was enough to convince Luke.
And what about Kula? Luke believed her story, but was also concerned. She had been trained as a Sith Warrior, and though she claimed to have resisted Luke could not put complete confidence in her. As Yoda had once told him, 'Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.' Still, she had acted kindly to Panjwa and seemed for the most part in control. Even if the Dark Side had influenced her, Luke was sure there was hope to retrain her.
"The Dark Lords used violence and mysticism to strike fear into the Fromm." Only now did he truly grasp the meaning of Kula's words. He wondered how many Fromm there were, like Panjwa, who had been made to live in constant fear. How many had been killed by Tudaan Porsair and the Dark Lords because of their selfishness and hate? The fact that the Force had been used in such a way sickened Luke, and he had to help the Fromm in any way he could.
There was no doubt in Luke's mind - Porsair had to be stopped, along with the Dark Lords and their Sith revival. If Kula was their only apprentice and she had turned against them then this should not be too difficult a task, but Luke had learned not to underestimate the Dark Side. He would have to be cautious and alert, he concluded, ready for any situation. But first he would have to take care of something.
"I'll have to contact my friends," Luke said at last, "it wouldn't be right to disappear without letting anyone know." A smile crept onto Panjwa's face as he stared at Luke.
"d-Do you mean that you will help us?" Luke gave a small nod in reply. At this Panjwa became an entirely different creature, jumping up and down around the room filled with excitement. Panjwa even lost some of his fear of Luke, coming closer to thank him enthusiastically.
"Thank you Jedi Master Skywalker! Thank you so much! The Fromm will be free again! Oh thank you Jedi Master! Thank you!"
"Well I haven't done anything yet," said Luke with a sober smile, "but I will do what I can to help."
Luke picked up the message cube, stood up and moved towards the holoprojector, and Panjwa hopped well out of his way. It seemed the Fromm was not yet ready to trust Luke entirely, but Luke hoped Panjwa would learn to trust him in time. Luke paused and took a deep breath, then typed the familiar code. This sudden change of plans would be difficult to explain.
"Hello?"
"Hello Leia. I'm sorry to contact you again so soon but something important has just come up." As if to illustrate this point, Panjwa jumped a bit closer to Luke and into the view of the holoprojector.
"H-hello," said Panjwa with a weak smile.
"Oh," said Leia with a mixture of surprise and confusion, "well hello." Just then Han stepped into view.
"Hey Luke, long time no see," he said jovially. Then Han noticed Panjwa standing next to Luke and Leia's surprised expression. He turned to look at Luke inquisitively. "What is it?"
"Well, I've just received a message from Panjwa here. It's a cry for help from the planet Shiopa, which I intend to answer, but I didn't want to leave without telling you. If you'll watch for a moment, I believe the message contains all the details."
Luke performed the steps taken before to open the message and stood silently as it replayed itself for his sister and brother-in-law. Finally the message came to an end, and there was quiet for a moment. Han was the one to break the silence.
"So this kid is asking you to fly to an unknown planet with this strange creature, no offense," he added to Panjwa, who shrugged slightly, "to stop some evil Sith Lord's plan to revive the dark arts?"
"Basically, yes," Luke admitted.
"Oh, okay," said Han nonchalantly, "for a second I thought it was something totally insane and dangerous that could easily be a trap."
"Luke, I know you have a good heart but isn't this going a bit far?" Asked Leia. "There's no way to know if she's telling the truth or if it's some elaborate trap."
"I've thought about that," said Luke, "and from what I can tell it isn't a trap."
"But what if it is?" asked Leia.
"But what if it isn't?" countered Luke. "Panjwa's told me his people are suffering because of these Dark Lords and I can't ignore that. And if this Sith revival is also true…" Luke trailed off. Han and Leia considered this for a moment, until Leia sighed and spoke.
"You're right," she said, "something must be done."
"Now wait a minute," said Han, "you're not going on this crazy mission by yourself. If you have to go I'm coming…" Leia gave Han a slight nudge, "…we're coming, with you."
"No," said Luke firmly, "there are dark powers involved in this - I'll have my Jedi training to protect me, but I don't want to get anyone else involved." Han and Leia seemed about to protest, but Luke shook his head.
"Besides, you two should stay with your family." After a pause Han let out a sigh.
"All right," he said, "I guess that's your decision. This whole thing sounds suspicious to me, but you can take care of yourself." Just then Luke had an idea.
"There is something you two could do for me while you're on Coruscant," said Luke.
"You name it pal," said Han.
"Look up anything there is on Shiopa and this Tudaan Porsair."
"Sure thing," said Han.
"Be careful, Luke," said Leia.
"Yeah," agreed Han, "don't go get yourself killed."
"I'll try not to," said Luke with a small smile.
"Come back soon," said Leia.
"I will," said Luke. "Goodbye." A second later he shut down the holoprojector and turned to a quivering Panjwa. "Well, that's that. Now, do you have a ship?"
"Well, yes, but, you see j-Jedi Master Skywalker…it was made by Fromm engineers from the spare parts found in the garbage heaps back on Shiopa, and though we are very proud of our vessels they're, well, n-not quite large enough for both of us."
"Ah, I see," said Luke, "then I suppose we can use one of the Academy transport ships."
"Th-thank you Jedi Master Skywalker," said Panjwa with a deep bow, his ears hanging to the floor.
"Panjwa, it's all right if you call me Luke," said Luke, a little impatiently.
"m-Master Luke is most gracious," said Panjwa, looking up with awe in his deep black eyes.
After opening the door, Luke led the way down the corridor to the landing platform with Panjwa hopping along a few feet behind. For a moment, Luke wondered just what he was getting himself into.
* * *
Kularia walked down the hall in the lavishly but not beautifully decorated palace. Perhaps some would call it beautiful, but all she saw in the glittering floors and walls was the labor of the Fromm. They were one of the only innocent peoples she had known in her short lifetime, and it stung her heart that they were enslaved and treated as vermin. The only thing that hurt her more was the fact that she couldn't help them openly without endangering her father, mother, and two small brothers. Drami and Yatar - the yearning to see them and her parents again was almost unbearable. It was like an ever-present weight she carried, but perhaps she wouldn't need to carry it much longer.
Her hope rested with Panjwa, the one Fromm who had been brave enough to take her message to Luke Skywalker. Yet there was no way of knowing if Panjwa had been able to reach the Jedi Master by now, or if Skywalker would bother to come to Shiopa. If it turned out that no one returned, what then?
Kularia had turned over the thought in her mind of taking on the Dark Lords herself. Though she suppressed her strength as well as her thoughts and emotions while around Porsair and his Dark Lords, she noticed that she had been growing powerful and the training was making her a skilled fighter. Porsair had been increasingly provocative lately, and the urge was growing to the point that it was a burning coal in her stomach and an almost an audible whisper in her mind. End this…kill him…revenge for the lives he's taken.
But no, she had to make sure her family was out of harm's way before she did anything. Besides, it was not wise to try to rid Shiopa of its affliction without help. As long as hope remained that Panjwa would return with help, she would wait.
Just then a servant Fromm Kularia knew well scurried down the corridor, and a thought came to Kularia. She glanced quickly up and down the hall, and then spoke to the young female Fromm.
"Likwi," she said in a half-whisper, "I wonder if you could do something for me."
"Anything, Kula," replied the Fromm with a blink of her dark black eyes.
"Could you spy on Porsair for me?" The Fromm shuttered at the mention of his name, but nodded her head enthusiastically.
"Of course, of course," she answered.
"It will be dangerous," said Kularia, "but he seems to want something of me. I mean, why else bring me here and train me? He must have some plan, and I've got to know what that plan…" Just then she was cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hall - one of the Dark Lords. Immediately she changed her demeanor, as the Dark Lord turned a corner and entered her part of the hall.
"Filthy wreck of a being," she shouted, grabbing Likwi by the arm, "get out of my sight!"
With that she grabbed Likwi by the back of her neck and lifted her (as gently yet as realistically violent as possible).
"Be careful," she whispered quickly, before tossing her down the hall. The Dark Lord chuckled as Likwi scrambled past him, then gave Kularia a half smile half glare as he passed. Kularia hoped Panjwa would return with help soon.
* * *
After a few minutes they reached the landing area and Luke followed Panjwa to a far corner of the platform. Here Panjwa stopped and, smiling from ear to ear, presented his ship to Luke. It looked similar to a jumbled scrap heap about four feet tall, but the vaguely spherical shape along with the small viewing port and almost symmetrical wings confirmed that it was indeed a ship.
"This is the ship you flew from Shiopa to Yavin 4?"
"Yes," said Panjwa, undaunted by Luke's doubtful tone, "it flies beautifully." Luke didn't quite believe that a ship that looked so broken-down flew 'beautifully', but he knew that outward appearances were not always to be trusted. Indeed, though Panjwa seemed a fearful creature he was brave enough to fly alone across space in a ship Luke didn't trust to be airtight.
"I will get the coordinates for Shiopa from my ship," said Panjwa, and quickly he opened a small hatch and climbed inside.
A few moments passed, and Luke went to prepare one of the Academy transport ships. The models were fairly small compared to other transports - only about 8' X 20' - and were easy enough to fly. He pressed a control causing the side door to open upward and a short ramp to slide out. Just then Panjwa came scurrying out of his small ship clutching a shining disc in his two hands/claws. He held it out to Luke.
"There are food supplies on board," said Luke, taking the disc, "is there anything else you want to bring?" Panjwa's constant shaking lessened for a moment as he thought, then he blinked and shook his head.
"No," he said, "I brought nothing with me from Shiopa. M-May we leave now?" His small form began to shake more visibly again, and for a moment Luke caught a glance of Panjwa's anxiety to return to his homeworld. He could sense the Fromm was filled with emotions, but most prominent was devotion to his people and fear and dread at what he might find if they did not arrive soon.
"Of course," said Luke, and trying to find a way to comfort Panjwa's anxiety, he added, "and on the way you can tell me more about your home."
A joyful smile broke out on Panjwa's face, and he hopped up the small ramp into the transport. Luke followed, and after running through the take-off checklist he flipped the switch that made the engine whir to life. Soon the forests of Yavin 4 turned into a dark blur below as the transport carrying the two new acquaintances sped off into the night sky.