Edit (2 years later) : PLEASE REFER TO THE EDIT NOTE BEFORE CHAPTER 1.
Chapter 2- The mission
Seeing as how it was in her best interest to hurry Alana decided to go through the treetops instead of the forest floor this time. The forest floor had far too many obstacles. Scaling one of the trees had been no easy feat, but with Alana's natural agility and her experience at climbing she managed just fine. Like a small woodland animal, Alana jumped from tree to tree with the help of the Force.
The trees on Ralak were about half the height of the trees on Kashyyk, but what they lacked in height they made up for in numbers. At the crown the trees had large, thick branches with many dark green leaves that blocked out a lot of the sunlight, while the trunk of the tree was wide and round, protected by the dark brown bark. At the tree's many roots Chiskas scuttled about, nervously glancing up before proceeding to gnaw on the bark. The bark on these trees was the Chiskas favourite food as it contained plenty of moisture and the Chiskas, being somewhat related to the water-dwelling amphibians, loved it. Leaping from tree to tree, Alana moved faster than any normal human could by relying on the ever-present Force. She knew if she overused the Force her own life could be in danger, but she was in a hurry. She needed to get to the base before the separatist droids came and in much larger numbers, she was sure her Master , being as injured as he was, couldn't fight them off all by himself. As she made her next jump Alana couldn't help remembering how they had gotten assigned this mission.
Alana and her master had just finished their mission on Bimmiel and decided to stop off at the Jedi temple on Dantooine to refuel and get a bit of rest before continuing on their journey back towards Coruscant. They were making a bit of a loop but both of them decided it was better to be safe than sorry. Alana as looking forward to seeing her friend at the Jedi temple on Coruscant again so she wanted to get on with their journey as soon as possible. But it seemed life had other plans. As soon as they landed they were informed by a protocol droid that the High Jedi Council was trying to contact them and apparantly had sommething important to say. Alana and her Master exchanged quizzical glances but complied. As soon as they came into the meeting room they were greeted by the holograms of all the Council members. Mater Yoda spoke first:
-Welcome you we do, Master Lionis and your padawan. You are well, we hope?
Alana and her Master bowed:
-Yes, Master, we are fine albeit a little tired, but nothing a good nights rest won't fix.
At that Master Windu spoke up:
-I am afraid we cannot grant you that luxury.
-What do you mean, Master Windu? Haven't we completed our task on Bimmiel?
Master Yoda sighed:
-That done you have. But have a new problem we do.
-What is it?
Master Plo stepped forward:
-Do you know of the planet Ralak?
Seeing that her Master remained silent Alana stepped forward and spoke up quietly:
-Is it that forest planet, just outside the Dalobian Sector a little way from Zonama Sekot?
Master Windu nodded:
-Yes, that's the one. I assume you have heard of it before?
-Just in passing, I have never laid eyes on it.
-Well I comend you on your memory then young one.
Alana bowed her head:
-Thank you Master,that means a lot to me.
Master Plo decided to continue:
-We are well aware of the fact that you have just completed your mission on Bimmiel but you are the only ones close enough to get to the planet before the Separatist do.
Mater Lionis's eyes widened:
-The separatists? What are they doing so far out?
-Unsure of their objectives we are. But get there first you must.
Alana glanced at her Master worriedly. She, unlike the council, knew that her Master had gotten seriously injured on Bimmiel after the had gotten in a little trouble with some Slashrats. Slashrats were rodent-like predators, native to Bimmiel. They were about 1.2 metres long and hunted in packs- they were a force to be reckoned with that was for sure. She wasn't sure if her Master could handle it even if he began drawing on the Force heavily for strength. However he shook his head barely perceptibly and Alana just sighed. Master could be as stubborn as a Bantha if he wanted to be.
-So, Masters, what is the urgent mission that you require us to do so urgently?
Jedi Master Shaak Ti spoke seriously:
-Two days ago we received a transmission from Master Lunas and her padawan Emira Leeta, who were on Ralak at that time and had apparantely found an old Jedi archive building. According to them they assumed it dated back to the beggining of the Mandolorian war.
Alana's eyes widened. The Mandolorian war?! But that was during the times of theOld Republic ages ago! Why would someone build an archive building so far out in the galaxy? Master Shaak Ti continued, her voice revebrating through the room with seriousness:
-However, a day ago transmissions ceased. We tried contacting them many times but there was no response. We had also tried searching for their presence in the Force, however it was as if they ceased to exist.
Alana let out a soft gasp of horror, beside her Master Lionis was also shocked. Alana instantly became worried for her best friend, Emira before quickly snapping out of it by reminding herself that Master Lunas was a skilled jedi and so was Emira- they could pull through. However the disappearence of their presence from the Force worried her, she had never heard of anything like that happening before. Her Master suddenly spoke up, his voice was grave:
-So you want us to find them?
-No, that is unessecary. About an a hour ago we got through to Master Lunas and found out that both she and her padawan were fine and although they had no idea how it had happened they were now on Yavin V. They are currently en route back to Coruscant, for a medical check up and to give us their report.
Both Alana and her Master breathed a sigh of relief and shared a small smile. Master Windu spoke next:
-However, from what we have managed to gather, they never did make it into the archive building. And that's exactly what we want you to do.
-So basically you want us to go into the archive building and do a recon?
-Yes. We need to know what knowledge it contains.
-Understood. We shall leave right away.
Master Lionis and Alana bowed to the High Council and the holographic transmission cut off. Alana waited until they were outside the temple and heading back to the Guardian before pouncing on her Master.
-Master, what were you thinking?! You are in no condition to go on another mission! Especially not one that could involve the Separtists!
-Don't worry, I can handle it. Moreover the sooner we get this done the sooner we can go back to Coruscant, don't you want to see Emira again?
Alana looked at her Master a sly smile spread on her face:
-Oh, I do, but what about you? Don't you wan't to see Master Lunas again?
Her Master turned away from her and responded barely audibly:
-I don't know what you're talking about.
-Whatever you say, Master. Hope you won't mind me telling Master Lunas that though, I thought you two were friends but since you said that...
Alana's master quickly turned around to face her, his green eyes dancing worriedly:
-Okay, okay I want to see her too. Please don't tell her!
Alana faked an evil laugh:
-Mwahaha, you have finally admitted it!
Master raised an eyebrow at her :
-Admitted what?
Alana dropped the villain act and ran slightly ahead of her Master before turning around and smiling at him teasingly:
-That you miss her!
-We're friends, isn't that normal?
-Of course it is ,Master, of course it is...
Alana turned back around and continued walking ahead of him, grinning to herself. She had noticed the way her Master acted around the white haired woman long ago and unless she was wrong (which she knew she wasn't) it was a very intresting friendship indeed. Master Lunas also acted just as naturally around him which was an endless topic of conversation between the two mischevious padawans. Alana heard her master sigh behind her before saying:
-Why can't you be a normal student?
-You're hardly one to be talking, after all, I learned everything from you..
Soon after they had reached the Guardian and got onto the ship. After a brief quarell between Alana and J2 (which Master Lionis expertly ignored) they set off towards Ralak.
Lost in her memories, Alana crashed into a branch. Rubbing her forehead and wincing Alana looked over to find that she was there. But something felt off. Alana's dark blue eyes searched desperately for her master before she spotted him fighting off about half a dozen battle droids at once. She looked to the left and saw at least twice as many more arriving. Igniting her lightsaber, Alana quipped:
-Well this should be fun!