2
A month had passed and Luke was proud of the result Irene was obtaining, and was more than proud of the effort she was doing to be better in a short time. He hadn't asked her to run so fast but she had probably felt the desperate need he had of an old apprentice -old so to speak-. It was dangerous, Ben had on purpose come to warn the man and Luke had slowed down. Finally, the day before that bright morning, Ben Yoda and Anakin had come to him and had expressed appreciation for the apprentice, letting him bring Irene with him to the test.
*The day has come...* This was the thought that was winding in his mind while the turbolift was taking him to the Temple.
When the dark dressed figure appeared in the doorway of the turbolift the people in the long bright corridor silenced immediately. The Jedi Master went through the corridor, with a stately walk unusual for him, but that could fit a Jedi Master, and the people didn't dare to rise their eyes till he had passed before them. Eyeing one time at his left and one at his right side, Luke started his search for the Force sensitives. Two creatures in particulars attracted his attention: a sixteen years old boy, with his father, and a young Wookiee, accompanied by a gray haired woman. Luke was quite sure he had seen the little Wookiee somewhere, but he couldn't remember where. The boy attracted his attention because of the odd perception he had of him. Shaking the head to remove the sensation, Luke went on.
The hooded man reached the door and touched it, not because he opened it that way but to have something solid to feel, before the tests. The comments of the people and the aliens made about him were a barely audible buzz.
*Home sweet home.*
The magnificent door opened silently and the light of the rounded room reassured the man. A familiar presence attracted his attention. Without looking at the sides Luke closed the door and walked through the room. He stopped before the armchair and searched for his instruments. He had left them under the armchair and, cleaning them, placed the viewscreen and the pictures painted on the pieces of wood on the armchair, then called Irene.
"I hoped you would be here," talked measuring cautiously the words. Irene was near the door with the arms folded, with the pale outfit of the Jedi apprentice, the brown mantel graciously arranged on the shoulders.
"Luke, do I say to you what happened to me when I opened this door?" asked joyfully the woman.
"No, what?" asked curious Luke, looking at her for a moment while he was switching on the viewscreen, giving her the back.
"Then, I was in front of the door, there were the same people that are out now, and a man called me touching my shoulder. He was two meters tall, a mountain before me. I looked at him and he asked 'Are you the Master?' I shook my head and he looked at me for a long moment. I didn't know what to do..." Luke was paying attention at the story nodding and smiling. "This mountain called me again and asked, not very gently 'why are you opening the door then?'. I looked at him and answered, talking like an oracle to impress him in some way 'I'm his apprentice!'" Irene was gesturing to give the story a more solid form; Luke had finished preparing the tools and was looking at her, forgetting the people out of the door, " the man knelt down and kissed my boots, I didn't know a Jedi deserve so much respect!" Luke smiled and shook his head.
"No. Well, I received the same respect. If it doesn't hurt you, I don't see a reason to tell them not to kneel before us!" Luke's heart was beating furiously and his voice was louder not to listen to it. He didn't know what was happening to him but talk to Irene or simple look at her was becoming every day, if not every hour, more difficult for him. Fortunately the woman didn't noticed his feelings, because of the barrier he had built up between him and the world and the apprentice hadn't asked justifications about its existence. Irene laughed and shook her head.
"You're evil!" exclaimed Irene, shaking her head, evidently delighted by his tone.
"C'mon open this door and...let's rock!"
Irene nodded and stopped before the door. Before she hit the switch of the control panel, the woman shook her head and smiled again, rethinking about Luke's words.
Irene took a step in the corridor and a woman rose from her chair, taking with her a little boy, who was kicking and screaming, terrified. The woman bowed
*Hold the hand of the child and say to the mother to wait outside...* Luke's instruction saved Irene. The little child ran behind the mother but the woman pushed him in front of herself.
"Hey, dear, give me your hand, do you want?" Irene lowered to look at the child in his brown deep eyes. The child was unsure. The woman spoke, gently but a little upset.
"Why do you want his hand?"
Irene looked up.
"Because you can't come inside..." she said politely.
"What's the matter! I'm her mother, I must come with him."
"Madam, you can't..." tried to explain Irene but the woman stopped her.
"Who are you to say what I can or can't do?" the discussion was taking a wrong way.
"I'm the apprentice of Master Luke Skywalker..." Irene called the Master and Luke comforted her.
*Not all the people are so respectful. A Jedi is capable to bow at the enemy Irene, remind this statement. It doesn't matter that she can put his foot on your head but be calm and peaceful, till you can.*
"You're his slave!" the insult was over the limit of her patience.
"Don't speak to me in this way!"
"You're horribly ill-mannered! the Master will have another slave soon!" Irene was hardly keeping the calm, "Let me go inside with him!"
Luke rose from his armchair and took a step toward the door. The woman saw him and silenced. Luke walked through the room and touched the shoulder of his apprentice. The woman was stupefied.
"You can't talk to my apprentice in this ill-mannered way," Irene rose and the boy gave her his fragile hand. Irene and the boy got in the room.
"Now you'll wait here," Ordered Luke, with a calm tone more peremptory than a shout, and the woman nodded. Luke closed the door behind him.
Inside his apprentice was talking to the boy, reassuring him. The sweet sight of Irene, gentle and tender with the boy, made Luke sigh.
"Now you'll do a test...don't worry, ok?" whispered caressing the child's cheek, "And after the test we'll go out and eat something together, you want?"
"Where will we go?" asked the boy, Irene had made him forget about the test.
"Where you want..." the child smiled, nodding. Irene looked up at Luke who nodded and Irene saluted the child and waited the gesture of Luke to get out the room.
Luke touched the shoulder of the child and smiled.
"I'm Luke Skywalker, and you?"
"My name is Adam, Adam Darklighter," the surname of the child surprised Luke.
"Your father was Biggs Darklighter then," he didn't know Biggs had gotten married and had had a child.
"No, my uncle name's Biggs, he was a hero...but he died," corrected the child.
"I knew him," said the man with a sigh.
"You knew Uncle Biggs?!" Luke nodded, the nephew of his best friend was in front of him. The man left the child in the middle of the room and, leaving the past in a corner of his memory, sat on the armchair. Irene was leaving but Luke called her.
"No Irene, you sit here," said pointing at the sofa at his right side. Irene stopped and turned back, sitting graciously on the sofa.
The spaceport was noisy as usual, the thunder of the ion engines was deafening. Leia was walking through its main street, at her sides the docking platforms, enormous rooms covered by mobile roofs or simple platforms of durasteel; the squad of guards that was following and surrounding her was cautious and ready to defend the senator. With her two representatives of an important building society, skilled in the building of floating cities, were walking explaining where they were going to take her.
"We have finished the construction of the frame work of the planet, and we would be more that delighted if you came with us for a first inspection."
"You've done the structural support of the whole planet? In a month?" Leia was surprised and shocked, she had reassured Lando about the speed of the leaving of his city but she couldn't believe the society had done the structure yet. They were arrived and the two alien stopped in front of the door of a docking bay.
Inside there was a freighter, one of the biggest Leia had ever seen, and the rounded wall of the bay seemed to do a big effort to contain it.
"You excuse us, but we don't have special ships for the human transport," apologized the taller of the two to the senator who nodded, comprehensively.
"Don't worry, I have flown in worse ships," answered Leia thinking about the Falcon.
The hatch was open and the two Abregadoes went on board, followed by Leia and the guards. Leia was led in a space near the bridge, where there were other people who stopped talking when the guards entered the room marching noisily. Leia found seven seats near to a port-hole and sat down. The guards sat down finding the best formation to keep under constant control the port-hole, the door of the corridor and the door of the bridge. The other people in the room kept silence, whispering only if it was necessary. The ion engines thundered and the loud noise covered the comments of the people about the illustrious guest.
The Abregado1 took off and Bespin soon became a glowing point in an ocean of stars.
In the Council Room had lowered a silence full of waiting and hope. The boy had successfully passed the exams and now Luke was exploring Adam's mind. Irene didn't know what she had to do but when Luke called her to help him in the decision she felt, probably for the first time, important.
*What do you feel, Irene? * Was an important question and Irene concentrated for a moment in the deepest way she knew.
*He's a strong Force sensitive, his heart seemed... *
*It hasn't to seem, it has to be... *
*Ok, he's not so calm, he's full of fear... *
*What I felt, exactly, so he's not going to be a Jedi, the fear is a bad feeling for a Jedi.* The sentence thundered in Irene's mind. Luke had decided, the boy hadn't a second chance. That decision had passed through his heart, the boy was Biggs's nephew but the decision of the Master had to be as clear as possible, his heart had to keep silent.
*But, Master, he can change! *Argued the woman with a rising ardor.
*I was wrong, your presence makes all more difficult...*and it was true: Irene was the voice of his hearth, the hearth he had reduced to silence when he had decided to build up the New Academy. He had seen and felt and suffered too much. The good of the Galaxy before his feelings. He had learned that rule, and well.
*I guarantee for him!* Reacted Irene. She had to try.
*It's not this kind of affairs, he's not a prisoner before the judge.* Explained Luke coldly.
*I'll guarantee for him, he will be peaceful and calm. You're a fantastic teacher. Let him try!* Irene was begging with a passion she had never had, or shown, before.
*You know what could happen if we give him the knowledge and we're hoping too much...* Warned the Master, he had narrated her the story of the past, all the things he had known and proved on his own skin.
*I know but he can, I feel it!* An odd wind blasts noisily between them. *I...A high palace...a man with the Jedi outfit... fighting...* The vision flew in their mind, Luke looked at it by Irene's mind. *Its' gone, I can't see further...*
*Your premonition is enough. So be it.* Agreed Luke.
Luke sighed and opened again his eyes. A smile ran across Irene's lips. Adam was in the middle of the room, waiting silently the decision that could change his life. The Master rose from his chair, with the regality of a king but the calm and the passivity of the Jedi. The mask he was wearing was only an useful tool to guarantee the respect the unforgotten Jedi of the past had had. Irene followed eager the ceremony. Luke placed the hands on Adam's shoulders.
"I welcome you in the Great Academy of the Jedi, Adam Darklighter," Announced seriously the man, looking in his eyes.
Adam looked down, as if he was assimilating the words, then up at him and at Irene and hugged the Master.
"Now we are going to eat together ma'am!" yelled the child cheerful.
"Call me Irene," the woman rose from the sofa and held Adam's hand. Luke followed them.
"Are you coming with us Master?" asked the apprentice surprised but Luke shook his head.
"No, and you have to remain too, Irene."
"But she's promised to eat with me!" protested loudly the child. *He will have to learn the discipline!*
*I know but by now don't worry about it!*
"She can go out with you later, she have to help me," justified gently Luke.
"Ok, but when you don't need her anymore, will she come?" asked surprisingly shy the boy.
"Yes, of course," Luke caressed Adam's hair. They were out of the door. Irene saw immediately the mother of the little apprentice.
"She's coming," announced the woman sarcastically and Luke nodded.
"I'll talk to her," assured Luke, touching Irene's arm gently, "you take the child to the Inn in the sector 6/4b. Say to Irina who he is and come back to me," Instructed her then Luke, looking at the oncoming blue dressed figure.
"It will be done, Master," Assured the apprentice, shifting aside not to encounter the woman.
Luke met Adam's mother in the middle of the corridor.
"So?" in her eyes a calm that surprised Luke. After the argument he had expected a cold acid woman, but she was instead calm, as if she knew what his child was going to be.
"He's going to learn the way of the Jedi," The man was talking in a low voice to make the words less incisive for the woman.
"When is he leaving?" the passivity of her voice was disarming.
"Now. My apprentice will take him to the place where I have left the other little ones," Luke was surprised. The woman seemed not to be so maternal, or she was more maternal than the other mothers he had met?! Before she left the corridor the woman looked for a long moment in Luke's eyes, as if she was reading his soul, then spoke.
"You knew is father...I know who you are; be the father he couldn't have been," with those intense words the woman ran away, disappearing behind the corner. Luke was shocked. Irene turned and touched his arm, bringing him back from the astound of his mind and the wind of feelings that was storming in his ears.
"I'm taking Adam to the Inn, I'll come back in a short time," Informed the woman and Luke nodded. He was following the child way to the turbolift, while the shape of the dead friend was confounding his mind in a terrible joke, when a couple with a daughter and a son occupied his eyesight. Sighing the man paid attention to them.
The Millennium Falcon was in its hangar; the light from the ceiling lit the ship, battered and scarred by the imperial lasers and the daring escapes it owner had done all around in the Galaxy. As usual the ship was under heavy reparations: the motivator of the hyperdrive had been again silent with a cascade of sparkles. Han Solo was poking about the liquefied cover panel. Chewbacca was trying to repair a control panel, bawling and hitting the metal with the hairy fist or the occasional tool he was holding. The Corellian called the Wookiee.
"Chewie, the hydrospanner," The hand appeared from the hole in the floor, waiting for the tool. Chewie searched, moving the hands slowly and absently on the ground and picked up a tool; Han grasped the tool but then called again the Wookiee and this time not only the hand rose. With the face dirty for the dust and the lubricant, Han looked at the partner, frowning his forehead.
"Then, hairy mountain, what's the matter with you?!" asked showing to the Wookiee the wrong tool he had given him. Chewie barked an excuse but Han seemed truly upset.
"This is the seventh time you give me the wrong tool, if there's something wrong I want to know it," the Wookiee answered evasively. The Corellian rose a suspect eyebrow.
"You can't play with me."
The tall humanoid scratched his head then gave another evasive answer.
"Ok, if you don't want to talk, I won't force you."
The Wookiee looked at the ground and gave Han the tool he needed.
"Thank you!" snorted the man coming back in the hole.
"Three, two, one," when the third finger closed Chewbecca called him. He waited till Han's head appeared; the man lifted on the elbows and looked at him. Chewie invested Solo with a rain of sounds; the man nodded and shook his head, following with great attention the speech of the friend.
"Then, let me understand: your nephew have come to do the test to enter the Jedi Academy, and you are worried, is this all?" Chewie nodded.
"Cheer up, partner. He'll be a Jedi, and if not...he can come with his uncle on this beauty!" said patting proudly the metallic floor of the room. A familiar mumble came out from the metallic viscera of the ship.
"Heard, she agrees..."
The starship was in the open space. The stars all around it were glittering as usual. Leia took a look out of the port-hole. A zone in particular attracted her attention. The Senator couldn't believe what she was looking at: the main structure was complete! The skeleton of the planet, built around a big asteroid, moved for the occasion, was quivering like an ant-hill. Ships and men worked incessantly running from side to side carrying tools and materials while the big machines, acting like enormous spiders in the emptiness, were moving the bigger and heavier part, transporting them gently and placing the dark piece of durasteel from the cargo ships to the working stations. All was going on better than she could imagine.
The ship decelerated and Leia saw the space gradually disappear in front of her: before she could say something the hatch of the Abregado1 opened and the ramp touched the ground smoothly. The two aliens came to her and, in the same instant, the guards rose like enormous towers in front of the thin Senator. Leia touched the arm of the Captain and the man shifted aside, letting her encounter the aliens.
"A little cargo ship is waiting for us, Senator," announced the taller alien, bowing lightly. Leia followed the delegates of the society with the guards behind her.
The main bay of the station was occupied by the Abregado1 and by a smaller ship, a light cargo ship. In the space the only noise was the sound of steps of the guards behind the Senator; operators were working on other ships, transporting the durasteel from the hods to the ships that took them to the yard.
In the main room of the ship Leia found the president of the Building Society, at his sides two respectful young human beings, with a formal dark blue dress and two heavy bracelets around the wrists. Leia looked at them and the one on the left side rose his eyes. Leia felt something that made her shudder for a moment. The Force. The young fellow was a Force sensitive and the skilled Jedi knew she had to take the blond human with her, but how? The Abregadoes had a crazy terror of the Jedi and if they knew the young man was a Force sensitive, they would probably kill him instantly. They didn't know Leia was a trained Jedi and that made her respected by the aliens.
The President rose and shook his hands to Leia, shifting her attention from her perceptions.
"I'm glad to see you Senator."
"And I'm glad to see you're doing and excellent work here."
"Please sit with me, we're leaving for a trip around the building," Leia and the President, conceited in his pompous red long tunic, more for a king than for a president, took a lateral corridor. The guards and the two young men followed them. The room where the President led the guest had an enormous windows, there was no wall only the beautiful sight of an ocean of stars and the Capital in the middle.
The Senator and the President of the society sat on comfortable armchairs, the guards stood behind the senator and at the door sides while the two young men were taking a tray with two glasses and a little long bottle. The man, the only human being who had never ruled on a group of Abregadoes, hit a little button on the right arm of his seat and the voice of the pilot echoed in the room.
"We are finishing the departure procedures, we're leaving in forty seconds," reported efficiently the man from the other side of the ship.
"Go on then."
The engine of the cargo ship roared, screaming for the effort, and the Giver IV rolled and took off welcomed by the dark sparkling space.
Leia was looking at the oncoming skeleton in the space in front of the ship. The mastodontic shape of durasteel was even bigger than Leia had imagined it could be. The Death Star was a little toy confronting it with that structure!
The cargo ship moved silently between the cranes and the surface of the planet under construction. Leia was looking at her side, after the first look she had understood the structure was solid and now was trying to find a way to take the young man with her. The blond human was avoiding her eyes, he knew she was a Senator and he knew that he couldn't look at her, but the insistence of that eye made him rose his eyes and Leia smiled, she had attracted the attention of the young fellow. If he was a Force sensitive she could try to communicate with him with the Force, even if he probably didn't know the gift he had. Focusing her mind on the young man Leia called him. The boy iced and clenched his hands for the fear.
*Ehi...* he was trying to escape but Leia had to speak with him. Now the woman could act like she was looking out of the window and talk to the young man at the same time.
*Don't be afraid and tell me your name... *
*You are the Senator... *
*Yes, and I'm a Jedi and if you can listen to me you're a Force sensitive, a not trained Jedi. *
*Me? A Jedi?!*
*Yes, if you'll come with me I'll take you to the Master of the New Order...*
*I can't leave this place. The President had bought me from a merchant a week ago, he wouldn't let me go...*
*How much did he pay?* Leia was horrified by what the young man had told her: in the New Republic, in the peaceful and free new Galaxy there were still slaves sold and bought as stuffs.
*I don't know...thank you for the interest but I'm a slave, my father was a slave, my family is this way... *
*No...c'mon tell me your name... *
*My name is Lukas... *
*Okay Lukas...I've a plan, now do exactly what I say... *
*I'll do... *
*Come toward me and kiss me than run as fast as you can, don't worry for the guards, just run! *
*You think... *
*C'mon Lukas! *
The Senator rose from her chair and went to her guards.
"Change the guns in stunguns," whispered to the Captain.
"But ma'am..." stammered the guard but Leia glared at him and the Captain silenced immediately.
"Do as I say, now," ordered angrily.
"Immediately, ma'am."
The Senator sat down again while the guards were executing her order. When she was sure all the guns were now inoffensive, nodded looking at Lukas who inspired and ran to the Senator kissing her. In the perturbation that followed that moment, Leia seized a stungun and ran after Lukas, the guards were following her. Lukas threw himself in a little room, his head appeared in the doorway and the young man called Leia.
"This way!" ordered the Senator, preceding the guards.
Leia entered the room. Lukas was waiting for her in the shadow of a corner.
"Now?" asked anxious the young man.
"Shout as loud as you can and don't worry, when you get up you'll be on Could City," Surprisingly her voice convinced him. Lukas inspired as deep as he could.
The guards stopped when Lukas's voice echoed in the corridor. Leia came out of the room.
"Take his body," the guards ran into the room. Before her there was now the President.
"What happened?" asked the man, as pale as a sheet.
"Don't worry President. It's over," Reassured Leia in a secure voice.
"I'm terrible sorry for this," said the man.
"Let's come back to the Abregado1. I saw enough."
"Oh...sure, ma'am. But what will you do with him?"
"I don't know. He's...dead."
"DEAD?!!"
"Yes. He would be a spy of some terrorist and I want him to be examined on Could City..." the President was speechless. Nodding, the man hit a switch on a panel of the wall.
"Lieutenant, invert the route, we're coming back."
Out of the colossal door of the room the silence was absolute. Four beings had remained. Irene came out of the room and took a look around: the clouds were darkening and the first stars were now twinkling above them. When Irene turned to look at the woman before her the surprise opened her mouth. At the left side of the old gray-haired woman was a young Wookiee and Irene looked at him, she was sure she had met that face before. The woman bowed to her.
"He's my nephew, Grrakkj." Introduced gently the woman, the young furry child bowed respectfully but Irene placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"Don't treat me like a queen, Grrakkj. My name is Irene, call me this way." The child nodded and spoke in his own language that Irene couldn't understand. Luke helped her.
*Calm down Irene, you understand him perfectly... *
*What?! *
*Contact him in the Force, he can talk to you and you to him. *
*I'll try...*
*Don't... * Luke was going to repeat the unforgivable phrase but Irene answered for him.
*There's no try, do or not...I'll do!*
The woman inspired and took Grrakkj's hand. The old woman saluted the young Wookiee sighing.
"Don't worry dear...I'll be here."
Grrakkj groaned and followed Irene inside, under the look of the other young boy who was the last one to test.
"Master, he is..." but Luke silenced her with a gesture of the hand.
*Hi, Grrakkj.*
**Hi Master.**
*I can understand him?!*
*I told you that... Are you Chewie's son?*
**I'm his nephew, sir.**
*You're proud of him...*
**Yes......What are we waiting for, sir?**
*Don't worry, calm down. Don't be excited or your perceptions won't be clear.*
**Yes, sir...**
Luke looked at the viewscreen in his hands for a moment then focused on Grrakkj's mind, while Irene was silently taking her place at his side.
*What do you see?*
**A starship.**
**A cup.**
**A tall tree.**
**A man.**
**Another cup.**
**A blaster pistol.**
**Another tree.**
*Okay.* Luke replaced the viewscreen on the floor and picked up a picture. Shown it before the child for a second, he covered the piece of wood without looking at it.
*What have you seen?*
**It was a piece of wood, an old one. There was a picture on it. The picture of a swamp, a nice picture if I can say. A big contorted tree with enormous roots. The tree is near a foggy lake surrounded by other trees and behind one of the trees there is a strange animal. I haven't seen one like that before: it's like a long snake with two long white feathers at the side of the head and is of a brilliant green. The trees are too high and cover the sky. All is full of peace, who did that picture loved that place...Yoda. The Great Master of the Jedi, he had to love his home.**
*Excellent...* Luke reinforced the barrier between him and the child, naturally talented in reading other's minds.
*He's fantastic!*
*Yes...we've found another apprentice. The tenth, we've enough apprentice for the moment. Outside there's another child.*
*Have you felt something strange looking at that child?*
*Have you felt it too?*
*Yes of course! He's like a big...I don't know...a black hole...*
*You're right. Leave Grrakkj with his grandma and take the child inside. After that exam you'll do your exercise and I'll take the apprentices to the Inn.*
*Yes, Master.* Irene felt like a child at school with the old teacher before. But Luke wasn't old...The thought stopped suddenly, the shyness quitted what she was coming to. The woman opened her eyes and reached the door, a vertigo was making the world rotate like a crazy merry-go-round. Luke frowned the brow, worried, but didn't spoke.
Irene called Grrakkj and the Wookiee held her hand. Out of the door the gray haired woman rose from her chair and reached his grandson.
"Is he going to be a Jedi?"
"Yes, don't worry. But I have to ask you if you can keep him here while the Master is testing that other boy..."
"Of course I can, ma'am..."
Grandmother and grandson sat down silently near the door. Irene looked at the boy: something was touching her deeply, leaving a cold trail.
"Hi boy...I'm Irene, I'll take you to the Master," Said calm the woman looking at the boy. The tall man near him rose and did a military salute to Irene. The woman drew a step beck, perplexed.
"He's Toman Hejr. He's the power and the skills of the Jedi. I wanted him at the Military Academy on Ord Mantel but the fate has chosen differently," Explained the tall dark haired man, with the grade glittering on the shoulders and on the chest.
"Nice to meet you Toman..." then she looked at the man, "and you, what's your name?"
"I'm General Lukian Hejr."
"You've to wait here, till we finish, General..."
"Okay." The man turned toward his son and placed his strong hands on the brawny shoulders of the boy, "Go, son, and do your best."
"Yes, Sir," Answered immediately Toman, doing a serious military salute that impressed Irene. The woman did a gesture to Toman and the boy followed her inside.
In the room a cold wind iced the atmosphere. Immediately Luke felt again the oddness that flew from the boy, who gazed at him, exploring his mind. The man felt extremely uncomfortable and Irene shuddered. Then, as it had come, the perception went away. Luke was perplexed, Irene's eyes were enormous for the astonishment and the sudden fear had filled her heart.
"I'm Luke Skywalker," Said finally the Master, regaining the voice.
"You're known on my planet, Sir," Answered politely the boy. He was changed, inexplicably mutated. Silently Luke watched the viewscreen for a moment and asked.
"What do you see?"
Toman closed his eyes for a moment and both the Jedi frowned a perplexed eyebrow. How could the boy know what he had to do to concentrate?!
"A starship." Luke changed the picture and the boy immediately answered.
"A tree."
"A blaster pistol."
"A cup."
"Another tree."
"Another starship."
Luke switched off the screen and look at the boy. He had answered correctly and, strangely before Luke changed the pictures on the screen.
*He can easily see the future ...*commented Irene. Luke agreed.
*Yes, and...I don't know, you were right: in him there's something like a black hole. The Force is strong in him...but is dark, like the Dark Side is inside him. It's the first time a see something like this... *
If a can say, we haven't to do the other test. *
* You're right again -I think you'll be better than me in time!*
*I hope not too soon...*
*We're taking another way. Take the boy and the other apprentice to Irina. I'll do some research to find out something. I'm sorry but your training will wait until a more free moment.*
*Don't worry Master. Being with you is however a training, a good one.*
Irene opened her eyes and rose from the sofa.
"Come with me Toman..."
"Like you desire ma'am."
Irene and the boy came out of the room, leaving Luke on his armchair, absorbed by his thoughts.
Leia couldn't remember a med-droid so slow in checking his patient! 2-1B was checking Lukas, who was sleeping on a cot in the medical center of Could City. The young boy hadn't waken up yet and the woman was wondering if the power of the stungun had been too strong for him. The droid shook his head, in a common human expression of disagreement.
"He's weak, undernourished, and has the first symptoms of the jukas-T." reported efficiently the droid eyeing the woman behind him. Leia startled.
"The jukas-T? The disease of the swamps of GrantorV?!" asked incredulous the Senator, looking at the pale face of the boy.
"You know it?" the droid seemed really surprised.
"Yes...I've read about that muddy planet, but I thought it was uninhabited from ages..."
"Evidently someone still lives there..." commented laconically 2-1B
"Can you do something?" the worry of that question surprised even Leia. The med-droid kept silent for a long moment then the metallic voice echoed in the room.
"Yes, it's difficult but he can survive. Fortunately you've taken him here now, when the virus is still concentrated on a little area of his body. You haven't to worry Ma'am, he'll be better soon."
Leia would have embraced the droid if Lukas in that moment hadn't opened his eyes. The Senator went near him and caressed his forehead. The boy found the power to smile to her and Leia smiled back. Lukas opened his mouth to speak but Leia shook her head, silencing him.
"Don't speak Lukas. Don't worry you'll be better soon." The blond young guy nodded and thanked his savior.
"Th-thank you...ma'am." Whispered but a deep cough shook his weak body. Leia placed her left hand on his shoulder and with the other hand helped the boy drinking some water. The med-droid called her.
"You have to leave him, now. He needs repose." The senator nodded and saluted Lukas.
"Bye." Whispered on the doorway. Lukas rose a trembling hand and gave her back a salute.
Irina was shouting desperately, the hall of her Inn, the Star of Qual, was under the massive attack of an alien race who was destroying everything. The people was composed by taller and shorter members, human and humanoid - two in particular, a male human and a male tall and huge humanoid with sharp greenish eyes and a long pony tail from the top of the head to the waist, were the untold leaders of the assorted group of invaders- come from the edge of an unknown galaxy.
The woman was trying to save a carpet from the deadly juice fired from mortal blue glasses, but her attention had to shift from the carpet: the devastators were flying upon her from the lamps attached at the white ceiling. The air force hit her head with a shower of little shots.
"Stop it!" ordered someone from the doorstep and the hostilities ended immediately. Irina smiled at her savior and ran to him. The group of little barbarians was regaining a normal position, all the foot were on the ground and the weapons on the floor.
The dark figure came in and stopped before the children, looking at them gravely.
"What did you want you do?" a guilty silence was the answer of the band.
"Who have started all this?" the tall boy and the tall alien drew a step forward, emerging from the crowd.
"I had to suppose this...Hujan and Dedalus. Only you can be the leaders of the gang...The Master won't be glad to listen to what you've done."
The boys asked forgiveness, imploring Irene not to tell Luke what had happened and Irene agreed.
"But remember that this is the last time I save you from a punishment." reminded them Irene with a serious voice and the boys nodded.
Toman appeared near Irene and the Wookiee at his side. The group looked at them suspiciously. Grrakkj was a timid fourteen years old Wookiee, with the deep blue eyes of his known uncle and the eyes of the other young apprentice on him made him feel quite uneasy. Toman was his opposite; sixteen years old easy and bold, the boy had the polemic spirit typical of his age and didn't waste the occasion to show it, loudly and clearly.
The brawny boy took a step forward and faced Dedalus and Hujan, as tall as him, and looked at them studying them deeply. Irene looked at the boy and saw something strange, tremendously strange. The eyes of the two young apprentices in front of Toman were dull and black. The woman felt a dark presence hanging over them. Grrakkj, who had felt it too, yelped looking up at Irene to find a comforting answer. Surprisingly, Irene hadn't the answer but Dakana had it.
The girl reached Toman, paying attention not to look up at him and rose her thin blue hand with a fluid movement, the bracelets she was wearing tinkled echoing in the astounded silence; the boy stopped looking at the boys and looked at her, panting for the effort to bend her mind but the girl was strong enough to keep him away from her intellect. The hand in the air was trembling as if it was hardly keeping in it a colossal power, while a fine motes was whirling around the long clawed fingers condensing rapidly. The boy drew a step back terrified and hit Grrakkj who fell on the floor and Toman on him. The boy jumped up while Dakana was walking toward him, as inexorable as the flooding tide. What happened after was just the memory of a dream for all of the spectators. A blinding bolt hit Toman. The boy and Dakana fell unconscious on the floor in the same instant.
On the doorstep appeared Luke, breathless and confused. The Master reached staggering Toman and knelt near him then checked his conditions. Irene held Dakana, the color of her skin was of a pale worrying blue and the woman placed her on a sofa. The other young apprentices divided into two groups: Dedalus, Grrakkj Derek and Liby were with Toman and the Master; Hujan Valene and Adam with Irene and Dakana. From both the crew rose a perplex and worried murmur. Luke held Toman in his arms and placed him on the sofa on the other wall of the devastated hall. Master and apprentice exchanged a worried eye. Neither of them knew what had happened: what both of them had were only feelings and sensations that were becoming paler and paler. The siren of an ambulance wept in the street in front of the Inn and six stretcher-bearers rushed inside, carrying the litters and the kits for the reanimation. Luke and Irene followed the litters out of the Inn, leaving the sad children with Irina, who reassured them with a glass of fruit juice and a tray of hot cookies.
In front of the high couple of towers, linked by transparent passages supported by robust cages of durasteel, there was a large space for the landing and the taking off ambulances. People went and came in and out of the buildings, so high to make who looked at their top feel dizzy. The only sound in the square was the weeping siren of an oncoming ambulance.
The ambulance was landing and Leia was coming out of the Med Center. Behind the window a blond head followed her way in the noisy street in front of the high towers. When the hatch silently opened, Luke rushed out of the ambulance: for a moment his first preoccupation was knowing the reason that had taken Leia to the Med Center twice in a week.
"Leia!" shouted, waving the hands in the air. The Senator stopped and searched in the people around her his brother. She saw him and greeted him waving a hand in the air, smiling. Luke stopped before her.
"What are you doing here?" asked worried the Jedi.
"Nothing, I took a new apprentice who needed medical cures." Answered lightly the Senator, with a light shrug.
"A new apprentice?"
"Yes, I was coming to you to tell you about him. But you're here and I can tell all now. Then..." but Luke silenced her with a movement of the hand.
"I'm sorry Sis." Said then taking a step back and looking at the door of the Med Center that was sliding for two coming stretchers followed by a Jedi. Leia noticed the group and followed Luke who was running toward the Med Center.
"Ehi! Luke, wait for me!!" shouted Leia.
The man rushed inside the hall of the Med Center, he hardly saw two meters in front of him, his heart was beating crazily for the preoccupation and the blood was obscuring his sight. Luke looked around searching for Irene and the apprentices, a worried expression had contracted his face. Leia appeared at his side and looked at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Then? What's happening?!"
"I don't know exactly, but if you wait till I have the information I need, then I'll explain to you all."
"Okay..."
Luke moved again. Leia sat on a sofa following her brother's speech with the nurse, a humanoid glittering silvered droid with a white coat.
"Where are my apprentices?" his training was calming him down and his voice came out tranquil, surprisingly tranquil.
"Give me their name, Sir." Asked politely the droid.
"Toman Hejr, human, and Dakana Gtuerres, Jesh." The nurse inserted the names and after a long moment, long for the worried Master, the computer answered beeping.
"Fourth floor. Reanimation department, Sir."
"Thank you."
The Jedi Master hit the call button of the turbolift repeatedly, with new trepidation. Leia saw him jump into the turbolift while the door was still half closed.
"He'll never change..."sighed the woman shaking her head.
Behind the pane of the window Luke was following the movements of the med droids around the two beds. It was like a stream that flew from a bed to the other and back, in a fluent and regular way. Irene was there too. Her eyes were closed, she was trying to help the apprentices with the Force. Her body was immobile, as it had been iced by a magic. Luke looked at his apprentice then called Irene. The apprentice didn't speak but Luke felt something like a smile of relief when Irene sensed his comforting presence. Luke focused on the young fragile beings in the white seas of their beds.
*Toman...Dakana...don't worry, I'm here now. You'll be better very soon, I promise. I know that somewhere around here you're listening to me, so, try to answer. Come back to me, to your friend Luke, and to Irene. *
*Toman, Dakana, I can feel you around here, I feel your confounded and afraid mind, what happened is the past now you're here, still here and I'll help you, only draw out a hand.* Luke could feel the young apprentices somewhere around him and he could feel Irene too. She was trying to help Toman and Dakana instilling her strength in them. They were so near that they could touch each other. Luke called again. The children were lost in the unconsciousness.
Something finally moved. Luke called Dakana and her voice answered feeble. Luke called her again and again to guide the girl, when Toman's voice echoed full of anger in the inconsistent darkness around him.
*I'm here too!*
* Follow my voice Toman, we're coming back to consciousness.*
"Doctor, the patients are opening their eyes." Announced K2, the nurse and 3-0B turned to eye Dakana and Toman. The eyelids trembled for a moment then the eyes opened. The apprentices were still half asleep and confused by the terrible experience. Irene and Luke opened their eyes in the same instant. Dakana's skin was turning again to a more normal blue and was now clearer the typical brownish regular mosaic of little spots on it. Toman turned to look at Luke who felt those eyes passing through him violently and the Master drew a step back, confounded for a terrible moment, the world around him was lightened by a bolt that blinded him. The viscid presence he had felt while Dakana and Toman were facing each other, touched him again then disappeared, but Luke knew, and he hated to be right about such a thing, it would come again. Irene rose from the chair, a new light in her eyes, and took a step toward the beds but stopped immediately, turning to smile victoriously to her Master, who nodded and smiled back.
A month had passed and Luke was proud of the result Irene was obtaining, and was more than proud of the effort she was doing to be better in a short time. He hadn't asked her to run so fast but she had probably felt the desperate need he had of an old apprentice -old so to speak-. It was dangerous, Ben had on purpose come to warn the man and Luke had slowed down. Finally, the day before that bright morning, Ben Yoda and Anakin had come to him and had expressed appreciation for the apprentice, letting him bring Irene with him to the test.
*The day has come...* This was the thought that was winding in his mind while the turbolift was taking him to the Temple.
When the dark dressed figure appeared in the doorway of the turbolift the people in the long bright corridor silenced immediately. The Jedi Master went through the corridor, with a stately walk unusual for him, but that could fit a Jedi Master, and the people didn't dare to rise their eyes till he had passed before them. Eyeing one time at his left and one at his right side, Luke started his search for the Force sensitives. Two creatures in particulars attracted his attention: a sixteen years old boy, with his father, and a young Wookiee, accompanied by a gray haired woman. Luke was quite sure he had seen the little Wookiee somewhere, but he couldn't remember where. The boy attracted his attention because of the odd perception he had of him. Shaking the head to remove the sensation, Luke went on.
The hooded man reached the door and touched it, not because he opened it that way but to have something solid to feel, before the tests. The comments of the people and the aliens made about him were a barely audible buzz.
*Home sweet home.*
The magnificent door opened silently and the light of the rounded room reassured the man. A familiar presence attracted his attention. Without looking at the sides Luke closed the door and walked through the room. He stopped before the armchair and searched for his instruments. He had left them under the armchair and, cleaning them, placed the viewscreen and the pictures painted on the pieces of wood on the armchair, then called Irene.
"I hoped you would be here," talked measuring cautiously the words. Irene was near the door with the arms folded, with the pale outfit of the Jedi apprentice, the brown mantel graciously arranged on the shoulders.
"Luke, do I say to you what happened to me when I opened this door?" asked joyfully the woman.
"No, what?" asked curious Luke, looking at her for a moment while he was switching on the viewscreen, giving her the back.
"Then, I was in front of the door, there were the same people that are out now, and a man called me touching my shoulder. He was two meters tall, a mountain before me. I looked at him and he asked 'Are you the Master?' I shook my head and he looked at me for a long moment. I didn't know what to do..." Luke was paying attention at the story nodding and smiling. "This mountain called me again and asked, not very gently 'why are you opening the door then?'. I looked at him and answered, talking like an oracle to impress him in some way 'I'm his apprentice!'" Irene was gesturing to give the story a more solid form; Luke had finished preparing the tools and was looking at her, forgetting the people out of the door, " the man knelt down and kissed my boots, I didn't know a Jedi deserve so much respect!" Luke smiled and shook his head.
"No. Well, I received the same respect. If it doesn't hurt you, I don't see a reason to tell them not to kneel before us!" Luke's heart was beating furiously and his voice was louder not to listen to it. He didn't know what was happening to him but talk to Irene or simple look at her was becoming every day, if not every hour, more difficult for him. Fortunately the woman didn't noticed his feelings, because of the barrier he had built up between him and the world and the apprentice hadn't asked justifications about its existence. Irene laughed and shook her head.
"You're evil!" exclaimed Irene, shaking her head, evidently delighted by his tone.
"C'mon open this door and...let's rock!"
Irene nodded and stopped before the door. Before she hit the switch of the control panel, the woman shook her head and smiled again, rethinking about Luke's words.
Irene took a step in the corridor and a woman rose from her chair, taking with her a little boy, who was kicking and screaming, terrified. The woman bowed
*Hold the hand of the child and say to the mother to wait outside...* Luke's instruction saved Irene. The little child ran behind the mother but the woman pushed him in front of herself.
"Hey, dear, give me your hand, do you want?" Irene lowered to look at the child in his brown deep eyes. The child was unsure. The woman spoke, gently but a little upset.
"Why do you want his hand?"
Irene looked up.
"Because you can't come inside..." she said politely.
"What's the matter! I'm her mother, I must come with him."
"Madam, you can't..." tried to explain Irene but the woman stopped her.
"Who are you to say what I can or can't do?" the discussion was taking a wrong way.
"I'm the apprentice of Master Luke Skywalker..." Irene called the Master and Luke comforted her.
*Not all the people are so respectful. A Jedi is capable to bow at the enemy Irene, remind this statement. It doesn't matter that she can put his foot on your head but be calm and peaceful, till you can.*
"You're his slave!" the insult was over the limit of her patience.
"Don't speak to me in this way!"
"You're horribly ill-mannered! the Master will have another slave soon!" Irene was hardly keeping the calm, "Let me go inside with him!"
Luke rose from his armchair and took a step toward the door. The woman saw him and silenced. Luke walked through the room and touched the shoulder of his apprentice. The woman was stupefied.
"You can't talk to my apprentice in this ill-mannered way," Irene rose and the boy gave her his fragile hand. Irene and the boy got in the room.
"Now you'll wait here," Ordered Luke, with a calm tone more peremptory than a shout, and the woman nodded. Luke closed the door behind him.
Inside his apprentice was talking to the boy, reassuring him. The sweet sight of Irene, gentle and tender with the boy, made Luke sigh.
"Now you'll do a test...don't worry, ok?" whispered caressing the child's cheek, "And after the test we'll go out and eat something together, you want?"
"Where will we go?" asked the boy, Irene had made him forget about the test.
"Where you want..." the child smiled, nodding. Irene looked up at Luke who nodded and Irene saluted the child and waited the gesture of Luke to get out the room.
Luke touched the shoulder of the child and smiled.
"I'm Luke Skywalker, and you?"
"My name is Adam, Adam Darklighter," the surname of the child surprised Luke.
"Your father was Biggs Darklighter then," he didn't know Biggs had gotten married and had had a child.
"No, my uncle name's Biggs, he was a hero...but he died," corrected the child.
"I knew him," said the man with a sigh.
"You knew Uncle Biggs?!" Luke nodded, the nephew of his best friend was in front of him. The man left the child in the middle of the room and, leaving the past in a corner of his memory, sat on the armchair. Irene was leaving but Luke called her.
"No Irene, you sit here," said pointing at the sofa at his right side. Irene stopped and turned back, sitting graciously on the sofa.
The spaceport was noisy as usual, the thunder of the ion engines was deafening. Leia was walking through its main street, at her sides the docking platforms, enormous rooms covered by mobile roofs or simple platforms of durasteel; the squad of guards that was following and surrounding her was cautious and ready to defend the senator. With her two representatives of an important building society, skilled in the building of floating cities, were walking explaining where they were going to take her.
"We have finished the construction of the frame work of the planet, and we would be more that delighted if you came with us for a first inspection."
"You've done the structural support of the whole planet? In a month?" Leia was surprised and shocked, she had reassured Lando about the speed of the leaving of his city but she couldn't believe the society had done the structure yet. They were arrived and the two alien stopped in front of the door of a docking bay.
Inside there was a freighter, one of the biggest Leia had ever seen, and the rounded wall of the bay seemed to do a big effort to contain it.
"You excuse us, but we don't have special ships for the human transport," apologized the taller of the two to the senator who nodded, comprehensively.
"Don't worry, I have flown in worse ships," answered Leia thinking about the Falcon.
The hatch was open and the two Abregadoes went on board, followed by Leia and the guards. Leia was led in a space near the bridge, where there were other people who stopped talking when the guards entered the room marching noisily. Leia found seven seats near to a port-hole and sat down. The guards sat down finding the best formation to keep under constant control the port-hole, the door of the corridor and the door of the bridge. The other people in the room kept silence, whispering only if it was necessary. The ion engines thundered and the loud noise covered the comments of the people about the illustrious guest.
The Abregado1 took off and Bespin soon became a glowing point in an ocean of stars.
In the Council Room had lowered a silence full of waiting and hope. The boy had successfully passed the exams and now Luke was exploring Adam's mind. Irene didn't know what she had to do but when Luke called her to help him in the decision she felt, probably for the first time, important.
*What do you feel, Irene? * Was an important question and Irene concentrated for a moment in the deepest way she knew.
*He's a strong Force sensitive, his heart seemed... *
*It hasn't to seem, it has to be... *
*Ok, he's not so calm, he's full of fear... *
*What I felt, exactly, so he's not going to be a Jedi, the fear is a bad feeling for a Jedi.* The sentence thundered in Irene's mind. Luke had decided, the boy hadn't a second chance. That decision had passed through his heart, the boy was Biggs's nephew but the decision of the Master had to be as clear as possible, his heart had to keep silent.
*But, Master, he can change! *Argued the woman with a rising ardor.
*I was wrong, your presence makes all more difficult...*and it was true: Irene was the voice of his hearth, the hearth he had reduced to silence when he had decided to build up the New Academy. He had seen and felt and suffered too much. The good of the Galaxy before his feelings. He had learned that rule, and well.
*I guarantee for him!* Reacted Irene. She had to try.
*It's not this kind of affairs, he's not a prisoner before the judge.* Explained Luke coldly.
*I'll guarantee for him, he will be peaceful and calm. You're a fantastic teacher. Let him try!* Irene was begging with a passion she had never had, or shown, before.
*You know what could happen if we give him the knowledge and we're hoping too much...* Warned the Master, he had narrated her the story of the past, all the things he had known and proved on his own skin.
*I know but he can, I feel it!* An odd wind blasts noisily between them. *I...A high palace...a man with the Jedi outfit... fighting...* The vision flew in their mind, Luke looked at it by Irene's mind. *Its' gone, I can't see further...*
*Your premonition is enough. So be it.* Agreed Luke.
Luke sighed and opened again his eyes. A smile ran across Irene's lips. Adam was in the middle of the room, waiting silently the decision that could change his life. The Master rose from his chair, with the regality of a king but the calm and the passivity of the Jedi. The mask he was wearing was only an useful tool to guarantee the respect the unforgotten Jedi of the past had had. Irene followed eager the ceremony. Luke placed the hands on Adam's shoulders.
"I welcome you in the Great Academy of the Jedi, Adam Darklighter," Announced seriously the man, looking in his eyes.
Adam looked down, as if he was assimilating the words, then up at him and at Irene and hugged the Master.
"Now we are going to eat together ma'am!" yelled the child cheerful.
"Call me Irene," the woman rose from the sofa and held Adam's hand. Luke followed them.
"Are you coming with us Master?" asked the apprentice surprised but Luke shook his head.
"No, and you have to remain too, Irene."
"But she's promised to eat with me!" protested loudly the child. *He will have to learn the discipline!*
*I know but by now don't worry about it!*
"She can go out with you later, she have to help me," justified gently Luke.
"Ok, but when you don't need her anymore, will she come?" asked surprisingly shy the boy.
"Yes, of course," Luke caressed Adam's hair. They were out of the door. Irene saw immediately the mother of the little apprentice.
"She's coming," announced the woman sarcastically and Luke nodded.
"I'll talk to her," assured Luke, touching Irene's arm gently, "you take the child to the Inn in the sector 6/4b. Say to Irina who he is and come back to me," Instructed her then Luke, looking at the oncoming blue dressed figure.
"It will be done, Master," Assured the apprentice, shifting aside not to encounter the woman.
Luke met Adam's mother in the middle of the corridor.
"So?" in her eyes a calm that surprised Luke. After the argument he had expected a cold acid woman, but she was instead calm, as if she knew what his child was going to be.
"He's going to learn the way of the Jedi," The man was talking in a low voice to make the words less incisive for the woman.
"When is he leaving?" the passivity of her voice was disarming.
"Now. My apprentice will take him to the place where I have left the other little ones," Luke was surprised. The woman seemed not to be so maternal, or she was more maternal than the other mothers he had met?! Before she left the corridor the woman looked for a long moment in Luke's eyes, as if she was reading his soul, then spoke.
"You knew is father...I know who you are; be the father he couldn't have been," with those intense words the woman ran away, disappearing behind the corner. Luke was shocked. Irene turned and touched his arm, bringing him back from the astound of his mind and the wind of feelings that was storming in his ears.
"I'm taking Adam to the Inn, I'll come back in a short time," Informed the woman and Luke nodded. He was following the child way to the turbolift, while the shape of the dead friend was confounding his mind in a terrible joke, when a couple with a daughter and a son occupied his eyesight. Sighing the man paid attention to them.
The Millennium Falcon was in its hangar; the light from the ceiling lit the ship, battered and scarred by the imperial lasers and the daring escapes it owner had done all around in the Galaxy. As usual the ship was under heavy reparations: the motivator of the hyperdrive had been again silent with a cascade of sparkles. Han Solo was poking about the liquefied cover panel. Chewbacca was trying to repair a control panel, bawling and hitting the metal with the hairy fist or the occasional tool he was holding. The Corellian called the Wookiee.
"Chewie, the hydrospanner," The hand appeared from the hole in the floor, waiting for the tool. Chewie searched, moving the hands slowly and absently on the ground and picked up a tool; Han grasped the tool but then called again the Wookiee and this time not only the hand rose. With the face dirty for the dust and the lubricant, Han looked at the partner, frowning his forehead.
"Then, hairy mountain, what's the matter with you?!" asked showing to the Wookiee the wrong tool he had given him. Chewie barked an excuse but Han seemed truly upset.
"This is the seventh time you give me the wrong tool, if there's something wrong I want to know it," the Wookiee answered evasively. The Corellian rose a suspect eyebrow.
"You can't play with me."
The tall humanoid scratched his head then gave another evasive answer.
"Ok, if you don't want to talk, I won't force you."
The Wookiee looked at the ground and gave Han the tool he needed.
"Thank you!" snorted the man coming back in the hole.
"Three, two, one," when the third finger closed Chewbecca called him. He waited till Han's head appeared; the man lifted on the elbows and looked at him. Chewie invested Solo with a rain of sounds; the man nodded and shook his head, following with great attention the speech of the friend.
"Then, let me understand: your nephew have come to do the test to enter the Jedi Academy, and you are worried, is this all?" Chewie nodded.
"Cheer up, partner. He'll be a Jedi, and if not...he can come with his uncle on this beauty!" said patting proudly the metallic floor of the room. A familiar mumble came out from the metallic viscera of the ship.
"Heard, she agrees..."
The starship was in the open space. The stars all around it were glittering as usual. Leia took a look out of the port-hole. A zone in particular attracted her attention. The Senator couldn't believe what she was looking at: the main structure was complete! The skeleton of the planet, built around a big asteroid, moved for the occasion, was quivering like an ant-hill. Ships and men worked incessantly running from side to side carrying tools and materials while the big machines, acting like enormous spiders in the emptiness, were moving the bigger and heavier part, transporting them gently and placing the dark piece of durasteel from the cargo ships to the working stations. All was going on better than she could imagine.
The ship decelerated and Leia saw the space gradually disappear in front of her: before she could say something the hatch of the Abregado1 opened and the ramp touched the ground smoothly. The two aliens came to her and, in the same instant, the guards rose like enormous towers in front of the thin Senator. Leia touched the arm of the Captain and the man shifted aside, letting her encounter the aliens.
"A little cargo ship is waiting for us, Senator," announced the taller alien, bowing lightly. Leia followed the delegates of the society with the guards behind her.
The main bay of the station was occupied by the Abregado1 and by a smaller ship, a light cargo ship. In the space the only noise was the sound of steps of the guards behind the Senator; operators were working on other ships, transporting the durasteel from the hods to the ships that took them to the yard.
In the main room of the ship Leia found the president of the Building Society, at his sides two respectful young human beings, with a formal dark blue dress and two heavy bracelets around the wrists. Leia looked at them and the one on the left side rose his eyes. Leia felt something that made her shudder for a moment. The Force. The young fellow was a Force sensitive and the skilled Jedi knew she had to take the blond human with her, but how? The Abregadoes had a crazy terror of the Jedi and if they knew the young man was a Force sensitive, they would probably kill him instantly. They didn't know Leia was a trained Jedi and that made her respected by the aliens.
The President rose and shook his hands to Leia, shifting her attention from her perceptions.
"I'm glad to see you Senator."
"And I'm glad to see you're doing and excellent work here."
"Please sit with me, we're leaving for a trip around the building," Leia and the President, conceited in his pompous red long tunic, more for a king than for a president, took a lateral corridor. The guards and the two young men followed them. The room where the President led the guest had an enormous windows, there was no wall only the beautiful sight of an ocean of stars and the Capital in the middle.
The Senator and the President of the society sat on comfortable armchairs, the guards stood behind the senator and at the door sides while the two young men were taking a tray with two glasses and a little long bottle. The man, the only human being who had never ruled on a group of Abregadoes, hit a little button on the right arm of his seat and the voice of the pilot echoed in the room.
"We are finishing the departure procedures, we're leaving in forty seconds," reported efficiently the man from the other side of the ship.
"Go on then."
The engine of the cargo ship roared, screaming for the effort, and the Giver IV rolled and took off welcomed by the dark sparkling space.
Leia was looking at the oncoming skeleton in the space in front of the ship. The mastodontic shape of durasteel was even bigger than Leia had imagined it could be. The Death Star was a little toy confronting it with that structure!
The cargo ship moved silently between the cranes and the surface of the planet under construction. Leia was looking at her side, after the first look she had understood the structure was solid and now was trying to find a way to take the young man with her. The blond human was avoiding her eyes, he knew she was a Senator and he knew that he couldn't look at her, but the insistence of that eye made him rose his eyes and Leia smiled, she had attracted the attention of the young fellow. If he was a Force sensitive she could try to communicate with him with the Force, even if he probably didn't know the gift he had. Focusing her mind on the young man Leia called him. The boy iced and clenched his hands for the fear.
*Ehi...* he was trying to escape but Leia had to speak with him. Now the woman could act like she was looking out of the window and talk to the young man at the same time.
*Don't be afraid and tell me your name... *
*You are the Senator... *
*Yes, and I'm a Jedi and if you can listen to me you're a Force sensitive, a not trained Jedi. *
*Me? A Jedi?!*
*Yes, if you'll come with me I'll take you to the Master of the New Order...*
*I can't leave this place. The President had bought me from a merchant a week ago, he wouldn't let me go...*
*How much did he pay?* Leia was horrified by what the young man had told her: in the New Republic, in the peaceful and free new Galaxy there were still slaves sold and bought as stuffs.
*I don't know...thank you for the interest but I'm a slave, my father was a slave, my family is this way... *
*No...c'mon tell me your name... *
*My name is Lukas... *
*Okay Lukas...I've a plan, now do exactly what I say... *
*I'll do... *
*Come toward me and kiss me than run as fast as you can, don't worry for the guards, just run! *
*You think... *
*C'mon Lukas! *
The Senator rose from her chair and went to her guards.
"Change the guns in stunguns," whispered to the Captain.
"But ma'am..." stammered the guard but Leia glared at him and the Captain silenced immediately.
"Do as I say, now," ordered angrily.
"Immediately, ma'am."
The Senator sat down again while the guards were executing her order. When she was sure all the guns were now inoffensive, nodded looking at Lukas who inspired and ran to the Senator kissing her. In the perturbation that followed that moment, Leia seized a stungun and ran after Lukas, the guards were following her. Lukas threw himself in a little room, his head appeared in the doorway and the young man called Leia.
"This way!" ordered the Senator, preceding the guards.
Leia entered the room. Lukas was waiting for her in the shadow of a corner.
"Now?" asked anxious the young man.
"Shout as loud as you can and don't worry, when you get up you'll be on Could City," Surprisingly her voice convinced him. Lukas inspired as deep as he could.
The guards stopped when Lukas's voice echoed in the corridor. Leia came out of the room.
"Take his body," the guards ran into the room. Before her there was now the President.
"What happened?" asked the man, as pale as a sheet.
"Don't worry President. It's over," Reassured Leia in a secure voice.
"I'm terrible sorry for this," said the man.
"Let's come back to the Abregado1. I saw enough."
"Oh...sure, ma'am. But what will you do with him?"
"I don't know. He's...dead."
"DEAD?!!"
"Yes. He would be a spy of some terrorist and I want him to be examined on Could City..." the President was speechless. Nodding, the man hit a switch on a panel of the wall.
"Lieutenant, invert the route, we're coming back."
Out of the colossal door of the room the silence was absolute. Four beings had remained. Irene came out of the room and took a look around: the clouds were darkening and the first stars were now twinkling above them. When Irene turned to look at the woman before her the surprise opened her mouth. At the left side of the old gray-haired woman was a young Wookiee and Irene looked at him, she was sure she had met that face before. The woman bowed to her.
"He's my nephew, Grrakkj." Introduced gently the woman, the young furry child bowed respectfully but Irene placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"Don't treat me like a queen, Grrakkj. My name is Irene, call me this way." The child nodded and spoke in his own language that Irene couldn't understand. Luke helped her.
*Calm down Irene, you understand him perfectly... *
*What?! *
*Contact him in the Force, he can talk to you and you to him. *
*I'll try...*
*Don't... * Luke was going to repeat the unforgivable phrase but Irene answered for him.
*There's no try, do or not...I'll do!*
The woman inspired and took Grrakkj's hand. The old woman saluted the young Wookiee sighing.
"Don't worry dear...I'll be here."
Grrakkj groaned and followed Irene inside, under the look of the other young boy who was the last one to test.
"Master, he is..." but Luke silenced her with a gesture of the hand.
*Hi, Grrakkj.*
**Hi Master.**
*I can understand him?!*
*I told you that... Are you Chewie's son?*
**I'm his nephew, sir.**
*You're proud of him...*
**Yes......What are we waiting for, sir?**
*Don't worry, calm down. Don't be excited or your perceptions won't be clear.*
**Yes, sir...**
Luke looked at the viewscreen in his hands for a moment then focused on Grrakkj's mind, while Irene was silently taking her place at his side.
*What do you see?*
**A starship.**
**A cup.**
**A tall tree.**
**A man.**
**Another cup.**
**A blaster pistol.**
**Another tree.**
*Okay.* Luke replaced the viewscreen on the floor and picked up a picture. Shown it before the child for a second, he covered the piece of wood without looking at it.
*What have you seen?*
**It was a piece of wood, an old one. There was a picture on it. The picture of a swamp, a nice picture if I can say. A big contorted tree with enormous roots. The tree is near a foggy lake surrounded by other trees and behind one of the trees there is a strange animal. I haven't seen one like that before: it's like a long snake with two long white feathers at the side of the head and is of a brilliant green. The trees are too high and cover the sky. All is full of peace, who did that picture loved that place...Yoda. The Great Master of the Jedi, he had to love his home.**
*Excellent...* Luke reinforced the barrier between him and the child, naturally talented in reading other's minds.
*He's fantastic!*
*Yes...we've found another apprentice. The tenth, we've enough apprentice for the moment. Outside there's another child.*
*Have you felt something strange looking at that child?*
*Have you felt it too?*
*Yes of course! He's like a big...I don't know...a black hole...*
*You're right. Leave Grrakkj with his grandma and take the child inside. After that exam you'll do your exercise and I'll take the apprentices to the Inn.*
*Yes, Master.* Irene felt like a child at school with the old teacher before. But Luke wasn't old...The thought stopped suddenly, the shyness quitted what she was coming to. The woman opened her eyes and reached the door, a vertigo was making the world rotate like a crazy merry-go-round. Luke frowned the brow, worried, but didn't spoke.
Irene called Grrakkj and the Wookiee held her hand. Out of the door the gray haired woman rose from her chair and reached his grandson.
"Is he going to be a Jedi?"
"Yes, don't worry. But I have to ask you if you can keep him here while the Master is testing that other boy..."
"Of course I can, ma'am..."
Grandmother and grandson sat down silently near the door. Irene looked at the boy: something was touching her deeply, leaving a cold trail.
"Hi boy...I'm Irene, I'll take you to the Master," Said calm the woman looking at the boy. The tall man near him rose and did a military salute to Irene. The woman drew a step beck, perplexed.
"He's Toman Hejr. He's the power and the skills of the Jedi. I wanted him at the Military Academy on Ord Mantel but the fate has chosen differently," Explained the tall dark haired man, with the grade glittering on the shoulders and on the chest.
"Nice to meet you Toman..." then she looked at the man, "and you, what's your name?"
"I'm General Lukian Hejr."
"You've to wait here, till we finish, General..."
"Okay." The man turned toward his son and placed his strong hands on the brawny shoulders of the boy, "Go, son, and do your best."
"Yes, Sir," Answered immediately Toman, doing a serious military salute that impressed Irene. The woman did a gesture to Toman and the boy followed her inside.
In the room a cold wind iced the atmosphere. Immediately Luke felt again the oddness that flew from the boy, who gazed at him, exploring his mind. The man felt extremely uncomfortable and Irene shuddered. Then, as it had come, the perception went away. Luke was perplexed, Irene's eyes were enormous for the astonishment and the sudden fear had filled her heart.
"I'm Luke Skywalker," Said finally the Master, regaining the voice.
"You're known on my planet, Sir," Answered politely the boy. He was changed, inexplicably mutated. Silently Luke watched the viewscreen for a moment and asked.
"What do you see?"
Toman closed his eyes for a moment and both the Jedi frowned a perplexed eyebrow. How could the boy know what he had to do to concentrate?!
"A starship." Luke changed the picture and the boy immediately answered.
"A tree."
"A blaster pistol."
"A cup."
"Another tree."
"Another starship."
Luke switched off the screen and look at the boy. He had answered correctly and, strangely before Luke changed the pictures on the screen.
*He can easily see the future ...*commented Irene. Luke agreed.
*Yes, and...I don't know, you were right: in him there's something like a black hole. The Force is strong in him...but is dark, like the Dark Side is inside him. It's the first time a see something like this... *
If a can say, we haven't to do the other test. *
* You're right again -I think you'll be better than me in time!*
*I hope not too soon...*
*We're taking another way. Take the boy and the other apprentice to Irina. I'll do some research to find out something. I'm sorry but your training will wait until a more free moment.*
*Don't worry Master. Being with you is however a training, a good one.*
Irene opened her eyes and rose from the sofa.
"Come with me Toman..."
"Like you desire ma'am."
Irene and the boy came out of the room, leaving Luke on his armchair, absorbed by his thoughts.
Leia couldn't remember a med-droid so slow in checking his patient! 2-1B was checking Lukas, who was sleeping on a cot in the medical center of Could City. The young boy hadn't waken up yet and the woman was wondering if the power of the stungun had been too strong for him. The droid shook his head, in a common human expression of disagreement.
"He's weak, undernourished, and has the first symptoms of the jukas-T." reported efficiently the droid eyeing the woman behind him. Leia startled.
"The jukas-T? The disease of the swamps of GrantorV?!" asked incredulous the Senator, looking at the pale face of the boy.
"You know it?" the droid seemed really surprised.
"Yes...I've read about that muddy planet, but I thought it was uninhabited from ages..."
"Evidently someone still lives there..." commented laconically 2-1B
"Can you do something?" the worry of that question surprised even Leia. The med-droid kept silent for a long moment then the metallic voice echoed in the room.
"Yes, it's difficult but he can survive. Fortunately you've taken him here now, when the virus is still concentrated on a little area of his body. You haven't to worry Ma'am, he'll be better soon."
Leia would have embraced the droid if Lukas in that moment hadn't opened his eyes. The Senator went near him and caressed his forehead. The boy found the power to smile to her and Leia smiled back. Lukas opened his mouth to speak but Leia shook her head, silencing him.
"Don't speak Lukas. Don't worry you'll be better soon." The blond young guy nodded and thanked his savior.
"Th-thank you...ma'am." Whispered but a deep cough shook his weak body. Leia placed her left hand on his shoulder and with the other hand helped the boy drinking some water. The med-droid called her.
"You have to leave him, now. He needs repose." The senator nodded and saluted Lukas.
"Bye." Whispered on the doorway. Lukas rose a trembling hand and gave her back a salute.
Irina was shouting desperately, the hall of her Inn, the Star of Qual, was under the massive attack of an alien race who was destroying everything. The people was composed by taller and shorter members, human and humanoid - two in particular, a male human and a male tall and huge humanoid with sharp greenish eyes and a long pony tail from the top of the head to the waist, were the untold leaders of the assorted group of invaders- come from the edge of an unknown galaxy.
The woman was trying to save a carpet from the deadly juice fired from mortal blue glasses, but her attention had to shift from the carpet: the devastators were flying upon her from the lamps attached at the white ceiling. The air force hit her head with a shower of little shots.
"Stop it!" ordered someone from the doorstep and the hostilities ended immediately. Irina smiled at her savior and ran to him. The group of little barbarians was regaining a normal position, all the foot were on the ground and the weapons on the floor.
The dark figure came in and stopped before the children, looking at them gravely.
"What did you want you do?" a guilty silence was the answer of the band.
"Who have started all this?" the tall boy and the tall alien drew a step forward, emerging from the crowd.
"I had to suppose this...Hujan and Dedalus. Only you can be the leaders of the gang...The Master won't be glad to listen to what you've done."
The boys asked forgiveness, imploring Irene not to tell Luke what had happened and Irene agreed.
"But remember that this is the last time I save you from a punishment." reminded them Irene with a serious voice and the boys nodded.
Toman appeared near Irene and the Wookiee at his side. The group looked at them suspiciously. Grrakkj was a timid fourteen years old Wookiee, with the deep blue eyes of his known uncle and the eyes of the other young apprentice on him made him feel quite uneasy. Toman was his opposite; sixteen years old easy and bold, the boy had the polemic spirit typical of his age and didn't waste the occasion to show it, loudly and clearly.
The brawny boy took a step forward and faced Dedalus and Hujan, as tall as him, and looked at them studying them deeply. Irene looked at the boy and saw something strange, tremendously strange. The eyes of the two young apprentices in front of Toman were dull and black. The woman felt a dark presence hanging over them. Grrakkj, who had felt it too, yelped looking up at Irene to find a comforting answer. Surprisingly, Irene hadn't the answer but Dakana had it.
The girl reached Toman, paying attention not to look up at him and rose her thin blue hand with a fluid movement, the bracelets she was wearing tinkled echoing in the astounded silence; the boy stopped looking at the boys and looked at her, panting for the effort to bend her mind but the girl was strong enough to keep him away from her intellect. The hand in the air was trembling as if it was hardly keeping in it a colossal power, while a fine motes was whirling around the long clawed fingers condensing rapidly. The boy drew a step back terrified and hit Grrakkj who fell on the floor and Toman on him. The boy jumped up while Dakana was walking toward him, as inexorable as the flooding tide. What happened after was just the memory of a dream for all of the spectators. A blinding bolt hit Toman. The boy and Dakana fell unconscious on the floor in the same instant.
On the doorstep appeared Luke, breathless and confused. The Master reached staggering Toman and knelt near him then checked his conditions. Irene held Dakana, the color of her skin was of a pale worrying blue and the woman placed her on a sofa. The other young apprentices divided into two groups: Dedalus, Grrakkj Derek and Liby were with Toman and the Master; Hujan Valene and Adam with Irene and Dakana. From both the crew rose a perplex and worried murmur. Luke held Toman in his arms and placed him on the sofa on the other wall of the devastated hall. Master and apprentice exchanged a worried eye. Neither of them knew what had happened: what both of them had were only feelings and sensations that were becoming paler and paler. The siren of an ambulance wept in the street in front of the Inn and six stretcher-bearers rushed inside, carrying the litters and the kits for the reanimation. Luke and Irene followed the litters out of the Inn, leaving the sad children with Irina, who reassured them with a glass of fruit juice and a tray of hot cookies.
In front of the high couple of towers, linked by transparent passages supported by robust cages of durasteel, there was a large space for the landing and the taking off ambulances. People went and came in and out of the buildings, so high to make who looked at their top feel dizzy. The only sound in the square was the weeping siren of an oncoming ambulance.
The ambulance was landing and Leia was coming out of the Med Center. Behind the window a blond head followed her way in the noisy street in front of the high towers. When the hatch silently opened, Luke rushed out of the ambulance: for a moment his first preoccupation was knowing the reason that had taken Leia to the Med Center twice in a week.
"Leia!" shouted, waving the hands in the air. The Senator stopped and searched in the people around her his brother. She saw him and greeted him waving a hand in the air, smiling. Luke stopped before her.
"What are you doing here?" asked worried the Jedi.
"Nothing, I took a new apprentice who needed medical cures." Answered lightly the Senator, with a light shrug.
"A new apprentice?"
"Yes, I was coming to you to tell you about him. But you're here and I can tell all now. Then..." but Luke silenced her with a movement of the hand.
"I'm sorry Sis." Said then taking a step back and looking at the door of the Med Center that was sliding for two coming stretchers followed by a Jedi. Leia noticed the group and followed Luke who was running toward the Med Center.
"Ehi! Luke, wait for me!!" shouted Leia.
The man rushed inside the hall of the Med Center, he hardly saw two meters in front of him, his heart was beating crazily for the preoccupation and the blood was obscuring his sight. Luke looked around searching for Irene and the apprentices, a worried expression had contracted his face. Leia appeared at his side and looked at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Then? What's happening?!"
"I don't know exactly, but if you wait till I have the information I need, then I'll explain to you all."
"Okay..."
Luke moved again. Leia sat on a sofa following her brother's speech with the nurse, a humanoid glittering silvered droid with a white coat.
"Where are my apprentices?" his training was calming him down and his voice came out tranquil, surprisingly tranquil.
"Give me their name, Sir." Asked politely the droid.
"Toman Hejr, human, and Dakana Gtuerres, Jesh." The nurse inserted the names and after a long moment, long for the worried Master, the computer answered beeping.
"Fourth floor. Reanimation department, Sir."
"Thank you."
The Jedi Master hit the call button of the turbolift repeatedly, with new trepidation. Leia saw him jump into the turbolift while the door was still half closed.
"He'll never change..."sighed the woman shaking her head.
Behind the pane of the window Luke was following the movements of the med droids around the two beds. It was like a stream that flew from a bed to the other and back, in a fluent and regular way. Irene was there too. Her eyes were closed, she was trying to help the apprentices with the Force. Her body was immobile, as it had been iced by a magic. Luke looked at his apprentice then called Irene. The apprentice didn't speak but Luke felt something like a smile of relief when Irene sensed his comforting presence. Luke focused on the young fragile beings in the white seas of their beds.
*Toman...Dakana...don't worry, I'm here now. You'll be better very soon, I promise. I know that somewhere around here you're listening to me, so, try to answer. Come back to me, to your friend Luke, and to Irene. *
*Toman, Dakana, I can feel you around here, I feel your confounded and afraid mind, what happened is the past now you're here, still here and I'll help you, only draw out a hand.* Luke could feel the young apprentices somewhere around him and he could feel Irene too. She was trying to help Toman and Dakana instilling her strength in them. They were so near that they could touch each other. Luke called again. The children were lost in the unconsciousness.
Something finally moved. Luke called Dakana and her voice answered feeble. Luke called her again and again to guide the girl, when Toman's voice echoed full of anger in the inconsistent darkness around him.
*I'm here too!*
* Follow my voice Toman, we're coming back to consciousness.*
"Doctor, the patients are opening their eyes." Announced K2, the nurse and 3-0B turned to eye Dakana and Toman. The eyelids trembled for a moment then the eyes opened. The apprentices were still half asleep and confused by the terrible experience. Irene and Luke opened their eyes in the same instant. Dakana's skin was turning again to a more normal blue and was now clearer the typical brownish regular mosaic of little spots on it. Toman turned to look at Luke who felt those eyes passing through him violently and the Master drew a step back, confounded for a terrible moment, the world around him was lightened by a bolt that blinded him. The viscid presence he had felt while Dakana and Toman were facing each other, touched him again then disappeared, but Luke knew, and he hated to be right about such a thing, it would come again. Irene rose from the chair, a new light in her eyes, and took a step toward the beds but stopped immediately, turning to smile victoriously to her Master, who nodded and smiled back.