Chapter Twelve

"It looks like heaven," Padmé happily announced as she joined Qui-Gon and me in the cockpit. There was barely enough room for the three of us, but I wanted her to see the surface of our new home for herself.

"Dantooine has rivers, lakes, mountains with snow, as well as grassy fields, trees, and as long as you stay out of the caves, you're relatively safe," Qui-Gon explained.

I picked up the conversation. "They have a creature called a Graul which is similar to a Rancor, but they generally stay hidden. The largest creature is a Piket, but they'll only eat the Blba trees, not us."

"After dealing with those krayt dragons, I can face just about anything," Padmé responded before kissing my cheek. "I'm going to go strap myself in."

We landed in a field just outside of what appeared to be a relatively small farming village. If we were going to occupy this place for any length of time, we wanted to introduce ourselves first.

We were met just inside the village by a robust middle-aged male wearing a broad smile and a work apron. He pulled his gloves off before stretching his hand toward Qui-Gon.

"Master Jinn, it's good to see you back. We were concerned about your travel, but it appears you were successful in your task."

"Obi-Wan and Padmé, this is the mayor of Dantoo Town, Sy Riddle. Sy, this is my former Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his wife, Senator Padmé Amidala."

I was surprised Qui-Gon had used our names, and not just the first but the full. Apparently, he trusted this man, so I figured I could too, and I extended my hand in a friendly greeting.

"Good, good," Sy bubbled as he shook my hand with fervor. "The more, the merrier."

/What did he mean by that?/

Padmé's question would have to go unanswered since I had no reply. I simply shrugged to reveal my inability.

The Force was unusually strong here. I suspected it was due to the abundance of flora. Behind us was a forest and I spied several workers inside of it busily tapping trees.

"You're sap farmers, I presume."

"You presume correctly," the man replied. "Come. There are those waiting to see you."

Somewhat perplexed, we followed Sy toward a large wooden structure at the end of a muddy path. The large double doors creaked as he pushed them open and we stepped inside only to come to a surprising halt.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I accused my old Master before hurrying forward.

Bant wrapped her arms around me as I embraced her, followed by Garen Muln. These were two of my closest friends from my youth and I was substantially pleased to see they had made it out of Coruscant with their Force abilities intact.

I was then approached by Adi Gallia and Kit Fisto. Obviously, Qui-Gon had been successful in finding survivors. With a quick estimation, I counted at least twenty Jedi in the building.

My attention was then drawn toward the back, where sunlight streamed through cracks between the beams down upon a most welcome sight. A circle of younglings was seated upon the straw-covered floor, and in the center stood none other than Master Yoda. He was doing what he did best; training them.

"How?" I turned to Qui-Gon who was enjoying my delight.

"Master Jinn has been busy, but it doesn't look like he's the only one. Obi-Wan, you scoundrel!"

Padmé blushed at Bant's observation before smiling and caressing her swollen belly.

"We haven't been introduced properly," the Calamarian said, stepping forward. "And probably never would," she teased, jabbing me with an elbow. "I'm Bant Eerin. Your husband and I go way back. I've been putting up with his antics for years."

"It's a pleasure to meet you finally," Padmé replied. "Obi-Wan has spoken kindly of you. I have a feeling we're going to be friends."

"We have a lot to discuss, but allow me to inform you that you don't need to worry. I'm a Healer, and I'll be happy to assist you when the time comes."

I could feel relief wash over Padmé, which brought me great comfort.

"Thank you," she told Bant. "I'm right at seven months, so it won't be much longer."

"Come," Qui-Gon told us. "Let's get you settled. You have your own space and it's already been prepared."

Along both outer walls of the building were individual stalls, most likely where animals were once kept. However, there was nothing in this building but Jedi and I wondered how that had come about.

"This was Master Yoda's doing," I guessed. "Are we inconveniencing these farmers too much?"

"We've come to an agreement with them," Qui-Gon explained as we walked to the far corner. "When I found Master Yoda, he had already gathered with Kit and Adi. The four of us felt led to this place."

"I was as well," I remarked, recalling how the planet had just popped into my head, thanks to the Force.

"The native population is fairly disconnected to the galaxy, and they prefer it that way. However, we felt obligated to inform them of the trouble the Jedi were having. Thankfully, they have no grudges against us and actually were quite pleased to offer us lodging. In return, all we have to do is help them with the harvest."

"Sounds reasonable," Padmé replied.

"This is your place," Qui-Gon noted, swinging back a paneled half-door to reveal a space remarkably more comfortable-looking than the home we'd left behind.

There was a bed big enough for two covered with soft red blankets that looked handmade, a bedside cabinet with a glowlamp on top, as well as a short leather sofa, and a wooden table with two matching chairs. What drew our attention the most, however, was the wooden cradle that sat at the end of our bed. Both Padmé and I stared at the workmanship with a sense of awe. It appeared as if each spindle had been carved by hand and depicted the abundant nature on the planet. There were trees, animals, and even people carved into them.

"Most impressive," I commented.

"It's a thing of a beauty," Padmé added, running her fingers along the soft cloth lining the inside. "Who made this?"

"That would be Sy's wife, Dela. She was relatively excited to discover the community would be celebrating a birth soon."

"Can you thank her for us?"

"You can thank her yourself," Qui-Gon said, stepping aside to reveal a rather short and pudgy woman whose face revealed a lifetime of smiles and laughter.

"Oh, let me look at you!" she babbled excitedly, stepping forward. "May I?"

Her hands were held out and Padmé immediately allowed Dela to touch her belly. At just that moment, the baby decided to kick and Dela giggled an infectious laugh that brought smiles to all of us.

"Oh, she's going to be precious! You're a beautiful couple and you will make such beautiful babies!"

"Thank you," I told the woman graciously. "Your talent is amazing. The craftsmanship of this cradle is remarkable."

"Oh, pish. It's nothing. I do most of the woodwork in this village. It's my gift." Her smile produced several dimples along her rosy cheeks. "We've been waiting for you two for a long time. You are most welcome here and if there's anything you need, be sure to ask Sy or me, and we'll take care of it."

I was overwhelmed by the amount of kindness and generosity of this place and wondered how they had managed to remain a secret for so long. Perhaps the reason they were seemingly at peace was that they were unaware of all the troubles of the galaxy. Ignorance is often compared to bliss.

So far, I was thoroughly impressed with our new home and I silently thanked the Force for bringing us here. It exceeded my expectations, and I hoped we'd be able to stay for a long while.