Chapter Three
Satisfied that Kam and Tionne where being well taken care of, even if it was through use of medical equipment they had never seen and with not a droid in sight, the three Jedi went to the offered guest quarters to clean up, but mostly, to talk.
/And I thought the Falcon was the biggest hunk of junk in the galaxy,/ Jade commented dryly in Huttese. These strange people spoke Galactic Common, but apparently not the smugglers language taken from the Hutt's native tongue.
Luke was the first to realize something was off when he woke up back on the now exploded Solar Ice. He decided a secretive approach had to be taken to the situation for the time being and using a language that if overheard wouldn't be understood gave them an advantage as surely the captain was already suspicious.
/But of what galaxy?/ Corran pointed out. /We are the ones who had their ship hit by some weird energy at the barrier. The crew seems to think we are on the way to Persephone, a planet we've never heard of. And what kind of name is that for a planet anyway?/
Kaylee, a bit young and cheerful for a mechanic, had filled them in on who was who amongst the crew, first introducing them to Sheppard Book, the title apparently being typical of a holy man though they never heard of it before. She then rattled on about the ship after Luke made a small positive comment on the design. It was meant to just be polite, but they gained a lot of information about their surroundings through it.
The way that she talked, the words that she used, the places and companies she referenced, all of it was foreign to them. She didn't even recognize him, which didn't bother his ego, it was kind of nice actually since he could go almost nowhere in the galaxy without being noticed as one of the Heroes of the Rebellion. The crew also didn't recognize the Jedi's lightsabers either.
/How could we be in another galaxy?/ Jade gritted her teeth. /And why is Skywalker the only one able to feel the Force?/
Luke sighed, /I can feel the Force, but it's very muted, quiet, like music that is very far away and I'm only hearing the crescendos./
/So we're in the same universe, different galaxy?/ Corran asked.
/Possibly,/ he shrugged, /I don't know. I am closer to the Force than you two, perhaps that is why you feel like it's been cut off./
The former CorSec agent nodded, the man still a student, like Jade. /So what do we do?/
/I'm not sure about this crew,/ Jade paced in the small room. Of the three she seemed to be taking this the worse, he'd have to talk to her about it later, /The captain isn't stupid, and a bit too crafty, he's got at least one merc on his hire, and this ship just reeks of a smugglers haven./
/I noticed that too,/ Luke had to admit, /the crew is a bit motley, but the holy man was genuine, and that mechanic didn't seem like she could hurt a kitling./
/Just what kind of operation is he running here?/ the redhead shook her head and sat down on the bed.
/You should get that looked at,/ Luke gestured to the cleaned but still nasty looking gash on her forehead.
The woman shrugged, /Had worse./
There was a knock on the door, a manual sliding door at that, not an automatic door anywhere on the ship. Definitely an odd galaxy for its people to be out in space but not have droids or automatic anything it seemed.
"Yes?" Luke reached over and slid back the panel to see the Sheppard.
"We have some food prepared," he smiled warmly, "if you're hungry."
A glance at his students told him that food was a very good idea, whatever form this galaxy might have it as, "Thank you, that would be perfect, actually."
"Follow me to the dining area," the words were kindly and they easily accepted his offer, making their way to the common room. "We haven't got much, mostly protein rations but we had a few apples I made into sauce, some pickled beets and canned potatoes."
Protein rations they understood, after that, not so much.
"Very kind," the Jedi Master said politely as they entered the dining space, a long table stretched out with the food already sitting out, glasses filled with water and plates at the ready. He was about to ask the Sheppard something when he saw the doctor enter and turned to him instead. "How are they?"
"Stable, resting," the man nodded tiredly, "they got knocked around pretty badly, some internal bleeding, but nothing to serious, thankfully. I imagine a few hours sleep and they will regain consciousness, further rest and they'll be fine."
"Thank you," Luke smiled, what grasp he had on the Force telling him that in at least this aspect everything would be okay. He then suddenly felt a bit awkward as the crew filtered in and started to take seats at the table. "What time of day is this?"
"Gee," a man came in from the opposite side of the hall and by his weird floral shirt he guessed him to be the pilot, Wash, that was mentioned by Kaylee, "how long where you guys knocked out for?"
"That's a very good question," Jade mumbled next to him.
"Well," the captain entered in behind the pilot and made for the head of the table, "not much for clocks out here in the black, but we have our routine, and this here is evening meal."
"Of course," Luke understood that need for routine, and Leia's lessons in etiquette not forgotten, "thank you for letting us join your meal."
The captain gave him a funny look, "Not much for formality out here either."
"So sit already," the big man, Jayne, had already plopped down and was digging into the food, "making me nervous, standing there like statues."
They were quieter than normal, yes. Jade and Corran, usually two very vocal people now intent, watching every movement, their backgrounds put together giving them the training required to cover any possible event. But Luke knew they were also scared, because even if they didn't always know about the Force or used it… it had always been with them.
Nodding politely, Luke took a seat at the side of the table, Corran and Mara flanking him, the red-head taking the seat at the end. The Sheppard sat in the fourth seat on that side of the table, placing him next to the Captain. To Reynolds left was Zoe and Wash, a seemingly unlikely couple at first glance, though Luke had seen stranger. Across from him sat the merc, Jayne, with the doctor to his left. Kaylee had the other end of the table, next to Mara.
Taking a few sips of water he hadn't realized how thirsty he was and he used the time to see what foods the others were eating so as not to embarrass himself by getting something that actually wasn't edible. Corran was Corellian, therefore he could probably eat parts of the ship if he had to and the man was the first to risk it, getting a little bit of everything. Mara took a more careful approach, sticking with the familiar protein bars. He took a route in between.
Before they could start eating, the Sheppard spoke up, "A moment to say grace."
The three Jedi exchanged glances, wondering if something was expected of them, but most of the crew stopped eating and messing about, closing their eyes and bowing their heads, even a few pressing their hands together in prayer, except the captain who ignored them and kept eating. Unsure what to do, the Jedi simply paused.
Moments later the crew began to eat again, striking up conversations almost as if they weren't there.
"Where's River, Simon?" Kaylee asked to the doctor.
"Said she wasn't hungry," Simon, who Luke realized was cleaner and wore more stylish clothing than the rest of the crew making him stick out among the crowd, replied with a shrug. "I'll save some food back for her."
"She better not be making a mess of things," Jayne gruffed out between bites of bread.
"She's not," the doctor sighed as if this was an old argument, "she was playing with the doll."
Luke thought back to what Kaylee had said of the young woman: 'don't worry, she's harmless, mostly'.
"Got word from Inara," Wash added in, "said she'd meet us at the dock, she had to cancel her last appointment."
"Really," the captain replied a little too much disinterest.
"Said she'd explain later," the pilot shrugged, "but we'll be touching down tomorrow, mid-afternoon planet side."
"Good," Reynolds went back to his food, not bothering to look up when he spoke his next words, "So where do you three want to be dropped off at? We'll be hitting the Eavesdown Docks. Can get anywhere on Persephone from there."
It was a bait, not a very well disguised one either, but then it didn't have to be. So Luke simply told the truth. "We've never been to a planet called Persephone."
"Never been," Reynolds put his utensil's down as the table got quiet, "not that strange if you don't travel much outside the Core. Where do you hail from, friend."
"Tatooine," honesty never failed him before. "Though more recently Yavin IV."
"Never heard of 'em," he didn't bat an eye, keeping his gaze locked, "how about you Doc, you're from the Core."
"Um," the doctor uncomfortably cleared his throat, "I've never heard of them either."
"Anyone?" he asked to the table.
"If there is a bright center to the universe," a small female voice drifted into the room, "it is the planet farthest from."
Luke's jaw almost dropped at the words he hadn't spoken in a long time and turned to see a young woman, long brown hair, semi-tattered purple dress, almost hiding behind one of the pylons. "How did you…?"
"River," the doctor stood up quickly, walking over to her, "why don't you sit down."
Mara was giving him a piercing gaze next to him, /How did she know? Thought this was a different galaxy./
/I am sure it is,/ he used what grasp he had on the Force to read the girl, wondering if there were Jedi in this galaxy too, but all he felt was a highly intelligent, highly active mind.
/We better figure something out quick,/ Corran got his attention back to the table, everyone now staring at them and their strange language.
/We can't tell them we're from a different galaxy,/ Mara warned, /we don't know how they will react./
/We need to confirm we are in a different galaxy,/ the Corellian Jedi shot back. /That way we can start on finding a way home./
/Don't forget we got wounded in the medbay,/ the red head practically growled back.
"Stop it," Luke silenced his students, /All we can do is tell the truth, and trust in the Force./
"It's quiet," River spoke again as Simon sat her down in his chair, "that scares you, but it shouldn't," she looked straight at Mara, then Corran, "it hasn't abandoned you."
Captain Reynolds cleared his through, "Someone want to fill us in?"
"I will tell you, Captain," Luke almost sighed, "but I am afraid you will think us crazy, our situation not exactly standard."
This got a pretty hearty laugh out of the man, "Son, you have no idea…"