Chapter 13- The Music

Ezra sat in the cockpit of the White Loth-Cat, gliding along the pathway the Force was showing him. He was dimly aware that his ship was in a hyperspace lane. More strongly, he sensed the presence of his friends in their ships, Sabine in her room and Dev along with her. He had shyly volunteered to stay with "Lady Bridger" while Ezra piloted the ship. Violet-Meadows sat in his lap, reaching out to the Force. Suddenly, he heard her gasp.

"Da moosics!"

"Good morning, Mistress," trilled Solis. "Did you sleep well?"

Talisbeth smiled. She had once thought the question merely part of the droid's etiquette programming. Then one morning, after she had admitting to sleeping little for three nights in a row, Solis had searched his vast medical database to find a cure for her insomnia.

"Quite well, Solis. And I'd like to get up now." She glanced at her husband. Whie had a cure of his own for her occasional sleeplessness.

He turned to her, eyes brimming with love. "Tali, you are growing weaker, in spite of all our best efforts. You have overexerted yourself this week and I would like you to rest today. The children and Solis will help you finish preparing your harvest for storage tomorrow." His eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "You must rest today," he repeated.

The guilt in his voice tore at her heart. She knew that, dearly as he loved their son, he felt that bearing him had been too much for her and he blamed himself.

"Darling, it's not your fault. Don't you know how happy it made me to give you a son?"

Whie crossed to the bed and sat beside her. "I don't deserve you," he whispered brokenly. Cradling her in his arms, he pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss.

At length, he laid her back on the bed. "I want you to sleep until breakfast. Solis will bring it to you on a tray. Then you may get up." He rose, then paused. "But no working today."

He pressed his fingers to her forehead and sleep swiftly claimed her.

"Talisbeth! Talisbeth!"

"Whie, is that you?"

"No, my dear child. Don't you know me?"

"Master Jai! I've missed you. What are you doing here?"

"My sweet Scout, I have missed you, too. I just came to tell you that I am very proud of you." Her master's presence faded.

"Thank you, Master," she called after him.

"Tali? Tali!" A concerned voice broke into her vision. "Scout, are you alright?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Solis stood at the foot of the bed with a breakfast tray and Whie knelt beside her, clasping her limp hands.

"You were having a vision, weren't you, Dearest?"

"Yes."

"Not bad, I hope."

"Oh, no. It was definitely good. Master Jai came and told me he was proud of me."

"How wonderful! I caught of glimpse of my Master Maks during my evening meditations yesterday. I hope I didn't interrupt your vision when I woke you; only, you were so very cold and pale."

"No, of course not. It faded just before you woke me."

"I'm glad." Whie stroked her cheek. Her nerves came to life and strength coursed through her muscles. "Now, Dear One, it's time for your breakfast."

She grinned at him. "First, you've got to let me up to use the 'fresher."

Whie led his little family up the sloping side of the Meditation Hill. Talisbeth, riding comfortably in Solis' strong durasteel arms, watched him. At least once a week, he brought them here and Talisbeth always left refreshed afterwards. Yet the Force whispered to her that today would be different.

At the top of the Hill, Whie halted. Jai, Tallulah, and Pan sat, forming part of a circle. Whie took Talisbeth from Solis and helped her to sit on the ground beside him. The droids stepped back to watch. The time on the Hill began with mediation. A wondrous peace filled Talisbeth. No visions this time, just the sweet contentment of trusting in the Force.

She opened her eyes to find Whie gazing at her, ready to begin the second part of their time.

"I've been meditating lately on the twin virtues of truth and love. We must love in truth and speak truth in love. Without the guidance of truth, we cannot know if we have real love or only its weak shadow, attachment. We have lived in peace on Kyber for a long time, but we cannot remain hidden forever. Very soon, my children, you may find yourselves somewhere far away, in this vast Galaxy. Where ever you are, cling to truth and love and you will never go astray."

Whie stopped, his gaze seeming to pierce the atmosphere above them.

Peering intently at the sky, Jai stood and followed his father's line of sight. "Father," he breathed, "Someone's coming."

Solis touched a button on his arm, receiving readings from their ship's sensor, which he had salvaged, upgraded and repurposed. "There multiple ships incoming. They just exited hyperspace."

Talisbeth and Whie exchanged a look. They have come for us.

"How many?" asked Pan eagerly.

"So far, sensors show four. Three small freighters and a yacht, all armed."

Could it really be? Had the Jedi finally come?

"Armed freighters," Whie repeated, grinning like a padawan. "It isn't that I want to leave our beloved home, but I have longed to meet them."

"Do you feel that?" Talisbeth caught her husband's arm. A shiver ran down her spine. Someone – no, multiple someones – probed the Force, seeking the inhabitants of the planet. Above her, a pair of multi-colored birds stopped in mid-flight, spun swiftly around and raced towards the Force call.

"Fidelis, Solis, can we contact those ships?" Whie's eyes danced with excitement.

"I'm afraid not, Master," Fidelis shook his head. "The comm unit we saved from the ship can no longer reach beyond a few hundred meters."

"Then we must contact them with the Force," Talisbeth concluded.

Whie nodded agreement. The little group joined hands and stretched out in the Force towards the newcomers. With Whie's Force strength flowing through her, Talisbeth brushed against the life presences of several humans. Reaching further, she touched a Togruta who seemed somehow familiar. She continued, finding more humans and a Wookie in the next ship. Then she touched the beings in the third ship and almost cried out in joy. Little Grogu, safe and sound! And could it be? Poppy and his kind, loyal troopers.

"The ships are approaching!" Fidelis' voice broke into their meditation. "I believe you've made contact, Master and Mistress."

"We better show them where to land," Tallulah exclaimed, jumping up.

"Wait," Whie raised his hand. "Something is wrong."

The roar of engines filled the air as the four ships descended through the atmosphere. Faintly, Talisbeth heard the music. She trembled, remembering Whie's vision. Rain clouds rolled in, darkening the sky. What had they done?

The song of the kyber crystals filled Ezra's head. It was so beautiful, his heart almost ached. As they glided towards the surface of the planet, the music became louder, sweeter, lovelier. Force-wielders lived on this world; he had felt them. He had also inadvertently called half of the local wildlife population to him, according to the scene outside the viewport.

The ground came rushing up, lush, fertile valleys and gently rolling hills. Looking for a place to land, Ezra slowed his ship and slipped over a meadow. He found a spot in walking distance of the mysterious Force-users, but not so close that they would be frightened. After all, they had probably been here for some time.

Ezra dropped the ramp and clipped on his lightsaber. Violet-Meadows clung tightly to his hand. Dev appeared at the doorway.

"Mother and child are both sleeping," he smiled.

"Great!" Ezra checked that he had his comm and that it worked before the trio walked off the ship.

"Moosics," sighed Violet-Meadows.

Ezra watched his friends drop planks and leave their ships. The Force power coursing through the planet made him want to dance and the music made him want to sing. He started to hum and sway, but was interrupted by Luke.

"Grogu is excited about something," he said. "I think maybe he knows our Force- wielders."

"I felt a familiar touch, too. Perhaps some of the old Jedi are here," Ahsoka added.

"Then let's find them," Rex put an arm around Ahsoka. "I bet they'll be glad to see us."

Barrel, Clide, Alora and Dev stayed with the ships, along with Baby Ben, the little Solos, Sabine and Cerulean-Skies. Ezra and Luke led the way towards a glowing presence in the Force, Grogu and Violet-Meadows at their heels. Following the glow, they soon approached a high, sloping hill.

"That's far enough!"

A man with golden brown hair and fierce blue eyes leaped in front of them.

"Fidelis!" he shouted. Seemingly from nowhere, lightsaber glided into his hand. As he ignited the blade, Ezra gasped at the power of his Force aura. A click caught Ezra's attention and he turned to see a large, humanoid droid with a blaster trained on the group.

Luke stepped forward. "Master Jedi, we come in peace." He held his empty hands out, palms up. "We are Jedi, led here by the Living Force."

"I know who you are and why you are here, Skywalker. I have seen it in a vision. You are here to destroy my world, just as your father did."

"Whie? Whie Malreaux?" Ahsoka moved in front of Luke, with Rex following protectively. "It is you! Don't you remember me? I'm Ahsoka! We used to play games together with Master Yoda."

Whie nodded. "I remember you, Ahsoka Tano. Yet that does not change what I have seen. Skywalker's son brings death and destruction." Abruptly, his shoulders sagged and he shut off his lightsaber. "Stand down, Fidelis. It's no use. I cannot fight the Force. I begin to see clearly again. The sacrifice is mine to make. Luke Skywalker is but the harbinger, not the source.

Punch, Poppy and Handie pushed through the Jedi as Grogu toddled forward. Poppy clapped Whie on the shoulder. "Cheer up, lad! Things can't be that bad."

Grogu flapped his hands, hollering in delight. Punch picked him up. "Yeah, there's no way anybody but a Jedi could find this place."

Rex frowned, pierced his former subordinate with a glare, but said nothing. Ezra didn't need to use the Force the know what Rex was thinking. Rule number one of staying alive: Never underestimate your enemy.

"Father, are they friends?" called a voice from somewhere in the trees.

"Yes. Come meet our guests, Jai."

A teenaged boy, a carbon copy of Whie, leapt nimbly down from a nearby branch, followed by two adults, a female Gungan and a male Twi'lek, all with lightsabers in their hands.

Whie introduced them. "My children, Jai, Tallulah, and Pan." He turned to the droid. "Fidelis, return to the house and prepare a luncheon for guests."

The droid hurried off as Ahsoka and Luke introduced the members of their party. Whie bowed politely then addressed Luke.

"Master Skywalker, I pray you will accept my apology. I had no call to threaten you. The danger you bring is not of your doing. My only excuse lies with an old, painful memory, stirred up by your presence." He lifted his eyes to survey the group. "Seventeen Jedi and younglings here, eight more with ships. Twenty-five! We were once so many. But it is a good start, a very good start."

He swept a hand towards the Hill. "Come. We have much to talk of and little time."