The Birth Of Acceptance

Chapter 3

By Sienn (2002)

 

Rating (for chapter):  PG-13

Protagonists: Luke/Mara

Category: Action/Angst/Drama

 

Series: Part III of "Soul's Trial" Trilogy

 

Time Frame: 26 A.Y. (immediately after "Soul's Trial II: Healing")

 

Spoilers:

See Chapter 1

 

Disclaimer:

See Chapter 1

 

Coruscant System, Yuuzhan Vong Ship Criarto

Khalee Lah sighed - inaudibly of course. He was a Warrior. Even more, he was the son of Warmaster Tsavong Lah. He was expected not to show emotions. Rather the opposite.

So far, he had never been in a situation in which anything had been able to throw him off-balance. No matter whether in battle, in fierce tactical discussion, in audiences face to face with Supreme Overlord Shimrra or during reconnaissance missions into unknown territories of space - Khalee Lah was known to be composed, almost indifferent to what was going on around him.

How come then, he mused, that one single female could make him loose his countenance? And that so swiftly and with a single word, if she so wanted? It was a phenomenon. A disease. Something distinctly unwanted in his world.

And yet, he couldn't help but be impressed with her - at times, at least. Mostly, she was unnerving him and he found it tiring and exhausting to guide her around and tell her about what they did here and why. But sometimes, there was a glimpse of much more competence hidden beneath the guise of a spoilt, unknowing dignitary's daughter.

Slowly unclenching his fists, Khalee Lah glanced over to the bulkhead and the slight, well-trained figure of Miiram Shimrra. She was no particular beauty, yet she wasn't ugly either. An average Yuuzhan Vong female. Her deep black hair was short, reaching down to her jaw, and glittered in the light of the glow lichen lining the room.

The daughter of a Warrior, a Supreme Overlord even, she had nothing in common with the infidel females Khalee had encountered during his stay on his father's flagship.

The head of the infidels, their Chief-of-State Leia Organa Solo, had been a wonder to him. So different from everything he knew - small, with smooth, light skin, long hair and big eyes. She looked very foreign to him, very exotic. Simply strange.

When he had first seen her he hadn't paid much attention to these specifics, though. He had tried to figure out why his father had sent for him to come here, to the system Coruscant. It was not usual for his father to insist that his son be on the same ship.

The Warmaster was very keen on not letting anyone think he was favouring his own kin aboard the relative safety of the Warmaster's flagship. The summon he had received had startled him. Still, he had of course not hesitated to comply.

Upon stepping into his father's private quarters and bowing respectfully, Khalee had immediately felt the older Yuuzhan Vong's eyes on him, scrutinising him in a way he was not used to. It had made him uncomfortable and he had automatically begun to search his brain for anything he could have done to displease the Warmaster, or, even worse, the Gods.
But nothing had come to him and he had straightened, meeting the gaze of his father bravely, waiting for Tsavong Lah to let him in on why he had called for him in the first place.

The very first question should have already been his answer, but this had revealed itself to him only a week later. Why should his father have been interested in whether he was bonded or not? In itself, the Warmaster's question was almost an insult.

Khalee Lah knew full well that there were Warriors that didn't pay attention to certain rules, but he was not like them. He had been taught respect to the customs and this by his father and he found it hurt that Tsavong Lah would think him capable of behaving contrary to everything that had been pounded in him.

Of course he hadn't had a relationship with any of the few females that had been present on the warship he had served on. Presently, there were only a hand full female members of domain Lah in this galaxy and none of them had been anywhere near him. And women of other domains were out of question. It was forbidden and Khalee didn't even spare them a glance.

Which was, of course, another reason for him to be troubled when his father had introduced him to Miiram Shimrra. The woman he was supposed to be bonded with in due time. Strange tidings.

Khaleeh didn't really want this to happen, but there was nothing he could do. No one did disobey Supreme Overlord Shimrra and to even slightly protest against this particular order would have him killed at once.

"This is a fascinating planet." The soft, yet deep voice of the Supreme Overlord's daughter sounded through the otherwise deserted room. The young Warrior stood and joined the woman at the viewport, frowning heavily.

They were hovering over the night side of the planet. Lines of glowing light seemed to be spun over the sphere like the net of a spider, weaving patterns on it. The space around Coruscant was busy with thousands of ships - personal yachts, little starfighters, patrol craft… Abominable infidel ships. They were accomplished fighters, though, and that had earned them the partial respect of the Warmaster's son.

"They really live in towers of… of steel?" Miiram asked, her coal eyes focused on the black surface of the infidel planet. There were no details to be made out, but there had been rumours going around about how exactly the humans and other aliens lived down there.

"I don't know, my lady." He answered respectfully.

"Why not?"

Khalee Lah frowned. "I'm afraid I don't understand your question." He replied hesitantly.

The Yuuzhan Vong woman turned toward him, eyebrows risen, and stared at him with a sort of slight mockery: "Why don't you know how they live down there?"

The Warrior's frown deepened: "I have been on this ship for no longer than a couple of days, so…"

"Just say you're not interested in it." She interrupted him.

"Excuse me?"

Miiram folded her arms in front of her chest and smirked at him: "You are not interested in the infidels' culture. Not even in the culture of ONE single infidel race."

"Well…"

"But you should be." She stated, once again focusing her gaze on the planet below.

Knowing her eyes temporarily trained on something else, Khalee Lah allowed himself a helpless hand gesture at the direction of the gods, before he drew a deep breath and carefully, almost timidly, asked: "Why do you think so, my lady?" How he despised these formalities. Him addressing a WOMAN like this!

"Would you stop calling me this, please?"

This time, he couldn't hold his emotions in check. Without even thinking about it, the young Warrior gaped openly at the woman.

She poked him unceremoniously into the chest: "We're supposed to be bonded soon. At least that's what my father told me. Don't you think it is time to call me by my name? It's Miiram, in case you have forgotten."

Irritated, Khalee shook his head. He had never encountered a Yuuzhan Vong woman like her before. There was no respect towards the Warriors. There was no respect towards customs and manners. There was… he couldn't even SAY what she was, HOW she behaved. He simply knew that he had extreme problems to deal with it. And this didn't particularly help him to look FORWARD to the bonding.

"Well, as you wish… Miiram."

She smiled. The first time since they had met. He was surprised at himself when he became aware that he started to like that. This was more straining than an all-out fight against a whole fleet of infidel starfighters.

"That's better. You see, what I meant is that we should know more about them. That we should try to learn more about their culture, their way of living. Don't you find it fascinating?"

This time, Khalee Lah was appalled. In a dangerously low voice, he said: "Are you aware that you're talking close to heresy?"

Her raised eyebrow was expression enough of her disgust. She wouldn't have needed the words, but she used them nonetheless. "This is nonsense. If I study them, it doesn't mean I do not believe in the gods. I can't understand you Warriors. Are you never trying to LEARN something?"

Young Lah narrowed his eyes, his fury peeked: "I'm studying all the time, perfecting my skills in hand-to-hand combat, with the amphistaff, by…"

"Spare me." She hissed, lifting her hand to make him stop. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about learning NEW things. For example…" She tucked in her lower lip, thinking. Then her face brightened: "What about the Shapers? Did you ever try to learn more about what they do? How they do it?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because… because…"

He stammered! By Yun-Yuuzhan, he stammered!! This was most embarrassing and he thanked Yun-Yammka that NO ONE was present. Well, no one except this annoying female he was supposed to get bonded with.

"Because that is the Shapers' job and not mine." He finally brought out, feeling like having stated the obvious to a stubborn child.

Miiram rolled her eyes: "And I'm supposed to get bonded with YOU!"

If he hadn't been so surprised, Khalee Lah would have been furious. Never had anyone dared talk to him like that. Dismissing him like he was a little thud bug that had been flung into the wrong direction.

In his heart, admiration and fury fought against each other. He couldn't decide whether to like or despise this woman and that was not good. He was supposed to tell his father whether there would be any problems from his part concerning this bonding - this fusion of domains.

Of course it was out of question for him to refuse. This was simply not a viable option. But he knew he could be open with his father. Even if it was to no use.

The problem was that a part of him was really pleasantly surprised about the behaviour of the Supreme Overlord's daughter. It was a refreshing experience to have a female actually voicing her thoughts. Even if they were of a disturbing rather than humble nature.

"What is wrong with me?" he heard himself say and immediately regretted it. What was this?? He was no immature boy. He should be hurt in his pride by the statement of this spoilt child. His brain conveniently forgot at this moment that she was a little older than him.

"You're as stubborn and close-minded as my father." She flung at him, her eyes blazing and daring him to reply. A smile played around her lips and Khaleeh knew full well what she was doing. 

There was no way he could begin a serious discussion wit her now. If he said yes, he would insult the Supreme Overlord himself. If he defended his Master, Miiram would most probably go on annoying him all day.

Scowling furiously at her, he kept silent and met her stare. Suddenly, without preamble, she began laughing. It was a delighting sound, the most delighting one he had ever heard, and involuntarily, his heart skipped a beat when she flung herself into his arms, her armour shoving against him and causing his own one to ripple in pleasure at the contact.
She grinned up at him and said: "At least you're not dumb. That's something."

Not able to battle down his smile, he shook his head, as he had often done since he had met this woman: "You're really… Curious."

She cocked a slender eyebrow, her grin widening: "I'd say this is better than nothing. We will yet get to like each other."

"This I doubt." He stated with dignity, prying himself loose from her. He was still not able to deny that this contact had been pleasant - somewhat.

Once again she laughed, but the seriousness in her voice returned quickly: "Khalee, I want to know more about the infidels. Will you ask your father whether I can attend the next meeting with him? Can I have full access to the ship's brain? I know information about every Master Shaper in this galaxy is stored there and I'm pretty curious about the rumours I've heard."

"What rumours?" he asked, suddenly getting defensive. He knew his father was not keen to talk about all this and for a brief moment, he wondered whether Miiram was simply here to keep an eye on everything in behalf of her own father.

Then again, Shimrra knew everything about what had happened. There was no need for him to spy on his father. Or him for that matter. Khalee himself had had nothing to do with Mezhan Kwaad or with Priestess Elan.

"You know exactly which rumours I'm talking about. I want to meet Leia Organa Solo and the Jeedai lord, Luke Skywalker. I want to know everything about Mezhan Kwaad and Priestess Elan. And I want to have data about Coruscant."

"You want a lot." The Warrior growled.

Miiram's eyes twinkled: "You wouldn't deny anything to your bonded mate, would you?"

"You're NOT my bonded mate yet." He pointed out.

"But I'll soon be."

"The only thing you'll be is my death." He muttered, following her out of the room. Yet, he couldn't deny it. Somehow, among all that annoyance, there was a spark between him and her that he COULD interpret as the beginning of affection. But he wasn't really sure whether he really wanted that.

~^**

Winter was surprised, a very unusual condition for her. It had been quite some time since she had been surprised by anything. She mused that it had been most probable that something that could surprise her would come from the Yuuzhan Vong.

She had been miffed - also for the first time in long years - when a call of Tsavong Lah had reached her, asking her, the assistant of the Chief-of-State, to come up to the Criarto this evening. Normally, she wouldn't have cared – it was her duty, after all.

But today was a special day. Her long-time friend and her Princess, Leia Organa Solo, had invited all her friends to a small celebration tonight and Winter and her husband Tycho had looked forward to it.

Tycho had been nervous all day about being reunited with many of his friends from Rogue Squadron and with Luke Skywalker. This Winter could understand.

Although she had never been as close to Luke as her husband had been, she considered the fair-haired Jedi Master her friend and had been deeply touched by what he had been through. She could only guess what torments he had had to undergo, but what she had seen of him when he had returned to Coruscant after being rescued a little more than two months ago, had looked terrible.

But instead of sitting cosily in Leia's apartment, she sat on a cold, if comfortable, yorik coral chair, facing a Yuuzhan Vong woman that regarded her with open curiosity.

The Warmaster had introduced her as Miiram Shimrra, the daughter of Supreme Overlord Shimrra, and Winter had gotten the feeling that this could be more important than she had originally thought. Obviously, she had been right.

"I've been told you have asked for me." Winter stated with a clear voice, wondering what the Vong royalty wanted from her.

"Not specifically. But I think you will be the best bet, if Lah says so."

The experienced Rebel agent lifted a brow, giving her counterpart a cold, haughty stare. "Indeed?" Inwardly, though, she was very surprised at the manner of speaking.

Miiram Shimrra nodded eagerly. "Before I go into details, though, may I ask a question?"

When Winter nodded, the Yuuzhan Vong immediately continued: "Why do you have this light a hair? Is this common with your race? Why does Leia Organa Solo have brown hair? Is it true that Luke Skywalker is her twin brother?"

"Have you asked me to come just to answer this sort of questions?"

Miiram smiled - to Winter's utter astonishment, it looked nice and genuine. "Indeed, Lady Winter, indeed. If you would listen to me for a moment.."

 

Coruscant, Imperial Palace, Skywalker Apartment, One Day Later

"No." Mara Jade Skywalker was adamant. She wouldn't let him do this. There was no way she would allow him to do that.

Luke Skywalker kissed her brow lightly and smiled: "I will fly this evening."

"Wrong." She growled, her arms still folded in front of her chest, despite the fact that the Jedi Master held her close to himself. "WE will fly this evening. Period."

"Mara, you know who this Miiram Shimrra is. This is important. You can't let Leia down. And it is not as if there was a lot you had to do. Fly up there and answer a few questions. Nothing you couldn't handle."

Furiously, she made herself free and shot a fiery stare at him: "You know full well that I'm not worried about MYSELF. I know that I can handle this Yuuzhan Vong woman. This is not about ME!"

Luke's smile vanished, his azure gaze searching hers. Their eyes locked. "Mara, I'm a grown man. I don't need to be babied and I don't want it."

"I know."

"Then why do you do it?" he queried, lifting one eyebrow and staring expectantly at her.

Mara sighed, throwing her hands in the air exasperated. "You can't really demand of me to be happy to have you flying off ALONE to Sernpidal after.. after… " she trailed off, biting her lower lip.

"After everything that has happened the last time you have been away from me?" he finished softly.

His wife nodded, averting her gaze and staring out at the misty dusk of a Coruscant evening. Luke went over to her and once again drew her into an embrace, resting his forehead against hers.

"We have talked about this. It hasn't been your fault. I thought this was done for."

"It is, but…" Mara turned in his arms, looking him square in the eyes and tugging one of his bangs behind his ear. "Luke, I'm just worried. And I simply don't want you to be away from me for so long."

"Oh, my love, it is just a week. Before you know it, I'll be back again." He brushed his lips over hers and she relished the contact and his smell. Of course…, and it wouldn't be the first time.

If she was honest, Mara didn't know why everything in her rebelled against Luke going to Sernpidal alone. The system was tightly in check. A throng of New Republic ships would be accompanying Luke. The Yuuzhan Vong were peaceful there, had orders from Tsavong Lah himself. Before she knew it, she had nodded and Luke had released her, turning towards the bed to finish his packing.

Mara scowled. He had done it again. How came that this innocent farmboy turned Jedi Master succeeded in playing her like that in order to have his way? This had to stop and it had to stop now. Even if to simply save her pride.

"I know that you've felt watched lately." She stated into the silence that was only interrupted by the shuffling of the clothes Luke packed into his carryall bag.

Her husband froze for the smallest part of a second, then continued what he was doing as if she hadn't said a word. "It was nothing." He responded.

Mara perched an eyebrow. "Indeed, nothing? It has happened pretty often to be just nothing."

Luke stopped at last, turning to her, regarding her with a slightly startled expression. "Not in the last week."

"You will understand if this doesn't help to soothe my worries." Mara quipped, mustering him carefully. He sighed and plopped down on the bed, ruffling his hair.

"Mara, I didn't want anyone to know that. It has no meaning. It is just… just repercussions from everything that has happened, I suppose. Nothing important."

"Nothing IMPORTANT? Luke Skywalker, you can't be serious. What has happened has almost destroyed your soul! If anything that has to do with it isn't important, then what IS?"

Luke had flinched violently at that and rubbed his temples with his fingers. Regretting the outburst, Mara slipped beside him, laying her cheek on his shoulder and rubbing his back.

"Luke, I'm sorry. But you have to understand that I'm worried. Please, don't go there alone. I have a bad feeling about this."

Her husband locked eyes with her, and for a long moment, they were both quiet. Then he straightened and rose. "I won't be alone. Anakin and Corran will be with me. And the guys from Rogue Squadron and a fleet of NR ships. There is no reason for you to worry. Besides, Elan and Kwaad are dead."

Mara sighed: "I know."

He dragged her to her feet, cupping her cheek with his hand and kissing her softly. "In a week, you'll be laughing about this. Trust me. I can deal with that."

She pecked at his chin, drawing small circles at the small of his back: "I know that, too. I know you can. I'm afraid I can't."

Luke laughed softly, turning her, snuggling up towards her and folding his hands over her belly, rubbing her flat stomach tenderly. "Daddy will be back soon."

Mara chuckled: "There's nothing but a few cells yet."

"I feel it in the Force. And it shall meet his daddy as early as possible."

"What do you want to do? Crawl in and introduce yourself?"

The Jedi Master gave her a smug grin and spluttered some kisses on the back of her neck: "Not a bad idea, my dear."

She grinned and let him push her onto the bed. Despite of the fact that he was supposed to show up on the landing pad in fifteen minutes and hadn't yet packed.

*~~

The X-Wing was ready for take-off. Luke was long secured in the cockpit, waving at his sister, brother-in-law and wife for a last goodbye.

When he took off, Anakin Solo and Corran Horn immediately flanked him. The three of them would fly their starfighters up to the flagship of the New Republic task force and be off to Sernpidal within the next half hour.

And Mara was still not comfortable with it. The reassurances of both Anakin and Corran that they were going to have an eye on Luke hadn't helped her much. There was something that made her afraid and it had to do with Sernpidal. She couldn't determine whether it had to do with Luke specifically or not and that added even more to her feelings of impending danger.

"I still can't believe you've agreed to this, Leia." She said, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"It wasn't as if I had a big choice, Mara. The rebuilding and retaking actions at Sernpidal have to begin now. And Luke is the one who has to be at the head of what happens there. There is no other way and you know that."

Mara shot her a look out of narrowed eyes. "Of course I know that. But this was not what I meant. He shouldn't go alone."

"He is not alone, Mara."

That only got a growl out of the ex-Emperor's hand.

Surprisingly, Leia turned around and poked a finger in the other woman's chest, furiously staring at her face: "Do you think I like it? Do you think I'm happy that he's going off on his own? Without you, without me? No, Mara, I'm not. But I couldn't foresee that Miiram Shimrra would want to meet you. I couldn't foresee such a development here. And you have to admit that this IS important for the future of the galaxy, for the peace."

An icy silence settled between the two women.

"You know, Luke would be angry hearing you two talk like this." A soft, male voice popped up behind them. A little embarrassed at having forgotten him, they turned and stared at Han Solo.

He smiled thinly: "Don't look at me like this. I would like nothing more than to head off straight after him to have an eye on him. Trouble is following Luke ever since I know him and I don't think that will ever change. But he wouldn't want us to treat him like a porcelain doll."

"Han…" Leia began, but her husband waved her off. "Come on, you two. Elan and Kwaad have succeeded in making him stray from his way. But he's back on and he needs no one to clear the path for him anymore. Not continuously anyways."

Laying one arm around each woman's shoulders, Han led them into the building. Neither of them liked the way things had played out, but neither of them could do something against it either. They would have to trust Luke. And they knew they could. The problem was, could they trust anyone or anything else?

 

Sernpidal, One Day Later

It was harder than he had expected. A lot harder. Although Luke had never been in this system before, although he had never even seen the planet, the view of Sernpidal, or rather, the two halves that had represented it two years ago, troubled him deeply.

The pain of those who had died and of the planet itself seemed to permeate the system. And somewhere in between, he could feel the loss of Chewbacca. It was almost as if he could hear Han's soul cry out for the Wookiee, as if he could hear Anakin's guilt and his terror when he had realised what had happened.

If he hadn't been a Jedi Master, if he hadn't been as accustomed to death and destruction, he might have shed a tear or two.

Glancing at his side, he saw his youngest nephew struggle with his emotions. Anakin finally managed to ban the sadness from his eyes and meet his uncle's gaze. "It looks better than back when I've last seen it." The young boy stated.

Luke nodded. "Have you read the data I've compiled for you?"

The Jedi apprentice nodded, some of his dark bangs bobbing up and down before his eyes. "Yeah. The earthquakes have died down. The atmosphere is stabilised. Life is much more bearable down there now."

"Exactly. And that's why we're here. Partially at least."

Anakin nodded: "Where will we begin? What am I to do?"

Luke smiled at the eagerness in his nephew's voice. "More than enough. Corran?"

The Corellian Jedi Knight stepped away from one of the consoles, smiling at Luke. They had had some interesting talks, as well as some lightsaber practice, together and Corran was happy to see his Master back with him.

He still remembered the day when he had come into the captain's quarters of the Ralroost, finding Luke suffering from a nervous breakdown, his connection to the Force erratic, his cries echoing through his own soul like the cries of a man in agony. It had shattered him and had made him worry for his friend.

It was good to see Luke back to normal. Perhaps even more at peace than normally. Obviously, his little holiday with Mara had done him good. The blue eyes were glistening with enthusiasm. There was a goal for them here, for all of them, and that was something good. Something that spurred on. Enormously.

"Master?" he queried respectfully. Sometimes it felt strange to address Luke like that. They were befriended. Closely befriended in fact. Between the two of them, in private, they knew no such formalities. But in public, it had to be obvious who was the head of the Jedi Order.
And every inch of respect Corran displayed was genuine and the Corellian felt Luke had deserved it. More than anyone else he knew, except the Jedi Master's sister perhaps.

Luke smiled shortly, then focused on a small datapad in his hands. "I want you and Rogue Squadron to sweep down onto the planet, accompanying the research teams. You won't go down yet, just scout the area and gather as much surveillance data as possible. There will be a couple of squadrons more with you, and I will leave two gunboats. This should suffice, right?"

"This is Rogue Squadron. OF COURSE that will suffice. You wouldn't need that many, actually." A cheerful voice came over to them from the elevator and Hobbie Klivian stepped onto the bridge. Luke perched an eyebrow and met him with a cool stare. The pilot halted in his steps.

"Just my opinion, Master… Sir… oh crap…" he muttered, strolling off towards the small station he saw Wedge Antilles sitting at. Hobbie, as well as Wes Janson and Wedge Antilles, had been reassigned to this task force. Wes and Hobbie were to fly with Rogue Squadron while Wedge was the official military head of the operation.

Luke allowed himself a soft smirk. It was always fun to play his rank on this one. Helped shut up his big mouth that hadn't diminished with age.

"Anakin and I will take the rest of the task force and the transports and continue over to Belkadan, overseeing the evacuation of the worldship and making a trip down to the planet to talk about freeing the slaves so that they survive mentally."

He paused, giving the others some moments to digest the orders. Then, he continued. "As soon as you have gathered the data, Corran, you will head over to the flagship to deliver it to me and Wedge and we will talk about how we best help the survivors on the planet - if there are any - and how we clear a path for those who want to resettle their home. Everything clear?"

"Absolutely." Corran and Anakin both nodded.

Luke smiled: "Fine. Then let's begin. We have a lot of work to do and we've just a week time to clear so much of the rubber and the problems away for the thing to go for itself."

*~~

It was strange to think about setting foot on a Yuuzhan Vong ship again. Everything in Luke rebelled against the very thought, but he didn't let these feelings overtake him. There was no way he would back down here. He had overcome the trauma.

What Elan and Mezhan Kwaad had done to him would never be forgotten, would always be encased behind thick walls in his heart - but it had no power over him anymore. Luke was determined to live on, to show them, wherever their spirits were, that he wasn't going to let them destroy him.

Besides, it went against what he believed to hold a whole race responsible for the actions of some single individuals and so he would try to deal normally with the Yuuzhan Vong.

It might be difficult. It might be impossible. It might be a lot easier than he thought. In any case, he would try and do his best. There was much that depended on him.

Looming ahead of him, the entrance to the worldship's docking bay resembled a dark pit, the naturally grown edges and sides resembling the teeth of some ancient monster.
Luke shook his head softly. Such thoughts would certainly not help him feel any better right now. Turning his head to his right, he made sure Anakin was in position at his starboard wing when he veered into a curve to dock at the large worldship.

"Anakin, have you ever been on a Yuuzhan Vong ship?" he asked over the intercom channel that was privately established between his and his nephew's starfighter.

"No. But mom and dad have told me about it. They said it is not as ugly from the inside as it is from the outside."

Luke smiled: "That's right. Care to show me whether your landing exercises have paid?"

Immediately, he felt his nephew's excitement and eagerness through their bond and readily slowed a little to make room for the other X-Wing.

*~~

Half an hour later, Luke was extraordinarily pleased. The commander of the worldship hovering above Belkadan had greeted him with the reserved respect common among the higher Yuuzhan Vong rows and they had immediately began to discuss what was needed.

The worldship was not in that bad a condition and there was no need to hurry more than absolutely necessary to evacuate. They were now headed to the office of the commander, to discuss some lists and numbers and to see how many of the Yuuzhan Vong inhabitants would have to be transported on the ships the New Republic had brought with it. The planet that had been chosen for them was two systems farther to the edge of the galaxy and had been received well by the Yuuzhan Vong.

There had been long investigations on the New Republic's part of sentient life in an organised society on this planet that had yet to be named and there had been no sign of it found. There was no technology of any sort, no buildings - absolutely nothing New Republic on it. It would be able to give home to at least three or four worldship populations, if their estimates had been correct.

On the way through the ship, during which Luke granted himself some time to look around at the marvellous patterns and colours of the yorik coral that had beautifully grown in this ship, he continued discussing some matters of administration with the Yuuzhan Vong commander.
Anakin beside him was quiet, listening intently and trying to savour every single impression he could get. Luke was pleased about that. The boy would certainly make a good Jedi in no time, if he kept his discipline.

Deep in conversation, Luke didn't pay much attention to his surroundings. He trusted Anakin to point him to what could be interesting enough to investigate, though he didn't expect to find anything.

Suddenly, while passing a corridor that obviously led deeper into the ship, Luke felt a chill run down his spine. For a little moment, he felt dizzy, but quickly got it under control and hid it even from Anakin.

He already wanted to dismiss it as a sign of being overworked when a voice called through the ship. While his feet kept going out of reflex, Luke's mind froze. Liin. Someone had called his name. His Yuuzhan Vong name.

As inconspicuously as he could, he glanced back into the corridor. Was it his imagination or was there a shadow moving deeper into the ship? Fleeing perhaps? Who had called his name?
Startled, he turned his head and looked at his nephew. Anakin didn't seem to have heard anything and still looked around with a mix of awe and curiosity. The Yuuzhan Vong commander was still talking about the problems of heating they had encountered lately.

Luke drew his robe closer around himself, suddenly feeling cold. So had it been his imagination indeed? A hallucination? It had felt so real. He had heard this.
Shaking his head imperceptibly for anyone but the closest bystander, he straightened himself. This was ridiculous. He was over it. He had sworn to himself that neither Elan nor the Master Shaper would have any might over him anymore. Forcing the incident out of his head, he followed the commander into his office.

*~~

Mezhan Kwaad grinned and watched the retreating figure of Luke Skywalker through the small villip that sat on Nen Yim's shoulder. He had heard it. He had heard her call his name.

How she loved to play.

| To Be Continued |

 

 

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