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Lines reverted to stars as the ship dropped into realspace. The Jedi gazed at Agamar as it grew in the viewscreen, the blue and green and white indicative of most temperate worlds always a welcome sight, especially after visiting some of the harsher worlds like the sandy brown orb of Tatooine. Agamar was a pleasing mixture of hills and plains, oceans and mountains, warm and cool. With a slight adjustment in heading, the ship vectored toward the southern hemisphere.
The monitor beeped to life and green letters scrolled across it.
"Yes, Artoo. The planet is perfectly safe for droids," Luke Skywalker replied to his astromech droid's inquiry. "No, Artoo. There is no interdiction order prohibiting droids. Where would you get such a ridiculous idea?"
A string of indignant beeps answered.
"See-Threepio isn't always the most reliable source of information, Artoo. You know how overwrought he can get, sometimes." Luke suppressed a chuckle, thinking fondly of how quirky, how fussy, how easily upset his protocol droid was.
Interstellar traffic control interrupted Luke's reverie. In minutes his landing was okayed and underway. He touched the X-wing smoothly onto the duracrete of his assigned landing bay and did a quick systems check as he powered the machine down.
The monitor lit up again.
"No, Artoo. I want you to stay with the X-wing and keep an eye on things. Don't worry. I have my comlink, so you can contact me easily enough, even trace me if you have to. This site I'm heading to is located a couple hours south of the city, but I'll still be in communications range."
A mournful sound followed Luke as he dropped to the ground. He heard Artoo lowering the canopy to lockdown position as he headed toward the main terminal.
Luke stood patiently in line as he awaited his turn at the security desk and took in the details of the terminal, with its large waiting area ringed by several eating and drinking establishments. It was only moderately busy. The ebb and flow of beings was a mixture made up of mostly humans with a smattering of other races. The occasional droid made its way through the crowd like flotsam on a stream.
Stepping forward, Luke laid his identity chip on the customs desk. The security officer popped it into the chip reader without looking at the screen.
"Business or pleasure?" the officer asked, head down.
"Business," replied Luke.
"Nature of business?"
"Official New Republic."
The officer's head bobbed up as he glanced at Luke, then down again as he returned to his data entry. "Where will your business take you on Agamar?"
"Round Boulder Hills archaeological site."
The security guard stopped and gave his full attention to Luke. Finally.
"Why can't you government types ever save the Republic a few credits and travel together? Your partner landed, not twenty minutes ago, and already headed out." The officer was obviously miffed.
Luke raised his eyebrows slightly. Partner? What partner? No one even knows why I'm here. I didn't even tell Leia, or, for that matter, Mara.
The Jedi replied mildly, "I would expect it has something to do with coming from two different directions. The other agent arrived from ..."
"Coruscant," clipped the officer.
"Right," replied Luke. "And I popped over from Yavin."
The officer scowled, handed Luke his identity chip, and said, "You can hire a transport outside the terminal and to the left." He added a gruff, "Enjoy your stay on Agamar."
Luke nodded and moved away with a smile as the officer turned to another guard standing a meter behind him. "Did you see that guy? He looked familiar."
The other guard replied, "You always think some vidstar or the other is passing through your checkpoint, Timo. Besides, you're the one with the ID on screen."
Luke slowed down and cocked his head to listen to the officer's reaction. "Mynock guano! Get a look at this, Greeg. I'm lucky he didn't zap me into space dust, the way I sniped at him."
The Jedi kept his mirth contained as he entered the flow of beings and passed out of the building.
90 minutes later, Luke slowed the rented landspeeder to cruising speed. He had been steadily gaining on another machine, but now it appeared that landspeeder was stopped on the other side of the narrow gorge he faced. Open plain had given way to round, grass topped hills that bore a striking resemblance to ... well, ... immense round boulders. Hence the name.
He knew his partner, if that's who he was gaining on, was Force-sensitive, which raised mild concern, as he knew where all his students were. So who was he following? And why had he stopped? Undoubtedly, this stranger was, at the very least, curious about who was trying to overtake him. This was someone who preferred confrontation to avoidance. No use disappointing him.
Bringing the speeder to a halt, Luke vaulted over the side and continued on foot. Stealth was out of the question, as his black outfit stood out against the light brown grass of the hills like a Wookiee in a room of albino Sullustans. Besides, his opponent could sense him as clearly as he could his opponent. Friend or foe?
Suddenly, a somersaulting blue blur streaked toward him. The being landed and arced his lightsaber toward the Jedi Master. Luke's blade answered, and the two weapons locked with a sputtering hiss. Luke looked into shocked hazel eyes.
The attacker stepped back, powering down her lightsaber, to let it hang slack in her grip. His eyes lit up at the sight of Alee-Nedra cy Nerac. She was dressed in a new red-brown tunic and leggings, not the museum-quality outfit she'd worn last time they'd met. Though this outfit was the same color as the cloak she'd seemed so fond of and that was nowhere in sight. The boots looked the same - not unlike the boots he'd seen in holos of Jedi from the Old Republic. Odd. But then, maybe she'd seen the holos, too. With her hair in its usual braid, she looked like a new and updated version of ... her former self.
"Hello, Alee. I thought the Force would bring us together again," Luke said. "Though not quite so soon. It was just a couple of months ago that I gave you a lift home, wasn't it?"
"Six," came the flat reply.
"Right. Seen Corran lately?"
"No."
"Aren't much for small talk, are you?" Luke smiled.
Alee stared silently.
"Okay, skip the chit chat. Why are you here on Agamar, Alee?"
"Official Intel business."
"Which has something to do with the archaeological dig happening here, right?"
Alee raised her eyebrows.
"Come on, Alee. What gives? Last time we met, you let me search your mind, albeit very scantly. Now you're looking at me like I just crawled out from under some rock." Luke shunted aside irritation.
"I'm ... surprised to see you. That's all."
"And not very happy about it, I'd say," Luke replied. "I'd think you'd welcome having another Jedi at your side when you check out this artifact they uncovered." Luke studied her tightly-controlled features. "You have to know I'd feel the disturbance, too. I scan all the archaeological reports. Same as you, apparently." He paused. "Last time we met you said something about Yoda forbidding you to meet me. Is that what this current reluctance is about?"
"Apparently."
Luke ignored the sarcasm and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, we've already met once, Alee, and the galaxy didn't come to a sudden and terrible end, so we can probably - hopefully - meet a second time without horrendous repercussions. Wouldn't you say?"
A smile lightened her eyes and relief rippled through Luke's mind. He wanted, very much, to hear this Jedi's story, and their last meeting had revealed only sketchy details about Alee's current life and nothing about her Jedi background. He knew that she'd known Ben and Yoda, and he knew her full name, though she hadn't offered it. A name alone was enough to start an investigation, if he'd had the time, but now he had something better than a name - he had the person. Was she the reason the Force had led him here?
"Since we're both here," Luke ventured, "why don't we examine this artifact together?"
"I usually work alone," Alee replied. After a brief pause, she added, "But I could probably make an exception this time."
"Great." Luke narrowed his eyes. "You're very troubled about what we might find, aren't you?" To the question in her eyes, he replied, "Loners don't usually agree to work with someone unless they are very worried."
Alee looked over his shoulder. "I'm not worried. Just very ... unsettled."
"Me, too. So let's go check it out."
"Do you ever say: let's forget about it and go home?" Alee asked.
Puzzlement brushed Luke's thoughts. "No. Do you?"
He sensed her tension ease as she said, "No. But Dru asked me that once. I just wondered if the new Jedi have the same compulsive curiosity that drives me at times."
New Jedi? "It comes with the territory, I think."
"And does trouble usually follow close on the heels of your curiosity?"
"Inevitably," Luke replied with a smile.
Alee returned a smile of her own. "Some things never change."
The two landspeeders coasted to a stop inside the temporary compound set up for the archaeological team. Dura-fab huts ringed a central yard and were bordered by a two-meter forcefield fence, which was probably meant to keep local wildlife out. Two of the structures were long, with semicircular roofs that curved down to form walls. The portable labs, Luke decided. The other huts were domed, standard military-issue personnel quarters.
Security was non-existent and so, by the looks of things, were workers. But it was only mid-afternoon, and everyone was, most likely, still at the dig site or in the lab. Alee was already striding across the compound toward the nearest lab. Luke shook his head and hurried to join her.
"Where are you heading, partner?" Luke asked.
"Where do you think?" Alee shot back. "You can sense, as well as I, that the artifact is in this first building."
"You certainly don't waste any time, do you?" Corran only said stubborn; he didn't warn me about single-minded.
Alee stopped and Luke sidestepped to avoid colliding with her. She planted her hands on her hips and said, "What do you suggest we do? Since you are the only Master present, I will defer to your wisdom."
"Well." Luke paused. "I suppose we should try to locate someone who is in charge."
"And where do you think we might find this someone?"
Luke threw her a grin laced with chagrin. "Inside the portable lab you were heading to."
Alee rolled her eyes and spun around to continue on her way. Luke followed with a chuckle.
The lab was one huge open cavern, except for one room, roughly eight meters square, standing in the center and near the back of the long hut. The two Jedi passed by row after row of household artifacts, most in almost perfect condition. Alee suddenly dropped to a crouch in front of a pristine glass sculpture of two humans dancing. Luke knelt beside her, amazed at how it seemed to flow as it reflected the overhead lights.
"It's beautiful," he said.
She tapped her teeth with her thumb for a moment before answering. "Alderaanian glasswork. This piece must be over three thousand years old. It's ... it's exquisite."
"And priceless, no doubt," Luke added. "You know something about antiques?"
Alee hesitated. "Not much. I visited some museums on Alderaan before ... Anyway, I happened to have a similar piece, though not nearly as old, a long time ago."
"What happened to it?"
"The Empire destroyed my home, so I imagine it was crushed in the rubble."
"You don't know?"
"No. I never got the chance to return."
"Where?"
Alee stood and brushed her leggings off. As she turned, she softly replied, "Coruscant."
Coruscant? She lived on Coruscant when the Emperor was there? How did she manage that trick without getting herself captured or killed?
Luke followed the now pensive Jedi as she walked slowly down the aisle, eyeing the treasures of the past with an oddly hungry look. He studied her aura, what little she allowed to leak out, which was very little indeed. It didn't seem like she desired to possess the artifacts, more like they reminded her of something, and it was that mysterious something she longed for. In an eyeblink, the mood was broken and she was again striding purposefully forward. Luke picked up his pace to match hers.
The entrance to the room was locked.
Alee glanced askance at Luke and asked, "Do we break in?"
"Maybe we should try knocking first," Luke suggested, as he leaned past her to tap on the durasteel panel.
A minute later a viewhole flicked open and a hollow voice asked, "Who is it?"
Alee quickly replied, "Alee Nardo, New Republic Intel."
"Show your visual ID, please," the voice requested.
Alee held up her ID card in front of the viewer. With a buzz and a click, the door retracted into the wall and a figure in white waved them in.
"Oh, my. There are two of you. You didn't mention that," the young woman said as her hands fluttered through the air. "I was only expecting one investigator."
The nervous woman was in her early twenties, pretty with dark blond hair and hazel eyes. Dressed in the white coveralls standard to scientists everywhere, she was slight, maybe 1.5 meters tall. And very ... fluttery.
Luke touched her mind with calm. "I joined Alee at the last moment. I hope it doesn't inconvenience you, Doctor ..."
"Powell Besarc." She turned toward the Jedi Master. "But you can just call me ... Luke Skywalker!"
"Well, now, that will get confusing," Alee commented dryly. "Maybe it would be better to call you Powell, and him Luke."
"Of, of course," stammered Powell, as her hands took flight. "I just never expected ... I mean, it's such an honor ..."
Alee sighed. "Do you get this a lot, oh great Jedi Master?"
Luke gave her a wry glance. "More than I like. But it's better than the other typical response."
"You mean the today-you're-gonna-die-Jedi-and-I'll-be-famous approach?"
"You're familiar with that one?"
"More than I like."
Luke stared thoughtfully at Alee for a micron, then turned his attention back to the young scientist to find her staring open-mouthed at him. He took her by the arm and patted it.
"As you probably know, Powell, Alee and I are here to examine the unusual artifact you found under heavy shielding. I take it you managed to remove it safely?" Luke asked.
"Yes. Yes, we did. Except for the last layer. So we brought it here, shield and all," Powell said with a small giggle.
Luke ignored the quiet snort from Alee and kept focused on the young woman. "May we see it?"
"Of course. It's in the inner chamber."
Powell moved forward and keyed an entry code as Luke watched her with a small sense of relief that they had some security. But two locks wouldn't stop any serious attempt to steal the artifact. This outer chamber had a window looking into the next one that was currently tinted to full blackout mode. Luke sensed someone moving around behind the glass.
The door slid open and Luke motioned for the scientist to precede him. Powell batted her eyelashes at him and turned faintly pink as she moved into the chamber. Luke caught Alee's grimace out of the corner of his eye and got the impression that coy was not this Jedi's style. His shoulders shook slightly, earning him a nasty look.
The someone he'd sensed was a slim young man, the same height as Luke at just over 1.7 meters, with dark brown hair and green eyes. He was bent over a computer terminal studying the screen intently.
Powell bustled around the room, suddenly transformed from flustered to efficient, as she checked several readouts before turning back to the Jedi. Luke regarded her with momentary bewilderment.
"Darling," Powell said to the other scientist. "Our visitors are here."
The young man straightened up as she added, "This is Alee Nardo and Luke ..."
"Skywalker," the scientist broke in. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Rand Besarc."
"My husband," Powell added with a pretty blush.
Luke grasped the offered hand as Rand continued, "Our daughter absolutely adores you. Makes us record every bit of newsvid that so much as mentions your name. Every docuvid. Every holovid. Absolutely everything."
Alee's whisper only reached Luke's ears. "Meet the president of the Agamar chapter of the Luke Skywalker Fan Club."
Luke cleared his throat. "I'm flattered, but you seem awfully young to have a child old enough to recognize anyone other than mom and dad."
Another blush. Powell said, "We started our family early; I was only 18. Shannilee is a very precocious five-year-old and quite a handful at times."
"I can sympathize. I have a niece and two nephews who are the same way," Luke said.
"I hate to interrupt," Alee said. "But could we possibly look at the artifact today, or would it be better if we came back tomorrow?"
"Of course. That's why you're here, isn't it?" Rand asked as he turned back to the monitor.
"I thought so," muttered Alee.
Luke gave her a quelling glance and she wrinkled her nose at him.
As Rand worked at his keyboard, he said, "We've been bombarding the object with radon particles to see if we can determine, well, anything about it. Density. Composition. So far, all readouts are coming back negative. All we know is that it has a 30 centimeter diameter."
In the center of the room, a grey cylinder retracted into the ceiling, revealing a black orb wrapped in a shimmering halo of shielding and suspended mid-air by a repulsor pad. Alee slipped between the two men and approached the object. Rand moved to intercept her and Luke placed a hand on the man's arm, stopping him. Less than a meter away, she squatted down and began tapping her teeth while she stared at the gleaming ball.
Luke did his own Force probe of the object from where he stood. Several minutes later, he asked, "What do you think, Alee?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. The shielding is highly unusual. No gaps. Like it's one single ... essence. I've never encountered anything like it. It seems almost ... alive, maybe? Imbued with the Force, certainly."
"And the ball itself?" Luke urged.
" I couldn't reach it. But I could sense the Dark Side. Lurking. How about you?" she returned.
"Same thing." Luke turned to the wide-eyed scientists facing him. "I think you should increase your security here. And please, leave any further examination of the object to Alee and me."
The two scientists nodded slowly and in unison.
Alee popped to her feet. "What can you tell us about where it was found?"
Rand blinked. "It's a bit of a story. Why don't you, ah, join us for dinner? Our digs are slightly more comfortable than the lab. And you could meet Shanni."
Alee raised one brow. "You brought your daughter on an archaeological dig?"
"We are ... between homes right now, so of course we have her with us. But she's in good hands. Our protocol droid, T-8D4, cares for her during the day. She calls him Tate."
Alee curled her lip. Luke could almost hear the snide, "Cute," forming in her mind. He prevented the word from escaping by stepping forward.
"Let's go, then. Do you have anywhere we can bed down while we're here?" he asked.
"Sure," replied Powell as she moved to the door. "The hut next to ours is empty at the moment. It only has one bedroom though ..."
"Perfect. We can take turns sleeping on the floor," Luke said.
Alee brushed past Luke. "You first, vidstar," she muttered.
Luke turned off the refresher's weak spray and towelled off. As he dressed he pondered his prickly partner and all the things she left unsaid - oh, she answered truthfully enough, she just seemed to ... omit a lot. He stepped out of the cramped refresher unit, tunic in hand, and into the small central room of their borrowed accommodations. Alee eyed him skeptically from the repulsor chair where she reclined.
"It's a good thing Powell isn't here," she said. "The sight of so much Luke Skywalker would probably make the poor girl swoon."
Heat crept up his neck as he quickly pulled the tunic over his head and sat across from Alee, propping his feet on the low table between them. "What do you have against the Besarcs?"
"Nothing. They both seem very nice. And Powell positively oozes sweetness." Alee paused. "I've just never had any use for such ... fawning adoration."
"Respect is something to be spurned?" Luke asked mildly.
"Not when it is honest - respect that is earned is a reward in itself. What they are doing is drooling over a larger-than-life holo image of the 'Greatest Hero of the Rebellion'. Pure idol worship. They can't even see the real Luke Skywalker for all the glitter blinding them."
"How about you, Alee?" Luke let his feet fall to the floor and leaned forward. "Can you see the real me? Can I ever hope to earn your respect?"
"Why the great Master would even care about a lowly Knight's opinion is beyond me."
"Space the sarcasm, Alee. I'd like an honest answer."
She offered a small smile. "Sorry. Bad habit." She drew a breath and looked into Luke's blue eyes. "We've only met twice, Luke. Holovid exaggerations aside, I've followed your career and it has been distinguished. But, more than that, I can sense your integrity and forthrightness, and your affinity with the Force. You carry yourself with the confidence of a man who has been tested and has passed through the flames victorious. Your peace runs deep and true, but has been gained, I think, at great price. Yes, I respect you, Luke Skywalker."
He grinned and leaned back. "You're right. Respect earned is much more satisfying than hollow flattery."
"Don't let it go to your head, hero," Alee replied with a smile.
"Oh, oh. Corran warned me about you and your opinion of heroes."
"Don't get me wrong," Alee said. "A hero is a wonderful thing, if you have need of one."
"But you rarely do."
"True. But they come in handy, now and again."
Luke stood. "Don't worry. I won't tell Corran you said that."
"Good idea. If his head gets any bigger he won't be able to close the canopy of his X-wing."
Chuckling, Luke held out his hand. "Shall we go next door and join our hosts?"
Alee took his hand and Luke pulled her to her feet. She heaved a mock sigh. "I can hardly wait."
"Now, Alee. Be nice."
"Is that an order?" she asked sweetly.
Luke threw his hands up in surrender. "I would never, ever be so foolish as to issue an order to you. I think I would dearly regret such a move. It was a mere request, oh humble Jedi Knight."
Linking her arm in his, Alee replied, "Indeed, you are a wise Jedi Master."
"Not really. But I do have a lot of experience with hard-headed females."
A gentle jab in his ribs was her only reply.
Luke was still basking in their shared mirth when they gave up searching for any kind of intercom system and knocked on the Besarc's door. A door complete with a knob and hinges. Primitive, but serviceable - that was the military's motto when it came to field housing. It brought back memories of his days in Rogue Squadron.
A breeze had sprung up and was sweeping the sweet smell of wild grasses through the yard. A few humans strolled around the compound, enjoying the early evening warmth. Luke scanned the labs and main gate. Still no security. A worm of unease burrowed into his mind.
The door slammed open, snapping Luke's attention back to the hut. He cast a bemused glance down at a half-sized bundle of energy topped by wild auburn hair that threatened to declare itself red and flashing green eyes. The girl was bouncing on her toes. Luke smiled at her attempt to restrain herself, and with that small bit of encouragement, she bounded three steps forward and latched onto Luke's hand, dragging him into the house.
"It's true it's really true Papa didn't lie not that Papa ever lies but he didn't lie you're here you're really really here. Luke Skywalker is in my house and he's going to sit on my chair and he's going to eat off my plate and he's going to drink from my glass and he's ..."
Luke dropped to his knees and touched his fingers to the excited child's lips. She fell silent and her eyes grew wide. Luke whispered, "Remember to breathe." Louder he said, "I'm very pleased to meet you, Shanni. And I would like you to meet my friend, Alee."
Shanni turned slowly to meet this other stranger. Luke watched Alee's wry expression change to reluctant acceptance of her fate as she looked down to greet her Ewok-sized hostess. The eyes of woman and child met, and Luke froze as he felt a quiver in the Force. Shanni floated forward like a whisper and broke eye contact to look down and touch Alee's lightsaber. The child looked up in awe.
"You're a Jedi, too?" she breathed.
"Yes, Shanni. I am a Jedi," Alee replied softly.
The child took the woman's hand and tugged her downward. Alee sank into a crouch and raised her eyebrows in a questioning arch. Luke fought amazement at the tender look on the Jedi's face as she silently urged the child to speak.
"Girls can become Jedi?" Shanni asked.
"Of course."
"I want to be a Jedi," declared the girl. "I want you to make me one."
Alee shot a helpless glance to Luke, then to the child's parents, who were standing in a doorway on the far side of the room watching the exchange. Luke noticed the distraught expression on Powell's face and cleared his throat to get Shanni's attention.
"I think you mother has dinner ready for us, Shanni. Perhaps we can talk about this some other time," Luke suggested.
Shanni stood and planted her hands on her hips. "That's a grownup way of saying we'll never talk about it." She looked Luke up and down. "I want Alee to sit in my chair."
Luke kept a straight face as he calmly accepted the child's decree. As they moved to the table, he leaned close and whispered to Alee, "How does it feel to be fawned over?"
Alee rolled her eyes and sat down. In Shanni's chair.
Dinner talk was idle and generally relaxed. Luke had to work at keeping his attention on what the scientists were saying, as the sight of Shanni trying to imitate Alee's every move was most distracting. He smiled inwardly at the patience the Jedi showed in dealing with the child. When he'd searched Alee's mind six months before, he'd caught a hint of her helping orphans find new homes, and for the first time, he could see that facet of her personality as possible. Longing to see his niece and nephews whisked his mind to Coruscant and his sister's home. He reached through the Force and brushed each of their minds, in turn, with a whisper of love. It immediately echoed back.
"Luke?" Rand's voice broke his connection and he turned questioning eyes to his host. Rand said, "Lost you for a moment. I asked if you wanted to move to the sitting area for a cup of caf."
"Sure," Luke replied, rising.
The group moved to the lounge and Rand motioned the Jedi to the two chairs, while he and Powell made themselves comfortable on the small couch. Shanni knelt at the low table between them and clapped when a protocol droid tottered out of the kitchen to serve the adults.
Luke caught Alee's eye. "Tate," he stated.
"Cute name," Alee replied sardonically.
"Do you think so? Truly?" asked Shanni, from beside Alee's knee where she had suddenly popped up. "I gave him that name." Alee smiled weakly.
"Tell us how you discovered the site," Luke said.
"Quite by accident, really," Rand replied. "One of the rooms on the east side collapsed. A nerf herder found what he thought was a cave. Fortunately he contacted the authorities quickly, or all the relics inside might well have been plundered before we got to them."
"So it actually was a castle?" Alee asked. Luke smiled as Shanni settled herself at the Jedi's feet and seemed prepared to listen as she gazed up at Alee's face.
"Absolutely. Shouldn't be a surprise, really. Given the name the locals had for that hill."
"Which was ..." Alee urged.
"Melted Castle Mountain."
Her eyebrow twinged. "You're kidding."
"Absolutely not," declared Rand.
"Often folklore starts with a grain of truth," Luke interjected. "Were there any stories about the hill? You know: haunted, that kind of thing."
"Absolutely nothing," the scientist replied. "Even now, no one will talk about it. Only thing I could gather was that the owner of the castle had been ... um ... dark was the term used."
Luke and Alee exchanged glances.
Shanni crawled up on Alee's knee and began playing with her braid. Alee ignored it.
"That's it?" Luke asked. "Just dark?"
"Really. That's all the locals would say. It's like they're afraid of some guy who died two thousand years ago."
"You'd be surprised at the staying power a legend can have," Alee said.
Luke studied Alee for a moment. There was something in the way she'd said that. Like she herself had had a run-in with a legend.
"Will my hair always be this yucky red? Or will it get mostly brown like yours?" Shanni asked Alee, as she finished undoing the Jedi's braid and ran her fingers through it to let it fall loose.
Alee turned her attention to the child. "Your hair will always have red in it. Not so much as now, but not so little as me. It will be beautiful hair." She looked over at Powell. "Where did you find the artifact in the castle?"
"In the highest room we could reach," the young woman replied.
"Absolutely," confirmed Rand. "If there was anything above that room, it was long gone."
"Can you describe the shielding that was around the object?" Luke asked.
"It was amazing, really. Four shields plus the one we haven't managed to break through. They were different, though. It was like they had been dropped from the ceiling and draped over the artifact. Absolutely nothing like the way this last shield is wrapped around it."
"How long did it take you to become a Jedi?" Shanni asked Alee.
"Many, many years," replied Alee. "How did you break through the shielding?"
"We tried all sorts of disrupters," Powell said.
"Very frustrating, really," Rand added. "I believe it was a sonic disrupter that finally worked."
"When did you start learning to be a Jedi?" Shanni asked Alee.
"When I was a little over three years old," replied Alee. "Did sonic work on all four?"
"Absolutely," Rand said. "Though each successive layer took longer to break down."
"Did you have any trouble transporting it?" Alee asked.
"Absolutely not. What sort of trouble were you thinking about?"
"Did you do your training at home?" Shanni asked Alee.
"No. I had to go the Temple," replied Alee. "I was thinking of traps. Security measures. That kind of thing."
"Nothing of the sort, really."
"But remember, dear?" Powell turned to her husband. "The pack animals were terribly jittery that day. We had to bring in a gravsled and walk out the two kilometers." She gazed at Luke. "Pack animals are so much more practical on the rough terrain surrounding the site."
"You mean I have to leave my mom and papa to be a Jedi?" Shanni asked Alee.
"Yes, Shanni," replied Alee.
The child jumped off Alee's lap and crossed her arms. "I'm not ready to leave them yet. I may have to wait a while before I begin my training."
Alee blinked and watched the child flounce out of the room. Luke sensed her mild confusion. Had she even realized what questions she'd answered? What temple? The only temple I've ever found mention of was the Jedi Temple, and it was destroyed long ago.
"And next week she'll want to be a med droid," Powell said with a giggle.
Luke gave the anxious mother a small smile. Alee got up and began to prowl around the room and periodically run her fingers through her hair. Luke could sense her unrest, the way her calm was beginning to unravel, but he could sense no outer reason for the growing tension. What was going on in her mind?
"Why are you between homes?" Alee asked.
Luke narrowed his eyes at the sudden change in direction. Where was she headed?
Powell sighed. "We've been between homes ever since we were bonded. Our families - I should say, my family - disapproved of the union, and so we left. We have yet to decide where to settle and our work makes it that much more difficult."
Shanni skipped back into the room and stopped in front of Alee with her hands clasped behind her back. "Even though I can't go with you tonight, I want you to know you are still my friend, Alee."
The Jedi crouched and smiled at the child. "And you are mine, Shanni."
"Can I show you something of mine that is extra special?"
"I would be deeply honored," Alee replied solemnly.
Shanni placed an ornate box in Alee's hand. Alee raised her eyebrows.
"Open it," the child urged.
Alee opened the small box and looked down, her hair falling like a curtain across her face and hands. Luke heard a muffled gasp and he leaned forward.
"Isn't it pretty? It's called a ... a ..."
Alee's voice was strained and Luke heard a world of pain in two little words. "Argent vortex."
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Shanni caught Luke's eye and snatched the box from Alee's limp hand. She held out the box to Luke. "You can see, too. If you want."
"Thank you, Shanni." Luke took the case and studied the semi-opaque silvery jewel within. It shone with an inner light, blue and swirling. How could something two centimeters in size cause such pain?
Luke glanced at Alee, still crouched with her hair hiding her face. Her hands were shaking as they gripped the arm of the chair. Anguish rolled off her in waves. Shanni's glance kept skittering to Alee and back to the jewel.
"Where did you get this?" Luke asked softly.
"From my mommy's mommy's mom," Shanni said.
"That's right," Powell said. "A legacy from my grandmother. Just before she died quite suddenly, she sent it to me with the request that I pass it on to my daughter."
"A family heirloom," Luke said.
"Well, yes," replied Powell. "Though it wasn't my grandmother's originally. Apparently, she'd had a very mysterious sister who died under even more mysterious conditions. All very hush-hush. No one in the family was allowed to talk about it."
Alee exploded from her crouch and dashed into the night. Shanni cried out and moved to follow but Luke stopped her. Assurances that Alee would be fine and that Luke would check on her drained the tension from the child's body.
"I don't understand." Shanni's green eyes were dark. "Was it my jewel that made her sad?"
Luke took her hand. It was no surprise to him that she instinctively knew Alee was plagued by sadness. "I think your jewel made her remember her own family, Shanni, and that's what made her sad - the remembering."
Luke knew, without a doubt, he had spoken the truth.
