laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

On the outer edge of the Minos Cluster, Yelsain had become the home of many 'free thinkers' whose technology was quite advanced. The green world's hemispheres were split by a wide ocean which circumnavigated the world at the equator, cutting a jagged line around long beaches and immense tracts of forest and mountains. As the Voluspa cut through the thick cumulus, grey with rain, it finally reached the high-walled city of Tradetown, busy with radio traffic beckoning the arrivals home to the starport that commanded the south-central part of the city.

As Miriam and Tia packed, a knock on the door prompted them both to turn and eye it. "We're setting down, my lady," Gilan announced. "You should get strapped in."

"Alright," Miriam returned, grabbing her backpack as Tia followed suit and they exited and headed to the galley where they claimed their seats. "It'll be nice to breathe something else but recycled air for once."

Tia smiled. "Yes, ma'am. I don't know how they survive in conditions like this."

"They've become accustomed to it, I guess."

Gilan quickly joined them in the galley and buckled himself in as the sublights turned over their duties to the ion engines, running a bit louder than their predecessors as the intertial compensators tried to keep the passengers from feeling every bump in the atmosphere. Soon, they set down and the trio unstrapped themselves again and shouldered their gear while Miriam followed Gilan to the rampway.

"Gilan," Erinne called from the cockpit. "Go ahead and open it up, if you would."

"Alright," he replied, then tapped a button within the small inset panel to open the main door and lower the ramp in one swift motion, allowing in air which nearly made Miriam sick initially. Turning their noses, she covered hers up, then slowly allowed herself to adjust as she realized that the stink wafting in was actually fresh air. Smiling, she had nearly become accustomed to the same atmosphere that she and Tia had just been complaining about.

"Nearly there," Gilan motioned to the rampway as Calldir and his wife joined them and they descended into bright sunlight that cascaded down into a nearly empty landing area. Several bordering hangars stood open revealing parked vessels of various designs and she was wondering where everyone was as they stepped out onto the permacrete tarmac. Rectangular lights, buried at an angle pointed up to the bottom of the frieghter and encircled the vessel on the round pad denoted by the painted lines in yellow. Everything looked brand new.

"Does anyone use this starport," Miriam asked as they walked towards the three-story hub.

Calldir laughed. "Yes. Locals take pride in everything they build and keep everything clean. You'll even see some of their opinions of technology soon. Any speeder owned by locals have their metal siding stripped off and replaced by wood, which actually looks better in most cases."

"Why would they do that," Gilan asked.

"They believe that the old ways are best and technology has only brought the galaxy into slavery. Funny when you think of the present government," he smirked, referring to the Empire.

Miriam watched as they gained clearance through inspection, then headed to a parking garage and claimed a speeder. "Here she is, right where we left her," Calldir smiled as Gilan opened the door for Miriam. As she climbed into the wood-sided speeder, she noted the clean and well kept interior and admired the couple for their attention to detail.

Once aboard, the speeder rose into the air as the driver guided it through the parking garage and soon out into daylight where he turned southeast and gunned the vehicle over the high walls. As they passed over a wide, open grassland, the immense trees which stood nearly as tall as most spires back home, she was amazed at some of the smaller villages built within and on the enormous branches as they passed by. Rope bridges and wooden walkways joined homes gripped to the side of the trunks which rose to nearly four hundred feet. Their thick, green boughs shaded all underneath and Miriam rose to gaze downward and noticed the trees origins lost in the darkness far below.

"Why do they build their homes way up here," Miriam asked.

"To keep from the dangerous wildlife at the forest floor. No one goes down there but the hardiest of hunters," Calldir informed as the speeder dodged branches and ducked the heavy foliage around them. "You're much safer up here, milady."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Soon, after hours of travel, they finally slowed and Miriam peered over the front seat to notice the large wooden building ahead. To the side, a large platform held two other speeders within the railed landing area which is where Calldir set down.

"Here we are," he announced. Through the windshield, she noticed a single entrance through a long tunnel and out into what appeared to be a courtyard centered by the rest of the large tree the compound was built on.

Opening the door, Gilan stepped out and held it open as Miriam and Tia walked around him and noticed a robed human male step through the tunnel and emerge. His grey hair, trimmed neatly framed a kind, oblong face centered by blue eyes. Brown robes flowed over a tan tunic and pants and ended with tall brown boots.

"Welcome, Lady Miriam," he bowed. "Master Celanon has been expecting you. I'm Valis, another instructor here. Come," he motioned. "I'll see you to your quarters and then take you to him. He can answer all of your questions for I see many in your eyes."

Miriam nodded apprehensively, then followed him into the compound which appeared more like a wide courtyard that centered the circular, cloistered home of many other races, most eyeing her as they walked by. Heading to the right, Valis stopped at a door, then opened it and stepped aside. "I'll wait here for you," he informed as Gilan followed her in. Within, the modest living area was flanked to the right and left by bedrooms and on the far side by a curtained window which opened to the forest beyond. Around the near wall, a small kitchenette sported a small refrigeration unit and cabinets.
Tia quickly took Miriam's backpack to the left room as Gilan claimed the right. She stood at the head of the living area, noting the couch and chairs flanking a low table which rested on a colorful carpet of deep gold flanked by green border in the form of intertwined vines. This would be home, but for how long? She sighed, then turned to see their host patiently waiting outside. Stepping out through the front door, she pulled it closed.

"I'm ready now," she announced.

He motioned. "This way." She followed him to the right and around underneath the wide roof that would protect them from the rain that seemed to have been building all day long in the dark clouds that she could barely see high above. He stopped and knocked.

In her mind, she heard a calm, male voice. "Come in."

Startled, she moved to the door and opened it. Stepping into the darkened room, she closed out the dim daylight and walked beyond shelves and cabinets to see faint lines and corners of three round objects on the floor in the center of the room. Her senses told her that someone sat on the leftmost as his head moved towards her.

"Have a seat, Miriam," he motioned to what she could now make out as a large, round pillow that rested atop a low meditative perch which she sat on. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. As you no doubt have guessed, I'm Celanon. I knew your ancestor, the Countess many years ago when I served Master Iria Linden on Omicron Ceti. Which is also when I lost my physical sight," he stated as she soon noticed the deep creases around his forehead and eyes. "We have been given a gift by the universe and it's our duty to use that gift to secure freedom to the galaxy one day. That's why I'm here and I hope that's also why she's sent you to me. I know you have much weighing on you at the moment but, I also see a strength within you that will help you endure these hard times. You'll come to find that we all share some things in common. My students come from many walks of life and from many worlds, get to know them and learn from them. Allow them to learn from you. I hope that when your time here comes to a close that you'll be a strong instrument that the Force can use to free your people and homeworld. I will do all in my power to help you realize that goal."

"Thank you." She grinned as the familiar comfort that she had with her grandmother permeated these walls and the air between them. They would become great friends in the years to come.