Now hauling a small carrier which reminded me a great deal of one of those wheeled suitcases with the extendable handles, my breath caught in my chest as I viewed organic structures far too magnificent to merely call trees. Growing literally hundreds, if not fifteen hundred or two thousand feet in the air, the mega-trees looked to me like something out of a high fantasy novel.
Each of the mega-trees was easily thirty feet around, and their canopies interlocked in such a way as to create a green shield which completely cut off the ground below from the sky above.
My Master had landed our ship in one of the few gaps in said canopy I could see, because she'd detected a large concentration of people, and a large number of structures in this immediate area. At least that's what she told me as we walked.
For being in what amounted to a cross between a jungle and a redwood forest on growth hormones, the ground was remarkably flat.
I could see immense specimens of fungi interspersed among the trees, and greenery of all varieties was everywhere, but it didn't crowd in as riots of uncontrolled growth in the way you might have expected.
I began to wonder if someone cleared this area to keep it easy to traverse, but was soon distracted from such idle musing by what I could only call a pronounced itch in my head.
The itch quickly grew to become like something scratching at my mind from the outside. A cat scratching at a door to be let in would not have been an inaccurate description of the sensation, and it scared me immediately.
Telling Dark Woman about what was happening seemed like a very good idea, so I did just that as I minded my breathing and did my best to control my fear.
The Jedi Master looked at me strangely as I reported my experience, but she didn't dispute my claims or tell me I was letting my imagination run away with me.
"Anakin, I don't have your natural sensitivity, but I can tell the planet we are standing on is indeed as alive as the report stated.
Perhaps your presence in the Force has caught the attention of some element of this planet-organism's biology.
You aren't showing any of the warning signs for possession, and your ability to reason seems unimpaired by anything more than your natural anxiety, so I suggest you simply work to calm your emotions. Remember Vinrae's technique for doing so. It's always proven particularly effective for you in the past."
My impression of the whatever-it-was doing the scratching was of something unthinkably vast. Vast on a scale I didn't have units of measurement for.
It made all these trees and all the fungi, birds, insects, and the larger animals we caught glimpses of once in awhile all put together seem like a single grain of sand.
I was cataloging responses like my racing heartbeat, sweaty palms, temples, back of my neck, and my rapid breathing, so my attention was divided enough I didn't notice the new impressions approaching as quickly as my Master did.
My first clue people were out there in the green among the trees and undergrowth was Dark Woman calling out a greeting to them in Basic.
Several green-skinned men and women with black or white hair emerged from the trees. Each looked quite human except for their skin color, and the fact the women were the same approximately six foot height as the men.
All were dressed in light, loose-fitting garments in greens and browns suitable for such a warm and humid environment, and all carried packs or tools which marked them as members of an industrious, advanced civilization.Synthetic materials, machined implements, datapads or scanners, and heavy blaster pistols in evidence on most hips.
Silently, I wondered if the local wildlife was dangerous enough to justify such heavy armaments, or if the troubles requiring such means of defense came from outsiders.
One man stepped to the front of the group. He looked us both up and down, then offhandedly introduced himself as Gann, then remarked before asking.
"You don't possess a client-droid. Have you come in search of a ship?" His tone seemed relaxed enough, but I had the sense Gann and the others were feeling rather guarded and anxious, but trying hard not to show it.
Dark Woman pointed to the case I was hauling, then courteously replied "Our Order sent us to learn about the amazing ships that originate here, acquire one of these vessels if possible, and locate one of our missing members.
She was sent here for the same reasons about a year ago, but never returned, so we've grown as concerned about her as you might imagine."
When she said "about a year ago" I caught a discordant and sharply unpleasant notes from Gann and several of the others I associated with fear and worry. I had no idea what about my Master's statements might have triggered such strong negative emotions in much of the group.
Until Gann's narrow and pronounced features twisted into an expression of sadness and frustration, as he replied.
"Many have not been seen since the Far Outsiders tried to steal our world and our Magister helped guide Sekot to fight back against the invaders. Many were injured or killed, and much of Zonama's northern regions will remain scarred for centuries.
I remember an alien armed as the two of you are armed, but I could not tell you where she has gone, or even if she yet lives. Perhaps those who craft and shape in the Middle Distance know what happened to her."
Quickly as the scratching sensation had come, it vanished just as quickly. I breathed an audible sigh of relief at this development. One I heard echoed by Dark Woman a moment later, as she murmured "Are you all right, Anakin?"
"Better, Master. Whatever that was, it seems to have stopped." I'd recovered my equilibrium with the disappearance of the mysterious entity's prying, and now was curious about what Gann had said concerning Vergere.
I'd caught nearly all of that, but didn't know why Dark Woman seemed so concerned all of a sudden.
"We thank you for the advice, Gann. Since we are in fact in the market for a vessel, could you advise us as to how we should proceed?" My Master's normally fairly taciturn demeanor had disappeared. Replaced by this genial, courteous and diplomatic seeming.
It seemed to put the natives more at ease, because their point man's response was direct and to the point.
"Our sky-ship is nearby. If you'd be willing to wait for the others to make their assessments of the local bora, you would be welcome to fly back with us. I advise leaving your off-world vessel here among such old and settled bora.
The bora of the Middle Distance are younger and more easily disturbed by off-world things. More likely to construe the presence of such a large and unfamiliar object as a threat, and shock it with their conductive defense-fronds.
These bora have grown accustomed to the comings and goings of small off-world vessels, so unless your ship does something to harm the great creatures, they will do nothing to harm your ship." Gann's remarks were made with the certainty of an expert speaking in their field, and seemed to be taken as such by my Master.
It wasn't a long wait beneath the trees. I spent the time trying to get a read on the various green-skinned folk and just what they were doing.
Finding out from Dark Woman they were all Ferroans, and figuring out for myself that several of the small and very strange-looking animals in the trees and fungi were actually somehow linked to the trees.
I couldn't have explained the how of it to you to save my life, but I would have bet the million credits in aurodium ingots that I was lugging that this was so.
Soon, we were being escorted to what appeared to be a high-tech dirigible. It had to have some repulsor technology tucked away somewhere out of sight, because no mere blimp breaks the damned sound barrier, as this thing did once it finished accelerating to it's cruising velocity.
The capsule our seats were located in had large windows one could look out of, and at first the sight below was merely more and more unbroken green canopy, with clearings as rare as they were small appearing hither and yon.
I turned back to the capsule's occupants for a moment and noticed most of the Ferroans seemed quite subdued in our presence. What little talking they did among themselves was quiet and almost furtive.
It gave me an uneasy feeling I eased by turning my attention back to the topography visible out the window.
Outside, the canopy of intertwined bora branches had ended abruptly. Revealing a sizable settlement surrounded by the great trees on all sides, as narrow roads thread away from it to terminate in specific areas among the nearby bora for reasons I could only guess at. Our dirigible craft sets down in a landing zone within the settlement's center.
Prompting Gann to approach us once more and request we follow him as everyone disembarks. Dark Woman acquiesces to this suggestion, and we're quickly escorted into the midst of a large, clean, highly organized town.
There are few colors beyond natural greens and browns on or among the various buildings, but I guess it's the deeply naturalistic motif the Ferroans seem to have going on.
Gann guided us to a nondescript building I couldn't discern as being much different from any of the others until we were all inside. At which point it became clear we were in something which seemed to be a cross between a hotel and a hostel.
After introducing us to the clerk behind the main counter near the entrance, then explaining to the man we were prospective clients of the Ship Builders, we were quickly issued two simple metal keys with room numbers on them.
The clerk took over the explanations as Gann drifted off without any real farewell. Explaining there was what amounted to a breakfast buffet in the main area behind him each morning, and that it was complimentary for prospective clients.
On the off chance we were in the building later in the day, we could ring the desk and have something delivered to our rooms.
Dark Woman thanked the clerk, then we proceeded to our two rooms standing side by side. I hauled the aurodium filled case into my Master's room, then turned to head for my own. Before I could exit her room, however, the old Jedi stopped me.
"Are you going to be all right on your own, Anakin?" Her question didn't have any condescending overtones. It was simply an expression of concern because of what happened earlier.
"I should be fine, Master. I'm just planning on continuing with my TK exercises, or meditating on the meaning of the strange glowing lines I've sees through people, places, and things if one manifests. It's all still so blurry and without any rhyme or reason I've been able to discern.
I have more on our current training itinerary to do than hours to pursue it all in. You know you never have to prod me to work on increasing my understanding of the Force's applications."
I responded with genuine enthusiasm I was allowing to push out the memory of the vastness which had been scratching at the surface of my mind.
"I sometimes think I should have done more to encourage you to pursue the path of a Jedi Consular. Then I recall your even greater enthusiasm for the Forms, and remember things develop as they should whenever we trust in the Force to show us how to proceed.
If you're sure you're all right, then" Dark Woman replied gently. It was an uncharacteristic demonstration of almost maternal concern, and it brought a small smile to my face.
"If I have anymore trouble, I'll come to you immediately, Master. I, I hope you know I never mistake your harsh methods for your being harsh with me." There, I had been meaning to make that clear for some time, and felt proud of myself for doing so.
Nodding instead of immediately replying, Dark Woman's voice was quiet, almost somber, as she replied "It's never a necessary part of the process, but it isn't unpleasant when one of you realizes as much. I only, never you mind, Anakin.
I am not yet particularly tired, so I will be meditating for at least the next couple of hours. If you require any assistance with the goals on your itinerary, please don't feel hesitant to come and get me just because we're in a new place."
Taking these words as the dismissal they were, I slipped from the room without another word. I had absolutely no doubt my Master was thinking of a nine year old girl she felt she'd failed.
Just as I knew there wasn't anything I could possibly do to make her feel the least little bit better about her former Padawan having become a hopelessly deranged and downright evil Jedi-hunter.
Some nights it paid to be the Padawan and not the Master. Something I considered for a long while as I returned to my own room and got back to work.
...
I'll appreciate if you guys can throw some power stones to keep the story going.
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