New Shoes

[Serena Laran]

Soon enough, or not soon enough, depending on your point of view, they were underway. Morgan was babysitting the Portal Delta, and Serena was watching him intently.

"Are you sure we will make it?" She tried not to sound worried, but a bit of the emotion leaked through her calm facade.

[Morgan Evanar]

"Our worst case scenario is it decides to crash, which means I'll have to reboot it. But I made some modifications to the software, and the wibbly wobbly bits seem to be behaving. It's not going to leave us stranded, just maybe waiting a little longer than normal for jump calculations."

"There isn't anything in our cargo that is worrisome, right?" Morgan knew what Serena had, but hadn't bothered to go through Solomon's things.

Sol shook his head. "Not unless you count books, food and medical supplies."

The Portal Delta seemed to find this satisfactory, and bleeped that it had finished a jump solution. A green light flashed on Serena's console. She steeled herself with a deep breath, and pulled the lever for the hyperdrive. Space shifted. Stars became lines which gave way to the signature blue swirl.

Dhomnda A'lainn was only four hours out, but Morgan was hungry again.

"I'm gonna go eat. Anyone want anything?" He said as he stood.

[Rev Solomon]

"Oh, nothing for me, thanks." Solomon glanced Serena's way, and she simply shook her head. Morgan's prodigious metabolism was a force all its own.

After the padawan had loped off to the galley, Solomon and Serena were left alone with the low hum of the hyperdrive for company, neither one quite sure what to do with the moment of solitude.

"So," Solomon said, "just like old times?"

He leaned against one of the exam tables, just enough to take the weight off his legs. It was plain to see Serena had something on her mind. "A decicred for your thoughts?"

[Serena Laran]

She laughed softly at his comment, and then sighed. "I cannot believe I am going back. When I left... I was sure I would never see the planet again." Serena folded some blankets to tuck into the compartments in the bulkhead.

She looked at him, and added, "Speaking of things I never thought I'd see again..."

[Rev Solomon]

Why did that look make him feel twenty-one again? Force, he'd been a callow, clumsy gundark at that age.

"I've been thinking about that, actually," he said. "Quite a lot. You know, during the Clone Wars, we risked our lives together on two separate occasions... once under, well... some rather unusual influences. We were, what, nineteen? Twenty years old? That can make a big impression on a mind that young."

[Serena Laran]

She hadn't spent every waking moment since she'd heard he'd died replaying the events that had taken place in the cave, but she had thought about it from time to time over the years. All sorts of justifications and rationalizing of the facts had taken place between her ears, and she had distilled her relationship with Sol down to its basic foundation blocks.

Now - was he trying to tell her it had all been a mistake? They were young. Under the influence of psychotropic pollen. Life threatening circumstances. They barely knew each other.

The young did tend toward hasty attachments - Morgan and Rhianna were evidence of that. Serena had been quick and decisive when she had cautioned them against the folly of a romantic relationship during their training. She'd been where they were and knew the pain of losing the one you love. Such a hurt could drag one to the Dark side, as it nearly had her during those first nights in exile.

All this went through her head in a few seconds, and she smiled, though a barely understood disappointment tried to twist the corners of her mouth downward. "I well remember. Certainly we... were very young."

Serena concentrated on re-folding a blanket she'd been clutching in her hands, trying to get the creased just right.

[Rev Solomon]

He didn't need the help of the Force to see the effect his words had on her. He felt guilty and at the same time, in a twisted, selfish way, flattered that her feelings ran so deep.

Solomon crossed the bay toward her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. "Serena..." There was a gentle rebuke in his voice, but he was smiling. "I'm not dismissing what we had together. Why, at the time, I was prepared to--"

She'd looked up suddenly to meet his eyes, and his words ran out and left him dangling, like those old holovids where a character would run out over a cliff and not notice until he looked down.

"I was prepared to court you in secret," he said at whisper. "To try and make good on what you'd given me."

Even saying that much made the blood pound in his ears.

[Serena Laran]

His hand on her shoulder suddenly felt like it was burning her, and Serena stepped back, only to bump awkwardly into the bulkhead. "And I... I was..." Her voice trailed off, the folded blanket pinned against her body as she crossed her arms in front of her. "I thought you were dead," she ended listlessly.

"I thought the Force had brought us together," Serena continued, her voice barely above a whisper and refusing to meet Sol's eyes. "But all this time... perhaps it was trying to keep us apart." Her lips hardened into a line, and she shook her head suddenly. "But to see you again, it does not feel like an accident. I saw you and it was as though no time had passed at all."

Serena felt vulnerable standing there in front of him, gripping the blanket tightly as she hugged it to herself as though it were a sheet of duraplast armor. "I do not know what to do."

[Rev Solomon]

Solomon brought his hand back down to his side. He didn't try to close the distance between them again. Her confusion was enough to speak for both of them.

"I don't either," he confessed, and he let out a deep, weary breath. "We can't ignore what happened thirty years ago. But we can't ignore the thirty years, either. I think..."

He dropped his eyes to the deck, then slowly lifted them to Serena's again. "Falling in love is a game for the young. At this stage of my life, given the choice I think I'd rather grow into it. We're different people, Serena. Let's get to know each other again. We don't have masters or councilors looking over our shoulders anymore."

He smiled. "And I still haven't had that nerfsteak dinner."

[Serena Laran]

She looked up at him and nodded, feeling firm deck plating beneath her feet again. "I would like that. Very much."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan, meanwhile, was three wrappers into ration bars. Not tasty, but needed. He'd programmed his datapad to remote monitor the ship, especially the infamous Portal Delta.

Morgan scrolled through the last diagnostic report while he chewed, looking for any discrepancies. He found none, and grinned. The thing was gonna work. His mind drifted back to the food, and wondered what some of the food Rhianna had mentioned. He'd have to ask Serena.

"I want a nerfsteak." Morgan agreed.

"Good news everyone: everything is working according to spec." He held the datapad aloft and tapped the center for emphasis.

"I have questions about the edibility of flora and fauna. As in I would love to try some of the things Rhinna mentioned." Morgan and Serena dove into the details of the various foods. More than once Morgan had to chew on a ration bar to keep his head straight, or at least to stop the drool from exiting his mouth. The conversation wandered into other planetary details, and then the proximity alarm went off.

The trio headed to the cockpit, with Serena at the helm and Morgan at the navigation station. Saul took a seat and put on a comm set. Dhomnda A'lainn drifted into view. Morgan whistle appreciatively.

"Wow." Morgan said, with a degree of reverence for something so stunning. The deep blues and greens topped with grey and white clouds that glinted against the sunlight. Serena smiled. It was a few minutes before the Imperials noticed a vessel on their scopes.

"Imperial control to unknown vessel, state your business." The comm officer on the other end sounded less than happy about doing their job.

[Rev Solomon]

"I'll handle this," Solomon said, leaning over the panel. His finger hovered a moment over the transceiver switch as he threw a look Serena's way. "Gaoth agus Domhain? Am I pronouncing it right? Okay."

With the channel open, he replied in a booming voice, "Grace and peace be upon you, brother. This is the missionary vessel Gaoth agus Domhain on official business of the Faith. We are transmitting our credentials now."

With a flurry of keystrokes, Morgan sent the identification certificate he had prepared for the trip, along with the electronic code for Solomon's missionary license. They waited in terse silence as the Imperial control tower processed the transmission.

"What cargo are you carrying, er, Geth aegis... missionary vessel?"

"We carry the light of salvation," Solomon said. "And also food and medical supplies for the indigenous people of RX-271, so we may share with them the blessings of God."

"We'll have to inspect all materials you're transporting to the surface so we can collect the appropriate import tax."

Solomon caught Serena's eyes and immediately knew this wasn't part of the plan. A minuscule Imperial base with a token garrison collecting an import tax on a world they held merely as a formality? It wasn't hard to figure out whose pockets were lined in that transaction.

"There may be a misunderstanding here, brother," Solomon said. "To my recollection, humanitarian aid is still untaxable in this sector."

"Those are our orders, missionary vessel. Submit to our inspections or you will be fired upon."

Solomon folded his arms. "If those are your orders, control, we will abide by them. I would hate to think you were being dishonest, as usury is an abomination to the Lord. I must be misinformed. Why don't I send an inquiry to Bishop Petros? Moff Variss is in his parish, I'm sure he'll be able to clear this up."

The channel closed abruptly. Solomon took the time to admire a range of mountains on Dhomnda A'lainn's western horizon.

The control tower returned with a click. "Control to missionary vessel. Er... disregard prior orders. You may proceed to your destination."

Solomon smiled. "Thank you, control. Peace be with you." He reached down to shut off the comm.

[Serena Laran]

Serena felt an unusual stab of fear when the Imperial's voice had filled the cockpit, and was glad that Sol had taken control of the conversation with the base. She lightly closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, banishing the fear and welcoming peace. Since her incarceration the customary calm she usually lived with had become hard to hold on to.

She opened her eyes as the dialogue ended and smiled. "That was well done, Sol." She eased the freighter closer to the atmosphere, piercing the air with the bulky ship and heading toward their destination, a caer near the northern edge of the Cos Bhriste mountains. It was a good distance from the garrison, and one not easily traveled by speeder bike.

"I am not certain how to set the ship down on the surface," she said to Morgan. "Perhaps you..?"

[Morgan Evanar]

"I could, I guess." Morgan had never flown something this big, but he had already memorized the manual.

"Its like any other cargo ship. You get close to the ground, pop the landing gear, and ease her down." He stood, and pointed to a large switch that was set to "F" but could be toggled to "L".

"That's the landing mode toggle. It will try to keep the ship flat. Instead of pitching up and down, the yoke will move it forward and back, and side to side. The foot pedals will rotate the ship. Throttle lowers or raises the ship." Morgan explained.

Serena seemed to take a moment to consider if she wanted to try it, and then flipped the switch. She guided the freighter into a large clearing, with plenty of space to set down. It wasn't level, but a gentle grade wouldn't hurt anything. Serena held her breath as the ship neared the ground, and exhaled when the landing gear groaned softly as the ship settled into the clearing. Morgan's hands reached up, and flipped several switches in rapid succession, most to off, but he turned a few on. It was the post flight sequence, and would vent some gasses and take others in, along with powering the engines down and setting the powerplant into a low-demand setting.

"I'll explain later." He said with a big grin that made him look a little silly and a bit crazy. Morgan disappeared with a faint pop of air displacement.

"Oh man!" he whooped from the top of the ship. He'd never seen anything like this. He knelt down and knocked gently on the cockpit's canopy and waved at Serena. He found the smell of untouched mountain air intoxicating, and the view was simply awesome. A gentle gust of air blew around the ship, and settled. Morgan laughed, and pointed his face into the sun.

He could hear Serena and Solomon leave the ship.

"This is incredible!" Morgan said, and dashed for the edge of the hull, and hit the ground running after the 5 meter drop.

"I mean, look at this!" He stopped after fifty meters, and flung his arms open.

[Serena Laran]

Serena laughed at her padawan's display, and shook her head. "I never get used to you doing that." She breathed in the pine and wildflowers, walking out toward where Morgan was almost twirling in the knee high grasses.

"You should not be so loud, the aurochs will hear and come looking for their dinner." Serena teased him gently, pulling her shawl up over her shoulders. She'd changed her clothes to a more traditional dress - a plain linen shift covered by a laced up bodice with split skirt attached.

Morgan's enthusiasm was infectious, however, and she turned to look at Sol, her face lit up with a smile. "So, I used to live here."

[Rev Solomon]

Solomon strolled down the gangplank alongside Serena and into the brightness of the day. Wearing his long nerfskin coat and his wide-brimmed hat, he looked far more at home in these pastoral surroundings than he had aboard ship. Even so, the vista was breathtaking. The mountains all around them were a diorama of ridges upon ridges, the nearest crowned with grass, the next with black conifers, the next with bare rock, and the last with snow, hazy in the upper reaches of the breathable atmosphere. On Dantooine, it was the far-flung horizon under an infinite sky; here, the sky and the horizon were one, and you could easily feel a kinship with the clouds.

Solomon turned toward Serena with a bright smile. "I could think of worse places to be exiled. It's beautiful, Serena... like a world frozen in time."

He and Serena stepped out into the tall grass toward Morgan. An insect as long as Solomon's hand leapt out their path and glided away on fluttering, black wings.

"So, what's our first order of business?" the preacher asked. "Look for the caves, or for the people?"

[Rhianna]

Elsewhere on Dhomanda A'lainn

Rhianna had always known that she would come home. She had not expected it to be so soon, but when the Abhairt Saoil chose to speak to her, she would choose to listen. The dreams drove her on her path. It was not that Rhianna wanted to abandon her Jedi training, in fact she was firmly resolved to return to it, but she could not ignore what her heart was telling her. Her brother was still alive, and he needed her.

For many months now she had been home, traveling on foot through the wilds of her native land. Arriving alone, the Tincéir Jedi padawan had first tracked the movements of what was left of her clann, following the subtle traces they had left behind on the land. An occasional footprint along a game trail. The evidence of a fire, a ring scorched into the ground. Her kin had left their winter dwelling, caves of the Cos Bhriste range and were now following the paths of their game toward the great rivers of the planet as the spiral of life turned over, spring returning to the land.

It had not taken long to catch up with them once she knew where they were headed. The sister of their chieftain had been welcomed home with open arms, a tearful heartfelt event marked with sadness when she saw for herself how the Empire had caused the numbers of the Tincéir to dwindle. Meeting with the clann elders, she told them where she had been, and what she had learned with the Banfáith, Serena. The Coimhthíochs, the strangers as her family called them, were the Imperial troops that were sent to rape and pillage the land for resources. She was told that after the raid that had nearly claimed her own life, the coimhthíochs had dragged off the body of her older brother, though some of the Tincéir had seen him since. He was with them at their immobile home, their base. They were making him work, along with a number of the younger, stronger men of the clann. Slave labor for the Empire.

And from the time she had heard this news, Rhianna had spent her days and nights learning the movements of the Imperial guards. Watching them build additions to their base. Watched the coming and going of transport ships bringing troops and machines to the formerly peaceful land, but so far she had not seen her brother..

High above the base in the shelter of a tree, Rhianna sat with her back against the trunk, her long legs crossed at the ankle atop the branch she rested on. With a bow slung across her back along with a quiver of strong and true arrows, she listened to the sounds of her homeworld, letting the serenity settle into her bones as she prayed to the Abhairt Saoil for guidance and aid.

[Morgan Evanar]

The lanky Jedi trotted back to Serena and Sol.

"Lets eat an auroch." Morgan suggested, hopeful, but not entirely serious. If they ate these grasses, they would be delicious.

"Maybe later." Serena laughed.

[Serena Laran]

"They're a little big," she added, then considered her padawan's appetite. "Perhaps they're perfectly portioned for you, Morgan."

She turned her head to the west, away from the nearest mountains, and saw Sol and Morgan do the same, sensing a group of lifeforms approaching them. "Capall," she said quietly, "With gaiscíoch. Caer Ainmire's war band approaches. They would have tracked the ship in the sky."

Serena folded her hands calmly in front of her, her shawl tucked into her elbows against the breeze. "Make no aggressive movements."

The hooves of the capall became audible and then loud as the group of twenty or so beasts came out of the forest to the west, each sleek animal carrying a half naked warrior. They were adorned in their blue paint and carrying their spears, copper torcs gleaming at their throats.

[Rev Solomon]

They were an intimidating lot, but Solomon observed Serena's reaction and assumed a similarly unperturbed posture. He squinted into the brightness of the afternoon sun and set his hands against his hips as the warriors approached on beasts that strutted with more pomp and pride than a Grand Admiral.