"Who are you?"
   The woman raised a silver eyebrow.  "A simple enough question.  But many answers.  Sit down, for Heaven's sake." Mara sat obediently, not quite knowing why.  "That's better," she said, sitting in a chair opposite Mara's, and propping a brown-booted foot on the glass table between them.  "Would you like some tea?"
   "What I would like is an answer to my question."
   "Well, yes, I know that.  But it may take some time to explain everything."
   "In that case, sure."  Mara had no clue what tea was, but she assumed it was some sort of beverage.  And for some odd reason, she felt as if she could trust this woman.  Although, what if she were the one in Karrde's shuttle...
  "No, I'm not the one you came here looking for.  Not in the way you're thinking," the woman said, breaking into her thoughts, "Li Li, be a dear and put the kettle on," she added, looking back at the Gungan who stood attentively at the door.  Li Li crossed the room and entered an alcove through a small archway.
   Mara opened her mouth to say something, but the old woman waved her hand.  "Relax, I'll explain.  I guess I'd better start at the beginning."
   "I guess you'd better."
   "My name is Ambrosia Quinn.  As you may have guessed I am a Jedi Knight of the old Order.  I was a friend to both your husband's father, Anakin Skywalker, and his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Obi-Wan and I had been close since our early training days on Coruscant, and when he took up Qui-gon's cause I thought he'd finally lost his marbles." She adjusted her seat more comfortably and continued, "You see, Qui-gon was Obi-Wan's master, and he was forever getting himself involved in issues that the Jedi Council would rather he have stayed out of.  It was he who discovered Anakin on Tatooine."
    "I had been under the impression that it was Kenobi who discovered and trained him.  At least, that's what he told Luke."
    "He did train him, but it was after Qui-gon's death, and against the wishes of the Council."
   "Why?" Mara's curiosity was more that a little engaged.
   "Well, I don't suppose you know much of the Jedi Prophecies?"
    Mara shook her head.  "I didn't even know the Jedi had prophecies."
    Ambrosia sighed, and her eyes looked distant.  "The main one was the Prophecy of the Chosen One.  I don't know the exact wording, but there was supposed to be a Jedi who would be born stronger that any Jedi before him.  This Chosen One would be the one who would bring balance to the Force."
    The lights were finally beginning to dawn.  "And this Qui-gon believed it was Anakin Skywalker?"  Somehow, Mara found that a little hard to believe.
    Ambrosia nodded.  "Yes.  But Anakin, even at the age of nine, was deemed to old for training.  You see, in the old Order the Jedi Code dictated that Jedi were to be trained from birth.  The reasons were solid and as ancient as anything.  But Qui-gon fought for him to be trained, and when he died the task fell to his apprentice, Obi-Wan.  It was only after he'd begun training him that Obi-Wan realized just how powerful Anakin was.  He, like Qui-gon before him, believed that the boy was the Chosen One.  I, too, believed it."
   "Look, I don't mean to be rude, and this is all very interesting, but what I really want to know is how you escaped the Emperor and where you were during the War, if you are a Jedi Knight."
   "There were three of us that survived Palpatine's purges." Now her voice took on a hint of sadness.  She rubbed her forhead and closed her eyes.  "Myself, Obi-Wan, and Master Yoda.  Yoda hid himself on Dagobah for some reason unknown to me, Obi-Wan went to Tatooine with Anakin's son, and I hid here with the Gungans."
   "Why did you stay out of the war?"
   "My dear girl, the Emperor could have sensed me thousands of lightyears away had I used the Force in any way.  I resigned myself to life with the people here.  Huma Gunga is a relatively small city, and easily stayed hidden."
    "What about after the war? Luke could surely have used your help in training his students."
    Ambrosia sighed again.  "I am of the old Order, Mara.  We followed a very rigid code, and anything too rigid is bound to break in time.  Our time was over, and it was time for the New Jedi.  Luke had to do it on his own."
     Mara nodded.  It made sense.  "But why stay hidden? And what do you want from me?"
    "I haven't stayed hidden.  Since Palpatine's death I have traveled all over Naboo, but I've kept my home here.  I've grown used to the Gungans, I'm afraid," she straightened as Li Li brought two ceramic mugs filled with some sort of fragrant hot liquid.  "This is tea.  It's something I brought with me when I came, and the Gungans are crazy for it.  It's made from straining hot water through herbal leaves. It's quite good."
    Mara sipped cautiously at the mug, noting the subtle flavor.  "What do you need me for?"
    Ambrosia set the mug on the table and folded her hands in her lap.  "You and your husband.  Something is happening, something which centers around and artifact found two thousand years ago by a pair of young Jedi Knights.  I can't tell you much about it, just that it is extremely dangerous.  It's made of Kungsonaita Crystal, none of which exists today.  This crystal has an unusual vibrance in the Force; it echos the cadence of the Force throughout its makeup, augmenting it and expanding it.  Which makes it the strongest concentration of the Force imaginable."
     "Where is it?"
     "Only one person knows its location, and that is me.  I prefer to keep it that way for now."
     "I understand, but -"
     "But why tell you it even exists?" Mara nodded. "Well, I have sensed something these past few weeks, as I'm sure you and many of the new Jedi have," Mara nodded again, and she continued, "I haven't been able to pin it down, but a danger exists, and I'm pretty sure it has to do with the artifact.  I need your and your husband's assisstance in finding and destroying it.  It cannot - and I stress this - it cannot be found by one who would use it for evil.  If it is, then everything fought for is lost.  It is only as the artifact's guardian that I even agreed to stay here with the Gungans, and that duty entails destroying it before I let it be used for any purpose."
     "Oh," Mara said, a little at loss for words, and trying to figure out what in the galaxy was wrong with her that she would trust a strange woman she'd met only ten minutes earlier. There was no deception in Ambrosia's words as far as Mara could sense, but she hoped Luke would confirm her opinion.  Speaking of which, now that her mind was free of concentration on Ambrosia's words, she could sense him and Anakin approaching the city, zeroing in on her presence.  "Li Li," she said, turning to face the attentive self-made servant and trying to put a bit of authority in her voice, "There are two humans approaching here, a man and a boy.  They are both Jedi.  Would you please see to it that they're led in here?"
     "Life-debt?" Ambrosia asked as Li Li left the room.
     Mara grimaced.  "Yeah.  I knocked her out of the way of a repulsor vehicle."
     Ambrosia laughed.  "You'll never get rid of her, you poor girl.  She'll follow you off world.  They take this things as seriously as Wookies do."
     "There is absolutely no way that female frog is following me off this planet! I mean, I'm glad she's thankful I saved her life but this whole debt-thing is not necessary.  It's a big, dangerous galaxy, and as you said yourself, things are happening.  I don't have time to babysit a Gungan."  Mara sat back and took another sip of her tea.  She was mildly surprised with herself.  She'd thought exposure to Luke had schooled all that impatience out of her.  Perhaps it was something she needed to work on, after all.  A humbling thought.
     Ambrosia was smiling.  She'd obviously guessed Mara's line of thought.  Maybe not guessed... "Well," she sighed defeat, "I guess she might come in useful at times.  But if she's too much trouble, she's getting her amphibious hide dumped back here.  I mean it," she insisted when the older woman laughed.  Why was it that since she'd become a Jedi, she found it easier to trust people?  Whatever it was, it was a welcome change from suspecting every person that came close to her.  Not that she wasn't still cautious.  Mara doubted anything or anyone could ever school that out of her.
     Just then, something from their conversation clicked in the back of Mara's mind.  She set the mug back on the table, and leaned forward, placing her elbows on the edge of the chair's glass arms.  "You said before that you weren't the one Luke and I originally came here looking for.  You know who that is?"
     A shadow seemed to cross Ambrosia's face.  "I knew who he was.  It's been a long time."
     "He's a dark Jedi?"
     "A Sith, yes," Ambrosia again rubbed her forehead.  "I had no idea he was even alive."
     "He was stuck in deep space for a few decades.  It was Luke's guess that he'd gone into hibernation, provided that he was a Jedi.  Now, who exactly was he?"
     "About-" She broke off as Li Li entered with Luke and Anakin.  Mara stood up and motioned them in, and Li Li pulled two more chairs over from the translucent wall that passed for a window.  "This is Luke Skywalker and his nephew, Anakin Solo. This," she motioned to Ambrosia, "is Ambrosia Quinn, a Jedi Knight of the Old Order.  Apparently, she's been hiding down here with the Gungans for.."
     "Nearly thirty years," Ambrosia finished for her.  She stood up as well and extended her hand to first Anakin then Luke.  "Welcome.  I don't feel like repeating myself at the current moment, so Mara here can explain my absence later.  Right now we have more important matters at hand.  Like this mysterious Sith you're chasing."
     Mara could feel Luke reach out with the Force, quickly scanning the woman for any deceit or danger.  She apparently passed the test.  "I sensed something when I was passing the Royal Palace.  It was coming from the Hangar, but when I reached there it was gone.  I searched but couldn't find a single thing out of place.  Needless to say, I find that a bit odd."  He cleared his throught, and Mara could sense the curiosity fairly brimming over in his emotions.  "How do you know he's definitely a Sith?"
    "Experience, my dear boy.  I've had more than one encounter with them.  I can smell a Sith from five systems away.  Besides, his name is Darth Shivo.  The Darth part is the warning flag."
    "You mean it's the first name of all Sith?"
    Ambrosia nodded.  "In a way.  Thousands of years ago, when the Sith Empire was at it's peak, they spoke a certain language.  I don't know the name of it, or any other words, but apparently the word 'Darth' meant 'Lord' or 'Sir'.  Something to that effect anyway.  The Jedi made sure the Sith language became extinct when they destroyed their Empire."
    "'Empire'," Luke repeated.  "Was the Emperor the descendant of some great Sith Lord or something?  Is that why he created, or rebuilt as the case may be, the Empire?"
    "I'm not sure if he was or not.  It certainly would make sense." She sat forward, staring intently at the floor.  The turn the conversation had taken was beginning to make Mara a bit uneasy.  The Emperor was dead, couldn't they just leave it at that?  "I do know this, though," Ambrosia continued, "Before he became known to the galaxy as the Emperor, he was known to the Jedi Council as Darth Sidious."
    "And the Senate as Senator and later High Chancellor Palpatine," Mara finished.  "Was he really from Naboo?"
    "I don't know that, either."
    "Okay, then. Let's get back to this Shivo guy.  How dangerous is he?"
    "Less powerful than Vader, but more powerful than your average Jedi."
    Mara snorted.  "We're not exactly your average Jedi."  Luke and Anakin both smiled.
    "True enough.  That's why I had Li Li seek you out.  Well, try to seek you out, anyway," Ambrosia added, remembering the circumstances of Li Li and Mara's meeting.
    "Messa never saw it! It came outta nowhere!" Li Li put it.  "Stupid drivers, dey tink dey own da city."
    Luke arched an eyebrow at Mara, who simply sighed and muttered something under her breath.  He turned back to Ambrosia.  "Where is this Darth Shivo now?"
    "Heading offworld, I imagine. Don't worry, my dear boy, it wasn't you who scared him off.  I believe he sensed my presence."
    "And that would scare a Sith?"
    Ambrosia smiled tightly.  "Him, yes.  I know where he's headed."
She stood up.  "We'd better get going."
    "We?" Luke asked, tossing another look in Mara's direction.
    She avoided his eyes, and stood up with Ambrosia.  "Yes," she said, fully knowing that she was committing the ultimate act of stupidity, "we'd better."


      Mara leaned over the back of the pilot chair and keyed in the start-up sequence for the Jade's Fire.  She glanced over at Luke who slid into the nav seat.  "So where exactly are we heading?" he asked Ambrosia, standing  behind them with her arms crossed over her chest.  "Dodoiris," she said, her voice sounding a bit distant.  "It's in the Naibi sector."
      "That's near Tatooine, isn't it?"
      "Yes."
      Luke met Mara's gaze for a second, then shrugged and set in a course.  The lights went green on the enging consol, and Mara sat down and fastened the safety straps on the seat.  "Might want to strap in now," she told Ambrosia, "I'm taking us up."
      Anakin, formerly remaining sullen in a corner, came to life and took over the co-pilot's station.  "Can I help?"
      "Sure.  Bring her up to about 160 then swing a turn to port."
      Anaking nodded and set to work.  "Quite a mechanical talent, is he?" Ambrosia asked Luke as she fastened the safety strap on her seat.
      "Yes," Luke frowned.  There was something to the tone of her voice he didn't quite like.  "Why?"
      "So was your father."




      Mara came through the doors to the captain's cabin and stretched, giving an exaggerated sigh as she did so.  Luke looked up at her from his concentrated study of the blackness of hyperspace.  "Anakin asleep?"
      "He's in his cabin.  Probably reading a technical manual or something.  You know how he is."  Mara sat down on the bunk beside him, and leaned her back against the wall.  "So," she prompted.
      "So, you trust her?"
      Mara sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.  "It's not exactly characteristic of me, is it?" Luke's only reply was a derisive snort.  Mara resisted the urge to kick him and sat up straighter.  "It's sort of like what I felt when I met Corran at the Academy.  Once the polite swaps were over, I just knew I could trust him.  Obviously I was right.  I think I'm right this time.  We've both sensed something going on, although probably not as clearly as we should have.  For understandable reasons," she added and couldn't help smiling.  "Besides, there's something really familiar about her.  I can't place it.  Maybe she's just... I don't know."
      "You think that maybe she's a little like your mother?"
      Mara nodded, then scowled.  "You've got to stop doing that."
      "Only if you do."  He turned to face her.  "I didn't get a chance to tell you what disturbed me about Anakin's dream."
      Mara moved her back off the wall, and scooted closer.  "Go on."
      "I think the man he mentioned telling him to go with us was my father."
      Mara nodded again.  "It would fit in with that Chosen One bit Quinn mentioned.  Why does it seem that a lot of things on this trip end up leading back to your father?"
      "I have no idea.  But maybe we'll have time on this jump to figure it out."
      "Amoung other things."


      "Nice landing, Ace."
      Anakin turned red in the face and muttered a sheepish "Sorry."
Mara pulled herself back into her seat and saw out of the corner of her eye that Luke was doing the same.  Quinn had wisely braced her leg against the nearest bulkhead, and had only slid a few centimeters out of her straps.
      "That's okay, kid.  Not too bad for a first time landing."
       "Just pray you didn't scratch anything, or she's liable to have your head on a hydrospanner," Luke said wryly as he unbuckled the relatively useless safety straps.
       "He's just mad that I haven't let him fly it alone yet.  With my permission, I mean," Mara added, casting a significant glance Luke's direction.
       "I knew I should've left you in that cave."
       "I probably would've found an easier way out."
       Luke opened his mouth to reply but Ambrosia cut him off.  "I hate to interrupt, children, but we'd best get going.  Shivo is most likely hot on our heels if he's not here already."
       Mara stood and stretched, then helped Anakin out of his straps. "So," she said as she pulled a few emergency travel packs from their compartment,  "where to?"
       "About twenty kilometers south of this plain there's a settlement on a small island surrounded by bog."
       Luke nodded after glancing at a computer display.  "I have it on sensors, but it's not a very clear readout."
       "No, it wouldn't be.  But believe me, there are people there."
       "Human?"
       "Some.  Most are of a race very human in appearance, but smaller and more fragile.  They call themselves the Shining Ones."
Ambrosia smiled.  "Their culture and religion is a beautiful one, full of legend and magic.  I've seen them do things I can't explain, through science or the Force.  I would desperately hate to see anything happen to them." She added significantly.
       The three of them nodded understading.
       "Good.  Let's be off, then."



       Hours of easy travel followed; the terrain was hilly, but there were several well-traveled paths through small glens and around the highlands.  The sky was forever gray with rain-impregnated clouds, but the feared downpour never came.  Quinn explained that it was like that most of the year round.
       They'd set down on an exceptionally large island off the main continent of the planet.  Quinn also explained that the continent was covered in dense jungle and arrid grasslands, but the absense of some sort of ocean current or another kept the island mildly warm in summer, and very cold in winter.  The weather off the oceans dumped buckets of rain water on the island, named by the locals as Rhiannhon,  making the inland good farm land, and the coast perfect for fishing villages.  The people of the island were warm, friendly, and eccentric, but also very superstitious.  And as far as Mara could figure out from Ambrosia, the people believed in a Mother Goddess and a Father God, but apart from their preistesses and preists, they weren't that religious.  "The follow the will of the land," Ambrosia had said.
        Abruptly Luke stopped ahead of her.  Mara and Anakin caught up, with Ambrosia coming up behind them last.  Before them was a placid surface of water, reflecting the surrounding hills perfectly, almost like glass.  But a few meters into the lake was a seemingly impenetrable wall of mist and fog.  Ambrosia laughed.  "We're here."
       "Wherever here is," Mara said, feeling slightly in awe, but not knowing why.   Suddenly out of the mist appeared a floating boat with a pole laid across the middle, but there was no oarsman.  Then came a warm, soft female voice in her mind.
         *Welcome to Annwn.  I am Ceridwen, Lady of Inys.  Ambrosia, my old friend, I trust you remember the way?*
         "I could never forget."
         *Then come quickly, for we have much to discuss.*