DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc, 20th Century Fox, Timothy Zahn, Barbara Hambly, YKW and the other writers of the expanded Star Wars Universe. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
The fact that everything had gone on so smoothly so far was starting to concern Mara as they approached the temple. It was a beautiful building, different from those around it. Instead of being paned with the frosted glass, it was smooth and simple, made of the heavy blackish-grey stone with thick white veins shooting through it, and in three of its lateral faces was a giant traingular window with mosaic-like patterns cut from multi-colored glass. The temple spread wider than the other buildings, and was even a bit taller, with a large portion of it cut out from one of its triangular faces. The wedge was lined with mirrored columns, an apparent rarity. A huge lawn surrounded it, dotted with small fruit trees and flowers that were all some variant of yellow or orange.
"This is the First Temple," Iyala explained as they neared it. "None of the other temples are as ornate at this one. But all of them are designed like this. The flowers grow only on this continent...they cannot be found anywhere else on our entire world."
Mara contemplated the temple, trying not to feel awed. Yes, this place was definitely special, but it was not exactly what she had been looking for. She turned to Vaiya, but the girl was practically enraptured, as if the temple were the physical manifestation of a vision that had haunted her forever.
"How soon will we land?" Vaiya asked eagerly.
Iyala picked up a small speaker beside the controls and began speaking into it hastily, her words flying a little too fast for them to follow. Finally, she turned to them. "Elder Yreyn has given us permission to land in the main port. He will greet us there." She looked a little awed. "He said he's been expecting you."
Right now, Mara didn't find that too surprising.
The inside of the temple was rather simple. It was much bigger than it looked from the outside, for it turned out that the entire pyramid was being supported by smaller columns so that the place had a very airy feel. The mirrored columns that lined the wedge that had been cut from the front of the pyramid were the size of the gaint redwoods on Yavin, maybe even a bit bigger. It even turned out to have more than one floor--where the four windows shed their light was actually a separate room, the highest temple reserved strictly for worship. It was even called "the Place of Yejion."
Elder Yreyn reminded Vaiya instantly of Valeris. He wore the same kind of simple linen robe, reminiscent of the old garb that the Jedi had once worn. Father whispered something to her about Ben Kenobi, and Vaiya could see the possible resemblence. However, this man's silvery hair topped dark-toned skin. In fact, compared to any of the Durranian natives, the Skywalker family was positively pale.
"Greetings, Walkers of Sky," the Elder said, and Vaiya felt a sudden burst of amusement from both her parents. The Elder simply smiled, and directed his attention on Mara. "Greetings, lost child of Jade. In the name of Yejion, we welcome you back to your home."
Mara placed her hands over her chest and gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Elder Yreyn. But I fear that our coming may only give you trouble."
"In the House of Yejion, there is never trouble, for all things are in Peace with Him." The Elder smiled, but there was a touch of weariness on his face. "I am glad that Iyala has brought you here. You will be safe from persecution by the Council, I can promise you. They would not dare to exile you from this house." He then turned to the people who surrounded him at a distance and gave a few orders to bring fresh robes and water. Then he escourted them deeper into the temple, into a large room with plush chairs colored the tones of the flowers outside. "Please rest," he implored them. "We will prepare a meal for you. Surely the distance has made you hungry."
Mara allowed herself to settle into one of the chairs, and Luke followed suit, still following the conversation strictly by emotion. The Elder approached him and sat down before him, and Mara could sense him stretching out with his mind. Luke responded, but it was an effort, and finally the Elder reached out with his hand, and Luke placed his on top of it.
Gron Skywalker, the Elder sent, You are a Jedi. This is known to us, even if the order has not existed on this world for a hundred years. We welcome you, and we offer you a gift. Our native tongue.
Mara watched in astonishment as the Elder sent Luke the entire language through the Force. It took several minutes...in fact, by the time they parted, the food had arrived and Vaiya had already dug into it.
"Welcome," the Elder suddenly said in basic, and he turned to Mara and Vaiya. "Is this how you always speak?"
"Usually," Vaiya replied, wiping her mouth. "The rest of the galaxy uses it to keep things simple."
"I have heard it before," the Elder said. "It becomes more familiar the more I speak it. But it has only been a half a century. Not long enough to be completely forgotten."
Mara sighed. "Forgive me," she said, looking at the Elder, "but I must confess that I am impatient. Isn't there supposed to be something more to this? I mean, Aide Iyala gave me a big test when we landed here, talking about loyalty and family and everything and I can't help but wonder...there has to be something more to this. I mean, it can't be this simple."
"Simple things make you distrustful," Elder Yreyn said, trying to hold back a smile. He turned to Vaiya. "And you, child. Do you find all of this simple?"
Vaiya turned her attention back to the conversation, having been lost in the beauty around her, as well as resisting the urge to get up and find the way to the higher temple, the Place of Yejion Iyala had told her about. "I feel I do not know enough to judge," she said. "But I confess, I wish to see my Great Grandfather, Valeris, again, as soon as possible."
At the name, the Elder stiffened. "Elder Valeris...he still lives? By the Spirit, he must be at least a hundred and twenty by now."
"Yes, he was the one who gave me shelter in the desert when I first came here, and taught me about Yejion."
The man smiled. "The old hermit always was a teacher at heart. Did he tell you why he was exiled?" he asked, casting a glance at Mara.
"He opposed the ban on offworlders after his grand-daughter was kidnapped," Vaiya replied.
"That is only half the tale. Valeris was the only Elder ever exiled. We tried to give him protection here, but he would not stay. The real reason he is in the desert is because he was told to go. He was the last of the great Mystics of our Order, and he had a vision of Durran becoming the seat of a new order, one that brought back the days of the Jedi. He believed that the one would come who would return Faith to the Jedi Knights, the one Yejion had chosen to proclaim His Power." Elder Yreyn sighed. "The Jedi placed so much on visions. It was part of their downfall. They paid too much attention to detail. Every dream becomes a vision, and that is simply not the case." Then he glanced at them all. "If you are of Valeris' blood, then perhaps you, too, have visions."
"The Force," Luke said, his voice low but confident, "is filled with visions. It shows a Jedi the past and the future. Jedi Knights are trained to pay close attention to visions. Even seek them."
Mara gave a little snort. Elder Yreyn said, "While not in itself wrong, Jedi Skywalker, this path can be dangerous. Visions are unreliable many times when they do not come from Yejion. Valeris had visions all the time in his youth, until he was nearly driven mad. He had to learn that many times they could not be taken literally, and sometimes they must be ignored altogether. But when Yejion began to send His messengers to him in his visions, it was then that he learned what was truth and what was not. Only then did he retreated to the desert. To wait, perhaps, for you, Vaiya Jade Skywalker."
Vaiya sighed and rubbed her temples. "Perhaps," she said, suddenly feeling very tired. "Visions can be a bigger burden than many believe."
Luke looked at Mara, remembering the vision he had had of her before she had lost her memory. She had been wearing the same clothes, right down to the boots. She had looked at him with the same hatred as she had many years ago. But in the vision, she had tried to kill him. It had not come to pass...perhaps it was only a symbol.
"Yes, filled with symbols," Yreyn agreed, as if reading Luke's thoughts. "Symbols can deceive us. The destroyer wishes us to distort them so that evil comes to pass. Perhaps you have heard of the cult of the destroyer? They swim in their visions. Those who are false prophets always cry that they have had visions. It makes prophecy quite weak and unreliable."
Luke felt himself nodding. Yes, many old Jedi prophesies had been distorted by false visions. And prophesies themselves were as plentiful as the stars in the sky.
"Then what are we do to?" Mara asked, her voice suddenly small.
"Pray for guidence to discern," the Elder replied. He glanced at Vaiya. "Perhaps you would stay here some time before you return to Valeris in the desert? There is much that we can teach you here that perhaps you could not learn from him." He stood up and walked over to her. "How old are you, child?"
"A few months past sixteen," she replied.
He started a bit. "That young? You seem older." Then, gently, he touched her forehead with his thumb, right where her hair peaked on her forehead. "You profess faith in Yejion...has Valeris consecrated you to Him?"
Subconsciously, Mara touched her forehead. An old memory came to mind, but it was too foggy to discern it.
"I do not know of what you speak," Vaiya said with a frown, but then remembered the mark on Iyala's forehead. "He did not give me the mark," she offered.
Elder Yreyn nodded. "I urge you to stay with us some time, then," he continued. "I believe that Valeris would agree."
Vaiya considered this. She looked at her parents, and took in the look on her mother's face. "I believe," she said after a few moments, "that first, we should find Valeris. My mother has waited a long time to be reunited with her family. And I wish to see him again. But I promise to return as soon as possible."
"That is acceptable. Do you wish to leave now or to wait until the morning?"
"I don't know about you, Mara, but I'm exhausted," Luke said, reaching out for Mara's hand. Mara looked back at him and nodded.
"Me, too," she sighed. "I can wait one more night." She turned to Vaiya. "Is that all right with you?"
Vaiya nodded, and felt herself getting ready to yawn. "Works for me," she said. "Elder Yreyn, perhaps first I might be allowed to see the main temple?"
The man nodded. "Although you cannot take part in the service without consecration, you are always welcome to observe. Come with me."