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| Wookie Without A Cause |
Wookie Without A Cause
Lumpy pressed himself tightly against the Wroshyr tree, its rough bark making impressions in the skin on his back. The massive, long-haired insect skittered sideways, back and forth; showing its intended prey that attempting to escape would prove futile. The hair which covered the lower part of the creature’s head swayed; hungry mandibles grinding in anticipation of the young Wookiee it soon would hold in its mouth.
Lumpy turned his gaze from the insectoid’s mouth, and for a moment caught the red glint of one of the beast’s many eyes. Lumpy was mesmerized by the creature’s bloody stare, but he tore his stare from the wretched beast and sought a branch, a vine, anything with which to protect himself. He clamped his teeth together, demanding his mind to find a way to save himself. Answers did not come quickly.
He thought of his father, the Wookiee Chewbacca. Lumpy could see his face. He tried to guess what his father might do in this situation, alone on the lower branches, with a broken arm and no weapons. Lumpy might not ever know what his father would do, but he knew that his father would never let the creature simply come and eat him. There would be a fight until either he or the monster were dead. Lumpy didn’t like his odds in such a fight. He didn’t like the odds at all.
Some days earlier, Luke Skywalker stood on the Millennium Falcon’s ramp talking with her owner, Han Solo. The Coruscant sunset cast a yellow glaze over both the white ship and the two men talking in hushed tones. Chewbacca was already on board the Falcon preparing for liftoff, as confirmed by the occasional whines and hums of the Falcon’s systems. Chewbacca, though he stood well over two meters tall, and was covered from head to toe with thick brown fur, deftly manipulated the many controls and computer systems of the starship.
Luke, not Han, would be accompanying Chewbacca to his homeworld of Kashyyyk. Han
would remain on Coruscant with Leia; both he and his wife were looking forward to some
time together with their children.
Though he had never visited arboreal Kashyyyk, Luke did
not plan to sightsee. He would spend his time meditating and fasting. In an attempt to
defeat the recently resurrected Emperor, Luke had turned to the Dark Side of the Force,
hoping to learn its secrets without being consumed. But the Dark Side had proved stronger
than he had expected. Thanks to his sister, he was able to return, but he knew that he
would never be able to forget the secrets he had learned. Still, he sought to purge as much
of the Dark Side from himself as possible. He hoped that some time atoning in Kashyyyk’s
peaceful forests would restore his spirits.
"Luke," Han began, "I know things haven’t been the best between
us lately, turning to the Dark Side of the Force will do that to a relationship. But I need a favor from you."
"Anything, Han."
"I need you to keep an eye on Chewie on this ship," Han stated. "Help him relax a
little before he goes home to see his folks. No Jedi mind tricks or anything, just help
him lighten up a little. You’ve seen the tightness around his eyes these past few days?
He’s worried about this trip. He hasn’t been home to stay for this long in many years."
"Is something wrong between him and Malla?" Luke asked in a soft voice, hoping Chewie
wouldn’t hear him discussing his marriage.
"I don’t think it’s that, Luke," Han replied. "I think he’s feeling guilty about not
being home enough for Lumpy, worried that he’s not being the best father. He needs
something to take his mind off things."
A loud bray echoed from inside the starship.
"He’s ready to go, Han, what can I do to help?" Luke asked.
"I don’t know," Han shrugged. "Tell him some dirty jokes, let him win at chess,
wrestle with him. Well, maybe best not to wrestle with him. You know, make him laugh."
Luke laughed, and turned to go up the ramp. He turned his head as he heard Han call a
last instruction.
"One more thing," The Corellian shouted. "Not a scratch on my ship, kid. I’m going to
check when you get back. Good luck with the atoning, too. May the Force be with you."
On the lowest level of the Wookiee house, Lumpawarrump, Lumpy, gently packed his
father’s hunting knives into a pouch, taking care to keep the weapons from clanging
against one another.
Though it was early in the day, he could hear his mother cleaning on
the main floor of the tree hut directly above him, and he didn’t want to attract her
attention. She would certainly forbid what he was about to do, reminding him that he could
learn the Wookiee hunting skills in a few short weeks. This would occur only after he was
accepted as an adult member of the tribe. The name of the ceremony roughly translated as
"First Step", and served as the initiation into Wookiee manhood. His father was returning
to the planet for this ceremony, to stand beside his only child and present him to the
tribe.
Lumpy secured his small pack to his belt, and quietly padded to the edge of the house. He looked down the tree, deciding not to use the ladder for fear of being seen or heard. No, he would climb directly down the side of the tree using his sharp climbing claws in hopes of not being seen.
As he was swinging his legs over the edge of the house, he gave his conscience a
rough shove, pushing it away from his thoughts. Of course he was doing the right thing!
Wouldn’t his father be pleased that he had taken the initiative to bring back the sweet
and rare Kroyie eggs? He did not need to wait to be taught to hunt, he would go and find
his own way. He would leave and explore the universe. His father, the mighty Chewbacca
had done so.
Without a look back, Lumpy began his climb down the tree.
The ecosystem of Kashyyyk has fascinated naturalists since the Wookiees first made
contact with species from other planets. The temperate forests which cover much of the
planet contain an astonishing number of species. They make their homes at different
levels of the giant Wroshyr trees and its relatives. At the very highest levels lived the
Wookiees, who built their homes directly into and around the great trees. They also built
great cities and spaceports by taking advantage of an unusual feature of the Wroshyr trees.
When two branches of the trees are cut and then secured together, they will grow to form
one branch. The Wookiees used this phenomenon to design great support structures for their
cities, spaceports, and villages.
Below the Wookiee dwellings begins a series of maze-like levels, forming solid paths
where tree branches had fused, leaving great open spaces with drops of many hundreds of
meters. The deeper habitats received less light, and only dark mossy plants grew at the
very lowest levels. The deeper habitats also housed more dangerous animals, large beasts
who had gradually retreated to the lower levels to avoid Wookiee cities.
By midday, Lumpy had descended to the level where he had learned that the Kroyie birds nest. Looking up, he was surprised at how little sky showed through the great branches. He couldn’t imagine how dark it must seem in the lower levels. The air was still and much quieter than he was used to. He listened for the humming of the village power generators, but heard only the rustle of leaves and an occasional call or skitter of some animal. The great branches formed many paths for him to explore, but in the dim light he had to proceed slowly to avoid slipping from a branch and falling.
Although Lumpy’s eyes had adjusted to the dimness, distinguishing a Kroyie nest hole from a crack in the bark was proving next to impossible. The large birds used their strong beaks to carve small nests in the trees, camouflaging them carefully. Lumpy considered returning home without the eggs, explaining to his family that he had been out playing and forgotten about the time. He could forget this foolishness of coming to hunt by himself, and trying to prove.
His reverie was interrupted by a sudden clap. No, not a clap, but a clapping of wings. Kroyie wings. From a tree below Lumpy’s position and a bit to his right, he saw a Kroyie bird suddenly appear from her nest and fly upwards toward Kashyyyk’s sky. Lumpy knew this was his chance. He dug his claws into the bark of the tree trunk and climbed down to where the nest should be. Clinging with all four limbs to the trunk, he could see a large hole, definitely carved by a bird. He rubbed his hands together in a glee, hoping that this bird indeed was nesting eggs in the craggy lair.
Lumpy climbed onto the branch of his tree and looked for a path to the bird’s nest, or a vine from which to swing. He found neither, and he didn’t remember seeing a path between these two trees further above. He frowned, feeling cheated in finding the nest just more that an arm’s length away...
An arm’s length. That was it. An arm’s length might be a jump’s length. He bounced up and down slightly on the branch, testing to see if he could use it to spring to the other tree. The distance didn’t seem to be any farther than he had ever jumped before. He unsheathed his hand claws to get ready to jump. He would unsheathe his feet claws in mid-air, giving him four chances to catch the branch of the tree. The jump would be quite simple and safe, like dozens before.
He began to bounce on the tree limb, keeping his eyes fixed on the branch he would land on, estimating how hard to push with his legs when he left the branch. He continued to bounce for a moment longer, breathing deeply to calm himself. He began the final bounce and prepared to spring.
Just before his feet left their perch, Lumpy heard the Wroshyr branch crack. It did not break off completely, but the crack was large enough to change Lumpy’s trajectory. In mid-air, a hundred meters above the planet’s surface, Lumpy knew he would not reach the other tree, the Kroyie eggs, or his father. He felt a breeze blow through his fur as gravity snatched him from the sky and pulled him down.
Luke was breathless after meeting Chewbacca’s wife, Mallatobuck, and father, Attichitcuk. Though Chewie had been a bit withdrawn during their trip on the Falcon, not wanting to play chess or talk very much, he lost all his anxiety upon arriving home. He had hugged both Malla and Itchy several times, pounding loudly on their backs and even lifting them into the air. Though they had never met Luke face-to-face, Malla and Itchy hugged Luke and lifted him into the air, although they were careful not to pound on his back for fear of breaking him. Still, these Wookiee greetings had left even the staunch Jedi Knight without his breath. No one had ever accused Wookiees of having a formal and restrained culture.
After exchanging words with Malla and Itchy, Chewie looked around his home, barking a call to his son. Malla’s growl told him that she hadn’t seen Lumpy all day, and that he was probably out in the forest playing. Luke knew enough of the Wookiee language to understand Malla’s casual words, but his Jedi sense showed him an undercurrent of concern in her thoughts. Luke didn’t think that she was worried about Lumpy’s safety, but perhaps about her son and husband’s reunion. Still, he did not pry further into her thoughts. Luke would never intrude upon another’s mind unless he had been invited to do so.
Chewie harrumped and waved to Luke, telling him that they would go out and find Lumpy. They climbed down the wooden stairwell to the lowest level of the house. After rummaging around in a box near the tree trunk, he found a pair of metal cleats, which had long spikes running around the edge. These were Han’s climbing shoes, and Luke strapped them over his boots to help make his way through the branches. Luke went over to the ladder to begin his climb, but Chewie grunted for him to wait until he got a few small hunting knives to take with them. No Wookiee liked to pass up the chance for a good catch, which could later be made into a good meal.Chewie growled in confusion.
"What is it Chewie? Luke asked.
The knives were gone from their case; Lumpy must have taken them with him. Luke sensed that Chewie was becoming angry with his son, but he also was concerned. They started down the tree and into the forest.
They searched the forest from late afternoon until early evening. Chewie suggested that they return home; that Lumpy must have returned before them. Luke, however, patted his friend’s arm and asked to keep looking for a few minutes. Earlier, Luke had used the Force to sense for Chewbacca’s son, but he had been unsuccessful. The great number of other animals in the forest, combined with the fact that he had never met Lumpy in person had made it impossible for him to determine if Lumpy was nearby. He had one more way to try to find Lumpy. No, not to "try", Luke reminded himself, but to "do". Luke smiled to himself, remembering Yoda’s words.
Luke stopped walking and half-closed his eyes, asking the Force to tell him what path Lumpy had taken. After a few moments he could see in his mind many lines, showing him the paths of all the creatures which had recently passed through the area. One line seemed to be darker and wider to him.
"Come on, Chewie," Luke began. "Let’s just look over here and
then we’ll go home."
The path Luke followed led them down several more meters, where Wookiee claw marks
became visible on some of the branches and tree trunks. Chewbacca sniffed several of
the marks and his howls conveyed his worry. When Luke pointed out the broken branch,
Chewie’s howls echoed painfully through the forest.
Lumpy lay on the branch, holding tightly to the bark with his right hand, and foot. Even before opening his eyes he knew that his left arm was broken, and something was wrong with his right leg. He opened his eyes, but saw very little. Though he had not fallen all the way to the forest floor, he had dropped to a level where very little light shone through. With night coming, he would soon be in total darkness.
He knew that he had to move off the branch, and find some shelter for the night. Moving, he fought back unruly tears which tried to trickle down his face. Tears of fear of not being able to find his way home, tears of frustration too, at his failure and his anger. Fighting them back, he knew that this was his own fault, that he hadn’t really gone hunting to bring back Kroyie eggs, but had gone because he was angry with his father for not being able to visit more. If his father was such a great Wookiee hero, why hadn’t he been able to simply sneak past the Imperial blockades which had continued even after the end of the war? Now he might never see him again, and it would be his own fault for coming here alone. No Imperials to blame this time.
Lumpy’s fight to control his tears was eventually successful. He wiped his eyes and the wet fur around them with his good hand, and then stood up as best he could. He knew there was no way he would be able to climb back up the tree, but perhaps if he waited out the night, someone would come looking for him. He carefully balanced himself and moved to the shelter of the wide spot where the branch connected with the trunk. There were even some vines growing nearby, and using the hunting knife to cut a length, he fastened his broken arm against his chest.
Night fell to Kashyyyk, bathing the young Wookiee in near total darkness. Nocturnal birds and flying creatures called to one another through the trees, and Lumpy thought that he often heard creatures rustling in the moss which grew on many of the branches. Despite the noise and the throbbing pain in his arm, he dozed off and on.
It was during one of his dozing periods that the branch moved. His eyes snapped open like a small-animal trap. The branch he was sitting on was indeed moving, bobbing, because something was walking on it. Lumpy pulled himself to a standing position as quietly as he could, and pulled one of the knives from his pouch. His companion on the branch moved from the blackness into view.
The animal was perhaps twice the mass of a full-grown Wookiee, though it stood only about Lumpy’ height. Its insect-like body was covered with long, matted hair. Lanky legs ended in pincers, ideal for climbing, and holding prey. Though hair covered its face, Lumpy could see a mass of red eyes and make out its mandible jaws. Lumpy tried to spear the creature’s face with his good arm, but those jaws easily snatched the hunting knife from his grasp.
Now the creature moved forward, swaying from side to side on the broad tree branch. Lumpy knew that it was showing him that he was to be prey, and that there was no means of escape. As he pressed himself closer to the tree trunk, he again fought back tears as he searched for some way to save himself.
It had taken a great deal of arguing on Luke’s part to convince Chewbacca that he should go back and arrange for a search party, and that he should go on searching alone Though Chewie knew that Luke was a Jedi Knight, and had seen him use his powers on many occasions, Chewie still had qualms about leaving Luke alone in the Kashyyyk night Luke suspected that Chewie was not merely being protective of him, but was also feeling some guilt because Lumpy was missing. However, in the end, he made his way back to the village, and Luke searched alone.
Luke extended his Jedi senses to find Lumpy, and also keep himself from falling off the branches. With the darkness, Luke often had to use both his hands and feet to help himself scramble across the branches. While moving across a thin section where two branches had recently fused together, Luke felt a sudden tremor in his mind. The call was so strong that he had to quickly grab at the branch to keep himself from falling. He knew where Lumpy was now, and that he was in trouble. The question was, was there enough time for him to get to Lumpy’s position.
There was only one thing to try. Though Lumpy knew he could not win in a fight with the creature, perhaps he could scare it. The animal may never have encountered a Wookiee before. If he could put up a show of ferocity, and wound it, maybe, dear Force, maybe, it would run away. He knew that it was a big maybe, but it was all that he had.
Lumpy unsheathed his right hand claws, growling fiercely at the monster. Though the insect maintained its position, its head did seem to sway a bit. Lumpy tried again, this time trying to shake his arm more wildly and to growl even louder. The creature pulled back into a crouch, getting ready to pounce on his meal. Before it leaped on him, Lumpy knew he had to try his last tactic. He tensed his legs and sprung at the creature, slashing at the beast’s red eyes in hopes of blinding it.
The creature was too quick, avoiding Lumpy by skittering backwards. Lumpy landed sideways on the branch, instinctively digging his feet claws into the bark to keep from falling. He met the creature’s eyes, hoping that it couldn’t see the terror in his own. Ignoring the pain in his arm, he drew in what breath he had left, and gave a last desperate growlscreech.
The creature quickly backed away from Lumpy, turned and began to run away from the young Wookiee. Lumpy closed his eyes and hugged the branch, never seeing the flash of green light which came from the place where the insectoid had fled.
Lumpy opened his eyes when he felt the branch move again, freezing in fear of the creature’s return. The thing who approached him, however, was a light-haired human. The human spoke to him softly, gently setting him back against the tree. He realized that it was his father’s friend Luke, when the man put his hand on his head, and some of the pain went out of his arm. He drifted off to peaceful sleep before he could bark thanks.
"So everything’s good with Chewie and Lumpy and everybody?" Han asked Luke over
the communications screen at Chewie’s house.
"That’s right, Han," Luke answered. "Chewie was so happy to see Lumpy that he
forgot all about being angry, though Malla gave Lumpy enough of a scolding for both
of them. Lumpy seems really good with Chewie too, happy to have him home."
"That’s great, kid," Han replied. "So Chewie knows that it was really you? He must
be grateful."
"What do you mean, Han?"
"That you scared the monster away, with your Jedi mind tricks, and then killed it
with your lightsaber, right?" Han finished.
"That’s what Chewie thinks," was Luke’s reply.
"That’s what happened, right?" asked Han. "I mean, Wookiees are tough, but you
said that was one big monster. Little Lumpy couldn’t have scared him off on his own."
"Maybe he did, Han," Luke replied, "and I just happened to get there in time to
finish off the animal."
"Stop pulling my leg, kid," Han answered. "I know you scared that thing away."
The Jedi only smiled.
"You did, Luke? Right? "
Luke’s smile broadened.
"Luke, he didn’t scare it away all by his little self?" Han asked.
"Bye Han, see you when I get back."
Luke watched Han’s mouth hang open, knowing that the smuggler was searching for
a choice profanity. Luke laughed as he closed the communications channel.
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