In the Sea of Trees

Kashyyk was a world that the films had tried to do justice to and failed miserably at. The trees of the Kashyyk were truly immense, so inmmense in fact that the Wookiees had somehow managed to construct an entire spaceport amongst the canopy. The landing platform you had been given was large enough for the Eos and still had space to comfortably fit a sister ship, without risk of going over the edge and into the forest below.

“I’ve never seen so many trees before” Tanna whispered, sounding very small as you stared out of the cockpit window at the forest before you. Cho growled something behind you, but unfortunately your translator was currently having a moment.

“It sure is something” you say distractedly, as you attempt to land without scratching the Eos on a branch or something. “Kinda reminds me of the rainforests of home,” you add after a moment “Obviously nowhere as tall as these trees or as expansive but other than that, basically the same” you explain. As you say that, a soft thud rippled through the ship to indicate that the Eos had landed. “Well kids, everybody out” you say as you get up. Tanna was on her feet in a heartbeat and bolting for the ramp, while Cho was making some sort of chattering sound that you suspected was Wookiee chuckling.

As you got passed the mess hall, you encountered Sata who was staring at the stairs with a frown.

“I take it that Tanna went this way?” You ask the small Pantoran.

“Tanna? No, all I saw was a faint blue blur” Sata replied causing you to chuckle.

“She’s apparently never seen trees before” you tell the girl who chuckles as well. The two of you make your way down and out onto the landing platform where you see Tanna standing at the edge of the landing platform. The girl was doing a very good impersonation of a statue as she looked out over the forest.

“That is a lot of trees” Sata commented, sounding quite small. It was truly an indescribable vista, a vast ocean of trees stretching into and beyond the horizon. Each individual tree a monolithic megastructure to put to shame the greatest spires and towers of earth. You come to a stop beside Tanna and stare out into the monumental ocean of trees for it was nothing less than all encompassing, like water but green and swaying in the breeze. You imagined that the swaying branches were waves rolling across the ocean’s surface.

“No wonder the Wookiees don’t industrialise” you comment, “Who in their right mind would destroy that?” you add and get noises of affirmative from both Tanna and Sata. Turning around, you see Cho giving the three of you an amused look.

Your moment ended when a loud Wookiee roar sounded across the landing platform. You twist around, hand on your blaster and get greeted by the sight of a shorter and lighter furred Wookiee charging Cho with a speed that put some cheetahs to shame. The lighter Wookiee launched itself into a flying tackle-hug and slammed Cho into the ground. You took your hand off your blaster and smiled, if they were humans, they’d be crying their eyes out. It didn’t take a protocol droid or a strangely multilingual Twi’lek to tell you that this was a reunion. When Cho had finally managed to extricate himself from, what you presume to be, his lover, two smaller Wookiees made their presence known and the big man wrapped them both up in a hug. It was, all in all, a very touching moment, seeing a family reunited once more.

With Cho’s two kids now firmly attached to him like he’d put velcro into his fur, he pointed you out. Immediately, Cho’s partner bounded over to you and picked you up in a bear hug, squeezing you tight enough to cause pain but still surprisingly gentle. The Wookiee then began growling something out in her language which had you turn to Tanna.

“She’s thanking you for saving her husband” Tanna translated and you nodded “She also said that you are welcome in their house at any time, and a place will always be set for you,” she added. The Wookiee nodded at this translation before turning around to her husband once more. Cho then growled something of his own to you. Of course both of you then turn to Tanna, who sighed. “You need to learn Shyriiwook” she muttered “He says that his wife’s name is Daawabekka, his eldest son is Kaitoanga, and his daughter is Yiinaowga” Tanna translated. You find it odd that growls somehow managed to translate into proper names like that, but you guess it must have something to do with subharmonics or something.

“Pleased to meet you all” You say to the family with a nod of the head in greeting. The younger ones gave inquisitive growls of their own to their father who responded. You shook your head when Tanna went to translate, kids are universally inquisitive and you had a pretty good idea what he was asking his father. Cho then got a speculative look in his eye as he eyed your blaster. He growled something to his wife who apparently agreed since she nodded and growled something back. Cho then growled something at you.

“He’s asking if you want an upgrade to that peashooter of yours” Tanna translated. You pat your blaster with an offended frown.

“What’s wrong with it? It’s served me quite well thank you very much!” you tell the walking carpet who chuckled in response. He growled something back at you and you turned to Tanna.

“He says that he can make a better gun” she translated with a sigh and that got you thinking. It’s true that the Wookiees are a lot more advanced than they look. Just because they didn’t have planet **** industries, didn’t mean they weren’t capable of being a space faring civilisation. “He’s asking if you had a design in mind or if you just want him to make a gun that looks like your old one” Tanna relayed. This was the Wookiee home and thus there would be plenty of wood available. Specifically, Wroshyr wood, the best wood in the galaxy. With the notion of having a blaster made out of wood, images flashed through your head of various Earth based weapons. Given how industrious the Wookiees are, it would probably be no trouble for Cho to make a blaster look like a seventeenth century wheellock pistol. With this in mind, you hold up a finger, indicating Cho to wait before running back to the Eos and all the way into your quarters. This was just to give you plausible deniability so you could conjure a of seventeenth century wheellock pistol. Ducking back down to the landing platform where Cho and co were waiting, you present the pistol to him.

“This” you say, jerking the gun back out of the Wookiee’s grip “Has been in my family’s possession for the last four hundred years give or take” you say explain. You are bullshitting of course, but it doesn’t hurt to establish emotional significance. “It’s extraordinary obsolete since it requires a primitive mix of powder to work but . . .” You trail off as you look at the mostly insignificant weapon. “It’s been used a few times in a couple of wars” you finish. If the pistol had indeed been legit, it might have actually been used in war by a knight or European reiter or something. But it was not. Cho took the pistol with a lot more reverence after that little spiel as he looked it over and growled something.

“He’s asking if he can use the pistol as an aid when he makes your blaster” Tanna translated.

“Of course, it’s why I gave it to you after all” you say with a smile knowing you are just going to delete the fake pistol the moment you get it back. Cho nodded and turned to leave when Daawabekka growled something.

“She’s asking if we are coming for dinner” Tanna translated and you thought about it for a minute before nodding.

“We’ve still got some things we need to do” you say “Wasted most of our munitions on a fortified enemy position” you explain. Tanna snorted in derision.

“No, we slagged a hanger bay because someone fired a missile at you” she retorted. You turn to look at her with a serious expression.

“They have missiles, they die. This is my decree.” you proclaimed. You didn’t miss the shiver that ran through Tanna’s body or the look in her eye that suggested you won’t be having a dry spell any time soon. Daawabekka growled something which caused Tanna to start.

“Oh uhh yeah, we’ll be there” she stammered out, blushing. You watched as the family turned and left, the kids still firmly attached to their father.

“So now we need to find Sata and see if she can get everything she needs for the ship” you say as you make to leave.

“Cut the bullshit” Tanna demanded. You turn around and look at her, she was wearing a stern expression you hadn’t seen before. “That pistol wasn’t on the ship, I’ve practically been living in your room the last week or so and I’ve explored every inch of it,” she said, her eyes holding a keen edge to them. “And let’s not forget you punching a dent into kriffing Durasteel!” she exclaimed “I’ve seen blasters bounce off Durasteel! I’ve seen a Durasteel wall take a direct hit from a charging Wookiee and make a smaller dent than that!” she continued. Tanna stopped there to catch her breath and calm down.

“You done?” you ask coldly and Tanna recoiled almost like she’d been struck.

“What are you?” she asked, an almost pained look in her eyes. You turn to look out over the forest in silence.

“I’m me” you say softly “Just be happy with that” you add. It wasn’t time to reveal who you are just yet.

“Sorry” Tanna apologised “I . . . sorry” she said before turning and making to walk away. You catch her arm before she could leave.

“Tanna, I’m me” you say to her and her expression softened into a smile.

“Yeah, I know” she said before kissing you on the cheek. “Now come on, Sata’s probably going to need a translator for the things she needs” Tanna said before continuing on once more. This time you followed her, not entirely convinced this was over.