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Starstone had heard as much. Inventive handiwork was the primary reason Wookiees frequently fell prey to slave traders, especially Trandoshans, their reptilian planetary neighbors. Skill, however, hadn’t brought the Separatists to Kashyyyk, or the Trade Federation before them. The system was not only close to several major hyperlanes, but also an entry point for an entire quadrant of space. A Wookiee guild of cartographers known as the Claatuvac were said to have mapped star routes that didn’t even appear on Republic or Separatist charts.

The communications console chimed a repeating series of tones.

“Vector routing from Commerce Control,” Deran said.

“Make sure they understand we want to set down near Kachirho,” Starstone said.

Deran nodded. “Transmitting our request. Relaying course coordinates to navigation.”

Nam threw an excited look over his shoulder. “I’ve wanted to visit Kashyyyk for ten years.”

“Half the Core would like to visit Kashyyyk,” Filli said. “But the Wookiees don’t cater to tourists.”

“What, no luxury accommodations?” Jambe said.

Filli shook his head. “They might be willing to provide a tent.”

“How many times have you been here?” Starstone asked him.

He thought about it, then shrugged. “Ten, twelve. In between regular jobs, we’d sometimes run scrap technology here.”

“Can you speak the language?” Nam asked.

Filli laughed. “I once met a human who could bark a couple of useful phrases, but the best I could ever manage was a ‘thank you,’ and that worked only one out of ten times.”

Starstone frowned. “Do we have a translator droid or some sort of emulator?”

“We won’t need one,” Filli said. “The Wookiees employ a mixed-species staff of go-betweens to help out with sales and trades.”

“Who do we ask for?” Starstone said.

Filli took a moment. “Last time I was here, there was a guy named Cudgel …”

The Vagabond Trader began its descent into Kashyyyk’s aromatic atmosphere, light fading as the ship dropped below the canopy of the planet’s three-hundred-meter-tall wroshyr trees into an area of majestic cliffs crowned with vegetation. Adjusting course, Jambe and Nam guided the transport to a lakeshore landing platform made of wood. Towering majestically over the platform and the aquamarine lake rose the city of Kachirho, which consisted of a cluster of giant, tiered wroshyrs.

In his eagerness to fulfill a ten-year dream, Nam nearly botched the landing, but no one was hurt, despite being tossed about. As soon as everyone had exited the ship, Filli disappeared to find Cudgel.

Starstone gazed at the trees and sheer cliffs in wonderment. Her hopes for finding Yoda notwithstanding, the Wookiee world rendered other planets she had visited prosaic by comparison.

The scene at the exotic landing platform alone was impressive, with ships coming and going, and groups of Wookiees and their liaison crews haggling with beings representing dozens of different species. Outsize logs and slabs of fine-grained hardwoods were heaped about, and the air was rich with the heady smell of tree sap, and loud with the drone of nearby lumber mills. Protocol and labor droids supervised the loading and offloading of cargo, which was moved by teams of hornless banthas or exquisitely crafted hoversleds. All of the activity shaded and dwarfed by trees that seemed to reach to the very edge of space …

Starstone had to catch her breath. The gargantuan size of everything made her feel like an insect. She was still gaping like a tourist when Filli returned, accompanied by a thickset male human dressed in short trousers and a sleeveless shirt. If he wasn’t quite as hairy as a Wookiee, it was not for want of trying.

“Cudgel,” Filli said, by way of introduction.

Cudgel smiled at everyone in turn, jocular but clearly dubious, and Starstone immediately saw why. While she and her band of fugitive Jedi could dress the part of merchants, even talk the part, they couldn’t stand the part.

Literally.

Straight-backed, silent, hands clasped