by Jude Watson
"Good. Then you and Bant must find her and join Qui-Gon in tracking
Oleg. No doubt you could run into Qui-Gon at the same time. As soon as you
find either Oleg or Qui-Gon, contact me."
Obi-Wan nodded. Mace left them, hurrying out of Manex's residence and
striding down the street. Some of the passersby glared at him, seeing his
Jedi robes. No doubt they had heard the rumors being spread of Jedi
treachery. Obi-Wan was certain Mace noticed this, but he walked on with no
hesitation visible in his stride or expression.
"Where are we headed?" Bant asked. There was a new crispness in her
voice.
"The Worker Sector," Obi-Wan said. "We can catch a public transport
this way."
As they walked, Obi-Wan thought he could not bear it if they weren't
able to be friends again. He needed things to be open and easy with Bant.
With Qui-Gon gone, things were so confused. He was worried about the reason
Qui-Gon left without him. Was Qui-Gon driven by vengeance? Was that why he
hadn't wanted Obi-Wan along?
Obi-Wan missed his Master. It was hard to have to miss his friend,
too. Especially when she walked beside him.
They swung aboard an almost empty airbus. Obi-Wan looked out at the
streets as they passed, hoping to catch a glimpse of his Master.
"He's out there somewhere," he said. He didn't know if Bant was
speaking to him, but he was so in the habit of confiding in her that the
words tumbled out before he could stop them. "And I don't know what he's
thinking or planning. He could be walking into danger. He could need me. If
anything happens..."
Bant turned cool silver eyes on him. "If anything happens to your
Master, you'll feel as I do." She turned her face forward again.
Obi-Wan felt as though she had slapped him. Of course she was right.
What was there to say? He had already apologized. He felt sincerely
sorry he had not considered Bant's feelings. The only thing he could do was
agree.
"Yes," he said. "Then I'd know exactly how you feel."
It was rare on a mission when something went exactly the way it
should. Yet this time, luck was with them. Obi-Wan remembered exactly where
he and Qui-Gon had gone to meet Lenz. It had only been a few days before,
but it felt like a lifetime ago. Luckily Lenz was still living in the same
quarters. He usually moved often to escape the surveillance of the new
Absolutes.
Lenz willingly gave them the address where Yanci was staying a short
distance away. Yanci greeted Obi-Wan with tired affection and printed out a
copy of the list on a durasheet. They were back on the street and heading
for the address of the first med clinic in a short period of time.
They had no trouble with the first three clinics. The clerks freely
told them that Oleg was not a patient. But the fourth clinic was staffed by
an arrogant clerk named Vero. Puffed up with self-importance, he refused to
give out any information.
"I don't know what med clinics do in the Worker Sector," he said
haughtily, "but here, we are Civilized, and take our jobs seriously." He
eyed Bant with disdain. "Obviously, you are new here. On your planet,
things are no doubt more primitive. You might not be familiar with our
procedures."
Bant's skin flushed pink with anger. "Listen, you - "
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said quickly, pulling Bant away from the desk.
"Getting into a confrontation isn't going to help," he whispered to
her. "We'll have to think of another way."
Bant eyed the clerk. "How about lightsabers? Is that primitive enough
for him?"
Obi-Wan grinned. Bant was the most gentle creature he knew, but she
had her limits. "He's probably never seen a Mon Calamari before," he said.
"New Apsolon doesn't get many tourists. There are plenty of good Civilized,
but I'm sure there are plenty of ones like Vero, too."
"How are you at using the Force to affect his mind?" Bant asked,
frowning. "I don't know if I could manage it. Vero is stupid, but he seems
stubborn."
Obi-Wan doubted that he would be successful, either. "And the waiting
room is so small - everyone would overhear," he murmured.
Bant's silver gaze roved over the. group. "Everyone is staring at us.
"
"They've probably never seen a Mon Calamari before, either," Obi-Wan
pointed out.
Something sparked in Bant's eyes. "That gives me an idea."
Suddenly, she weaved and began to gasp. "I'm over my limit," she
said. "Help me. I need water."
Obi-Wan supported her as she slumped over. "Water!" she cried.
Vero looked over at them, his expression a mix of irritation and
alarm. "What is it? The medics are busy."
"She's a Mon Calamari," Obi-Wan said frantically. "She can't stay out
of water for more than four hours. We need to immerse her, now!"
"I can't authorize that," Vero said, shaking his head. "She'll just
have to wait"
"She'll die!" Obi-Wan cried. Bant cooperated by slumping down even
farther.
"I've heard about Mon Calamari," someone spoke up from the waiting
area. "What he says is true."
"This will be on your record!" Obi-Wan warned Vero. He'd nearly said
conscience, but he wasn't sure if Vero had one. "Do you want that?"
At the mention of his record, Vero looked alarmed. "All right, all
right," he said. "There's an immersion tub in back. I'll take her."
Obi-Wan handed Bant over to Vero, who took her arm with distaste. He
half dragged her back toward the med cubicles.
Obi-Wan wasted no time. He moved stealth-fully to the desk and
quickly accessed the holofiles.
Yes! Oleg had been here, just a few days before. And there was an
address listed. Obi-Wan quickly memorized it, then hurried back. He slid
into a seat in the waiting area just as Vero returned.
"Your - friend is having her swim," Vero said with a frown.
Bant emerged a few minutes later, still damp. Obi-Wan nodded at her
to let her know he had succeeded. Quickly, they left the clinic and headed
for a street map kiosk on a nearby corner. They pinpointed the address. It
was only a few blocks away. The address was for a small hotel, but their
search ended when they discovered that Oleg had checked out.
"Too many questions about that one," the owner of the hotel said
darkly. "And I've got no answers for you."
Disappointed, Obi-Wan stopped on the walkway outside. He had a
feeling that Qui-Gon had not given up so easily.
"I guess we could stake the place out," Bant said dubiously. "Or
stake out the clinic."
"His next appointment isn't for two weeks," Obi-Wan said,
discouraged.
"Well, let's contact Mace and tell him it's a dead end," Bant
suggested.
Obi-Wan wasn't thrilled at giving Mace that news, but he reached for
his comlink.
When Mace answered, he quickly explained the steps they had taken and
where they were.
Mace sounded odd. "Give me your location again." When Obi-Wan
repeated it, there was a long pause. "I've just received word that a body
was found
nearby. Meet me there. I am leaving now." Mace gave Obi-Wan the
address and signed off.
Obi-Wan looked over at Bant. He knew what they both feared. He could
not speak the fear aloud, but it rose inside him, draining him of strength.
The body was Qui-Gon.
Without a word, they turned and ran toward the address Mace had given
them. It was only a few blocks away.
They stopped in front of a warehouse. Security vehicles were parked
outside, and officers walked in and out.
Obi-Wan strode forward as if he belonged there. He couldn't wait
another second.
"We are Jedi. Manex has given us the authority to investigate," he
said firmly.
To his surprise, the security officer waved them inside. Manex must
have followed through and demanded access for the Jedi.
The body lay under a tarp in the hallway. Obi-Wan felt relief drain
the remaining strength from his muscles. He could already tell from the
outlines that the body was too short and slight to be Qui-Gon's.
He bent over and lifted a corner of the tarp anyway. Mild blue eyes
stared up at him in surprise. No matter how many times Obi-Wan had seen it,
he never got used to death.
He guessed who the young man was. "Do you have an ID?" he asked a
nearby officer.
"Name was Oleg," the officer replied as he entered something into a
datapad.
"Was anything on the body?" Bant asked. "Just a blaster. Never got a
chance to use it, did he? A probe droid got him first."
While they waited for Mace, Obi-Wan and Bant explored the area. At
first they found nothing to indicate a struggle, no clues to send them in a
new direction. Then they came to the back door. The panel was peeled back,
leaving an opening wide enough for a man to step through.
Mace's voice came from behind them. "A light-saber, no doubt."
"It could have been a vibrotorch," Obi-Wan suggested. Suddenly he did
not want Mace to think that Qui-Gon had been there.
Mace didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, and he moved forward to pluck
something off the sharp end of a broken hinge. He held it up to Obi-Wan and
Bent. It was a piece of a Jedi robe.
He turned and looked through the opening cut in the door. The
security officers had left bright glow rods to illuminate the back area.
"There was a battle with probe droids," Mace said. "See the scorch
marks on the pavement? Maybe four or five or even more." He turned to Obi-
Wan. "Did Qui-Gon employ probe droids to track Balog?"
Obi-Wan swallowed. He could not lie to Mace. "Yes," he said.
Mace stood holding the scrap of fabric. His face showed nothing of
what he was thinking. But Obi-Wan could guess.
Was Qui-Gon involved in Oleg's death? Had his grief and rage turned
him to the dark side? Would he not care who was in his way in his quest to
avenge Tahl's death? Obi-Wan feared the question was in Mace's mind. His
bigger worry was that it was in his own.
CHAPTER 8
Qui-Gon moved swiftly through the dark streets. The clue he had found
at the site of Oleg's killing led him on. By Oleg's side, he had found a
slender chain and pendant. The chain had been broken. He had recognized the
pendant immediately. Irini had been at the warehouse.
He stood for a moment outside Lenz's dwelling, wondering how to
proceed. Irini did not volunteer information freely. But his impatience
allowed no time for persuasion.
Then he saw Irini heading toward him, her arms filled with a bag of
food. Her steps slowed for an instant when she saw Qui-Gon. Then she moved
forward briskly to hide her hesitation. In that moment, Qui-Gon decided
that his best chance was to bluff.
"So we meet again tonight," he said.
She eyed him warily. "Again?"
"You were at the warehouse tonight with Oleg. So was I."
She swallowed. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
"Did you get the list?"
She let out a breath. "No. He didn't have it. I posed as a buyer,
hoping to get it. If not, I wanted to protect him."
"But he betrayed the Workers," Qui-Gon said.
"He saw a way to make his fortune, yes," Irini said wearily. "Many
Workers are desperate that way. Despite our hopes, the wealth of the
Civilized has not trickled down to us. But Oleg is still a Worker, and we
know he was being pursued. My job was to bring him in."
"Did you see what happened?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Two probe droids attacked, so I got out," she said. "I'm sure it was
Balog who sent them."
"Balog was there, too," Qui-Gon said. "I saw him."
Irini dropped the bundle she held. Fruit and protein packs spilled
onto the pavement. "Balog was there? Did he get the list?"
"You said Oleg didn't have it," Qui-Gon said.
She shook her head rapidly, suddenly concerned. "I didn't see it. But
maybe I overlooked something..."
"I don't think Oleg had the list on him," Qui‑Gon said. "He was
worried about his safety. I also think it's possible that he'd already sold
it."
"Then why would he meet another buyer?" Irini asked.
"As you say, he wanted his fortune," Qui-Gon said. "He could sell the
list several times and make enough to live out the rest of his life in
luxury."
Irini pressed a hand against her eyes. "So several people could have
the list, then. I hadn't thought of that."
"The question is: who?" Qui-Gon said. "And if Balog does have it,
what is his next move?"
"I can't answer those questions. I'm as much in the dark as you are."
Irini bent down and began to retrieve her food. Qui-Gon bent to help her.
"We are after the same thing, lrini," he said, placing a package of
tea into her bag. "It might be a good idea if you helped me."
Suddenly a look of sadness came over Irini's usually impassive face.
"I would if I could," she said. "I have to get these to Lenz now." Then,
cradling the package in her arms, she walked off.
Qui-Gon contemplated his next move. It was hard to keep his mind
clear. He felt as though he were stumbling around in the dark. So much of
his pursuit of Balog was based on guesswork.
But it was all he had.
The list was still the key. Even if Balog had it, his next move would
be to consolidate his power. If Oleg had already sold it, who would be in
the market to buy it?
The answer was easy. New elections were about to be held. Those who
would benefit most by the list, or be the most threatened by it, would be
politicians. A Legislator who held that list would hold great power.
He hated to admit it, but Mace had been right. He needed to go to the
United Legislature. It was night now; he wouldn't have much luck finding
Legislators. But surely there was something he could accomplish. Qui-Gon
turned and headed back to the Civilized Sector.
CHAPTER 9
Obi-Wan and Bant stood outside the Luster, an opulent caf© near the
United Legislature building. Inside under the great domed lamps they could
see the elite Civilized at polished tables, laughing, eating, and talking,
their heads together in government gossip. C
hairs were drawn up at already
crowded tables, making it difficult to move around the room, but no one
seemed to mind.
Mace was somewhere inside, trying to gather information. He had said
that the two could wait in more comfortable quarters at Manex's residence,
but neither Obi-Wan nor Bant wanted to leave. There was a feeling of
