by James Luceno
proposals or construction contracts and the like is constrained by Statute
435, Sub - statute 1759 of the Amended Proprieties Bill, to refrain from
profiting by such knowledge, by investment or other means." Antilles narrowed
his eyes. "But you are suggesting something by not suggesting it." Taa shook
his head. "I merely find it curious that the Supreme Chancellor has not
brought this seeming conflict of interest to the attention of the senate. I'm
confident that the dilemma will disappear once we have determined the origin
of the investment and are satisfied that there is no link between those
investors and Supreme Chancellor Valorum himself." "Have you learned anything?
" Antilles asked.
"That's the other peculiar thing," Taa said. "The deeper I dig for the
source, the more dead ends I encounter. It's almost as if someone doesn't wish
to have it known where or with whom the investment originated. My lack of
success is partially explained by the fact that I lack the necessary clearance
to access the relevant financial files. Access of the sort to which I refer
requires someone of high standing. Someone, well, like yourself." Antilles
stared at him. "I assume that you've collected the pertinent data, Senator."
Taa restrained a smile. "As a matter of fact, I happen to have a copy with me.
" He proffered a data holocron.
Antilles took it. "I'll see what I can find out." The commandeered Hawk-
Bat streaked toward Karfeddion, a mottled green semicircle filling the
gunship's forward viewports. In the slung cockpit, Qui-Gon sat at the
controls. Dressed in a poncho, scarf, and boots borrowed from Asmeru, he
looked every part a member of the Nebula Front.
Obi-Wan stood behind the copilot's chair, shrugging out of his brown
cloak.
"Put your robes there," Qui-Gon said, gesturing to the empty navigator's
chair. "Along with your lightsaber." Obi-Wan froze. "My lightsaber?" "Once we
land, we want to be sure to give the wrong impression." Obi-Wan thought about
it for a moment, then nodded uncertainly and unclipped the c ylinder from his
belt.
Setting the lightsaber down, he eased back into the copilot's chair.
"Master, did we take the right action on Asmeru?" he asked, breaking a
prolonged silence.
"Could the violence have been avoided, as Master Yaddle wished?" "What
can be avoided, whose end is purposed by the Force?" Obi-Wan fell silent for
another long moment.
"Is it dangerous to give too much thought to the dark side?" "I keep my
gaze fixed on the light, Padawan. But to answer your question Thought and
action are very different things." "But how can we be certain our thoughts
don't color our actions? The path we walk is at times so narrow." Qui-Gon put
the Hawk-Bat on autopilot and swung to face his apprentice.
"Shall I tell you how Yoda explained it to me when I was even younger
than you are?" "Yes, Master." Qui-Gon gazed out the viewport while he spoke.
"On distant Generis stands an especially dark, dense, and near impenetrable
growth of sallap trees. For many generations it was necessary to travel a long
distance around the forest to reach the glorious deep-water lake on the far
side. But then a Sith Lord thought to blaze a trail directly through the
trees, in the hope of providing a quicker route to the lake.
"As you might imagine, only a few have taken both routes and lived to
tell of their experiences. But all agree that while the path through that dark
wood is shorter, it actually fails to arrive at the lake.
Whereas the path that skirts the forest, though long and arduous, not
only arrives at the shore, but is, in itself, a destination." Without glancing
at Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon asked, "On As - meru, did you venture into t dark wood, or
did you remain in the light, with the Force as your companion and ally?" "I
had no destination in mind, other than to follow where the Force led me."
"Then you have the answer." Obi-Wan swung to face the starfield. "The Sith
were before Master Yoda's time, were they not, Master?" Qui-Gon came close to
smiling. "Nothing was before Yoda's time, Padawan." Obi-Wan turned to glance
toward the gunship's forward cabin. "Master, about Cindar--was "No, I don't
trust him at all." "Then why have we come to Karfeddion?" "We have to begin
somewhere, Obi-Wan. In time, even Cindar's lies will betray his true
intentions." "In time for us to prevent Captain Cohl from doing whatever Havac
has tasked him to do?" "That, I can't say, Padawan." Just then, Cindar
wandered forward, his gaze falling on the discarded Jedi robes and
lightsabers.
"Won't you feel naked without them?" Obi-Wan swung away from the console
to face him.
"We want to be certain to give the wrong impression." "That's good
planning," the Nikto said.
"Especially since I'm new to Karfeddion myself, and haven't an idea where
to begin looking for Cohl or Havac." Qui-Gon glanced at him. "Don't concern
yourself about that. I suspect we've already made a beginning." With the
gunship grounded in the docking bay, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Cindar descended
the boarding ramp and set out to make inquiries at some of the disreputable
cantinas and tap - cafs that surrounded the spaceport. They weren't twenty
meters from the ship when a pair of maintenance technicians intercepted them
at the exit to the street.
"Hawk-Bat, right?" the taller of the two said to Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon looked the man in the eye. "Who's asking?" "No offense, Captain,"
the other said, showing his grease - stained hands in a mollifying gesture.
"We just wanted to tell you that you just missed him." Obi-Wan started to
say something, but thought better of it.
"We just missed him?" "Launched a couple of hours back," the tall one
replied, "with a full complement of crew in a beat-up Corellian freighter."
"Oh, that ship," Qui-Gon said.
The shorter tech adopted a conspiratorial look.
"Are you three part of this Eriadu business?" "What do you think?" Qui-
Gon said rhetorically.
The two techs traded meaningful glances. "You wouldn't by chance need a
couple of spare hands, would you, Captain?" the taller one asked.
Qui-Gon pretended to assess them. "I've no need for technicians. What are
your other talents?" "Same as the ones Cohl was flying with, Captain," the
tall one said with increasing assurance. "Light and heavy arms, melee weapons,
explosives, you name it." "Small wars and revolutions," the other enthused.
Qui-Gon nodded. "I'll pass the word along to Captain Cohl." The taller
one nudged his partner in anticipation.
"Much appreciated, Captain." "Can you tell us what's planned?" the other
asked.
"Just so we know how to prepare?" Qui-Gon shook his head firmly.
The taller man frowned. "We understand. It's only that we heard it was
extermination work." Qui-Gon said nothing in a blank-faced definite way.
"Well, you know where to find us, Captain," the short one said.
Qui-Gon let them take a few steps toward the exit before he called out.
"By the way, was Havac with him?" The question clearly puzzled them.
"Don't know
the name, Captain," the shorter of the pair said. "Just Cohl,
his Rodian sidekick, and the ones Cohl had hired." The other man grinned
broadly. "And the woman." Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows. "So she was there, too.
" The tall one laughed shortly. "If looks could kill, eh, Captain?" Qui-Gon
didn't so much as glance at Obi-Wan until the pair had left the docking bay.
But by that time, Cindar had already made his move.
"You're one lucky fellow," the humanoid said, holding his blaster where
he could cover both of them.
"Not from where I'm standing," Qui-Gon said.
"You weren't meant to hear any of that," Cindar went on. "I didn't know
anything about Cohl's coming to Karfeddion." "So this was just to keep us away
from Eriadu." Cindar sneered. "Yeah, and this is as far as it goes, Jedi. Too
bad you left your lightsabers on board." Qui-Gon folded his arms. "We had to
make you feel confident about drawing your blaster and revealing yourself."
"Huh?" Obi-Wan threw a small sound toward the ship, and Cindar whirled. When
he spun back to the two Jedi, they had moved.
Spying Obi-Wan ten meters to his right, Cindar triggered a bolt, but Qui-
Gon called on the Force to shove Cindar's blaster hand, and the bolt went
wild. At the same instant, Obi-Wan leapt over Cindar's head, landing directly
behind him.
Cindar spun on his heel, prepared to fire.
Obi-Wan swept his right leg through a forward circle, knocking the
blaster from Cindar's hand.
Crouching suddenly, he whirled one foot, kicking Cindar's legs out from
under him.
The thickset humanoid fell hard on his side, but sprang nimbly to his
feet and began to advance, throwing combinations of punches and kicks, which
Obi-Wan blocked with his raised forearms and knees.
Frustrated, Cindar threw his arms around Obi-Wan in a front-facing hug,
only to end up hugging himself when Obi-Wan made himself slender and dropped
out of the embrace. Off - balanced, Cindar staggered forward and crashed into
one of the Hawk-Bafs landing struts.
Obi-Wan leapt and landed.
Cindar charged--but with hidden purpose.
Anticipating Obi-Wan's next leap, Cindar stopped short, then threw a
powerful roundhouse kick. Tagged in the torso as he was landing, Obi-Wan moved
with the force of the blow, cartwheeling to one side, and landing square on
both feet, facing Cindar. The humanoid charged once more, catching the impact
of Obi-Wan's abrupt back flip, full in the jaw.
Cindar blundered backwards into the same strut.
Evading Obi-Wan's follow-up blows with bobs and twists, he squatted and
made a sudden grab for Obi-Wan's right ankle. But Obi - Wan distanced himself
by executing another back flip.
The momentary lapse in the fighting was all Cindar needed. From an ankle
holster he drew a hold-out blaster.
The first bolt nicked Obi-Wan's right leg and sent him down on one knee.
Qui-Gon appeared out of nowhere to drive him out of the path of the next bolt.
Compact packets of energized light ripped through the docking bay, glancing
off the walls and ceiling.
Cindar tried to track the Jedi, but they moved too quickly for him. His
next blasts caromed from the underside of the HawkBat and recoiled crazily
from the floor.
Then the firing ceased.
Standing rigidly in front of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, Cindar's gaze was
unfocused and his mouth a rictus of surprise. When he toppled facedown, they
saw the burn of a blaster bolt that had ricocheted into the center of his
back.
Qui-Gon went to him and checked for signs of life. "He's told us all he
can." Obi-Wan picked himself up from the floor, favoring his sound leg. "What
now, Master?" he asked.
Qui-Gon nodded to the Hawk-Bat.
"We race Captain Cohl to Eriadu." "Karfeddion?" Yoda said in puzzlement.
"Off on another quest, is he?" Saesee Tiin glanced at Yaddle before replying.
"None other than the quest that has preoccupied him for the past month."
Yoda touched his forefinger to his lips, closed his eyes, and shook his head
in dismay. "Again, Captain Cohl." Eleven of the twelve members of the Jedi
Council were gathered in their high tower, with the sun disappearing around
the western curve of Coruscant in an eruption of color. Adi Gallia's chair was
empty.
"It's not like Qui-Gon to defy the express wishes of the Council and the
Supreme Chancellor," Plo Koon said.
Yoda's eyes snapped opened and he raised his cane. "No.
Like Qui-Gon, this is. Always forward, the Living Force. Adjust to Qui-
Gon's actions, the fu ture will." He shook his head again.
"The only real danger is if he does anything to further a rift between
the Republic and the Senex sector," Oppo Rancisis said. "I fear that the
events on Asmeru have already placed Supreme Chancellor Valorum in an awkward
position." "At a critical time," Even Piell added.
"Vandron and the other Senex noble houses could point to Asmeru as an
example of the Republic's disregard for self-governing sectors. Valorum's goal
of fostering trust in the Republic among the outlying systems would be
subverted." Mace Windu had his mouth open to reply when KiAdiMundi emerged
from the turbolift.
"I'm sorry to intrude, Master Windu," the Cerean said. "But we have
received an urgent communication from Qui-Gon Jinn." "What is the
transmission?" Mace Windu asked.
"He and Obi-Wan are bound for Eriadu in the Hawk-Bat." Yoda made his eyes
wide in theatrical surprise.
"Become Captain Cohl, Qui-Gon has!" As a trading port, Eriadu was
accustomed to seeing its polluted skies filled with vessels. The trade summit,
however, set a new record for traffic, both below and high in orbit.
Among the thousands of ships anchored above the planet's bright side was
a run-down Corellian freighter, the current object of interest of a heavily
armed picket ship bearing the emblem of Eriadu Customs and Immigration.
Between the picket and the freighter moved a small single-winged craft, twice
the size of a standard starfighter.
Rella and Boiny watched the craft approach from one of the freighter's
starboard viewports. Dressed alike in knee-high boots, bloused trousers,
vests, and soft caps with short brims, they might have been veteran spacers.
"We'll play this by the numbers," Rella said.
"Customs officials aren't trained to be nasty, they're born that way."
She glanced at Boiny.
"Want to go over any of it again?" The Rodian shook his head. "I'll
follow your lead." They went to the starboard airlock and waited for it to
cycle. Shortly, three humans in flashy uniforms came aboard, accompanied by a
mean-tempered saurian quadruped fitted with an electronic collar. The beast's
tongue flicked from its slash of mouth, licking the air.
Nearly as tall as Rella, the chief inspector was a slender, light -
complexioned woman. Her blond hair was pulled severely back and woven into a
long braid behind her head.
"Take Chack aft and work your way forward," she ordered her two
companions. "Let him take his time. Tag anything that gets his attention, an
d
we'll deal with it separately." The two customs agents and their sniffer
headed for the rear of the ship. The chief watched them go, then followed
Rella and Boiny into the freighter's forward cabin.
"Your shipping manifest," she demanded, extending her right hand to
Rella.
Rella prized a data card from the breast pocket of her vest and slapped
it into the woman's palm. The chief inserted the card into a portable reader
and studied the device's small display screen.
From aft came a sudden growling sound. The chief looked over her
shoulder.
"Your sniffer must have gotten a whiff of our galley," Boiny said
jocularly.
The woman's stern expression didn't waver. "I can't make sense of this,"
she said after a moment, motioning to the reader's display screen with the
backs of her fingertips. She eyed Rella with suspicion.
"What, exactly, is your cargo, Captain?" Rella leveled a blaster at her.
"Trouble." The woman's eyes widened. Noises behind her prompted her to glance
over her shoulder once more. Two robust humans and a Gotal answered her
obvious surprise with pernicious grins.
"We're holding the other two aft," Lope said. "The animal's dead." "Good
work," Rella said, deftly disarming the chief.
Pressing the blaster to the woman's ribs, she steered her toward the
freighter's communication suite.
"I want you to raise your ship," Rella said while they walked. "Tell
whoever's in charge that you've discovered a load of contraband, and that you
need the entire inspection crew over here on the quick." The woman tried to
turn out of Rella's grip, but Rella only tightened her hold and shoved her
down into the chair at the control console.
"Do it," Rella warned.
The woman hesitated, then complied, resignedly.
"The entire crew?" someone on the picket ship asked in disbelief. "Is it
that bad?" "It's that bad," the chief said toward the console pickup.
Rella switched off the feed and took a step back to appraise the chief.
"I'm going to need your uniform." The woman stared at her. "My uniform?" Rella
patted her on the shoulder. "That's a good girl." She swung back to Boiny and
the others.
"Position yourvs at the airlock and be ready to receive company." The
mercenaries ena4 their blasters and hurried off.
Not fifteen minutes later, and now wearing the chief's uniform, Rella
