by Джуд Уотсон
"I might be able to find Lenz," she said reluctantly.
"Then let's go," Qui-Gon said firmly. He had to keep pushing forward.
He had to drown out his worst fears with action.
They had only caught a glimpse of Lenz the first time they'd seen him, but Qui-Gon remembered him well. His was not a face to forget. It had been marked by suffering and illness, but there was nobility and strength in it. His body was weak, yet his spirit had great power. In a crowd he might be ignored, but Qui-Gon knew from the first glance that he was a leader.
Lenz stood as Irini led the Jedi into a small room in the Worker section of the city. She had alerted him by comlink that they were coming, and why.
Lenz gave Irini a questioning look. "Now you trust the Jedi? What happened?"
"They have a good point," lrini said. "They have the best chance of finding Tahl. If Balog betrayed us for the Absolutes, we need to know."
Lenz kept his gaze on Irini. Slowly, he nodded. "Maybe."
His nerves on alert, Qui-Gon sensed something had passed between Irini and Lenz. It had been a wordless exchange of information. They knew each other very well, he realized. Well enough to speak without words, as he and his Padawan could.
"Irini tells me you want a probe droid," Lenz said.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Alani asked that you help us."
Lenz smiled slightly. "When both Irini and Alani ask me to do something, I have no choice but to obey." He gestured at them to sit at a battered metal table. "I must warn you, we run some danger of being arrested. Since Roan's murder the government has been cracking down on those who run the black market. Power is slipping out of their hands, and they think a show of it will save them. The United Legislature is locked in a battle to appoint Roan's successor."
"Many Workers think the time to strike is now," lrini said. "There are those who want us to conduct another campaign of industrial sabotage to get what we want. Of course we want a Worker to be appointed as Supreme Governor, but Lenz and I are urging caution. We will lose our support among the Civilized with another sabotage campaign. It worked once, but we do not feel it will work again. We don't want civil unrest."
"Yet we are very close to it," Lenz said.
"Do you think Balog is an Absolute?" ON-Wan asked.
Lenz and Irini exchanged glances. "He was born a Worker," Irini said hesitantly. "And he was close to Ewane, the great Worker leader…"
"But yes, we think his allegiance has now changed," Lenz said grimly.
"Once you told us that he had kidnapped Tahl, it all clicked into place. He has most likely been working for the Absolutes for some time. That's why he kidnapped Alani and Eritha. He had always planned to let them go — his real target was Roan."
"So he lured Roan to him through the ransom," Obi-Wan said. "Then he murdered him."
Qui-Gon remembered Balog's show of grief when they had found Roan's body. Balog was a good actor. But he'd have to be, if he'd been working with the secret organization of Absolutes all along.
"One thing puzzles me," Qui-Gon said. "Balog may be head of security, but he's no match for Tahl. Even without her lightsaber. How could he have overpowered her?"
"The Absolutes often used a paralyzing drug," Irini said. "You remain conscious but immobilized. It is easy to administer. If she turned her back on him for a moment…"
"Is the drug dangerous?" Qui-Gon asked the question, though he dreaded the answer.
"Not with one dose," Lenz said. "Or even two. The trouble is that it wears off, and if it is reused many times — especially over a short period of time — it can result in permanent damage. Muscle deterioration is one side effect." Lenz pointed down at himself. "As you can see."
"Lenz was one of the lucky ones," Irini added quietly. "There can be permanent damage to internal organs. They completely waste away in a short period of time. There were many who…" Her voice trailed off, and she flushed.
She is telling me that Tahl could die. Underneath the table, Qui-Gon gripped his hands together. Thinking of Tahl helpless, her mind active but her body deteriorating, made him want to rip the room apart.
The vision that had beckoned him to New Apsolon came back to him now.
Tahl weak, her leg muscles unable to support her. She leaned against him, her hand curling around his neck. It is too late for me, dear friend….
"You are hiding something from us," Qui-Gon said, gazing directly at Irini, then at Lenz. "What is it?"
"Nothing," Irini answered. "We have agreed to help you find a probe droid — "
"Yet there is something about the kidnapping that you know and we do not," Qui-Gon said, the anger escalating in his voice. "You admit that we stand the best chance of finding Tahl. Give us all the information we need, and the chances are greater still." He leaned forward. The time had come for a little intimidation. He did not like to use it, but his impatience had run its course. He needed to act, and these people could not stand in his way. "I remind you that it is never a good idea to cross the Jedi."
Obi-Wan picked up on his urgency. "We have lost one of our own," he said. "This is a serious matter to us."
The double threat from the two Jedi seemed to rock Lenz. He swallowed. "It is not something we know. It is something we suspect."
"Lenz — "
"No, lrini. They are right. They should know." Lenz silenced her with a look, then turned his attention back to the Jedi. "We know that the Absolutes used secret informers when they were in power. There is a list of those who informed. This list is encrypted so that it cannot be copied.
Only a few in the government knew of this list, even fewer have seen it, and we think most of them — maybe all of them — are dead. One of them was Roan. Roan had it, but it was stolen before he died. We know that much."
"At first we thought Balog had been able to get it from Roan," Irini said. "Now we don't think so. Someone else did."
"We think Balog is looking for it," Lenz said. "After all, his name is on it. If that was discovered, he would lose all credibility among the Workers. Our word against Balog will not be enough to turn people against him. We need proof. He needs to destroy that proof. We think his ambitions lie higher than the office of Chief Security Controller. Whoever has the list has great power. It will be his or her choice to expose the informers or keep them secret, to bribe them for silence or look like a hero for exposing them. Careers and reputations will be destroyed. The list is said to contain some prominent names."
"What does Tahl have to do with this?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The list was in Absolute hands for a short time, then disappeared,"
Irini said. "We know this for sure. What if Balog thinks that Tahl has the list? It's the only explanation as to why Balog would capture her and yet keep her alive."
Qui-Gon shook his head. "If Tahl had the list, we would have known it."
"So you don't think she has it?" Lenz asked.
"Perhaps she doesn't know she has it," Irini guessed. "Perhaps she knows where it can be found. She just doesn't know the significance of it."
This news was disturbing. It meant that Balog could be keeping her alive only until he knew the truth. Tahl did not have that list. When he discovered that, he would kill her.
Qui-Gon saw by Obi-Wan's pale face that his Padawan had come to the same conclusion. He stood. "If your theory is right, Balog won't have much patience. Neither do I. Let's get that probe droid."
Chapter 3
Lenz and Irini led them deep into the Worker sector, near the outskirts of the city. The area had been abandoned by the Workers when better housing became available after the election of Ewane. Block after block of abandoned housing showed the effects of neglect and disorder.
Half-demolished buildings stood next to intact ones whose windows were shattered or blown out completely. Rubble lay in the street, and stacks of durasteel sheeting were piled up in vacant lots.
"The government is planning to tear these down," Lenz said, gesturing at the devastated building
s. "The lawmakers can't agree on what to build instead, so the project is left half finished. But it has become a good place to hide for those who don't want to be found. Security sweeps are made frequently, so we must all be alert."
"How will we program the droid to find Balog?" Qui-Gon asked. "We don't have complete information on him. We know that vitals on Workers are stored somewhere. Who has access to them?"
"Everything you need you will be able to buy here," Lenz said.
He stopped in front of a partially demolished building and took a laser signal from his tunic. He activated the laser point and blinked it several times in a pattern against the stone front of the building. A concealed sensor in the wall caught the signal and, after a moment, blinked twice.
"We can enter," Lenz said.
Obi-Wan glanced at his Master. He was relieved to see that Qui-Gon seemed himself again. Most likely it was because they had taken action. He could sense the frustration inside Qui-Gon — as well as something else there, some desperation that Obi-Wan didn't understand. At least Qui-Gon was back in control. He had found the calm he needed to proceed. Later, when Tahl was safe, Obi-Wan would ask his Master why he'd had such trouble focusing. Qui-Gon would not mind the question. He knew that Obi-Wan would only ask in order to learn.
Lenz pushed open the door to the building. Obi-Wan noted that although the building appeared to be a ruin, the door was armored. The arming devices must have been released when the sensor blinked back an okay.
A staircase led upward, but Lenz turned to the side and accessed a doorway flush to the wall. A ramp led down to a lower level.
Lenz and lrini went first, and the Jedi followed. The ramp was lit with one dim glow rod attached to the wall. Obi-Wan strode down the sloping ramp, ready for anything.
A figure stepped out of the dimness. "Lenz. We haven't seen you here in a while."
"Greetings, Mota. You know I have forbidden the Workers to use illegal means to achieve our ends," Lenz said. "But my friends here need your help."
The man stepped closer. He was dressed in the unisuit that Obi-Wan had seen many Workers wear. His gray hair was tied behind him, and his body looked strong. There were two blasters tucked into his utility belt.
"You must be Jedi," he said, though Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were dressed in the garments of space travelers. "Never thought I'd see the day the Jedi would need my help."
"We are grateful for anything you can provide us with," Qui-Gon said.
"Don't get me wrong. It will cost you. I'm in the business for one reason only. Credits. I'm the one who takes the risks. You can hitch rides around the galaxy, but my products aren't free."
"We are prepared to pay," Qui-Gon replied impatiently. "The speed of the transaction is more important than price."
"Then let's get to it."
Mota led the way down a long hallway into a large open space. Long metal tables stretched from one end of the space to the other. Isolated pieces of merchandise were laid out on the tables. There were some communication devices, some weaponry, and some pieces of tech equipment.
"As you can see, our stocks are low," Mota said.
Lenz looked at him sharply. "I'll say. Who is buying your weapons?"
Mota's return gaze was neutral. "Whoever has the credits. I don't ask questions."
"We need probe droids," Qui-Gon said.
"I only have one. Probe droids are hard to get." Mota strode to a table and picked up a droid. "It's in good shape, though. All ready for programming."
"They need the vitals of a citizen," Irini said. "Balog."
"The Chief Security Controller?" At last an emotion flickered over Mota's face: surprise.
But it smoothed out and became neutral again. "I have his stats. I can program the droid. The vitals will cost you more credits."
"They'll need swoops or landspeeders," Lenz said.
"Down below."
"Let's program the droid first," Qui-Gon said.
"Sure. Just let me see the credits." Mota named a figure, and Qui-Gon counted out the currency.
Mota pocketed the credits without counting [hem and turned to a data screen. He began to access files.
"The vitals on every citizen were entered into the main files of the Absolutes in the old days," Irini told them in a low voice. "It is illegal to access those files now, but that doesn't stop Mota. Having exact information on Balog will help greatly in tracking."
Mota downloaded the information in the data-pad into the droid, then programmed it. The probe droid beeped and revolved.
"When would you like to release the droid?" Mota asked.
"Immediately," Qui-Gon answered tersely.
Mota accessed a shuttered window, and the probe droid flew out. Mota handed the transmitter to Qui-Gon.
"Keep this on at all times, and the probe droid will find you. If the droid is destroyed, it will tell you that, too. I've programmed the droid to make a preliminary search. If it can't pinpoint Balog in the city, it will be able to pinpoint his point of departure."
Qui-Gon nodded and hooked the transmitter onto his utility belt. "Now let's see about those speeders."
They followed another ramp down to a lower level. It was an identically sized space, this one filled with surface transport vehicles — swoops, landspeeders, gravsleds.
"Our inventory is pretty full, so you can take your pick," Mota said.
Qui-Gon quickly chose a landspeeder and a swoop. "We might need the agility for at least one of us," he told Obi-Wan. "The other will have room for Tahl." He turned to Mota. "These are guaranteed?"
"They're a few years old, but they won't let you down," Mota said.
"My merchandise is the best."
"Glad to hear it," Qui-Gon said. "But we'll test them first."
Mota accessed double durasteel doors at the end of the space. "Go through that door to the backyard. You can test them there. Just watch out for security patrols overhead."
Obi-Wan slung his leg over the swoop and adjusted the seat so that he had easy access to the controls in the handlebars. He revved up the repulsorlift engine as Qui-Gon started his land-speeder. He followed Qui- Gon as he zoomed out the double doors. They passed into a short tunnel and then burst into the open air. They found themselves in an open yard with high security fencing surrounding it.
Obi-Wan had ridden a swoop before and was used to the extra maneuverability. He pushed the swoop, making sharp turns and accelerating rapidly. He was glad to see that the vehicle handled well. Qui-Gon also seemed satisfied, and the two of them landed the transports and turned off the engines just as Irini and Lenz appeared in the yard.
"If you find the list with Tahl, what will you do with it?" lrini asked them anxiously.
"The list is not our first concern," Qui-Gon said.
"You must realize how much power resides in that list," Lenz said.
"It cannot fall into the wrong hands."
"Do you promise to come to us first if you have it?" Irini asked.
"I cannot make that promise," Qui-Gon said. "But I will promise that we will keep it safe. The Jedi will volunteer to hold the list as a neutral party until the government appoints a successor to Roan."
Irini nodded reluctantly.
Obi-Wan caught sight of a blur in the sky. "I think the probe droid is returning already."
Qui-Gon looked up, his expression tense with expectation. The probe droid settled on the ground in front of him. He quickly bent to examine the readout.
"Balog has left the city," Qui-Gon said. "He's struck out over open country."
"That's strange," Lenz said. "Why would he leave his base of support?
" "Maybe he knows the Jedi are on his trail," lrini said.
Qui-Gon programmed the droid to continue tracking and sent it off again. Then he programmed the coordinates of Balog's last stop into his shipboard computer. He gave Obi-Wan the coordinates, and Obi-Wan did the same on his swoop.
Mota emerged from a door concealed in the wall of the building.
>
"How do you like the transports?" he asked. "They're fine. We have a deal," Qui-Gon said, counting out the additional credits.
Mota placed the credits inside a pocket of his unisuit. Suddenly, the sensors on the wall began to glow. Mote watched as they beeped out a private code.
"Patrols in the vicinity," Mote said. "I suggest you leave." Without another word, he swiftly made his way back to the hidden door and disappeared.
"Don't worry, Mota, we'll be fine," Lenz muttered. "Irini, we'd better get out of here." He nodded at the Jedi. "You should take off. If the security patrol sees you with black market transports, you'll be detained, possibly even arrested."
