THE TIES THAT BIND

CHAPTER 1

The air was thin and sharp on this world. It had taken Obi-Wan Kenobi

almost a full day to get used to it. Now he enjoyed the bite of fresh, cold

air in his lungs.

He and his Master, Qui-Gon  Jinn,  were  high  in  the  mountains  of

Ragoon-6,  one  of  a  cluster  of  planets  that  were  known  for   their

spectacular, remote beauty. The two Jedi's mission was simply  to  survive.

They took no more than their survival packs. Another Jedi had left a  trail

for them to follow to a transport. The trail led over  snow,  high  cliffs,

and huge sheets of rock, so it was not easy to follow.

Qui-Gon had decided on the test after their last mission. Upon  their

return to the Temple, he had seemed distracted, almost moody, which  wasn't

like him. At last he had appeared in the doorway of Obi-Wan's quarters  one

morning at dawn.

"It's time for some amusement," he said.

Amusement? Obi-Wan had never heard his Master use that word.  He  had

pushed himself up on his elbows sleepily, blinking in  the  dim  light.  He

wondered if he was dreaming.

Only an hour later he found himself on a transport headed to  Ragoon-

6. A Jedi pilot named Rana dropped them off on a high, windy plain. Qui-Gon

explained that they would be testing their survival  and  tracking  skills,

while also seeing some of the most astonishing scenery in the galaxy.  Obi-

Wan had felt cold and hungry and doubtful at the time. But for the past ten

days, he had enjoyed himself thoroughly.

Obi-Wan sat on a flat rock overlooking the valley below. It was  mid-

morning, and the sun had already warmed the rock underneath him. He pressed

his bare hands against it. Below him he could see a sea  of  bright  yellow

wildflowers in a mountain meadow. The sky here was very blue. At  night  it

turned purple. During one storm, it had streaked yellow and green.  Obi-Wan

had never seen such deep, clear colors in the  atmosphere.  There  were  no

cities on Ragoon-6, no industry or transports  to  give  off  emissions  to

cloud the pure air.

He and his Master hadn't spoken much. Qui-Gon  was  in  a  reflective

mood. There were times  that  he  seemed...  not  tense,  Obi-Wan  thought,

searching for the right word, but distracted. Obi-Wan knew that Qui-Gon had

something on his mind, but he also knew that it was not time for his Master

to share it.

Obi-Wan was sixteen years old now,  and  his  relationship  with  his

Master was making a subtle shift. They were growing to  be  companions,  as

well as pupil and teacher. Obi-Wan knew he still had  much  to  learn  from

Qui-Gon, but he enjoyed this new feeling of maturity. For the first time he

could see the day when he would stand next to his Master  as  a  full  Jedi

Knight.

He heard the crunch of his Master's footsteps over the snow.  Qui-Gon

squatted down beside him. His eyes swept the landscape below. "Tahl  and  I

came here on a training mission like this one,  long  ago,"  he  said.  "We

always said we would come back together. We never did."

Tahl was a Jedi Knight who had gone through Temple training with Qui-

Gon. She was a renowned Knight now, and their friendship was deep and long.

She had been blinded a few years before, and Obi-Wan could always pick up a

strain of tenderness when Qui-Gon spoke of her.

Qui-Gon's blue eyes scanned the mountains and valley.  "We  are  here

now and gone in a moment of time," he said quietly. "You must  be  sure  of

what you want and believe, Obi-Wan.

Sometimes the way will be confused, but allow yourself  the  time  to

understand yourself. Take yourself out of your life if you must."

Obi-Wan nodded, but Qui-Gon's words seemed vague to him. Usually Qui-

Gon's advice was clear and direct. Even his gaze was faraway.

Then,  in  one  of  the  shifts  in  concentration  that  marked  his

character, Qui-Gon abruptly stood, his concentration clear now.  "Something

is tracking us," he said briskly.

"Something?"

"Animals. No doubt they are tracking us for food. The tracks indicate

that it is a pack of malia."

"Malia?"

"Fierce beasts that live in the high country. They are  not  large  -

they travel on all fours, and come up to your  knees,  but  they  are  very

dangerous. It is said that if you are close enough to hear  the  cry  of  a

malia, you are already dead."

Despite the bright sun, Obi-Wan shivered. "And they are tracking us?"

"It has been a hard winter here. It is better to  avoid  them.  Let's

go."

Qui-Gon slung his survival pack over his shoulder and began to  walk.

Obi-Wan hurried to gather his things and follow. They spent the  next  hour

hiking over sheer rock, which led them to forest trails. The trail left  by

the Jedi was difficult, but with eyes sharpened by the Force they were able

to pick up the minute differences in soil, leaves, and snow that  indicated

a presence had passed. They were able to move quickly. Obi-Wan  hoped  they

were putting kilometers between themselves and the malia pack.

Suddenly, Qui-Gon stopped ahead. Obi-Wan could see that the trail now

forked into two paths. The two Jedi studied the  area,  then  split  up  to

travel a short distance up each path, looking for clues. They did not  need

to confer; they had been through this process many times before.

Usually, either Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan found a clue as to which  path  to

take. This time, they returned to the fork without a clear  idea  of  which

way to go. A probe or tracking droid would  have  been  helpful,  but  this

exercise was designed to teach Obi-Wan how to survive without them.

"Rana has given us a challenge," Qui-Gon said. "We  have  to  pick  a

path and then travel back if it is the wrong one."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"If we have to double back, we'll lose the time we  gained,"  Qui-Gon

said. "We could run into the malia pack. Why don't you choose a trail?"

Obi-Wan stared at the two paths. Neither  gave  him  an  overwhelming

feeling. He chose the right, which rose steeply up a  rocky  hill.  Perhaps

Rana had wanted them to work a little harder.

They walked for  an  hour  without  picking  up  any  further  clues.

Finally, Qui-Gon stopped.

"I think we should head back,  Padawan.  We  should  have  seen  some

indication before this that this path was the correct one." Qui-Gon scanned

the sky. "It will be dark soon."

The going was tougher in the  gathering  dusk.  The  temperature  had

dropped, causing ice pockets to  form  in  the  rocky  trail.  They  headed

downhill, using all their concentration to avoid slipping.

As they drew near their starting point, Obi-Wan heard a  high-pitched

scream. He stopped abruptly.

"It's not human," he said. "At least, I don't think so."

"It's the cry of the malia," Qui-Gon said. "It sounded close."

Obi-Wan did not hear fear in his Master's voice - he never did -  but

Qui-Gon didn't sound too comfortable, either. "Do you fear  them?"  Obi-Wan

asked.

"Not exactly," Qui-Gon said. "I respect them. If we run across  them,

Padawan, remember that they are very fast. Very cunning.  When  they  hunt,

they have a highly developed sense of strategy."

They continued down the slope, now walking as silently  as  possible.

Obi-Wan did not disturb a rock or leaf.

"As soon as we find somewhere suitable, we should stop for the night,

" Qui-Gon said in a low tone. "The delay will not hurt us. And a fire  will

protect us."

Obi-Wan did not hear or see any movement around them. The surrounding

trees pressed close to the path here, with feathery blue-green leaves  that

did not stir. Yet he had the sense they were  being  stalked.  Despite  the

cold, he felt a trickle of sweat break loose from the hair at the  back  of

his neck.

The shadows of the leaves lengthened,  dimming  the  path  ahead.  He

could barely glimpse the fork where they had stopped. There was a  clearing

there where they could make camp.

Off to his right, he saw  a  flash  of  green,  a  fluorescent  color

strangely out of place in the natural hues of the forest. He was  about  to

point it out to Qui-Gon when his Master suddenly drew his lightsaber.

"Malia!" Qui-Gon warned.

A split second later Obi-Wan saw a blur of blue-gray fur as an animal

bounded out of the trees toward them. Now he knew the origin  of  that  odd

green flash. It was the eyes of the malia, gleaming with the fever  of  the

kill. The malia was perhaps knee-high to Qui-Gon, lean and  rangy.  Obi-Wan

was startled by the ugliness of the face, with its tapered snout and yellow

teeth sharpened into lethal points.

Obi-Wan's lightsaber was in his hand, and he jumped back  to  protect

Qui-Gon. At the same time, another creature darted from the  trees  on  the

opposite side. And then a third, and a fourth,  and  a  fifth.  They  moved

quickly, so fast they seemed to change shape. They circled, snapping  their

teeth at the Jedi's whirling light-sabers, but always staying out of reach.

Their movements seemed choreographed to tire their prey. They kept the Jedi

moving with the constant threat.

"They are playing with us," Qui-Gon said, turning to protect  himself

from a rear assault from two malia.

Obi-Wan gritted his teeth. "I can't wait for them to get serious."

"Careful, Padawan. Do not let them get close. If  a  malia  gets  its

teeth into your wrist, it can rip off your arm."

"That's reassuring," Obi-Wan muttered.

"If we keep them at bay, they might give up and look for easier prey,

" Qui-Gon said. He whirled and twisted in a fast combination,  driving  off

three malia that had joined forces to attack.

Obi-Wan saw another blur out of the corner of his eye, and turned  to

meet the threat. A malia had launched itself from the  branch  of  a  tree,

straight at Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan leaped forward, his  lightsaber  a  blue  glow

against the lowering sky.

He saw the malia bare its yellow teeth at him in a frustrated  snarl.

It twisted in midair to land nearby, safely away from Qui-Gon.

Another malia streaked toward the trees. Now they would  be  attacked

from above as well as the ground. Obi-Wan's foot slid on a patch of ice and

he went down on one hand. Qui-Gon leaped forward  to  cover  him,  but  not

before a malia sprang forward, alert for  any  weakness.  Obi-Wan  saw  the

malia's sharp teeth reach for his outstretched hand. He  flipped  over  and

risked a quick kick to the animal's flank. He summoned the Force behind it,

and the surprised animal flew back across the path, snarling and spitting.

Obi-Wan quickly regained his feet. He  was  breathing  hard.  He  had

never encountered such quickness  in  an  animal  before.  The  malia  were

relentless. The sound of their cries was bloodcurdling.

A malia suddenly dropped from a tree branch, leaping toward  Qui-Gon,

while two others attacked from the rear. Qui-Gon  whirled,  his  lightsaber

unstoppable. In a moment, the leaping malia was dead on  the  forest  floor

and the other two reversed their course. Qui-Gon caught one as it turned to

attack again. It fell in a heap of fur.

The other malia stayed a few meters away, snarling at  Qui-Gon.  Obi-

Wan saw its muscles bunch in preparation for a  leap.  Suddenly,  its  eyes

rolled back and it fell dead.

Obi-Wan glanced at Qui-Gon. He  saw  that  his  Master  was  just  as

mystified as he was. As if they had silently  communicated  a  signal,  the

rest of the malia suddenly streaked toward the cover of the woods.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyes roaming the surroundings  to

make sure the malia were truly gone.

"We'll know in a moment."

Suddenly the leaves parted and a group of beings appeared. They  were

short, with leathery brown skin  and  powerful  chests.  Their  faces  were

covered in thick hair, their ears long and pointed. They held weapons  Obi-

Wan had never seen before, long  tubes  made  out  of  polished  stone.  He

guessed that they were a form of blowpipe.

"Don't move," Qui-Gon told Obi-Wan calmly. One of the beings  stepped

forward and spoke in Basic.

"You will have a more pleasant death at our hands than the malia," he

said. "Our poisons are quick." He made a signal and gestured to the others.

The tribe put their blow tubes to their lips.

"You are welcome to the malia," Qui-Gon said. There was  no  hint  of

hurry or distress in his tone. "We are only visitors to your world, on  the

way to our transport. We thank you for saving our lives."

The leader held up a hand. The blow tubes were not dropped,  but  the

tribe watched the Jedi warily.

"You do not want the malia meat?" the leader asked.

"We have our own supplies, food from our own  world,"  Qui-Gon  said.

"We are not here to hunt"

The leader studied them a moment. "Then pass on."

Obi-Wan was only too glad to do so. He did not want to turn his  back

on the tribe, but he noted how easily  Qui-Gon  did  so.  He  followed  his

Master's lead. Together they skirted the three dead malia and  headed  down

the other path.

"That was lucky," Obi-Wan breathed when they were out of earshot.

"This is beautiful country, but a hard one," Qui-Gon  said.  "I  know

the tribes use the malia for the food and skins they provide. They are hard

to kill, and very valuable. That was their main concern. Most beings in the

galaxy do not kill without purpose. If you can discover what  that  purpose

is, you can forestall a battle."

"And those who kill but have no reason?"

"They are the ones to worry  about.  Now,  Padawan,  we  should  -  "

Suddenly, Qui-Gon stopped short. He closed his eyes.

Obi-Wan waited. Something had disturbed his Master. He could  see  it

as well as feel it. Qui-Gon seemed to weave for a moment, as if  rocked  by

something deep inside.

When  he  opened  his  eyes,  Obi-Wan  could  not  read  his  clouded

expression, but he could sense Qui-Gon was troubled.

"What did you see?" he asked.

Qui-Gon's lips  pressed  together.  "It  is  dangerous  to  interpret

visions," he said curtly. "We must return to Coruscant immediately."

CHAPTER 2

Immediately took too long to suit Qui-Gon. It had taken them  another

three days to get to the transport. Time and again  Qui-Gon  had  meditated

for patience, but he could not find it. He knew he was pushing Obi-Wan, but

it was not to teach his Padawan  endurance.  It  was  because  of  his  own

anxiety.

The vision had come without warning. One moment he  was  hiking  down

the trail, and the next Tahl had appeared before him. She had been in great

distress.

On this trip Tahl had been so often in his  thoughts.  Was  this  the

reason? Did Tahl need him? Or did his own thoughts summon the vision?

The pilot pushed the transport to its fastest speed. It  was  another

seven-hour journey to Coruscant. Each minute seemed to  tick  by  in  crisp

eternities.

Obi-Wan was silent during the journey. They had  come  to  understand

each other over the years. Obi-Wan knew when Qui-Gon needed silence.

Qui-Gon didn't know why the disturbing vision of Tahl  had  appeared.

He only knew that he had to get back to the Temple and make  sure  she  was

safe.

At last they entered the atmosphere of Coruscant. The tall spires  of

the multilevel city came into  view.  Qui-Gon  swung  the  craft  into  the

fastest lane, cutting off  a  larger  transport.  Obi-Wan  looked  at  him,

startled, but Qui-Gon merely pushed the engines to go faster.

He landed the craft and activated the ramp.

He stood, but for the first time in four  days  he  hesitated  before

moving.

"I'm sorry for my haste, Obi-Wan.  I'll  explain  one  day."  When  I

understand this myself.

He didn't give his Padawan a chance to reply, but turned and  hurried

down the ramp. He would leave Obi-Wan the chore of arrival procedures.

He strode through the door and stopped at  the  security  checkpoint,

where Jedi Knight Cal-i-Vaun was stationed.

"I need to find Jedi Knight Tahl," Qui-Gon said.

Cal-i-Vaun quickly touched the screen in front of him. "She is not in

her quarters. One moment." He touched another point on the screen. "She  is

not answering her comlink."

"Thank you." Even the simple courtesy cost him an effort to remember.

"Is she here at the Temple?" he barked.

"Yes, I show no record of departure."

Qui-Gon's fingers drummed on the desk. He did not have  the  patience

to search the Temple. There were only a few places Tahl could be where  she

would turn off her comlink. She was either meditating or  swimming  in  the

lake or...

Or in the Jedi Council Room.

Qui-Gon hurried to the turbolift and took it straight to the  Council

Room. The doors were closed. The Council was in session.  Qui-Gon  broke  a

revered Temple rule and accessed the doors without requesting entrance.  He

strode in.

Tahl stood in the middle of the circle. She turned at  the  sound  of

the opening door. Even without her sight she knew his presence immediately.

Qui-Gon was so glad to see her he did not mind her frown.

Yoda blinked at him impassively, but Mace Windu's eyebrows lowered.

"To what do we owe this... intrusion, Qui-Gon?" Mace Windu asked.

"I apologize to all the Jedi Masters," Qui-Gon said, bowing. "I  knew

Tahl was here, and I felt I had to be present."

To his surprise, Mace Windu nodded, as though  Qui-Gon's  reason  was

logical.

"We will allow you to remain, seeing that you have  a  connection  to

this mission," he said. "We would have requested your presence had we known

you had returned."

Qui-Gon hid his surprise. Tahl clasped her hands in front of her  for

a moment. Beneath the folds of her long  robe,  he  saw  her  long  fingers

clench and unclench. She was not happy he had interfered, that was clear.

Her voice was calm when  she  spoke,  however.  "I  will  resume  the

briefing," she said, angling her body slightly  so  that  Qui-Gon  was  now

slightly behind her. It effectively demonstrated to the Masters her  desire

to remain the focus of the  meeting.  "I  received  a  distress  call  this

morning from the twin sisters Alani and Eritha from the planet New Apsolon.

"

Now Qui-Gon understood Mace Windu's reaction to his  presence.  Years

ago, Tahl and Qui-Gon had been sent on a mission to Apsolon. They had  been

sent as Jedi observers to ensure a peaceful transition of government.

"Let me review my last mission there," Tahl said.  "Apsolon  used  to

have a totalitarian government ruling over a civilization split  between  a

prosperous minority called the Civilized and a majority called the Workers.

The Workers lived in a separate sector of the city in poor housing and  had

to pass through checkpoints at an  energy  wall  to  travel  to  work.  The

Civilized kept control through a feared and hated secret police, called the

Absolutes. As no doubt members of the  Council  are  aware,  Apsolon  is  a

center of the high-tech industry. The Workers tried to  achieve  what  they

called a 'bloodless revolution' through a campaign of industrial  sabotage.

The civil war was conducted with some violence, but nowhere near as bad  as

we have seen on other worlds. Mostly the violence came from  the  Absolutes

as they tried to stop the sabotage and demonstrations. But the Workers were

not stopped. The economic pressures forced the government to call for  free

elections and give each Worker a vote. As a result, a  Worker  leader  who

had been a hero to the people, Ewane, was elected. Apsolon was renamed  New

Apsolon to symbolize this new direction."

Qui-Gon remembered Ewane well, as well as his  two  daughters.  Ewane

had been imprisoned for many years. The girls' mother had  died  when  they

were young, so they had been  raised  by  his  supporters.  They  had  been

pretty, quiet girls who had looked at Tahl  with  awe  and  brought  out  a

tenderness in Tahl he had rarely seen.

"Ewane ruled for five years as Supreme Governor and  was  reelected,"

Tahl went on. "Shortly after this, he was murdered."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes in a moment  of  remembrance.  Tall,  elegant

Ewane had been frail from his years of captivity, but  his  inner  strength

had given him an aura of nobility. His sense of  loyalty  and  purpose  had

made him an ideal leader. He had been committed to  bringing  justice,  not

punishment, to his former enemies. How sad that  he  hadn't  been  given  a

chance to fulfill his great promise.

"His successor is his close associate, Roan, who was one of  the  few

Civilized who called early on for social change. Roan was admired  by  most

of the population at one time, but now many among the  Workers  believe  he

backed Ewane's killers and took the  office  in  a  coup.  The  planet  has

plunged into instability once again. Ewane's daughters, Alani  and  Eritha,

are now sixteen. They are in hiding and fear for  their  lives.  They  have

appealed to me for help. They want safe passage to Coruscant. I must go  to

New Apsolon and escort them."

"A worthy mission," Mace Windu said. "Of course  the  girls  must  be

rescued."

"Sad it is that the planet is plunged into  chaos  once  more,"  Yoda

said. "Ask for our help the government itself does not, however.  Therefore

unofficial, your mission is."

"I owe the girls my loyalty," Tahl said. "I must go."

Qui-Gon was not surprised at Tahl's determination. She had  formed  a

close bond with the young twins. They had  been  the  cause  of  a  serious

disagreement between the two Jedi. Once the elections were held  and  Ewane

had been elected, Qui-Gon had been ready to leave the planet. Tahl had been

concerned about Ewane and his family's safety, and felt the new  government

was too fragile and new to trust. There were still powerful factions  among

the rich minority that wanted it  to  fail,  and  she  suspected  that  the

Absolutes had not disbanded, as had been promised, but were  still  working

in an underground capacity. Qui-Gon had agreed that some of this  might  be

true, but it was not the Jedi's job to remain as an occupation force.

They had argued over whether to remain or go. Privately  Qui-Gon  had

felt that Tahl's  connection  to  Eritha  and  Alani  was  influencing  her

feeling. The motherless girls had come to depend on her. But  in  the  end,

Qui-Gon prevailed, and they left the planet.

Was this the source of Tahl's coolness to him now? He could  feel  it

like a presence in the room. Did she remember their quarrel? Did  she  feel

justified now? The girls were in danger. Perhaps if the Jedi  had  remained

to clear out the  last  nest  of  Absolutes,  Ewane  would  not  have  been

murdered.

Perhaps. There was no way to know. And lately there had been  tension

between Tahl and Qui-Gon that did not have to do with missions.  It  was  a

tension he did not completely understand. Tahl had taken the  Jedi  student

named Bant as her Padawan, but had not entirely accepted her as a  partner,

often leaving to go on missions alone. She knew that Qui-Gon disapproved of

this. He knew how capable she was and was astonished at how she compensated

for her blindness. Still he feared that a situation could  arise  in  which

she would overestimate her abilities. Her need  to  go  on  missions  alone

distressed him.

No matter how he chided himself, he could not stop feeling protective

toward Tahl. It was not because of her blindness. It  was  because  of  her

need to prove her blindness did not matter.

"We will arrange for a transport and pilot to be ready,"  Mace  Windu

told Tahl. "We request that you keep in touch with us frequently, since you

are going alone."

"I am willing to go with Tahl on this mission," Qui-Gon said quickly.

"Since I, too, know the situation well, I can be of help."

"There is no need for Qui-Gon to accompany me," Tahl said. "I have  a

contact on New Apsolon. I should be able to collect the girls and return in

a matter of days."

Qui-Gon nodded in Tahl's direction. "Respectfully, I must  point  out

that the Jedi made enemies on Apsolon. There were some on  both  sides  who

did not welcome us. The Civilized blamed us for the election of  a  Worker.

The Workers blamed us for supporting neutral trials for war criminals. Tahl

could be in danger."

"I do not think that this warrants another Jedi  presence  -  "  Tahl

began, but Yoda interrupted her.

"Made his point, Qui-Gon has," he said. "A good one, it is. Yet  wish

you do not a companion on this journey, and true it is that it  will  be  a

short one. Suggest I do that you conceal your identity upon your arrival."

Tahl looked relieved. "I can do that."

Qui-Gon opened his mouth to speak,  but  Yoda  gave  him  a  piercing

glance.

"Settled it is, then," Yoda said.

Qui-Gon could do nothing more than follow  Tahl  from  the  room.  He

could not share his disturbing vision with the Council. He would not  share

it with Tahl. Jedi did not feel  that  visions  should  necessarily  govern

behavior. They were easily misinterpreted and were  sometimes  grounded  in

inner fears that one did not fully understand. It would be of  no  use  for

Qui-Gon to explain his anxiety.

As soon as they exited the chamber, Tahl turned to him. "I don't know

why you insisted on interfering like that, Qui-Gon" she said. "But I do not

like it."

"I was on the original mission," Qui-Gon replied. "I thought I  could

be of help."

She turned to him. Her unusual striped green-gold eyes were  just  as

piercing as they'd ever been. One arched eyebrow lifted.

"Tell me. Did you know that New  Apsolon  was  the  subject  of  that

meeting when you arrived?"

Qui-Gon could not lie to Tahl. "No. I did not."

Her face tightened. "Then it is as I thought. You will not  allow  me

to act as a full Jedi Knight. Because I  am  blind,  you  think  I  need  a

caretaker."

"No - "

In a rare show of anger, she  stamped  her  foot.  Her  caramel  skin

flushed with pink. "Then what? Why do you keep insisting on interfering?"

"Friendship."

One corner of her full mouth lifted. "Then in the name of friendship,

dear Qui-Gon, leave me be."

She turned abruptly toward the turbolift. He felt the  drift  of  her

soft robe against his hand as she moved, and then she was gone.

CHAPTER 3

Matters that took place in the Jedi Council were private, but it  was

not difficult for Obi-Wan to discover what  had  happened  in  the  Council

Room. Tahl had briefed Bant, her Padawan, and a disturbed Bant had confided

in Obi-Wan. He heard that Qui-Gon had barged in without an  invitation  and

had asked to accompany Tahl on her mission. He knew that  the  Council  and

Tahl had refused.

Bant was upset that once again Tahl had left her  behind.  True,  the

mission was a short one, but Bant struggled not to feel that Tahl  did  not

trust her fully.

"I must learn to accept the way she is and  believe  that  she  knows

best," Bant told Obi-Wan as they walked around the lake early one  morning.

The illumination banks overhead simulated a soft dawn. "But it's so hard. I

thought that at last we were beginning to become full partners. She  seemed

to rely on me more. She went on fewer missions alone. I  think  Yoda  might

have spoken to her about leaving me behind. Yet now I  find  that  she  has

gone off with only a few words to me."

If Qui-Gon had done the same, Obi-Wan knew he would be  as  upset  as

Bant. Perhaps more so. He had been with Qui-Gon longer than Bant  had  been

with Tahl. They had had opportunities to work  out  the  various  bumps  in

their relationship. Bant had a rockier time. Tahl was  kind  and  humorous,

but she kept a part of herself aloof.

"It took years for Qui-Gon and me to develop our closeness,"  Obi-Wan

tried to reassure her. "The only thing I can advise is  patience.  Just  as

you once advised me."

"I don't get the chance to be close to Tahl,"  Bant  said.  "I'm  too

busy sitting here at the Temple without her."

Obi-Wan understood a bit of her distress. For the  first  time  in  a

long while, he did not know what his Master was thinking.

In the days since Tahl had left, Qui-Gon's restlessness had deepened.

Obi-Wan could see it. His  Master  had  already  decided  to  follow  their

tracking and survival exercise with physical training at the  Temple.  Qui-

Gon threw himself into this without a  break.  He  studied  with  the  Jedi

Masters, perfecting his battle skills, his endurance, his strength. Obi-Wan

would often have to remind him to eat  his  evening  meal.  Qui-Gon  looked

tired and depleted.

"There is  distance  between  me  and  Qui-Gon  right  now,"  Obi-Wan

confided. "I don't understand it, but I know I will in  time.  Qui-Gon  has

told me that each of us is still an individual. We will  have  worries  and

concerns that are unique to us. We cannot expect to always understand  each

other. The commitment is what is important."

"But is that commitment important to Tahl?" Bant  asked.  Her  silver

eyes searched his.

"I think it is," Obi-Wan answered. "She is a Jedi."

"The mission was supposed to take two or three  days  at  the  most,"

Bant said worriedly. "It has been almost two weeks now."

Obi-Wan put his hand on Bant's shoulder. His  words  could  not  help

her. He only hoped his presence could.

Qui-Gon tried to lose himself in training. If he worked his body hard

enough, he could push worry aside for short periods. But the weeks  passed,

and the nagging feeling that Tahl needed him still preyed on his mind.  She

had not checked in with the Council. This was not unusual. Events  happened

that could prevent contact on any mission. Yoda had told him  with  unusual

sternness that the Council was not worried.

He was the only one who worried. But did that mean he was wrong?

All he could see were  her  eyes.  Usually  they  blazed  like  green

crystals with traces of gold. Now they were black  and  dull,  filmed  with

suffering.

When she saw him, they sparked to life. "It is too late for me,  dear

friend," she said.

Qui-Gon woke with a start. He put his hand on his  heart.  The  grief

that filled him was because of the dream. It was  not  real.  He  told  his

beating heart to slow down.

This grief was temporary. It was  already  fading  as  his  heartbeat

slowed. But the vision - the vision was real.

He swung his legs over the edge of the sleep-couch. Enough,  he  told

himself. Enough of trying to convince himself  the  vision  had  been  more

about his anxiety about Tahl than anything real. Enough of  respecting  her

request to leave her be.

Enough.

*     *     *

He waited until after the meditation period, when the Council members

gathered for a short meeting. Then he headed toward the Council chamber.

He ran into Obi-Wan, who was on his way  to  the  morning  meal.  His

Padawan knew immediately that he had  a  purpose.  Obi-Wan  looked  at  him

questioningly.

"I'm on my way to the Council Room," Qui-Gon said.

"Tahl?"

He nodded.

"I'll come with you."

He was about to argue, but he saw  the  resolute  look  in  Obi-Wan's

eyes. He kept on walking, and Obi-Wan swung into step beside him.

This time, Qui-Gon took the time to request permission to  enter.  He

needed the Council on his side. It was granted.

He strode into the room, suddenly glad to have Obi-Wan with him.

"I wish to inform the  Council  that  I  am  following  Tahl  to  New

Apsolon," he said without preliminaries.

"What is the reason for this action?" Mace Windu  asked.  He  knitted

his long fingers together and frowned at Qui-Gon.

"Tahl promised to keep in contact with the Council. She has  not.  It

has been nearly three weeks since she left. She said she would be  back  in

under a week."

"Jedi Knights are not required to conform to a schedule," Mace  Windu

said. "And missions reveal their own time frame. The  Council  members  are

not concerned."

"But I am," Qui-Gon stated firmly. "Complete this mission alone, Tahl

wanted," Yoda said. "Best it is for her, we think."

"I have tried to honor her wishes," Qui-Gon said. "I feel that  there

is danger there. I have seen it."

"A vision?" Yoda asked. "Know you do that visions can lead us  astray

as well as guide us."

"This one must guide me," Qui-Gon said.

"You know that secrecy is crucial  to  Tahl's  mission,"  Mace  Windu

said. "She could have already started her journey. She could have the twins

with her. We will wait for her next communication."

"I will not," Qui-Gon said.

Yoda exchanged a glance with Mace  Windu.  It  was  clear  they  were

surprised and displeased.

"Noted we have your concern for Tahl over the  years  since  she  was

blinded," Yoda said. "Natural, it is. But good for her, it is not. Find her

own way, she must."

"I am going," Qui-Gon insisted.

"Qui-Gon," Mace Windu warned, "you are not listening to our  counsel.

It is clear that you made a decision and will not be swayed. It is not like

you to close your mind, nor is it like a Jedi."

Qui-Gon said nothing. He would not argue  with  Mace  Windu.  But  he

would not abandon his plan.

"You must open your mind to  other  opinions.  We  sit  here  on  the

Council because our vision is a wider one than that of any individual Jedi.

"

Qui-Gon stirred impatiently. "I am wasting time," he said.

Obi-Wan looked at him, startled. Qui-Gon knew he had been  rude,  but

he was on fire to leave the Temple. No matter what the Council said, he was

going.

Mace Windu looked thunderous. "Counsel with us is wasting your time?"

He pointed his finger at Qui-Gon. "Know this, Qui-Gon Jinn. If you leave to

find Tahl, you do it against our wishes and direction."

It was the strongest condemnation Mace Windu  could  give,  short  of

forbidding it. Qui-Gon nodded curtly.  He  turned  and  left  the  chamber,

feeling Obi-Wan at his heels.

He did not stop but stepped immediately on the turbolift. Obi-Wan had

to jump to accompany him.

"I have never seen you act so impolite," Obi-Wan said,  running  both

hands through his hair. "You defied Mace Windu!"

The turbolift opened. Qui-Gon strode out.

"Qui-Gon, wait. Can't you talk to me?"

He stopped and turned. His Padawan's face was full of worry. He could

see how torn he was. Obi-Wan did not understand how a  vision  could  touch

you so deeply that it was as though the real world  dropped  away  and  you

were living in another reality. Qui-Gon had to get to Tahl. He had  to  see

her, grasp her hands, look into her face. He had to know she was alive.

"You are going to New Apsolon today?" Obi-Wan asked.

"As soon as I can arrange transport."

"Then I will get my  survival  pack  and  meet  you  at  the  landing

platform."

Qui-Gon took a breath to compose himself. "No, Padawan," he  said  as

gently as he could. "You must remain behind. I cannot ask you to  defy  the

Council on my behalf."

"You are not asking me," Obi-Wan said. "There are reasons to stay.  I

will not be gone long."

"That is what Tahl said."

Qui-Gon sighed. "Unlike Tahl, I will remain in touch with you. I will

call for you if I need you." He held Obi-Wan's gaze. "You know that I will.

"

Obi-Wan's gaze did not falter. Qui-Gon could see that his Padawan did

not understand. Yet he would not back down.

"My place is by your side," Obi-Wan said. Qui-Gon took a deep breath.

"Then let us depart."

CHAPTER 4

Before landing on New Apsolon, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan changed from their

Jedi tunics into the common street wear of travelers, hooded short robes of

dark cloth with leather  trousers  tucked  into  boots.  Qui-Gon  would  be

careful to wear his hood while on the planet. He did not think  many  would

remember him, but he would take no chances.

They set down their craft at a landing pad on the  outskirts  of  the

capital city, also called New Apsolon. The city was a large one, spread out

over many kilometers. The rest of the  small  planet  was  devoted  to  its

second-largest industry, harvesting the gray stone that was used in most of

the buildings. There were a few small cities and villages, but the majority

of the population lived in the teeming capital city.

They paid the owner to hold the transport, then took a  turbolift  to

the surface of the planet.

They arrived in the Worker Sector of the city. The buildings were  no

taller than six stories, many built cheaply of durasteel. Others were built

of native  gray  stone  with  small  windows  and  rounded  roofs.  Qui-Gon

recognized the style as one  for  those  which  sometimes  lacked  heat  in

winter. Ahead they could see the tall elegant buildings  of  the  Civilized

Sector. Although the Worker Sector was cleaner and better  maintained  than

Qui-Gon remembered, its poverty was in marked contrast to the gleaming city

they could glimpse ahead.

New  Apsolon  did  not  show  many  of  the  effects  of  the   civil

disturbances that had rocked the government six years before.  Qui-Gon  had

visited worlds that had destroyed their cities through years  of  conflict.

He had seen evidence of ruin - buildings that  had  been  transformed  into

rubble, formerly blooming squares now mere patches  of  dirt.  New  Apsolon

showed none of this destruction. The Civilized Sector  still  gleamed.  The

city had always been a tech center, and the buildings were tall, impressive

structures. Any evidence of street fighting had long since been removed.

One thing Qui-Gon did not  remember  from  his  last  visit  was  the

presence of slender glass columns about his own height,  lit  from  within.

The columns appeared on street corners or in public squares. Sometimes they

were arranged in groups; occasionally they stood alone. Some  were  glowing

white, some ice-blue.

"What do you think they are?" Obi-Wan asked. "They don't seem to have

any function,"

Qui-Gon recognized a street crossing. "This is where the energy  wall

to the Civilized Sector used to be." The largest cluster they'd seen yet of

the glowing columns stood ahead in a small plaza. "Let's take a closer look

at those columns."

The columns were arranged only a  few  centimeters  apart.  Together,

they formed a tight glowing cube. Near the front of the cube Qui-Gon saw  a

polished black slab with words chiseled in its smooth surface.

HERE WE COMMEMORATE  OUR  FELLOW  CITIZENS,  WORKERS  ALL,  FORTY  IN

NUMBER, WHO WERE SLAIN BY THE ABSOLUTE FORCES WHILE  ATTEMPTING  TO  BREACH

THE ENERGY WALL.

Obi-Wan counted the columns. "There are forty columns. One  for  each

Worker. These are memorials."

"Every spot where a Worker died is commemorated," Qui-Gon guessed.

The two Jedi gazed at the glowing columns. Now they seemed to take on

the presence of living beings. Qui-Gon could  imagine  the  forty  Workers,

striding toward the  energy  wall.  Perhaps  their  arms  had  been  linked

together.

"I remember on our mission to Melida/Daan how shocked I  was  at  the

devastation in the city," Obi-Wan said. "Every ruin held so  much  sadness.

You could see the lives lost and disrupted. This feels  just  as  terrible,

somehow. The city has not been touched, yet so many beings  are  gone.  And

life continues to go on around them." Obi-Wan touched  the  glass.  "It  is

good to see what has been lost."

"Yes, I feel  that,  too."  Qui-Gon  also  felt  moved  by  the  mute

testimony of the standing columns.

They walked on, past the site of the old energy wall. The  checkpoint

was still standing, a security booth covered in  armor.  Across  the  front

someone had scrawled ROAN KILLS.

As they walked into the Civilized Sector, they saw more  evidence  of

the same graffiti. ROAN MUST GO read some. EWANE LIVES ROAN MUST  DIE  read

others.

Workers in coveralls were busy trying to scrub the graffiti  off  the

polished stone.

"There is unrest here below the surface," Qui-Gon said.

"I sense it," Obi-Wan agreed. "The  people  are  not  easy  in  their

minds."

The streets became more crowded, the difference between the Civilized

and the Workers perfectly clear. The Civilized had  all  the  trappings  of

wealth - fine clothes and gleaming airspeeders. Since it was the middle  of

the day, the rich were on the streets, talking in small groups or lingering

in the opulent cafes that lined  the  broad  boulevard.  The  Workers  were

dressed in plain tunics and trousers and seemed to be hurrying  to  fulfill

duties, not strolling and enjoying the day.

"We must report for a security check," Qui-Gon said. "It is  required

of all visitors. Just a formality, but perhaps we can learn something."

The government buildings were clustered in  one  grand  neighborhood,

all built around a series of interlocking large squares filled with flowers

and benches. Unlike the gleaming tall structures around them, the buildings

were not very tall and were built  with  more  ornamentation,  columns  and

ledges and sweeping grand staircases leading up to gleaming metal doors.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were welcomed cordially at the front desk of  the

Administration Services Building, then led  to  the  office  of  the  Chief

Security Controller. He was a short, balding man with a powerful chest  and

shoulders. He stood and nodded.

"I am Balog, your official greeter. Welcome to New Apsolon. We  thank

you for obeying our check-in procedures promptly. May I ask the purpose  of

your visit?"

"We have heard of the pleasures of New Apsolon,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "We

are here as tourists."

Balog nodded. "Tourism has not been forbidden... yet. But I must warn

you that the government is close to issuing an official warning to all  who

plan to travel  here.  New  Apsolon  is  now  a  dangerous  place  for  any

foreigners. Our leader is under siege, and there is  unrest  here.  Tempers

are high. The society is volatile. I cannot guarantee your safety."

"We are not looking for guarantees," Qui-Gon said. "We do not plan to

stay long, and we will be careful."

Balog nodded. "Then enjoy your stay."

Qui-Gon started toward the door, then  pretended  to  hesitate.  "You

mention that your leader is under siege. We  have  heard  that  the  former

leader was assassinated. Do you feel that Roan is in danger as well?"

"There are some who believe that he placed the order for the death of

Ewane," Balog said. "Of course this is false. Yet that is where the  danger

lies. These people want revenge. We have it  under  control.  Ewane  was  a

great man, but Roan is as well. He is a Civilized with  great  wealth,  yet

even before the bloodless revolution he defied  members  of  his  party  to

champion the Workers. I am an example of that. Roan was the one to raise me

to this position. He has done the same for others. Roan has  support  among

the Workers. Those who  suspect  him  of  murder  are  a  small  but  vocal

minority."

"Ewane's daughters are in hiding, are they not?"

Balog looked surprised. "Not at all. They were taken in by Roan after

their father's death. They are living in the official residence, two blocks

away."

CHAPTER 5

Obi-Wan looked at his Master as they left the security  building.  He

could see that Qui-Gon was worried. If the twins were safe,  why  did  they

summon Tahl?

"Do you think the twins don't want anyone on  Apsolon  to  know  that

they are afraid?"

"Most likely," Qui-Gon said. "Still, it is odd that they  lied  about

being in hiding. I think it's time we saw them."

They asked a passerby for  directions.  Everyone  knew  where  Roan's

residence was. It was a gracious building built of  the  same  mellow  gray

stone, not far away. Qui-Gon threw back his hood as he entered. He knew  he

would have to give his true identity in order to  be  allowed  to  see  the

twins.

At the security checkpoint, the screen flashed blue and a voice asked

for his name. Qui-Gon gave it, explaining that he was friend of Eritha  and

Alani.

"Step forward for a retinal scan."

Qui-Gon, then Obi-Wan, did so. Qui-Gon didn't object. He was glad  to

see that the security was tight.

At last the door opened and the two were  ushered  into  the  private

quarters of the residence. There, two young  women  waited  in  a  brightly

furnished room with a  cheerful  fire.  They  were  identical,  with  long,

braided blond hair and narrow faces enlivened by  bright  dark  eyes.  They

both broke into dazzling smiles when they saw Qui-Gon.

"Qui-Gon!" they cried together, and hurried toward him.

Qui-Gon bowed. "I was not sure you would remember me."

"Of course we do." Qui-Gon was not sure which  one  had  spoken.  Six

years ago, Alani had been slightly taller than Eritha, but  now  they  were

the same size.

As if recognizing his  difficulty,  the  other  girl  smiled.  "I  am

Eritha. This is my sister Alani."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you apart," Qui-Gon said.

"It's hard, but in time people can," Eritha replied.

"Some people," Alani amended. "Why are you here on New Apsolon? Is it

a Jedi mission?"

"Not exactly. Let me present to you my Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Any friend of yours is one of ours,"  Alani  said.  "We  will  never

forget your kindness to us six years ago."

"How is Tahl?" Eritha asked eagerly. "We were  hoping  she  was  with

you."

"Tahl is on New Apsolon, but I'm afraid I'm not in contact  with  her

yet," Qui-Gon said. "Did you send for her?"

The twins exchanged surprised glances. "No," Alani said.  "Why  would

we do that?"

"You do not feel in danger?"  Qui-Gon  asked.  "Since  your  father's

murder, you might feel that New Apsolon is not safe for you."

"We are safe here with Roan," Eritha said. "He was our father's  best

friend. He will protect us. We have everything we need here and don't  need

to go out if we don't wish to. We have private gardens in the back  of  the

residence."

"I see that you are troubled, Qui-Gon," Alani said. "Of course Eritha

and I are aware that there are those on New Apsolon who  believe  Roan  had

our father assassinated. We do not believe such a thing."

"Roan has been like a father to us," Eritha said. "After our father's

death, we saw his grief.

It was real. He would not allow us to leave this residence.  He  said

he would be our father now." "We are a family," Alani said firmly.

Qui-Gon nodded. He would not challenge the  girls'  beliefs.  But  he

would not take them as truth, either. He had known the girls at the age  of

ten, bewildered by their world's conflicts and longing for their father  as

he spent  long  years  imprisoned.  They  had  been  protected  by  Ewane's

followers, who had proven their devotion to their leader by sheltering  his

daughters. Perhaps they still were unable to cope with the complexities  of

a world where sabotage and treachery were  practiced.  The  cozy  room  and

private compound told him that they were still sheltered.

"So you haven't heard that Tahl is on New Apsolon?" Qui-Gon asked.

The girls shook their heads.

"If she is, I wish she would come and see us," Alani added.

Qui-Gon nodded. A feeling of dread loomed inside him.  If  the  girls

had not called Tahl, who had? And where was she?

CHAPTER 6

With no leads, Qui-Gon decided that until they thought of a  plan  of

action,  observation  was  their  best  strategy.  They  walked  past   the

government buildings, noting the high security. Everyone seemed  to  be  on

alert.

Obi-Wan read the inscription on a windowless building nearby.  Unlike

its graceful neighbors, this one was  squat  and  long.  "It's  the  former

headquarters of the Absolutes," he said to Qui-Gon. "It's now a museum."

"Let's go in," Qui-Gon suggested. "It could  be  that  the  Absolutes

still have power here. Groups such as that find it  hard  to  disband.  The

more we learn about them the better off we are."

They  paid  a  small  fee  to  enter.  They  found  themselves  in  a

surprisingly tiny hall with a low ceiling. Carved into  the  stone  archway

above an entranceway to the rest of the building they read ABSOLUTE JUSTICE

CALLS FOR ABSOLUTE LOYALTY

A petite, wiry woman approached them, dressed in  a  navy  tunic  and

trousers. Her jet-black hair was cropped short, and Obi-Wan noted that  her

right hand was twisted, the knuckles of the fingers large and knotted.

"Welcome. I am Irini, your tour guide. All the guides to  the  museum

are former prisoners of the Absolutes. Let's begin the tour."

They followed her underneath the archway and down  a  long  corridor,

where  she  accessed  a  thick  durasteel  door.  Immediately  they   found

themselves in a cell block. They walked past  the  deserted  security  desk

through the row of cells.

"Here  is   where   prisoners   were   detained   before   undergoing

'reclassification,'  which  was  the  Absolute  term  for  torture,"  Irini

explained. Her voice was calm and dispassionate. "Often prisoners were kept

waiting without food or  water  for  long  periods,  to  break  down  their

resistance. They were not allowed counsel or contact with  their  families.

If you are visitors to our world, you may have noticed the many  memorials,

especially in the Worker Sector. The white columns stand for those who gave

their lives on the spot. The blue columns memorialize those who were  taken

by the Absolutes and arrested. There is a column on Teligi Road for me."

Irini stopped before the last cell. "I was held here for three  days,

then moved to the reclassification area. I was a prisoner for  a  total  of

six months."

"Why were you arrested?" Obi-Wan asked. Since Irini was a tour guide,

he assumed it would be all right to ask such a question.

"In addition to my job in the tech sector, I ran a Worker newspaper,"

Irini said. "We wrote about change through peaceful  protest.  Our  venture

was not illegal, but the Absolutes accused us of advocating  violence.  The

charges were false. They were  afraid  of  our  influence  with  the  other

Workers. Technically the Workers were allowed freedom of expression, but in

actuality the Absolutes tried to control what we could say or do."

"Could you vote?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.

"Again, technically yes. But the Civilized Authority - which is  what

our United Legislature used to be called - placed the oldest voting systems

in the Worker Sector. Often the systems broke down, or  Workers  could  not

register. Votes were not counted. Demands for recounts were  refused.  Soon

we saw that to effect change, we had to take more dramatic means."

"Sabotage," Qui-Gon said.

She nodded. "Yes,  that  was  the  principal  strategy.  When  I  was

released from this place, I joined this movement. We were high-tech workers

sending goods out to the galaxy. If the goods were defective, profits would

fall. The Civilized were worried about profits above all.  Eventually  they

saw that they had no choice but to negotiate with us. It was a  long,  hard

struggle. Let me show you how hard. Come this way to the torture rooms."

Irini led them through room after  room,  each  one  designed  for  a

different kind of detainment or torture. Some rooms were bleakly  empty  of

equipment, yet the thick walls and doors spoke  more  eloquently  than  any

device of what had been done there. One room held a single object, a coffin

like device made of durasteel and plastoid materials. There  was  a  narrow

slit at the top.

"This is  a  sensory  deprivation  containment  device,"  Irini  said

quietly. "All of them were destroyed except for this one, which we keep  as

a reminder of what went on here. Some were kept in the device so long  that

they went mad. Others were given paralyzing drugs and died inside it."

She led them into another chamber with screens along one wall. Behind

them a projector lens protruded from the back wall. "But this  is  what  we

feared the most. Here we were  forced  to  watch  the  torture  of  others.

Sometimes it was people we knew, friends, family. The Absolutes used  probe

droids largely to monitor the Workers. They kept the  vital  statistics  of

all of us on file for easy tracking. They could find anyone if they  needed

to." Irini stared at the blank screens. "They found out I was engaged to be

married and found my fianc©."

Obi-Wan drew in his breath. He could not imagine  the  kind  of  mind

that would devise such a torture. This time, he did not feel he  could  ask

Irini what had happened.

Irini glanced at him. "What they did not realize, the Absolutes,  was

that for the one being tortured it  somehow  helped  to  know  others  were

watching. The Absolutes thought only of the pain they could inflict  -  the

double pain of the victim and the watcher, you see. But  the  victims  took

courage from the idea that they would be brave for those who knew and loved

them. They would withstand anything for love. Probe droids are  illegal  on

New Apsolon now. No one wants to bring back those days again."

She looked back at the screens again. "There were many days  in  this

place that I said goodbye to life. Yet I did manage to survive."

"It must be difficult for you to return," Qui-Gon said. "And yet here

you are, giving tours to others."

"Remembering is most important," Irini said. In the  dim  light,  she

held up her twisted hand. "I considered myself lucky to leave with only one

hand damaged. They broke my hand in order to prevent me from working in the

tech sector again. But what they stupidly did not know was that I am  left-

handed. I was just as fast a worker when I got out. Maybe faster. I had  no

trouble  getting  another  job."  Her  smile  was  unexpectedly  brilliant,

lighting up her tense, drawn face. "I had a cause to work for."

"Have all the Absolutes been arrested?" Qui-Gon asked.

Irini shook her head as she led them down a catwalk to a lower level,

past another row of cells, these with low ceilings so that an  adult  could

not stand upright. They had to duck their heads as she led them inside. Her

tunic gaped slightly as she bent, and Obi-Wan saw  a  small  slender  chain

with a silver emblem around her neck. The delicacy of the jewelry seemed at

odds with her brusque manner and severe clothing.

"Not by any means. Many of the  former  Absolutes  went  underground.

Some were protected by powerful allies among the Civilized. Recently secret

records of the Absolutes were found. The government sealed  them.  That  is

one thing the Workers are still fighting. We want  the  records  opened  so

that we can know who our enemies were."

"Why were they sealed?" Obi-Wan asked. Irini led them out of the tiny

chamber and back to the catwalk. Obi-Wan took a  relieved  breath  that  he

tried to hide. After only a few seconds in the dark,  tiny  space,  he  had

felt as though an oppressive weight was on him.

"Those in power say that to release the records would compromise  the

efforts underway to find the criminals. Also, there were  mere  bureaucrats

in the Absolutes -  secretaries,  assistants,  tech  people  who  were  not

involved in torture  or  containment.  What  kind  of  punishment  do  they

deserve, if any? The government is afraid that if they release the names of

these people, there will be mob rule and  a  chance  for  violence  out  of

revenge. They say each person on this list must be investigated before  the

name is released. There are some among the Workers who do not believe this.

They believe it is merely another attempt to shield the criminals. Roan had

promised to release the records after he was elected, but has not done so."

"Yet," Qui-Gon said.

"Yet," Irini said. "Or maybe never. He is a Civilized, after all."

She opened the door back into the main area of the building. A  draft

blew from the empty  space,  blowing  back  Qui-Gon's  robe.  Irini  stood,

holding the door open, facing him. Her eyes flicked  down  to  his  utility

belt.

Her dark eyes flared with surprise. "You are a Jedi."

"What makes you think so?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I know a lightsaber when I see one." Irini's gaze ticked over  them.

"I should have known you weren't just tourists. Why are you here? Did  Roan

send for you? Are things so dangerous for him on New Apsolon that he  feels

he needs to call on the Jedi for protection?"

"I get the impression that you do not trust Roan," Qui-Gon said.

Irini's eyes went flat, and she stared at him coolly. "The  Absolutes

taught me one thing, stupid as they were," she said. "Trust no one."

CHAPTER 7

As they exited the museum, Obi-Wan's mind was full of reflections  on

what he had seen. He could not imagine lrini's choice to continue  to  walk

into that building and give tours, to return to a place where she had  been

tortured and abused. Then he remembered Bant. She had almost  died  in  the

waterfall pool at the Temple, yet it was still her favorite place to  swim.

She said it was better to remember than to forget.

But how much remembering was good to do? How did you know when to put

memories aside?

He looked over at Qui-Gon, ready to ask the question, but Qui-Gon did

not seem in the mood to philosophize. His face was set in grim lines as  he

walked purposefully down the avenue, even though they  had  no  purpose  in

mind.

"Something is wrong," Qui-Gon said under his breath. "I can feel her.

She is here. She is close. But something is wrong."

Qui-Gon's expression did not change, nor did his  pace,  but  Obi-Wan

felt a shift in his concentration.

"Do not turn around, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said. "When we come to the end

of this avenue, go right. There appears to be an alleyway there. As soon as

we turn, look for cover."

"Trouble?" Obi-Wan asked in the same calm tone.

"A probe droid."

"I thought they were illegal."

"Apparently they are still in use despite this. It  could  be  merely

surveillance. It might not be tracking us, but I think it  is.  Let's  find

out what it will do."

They reached the alley, and Obi-Wan quickly darted in, Qui-Gon at his

heels. Immediately he saw that it was a service area for the  buildings  on

that street. Gravsleds were outside some doors, and a  skiff  suitable  for

transporting goods sat in front of a utility entrance.

Without exchanging a word, Qui-Gon  and  Obi-Wan  darted  behind  the

skiff. The  probe  droid  zoomed  into  the  alley  and  revolved,  sensors

blinking, searching for them.

Qui-Gon did not move. Obi-Wan knew his Master was waiting to see what

would happen.

Was the probe droid programmed to keep searching? How determined  was

the surveillance?

The probe droid zoomed up the alley  and  back  down,  searching  for

movement. The Jedi were trained to keep perfectly still. They did not  even

blink. They could slow down their breathing and  their  life  processes  so

that even the sensitive probe droid couldn't pick them up.

The probe droid didn't leave the alley. Slowly it revolved, moving up

and down the street.

"It's not going away. Fine," Qui-Gon muttered. "Let's provoke it."

He stood suddenly and strode toward the  middle  of  the  alley.  The

probe droid had picked up the movement immediately and had already revolved

and positioned itself to get Qui-Gon back  in  its  sensor  range.  With  a

gesture that seemed almost casual, Qui-Gon leaped into the air,  activating

his lightsaber, and cut through the droid in one smooth motion.

"Now let's see what - " he began, but was cut  off  by  blaster  fire

from above.

The blaster fire was so close to his Master that Obi-Wan's heart gave

a lurch. That did  not  prevent  him,  however,  from  activating  his  own

lightsaber and slashing forward to protect him in the same moment. If  Qui-

Gon's reflexes had been a split second slower, he would have been cut down.

As it was, the sleeve of his robe was seared by the blaster heat.

"Stay under cover!" Qui-Gon roared at Obi-Wan.  Perhaps  Obi-Wan  had

risked too much to race to his Master's side, but he didn't care. The  fire

came at them relentlessly from above  as  they  zigzagged  down  the  alley

together, keeping their lightsabers arcing above.  Trapped  in  the  narrow

space, they were easy targets.

"We have to get on the roof  above,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "Activate  your

cable launcher when you can."

Obi-Wan had to time his movement to the blasts from above. He  needed

all his perceptions to keep up his defensive moves. He managed to  activate

the cable launcher as he moved sideways toward the wall of the building. It

propelled him upward as blaster fire pinged around his head.

Obi-Wan leaped up on the roof. He realized that the blaster fire  had

stopped only seconds before. His gaze whipped around the  roof  as  Qui-Gon

jumped up behind him.

"There," Qui-Gon said.

They ran to one edge of the roof, where they could see a  small  pile

of objects. First they searched the area, looking  down  to  see  if  their

attacker had returned to the alley. Then they scanned the roofs  nearby  to

see if he or she had jumped. There seemed to be no avenue  of  escape  that

would allow for the attacker to disappear so quickly.

They returned to the pile. Qui-Gon crouched  down  and  picked  up  a

small transmitter.

"For the probe droid. And here's an ammunition pack." He tossed it to

Obi-Wan. "Looks like it was  only  one  person.  But  he  or  she  had  two

blasters, at least. That was a constant stream of fire."

Obi-Wan turned the pack over in his hands. It was  made  of  leather.

Burned into one side was a small insignia. He crouched down to show  it  to

Qui-Gon.

"I recognize this. Irini wore a necklace with this same emblem."

"At last," Qui-Gon said. "We have somewhere to start."

CHAPTER 8

Dusk had fallen and the air had chilled as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan waited

outside the Museum of the Absolutes. They kept their hoods over their heads

and stayed in the shadow of a monument directly across from the building.

Soon they were rewarded as various people began to exit the building.

They spotted Irini's compact figure immediately. She, too, raised her  hood

as she hurried down the broad steps and turned down the avenue.

The Jedi melted into the stream  of  people  on  the  avenue,  always

keeping Irini in sight. She boarded a repulsorlift-engined airbus and  they

just managed to jump aboard on the rear platform. Luckily  the  airbus  was

crowded. All the Workers were on their way home.

The airbus made no stops  as  it  sped  through  the  boulevards  and

avenues of the Civilized Sector. It crossed  into  the  Worker  Sector  and

began to make regular stops. Workers exited at various points. Irini stood,

her hand lightly resting on a pole, near the  middle  of  the  airbus.  She

stared absently out at the dark streets.

Qui-Gon leaned in to speak to Obi-Wan. "We will have to get off soon,

even if Irini doesn't. We can't take the chance that she'll see  us.  We'll

have to follow the airbus on foot."

It would take some hard running through the crowded streets.  Obi-Wan

nodded. Better to take the chance  that  they  could  lose  Irini  than  be

spotted. They knew where she worked; they could always find her again.

Just then Irini began to move toward the exit. The airbus pulled over

at the next stop. Qui-Gon made sure Irini had exited before signaling  Obi-

Wan to jump off the rear platform.

Irini moved quickly through the streets,  occasionally  exchanging  a

smile or quick greeting as she walked. The population  was  busy  gathering

food for the evening meal, or passing time in small cafes along the  route.

Mothers and fathers herded children before them, and lights began  to  come

on in Worker housing. They could  see  families  in  the  middle  of  their

evening routines, children bending over datapads, adults preparing  a  meal

or simply sitting at the window, watching the  rest  of  New  Apsolon  find

their various ways home.

The streets began to narrow, and there  were  fewer  Workers  around.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan slowed down,  giving  Irini  a  longer  lead.  She  was

beginning to use the reflections in darkened windows to look around her.

"Checking for surveillance," Qui-Gon murmured.

Irini crossed the street. With a deft touch  to  his  elbow,  Qui-Gon

directed Obi-Wan to melt back. They stood in  the  shadows  as,  under  the

pretense of looking for traffic, Irini  swept  the  street  with  her  keen

glance. Satisfied that it  was  empty,  she  hurried  into  a  plain  stone

building. It was slated for demolition along with its partner next door.  A

sign read BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE  FOR  ALL  SITE  OF  NEW  LUXURY  WORKER

HOUSING

Qui-Gon did his own careful surveillance before starting  across  the

street, Obi-Wan at his heels.  Obi-Wan  started  toward  the  door  of  the

building Irini had entered, but Qui-Gon stopped him. He had  been  studying

the building next door.

"Let's try this one first," he said.

The door was bolted with a strong durasteel lock, but Obi-Wan  swiped

through it easily with his lightsaber. They pushed the door open and  stood

for a moment in the dark vestibule.

"I don't want to take a chance with  the  glow  rod,"  Qui-Gon  said.

"Wait a moment until your eyes adjust."

Obi-Wan didn't understand how the  light  of  a  glow  rod  would  be

visible to the next building, but  he  followed  Qui-Gon's  lead.  In  only

moments, his eyes had adjusted to the pitch-black  interior.  He  saw  that

they were in a small foyer. There had once been  a  datapad  station  here,

most likely for messages and mail for the inhabitants. It had  been  ripped

out, the console parts thrown on the floor. There was a turbolift,  but  no

doubt it was no longer working.  A  staircase  cluttered  with  debris  led

above.

Qui-Gon began to climb. "I saw evidence from the  outside  that  some

floors here had been enlarged into  the  adjoining  building,  probably  to

expand apartments," he murmured to Obi-Wan. "We might be able to get  close

enough to Irini to hear what's going on."

Qui-Gon stopped on the first landing, listening intently. Obi-Wan did

the same, but heard nothing. They continued upward, stopping at each floor.

They climbed five flights before  they  heard  something.  It  was  a  soft

murmur, nothing more. They moved toward the sound.

It was so faint that they lost its direction a few times. They stood,

blocking out the slight noises of the building -  the  rush  of  night  air

through an opening, the skitter of dust along the floor.  Then  they  would

pick up the murmur again, and move on.

They walked through abandoned rooms and found evidence of  the  lives

that had been lived  there.  Narrow  sleep-couches,  torn  and  stained.  A

battered pan on the floor. One boot. A palm-sized datapad that appeared  to

have melted into the floor. Room after room opened up into the next like  a

maze. Once, Obi-Wan realized, there had been too many people  crowded  into

these too-small rooms.

Qui-Gon stopped. "We are now in the other building," he  murmured  to

Obi-Wan. "They are very close."

Obi-Wan could feel the presence of others as well as hear  them.  But

the sound quality was muffled and disorienting. He paused  to  focus.  When

they moved, they moved as one. They had both discovered the source  of  the

sound. It was behind a closet. Qui-Gon eased open  the  door.  They  saw  a

crack of light running from the floor to the ceiling. Squeezing inside  the

closet, they both put their eyes to the crack.

The room next door was lit only by a glow rod set at low  power.  Yet

they could clearly pick out Irini, who sat in a semicircle of other men and

women. They were dressed similarly in dark coveralls or tunics.

Now Irini's words came to them clearly.

"I have seen them myself, and I am telling you, they were brought  by

Roan," she said.

"They admitted to this?" one of the group asked.

"Why should they? They are his tool. The Jedi are sent here to ensure

that the government stands. If the government stands as it is, none of  the

remaining Absolutes will be brought to  justice.  Therefore  they  are  our

enemy."

"With all respect to my fellow Worker lrini, the  Jedi  were  neutral

parties six years ago," a quiet-voiced woman said. "They supported the will

of the people, whatever that might turn out to be."

"Their role was as peacekeepers only," a man chimed in. "Why are they

now our enemy?"

"Because peace is not what we seek," lrini  said  fiercely.  "Justice

is. We must overthrow the murderer of Ewane."

Another woman spoke up. "We have  agreed  that  before  we  plot  the

overthrowing of Roan we must have evidence of his guilt.  We  do  not  have

this yet."

"We will," someone else said. "I think lrini is right. The  Absolutes

have re-formed. We know this. Every day  they  gain  power.  Roan  must  be

behind it. And if he has sent for the Jedi, they must know it."

"What do you think, Lenz?" the quiet-voiced woman asked.

The man she addressed had not spoken, but Obi-Wan had noticed him. He

watched the others with grave, intent eyes. There was a kind  of  power  to

him, even though he was hunched over, his hands dangling in  his  lap.  His

face was thin, thinner than lrini's. Obi-Wan did not know how he knew this,

but he sensed that Lenz had suffered greatly at one time in  his  life,  no

doubt at the hands of the Absolutes.

"I have new information," Lenz said. "A new  group  of  leaders  have

risen in the new Absolute order. No one  knows  their  identity.  They  are

taking pains to conceal them. All we know is that these leaders are clever.

Harassment  of  our  movement  has  begun.  Some  report  an  increase   in

surveillance. We must be careful."

"What does this have to do with Jedi?" someone asked.

"Maybe nothing. Yet both might point to Roan's desperation. First, he

backs new leadership within the Absolutes to keep a lid on any  opposition.

Then, in a show of good faith to the galaxy, he asks  for  Jedi  help.  His

best interest is to keep things as  they  are  while  he  consolidates  his

power."

Even lrini listened to Lenz with respect. "So what should we do?"

"First we should change our meeting place. Every  week  a  new  site.

Winati, you are in charge of finding a place. Mohn, you are  in  charge  of

notifying the others."

Lenz stopped abruptly and  picked  up  his  com-link.  It  must  have

vibrated, signaling an incoming communication. He listened  for  a  moment,

then clicked off.

"The Absolutes. It's a raid."

Lenz's voice held no urgency, but  the  group  rose  immediately  and

moved like a shadow. No one reacted, no one  gasped  or  showed  confusion.

Obviously, they had trained for this.

Winati quickly accessed a recessed door in the wall. A staircase  led

upward.  She  waited  while  the  others  hurried  across  the  floor   and

disappeared inside, then slipped inside herself. The door slid shut.

"Probably goes to the roof," Qui-Gon murmured. "Let's  wait  and  see

who is raiding them."

Moments later, the door burst open.  A  squad  of  black-clothed  men

stood in the doorway, blasters  held  at  their  hips.  The  leader  strode

forward.

"Too late." He accessed a device on his utility belt.

"Trouble," Qui-Gon murmured, backing up.

The device was a heat sensor. It beamed on the wall they were  hiding

behind. The wall began to glow.

Obi-Wan scrambled backward, but the close quarters made it  difficult

for them to move quickly. A moment later a cutting tool  swiftly  sawed  an

opening in the wall and a boot  followed.  The  wall  splintered,  and  the

leader stepped through.

Obi-Wan had his hand on his lightsaber hilt, but he looked quickly at

his Master.

"Submit," Qui-Gon said quietly, and in moments, they were surrounded.

CHAPTER 9

Qui-Gon allowed himself to be hustled down the stairs. Their  captors

said nothing, and he saw no need to volunteer any questions or comments. He

was not sure if they knew that he and Obi-Wan were Jedi.  He  assumed  that

they were thought to be Workers.

In the cramped vestibule, thick strips of fabric  were  wound  around

their eyes to blindfold them. They were bound in energy manacles. Then they

were pushed out  the  door.  Qui-Gon  felt  himself  being  guided  into  a

landspeeder. Obi-Wan was shoved next to him.

He concentrated, trying to gauge distance by  calculating  speed  and

time. He knew Obi-Wan was doing the same. The journey was short, and at the

end they were roughly  hauled  out  of  the  speeder  and  marched  down  a

corridor. The  speeder  had  been  parked  in  an  interior  landing  area.

Listening for echoes, Qui-Gon estimated its size. For  a  landing  area  of

this proportion, the building would have to be fairly large.

He heard a door accessed, and he was pushed inside a smaller area. He

heard Obi-Wan stumble as he followed.

"This is where you belong, Jedi," a voice hissed.

So they knew their prisoners were Jedi. "Where are we and why are  we

being held? Who are you?" Qui-Gon asked.

"'None of your business' is the answer to your  first  question,  and

'because you are enemies of the state' should answer your  second.  As  for

who we are, we are the saviors of Apsolon."

"You don't say," Qui-Gon remarked dryly. "Tell me, why  are  we  your

enemy?"

"We remember what the Jedi did six  years  before.  Because  of  your

interference, our true government was lost. It is up to us to recapture the

glory we surrendered."

"New Apsolon did hold elections open to all - "

"We do not recognize New Apsolon, only Apsolon. And not every citizen

deserves to vote."

"You are entitled to your opinion," Qui-Gon said. "Yet  a  government

was legally elected by the laws of your world, so therefore - "

"Do you think I have time to argue with you?" The voice rose angrily.

The door slid shut.

"Well, that was an interesting conversation," Qui-Gon said.  "We  can

see that the Absolutes are just as they appear. They are fanatics."

"Not good news for us," Obi-Wan said.

"I'm sure we'll have an interesting dialogue."

"Do you think they'll torture us?" Obi-Wan asked the  question  in  a

firm voice. He did not want Qui-Gon to think he was  afraid.  But  when  he

remembered back to the different methods they had seen earlier that day, he

couldn't say he felt comfortable with the notion.

"I have no idea what they are planning," Qui-Gon said.

They did not say any more. There was a good chance  they  were  under

surveillance. Qui-Gon moved closer to  Obi-Wan  and  gently  indicated  his

lightsaber with his fingers. It was to let his Padawan know that if torture

lay ahead, they would not submit. Obi-Wan nodded.

They did not have long to wait. Less than an hour passed before  they

heard the door hiss open. They were pulled outside and  then  pushed  along

for a short distance. Another door  was  activated.  Qui-Gon  felt  himself

shoved inside.

He did not know what lay ahead, but he had his lightsaber. His  hands

were still bound, but he would find a way to resist.

He was forced into a chair. A bright light was in his face.  He  knew

his Padawan was beside him.

"Here are the Jedi."

"We can see that, brother." The voice was low and  powerful,  with  a

wry twist to the cadence that he knew well. "You may leave us."

Yes, his hands were bound. Yes, he was blindfolded. He was a prisoner

with no way out that he could tell. But Qui-Gon's heart sang. He had  found

Tahl.

CHAPTER 10

He sensed other presences in the room. At least three, he thought.

"Why are you on Apsolon?" a male voice asked.

"A stopover," Qui-Gon replied. "We are traveling, and I was here  six

years ago. I had some curiosity as to how this world fared."

"Who sent for you?" another voice barked. "No one."

"Why were you present at a secret meeting of Workers?" a third shrill

voice asked.

"We were not present at the meeting. We  were  observing  it.  Surely

your own people could tell you that."

"Just answer the questions. Who is your contact in the Workers?"

"No one."

"You were seen with lrini. How did she contact  you  initially?"  She

did not contact us. We went for a tour."

On and on the questions came. Qui-Gon answered them briefly. Tahl did

not speak again. No doubt she had spoken first to let him know that she was

in the room. Somehow she had infiltrated the inner circle of the Absolutes.

She had done it in a short amount of time, and she had done it  well.  Qui-

Gon admired her skill, but then, he always had. He felt almost liquid  with

relief that he had found her. A growing desperation had haunted him, and he

had had to push thoughts of his vision aside.

When he released her, her body could not stay upright. She seemed  to

fold into his arms like drifting silk. Odd, because he had  always  counted

on her strength. Now he felt the  softness  of  her  hair,  her  skin,  the

lightness of her bones. He felt how she could melt against him  and  become

part of him. Tears sprang to his eyes at the way one of  her  hands  curled

weakly around his neck.

He wrenched his mind back to the present. He realized that the  three

men were arguing.

"Killing them would send a message," one said.

"Two messages. One to the Workers, one to Roan. It will show them  we

have power. But do we risk tipping our hand?"

"Perhaps if we threaten to kill them and then  do  so,  it  would  be

better."

The three continued to argue. Qui-Gon did not worry. The  absence  of

Tahl's  voice  told  him  something  important:  She  had  done  more  than

infiltrate the inner circle. She had gained power.

Again, Qui-Gon marveled at her fearlessness. Yet  it  only  increased

his own fears for her safety. His belief in his vision strengthened. Now he

saw it as a vision that could happen,  if  she  stayed  on  this  dangerous

course.

"T, you have said nothing," one of the men said at last.

"We will let them go," Tahl said. Immediately the others  erupted  in

shouts. "

"Why?

"Just let them go?"

"This makes no sense!"

But the three quieted so abruptly Qui-Gon knew  that  Tahl  had  made

some kind of gesture. That was the kind of power she had.

"Again you all fail to factor in the one thing that we  lack  in  our

struggle," Tahl said. "Popular support. We cannot achieve power without it.

I know you don't like to hear this. But the people of Apsolon are  used  to

thinking they have a voice  in  government  now.  We  can  give  them  that

illusion. That is not difficult. But we still need their support."

"What does this have to do with the Jedi?" someone asked sullenly.

"The Jedi are still respected on Apsolon. The people think they  were

responsible for keeping the peace during the transition. They see  them  as

neutral - "

"They supported our dissolution! They were against us!"

"I am talking about appearances," Tahl snapped. "Always remember that

appearances are much more important than reality. If we kill the  Jedi  and

take responsibility for it, our hope of popular support will be gone. There

will be time enough to kill our enemies."

"Well, why don't we just kill them and get them out of  our  way?  We

don't have to take responsibility for it."

There was a short silence. Qui-Gon could  feel  the  tension  in  the

room. He could only imagine the look of scorn that Tahl  was  directing  at

the speaker.

When she spoke, her voice was measured  and  slow,  as  if  she  were

talking to a child with no notion of the way things worked. "First of  all,

killing Jedi is not cut and dried. You don't just kill them and  expect  no

consequences. There would be an investigation.  Certainly  one  from  their

order, and perhaps one from the Senate. This time, when we take  power,  we

want the backing of the Senate. We have discussed this. We will  be  clever

this time. The people will have the illusion that they have  some  control.

Second, if you do make the decision to eliminate a powerful enemy,  you  do

it so that you will gain something from it. If we discredit  the  Jedi  and

then kill them, we will gain. We cannot discredit them if we don't let them

go."

"But they have heard everything we have been saying! We spoke  freely

because we thought they would be eliminated."

"It does not matter," Tahl  said.  "We  have  control.  We  are  more

powerful than the Jedi on our own world. Stop being such cowards! Now leave

me. I will send for R to release them."

Qui-Gon heard the three men file out. He heard  a  rustle  of  fabric

being unwound next to him.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said quietly.

Then Tahl approached him. But instead of unwrapping his blindfold, he

felt her crouch in front of him.

"So, Qui-Gon," she said. "At last we are equal."

"Hardly. You were always my better." "Flattery will not give you back

your sight." "I don't have to see you. It is enough to know you are safe."

Tahl sighed. He felt her warm breath stir his cheek. A  moment  later

he felt the cool precision of her fingers as she unwrapped his blindfold.

It took a moment for his eyes to take her in. She  was  in  disguise.

Her distinctive green and gold striped eyes were now  dark.  Her  hair  was

cropped short and the color of a pale moon, contrasting with her dark honey

skin.

She kept her face toward him, as if reading him with her  senses.  He

regarded her strange new eyes, and his  disquiet  at  seeing  her  disguise

faded as he saw his familiar Tahl behind their new color. He could not help

it; he was happy.

She must have known it, for suddenly she reached out and touched  his

face with her fingertips. He felt her fingers against his lips.

"You are smiling."

"Yes."

"Don't."

She did not drop her hand, but kept it against his mouth. He saw that

she unable to keep the small smile off her face and his own smile broadened

beneath her hand.

"I can't seem to get rid of you," she said.  "No,"  Qui-Gon  replied.

"You cannot."

Obi-Wan watched the two friends. He felt that they had  forgotten  he

was in the room. They even seemed to have forgotten the mission.  He  could

not begin to know the tangle of feelings in this deep friendship. Tahl  had

been angry at Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had kept himself aloof from her for  awhile.

These things he knew. But he did not know why these things had happened. He

only knew it had something to do with Tahl's resentment of  Qui-Gon's  need

to watch out for her since she had been blinded.

On this mission, he had often felt out of step with Qui-Gon. Over the

years he had learned how his Master strategized. But now it was as if  Qui-

Gon was following some sort of internal logic he could not decipher. He did

not know what was in his Master's mind. There had been many times when Qui-

Gon's thoughts had been unclear to him, but never had it  felt  quite  like

this. There was a veil between them. Yet, looking at Tahl, he saw that  she

did not feel it. He tried not to feel jealous of that.

Tahl stood. "We can't talk here. Follow me. There  is  an  exit  this

way."

She walked purposefully toward the door and  accessed  it.  Obviously

she knew this place well. She turned right down a short  corridor.  Obi-Wan

could not tell what kind of a building they were in. It was industrial, and

completely bare. Perhaps it had been a warehouse of some kind.

Tahl climbed a ramp to the next level. They saw no  one.  She  walked

toward a set of tall bay doors suitable for loading  merchandise.  Next  to

them was a smaller door for workers. She accessed this and they stepped out

into the cool night.

"It's an abandoned warehouse," she told them. "The  Absolutes  bought

it. They have a large treasury. The street is down at the end of the  yard.

I'll walk a little way with you, but I must return."

They slipped through the yard and exited out on a narrow street.

"Where are we?" Qui-Gon asked.

"At the very edge of the Civilized Sector," Tahl explained.  "If  you

follow this road, you will meet the State Boulevard  where  the  government

offices are."

CHAPTER 11

"Tell us your plan," Qui-Gon said. "Obviously, the situation is  more

volatile than we'd thought. We are here to help."

"I must admit that help would be welcome," Tahl said. "It wasn't hard

for me to see that the twins are in danger. But I don't yet know from whom.

I suspect the Absolutes, which is why I infiltrated them.  But  I've  found

nothing. Roan could be the secret leader  behind  them,  but  I've  yet  to

discover if that is so."

"The twins told us they hadn't seen you," Obi-Wan said.

"They were trying to protect me," Tahl said. "We agreed I  should  go

underground. They got me the false identity papers that said I was  once  a

member of the Absolutes. It was a large, bureaucratic organization  at  one

time. Many did not know the top-level operatives."

"So the twins did send for you," Qui-Gon said.

Tahl nodded. "When I arrived, I was surprised to find that they  were

not in hiding, as they'd said. They admitted  embellishing  their  plea  in

order to ensure that I would come. They suspect that  Roan  was,  in  fact,

responsible for the murder of their father. They are virtual  prisoners  in

his home. I was ready to escort them off-planet into exile, but as  we  all

discussed the situation, I was impressed with their maturity  and  courage,

and also distressed by the state of things on New Apsolon.  The  twins  are

symbolic to the people.  If  they  leave,  the  last  traces  of  honorable

government go with them. The twins changed  their  minds  and  insisted  on

staying. I decided that they needed to know exactly how much power the  new

Absolutes were gathering, and proposed that I go  under  cover.  The  twins

were against the idea, but eventually agreed and helped me."

"How strong are the Absolutes?"

"Not as strong as they think," Tahl said. "Their numbers  are  small,

and their organization is in a state of chaos. There is no  real  chain  of

command. It was easy for me to rise in the structure. The Absolutes are now

engaged in low-level activity - gathering information, doing  surveillance,

and occasional harassment of the Worker Resistance. But what I  don't  like

is that they have a vast treasury. They are amassing weapons."

"So  they  must  have  important  backing  from  somewhere,"  Qui-Gon

observed.

"Yes. But I don't know where. Yet. That's where you can help."

Obi-Wan glanced at his Master. He saw a struggle on  Qui-Gon's  face.

He knew why. Qui-Gon did not want to oppose Tahl, but he did not agree with

her. The reason was obvious.

"Tahl, the Jedi have not received an official  request  to  help  any

party in this government,"

Qui-Gon said. "It is unclear as to whether Roan was involved  in  the

late leader's death. It is uncertain whether the Absolutes will  ever  gain

enough power to be a real threat. The planet is  struggling  with  its  new

society, yes. But is that a reason for the Jedi to interfere?"

"But we did receive a request," Tahl argued. "From  the  twins.  They

are the daughters of the late ruler. Surely they have  an  official  voice.

And they are in danger."

"If that is so, then we should return to the original  plan  and  get

them off-planet," Qui-Gon said. "There is no  reason  to  get  involved  in

internal politics."

Tahl stopped walking. "What about our loyalty to those girls?"

"This is not a question of loyalty - "

"On the contrary. They asked for my help, and I intend  to  give  it.

They want more than safety. They want to remain on  their  home  planet.  A

planet that is stable and peaceful."

"The Jedi cannot promise them that," Qui-Gon said.

"You are so logical," Tahl said, shaking her  head.  "You  block  out

your  feelings,  just  as  you  did  years  ago.  You  look  at   this   so

dispassionately. You do not care enough."

Obi-Wan saw that Tahl's words had wounded Qui-Gon.

"I am a Jedi," he said. "So are you. There are  ways  to  approach  a

mission, ways that have been shown over thousands of years to work."

"You were always the first one to break the rules."

"When the mission called for me to do so. This mission does not.  And

please..." Qui-Gon's voice roughened. "Do not accuse me of not caring. That

is unfair."

They walked in silence for a moment. Obi-Wan longed to find the  wise

words to heal this division between the two friends, but he  did  not  know

how. Tahl had hurt Qui-Gon. Qui-Gon had hurt Tahl. He could feel  that.  He

felt helpless to change it. The two friends now seemed to almost hate  each

other. He could feel their anger and disappointment in the  crisp  slap  of

their footsteps on the pavement.

At last Tahl spoke. "Let us reach a compromise," she  said.  "I  need

your help. Just give me one week. I will remain with  the  Absolutes  under

cover. You and Obi-Wan will investigate the murder of Ewane.  I  would  ask

you to begin with Roan's brother, Manex. Manex is extraordinarily wealthy -

he used his political contacts to make  a  fortune  before  and  after  the

bloodless revolution. There are many who  suspect  him  of  corruption.  He

could have been behind a plot to murder Ewane in order to bring his brother

to power. Roan might have been involved in the plot as well. If we can find

evidence that either Roan or his brother is guilty, we can begin  to  bring

peace to New Apsolon."

"A week isn't much time," Qui-Gon said.

"Not for most," Tahl said. "For you, it will be enough. If we fail to

uncover any new evidence, we continue to offer safe passage to  the  twins.

If they refuse, we will go back to Coruscant and only  return  here  if  an

official request for Guardians of the Peace comes to us."

Qui-Gon thought for a moment. "I don't suppose there is any chance of

persuading you to leave Absolute headquarters right now."

"None at all," Tahl said.

"Then I accept the compromise. And may the Force be with us."

His Master's  words  seemed  heartfelt,  no  mere  matter  of  formal

blessing. His worry lay over them like a heavy fog. Obi-Wan could tell that

Tahl was annoyed by it.  Without  another  word,  she  headed  back  toward

Absolute headquarters. Qui-Gon turned to watch her until she was  swallowed

up by the dark.

CHAPTER 12

Qui-Gon found a guesthouse where they  could  spend  the  night.  His

Padawan fell deeply asleep, but he lay awake. He could  not  decipher  what

hung on his heart. He could not fathom why he felt so angry at Tahl. He had

lost his calm judgment. He had never felt less like a Jedi.

His vision had disturbed him, yes. But he had  thought  this  gnawing

feeling would settle once he had found Tahl and embarked on a path to  help

her. It had not. What was he overlooking?

He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders and turned on  his  side.

There was a small window set high in the wall. Through it he could see  one

of New Apsolon's three moons. Tonight it was full  and  brilliant,  with  a

slight pinkish cast. Qui-Gon meditated on its  beauty  while  he  tried  to

empty his mind. He tried to eliminate thoughts  of  tomorrow  and  what  it

would bring, tried not to think of Tahl in the  midst  of  those  fanatical

followers.

He turned again.

"Qui-Gon? Is everything all right?"

From the sleep-couch in the opposite corner, Obi-Wan's  sleepy  voice

interrupted his thoughts. He was disturbing his Padawan.  And  they  needed

rest.

"Nothing. Go to sleep."

Qui-Gon willed his body to stillness and asked his mind to obey.  His

stubborn mind defied him, and sleep did not come. Instead, he stared at the

moon.

If Obi-Wan noticed Qui-Gon's haggard looks the next morning,  he  did

not mention it. His Padawan silently  took  the  responsibility  for  their

morning meal, disappearing and bringing back tea, bread, and fruit.

Qui-Gon was as grateful for Obi-Wan's silence as  his  consideration.

They dressed, shouldered their packs, and set out for the address that Tahl

had given them.

Manex, the brother of Roan, lived near the residence of  the  Supreme

Governor. His home was vastly larger, built not of the gray stone they  had

come to know but of dazzling white and black stones arranged  in  patterns.

The home was more like a palace, trumpeting its  size  and  sheer  audacity

between its somber, stately neighbors.

"He certainly doesn't mind advertising his wealth," Qui-Gon  remarked

as he activated the chiming device to announce their entrance.

A protocol droid with a highly buffed, black metallic  body  answered

the door. Qui-Gon announced their names and that they were Jedi. He saw  no

need for concealment now. Both the Absolutes and the Workers knew that Jedi

were on New Apsolon. Tahl felt certain that her  identity  was  secure.  If

they worked fast, they would not endanger her position.

Manex received them in a small room with walls, floor, and a  ceiling

of black stone. Thick green carpets were scattered on the  gleaming  floor,

and the room was filled with overstuffed benches  and  seating  areas,  all

upholstered in different shades of vivid green. Large pillows the color  of

new grass were thrown about on the floor. Thick emerald  curtains  hid  the

windows.

A tall, plump man was lying on one of those pillows, propped up on  a

long, low sleep-couch. He jumped up when they entered the room. His  black,

curly hair was cut short and covered his head like a  cap.  His  eyes  were

blue and friendly.

"Welcome, Jedi. How nice of you to call. I'm delighted to see you."

Qui-Gon bowed. He felt a bit overwhelmed by the room and the effusive

greeting. He had not expected  it.  He'd  imagined  Manex  to  be  a  cool,

ruthless businessman.

"I was just doing my morning meditation.  I  understand  you  do  the

same." Manex's eyes were merry. "I meditate on all the beautiful  things  I

must have. No doubt my process is different from yours."

"Yes," Qui-Gon said.

Manex noted  Obi-Wan's  fascination  with  the  room.  "Green  is  my

favorite color. I can afford to indulge all my pleasures. Aren't  I  lucky?

Sit, sit!"

Qui-Gon took a seat on the companion sleep-couch across from the  one

where Manex now lolled. He sank down into the plush upholstery. Obi-Wan sat

next to him, trying to keep his spine straight. It was difficult on such  a

luxurious piece of furniture.

Manex gestured to a gold tray with sweets arrayed on it. "I have  the

best pastry chef on New Apsolon. Try one." He popped a fruit  tart  in  his

mouth.

Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan  eye  the  beautiful  sweets  hungrily,  but  his

Padawan did not take one.

"What can I do for you?" Manex asked, dusting  crumbs  off  his  gold

robe.

Qui-Gon had thought about how best to proceed. He  wasn't  sure  what

they could learn by simply talking to Manex. After  all,  he  would  hardly

admit to being corrupt. Yet beings often gave  away  clues  to  their  true

nature without knowing it. In the end, Qui-Gon had decided his route  would

be honesty.

"I was part of the original  Jedi  team  sent  here  to  monitor  the

elections six years ago," Qui-Gon said. "I am not here now on  an  official

mission, but I was curious to see how New Apsolon had  fared.  I  must  say

what I have seen is cause for disquiet."

Manex sat up, as if speaking of serious things caused  his  spine  to

straighten. "Ewane's murder was a tragedy. New Apsolon was thriving.  There

was no need for unrest. We were just getting the economy to be as  good  as

it was before all the troubles. Worker and Civilized alike  stood  to  have

their lives improved as the wealth began to pour in again. The galaxy  lost

faith in our products and is just now beginning to regain it. We  lost  our

prosperity through conflict once. It is a  great  shame  that  we  risk  it

again."

"Wealth is important to you," Qui-Gon said neutrally.

"Yes." Manex met his gaze serenely. "I enjoy  having  it.  There  are

those who say I amassed my wealth through corruption and contacts. I assume

that is what you are referring to."

Qui-Gon was impressed. He had a glimpse of the businessman now. Manex

would speak plainly, or at least appear to.

"Contacts, yes. Why shouldn't I? My  brother  was  highly  placed  in

government. I took advantage of those trying to get on his good  side.  But

that is different from corruption. I saw ways to improve business here.  As

a Civilized, I was allowed to trade off-planet. Workers were not.  The  law

was unfair, but I would have been a fool not to profit by it. I was able to

open up vast trade markets in the galaxy for the goods of  New  Apsolon.  I

had a network of info-tech contracts. So  I  was  happy  to  see  a  Worker

elected and the government stabilized."

"You did not join your brother in calling for  unity  at  the  time,"

Obi-Wan pointed out.

"My brother is the hero. I am the businessman."

Qui-Gon picked up a pastry. He did not want it. He took it because it

had been offered, and Manex was obviously proud of  what  he  had.  Qui-Gon

wanted to show respect and keep this meeting cordial. He popped the  small,

delicate sweet into his mouth. Instantly it melted into a silken  explosion

of taste - tart, sweet, complex.

Manex smiled, for Qui-Gon could not keep the surprise off  his  face.

"I did not exaggerate. The best."

"Yes."

"I only call what I have the best if it is.  I  do  not  fool  myself

about anything. Take my brother."  Manex  crashed  back  against  the  soft

pillows. "He is noble. Courageous. Dedicated to the common  good.  All  the

things I am not. I should despise him, for I'm told brothers become jealous

when one is vastly superior to the other. Yet I  don't  despise  Roan.  I'm

glad beings like him are on this world. They make it  possible  for  me  to

live well."

"Since your brother is now Supreme Governor, you stand to profit even

more," Qui-Gon pointed out. "You would not gain anything by despising him."

"I could despise him and still exploit him," Manex shot back. "Surely

you have seen enough of the galaxy to know that, Jedi."

"Yes," Qui-Gon admitted.

"You are suggesting that I am behind the murder of Ewane," Manex said

shrewdly. "I know others believe this. But why should I endanger my fortune

in such a way?" Manex shook his head. "I like my comfort too much  to  risk

it."

"Besides, it would be wrong," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"That too."

"Do you think your brother had anything to do with  Ewane's  murder?"

Qui-Gon asked. "There are those who believe that, too."

"Roan?" Manex shook his head. "He loved Ewane like  a  brother.  Look

how he took in those girls."

"That could be to get sympathy on his side," Obi-Wan said.

Manex did not seem disturbed by this suggestion. He  leaned  forward.

"You must understand something. Duty is everything to my brother. He  feels

responsible for Alani and Eritha."

"There are those who say the twins are in danger, living in the house

of one who is a suspect in their father's killing," Obi-Wan said.

"There are those on New Apsolon who will say anything  right  now  to

get what they want," Manex said evenly. "Those girls are free  to  go,  and

yet they stay. They know Roan better than they knew their own  father.  All

this grief they are displaying - who is  it  for?  They  never  knew  their

father. Ewane was in prison for all the years of their childhood.  Then  he

was Supreme Governor and had his hands  full.  He  never  really  knew  his

daughters."

"One cannot fault a child's grief for a father, no matter how distant

the relationship," Qui-Gon said.

"Of course not. I am sure the twins are sincere." Manex  sat  up  and

pushed the plate of pastries toward them. "Such  somber  talk  for  such  a

beautiful morning. Please, eat. I'll send for some tea."

Qui-Gon stood. "We must be going. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I am delighted to receive the Jedi. You may return  anytime."  Manex

stood to bid them good-bye.

The same protocol droid led them to the  door.  Qui-Gon  and  Obi-Wan

paused on the steps.  Qui-Gon  took  a  deep  breath  of  morning.  It  was

encouraging to feel the cool air and sunshine, but he  felt  no  closer  to

helping Tahl.

"What do you think?" he asked Obi-Wan as they returned to the street.

"I found him unpleasant," Obi-Wan said. "He could have the cunning to

engineer an overthrow of the government. But I can't  see  him  having  the

energy to do so. He would have to get off his sleep-couch."

"You are allowing dislike to color your perceptions,  Padawan,"  Qui-

Gon said disapprovingly. "Remember it takes energy to amass  wealth.  Manex

had it easier than most, but he did build an impressive financial empire."

"Which he uses for his own pleasure," Obi-Wan said disgustedly.

"I have seen men and women of vast wealth who did not enjoy their own

comforts," Qui-Gon remarked. "At least Manex enjoys what he has built.  His

choices are not our choices. Do not let his enjoyment of pleasure blind you

to his merits."

"You  see  merits  there?"  Obi-Wan  asked  incredulously.   "I   see

corruption."

"I see a man who lives  the  way  he  wants  to  live  and  makes  no

apologies. The question is, how desperate is he to  maintain  his  life  of

wealth and comfort?" Qui-Gon wondered. "If Manex seems weak, I  suspect  he

is not. Despite his denials, he could secretly hate  his  brother.  But  we

still should not discount his perspective, Padawan."

Qui-Gon reached inside the pocket of his robe. "And he reminded me of

something important." "A clue?"

He handed Obi-Wan a pastry he had plucked from Manex's  tray  on  the

way out. "Even in the middle of a  mission,  don't  neglect  to  taste  the

pastries."

CHAPTER 13

"Let's head to Roan's," Qui-Gon suggested next. "It's time we met the

Supreme Governor."

The official  residence  was  close  by.  Qui-Gon  thought  over  the

conversation with Manex. He wished he had learned more.  He  had  hoped  to

take some information to Tahl. Instead, he had only vague feelings.

"Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan said softly, "look ahead. Ten meters to the right,

near that monument."

Qui-Gon glanced over. His Padawan's keen gaze had picked out a  small

tracking droid. It hovered in the grassy square across from  the  residence

of the Supreme Governor. He had not noted it. He sternly  told  himself  to

focus on each moment. He could not let his worry distract him this way.

"Do you think it's looking for us?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No. It is watching the residence. It's not a probe droid.  It  could

be used just for security." Qui-Gon searched the area  carefully,  dividing

it into quadrants and examining every meter. "There. By the trees in front.

Another."

"Roan has stepped up his surveillance."

"Or someone has stepped up surveillance on Roan. I  don't  like  what

we're seeing. I'm feeling a disturbance in the Force. Come, Padawan."

Qui-Gon strode toward the residence. When they stepped up to the door

and pressed the security button, a guard did not materialize onscreen.  The

blank screen merely shone blue.

Qui-Gon's foreboding changed to alarm. He pushed  against  the  door,

but it would not open.

"We could try the gardens," Obi-Wan suggested.

A high wall separated the front of the  residence  from  the  gardens

behind. The top was ringed with electro-wire. It was not  a  challenge  for

the Jedi. Summoning the Force, the two leaped high  and  cleared  the  wall

easily. They landed softly on the grass.

They ran alongside the great  mansion  toward  the  back,  where  the

gardens were. As they ran Qui-Gon searched for  access  to  the  house  but

there were no windows on this side. Perhaps the residence  was  built  with

exits only in the front and back. It made it easier to defend.

They burst into the gardens. At first Qui-Gon could only pick  out  a

riot of color from the masses of flowering bushes surrounding  them.  Paths

ran through the bushes, narrow and twisting. It was  impossible  to  get  a

view of any kind.

"See if you can glimpse the back  wall,"  Qui-Gon  directed  Obi-Wan.

"Look for signs of entry."

Qui-Gon scanned the back of the house. Everything  looked  quiet  and

serene. Not a curtain stirred. At  first  glance,  there  was  no  sign  of

distress or danger. Then Qui-Gon noticed that a door was slightly ajar.

"Qui-Gon!"

Qui-Gon turned and raced down the path. He caught up  to  Obi-Wan  as

his Padawan raced through the twisting paths.  "I  saw  something  ahead  -

movement. And I think.."

They turned a corner. Ahead  they  could  see  a  team  of  intruders

hauling something over the wall. It was about the size of a  person,  black

and shiny. There was a slit in the top.

Qui-Gon recognized the sensory deprivation container from the  Museum

of the Absolute. But why were the intruders dragging it over the wall?

Then he saw, through the slit at the top, a  strand  of  golden  hair

waving.

"They have the twins," he said.

They activated their lightsabers and charged.

The intruders were masked and dressed in dark clothing. They saw  the

Jedi approaching. One of them reached for a transmitter.

"Overhead, Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon shouted.

Probe droids suddenly buzzed above them. Blaster  fire  rained  down.

Lightsabers swinging, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan deflected fire while  they  raced

to the wall.

Other probe droids approached, high enough to avoid  retaliation  and

peppering the Jedi with fire. The intruders had the advantage. They dropped

over the wall and disappeared.

It would be difficult to leap over the wall and deflect fire  at  the

same time. Qui-Gon knew that. He had no choice.

He accessed the Force and leaped. Beside him, he saw Obi-Wan  do  the

same. They sailed over the wall, high above. In those quick  seconds,  Qui-

Gon had a chance to swipe two probe droids. Obi-Wan neatly cleaved  one  in

half. The three droids fell sizzling to the ground.

They landed on the other side of the wall. A long  expanse  of  grass

stretched before them. Parked on it were large swoops.

The intruders had already loaded the two containers onto  swoops.  As

the Jedi raced forward, they took off.

A concealed door in  the  wall  opened  and  security  forces  rushed

through. Qui-Gon recognized Balog, the head of security.

"What's going on?" he barked angrily. "What are you doing here?"

"I think the twins have been taken on those  swoops,"  Qui-Gon  said,

pointing at what was now a fleet of dots in the sky.

Balog spoke quickly into his comlink, giving the coordinates  of  his

position and asking for air support.

"Did you see them?" he asked.

"We saw two sensory deprivation containers, the same design  that  we

saw at the museum. I saw one of the girls' hair. That's all."

Balog turned to the guards. "Check the house  again.  And  check  the

grounds." He then turned back to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "I thought  you  were

tourists. What were you doing here?"

"We are Jedi," Qui-Gon answered. "We are  not  here  on  an  official

mission. I knew the girls six years ago. We came to see them."

Balog gave them the hard stare of a security officer who was used  to

lies. Something must have convinced him, because he sighed. "This  happened

on my watch. I thought security was perfect. Somehow they got  through  the

house security and immobilized the guards. They tripped the alarms, but  it

took too long for us to get here."

"Do you have suspects?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Obviously, it could be the Absolutes," Balog  said.  "Those  devices

were supposed to be destroyed, but of course we know that  some  must  have

been smuggled out. Anyone could have bought them on the  black  market.  In

other words, no, I don't know who took the twins." He gazed at the sky.  "I

just hope that whoever took them is planning to ransom them. I hope this is

a kidnapping, not..."

He did not complete the sentence. "The use of the  containers  points

to that," Qui-Gon said. "If the intruders were going  to  kill  the  twins,

they would have done so here."

Balog ran a hand over his forehead. "I must tell Roan personally.  He

will be devastated."

He walked off, too distracted to say a farewell.

Qui-Gon stared after him. "Unless Roan already knows," he said.

CHAPTER 14

They met Tahl in a prearranged location deep in the Worker Sector. It

was a small park that commemorated an early protestor of Apsolon's  system.

A single white glass column stood in the middle of the  small  green.  They

kept their hoods drawn over their faces as they circled  the  park,  around

and around. Once she heard the news of the twins, it had taken three  turns

for Tahl to speak.

"I do not think it was the Absolutes," she said finally. "I believe I

would know it. There were extreme factions of the group, but they are under

the control of the central committee now. At  least  I  think  so.  It's  a

possibility, but I'm more inclined to think  that  Irini  and  the  Workers

kidnapped the twins. They feel strongly that Roan murdered  Ewane.  Perhaps

they could even justify the kidnapping  as  keeping  the  twins  away  from

danger."

"You should join us in tracking the kidnappers,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "If

you believe the Absolutes are not involved, it is a waste of time  for  you

to remain there."

"I said I thought they weren't involved," Tahl corrected.  "There  is

always the possibility that rogue members have done this. I need to stay in

place and investigate. It would be natural for the Absolutes to try to find

out who did it. I can use their surveillance resources."

Obi-Wan noted that his Master seemed to be restraining his objection.

He did not understand why. Tahl was right. She should remain undercover, at

least until they knew who had taken the twins.

"Do you think Roan could be involved?" he asked Tahl.

"I don't know," Tahl said.  "Of  course  we  need  to  entertain  the

possibility."

"We were on  our  way  to  speak  to  him  when  we  interrupted  the

kidnapping," Qui-Gon said.

"Maybe we should try to speak to him now," Obi-Wan suggested.

"It might be hard," Tahl pointed out. "He will  be  on  a  full-scale

alert. He won't have time for us.

Just then Qui-Gon's comlink signaled. When he  answered  it,  it  was

Balog. Qui-Gon listened intently for a few moments, then  clicked  off  the

communication.

"It will be easier than we thought," Qui-Gon said. "Roan has asked to

see us."

Roan met  the  Jedi  in  his  office  at  the  massive  Institute  of

Government Service building. Despite the  grandeur  of  the  building,  his

office was sparsely furnished, with chairs lined up against a wall, a  long

table that served as a desk, and a bare floor of  gray  stone.  The  window

looked down on the streets. On their own, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had seen  the

signs of protest beginning. As the word spread of the twins'  fate,  people

were spilling out into the streets.

The Workers had organized quickly. Across the street  in  the  square

they had formed a solid cube of beings  in  the  same  shape  as  the  many

monuments in the city. More continued to arrive. The front line  carried  a

banner: ARREST ROAN NOW

Roan turned from the window as they entered. He was, in  midlife,  an

imposing figure, with one silver streak on one side of his  dark  hair.  He

bowed in greeting.

"Welcome. If I had known you were here  before  this,  I  would  have

called for this meeting earlier."

"We are not here officially, so did not want to trouble you," Qui-Gon

said.

"Consider yourselves official,"  Roan  said  grimly.  His  dark  eyes

looked haunted. "We need help to find the girls. I know that  you  want  to

find them, too. I am also aware that there are those who believe that I was

behind the murder of their father and now their abduction. I have  summoned

you here to tell you this is not so."

"Why do you think the rumor began?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Because since Ewane's murder the structure  of  the  government  has

been in a precarious state.  There  are  those  who  are  calling  for  new

elections. My enemies have encouraged the rumor that I killed Ewane."  Roan

paced in front of the window. It was coated so that he could see out,  Qui-

Gon noted, but the people massing below could not see him.

He turned and faced the Jedi. He spread his hands.  "I  do  not  know

what to do. My planet has struggled for fairness and achieved  freedom  for

all its people. Now it is in danger of losing that stability. I see visions

of ruin whenever I close my eyes. Yet I know I can  prevent  this  ruin.  I

just don't know how. Events seem to unfold before me  and  I  am  powerless

over them."

Qui-Gon felt a rush of  sympathy  for  Roan.  The  man  truly  looked

haunted. And Qui-Gon himself knew  what  it  was  like  to  be  plagued  by

visions. He knew what it felt like to have events rush by as if  he'd  once

seen them unfold in a dream and had only now remembered it.

"What would you like us to do?" Qui-Gon asked.

But just then Roan's internal communication unit  signaled.  With  an

impatient gesture, he went to answer it.

"I left instructions that I was not to be disturbed - "

"Yes, Governor. But we have received an external communication.  They

ask for you only. They say they are the kidnappers."

Roan looked at the Jedi. "I would like you to hear  this."  He  spoke

into the comm unit. "Please put them through."

The  voice  that  came  through   the   comm   unit   was   obviously

electronically manipulated. It had an eerie, echoing quality, half machine,

half living being.

"Good afternoon. Today the descendants of Ewane were taken in a raid.

We are holding them. We are willing  to  release  them  upon  your  meeting

certain conditions."

"Are they all right?" Roan asked. "Let me speak to them."

"They are safe and were not harmed. Do not speak. Listen."

"I will pay for their release - "

"Do not speak! We do not want money.  We  want  you  to  resign  your

position as Supreme Governor. You will say you are bowing to  the  will  of

the people. You will call for new elections. You will never reveal that you

have resigned in order to free the twins."

Roan met Qui-Gon's eyes. Qui-Gon saw that he would agree. He  had  no

choice.

"Oh, yes. If you say you will do this, and you go back on your  word,

both you and the twins will be killed. Make no mistake that we are  capable

of getting to you anywhere. Even with Jedi protection."

"All right," Roan said, leaning toward the comm  unit.  "I  agree  to

your terms. But I must see the twins and escort them  to  safety.  I  don't

want them frightened again."

"That would be acceptable. We will contact you with details."

"When?" Roan asked urgently, but the communication was cut off.

Roan sat down heavily. "They are alive, at least. If we  can  believe

them."

"You must not go to this meeting alone,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "When  they

contact you again, you must ask for a Jedi escort.  You  must  ensure  that

both you and the twins come back from this meeting alive."

Roan nodded. "I will. I know you will protect them.  I  am  all  they

have. I must do as the abductors ask. But  I  will  be  grateful  for  your

assistance. Our first concern is the lives of those girls."

CHAPTER 15

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan left Roan, who promised he would call the Jedi as

soon as the kidnappers contacted him again. They had only gone a few  steps

from the government building when Qui-Gon's comlink signaled.

"Qui-Gon, I need you."

It was Tahl. Qui-Gon felt his worry collect into one burning mass  in

his chest. She sounded breathless, in trouble. Not to mention that she  was

asking for his help.

"Tell me."

"I don't know how, but they discovered that I am  a  Jedi.  They  are

afraid of how much I know. I escaped from  the  headquarters,  but  they've

sent probe droids after me. Qui-Gon, I... I can't see the droids - "

"Do you know your location?"

"I crossed to the Worker Sector. I  went  four  blocks  south,  three

blocks east. I am concealed in a memorial,  you  know  the  ones  with  the

standing columns?"

"Yes." Qui-Gon was already walking rapidly toward the Worker Sector.

"I'm hiding between the glass columns, but it won't take long  before

the probe droids locate me. There are many beings on the streets,  so  that

will confuse them for a time, but - "

"We are on our way."

Qui-Gon quickly explained the situation to Obi-Wan, and they began to

run. Tahl could not sense the droids through the Force, and this  made  her

predicament all the more dire. He remembered precisely the location of  the

Absolute headquarters.

Was this it, was this the meaning of his vision? Would he  find  Tahl

curled up between the columns? Would the probe droids have found her?

Her eyes were black and dull, but they sparked to life when  she  saw

him..

He had seen Tahl's eyes in the vision, and they were dark, the  color

of the lenses she had donned to conceal their  distinctive  color.  Qui-Gon

remembered this detail like a blow. Did that mean the rest  of  the  vision

would come true?

"Qui-Gon, we're here." Obi-Wan spoke quietly by his side, his  breath

roughened by the hard run. "We should be cautious  now.  The  probe  droids

might be searching for us, too."

It was a good point. He should have thought of it. He slowed his pace

to a walk so that they were not obvious  among  the  passersby.  Then  they

gradually increased their speed, mingling with the crowd.  Because  of  the

unrest concerning the twins' disappearance, the streets were crowded.

Qui-Gon counted off the blocks, struggling not to run. Attuned to the

air above, he did not see any probe droids. He did not know whether  to  be

reassured or worried by this.

At last they reached the  corner  where  the  monument  to  the  dead

Workers stood. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hurried toward the glowing columns. They

searched through the rows, at last finding Tahl near the back, at  a  place

where she was hidden but still had room to escape the cube and run.

She turned her face up at the sound of their footsteps. Her eyes were

dark, but not dulled with pain. She was fine. Her wry  smile  tore  at  his

heart. "Thanks for coming."

Qui-Gon crouched down and signaled to Obi-Wan to do the same.  "There

are many on the streets. It will be hard for the probe droids to track you.

I think the safest place for us now would be  with  Roan.  Even  if  he  is

behind the kidnapping, he must maintain the illusion that he is not.  Since

your cover is blown, it doesn't matter who knows that you are Jedi."

"True," Tahl said. "Let's go."

Obi-Wan scanned the sky. "Surveillance will be heaviest around  here.

Once we get into the Civilized Sector, the probe droids might give up."

"Stay between us, and stay close," Qui-Gon told her.

They made their way cautiously out from the  glowing  glass  columns,

then into the flow of pedestrians.  Gradually  it  became  clear  that  the

passersby had a destination.

"They are heading somewhere," Qui-Gon murmured.

"Probably a demonstration," Tahl guessed.

The demonstration turned out to be only a few blocks ahead. The crowd

all turned toward the small park where Workers were massing. Qui-Gon,  Obi-

Wan, and Tahl were left alone.

"We could hide in the crowd," Qui-Gon said in a low tone.

"But we would just have to leave it later," Obi-Wan said.

"Maybe the probe droids will give up."

"No," Tahl said. "The Absolutes never give up."

"I say we go now," Qui-Gon said.  "It's  not  far  to  the  Civilized

Sector and Roan. The kidnappers could be contacting him at anytime. He  has

agreed to a Jedi presence."

"I agree," Tahl said, and Obi-Wan nodded.

Quickly they turned away from the demonstration and headed toward the

Civilized Sector. They had gone  a  short  distance  when  Qui-Gon  felt  a

presence.

"I feel it," Tahl said.

"Something is nearby," Obi-Wan agreed.

The probe droid zoomed into view, flying lower to get a  fix  on  the

three. Qui-Gon leaped up without warning, slashing out with  his  activated

lightsaber. The probe droid crashed to the ground, smoking.

"There will be more now," Tahl muttered.

They quickened  their  pace.  Soon  three  probe  droids  approached.

Blaster fire erupted around them. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan kept close  to  Tahl,

moving forward while deflecting the fire.

Qui-Gon was worried. If more probe droids  arrived,  he  and  Obi-Wan

would not be able to deflect that much firepower. Already their pace had to

slow to protect Tahl and ensure her safety.

"I can get above them on that ledge," Obi-Wan said.  "Can  you  cover

Tahl while I do?"

"Yes," Qui-Gon said.  It  was  their  only  hope.  He  was  glad  his

Padawan's sharp eyes had seen the building ahead.

Obi-Wan shot out his liquid cable launcher  and  within  seconds  had

gained the ledge high above. Even as the launcher propelled him through the

air, he slashed at a probe droid that was zeroing in on Tahl. He cleaved it

in two and it sputtered as it spiraled below to the ground.

One of the two remaining droids zoomed up to focus on  Obi-Wan  while

the other continued to fire at Tahl. Obi-Wan hung  from  his  launcher  and

pushed off against the building with his feet.  He  swung  out  toward  the

droid and attacked, missing it by centimeters. He used his feet to kick off

the building again, propelling himself higher and farther. Unused  to  this

unorthodox action from a being it was tailing,  the  probe  droid  circled,

beeping. Obi-Wan slashed at it, destroying some of its circuits.  It  began

to act erratically, circling and diving. On his next swing, Obi-Wan cut  it

apart.

Qui-Gon saw Obi-Wan demolish the droid, but  he  was  busy  with  the

remaining one. "There are some durasteel garbage bins ahead," he told Tahl.

"I'm going to push you behind them and go after the droid."

In a few steps, he pushed Tahl down behind the bins, then  leaped  up

on top of them. Obi-Wan saw his action and quickly ran closer on the ledge,

still attached to his cable  launcher.  As  Qui-Gon  leaped  high,  Obi-Wan

released the cable to fly down. They caught the probe  droid  between  them

and each struck a strong blow. Tumbling, on fire, the probe  droid  smashed

into the pavement below.

Obi-Wan leaped lightly to the ground as Qui-Gon  landed  and  reached

for Tahl. The three now began to run. They did not tire and  did  not  stop

until they passed into the  Civilized  Sector,  where  the  population  now

thronged the streets. They would be safe among them.

"I can honestly say I couldn't have done it without you," Tahl  said,

panting.

They pushed on to the Institute of Government Service.  They  hurried

inside toward Roan's office. They burst in, but it was empty. His assistant

came running in after them.

"You can't - oh, please excuse me. I  didn't  realize  you  were  the

Jedi."

"Where is Roan?" Qui-Gon asked.

"He has gone to a meeting."

"What meeting?"

The assistant hesitated.

"We are in Roan's confidence, as you know,"  Qui-Gon  said.  "Has  he

gone to meet the kidnappers?"

The assistant nodded.

Qui-Gon strode to the window, exhaling  his  irritation  against  the

glass. This was unfortunate.

He did not trust the kidnappers. Roan could have been the real target

all along.

Tahl questioned the assistant sharply, but it was clear  he  did  not

know where Roan had gone or any details of the meeting.

"What can we do?" Obi-Wan asked.

Tahl and Qui-Gon spoke together. "Wait."

They stayed for hours in Roan's office. At last Balog came to them.

"I have arranged accommodations in the Governor's residence," he told

them. "You will be more comfortable there, and after  all,  that  is  where

Roan will go when he returns with the twins." He hesitated. "I wish he  had

confided in me, too. I will wait with you."

Qui-Gon nodded. "Thank you."

Balog escorted them the short distance to  the  residence.  Dusk  had

fallen, and the crowds protesting in the square had dwindled.

"Apparently the lure of the evening meal  has  caused  some  to  lose

their dedication," Balog observed.

As they neared the residence, Qui-Gon noticed a large package on  the

walkway leading up to the house. It was outside the security field.

"Balog, there is something - "

"I see it." Balog spoke  quickly  into  his  corn-link,  calling  for

security, even as he ran alongside Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

There was a deep unease in Qui-Gon that only grew as he  ran.  As  he

drew closer, what he feared took shape before him.

It was not a package. It was Roan, wrapped in dark  fabric  and  tied

with wire.

Qui-Gon knelt by his side. Roan's sightless eyes  stared  up  at  the

gathering night. The Supreme Governor was dead.

CHAPTER 16

Gently, Qui-Gon placed his hand over Roan's eyes, closing them. Balog

and Obi-Wan came forward. Balog sank to his knees.

"You can rest now, my friend," he murmured brokenly.

Carefully, Balog, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan lifted the body. They  carried

Roan inside his home for the last time. Tears  now  streamed  down  Balog's

cheeks, but his face was composed and he said nothing.

"I must see to the arrangements," he said as they laid  Roan  in  the

reception room. "We must try to conceal this for as long as we can. We must

find the twins first. I think it best that we not tell anyone just yet."

"This will be hard to conceal," Qui-Gon said.  "Whoever  killed  Roan

will want it known."

Qui-Gon was right. In a short time the darkness outside was lit  with

glow rods and candles. Obi-Wan had thought there were many in  the  streets

that afternoon. Now it seemed that the entire population of New Apsolon was

outside, pouring out their grief or their rage.

Balog stared outside at the demonstrations. "I must get a message  to

Manex. He should not find out this way."

The Jedi sat in an inner room. Obi-Wan was unsure of their next step.

He knew they would not leave until the twins were found. Perhaps they would

escort them off-planet since the situation was so volatile. He watched Qui-

Gon and Tahl, who sat opposite each other but did not speak.

A short time later they heard a  disturbance  in  the  hall.  Obi-Wan

followed Qui-Gon and Tahl out of the room.

It was Manex. His voice was high with his distress. "I was hosting  a

dinner. They brought me the news." He looked slightly foolish in an opulent

green velvet robe and a red tasseled cap that Obi-Wan thought inappropriate

under the circumstances.

Balog spoke to him in a low tone. "We believe the cause of death  was

a paralyzing agent that attacked his heart and lungs. We do not know if the

attempt was to kill or stun, but it was too late to revive him."

Manex nodded sadly and looked at the Jedi." I saw  this  end  for  my

brother," he said. "I think he did as well. Yet he went forward."

"He always went forward," Balog said.

Manex put his hand on Balog's shoulder. "Thank you for all  you  have

done. Now I will sit with my brother until morning."

"I will send in refreshment for you," Balog said.

"Send nothing." Manex walked softly  to  the  door  where  Roan  lay,

opened it, and disappeared inside.

The Jedi returned to the small room. "Do you think he  was  genuine?"

Obi-Wan asked Qui-Gon. "He hardly looked the part of a grieving brother."

"Yes," Qui-Gon said. "But there is another perspective. You could say

that he did not take the time to change but rushed here when he heard.  His

attire could be confirmation of his grief."

"Is that what you think?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know. But I need to hold the two perspectives so  my  vision

will be clear."

Obi-Wan nodded. They sat again. The hours  passed.  The  lights  were

powered down until  they  gave  off  a  soft  glow.  Obi-Wan  felt  himself

beginning to nod off, but he did not want to suggest  sleep  until  Qui-Gon

did. It was unusual for Qui-Gon not to take notice of his fatigue.

Suddenly, Qui-Gon stood, his hand on his lightsaber hilt. "Someone is

outside," he murmured.

Obi-Wan stood, ready for action, his sleepiness gone instantly.

"Wait here," Qui-Gon told Tahl. "Obi-Wan and I will investigate."

But Tahl followed them into  the  hallway  just  as  the  front  door

opened. Security officers ran into the hall, alerted by a hidden alarm. But

instead of intruders, Eritha and Alani spilled in. The twins  looked  pale,

their clothing wrinkled and stained, but they were not hurt.

"Where is Roan?" Alani cried. "Take us to him!"

Eritha came forward to Tahl. "You're here. I am so glad to  see  you.

What has happened? We heard on the streets that Roan is dead. It  can't  be

true. Is it?"

Balog took a few steps toward them. "I'm afraid it is true.  He  lies

inside."

Alani turned to Eritha. She put her arms around her sister. "We  must

go to him."

"He did not kill our father," Eritha said. "He put himself in  danger

for us. Alani, we are the guilty ones!"

"He would not be dead if he hadn't tried to rescue us,"  Alani  said,

her voice rising.

"No." Tahl walked toward them. "You are guilty of nothing. Roan  made

his own choice."

"Did you escape or did they let you go?" Balog asked them.

"They let us go. We never saw their faces." Alani  wiped  tears  from

her face.

"We believe it's best if  you  come  with  us  to  Coruscant  in  the

morning," Tahl said gently.

Alani looked at her sister. "Yes, I think it is best."

"I do want to leave this place," Eritha whispered. "I never thought I

would say that, but it is true."

"We need to see Roan now," Alani said.

Eritha and Alani, their arms around each other, passed into the  room

where Roan lay. The door closed behind them.

Balog turned to the Jedi. "I was just coming to meet  with  you.  All

night we have worked to arrange a peace meeting. We do  not  know  who  was

behind this, but we cannot wait to find out while unrest fills the streets.

The Workers and the Civilized have agreed to meet.  Also  a  representative

from the Absolutes has agreed, as long as we give him safe conduct back  to

where he came from and do not arrest him. We have agreed to that  condition

because we must. I will also be at the meeting. As a Worker who is part  of

the current government, I am needed for balance. Irini will  represent  the

Workers."

"This is good news," Qui-Gon said. "Only when you begin to  talk  can

you begin to resolve this situation. The government must be stabilized."

"There is only one condition," Balog  said.  "A  Jedi  representative

must be present. Each of the parties has asked for this -  except  for  the

Absolutes. However the representative has agreed reluctantly.  The  meeting

is at dawn." Balog checked his chrono. "An hour away."

"I will go with you," Qui-Gon said.

"No," Tahl said. "I will go." She turned to Qui-Gon. "It  has  to  be

me, Qui-Gon. I infiltrated the Absolute organization.  I  know  things  the

others do not. If the representative of the Absolutes tries  to  lie  about

the organization, I am the only one who will know."

"That is true," Balog said. "The Workers and the Civilized trust  the

Absolutes even less than each other."

"Take the twins to Coruscant in the morning," Tahl said. "I will join

you there after this meeting."

Obi-Wan kept his eyes on his Master. Qui-Gon had gone  pale.  It  was

clear he was not happy with this turn of events. He wanted to be the one to

go to the meeting. But  there  was  something  more  there,  some  powerful

emotion Obi-Wan did not understand. There  appeared  to  be  some  sort  of

titanic struggle going on inside Qui-Gon.

Tahl picked up on it as well. She frowned and seemed about to speak.

Then, to Obi-Wan's surprise, he saw something  flicker  in  Qui-Gon's

eyes. It was almost as though Qui-Gon was amused  by  something,  something

private. It was gone so quickly that Obi-Wan was sure he was mistaken.

His Master shook his head as if to clear it. He appeared both  shaken

and determined at the same time.

Qui-Gon turned to Balog. "Will you excuse us? I need  to  speak  with

Tahl alone."

"Of course." Balog bowed and retreated.

Obi-Wan started off with Qui-Gon and Tahl toward  the  private  room.

But Qui-Gon turned.

"Please wait here, Padawan," he said kindly.

Surprised, Obi-Wan could only nod. He watched as his Master  followed

Tahl into the room and closed the door firmly behind them.

CHAPTER 17

"Dear friend," Tahl said, "there have been too many arguments between

us. Do not let another one arise."

"I did not ask for privacy to argue with you," Qui-Gon said.

He knew that outside that door, life went on. People  were  grieving.

Others plotted the overthrow of a government. The  planet  of  New  Apsolon

continued to revolve in its orbit. Its moons were slowly  dropping  in  the

sky.

Yet it all meant nothing to him, not at this moment. At last  he  had

come to see the truth. He had touched it and marveled at it and laughed  at

himself for not seeing it earlier. He had done all this in the space  of  a

moment.

Oddly enough, the key to his revelation had been simple -  the  image

of the pastry he had handed to Obi-Wan just yesterday.  He  had  remembered

the taste of it, the sweetness filling his mouth. That had been the  lesson

he had been searching for, the one he had given to his Padawan without much

thought. In the midst of a complicated life of danger and service, he  must

sometimes remember to reach for the fruit.

"I wish to tell you something," he said. "Well, two things. The first

is that I agree that you should be the one to go to  the  meeting.  But  we

will not take the twins and go, not until you return. I  cannot  leave  New

Apsolon without you. I have a deep conviction that if I do, I will not  see

you again."

She started to pass off his remark, but stopped  herself.  "You  feel

this strongly?"

"I do. I felt foreboding back at the Temple. I was in a fever to  see

you again. Once we were together here, despite the fact that  so  much  was

unsettled, I did not care because I knew you were safe as long as  we  were

together."

She nodded slowly. "But Qui-Gon, I am not your Padawan. We cannot  be

together always."

"Ah," Qui-Gon said. "This brings me to the second thing I must say."

Yet now that the moment had come, he stopped. Tahl waited. She  would

not prompt him. She would give him time. She did not always do that  -  she

was the one to prod him, ask him the very questions he did not want to  ask

himself. Yet she knew him so well that she always knew  when  to  give  him

time.

His heart filled, and she seemed  to  know  it.  Her  face  softened.

Still, she did not speak.

"I have come to know something," he said. "I cannot  let  you  go,  I

cannot let another minute pass, without telling you this. I did not come to

New Apsolon only because you are my friend. I did not  remain  because  you

are a fellow Jedi. I have come to see that you are not just a friend and  a

fellow Jedi, Tahl. You are necessary to my life. You are necessary  to  me.

You are my heart."

He saw her chest rise and fall. Color rose in her face. "You are  not

speaking of friendship," she said.

"I am speaking of something deeper. I am  speaking  of  everything  a

being can give another. This is what I offer you. I offer myself."

He could not have spoken plainer. Hard words to say, but they  needed

to be said.

Another being would have taken a step, sat, moved,  spoken.  She  was

perfectly still. He  waited,  counting  his  heartbeats.  He  had  taken  a

decisive step. It would put their friendship to the test.

He was willing to take the risk. At last he had known himself and his

feelings. He was not sure of hers. In that  moment  of  revelation  he  had

understood all the tension between them  over  the  past  months,  all  the

misunderstandings and irritations. They all had one root. Somewhere  inside

he had known his feelings for Tahl had deepened, and yet he  was  reluctant

to face that. Back in the hall, the certainty of it  had  felt  like  sweet

relief.

But now he was not so sure. Tahl appeared flustered, but  that  could

be for any number of reasons.

"If you do not feel the same, I will step back into place and be your

friend again," Qui-Gon said. He was a man comfortable with silence, but not

this one. He would never want to cause Tahl distress.

"No," Tahl said with sudden warmth. "Do not step back.  Let  us  step

forward together. I feel as you do, Qui-Gon."

He took a step forward at the same time as she did.  She  placed  her

hand in his.

"I did not know it until this moment," she said.  "Or  maybe  I  did.

Maybe I've known it for some time."

He felt her fingers, warm and strong in his. "I pledge myself to you,

Tahl."

"I pledge myself to you, Qui-Gon."

They stood, not moving for a  moment.  But  both  of  them  were  now

conscious of what waited for them outside the door.

"I must go to the meeting," Tahl said. "Yes," Qui-Gon agreed.

"We are Jedi. Our life together will be full of separations."

"Yet we will have one life, together."

"Yes."

"When you return, we shall escort the twins back to Coruscant,"  Qui-

Gon said.

"Unless the government asks for our help," Tahl amended.

"Yes, unless we are asked officially to stay," Qui-Gon agreed.

"Whatever decision we make, we will be together," Tahl said.

"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed. "At last this is clear."

CHAPTER 18

Obi-Wan waited outside the door. He couldn't imagine why Qui-Gon  had

asked for privacy. What could he have to say to Tahl that his Padawan could

not hear? Obi-Wan tried not to resent this. Whatever  decision  his  Master

made was undoubtedly the right one. Yet he still felt left out, sitting  on

the stairs outside the closed door like a child.

At last the door opened. Qui-Gon saw him on  the  stairs  and  walked

toward him, Tahl at his side.

"Tahl will go to the peace meeting," he told Obi-Wan. "We  will  wait

for her here with the twins. When she returns, if the  official  government

of New Apsolon does not request our help, we will  escort  the  twins  off-

planet as they wish. We will monitor the situation  from  the  Temple,  and

return if we are asked."

Obi-Wan nodded. He had known this before they had gone into the room.

So why did Qui-Gon seem different? The hunted look on his  face  was  gone.

Something profound had changed inside that room.

"We are not leaving a stable planet, but at least we  can  bring  the

twins to safety," Qui-Gon said. "That was the initial goal of the mission."

"And we will leave with negotiations in place, I hope," Tahl said.

Balog appeared. "It is time."

Tahl nodded. "I am ready."

She did not say good-bye to Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, but walked  out  with

Balog. Qui-Gon watched until the door closed behind them.

With the dawn came activity. Roan's body was removed, accompanied  by

Manex. Arrangements were made for the Supreme  Governor  to  lie  in  state

before his funeral. The twins went to their quarters to rest before packing

for the journey to Coruscant.

Qui-Gon arranged for a morning meal. Obi-Wan  was  grateful.  It  had

been a long night, and his appetite had returned. He ate everything on  his

tray and watched Qui-Gon sip his tea and have a few bites of bread.

"Are you worried about the meeting?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon stared into his teacup. "I wasn't. But there is  something...

something still troubling me."

They heard a loud voice outside the door and the sound of a scuffle.

"Take your hands off me, you slimy space lizard!  Let  me  see  them!

Bring them my name! They will see me!"

Qui-Gon strode to the door and opened it. Irini stood, her arm in the

grip of a security guard.

"Tell them to let me go!" she said furiously. "I have come for  talk,

not conflict."

Qui-Gon nodded at the guard. Irini gave him a  baleful  look  as  she

brushed past him and walked into the room.

"What right do they have to abuse me?" she complained  to  the  Jedi,

straightening her tunic. "I am not a criminal. I am a citizen. And what  do

you need security for? You're Jedi. A neutral party, isn't that right?"

"Maybe we need security because people send probe droids after us and

shoot at us in alleyways," Qui-Gon pointed out.

Irini looked blank. "Are you saying I did this?"

"We found your insignia on the ammunition," Obi-Wan said. He  pointed

to her necklace, which was swinging outside her tunic.

"This is the insignia of the Workers," Irini said. "It  is  not  mine

alone. I didn't shoot at you, Jedi. I admit, I wasn't happy  to  learn  you

were on our planet, but violence is not my path. Neither is it the path  of

the Workers. I do not think it was any of us who tried to harm you. Perhaps

it was someone who wanted you to think so."

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said. He did not know what to believe.

Qui-Gon gestured at her to sit down. "What brings you here, Irini?"

"I am concerned about the unrest on New  Apsolon,"  Irini  said.  "We

wanted change, but not like this. Not with another  assassination  and  the

kidnapping of children. I have some information that might be useful to you

- if you really are here to guard the peace. Since we do not  know  who  in

the government to trust, we took a vote and decided to trust the Jedi." She

frowned at them. "I hope you will prove worthy of our confidence."

"If you do not trust us, you will not be convinced by our assurance,"

Qui-Gon said. "It is up to you to make that choice."

She gave both of them a hard stare. "That  choice  has  already  been

made by committee. I am the emissary. I must tell you that the Workers have

been blamed by the Civilized for both the murder of Roan and the kidnapping

of the twins. I am here to tell you that the Workers were not  involved  in

either."

"You can speak for the Workers as a whole?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Yes," she said. "We are highly organized and speak as one  bloc.  If

there were violent factions, we would know it."

"And would you admit it?" Obi-Wan asked.

Irini sighed. "It has come to this. We know we are on  the  brink  of

civil war again. No one wants this. So,  yes,  we  would  be  frank  if  we

thought there were outlaw Workers who were willing to  kidnap  young  girls

and murder a governor to get what they wanted. But we do not believe this."

"You said you had information," Qui-Gon said.

She leaned forward. "We know that someone in Roan's inner circle  was

behind both the kidnapping and his death. Someone  important.  Someone  who

wants more power."

"Who?" Obi-Wan asked.

"This we do not know."

"How can you be so certain that this information is correct?" Qui-Gon

asked.

Irini hesitated. "Because we have a spy in  this  house.  Someone  to

watch the twins, to protect them."

"They did not do such a good job," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"No," Irini admitted. "That is because the security  procedures  were

violated at the highest level. As you know, this place uses  top  security.

It could only be infiltrated by someone who knew it intimately. Someone who

had the key to the code. Someone who knew  exactly  how  to  overpower  the

guards, and exactly how long it would take the second force to arrive."

"Who is your spy?" Qui-Gon asked.

"One of the security guards. That is why we know so much about Roan's

security."

"If the Workers know the security,  they  could  have  kidnapped  the

twins," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"No. We know the procedures, but  not  the  code,"  Irini  explained.

"Only a handful of people have that information."

"Who?"

She shook her head, frustrated. "We don't know that for sure. We just

know they are close to Roan."

Obi-Wan turned to Qui-Con. "That first day, when we saw the twins..."

Qui-Gon suddenly looked pale. "Our security is in the  hands  of  the

top security officer, Balog himself..."

"Could it be Balog?" Obi-Wan  asked.  "If  so,  sending  him  to  the

meeting was not wise. He has a hidden agenda.  He  is  not  for  Roan,  but

against him."

"So the chance for peace may be compromised," Qui-Gon said grimly. He

turned to Irini. "You must be aware that Balog  may  be  playing  false  in

peace negotiations. We do not know for sure, but we need to consider  this.

This meeting is too important to risk."

"By the way, shouldn't you be there?" Obi-Wan asked.  "It  starts  at

dawn."

Irini looked puzzled. "What meeting?" she asked.

CHAPTER 19

The look on Irini's face made him act faster than he had  ever  moved

in his life. Qui-Gon was out in the hall before he was  even  conscious  of

rising from his chair. But even as fast as he moved, he  knew  Obi-Wan  was

behind him.

He had sent Tahl off with Balog. There  was  no  meeting.  Balog  had

separated her from them for a reason. He did not know the  reason,  but  he

feared the worst.

He had failed her. With all his reliance on his vision,  he  had  not

trusted it far enough. He had let her go.

Balog had told them that the meeting was  to  be  held  in  a  secret

meeting room in the nearby Institute for Government Service building.  Qui-

Gon and Obi-Wan raced there through the  empty  streets.  The  rising  suns

stained the pavement with red. The world was beginning to stir.

"We could be wrong," Obi-Wan said as they ran. "There are others  who

could have been behind the kidnapping. Irini thinks that several  know  the

security code."

"Yes, we could be wrong," Qui-Gon agreed. But he did not think so.

He knew the secret meeting room was off Roan's office.  They  pounded

down the hall. Roan's assistant was just opening up the office.  He  looked

shocked as the Jedi burst in.

"What are you doing here?"

"The secret meeting room," Qui-Gon said. "Take us there."

"I... I don't know," the  assistant  stammered.  Qui-Gon  took  three

steps toward him. He said only one word. "Now."

The assistant nodded nervously. He accessed  a  hidden  door  in  the

paneling, then led them down a short corridor. Another durasteel  door  was

at the end of it.

Qui-Gon's footsteps slowed at the sight of what lay outside the door.

A voice cried out inside his chest.

No!

Tahl's lightsaber lay in a small bin. With it were several blasters.

She would never have been separated from her lightsaber if she hadn't

been convinced that without it the meeting would not take place.

"Access the door," Qui-Gon ordered the assistant.

The door slid open. There was an empty table. Empty chairs. There was

no sign of Balog or Tahl.

In an agony of frustration, Qui-Gon raised the hilt of his lightsaber

and brought it down on the table. The table cracked and a long jagged split

appeared.

Obi-Wan looked at him, astonished. He had  never  seen  Qui-Gon  lose

control before.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and weaved  with  the  intensity  of  emotion

inside him. He saw her dull eyes, felt her weak touch, heard her  voice  in

his ear.

"It is too late for me, dear friend."

His Padawan spoke at his elbow. "We will find them, Qui-Gon."

He swallowed against his anguish and guilt, pushing them  down,  down

deep where they would not interfere with  his  reason,  his  judgment,  his

purpose.

He opened his eyes and met the  resolute  gaze  of  his  Padawan.  He

wanted to tell Obi-Wan that if they did not find her in time, if his vision

came true, he knew one thing: He would be forever changed. Forever half  of

what he was. What he could have been.

"We must," he said.