Jude Watson: Jedi Quest 8: The Changing of the Guard

"Impersonating criminals? We are not tricksters. We are ambassadors of peace and justice."

Anakin wanted to roll his eyes. Ferus was such a show-off. He always had to bring up Jedi rules, as if he was the only one who remembered them.

Did it ever occur to him that the important thing was to get the job done?

Anakin looked over at Siri. She was nodding thoughtfully, as though she was truly considering Ferus's point. He wondered if she was just trying to be a good Master when she really wanted to call him a pompous bore.

"Of course that is true," Siri said. "But the galaxy is complex. The Jedi must operate differently and take different kinds of risks. There are planets that do not welcome our presence, yet circumstances demand that we help for the good of the galaxy." She sighed. "I have gone undercover before, Ferus. The Council decided that it was the only way to infiltrate a vast space pirating operation. I had to pretend to leave the Order. It was difficult. Every Jedi thought I had turned to the dark side, even Obi-Wan."

"It was a great act of bravery on Siri's part," Obi-Wan said.

"Every second of my deception went against my core," Siri continued.

"I don't like lies. To live a lie takes a toll. Yet am I glad I did it?

Yes. The Jedi were able to bring down a vicious pirate and liberate hundreds of slaves."

"I tangled with Jenna Zan Arbor before, when I was your age," Obi-Wan told Ferus. "She is a great enemy of the Jedi. She imprisoned Qui-Gon and drained his life in order to study the Force. She almost killed him. She has killed others. She is capable of anything. With the Zone of Self- Containment she could subdue an entire population. We must use any means to stop her."

"Any means?" Ferus asked.

There was a silence. Anakin saw Obi-Wan exchange a quick glance with Siri. Everyone in the room was thinking the same thing. Means equal ends.

It was one of the core beliefs of the Jedi. In order to do good, one must act rightly at every step. If the means used were wrong, then the outcome was wrong, too.

"I did not choose my words carefully," Obi-Wan said. "My meaning is this — if we must use a little deception to catch her, then we will. In this case, our only hope is to beat Zan Arbor at her own game. She could consolidate her power on Romin. She could use the planet as a base for operations, thinking she cannot be touched there. She could do vast amounts of damage. Lives are at stake. Perhaps millions of lives." Obi-Wan's keen stare fixed on Ferus. "Don't you think that is worth forsaking your dignity and taking another's identity for a few days?"

Ferus's cheeks colored. Anakin realized that Obi-Wan had put a sure finger on the spot that was most tender in Ferus. His dignity. Obi-Wan had done it kindly, but Ferus had felt a sting.

Ferus nodded. "I will, of course, do as you say." "But you must believe it, too," Siri said.

After a short pause, Ferus said, "I do. I trust that those with more wisdom know the way."

Ferus seemed to be sincere. He was incapable of lying. Yet it was clear that Siri and Obi-Wan had not done away with all of his uneasiness.

Obi-Wan turned back to Siri and Anakin. "If all goes well, we can brief Master Windu and leave tonight," he said.

Anakin nodded. He bent his head closer to Siri and Obi-Wan as they discussed their next step. Ferus was silent throughout their entire discussion. For once, Ferus was the outsider. For once, it wasn't him.

Tyro did not tell Obi-Wan the details of the favors he had called in and the promises he had made. He just gave him the results that he'd wanted. It was not the first time that Tyro had proved an invaluable friend.

"I'm still negotiating with the Central Posting Service about the Stop Comm order," Tyro said as Obi-Wan and Anakin greeted him in one of the Temple's small meeting rooms. "The good news is that the order has gone through. The bad news is that I don't know how long I can suppress the announcement of the arrest. But you might as well proceed to the Confiscation Station at the prison. You have a release for Slam's vehicle.

It's an Ubrikkian star yacht."

Anakin whistled. "Sweet."

"All the data records, ID text docs, and wardrobes are onboard," Tyro said. A small smile brightened his furry face. "I understand that Slam is a bit of a dandy."

Obi-Wan was more concerned with other matters. "Give us as much time as you can. It will take us a standard day to travel to Romin from the prison."

"You know I will do my best for you, my good friend," Tyro said. "You go into danger, and I wish you safety and success. The Svivreni do not say good-bye. We consider it bad luck. We say, the journey begins, so go."

Tyro raised his hand, fingers spread, in the Svivreni gesture of good- bye. Obi-Wan did the same. Tyro then pressed his palm against Obi-Wan's. It was a gesture used by the Svivreni to those closest to them.

"So go," Tyro said softly, and left.

Mace's good-bye was not quite as fond as Tyro's. He agreed to the necessity of the plan, but he didn't approve of the rule bending.

"Just try not to alienate the entire Senate," he said. "In other words, succeed." He drew his robes together in dismissal. "May the Force be with you, and may I not hear from you until it's safely over."

The four Jedi had packed their gear and were streaking across the galaxy within hours.

At the Greylands Security Complex, they had no trouble with the papers Tyro had supplied them with. They were given access to the Slams' ship.

The Ubrikkian star yacht was a light cruiser, built for quick getaways. Equipped with a hyperdrive, it carried no weapons except for two hidden proton torpedo shafts. It had also been modified to contain more secret compartments than Anakin had ever seen. Every time he thought he had found them all, he discovered another hidden within the various deck platings of the ship. The ship had been scanned by the authorities, in hopes of discovering the cache of crystalline vertex the gang had heisted on the Vuma job. No contraband had been found, and the rest of the gang's possessions had been searched and then left intact.

Ferus went through the computer files. The gang kept meticulous records and multiple ID docs for false identities. Siri found a device to override iris scans and, rolled into a tiny hidden compartment under the cockpit dash, a detailed analysis of the accounting practices of the Senate Relief Fund.

Ferus whistled under his breath. "I could be wrong, but I think they were planning to rob the Senate depository."

"That's a big job, even for the Slams," Obi-Wan said. "Good thing they landed in prison."

Anakin flipped further through the file. "This is just speculation.

They didn't have a concrete plan."

"We'll go over the files in depth later," Siri said, her head in the Slams' personal wardrobe closet. "We'll have to be up on the latest criminal tech scams. There's a criminal gossip network. Our reputation will precede us. We have to be the Slams. Speaking of which…"

Siri pulled out a purple cloak made of vela cloth. It was embroidered around the collar with thick braiding in a bright shade of green. "For you, Slam," she said, handing it to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan eyed the garment. "Questionable taste, to say the least."

Siri winked at Anakin, but the face she turned to Obi-Wan was serious.

"Tyro said that Slam is well known as a dandy. You have to wear it."

Obi-Wan's face was a study in distaste as he slipped on the ornate robe. Siri adjusted the elaborate collar so it framed his face. Anakin bit his lip. It was hard to keep his laughter inside.

Siri nodded thoughtfully. "Now you need some boots to match." She leaned over and pulled out a pair in red polished leather. "Here."