Jude Watson - Jedi Quest 2 - The Trail of the Jedi

"Obviously not, since your standing here with us now," Obi- Wan said. "So who put the sleeper bomb on the ship?"

"I don't know," Floria admitted.

"It could be anyone." Dane said. "Omega hired four other bounty hunters besides us. The first one to succeed wins the prize — an enormous fortune. The only rule is that the bounty hunters aren't allowed the harm one another."

"Obviously, someone broke the rules," Floria said disapprovingly. "I could have died aboard that ship."

"Not to mention us," Anakin said.

What about the other Jedi?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He's not part of the deal," Dane said. "We're supposed to ga after the Master-Padawan team. That was it."

"What information were you given about us?" Obi-Wan asked. "How did you know where to find us?"

"We knew you were on a training mission to Ragoon-6," Floria said. "That's all."

That's all? That's too much. Obi-Wan couldn't believe it. The training missions weren't secret. But Jedi did not speak of them to outsiders. Of course, there were those in the Senate who knew about them. And Senators, Obi-Wan knew too well, could be bribed.

"Tell me about the other bounty hunters," Obi-Wan said. "Do you know them?"

Dane nodded. "They are well known to those who know about these things. Teleq is one. We know him by reputation only. He's known for his cunning use of technology. Then there is Mol Arcasite. She is ruthless. She will take innocent lives to get what she wants. And she doesn't care if she brings her prey back dead. Most bounty hunters prefer to catch beings alive. It saves them a possible security arrest themselves. You never know who is watching."

"Mol gives us all a bad name," Floria said. "Come to think of it, she could have planted that sleeper bomb. It's just her style."

"What about the bounty hunter with the Stokhli stick?" Obi- Wan asked.

"Don't know him," Floria said. "he was awfully good. But he almost blew my cover when he saw me. I couldn't believe it when he said 'They were mine.'"

"So he was talking about us," Anakin said, indicating himself and Obi-Wan. "And you made us think you were concerned about your friends!"

Floria's eyes shone. "Wasn't I good?"

"She can cry on cue," Dane confided.

"Who is the last bounty hunter?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Hunti Pereg," Dane answered. "He has the most awesome reputation of all. he has never failed to capture his prey. Not once."

"Of course, he has never met the Jedi," Floria rushed to assure them.

Obi-Wan gave her an exasperated look. "Neither have you. If you had, you'd know we can see through flattery. You think Hunti Pereg can catch us."

"Well, he is very good," Floria said.

Obi-Wan stood, thinking a moment. Now that he knew those vague feelings had a source, after all. He knew one thing for sure: Wren had not left those clues. One of the bounty hunters had.

It was time to contact the Temple. A Jedi was in danger. He could feel it. But their comlinks had been blown up with the ship.

"We were deliberately led into the malia den," he told Anakin. "And the cavern. Someone left those clues for us tp follow."

"which mean that Wren. " Anakin began.

"Has been captured or possibly even killed," Obi-Wan finished gravely. "But why? Why is this Granta Omega after us? What else do you know about him?"

"Not much. We've never seen him. We've communicated through comm channels. The only thing that we know is the richest being in the galaxy," Floria said.

"Not the richest," Dane corrected. "You always exaggerate."

"Okay, one of the richest," Floria said.

"Why has he targeted the Jedi?" Anakin asked.

Floria and Dane shook their heads. "We don't know," Floria said. "In this business, you don't ask too many questions. It's better not to get too involved."

"Speaking of which, hanging around with you too might be dangerous to our health," Dane said. "So if you don't mind, Floria and I will take our chances on Ragoon." He grabbed Floria's hand and began to edge away.

Obi-Wan blocked their path. "Not a chance," he said firmly. "You're not going anywhere until we find out exactly what's going on. We might need your help."

"What help could we possible be?" Floria asked. "We told you everything we know."

"I'm sure you did not," Obi-Wan said. "You know the bounty hunter who are after us. You're not going anywhere until we know mare about who is after us. and why."

"So what now?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.

"When you are the hunter, the best thing to do is turn the tables," Obi-Wan said. "You must become the hunter."

"Track the bounty hunters," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "We can start with the sleep bomb. It need a nearby power source, which won't be far."

"Whoa, wait a second," Floria said. "I didn't sign on for this. If you're going to chase down the rest of the bounty hunters, you've got to let us go. This could be dangerous."

"Bounty hunting isn't dangerous?" Anakin asked.

"We minimize our risk," Dane said. He hooked his fingers into his thick black utility belt. "Which doesn't seem to be a consideration for Jedi."

"When it comes down to it, we just aren't very brave.," Floria confessed.

"Speak for yourself, Floria," Dane said scowling.

Floria ignored him. "So it's in your best interests to let us go. I tend to scream when trouble happens. And after all, it isn't fair. Bounty hunters are chasing you, not us. Why put us in harms way?"

"Let me ask you something," Obi-Wan said. "Don't you think the bounty hunter knew you were aboard our ship before activating the signal?"

Floria bit her lip. "You mean we're a target, too?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Think about it. After all, the fewer bounty hunters there are, the easier it is to win the prize."

"But there are rules!" Floria protested. "Bounty hunters are forbidden to attack one another."

"In my experience, the larger the reward, the greater the chance that the rules will be broken," Obi-Wan said.

"Granta Omega wouldn't stand for it," Floria said, but she sounded less certain.

"Would you bet your life on the ethics of a being who is using bounty hunters to trap Jedi on a training exercise?" Obi-Wan asked mildly.

Floria was silent.

Obi-Wan waited while the sister and brother exchanged a glance. He was not about to let Floria and Dane go. Despite their assurances that they weren't dangerous, the reward would still tempt them to make trouble for the Jedi. Obi-Wan had no doubt that he and Anakin could handle any attack the bounty hunting team could launch at them, but he'd rather not have to deal with it at all so that he could focus on rescuing Wren and getting to the bottom of who was behind this.

He wanted them close. But it was better that they think it was in their best interests to stay with the Jedi.

"I think you've got us there," Dane told him. "Lead on."

With Floria and Dane in tow, Obi-Wan and Anakin began a systematic search. They walked outward from their ship in widening circles.

"The power source for that size sleeper bomb has to be a generator that's fairly large," Obi-Wan said. "I'm guessing it's on a cruiser of some kind."

"If the power source in on a cruiser, the bounty hunter could be long gone," Floria called to them as she brought up the rear.

"Not if the prize is as big as you say," Obi-Wan answered.

Their route took the over a rocky hill and down into another low-lying meadow. The ground was mushy beneath their feet. Ahead lay a boggy field full of shoulder-high bushes with bright yellow flowers.

Floria reached out to pick one. "Ow!" She sucked her finger.

Now they could see that red thorns surrounded the bright flowers.

"I guess we have to turn back," Floria said hopefully. "We'll be torn to shreds if we try to make it through these bushes."