Джуд Уотсон: Jedi Apprentice 16: The Call To Vengeance

"New Apsolon doesn't get many tourists. There are plenty of good Civilized, but I'm sure there are plenty of ones like Vero, too."

"How are you at using the Force to affect his mind?" Bant asked, frowning. "I don't know if I could manage it. Vero is stupid, but he seems stubborn."

Obi-Wan doubted that he would be successful, either. "And the waiting room is so small — everyone would overhear," he murmured.

Bant's silver gaze roved over the. group. "Everyone is staring at us.

" "They've probably never seen a Mon Calamari before, either," Obi-Wan pointed out.

Something sparked in Bant's eyes. "That gives me an idea."

Suddenly, she weaved and began to gasp. "I'm over my limit," she said. "Help me. I need water."

Obi-Wan supported her as she slumped over. "Water!" she cried.

Vero looked over at them, his expression a mix of irritation and alarm. "What is it? The medics are busy."

"She's a Mon Calamari," Obi-Wan said frantically. "She can't stay out of water for more than four hours. We need to immerse her, now!"

"I can't authorize that," Vero said, shaking his head. "She'll just have to wait"

"She'll die!" Obi-Wan cried. Bant cooperated by slumping down even farther.

"I've heard about Mon Calamari," someone spoke up from the waiting area. "What he says is true."

"This will be on your record!" Obi-Wan warned Vero. He'd nearly said conscience, but he wasn't sure if Vero had one. "Do you want that?"

At the mention of his record, Vero looked alarmed. "All right, all right," he said. "There's an immersion tub in back. I'll take her."

Obi-Wan handed Bant over to Vero, who took her arm with distaste. He half dragged her back toward the med cubicles.

Obi-Wan wasted no time. He moved stealth-fully to the desk and quickly accessed the holofiles.

Yes! Oleg had been here, just a few days before. And there was an address listed. Obi-Wan quickly memorized it, then hurried back. He slid into a seat in the waiting area just as Vero returned.

"Your — friend is having her swim," Vero said with a frown.

Bant emerged a few minutes later, still damp. Obi-Wan nodded at her to let her know he had succeeded. Quickly, they left the clinic and headed for a street map kiosk on a nearby corner. They pinpointed the address. It was only a few blocks away. The address was for a small hotel, but their search ended when they discovered that Oleg had checked out.

"Too many questions about that one," the owner of the hotel said darkly. "And I've got no answers for you."

Disappointed, Obi-Wan stopped on the walkway outside. He had a feeling that Qui-Gon had not given up so easily.

"I guess we could stake the place out," Bant said dubiously. "Or stake out the clinic."

"His next appointment isn't for two weeks," Obi-Wan said, discouraged.

"Well, let's contact Mace and tell him it's a dead end," Bant suggested.

Obi-Wan wasn't thrilled at giving Mace that news, but he reached for his comlink.

When Mace answered, he quickly explained the steps they had taken and where they were.

Mace sounded odd. "Give me your location again." When Obi-Wan repeated it, there was a long pause. "I've just received word that a body was found nearby. Meet me there. I am leaving now." Mace gave Obi-Wan the address and signed off.

Obi-Wan looked over at Bant. He knew what they both feared. He could not speak the fear aloud, but it rose inside him, draining him of strength.

The body was Qui-Gon.

Without a word, they turned and ran toward the address Mace had given them. It was only a few blocks away.

They stopped in front of a warehouse. Security vehicles were parked outside, and officers walked in and out.

Obi-Wan strode forward as if he belonged there. He couldn't wait another second.

"We are Jedi. Manex has given us the authority to investigate," he said firmly.

To his surprise, the security officer waved them inside. Manex must have followed through and demanded access for the Jedi.

The body lay under a tarp in the hallway. Obi-Wan felt relief drain the remaining strength from his muscles. He could already tell from the outlines that the body was too short and slight to be Qui-Gon's.

He bent over and lifted a corner of the tarp anyway. Mild blue eyes stared up at him in surprise. No matter how many times Obi-Wan had seen it, he never got used to death.

He guessed who the young man was. "Do you have an ID?" he asked a nearby officer.

"Name was Oleg," the officer replied as he entered something into a datapad.

"Was anything on the body?" Bant asked. "Just a blaster. Never got a chance to use it, did he? A probe droid got him first."

While they waited for Mace, Obi-Wan and Bant explored the area. At first they found nothing to indicate a struggle, no clues to send them in a new direction. Then they came to the back door. The panel was peeled back, leaving an opening wide enough for a man to step through.

Mace's voice came from behind them. "A light-saber, no doubt."

"It could have been a vibrotorch," Obi-Wan suggested. Suddenly he did not want Mace to think that Qui-Gon had been there.

Mace didn't answer. His eyes narrowed, and he moved forward to pluck something off the sharp end of a broken hinge. He held it up to Obi-Wan and Bent. It was a piece of a Jedi robe.

He turned and looked through the opening cut in the door. The security officers had left bright glow rods to illuminate the back area.

"There was a battle with probe droids," Mace said. "See the scorch marks on the pavement? Maybe four or five or even more." He turned to Obi- Wan. "Did Qui-Gon employ probe droids to track Balog?"

Obi-Wan swallowed. He could not lie to Mace. "Yes," he said.

Mace stood holding the scrap of fabric. His face showed nothing of what he was thinking. But Obi-Wan could guess.

Was Qui-Gon involved in Oleg's death? Had his grief and rage turned him to the dark side? Would he not care who was in his way in his quest to avenge Tahl's death? Obi-Wan feared the question was in Mace's mind. His bigger worry was that it was in his own.

Qui-Gon moved swiftly through the dark streets. The clue he had found at the site of Oleg's killing led him on. By Oleg's side, he had found a slender chain and pendant. The chain had been broken. He had recognized the pendant immediately. Irini had been at the warehouse.

He stood for a moment outside Lenz's dwelling, wondering how to proceed. Irini did not volunteer information freely. But his impatience allowed no time for persuasion.

Then he saw Irini heading toward him, her arms filled with a bag of food. Her steps slowed for an instant when she saw Qui-Gon. Then she moved forward briskly to hide her hesitation. In that moment, Qui-Gon decided that his best chance was to bluff.

"So we meet again tonight," he said.

She eyed him warily. "Again?"

"You were at the warehouse tonight with Oleg. So was I."

She swallowed. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

"Did you get the list?"

She let out a breath. "No. He didn't have it. I posed as a buyer, hoping to get it. If not, I wanted to protect him."

"But he betrayed the Workers," Qui-Gon said.

"He saw a way to make his fortune, yes," Irini said wearily. "Many Workers are desperate that way. Despite our hopes, the wealth of the Civilized has not trickled down to us. But Oleg is still a Worker, and we know he was being pursued. My job was to bring him in."

"Did you see what happened?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Two probe droids attacked, so I got out," she said. "I'm sure it was Balog who sent them."

"Balog was there, too," Qui-Gon said. "I saw him."

Irini dropped the bundle she held. Fruit and protein packs spilled onto the pavement. "Balog was there? Did he get the list?"