Джуд Уотсон - Jedi Apprentice 9 - The Fight for Truth

"V-Obi is confused," the teacher said, nodding. "His Inner Guide is cloudy. It is up to all of you to bring him to his contribution to the General Good."

The class nodded solemnly.

"Have we landed on Weird World?" Siri whispered to Obi-Wan.

"Two marks for talking, and what is your name?" The teacher turned to Siri.

"Siri — "

"One mark for not giving your full name, O-Siri," the teacher said. "We each have a letter before our names that we share with others. This demonstrates our commitment to the General Good. Class?"

"We are all unique, yet none is better than another. Such is the General Good," the class chanted.

"This is generally crazy," Siri muttered.

"Three marks for talking after being warned, O-Siri," O-Bin said. "Let us return to the lesson."

Obi-Wan's data screen flashed blue. Letters began to crawl across the screen: TRAVEL TO THE INNER CORE IS DANGEROUS. THE FIRST OBSTACLE IS THE DELACRIX SYSTEM.

Obi-Wan frowned. He knew the Delacrix System. They'd passed it on the way to Kegan. Qui-Gon had said it was a thriving system of planets orbiting around three suns. All the worlds traded together in harmony. They had all recently joined the Galactic Senate.

"Who can tell me why the Delacrix System is dangerous?" the teacher asked. "0-lris?"

"The Delacrix System is dangerous because it is controlled by pirates," a small, red-haired girl said in an almost-whisper. "Its third sun is in perpetual nova, so it can melt the engines of passing craft. The pirates divert passing traffic into the outer edges of the exploding sun to force a landing."

Obi-Wan stared at the small girl in amazement. Everything she'd said was untrue.

Observation without interference, Qui-Gon had said. If he kept his mouth closed, he could learn.

Just as Obi-Wan resolved to stay silent no matter what, Siri spoke up.

"But that's not true!" she protested.

"I did not call on you, O-Siri," O-Bin said severely. "If you wish to ask a question, touch your data screen."

Siri touched her data screen.

0-Bin's lips were tight as she smiled and turned back to her. "Yes, O-Siri?"

"The Delacrix System is not overrun by pirates," Siri said.

"That is not a question," O-Bin said. Her cheeks flushed red. "Two marks."

"And its sun is not in perpetual nova," Siri added. "It's a peaceful system with a thriving trade."

"Three marks." 0-Bin's smile was forced. "That makes eleven marks all together. You have caught up to your stubborn companion."

"Come on, Obi-Wan," Siri muttered without moving her lips. "Give me a hand here."

Obi-Wan sighed. He touched his data screen.

"Question, V-Obi?"

"Delacrix is a safe, peaceful system," Obi-Wan said. "Travel is not dangerous. Caution is required, but — "

"Four marks for disobedience!" 0-Bin's voice screeched. She cleared her throat and smiled. "You are not contributing to the General Good. Now we turn to the next outlying system. Please consult your screens."

The words scrolled across Obi-Wan's screen.

THE PLANET STIEG PRESENTS MORE HAZZARDS.

"Can anyone say why?" O-Bin asked, facing the class. "V-Davi?"

The slender, sandy-haired boy spoke up. "Stieg has no organized government or ruling system. Tribes are locked in constant warfare."

Siri stood up on legs that still trembled from the effects of the electro-jabber. "Hold on. The Stieg-Fan are peaceful and fun-loving. And Stieg has a perfectly fine system of government!"

O-Bin's face grew flushed. "Thank you for your contribution, 0-Siri, but it is a lie."

"I don't lie!"

Obi-Wan wanted to tug on Siri's tunic to make her sit down. But he couldn't undo what she'd already said. He'd have to back her up.

"Siri is right. Stieg is peaceful," Obi-Wan said.

O-Bin seemed about to explode. She squeezed her hands together. Then, she smiled.

"You two make it difficult to keep up with how many punishment marks you have," she said in a tone that hit each word like a sharp rap against a tuneless bell. "I'm afraid greater punishment is called for. You will both clean up the food service area for the entire school after the evening meal."

The sandy-haired student called V-Davi looked at them sympathetically.

"Think again," Siri shot back. "I don't have to follow your rules. I'm not under your authority!"

"If you choose to refuse your punishment and hurt the General Good,"

O-Bin continued, "not one student will eat today."

Fifty pairs of angry eyes turned and stared at Obi-Wan and Siri.

"Now, do you still refuse?" O-Bin asked.

Under cover of his tunic, Obi-Wan nudged Siri to silence. He would not be responsible for depriving the students of food. When they didn't respond, O-Bin turned away, a smug smile of satisfaction on her face.

"Great," Siri whispered. "Not only are we trapped, we're trapped with dirty dishes."

O-Bin didn't turn. "Four punishment marks, 0-Siri," she said sweetly.

Qui-Gon and Adi stood in the middle of the Gathering Circle. Around them rose an open-air coliseum with stone slabs serving as benches.

"All Keganites participate in the governing of Kegan," V-Haad said proudly. "V-Tan and 0-Vieve bring problems to the people. They do not supply solutions, merely proposals. Every citizen gets a vote."

A low, circular building was built next to the coliseum. In one of the few examples of finery on Kegan, its dome was painted gold.

"Here is the Central Dwelling, where our Benevolent Guides reside,"

O-Rina said. "We will request an audience for you."

O-Rina and V-Haad brought them to a small room with whitewashed walls that contained benches for seating. "They will be with you shortly," O-Rina said. "We'll await you at the front entrance."

In moments the door opened and two elder Keganites in soft white robes appeared. The woman's silver hair was braided and hung down her back. The man's was silver as well. Their beaming smiles seemed more sincere than those of the Hospitality Guides.

"Welcome, Qui-Gon Jinn and Adi Gallia," the woman said. "I am O-Vieve, and this is V-Tan. It is our honor to greet you."

The two Jedi bowed.

"We hope that you will be able to assist us," Qui-Gon said. "We arrived with our Padawans, Siri and Obi-Wan. They wandered off and we have been unable to find them."

V-Tan folded his hands. "The Hospitality Guides have informed us of this. We are concerned."

"We have decided to launch a search," O-Vieve said. "We will inform our citizens that the children are missing. We should have results very soon."

"We should like to join in the search," Qui-Gon said.

O-Vieve nodded at him sympathetically. "I feel your concern, yet you do not know our world. We can search quicker and more efficiently. V-Tan and I would be grateful if you would accept our hospitality during this short time. We have guest quarters prepared here in the Central Dwelling. I am certain you need food and rest. We will bring your Padawans to you."

Qui-Gon was about to protest, but Adi nodded. "Thank you," she said.

V-Tan and O-Vieve murmured that it was no trouble at all, and they were happy to be able to meet the gracious and kind Jedi. The Hospitality Guides would be waiting in the front reception hallway to show them the way to their rooms.

Qui-Gon and Adi strode into the hallway. As soon as they were out of earshot, Qui-Gon murmured, "We can't rely on them to search."

"Of course not," Adi agreed. "But if we had continued to protest, it wouldn't have done any good. They wouldn't have given in. They are not afraid of us the way O-Rina and V-Haad are."

"Afraid of us?" Qui-Gon asked, startled. "Nervous, perhaps. But why would they be afraid of us?"

"That is something I do not know," Adi said. "Yet."

Qui-Gon paused. The reception area was just ahead, and he did not want the Hospitality Guides to see them. "We need to go back to the beginning. We need to talk to V-Nen and 0-Melie. Perhaps Obi-Wan and Siri's failure to come back is linked to O-Lana's disappearance."