Star Wars

Jedi Quest

Book 5

The School of Fear

by Jude Watson

source: IRC

uploaded: 09.I.2006

CHAPTER ONE

Patience was required of every Jedi. No matter what  the  pressure,  a

Jedi maintained inner calm. Every Padawan Learner knew the  story  of  Jedi

Master Yaddle, who had been imprisoned  underground  on  Koba  for  several

centuries and never lost her serenity.

Then again, Anakin Skywalker thought, even Master  Yaddle  might  have

cracked if she had to deal with Senatorial procedure.

Anakin hid his smile. Without seeming to move, he tensed  and  relaxed

his muscles. He had been sitting for hours in the Polestar  Reception  Room

off the Grand Hall of the vast Senate complex. The huge room had a  soaring

vaulted ceiling, which was gilded  with  sheets  of  precious  metals  from

various worlds. The seating was low to the  ground,  wide  with  adjustable

armrests for many-limbed beings. Plush cushions  and  reclining  backs  had

tempted several beings into slumber. So did the  large  screens  showing  a

droning speech in the main Senate chamber.

Anakin's Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, sat quietly, every muscle still.  His

eyes rested on the gilded wall in front of him. To anyone  walking  by,  he

appeared completely composed. But Anakin knew his Master well, and he could

sense an impatience that radiated like heat off Obi-Wan's stillness.

They had been sitting for most of the morning. Anakin could feel every

minute of that wait in his coiled muscles. They  had  been  summoned  early

that morning with the news that a decision on  Obi-Wan's  petition  for  an

"order to reveal" had been reached. Obi-Wan had filed the petition  against

an influential Senator, Sano Sauro. When they'd arrived that morning,  Obi-

Wan had been directed by a Senatorial aide to wait "for just five  minutes,

please." That was three hours ago. They were still waiting.

Anakin's boot began to tap a quick rhythm on the stone floor. With one

glance from Obi-Wan, Anakin stopped.

"Can I get you anything, Master? Tea?" Anakin asked. He would love  to

have something - anything - to do.

"No, thank you, Padawan. We will wait." Obi-Wan crossed his  arms  and

resumed his intense scrutiny of the wall.

Nothing but the pursuit of Granta Omega would have brought them  here.

The galactic criminal had set his sights on the Jedi, and Obi-Wan had twice

been his target. Omega was not practiced in the dark side of the Force, but

he was fascinated with the Sith and knew that  one  was  at  large  in  the

galaxy. He had set out to lure that Sith, and was willing to kill a Jedi in

order to do so. He would amass even more wealth using any means  he  could.

Obi-Wan considered him a great enemy of the Jedi.

Anakin had wanted to hunt him down, to start  somewhere  in  the  far-

flung reaches of  the  galaxy  and  gather  information,  but  Obi-Wan  had

counseled patience. They could  wander  the  galaxy  for  months  or  years

without getting any closer to Omega. Instead,  Obi-Wan  told  Anakin,  they

must follow the only lead they had: Years before, Senator  Sano  Sauro  had

taken Omega on as his prot©g©, and was probably still in touch with him.

Sauro was also an enemy of the Jedi, though he  cloaked  it  behind  a

silky manner and Senatorial procedure. Obi-Wan would have to force  him  to

cooperate. In order to have access to the information Obi-Wan was sure  was

buried in his files, they would have to follow Senate procedure. And Senate

procedure was the one thing that Anakin knew his  Master  had  no  patience

for. As a matter of fact, it was the one thing he  knew  that  Obi-Wan  was

incredibly bad at.

So Obi-Wan had turned to  an  expert:  a  young  Senate  aide  with  a

brilliant mind, the Svivreni Tyro Caladian. Tyro had made it  his  business

to have at his fingertips the most unnecessarily complicated,  ridiculously

obscure, and surprisingly silly rules of order.

Tyro had explained that their only course of action would be  to  file

an order to reveal. This order could be obtained only through a complicated

series of steps that included petitions, signatures, approvals, and  seals.

Obi-Wan had made it through these steps, and at last  the  order  had  been

served on Sano Sauro.

Anakin was sure that as soon as they gained access to  Sauro's  files,

they would find the clue that would lead them to Omega.

Suddenly a Svivreni in a navy tunic burst  into  the  vast  room.  His

black hair flowed down his back, loosely held with a  thick  ring  of  dull

metal. He was stocky and furred, his small, intense face  screwed  into  an

expression of nervous haste. He tried to modify his pace, but he  ended  up

running and skidded to a stop before Obi-Wan  and  Anakin,  his  thin-soled

boots sliding on the polished floor.

"I was tied up in a subcommittee hearing - " he said breathlessly.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Doesn't matter. No news yet, Tyro."

Tyro Caladian shook his head rapidly. "How can that be? Something must

be wrong."

Anakin frowned. He wasn't happy to hear Tyro say that.

"We had him in our grasp and he slipped away,"  Tyro  moaned.  "I  can

feel it."

"Nothing has happened yet," Obi-Wan said. "Have a seat before you fall

down." A faint smile twitched at his mouth. Tyro's excitability amused  the

Jedi, but Tyro's vibrating nerves hid a political mind as sharp and cunning

as a well-honed blade.

Tyro sat, sunk in gloom. He, too,  was  no  fan  of  Sano  Sauro.  The

Senator had attempted to take over the rich mines of  Svivren  for  weapons

development in a secret deal. The Svivreni were opposed to weaponry of  any

kind, and the deal was exposed before Sauro could complete his plan. He had

covered his tracks well and they could not  find  proof  to  make  an  open

accusation. It ate away at Tyro.

Tyro had worked together with Obi-Wan, making sure that  they  plugged

every loophole. They had followed every item and sub-item of the procedure.

They had notified, ratified, and petitioned. Obi-Wan had even enlisted  the

support of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.

Despite  Tyro's  nerves,  Anakin  knew  they'd  prevail.   He   didn't

understand why Tyro and Obi-Wan looked so worried.

Tyro blinked his small, bright eyes. "Sauro is  pulling  something.  I

wish I knew what it was."

Obi-Wan stirred. "I have a feeling we're about to find out."

Anakin quickly stood as the Speaker of the Senate, Mas Ameeda,  strode

into the room. He carried himself with his usual gravity, his hands clasped

in front of him and his lethorns resting against the deep blue of his  rich

robes.

"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has asked me to bring  you  this  news,"

Mas Ameeda said after bowing to Obi-Wan. "Your order  to  reveal  has  been

denied."

Anakin saw a flicker of anger in Obi-Wan's gaze, but it was gone in  a

moment. "On what grounds?"

"Senator Sauro has succeeded in utilizing  a  little-known  procedural

item called a sitting Senator's right of refusal,"  Mas  Ameeda  explained.

"This has allowed him to block  the  order  to  reveal  for  an  indefinite

period. Senator Sauro is on an important committee on redistributing  trade

routes, and he petitioned the Senate Procedural Committee on that basis."

Tyro Caladian bristled. His fur stood out in  sharp  points.  "I  have

never heard of a right of refusal," he said. "This is outrageous!"

Mas Ameeda stared at Tyro. It was clear he did  not  appreciate  being

lectured to by such a young aide. "It is a little-known rule, rarely  used.

The Committee had to go back three hundred years into the archives to  find

it."

"But procedural rules are discounted when they  haven't  been  renewed

and ratified within the last hundred years!" Tyro Caladian sputtered. "This

is a clear violation!"

"It is a gray area," Mas Ameeda admitted. "Technically  the  Committee

is in charge of interpreting all rules, so they have the right  to  enforce

them. It is a... surprising decision." He turned to face Obi-Wan  squarely.

"Senator Sauro must have wanted to block your order very badly."

"I'm sure that is so," Obi-Wan said.

Mas Ameeda inclined his head. "The Supreme  Chancellor  wishes  me  to

tell you that he did everything he could. He regrets the  decision  of  the

Committee but cannot overrule it. He hopes that you will be able  to  track

Granta Omega some other way. He realizes that it is in the  best  interests

of the galaxy for you to do so."

"Please extend my thanks to the Supreme Chancellor," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin could not believe his Master could keep his composure. To  have

come so close, and to be defeated by such a petty rule! It was unfair.  How

could his Master accept this ruling?

Mas Ameeda bowed gravely, then walked slowly out the door,  his  heavy

robe swinging.

Tyro's fur was still raised, and his small  eyes  snapped  with  fury.

"I'll fight this," he told Obi-Wan. "He won't get away with it. I'll  draft

an appeal."

"Do what you can, my friend," Obi-Wan said. "Yet I  believe  you  will

not succeed. My guess is that Sauro got to someone  on  that  committee.  I

think that was what Mas Ameeda was insinuating." Obi-Wan put  his  hand  on

Tyro's shoulder. "Thank you for all your help. My Padawan and I  will  find

another way."

Tyro looked crestfallen. "If ever you need me again, Master Kenobi,  I

am here for you." He raised a furred hand, fingers spread, in the  Svivreni

gesture of goodbye. Then he hurried from the room.

"Master, Tyro is right," Anakin said forcefully. "This is  outrageous.

Can't we break into Sauro's files?"

Obi-Wan folded his arms in the way that let Anakin know  that  he  had

gone too far.

"If we were discovered, it would undermine the Senators' trust in  the

Jedi," Obi-Wan said.

"There's got to be something we can do!" Anakin  exploded.  "We  can't

let him win. He's probably laughing at us right now!"

Obi-Wan gave him a severe look. "You  should  not  be  concerned  with

Senator Sauro's reaction. What does it matter if a corrupt  man  laughs  at

us? It should be less than the whisper of a gnatfly's wings to us."

Anakin stared at him. "He has made fools of us."

"No, Padawan," Obi-Wan said firmly. "If your path is the right one, no

one has that power. Those who seek  to  make  fools  of  others  are  fools

themselves."

"I don't understand you," Anakin said, shaking his head. "You are just

as upset as I am. I can feel it, Master. I know how much you want  to  find

Granta Omega."

"Cultivate outward calm and inward  calm  will  come,"  Obi-Wan  said.

"This is the time when the Jedi lesson  of  inner  balance  can  help  you.

Accept the setback, and move on."

"How?" Anakin asked. "Where?"

"That is a question that is easy for me to answer," Obi-Wan said. "The

Council has called on us for a new mission."

Anakin felt his anger drain away. "Do you know what it is?"

"No," Obi-Wan said. "But I will admit this - wherever it takes  us,  I

will be glad to take a break from Senatorial politics."

CHAPTER TWO

To teach was easy. To be an example - well, that was another thing.

Obi-Wan had wanted to pound the floor and shake the very walls of  the

Senate. But with his Padawan by his side, he had too many reasons  not  to.

He had drawn on his years of training in order to present a serene face  to

his apprentice. He knew Anakin struggled with his own patience. It would be

damaging for Obi-Wan to show his frustration in front of him.

Anakin was sixteen years old. Impatience was  wired  into  his  being.

Despite Anakin's strong Force connection, it would most likely  take  years

before he developed true inner balance.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was supposed to have it already.

Obi-Wan drew a deep breath. It wasn't just the frustration of  dealing

with the Senate bureaucracy, blood-boiling as that was. It was the  nagging

feeling that if he didn't track down Granta Omega soon, their next  meeting

would be on Omega's terms. Obi-Wan didn't have anything concrete to go  on.

Yet he felt strongly that the darkness he felt around Omega somehow had  to

do with Anakin. The sense of urgency he felt was very real.

As they accessed the turbolift to the High Council tower,  Ferus  Olin

walked up and  nodded  a  greeting.  As  usual,  the  Jedi  Padawan  looked

impeccable, his tunic spotless, his dark,  gold-streaked  hair  drawn  back

severely in his Padawan braid. Even his utility belt gleamed from a  recent

polishing.

Obi-Wan turned to him, surprised. "You have been called as well?"

"Yes. My Master will join us in the High Council chamber."

They stepped onto the turbolift. Obi-Wan noted  the  cool  nod  Anakin

gave in response to Ferus's greeting. So the two were still rivals. Perhaps

being thrown together again would be good for both of them.

The three stepped out and entered the Council chamber. A  majority  of

the Council was there, surrounding the trio in a  semicircle.  Outside  the

floor-to-ceiling windows dark clouds collided, threatening rain.  A  sudden

bolt of lightning flashed a jagged streak of blue  against  the  dark  gray

sky.

Mace Windu turned from where he'd been contemplating the coming storm.

He sat in his chair and faced Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ferus.

"Thank you for coming so quickly," he said. "This  is  a  matter  that

demands our urgent response."

Obi-Wan waited, surprised that Mace Windu  had  begun  without  Siri's

presence.

"There has been some infighting in the Senate," Mace Windu began.

Obi-Wan felt a silent groan well up within him. So much for his desire

to escape Senatorial politics.

"Senator Berm Tarturi of Andara is fighting the  political  battle  of

his life," Mace continued. "The Andaran system is a  thriving,  influential

one, but several planets in the system are claiming an imbalance  in  trade

route distribution. The planet leria is demanding a new treaty, as well  as

representation in the Senate. leria and Andara have become bitter  enemies.

Senator Tarturi is concerned about a reduction in his own  power,  but  the

problem is bigger than that. Since the Andaran system is a powerful  voting

bloc, the Senate is worried about potential instability  -  as  well  as  a

full-scale  civil  war  that  could  bring  in  other  systems  and  spread

throughout the Core Worlds. And something else has happened  to  complicate

the situation even more. The Senator's son has disappeared."

Mace paused, knitting his long fingers together.  "Gillam  Tarturi  is

sixteen. He is a student at the elite  Leadership  School  on  Andara  -  a

private academy that trains many of the children of the powerful throughout

the galaxy for careers in government and diplomacy. The  school's  security

system is sophisticated. The fact that Gillam disappeared without  tripping

any alarms is a mystery."

"Does Senator Tarturi believe that his son's disappearance is tied  to

his political problems in his home system?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He does," Mace Windu said. "He fears  his  opponents  have  kidnapped

Gillam in order to distract him."

Obi-Wan sensed a hesitation in Windu's manner, and he quickly  glanced

at the rest of the Council members. It was always difficult to  read  them,

but he felt the uncertainty in the air.

"Difficult the situation is," Yoda said. "Interested we are in another

connection. A squad of young mercenaries there is."

"The word is that the Leadership School serves as  a  training  ground

for this squad," Windu continued. "The young mercenaries have already  been

involved  in   several   intra-planetary   disputes   and   possibly   even

assassinations. They are alleged to hire themselves out for various  causes

around the galaxy. The disappearance of Gillam Tarturi could be related  to

this secret squad. Their activities are beginning to worry the Council."

"So they must be investigated as well," Obi-Wan said.

Mace Windu nodded. "The Council has arranged for both Anakin and Ferus

to enter the school as new students. They are to find out who is behind the

renegade squad and investigate them. Their identities will be  concealed  -

no one must connect the Jedi to this operation if we are  to  succeed.  Not

even the school officials will know that Ferus and Anakin are Jedi  -  they

have been given documentation as transfer students, Anakin on a scholarship

and Ferus as the son of a high official from a Mid-Rim planet."

"And meanwhile I will investigate Andaran  system  politics,"  Obi-Wan

said. He tried to keep the thud of disappointment from his voice.

Mace Windu nodded again. "This will mean a separation  between  Master

and Padawan. Not only for you, but for Siri as well. The Council is sending

her to do some follow-up work on a planet in the Core.  The  Council  feels

that Ferus and Anakin together can handle  this."  He  turned  to  the  two

Padawans. "You will be  undercover  at  all  times,  and  that  will  prove

difficult in ways you have yet to foresee. You can set up a regular time to

communicate with Obi-Wan. Students are not  allowed  to  use  comm  devices

during the school day, but they have a free hour in the evenings. You  must

check in with each other as often as you can."

"Yes, Master Windu," Ferus said.

The doors hissed open and Siri walked in  with  her  usual  purposeful

stride. She bowed to the Council. "I have received my last instructions and

I'm ready to leave," she said.

"You will be responsible for another Jedi's Padawan," Mace Windu  told

Obi-Wan. "You know what this means."

"It is as if he is my own," Obi-Wan said, looking at Siri. Her  clear,

deep blue gaze told him that she trusted him.

"May the Force be with you all," Mace Windu concluded.

An hour later, the sky remained black and the clouds still refused  to

release the rain as Obi-Wan stood on  the  landing  platform  with  Anakin.

Ferus was already in the cruiser, doing a last-minute check. Obi-Wan  would

remain on Coruscant to investigate Tarturi's rivals in the Senate.  It  was

the place he had to start, but he did not relish the idea.

"I'm sorry to leave you, Master, but I know how  much  you're  looking

forward to returning to the Senate," Anakin said. The  muscles  around  his

mouth twitched as he tried not to smile.

"Very amusing," Obi-Wan said dryly. "I admit I would rather  not  have

this particular assignment, but I recognize that it is necessary that it be

done."

Anakin sighed. "Always an opportunity to teach."

"Yes," Obi-Wan said, smiling now. "That is the role of  a  Master,  my

young apprentice." He put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Remember, you are

not on a solo mission. You are with a fellow Jedi. Do your best with Ferus.

Try to get to know him. That might ease your irritation with him."

"I would rather not have this particular assignment, but  I  recognize

that it must be done," Anakin said with a straight face.

Obi-Wan laughed. He would miss Anakin's humor. Sometimes, he knew,  he

could be too serious. He remembered how Qui-Gon  would  sometimes  surprise

him on a tough mission with a sly joke.

I must remember to do those things for Anakin, he thought.  His  gifts

are so great that I work too hard to teach. He  must  learn  to  enjoy,  as

well.

"Keep in close contact, Anakin," he said. "I will be on Andara as soon

as I can. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Master." Anakin turned and  strode  toward

the Republic cruiser. Obi-Wan felt a tug at his heart that he recognized as

a reluctance he did not like to admit.

The Council believed that Anakin was ready for more independence,  but

no doubt they had chosen Ferus as a  counterbalance.  His  stability  would

keep Anakin's impulsiveness in check.

Or so they believed.

Obi-Wan watched the cruiser shoot into a space-lane, suddenly  reverse

engines, and drop into a lane several levels below  between  an  airspeeder

and an air taxi with barely a millimeter to spare. Obi-Wan shook  his  head

ruefully. There was no doubt in his mind  that  Anakin  had  suggested  the

close maneuver just to annoy Ferus.

He was glad Mace Windu had not seen it.

He watched the cruiser until it disappeared into the  dusk.  Yes,  the

Council was wise. Wiser than him. No doubt about  that.  Yet  he  knew  his

Padawan better than the Council, and his uneasiness gathered within him, as

dark and heavy as the coming storm.

CHAPTER THREE

Andara was a beautiful world, lush and green with a temperate climate,

tracts of wilderness, and wealthy cities. The Leadership School was on  the

outskirts of its capital city of Utare. The campus of the  school  took  in

rolling hills, green fields, and a lake. The grounds were  ringed  with  an

electro-charged security  wall  with  observation  towers  and  a  particle

shield.  Roving  surveillance  droids  made  circuits  of   the   property.

Electrobars covered the windows. Rich  children  usually  attracted  bounty

hunters and other threats; the school meant to keep them out.

Anakin gazed behind him at the city buildings of Utare as they  passed

through the security checkpoint. He felt as though he were saying  good-bye

to freedom and entering a  prison.  Although  there  was  security  at  the

Temple, he never felt or saw its presence; he just felt safe.

Once they were inside the school and had received their class and room

assignments, the feeling of oppression was meant to  lift.  The  Leadership

School was like a separate world. In many ways, it was more  like  a  grand

hotel than a place of learning.

It was built with gray stone imbedded with  chunks  of  rare  minerals

that glinted blue and rose  in  the  light.  Costly  woods  were  used  for

counters and desks. Each student had his or her  own  small  but  luxurious

quarters. Expert chefs  prepared  the  food.  The  students  had  extensive

exercise equipment and five  pools  of  varying  depths  and  temperatures.

Everything was arranged for their comfort. It was very different  from  the

Temple. The Temple was both grand and simple at the same time. Here, luxury

was everywhere.

"If the body is pampered, the mind is free to concentrate,"  Professor

Aeradin told them as they toured the compound. He was an assistant dean and

had been assigned to them for orientation. He was tall  and  thin,  with  a

narrow head and four antennae that quivered when he grew  excited.  He  was

obviously proud of the school, and his antennae rarely stopped dancing.

But despite the teacher's enthusiasm and the gleaming hallways, Anakin

felt a steady pulse underneath it all that  leadened  the  atmosphere  with

dread.

"Can you feel it?" he asked Ferus as they  made  their  way  to  their

rooms.

Ferus nodded. "Fear."

Anakin said good-bye and opened the door to his  small  but  exquisite

suite. The sleep couch was piled with thick soft covers and a long  counter

held a variety of the latest tech learning devices.

All of the luxury  was  nice,  he  had  to  admit,  but  it  made  him

uncomfortable. He liked simple things. And the luxury did not disguise  the

lack of freedom. The students were subject to strict security  regulations.

They could not leave the complex without authorization. The parents of  the

students paid a small fortune in order to ensure their  children's  safety.

Security had been stepped up since Gillam's  disappearance.  Random  checks

were conducted and the whereabouts of the students had to be known  at  all

times. Roving security droids  zipped  through  the  hallways,  their  cams

constantly sweeping the air.

Yet Anakin knew these students did  not  feel  safe  here.  The  heavy

surveillance didn't bother them. They welcomed it. Daughters  and  sons  of

privilege,  they  were  used  to  constant  attention.  One  of  them   had

disappeared without warning. They all felt the chill of Gillam's absence.

He wasn't accustomed to keeping a low profile, but he  tried  to  slip

unnoticed through the halls as he  went  through  the  first  few  days  of

classes. He decided that his best strategy would be to cloak his  abilities

as much as possible. The more invisible he was, the more freedom  he  would

have to examine others.

Slowly, he began to find it strange and liberating to be just  another

student. From the moment he had arrived at the  Temple,  he  was  whispered

about. As the "Chosen One," the other students  had  kept  an  eye  on  his

progress. Some were envious, some polite, some friendly, and  some  steered

clear of him completely. But everyone noticed him. It  was  something  that

had been difficult for him in the beginning, but he had gotten used to  it.

Obi-Wan had told him that it was the best preparation for being a Jedi.  He

had to learn to screen out what others thought or  speculated.  He  had  to

concentrate on his own path.

Around him were the elite leaders of tomorrow. They  knew  where  they

were going - . on to positions of power in the galaxy, as Senators, rulers,

heads of galactic corporations. Anakin marveled at their  assurance,  their

expectation that their lives would be full of the same luxury and ease that

had been theirs since childhood.

At night, alone in his room, he admitted a strange  new  feeling  into

his heart: envy.

Anakin sat in the Great Hall of Learning with the rest of the  school.

Although individual classes were small, once a week the entire school would

gather for  a  General  Information  Contest.  The  students  sat  in  rows

underneath a  gilded  dome.  Professor  Aeradin  stood  on  a  repulsorlift

platform, manipulating a holographic projector. The questions and  problems

were presented as holograms, and the students answered on datapads at their

seats.

Like all of the desks and chairs at the school, these seats were plush

and comfortable. Anakin could press a button and the seat configured to his

body. It reclined and swiveled so that he did not have to move his head  to

follow the holographic problems.

He glanced at the problem overhead but waited  a  few  seconds  before

entering his answer. There were many good things about Jedi training at the

Temple, but Anakin discovered another one  -  any  other  school  was  easy

compared to it. He had slipped into  his  classes  with  no  problems.  His

training  at  the  Temple  had  included  classes  in  galactic   politics,

diplomacy,  and  extensive  study  of  languages,  system  geography,   and

astronomy. He could follow his classes at the Leadership School  with  less

than his full attention. Being at an elite school felt odd, but at least he

could keep up academically.

A hologram of a system spun over his head, while planet  after  planet

was highlighted with a bright blue light. As each  world  was  highlighted,

the native language or dialect repeated the same sentence.

Anakin did not need to  wait  until  the  question  was  complete.  He

already had figured out the Mid-Rim system. It was Rearqu 10.

"Name the system," Professor Aeradin said.

Anakin took his time entering  his  response.  He  watched  the  other

students, noting who immediately entered an answer, who stared  blankly  at

the system overhead, who tried to read what his neighbor had  entered,  and

who whispered the answer to another. Then he entered his own.

Rearqu 10 flashed holographically overhead. The professor repeated  it

as the number of right and wrong answers appeared on a screen at the  front

of the room.

"Only forty percent were correct," Aeradin said severely. "Shameful."

The next problem flashed overhead. Anakin  noted  Ferus  entering  the

answer before the question had even finished flashing. The student  sitting

next to Ferus glanced at him enviously, but Ferus's datapad was  angled  to

prevent anyone from seeing what was on it.

Anakin sighed. Even undercover, Ferus had to be the perfect student.

Anakin entered his own answer. Across the room, a  petite  human  girl

with dark hair twisted in a thick knot at the nape of her  neck  smiled  at

him. He smiled back. She was in his Political Philosophies class and he had

already noticed how bright she was. She had a way of seeing all sides of an

issue and looking for the deeper meaning.

The contest wore on. At last the questions ceased.  Professor  Aeradin

totaled up the responses on his data-pad and looked up.

"And the First Student today is..."

The name flashed holographically: FERUS OLIN

"I'd like to congratulate our new student, Ferus Olin, for his perfect

score. His time was the best. Excellent work."

"Thank you, Professor Aeradin," Ferus said.

Suddenly another  hologram  rose  next  to  Ferus's  name.  The  light

particles formed themselves into words, shining bigger and brighter:  IS  A

SNOB

The auditorium exploded into laughter. Professor Aeradin looked up and

saw the words. His gaze swept the auditorium while  his  antennae  quivered

with indignation.

"Who did this? Stand up this instant!"

The laughter slowly died, and the  auditorium  went  still.  Professor

Aeradin's severe look traveled from student to student, trying to flush out

the culprit.

Anakin drew on the Force to help him. He noted movement,  whispers,  a

shift, a squirm. He  felt  the  undercurrents  in  the  room  -  suppressed

laughter, nervousness. Impatience. Boredom. Hunger.

Triumph.

His gaze shifted to  a  short,  scruffy  human  boy  who  sat  staring

innocently at Professor Aeradin.

The professor hesitated. "If I ever find out..."

His words were drowned out by a soft dinging. A voice  rose  from  the

hidden speakers. "End of contest. Five minutes to mod four. Five minutes."

"Dismissed," Professor Aeradin said helplessly, for the  students  had

already risen, grabbing their datapads and talking  and  jostling  as  they

surged toward the doors.

Anakin headed in the direction of the short boy. His sandy hair  stuck

up in bristles and it was easy to keep  track  of  him.  Anyone  who  could

infiltrate a professor's  holographic  projector  in  order  to  conduct  a

practical joke might know something about bypassing security.

He noted that around him, students walked in groups or pairs. This boy

walked alone.

"That was pretty wizard," Anakin said, falling into  step  beside  the

boy.

"What?" The boy shot him a surprised look from intelligent gray eyes.

"The hologram. You did it." Anakin waved a hand. "Don't worry, I won't

tell. I'm impressed." He gave the boy a friendly grin. "Anakin Skywalker."

The boy hesitated. "Reymet Autem."

"So how did you do it?" Anakin asked.

"It's all in the wrist." Reymet mimicked entering items in  a  datapad

and grinned. His gray eyes glinted. "Easy for a boy genius, my friend."

They headed down the hallway together. Anakin  felt  rather  than  saw

Ferus fall in behind them.

Reymet waved a hand around him. "Welcome to the comfiest jail  in  the

galaxy. It's not much, but we call it home."

"So how do you have fun around here?" Anakin asked.

Reymet shrugged. "I make my own fun."

The noise of the students  anxiously  hurrying  toward  lunch  covered

their words.      "Must be hard, with all the  security  around  here,"  Anakin

remarked. He was pushing gently, trying to get Reymet to open up.

Reymet snorted. "Security isn't as secure as the experts  say  it  is.

There are ways to get around any system."

"It seems pretty tight to me," Anakin remarked casually.

Several students glanced at Anakin curiously as they passed by. Reymet

shoved his datapad into his pocket with a rough gesture. "You'd better  not

be seen talking to me. Nobody talks to me."

"What about your friends?" Anakin asked.

Reymet scowled. "I don't have friends."  He  quickened  his  pace  and

disappeared into the crowd. Ferus appeared next to  Anakin.  "Interesting."

"You heard?"

"Every word. I pick up something from him..." "Me too. Not a darkness.

Maybe just... confusion."

"He has something to hide," Ferus declared.  "It  could  be  anything,

though. It isn't much of a clue." "It's a place to start," Anakin said.

CHAPTER FOUR

The dining hall was a paneled room with soft,  recessed  lighting  and

thick red veda cloth hangings at the windows that muffled sound and cast  a

rosy glow on the diners. It was just like the exclusive restaurants  Anakin

had glimpsed on Coruscant - just like the spots the students were  used  to

eating in, he was sure. And, like an exclusive restaurant, seating  in  the

dining hall was subject to an unspoken code.

It hadn't taken Anakin long to realize that the best  tables  were  by

the windows and he was not welcome there. He didn't  know  why  he  felt  a

coolness from most of the students, but he definitely felt it. When he  was

looking for a seat at a table, an empty chair  would  be  pushed  aside  to

another table, or a datapad or a pile of durasheet notes would  be  quickly

placed on the seat. It was clear that no one wanted to sit with him.  There

was a power elite in the school, and everyone else fell in around it.

Yet Ferus had been accepted almost immediately, and had  his  pick  of

places to sit. Was it because word had gotten out that  he  belonged  to  a

powerful family on his homeworld?

You can travel to the ends of the galaxy and it will  be  the  same  -

those with power do not like to share.

His Master had told him that once, in a voice  of  weary  resignation.

But sometimes Obi-Wan seemed to forget that Anakin had  been  a  slave.  If

anyone knew about power, it was a slave. He knew about the hunger  for  it,

and he knew about the humiliation of getting your nose rubbed in  the  fact

that you didn't have it.

He took his bowl of aromatic stew to an empty table and sat. It wasn't

that he needed company. Jedi were  comfortable  being  alone.  But  inside,

something burned, something deep and hot that he had hoped  had  been  long

forgotten. He took a bite of stew and tasted shame and anger. It  was  hard

to swallow, like a mouthful of sand.

He reached inside the pocket of his tunic and withdrew a small, smooth

stone. It was a river rock, a present from Obi-Wan. It had belonged to Qui-

Gon.

The rock was Force-sensitive, but that was not why Anakin reached  for

it during times of stress. When he rubbed  his  fingers  along  the  smooth

surface, it was as though  he  was  able  to  draw  on  Qui-Gon's  core  of

serenity. He thought of cool river water falling over his body, of  turning

his body like a fish and gliding in the deep  green  river,  and  his  mind

would go still. He and Ferus had to hide their lightsabers in their  rooms,

and the rock was the only physical connection to his real life.

A plate suddenly plunked down next to  him.  The  same  girl  who  had

smiled at him in the General Information Contest pulled a stray chair  over

with her foot with the ease  of  an  athlete.  She  sat  down  and  sniffed

appreciatively at her stew, then picked up her spoon. Anakin  quickly  slid

the stone underneath the lip of his bowl, where it could not be seen.

"So, is this  the  enriching  experience  they  promised  you  in  the

brochure?" the girl asked. "Students who are completely spooked snub  you?"

Her brown eyes twinkled at him. They were deep and warm and reminded him of

another girl, more beautiful than this one - a queen, in fact. He  saw  the

same intelligence, the same confidence. That memory more  than  the  girl's

friendliness, more than the river stone, dissolved the knot of anger in his

belly.

The girl dug into her food with her spoon and  swallowed  an  enormous

bite. "Don't worry. It gets better."

"It does?"

She grinned. "You graduate." She stuck out her hand. "Merit Dice."

He shook it. "Anakin Skywalker."

"You're in my Political Philosophies class. You don't say much."

"You do."

She took another bite. "I have opinions," she  said,  shrugging.  "The

teachers think I'm too smart for my own good. Which  doesn't  matter  much,

because they don't matter. They won't give any scholarship student  a  good

reference, anyway."

"Why not?" Anakin asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he  saw  Reymet

leaning against  a  wall.  Anakin  noticed  that  Reymet  was  watching  as

Professor Aeradin forked up a large bite of lunch. Aeradin was supposed  to

be patrolling the dining hall, but he had filled  up  his  plate  from  the

buffet. Anakin had noticed that most teachers did this. He guessed that the

students' food was much better than what was given to the teachers.

"Because they only give good references to the elite students,"  Marit

said. She tore off a chunk of bread and dipped it in her bowl, then took  a

bite. "You should see what  happens  before  graduation.  The  fathers  and

mothers and benefactors come, and they give the teachers presents. I  mean,

real presents. Like a landspeeder. Or tickets on a resort starship.  Things

like that. And suddenly their little darling winds up as a Senatorial aide.

"

She waved the bread in the air.

Reymet suddenly reached for a custard tart and darted out of the room.

Ferus signaled Anakin, then slipped out after Reymet.

Anakin would have liked to keep talking to this interesting girl,  but

he and Ferus had agreed to keep Reymet under surveillance. "That's too bad,

" Anakin said. "I think I need more tea. Will you excuse me for a minute?"

Marit shrugged again. "Sure."

Anakin hoped he hadn't been rude. He gave a quick glance to  Professor

Aeradin, still smacking his lips over his food, then slipped out the  door.

He saw Ferus at the end of the hallway and hurried up to him.

"Did you lose him?"

"He went into a restricted area," Ferus said. He  pointed  to  a  door

that seemed closed until Anakin noticed that a tiny wedge had  been  placed

between the edge of the door and the wall.

He leaned over to examine it.  It  was  a  small,  flexible  piece  of

transparisteel that was almost invisible. When he pushed on the  edge,  the

door opened just enough for him to slip a hand inside.  He  reached  around

and felt for the controls. He pressed the button and the door slid open.

"Pretty clever," he said.

"It's the teacher's quad, so it's not alarmed," Ferus said. "I  wonder

what he's doing in there."

"Let's find out." Anakin hurried through the doorway. As soon as Ferus

was through, he positioned the wedge and pressed the button  to  close  the

door. It slid almost shut.

"What if we get caught?" Ferus said. "We could  get  confined  to  our

rooms between classes. How will we investigate?"

"Pretty simple. We'll have to avoid getting caught," Anakin said.

The hallway was empty. They  proceeded,  making  no  sound.  Teachers'

offices lined the walls, all of them unoccupied. The teachers were in class

or monitoring the students. At the end  of  the  hall  was  a  door  marked

TEACHERS' LOUNGE. It was slightly ajar. Anakin  put  his  eye  against  the

crack.

Reymet had the custard tart between his teeth as  he  slipped  a  flat

disk into a datapad and then placed it in  a  cabinet  marked  AERADIN.  He

closed the cabinet door and then punched several numbers into a pad at  the

side. Anakin heard a lock click.

Chewing, Reymet began to absently leaf through some durasheets left on

the cabinet. Anakin eased back and motioned to Ferus.

"So that's how he  infiltrated  Professor  Aeradin's  hologram  test,"

Anakin whispered. "He's pretty clever. He must have stolen  Aeradin's  disk

when Aeradin was at lunch."

Ferus nodded. "He sure knows how to get around  security  measures.  I

think one of us should keep an eye on him. He's in two of my classes.  I'll

do it."

It was a logical conclusion, but  Anakin  still  felt  annoyed.  Ferus

hadn't really consulted him. It was more like he was thinking out loud.  It

was typical of Ferus's high-handed behavior, and yet he expected Anakin  to

cooperate with him without complaint. He knew if he told Obi-Wan this,  his

Master would brush aside his feelings and say that  the  mission  was  more

important and that inner balance could not be attained without serenity.

This was all true, but Anakin would bet on one thing  -  when  Obi-Wan

was a Padawan, he didn't have to deal with anyone like Ferus Olin.

Anakin and Ferus hurried back to  the  dining  hall.  They  knew  that

Reymet would be returning as well. Soon the midday meal would be over.

Students were beginning to gather their things  and  start  for  their

classes as Anakin entered the dining hall and returned to his table.  Marit

was gone. He slid his fingers underneath his still-full bowl.  So  was  his

river stone.

CHAPTER FIVE

Obi-Wan was ushered immediately into Berm  Tarturi's  private  office.

The Senator from Andara had a grand suite hung with  delicate  curtains  of

silver and gold shimmersilk. The different flowers of Andara were  stitched

with bright crimson thread into the fabric. Instead of  a  desk  or  table,

Berm Tarturi sat on a platform with plush cushions. The platform had a work

surface that swiveled up from underneath so that one could recline and work

at the same time.

Tarturi was a large man with a bald head and a flowing black beard. He

looked up at Obi-Wan, and the misery on his face  was  a  contrast  to  the

luxurious surroundings.

"I have heard from them at last." He pushed a datascreen  toward  Obi-

Wan.

Obi-Wan walked forward to read it. WE HAVE YOUR SON. WAIT FOR  FURTHER

INSTRUCTIONS.

On the screen was an image of a tall, muscular boy clutching a blanket

around his shoulders. His mouth was twisted in a way that told  Obi-Wan  he

was trying to be brave.

Obi-Wan felt his fury rise  at  the  sight,  but  he  kept  his  voice

neutral. "Not much to go on," he said.

Berm dropped his head in his hands. "They are trying  to  torture  me.

There is a personal vendetta here. I can feel it."

"Do you suspect who it is?" Obi-Wan asked.

"It is Rana Halion," Berm said. "I'm sure of  it.  She's  the  driving

force behind those who wish to overthrow the Andaran  trade  system.  She's

the ruler of leria, the next largest planet to Andara. I've known  her  for

years. She's a ruthless politician. She has assembled a secret army and has

persuaded several other worlds to join  the  effort.  She  is  now  at  the

Senate, lobbying for help for her cause.  She  claims  the  Andaran  system

needs two representatives in  the  Senate.  She's  trying  to  grab  power,

nothing more. She says she speaks for the majority of those in the  Andaran

system. It is a lie! I am the Senator of Andara. She will stop  at  nothing

to get what she wants."

"She would kidnap a young boy?" Obi-Wan  asked.  "That  is  a  serious

charge, Senator."

He looked up at Obi-Wan bleakly. "She is a serious  person.  What  are

rules and laws to her? I'm positive that she or her supporters have  broken

into my office and looked through my files."

"Was security breached?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, but I know she  was  here!  Someone  was!"  Berm  insisted.  "I'm

telling you, she has my son. What are you going to  do  about  it?"  Berm's

voice had risen shrilly.

"I am here to find your son," Obi-Wan said calmly. "I will investigate

what you have told me. Accusing her without proof would get us nowhere. And

you don't want to endanger Gillam."

Berm slumped back against the cushions. "No, of course not. I  haven't

brought in Coruscant security because they are so heavy-handed. I knew  the

Jedi could handle this discreetly. It's just that I  fear  for  Gillam.  He

thinks he is an adult. He is only sixteen." He glanced  at  the  datascreen

and his gaze softened.

"I know what that is like," Obi-Wan said, thinking of Anakin.

"We must find him soon," Berm said.

"Do you have enemies in the Senate?" Obi-Wan inquired.

Berm shook his head.

"I find that hard to believe, Senator," Obi-Wan said. "All politicians

have enemies."

"Not  me,"  Berm  shot  back.  "Oh,  I  suppose   I   have   political

disagreements with my colleagues. But enemies? I do not cultivate them."

"We do not need to cultivate enemies," Obi-Wan  said.  "They  flourish

without us." He sensed that  Berm  Tarturi  did  not  want  to  answer  the

question, so he tried a different tack. "Tell  me  about  security  at  the

Leadership School."

"I demanded a report from them that includes the data  recorders  from

that night," Berm said. He reached  over  for  a  holofile.  "Here  is  the

report." He thrust it at Obi-Wan eagerly. "Perhaps you can  find  something

in it. I couldn't. I had the best security experts go over it. I chose  the

Leadership School not only because of its reputation, but  because  of  its

security. It  rivals  the  best  in  the  galaxy.  How  could  Gillam  just

disappear? That's what makes me think that Rana is responsible. She  has  a

planetary treasury to draw on. She could hire the most  sophisticated  tech

team in the galaxy to override the system. Didn't she break in here without

tripping the alarm?"

Obi-Wan took a quick look at the holofile in  his  hands.  "Everything

seems in order, but I'll have the analysts at the Temple go over this.  How

often do you communicate with your son normally?"

"Almost every night. The school has a contact hour  in  the  evenings.

Otherwise he is on comm silence."

Obi-Wan knew this. Students were restricted in  use  of  communication

devices except for a one-hour period. It was the time  he  had  set  up  to

speak with Anakin and Ferus.

"We're very close," Berm went on. "His mother died three years ago."

Obi-Wan looked down at the security report. "It  says  here  that  you

last checked in with Gillam over a month ago.

Berm flushed. "There are many details at the Senate  that  require  my

attention. That doesn't mean I'm not close to my son."

"Did Gillam have special friends at the school?" "Of course. He's very

popular."

"What are their names?"

Berm looked at him blankly. "Ah... let me see. Hmm.  I  don't  recall.

The stress of this whole affair has been so great, it's  hard  to  remember

every detail...."

"How about vacations? Where did Gillam spend his?"

"With me, of course. Unless my duties here prevented him from  joining

me. Then he would spend vacations at our mountain home on Andara."

"By himself?"

"Of course not. There were servants in attendance." Obi-Wan nodded. He

was beginning to get the picture of a lonely boy.

Berm seemed to sense this, for he said quickly, "But he  loved  coming

here to visit me. He was just here a month ago. He wants to be  a  Senator,

like me. We are very close."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said. "Let me take this message with me, and I'll

keep you updated."

"Anything I can do for my son, I will do," Berm said.

"I appreciate that, Senator Tarturi,"  Obi-Wan  replied.  He  believed

that the Senator was sincere. But he did not believe that Tarturi had  told

him everything. Senators were used to concealing some of the truth in order

to place themselves in the best light. It was their  nature.  He  needed  a

clear view of Senator Tarturi's role in the Senate, and he knew just who to

ask.

Obi-Wan tried to access the door to Tyro Caladian's tiny  office,  but

the door stuck after it had slid open only a few centimeters.

"Tyro?" he shouted inside the crack.

"Go away," a muffled voice answered.

"It's Obi-Wan!"

"Obi-Wan! For star's sake, don't move." Obi-Wan  heard  the  sound  of

crashing and banging. "I'm coming - oof! Don't... I'm almost there... ah!"

The door slowly opened, pushed by Tyro. "Can't you..." he puffed  "...

use your Force... to help?"

Obi-Wan leaned against the door frame, watching.  "I'm  enjoying  this

too much."

Tyro got the door all the way open. He wiped his forehead,  where  his

fur had matted with sweat. "So happy to amuse. Thanks."

Obi-Wan strolled inside. Tyro's office was filled with plastoid  boxes

crammed with durasheet documents. More plastoid  file  boxes  were  stacked

against a wall. Some of the boxes had been shoved against the door, causing

it to jam. "What's going on?"

"I told you I'd get something on Sano Sauro," Tyro said, climbing over

a box to get to a  holodocument  strewn  desk.  "I  requisitioned  all  the

documents in the Senate registry that involve his  homeworld.  He  couldn't

seal everything, just his personal docs."

"All of them?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously. "But he's been  a  Senator

for nine years!"

Tyro ruefully surveyed the crowded office.  "Well,  it  might  take  a

while. But what can I do for you, Obi-Wan? I'm at your service, as always."

"What do you know about Berm Tarturi?" Obi-Wan asked. He raised a hand

and used the Force to push aside a tower of documents in order to sit down.

Tyro looked from the ease of Obi-Wan's gesture back to the door he had

struggled with. His ears twitched as he sat down. "I sure  could  use  that

Force of yours. Think how I could save on maid service. Anyway  -  Tarturi.

The one whose son has been kidnapped."

Obi-Wan was startled. "How do you know that? There's been no  official

word."

Tyro smiled, his small, pointed teeth glistening. "Why are you in this

office?"

Obi-Wan inclined his head. "Because you hear everything."

"What exactly do you need to know?" Tyro said.  "I  know  many  things

about Senator Tarturi. For example, at the moment  he  is  engaged  in  the

fight of his political career."

"Who is his biggest enemy in the Senate?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Are you serious?" Tyro said. "You don't know?" "Why else would  I  be

here?" Obi-Wan asked irritably. "Because I enjoy filing?"

"Sano Sauro is his biggest enemy," Tyro said.  "Sauro?"  Obi-Wan  felt

his pulse quicken. "Tarturi didn't mention him."

Tyro snorted. "He wouldn't. They are locked in a  bitter  battle  over

the redistribution of trade routes. Typical Senate bureaucratic tangle, but

for them - it might as well be life or death. It  means  money,  payoffs...

and reelection. The battle has left them mortal enemies."

"But why wouldn't Tarturi tell me this?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"Because Senators never admit they have enemies, Obi-Wan,"  Tyro  said

patiently. "Don't you know that by now? It gives their opponents more power

if they acknowledge them."

"Even when his son is missing?"

Tyro laughed, but the laugh had no humor in it. "His mother  could  be

missing, his wife, and his pet nek battle dog. He still wouldn't  tell  you

everything."

"So," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, "if Berm Tarturi  was  distracted  by

his son's kidnapping..."

"Sauro could profit handsomely," Tyro finished. "The committee  is  in

session right now. If Tarturi misses even one meeting, Sauro could gain the

upper hand." Tyro sat up straighter. "Do you think Sauro could be involved?

"

"Does Sauro know Rana Halion?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The leader of  the  Andaran  opposition?  I  don't  think  so,"  Tyro

answered. "But if he did meet with her, it would  have  to  be  in  secret.

Naturally he would support her efforts in  the  Andaran  system.  It  would

destroy Tarturi's power base." Tyro tapped a triple  jointed  finger  on  a

pile of datasheets. "Not to mention that Halion could  get  her  new  trade

routes if she throws her support to Sauro. They both have much to gain from

an alliance."

"So if Halion cooked up a plot to kidnap Gillam Tarturi,  Sauro  might

help," Obi-Wan said.

Tyro nodded. "My enemy's enemy is my friend, you mean."

"Or he could have cooked up the plot and enlisted her. It is certainly

something he is capable of."

Tyro's ears twitched excitedly. "If we could find proof, it would mean

the end of his career. I'd have him in prison. And you'd have  your  files.

The block of the order to reveal would be dissolved."

"And we'd find Gillam Tarturi," Obi-Wan said.

CHAPTER SIX

"Today we shall consider the geopolitical effect  of  the  great  Lali

Plague," Professor Win Totem said. Then she sat down  with  great  dignity,

right on a custard turnover.

The class exploded with laughter. It went on a little too long, Anakin

noted. The constant anxiety the students felt led  them  to  grasp  at  any

relief.

The tall professor with the regal bearing stood and regarded the ruby-

colored stain on the back of her white septsilk gown.

"Ferus Olin," she rapped out. "You are responsible for this!"

Ferus started. "I assure you, Professor, I am not." "Ten more demerits

for lying," Professor Win Totem barked. Her  blue  skin  flushed  an  angry

purple. "You are the only one who  could  have  done  it  I  asked  you  to

distribute the notes before class."

Anakin watched as Ferus clenched his hands. He  knew  what  Ferus  was

thinking. Ferus and Reymet had distributed the  notes  together.  They  did

everything together now. Flattered by Ferus's attention, Reymet had  become

his tagalong. But Reymet couldn't resist playing his practical  jokes,  and

Ferus was getting blamed. Anakin also knew that Ferus could not  point  the

finger at Reymet. He was trying to befriend him. Besides, if Ferus told  on

Reymet, he'd be a tattletale, what the students called a womp fink.

Reymet's face was pure innocence. He shook his head with concern as he

studied the stain on Professor Totem's gown.

Totem turned back to the lesson. Anakin hid his grin as he  bent  over

his datascreen. It served Ferus right. He had  grabbed  the  assignment  to

watch Reymet. He deserved the consequences.  Anakin  couldn't  imagine  two

people more unlike each other than Ferus  and  Reymet.  He  knew  that  the

secret pleasure he got from watching Ferus being  blamed  for  a  practical

joke wasn't very Jedi-like, but on the other hand, he couldn't wait to tell

his friends Tru and Darra that Ferus had  gotten  demerits  for  putting  a

custard turnover on a teacher's chair.

Out of the corner of his vision, he saw Marit eyeing him curiously. He

had been playing a waiting game with her. After he'd  discovered  that  his

stone was missing, his first impulse was to rush after her  and  demand  it

back. It was his most precious possession, and he hated being without it.

But he had stopped himself. What would Obi-Wan have done?

Take a breath and think, Anakin.

So he asked himself why Marit had taken it. She must have  known  that

he would immediately realize that she had it. Did she  want  to  provoke  a

confrontation? Did she want to see what he would do?

Anakin had decided to wait. Not the easiest course of action for  him.

Not at all.       But he was puzzled and intrigued by Marit, and he  wanted  her

to feel the same. Let Ferus chase after Reymet. Anakin's instincts told him

that there was more to Marit than he knew.

So even though he felt her eyes on him, he didn't  turn.  Nor  did  he

acknowledge her when Professor Totem had them break into groups  and  Marit

joined his. He didn't respond when she tried to catch his eye, even  during

the most boring stretch of the professor's lecture.

She would come to him, he knew. After the  class,  she  would  find  a

pretext to talk to him. He was driving her crazy because he had waited  her

out.

Better to wait to catch your prey than strike too soon.

Obi-Wan had counseled him again and again on the virtue  of  patience.

At last he was beginning to understand why his Master pushed it. It worked.

Sometimes.

The class ended. Anakin headed out the wide carved door. He  left  the

hallway and accessed the brushed durasteel doors that led to the courtyard.

Even though it was overlooked by windows, it felt removed. It was a gloomy,

dark day, and he had it to himself. Students avoided isolated  places  now.

They traveled in pairs or groups and went directly to their classes.

"All right, I give up the battle," Marit said from behind him.

He turned. "I didn't know we were in a war."

She held up the stone. "You know I have this. Don't you want it back?"

"Yes," Anakin said. Even in the gloom,  the  river  stone  shone,  its

shiny black surface like a mirror full of reflected light.

"And you didn't report me."

"No."

"This stone is important to you. I can tell. Why?" "It  was  a  gift,"

Anakin said.

"From your father?"

Longing burst inside him. He did not have a father. Shmi had been very

clear about that. He didn't understand it, but he accepted it. He  did  not

think about his lack; he never had. But unexpectedly the ache would well up

in him and take him by surprise.

Then he thought of Obi-Wan, and the ache went away.

"Yes," he said. "Are you going to give it back?"

She held it up, fingering it thoughtfully. "I'm not sure yet."

It would be so easy for him to use the Force to get it back.  Instead,

Anakin moved. His kick barely grazed her fingertips, but it  dislodged  the

stone and sent it flying straight toward him. He reached up with  one  hand

and caught it.

Marit blinked. She looked down at her hand, still outstretched but now

empty. "I didn't even see you move. How did you do that?"

Anakin slid the stone back into the concealed  inside  pocket  of  his

tunic. "Lots of practice. Now it's your turn to answer questions.  Why  did

you take it?"

Her dark eyes glinted. "Because I wanted to see what you would do."

"A test," Anakin said. "Did I pass?"

Marit only smiled and changed the subject. "I saw you  in  the  flight

simulator the other day. You were pretty good."

It was the one area where he had not hidden his skill. It was hard for

Anakin to sit in a cockpit and not fly fast and expertly. "Thanks."

"I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. Will you come with me now?

It's our free mod."

Anakin nodded. Marit may not have answered his question about  passing

her test, but she didn't need to. He had passed. The question was, for what

purpose?

CHAPTER SEVEN

Obi-Wan stared down at the  holofile  in  front  of  him.  He  flipped

through the data for what felt like the thousandth time. He  couldn't  find

the key.

Something had happened the night Gillam disappeared, yet the  security

record showed that nothing had been breached. Obi-Wan  had  gone  over  the

report. The best security expert at the Temple, Jedi Knight Alam  Syk,  had

gone over it. Nothing was out of the ordinary. It was as though Gillam  had

disappeared into thin air.

Obi-Wan had also gone over the short note sent by the  kidnappers.  It

was strange that they had not asked for credits or made  any  demands.  The

note seemed more like a delaying tactic than anything  else.  There  was  a

chance the note could be linked to a particular datapad, but until they had

a suspect, they could do nothing with it.

Obi-Wan looked at the  security  report  again.  He  had  the  nagging

feeling that he was missing something obvious.

His comlink signaled, and he answered it brusquely. "Yes?"

Tyro's excited voice vibrated through the air. "I've got something.  I

analyzed the data from the past five years of Sauro's  illicit  activity  -

the stuff he's been caught at, anyway - and ran it through my probabilities

program, looking for connections. I narrowed his secret meeting  places  to

three. Then I cross-referenced his schedule and committee meetings, and - "

"Tyro," Obi-Wan said with great patience, "please, get to the point."

"He's meeting Rana Halion secretly," Tyro said in a rush.

"Now?"

"I think so. I'm following her right now, and she's heading to a place

he's used for secret meetings in the past. It's just a hunch, but - "

"Tell me where," Obi-Wan demanded.

Tyro gave him the directions. Obi-Wan rushed out  of  the  Temple.  He

took one of the Temple's speeders and raced through the jammed space  lanes

of Coruscant,  diving  several  hundred  levels  below  to  a  grassy  quad

surrounded by stores and caf©s. He parked the speeder and  quickly  hurried

to the prearranged spot where Tyro was waiting.

Tyro sat in a crowded caf© under an awning that cast deep shade.  From

here he had a view of the quad seating. With a nod  at  Tyro,  Obi-Wan  sat

next to him and surveyed the area.

It was a wise choice of location for a secret meeting, he thought. The

many stores and caf©s made for crowded  passageways.  There  were  numerous

entrances and exits, and several busy space lanes converged  nearby.  Glass

turbolifts connected to levels above and below. If someone  needed  to  get

lost quickly, it would be easy to do.

"There she is," Tyro said in a low tone. "Right on schedule."

Obi-Wan looked curiously at Rana Halion. He had studied her  image  in

her docs, but she appeared more commanding in person. Dressed to blend with

the crowd, she was wearing a brown traveler's cloak with a hood. She was  a

tall, lanky humanoid with white hair cut short  and  twisted  into  spikes.

Wide gold cuffs encircled each strong wrist. Even from  this  distance,  he

noted the intensity  of  her  eyes,  a  blue  so  light  they  were  almost

colorless.

She strolled around the quad, glancing in shop windows.  To  a  casual

passerby, she appeared to be  window-shopping.  But  Obi-Wan  saw  how  her

glance continually darted to the seats on  the  quad.  She  was  definitely

waiting for someone.

Tyro ordered a round of drinks so that they wouldn't  be  conspicuous.

Obi-Wan sipped his juice, alert for any sign of  Sano  Sauro.  The  minutes

ticked by.

He could see the impatience in Rana Halion's walk. Her  hands  twisted

together, then relaxed. She sat for several minutes, then got up to  stroll

again.

"Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know," Tyro fretted. "I'm certain he's meeting her. it's  too

much of a coincidence, her being in this place. You'd think if  you  go  to

all the trouble of putting  someone  under  surveillance  that  they  would

cooperate. How can Sauro do this to us? it's like he knows we're here."

Obi-Wan suppressed a groan. He held out his hand.  "Let  me  see  your

comlink."

Tyro handed it to him. "What is it?"

Obi-Wan took out his own comlink and contacted Aiam Syk at the Temple.

"Can you run a trace on this?" he asked, reading off the data  from  Tyro's

comlink.

Within seconds, Alam answered, "It's got a trace on it. Coming from...

the Senate. Hang on.." Obi-Wan heard data keys clicking. Alam  could  trace

any signal. "     Hmmm. Do you know a Senator Sano Sauro? It  looks  like  he's

interested in what Tyro Caladian is up to."

Obi-Wan tossed the comlink back  to  Tyro.  "There's  your  answer.  I

suggest that you do a routine sweep of your comlink  transmission  security

in the future."

"I was never important enough before to need to do so," Tyro said.  "I

guess that's a good sign."

"Except that we lost our chance to trap Sauro," Obi-Wan said.

Across the quad, a disgusted Rana Halion strode off and hailed an  air

taxi.

"What next?" Tyro asked. "I doubt Sauro will  use  any  of  the  usual

places again."

"Which is why it's time to confront him directly," Obi-Wan said. "Time

is running out for Gillam."

Sano Sauro was at a Senate function attended by many dignitaries. Obi-

Wan and Tyro slipped easily into the crowd. Obi-Wan spotted Sano Sauro  and

made his way over to listen. Tyro joined a group surrounding Berm Tarturi.

"So glad you could join us after all," a Senator was saying to  Sauro.

"The commemoration of the dedication of the plaque on the south-facing wall

of the main north-south corridor of the northeast wing of  Complex  Bis  an

important step forward in promoting the harmony of the galaxy."

"I agree," Sauro said  smoothly.  "Another  plaque  with  a  quotation

concerning the necessity for peace will certainly  heal  the  many  bloody,

savage conflicts."

The other Senator proudly puffed out  his  scaly  green  cheeks.  "The

artisans of my home system were responsible for the plaque."

"Then I am doubly sure it will do its job," Sauro answered. There  was

no trace of irony in his tone, Obi-Wan noted, but Sauro managed  to  convey

it. Yet the apparent sincerity of his  tone  would  make  it  difficult  to

challenge him. So did his impassive expression. The skin was  stretched  so

tightly over the bones of his face that he rarely registered an emotion.

He caught sight of Obi-Wan. "Will you excuse me?"

Sauro suddenly headed for the exit, slithering through the crowd  with

the expertise of one used to  escaping  dull  gatherings.  Obi-Wan  started

after him, but suddenly Berm Tarturi's  voice  boomed  out.  Sauro  stopped

abruptly but did not turn.

"How kind of you to say that," Berm said  to  the  group  of  Senators

surrounding him. "No, I'm trying to keep it very quiet.  It  is  a  private

matter. Yet others seek to exploit my sorrow. Oh, it's not  that  I  expect

special treatment, but  those  who  would  take  advantage  of  a  father's

despair..."  Tyro  raised  his  eyebrows  at  Obi-Wan.  Obviously,  Tarturi

abandoned discretion when he could gain sympathy.

Obi-Wan saw Sauro's sneer. He was contemptuous of Tarturi's tactics.

Sauro turned. His voice, hard as ice, cut  through  Berm's  blustering

like a laser. "Yes, anyone who exploits private  pain  is  despicable."  He

gave Tarturi a withering look. "No matter who does it."

The Senators looked back and forth between the two enemies, some  with

apprehension, others avidly looking forward to a war of words. Tyro's  eyes

gleamed, no doubt hoping Sauro would let something slip in anger. But Sauro

simply turned his back on Tarturi and slipped off through the crowd, a slim

figure in black.

A group of Senators suddenly converged on Berm  Tarturi  while  others

faded back, and it took  Obi-Wan  several  precious  seconds  to  extricate

himself from the crowd. When he pushed his way  out  the  door,  Sauro  had

already disappeared. Obi-Wan headed toward Sauro's suite of offices.

As soon as he entered, Sauro's personal assistant stood up. "He  isn't

here."

"Did he tell you to say that?" Obi-Wan brushed past him,  heading  for

the door.

"I am calling security."

"Your choice." Obi-Wan had no more patience for protocol. He  waved  a

hand and used the Force to slide open the door to Sauro's inner office.

Sauro turned, startled, as Obi-Wan strode in. "This is outrageous!" he

sputtered, losing his usual cool.

"You are meeting with Rana Halion secretly," Obi-Wan said.

"You don't have any evidence  of  that,"  Sauro  said,  regaining  his

composure.

"I have evidence that you put Tyro Caladian under surveillance,"  Obi-

Wan continued.

Sauro stood behind his long desk. He was not a tall man, but the  desk

was low to the ground in order to give that impression. The tall red thorns

of the claing bush rose from the corners, stabbing the air. His  thin  lips

twisted as he leaned forward, resting on his knuckles. "And  why  shouldn't

I? I don't take kindly to being investigated by young upstart attorneys.  I

have a legitimate concern as to who exactly this Caladian is  and  what  he

wants. The risk of assassination and sabotage are part of this job,  and  I

must take any steps I can to protect myself. If you wish to take it up with

the Senate security committee, do so."

"You rely on those committees," Obi-Wan said. "No  doubt  because  you

have bribed your way onto most of them."

"What is this personal vendetta you have against me, Kenobi?"  Sauro's

voice purred now. "I must confess, I don't understand it. I've done nothing

to antagonize you. Perhaps I should bring you up on charges."

"What charges?"

"Breaking  and  entering,  for  one,"  Sauro  said,  his  gaunt   face

expressionless. "The Force is a weapon like any other."

"The Force is not a weapon," Obi-Wan snapped. "Let me warn you, Sauro.

I am investigating Gillam Tarturi's kidnapping. If I find you had  anything

to do with it - "

Sauro laughed. "A child's kidnapping! Hardly something I would  dabble

in. You are grasping at straws, Kenobi. And once again you are  wasting  my

time." He picked up his comlink and stabbed at  a  button  with  his  index

finger. "I think I will report you for harassment. Perhaps a few  hours  of

being detained by Senate security will help you calm down."

"Your threats reveal your fear," Obi-Wan said. "I'll be back."

CHAPTER EIGHT

Marit's friends sat together  on  the  athletic  field  outside.  They

seemed to be expecting  Anakin.  He  noted  one  friend  looking  him  over

carefully, from the top of his head to his boots. The  student,  a  Bothan,

stood as soon as they came up.

"So this is the one," he said. He was short, shorter than  Marit,  and

the curling hair down to his shoulders  gave  him  a  soft  look  that  was

undercut by his shrewd gaze. This was clearly not someone to underestimate.

"This is Anakin," Marit said. "Anakin, meet Rolai Frac.  And  this  is

Tulah, and Hurana, and Ze."

"Have you ever ridden a swoop?" Ze asked. He was a humanoid, short and

plump, with close-set green eyes and two pigtails that hung down his  back.

He seemed eager for action.

"A couple of times," Anakin said.

"We were going to have a swoop race," Tulah  said.  Anakin  recognized

the elongated head and pale skin of a native of Muunilinst. Tulah was  tall

and skinny, with a shock of bright yellow hair that stuck straight up  from

his head. His voice was all business. "Do you want to join us?"

"Just once around the school grounds," Marit said. "Sounds like  fun,"

Anakin said.

"The only thing is, it's technically against the rules," Hurana  said.

She gave him a shy smile, but he could tell he was  being  tested.  "You're

going to have to avoid the roving surveillance droids."

"Sounds even better," Anakin said.

Marit pointed to a nearby swoop with her chin.  "That's  yours,  then.

Watch out for professors and security cameras. Let's go."

Marit and her friends slung  their  legs  over  their  swoops.  Anakin

followed. He took a moment to get used to the swoop controls and was a  few

seconds behind them. He wasn't worried. He knew how to fly a  swoop  faster

than anyone.

He took off after them, streaking across the gray  sky.  Ahead  was  a

security checkpoint. Anakin could see the camera  lenses  revolving.  Marit

gunned her motor and flipped her swoop sideways to avoid being tracked.

A second later, Hurana dipped below it, missing it by only a fraction.

Anakin saw her grin and knew she had timed it that way. The others followed

expertly.

Anakin was impressed. He increased his speed, timing his approach with

the revolving camera lenses. He pulled the swoop up and then down  quickly,

missing the lens by a comfortable half second.

He pushed the engine to maximum and quickly caught up to  the  others.

He didn't slow down but zoomed by them. He saw Rolai's surprised face,  but

Marit looked worried.

He saw why. Below him a group of professors had paused on  the  stairs

outside one of the academic buildings, talking. Any moment they  would  see

him.

He turned the swoop to the left and headed for the dense  branches  of

an enormous tree. Behind him, he saw Marit pull her swoop up and circle out

of range of the professors.

Anakin could hover in the branches,  but  he  was  too  impatient.  He

dipped below one branch and zoomed up to skim above another. He  snaked  in

and out of the thick branches, leaning his body first  one  way,  then  the

other. He did not make even one leaf tremble. The professors  continued  to

talk, completely unaware of the swoop above them.

The others skirted the trees, looping around to avoid  the  professors

and adding crucial minutes to their times.

He cleared the grove of trees out of sight of the professors, as  well

as Marit and her friends. A surveillance droid revolved  ahead,  surprising

him for only an instant. Anakin pulled the swoop to a hard right,  avoiding

the rotating sensors. Then he dove beneath the droid and zoomed on.

Grinning, Anakin leaned over the handlebars and gunned the  motor.  He

skirted a security camera and dove beneath a tractor beam. This was child's

play for him.

The others were in sight again but still well behind him as he cleared

a rooftop and did a quick triple loop dive to avoid being seen by  a  class

of students playing laserball below. Then  he  dropped  from  the  sky  and

landed in the same precise spot he had left from. He sat down  and  crossed

his legs in a leisurely fashion.

A short two minutes later, Marit and the others pulled up. Anakin  was

surprised at their speed. They were almost as fast as a Jedi  on  a  swoop.

Marit swung off her swoop and strode toward him, tossing her  braid  behind

her shoulder.

"Okay, hotshot," she said. "You win."

"What do I win?" Anakin asked. "If it's the chance  to  break  out  of

here," he joked, "count me in." He spoke lightly, but  he  could  feel  how

close he was to being accepted. He didn't need the Force to pick up on  the

humming energy among the group of friends. Something was definitely up. Had

he found the secret squad the Jedi High Council spoke of?

"You see?" Marit said to Rolai. "I told you he could fly.

"He can fly," Rolai agreed.

"He's almost as good as me," Hurana said. Her pale gold  eyes  held  a

new respect.

"We have a sort of club," Marit said. "Not a school  club.  A  serious

club. Are you interested?"

"I'm not sure yet," Anakin said. "Why don't you tell me about it?"

"We take on assignments from outsiders. Beings who need a little help.

We use our skills to aid them. If my  friends  and  I  have  one  thing  in

common, we don't like to see others get kicked around. I think you're  that

way, too."

"I am," Anakin said. "What exactly do you do?  Rescue  fluffkits  from

trees?"

Rolai looked annoyed. "This isn't a joke. Two weeks ago on Tierell, we

changed the course of a planet's history."

"And made a bundle of credits," Tulah said. "Don't forget that."

"We do whatever is needed," Marit  said  quickly.  She  gave  Rolai  a

warning glance, as if he'd said too much. "You'll learn more  if  you  join

us. Look, I told you how it works  here.  They  only  run  the  scholarship

program so that they'll look good. They don't care  about  us.  They  won't

help us. No one will. We have to help ourselves. Why should we wait  around

to get passed over for good jobs when we can start our lives now?"

"I agree," Anakin said. "But how do you get off campus? You'd have  to

violate security."

Marit shook her head. "We're able to conduct the missions on our  free

days. We have permission to leave. We just have to be sure to  be  back  in

time. And there are ways to trick security." She grinned at  Rolai.  "Rolai

is our security expert and financial officer. Ze handles communications."

Ze  nodded.  "Comlinks,  datapads,  holo  transmissions.  Traces   and

countertraces. There are plenty of frequencies to hide in, if you know how.

"

Anakin was  impressed.  Even  he  didn't  know  how  to  navigate  the

complicated process of concealing a transmission origin.

"I'm transportation," Hurana said. "I get us in and out, and fast."

Tulah lifted a finger. "I'm battle  strategy.  But  mostly  I'm  comic

relief."

Tulah spoke lightly, but something in his face told  Anakin  that  his

joking was a pose to hide a serious purpose.

"And I research the proposals," Marit said. "I'm the galactic politics

expert."

"So what am I?" Anakin asked.

"We need someone who knows something about sophisticated air transport

like starfighters," Hurana said. "I know some, but Marit has been  watching

you, and she says you know more."

"I don't know about that," Anakin said. "But  I  did  grow  up  fixing

engines. So how do you decide what you're going to do?"

"We consider proposals and vote on  them,"  Hurana  said.  "Everyone's

vote is equal."

"And every decision is unanimous," Tulah said. "If one of  us  doesn't

want to take an assignment, we pass on it. You'd get an  equal  vote,  too,

fly-guy. Just try to vote with me."

Unlike the others, Rolai's look was cool. Anakin had the feeling  that

he would have to prove himself to the Bothan before  he  welcomed  him.  It

didn't bother him. He might feel that way himself with an outsider.

"The kind of assignments we take on are important," Marit said. "We're

just starting, but already what we can do has spread to the  right  beings.

We're on the side of justice in the galaxy. The powerful exploit the  weak.

We try to tip the balance. In one of our last missions we  broke  into  the

records of a company that was dumping its toxic garbage  on  a  neighboring

planet's moon. We exposed them and got paid for it. We can get away with  a

lot because adults tend not to notice kids. They underestimate us."

Rolai grinned. "Big mistake."

To his surprise, Anakin found himself liking what he was  hearing.  It

was almost like being a Jedi, but without Masters. No one  told  the  squad

what to do. They picked their own missions and  were  responsible  only  to

themselves.

"Count me in," he said.

CHAPTER-NINE

Anakin met Ferus at their prearranged spot in the computer lab  during

their free time before lights out. Most of the students were in  their  own

rooms, studying or talking. No one liked to venture out into the  halls  at

night, no matter how good security was now. The computer lab was  open  but

empty. They spoke in low voices in a corner.

"Reymet keeps dropping hints," Ferus said without waiting  for  Anakin

to speak. "He says he knows something about some secret  goings-on  at  the

school. He even has hinted that  it  has  something  to  do  with  Gillam's

disappearance. I know he's trying to impress me, but I still think he knows

something. Maybe about the secret squad. If we could  infiltrate  it,  we'd

finally have something to tell Obi-Wan."

"I did infiltrate it," Anakin said.

Ferus looked startled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't give me a chance," Anakin said. As usual, Ferus got  under

his skin. "It just happened today."

"How? Who is it? This is great news," Ferus said approvingly.

Anakin wasn't sure what annoyed him more - Ferus's lack of envy at his

progress, or the way his approval sounded  just  a  bit  condescending,  as

though Ferus was his Master.

"I was approached by Marit Dice," Anakin said. "She  and  her  friends

are all scholarship students here at the school. That's the key. They  feel

that they won't  be  treated  fairly  when  it  comes  to  positions  after

graduation, so they decided to strike out on their own. The school  doesn't

help them. They only help the sons and daughters of the important people."

"Sounds like an excuse to me," Ferus said.

"No," Anakin said, annoyed. "I'm sure it's true. Haven't  you  noticed

that the other students don't talk to the scholarship students?"

"Not really," Ferus said. "After all, I talk to Reymet." "Only because

you have to."

Ferus sighed.  "So  they  picked  you  because  you're  a  scholarship

student."

"They picked me because they thought  they  could  trust  me,"  Anakin

said. "I don't have a reputation as a snob."

If Ferus felt the sting of Anakin's remark, he didn't  show  it.  "Did

they say anything about Gillam? Do you know if he was in the squad?"

"They didn't say a word about Gillam," Anakin said. "That's  strange,"

Ferus said. "It's all everyone else at school talks about."

"They have more important things on their minds," Anakin said.

"Is Marit the leader?"

Anakin gave this some thought. "She did most of  the  talking.  But  I

didn't get the feeling that she was the  leader.  They  say  they  vote  on

everything."

"Do you know if they're going out on an assignment?" Ferus asked.

Anakin shook his head. "Not yet I'll find out."

Ferus frowned. "So do you think there's a connection? And if there is,

what could it be?"

"I don't know," Anakin said. "I can't imagine them kidnapping a fellow

student. They seem straightforward.  They  take  on  good  causes.  They're

almost like Jedi, in a way. Think about it, Ferus. Can  you  imagine  being

able to pick and choose your own missions?"

Ferus looked at him curiously. "No. That's why we have the Council."

"But if we didn't, we could use our skills on missions that we decided

were important."

"If we didn't have the Council, we wouldn't be Jedi." Ferus  gave  him

the severe look that always got under his skin.

Anakin decided to change the subject. "Do you know anything about  the

planet Tierell?"

"There was a coup there. It was a repressive  government.  The  leader

was assassinated two weeks ago. The rebels are now in charge. Why?"

"The  squad  said  they  were   involved,"   Anakin   said.   "In   an

assassination? Do you call that a good cause?"

"I didn't say that they assassinated the leader,"

Anakin argued. "I just said they were  involved."  "Anakin,  they  are

mercenaries," Ferus said, exasperated. "What exactly do you think they do?"

"Not cold-blooded murder," Anakin said decidedly. "You've made  a  lot

of conclusions considering you just met them," Ferus said.

"It's an instinct," Anakin said. "That  doesn't  mean  they  can't  be

hiding something. I'm not totally in their confidence yet. I need  to  gain

their trust."

Ferus nodded slowly. "I agree. But be careful."

Anakin said good-bye and was halfway down the hall before he  wondered

what exactly Ferus wanted him to be careful of.

The secret squad had a secret signal, of course. Many of the  students

had holographic displays outside their doors. When a hologram of a detailed

topographical map of Marit's homeworld of Hali  was  outside  her  door,  a

meeting was scheduled. If the moons of Hali were shown, the meeting was  in

the free evening hours. If the three suns were  shown,  the  meeting  would

take place before the morning meal.

They met almost every day. Anakin  was  surprised  at  the  number  of

proposals for help they received, from groups and individuals all over  the

galaxy. The squad had only been in operation for six months, and  the  word

of mouth had spread. Rolai received  the  requests  on  a  datapad  Ze  had

tweaked so that the routing system was too complicated  to  trace.  Credits

were deposited in a secret account in an Andoran bank known for discretion.

Anakin admired the group's professionalism. They  discussed  the  proposals

seriously, and he was impressed at Marit's knowledge of  galactic  politics

and history. It was obvious that they needed  a  mission  soon,  for  their

treasury was low and they needed supplies.

Anakin was heading to his last class when he saw  the  signal  for  an

evening meeting. As soon  as  the  free  period  began,  he  headed  for  a

storeroom located near the students' rooms. The storeroom  wasn't  used  at

such hours and they did not have to pass through  security  checkpoints  to

get to it from their rooms. It was a private place to meet.

He slipped inside the room to find the  others  waiting.  He  got  the

sense that they had been talking before he entered. "Do we have a proposal?

" he asked, sitting down on the floor next to Hurana.

"No," Rolai said. "It's just a general meeting. Anybody have anything?

"

"Just stuff we can't afford," Ze said. "I haven't wanted to bring this

up, but  we've  got  to  upgrade  our  comlinks.  We've  got  to  get  some

holographic capabilities pretty soon. And if we don't up-tech the  drivers,

we'll be blasting static when we go past the Core. I have an idea how I can

do a basic upgrade without dipping into the treasury, but it's going to  be

complicated." Ze launched into a highly technical discussion that obviously

left the rest of the squad behind.

"So if I patch into the C-board here and steal  some  juice  from  the

circuit, I can maybe extend the range from meta  to  mega  if  the  systems

don't chatter and I don't pulverize the  school  mainframe,"  Ze  concluded

cheerfully.

"Affirmatively good work, Ze-tech." Tulah nodded his head in approval,

but it was obvious he hadn't a clue as to what Ze was talking about. By the

looks on the faces of the rest, they felt the same.

"Don't forget to bypass the transit sensor  when  you  patch,"  Anakin

said. "Otherwise you'll end up with a cinder instead of a comlink."

"An excellent point," Ze said, impressed.

"I was going to say that transit thing," Tulah said. "I mean, I  would

have if I'd known what Ze was talking about.

Marit gave Anakin a sidelong look. "You know comm systems?"

"Some," Anakin said. As a slave at Watto's shop, he had learned how to

fix anything. He had kept up the hobby as a Jedi  student.  "I  know  droid

circuits better."

"That's good, because we might be in the  market  for  an  astromech,"

Tulah said.       "Love those little guys. Hurana has been shopping for a couple

of used A-6 interceptors, and a couple of astromechs are key. By  the  way,

we really need to get  some  starfighters  soon.  This  hitching  rides  on

freighters has got to stop."

"I agree," Rolai said. "They're slow."

"Right. But what I really meant was,  the  food  is  terrible,"  Tulah

said. "Bleh."

"What's the  weapon  capability  of  the  interceptors?"  Rolai  asked

Hurana.

"Turbolaser cannons, very sweet," Hurana said. "Both ships are in good

shape. The only problem is that one of them  has  a  tendency  to  cut  out

during dives."

"That could be a minor inconvenience," Tulah said. "Remind me  to  fly

in the other one."

Everyone laughed, but  Anakin  noted  how  their  intent  looks  never

changed. He was impressed with their focus.

"I've gone on a couple of test flights and it's  a  pretty  consistent

problem," Hurana admitted. "Last  time  I  came  within  twenty  meters  of

complete annihilation on the planet surface before I was able to pull out."

"That sounds dangerous," Anakin said. The  flow  of  conversation  was

fast and decisive. It told him better than words what a tightly  knit  team

this was.

She flashed him a grin. "That's what  made  it  fun."  "What  about  a

hyperdrive?" Marit asked.

Hurana shook her head. "We might be able to add  it.  But  that  means

major investment capital."

"Don't worry about that," Rolai said.

"Why not?" Marit said. "The treasury is completely zilched."

"I'm working on it," Rolai said. "Just draw up your  wish  lists,  and

I'll let you know what we can handle."

"Sounds like my speed," Tulah said. "Numbers are not my thing."

"I've got a wish list, too," Rolai said. "Speaking  of  upgrades,  our

weapons are sad. A couple of blasters aren't going to get us very  far.  We

need  some  secondary  weaponry.  Some  thermal  detonators,  a   flechette

launcher, maybe some missile tubes - "

"Hang on," Marit said. "We're not an army."

"Sure we are," Rolai said. "If we act like it, we'd  better  have  the

stuff to back it up. Things would have gone a lot better on Tierell if we'd

had the firepower - "

"Or a lot worse," Marit shot back.

"Not this again," Rolai said, rolling his eyes. "Six blasters for  six

members is the bare minimum. If we'd had a flechette launcher - "

"You're right, Rolai," Marit said. "We've  gone  over  this  too  many

times. Let's just be glad the mission was a success. Now  we'd  better  get

back to our rooms."

Anakin hung back as the others slipped out  the  door.  He  closed  it

behind them and turned to face Marit.

"We'd better get going," she said. "Lights out will be soon - "

"What was that about?" Anakin asked.

"What?" Marit said evasively.

"He said six blasters," Anakin said.

"What?"

"He said you had six blasters for six  members.  But  there  are  only

five."

"Six, counting you."

"But I wasn't on the mission to Tierell."

Marit shrugged. "Rolai meant now,  not  then.  Six  blasters  for  six

members."

Anakin let it pass. "Tell me about Tierell."

Marit turned away. "I don't want to tell you about Tierell."

"Something's bothering you about it," Anakin said. "Maybe if you  tell

me, I can help."

"I don't need help," Marit snapped.

"Okay," Anakin said. "Then let's say I deserve to know. I'm putting my

life on the line, too, you know."

Marit's brown eyes studied him. He knew  the  moment  she  decided  to

trust him. It only took a few seconds. He was beginning to see  that  Marit

didn't like to waste time. "We had trouble. We'd been hired  to  slip  into

the Leader's Advisors'  Chambers  and  dismantle  security.  The  room  was

supposed to be empty, but the advisors were having  a  meeting.  We  had  a

battle with some security droids. The blaster fire was incredible.

We could barely handle it. And... in  the  confusion,  the  leader  of

Tierell was killed."

"Who did it?" Anakin asked.

Marit hesitated. Then she took a deep breath. "I did."

Slowly, she sank back down to a crouching position on the  floor.  Her

hands dangled between her knees. "I've gone over it  and  over  it,  and  I

still don't know why or  how  it  happened.  The  success  of  the  mission

depended on it. The freedom of the beings of Tierell depended on it.  Maybe

my friends' lives depended on it. Maybe  mine.  In  other  words..."  Marit

shrugged. "Everything depended on it. But I can't stop thinking..."

"That it could have gone another way." Anakin knew that  feeling.  He,

too, had taken a life. More than one. He didn't like  to  think  about  it.

Those experiences were locked in a place in his mind where he did not go.

He crouched down in front of her. "If everything depended on  it,  you

did the right thing. If you can't make yourself believe that, you'll  drive

yourself crazy."

She looked into his face searchingly. "You seem to know how I feel."

"I do," Anakin said. He stood and held out his hand. She took  it  and

he helped bring her to her feet.

"You see?" he said. "Everybody needs help sometime."

* * *

"I think she lied about the blasters, but I don't  know  why,"  Anakin

told Obi-Wan in their next communication.

"Do you think Gillam was once part of the squad?"

"That  doesn't  make  sense.  He's  not  a  scholarship  student.  But

something is up, I can feel it. Something with Rolai isn't right. Maybe  he

knows something. He's in charge of security, and also the treasury. None of

the others seem to care about how he handles it.  Maybe...  I  don't  know,

maybe he decided to raise money by kidnapping Gillam and  holding  him  for

ransom, but he didn't tell the others."

"Maybe," Obi-Wan said doubtfully. He sounded distracted, as though  he

weren't really listening to Anakin. "But Tarturi hasn't received  a  ransom

demand."

"Yet. I'm not sure what to think," Anakin confessed. "I can't  imagine

the group kidnapping Gillam. They're all pretty  dedicated.  Marit  has  an

incredible grasp of galactic politics. She knows what's  being  debated  in

the Senate right down to the subcommittee hearings. And she always comes in

on the right side."

"And how do you know it's the right side?" Obi-Wan  asked,  his  voice

dry. "Because you agree with it?"

"Because they are  against  violence  and  oppression,"  Anakin  said.

"They're like the Jedi."

"Yet they are operating against school rules,"  Obi-Wan  pointed  out.

"If you are willing to violate trust, you cannot claim virtue."

"The school doesn't deserve their trust. It let them down."

"Nonetheless, they are attending the school and agreed to abide by its

rules," Obi-Wan said. "I can understand the attraction they have  for  you,

Anakin, but I fear you are getting too involved. You must be a Jedi at  all

times. You must constantly strive for inner balance.  This  includes  being

swayed by the ideas of others. They often mask a different purpose."

"What purpose could they mask?"

"That is your job to find out. Do not forget that you  are  trying  to

find a missing boy. Anakin, the fact that you are a Jedi is what will  keep

you steady always. That is something to hold on to. If you know your  first

loyalty, the rest falls into place. Do you understand?"

"I do, Master. Have you made progress in the Senate?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes and no. Nothing to report yet. I'm sure there  is

a connection between Rana Halion and Sano Sauro, but I can't find it."

"Rana Halion?"

"Ruler of leria. The leader of the countermovement in that  system.  I

think she might have something to do with Gillam's disappearance.  Keep  me

informed if you learn anything more, Padawan."

"Yes, Master." Anakin frowned as Obi-Wan cut  the  communication.  His

Master had not been very forthcoming with information. And he did not  seem

interested in the secret squad. Anakin had the feeling that Obi-Wan  didn't

think they were involved in Gillam's disappearance.

But Anakin felt differently. And here, he could follow his own rules.

All his life, he had known only two ways to live: as a slave, or as  a

Jedi. As a young boy on Tatooine he had looked to the Jedi as the most free

beings in the galaxy. Even before he knew much about them, he  had  dreamed

of being a Jedi.

But was being a Jedi being free? Or had he traded one form of  slavery

for another?

The thought was so shocking that  Anakin  couldn't  face  it  once  he

dredged it up. He tucked it away in the place in his mind that he  did  not

visit. It was a place where fear ruled. He never went there,  not  even  in

the middle of the night when he woke, his head full of dreams, and did  not

know where he was or why his mother was not near.

Anakin put his comlink back into his tunic. For the first  time  since

entering the school, returning to comm silence did not make  him  feel  cut

off. He was glad not to answer to anyone, even for  twenty-four  hours.  He

headed out to find Marit and the squad, where  there  were  no  Masters  to

chide him.

CHAPTER TEN

Frustration boiled inside Obi-Wan. He could  not  trace  a  connection

between Sano Sauro and Rana Halion. He was working on it; Tyro was  working

on it. The best researchers at the Temple were  working  on  it,  including

Jocasta Nu, the Jedi Archivist.  Though  she  usually  demanded  that  Jedi

Knights do their own research, she agreed to help Obi-Wan since the  matter

was so pressing. A young boy's life could be at stake. The image of  Gillam

still tore at Obi-Wan's heart - the way he'd clutched  the  blanket  around

his shoulders, the courage he tried to convey.

None of these experts had come  up  with  anything.  And  Obi-Wan  was

plagued by the feeling that he was missing something. Something obvious.

He retreated to his private quarters to think. He felt more in need of

a Master than Anakin. He wished someone could give him the direction he was

looking for.

In his reports from the Leadership School, Anakin  had  sounded  self-

sufficient, completely in charge of the situation. Obi-Wan didn't  know  if

the secret squad was involved in Gillam's disappearance, but he  was  proud

of his Padawan for infiltrating it so quickly. He  just  wished  he  hadn't

heard something in Anakin's voice that reminded him of his own  past.  When

he had been a Padawan, he had briefly left the Jedi after meeting  a  rebel

group on Melida/Daan called The Young. To him, The Young  had  passion  and

commitment and an important cause. When Qui-Gon had forbidden him  to  stay

and help them, he had turned his back on the Jedi.  It  had  made  complete

sense to him then. He had felt so right - and he had been so wrong.

Inner balance. It took experience to know when the wrong instinct  had

made it careen off-kilter.

But Anakin was not the same. Being a Jedi meant everything to Anakin.

Obi-Wan returned to his more pressing problem. He stared down  at  the

security report once again. What was he missing? He had a feeling that Qui-

Gon would know. His Master was always able to combine emotion with logic to

reach the correct conclusion. Find the emotion behind the logic  -  or  the

illogic, Qui-Gon would say. If you can't see the solution, try to  see  the

emotion. But if something seemed logical to Obi-Wan, it  was  difficult  to

see the illogical heart of it.

He heard Qui-Gon's voice clearly in  his  head  If  something  is  not

possible, then it did not happen.

Obi-Wan stood up so  suddenly  that  the  report  slid  off  his  lap.

Security wasn't breached. Gillam never left the academy campus!

He was still there. But was he alive... or dead? And who took him?

Ferus had reported that Reymet had hinted that he knew  how  to  visit

places he wasn't supposed to go within the school campus.  What  if  Reymet

wasn't just trying to impress Ferus? What if Reymet had seen something that

night?

Obi-Wan shook his head. It didn't seem logical that. Reymet would keep

silent when the life of a fellow student was at stake. Reymet  might  be  a

sneak, but he had no reason to suppose he would support a kidnapper.

Obi-Wan had never attended a regular school, but the Temple  was  like

one in many ways. He thought back to his own  training.  Why  would  Reymet

keep silent?

The answer roared into his brain.

Because adults didn't take Gillam. Students did. A  boy  Reymet's  age

wouldn't turn in fellow students. What had Anakin told him students  called

someone who snitched?

If Reymet told, he'd be a womp fink.

His comlink signaled.  Hoping  it  was  Anakin,  he  snatched  it  and

activated it.

He felt the thud of disappointment when he heard Jocasta  Nu's  voice.

Unless Anakin contacted him on the emergency channel, he would have to wait

until their next scheduled communication the following day.

"I have traced the payment for you, even  though  you  were  perfectly

capable of doing so yourself, if you had paid attention to my instructions,

" Jocasta Nu's crisp voice said. "There was  a  credit  payment  from  Rana

Halion to an account on Andara. The account is  anonymous,  but  through  a

series of traces I've discovered that it is used by  that  secret  renegade

squad the Council is so concerned about. A boy named Rolai Frac set it  up.

An impressive use of cloaking maneuvers hid his identity. I've rarely  seen

better."

"Thank you, Madame Nu," Obi-Wan said fervently.

"Next time, you will do your own research, Master  Kenobi.  I  do  not

have time to indulge your many requests, and I - "

"Yes, Madame Nu," Obi-Wan said. "May the Force be with  you.  You  may

have just given me the key to find the boy."

"That's good, then. May the Force be  with  you,"  she  answered,  the

disapproval fading from her voice.

It was the confirmation he needed.  Anakin's  hunch  that  the  secret

squad was involved was right after all. Gillam had been  kidnapped  by  his

fellow students on the secret squad. But they hadn't done it on their own -

Rana Halion had arranged it. Whether Sano  Sauro  was  involved,  he  might

never know.

Obi-Wan hurried out of his quarters  toward  the  vehicle  requisition

area. He felt as though he should  kick  himself  down  the  hall.  He  had

chastised Anakin about inner balance while he was losing his own! His  need

to investigate Sano Sauro had led him to make assumptions and go off  on  a

dangerous tack. He had wanted Sauro to be responsible, so he had  tried  to

build a case around it.

He had been so wrong. He had lost sight  of  his  goal:  to  find  the

missing boy. The answer wasn't at the Senate. It was on Andara.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Anakin left his room well before the call for the morning meal.  There

was no hologram on Marit's door. He hesitated, fighting his urge to  knock.

It was unusual for the squad not to meet  again.  There  had  been  several

things to resolve. And he'd had the feeling that Marit was avoiding him.

He left without knocking, however, and continued down the hall.  Maybe

Ferus had some new information. Anakin was beginning to get impatient. Days

were passing, and they were no closer to finding Gillam.

He was almost at Ferus's door when he saw the  door  to  the  athletic

storeroom slide open. Rolai stepped out.

Anakin quickly retreated back around the corner. He peered around  the

wall and saw Tulah, Hurana, and Ze hurrying  out  behind  Rolai.  They  all

disappeared around the corner.

Anakin strode forward and pushed open the door. Marit was just tucking

her datapad under her arm. She looked at him, startled.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "I thought I was in the squad. Why  am

I being left out?"

"We don't know if we can completely trust you yet, Anakin," Marit said

reluctantly.

"You've accepted a new mission, haven't you?" Anakin guessed.

Marit nodded, biting her lip.

Exasperated, Anakin turned on his heel. "Fine. I'm out."

"Anakin, wait!" Marit put her hand on his arm.

"It's Rolai, isn't it? He doesn't want me in the squad."

"No, Rolai is the one who wants you on the mission," Marit said. "It's

just that I think it's dangerous, and it might not  be  the  right  way  to

start."

"Just tell me, and let me decide," Anakin said.

"It's a mission very close by," she said. "Right here in  the  Andaran

system. You might not know this, but there's a countermovement here."

"I've heard something about it," Anakin said.

She gave him a keen look. "How do you stand on the issue?"

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know enough about it."

"Andara is the largest and richest planet in the system," Marit  said.

"As a result, it has grabbed  the  best  trade  routes  and  built  up  its

manufacturing and exporting to the detriment of the other  planets  in  the

system. They aren't fairly represented by their  Senator.  They  can't  get

what they need from the Senate because they don't have a voice."

"That doesn't seem fair," Anakin said.

"It's not. A representative of the  countermovement  came  to  us  and

asked for our help."

"Who?"

"You don't need to know that yet."

Anakin started for the door again.

"All right!" Marit's voice was amused, and she  was  smiling  when  he

turned. "You're very tough."

He grinned. "Yeah. But isn't that why you recruited me?"

"It's Rana Halion, the leader of  leria.  She  approached  us  through

Rolai. The countermovement is willing to negotiate with Berm  Tarturi,  but

the Senator hasn't taken them seriously enough. They want to show  him  how

powerful they are."

Rana Halion! This could be the connection Obi-Wan was looking for.

"How?" Anakin asked

"They want to  conduct  a  passive  strike  on  the  Andaran  security

transport landing platform," Marit said. "Passive strike?"

"We're just going to penetrate their airspace and then get  out.  Buzz

the starfighters. Show Tarturi that we could have destroyed  his  fleet  if

we'd wanted to. That way he'd be forced to join negotiations.  We  need  to

get in and get out quickly. There could be some antispacecraft  fire."  She

hesitated.

Anakin waited.

"We were going to vote on whether to include you tonight," Marit said.

Anakin said nothing. He had learned from Obi-Wan  that  not  asking  a

question sometimes got you more information.

"We need a pilot," Marit said. "Hurana is good, but she's not as  good

as she thinks she is. She takes too many chances. We need a lead pilot. But

this won't be on a simulator. leria is loaning  us  the  air  transport.  I

don't expect you've ever flown a starfighter, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I have," Anakin said.

"Are you as good in a starfighter as you are in a swoop?"

" Better."

"I can talk to them... convince the others... if you're sure you  want

to go."

"I'm sure," Anakin said. He wanted  to  go  on  the  mission.  If  the

planets in the Andaran system were being  exploited,  they  should  have  a

voice in their destiny. Marit's ideas made sense to  him.  He  had  been  a

witness to the greed of Senators. It sounded as though leria needed help.

"Well, I'm not authorized to tell you that you can  go,"  Marit  said.

She grinned. "But you're on board. We're scheduled to leave tomorrow."

Elation roared through Anakin. Then he realized  something  startling.

He hadn't been glad because of the Jedi mission. He'd been glad because  he

wanted to go. Not for the Jedi. For himself.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Anakin was filled with excitement about the coming mission. He  had  a

strong feeling that not only would he help the  Andaran  system,  he  would

also discover the key to Gillam's disappearance. Rana Halion must be behind

it. Her cause might be just, but her methods could be ruthless. Anakin felt

sure that Gillam was on leria.

He saw Ferus in the hall between classes and signaled that  he  needed

to talk to him. They met in Ferus's room and closed the door.  They  had  a

few minutes  before  the  midday  meal  before  they  needed  to  pass  the

checkpoint to the dining hall.

Anakin quickly filled in Ferus on what had happened.

Ferus frowned. "You told Marit that you would go?" "I think I should,"

Anakin said. "I still have a feeling about Gillam."

"That's fine," Ferus said. "But penetrating a planet's  airspace?  You

can't do that."

"No one will be hurt."

"How can you be sure of that? Are you saying that  no  one  will  fire

their laser cannons? Are you saying that if they fire on you or the others,

you won't fire back? Think about it, Anakin! And what about the reaction in

the Senate? This will be seen as an unprovoked attack on Andara."

"Not unprovoked," Anakin argued. "Senator Tarturi refuses to negotiate

a compromise. This will force him to."

Ferus shook his head. "Jedi can't take part in such things.  Have  you

told Obi-Wan this?"

"No," Anakin admitted. "Our next scheduled communication  isn't  until

tonight."

"We can use the emergency signaling system," Ferus said.

"But that could blow our cover! We're  on  comm  silence.  The  school

could trace the frequency."

"We have to risk it," Ferus said.  "I  can't  believe  that  you  even

considered going without consulting him. Even you should know that - "

"Even me?" Anakin took a step toward Ferus, angry now. "What does that

mean, Ferus?"

Ferus went very still. "A personal argument  is  not  productive,"  he

said stiffly. "Will you meet me later and contact Obi-Wan?"

Anakin counted several beats of his tripping heart.  He  accepted  his

anger and tried to let it go. He pictured it leaving him like a black storm

cloud blown by a high wind, but traces of it clung to him and he could  not

shake it off.

"Yes," he said reluctantly.

He left and hurried toward the dining hall.  He  sat  with  Marit  and

Hurana. Hurana was quiet, but Marit was in high spirits. They did not  talk

about the mission ahead, but the secret lay between them, giving  a  charge

to their conversation. He could see that Marit had accepted him fully  into

the squad. She trusted him now.

But you're going to betray that trust.

Was he? He hoped not. But the time was coming when he  would  have  to

leave the school and the squad.

Anakin went to his next class so that  he  would  not  be  missed  and

compromise the squad. Then he faked an illness and started toward  the  med

clinic. Their emergency plan was for Ferus to also fake a reason  to  leave

class. They were to meet in his room.

Ferus wasn't there. Anakin waited, watching the clock, knowing that he

was pushing his luck. When Ferus didn't appear, Anakin hurried to his  next

class. He would see Ferus there, and he hoped to get a chance  to  ask  him

why he had insisted on a meeting he didn't show up for. Maybe he  was  busy

polishing his utility belt.

Anakin took his usual seat. He glanced  over,  but  Ferus's  seat  was

empty. The professor  began,  but  Anakin  couldn't  listen.  Ferus's  seat

remained empty. Suddenly, Anakin was seriously worried.

After class, Anakin walked quickly through the halls. He searched  the

library, Ferus's room, and all the classrooms.  He  searched  the  athletic

fields and the research centers and the computer labs.  He  casually  asked

Reymet if he'd seen him, but Reymet hadn't, either.

Ferus had disappeared.

Anakin could not believe it. Security had not been  violated.  No  one

had seen Ferus, not even Reymet. It was just like  Gillam's  disappearance.

If Ferus hadn't shown up for class, it would have been reported.  Soon  the

school would be involved. Security would tighten even further.

He would have to contact Obi-Wan. The disappearance of a  Jedi  was  a

matter for the whole Council, not merely his Master.

Still, Anakin hesitated. It was hard to  be  certain  that  Ferus  had

truly disappeared. What if he was chasing a lead and  hadn't  told  Anakin?

Anakin knew it would be out of character for Ferus not to fill him in,  but

Ferus might be teaching him a lesson after Anakin hadn't asked his  opinion

about going off with the squad.

Yet if Anakin violated comm silence, he risked the whole school  being

put into lockdown. How would the secret squad be able to get out then?

Marit found him in the library  during  his  free  mod  period,  still

debating the issue in his mind.

"We've moved up the mission," she whispered. "We're  leaving  now.  We

all signed out for leave. If you're coming, you'd better do it,  too.  I'll

come with you. We made up a research trip to the library in Utare  and  got

Professor Totem to sign a pass for us."

Anakin hesitated.

"Aren't you coming?" Marit asked. She frowned. "Did  you  change  your

mind? I know the mission sounds dangerous."

Anakin felt the conflict inside him as though he was being  physically

torn apart. He knew his duty as a Jedi. He  had  to  inform  Obi-Wan  about

Ferus. But if his suspicions were correct and the answers  were  on  leria,

that meant he could find out answers about Ferus's disappearance  as  well.

If he broke comm silence he could jeopardize everything. His only chance to

find Ferus and possibly Gillam was to maintain his cover.

"I didn't change my mind," Anakin said. "Let's go."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Obi-Wan landed his starship on the main  public  landing  platform  in

Utare. He completed his postflight check and activated the landing ramp. As

he strode down it, he saw Siri waiting at the bottom. Her hands were on her

hips and her blue eyes sparked fire.

He guessed that she did not have good news.

She spoke when he was still only halfway down the ramp. "How could you

withhold this from me, Obi-Wan?  Did  you  think  you  could  solve  it  by

yourself and I'd never have to know? Were you afraid of how I'd react?" She

put one booted foot on the ramp as though she were ready to charge at  him.

"Well, you were right to be afraid!"

"Nice to see you, too, Siri," Obi-Wan said, coming up to her.  He  had

been friends with Siri for over ten years now, and she could  still  nettle

him like no one else. He wondered what minor infraction he was  guilty  of.

"Now, do you mind filling me in on what you're talking about?"

"Ferus is missing!" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me you didn't know."

Obi-Wan's mild amusement faded immediately. "No, I didn't."

"Didn't Anakin contact you?"

"Our next scheduled communication isn't until tonight, and I  received

no emergency signal. Are you sure about this?"

"Ferus contacted me via the emergency channel. I was on a mission  and

couldn't answer for an hour. When I tried to reach him, he didn't answer."

"He never sent me a signal," Obi-Wan said.

"I think something happened before he could," Siri said. "His  message

was cut off. But he did say that Anakin was taking off on  a  mission  with

the secret squad. They're going to conduct an air  strike  on  the  Andaran

security transport landing platform."

Obi-Wan stopped short. "What?"

"You didn't know?"

"Of course not." Obi-Wan was  staggered  by  this  news.  He  couldn't

absorb it. A Jedi was missing, and Anakin had not informed him? Anakin  had

agreed to take part in an air strike against a nonhostile planet? It seemed

inconceivable.

"I don't understand," he said. "Was  Anakin  captured,  or  forced  to

leave with the squad?"

"No," Siri said. "It was his own free  will.  Ferus  was  clear  about

that. He sounded worried about Anakin."

Ferus was often worried about Anakin, Obi-Wan thought.  He  had  noted

that already. Ferus was concerned that Anakin would let down the  Order  in

some way.

And so he had. Obi-Wan felt the betrayal  like  a  hard  blow  to  his

stomach. He had trouble getting air. He struggled with  his  own  emotions,

surprised at the depth of them. He felt betrayed, he realized.  Why  hadn't

Anakin trusted him?

He swallowed. "Did Ferus know where Anakin was headed?"

"To leria. That's all. And it's a big planet."

He wished Siri would look away. Her eyes had not left  his  face.  Her

gaze scorched him.

He had promised to watch over Ferus  like  his  own  Padawan.  He  had

failed.

He had lost both Padawans. It was unthinkable. Yet here he was.

He did not know what to do. Whatever step he took could be  the  wrong

one. And if he took the wrong one, he could lose one of them. Or both.

Obi-Wan's thoughts whirled crazily. He could not focus.

"Let's decide how to proceed," Siri said crisply.

That was the way of the Jedi. Accept the mistake and move on. But Obi-

Wan's mind was a blank.

"We need to get into the school," Siri said. "Ferus is still there.  I

feel it."

The confusion cleared, and Obi-Wan  remembered  why  he  had  come  to

Andara.

"I think Gillam is there, too," he said. "But without Anakin and Ferus

to help us, we can't infiltrate the campus without being detected. We can't

come as Jedi. We can't take the chance that someone will  be  watching.  We

must appear as though we belong there."

"But how?" Siri asked. "Security there is  incredibly  tight.  And  we

don't look like students."

"I have an idea," Obi-Wan said.

Siri gave him a searching look. "I can tell I'm not going to like it."

"You're going to hate it," Obi-Wan said.

"Your excellencies," the president of the school said graciously. "How

kind of you to consider the Leadership School for your son."

Obi-Wan and Siri walked into the  inner  office.  It  had  taken  only

minutes to contact Tyro for some fast false text docs.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Obi-Wan said.

"The king and queen of Cortella are  always  welcome,"  the  president

said. "Now, how old is your son?" "Thirteen," Obi-Wan said.

"Eleven," Siri said at the same time.

They looked at each other.

"Two sons," Obi-Wan said quickly. "We have two. One for each  of  us,"

he added heartily.

"I see. And you wish to enroll both?"

"No," Siri said.

"Yes," Obi-Wan said at the same time.

"Remember, we talked about  this,  uh,  dear?"  Siri  said,  her  eyes

flashing a warning at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan tried not to smile. He couldn't help enjoying  how  much  Siri

was hating this.

"Of course. But you agreed with me, as you always do," he said.

Siri's gaze flashed sparks at Obi-Wan, but  the  president  could  not

see. Siri inclined her head haughtily. She hadn't done much to  change  her

appearance, merely slicked back her hair  more  severely,  but  she  looked

suddenly regal to Obi-Wan.

"Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether  the  princes  will  both

attend," she said in a distant tone. "We must be assured, of  course,  that

the school is up to the highest standard."

"It must be suitable for our royal regal  sons,"  Obi-Wan  said.  Siri

shot him a look that said, Let me handle this.

"Of course," the president said nervously. "Shall we  get  started  on

our tour?"

Obi-Wan and Siri stood. "We would prefer to tour on our own,"  Obi-Wan

said.

"We feel we will absorb the spirit of the place in that manner,"  Siri

said. She indicated their traveler's tunics. "We dressed this way precisely

so that we would not be conspicuous. We will not disturb your students."

"Uh, ah... this is not exactly customary..." the president stammered.

"Nevertheless, it is our wish," Obi-Wan said in a  tone  that  implied

that he was not used to being overruled.

"If there is a problem, we will go elsewhere," Siri said. "There is an

excellent school on Alderaan - "

"No, no, no problem," the president said. He waved a  hand.  "You  are

free to explore. I will alert security that you are not to be disturbed."

Siri tilted her head again. Obi-Wan nodded. They swept out the door.

"If you ever get tired of being a Jedi, you'd make an amazing  queen,"

Obi-Wan told Siri as soon as the door had slid shut behind them.

"And you'd make a terrible king," she said. "Royal regal sons?"

"I was trying to sound pompous," Obi-Wan said.

"Do you really think you need to try?" Siri asked. Her clear blue eyes

held a mischievous glint. In the middle of any crisis, Siri was always able

to joke. It never failed to take him by surprise. Now he  realized  with  a

sense of relief that her teasing was designed to tell him that she did  not

hold him responsible for the disappearance of Ferus. He was grateful to his

old friend. He knew her so well. She would not speak of her  feelings,  but

she would always manage to let him know what they were.

"Did you notice that the president  seemed  nervous?"  Obi-Wan  asked.

"And it wasn't just because he was meeting  with  a  king  and  queen.  The

school must know Ferus is missing."

"And they want to keep it quiet," Siri said, nodding. "That's why they

haven't put the school in lockdown. If it's discovered that there  are  two

missing students, they could lose students... and revenue."

"Exactly. But the school must  be  looking  for  Ferus,  too.  They'll

search the obvious places."

"So we have to get to the un-obvious ones," Siri said.  "Where  should

we start?"

"I think we should try to find Reymet  Autem,"  Obi-Wan  said.  "Ferus

said several times that Reymet hinted at knowing something  about  Gillam's

disappearance. And he also said he knew how to get around  security.  Ferus

never found out if he really did, but..."

"He's our only lead," Siri finished.

They started down the halls. Most of the students were in  class.  The

president must have alerted security,  for  they  were  waved  through  all

checkpoints.

But with the halls empty, they would  have  no  luck  finding  Reymet.

"We're not getting anywhere," Siri said, frustrated. "Maybe we need  to  go

to registration. We can think of something in order to gain access  to  the

class schedules - "

"I don't think that's necessary," Obi-Wan said. "You're forgetting the

best thing about classes." "What's that?"

A soft beeping signal came over the hidden speakers.

"They end," Obi-Wan said.

Just then a voice was broadcast, speaking in  a  quiet  but  insistent

tone. "End of mod six class. Five minutes to mod seven. Five minutes."

Suddenly the doors hissed open and students spilled out into the hall.

Obi-Wan and Siri were pushed against the walls as  students  ran,  jostled,

tossed data-pads at one another playfully, or wolfed down a quick snack  as

they walked. Yet both Jedi could feel the effort and bravado in  the  calls

and laughter. These students were afraid.

Obi-Wan hailed a student who appeared to be about Anakin  and  Ferus's

age. "Excuse me. Do you know Reymet Autem?"

The tall Phlog nodded. "He's in my Current Galactic  Political  Trends

class."

"Can you find him for us?" Siri asked.

"Not a problem. He's right there." The Phlog pointed to a  boy  across

the hall who was tossing a small data-pad from one hand to the other as  he

walked.

"Thanks." It was a lucky break. Obi-Wan and Siri headed toward Reymet.

"Are you a friend of Ferus Olin?" Siri asked him.

Reymet nodded proudly. "We're best friends." He eyed  them  carefully.

"Hey, are you his parents? You look like you could be."

"Yes,  we're  his  parents,"  Siri  said.  "Have  you  seen  him  this

afternoon?"

"No, and that's weird, because he's in three of  my  classes,"  Reymet

said. "Is he sick?"

"No, Reymet," Obi-Wan said. "That's why we came to you. We think Ferus

is missing. We think it has something to do with what  happened  to  Gillam

Tarturi."

"Will you help us?" Siri asked. "Ferus told us that  you  know  secret

things about the school."

"I know some things," Reymet said cautiously.

"We promise we won't tell the school officials anything you show  us,"

Siri said.

Reymet still hesitated. "Unless you don't tell us anything,  and  then

we'd be forced to go to the school officials," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Whoa," Reymet  said.  "In  that  case,  I'd  be  happy  to  tell  you

everything I know."

Obi-Wan noted that he sounded relieved. Maybe Reymet had a secret that

had been a burden to keep, and that was why he kept hinting to  Ferus  that

he knew something. "Follow me."

The halls were emptying of students as Reymet quickly led them down to

the ground level of the school.

"Class beginning. Mod seven." The soft  voice  floated  out  from  the

speakers. "Mod seven. Class beginning."

The hallway was empty. "Hurry," Reymet hissed.  "I  only  have  a  few

minutes before I have to check in to my next class."

He ducked  into  a  storage  closet,  and  Obi-Wan  and  Siri  quickly

followed. They crowded in next to him.

"Couldn't you find a bigger place for us to hide?" Obi-Wan asked as he

bumped into a durasteel toolbox.

"If you could just squeeze together, I can..." Reymet began to  wiggle

past them, then ducked down below them. "... okay, just  a  second...  move

your foot... no, the other way... thanks..."

Reymet unscrewed a panel from the wall. A large utility  shaft  opened

up.

"In there," he said.

"What's in there?" Obi-Wan asked, peering in.

"When they renovated, they just built around all  the  old  electrical

and water systems," Reymet explained. "It was  cheaper  than  ripping  them

out. There's a whole network of utility pipes still in place. They lead  to

the old system rooms."

"Did you show Ferus this?" Siri asked.

Reymet nodded. "We were going to  explore  it  together,  during  free

time. I didn't know he was missing. I would have looked for him - "

"Do you think he's with Gillam?" Obi-Wan asked. He kept  his  gaze  on

Reymet.

Whatever reserve the young boy had crumbled. "I don't know," he  said.

"I think Gillam is still here, though. I saw him the night he  disappeared.

He knew about the old utility pipes, too."

"Do you think Gillam is hiding?" Siri asked.

Reymet nodded. "I don't blame him. With a father like that, I'd  hide,

too. That's why I wouldn't tell on him." He looked uneasily at  them.  "But

now I'm not so sure. I can see Gillam hiding, but I can't see  Ferus  doing

that. He isn't mean like Gillam."

"Gillam is mean?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said that," Reymet said.  "He's  not  mean,  I

guess. He's just... not nice." He  shifted  from  one  foot  to  the  other

uneasily. It was clear he was worried he'd said too  much.  "They're  doing

extra security checks - and I'm late for class. One more  demerit  and  I'm

suspended. Not that having to leave this place would break my heart. But it

just might break my old man."

"Go," Obi-Wan told him. "We'll handle it from here."

Reymet suddenly looked lost. "I really hope you find him. I like him a

lot." Reymet hurried out the door.

Obi-Wan peered into the pipe. He could see where  the  dust  had  been

disturbed, but it was impossible to tell by whom or by how many.

"After you," Siri said.

Obi-Wan climbed into the pipe. He had to stoop and move slowly because

of his size. Siri had an easier time.

"Hurry," she urged him.

"Would you like to go first?"

"If I could get around you, I would."

Obi-Wan saw light at the end of the pipe and quickened  his  pace.  He

slid out of the pipe onto a springy floor. He realized that it was  covered

in moss. The large space had a damp, moldy smell. Mildew marked  the  walls

in cloudy patterns. The smell was close and dank.

"This must have been some sort of holding tank," Siri said.  She  took

out a glow rod and held it up. "Makes sense if that was a water pipe."

Obi-Wan felt the floor  suck  at  his  boots.  "There's  a  couple  of

passageways. Any ideas?" He turned to Siri, but he already felt  the  Force

move in the space. She was looking keenly about her, sending out the Force,

trying to reach her Padawan. Obi-Wan joined her, calling on  the  Force  to

help them locate Ferus.

They turned at the same moment and headed for the passageway to  their

left. They could feel it now. The Force had entered the dank,  dark  space,

and they knew Ferus was near.

Siri held her glow  rod  aloft.  "I  think  we're  in  the  old  water

treatment system. See the inflow pipes'?"

"These are holding pens for the water," Obi-Wan said, peering into the

rooms as they passed. Some of the chambers still had their durasteel  panel

doors. Others had doors that were half rusted away, or had been removed.

The Force grew stronger. Ahead they saw a chamber with an intact door.

It was bolted to the wall with a new lock.

Siri withdrew her lightsaber. Within seconds, the metal  peeled  back,

giving them an entry to the chamber.

Ferus sat in the middle of the room. He quickly stood, facing them. "I

am sorry for needing rescue, Master," he said to Siri. "I am sorry,  Master

Kenobi."

"We all need rescue sometime," Obi-Wan said.

"Some more than others," Siri said, grinning at Obi-Wan.

Ferus was so different from Anakin, Obi-Wan thought. Anakin would have

smiled at him as soon as he entered. It's about time, he would  have  said.

Or maybe, I hope you brought my lunch. He felt an intense need to find  his

own Padawan. Added to the feeling was the fury that he was gone at all.

"What happened?" Siri asked Ferus. "Are you all right? Where  is  your

lightsaber?"

"It's hidden in my room." Ferus made a face. "One  of  several  of  my

mistakes. I came down here looking for Gillam without stopping there first.

I thought if I found him I could prevent Anakin taking off with the  secret

squad. Instead, Gillam found me."

"Gillam?" Obi-Wan asked, surprised.

Ferus nodded. "He was never kidnapped. He staged it himself."

Obi-Wan felt a surge of  impatience.  He  should  have  examined  this

possibility. He hadn't been able to imagine a son doing such a thing to his

father. No matter how much he'd seen in his life, no matter what evil  he'd

faced, he was still capable of surprise at a son's resentment of a powerful

father. It always surprised him, how personal a betrayal could be.

"I don't understand how he could have imprisoned you," Siri said  with

a frown.

"I was exploring, and I found a hiding place," Ferus said. "It's  just

down this corridor. His datapad was hidden in a drain behind a lock,  in  a

plastoid sleeve. I was just trying  to  access  it  when  I  heard  someone

coming. It was Gillam and a few members of the secret squad. I was able  to

conceal the datapad but they got my comlink."

"What did they do?" Obi-Wan asked. He felt dread invade  him.  So  the

secret squad was involved.

"They thought I was just a nosy student," Ferus said. "I  decided  not

to resist because I didn't want to blow my cover, or  especially  Anakin's.

They didn't know what to do with me. They were afraid I'd report them. They

searched me, but I used the Force to redirect them, so I was able  to  hang

onto Gillam's datapad. Then they put me in here. Gillam  brought  me  food,

but I haven't seen him in hours."

Ferus held up the datapad. "They left me alone, so I was able to  read

this. First of all, look - it has a Senate seal."

Obi-Wan took it. He recognized the symbol of Andara on the back. "This

belongs to Berm Tarturi." He thought a moment. "Maybe  Tarturi  was  right.

Someone did break into his office and go through his things. But it was his

own son."

Ferus nodded. "That's not all. There are ransom notes on this pad. Two

of them have been sent. I think Gillam plans to pin his own  kidnapping  on

his father."

"Why would he do such a thing?" Siri asked. "Does he hate him so much?

"

"He must," Ferus said. "But that's not the  only  thing.  Are  you  in

contact with Anakin?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "He hasn't reported in. He must  be  traveling

or even on leria by now, but his comlink has been turned off."

Ferus looked grave. "The last letter in the file takes  responsibility

for Gillam's death. It hasn't been sent yet, but it's timed to  go  out  in

five hours.".

"He's going to frame his father for his own murder?" Obi-Wan said.

"But how?" Siri asked. "He'll need a body. There will be some kind  of

investigation."

"That's what I've been thinking about," Ferus said quietly. He ran his

hands through his hair in a rare gesture  of  agitation.  "What  if  Gillam

planned to produce a body? Someone similar in age and  build,  someone  who

looks a little like him. They could plant text docs on the  body,  or  near

it."

"They'd have to count on a great deal of chaos  and  confusion,"  Siri

said. "There are many tests that can be done to determine identity."

"The secret squad is going to help start a war between Andara and  the

rest of the planets in the system," Obi-Wan said. "They may not realize it,

but they will. That will certainly create chaos." He suddenly realized what

Ferus, brooding in this damp cell, had already  put  together.  "They  just

need a body." He thought back to the information he had on Gillam,  to  the

boy's height and weight and coloring. "And they've chosen - "

"Anakin," Ferus said.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"If this doesn't work, I don't know you," Rana Halion said. Her  spiky

white hair seemed to bristle like fur as she surveyed the secret squad.

Marit nodded. "Understood."

"But it had better work," Rana Halion added. "It will," Rolai said.

Rana Halion's transparent blue eyes swept the group. She  sighed.  "If

you didn't  come  so  highly  recommended,  I  wouldn't  believe  it,"  she

murmured. "You look like a bunch of kids."

Anakin had to agree. Rolai was skinny  and  pale  beneath  his  Bothan

mane. Ze was plump. Tulah always looked as though he had just woken from  a

nap, and Hurana appeared slight and shy.

But he had seen that  Rolai  was  tough,  almost  ruthless,  Ze  could

dissect and solve any technical problem in five minutes or less, Tulah  had

a brilliant mind for strategy, and Hurana  had  convictions  and  no  fear.

Marit was smart and resourceful. He would put his own trust in this squad.

Rana pushed a contact button on her gold cuff and watched as a digital

coded message flashed at her. "I don't have much time.  Who  is  your  lead

pilot?" Anakin stepped forward. "I am."

Rana looked at him intently. Anakin thought it  could  have  been  the

most intimidating glance he'd ever experienced - if he hadn't grown  up  at

the Temple. Once you've faced Jedi like  Mace  Windu,  no  one  else  could

intimidate you. He  did  not  drop  his  own  gaze  and  met  hers  without

flinching.

She  gave  a  short  nod.  "You  seem  competent.  Can  you  pilot   a

starfighter?"

"I can fly anything."

"I almost believe it," she murmured, giving him  another  glance.  "Do

you know how to fire laser cannons at a target?"

Anakin glanced at Marit. "I thought there was to be no active firing."

Rana looked exasperated. "Who's in charge here?" "We all  are,"  Rolai

broke in crisply. "And we all know how to fire laser  cannons.  We've  been

over this."

"Have you thoroughly  briefed  the  squad?"  Rana  asked,  raising  an

eyebrow skeptically.

"Not with the final details," Rolai said smoothly.  "We  were  waiting

for the exact time of departure and target details."

Rana glanced at her cuff again. "Do  it  then.  You  can  inspect  the

starfighters. You leave in thirty minutes."

Marit exploded as soon as Rana was out of the room. "What was that all

about? What do you mean, you haven't briefed the squad? What  do  you  know

that we don't know? We're supposed to vote on everything!"

"Calm down," Rolai said with a glance at the door to  make  sure  Rana

was out of earshot.

"Don't tell me to calm down,"  Marit  answered  hotly.  "Tell  me  the

truth!"

"The mission just changed a bit," Rolai said. "We're supposed to  fire

on the fleet."

"Fire on the fleet?" Anakin asked. "But that's a declaration of war!"

"That's not our problem," Rolai said. "We're  hired  to  do  the  job.

That's all."

"Wait," Marit said. "Why didn't you tell us this?" She looked  at  Ze,

Hurana, and Tulah. Their gazes slid away. "You all knew, and I didn't?"

"I didn't know, either," Anakin pointed out.

But no one was paying attention to Anakin. "We all voted  to  wait  to

tell you until we got here," Hurana said. She didn't meet Marit's hot gaze.

"We thought you might object," Rolai said. "After  the  last  mission,

you had some misgivings about organic damage."

"Organic damage?" Marit  said  in  disbelief.  "Is  that  what  you're

calling it now? They were living beings!"

"Marit, what do you think  we're  doing?"  Rolai  asked.  "This  isn't

school. It isn't a game. We all agreed we would start this  as  a  business

and run it as a business.  We  all  agreed  that  we  would  make  our  own

destinies."

"That's the point," Marit said angrily.  "We  all  agreed.  We  didn't

leave someone out."

"I get your point, Marit," Rolai said. "Now let's  move  on.  Here  we

are. Are you going to join us, or not?"

Anakin watched Marit's face. He could see that she was  torn.  No  one

cared what he thought, but he would throw his support behind Marit  if  she

voted to back out.

"I'm in," she said in a low tone.

The group looked relieved. Even Rolai did, although he tried  to  hide

it.

"Hold on," Anakin said. "What about me? I'm part of the squad. Don't I

get a vote, too?"

Rolai gave him a glance that was so neutral Anakin felt  a  chill.  It

was as though Anakin wasn't even there.

"We don't  have  time  for  this,"  Rolai  said.  "Let's  inspect  the

starfighters."

Rana Halion suddenly appeared again. "We have a slight change  in  the

timing of the attack. We need  to  go  over  the  coordinates  and  warning

systems now. You'll have to come to the briefing room."

Rolai gestured to the group. "Let's go."

"While you're doing that, I'll check  out  the  starfighters,"  Anakin

said. "I need to look at the controls and see if I can handle them."

Rolai gave him a glance. "I thought you said you could fly  anything,"

he hissed so that Rana could not hear.

Anakin shrugged. "I sure hope I can," he murmured. "I don't  tell  you

everything. But then again, you don't tell me everything, either. Do you?"

Rolai shot him a murderous look. "We're coming," he called to  Halion.

"You," he whispered angrily  to  Anakin,  "check  out  those  starfighters.

You're going to have to give the rest of us some quick lessons."

Anakin waited until the group had left with Rana. Then he  hurried  to

the hangar. There wasn't much  time.  He  didn't  have  a  choice  now.  He

couldn't let the mission go through. He had to disable those  starfighters.

He knew that now. He was nowhere near discovering what happened to Ferus or

Gillam, and he was about to start a war. He  was  probably  breaking  every

Jedi rule in the archives.

The lerian starfighters were modifications of the Delta-6 Aethersprite

that he was used to. Anakin knew every bolt on the engine. He thought for a

minute. He needed to disable something that would  show  up  as  a  warning

light midflight but wouldn't put the ship in danger. He wanted to give  the

pilots plenty of time to  turn  around  and  land.  It  would  have  to  be

something that would immediately lead them to abort the mission.

The laser cannon capacitors. Anakin swung open the maintenance  panel.

Small tools were snapped onto the panel within easy reach.  He  selected  a

small servo-driver and within minutes had disabled the capacitators.

He started toward the next ship, wondering  if  he  should  alter  the

engine cooling  system  just  enough  to  cause  the  engines  to  overheat

slightly. That might add a little urgency to  the  decision  to  abort  the

mission...

"What are you doing?"

Marit's voice echoed across  the  hangar.  Anakin  paused  and  peered

around the control panel.

"Just a little tweaking."

She walked forward and peered into the system controls. "Do you  think

I'm stupid, Anakin? You've neutralized the laser cannon capacitators.  I've

studied the blueprints of this engine. I came back to  see  if  you  needed

help. I guess you don't, do you?" She turned and looked at him. Their faces

were very close. He could see the speculation and the disappointment in her

eyes. "Why?"

"You don't think we should go on this mission, either," Anakin said.

"I voted to go." Marit's voice was firm. "The group rules."

"But I'm part of the group! The rule is that  all  decisions  must  be

unanimous. Why isn't Rolai letting me vote?"

Marit shifted from one  foot  to  the  other.  "He  says  new  members

shouldn't have full voting privileges until they've completed a mission - "

"And did you vote on that,  or  did  Rolai  just  tell  you?"  Marit's

silence told him what he needed to know. "So I'm supposed to risk  my  life

without having a say in what we do? Do you think that's fair?"

"Do you think it's fair to sabotage our engines to get what you want?"

Marit's voice rose challengingly. "How could you do this? I trusted you!  I

brought you into the group!"

Marit's brown eyes held anger and reproach. Anakin felt  it  was  time

for the truth. He owed her that.

"I'm a Jedi," he said. "I'm not really a  student  at  the  Leadership

School. I was sent there to investigate Gillam Tarturi's disappearance."

"Gillam?" Marit was surprised.

"Don't you want to know what happened  to  him?"  Anakin  asked.  "And

before we left, Ferus Olin disappeared. What if Rolai had something  to  do

with it? What if he's funding the squad with ransom money? He's the one  in

charge of your treasury, and he's the security expert. He's  the  one  with

the connection to Rana Halion. What if she got him to  kidnap  Gillam?  All

the pieces fit. Why did he lie to you about this mission? Don't you want to

get to the bottom of it?"

Marit looked sad. "I wish you'd told me."

"I'm telling you now."

"You don't understand anything. Gillam - " Marit hesitated.

"So tell me," Anakin said, exasperated. "What about Gillam?"

"What about Gillam?" A mocking voice suddenly came from behind him.

Anakin whirled around. Gillam Tarturi stood, leaning against the  wing

of a starfighter. He was the same height as  Anakin,  and  their  eyes  met

across the space. Anakin felt shock and dismay ripple through him.

Anakin looked back at Marit. She nodded slowly.

"Gillam is the squad," she said. "It was his idea. He  formed  it.  He

made up the bylaws. He recruited us. We wouldn't have done anything without

him. We would have been a bunch of miserable outcasts."

"You faked your disappearance," Anakin said to Gillam. "Why?"

"I have my reasons," Gillam replied lightly.

Marit spoke into her comlink. "We need you," she said crisply.

"What's going on?" Anakin asked.

For his answer, he heard the soft sound of  her  blaster  leaving  its

holster. He could have stopped her easily, but he didn't. Marit pointed the

blaster at him, a reluctant look on her face. Within seconds, the  rest  of

the squad rushed into the hangar. Their blasters were drawn. They were  all

pointed at Anakin.

"I'm sorry," Marit said.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Marit's gaze was sorrowful. Rolai  and  Gillam  looked  hardened  with

purpose. But the others - Hurana, Tulah, and Ze - looked afraid.  Why  were

they afraid? Anakin sensed that there was a  conspiracy  here.  Gillam  and

Rolai were together, and they had roped in the rest of the reluctant squad.

Except for Marit.

There is something going on here that even Marit doesn't know.

"He disabled the laser cannons on two of the starfighters," Marit told

the others. "It's all right - I know how to fix it." She turned to  Anakin.

"We're going to have to restrain you until we're safely away."

Anakin looked at Gillam. "Is that so, Gillam? Why don't you  tell  her

what you really have in mind?"

"Sorry, Marit," Gillam said easily. "That's not quite the plan."

"What's the plan, Gillam?" Anakin asked.

Marit gave Gillam a questioning look.

"How would the  kidnapping  disgrace  Senator  Tarturi  if  he  wasn't

implicated in something terrible?" Gillam said to Marit.

"And we get a very large bonus from Rana Halion, too," Rolai said.

"Think about what it will do for the countermovement,  Marit,"  Gillam

said. "The Senator kidnaps his own son to throw suspicion on  the  lerians.

And then something goes wrong, and his son dies - "

"And it's his fault," Rolai chortled. "He sacrificed his own son so he

could keep his power!"

"I don't get it," Marit said.

"I do," Anakin said. "They want to kill  me."  Shocked,  Marit  looked

from Gillam to Rolai. "That can't be true."

"Actually, we were going to hand you over  to  Rana  Halion  for  that

particular step," Gillam said. "But as long as you pushed the issue..."  He

flourished his blaster and smiled at Anakin.

"But you're not Gillam - they'll figure that out," Marit said.

"They have a plan to disguise the body  somehow,"  Anakin  said.  "I'm

sure Rana Halion can find ways. I'll  be  taken  for  Gillam.  And  Senator

Tarturi will not only be disgraced among his own people, he'll have  a  war

on his hands. He won't be able to investigate, even if he wants to."

"Which he won't, because he won't care," Gillam said. "He'll just care

about his Senatorial privileges being threatened."

"It's a brilliant plan," Rolai said.

Marit stared at the two of them. "You're both insane."

Gillam shook his head sadly. "Poor  Marit.  You  lost  your  nerve  on

Tierell. That's why we couldn't trust you."

Marit looked at Tulah, Hurana, and Ze. "Are you going along with this?

"

The three of them looked uncomfortable.

"Gillam says we must be warriors," Hurana said. "This is the only way.

"

"I just do the tech stuff," Ze said.

"This has nothing to do with me," Tulah said.

"Ah, one thing I should point  out,"  Gillam  said.  "Because  of  the

disappearance of another student, the school has gone  into  security  code

green. And that means that all passes have been  cancelled.  You've  missed

three of the hour check-ins."

"I knew I  should  have  extended  the  range  on  our  comlinks,"  Ze

muttered.

"Which means we've been expelled," Hurana said.

"Which means, dear friends, that we have nowhere to go," Gillam  said.

"It's a big galaxy out there. We only have one another. And that's  a  good

thing. Together, we can be the best. We can have everything we want, if  we

just stick together. At first we did it because nobody wanted us.  But  now

we can do it because we're the best. We belong together."

Gillam's voice was low and compelling. Anakin  saw  the  charisma  and

charm that had led these students to join him.

"Maybe nobody wanted the others," Anakin said. "Or you convinced  them

that it was true. I don't know about that. But what about you?  You're  the

son of a powerful Senator. Who didn't want you?"

Gillam's face went white with sudden rage, and  for  the  first  time,

Anakin could see that he was quite capable of killing him. "My father!"  he

shouted. Gillam regained control of himself with an effort. "And now  he'll

realize how wrong he was.  Everyone  will  realize  who  underestimated  my

resolve. Well, Marit? Are you with us?"

Marit turned to Anakin. "I have nowhere else to go," she said.

"Marit, we're not doing anything wrong,"  Gillam  said.  "We're  doing

what we set out to do. We knew what the stakes were."

Anakin held Marit's gaze. "Did you know the stakes would be murder?"

"No one is asking you," Gillam  snapped  at  Anakin.  "You're  already

dead."

"He's a Jedi," Marit said. "If you think your plan will be easy, think

again."

Gillam shrugged, coming closer to Anakin. "He has six blasters pointed

at him. Even if you don't fire, I don't think we'll have a problem. I  know

the Jedi. I've seen them around the Senate all my life. They are  basically

servants of the Senators. Whatever power they had is gone now."

Anger coursed through Anakin. He saw the  privilege  Gillam  had  been

brought up with, and how it had corrupted  him.  He  saw  that  Gillam  had

counted on the feelings of the others, how they had felt lost and alone  in

a world he knew and they didn't. He had taken their minds  and  hearts  and

fashioned them into a weapon aimed at his father. The  squad  wasn't  about

justice. It was about revenge.

Anakin jumped up and kicked out with  one  foot  in  a  spinning  arc,

booting the blaster from Gillam's hand while he held out a hand and,  using

the Force, tore Rolai's blaster from his grip. He landed  on  one  leg  and

used the other to disarm Tulah with another well-aimed kick,  grabbing  the

blaster from Ze's hand at the same time. He used his knee to  dislodge  the

weapon from a surprised Hurana and then simply took Marit's from her  hand.

The entire series of attack moves took only seconds. The squad  barely  had

time to blink.

Now they stared at him, or down at their  empty  hands.  There  was  a

beat, a moment of silence and surprise. Anakin pulled out and  ignited  his

lightsaber, holding it in a posture any Jedi would recognize as  offensive.

He was ready to strike. He did not want to hurt anyone. That was his  first

concern. But he had to stop the squad's mission.

"Just don't move," he told them.

Anakin sensed movement behind him and turned slightly. Rana Halion had

taken a step inside the hangar. As soon as she saw the lightsaber, she  hit

a button on her cuff.

Gillam smiled. "Looks like your luck has run out, Jedi."

"Jedi don't need luck," Anakin said, just as the attack droids swarmed

into the hangar.

Blaster fire erupted from the droids, aimed at  Anakin  but  scattered

enough so that he feared for Marit  and  the  others.  The  squad  dropped,

scrambling for their blasters. Anakin saw at once his problems. Gillam  and

Rolai had found blasters and were trying to aim at him as  he  moved.  Fire

from the droids was heavy. Marit had ducked behind a  starfighter.  He  did

not think he could count on help from her. She seemed dazed.

He saw the smile of triumph on Gillam's face as he retrieved and aimed

his blaster, and Anakin's anger returned. He reached out to the  Force.  He

remembered the lessons he had learned from Soara  Antana,  the  great  Jedi

Master. The Force comes from stillness,  she  had  said.  Find  your  still

center, even in the midst of battle.

He saw time unspool before him like a ribbon. He saw  it  freeze  like

ice on a river. He saw that he  had  infinite  time  to  do  everything  he

needed.

With an outstretched hand he knocked the blaster from  Gillam's  grasp

and sent it flying across the full space of the hangar. It hit the wall  so

hard it shattered. Gillam's smile disappeared.

At the same time he was moving, diverting  the  droids'  blaster  fire

from where Tulah and Hurana had taken cover, pushing Ze behind a  durasteel

container, and knocking out one attack droid with a thrust to  its  control

panel.

Suddenly the laser cannons from the starfighter on his right began  to

fire. Gillam had slipped inside the cockpit.

Anakin did not lose his sense of frozen time. He  was  the  master  of

time. He did not worry about the laser cannons any more than  he'd  worried

about the attack droids. It all seemed so easy. He seemed to see  the  fire

before it came, and he knew how to move to avoid  it.  His  movements  were

like shimmersilk, so fluid it was as though he did  not  have  muscles  and

bones, only will.

Now his Master was here. He could feel that, too. But he did not  need

him.

He spun in midair, taking  out  two  battle  droids  while  he  leaped

through the laser cannonfire straight at the cockpit  of  the  starfighter.

With one backward slash he took out the final droid.  He  had  a  flash  of

Gillam's shocked face as he cut through the windscreen with one slice. With

one hand, he threw Gillam out of the pilot's seat and then dropped into it.

He turned off the engines and disabled the laser cannons.

Siri and  Ferus  stood,  lightsabers  drawn,  guarding  Rolai,  Marit,

Hurana, Tulah, and Ze. Obi-Wan had captured Rana Halion.

Across the space, he looked at his Master. He waited  for  Obi-Wan  to

acknowledge him. The mission was over. He had been successful. He had found

Gillam and thwarted an invasion.

He waited, standing in the cockpit, looking down. He  could  feel  the

flush of triumph on his cheeks. Siri glanced at him, as did Ferus. He could

see the astonishment on their faces. But his Master never looked up.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Never had Obi-Wan seen such a display of the  Force  from  a  Padawan.

From the great Jedi Masters, yes. From Qui-Gon, near the end of  his  life.

But from someone so young? Anakin's power astonished him. He  had  glimpsed

it before, but now he had seen it unfurl, and it staggered him.

He had not had a chance to move, to help. Anakin had been a  blur.  He

had seemed to be everywhere at once. He had destroyed  ten  attack  droids,

disarmed his aggressors, and disabled two laser cannons without hesitation,

with even a slight smile on his face.

He could see that Siri and  Ferus  had  been  just  as  astonished  at

Anakin's deep connection to the Force, the way he had seemed to  know  what

was going to happen before it happened, the way he was able to  dodge  fire

before it occurred. Astonished, yes - and disturbed.

Unease settled into Obi-Wan's bones, joining  his  disappointment  and

the anger he had tried to eliminate from his heart. To have  a  Padawan  so

gifted who was capable of being so wrong - it was his gift to  be  able  to

teach him. It was his burden as well.

At first he could not even look at Anakin. He had  to  concentrate  on

the matter at hand.

Rana Halion tried to glide away from him, but with a lifted lightsaber

he stopped her. "How dare you!" she cried. "I assure you, I  have  no  idea

what this renegade band is doing here. My security  team  alerted  me  that

there was a break-in and I arrived to see a battle."  Her  eyes  swept  the

secret squad as if she had never seen them before.

"And why did you send in droids to attack a Jedi?" Siri asked.

"How ridiculous. I didn't know there was a  Jedi  here,"  Rana  Halion

said. "We sent in the droids because it is the usual procedure  when  there

is a security breach."

The  girl  called  Marit  raised  her  chin  and  fixed  Rana  with  a

contemptuous stare. "She is lying," she said. "About everything. I'm not  a

student anymore, but I can see I've learned my  first  real  lesson  today.

Betrayals are the way the galaxy works." She looked at Anakin.

He shook his head at her, as if to apologize. "I believed in what  you

believed," he said.

"Then you were as foolish as I was," Marit said softly.

"You'll take her word over mine?" Rana Halion huffed.

"This is a matter for the Senate  to  sort  out,"  Siri  said.  "These

students will testify, no doubt. They've already been expelled, so  they'll

certainly be available."

"Expelled? I don't think so," Gillam said.  "I  want  to  talk  to  my

father!"

"Your father might not want to talk to you after he discovers that you

were trying to set him up for murder," Obi-Wan said.

"Who told such lies?" Gillam asked. "I barely escaped my captors  with

my life. She kidnapped me!" he shrilled, pointing at Rana Halion.

"You scrawny brat!" Rana cried.

Ferus held up Gillam's datapad. "You might  want  to  reconsider  what

you're saying, Gillam. Do you recognize this?"

Gillam went pale, but only for a  moment.  "I  don't  know  what  he's

talking about. I don't even know him. I've never seen  that  datapad.  He's

just another jealous student, no doubt."

"No, he is a Jedi," Siri said.

Gillam looked alarmed. "He's a Jedi, too?" "They're everywhere," Tulah

said, dazed.

"I never realized how much  you  lie,"  Marit  said  to  Gillam.  "You

breathe, you lie. This squad was never about us. It  wasn't  about  banding

together to do something good. It was really all  about  you.  And  if  you

think the rest of us are going to support your  lies,  you're  not  only  a

liar, you're crazy. Like you said, Gillam, we  all  have  nothing  left  to

lose."

"Affirmatively true," Ze said, and Tulah nodded.

Gillam looked flustered. He opened his mouth and then clamped it shut.

He crossed his arms. "I want to see my father," he repeated.

"You'll see him soon enough," Siri said.  "We're  taking  you  all  to

Coruscant. The Senate authorities can straighten out this mess."

Siri led a protesting Rana Halion away. Ferus herded the squad  toward

the open doors of the hangar.

Obi-Wan was left alone with Anakin. At last it was  time  for  him  to

speak to his Padawan. Yet he could not  find  the  right  words.  He  knew,

glancing at his Padawan's eager face,  that  Anakin  meant  well  from  the

bottom of his heart. If Obi-Wan saw a shadow on  that  heart,  he  knew  it

would pain his Padawan to know it. In many ways, Anakin was still a boy.  A

wounded, loving, anxious boy with great gifts he did not fully understand.

Yet he was also a young man, close to maturity,  who  could  do  great

harm. To others, yes. To himself, most of all

"They were going to conduct a raid on Andara," Anakin said,  tired  of

Obi-Wan's silence. "But first they were going to kill me - "

"I know," Obi-Wan said. "Everything was on Gillam's datapad. Which you

would have known if you had searched for Ferus."

Anakin flushed. "I didn't know where he was." "You did not look."

"I thought perhaps he was on leria or Andara.  I  thought  the  secret

squad knew where he was - "

"You did not even  look!"  Obi-Wan  shouted.  "Your  fellow  Jedi  was

missing, and you did not even look!"

"I thought it best to continue under cover,"  Anakin  said.  His  face

showed his surprise at Obi-Wan's harshness. Obi-Wan never raised his voice.

"I had infiltrated the squad. I thought my  best  chance  of  finding  both

Gillam and Ferus was to continue."

"You were willing to participate in a raid that would have  started  a

war," Obi-Wan continued. He had to struggle to keep  his  voice  level.  He

needed to keep as calm as possible.

"I didn't know about the raid!" Anakin protested. "I mean, I knew they

were going to do something, but it was a dry  run,  designed  to  show  the

Andarans that they had the capability of invading their airspace. I  didn't

know they had plans to destroy their fleet. As soon as I did,  I  sabotaged

the laser cannons."

"Anakin, you left your fellow  Jedi  imprisoned  and  went  off  on  a

mission with a group of beings who you had no  reason  to  trust,"  Obi-Wan

said. "You were wrong at every point. Can't you see that?"

Anakin said nothing.

"You did not contact me to tell me Ferus was missing - "

"I would have compromised our cover - "

"You had a responsibility!" Obi-Wan's voice cut  like  a  laser  whip.

"Just as I had one to Siri. You betrayed me and the Order by your  actions.

And your inability to see that troubles me the worst of all."

"I am sorry, Master."

Obi-Wan shook his head. Grief rose in him "Those are words  you  speak

so easily, Padawan."

Anakin's mouth closed in a line. "I don't know what you want from me."

Honesty. Loyalty. Patience. Obedience. Obi-Wan  thought  these  things

but did not say them. Because, after all, they were only words, too.

"I can only show you the path," Obi-Wan said. "You must choose to walk

on it."

"I just..." Anakin stopped. He took a ragged breath.  "I  thought  you

would be proud of me."

I am proud of you. Obi-Wan wanted to say the words. They were true. He

was proud of so much in Anakin. But now was not the time to tell him that.

Or was it?

Help me, Qui-Gon.

But no matter how hard Obi-Wan listened, he could not hear  the  quiet

wisdom of his Master. And now it was too late. Siri returned  and  signaled

to him. It was time to go.

"I will take this matter up with the Council," he said.  "Of  course,"

Anakin said. "The Council. We can't take a step without it."

"That's enough!" Obi-Wan snapped. "Come. The others are waiting."

Anakin hesitated. The set of his mouth was stubborn. "Come,  Padawan."

Obi-Wan's tone rang with authority. Anakin's hesitation cast a chill on his

heart.

Anakin followed him. Obi-Wan did not glance back again.

He felt  shaken.  Did  Anakin  understand  that  he  had  violated  an

essential part of the Jedi code?  Did  he  know  he  had  broken  something

between them? He had not fully trusted Obi-Wan. And so Obi-Wan had lost his

trust in him.

Not for good, he tried to reassure himself. And maybe not for long.

Still, his step was heavy as he climbed up the  loading  ramp  of  the

transport. His anger faded. Left behind was a feeling he was  not  used  to

experiencing. It was fear.